Finding fun family activities this time of year that don’t depend on a certain type of weather can be a challenge.  So, when we found out about and were invited to attend Great Wolf Lodge’s Snowland event this weekend we were thrilled to participate.

There’s all the usual fun with the waterpark and activities, but add to that snowflakes, Santa, Snow and a massive Christmas tree and you have a winter wonderland that reminds you of magical childhood Christmas memories.

My kids were so excited to go back and when they saw all the Christmas decorations they were amazed.  We arrived before our room was ready so we got bracelets to enter the park and play for a while.

Once we got into our room (we ended up with the same one), I fixed us a quick dinner then we headed down to the lobby where I’d heard Santa would be waiting.  Sure enough, there he was so we got in line to go visit Santa.

Since the twins had never seen Santa before I wasn’t sure how they’d react.  At their age, most of the other boys would have been terrified..not them though, they were so excited and marched right up there to meet him and get pictures taken.

They even spent time telling him what they wanted and got a yummy candy cane from Mrs. Claus.  As you can see by the pic, our 14 year old, CJ was less than thrilled with the idea of standing by the “big man” for a picture of any sort. Santa knew this and took him aside afterward.  It was really cute.

The next morning the children woke up to actual snow outside.  It was almost like it had been planned that way LOL since it was our first snow of the year and the kids were so excited.  A trip down to Starbucks for mom and dad and a yummy breakfast later, we headed back into the waterpark for a few hours.

As we were getting ready to leave, it was afternoon story time in the lobby so we stopped to listen and they even sang a few Christmas carols…at the end it snowed in the lobby.  Much to the thrill and delight of the boys!

Loading up to leave is always a disappointment for the boys but the trip definitely proved that Great Wolf Lodge is a great family adventure year round.  So visit their website to find one near you and about any specials they are running.

Have you heard of Jingles the Elf? Well today I’m going to introduce you to him and to Doodle Dots, a fun mom-owned company with inspired books and products for children.

Jingles comes in a box with his very own book. He is a very curious little elf and when playing with “Magical Copying Machine” in the workshop he created thousands of Jingles.  So Santa has come up with a great plan.

He assigned each Jingle to a special child and gave each one a magical bell to report back to the North Pole with.  Jingles is sent out every December 1st to their chosen child. Every night the elf hides somewhere new, waiting to be discovered by their child.  This fun hide and seek adventure continues each night until Santa picks Jingles up on his way back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

This delightful little package is such a fun idea for children during the holidays.  I think that it makes for a fun family activity.

Also available from DooDots is The Giving Jar.  A beautifully illustrated story about an 11 year old boys visit to his grandparents’ farm and a lesson on giving.

Doodle Dots is offering A Frog In My Soup readers 10% off when you use the code HOLIDAY10OFF at checkout through December 15th (so hurry).

She has also offered one lucky winner a signed copy of both Jingles the Elf and The Giving Jar.  To enter to win please visit their website, take a look around then come back here and tell me why you’d like this prize.

There are some great extra entry opportunities as well of course, feel free to take advantage of all of the entries for as many chances to win as possible.…Just be sure to leave a NEW comment with each entry…:

• Become a Facebook Fan of A Frog In My Soup!!!
• Tweet It: Just tweet this giveaway with a link to this post and make sure your comment has your twitter handle in it.
• Blog It: Write a post about this giveaway (with a link to this post of course) on your own blog, make sure your comment has a link to your post.
• Stumble It, Kirtsy It, Digg It, Submit to Mommy Blips: Submit this giveaway to any of these sites and earn an extra entry for each one…and make sure your comment has your Username.

It is void where prohibited, be sure to read my giveaway policies here.  Be sure to enter by December 12th.  This giveaway is open to US addresses only.

Disclosure: I always give honest and forthright reviews and will not present something that poses a conflict of interest &/or that I do not like.  I received both items presented in order to review them and present them to you.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

It’s definitely getting colder around here.  As fall begins to make way for Winter and the holidays are quickly approaching, this is when a lot of moms start feeling the crunch.

I hope you’ve had time to take a little break this week to just try to re-energize.  It can be something simple like a nice cup of tea and a good book, or hot chocolate and a chick flick.  Don’t underestimate the power of a simple, quiet few moments of time.

How often I forget to be thankful in everyday life.  That’s probably one of the reasons that I appreciate Thanksgiving as a holiday the most.

We all need that continual reminder that we need to be thankful.  The funny thing is that the times we need to be the most thankful are the times we are most likely to forget.  Well, at least that’s how it is for me.

What do we need to do to continually remember to be thankful.  That will be different for each of us of course, so we’ll need to find that out but one of the best ways I have found is to post reminders in areas I will see them regularly.

This could be a desk, bathroom mirror, kitchen window, washing machine, computer, etc.  I think you get the idea.  Simple reminders, prayers, scriptures, quotes…whatever it takes to put you in an attitude of thankfulness randomly through your day.

A simple concept that could change your day, your week or maybe even your life.

Another one of the products I got to see, test and receive from my trip to New York is the Shark Multi-Vac, it’s ultralite and never loses suction.  Sound familiar?  Well it’s a great feature and it not only lives up to it’s name but also is totally affordable!

Definitely competitive with the other “doesn’t lose suction” vacuums out there, in function, reliability and more.  But this vacuum typically retails for $119.99 or less.

This vacuum works on both carpet and hardwood floors, which I’m very happy about since most of my house is hardwood and sometimes i just need something to do the job without a broom and dustpan.  I love how it swivels and maneuvers, makes getting around objects (couch or kitchen chair anyone?) so much easier.

My very favorite part of this vacuum though, is that the Quick Latch releases it into a portable vacuum that is just as powerful as an upright for some of the more difficult areas in your home or car.

For me, vacuuming out the car requires a heavy duty vacuum and most portable vacuums just don’t get the job done.  Sure, I might need to grab another smaller portable for some of the tight areas, but the car, or any area I use this on looks great when I’m done!

If you are in need of a great vacuum that is multipurpose, inexpensive and not quite a full upright vacuum, then this is the right one for you.  Over the next week, I’ll introduce you to it’s little brother and big brother (as they are known around here LOL), each of which brings something completely unique to the table.

Another item to add to mom’s wish list for Christmas?  Sure, why not!  You can even follow them on twitter at @SharkCleaning or look on Facebook for Shark Cleaning Products too!

Disclosure: I received one of these vacuums to try for myself and we love it and use it often.  I do not present reviews for products that I have not tried out for myself, nor will I tell you I love something that I do not love!  You can read my full disclosure policy here!

I’m telling you ladies, I have never been happier with a line of products than I am with these great Shark and other Euro Pro tools!  Taking the industry to a new level by helping you keep your home safer and greener, the steam products that Shark offers are second to none (at least in this mom’s opinion).

Getting rid of chemicals and environmentally unfriendly products from my everyday cleaning has been a daily endeavor of mine for about 2 years now.  I’m not always successful and honestly do appreciate convenient supplies so finding a combination can be a challenge.

Since we were heading into cold and flu season I was immediately intrigued by the use of steam cleaning for most if not all household purposes, better yet, getting my hands on some of these products to use for myself was amazing.   Not only is this Steam Mop incredibly simple to use, it only uses tap water… that is the cleaning product!

The pads work hard on all the grime and thankfully there are several options with this mop! You can choose the rectangular mop head or the triangular mop head each with at least two reuseable microfiber pads.

Combines the power of steam with an absorbent microfiber pad to clean floors better than traditional mop-and-bucket or chemical cleaning pads.

The forward mopping motion automatically pumps out steam only while you clean to loosen, lift and lock in dirt, grime and chemical residue.

Uses ordinary tap water.
No messy, toxic chemical additives make it environmentally-friendly and safe for most floor surfaces, including marble and sealed hardwood floors.

Cleans a 1,000 square foot floor space with only one pint of water, compared to four gallons used in mop and bucket cleaning.

Cost-effective mop includes two reusable, machine-washable microfiber pads that are ready to be reactivated after every wash.

The steam dries floors instantly, leaving no messy water or chemical residue behind.

No wringing or rinsing; simply plug it in, hold the ergonomic hand grip and push the mop around the floor all in one easy step.

At less than 3 pounds, there is never any strain on the back.

Ready to use within 30 seconds, the Steam Mop is simple, effortless and effective.

Available nationwide at fine retailers or online at www.sharksteammop.com.

Suggested retail price: $79.99.

So, add it to your gift list, or go grab one the next time you’re at the store… you won’t regret it!

Disclosure: I received a Shark Steam Mop to review for myself in order to present a complete honest review to you, you can see my full review policy here.

If you have a girlie girl princessy type in your life, this is such a wonderful gift!  As Christmas is upon us, gift buying and choosing is definitely in full swing for us.  I was so excited when I learned about this wonderful company, Fairy-Gram.

A Fairy-Gram is a Fairy outfit in a Box that is delivered gift wrapped and ready to go.  Offered in 8 different colors you can choose your recipient’s favorite!  Each box includes: a Fairy tutu, wings, ribbon wand, halo and butterfly clips.  Saying that these sets are super cute does NOT do them justice.

Shona is the owner and mom behind this very fun company and I asked her to tell me a bit about her inspiration for the product line:

My 5 year old daughter has been my inspiration. She’s been dressing in costumes since age 2 and just loves it. She puts a smile on my face everyday I see her in one. Fairies are her favorite. While looking for gifts for her friends birthdays, I realized that it’s hard to find a costume in the form of a gift. That’s how Fairy-Gram was born. I saw a need for fairy outfits to be easily purchased as gifts and delivered to little girls. I see the joy on my daughters face when she opens something “pretty”. I want that for other little girls too. When a little girl receives a Fairy-Gram, it’s beautifully packaged with tissue paper, a note and beautiful clips. There’s no plastic commercial wrapping that can be a hassle for little girls.

These adorable sets will definitely provide any little girl with hours upon hours of endless fun and imagination.  These are great for little girls from age 2 to age 10!

Now through December 31, 2009 you can get 15% off by using the code: MOMSREVIEW.  Be sure to take advantage of this offer when doing your Christmas shopping.

One very lucky reader can enter to win a Fairy-Gram! Just visit the website and check out what they have to offer. Once you are done, come back here and leave a comment telling me which color you will choose if you win and what little girl in your life will enjoy it!

There are some great extra entry opportunities as well of course, feel free to take advantage of all of the entries for as many chances to win as possible.…Just be sure to leave a NEW comment with each entry…:

• Become a Facebook Fan of A Frog In My Soup!!!
• Tweet It: Just tweet this giveaway with a link to this post and make sure your comment has your twitter handle in it.
• Blog It: Write a post about this giveaway (with a link to this post of course) on your own blog, make sure your comment has a link to your post.
• Stumble It, Kirtsy It, Digg It, Submit to Mommy Blips: Submit this giveaway to any of these sites and earn an extra entry for each one…and make sure your comment has your Username.

It is void where prohibited, be sure to read my giveaway policies here.  Be sure to enter by December 3rd, 2009.  This giveaway is open to US addresses only.

Disclosure: I always give honest and forthright reviews and will not present something that poses a conflict of interest &/or that I do not like.  I received a Fairy-Gram to review and present this information to you.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

The conversations with the Twinks never cease to amaze me.

Waking up yesterday to Bugs insisting that everyone “Rise and Shine” as he turns on every light was mildly amusing.

Followed on his heels by Monkey announcing, “I don’t get an awwowance, and I don’t have a job!” *big Monkey sigh*

To which I replied, “well you are only 3 so it’s ok that you don’t have a job or get an allowance.”

Monkey: “Well, yeah, I’m 3-2 years old and don’t have a job or get an awwowance!” (he always says he’s 3-2 years old instead of 3 lol).

Well there’s no arguing with that I guess.

The holidays are quickly approaching and I’ll be featuring a lot of great products for the whole family over the next few weeks that make great gifts.  Today, I’m very excited to share with you one of the most incredible products and moms, this one’s for YOU!

As you all know I went to New York the end of September to learn about and try out some amazing products by EuroPro.  Let me tell you, they have moms figured out!

I have had a ton of fun preparing a variety of meals, dips and more using my Ninja Master Prep.  But I have to say that one of the things I love most about it is that it’s a gift that moms don’t have to feel guilty asking for.  Why? Because it costs less than $50!!

This machine is truly all it’s cracked up to be and has been an invaluable tool for me since it arrived.  From smoothies and guacamole to perfect scrambled eggs and chopped veggies. I have recommended the Ninja Master Prep to every mom I know and now I’m recommending it to you!

Here’s some details:

• The Ninja Master Prep uses Ninja™ technology to mince, dice, chop, blend, and puree evenly without turning food into mush.
• Ninja technology cuts precisely and evenly
• Both the large 48 oz. pitcher and 2-cup bowl make it easy to switch from food prep to drink making in seconds
• High-torque motor offers uniform cutting and ice crushing action while splash guards keep the prep area clean
• Both the pitcher and bowl are designed to use the same powerful motor which is interchangeable to save space
• Ergonomic operation with one touch pulsing creates an easy-to-use and safe product
• Features dishwasher safe parts
• Contains custom-fit storage lids for both the pitcher and bowl
• Available nationwide at select retailers and on www.NinjaKitchen.com.
• Suggested retail price: $49.99
• Find us on Twitter at @NinjaKitchen and be sure to fan our Ninja Kitchen Facebook page.

I love that they’ve been really careful to create a product that is not only family friendly for surviving tons of use, but they have also been careful about what was used to create the Ninja Master Prep.  Although I have used this tool for much much more than just blended drinks, I have to admit that the blending ice ability of it is definitely what initially intrigued me.

I have always struggled with the fact that my blenders would never make a smooth drink and got tired of always having to babysit the machine to have it crank out anything even resembling a smoothie…and even then there were still chunks.  So I’m very thrilled that this machine lives up to it’s claims.  Just be sure not to overfill it and it’ll always do it’s job!

So ladies, you now have my top pick for your Christmas wish list!  Trust me, if this product can live up to it’s claims even for a family of 8, you’re sure to love it!

Disclosure: I received a Ninja Master Prep to try for myself and provide this review.  All of my reviews are honest and forthright and I will absolutely not claim to love a product that I do not. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

As a mom I’m busy. Running errands, caring for the house, children, husband; you name it I seem to be in charge of making it happen.

Not only is this a challenging and sometimes overwhelming task, it can also often crowd out many other things in life that keep a mom sane.

If you feel like God is far away, I can guarantee you it isn’t because He wants to be. Let me tell you though, I feel this way often and cry out wondering where He has gone.

Then I realize that all the while it was me that walked away.

If you feel alone right now I encourage you to take extra time and just wait and listen. You’ll feel refreshed, at peace and no longer be alone.