Get Ready for Christmas – with Ace Hardware!

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Ace is the place...for Christmas decor and preparations! Though the selection is not as expansive as big box shops, Ace Hardware has the advantage of being very near our house. Perhaps there is one in your neighborhood too? There are 4,400 of them across the USA. We opted to buy an 8-foot tree (retails for approximately $35). This is the first year (since we've been married - that's almost eleven years!) that we've had a real tree. Our tree has quite a wide girth and Tim is already sighing … [Read more...]

Day #6 Motorola Talkabout MT350R Two-Way Radios

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Mayday! Mayday! Do you need a super fun gift for a college student, hunter, camper, hiker, or teen? Take a look at the Talkabout MT350R Two-Way Radios by Motorola. With a range up to 35 miles, this duo is great for outdoor adventures. The set is waterproof, features a built-in flashlight, and can be charged easily with an included mini USB charger. The NOAA channels provide emergency alerts including tornadoes, winter storms, severe thunderstorms, flash floods, emergency evacuations, and … [Read more...]

Day #5 Flameware 14″ Pizza Stone by Longaberger

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Tonight we made pizza for dinner on our Flameware Pizza Stone by Longaberger! Tim tossed the made-from-scratch dough in the air (he's a pro!), stretched it out, and meticulously added marinara sauce, plenty of mozzarella cheese, and crumbles of bacon. Made with non-reactive ceramics, Flameware is billed as "the healthier way to cook." It's handcrafted from 100% natural materials and is completely free from PFOAs, aluminum, lead, and other heavy metals that can leach into … [Read more...]

Day #4 EatSmart Precision Digital Body Fat Scale

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I've learned a lot from my husband about body image. When we first started dating fifteen years ago, I was 16-years-old - a dancer, straight A student, newspaper editor, volunteer, dreaming of college and studying abroad. In spite of all this, I fretted over my weight and the foods on my plate. Fast forward to today. Eleven years of marriage and three babies later, I feel better about my body than ever before. Not only do I appreciate the miracles it is capable of (growing a human - one of … [Read more...]

Day #3 Jane Necklace by Chewbeads

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Moms of teething babies: you've probably noticed that it's almost impossible to wear jewelry. Babies in the 4-12m age range are experts at yanking, chewing, biting, grabbing, and taste-testing everything in their reach. Instead of giving up on pretty accessories altogether, consider the options at Chewbeads. The Jane Teething Necklace is made up of 100% silicone beads. No BPA, phthalates, cadmium, lead, or metals. The individual beads are squishy and soft so they feel good on baby's teeth, … [Read more...]

Day #2 Silicone Loaf Pan by Mastrad

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As the evening air turns crisper and twinkling lights appear on houses around town, I enjoy baking up cookies, muffins, and breads with the girls. Bread, we've found, makes an especially nice gift. We have a 4-mini loaf pan and also a larger silicone loaf pan by Mastrad. Tonight I whipped up pumpkin bread and the smell is wafting through our kitchen. Silicone is wonderful for baking because it's non-stick, stain-resistant, and allows for quick, easy removal (no need to grease!). … [Read more...]

Day #1 Sahale Snacks & Seeds Family Worship

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Don't be a humbug this Christmas! Get in the festive mood with delicious munchies and wonderful music. Learn about the Character of God with the Seeds Family Worship album of the same name. The 11 songs on the CD focus on 11 different attributes of God. Each song is written entirely from the Bible so as you're listening, you'll be memorizing verses! As you listen and trim the tree, taste the delicious flavors of Sahale Snacks Premium Blends. You'll receive a 4 oz bag of Maple Pecans and a … [Read more...]

Metropolitan Mama’s 12 Days of Giveaways

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Welcome to December! Hope you've found some outstanding ideas in our 2012 Christmas Gift Guide. If you resonate with our family's style (simplicity, art, beauty, books, health), then please do stick around for 12 days of grand giveaways. They're all items that appeared in our gift guide. Bookmark this post and I’ll update as each of the giveaways are published. * All giveaways will close on December 16, 2012.             … [Read more...]