Holidays Archives

Holiday Chic in the 2018 Toyota C-HR

It would be an understatement for me to say that I was totally surprised when I got a first look at the 2018 Toyota C-HR XLE Premium. The first thing that stood out to me was the color of course. It was two tone Iceberg/Ruby Flare and it looked holiday festive. I got excited about going Christmas Shopping and being out and about during the holidays with a car that perfectly fit the holiday theme. My mom dubbed the car Peppermint and I added Patty. So, Peppermint Patty was her name! Yes, we name cars around here!

Once you get past the vibrant color and start to explore youâ€™ll see the hidden-type-design rear door handles. The tires pop with standard vortex-styled 18-in. alloy wheels and they look great! You get standard projector-beam halogen headlights, LED Daytime running lights and integrated fog lights. One of my favorite features with remote keyless entry is that once you unlock the car it projects â€œToyota C-HRâ€ on the pavement with puddle lights on the power outside mirrors. I was totally surprised by this and itâ€™s a cool concept.

The Toyota C-HR is a very attractive ride, now letâ€™s talk about the interior. Iâ€™m very transparent and share that the dashboard in most vehicles are my playground. I love technology and want to explore all it offers. The 7-in. touch screen display is a great start and of course I had to get my music in order and program my favorite radio stations. You can also sync your phone and listen to your playlist. I love the convenient Smart Key System with Push Button Start, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear-Cross Traffic Alert. Safety first, right?

One thing I had to adjust to was no built-in navigation system. If I needed directions, I just pulled up Google Maps on my Moto Z2 Force and we were on our way! The rearview mirror is equipped with auto-dimming with integrated backup camera display. The temperature dropped and I could totally appreciate the climate control system and heated front bucket seats. If you are into monitoring your vehicle while you drive, the standard G-Force Monitor will keep you in the loop on the 4.2 in. multi-information display.

Itâ€™s great on gas and you can get up to 27 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. I did lots of driving around town to shop for the holidays and I didnâ€™t have to fill up the tank. You get 3.4 gallons per 100 miles. The annual fuel cost is about $1,250. The Toyota C-HR has a good size cargo storage area along with a privacy screen since itâ€™s glass rear windshield. It worked great while holiday shopping and not exposing all the gifts in the trunk.

Overall, the Toyota C-HR is SEXY! If you visit the Toyota website you can see all the available colors that it comes in. You also get a 360-degree tour of the interior and you can watch videos to see how it performs. I enjoyed my time with this beauty! She was a smooth ride and I kept getting compliments on her. I also got asked on more than one occasion what type of car she was. It was the perfect holiday ride and totally fit into this seasons theme.

What feature(s) do you like about the Toyota C-HR XLE Premium?

Disclosure: I received the 2018 Toyota C-HR XLE on loan for 7 days to facilitate this auto review. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and completely my own. #DriveToyota #Partner

Family Holiday Traditions Through the Season

This post was sponsored by T.J.Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I get very sentimental around the holiday season. Itâ€™s a time of year that can be very hard for some and festive for others. I think Iâ€™m in the middle where I do have my moments of sadness but, I try to make the best of the situation and move forward with holiday festivities. My family is really spread apart and we use special occasions and the holiday season to see each other. Itâ€™s always like a reunion because we havenâ€™t seen each other in a long time. My Mom is coming next month and I can hardly wait!

There are some traditions that I grew up with, updated and made my own within my household. I usually host Thanksgiving dinner every year. My sister and her family usually attend and some friends that have become family. I bake sweet potato pies twice a year. Once for Thanksgiving and again for Christmas. My daughters usually help me in the kitchen when baking the way, I use to help their paternal grandmother. I think cooking together is definitely a holiday tradition of ours.

Most of the fun happens in the kitchen! This year my youngest son opted to help me bake. He likes cracking the eggs and using the hand mixer. If he keeps this up heâ€™ll be a master pie baker and know the family recipe in his adulthood. Outside of baking pies, I do get help in the kitchen with other recipes. We also have a Southern American fusion menu with some Jamaican food because my family is Jamaican. I thoroughly enjoy spending quality time with my family.

We always watch a movie while we eat Thanksgiving dinner and then we decide if we are going to go shopping and start tackling our holiday shopping lists. Did you know that T.J.Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods want you to have one of the best holiday experiences with the ones you love? In addition to having some of the best shopping items in one place. This holiday season, they will make it possible for five families from across the U.S. to come together and celebrate at a holiday gathering.

Through November 28th you can visit giftmygathering.com to tell them how they can help you gather with the people that matter most this holiday season. Theyâ€™ll select five families from across the U.S. and make it possible for them to be together and celebrate with a custom holiday gathering. Isnâ€™t that an amazing gift? If your family is spread out all over the place how nice would it be to be together this holiday season. You should enter!

What are some of your family holiday traditions?

*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Gift My Gathering is sponsored by The TJX Companies, Inc. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S., D.C. and Puerto Rico, 18 & older. Begins 8:00 a.m. ET on 11/13/17 & ends 11:59 p.m. ET on 11/28/17. For official rules, visit giftmygathering.com.

Best Buy: Holiday Prep with GE Appliances

The holidays can be a stressful time if you donâ€™t prepare and have a hectic schedule. You think about holiday meal prep, cleaning the house for out of town guests and making everything as convenient as possible. I knowâ€¦ I panic every year unless we decide to travel! GE Appliances are your modern day chic and functional machines with built in technology to make life easier. It will take a load off when you have a product that looks good and does exactly what itâ€™s supposed to do.

GE Appliances have some great features that will add convenience to your lifestyle. I totally was taken with the Keurig K-Cup French Door Refrigerator. I drink a cup of tea EVERYDAY! Chai Tea Latte to be exact and I use my Keurig 2.0 Brewing System to make it. However it takes up a decent amount of my counter space and I could so appreciate the convenience of having a single serve brewer at my refrigerator. I love to purge and make space! Iâ€™m leaning towards becoming more of a minimalist.

This is a game changer and makes for great hospitality when hosting guests. I love the convenience of not having to wake up early to put on the kettle and brew tea or coffee pot for your relatives. I hope that doesnâ€™t sound too horrible. Iâ€™m NOT much of a morning person and I like to sleep in. Iâ€™m totally a night owl and will cook & bake into the wee hours of the morning! So, when I saw the Profile Gas Range I was in awe of the large cooking surface.

I definitely need a nice area to prepare food with ample space especially when you are cooking for the holidays. If youâ€™re anything like me, you have several side dishes preparing at once and multiple pots and pans on your stovetop. I also like the cast iron grill/griddle feature which allows you to grill burgers etc. or comes in handy with breakfast preparation. I make a great French toast and can just imagine the ease of cooking that or breakfast meat on the griddle. So hereâ€™s the dealâ€¦

Check out Best Buyâ€™s GE Appliances Prep for the Holidays event going on from now through December 31st, 2017. If you purchase 4 or more eligible GE Profileâ„¢ or select GEÂ® appliances depending on the number of appliances purchased and whether any are BONUS models, you receive a GE Appliances (GEA) Visa prepaid card valued up to $1200*. To receive your prepaid card, register for your rebate online at GEAppliancePromotions.com or print and fill out the mail-in form by January 31, 2018.

Don’t you just love the Keurig K-Cup French Door Refrigerator?

Disclosure: Thank you to Best Buy for sponsoring this post. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and completely my own.

Review: The Hip Hop Nutcracker at DPAC

If you love old school hip hop, break dancing and the Nutcracker then seeing The Hip Hop Nutcracker should be on your list of things to do this holiday season. The show opened up with hip hop legend, special Guest MC Kurtis Blow taking us through the era of hip hop in the 70â€™s, 80â€™s & 90â€™s. I was up on my feet and singing along to all the classic hip hop beats. Kurtis Blow is a great MC; he rapped the introduction to the musical and set the stage for the first scene. The violinist started the first scene and he was phenomenal! I canâ€™t explain how he perfectly played his violin to hip hop beats and sounded amazing.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker, a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovskyâ€™s timeless music, is a holiday mash-up for the entire family. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber and produced by the NewÂ Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and co-commissioned by United Palace of Cultural Arts,Â The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a full-length production performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ and a violinist. A modern twist on a holiday dance classic. â€“ DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center)

This is a great holiday musical for all to enjoy. The one thing that really stood out to me was that it was a love story and the message â€œLove conquers allâ€ rang throughout the holiday musical. I really enjoyed the digital scenery that took us back to the streets of New York City on New Years Eve in 1984. The mysterious Drosselmeyer casts spells throughout the musical and takes us back in time to show Maria-Clara and her new beau â€œThe Nutcrackerâ€ when and where her parents first met in Sweets night club and how deeply in love they were with one another.

Break dancing was one of the biggest highlights of the show along with the classics and hip hop music. This was the perfect fusion of classical and modern music. The cast of just about a dozen members were remarkable with their dancing. The musical was also filled with humor and kept us laughing throughout the scenes. This is a very talented cast. DJ Boo played music throughout the performance and we danced in our seats. Keep in mind throughout the musical there is no dialogue so the body language, dancing and music made it easy to follow the story line. #HipHopNutcracker #Hosted

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is currently on tour. Visit the website to view the list and see when itâ€™s coming to your town or surrounding area. Rememberâ€¦ Tis the season and LOVE conquers all!

2015 Family Holiday Gift Guide

Disclosure: I have brand relationships with some of the companies for items listed in my gift guide. All opinions are mine alone. ** There are NO Affiliate links in this post** #NotSponsored

I love to shop for gifts my family can use and enjoy together. We are all busy and have so much going on in our personal lives that I like to schedule specific times that we can spend quality time together whether it’s a family game night, movie night or fun activity. I also like to get things that we can all use in our everyday lives.

I am the mother of one daughter in her freshman year of college, a son in his senior year of high school on his way to college, a daughter in her sophomore year of high school and my seven year old who is in elementary school. When purchasing gifts we can all use and enjoy I factor in everyone’s age and personality. I may not always be able to always please everyone but, I sure do try!

The holiday gift items that I have selected to highlight are ones that really stuck out to me as being practical and an item that can be used by everyone in the home. Items that can be used while the family is all together or on an individual basis. My family loves technology so there are a few tech items on the list and a couple of items that I have on my personal wish list. Tell me what you think…

1. Just Dance 2016 – Just Dance 2016 is a great game the family can enjoy together. It’s a fun workout alternative especially if you love to dance. The track list is amazing and you can also download the controller app on your smartphone to keep track of your score and dance moves. Our family loves Just Dance and it’s also a great party game when you are hosting. For more information check out Just Dance 2016 on the Ubisoft website.

2. Motorola Droid Turbo 2 – I am so intrigued by the Droid Turbo 2 21 megapixel camera and shatterproof display. You also have fast turbo charging and wireless charging options. The display and resolution are great. The photos look AMAZING! I can’t wait to record video on the Droid Turbo 2. Bonus: You can build your very own customized phone in Moto Maker. Head over to the Motorola website for more information. *Available only on Verizon

3. Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro – This tablet is so AWESOME! I’m loving the rotatable projector giving you an image of up to 70″ on any wall or ceiling. You have a QHD display that delivers amazing visuals that are great for gaming and watching video. You can get up to 18 hours of battery life on one charge. You have four modes to use your tablet: hold, tilt, stand or hang. AnyPen technology and Android OS. Visit the Lenovo website for more information.

4. Ricoh Theta S 360 Degree Spherical Panorama Camera – Shoots Still Shots and Video. Can record up to 25 minutes of video. 8GB of memory. 14 megapixels, HD Live Streaming, Live View and long exposure. I fell in love with the 360 degree camera after watching videos with 360 angle and seeing its potential. Imagine recording your next adventure with a 360 degree camera whether it’s travel, live events or family fun! Get more information on the Theta360 website.

5. Star Wars Disney Infinity & Characters – There have been some great updates to the 3.0 Toy Box. You can create your own universe and visit the worlds of some amazing characters. I’m sure there will be tons of adventure. I also like that you can mix, match and mash up your characters in one place now. My seven year old is going to have a blast with Star Wars Disney Infinity 3.0 Visit the Disney Infinity website for more information.

6. Star Wars PS4 Limited Edition – (Available exclusively at Walmart) 500 GB Bundle includes a playstation console, Disney Infinity 3.0 edition video game disc, 1 Disney Infinity 3.0 edition base, 3 Star Wars figures, 1 Star Wars Rise Against the Empire play set piece and two web code cards. My family would really enjoy the PS4 Limited Edition. I just love that it’s Darth Vader and looks so chic. Check out more information on the Disney Infinity website.

7. Logi by Logitech – Portable Home Security System Camera that gives you the option to always be in the know with what’s going on at home! You can record, download video and check on home from anywhere. There’s also a smartphone app and free 24 hour cloud storage. HD Camera, USB Power Adapter and WiFi Wireless Connectivity. This is a great addition to any home. If you’d like more information, head over to the Logitech website.

8. Samsung Curved Ultra 4K HD TV 55″ – The 4K UHD has amazing detail. The curved panel allows you to enjoy the view no matter where you are seated. It’s a Smart TV with Apps and full web browser. PurColor really allows you to enjoy the color shades. You also get full RGB color resolution. My family is notorious for having movie night frequently and I know we would LOVE to watch our movies on this gem. Get more information on the Samsung website.

9. Open Table Gift Card – This is for all my FOODIES! Open Table is a great app that allows you to make reservations, read reviews, purchase gift cards, view menus and earn points towards free meals. You can discover restaurants in your local area and when you travel. An Open Table Gift Card can be used at any participating restaurant worldwide. You also have the option to skip the check and pay with Open Table. Check out the Open Table website for more information.

10. HP Envy 5540 Printer & HP Instant Ink – The HP Envy All-in-One printer is a great compact solution for your home and office printing, scanning and copying needs. Now, when you buy the HP Envy 5540 e-All-in-One printer, it comes with 3 months free of HP Instant Ink!

With HP Instant Ink you select your subscription plan and HP takes care of the rest so that you never run out of ink and printing costs a lot less! Ink, shipping, and cartridge recycling are included in your monthly plan. Plans start as low as $2.99/month and are based on pages printed, not cartridges used. Thereâ€™s no annual fee and you can change or cancel plans online at anytime.

FREE INK OFFER – Now through December 31st, when you enroll your printer in HP Instant Ink, you will receive six free months of ink! To decide which plan is right for you and to enroll, visit HP Instant Ink but remember to do it before December 31, 2015!