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The Funky Bee Personalized Tees and Handmade Tutus

March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The first thing my daughter asks for in the morning when her eyes open is a PopTart followed closely by her favorite tutu.  A princess at heart, she would wear a tutu all day long if I let her!  So when her birthday rolled around, I knew that she needed an extra special tutu to celebrate the occasion.  Whenever I need a product recommendation, I head to the Internet to poll my friends and fellow review bloggers.  Fortunately, my friend Kate at The Shopping Mama highly recommended The Funky Bee.

PhotobucketAs I started perusing the online boutique, it was love at first sight!  The designs, the colors, the accessories, the tulle….I knew my almost three year old would be in heaven.  I mean, how cute is this personalized cupcake tee and tutu?  After much debate, I finally decided to go with the Tiara Tee and Tutu for my beautiful birthday princess.

When the outfit arrived, I was so excited to show Aubrie.  The colors were beautiful, the quality of the tee and personalization was first rate, and the tutu was very full (they only use high quality 100% nylon tulle).  In fact, my daughter actually squealed in delight as she laid eyes on this tutu!  As luck would have it, her daycare had a Mardi Gras parade on her birthday.  We decorated her wagon and made her a true birthday princess wearing her new outfit from The Funky Bee.

Do you have a tutu worthy occasion coming up?  At The Funky Bee, you can customize your handmade tutu by selecting just the right colors, adding ribbons and accessorizing with flowers.  Is your little one more of a superhero and less of a princess?  Check out the adorable Little Hero Capes!

Don’t miss any new creations at The Funky Bee!  Follow them on Facebook to stay up to date!

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Wordless Wednesday: It’s Crawfish…not Crayfish

March 15, 2011 By 28 Comments

It’s crawfish season here in NOLA!

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Express Spring Swim is here!

March 15, 2011 By 1 Comment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

AdvertisementExpress SwimwearThe warmer temperatures are here and I am so excited!  I know swimsuit shopping is on most women’s list of things we don’t look forward to, but you should consider letting Express change your attitude about swimsuit shopping this year! Their Spring 2011 line of women’s swimwear is eye-catching and available in options for every body type.  My favorite is the Neon Ruffled Bandeau Bikini top!  Ruffles have been huge this season and this suit is really cute!

We make a family beach trip every summer and I would love to pack a swimsuit from Express!  They have both one-piece and two piece swimwear, so you can have a suit for every day you’re enjoying the sunny skies. Express offers bright solids, on-trend graphic prints, the essential reversible style, nautical-inspired stripe and sleek metallic styles to suit every body type and preference.   You can also accessorize with Express spring essentials including sandals, tote bags, sunglasses and hats for both Him and Her!  Readers who act fast can sign up for Express e-mail and be entered for a chance to win one of TEN $200 gift cards!

Check out the sweepstakes rules when you enter!  Sweepstakes ends on April 21 at 11:59 EST.

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RIO Video Game Giveaway for Wii!

March 14, 2011 By
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If You Could Live Anywhere….

March 12, 2011 By 1 Comment

……where would it be?

As most of you know, I am a native New Orleanian.  My entire family lives here and my roots are strong in the Crescent City.  I absolutely love living here…. the culture, the food, the people and yes, even the Hurricanes (well, that’s a more love/hate relationship).  However, after Hurricane Katrina when my husband lost his job, we briefly started talking about where we may be able to move and raise our family.  We talked a lot about Nashville, TN and Raleigh, NC because they were close enough to home, employment options were plentiful, we liked the climate and upon recent visits, we could actually picture ourselves living there.

Our discussion soon turned to  fantasy as we talked about all of the “dream” places we could live like Hawaii or NYC.  Not many of you know this, but I have had a secret desire to learn to ice skate and be in the Winter Olympics.  I guess being from New Orleans where there are NO ice rinks, positioned this activity at the top of my bucket list.  Because we were at a major crossroads in our lives, I started thinking that maybe a colder locale would be ideal.  It certainly would afford us many different experiences!  As I started to look at homes in Park City, Utah (I can’t image a better place to train for the Olympics), I had to face a harsh reality……I am old….too old for the Olympics.

But not too old to dream…..

In the end, we decided that New Orleans was in our blood and we had no desire to be from anywhere else.  We returned home and rebuilt our life and are now living happily ever after….even without my ice skates.

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Why Two Lanes at McDonald’s is a Bad Idea

March 12, 2011 By 2 Comments

My name is Bridgette and I have an addiction….to sweet tea.  Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a 12 step program for this which is probably why I am a member of Weight Watchers.  My addiction forces my car to stop at the McDonald’s on my way home from work to indulge my sweet tooth (completely against my will of course).  Recently, my local McDonald’s decided to go all modern and add a second drive thru lane.

At first glance, it looks like a fabulous idea!  Anything that could help me get my sweet tea faster has to be a positive, right?!?  Wrong. Pulling up to the second drive thru lane, I was first in line.  As I waited for service, a line began to form in drive thru lane #1.  I watched 3 cars be served in lane 1 as I still sat in lane 2.  I totally didn’t realize I was driving my invisible car that day…my bad.  As my thirst grew, so did my aggravation so I decided to back out of lane 2 and join the party in the first lane.  Obviously, if I wanted tea, I wasn’t going to get it sitting in the second lane.

Like any first rate driver, I looked in my rear view mirror and didn’t see any cars around me (other than the ones happily sipping their beverages in lane one).  As I reversed, I heard a very distinct crunch which sounded a lot like my back bumper.  Turns out that this particular store had a sneaky side entrance and another patron decided to take advantage of the short line in lane 2 (bad move) which was directly in my blind spot.  Thank God for auto insurance, right?

My car has been fixed and all is well.  The whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth for 2 lane drive thru fast food, but the sweet tea more than makes up for it!  Hopefully, my sweet tea addiction won’t cause me to have to search for new insurance quotes!

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Domino’s: More than Pizza! {$20 Gift Card Giveaway}

March 11, 2011 By

When you think of the Domino’s brand, invariably the word “pizza” comes to mind, right?  As a child, I always loved Domino’s Pizza night in our house and I have carried over the tradition to my home.  My daughters are huge fan of the newly reinvented pizza and the delicious breadsticks.  But if you have a craving for sweet, spicy and tangy chicken wings and boneless chicken, do you pick up the phone and dial Domino’s?  For me, I didn’t even realize that chicken was on the menu, so I was thrilled to give it a try.

When reinventing Domino’s chicken (did you know it was on the menu since 2002?), the test kitchen chefs listened to customer feedback and worked hard to create a delicious product.  From the press release:

“The new, tastier chicken wings are available in hot, BBQ and new Sweet Mango Habanero – while the new boneless chicken gives customers more choice on how to customize to their specific tastes. In addition to the new boneless chicken, made with 100 percent whole white breast meat lightly breaded with savory herbs, a selection of dipping sauces will provide multiple options. These are sure to please those who either want to spice things up with Sweet Mango Habanero or Kickers Hot sauces, or go with more traditional dipping options like BBQ sauce or Ranch.”

Reading the descriptions made our mouths water, so my family was so excited when two orders of wings (BBQ and Plain) and one order of boneless chicken arrived at our doorstep along with a plethora of dipping sauces.  We immediately dived in because they smelled delicious.  The chicken was wrapped in foil to lock in the heat which worked perfectly because the chicken arrived hot (no reheating necessary).  My daughters (ages 3 and 6), who are World’s biggest fans of chicken nuggets, picked the boneless chicken with BBQ sauce.  Before I could blink, they were asking for more! The breading was very good (not too soft, not too crispy) and the BBQ sauce was spiced perfectly for my taste.

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My husband is the chicken wing connoisseur in the house, so he was the first to try the BBQ wings.  He described them as “well sauced with good flavor!”  I was brave and tasted the extra spicy “Sweet Mango and Habanero Sauce.”  I actually really liked , but wasn’t able to use much of it!

The new wings and boneless chicken from Domino’s makes us rethink the entire brand.  We will now grab for the Domino’s menu for more things than just pizza!  What a great idea for a fuss-free March Madness party!  We would definitely order chicken wings and boneless chicken from Domino’s again.

GIVEAWAY

Is your mouth watering yet?  One lucky reader will receive a $20 gift card to Domino’s!

How to Enter:

1. Check out the sauces available for the chicken wing and let me know which one you can’t wait to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Domino’s (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @Dominos on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Domino’s on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on March 31st. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. A complimentary product was received to facilitate this review, but all opinions remain 100% mine.
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Spring into Spring with Pier 1!

March 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pier 1 for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

black and white plantersThe warmer temperatures have hit my city and I am itching to start Spring!  March 20th is the official start of Spring and Pier 1 is getting ready with outdoor furniture arriving for you to enjoy!  We use our outdoor patio quite often, but every year the cushions and pillows need refreshing after sitting up all winter.  I love the new Angelique cushions and will definitely be taking a look at those to add to my outdoor living furniture.  Adding new cushions, pillows, and accent pieces like the Black and White Outdoor Planters are an easy way to change the look of your space without breaking the bank.   A lot of homes now have garden or sun rooms where you can enjoy the look of Pier 1′s beautiful outdoor furniture indoors as well.  I love the look of the Sunset Pier furniture and can easily see it making a beautiful statement indoors with it’s neutral tones that would compliment any color scheme.

Customers who sign up for the Pier 1 Outdoor newsletter will receive a special in store offer for the week of March 18-20th.  I can’t wait to take advantage of some of the great prices to add a few things indoors too, like the adorable Speckled Egg Centerpiece.

If you’re lucky, you will be able to attend one of the Pier 1 Tweetups in a city near you!  Join the fun in Orlando, Florida on March 9, Dallas, Texas on March 22, Atlanta, Georgia on April 5, and New York City on April 20.  

Don’t wait until the last of the Spring flowers have bloomed to make your way to Pier 1!  There’s too much Spring style in store to miss it!

Visit Sponsor's Site

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Timmy Time: Timmy Steals the Show {Giveaway}

March 10, 2011 By

As my daughters turn 3 and 6, I will admit that it is hard to find appropriate programming that they are both excited to watch.  I generally let them watch one show in the morning before school as they eat breakfast which almost always leads to some discussion about who gets to pick the show.  However, both of my daughters are lovers of “Shaun the Sheep” especially the little baby sheep, Timmy.

Recently, Timmy has grown up and entered preschool.  He no longer has his pacifier, but my daughters get a huge kick out of his antics in the new series, “Timmy Time.”  About the show:

“Timmy Time follows the adventures of Timmy, a little lamb with a lot to learn as he enters preschool. Fans of Aardman’s hit children’s series Shaun the Sheep will recognize Timmy as the baby lamb on the farm who is frequently drawn into all kinds of chaotic adventures by the mischievous older sheep. Used to having his way by being “the only lamb in the flock,” Timmy is now heading to preschool to graze on some important life lessons about playing nicely with others, namely his fellow classmates of the furry, feathered and spiky types.“

Haven’t seen Timmy Time on television?  No worries!  On February 22nd, Timmy Time: Timmy Steals the Show was released on DVD!  My girls absolutely loved Episode 4 entitled “Timmy Can’t Dance.”  In this episode, Timmy’s class is exploring various dance styles from Hula to line dancing, but Timmy just can’t get into the groove!  Timmy learns that his talent lies in hip hop music and break dancing and wows his friends with his cool moves! 

Check out the trailer:

Totally cute, right?  If your kids a Timmy fans, you can find the DVD available at Amazon for only $10.99!  Or you can win a copy right here at Experimental Mommy!

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a copy of the DVD Timmy Time: Timmy Steals the Show!

How to Enter:

1. Check out Timmy Steals the Show and let me know why it peaks your interest!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on March 22nd. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of f The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. A complimentary product was received to facilitate this review, but all opinions remain 100% mine.
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Last Bus Out Book: Review and Giveaway

March 10, 2011 By

For those of you who have been fans of  Experimental Mommy for awhile now, you are likely aware that Bridgette and I both live in the New Orleans area and survived the major catastrophe Hurricane Katrina.  Five years later, most conversations that take place are still peppered with the phrase, “Before The Storm” or “After the Storm.”  Katrina damage is still visible in many parts of the New Orleans Metro area, and her emotional scars run deep in anyone who lived through it.  You can read a bit about Bridgette’s Katrina Experience here. My experience, although not as severe as Bridgette’s, is not something I like to think about.   My grandfather evacuated his home of over 40 years and came home to nothing but a pile of rubble where his home once stood, washed away by the storm surge.  My house was spared aside from needing a new roof, but we were away from home and without power for 20 days.   When I do think about Katrina, I try to remember to not dwell on the inconveniences I went through, or the horrible uprooting many of my friends and grandfather suffered through, but to think instead of what it was like for those who had nowhere else to go, and when it was over, nothing to come home to.

Beck McDowell

Author and New Orleans native Beck McDowell does great  justice to the most unfortunate victims of the storm in her new book, Last Bus Out. McDowell tells the riveting true story of Courtney Miles, who rescued over 300 people from misery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Growing up in the Fischer Housing Projects in New Orleans, hardship came second nature to Courtney, who grew up surrounded by blight, poverty, and pain.  Despite having a mother who spent most of Courtney’s life in and out of jail for selling drugs, Courtney managed to stay “straight” and avoid the downfalls that cost many of his friends and relatives their livelihood, or even their lives.  McDowell’s book outlines the track of Katrina in the days leading up to its landfall, and describes with great detail just how grim the days after Katrina were for some residents of the New Orleans area.  With the help of his Fischer Family, Courtney devised a plan to borrow a school bus in order to taxi a number of hungry, dehydrated, and miserable Fischer residents to shelter and safety in the Lafayette, Louisiana Cajundome.  After the rescue, McDowell outlines the next chapter in Courtney’s life, which is still in progress today.

Courtney Miles, whose story is told beautifully in Last Bus Out

I have to make an effort to find time to read nowadays, but found reading this book to be effortless.  Although I have background knowledge of the City of New Orleans and Katrina, I didn’t find that to be my “hook” into the book….that was Courtney Miles himself, with what McDowell describes to be his gentle, determined personality.  When I finished the book (in 2 days because I couldn’t put it down), I could not wait to go online and find out where Courtney is now and how he is faring after the storm.  Thankfully, McDowell recently gave and update on the Facebook page for Last Bus Out.  It is my hope and prayer that one day, Courtney will be able to reach all the goals he has set for himself.

Last Bus Out is available as paperback and E-Book at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.    If your local bookstore doesn’t have it, ask for it!   This is a book you must read and then pass along to everyone you know.  We are thrilled that Beck McDowell has offered to give one away to a lucky reader!  The winner can choose either a paperback or E-book !  Here’s how to enter:

How to Enter:

1. Check out Last Bus Out and let me know why it piques your interest!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Last Bus Out (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @BeckMcDowell on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Last Bus Out on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on March 31st. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of Jennifer of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to Beck McDowell for supplying the product for review. All opinions remain 100% mine.
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