Hearts For Hearts Girls Party

I was recently contacted by MommyParties to host a Hearts For Hearts Girls Party!

Lexie was so excited for the party! She thought the dolls were so cool and couldn't wait to share them with her friends!

Hearts for Hearts Girls are a wonderful product!  Each doll is from a different country and comes with her own book that tells her story.  The best part of this product, is that it actually helps others!  A portion the proceeds are donated to help needy girls.

From the Hearts For Hearts Girls site:  "When you buy a doll, Hearts For Hearts Girls donates part of the purchase price through our charitable partner, World Vision, to programs that support girls in that country. Whether it’s malaria nets in Africa, schoolbooks in Asia, or food supplies in the US, these programs help girls to thrive and succeed."  These dolls can be purchased right on their website.  You can also connect with Hearts For Hearts Girls on facebook.

For the party, we were sent Consuelo from Mexico and Nahji from India for the girls to play with.  In addition, we received Passport activity books, coupons, and bracelets.  Each guest got a bracelet to keep and a bracelet to give to a friend!



After a brief introduction, the girls got to "meet" the dolls.  We  went through the Passport activity books.  The girls got to fill out a section about them, including drawing a self portrait.  We then flipped through the book, learned a bit about each doll, and the girls marked them off on their passport with stickers as they said hello in each language!





One of the party activities was a favorite of mine!  The girls decorated water bottle banks.  The goal is to save change, and when the bottle is full they can donate it to World Vision's Clean Water Fund!




All of the girls loved the dolls.  They really enjoyed playing with them, and thought they were beautiful! 






This party was a great after school activity for the girls!  They all had a great time!

As a mom, I appreciate the fact that these dolls are a joy to play with, but most important, they give back!

Thank you to MommyParties and to Hearts For Hearts Girls for this opportunity!



*I received a party kit from MommyParties and Hearts For Hearts Girls in exchange for hosting this party.  No monetary compensation was received.

Gutzy Gear Party!

I was recently contacted by Gutzy Gear to host a party for them!

Gutzy Gear is a way for kids to customize their backpack or bag with Gutzy strap covers and Gutzies, which are removable patches.  Kids can collect Gutzies or even trade them!

Gutzy Gear can be found at Toys R Us, Kmart, Walmart, and Target, to name a few.  You can use their store locator to find a store near you!   Check out Gutzy Gear's website for more information!  They can also be found on facebook and twitter.

I was very excited to host a party sponsored by Gutzy Gear!  Dylan is starting 2nd grade this Fall, and Lexie is going to Kindergarten.  They have a lot of friends and cousins in the same age group, so this was a great opportunity! School is starting in a month, so back to school shopping is in full swing. I knew the kids would enjoy this product!

We were sent starter kits for each guest that included 1 set of Gutzy strap covers and 1 Gutzie.   In addition, each guest got to take home 2 additional Gutzies! 

As soon as the box arrived, my kids asked for their starter kits.  They eagerly put them on their new backpacks!  I was impressed with how easily the Gutzy strap covers attached to the backpack straps.  The Gutzies are easy to put on and move around.  The best part?  No sewing required, because they are Velcro!!!  My kids loved looking at the selection of Gutzies.  They already have their favorites picked out!

Before the party, I set up a table that held the Gutzy strap covers, some information for the moms, a paper that showed the series 1 Gutzies, and a backpack modeling the Gutzy strap covers.



Upon arrival, the kids flocked to the table to check out the Gutzies. They had a great time pointing out all the Gutzies they liked!

I had a few early guests (plus Dylan and Lexie) try on the backpack!

 
 

 


 Once the majority of the guests arrived, we got started with the activities.  Gutzy bingo was a hit!  They loved choosing their Gutzies!

 


We had a few (very) late guests, so they played a quick game of pin the Gutzies on the backpack so they could choose their own Gutzies to keep!

The kids had a great time, and were happy to show off their new Gutzies!



The kids really enjoyed their Gutzy Gear!  There were even a few trades as the party neared an end, and some plots to hit up our local Toys R Us for more Gutzies!

The most exciting part was taking home their very own Gutzy strap covers and Gutzies!



I owe Gutzy Gear a big thank you for giving me the opportunity to host this party!

Kaijudo Viewing Party

I was recently selected by Mommy Parties to host a Kaijudo Viewing Party!  Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters is a new show on the Hub TV Network.

The show premiered this month on the Hub TV Network, and airs Saturdays at 8pm ET | 5pm PT.   The website gives this description about the show:  Ray, a 14-year-old who lives with his mom and granddad, has been recruited by the Duel Masters to study Kaijudo: The Way of the Creature. They chose Ray for his natural talent as a creature tamer and duelist. Along with pals Allie and Gabe, Ray learns to work with the magical creatures ... in their world. Each duel he fights yields new experience and allies in both worlds. The Veil, which has divided the two worlds for a thousand years, is crumbling. Hope lies with those who can master the art of Kaijudo.

My son, Dylan, was so excited about having this party, and eagerly invited his closest friends! Today was the big event!

The 8 boys (and my daughter!) crowded into the family room, and immediately spotted the Kaijudo martial arts headbands on the table.  In order to get the party started, they all had to tie one on! 



I kept the decorations simple.  I put the movie poster on the wall beside the TV, which the boys loved!  They really enjoyed looking at the characters on the poster before viewing the show.  I filled the coffee table with snacks, napkins, and drinks, so the kids could enjoy the show, uninterrupted.

 

They were very excited to watch the show!






Once they were seated, I started the show.  It really drew them in quickly!




The boys really enjoyed all the action, and often jumped up and busted out a fighting move!



During the last episode, we had a little party crasher.  The kids insisted that she had to wear a headband, too!

 


After the last episode ended, I asked the kids who their favorite characters were.  Most of the boys chose Ray, and my daughter chose Allie. Some of the boys really liked Tatsurion the Unchained the most!

I asked the kids if they enjoyed the show, and I got a very loud "YES!!!" in response. One boy even asked if I could put the show on again!

After the episode viewing was over, I sent the kids outdoors.  They were full of energy and eager to to try out some new moves, while wearing their martial arts headbands!  After all the fun, they returned inside to enjoy cupcakes and ice cream before heading home.

They all left my house with the Kaijudo headbands still wrapped around their heads!

A big thank you to Mommy Parties, Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters, and the Hub TV network for this opportunity!  All the little Duel Masters had a great time!

Oral-B Stages/Winnie the Pooh Movie Viewing MommyParty

This afternoon, I hosted my first MommyParties event which was sponsored by Oral-B Stages I & II!

When I was first contacted by MommyParties to host this party, I was so excited! It was the perfect thing for me to do. I have so many friends and family members with children, and we have a lot of playdates together. It was so much fun to do something different! My kids were excited, too. They are obsessed with brushing their teeth and get so excited over new toothbrushes and toothpastes!

The guests for the party ranged in age from 4 months old to 4 years old. The party was so easy to set up, thanks to the awesome party kit that MommyParties and Oral-B supplied. I had everything I needed to make the party a success!

Before the guests arrived, I blew up the balloons and tossed them on the floor, I put out the snacks for the moms, set up a Winnie the Pooh coloring station, set out the goody bags, and put up a makeshift concession stand complete with popcorn, fruit snacks, and juice pouches. The Winnie the Pooh DVD was in the DVD player and ready to go!




Once everybody arrived, I put on the new Winnie the Pooh movie for the older kids to watch.



We took a short break to look over the supplied flashcards. Those kids were quick with the answers! While I'd love to say that all the guests sat still through the entire movie, that simply isn't true. The 2 year old guests didn't have the attention span! Us moms, however, watched most of it! After the movie, I asked them who their favorite character was:



MommyParties and Oral-B stages provided each of my guests with a wonderful gift bag to take home!



While the kids were watching the movie, I handed out the gift bags. The moms I invited were already fans of Oral-B, stating that they had "quality products." They were impressed by what the bags contained!



I thought the movie was going to be the most exciting thing at the party, but the kids were most excited about trying out their new toothbrushes! A good brushing was required after all that popcorn eating!




Even the youngest guests, with the newest teeth, joined in!




Our afternoon playdate was a big success! Thank you, MommyParties and Oral-B Stages for giving us a chance to have so much fun!!!