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Best Buy holiday gift guide

Gift Guide: Holiday Gift Ideas From Best Buy

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Best Buy disclosure

I’ve employed what my husband says is a sneaky technique the last couple of years come holiday wish list time.  I don’t ask my kids to provide me with a wish list but instead I pay attention to what my kids have said they want from starting in September.  If they mention something several times, I consider getting the item as a Christmas gift.  Otherwise, I get a circular with stars and circled products throughout from my daughter and a long list of gadgets from my son.   A few things that have stuck in my son’s and husband’s minds and thus made it to my final list of what they really want for Christmas are the XBOX One, a wireless speaker, headphones, and a GPS unit.  You know what store sells all of these products, right?  Best Buy!  If you want to skip the traffic and parking space wars, click over to Best Buy online and get your shopping done without leaving the house!

Best Buy holiday gift guide

 

holiday gift guide

 Xbox One offers gaming at its best with access to tv shows and apps

XBOX one game console

 

Xbox One was built by gamers, for gamers. With the best exclusive titles (Halo, Sunset Overdrive), the biggest blockbusters (Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty) the hottest sports franchises (Madden 15, FIFA 15, NBA 2K15) and top family titles (Fantasia: Music Evolved, Just Dance 15, Skylanders) Xbox One takes gaming to a whole new level.

Learn more about XBOX One at Best Buy

In addition to being a great gaming console, Xbox one connects consumers unlike any other device.  Xbox One gives consumers access to the latest TV shows and movies through your favorite apps like Netflix, HBO Go and Amazon Instant Video.  With Xbox One all of your media is at your fingertips when you want it.

holiday gift guideJBL offers superb sound in small packages

 

JBL offers consumers superb sound at affordable prices with products ranging from headphones to wireless speakers.  When Sebastian, my 15 year old, wears headphones while working in the yard and doing his chores he stays more motivated and usually gets finished quicker.  Good trade off if you ask me!

JBL Holiday gifts

JBL Charge 2 – Between the twin passive radiators for deep bass, the massive 6000mAh battery and the hands-free conference speakerphone the key benefit is the Bluetooth Social Mode which allows up to three different users to take their turns to play their own playlists on a single speaker.

Learn more about these and other JBL audio products at Best Buy

JBL Flip 2 – Aside from the dual performance-tuned JBL drivers and a built-in bass port, the key benefit of the JBL Flip 2 is the SoundClear echo and noise cancellation combined with the state-of the art microphone system to pick up calls on the speaker.

JBL Reflect Earbud headphones –  Sweat proof ergonomic design.  With a 5 hour rechargeable battery and a reach of about 40 feet, the JBL Reflect BT’s key benefit is the design of the ergonomic eartips along with the built-in magnets which keep your buds on standby without loose cables.

holiday gift guide

Garmin and TomTom offer peace-of-mind with portable navigation units

 

Fusion TIFF File

For those who don’t want to use their smartphone’s battery life or data, a portable navigation device is a great gift.  The units below feature bluetooth connectivity for hands-free calling, traffic and weather updates, lane assist, lifetime traffic and map updates as well as  Voice Recognition Technology.

Learn more about these GPS units at Best Buy

Garmin 52LM

  • 5.0” display
  • Maps of 49 U.S. states, plus lifetime map updates1
  • Lane assist with junction view
  • Displays speed limit and accurate arrival time
  • Easily find addresses and millions of points of interest
  • Spoken turn-by-turn directions
Learn more about these GPS units at Best Buy

Garmin 2597LMT

  • 5.0” display
  • Maps of 49 U.S. states, plus lifetime map updates
  • Lane assist with junction view
  • Displays speed limit and accurate arrival time
  • Easily find addresses and millions of points of interest
  • Spoken turn-by-turn directions
Learn more about these GPS units at Best Buy

TomTom Go 50s

  • Lifetime TomTom Traffic: Drive with TomTom Traffic for the lifetime of your device
  • Lifetime Maps (US, Canada, Mexico): Always drive with the latest map
  • 3D Maps. See buildings and landmarks in stunning 3D
  • 5″ touchscreen with advanced lane guidance

With Best Buy’s expert service and unbeatable prices these gifts can be a reality for your family this Holiday season!

Santa Claus health

Mrs. Claus Wants YOU to Have a Heart-Healthy Holiday Season!

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Influence Central disclosure statement

I have been taking a cue from Mrs. Claus and checking my grocery list twice the past few weeks to make sure it has heart healthy elements like Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamins D & E on it. Some foods that have Omega-3 in them are probably your’s and your kids favorites including salmon, sardines, walnuts, and even raspberries and kale! In order to get my daily dose of Omega-3 I not only take a fish oil dietary supplement but I have also been experimenting with smoothies as you might have seen in my post about my new Intel Tablet¹.  You might be wondering what Omega-3 is.  Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for human health but the body can’t make them, you have to get them through food.

Mrs. Claus heart healthStudies show that instances of heart attacks increase over the holiday season.  Sad, isn’t it?   Two of the most beloved holiday icons are leveraging their celebrity this season to bring attention to heart disease – the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. Mrs. Claus is inviting American families to join her in making the same, heart-healthy lifestyle changes she and Santa are taking on this year to raise awareness for nutrition’s role in heart health.

Adding Omega-3 to your daily diet can help with such ailments as depression, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and ADHD.  Nutrition plays a HUGE role in the development of our children and eating a few raspberries, walnuts, a piece of salmon, or a kale salad, can possibly help reduce the risk of your child having heart issues, or even ADHD.  In addition to eating foods rich in ingredients like omega-3s, Vitamin D and E, and Beta-Glucan, the Clauses and I know it can be difficult to get all the essential nutrients we need from diet alone, so we’ve added supplements to our daily routine.

If you don’t get enough nutritional elements from your diet, ask your doctor about adding supplements like Vitamin D, fish oil and multivitamins.  I, like many busy parents, forget to eat lunch some days so I started taking a vegetable and fruit supplement as well as Omega-3 and my doctor recommended Vitamin D.   Your doctor should be able to do lab work on you to see if you are deficient in any vitamins and minerals.  Maybe getting lab work done to check your heart health (vitamin and mineral levels) is a great resolution for you for the upcoming New Year!

 

Let’s join Mrs. Claus!  Let’s offer our family’s healthier options this holiday season.  Mrs. Claus was kind enough to share some of her favorite heart-healthy recipes with us.  Click here to see four of her favorites (pdf view). There are tons of recipes for healthier cookies than what you and I might have used in the past as well as heart-healthy smoothie recipes your kids will love.  I’m sure Santa and his reindeer will appreciate a heart-healthy chocolate chip cookie and carrots for the reindeer!

To learn more about how your family can make heart-healthy choices this holiday season, visit ClausNutrition.com.  Mrs. Claus will track the progress made by Santa, as well as share tips from experts in nutrition and heart health.  To see tips and recipes, click on the “Links” icon on Mrs. Claus’ video.

Mrs. Claus had the opportunity to ask Dr. Michael Roizen, founder of RealAge.com, a few questions about heart health

Mrs. Claus’ Question:

What advice do you have for keeping heart health top of mind during the holidays and after?

Dr. Michael Roizen’s Answer:

Maintain a healthy diet, be active, keep warm, relax

Mrs. Claus’ Question:

Between Santa and myself, is one of us more likely suffer from heart disease based on gender alone?

Dr. Michael Roizen’s Answer:

No. Research shows the percentage of all deaths from heart disease is nearly 50/50 between men and women. Heart disease is not a gender-specific issue, but rather one that all of us should be focusing on.

Let’s take a peek at the Claus’ routine and see how we can improve our own routine to be more heart-healthy this holiday season!

Santa Claus health

Set a better example for your children by making heart-healthy choices for yourself!

Have a happy, healthy holiday season!

Connect with DSM:

¹ Read about my Intel Tablet and how it has helped in my smoothie journey here

Get Bundled With Restaurant.com’s Holiday Gift Guide And Giveaway

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Christmas is just a couple of weeks away.  Can you believe it? We are putting our Christmas tree up today then I will be hard at work figuring out who we need to get gifts for and what to get them. I am so glad I learned about Restaurant.com’s Gift Guide because they share some fabulous gift ideas that everyone on my list will appreciate.  Everyone loves food.  Not just the taste, but the experiences and the memories that come with it.  Why not give your friends and family the gift of those experiences and memories?

Restaurant.com, the nation’s largest dining deals site, loves surprising diners with fun ways to save.  This holiday season, they’ve handpicked delicious dining experiences and gift ideas for every budget and compiled them into an exclusive Restaurant.com Holiday Gift Guide.  Simply pair any Restaurant.com Gift Card with one of these gift bundle ideas below for the ultimate dining experience and holiday treat.

Here are some great gift ideas from Restaurant.com

Restaurant.com Gift Guide

1. The Movie Buff:
 For the movie-quoting, obsessed friend, surprise them with two tickets to a movie on their must-see “Oscar” list and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card.

2. The Workaholic:
To help someone on your list find much needed tranquility, pair a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card with soothing bath salts, lavender mist, and a face mask to create an affordable, at-home spa treatment.

3. The Wine Fanatic:
Bring Napa Valley to every wine lover on your list! Pair their favorite wine with decadent cheeses, crackers, and of course chocolate. Then, cleanse their palate with some late night dessert and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card.

4. The Romantic:
Add some romance into your holiday with a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card, bouquet of roses, some irresistible chocolate covered strawberries, and a candlelit dinner for two.

5. The Theatre Lover:
Add some dramatic flair to the holidays with two tickets to their must-see show and end the evening with our $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card – perfect for dinner and dessert.

Be sure to check out Specials by Restaurant.com for more shopping ideas!

Restaurant.com helps you discover the perfect dining experience and boasts nearly 50,000 dining deals available every day to use anytime hunger strikes, even on the weekends! And, the deals are easy to use – present your certificate to the server on your mobile phone, or bring a printed copy, and voilà – the savings will appear on your final bill.

Restaurant.com is having a giveaway on their Facebook page!  Five (5) lucky Facebook fans will have a chance to win one of the gifts featured in their gift guide every Wednesday until December 18, 2013. Head on over for your chance to win! Good luck!

Connect with Restaurant.com

I LOVE the Personalized Christmas Card I Created On Cardstore.com!

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Mom Central Consulting

My to do listWhat’s on your to-do list today?  Here is mine ->

If you’re wondering what my to-do list writing strategy is, I don’t have one. 🙂

As you can see at the bottom of my to-do list, I want to take photos of the kids for Christmas cards.  I was left inspired and motivated after creating a customized Christmas card on Cardstore.com yesterday.

In 2011 and 2013 I mailed Christmas cards to family.  Great job, I think to myself – better than the other 12 years since I’ve had kids when I didn’t mail Christmas cards out.. but they weren’t the cards I wanted or visioned.  I visioned a Christmas card with a gorgeous photo of the kids ON the front of the card with an inspiring holiday message of love and well wishes for our friends and family overlaying or above or below the message.  Instead I sent out standard stock holiday cards with a photos of the kids inside it.  Boring.

I am so grateful that I have Cardstore.com to turn to this year.   Cardstore.com allows users to choose from hundreds of gorgeous holiday card designs and customize the card with a photograph and text of their choice.

The great thing about creating a customized card where you embed a photograph ON it through a website like Cardstore.com is that their designs make any photograph look good.  Yes, that awkward photograph of your three kids, one with a clump of flyaway hair, one with cross-eyes, and one who isn’t smiling at all, will look good ON a Christmas card.

Here is the 1st Christmas card I created on Cardstore.com

Cardstore.com customized Christmas cards

It is very easy to create a personalized card on Cardstore.com.

To create a customized holiday card on Cardstore.com simply follow these steps:

  1. Go to cardstore.com
  2. Click on ‘Christmas’ in the top left
  3. Cardstore.com photo upload optionsClick on photo cards in the drop down menu that appears
  4. Choose to refine your search (select how many photos you’d like on your card, background color, etc)
  5. Click the ‘make your card’ button to the right of the card you’d like to customize
  6. When your card design opens, click on Your Photo Here with the + symbol
  7. Choose how you’d like to upload your photo
    (Initial options are: your device, Facebook, Dropbox, Instagram, and Flickr but if you click “see all options” you’ll see these options: Picasa, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Box, and Evernote!)
  8. Browse your selected choice and click on the photo you’d like to upload
  9. Once you click the photo, you will need to double-click it to add it to your card
  10. Click the pink ‘done’ button
  11. To change the default text on your card design, click directly on the text.  A text box will appear allowing you to change the text verbiage, font, color, and size.
  12. Click Save at the top of the page when you are finished customizing your card and follow the steps as prompted.

The process of finding and customizing my Christmas card on Cardstore.com took about 10 minutes.

I had so much fun playing around with designs on Cardstore.com and already have card ideas in mind for other holidays!

I am going to create another custom card on Cardstore.com once I get a good photograph of the kids.  Wish me luck!  I’ll be searching Google for “how to take holiday photographs of kids” later today. 🙂

Cardstore.com stands out because of its clean, beautiful site and its ease of use and who doesn’t love pretty cards?

Cardstore.com can be a busy parent’s best friend year round!   Imagine the cards you can create for:

  • birthdays
  • Mother’s Day
  • Father’s Day
  • anniversaries
  • and for your child’s teachers!

Create your own personalized holiday cards at http://po.st/PersonalizeYourCard today!  From November 21st – 26th Cardstore is offering 30% off holiday cards!

Here’s a tip from one parent to another:
Don’t worry about having the perfect photo for your Christmas cards!  
Your friends and family are going to love your Christmas card no matter what!  Enjoy a few minutes on Cardstore.com and you’ll see that even the most imperfect photos make for a great Christmas card!

 

Alicia, The Mommy Insider blog author

3 Reasons To Use Layaway And When To Start

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Kmart holiday layaway

 

It’s hard to believe but the countdown is on to the holiday season!   Although many of us don’t start shopping, decorating and celebrating until after Thanksgiving, there are a few holiday ‘must-do’s’ that you need to start sooner rather than later.   Planning your holiday menu ahead of time is a must.   Also, why not get a head start on your holiday shopping by starting before the busy Thanksgiving holiday?

First, put the big (or small) items on your kid’s wish lists on Layaway.   Most Layaway contracts are eight weeks long, so this is the ideal time to shop and pay over time.   You don’t want your wallet to go into shock on November 29th, do you? Didn’t think so.

Still need convincing? Here are a few ‘Layaway Lessons’ to keep in mind:

1.) Last year’s Christmas tree was on its last limb and this year you could probably use a new one  
Pick up a pre-lit tree (because that’s the way to go), LED lights, wreaths and village houses now and pay them off in time for decking those halls!

2.) Your gift list has grown
Your kids are getting older and want more gifts or maybe what they just want one or two expensive gifts like a new laptop or game console.  Long gift lists or those including expensive items call for Layaway. Fill your cart to the brim and roll it over to the Layaway counter. Your kids don’t need to know you paid their gifts off over time.

3.) Money is tight this year
It’s not just you; many of us are watching our spending. If you’re having trouble staying afloat while keeping your bills paid, Layaway is a must. Not only will you avoid ‘wallet shock,’ you’ll keep your pre-holiday peace of mind.

Kmart Layaway LogoWhether you have one or 100 items, you can Layaway almost everything on your list without paying a service fee through 11/23. Plus, you can pay in store, online or using a mobile phone. Eight or 12 weeks later (depending on your contract) pick up your items and you’re good to go!

 

Bonus: After you figure out how easy it is, you can Layaway all year round at Kmart.