Family * Travel * Food

10 Trends that need to be left in 2013

There are so many things that have been abused in 2013 that I really think should stay in 2013.

  1. Wearing leggings as pants. I won't go into details with this one. I'm over it. 
  2. Inserting the word "really" too many times in conversation. It is the most overused word of 2013. PLEASE stop it. 
  3. Women and teenage girls and their 1,238,749,739 selfies All. Day. Long. We know what you look like. Obviously you love yourself. Narcissistic much?  
  4. The mustache trend started a few years ago and I would love to see it go away for good. 
  5. Over-sharing on social media. When you have to post the events of your life from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep, you have a problem! 
  6. Duck lips. I know it's nothing new. 
  7. Re-posting videos that exploit children. I don't need to see any toddler in a diaper nasty dancing. It's not cute! 
  8. The phrase "turn up" can die.
  9. Bitstrips. It was so cute for the first week. Very cute. Then all the people of the world jumped on the Bitstrips bandwagon. 
  10. Instagram followers that sell "skinny wraps". No thank you. *block*
Please add anything you want to see gone before we head into 2014. 

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Strangest Celebrity Deaths

Although death is an inevitable part of life, some of us don’t like to think about our own mortality. In choosing to write a will, we can prepare our families for that unexpected time, and we will be safe in the knowledge that they will be cared for. We all have to prepare for the unexpected, like some of these stories from the celebrity world tell is.

Natalie Wood

The famous West Side Story star’s death in 1981 was judged as accidental drowning; however, even to this day, her death is shrouded in mystery. Away on a weekend boat trip with her husband, Robert Wagner and the actor Christopher Walken, it is generally believed that some foul play is involved in her death. Talk of alcohol fueled arguments on the boat the night before, as well as bruises found on her body has led many conspiracy theorists to believe that this death was no accident. Almost 30 years later, her death was changed to ‘undetermined’ after a review of the case; however, questions remain.

Brandon Lee

Like his father, Bruce Lee, Brandon echoed his father’s footsteps by exiting the world at a similarly young age in 1993 (Bruce was 32, Brandon 28). Unlike his father, Brandon Lee was killed on a film set, when a gun prop contained an actual bullet. His death was ruled accidental, but inevitably succumbed to continued conspiracy theories about he and his father’s death.

Steve Irwin

Despite living and working with the world’s most dangerous animals, it was a stingray attack in 2006 that killed the notorious ‘Crocodile Hunter’ in a bizarre accident. Whilst filming a documentary about the ocean’s deadliest animals, a stingray approached Irwin while he was snorkeling and pierced him in the chest with its tail spine (believed to be a defensive reaction). He was pronounced dead at the scene, and the charismatic wildlife expert was mourned worldwide as well as in his native Australia.
Many deaths remain unpredictable, yet some will remain unexplained. Though we probably won’t succumb to any of these incidents, it is always wise to remain prepared for death by writing a will. Whilst you might not hold the fortune of these celebrities, yours is still valuable and needs to be taken care of. If you fear that any problems might arise surrounding your will, you should contact specialists like http://www.disputingwills.co.uk immediately.


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Check out the Minted 2013 Holiday Card Collection


I feel like the holiday season has gotten here so quickly and it almost feels like time is running out. I do my best to always show family and friends that I am thinking about them at Christmas and New Year's through a greeting card. Nothing says "I care" more than personal photos and sweet messages. Minted offers so many options for every taste from their 2013 holiday card collection. We did not have time to take any organized holiday photos this year so I thought about a collage of photos from different occasions we took throughout the year. I think this one below would be a great choice. I love how you can personalize your family's name as well as the colors.
I have noticed the hot trend in holiday cards have been the Ornament cards. How adorable is this one? Makes me wish everyone sent these out! They would be so cute in our Christmas tree.
Minted.com has such a user friendly platform. It makes the stress of ordering cards less of a headache. I love the variety, color options and styles. There is still plenty of time to order those cards. Check out Minted on the web, Facebook and Twitter.

I will receive a thank you code redeemable for items from Minted.com for spreading the word about their 2013 Holiday Card Collection. 
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Make your own LEGO Minifigure Family

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LEGO for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are any of your kids a fan of LEGO building sets? My daughters loved them when they were younger and my son is really getting into them lately. He has a LEGO kit in mind and is hoping Santa will leave it under the tree for Christmas. LEGO has the neatest site called LEGO Minifigure Family. You can make your very own LEGO family! The site is so easy to use and not only were we able to create each family member, we also got to include our pet. We could never leave out our little Milo! It is neat that you can choose skin tones, facial features and of course, outfits for each family member.
Little William was mesmerized watching me build our family out of virtual LEGOS. He was tickled to pick out his very own outfit. I think he makes a mighty handsome Santa! I loved the background choices.  I fell in love with the very classic family room during Christmas background. I had such fun making this that I am using in for my Facebook cover photo. I know you want to go make your very own LEGO Minifigure Family. Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday season! 
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Warm up those cold feet this winter with Heat Holders Thermal Socks (Giveaway)


Although winter is still not officially here, it certainly feels like it is in many parts of the country. Last week we saw lows in the 30's! I was listening to news reports about the wind chill in the mid-west, with temperatures in the -20's! Now that is cold! One of the things my kids always dramatically complain about the minute the mercury drops, is how freezing it is and how they may not make it through the winter. Both of my girls' rooms are downstairs and they are partially beneath the ground. This makes it cooler down there than it is upstairs. I find myself always saying, "Wear layers and put on socks". I received a couple pairs of Heat Holders thermal socks for review. They are supposed to be the warmest thermal socks. 
My daughters put them to the test. Their first impression when they slipped on the socks was, "Whoa, cozy!" Both girls couldn't believe how quickly their freezing feet warmed up. My older daughter likes to wear hers on days she has to wear her rain boots. They provide extra cushion and most importantly, warmth. She does a lot of walking around her college campus so Heat Holders have been a great asset to her feet. My high school daughter sent me a text last week telling me she couldn't wait to get home and slip into pajamas and her new favorite socks. She said it is like having mini heaters for her feet. Needless to say, Heat Holders work!

LEARN WHY HEAT HOLDERS ARE THE WARMEST:

Heat Holders® are the warmest socks ever! They are over 7x warmer than regular cotton socks and 3x warmer than ordinary thermal socks. They are better than heated, electric or battery operated socks because you can just put them on without fussing with batteries, wires etc. Heat Holders® means No more cold feet! They are made using a unique 3 step process which makes them the Warmest Thermal Socks! See the video below so you can learn what makes them so warm and comfortable!



Giveaway: One Momfiles reader will win a pair of Heat Holders thermal socks in their choice of color ( black, navy, charcoal, forest green, earth brown, denim, stonewash, red, raspberry, pink, indigo, deep fuchsia, light pink and purple) from the original line, ladies or men's ($15.99 value)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on December 14, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize.  Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received product samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received.
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Own the mantel with the help of Cardstore.com #TopoftheMantel #sponsored

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Cardstore. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”

I usually send out Christmas cards by the first week of December and this year, I am SO behind! Time hasn't been my friend since school started. Luckily, Cardstore is here to save me and the many procrastinators of the world. Did you know that you can create your custom cards with personalized pictures, messages, and signature and Cardstore will print, stamp and send the cards for you? –This takes the stress out of doing it all this holiday season. This year I plan to own the mantel! See how you can create your own cards at Cardstore.
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No Fireplace for Santa to get in on Christmas? No Problem!

I received a fabulous book and key set entitled, "The Magic Christmas Key". The concept behind the Magic Key is a way for Santa to get into your home in the event there is no fireplace. It is great for kids with a fireplace who question how hard it might be for Santa to squeeze through such a small space (like my son). Keep reading for more details...

Wendell August www.wendellaugust.com, maker of heirloom-quality personalized metal gifts to commemorate life’s special moments, is proud to bring the tradition of Santa’s Magic Key to children across the globe.

For centuries, Santa Claus has used fireplaces as the main point of entry in homes across the world. Using rooftops to land, chimneys have been crucial in getting gifts to millions of good boys and girls. However, recent years have brought problems, leaving Mr. Claus to seek alternatives. “With time comes change. Fewer families have fireplaces these days,” said Mr. Claus, “so my elves and I had to react.” New homes built without a fireplace have risen from 34% in 1990, to 49% in 2009; the number is believed to be even higher today. Kept secret for decades, Santa and his elves have developed a little magic to solve this modern day problem…Santa’s Magic Key.

Instructions: Hang Santa’s Magic Key on your front doorknob on Christmas Eve, enabling Santa to get inside your house when you don’t have a fireplace…the coals in the fire are too hot…or Santa has had a few too many Christmas cookies to fit down the chimney! When Santa has finished his Christmas Eve visit, he will place the key on your Christmas tree to be ready for next year.

To take the tradition even further, read the book about the Magic Key, entitled “The Magic Christmas Key.” It’s a story about a young boy named Andy, his trusty dog Rufus and his loveable family. He goes on a marvelous adventure that starts with the gift of Santa’s Magic Key and ends with some sound advice from Santa himself.

The Magic Key is so pretty and very good quality. I can see this being in my family for many years to come and will be passed down to my kids for their future children.  
“Santa’s Magic Key is a special gift that can be passed down from generation to generation,” says Will Knecht, President of Wendell August. “It’s a heartwarming family tradition that reminds us that ‘All things are possible when you believe.’”

Where to get it:
The Magic Key and book are sold separately or together. Santa’s Magic Key is 5 ½” long, is hand cast and made of pewter and retails for $25. “The Magic Christmas Key,” written by Leann Smith and illustrated by Kip Richmond, is a 10 x 10” hardcover book and is available with the Magic Key in a keepsake box. The book and Magic Key sold together retail for $39.

To start your own family tradition of the Magic Key and “The Magic Christmas Key” book, you can click here, or find it in Wendell August stores, select specialty shops, or select Bed Bath and Beyond locations nationwide. *Graph data from Census Bureau

About Wendell August Forge
A time-honored tradition of hand-crafted elegance for nearly 90 years, Wendell August Forge makes heirloom-quality personalized metal pieces to commemorate life’s special moments. Our American-made high-quality, functional gifts fit within any budget and can be found at store locations, www.wendellaugust.com and more than 400 gift shops nationwide. We also make customized metal awards, commemoratives, gifts, and trophies for businesses, organizations, and sporting groups. Visit www.wendellaugust.biz for more information
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