Build-A-Bear Workshop Valentine's Day {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Jenny!}

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I've come to realize that so far this year I've focused more on my daughters than my husband.

It's not that I've forgotten about him or anything, it's just that with the girls there are cards to decorate, clothing to pick out, cookies to bake and the ever-important valentines to select and prepare to hand out to family and friends. That's fun stuff to not be ignored!

And that's not all. This year we added one more Valentine's Day event to our list that I have no doubt will become an annual tradition. Because, after all of the fun that Big Sister E and Little Sister B had at Build-A-Bear Workshop, how could we not want to continue to celebrate the holiday of love with a visit to one of our favorite locations?

Having been introduced to the sights, sounds and all-around amazing entertainment of making their own stuffed animals with our first Build-A-Bear Workshop giveaway, as soon as Big Sister E and Little Sister B caught glimpse of the bright colors and cute decorations, they were pretty much running down the mall. I have to admit that I was moving at a pretty quick pace as well - there's just so much fun to be had at a place that lets you choose, create and take home your very own best friend.

This time when we arrived, instead of all of the reindeer, snowflakes and Christmas decor, our local Build-A-Bear Workshop was filled with the sweetest hearts, Love Bears and Love Bugs to celebrate Valentine's Day.

From complete adorable outfits to sparkly red shoes to a miniature tuxedo so that your child's Build-A-Bear Workshop pal can be ready to hit the town in style, the girls and I were thrilled with all of the options. To fully get in the mood for the holiday, we of course had to check out the great selection of Valentine's Day animals that were ready to show their affection.

Adorable on their own, the Love Bear and Love Bug are cute and lovable and would make great gifts this Valentine's Day. However, we have found it somewhat impossible to pass up the ever-so-charming clothing and accessories that Build-A-Bear Workshop is known for. So even though these two characters are perfect on their own, they're even more delightful dressed up in something like this:

Available complete in their Valentine's Day attire online, visiting a Build-A-Bear Workshop in person to make these cuties is an experience that won't be forgotten. I think it's especially appropriate for this holiday that, after selecting just the right friend to make, you can take it an extra step and add a sound to express your love.

Whether just choosing "I love you" or going the "Build-A-Sound" route and recording your own messages, what a perfect way to remind the lucky little recipient that they are loved this February 14th and the entire rest of the year.

So, after choosing our Valentine's Day animals, Big Sister E, Little Sister B and I stuffed, "washed" and shopped to complete our fun morning.

Some of us even got a little more into the Valentine's Day apparel than others.

And in the end? Well, it was all about the love.

Whether you order online (there are so many regular and seasonable options to choose from!), make your own animal in-store or just stop in and pick up one of the ready-to-buy-already-in-a-stylish-box options, Build-A-Bear Workshop has a high quality friend for your little loved one this Valentine's Day.

Looking for a fun way to show the child in your life that you care? Bring them to Build-A-Bear Workshop! This February a $1 donation at checkout (in-store or online) will help support the Children's Heart Foundation in the United States, so it won't be just your child that is benefiting from this great company. Also, don't forget to download the free Build-A-Bear Workshop app on your iPhone to stay up to date on their current promotions and receive exclusive offers.

Plus, thanks to their generosity, one person will be able to bring the joy of Build-A-Bear Workshop to a lucky child that they know as well, because...

One lucky person will win a $25 gift card to Build-A-Bear
Workshop (in-store or online)!

To enter to win: Visit Build-A-Bear Workshop and tell me the name of your favorite furry friend available there.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you sign up for the Build-A-Bear Workshop email newsletter, follow them on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

#WIN a $25 gift card to Build-A-Bear Workshop! Kids love @buildabear & their furry friends! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/hlmc6K #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and Build-A-Bear Workshop. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on February 25th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Build-A-Bear Workshop for providing a $25 gift card for me as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Nutrisystem {Week 5}

Starting off my second month of Nutrisystem, I was feeling pretty good at the beginning of the week. Things were just going in my favor, you know?

Not only were the meals tasting good, word came that Nutrisystem has now introduced four new pantry ready items to their menu and, being a vegetarian, I was both surprised and pleased when I found out I would be able to enjoy three out of the four. It's not often that the odds are that good!

These are scheduled to arrive here today, so I'm looking forward to adding them to my meals...

The Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables, Peanut Butter & Jelly Bar and Butter Flavored Popcorn are definitely going to be for me... and my husband (who isn't a vegetarian) actually loves Italian-Style Wedding Soup, so I won't have to talk him into trying that one (he's also quite a popcorn nut though, so I'll probably end up sharing a little of that as well).

So, as much as the week was going well for a while, then came the weekend. We went out of town again this weekend, although not to a resort that treated us with cake. Instead, it was for a family get-together and two days filled with buffet-style eating of chips and crackers and pizza and multiple types of homemade desserts.

Sigh.

My willpower seems to be waning a little bit lately and between these chocolates and these chocolates and all of the non-Nutrisystem food that was far too easily accessible, my heart was pounding a little bit when I stepped on the scale this morning. I really wanted to hit the 10 pound mark this week just because it was such a milestone number and I found...

Starting weight: Too much
Week 1: -3 lbs
Week 2: -3 lbs
Week 3: -1 lbs
Week 4: -1.4 lbs
Week 5: -1 lbs

Total loss: 9.4 lbs

Now, a loss of 1 pound is great... but I had stepped on the scale last Thursday and was down more than that (and had actually hit that 10 pound gone mark), so it does make me fairly annoyed at myself for all of the eating that I did over the weekend to put a little back on.

So that just means that this week I'm going to have to be extra-diligent about sticking to the plan! None of the slacking and "just one bite" that I seem to find myself doing... it's time to get back to bigger numbers again, I want not only that 10 pounds but even more! Maybe the motivation was starting to lessen... but it's back now and there won't be any excuses for next week. Just more pounds gone!

If you would like to join me in finding a healthier you, visit Nutrisystem to find out more about what their awesome program can do! Eat yummy food, receive plenty of support and lose weight - we can all do it!

As a member of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program, Nutrisystem is providing their food and program to me to review. However, all thoughts, opinions and results expressed are completely and honestly mine; your experience or feelings may differ.

Tiny Prints asks: What is Love?

February is only a day away and, as well as waiting to see if that fuzzy little groundhog will see his shadow and doom us to six more weeks of winter, the month signifies all things love.

As Valentine's Day means gifts like flowers, chocolates and jewelry, one way that you can't go wrong is with a heartfelt card. Yes, flowers are pretty and chocolates are tasty, but by expressing your love through just the right words... well, what could be sweeter?

And the site that knows that all too well is none other than one of my personal favorites, TinyPrints.com, and their wide range of beautifully styled stationary for all occasions.

Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Valentine's Day cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards, business cards, and even custom wedding invitations. Offering exclusive designs from the nation's top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities.

With Tiny Prints by your side commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo books and calendars.

So, for Valentine's Day, Tiny Prints wanted to know what my children think of love. And I figured, what better way to find out than to ask?


Well, that's a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old for you.

But what really matters? That both of my daughters know without a doubt that they are loved. Whether it is Valentine's Day or not, that's the most important thing to me and I hope it never changes.

This Valentine's Day, if you're looking for high quality greeting cards, valentines for kids or a whole ton of Valentine's Day stickers and gift tags, look no further than the selection at TinyPrints.com. With so many options, you'll be able to show your love to all of your family and friends and have no problem defining what love means to you.

(I was provided with a Tiny Prints gift certificate in exchange for this post, however, it in no way affected my opinion of this website and their wonderful products.)

Winners!

The two lucky winners of a pair of Suede Ankle Boots and a $15 gift certificate to Jenlinn.com are...

Congratulations, JamericanSpice and Jan! (Don't despair if you're not JamericanSpice or Jan, though... just come back next week for next month's Jenlinn.com giveaway, there will be another pair of great boots up for grabs!)

The lucky winner of their choice of prescription glasses from EyeBuyDirect.com is...

Congratulations, Beau!

The lucky winner of an innovative Wrap-A-Nap for darker, quieter sleep is...

Congratulations, Mburger718!

The three lucky winners of a bottle of the new Purex Complete Crystals Softener are...
Congratulations, Callie, rhonjerm and Becky!

The lucky winner of a $15 gift certificate to Letter Learning for educational and fun cards for kids is...
Congratulations, cassie!

As always, thank you to everyone who entered these great giveaways!

Friendly Friday: January 28th

Welcome to Friendly Friday!

Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog, too! Just click "Get the code here..." at the bottom of the list. The code is different every week, so be sure to get the new code when hosting Friendly Friday on your blog. Hosting the list is a great way to get even more traffic to your blog and make Friendly Friday more beneficial for everyone.

Thanks for joining the Friendly Friday celebration hosted by Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier, Christi at Frugal Novice and Charla at Healthy Home Blog! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more friends in blogville, get more blog followers and follow other great blogs out there.

To join in the Friendly Friday celebration, include your family-friendly link in our list, follow the hostesses in the first 3 spots and then start blog hopping! Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love. Then take a minute to follow them through Google Friend Connect - this is a good way to keep up with other blogs, but also lets us show support to each other! Please DO NOT list your giveaways here, links must be to either your homepage or your Friday posting with your blog title. All others will be deleted.

When people comment on your blog and let you know they're a part of Friendly Friday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers out of participating, and it's a win-win situation. We would love for you to also grab our Friendly Friday button and post it on your blog and/or in a post - the more bloggers that find out about Friendly Friday and participate, the better!

Spotlight on Friendly Friday Followers!

We love your participation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we'll select three blogs at random and will feature links and a write-up for those blogs in the content of next week's Friendly Friday post. There are so many seriously wonderful blogs out there, and this will be a great way to highlight some of those each week. Say hello to the lucky chosen 3 for this week (and feel free to stop by and give them a little extra love):

If you are a SoCal resident, you'll definitely want to check out Just Another Hat! Filled with thorough details of all kinds of family-friendly events throughout the area, you'll never be at a loss for where to go and what to do. Plus, for those who aren't local, you'll still enjoy deals, activities, blog hops and product reviews that everyone can take advantage of for themselves and their kids!

Brooke at Girl Boy Girl Inspired is a stay at home mom who somehow finds the time to run an adorable hair bow and accessories business on Etsy, Bella Boo's Bowtique, while taking care of her three children and four-legged family members. Her blog is bright, colorful, upbeat and filled with all sorts of great crafts, personal posts and photographs that will definitely make you smile.

If you've ever wondered what a busy Canadian life with beautiful twin boys would be like, look no further than Double Tha Love. Kaylah writes about how hectic and challenging things can get but how she wouldn't change it for the world - and one look at those gorgeous little faces and it's not hard to see why! Visit her new blog to find out about this busy mommy's daily musings and then visit her Etsy shop to see her crafty side as well!

Now that you know about these 3 wonderful blogs, it's time for you to join in! Add your family-friendly link below and we'll see you back here every Friday! And don't forget, you can grab the code to share the link list on your blog, too.

All three hostesses appreciate followers through Google Friend Connect AND Twitter and we'll follow you back - just leave a comment with your URL and/or Twitter username. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Cool Care Curling Iron Holder {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Denise G!}

I'll admit it, I'm one of those people. The ones that leave the house and then can't remember if they've turned off the curling iron or flat iron and end up driving themselves crazy wondering about it. (I'm sure I'd do the same with the clothes iron as well... if I ironed clothes. My pajamas don't tend to need it too often.)

A few years back I can remember turning the car around and going back home to check to make sure my curling iron was turned off, as my mind was running through all the possible scenarios of the house burning down and my poor dog being trapped inside... and, of course, everything was just fine. But how frustrating!

Lately I've been doing a better job of paying attention to the power switch, but instead then stand there trying to figure out just where to put the still-hot appliance after I'm done with it. Just down on the counter top? That's probably not good for it, not to mention that there are too many little hands that come in and out of my bathroom that could pull something down. So... then what?

Fortunately, the answer to that question comes in the form of the innovative, durable and unique Cool Care Curling Iron Holder from American Beauty.

Ideal for your home but strong enough that they could be used in a beauty salon, the Cool Care Curling Iron Holder is available in a Counter Top Model as well as a Wall-Mounted Model. Crafted from stainless steel, these one-of-a-kind appliance holders are just the thing to keep your counter, home and family safe from harm.

A simple yet ingenious concept, the Curling Iron Holder not only allows you to store your blow dryer, flat iron and curling iron in a clean, crisp, efficient way, they save space and declutter your bathroom in the process. Considering the disarray that my bathroom is usually in, I knew that this would be a great solution!

Pulling the Cool Care Curling Iron Holder out of the box, I examined the Counter Top Model from all angles and found that it really was as well-made and high quality as American Beauty claimed.

Heading to my bathroom with something safe as well as organizational, I took a look at the shelf/ledge (where any number of things end up being stored) and found...

...a mess of appliances and cords that, for the time, at least weren't hot. But I still cringed thinking about either of my daughters touching something left carelessly like this, not to mention what they must be doing to the counter each time I lay them down this way.

Placing my Cool Care Curling Iron Holder down, it took about 10 seconds to switch to something that not only looked better but was so much safer for everyone.

This really is such an uncomplicated and straightforward idea! You can choose which appliances to easily slide in and out of the slots and there is no need to place them down on the counter ever again - they're perfectly accessible for storage or for just resting while you are getting your hair ready. And, even better, the stand is plenty sturdy enough that there is no worry about anything tipping over at any point.

Or, for the same convenience but with even more space-saving, the easy installation of the Wall Mounted Holder would be great for completely clearing off your vanity but still keeping your styling tools right within reach!

For an innovative and durable gift that anyone can enjoy, American Beauty has the Cool Care product that will work in any size bathroom. Their Curling Iron Holders retail for $29.95 by themselves or, for a complete set, can also be purchased with a Mini Flat Iron that fits right in. No more clutter or burn risks!

And, thanks to the generosity of American Beauty, one person will have the opportunity to clean up their styling tools as well, because...

One person will win their choice of Cool Care Curling Iron Holder in the Counter Top or Wall Mount Model!

To enter to win: Visit American Beauty and tell me something that you learned there or which product is your favorite.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Cool Care on Twitter, Like them on Facebook and/or sign up for their email list (located on the left side of their homepage).
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Eliminate burn risks! WIN a Cool Care Curling Iron Holder and make your bathroom safe! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/hv7lam #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and American Beauty. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on February 18th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

A big thank you to American Beauty for providing a Cool Care Curling Iron Holder for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

How Long Does The Average Marriage Last?

My husband and I had been dating for nearly five years when we tied the knot and, even though I can barely remember what I did three days ago, I can still clearly picture nearly every moment of our wedding from 7½ years ago.

And I know everyone talks about how wonderful their wedding day was, but ours truly was magnificent.

Would it be weird if I pulled my wedding dress out of storage and just wore it around the house a little bit? I really loved that dress.

So when I get back in touch with friends that I haven't talked to in a while or connect with someone from high school after all these years and find out that they have gotten divorced, it makes me sad. I wasn't a part of their marriage so of course I don't know what went on and if splitting up was best for everyone involved, but it makes it seem like the growing statistics that can be found online really are true.

How long does an average marriage last? The answers that I find seem to vary immensely, with numbers ranging anywhere from 10 to 24 years, but with the divorce rate rising each year, it does make me wonder if the numbers for couples that go to marriage counseling are also increasing.

Through we've experienced ups and downs over the years, my husband and I have never sought out a counselor, but I would like to think that if we ever got to the point where we weren't able to communicate on our own that we would head to one to help sort out our problems. If talking things through could help reach a better understanding, then it seems as though it would be worth a shot, right?

I feel fortunate that I knew from early on that my husband was "the one" and have never looked back. After all that we have been through and now having two beautiful children together, I know this is one commitment that is definitely worth working on. With Valentine's Day right around the corner and so much talk about love in the air, I guess all anyone can hope for is to spend our lives happy, whether in a relationship or not.

Happy (early) Valentine's Day!

LeapFrog Alphabet and Numbers DVDs {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Summer!}

When I think of the brands of the items that my children play and interact with, LeapFrog definitely comes to mind... as the creator of educational toys and fun handheld electronic games.

So, when I heard that they teamed up with Lionsgate Home Entertainment to release two new DVDs for 2011, it took my brain a little while to get used to the concept before realizing that I was sure both of my kids would be extremely interested in seeing them. Combine the fun of discovery and learning that LeapFrog is known for with a cute way to bring their beloved characters to life and what was there not to love?

And, as soon as LeapFrog: The Amazing Alphabet Amusement Park and LeapFrog: Numbers Ahoy arrived and we saw the bright colors and smiling faces on the boxes, we were all ready to sit down to take a look.

Big Sister E decided that we should watch "the movie about the letters" first, so we sat back to see what adventures Tad, Lily and Scout the puppy would entertain us with in The Amazing Alphabet Amusement Park.

As soon as the colorful images and jazzy music came on the screen, Big Sister E and Little Sister B were sold. They sat riveted to the screen watching Edison, a firefly friend of Tad, Lily and Scout, bring them to the place of his childhood dreams only to discover that Alistair Alphabelly's Amazing Amusement Park is closed.

When Edison gets stuck atop the Fantastical Ferris Wheel, they discover that in order to turn on the rides in the park they have to use the magic of the alphabet. By learning all of the upper and lowercase letters through word and song, Tad, Lily and Scout work together to save their friend and, of course, save the day!

As this movie went on, I noticed that not only was it extremely mesmerizing, but that it was at least 10 minutes into the DVD before either of my kids made a sound or even looked away from the screen. And that was only for Big Sister E to let me know that "we want to watch the numbers DVD after this one is done."

All in all, the 39 minute running time was just enough that the storyline was completed and there were enough fun and cute songs to keep things moving. I was impressed with how LeapFrog managed to incorporate educational and learning aspects while somehow not making a movie that felt overly stuffy or like kids were directly being taught something.

When it came time to watch Numbers Ahoy, I wondered if the thrill of something new would have worn off... but it didn't. Big Sister E and Little Sister B were just as excited to see where Tad, Lily and Scout's adventure under the sea would take them (and us).

This time Edison is bringing the group on a journey to help with a little number sense for a complicated game, but a pirate mistakenly captures Scout! Tad and Lily must use their new understanding of counting, grouping and estimating to rescue him and navigate the deep while facing foes such as sharks and crab henchmen (even Pirate Pythagoras himself) and begin to see numbers in a whole new way.

About halfway through the 35 minute running time of this DVD, Big Sister E turned to me and said, "I like this show. Do you know why? I like the pirates." Whatever works, I guess! Both she and Little Sister B watched Numbers Ahoy with just as much intensity as The Amazing Alphabet Amusement Park and, considering that they were learning at the same time, I was happy about their enjoyment!

A name that parents already know and trust, LeapFrog has managed to incorporate education with fun in both of these great DVDs (ARV $14.98 each). What a great way to keep children engaged with letters and numbers in a unique and outstanding way! There are even bonus features on both DVDs that include "curriculum commentary" from child experts about ways to help your child learn the basics of language and math.

And, thanks to the generosity of LeapFrog, one person will get to bring the joy of learning to the child in their life as well, because...

One lucky person will win The Amazing Alphabet Amusement Park AND Numbers Ahoy from LeapFrog!

To enter to win: Tell me who these fun and educational DVDs would be for/why you would like to win them.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow LeapFrog on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

I want to WIN LeapFrog's 2 new DVDs (ARV $30), Amazing Alphabet and Numbers Ahoy! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/fJ8uYd #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and LeapFrog's DVD website. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on February 18th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

A big thank you to LeapFrog for providing their new DVDs for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

fair ivy surprise package subscriptions {Review}

When it comes to surprises, my husband doesn't trust me.

He thinks that I'm going to secretly open a package or envelope when it arrives or I'm going to peek into his emails and find an order receipt or any number of other devious things. Which, yes, those are all things I could do, but then that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?

And I love surprises! Whether or not I know something is on its way, the anticipation of opening a gift when I don't know what is inside makes me feel like a kid on Christmas morning all over again. What will it be? Am I going to love it?

The only thing that could make a surprise gift better would be for it to 1, come in the mail (because clearly we have a thing for the mail around here) and 2, be only one of a series of many surprise gifts. Because that would mean that the excitement would continue on again! And where to find such a perfect combination? From the site that handpicks only the best and most unique items, wraps them up beautifully and sends them right to your doorstep: fair ivy.

Created to bring joy and fun to receiving packages in the mail, fair ivy surprise package subscriptions is the innovative way to send two, four or six month's worth of hand-selected items that are a mix of fun, quirky and even handmade qualities.

Available in three categories (fair ivy for women, fun ivy for girls and teens, and fur ivy for pets and the people who love them), as well as choosing the category and subscription length, fair ivy offers regular or mini size packages to match your recipient as well as your budget. But, no matter what you choose, if they are anywhere near as thrilled as I was when their first box arrives, you'll know you have found a big hit!

After opening the outer brown box (adorned with a cute fair ivy stamp and sticker) of my fair ivy surprise, I could hardly wait to dig in through the packaging to discover what was underneath... and was amazed as the well-wrapped items just seemed to keep on coming!

After admiring the simple yet chic packaging, I opened each individual item with a hope that at least a few would match my picky tastes. Little did I know how much I would love each one a little more than the next! I'm not sure how fair ivy seemed to find something from so many different categories that I would adore, but they definitely did!

From the beautiful turquoise necklace and chain to the handmade scarf with parachuting elephants stamped on it (love that!) to the easy herb-growing kit to the bath bomb for relaxing in the tub... I can't remember the last time I felt so happy after opening up something the mail carrier delivered (and that says a lot, considering we're on a first-name basis with him).

If this was just a selection of what would come in one month of a fair ivy surprise subscription, the thought of having my day brightened by a package like this every month meant I knew this would make a fantastic gift for any occasion or holiday. If you've been looking for something unique for Valentine's Day for a loved one (or to hint to your significant other), this would be perfect!

But not just for grown-ups, sending a fun ivy surprise package subscription would be a great way to let your college teen know you are thinking of her or just a cute way to have something to share with your daughter. How could she not be excited to have all of these goodies delivered right to her?

I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but as I opened each great fun ivy item, I understood what they meant when they described the contents as "fun, cute, silly, uncommon and awesome!"

Cute mushroom wall decals, a handmade adorable coin purse, a sweet little piggy bank, strawberry earrings and an eggling... where do they come up with these gifts? I love them! Even though this box was designed for the younger crowd, I had such a great time opening up each item and marveling at how different it was from the one before it, as well as just how universally-appealing and enjoyable they all were!

I had such a wonderful time with the fair ivy and fun ivy boxes that they made me wish we had a dog or cat so that we could experience fur ivy as well. What an innovative way to make a pet owner happy - by spoiling their beloved feline or canine companion!

For Valentine's Day, a birthday or all year round, fair ivy is an innovative way to give a gift that keeps on giving! Your recipient will enjoy the surprise of discovering what unique products will arrive in their box each month and you won't have to scour the internet for something that is sure to bring a smile to their face.

As everything comes already wrapped (fair ivy is even eco-friendly and uses recycled and/or recyclable packaging materials whenever possible), after you put in your order you're all set! The only thing you need to do is wait for a thank you each month... and then to take the time to decide who else you know that would love a fair ivy surprise package subscription!

(Other than the fair ivy and fun ivy boxes that I was provided by fair ivy, I was not compensated or enticed or to do this review in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion of this company and their incredibly fun products.)