Heather Heyer - MomStart

Summertime Fun with American Plastic Toys!

July 31, 2015 by Heather Heyer Leave a Comment

Summertime in a busy household can be equal parts fun and exhaustion with schedules to match. But, I absolutely soak up the family time during the summer with kids home from school plus the usual hustle and bustle of this time of year. Here in the Seattle area it has been one of the best summers with warm weather that we have had in a loooooong time. Of course this means many hours of outside play time while momma soaks up the sun. Ahhhhhhh.

American Plastic Toys treats us busy families right with equal parts fun and affordable! Having enjoyed toys from American Plastic Toys previously, they never cease to impress. After receiving sample products from American Plastic Toys at the perfect time for summer fun I gained a new appreciation for convenience.

Kids Plastic Table
“American Plastic Toys offers a new design to the classic picnic table with this all-in-one-piece square-shaped table and benches. The four sided design is super easy to assemble and does not require tools or screws. The new design is super stable and provides ample room for four children. This colorful table offers terrific play value at a hugely affordable price.”
What I really liked about this is that it is light weight. I can pick it up and move anywhere on my deck and can store it away easily. It is the perfect size for younger toddler age but a little snug for older kids. The table top works great for tea parties but is pretty small for much else.
MomStart.com mom recommended? Absolutely for younger kids! A little snug for older/bigger kiddos but still easy to use and a practical purchase for all.

Sand and Water Play Set
“The one piece water way has a snap on ‘Wave Maker’ device to propel the four barge type boats. A 9 1/4″” tall 360° rotating crane services both the waterway and the sand pit. Set also includes a flatbed truck designed to hold the cargo units. Three stop gates control the flow of boat traffic. Packaged in a colorful corrugated carton with a full color litho label.”
I love this play set! Great size. Fun colors. Lightweight and easy to use. Easy to assemble with no tools required. You do not getter a better bang for your buck! It fit on top of our APT kids plastic table like a charm and my little playtime pal was entertained for HOURS! Durable and easy clean up to store away for another great day. Love Love Loved this one!
MomStart.com mom recommended? Absolutely! For kids of all ages
American Plastic Toys products are sold in most major North American mass merchants including but not limited to WalMart, Toys R Us, Sears/Kmart, Family Dollar Stores, Dollar General, Meijer’s, Walgreens, etc. Many of our products are also available on the Internet through Walmart.com, TRU.com, Target.com and in many regional retail outlets.
Have a great summer! I’ll see you in the toy isle!

National Donut Day is Almost Here! Are You Ready? I’m Ready!!

June 4, 2015 by Heather Heyer 39 Comments

Sample was provided, opinion is my own.

National Donut Day held annually on the first Friday of June, was established by The Salvation Army in 1938 in Chicago to honor the “Donut Lassies”, who served these treats to soldiers during World War I, and to help raise needed funds during the Great Depression. While partnering with Entenmann’s bakery for half a decade the Salvation Army continues to support our military servicemen and their families and I have to say as a daughter raised in a military family, I truly appreciate their efforts.

Fact: One of my most favorite snacks since childhood is Entenmann’s powdered donuts and a big ole glass of cold milk! There is just something nostalgic about eating those powdery bites of heaven and having the powdery smile to prove it.

With the release of Entenmann’s All-American, New Rich Frosted Patriotic Donut in May, Entenmann’s teamed up with the Salvation Army in celebrating National Donut Day on June 5th with their Win Free Donuts for a Year Sweepstakes! Join them on Facebook for your chance to enter the Facebook “National Donut Day Free Donuts for a Year” Sweepstakes! $1 will be donated to The Salvation Army, up to $30,000 with every entry. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 3, 2015. Winners will be randomly selected from all submissions. Official Rules can be found at www.entenmanns.com. No purchase necessary.

Fact: “Entenmann’s has created a sweet and iconic treat to celebrate National Donut Day. Introducing … Entenmann’s new Rich Frosted Patriotic Donut Eight Pack that combines the classic fan favorite of their Rich Frosted Donut with star-studded, red, white and blue sprinkles. Entenmann’s Bakery has a rich history of scrumptious baked goods that date back over a century. This new donut will be joining the Entenmann’s donut family; a family that includes the renowned Rich Frosted and Crumb Topped donuts (aka Mr. and Mrs. Rich Frosted) in addition to seasonal favorites like the Lemon, Harvest Pumpkin and Cider Donuts.”

Fact: With donut bakeries in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Fort Worth, Texas and Montebello, California, Entenmann’s produces more than 780 million donuts a year, 15 million donuts a week and more than 100,000 donuts every hour to keep up with the demands of Entenmann’s donut lovers nationwide.

About Entenmann’s Bakery

Founded in 1898, Entenmann’s® Bakery has over 100 sweet baked goods, including donuts, Little Bites, crumb cakes and chocolate chip cookies. Entenmann’s products are baked by the Bimbo Bakeries USA companies (BBU). BBU is a leader in the baking industries known for its category leading brands, innovative products, freshness and quality. Our team of more than 25,000 U.S. associates operates 69 manufacturing locations in the United States. 13,500 distribution routes deliver our leading brands such as Arnold®, Bimbo®, Boboli®, Brownberry®, Entenmann’s®, Francisco®, Freihofer’s®, Heiner’s ®, Marinela®, Mrs Baird’s®, Oroweat®, Sara Lee®, Stroehmann®, Thomas’®, and Tia Rosa®. More information about Bimbo Bakeries USA companies’ full line of products can be found at http://www.bimbobakeriesusa.com and www.entenmanns.com.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 150 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

Enter to Win:

To celebrate 150 years of the Salvation Army’s great service to our nation and the Entenmann’s “Win Free Donuts for a Year” sweepstakes, Entenmann’s would also like celebrate with you, our MomStart.com readers with a special prize package in honor of National Donut Day, The Salvation Army and Entenmann’s bakeries. Enter here for a prize package value of $50 that will include: Five $7 Entenmann’s coupons and one specially created and super cute Entenmann’s insulated canvas lunch bag, valued at $15.

To Enter:

Enter this giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway is open to residents of the continental US age 18+ – sorry, no PO Boxes – and will close on June 14th at 11:00 PM PST. For full details, please see the Rafflecopter widget and click here to read our giveaway rules.

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YoLife! You Can Make Yogurt? Give it a Try!

April 22, 2015 by Heather Heyer 1 Comment

Sample provided.

Aside from actually milking my own cow, this little machine fits right into my journey back to yester years. Here we go again on my crazy ride of trial and error towards healthier food for my family. I have tried this and that’s to then tell you all about it and now I have ventured into … Yogurt Making!!! (echo echo echo…)

A trial of the Yolife™ Yogurt Maker from Tribest was a perfect way to get started because it had great step by step instructions and came with all of the supplies needed to get me on my way. The well thought design of the Yolife™ Yogurt Maker allows you to customize the size of your batch of fresh probiotics-rich yogurt. You can use the provided 6 oz jars for small batches to 80 ounces using your own containers! Whew!

YoLife features include:

• Makes probiotics-rich yogurt in just 8-12 hours
• Comes with seven convenient 6 oz glass jars with storage lids
• Includes a tall cover so you can make up to 80 oz of yogurt in your glass or plastic containers from home
• Makes creamy yogurt from milk, soymilk, or bean milks
• Makes liquid yogurt from nut milks like almond milk, and grain milks like rice milk
• Helpful time indicator dial to remind you when you started your yogurt
• Energy efficient
• 5-year warranty

Plus, check out the YoLife website for great recipes, testimonials and resource information.

How is it in the kitchen?

The instructions were great. They were easy to follow for my little 9 year old kitchen helper. She also found it fascinating that she could make so many varieties of yogurt at one time. We had fresh strawberries on hand that we combined with a little white chocolate powder that had us drop jaw drooling by the end of the day. We tried adding honey as well as just plain yogurt (which was my least fave) but the cooking options with plain yogurt are endless.

This is something that you leave plugged in on your counter top for 10-12 hours so make sure you have a safe spot and if your kitty likes yogurt…. perhaps put it in a different room…. (Kitty said it’s delicious…)

The Yolife yogurt maker from Tribest is Momstart mom, kid and kitty tested and approved.

Movie Review: Danny Collins

April 15, 2015 by Heather Heyer Leave a Comment

Go see it!

Storyline:

Inspired by a true story, Al Pacino stars as aging 1970s rocker Danny Collins, who can’t give up his hard-living ways. But when his manager (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40 year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to rediscover his family, find true love and begin a second act.”

Ok, this “Storyline” only scratches the surface of what it’s really about. So, let me start with this…. It’s hilarious! It is also inappropriate for younger viewers as it is rated “R”. And by younger viewers I mean 20 and under. Contains language, drug use, nudity (covered up by suds but still made my jaw drop). A little atypical but incredibly well cast, in my opinion. Now you want to see it, don’t you? I know.

Danny Collins is an overworked, run down, cult classic musician coming face to to face with that midlife crisis and “If only” situations. After his manager finds a response letter handwritten by John Lennon written to Danny Collins after an interview Jonny did as a youngster with the simple thought of “What do you think about that?” Danny takes a journey to self recovery and discovery while he tries to forge the relationship he never had with his son and uncovers a few surprises along the way.

I loved the relationship Danny has with the hotel manager. Canny and well played by both actors and it is a relationship you want to see succeed. I won’t spoil it so you will have to go see it. The relationship with his son and son’s family is touching. Twist of funny with a little bit of tears makes for any good family gathering, right.

This is one of those movies you will find yourself laughing at things that you should while you look around to see if anyone recognizes you but also a sentiment and family bond that is sweet and believable. Go see it! You will be glad you did.

MomStart mom recommended: Absolutely, for date night or night out with friends!

Entenmann’s & TerraCycle Team up For Earth Day!

April 14, 2015 by Heather Heyer 22 Comments

Samples provided.

Entenmann’s Little Bites ®, TerraCycle® and the Arbor Foundation are teaming up for Earth Day 2015 turning “Trash into Cash” and planting trees across the US! How else can you save discarded snack wrappers from heading to landfill, earn valuable points towards donations to your school or favorite organization AND plant trees, nationwide with the click of the mouse?

Entenmann’s Little Bites ® snacks, the individually portioned lunch snack that’s perfect for lunch boxes and grab-and-go fun, is helping kids and families become recycling pros this year through two cool new eco-initiatives with both TerraCycle® and the Arbor Day Foundation — just in time for Earth Day 2015!”

To learn more about these tasty snacks and the sweepstakes give away, Entenmann’s provided a sample Little Bites upcycled Tote Bag and coupons to try Little Bites snacks. Yeah me!! Let me tell you, the bag is ADORABLE and the snacks are top notch delicious.

Enter to win Free Snack Bits for a year with the Earth Day Sweepstakes. For every sweepstakes entry, Little Bites will donate $1 (up to $25,000) to the Arbor Day Foundation helping to plant up to 25,000 trees in forests in need throughout the U.S.

MomStart.com is proud to be a part of the efforts of Entenmann’s Little Bites ®, TerraCycle® and the Arbor Day Foundation: Saving the planet one snack at a time!

Enter to Win:

One MomStart reader will win a Little Bites upcycled Tote Bag and four $5 Little Bites Coupons – total ARV $35!

To Enter:

Enter this giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway ends on April 23rd at 11:00 PM PST and is open to residents of the continental US, 18+ – sorry, no PO boxes. Winner will be drawn the following day. See Rafflecopter widget for full details; click here to read our giveaway rules.

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American Girl Beforever: Let Your Imagination Soar

April 12, 2015 by Heather Heyer Leave a Comment

Book provided.

“Timeless stories. Inspiring characters. Endless possibilities.”

Exciting new books from American Girl that let your young reader’s imagination soar: Introducing the Beforever series with new adventures featuring characters we already know and love.

What would it be like for a girl to suddenly find herself in Samantha’s world at the start of the 20th century? When she meets Samantha for the first time, Samantha may tuck one leg behind the other and dip into a curtsy, the way girls did a very long time ago. But what other things might girls experience while exploring 1904? In this book, readers can join Samantha on a rustic adventure to her summer home in the mountains, get dressed up and attend a fancy dinner, and discover what life was like as a servant instead of a wealthy young lady. Readers’ journey back in time can take whatever twists and turns they choose, as they select from a variety of exciting options in this multiple-ending story. 208 pages. Paperback. Author: Erin Falligant. Ages 8+”

My daughter is at the perfect age and reading level for the Beforever series. Did you catch in the description that there are multiple endings??? Yes!! Choose your ending! This is where this series really takes off. Every girl can have a different experience, one as different as they are. Readers can truly customizing the story, read it again, pick a different ending and the story is new all over again! My daughter was delighted and fascinated to create her own story and devoured her first book in this series.

We received a copy of: The Lilac Tunnel: My Journey with Samantha MSRP $9.99
This is the first in a series of 3 books. (MSRP $29.95) The 2 remaining books are definitely at the top of our reading list for Spring Break. You can find this and the other American Girl Beforever books: Manners and Mischief plus Lost and many others online at American Girl.com or at American Girl retail stores.

MomStart mom recommended: Absolutely! MomStart kid recommended? To the moon and back!

Glow Cuddles Bunny is Simply Sweet

April 11, 2015 by Heather Heyer Leave a Comment

Sample product provided.

Cloud b has been a life saver in this house for quite some time now but the Glow Cuddles Bunny is a new one for us. It is a life saver for us moms in general when our kiddos go to bed without fuss at a reasonable hour, right. Sweetly drifting off to sleep with softly glowing lights along with naturally rhythmic sounds of heart beating are just what this mama hoped for with getting my little one off to dreamland. Ba-Bam! Only not a noisy ba-bam but more like a lullaby ba-bam or I could just say, it puts them out like a light. It works so well that when I lay down with them “Just for a minute” I AM out like a light.

Remember those glow worms from when we were kids? Well this is better because it is super duper soft with a touch activated heartbeat sound. The Glow Cuddles Bunny lights and sound pack has a timer and is removable from the body. It is Velcro closed securely so it won’t come out on accident and runs on batteries so there are no cords. Intended for ages 1-3 which I would agree with it but really, older kiddos love this too. Soft and comforting is a hit at any age!

Features:

• Soothing cuddly companion
• Touch-activated heartbeat
• Softly glowing light
• Removable heart unit
• Sleep-timer options: 10 minute timer on the touch feature – heartbeat or vibration, 23 minute timer on the soft glow
• Requires 3 AA batteries; batteries are included
• Retail box dimensions: 7” x 7.5” x 9.5”

MSRP $36.95 and well worth it. Available at major retail stores. MomStart mom recommended for sure!!

A Wheelbarrow Full of Fun!

April 11, 2015 by Heather Heyer Leave a Comment

Sample provided.

I sure do think the Easter Bunny gets a little sick of pink and blue baskets. He has to cart them all around the world and so, so many of them to boot. How about something a little different next year?

This year, my marshmallow Peeps got to cruise around in a Cute Wheelbarrow from American Plastic Toys. The bright colored, toddler sized, sturdy plastic wheelbarrow can help your little Egg Hunter bring in a haul of jelly beans and chocolate that they may or may not share with you. American Plastic Toys Cute Wheelbarrow and Cute Wagon are available this season for a great price of $5. Both are sturdy enough for many indoor and out of doors play time adventures.

Did you host a crowd for Easter this year and needed something for them to do? How about a wheelbarrow race to the finish line with a load of eggs. Obstacle course? Even better! Easter parade and wagon rides for bunnies are a sure hit too. Then send them off to the garden to haul some dirt. Hey, it hours of entertainment and that’s what wins big here.

Great versatility, practical and useful are a great combination and American Plastic Toys hit the nail on the head with another great toy. The wagon and wheelbarrow are a great gift for any age and are available at major retailers.

MomStart Mom and kid approved? Absolutely approved and recommended! I think I will pick up a few more actually!

Smarty Marty! Martian Notifier Watch Makes The Grades.

March 28, 2015 by Heather Heyer 1 Comment

Sample provided.

From the time I started carrying a cell phone at all times, I haven’t worn a watch. I didn’t really need one but lately I have been on this wearable technology kick. So when AT&T provided me with a Martian Notifier Smartwatch it was like Ba-Bam! All about the watch!! I was excited to try the Martian Notifier and as I got to know the watch I discovered some things that were unexpected.

First, let’s start with observation. How does it look and feel?

The Martian Notifier Smartwatch is a man’s watch, no doubt about it. Large, bold watch face with both analog and digital time keeping abilities. The wristband is comfortable, flexible and light weight. It did ride a little low on my wrist probably because I have a small wrist. It is sleek and classy and comes in 3 color choices. The presentation was not overly intrusive so I felt OK wearing it even though it is larger than I would normally.

Now let’s talk application. How is it applicable to me?

I really wanted the watch to have a fitness monitor, it does not. I also would have loved a timer/stop watch and it doesn’t have that either. What is does have is a rhythmic vibration alert that you can personalize to each application such as Facebook alert with 3 short buzzes, phone call with 1 looooong buzz and so on. You control this function and can turn most app notifications off if you do desire. Now, the range for this watch is small; I could come and go out of the room where my phone was located and buzz out of range, then turn around and buzz in range, so while I am tootling around my house I’m buzzing all day long. It also buzzes as out of range if you cover the watch face. I learned this as I was enjoying a movie while my phone was sitting next to me and the Martian Notifier Watch went in and out of range if I leaned over the watch face.

My unexpected delight came from the caller id and the receiving phone call notification. I can’t tell you how many phone calls I miss even when my phone is in my back pocket. It ridiculous and drives my husband bonkers with a constant “If you are not going to answer your phone, why do you have one?” come back to my “Oh sorry Hun, I missed your call”. Nothing beats somebody tapping you to say “Excuse me, your pocket is ringing” and in this case Smarty Marty provides marital relief with a quick buzz to my wrist.
Some more fun things I loved playing around with was the voice feature. I could say, “Call home” and it would relay that to my phone and call home.

Overall, with its basic functions, it’s a pretty smart watch, easy to use and fun to wear. I can say that I honestly enjoyed the Martian Notifier. It does the job it was designed to do and that is to notify you so you don’t miss a beat. The price range is right on! Priced at $130.00 but on sale right now for $99.00 at AT&T. Visit AT&T to learn more and grab one while you’re there.

My Gal Sunday

March 27, 2015 by Heather Heyer 1 Comment

Promotional copy provided.

Hallmark Movie Channel presents: My Gal Sunday starring Rachel Blanchard, Cameron Mathison and Jack Wagner. I gotta say up front, I love me some Jack Wagner on any day of the week and everyone else was great too.

My Gal Sunday is a twist of love story/mystery story. Even from the very beginning of the movie this combination was well played. It is based on the book series of the same name by New York Times Best Selling author, Mary Higgins Clark and I kept feeling like I was watching a pilot for a TV series so I would not be at all surprised to see that happen.

Hallmark has this to say:

It was love at first sight for Sandra “Sunday” O’Brien-Parker (Blanchard), the beautiful young lawyer and daughter of a Secret Service Agent and Henry Parker (Mathison), retiring White House Secretary of State, when Sunday’s dad Danny (Wagner) introduces them in Washington, D.C. A year after their wedding, Sunday and Parker – now living near Lake Tahoe, California where Parker was once a beloved state governor – are an unstoppable sleuthing team who enjoy the political spotlight while taking pleasure busting the bad guys. But when Parker’s mom Miriam (Janet-Laine Green, “She’s the Mayor”) and Danny are suddenly kidnapped on their way to a high-profile family event, Parker and Sunday are immediately on the case – and this time it’s personal. Believing they were the true targets of the crime, the daring duo works together to uncover clues and find out why the kidnapper is demanding the release of a notorious hit-man from federal prison as a ransom. Racing against the clock to rescue their parents, Parker and Sunday dig deep into their past to find out their connection to the criminal and as they uncover his identity, they put their lives at stake in a suspenseful final showdown.”

Hallmark Movie Channel strives to provide quality entertainment that is appropriate and enjoyable to the whole family and I believe this one hit the mark. My husband enjoyed the mystery, I enjoyed the romance and I felt comfortable were my kiddo to come in and sit with us. The content was a little mature to make it a family movie night, it is a mystery after all and my daughter would much rather watch talking ponies than a crime solving duo.

A definite gold star movie to snuggle up together with your partner for an evening of mystery and romance….. Sorry Honey, next time I will try not to comment on just how cute Jack looks in those pants.