I just wanted to let you all know about this wonderful sale on shipping! Need I remind you, the Holiday season is just 4 months away...

Click the image to be taken to the site!

*This is not a sponsored post. I received no item or monetary gift for posting. I just saw a good deal and wanted you to know. You're welcome.*

Step2 Site Wide Shipping Sale!!

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I don't mean to alarm anyone, but Christmas day is less than 6 months away!
I KNOW! I can't believe it's that sneaky, either.

Well, don't worry. You can do some of your shopping this weekend at Step2 and get great deals on shipping...some rates as low as FREE! There's no code to enter to get your discount, just start shopping and it will handle itself. :)

Please make note: The discount is not valid on Infantino items or Canadian shipments.

Regular shipping prices resume at 12:00 AM ET on Monday, July 2, 2012.


Just click the pic to get started!

**I received no compensation for sharing this info with you. As a Step2 Test Drive Mom, I'm sent deals and promotions and enjoy sharing them with you.**


P.S. Have you signed up for Step2's Birthday Club??

Step2 Has A $2.99 Shipping Sale!

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Spring is HERE and it's about time we all went outdoors for some play. Step2 has many items available just for the great outdoors and they want you to enjoy them. {Go ahead and hop over to Step2 right now to see what they have!}

We were sent the {super girly} Step2 Wagon For Two Plus wagon in pink for review. Eliana is such a fan of the color pink, I knew she would love it as I'm sure her little sister will enjoy riding in it with her when she's able to sit up well.

Just look at Eliana. She had to grab her camera so she could take review photos with me. Ha!

For assembly, I needed to attach the wheels and handle. I used the proper tools, followed the directions step by step, and had no problems at all. The wheels can be a bit tricky to get on at times, but once I get the knack for it, I'm golden. Now, if only I could eliminate distractions from the little ones to speed the assembly time up. {LOL}

Eliana hopped right in after I had the wagon all ready to go. One of my favorite features on this wagon is the seat belt attached to each seat. In other wagons, I had a problem with my little ones randomly standing up as they were being pulled along. It always made me nervous but now I can rest in knowing they're safely buckled in.

 Eliana loves the storage space under the seat and so do I. I can stash snacks in there along with little things to keep small hands busy if need-be. When I'm not using it, she likes to put her doll's things in there so she can better care for her babies. Either way it's being used, it certainly is nice to have.

Finally, we're pretty crazy about the door on the wagon too. It gives my daughter a bit of independence with getting in and out and overall makes life easier. I don't have to worry about Eliana falling as she tries to get in or out of the wagon and I also don't have to do any lifting.

I'd love for you to see the wagon in action so we put together a short video the first time we took it outside. Enjoy!

** Thanks to Step2 for the wagon to review. This review is based strictly on my experience and opinion. I was not compensated in any way for the review itself or to influence my choice of words. Others may not agree or may have a different experience.**

Perfect For Spring ~ Step2 Wagon For 2 {review}

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Yesterday, something fun happened. I got a knock on the door from UPS and was handed a box.

Puzzled, I looked at the shipping label and didn't recognize the return address. "Hmmmmm...what is this?", I thought.

I opened the box and found a fortune cookie the size of my head inside...and that's it. There was no packing slip, no card, no form letter. Well, I did just have a baby one month ago so I figured someone sent us a treat to congratulate us and forgot to add a card with it.

This image is from 1800baskets.com. It's what I received. No, I didn't think to take a picture of my own. LOL

Out of curiosity, I headed to my computer and went back through my email. Had someone sent me a "Heads Up" about this and I missed it? {My email has been a bit chaotic since bringing home baby number 3.} Nope. No messages anywhere about this one.

Oh, well. Crack into the giant fortune cookie and enjoy! That's what I decided to do.

After cracking the fortune cookie, I saw a piece of paper inside of it. The fortune read:

A DAY WITHOUT LAUGHTER IS A DAY WASTED"-Charlie Chaplin. WELCOME TO THE 2012 STEP2 TEST DRIVE MOM BLOGGER PROGRAM! THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO AS A MOM AND AS A STEP2 BRAND ADVOCATE. THE STEP2 TEAM

Well, Hot Dog! How exciting is that?

If you search for "Step2" on my blog, you'll see a running relationship I've had with this brand. I've shared things from play kitchens, to outdoor toys, to learning ideas using Step2 products over the past few years and I am SO excited and SO honored to have been selected for this program.

Now, I don't know any details about this. After I got over the excitement of the note, I said "What does it mean??".  As I learn more about this, you can count on me to dish the skinny with you. I'm hoping it means a lot of fun for my kiddos and for you as my readers...my blog family. ;)

Stay Tuned!

**I received no compensation for this post. In fact, I wasn't even asked to share this on my blog. Thanks to the Step2 Team for including me in this great program!**

I Love Surprises! Don't You?

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Just wanted to let you know winners have been selected and announced for the following giveaways!

• Crayola Wiggle Bones
• Step2 Double Play Sports
• Hearts For Hearts Girls Doll
  and
• Peet's Coffee

I've also contacted every winner and will randomly select another winner/winners if the prizes are not claimed in time.

Keep your eyes peeled for MORE giveaways!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

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It never fails. Every day, Eliana goes into her room to make me something in her play kitchen. She's made me everything from coffee, to burgers, to corn on the cob {in a cup} and she really enjoys keeping it tidy when she's all done with her play. 

This year, I'm sure she's going to be thrilled to see an upgrade to her little kitchen when the new, LifeStyle Legacy Kitchen from Step2 is assembled and waiting for her by the Christmas tree. This new kitchen not only gives her a bigger play area to work with, it also has accessories that she doesn't currently have. 

This kitchen comes with a recycling bin, a shopping tote, storage baskets, a stove top that sizzles when a pot is placed on it, a phone, a microwave, and more. Eliana loves to pretend to be myself or the hubster when she's playing in the kitchen so I'm excited to see how she whips around with her phone and her cooking or coffee making. 

The dimensions of this kitchen make it a great size while still not taking up too much room in the kiddos' bedroom. It measures 46" high x 39" wide x 16.75" Deep.

What I love about Step2 products is their durability. These things can handle all the play a child can give it for years on end and still stand strong. It's quite impressive, actually. The assembly process can sometimes get a little tough but I've never had an issue with putting something together on my own. It just takes a little extra muscle sometimes. Also, I love the variety available from Step2. There are many different sizes and styles of play kitchens, from massive to small, and with that comes a large range of price points.

BUY IT!! You can purchase the Step2 LifeStyle Legacy Kitchen for $125-$135. {prices vary from store to store.}

THE GIVEAWAY!! 

Step2 sent something for one of you to win!

**Thanks to the company or pr agency, who supplied the items to facilitate this review and giveaway. I wasn't compensated in any way. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the item mentioned. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Step2 LifeStyle Legacy Kitchen {and a giveaway too}

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Every season, I look forward to seeing what Step2 will come out with next. Truth be told, I have a hard time finding a brand that can compare in how well it takes a beating and still looks and works like new. Step2 is a trusted brand in this home and we enjoy the toys they make for both the indoors and outdoors. 

For this event, they sent us the Sand And Water Fun Farm to review. 

I loved how organized everything is as I took it out of the box to assemble. The legs were on one side and the smaller pieces were taped in the other side of the table top. I wasted no time in getting things together either.

I appreciated how easily I could put the legs together on this table. One piece attached on the bottom and another attached on the top clicking into place. I was able to get the legs put on in no time at all and that freed me up to get to the "fun stuff". 

The Sand And Water Fun Farm comes with a barn tunnel, a farmer, a tracker, 2 cars for the tractor to pull, a horse, a cow, a rooster, a squirting fish, a squirting frog, a shovel/rake toy, a windmill, a sand funnel, removable tracks, 2 "pools" {for sand and/or water}, and a gate to close off or open the roadway. 

While most of the extra parts need to be assembled, I found it simple to do and the directions easy to follow. 

Here's how the Step2 website describes it:

• Two compartments for both sand and water
• Tractor with two carts runs around perimeter of table and through the middle separating sand and water compartments
• Barn acts as a tunnel and fits on track in multiple places
• Includes farm figurines, tractor, two pull carts, shovel, barn, and funnel (sand not included)
• Raised table helps keep feet dry
• Designed to hold a 40” Umbrella (sold separately)
• Minimal adult assembly required

Recommended Age: 2 and up
Product Number: 716500
Dimensions: 27.50 H 30.50 W 30.50 D
Weight: 12.00 lbs 

This table is very lightweight when it's empty but can be a bit bulky when trying to move it around. 

Since spring weather STILL has not arrived at our door, we play with rice in the table and keep it inside. I've also been told to try alphabet pasta and I think we'll be trying some of that next. We're really enjoying our new Step2 Sand and Water Fun Farm table and look forward to even more fun when the summer comes and we can play with it outside with a bit of water. 

BUY IT: You can purchase the Sand And Water Fun Farm table from Step2 for $59.99.

**This is a Peanut Prefers AND Buddy Picks review. Both Alex and Eliana give it two thumbs up!

**Thanks to Step2, who supplied the item to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any way. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the item mentioned. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Step2 Sand And Water Fun Farm ~ Our Review

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The hubster and I are prayerfully considering whether we should homeschool our kiddos or send them to a private school. This is not a decision that we take lightly so we've given ourselves the year to think, talk, and pray about it.

In the meantime, I've started doing "learning time" at home on Alex's off-days. I went to the local Dollar Tree store and picked up some things to help us in our time together and was happy to find work sheets that build on what he's already learning at Preschool. We practice his letters, math skills, shapes, and even try our hand at some arts and crafts. :) {He likes the math more than the art.}

This past week, Alex was learning the letter "K" so I built our own learning time around that.

When we sit down to do learning time, we begin by singing songs, going over our counting and letters, and then talk about the specific letter he's learning at school. He can practice writing his on the dry erase board {from IKEA} and on his dry erase Printing Practice sheet {from Target's Dollar Spot}. I show him a few times and then he tries with my help and then on his own. {I'm sure you can see a clear difference. lol} 

Then, we talk about our "Attitude of Gratitude" and pick 5 things to be grateful for. This list changes with every Learning Time and I love listening to what he comes up with.

After that, we read a story together. Since April first was approaching, I chose this book {April Foolishness}. He loved it and wants to read it over and over again. 

We played with these foam letters and pegs. {Lauri Tall Stacker Pegs A-Z Pegboard Set Uppercase} Eliana kept busy with these while Alex and I moved on to his work sheets.

He LOVES doing the mazes but needs a little encouragement to get into coloring. LOL I give him a sticker on each page he completes and he seems to feel more "accomplished" after I do that. It's the little things... ;)

Here, we practiced writing the letter "K" and did a connect the dots activity. Then, we wrapped up our time at the table with a lacing activity. This cute kitten is from the Melissa & Doug Lace & Trace Pets set. In the past, Alex would attempt this and then walk away from it but I'm proud to say, he completed it on his own with a little encouragement. :) 

Our "Learning Time" was finished with some sensory play at our new Sand & Water table from Step2 {more on that coming soon}. I filled it with rice and the kiddos absolutely loved their time there. It does get on the floor but I'm happy for the mess if it keeps them occupied and playing together. :) 

I'm hoping this is a habit that sticks whether or not we decide to homeschool. Having time together to learn and have fun with it is so important. I adore this time with my littles and they've been so responsive to it. 

Is there something you do in your home to encourage growth in learning? I'd love to hear your ideas. 

**This is not a product review. I'm just sharing what we do in our home and thought it would be nice to link to the sites where you can find the things we use in case you're interested in getting it for yourself.**

Learning Time In Our Little Home

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For more Wordless Wednesday, head on over to 5 minutes for mom. :)

Wordless Wednesday ~ What Are They Up To?

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Thanks for your patience! My little ones are finally feeling better and I can get back to my "norm". I have a few winners to announce!!

• The Step2 Giveaway goes to:
  

• And winning the VTech Giveaway is

Both winners have been e-mailed and I will redraw if the prizes are not claimed within 48 hours. 

Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who entered. 

Don't miss the Shoffee.com giveaway on the sidebar!!

Winners!

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