The Shopping Mama

Lance is 100! Celebrate with 100 Days to Win {Sponsored}

by Kate on May 24th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Shopping

As a kid, I used to like buying my lunch at school. It was kind of a treat, actually. My son, on the other hand, is a picky, picky eater so he has no interest whatsoever in eating the school lunch. One thing our school lunches have in common, even 30 years apart: Lance Snacks.

100 Days to Win

Lance Snacks is celebrating 100 years of making simple snacks – and they’re celebrating turning 100 in a BIG way. Visit Happy100Lance.com to join in 100 Days to Win, where you’ll find family play challenges and opportunities to win prizes daily. There’s even a chance to win $100,000 towards a dream birthday party.

Can you even imagine the kind of party you could throw with $100,000? Here’s your chance to live like a Kardashian!

Luckily, you don’t have to spend a hundred grand to throw a fabulous party. Lance has partnered with some awesome bloggers to share brilliant party ideas. We love the adorable Bug Snacks from Jill Simonian. Check out the video to get the scoop on how to add something special to your next celebration.

I (Still) Like Lance

Even though I’ve been eating Lance Snacks for as long as I can remember – from lunches as a kid to grabbing a pack to snack on while I’m running errands – the crackers are changing it up a bit. There are now whole-grain products and up to six grams of protein in select Lance varieties. The center of the cracker sandwich are made of quality ingredients including freshly ground peanut butter from Georgia and real cheese.

The New Xtra Fulls have more peanut butter in the center, making them perfect for a filling family snack for on the go this summer.

Visit Happy100Lance.com to join in the 100th birthday of delicious snacks from Lance. And make sure you invite us to your party if you win $100,000!

This post is sponsored by Lance, facilitated by Deca.

New Kids Titles on NETFLIX The Whole Family Will Enjoy {Sponsored}

by Kate on May 24th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Life

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX.

Weekdays are over in a flash. From the moment we wake in the morning until the time the kids head to bed at night passes in a flash. It feels as if every moment of the day we are in constant motion, often with everyone going in a different direction. But the weekends? That’s a different story.

Saturday and Sunday we are together, as a family, a single unit. Our days are a mixed bag filled with everything from exploring new parks, enjoying old favorites, eating out, But some of my favorite moments are spent when we are doing nothing. Nothing but sitting on the couch, snuggling, hanging out, and, often watching family movies or TV shows. Lately, we’ve been exploring all the great new children’s options streaming on NETFLIX.

NETFLIX has an awesome dedicated kids section with family favorites that are appropriate for children ages 2 to 12. Every film or show has been reviewed by Common Sense Media with ratings and information so we know a little more about the content to decide whether its a good fit for our family. NETFLIX recently added a bunch of new titles from Hasbro, Disney Jr. and Cartoon Network so there’s even more content to enjoy.

So, as much as I enjoy some good cuddle time on the couch with my kids, I have also found NETFLIX to be helpful to keep the older kids content while I prepare food or care for Max. Setting up a streaming show for them is simple and only takes a moment. Just download the app to your device or visit netflix.com, browse and pick the show you want to watch.

The other day while I made dinner and the kids cuddled and watched My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

A few days later I snapped this photo of the kids watching Tinker Bell the Great Fairy Rescue because I love that they were sitting on the couch the exact.same.way.

The kids can watch on an iPad, or nearly a hundred other devices like game consoles, Kindle, laptops, etc. We love the flexibility of being able to watch shows and movies anywhere, any time. This is a necessity for busy families on the go.

What are you watching on TV with your family? Netflix has family favorites from Disney, Disney Jr., Hasbro, Cartoon Network and Dreamworks that are available to stream anytime, anywhere.

And streaming is easier than you think! Download the free app on your iPad, click on the Netflix app on any gaming device, go to the website on your computer – and you’re in business. Check it out here!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX.

Teacher Thank You Notes {Free Printables}

by Kate on May 24th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Crafts with Kids, Life

We are super excited to partner (again!) with The Pinning Mama to offer adorable FREE PRINTABLES. If you’re in a bind to get together end of the year teacher gifts, we’ve got you covered!

We have adorable Mad Lib-style Dear Teacher notes (with and without fill-in-the-blank prompts) and simple Thank You foldover note cards.

As we all know, kids have a special, um, way with words. So let them speak for themselves in an easy to complete Thank You note for teacher. Wrap it up with some pretty ribbon and it’s a unique and completely personal gift a teacher will remember.

Click to download Dear Teacher Thank You Note Mad Libs (blank)
Click to download Dear Teacher Thank You Note Mad Libs (with prompts)

Keep it simple and sweet with blank our Dear Teacher foldover notes.

Click to download Dear Teacher Foldover Notes (set of 2)

Head over to The Pinning Mama for a simple teacher gift idea and a great gift tag free printable. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll find!

Photos by Catherine Murton for The Shopping Mama.

Thursday Giveaway Linky

by Kate on May 23rd, 2013 | 5 Comments | Giveaway Linky

Happy Thursday! Thanks for stopping by to link up and check out some great giveaways. Before you take off, we’d love for you to check out our awesome contests here at The Shopping Mama.

4moms Breeze:: $300 value

Kohl’s Gift Card:: $100

Head over to Baby Loving Mama to link up there, too. And you must enter to win the new Quinny Yezz stroller.

WUNWAY: the most fashionable clothes for girls {Review}

by Kate on May 22nd, 2013 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews, Style

We are swooning over the fantastically stylish girls’ clothing company WUNWAY. The clothing line was created by three moms “desperately in love with their kids and fashion.” And it shows. The clothes are stunning, balancing high-end aesthetic, modern flair and youthful exuberance. We really appreciate that everything is age-appropriate for young girls but with enough edge to remain fun and interesting. Simply put, WUNWAY is mini-fashionista desired and mom approved.

We’ve been styling the teodora shirt, the izzabella skirt and the brandy bloomer shorts. My daughter has been wearing WUNWAY out and about, but she was more than delighted to do a fashion show with a friend to show off the beautiful clothes.

The teodora shirt is a great staple as it’s completely versatile. It looks great with very feminine skirts like the izzabella and the ruffle adds some girly flair to a basic denim outfit.

The izzabella skirt is every girl’s dream: tulle, ruffles, flower corsage accent. The embellished elastic waist guarantees she won’t have to sacrifice comfort for style.

The bandy bloomer shorts are a fantastically modern take on an older silhouette and the result is darling. They are a great alternative to boring shorts which lack the style factor that mini fashionistas demand.

We all know the outfit is only as good as the details and WUNWAY has you covered with a range of accessories as finely crafted as the clothes. We adore the patterned socks and tights, and girls will flip for the lovely necklaces and purses.

Shop! WUNWAY girls clothes are available in sizes 1 through 8. The prices reflect the quality and the Sale section is a great place to score a stylish deal.

Thanks to WUNWAY for providing samples. Photos by Catherine Murton for The Shopping Mama.

5 Awesome & Affordable Photo Editing Apps to Use with Instagram

by Kate on May 21st, 2013 | 5 Comments | Shopping, Ten Dollar Tuesday

Hi. My name is Kate and I am an Instagram addict.

I’ve shared 725 (and counting) photos with Instagram since taking this photo of a delicious cupcake in January of last year.

My phone is always with me, which means my camera is always on call. Instagram has been an awesome tool to use those thousands of photos to truly document and share our family’s journeys from Alabama to Germany and all of everywhere in between, including the growth of our family.

I’m not alone in my addiction. As Instagram has grown into a full-fledged social network, so has the market for all-about-Instagram apps. Now, I know I’m not the best Instagrammer – that title likely goes to my friend Jessica – but I do love it so I’m excited to share five apps to make the most of your Instagram photos.

5 Great Apps to Use with Instagram

AfterLight ($0.99): This is my go-to app for editing photos. I use it a lot when editing iPhone photos for the What They Wore blog because you can do the basics (crop, rotate) and the filters are awesome. Also? There are some really fun frames to add some whimsy to your photos.

Whitagram (free): There’s nothing more annoying than taking the perfect photo and trying to upload it to Instagram, only to realize it won’t crop into that fun little square. Whitagram adds a border to your photos so you can maintain your landscape and portrait orientation.

A Beautiful Mess ($0.99 with additional in app purchase options): Launched only last week, this new app is all the rage on my Instagram feed. And for good reason. It’s fun, easy to use and designed for folks like me. It has a few photo filter options, but the real fun is the whimsical borders, clever text options and doodle overlays.

Bokehful ($0.99): Remember all those Bokeh tutorials floating around Pinterest? Well, forget them. There’s a much easier way to get pretty little light effects on your photos. You can adjust the shape and colors and add as much flair as you desire.

Fuzel (free): When one picture just isn’t enough, a collage is the answer! Fuzel has a ridiculous amount of templates so you can collage two photos or 20. You can edit each photo as you add it to the collage, and there are fun and colorful backgrounds and borders.

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If you like this post, check out
5 Cool Things to do with your Instagram pictures.

Sun Smarties Summer Must Haves from One Step Ahead {Review}

by Kate on May 21st, 2013 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews

Summer is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to stock up on your warm weather gear for kids. And, let’s face it: you pretty much need everything but the kitchen sink if you plan to take kids to the beach or pool or even for a day at the park. Luckily, One Step Ahead is a one-stop-shop for all things summer with the awesome Sun Smarties collection.

Sun Smarties Summer Gear Review

One Step Ahead sent us some pieces from the Sun Smarties collection so we are ready for summer fun. Now, we just need Mother Nature to cooperate. In the meantime, we’ve been testing the gear at the indoor pool.

Sun Smarties bathing suits have UPF 50+ sun protection and come in a variety of mix and match styles to best fit your child. From tankinis to swim diapers to rash guards, the colorful designs are perfect for summer fun. My daughter is rocking the Pink Ruffle Sun Smarties UV Rash Guard and Swim Diaper. We love the coverage of the Rash Guard for long days in the sun and the ruffle detail on the suit is darling. The side-ruching also helps to ensure a good fit. The Swim Diaper is a great bottom even if you don’t need a reusable diaper. It’s comfortable and a full coverage two-piece is super easy for wet bathing suit changes at the pool.

The Terry Cover-Up is amazing! It’s made of soft terrycloth with UV protection to keep kids warm and cozy after a swim. It’s a lighter weight than typical terrycloth, though, so it’s breathable to prevent overheating in warm weather. The fit is generous to allow plenty of room for cuddling. We love the option to personalize the Cover-Up.

When we lived in Florida we frequented a splash park that I loved, but the ground was always slippery. Every single day we were there at least one kid would fall and hit his head. Ever since, I’ve been obsessed with water shoes. They’re non-negotiable, especially with a wobbly toddler like Max. He’s unsteady on solid, dry ground let alone wet pool surfaces. The Sun Smarties Stay Put Water Shoes are an absolute must have whether you plan to cool off at a water park, pool or beach. The shoes are lightweight and actually stay on little, squirmy feet.

Max’s eyes will also be protected this summer with the Toddler Sunglasses with Strap. They fit perfectly, and the soft neoprene strap helps keep them in place. When Max manages to muscle them off his head, the durable glasses survive even crazy toddler throwing.

10 Sun Smarties Essentials from One Step Ahead

Check out ten Sun Smarties products that are ideal for a day of fun in the sun.

1. Terry Cover-Up ($24.95 + $6 for personalization)
2. Stay Put Water Shoes ($12.95)
3. Take-Along Wet Bags, set of 2 ($6.95)
4. Beach Towel in a Bag ($9.95 + $6 for personalization)
5. Sand-Away Beach Bag ($14.95 + $6 for personalization)
6. Reversible, Adjustable UV Sun Hat ($14.95)
7. Rubber Frame Sunglasses ($9.95)
8. UV Rash Guard Shirt ($24.95) & Swim Trunks ($19.95)
9. WonderShade II Self-Standing Umbrella ($24.95)
10. UV Long Sleeve Rash Guard ($29.95) & Swim Diaper Skirt ($16.95)

Shop! Now is the perfect time to shop One Step Ahead, as many of the Sun Smarties summer essentials are on sale.

Thanks to One Step Ahead for providing details.

My 5 Beauty Favorites on All You

by Kate on May 20th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Mama Monday, Shopping

Last week, All You magazine asked a simple question: what are you must have beauty buys? I submitted my favorites and am excited to be included in their “My Beauty Favorites” series. You can see the feature on AllYou.com. And, while you’re there, check out the All You staffers favorite beauty picks.