Target Men's #HilariousHoliday Sweaters

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Target. All opinions expressed are my own.
 

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.

Most of us are familiar with the idea of the "ugly sweater" and its popularity around the holidays. Bright, colorful, and funny patterns and/or graphics are all the rage when it comes to these sweaters. Lots of people even have entire holiday parties themed around "ugly sweaters" where they encourage all their guests to come decked out in their zaniest sweater attire. I think it would be fun to dress your entire family in some of these so-called "ugly sweaters" and snap a photo to use on your holiday cards.

My 20 yr. old son and his friends had an ugly sweater party last year. It was basically just a fun way to liven up their holiday get-together. A few of the guys even made a trip to the mall and had their picture made (in their sweaters) with Santa Clause - pretty funny considering these are 19 and 20-year olds!

Target currently has a line of holiday sweaters for men. They are flying off the shelves, so if you want to pick one up for yourself or a gift, you need to hurry.

 

My teenage daughter and I checked out this line of hilarious holiday sweaters the last time we stopped in at Target. We had fun trying on some of the different ones that were available.

This one was my favorite...the saying really cracked me up. And, here it is on my daughter...

This one is really cute and colorful...

This sweater has little skulls wearing Santa hats...how fun is that!

Look for these sweaters in the men's department at your local Target store. They are sure to put a smile on your face and help spread some holiday cheer!

Easy No-Bake Cookies

Everyone has probably heard of and/or made some yummy no-bake cookies at one time or another. They are so easy and always a hit. I whipped some up today for my oldest son to take to a Thanksgiving get-together tonight (I may or may not have sampled a few...you know, to make sure they tasted okay).

I use a basic recipe that my mother-in-law shared with me way back before she was my mother-in-law. I've made them so many times over the years and they are pretty much fool-proof.

Here's the recipe...

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No-Bake Cookies 

1 Stick Butter 
2 Cups White Sugar 
1/3 Cup Cocoa 
1/2 Cup Milk (do not use skim) 
1 Tsp. Vanilla 
1/3 Cup (heaping!) Peanut Butter 
3 Cups Quick 1-Minute Oats 

*Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, milk, and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until boiling - continue boiling for 1 minute. 

*Remove from stove and mix in peanut butter. Then add oats and stir well. You need to get this mixed up fairly quickly so you can start scooping while mix is nice and moist.

*Use a small scoop to drop spoonfuls onto waxed paper until set. After they are set and cooled, you can store them in an air-tight container. 

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Wah-lah! That's all there is to it.

Do you make No-Bake Cookies? I saw a slightly different recipe version floating around on Pinterest that used the Jif whipped peanut butter & chocolate mint. I would love to try those - the mint flavor would be a nice twist, I think.

Movie Trailer Tuesday - Rails and Ties

Welcome to "Movie Trailer Tuesday - my weekly blog feature where I share movie recommendations by posting a quick blurb and movie trailer for you to check out.

A mother parks her car on a train track, intending to take her own life and possibly the life of her young son. The little boy survives and becomes involved with the engineer who happened to be driving the train during the horrific event. As they form a relationship, their lives are forever changed. 

This is such a tear-jerker! It stars Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden, who are both always a pleasure to watch.

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, an accident scene, brief nudity and momentary strong language.

 

Jolly Apple Fresh Holiday Wreath Giveaway from Wreaths for Door

I am joining in with a small group of bloggers to help share and promote this giveaway. I did not receive monetary compensation or free products for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. 

Thanksgiving is just about here! I don't know about you, but I'm already getting the itch to start my holiday decorating. One of the first (and easiest) things I like to do to get in the holiday spirit is to put up a wreath on our front door.

Personally, I'm a big fan of live, natural-themed wreaths. They are so pretty and vibrant. But, really, any holiday wreath can help give a warm and inviting welcome to all of your guests.

Wreaths for Door is an online site where you can shop for live, dried, and seasonal wreaths as well as other home accents. They offer a beautiful selection - any of which would be a nice addition to your home's decor. You're sure to find something you love or even the perfect gift to share with someone special.

I'm happy to be joining in with a great group of bloggers to bring you a giveaway from Wreaths for Door.

1 Lucky Reader will Win a Jolly Apple Fresh Holiday Wreath. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on 12/07/13 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The winner will be selected via Rafflecopter, which draws a winner at random. The winner will be contacted via email and have 48 hours to respond with your contact information or a new winner will be chosen.

Here's a look at the Jolly Apple Fresh Holiday Wreath...isn't it beautiful!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and happy holidays!

Movie Trailer Tuesday - Hatfields & McCoys

Welcome to "Movie Trailer Tuesday - my weekly blog feature where I share movie recommendations by posting a quick blurb and movie trailer for you to check out.

My daughter recently watched Hatfields & McCoys in her Kentucky Studies class and fell in love with the miniseries. So, when she asked me to watch it with her this past weekend, you better believe I sat right down beside her and enjoyed the almost 5-hour viewing of it (you gotta take advantage of those times your teen wants to spend time with you, right?)

This History Channel special was shown as a miniseries on television awhile back. Now, it's available on Blu-ray/DVD and also streaming on Netflix.

It chronicles the infamous feud between the Hatfields of West Virginia and their neighbors, the McCoys of Kentucky. I'm not sure how much of this particular series is historical fact versus folklore, but it was fascinating to watch. Full of hatred, passion, action, and violence, it's not for the faint of heart. It's a heartbreaking tale, but, it is such an interesting portrayal of that period of American history that I do highly recommend it.

Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton (I happen to be a big fan of both) play leading roles and are pretty brilliant, in my opinion.

It's rated TV-14, but as I mentioned, there is much violence and killing. Some may want to use their own discretion.

Have you seen this one?

*ADDENDUM to original post*
I just told my teenage daughter that after watching this miniseries I once again have the hots for Kevin Costner. She said, "but he's like, a senior citizen?"
HA! Way to make me feel good, daughter!

 

Check Out the Trailer for Maleficent - Coming to Theaters May 2014

I am sharing this information c/o Disney. No compensation was received for this post and all opinions expressed are my own. 

From Disney comes “Maleficent” — the untold story of Disney’s most iconicvillain from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal — an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom — and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well. 

Maleficent will definitely be on my list of must-see movies for next year. Angelina Jolie looks wicked good in this one!

Check out the trailer and let me know what you think...

 

Visit the Official Website
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#Maleficent

Find the Perfect Holiday Gifts for Kids at Target #MyKindOfHoliday

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Target. All opinions expressed are my own. 


If you have kids of any age to shop for this Christmas, then Target is the perfect place to go. They have all of the season's hottest items, as well as classic gifts that never seem to go out of style.


My friends at Target invited me to share some of my favorite picks from their Kids Gift Catalog. Hopefully this gift list will provide some inspiration for you as you are working to check off any kids on your shopping list.

Link to the Kid's Catalog

Shopping for any little girls? Well, this Barbie House will surely be a big hit with them. It's a classic toy that's been lighting up the eyes of little girls for years. What a magical gift!


And, here's two more classic toys...Lincoln Logs and Nerf Guns. These are both always in gift-giving style.

Have any little budding musicians on your list? This Disney Princess guitar is very cute


And, these electronic drums look like a lot of fun! Don't worry...they can play them with some headphones if it gets too noisy.
Older kids can sometimes be difficult to shop for - a little too old for "toys" but they still want something cool and fun. How about an iPod Nano? They will think you totally rock!
These Beats by Dre headphones continue to be one of the hottest gifts! Teens will love them.

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.

Check out the Target Kids Gift Catalog for more great holiday shopping ideas. You're sure to find something for just about everyone on your list. Happy shopping!

Take Care of Your Roots with Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy (plus Giveaway)

~This Giveaway Has Ended~

I received this product for free to try out in my home courtesy of Vocalpoint. I also received a gift card as a thank you for participating in the review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and may differ from others.

My mom has a headful of silvery white hair. I don't quite have a headful, yet, but I do have a lot of gray hair. A lot! While it looks beautiful and becoming on my mother, I'm just not ready for that.

I go to the hair salon to get my hair colored several times per year. It's the one thing that I can say I splurge on when it comes to myself. Even though I have it taken care of professionally and love the results, the gray always starts peeking through again before my next appointment rolls around. But, because it is such a costly splurge, I simply can't afford to go see my hairdresser more often.

That's why I was so happy to get the chance to try out Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up Hair Color  - the "10-Minute Touch-Up for Week 2 Peek Through." It's a permanent formula product that boasts:

• 100% gray coverage
• Lasts up to 3 weeks
• The most shade choices to find your seamless match
• Matches salon and at-home color

My hair is blonde - a light to medium ashy shade of blonde. Here's a photo of my hair, about 5 weeks after getting it colored at the salon.

I have a nice gray stripe at my part line and quite a bit of gray peeking through around my hairline. Because of the light shade of my hair, it may not be too noticeable in these pictures. But, trust me...in person it is definitely noticeable. It's not time for my next salon appointment just yet, so I'm about to give Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy a try.

The Root Touch-Up kit comes with everything you need. From mixing the color to applying it, I found the entire process to be quick and easy. As it was my first time trying it out, I went a little light on the application. I can definitely tell that my gray is toned down and less noticeable. My roots blend more easily after using the Touch-Up hair color. I do think that next time I will apply it a little more heavily to get even better coverage.

Clairol's Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy is an affordable and effective way to help me extend the look of my hair color in between salon appointments. You can find it at your local drugstores, Walmart, Target, etc. for around $5-$6. Overall, I am very pleased with the results and will definitely be using this product again.

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Giveaway

Would you like to try out Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy for yourself? I have some FREE coupons to give away to my blog readers. 

*This giveaway is open to U.S. residents who are 18 or older. Giveaway will end at 10:00 pm EST on 11/17/13. At that time, three (3) random winners will be selected from all eligible entries. Winners must respond within 48 hours or new winners will be chosen. PLEASE make sure I have an easy and accurate way to contact you - I will not go on a hunt for your contact information! Free coupons are being provided c/o Vocalpoint.

Mandaytory Entry:

Please leave a comment telling me if you color your hair? Do you do it yourself or have it done at a professional salon?

Optional Extra Entries:

- Subscribe to my blog via Email (must be confirmed subscription & leave comment w/email address you used for subscribing)

- Follow me on Instagram (leave your Instagram name in comment)

- Follow @alas3lads on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in comment)

- Tweet about this giveaway 1x daily (leave each Tweet link in separate comment):

Take care of your roots just in time for the holidays! Enter to win FREE #RootTouchUp by Nice 'n Easy - http://alas3lads.blogspot.com/2013/11/take-care-of-your-roots-with-root-touch.html

Win a Target Gift Card in the Black Friday Gift Card Giveaway Hop

~This Giveaway Has Ended~

Welcome to the Black Friday GC Giveaway Hop hosted by Viva Veltoro and So Easy Being Green!

I've joined a fabulous group of bloggers to bring you the chance at winning Gift Cards and Cash to make Black Friday Shopping even more fun! Each giveaway is for either a gift card OR PayPal cash and will end exactly one week before the Shopping Holiday! So after you enter my giveaway, be sure and hop around to them all and increase your chances of putting money in your pocket!

The Giveaway Hosts, So Easy Being Green and Viva Veltoro, along with Sampler, the hosts of the Ultimate Online Baby Shower, are offering one lucky Grand Prize Winner the opportunity to shop on Black Friday at Target... with a $100 Gift Card!

ENTER THE GRAND PRIZE HERE.

So Easy Being Green, Viva Veltoro, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Black Friday GC participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations. ******************************************************************************* 

MY GIVEAWAY 

I have a $25 Target gift card up for grabs! Target is one of my favorite places to shop on Black Friday and I'm betting that many of you feel the same way.

*Giveaway is open to U.S. residents who are 18 or older. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm EST November 22, 2013. One random winner will be selected from all eligible entries. Please make sure I have a valid and easy way to contact you in case you are the winner. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Mandatory Entry: 
Please leave a comment saying you would like to win and tell me if you will be out braving the crowds on Black Friday.

Optional Extra Entries: 
 -Subscribe to my blog via Email (must be confirmed & leave email used for subscription in comment below)

 -Follow me on Instagram (leave Instagram name in comment below)

 -Follow @alas3lads on Twitter (leave Twitter name in comment below)

 -Tweet 1x daily (leave link to each tweet in separate comment below)

Check out the #BlackFridayGC Giveaway Hop & enter to win a $25 Target gift card from @alas3lads http://alas3lads.blogspot.com/2013/11/win-target-gift-card-in-black-friday.html

"Be Yourself, Together" with #TargetWedding Bridal Shower (plus Giveaway)

~Giveaway Is Closed~

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Target and Social Chorus. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weddings are always such a great occasion - from the beautiful decorations to the the heartfelt words spoken during the ceremony to the fabulous food at the reception - it's a wonderful time that creates special memories.



The events leading up to the actual wedding are just as special. One of my favorite pre-wedding parties has always been the bridal shower. They can be done in just about any theme or budget, from the very elaborate to the more laid-back. My own shower was held at a dear friend's home where I was made to feel loved and celebrated. There was plenty of food and lots of gifts and even a few silly games that we all played. Even though it was over 20 years ago, when I look back at pictures from my bridal shower, I feel like it was just yesterday.

Bridal showers are all about celebrating the bride-to-be and "showering" her with gifts that will help her start her new life as a married woman. Nowadays, there are even "couples" showers, where the groom and male family & friends are invited to partake in the activities. Back when I was planning my own wedding, this was not very common at all. I think it's a neat twist on the tradition of wedding showers and sounds like so much fun to be able to include the guys.

When it comes to planning and shopping for bridal showers (or any wedding events), Target is always at the top of my list.



They have so many items that help make your event special. With their theme of "Be Yourself, Together" they really know how to cater to both the bride and groom's style for all things wedding-related.

If I were planning a bridal shower in my home today, here are a few Target products that I would be sure to use:

Threshold White Round Rimmed dishes - a classic yet elegant way to serve brunch at the shower
Riedel Drinking Glasses - for serving up a sparkling mimosa (a bridal shower must!) Panasonic Lumix Camera - perfect for capturing all of the memories of the day!  

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.

If you find yourself shopping for an upcoming bridal shower or wedding, visit the Target Wedding Registry for some inspiration.

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GIVEAWAY 

Target and Social Chorus have generously offered the chance for one of my blog readers to win a $25 Target Gift Card.

Required to Enter:
Please visit the Target Wedding Catalog and comment below telling me which product you would love to use to host a Bridal Shower and why it is your favorite.

Optional Extra Entry:
You may tweet about this giveaway 1x daily. Please leave each tweet link in a separate comment below.

Plan the perfect bridal shower with #TargetWedding plus enter to #win a Target gift card via @alas3lads - http://tinyurl.com/ky4gqdk

*Giveaway is open to U.S. readers who are 18 or older. You must complete the required entry to be eligible. Please make sure I have a valid and easy way to contact you in case you are the winner. Winner must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Entries will be accepted until 11:00 pm EST on 11-7-13. At that time one random winner will be selected from all eligible entries.