My Wonderful Time at Auntie Anne's

I don't get to do too many blogging trips, due to my work constraints, homeschooling all the kids, and our very time-consuming acreage.  When I do get invited somewhere, I have to carefully consider whether it will be a good partnership (which is why I do less than 2 a year.)  When I was asked to be an Auntie Anne's Blog Ambassador and take a trip to the home office in Lancaster, PA, I couldn't be more excited!  I had seen an episode of "Be the Boss" on TV, and I instantly fell in the love with the people and culture displayed on the program.  But would they really be that family-oriented in real life?

I arrived in Lancaster after quite a drive from the Philly airport, and I was greeted by a few bloggers I already knew (and ones that I didn't know.) I knew it was going to be a fun event!  Headed to my room at the Cork Factory Hotel, we were welcomed with gift baskets before heading out to dine at the Lancaster Brewing Company.

After dinner, we headed to bed; we had a big day of Auntie Anne's Pretzel University ahead of us!

Arriving at the Auntie Anne's HQ the next day, we were greeted with applause from the employees.  It was weird, only being a mom blogger, but it was nice seeing so many friendly faces.  We listened to President Bill Dunn share a bit about the company, and we were on our way!

As we toured the offices, it was easy to see that this company was like a large family.  They had signage everywhere reminding employees of the mission - and the delicious product!  I especially loved seeing all the nostalgia placed throughout the historic building; it was like taking a trip back into time, when Auntie Anne's was first getting started!

After viewing some information on the company in a meeting room, we were on our way to making pretzels and attending a mini version of Pretzel University!  When we got to the kitchen, we found personalized aprons hanging up and waiting for us...

Now it was time to get to work.  We watched a brief pretzel-twisting demo, and we were allowed to make our pretzels from start to finish (minus the dough -- that was made up for us.)  It wasn't as easy at it looks:

We were then surprised by a special guest: Anne Beiler, the founder of Auntie Anne's pretzels!  She was so warm and had a faithful spirit about her.  She hugged us all and took pictures before setting me straight on some bad pretzel-twisting habits I had picked up in the few minutes I had been there.

I had such an amazing time, both learning about the company and their partnership with great charities like Alex's Lemonade Stand (more on that later) and with all the new blogging relationships I made and rekindled.  We laughed and ate quite a bit... making it one of the most relaxing and fun trips I've been on in years!

So what did I take away from the trip?  A new appreciation for a wonderful company and an addiction to cinnamon-sugar pretzels.  Seriously.  Even with all the pretzels I had the chance to eat in the 2 days I was there, I had to stop off for another one while waiting for my flight home.  They are that comforting!

You can learn more about the Auntie Anne's brand and products at their official website, on Twitter, or via Facebook.  I'll be sharing more news and product updates later in the year.  I'm so excited to be partnering with an honorable and upstanding company!

*Trip, accommodations, and samples received as an official Auntie Anne's Blogger Ambassador.  Opinions are 100% my own, and I have not been further compensated for my time and views.

All-New Episodes and Caillou Toys are Here! (Giveaway)

The first television show my toddler ever grew to love is Caillou!  He asked for it every night before he went to bed, and - often - it was the only thing to calm him when get got upset.  While he has since expanded his television horizons to include other shows, there were times I was relieved to be able to play Caillou on a continual loop while I rested (especially when he was ill or having up-all-night teething troubles!)

The popular children's show is still around after years of teaching kids about manners, safety, school, and more!  If there is something a little one is scared of, Caillou usually addresses it in a manner of compassion and teaching, leaving kids to better understand the world around them.

I also like that it features a loving and supportive mom and dad.  The mom and dad share parenting roles in much the same way my husband and I do! All-new episodes of Caillou are now airing on PBS and Sprout.

In addition to the show, there is a new line of toys featuring the precocious preschooler.  My son received the Bathtime with You Activity Set to play with in the tub, and it has now replaced ALL of his other bath toys.  He even takes it out of the tub to play with in the living room. It features several removable toys that easily organize onto a single base that uses suction cups to stick to the side of your tub or shower wall.  I love that he can clean up his own toys when done with the bath.

For more information on Caillou, visit the following links! Like Caillou on Facebook or check out the Caillou toy line available at ToysRUs.com.

Wanna Win?  One winner will receive the Caillou Bathtime with You Activity Set!  To be entered to win, just tell us who in your life will love watching Caillou the most!  You have until May 29th at 11:59 pm CST to get your entries in.  We'll randomly pick one winner to get the prize.  Open to U.S. residents ages 18+ only, one entry per person.  Full promotional rules here.

*Samples and prizing courtesy of DHX Media.  Opinions are 100% my own.


 

Review of Gymboree Boys' Spring and Summer Lines 2013

If you think that stores like Gymboree are out of your budget, think again!  With discount sales happening all the time, and their Gymbucks rewards program, it's possible to outfit your whole family for a reasonable price.  In fact, we were given a gift card to shop for all four of our boys, and we were pleased to get each of them a new outfit (plus a few accessories) for less than $120 shipped!

Here are the boys sporting their new look:

And here is our youngest, getting a bit jealous over the shark sunglasses we bought for Matthias.
(Good thing they know how to share!)

The best part about shopping online at Gymboree.com, is that - if you find a cute top or pair of shorts - the site recommends matching pieces that go with the look!  No needing to squint at little pictures of clothes to determine if the colors go well together or if they have complimentary material.

This was a fun experience for my kids, because we usually don't buy them all clothes at the same time.  In the past, we've taken each one out shopping and let them pick out an outfit or two.  This was far less work, and when the box arrived, they tore into it, excited to see what I picked out for them!  Even my toddler held up the new "Grand Slam" baseball tee with both hands and said "For me, Mama?"

If you get only one new outfit for your kids this season (maybe for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or another special event), I highly recommend stopping by your local Gymboree store or placing an easy order online.  The clothes are durable, stain-resistant, and have high-quality "extras" that many other kids' clothes lack (the embroidery on my son's motorcycle polo, for example.)  It's easy to pick the outfit that matches your son's personality, right down to the hat on their head or shoes on their feet!

Learn more at Gymboree.com!

Wanna Save?  Now through Memorial Day, all items on Gymboree.com are $12.99 or less!

*Samples received to review. Opinions are 100% those of my own and my delighted boys.

Updating an Old Shower -- Delta In2ition Style!

I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Delta Faucets. I received a product sample and promotional item as a thank you for participating.

 

The remodeling of our home has been an ongoing process.  Most of the things we have done to it have been "need to do's", but I'm excited to share one upgrade that will be a "nice to have!"  As a Delta Faucet Brand Ambassador, we get to try the new Delta In2ition Showerhead, one of the nicest I've seen!  In fact, at a visit to our local home improvement store, we sneaked a peek at one before I received my review sample, and the sales associate swore that it was the best showerhead on the market!

The Delta In2ition Showerhead is a big step up from the corroded, old, low-flow head we have in our shower now. In fact, since we will be replacing the showerhead with something so nice, we decided it was time to update the shower surround and give the tub a facelift, too!  (You wouldn't believe that we bought our home just a few years ago with a baby blue bathtub!)

Here is the old shower head we will be replacing:

And here is the one I will be replacing it with (still in the package.)  Isn't it shiny?

As it is, I use showers as a method of relaxation and "me time."  It is one of the few things I can still do to enjoy myself now that I'm pregnant.  With the right showerhead, plenty of hot water, and a good body wash, I can't imagine a better way to unwind after a long day in the garden or doing household chores!

Also, this showerhead features a 2-in-1 function.  It has an extendable shower wand that clips back into the main showerhead when you aren't using it.  That means giving my dog or the kids a bath will be easy.  And I can have all the power I like from the water with the very large showerhead!

Here is a quick video of what the showerhead looks like installed:



Like I said, we have so many more updates to do on the house (some which may be a bit more urgent than a new shower).  But I know that I won't regret our decision to take the plunge with the Delta In2ition.  I love my showers!