five below is Now in Houston

***Disclosure-I received a gift card.  All opinions stated are my own based on my own experience.

There is a new store in town, five below

located at Memorial City in the Hedwig Village at 9403 Katy Freeway.

They offer a broad range of trendy, high-quality merchandise, all priced at $5 and below, including select brands and licensed merchandise across a number of categories: Style, Room, Sports, Media, Crafts, Party, Candy, and Now (holidays, seasonal goods, etc.).

Beats by Dre headphones? Licensed LEGO movie merchandise? The latest headphones, flip flops, home décor, school supplies, sporting goods, licensed merchandise, yoga mats, beauty accessories, candy and DVDs?  for five dollars or less.

This store has so much.  I was finding so many items I had to have and for only under $5.  My bassket was get fuller and fuller with so many things for the entire family.  Clothes and shoes for $5.  

I like to do candy bar stations and get all creative with parties and this place had so much candy I could work with.  And if you are looking for a birthday present, last minute like many of us, you can run in here grab a bag, tissue, and the present for less than other others.

This is going to be my "IT" store so many good finds.  

Ghost Buddy #2: Mind If I Read Your Mind? Review

Do you have a kiddo that loves to read?  Does your kiddo like to read series?  My son Matt has been an avid reader since elementary school.   He loves book that come in a series.  He wants to read more and more about what is going on.  One book is just not enough.  I grew up reading Scholastic books.  And now he is growing up reading them too.

Check out Scholastic’s release of Ghost Buddy #2: Mind If I Read Your Mind? by New York Times-bestselling authors Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver. Ghost Buddy #2 is the follow-up book to the very successful 1st in the series, Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero. 

“Billy and Hoover are back in the hilarious new series from bestselling authors Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver!It's time for Moorepark Middle School's annual Speak Out Challenge, and Billy Broccoli thinks he's got it made. With his best friend Hoover Porterhouse—the ghost with the most—by his side, Billy’s got the competition in the bag. Who wouldn't vote for a demonstration on mind reading?But when Billy lands a spot on the sixth-grade team, he starts spending more time with his new teammates than he does with Hoover. And the Hoove plays second fiddle to no one! If Billy's not careful, his secret weapon might just vanish into thin air, leaving Billy to pick up the pieces of a demonstration-day disaster!” 

My thoughts-I like that this book is about Billy in middle school.  My son Matt is entering 8th grade this year.  He so could relate to middle adventures.  Like in the book, I can so relate to a friend feeling outcast.  And when it all blows over, it can really explode.  It is a great read, even for a grown up.

***Disclosure-No compensation was received.  Sample book received to review.

Tween~Tattooed by Inky Review

NEW product collection that will get your tweens “eggs”cited!

Tattooed by Inky is a high quality colorful body spray collection that is sold at Target stores at an affordable price of $5.99 for each, which makes it both kid and parent friendly—a perfect Easter basket addition! Targeted to a young audience, lightly fragranced body sprays have become a popular everyday beauty/grooming essential for both girls and boys. Tattooed By Inky collection offers 5 distinctive scents---two for boys and three for girls.

My thoughts-These spray bottles are so cool. I like how they smell. The fragrances are very nice for both boys and girls. The price is even better for a full size bottle. I like that there is a unisex fragance (KOI) for families with both tween boys and girls. My 13 yr old son really liked trying the fragrance (Monkey Business) out. He really liked it. Be the cool mom and get your tweens these fragrances for their Easter basket, goodie bags, or just a everyday essential.

Monkey Business - for the smart, funny no-nonsense guy. Has a bold blend of leather, lavender, pepper, and sandalwood. (male)

Drako - for the strong, enigmatic and fiery guy with an elemental blend of spices, musk, and precious woods. (male)

A Mi Amor - vividly captures all your loving feelings of passion and romance with a complex blend of white florals, vanilla, and amber. (female)

Sudden Freedom - for the confident, vibrant and independent woman who reaches for the stars and inpires others to do the same. A fresh and feminine bouquet of aquatic florals, pink jasmine and warm rosewood, this scent innately captures your charismatic spirit and style.(female)

KOI - for the easy going, colorful personality and affectionate nature who also has a resilient strength and courage of convictions. An intricate blend of radiant citrus, ginger and the warmth of patchouli, KOI shows off your many sides.

***Disclosure-No monetary compenssation was received. Sample product was received to review. These are our honest opinions.

U by Kotex, tween

Do you have a tween? Have you had the talk with your tween?

I am going to take to you back to me and my moment. I am hispanic as you already know. My mom always working, sometimes 2 to 3 jobs. My mother was raised by her older sister, and married very young. Back then innocent times, naive moments, but that is how she grew up and passed it along to me. My mother never talk to me about my body and its changes. I, like most girls, like to go to the restroom in groups. This day was no different. My tween friends and I headed to the restroom. I am using the restroom and guess what little friend visited me for the first time. I thought I was dying. I was screaming my lungs out. My friends did not know what was going on with me. All I could do was sit there and scream. I was so scared, and then of course embarrased. My mom finally had that talk with me, kinda late.

Research shows that four out of five moms feel only somewhat or not at all prepared to talk to their daughter about her changing body and one in three young girls have no idea what’s happening when they get their first period. Talking to tween girls about growing up – from her body to boys— is never easy, but is especially important now due to an earlier onset of puberty than previous years.

To help make talking about some of these tougher topics easier, U by Kotex has created an arsenal of tools and tips, available at www.Kotex.com/Tween, that will help empower moms to proactively talk to their tween daughters, while reducing the stress and anxiety around the conversation. U by Kotex has also created a new line of products -- U by Kotex Tween -- designed especially for tweens between the ages of 8 – 12, as well as created a place online where girls can exchange stories with other girls, learn more about periods and puberty through articles and engaging activities, as well as ask questions, at www.UbyKotex.com/HelloPeriod.

My thoughts-The packaging is so tween friendly. It is "cool" packaging. Girly girls do not have to be embarrased to pick these up. The pads are designed smaller to fit smaller sizes, perfect for tweens. Each package has reassuring messages, tween-friendly myths and facts, and an informational booklet inside.

***Disclosure-No compensation was received. Packages were sent to me to review. I have passed them along to tweens who loved them. These are my honest thoughts, you may have a different opinion.