American Girl Under Your Christmas Tree #HolidayGiftGuide15

by Leave a Comment

American Girl Under Your Christmas Tree This YearamericangirlAmerican Girl is a staple in our house. After being a boymom for sixteen years before Emm came along it is a wonderful thing to see dolls under the Christmas tree. This year will be no different. A American Girl doll is special. It’s a little bit more expensive than the others but the quality is something you just cannot substitute. I do have to admit that I was thrilled before Emm was born to find out that there actually was a doll with her name. She was lucky enough to have her first doll before she was born, given to her by her grandma at my baby shower. Since then we have added to the collection with Bitty Baby, matching clothes and accessories. I’m happy to say that they really have filled our house with joy. Emm and I have spent countless hours hosting tea parties, reading stories about what each American Girl doll represents and just playing. I hope it is something that Emm will repeat with her own children someday. americangirl1Recently we were introduced to Maryellen Larkin. As a mom I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love what she stands for: “I follow my heart instead of the crowd”. What better message than that for a mom and dad to introduce to their daughter. Maryellen Larkin is part of the Be Forever collection. She represents 1954 and is just delightful. There are accessories available from clothes to baking items. We love her already in this house. I’m sure she will be a welcome friend to many of her friends that already live here.  Check out more about Maryellen Larkin here: http://www.americangirl.com/shop/dolls/maryellenamericangirlbirthday1

americangirlbirthdayCheck out our American Girl Cafe Birthday by clicking here.

holidaygiftguide15Disclosure: 3decades3kids is an American Girl Brand partner blog. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and honest. Sample product was provided by American Girl. This post is part of our #HolidayGiftGuide15 series. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids everywhere else. 

Calling All Gamers! Our #NintendoKidReviewers Gift Guide! @Nintendo

by Leave a Comment

Calling All Gamers. Our Nintendo Kid Reviewers Gift Guide!

Nintendogiftguide8Calling all gamers. Our Nintendo Kid Reviewers have the scoop on the kewlest games and amiibo this holiday season. Recently our family was treated to day of holiday shopping at Nintendo World NYC to check out all the latest gaming goods. It’s kind of one stop shopping for us! Having two game reviewers in the house means double the fun! So here go the picks. If you are a gamer or have kids that love to game we have you covered. 

nintendogiftguide1

nintendogiftguide

nintendogiftguide7

The kids love the amiibo figures. Our house is filled with them and I do not see and end in sight! Some of our favorites are Animal Crossing, Yarn Yoshi, Mario, Splatoon and more. They are so much fun to add to the gaming experience. For non gamers, an amiibo is a character figure (or a card) that gives you in-game extras in a wide variety of games for Nintendo systems. One figure might unlock a new character in one game, give you a new costume in another, and a power-up in yet another! Some of them can even battle with or against you in Super Smash Bros! They are a lot of fun to play with, and my children love using them in their Nintendo games, both on the Wii U and 3DS! I may even be a little bit obsessed with them myself!

nintendogiftguide6

nintendogiftguide3

nintendogiftguide5

From Super Mario Maker, Skylanders SuperChargers,  Super Smash Brothers, Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival to Splatoon, there are so many choices and you just cannot choose wrong! The best part of all, GIRLS love to game, too! Until Emily came along, I viewed gaming as a boy thing. I could not be more wrong. My daughter loves gaming and really can put her brothers to the test in games like Super Smash Bros. and Splatoon. So if you are shopping for a boy or girl this Christmas, you need to look no farther than http://happyholidays.nintendo.com/ If you are not sure what game to buy, a gift card is always a great choice and will be just as welcome. 

nintendokidreviewers

holidaygiftguide15

Disclosure: 3decades3kids is a Nintendo Reviewer Kids site. Emily and Adam have partnered with Nintendo to give their honest opinion on gaming and products. Samples are provided throughout the year. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids everywhere else. Happy  Holidays! This post is part of our #NintendoReviewerKids and #HolidayGiftGuide15 series. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Force Awakens With Hallmark #Giveaway #HolidayGiftGuide15 @Snoopy

by 15 Comments

Giveaway- The Force Awakens With Hallmark This Christmas! Snoopy, Too!

hallmark3

Around here there are two things that come in conversation on a daily basis, Snoopy and Star Wars! Thanks to Hallmark- our house and yours, too can make those two topics come to life during the holidays. Hallmark has some of the most adorable itty bitty characters and ornaments. Click here to check them out! As if their cuteness is not enough to scoop them up,  Star Wars Toys for Tots itty bittys – Chewbacca™, Yoda™, R2-D2™ and C-3PO™  are decked in holiday attire! For each purchase of one of these holiday Star Wars branded itty bittys, Hallmark will donate $1 to Toys for Tots. We love any brand that gives back! Thanks for your kindness and giveback, Hallmark.

hallmark4

hallmark2

This Christmas we are decorating our house with Hallmark! Now, believe me, that is nothing new. We have been a Hallmark house forever and they make it easy every year with their adorable and meaningful ornaments and the variety of holiday goods. This year we loved the itty bitty characters! I’m sure by now you have seen them if you are at the mall or online. Our family had the chance to check them out first hand and loved them! Soft, cuddly and perfect for everyone from little children to adults!

hallmarkgroup

hallmark5

Our other love is Peanuts! We have Snoopy all over the place and I know it’s going to be under and on many Christmas trees this year. I know they are on ours! You can grab these Peanuts itty bitty characters for $6.95. They are Available online (http://bit.ly/1QQfJNc) and at Hallmark Gold Crown stores.

hallmarksnoopy

We are in love with this awesome sound Peanuts® Flying Ace Snoopy’s Red Plane Keepsake Ornament! It looks wonderful on our tree this year. They are available for $19.95 online (http://bit.ly/1fjTaB0) and at Hallmark Gold Crown stores. Just push the button to hear Flying Ace sound off!hallmarkPeanuts® Snoopy’s Doghouse Porcelain Keepsake Ornament is one you will love to chat about every year. We hung ours up and talked about all of our favorite Snoopy memories. We have a lot, especially since my hubby’s doggie was named Snoopy! This beautiful ornament is $24.95 and worth  every cent. It’s available online (http://bit.ly/1NFzQbF) and at Hallmark Gold Crown stores.hallmark1STAR WARS itty bittys Giveaway!

Please enter on the rafflecopter below. Ends Dec 20th at 11:59 pm. Winners will be contacted via email and have 24 hours to claim prize. Prize may not arrive by Christmas but we will try! 18+/usa only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

holidaygiftguide15

 

Disclosure: Diane Sullivan is a Hallmark partner blog for our #HolidayGiftGuide2015. All opinions are that of my own and completely honest. All sample products were provided in order to facilitate this review and giveaway. Please contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids everywhere else. Happy Holidays from 3decades3kids and Hallmark!

 

 

 

 

Kmart 2015 Fab 15 Toys! #Fab15Toys #ad @Kmart

by 1 Comment

Kmart Fab 15 Toys For 2015 Are Awesome!
santaletterThe holiday season can be a tricky time for parents– on top of the stress of preparing for get-togethers with family, friends, co-workers, and more, there’s always the question of shopping for everyone. Making sure everyone on your list gets exactly what they want (especially your kids!) isn’t always the easiest. If you can even keep track of the year’s hottest toys, getting a hold of the ones that made your kids’ wish list can often be a hassle, going to store after store to get just the right toy! I definitely have been consulting with my daughter on this one. I have heard many toy names over and over in our house. I have seen them on Dear Santa letters and more Dear Santa letters. There is wishing at night and constant chit chat with friends about what everyone wants for Christmas. It makes me recall the excitement of my own childhood, thinking back to all of the wishing that took place during the month of December.

Thankfully, this year Kmart has you covered! With their Fab 15 Toy List, Kmart has streamlined holiday shopping by putting the best 15 toys of the year all in one easy-to-find place. Whether your kids are girls or boys, old or young, Kmart’s Fab 15 list is sure to have something that will make them smile when they unwrap it under the tree on Christmas morning! And what’s better than watching the joy on your children’s faces when they open up that perfect present?

 In our house, there’s no shortage of differing opinions about what the coolest Christmas toys are this year– from Star Wars to StarLily, from Barbie dolls to board games, my kids love a whole bunch of different things– but as varied as their ideas of what this year’s best toy is may be, they all agreed that the KMart
Fab 15 list has some of the best toys they’ve seen for this Christmas! I think it even helped them add a few to the list…
santa
 
With that in mind, here are our favorite toys from Kmart’s 2015 Fab 15 Toy List:
 
Zoomer Kitty
 
The top of my daughter’s list this year, Zoomer Kitty is a robotic kitty e-pet that interacts with your children, her special paw-themed toy, and (only at Kmart!) her mouse friend Nibbles. Zoomer Kitty’s unique True Vision technology allows her to see and follow your child’s movements, and respond to them! And with two separate modes– Cuddle Mode and Play Mode– there’s hours of fun to be had with this adorable new toy!
 
Furreal Star Lilly
 
StarLily My Magical Unicorn by FurReal Friends is a fuzzy and magical addition to any little girl’s menagerie of cuddly pals. But unlike your average plush toy, StarLily is an animatronic character with tons of fun functions, like her 100 different light, sound, and motion combinations, fluttering wings, response to touch and sound, and more! Plus, with an integrated app, StarLily brings play into the future as your child can use a smart device to interact with her as well.
barbiexmas
 
The Holiday Barbie doll is a Christmas tradition that’s always anxiously anticipated in our house, and this year’s Kmart exclusive Holiday Auburn Barbie is no exception! Dressed in a glamorous garnet evening gown trimmed in silver, Barbie is ready for any holiday event, looking fashionable as always. This highly collectible doll is a perfect fit for any little girl’s growing collection!
monopoly
A favorite of my oldest son, Monopoly has undoubtedly earned its place in the pantheon of classic board games. But what if its retro vibe got turned on its head? That’s the idea behind Hasbro’s Monopoly Here and Now- US Edition, which features updated tokens, board spaces, and play mechanics to bring the iconic game into the 21st century! Check it out this Christmas and see where your Monopoly journey around the country will take you!
 
Hulk Smash RC
 
A must-have for Marvel super heroes fans of all ages, the XPV Marvel RC Hulk Smash Toy Vehicle will have you doing flips from excitement (or the Hulk will, at least!) That’s right– this awesome RC vehicle features the Hulk perched atop a crushed car, and it’s capable of doing flips, wheelies, and tons of other exciting tricks and stunts! It’s easy to control, fun to play with, and can even come back from nasty spills with ease.
prod_1694491812
With the brand new Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens right around the corner, excitement for the series is at an all-time-high, especially for die-hard Star Wars fans like my middle son! Of course, anticipation for the new movie goes hand in hand with wanting to recreate your favorite scenes at home, and there’s no better way to do it than with the Star Wars Bladebuilders Jedi Master Lightsaber! This kit allows the Jedi in your home to create his or her own lightsaber, with over 100 different combinations! May the force be with you this holiday season!
 
These great toys are just a small sample of Kmart’s awesome Fab 15 list– you can take a look at the whole fifteen (and more!) in your local Kmart store and online at Kmart.com/toys! And don’t forget to check out Shop Your Way for a chance to win ALL fifteen of Kmart’s Fab 15 Christmas toys– good luck, and Merry Christmas!
holidaygiftguide15
 Disclosure:This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Role Mommy Writers Network and Kmart. All opinions are 100% my own. Diane Sullivan is a Kmart Fab 15 partner. This is a sponsored opp provided by Role Mommy Writer’s Network. All opinions are that of D.S. and completely honest. Contact me as Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids everywhere else. 

You Are Invited to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies #NYC Screening! Release date FEB 5th #Moms

by Leave a Comment

You Are Invited to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Release Date is not until Feb 5th!! 

zombies

 

Calling all Moms & Teens!

You are invited to the NYC screening

Tuesday, December 15

5:00 p.m.

AMC Empire

234 W. 42nd St. (between 7th & 8th)

All screening passes are first come first served. Arrive early because seats are limited. 

You can download a pair of passes on the link below. Tweet me at @3decades3kids to let me know how the movie was! 

http://www.sonyscreenings.com/3D3KPPZ

 Release Date: February 5, 2016

 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has been PG-13 by the MPAA for the following reasons: Zombie violence and action and brief suggestive material.

 

             

A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in this reimagining of Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England.  Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice.  As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield in order to conquer the undead once and for all.

Disclosure: Diane Sullivan is a Sony Pictures movie screening partner. All opinions are that of my own and honest. No compensation was given for this post. This post is part of our #moviescreenings series. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids everywhere else.