Review: Johnsonville Brat Patties {Video}

When it comes to food, I am what you might call picky.

If it were up to me, I would live off of macaroni and cheese, Cheese-Its, bread, fettucini alfredo, waffles, and coffee.

I’m very unadventurous when it comes to food, and I always have been.

Then I met my fiance’, Morgan, who witnessed my first foray into the world of sushi, taught me how to use chopsticks, showed me that eating veggies wasn’t all that bad of an idea, and most of all, is diabetic.

Did you notice that there is absolutely ZERO meat up there in the list of things I would live off of?  SUPER healthy, right?  Go ahead, roll your eyes.  I deserve it.

So, for me, preparing to marry the man of my dreams also means learning to eat in a way that is healthy and supportive of the way he currently eats – low carb.  Meat.  Veggies.  You get the picture.

So, when the Walmart Moms were offered the chance to try out the new Johnsonville Brat Patties, my initial instinct was to turn it down.

And then I remembered my sweet fiance’.  And I sent him the email with one word in it.

“Interested?”

2 minutes later came the response, “YES!  These are awesome. Johnsonville Brats are seriously my FAVORITE brat.  These look awesome!  Let’s do it.”

See?  I told you he was excited.  I mean, really. How cute is he?

So we headed to Walmart to pick some up.  We were having a cookout with family, so we actually got a bunch so we could share.

We whipped up a few on the grill, and made brat and sauerkraut burgers.  They were SO yummy.  Seriously everyone devoured them.

He may not marry me after he sees that I’ve posted this photo. But hey, he posed.

We liked the Johnsonville Brat Burgers so much that we actually made them AGAIN two days later.  This time, we made a little video to share with you so that you could check out our experience with them.  Also, of note, super cute cameo by my kiddo.  Of course, I’m totally partial, but I doubt you’ll disagree!

So what do you think?  Will you try the new Johnsonville Bratwurst Patties?  Do you have any great recipes to share?  Let us know!

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post on behalf of Johnsonville Brat Patties and the Walmart Moms.  All posts always have been and always have been filled 100% with my thoughts – that’s how I roll.  If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an email.

The Dyson DC35: Digital, Slim, Powerful

4 years ago I wanted one thing for my birthday – a new vacuum cleaner.  After purchasing one that cost me quite a bit of money I used it for about 4 months before it bit the dust. Luckily, later that year Dyson came to my rescue with a truly drool-worthy vacuum (yes, I just used the phrase “drool-worthy vacuum” and TOTALLY meant it) – the Dyson DC25 Ball vacuum – which rocked (or swiveled!) my world!

Not long after they came to me yet again with the Dyson DC28 Animal – which has become my go-to vacuum cleaner to this day.  The problem is that as much as I love it for it’s power, it’s a whole lot of machine to drag out of the closet for the little jobs – the baseboards, the kitchen floor, etc.

Enter the Dyson DC35 digital slim vacuum – a powerful vacuum that doesn’t lose suction and is both cordless and portable – but yet does so much more than a run-of-the-mill handheld vacuum.

I’m going to be reviewing the DC35 more in-depth as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms, but in the meantime check out this video made just for the Walmart Moms by an engineer at Dyson – this is one sweet little machine!  Bonus: the engineer in the video, Jo, has the cutest accent in the world, so it makes it even more fun to watch!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms. All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Disney Store Addict

I’m not sure if you know it, but the reason I started this blog is because I once feared that I had a bonafide problem with, ahem, too much shopping.  I figured that if I could share with the world all of the adorable things that I found, then perhaps it would stop me from actually going through with the purchase of said item.  And you know what? It did.

My thrill became hunting down things that I liked and thought maybe others would like too – but never going through with the purchase.  That was 3 years ago.  Since then, the urge to shop has subsided, and I’ve focused more on the business side of this whole bloggy/vloggy/ catty mommy /writing world.

Tonight however? I need your help.

I will not buy these dresses (ok, two dresses, plus an adorable coverup with Little AG’s name embroidered on it and one over-the-top adorable nightgown that she would fah-LIP out over) from the Disney Store.  I will not buy these dresses from the Disney Store.  I will not buy these dresses from the Disney Store.

But, I will share them with you.  You know, in case you want to buy them.  Or just so you can tell me that they are SO stinkin’ cute that you wish you could buy them too.

Prepare yourself for cute overload.

Whew.  I feel much better.

I should get back to my roots more often.

Walmart’s New Coupon Policy *UPDATED*

Ahhh coupons. Growing up I remember having them all over the backseat as I helped my mom sort them before we went to the grocery store.  Now even I get the delight in looking at the bottom of the receipt and seeing how much money I’ve saved because of my coupons – do you know what I could do with all of that extra money?!

Walmart has recently made some changes to their coupon policy, and couponers everywhere are rejoicing.  Also, if you read a previous version of this post, it has since been updated with all of the changes that were made, and is current with the current Walmart policy.  I have a snapshot of the Coupon Policy here, or you can check out Walmart’s Coupon Policy on their site.  If you’re interested, please give your feedback on the coupon policy by taking this short 2-question survey, the results of which go straight to Walmart Corporate!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms. All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Gaggle Of Chicks {Giveaway CLOSED}

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the plot by group-buying sites to take over the world, and Gaggle of Chicks has stepped up to throw their hat into the majorly-discounted ring.  This group-buying site, however, is targeting moms specifically.  I mean, let’s face it, we rule the roost and make the majority of purchasing decisions in the household.  So, in familiar fashion, a deal on Gaggle of Chicks “hatches” after several moms purchase the deal.

The products are not just for moms, however, but fit for everyone in the family.  From children’s clothes to skincare products to baked goods, there is a little something to suit all of your needs.  Originally Gaggle Of Chicks was only a NYC based site, but they have now expanded to include nationwide deals as well.  The deals expire after only 48 hours, so time is of the essence!  You can work on getting some of your deals free, too, if you invite friends to try the service.  For every friend you refer that makes a purchase, you get a $10 credit.  You friends also get a $10 credit to Gaggle Of Chicks as soon as they sign up!

The current New York deal has me drooling – half-off of a skin-care package (which still costs a whopping $249). I’ve noticed that several of the deals are a bit pricey, especially the local New York deals, while the nationwide deals tend to be more affordable.  However, I’m not necessarily saying that this is a bad thing – the discount on high-end items gives me the chance to purchase or afford something that I normally wouldn’t be able to.

The Gaggle Of Chicks website is adorable, and easy to navigate.  As we say in geek-speak, the user experience is a good one.  I was given a gift card to try out the service, but had a short time frame in which to publish my review, and feel I should tell you that while I haven’t purchased anything from Gaggle of Chicks yet, I’m totally planning to – it’s just that nothing on the site in the past week has been able to float my boat.

You can win a $100 credit to try out Gaggle of Chicks yourself!  To enter, just head over to Gaggle of Chicks and sign up to try out the service (it’s free!), then come back here and leave a comment letting me know that you did!  Bonus entries if you invite your friends to try the service too – let me know in a separate comment that you have invited 3 or more friends (the Gaggle of Chicks folks will verify this) and you will receive a bonus entry!

This contest ends on February 24th, 2011 at 11:59pm CST.  US residents only, please.  Good luck!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Gaggle of Chicks and received a Gaggle of Chicks credit for myself to facilitate this review, and a $100 Gaggle of Chicks gift certificate to giveaway.

Review: Avio Stroller by Inglesina

When you’re pregnant for your first child, people mention to you all of the things that you will need for the new baby, a stroller high among them. What they don’t tell you is that by the time your child is 4, you will sometimes still NEED a stroller, but the one you bought 4 years ago is most likely worn down, broken, or just outdated.

Two weeks ago I flew to Orlando to film a commercial in Walt Disney World with my daughter and mom. We are huge Disney fans to begin with – annual passholders to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, as well as Disney Vacation Club members, and just overall Disney freaks – and I say that affectionately.

But there is one thing I know about Walt Disney World, and that is that I cannot get through a day there without a stroller. That place is huge, my darling daughter has tiny little legs that tire easily, and a stroller just makes our everyday life easier. The problem is that the stroller I had bought for her when she was an infant was completely worn down and outdated – it no longer rolled as easily, I was missing pieces and parts – I was hard on that stroller!

Luckily, the Italian company Inglesina partnered up with MomCentral and they approached me about a new stroller being released called the Avio – a one-handed folding stroller that looked as sleek and chic as it did practical.  Knowing that we would be heading out to Disney again, I jumped at the chance to to do this Avio Stroller by Inglesina review.

We were able to put the stroller together in about 20 minutes – the directions actually made it seem harder than it was, but it really came in 4 large pieces – it was just a matter of snapping things in the right places.  Also, there are additional pieces in case you want to use the Avio with a detachable infant seat that I obviously didn’t need, so that threw me off the trail a bit.  Still, 20 minutes wasn’t bad at all.

The seat and sunshade for the stroller are both very ample, and my daughter and I both love how far back the seat reclines – she can lay down nearly completely flat which is great for naps and relaxing.  The seat itself is plush and comfy, and the seatbelt is easy to buckle and unbuckle for me, but not for Audrey (meaning she has to stay put until I let her out!).  The buckle on our last stroller was so tight that it even hurt MY hands to squeeze it together enough to get it undone, so this is such a welcome change.

Pushing the stroller is really smooth, though occasionally the front wheels did lock up on their own on me and I was unable to push the stroller left or right – only straight.  It’s a simple enough fix though it is rather annoying when it happens.  However, I’m not entirely convinced that this little hiccup isn’t due to user error on my part – I may be doing something that is causing the wheels to lock like that.

The one handed folding is the only thing that I’m not quite as sold on, though it is not something that bothers me all that much and wouldn’t stop me from buying the stroller.  It is easy to get the stroller to partially collapse with one hand, but in order to lock it into a collapsed position you really need a second hand to pull it tightly into place.  I had mentioned how plush the seat is, and I think that, while we both love how comfy the stroller is, the problem is that the seat is SO plush, that the stroller takes a little more effort to collapse into place.

Overall we both love our Inglesina Avio and we cannot wait to take it with us on a trip out to Disneyland really soon.  It is the best stroller I’ve owned by far, and I know we will get lots of use out of it!

Avio strollers are available for purchase at Diapers.com and if you enter promo code AVIOFAST at checkout you’ll get a free fast table chair with your order!

Disclosure:  I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Inglesina and received and Avio Stroller to facilitate this review.  For more information, see my disclosure policy.

Shedding a Little Light

In my role as one of the Walmart Moms, very cool projects occasionally drop into my lap.  Though I don’t write very frequently about it, I have a major commitment in my personal life to eating whole, organic foods, and trying to live responsibly.  For a while I thought of it only in the sense of food consumption, but was infamous for doing things like leaving every light in my house on.  When I met my fiancé he (being a good California boy) quickly schooled me in the importance of turning off lights – even in places like hotel rooms (where my philosophy was always, I’m sorry to say, hey – I’m not paying for it!) in order to conserve energy.

So recently, Walmart came to us and asked us to take a survey about the lighting in their stores, plus asked if we would mind posting it on our blogs.  Knowing that a lot of Walmarts are being retrofitted for more energy-conscious solutions, I thought this would be a great time to show how far I’ve come in regards to conserving our resources.

What a cool opportunity to weigh in, and possibly make a difference.  If you wouldn’t mind weighing in on a matter that will literally only take you 5 minutes at the max, but could potentially affect the lighting in a Walmart near you (thereby improving your shopping experience!) please take the survey on the lighting in a Walmart near you.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms. All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Getting In Shape With “Your Shape” Rocks. Seriously.

Confession:  I hate to sweat. HATE IT.  I refuse to be caught sweating in public – it’s one of the biggest reasons I can’t stand to go to the gym.  When I was still teaching high school, the worst thing was when a student of mine would hop on the treadmill next to mine and cheerily chirp at me “Hiii Ms. Lehhhmaannnnn!”  Seriously?  I don’t want your perfect 16-year-old self next to me – being at the gym is supposed to make me feel BETTER about myself, not worse.

Don’t you love how some people try to make sweating sound all awesome – like they say you’re “dewey” or “glowing” instead of “jeez, you’ve got water pouring off of your forehead”.  Don’t worry, I don’t buy the glamour of it all.  Not in the least.

Of course, I’m not a big fan of working out in general.  The idea of it pains me – I feel like it should be a lot easier than it is.  I generally feel very accomplished when it’s over, but the whole process of getting in my gym clothes, putting on tennis shoes, and going to the gym is somewhat off-putting.  It seems like 3 hours of work for a 1 hour workout.  I write from home, people.  I’m a BLOGGER.  Getting dressed up and leaving the house reminds me just how agoraphobic I can be.

All of this to say that Walmart and Microsoft sent me an Xbox 360 with Kinect last week, plus a copy of Your Shape for the Kinect and I LOVE it.

Yoga in my pajamas? Yes, please.

Kickboxing at 2 am to blow off some steam and wind down? Yes, please.

Not counting every. single. calorie. burned because I’m having too much fun to care? Yes, please.

Sweating in the privacy of my own home, not next to a former student at the gym? YES, PLEASE.

Your Shape for the Xbox 360 with Kinect may have changed my life.  If that sounds dramatic, then good.  I meant it that way.  It certainly helped me to drop those 2 extra pounds this week.  5 down, baby.  10 to go.

How are your 2011 fitness goals shaping up?  Share with me in the comments!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms.All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Chic Holiday Decor For Less

Yay!  It’s official.  Thanksgiving is finally over and all of the Grinches of the world who like to complain if I decorate before Thanksgiving have finally been silenced – because no one can really complain about Christmas decorations being up “too early” once Turkey Day is over!

They probably would cringe to know that I’ve been playing the Glee Christmas CD non-stop for a week now.  Even my 3 year-old refuses to listen to anything except “We Need A Little Christmas”.

All of this is just to say that I’m a bit, erm, Christmas-crazed.  I love the Holiday season – I love the lights, the music, the tree, the decorations – and I’ll confess that I may have the slightest addiction to buying new rolls of wrapping paper.   As a matter of fact, I just bought 4 new rolls yesterday, and lets just say that I have at least 20 already.  I can’t help it -it makes me happy!

However, as much as I love to decorate for the Holidays, I also like to buy gifts for my friends and family (and I have to save up for more wrapping paper, of course) which means I have to set an annual decorating budget and really stick to it, or I’ll be super-stressed in a few weeks when it’s “crunch” time.

So, armed with $50,  I let myself loose in the Christmas Decor section of my Walmart, determined to decorate my house for less this year.

Here are some of the things that I found that I really loved:

• A real potted Christmas Tree – a miniature version – for $5.  Perfect for my kitchen!
• Christmas Stockings for $5 – $7 – even licensed character stockings like Tinkerbell, Mickey, and the Grinch.
• 18 feet of artificial pre-lit pine garland – perfect for the mantel – for $12
• 50 Shatterproof ornaments – great for making wreaths or hanging on the tree – for $15
• Tree Skirts (and the pretty ones in silver, red, gold with lots of glitter!) for $10
• A HUGE selection of pretty, shiny Ornaments for the tree priced at $2
• Pre-Lit Mini Christmas Trees (I love to do a kid’s tree plus “mommy’s” tree) for $18
• Giant Red Bows with glitter for $5
• Holiday Time 400 count Mini Light Set for $10

So, what did I walk away with?

In the end I went with the mini potted Christmas Tree (it smelled divine!), a new red tree skirt (you have no idea how long I stood debating between the red and silver), two new stockings for Audrey Grace and myself (that I plan to have embroidered with our names),  the 400 count mini lights, and the 50-count container of shatterproof ornaments.

A little math for you!  $5 + $10 + ($5 + $5) + 10 + 15 = $50

I got a lot of things that I needed – we can’t find our stockings, our tree skirt is MIA and our tree lights from last year only work when you shake them (gee, we’re a mess!). However, I also got the adorable mini-tree to freshen up our little space.  My favorite and most useful purchase (and the one I think is the best deal) is the container of shatter-proof ornaments because they have so many uses.  That comes out to .30 cents an ornament – which is a GREAT deal.  I reuse my non-holiday hurricane glasses that normally have candles in them and fill them to the brim with these ornaments and place them as the centerpiece on my kitchen table.  I also did this in a few other places with a few inexpensive gold baskets that I had from past Holiday seasons and placed them around my house (even in the bathrooms) to give it an extra festive touch!  I also took several and tied them to varying lengths of fishing line to hang in my windows – it’s a pretty, inexpensive way to decorate for less this holiday season.

How do you decorate for the Holiday Season?  Are you Christmas-crazed like me?  Share in the comments!

Disclosure:  I was compensated for this post as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms program.  Though I am not compensated to be a part of the program, opportunities to create content like this one are compensated.  However, everything I said above is 100% my opinion and true.  For more information please read my disclosure policy.

How To Prepare For Black Friday

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Family, friends, delicious food, holiday music, parties, and…

…oh yeah. Shopping.  How could I forget?   Ok, busted.  Of course I didn’t forget. I am “the Chic Shopper Chick” after all.

See, the thing is that we’re not just talking any kind of shopping – we’re talking Black Friday shopping – and that’s an entirely different animal.  So how do you prepare for the single biggest shopping day of the entire year?  Here are my tips:

Do Your Homework

Don’t head into the stores blindly thinking that you’ll just browse for whatever catches your eye.  This is not the time for inspiration, it’s the time for determination.  If you know that you are looking for the Xbox 360 with Kinect, then scour the web for the best prices and decide if what you see in that Black Friday Ad is a good deal or not.  Also, realize that stores like Walmart will price-match any competitors printed ad, so if you find a deal somewhere else, be prepared to bring that ad with you when you go to do your shopping so that you can be sure you get the best price.  Make a list, check it twice. (See what I did there, with the Christmas joke? Nice.)

Have A Plan Of Attack

Ok, “plan of attack might” be aggressive wording, but Black Friday shoppers are a breed unto themselves and you simply have to be prepared.  You’ve done your homework and have a list of what you want – so now it’s time to decide what store will be your main focus.  Prioritize your list and see what “deals” are most important, and also at what store you can scoop up the majority of your items (Christmas pajamas, electronics, appliances) and make that store your primary.  I hate to disappoint you, but unless you are a literal superhero, there is no way you can really take advantage of the deals at more than one store on the morning of Black Friday. Once you know what store you are going to, either visit the store ahead of time to get a feel for what items are placed in what areas, or if you are shopping at Walmart, you can grab one of their store maps that will tell you exactly what deals can be found where.

Wake Up Early

Please, don’t roll your eyes at me.  I know that this seems very obvious, but don’t think that you can roll out of bed at 5 am and stroll into a store around 5:45 or 6 and still get the deals that you want.  As En Vogue would say “you’re never gonna get it” — the deal, that is.  If waiting in line OUTSIDE isn’t your thing, Walmart will be starting their Open House at midnight, so you’ll be able to go inside and grab deals from 12-5 on pajamas, apparel, appliances, and toys before the big deals start at 5 am.  They will also be handing out snacks in select stores – but the important part is that you can stalk that HDTV from inside of the store where it’s nice and warm.  Otherwise, you’ll have to show up a few hours before they even open the doors, and probably wait in line outside instead of in the warmth of your car, which brings me to my next point…

Dress the Part

If you will have to be outside in the night air you’ll likely be at least a bit chilly, even if you live in Louisiana like me (or freezing if you live on the East Coast or up North!) so you might want to consider a jacket. You might even want to consider a jacket a bit heavier than you originally anticipated, because there is not much moving going on when you are sitting or standing in a line, and you don’t want to be the one weirdo jumping up and down like a jumping bean to stay warm.  Consider layering your clothing because once you’re in the store and your adrenaline is pumping, you’re gonna warm up a bit and you’ll be cursing that heavy jacket if all you have underneath is your pajama top.  Lastly, you’ll want to wear comfortable shoes – you’ll be doing a lot of walking, standing, and maneuvering, you’ll need some support below!

Pack Some Snacks

Maybe this is the mom in me, but I promise at some point you’ll need some nourishment to help you feeling balanced and healthy during your mega-shopping trip.  Consider bringing some hot chocolate in a thermos for your time standing in line outside (bonus points if you bring extra cups to share) which will warm you up and help to put you in the Holiday spirit (remember, the Holidays?  Yeah, that’s why we’re doing all of this!).  Some whole grain breakfast or granola bars and a few bottles of water wouldn’t be a bad idea either, and a few pieces of Holiday candy stashed away in your pocket can give you an instant sugar boost and leave you feeling 10 times better.

Bring a Friend

While I’m sure the die-hard Black Friday Strategists have a recommendation on why this is smart, I simply think shopping is only fun (ok, MOSTLY only fun) if you do it with a friend.  Plus, you’ll have years of laughter when you reminisce about that 70 year old woman who draped herself over the very last 50″ HDTV and refused to move.

Have Fun!

My biggest and most important tip is to have FUN!  Yes, the deals on Black Friday are pretty good, but if you HATE to shop, well, you’re not going to love Black Friday, so maybe you should consider staying home and waiting for the deals on Cyber Monday.  If you are going to venture out, relax, smile, and be friendly – and remember that last Zhu Zhu Pet is not worth the fight! Good luck!

Disclosure:  I am a part of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation to share their current Black Friday Deals. My participation is voluntary and opinions are my own.

Pick Up Today at Walmart (Shopping Tips)

Like everyone, I have a morning routine.  Most of it involves getting Audrey Grace fed, cleaned, and clothed (then occasionally re-clothed but I digress) but the part that involves me includes a cup of coffee and an English muffin.  Thanks to the man in my life, I’ve learned to eat them one way – toasty and warm, with melted peanut butter spread all over the top.  The only problem is that I don’t have a toaster – so to get the “toasty and warm” part I have taken to popping my English muffin under the broiler for a few minutes.

Sadly, I was not blessed with the world’s strongest memory, so I often wander off for a bit before I return to the kitchen only to find my English muffin after it’s rather…overly toasted.  As a matter of fact, last Saturday I wandered off for so long that my English muffin actually caught fire in the oven and set off all of the smoke alarms in my house.

Heh. Oops.

Of course, I know that I should just go and get a toaster, and that they aren’t terribly expensive, it’s just one of those things that I never quite remember to do.  Audrey Grace and I have lived in our new place since March, and yet here we are 6 months later – still no toaster.

All of this brings us to last week when I received an email from my friends at Walmart, asking if I would be willing to test out the newly rolled-out Pick Up Today Feature that was available here at my local store in Covington, Louisiana.  I learned that Pick Up Today allowed me to place an order online for electronics, video games, and appliances between 6 am and 6 pm and then choose “Pick Up Today” as my shipping option.  My purchase would then be available to pick up in the store on the same day.  Alternately, if I placed my order after 6 pm, I would be able to pick it up by 10 am the next morning.

Wanna guess what I ordered?

Being a night owl, I placed my order at some ungodly hour, like 1 am, so that I could pick it up the next day.  During the checkout process, I was offered the option to sign up for text alerts so that I could be notified of when it was ready.  Even better, I didn’t have to print my receipt with my number to bring into the store – I could show them the text on my phone along with my ID and would be given the package.  Props to Walmart for embracing technology (and allowing us to conserve some paper, too!).  The other cool thing was that I could designate an additional pickup person  – so I could have had someone run in for me and pick it up if I had put their name down at this point in the process.  Smart move, Walmart.

When I arrived in store today to pick up my package, I was directed to the Site To Store section of my store.  Pick Up Today and Site To Store are both being housed in the same area here locally – and the bonus is that there is now someone in the Site To Store/Pick Up Today area during the hours that I listed above whereas before if you used Site to Store, you had to call and wait for someone to come and help you.  When I walked back into the area, the associate promptly found my order, asked to see my photo ID, asked me to sign for it, and then put it in a bag and handed it right over to me.  Easy peasy, especially since I had to pay for it when I placed the order online.

The idea behind Pick Up Today is that you can pick your order up on the same day, but in my case, it took me about 36 hours to actually get into the store.  This morning I received an email to remind me that my order was ready, and telling me that if I didn’t pick it up within 48 hours that it would be put back on the shelf and my money would be refunded.  Pretty cool.  So, even though I didn’t pick up my order on the same day, I was still able to utilize the service which made our in and out extrememly quick even though we were in the store on a Saturday afternoon.

The Verdict? Pick Up Today is pretty stinkin’ awesome in my opinion.  I would absolutely use it all of the time if it was expanded to toys and grocery especially, since I don’t purchase electronics, video games, or appliances quite as frequently.  However, I can see that it will definitely be a time saver during the Holiday season – order the flat screen TV or new iPad for your hubby and swing by to pick it up after work.  You can do all of your shopping online without paying for or waiting for delivery (and chancing ruining the surprise).  Check it out!

Disclosure:  I was compensated for this post as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms program.  Though I am not compensated to be a part of the program, opportunities to create content like this one are compensated.  However, everything I said above is 100% my opinion and true.  For more information please read my disclosure policy.

4 Dresses That I Need. Now.

I have this website that I love, and because I love it, I try my darnedest to stay away from it.  My wallet appreciates it.  However, I was just browsing and I thought “hmmm, maybe I should throw up a quick post about these dresses that I love” because I have a dress-obsession.  I love my denim, but give me a skirt or a dress, and I am like a kid in a candy store.  I live in dresses!

So sometimes I surf the internet for hours, or scour the stores, and can’t find something that catches my fancy.  Since I’ve discovered ModCloth, things have changed.  By the way, I have absolutely no relationship with ModCloth (though I wish I did) apart from the fact that they have made lots of money off of me.  I just like it.

Anyway.  I have my own dress code and wear what I want when I want to.  Usually I’m what most people would consider “overdressed”.  I don’t really care.  Here are 4 dresses that I would wear for no special occasion.  All from ModCloth.

The first one makes me wish I was teaching again, the second one makes me dream of spring with footless leggings, gladiator sandals, and a long necklace, the third one reminds me of my Sorority days, and the last one makes me want to to be in a boat with the love of my life on a Venice Canal.  This is why I buy clothing.  Every single piece I buy tells me a story – one that I know or want to know.  Inspiration to dress – I truly think everyone should have it.

What inspires you?

Neiman Marcus First Day Sale – Today Only!

Oh I love the Holidays!  I love all of it, the music, the weather, the red and green, the smiles, THE SHOPPING.

It’s beginning.  Neiman Marcus is hosting their First Day sale where shoppers can save up to 40% – and the list of participating designers and items available is jaw-dropping.  Rock and Republic, Oscar de la Renta Sleepwear, Nanette Lepore, Marc Jacobs, YSL — all screaming “shoppers, start your engines!”.  This isn’t a long-running sale, however — it started today (November 11th) and ends tomorrow at 6 AM (November 12th!).  If you aren’t close to a Neiman Marcus you can still shop online (use SHOPNM for free shipping!).

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