Posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Computer Crash Leads to Blog Break
Unfortunately my computer crashed on me over the weekend. After working with the manufacturer's tech support for awhile, I need to have my computer sent out for a new hard drive. I am told it can take between 2-3 weeks to get my computer back. As this will be the second time I'm sending out my laptop since my husband purchased it for me for Mother's Day last year, I'm a bit frustrated! Can you believe I will be on hard drive #3 in less than a year? Anyway, I'm borrowing a computer right now to end my Country Bob's giveaway and email the winners. I won't have much computer access until my laptop gets back, so I will be touch in a few weeks.....
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Stiletto Award!
Who doesn't love a little bloggy love? Recently I was nominated for the Stilletto Award from Jill at The Husatley Bunch. Thanks Jill!!!!
What is a Stiletto Award???
There are thousands of blogs, and there are hundreds of awards. The Stiletto Award is a little different than most!
First, to understand, let us understand the Stiletto… some words that describe it…
Classy – Strong -Exotic – Demure – Extreme – Ultra – Sexy - Bold – Funky
“Walking in extremely high heels is not something that the average woman (or man) will need to do in their everyday life.
However, there are times when this skill may be required.”
AND… what is a “blogger”? According to Dictionary.com the official definition is:
Blogger: One who writes entries in, adds material to, or maintains a weblog
However, I think there is a LOT more to it than that. My definition of a blogger…
Blogger: A strong, confident woman who has a full life. Because of the nature of her existence, she seeks connection and companionship with others who understand and wish to support her. She gains strength and courage from the experiences of these woman and shares her story in return. Through the “blog world” she develops relationships with women she would otherwise never meet and builds a community of cherished friends with whom she shares her life, experiences, challenges, failures, triumphs, goals, family and so much more! She IS Classy, Strong, Exotic, Demure, Extreme, Ultra, Sexy, Bold and Funky!
“To walk gracefully in high heels, take short steps, as opposed to long strides, and come down in a heel-toe, heel-toe motion.”
Hence, the Stiletto Award…For Excellence in Blogging!
I want to salute the women who balance life, family & relationships with style & class! Those women who share their experiences with us…who encourage us, inspire us, teach us, make us laugh and basically keep us going! You know who they are! While you read this blog, your family is looking at you wondering what the heck you are laughing about so hard…or why the tissue is necessary for internet browsing. It’s the one that the kids are excited about cuz a new post means a new craft project or family outing. The one that inspires you to be a better mom, friend, person in general. The one that reminds you that we are all “in this life together” and you’re not the only one going through the hard stuff. The one that you secretly wish your blog was like…
“It is good to get into the habit of doing the warm-up and cool-down exercises every time you wear them.”
If you’ve received this award, someone out there thinks you deserve it! Be proud! Display the badge with honor! You earned it…after all it means that you brought something special to at least one other person, and really, isn’t that what life’s all about????
“Under no circumstances drive a car with your heels on. Not only do you have less control over the car, but it will damage your shoes – and they aren’t cheap at this height. Keep spare shoes in the car for driving, or have someone drive you.”
THE RULES!
This blog is meant to be shared, to be given out, to be bestowed upon any and ALL women who exemplify what the stiletto represents. If you’ve received this award, here’s what you do:
1. Display your Stiletto Badge of Honor on your sidebar! Wear it with pride…
“Heels this high are not meant for clubbing or walking long distances in. They are mainly used for getting from the living room to the bedroom, from the car to the restaurant, or for a short stroll along the catwalk.”
2. BRAG ABOUT IT! -write a post about your award.
3. SAY THANKS! - include a link to the friend who nominated you for the award.
4. SHARE THE LOVE! -nominate 5-10 blogs that you feel deserve the award. Include links to them in your post -and- leave them a comment to let them know they are nominated. 5. DO WHAT YOU DO! -keep at it. Keep inspiring and encouraging and sharing your life! We love it and we thank you!!!
What is a Stiletto Award???
There are thousands of blogs, and there are hundreds of awards. The Stiletto Award is a little different than most!
First, to understand, let us understand the Stiletto… some words that describe it…
Classy – Strong -Exotic – Demure – Extreme – Ultra – Sexy - Bold – Funky
“Walking in extremely high heels is not something that the average woman (or man) will need to do in their everyday life.
However, there are times when this skill may be required.”
AND… what is a “blogger”? According to Dictionary.com the official definition is:
Blogger: One who writes entries in, adds material to, or maintains a weblog
However, I think there is a LOT more to it than that. My definition of a blogger…
Blogger: A strong, confident woman who has a full life. Because of the nature of her existence, she seeks connection and companionship with others who understand and wish to support her. She gains strength and courage from the experiences of these woman and shares her story in return. Through the “blog world” she develops relationships with women she would otherwise never meet and builds a community of cherished friends with whom she shares her life, experiences, challenges, failures, triumphs, goals, family and so much more! She IS Classy, Strong, Exotic, Demure, Extreme, Ultra, Sexy, Bold and Funky!
“To walk gracefully in high heels, take short steps, as opposed to long strides, and come down in a heel-toe, heel-toe motion.”
Hence, the Stiletto Award…For Excellence in Blogging!
I want to salute the women who balance life, family & relationships with style & class! Those women who share their experiences with us…who encourage us, inspire us, teach us, make us laugh and basically keep us going! You know who they are! While you read this blog, your family is looking at you wondering what the heck you are laughing about so hard…or why the tissue is necessary for internet browsing. It’s the one that the kids are excited about cuz a new post means a new craft project or family outing. The one that inspires you to be a better mom, friend, person in general. The one that reminds you that we are all “in this life together” and you’re not the only one going through the hard stuff. The one that you secretly wish your blog was like…
“It is good to get into the habit of doing the warm-up and cool-down exercises every time you wear them.”
If you’ve received this award, someone out there thinks you deserve it! Be proud! Display the badge with honor! You earned it…after all it means that you brought something special to at least one other person, and really, isn’t that what life’s all about????
“Under no circumstances drive a car with your heels on. Not only do you have less control over the car, but it will damage your shoes – and they aren’t cheap at this height. Keep spare shoes in the car for driving, or have someone drive you.”
THE RULES!
This blog is meant to be shared, to be given out, to be bestowed upon any and ALL women who exemplify what the stiletto represents. If you’ve received this award, here’s what you do:
1. Display your Stiletto Badge of Honor on your sidebar! Wear it with pride…
“Heels this high are not meant for clubbing or walking long distances in. They are mainly used for getting from the living room to the bedroom, from the car to the restaurant, or for a short stroll along the catwalk.”
2. BRAG ABOUT IT! -write a post about your award.
3. SAY THANKS! - include a link to the friend who nominated you for the award.
4. SHARE THE LOVE! -nominate 5-10 blogs that you feel deserve the award. Include links to them in your post -and- leave them a comment to let them know they are nominated. 5. DO WHAT YOU DO! -keep at it. Keep inspiring and encouraging and sharing your life! We love it and we thank you!!!
Here are my nominations for the Stiletto Award:
Make sure to stop by and visit these great blogs! And thanks again Jill!!
We Have a Winner!
Random.org picked lucky #33!!! The winner of the Melissa & Doug Sea Life Puzzle from CSN Stores is.........
Stephanie!
Congrats! The winner has been notified via email and has 48 hours to email me back or I will pick a new winner. Thanks for all who entered!
Stephanie!
Congrats! The winner has been notified via email and has 48 hours to email me back or I will pick a new winner. Thanks for all who entered!
The Princess and the Frog Giveaway!
I took my 2 older kids to see The Princess and the Frog when it was in the theatre's and we all loved it! My son loves animals so he enjoyed the frogs, alligator and various other animals in the movie. My daughter is a girly girl and LOVES princesses, so she enjoyed the "princess" part of the movie. And me, I love all the fairy tale Disney movies and this was no exception.
The movie is being released to DVD on March16th. If you would like to win a copy of the DVD, head over to She's Smart and enter. I did :) Since she's giving away 5 copies, maybe we'll both win!
The movie is being released to DVD on March16th. If you would like to win a copy of the DVD, head over to She's Smart and enter. I did :) Since she's giving away 5 copies, maybe we'll both win!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Why I Love Where We Are
This past weekend is the reason why my husband and I thought it was very important for us to move back closer to all of our family...
We had plans for Saturday morning to go to the Science Museum with my brother and sister-in-law. Then my 4 year old son and 2 1/2 year old daughter were planning on sleeping over their aunt and uncle's house. The kids had a blast at the science museum! They loved going from station to station and seeing how different things worked - they were able to sit in a polar bear den and slide down a hill dressed a penguin (too bad the batteries in my camera died about 15 minutes into our visit!). My son is OBSESSED with dinosaurs right now so we watched the IMAX movie "Dinosaurs Alive". This was when the weekend started to fall apart on me....
When the movie ended, my 1 year old daughter started to throw up on me (in her baby carrier so there wasn't much I could do to avoid it). And when I say throw up, I mean projectile vomit going all over the place. She made enough of a scene that the place cleared out around me (and they were very smart to run away as fast as they could). We cleaned up as much as we could in the bathroom and then headed to my brothers house, dropped my older 2 kids off, then headed home to care for the baby.
On Sunday morning, my husband had to leave at 6 a.m. for an early flight for work. I slept in and enjoyed the peace and quiet. The baby was exhausted from throwing up all night so I finally woke her up at 10. That was when I realized that I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and really had no appetite. Then the stomach ache started up and by 10:30, I was sick to my stomach! My poor baby and I just slept on the bed together on day. My mom came over to make sure we were okay and help me with the baby. And my brother and his wife were so nice to keep my older 2 kids another night for me. It was such a relief to not have to worry about my older 2 kids while I was so sick (plus the extra quiet around the house didn't hurt either - haha!).
By 5:30 I was starting to feel better, but I started to notice that the baby wasn't looking too good. By 6:30 she was back to throwing up like crazy. When I talked to the pediatrician, she advised us to get to the ER so she could recieve IV fluids. My mom came with us to the hospital - even though I wasn't getting sick anymore, I was exhausted and still not feeling great. It helped having her their to hold the baby for me at times when I just needed to rest. Yes, I actually laid down on the examining table at one point and closed my eyes!
So at 12:45 a.m. we finally made it home! And around 12:45 p.m. today my 2 older kids made it home! It was so nice being able to hug & kiss them again and the noise they generated (which was driving me crazy by Friday night) was actually a familiar sound that needed to fill the house again (can you tell I haven't been away from them for 2 nights before?) They were in great moods and kept telling me tons of fun stories from their weekend. I am so happy that they were able to still have a fun weekend despite their mommy and baby sister being sick. And I am so happy that it was my mom that accompanied me to the hospital until the middle of the night and not my other 2 kids. As that would have been the case if we were not living close to our family.
So this weekend was the reason why I wanted to live closer to our family. Do I love the cold and the snow? No. Do I miss the beautiful beaches of Florida? Yes. But having our family close by to spend weekends with where no one has to fly, seeing my kids developing strong relationships with their aunts/uncles/cousins/grandparents, and having additional support when I need it most, is worth the cold and snow and lack of beaches with palm trees and blue water.
We had plans for Saturday morning to go to the Science Museum with my brother and sister-in-law. Then my 4 year old son and 2 1/2 year old daughter were planning on sleeping over their aunt and uncle's house. The kids had a blast at the science museum! They loved going from station to station and seeing how different things worked - they were able to sit in a polar bear den and slide down a hill dressed a penguin (too bad the batteries in my camera died about 15 minutes into our visit!). My son is OBSESSED with dinosaurs right now so we watched the IMAX movie "Dinosaurs Alive". This was when the weekend started to fall apart on me....
When the movie ended, my 1 year old daughter started to throw up on me (in her baby carrier so there wasn't much I could do to avoid it). And when I say throw up, I mean projectile vomit going all over the place. She made enough of a scene that the place cleared out around me (and they were very smart to run away as fast as they could). We cleaned up as much as we could in the bathroom and then headed to my brothers house, dropped my older 2 kids off, then headed home to care for the baby.
On Sunday morning, my husband had to leave at 6 a.m. for an early flight for work. I slept in and enjoyed the peace and quiet. The baby was exhausted from throwing up all night so I finally woke her up at 10. That was when I realized that I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and really had no appetite. Then the stomach ache started up and by 10:30, I was sick to my stomach! My poor baby and I just slept on the bed together on day. My mom came over to make sure we were okay and help me with the baby. And my brother and his wife were so nice to keep my older 2 kids another night for me. It was such a relief to not have to worry about my older 2 kids while I was so sick (plus the extra quiet around the house didn't hurt either - haha!).
By 5:30 I was starting to feel better, but I started to notice that the baby wasn't looking too good. By 6:30 she was back to throwing up like crazy. When I talked to the pediatrician, she advised us to get to the ER so she could recieve IV fluids. My mom came with us to the hospital - even though I wasn't getting sick anymore, I was exhausted and still not feeling great. It helped having her their to hold the baby for me at times when I just needed to rest. Yes, I actually laid down on the examining table at one point and closed my eyes!
So at 12:45 a.m. we finally made it home! And around 12:45 p.m. today my 2 older kids made it home! It was so nice being able to hug & kiss them again and the noise they generated (which was driving me crazy by Friday night) was actually a familiar sound that needed to fill the house again (can you tell I haven't been away from them for 2 nights before?) They were in great moods and kept telling me tons of fun stories from their weekend. I am so happy that they were able to still have a fun weekend despite their mommy and baby sister being sick. And I am so happy that it was my mom that accompanied me to the hospital until the middle of the night and not my other 2 kids. As that would have been the case if we were not living close to our family.
So this weekend was the reason why I wanted to live closer to our family. Do I love the cold and the snow? No. Do I miss the beautiful beaches of Florida? Yes. But having our family close by to spend weekends with where no one has to fly, seeing my kids developing strong relationships with their aunts/uncles/cousins/grandparents, and having additional support when I need it most, is worth the cold and snow and lack of beaches with palm trees and blue water.
CSN Stores Giveaway Ends Today!
Don't forget to head over here and enter my giveaway for a Melissa & Doug Sea Life Puzzle - you can enter until midnight tonight!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Aloha Friday - Making The Bed
From Kailani at An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link HERE. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
So my question this week goes along with my post earlier this week about how I've all of a sudden been making our bed each morning. I've never made my bed before - I just didn't see the point. So for my question this week - do you make your bed each morning?
Happy Friday!
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link HERE. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
So my question this week goes along with my post earlier this week about how I've all of a sudden been making our bed each morning. I've never made my bed before - I just didn't see the point. So for my question this week - do you make your bed each morning?
Happy Friday!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - An Owl
We got a bunch of snow yesterday - and it seemed every time I looked out the window, we had an owl in the yard enjoying the weather! I hope you can see him way up there in the trees - he was far up - that was the closest my camera would zoom! 
And now a little later when we were outside playing...he's very small here! But trust me, when he flies away, he's huge!!!!!
For more Wordless Wednesday, head over here!
Here he was at lunchtime...
And now a little later when we were outside playing...he's very small here! But trust me, when he flies away, he's huge!!!!!
For more Wordless Wednesday, head over here!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Making The Bed
For the first 30 years of my life, I have never seen any point in making my bed each day. Why? I am just going to get back in it again tonight to go to sleep.
So now I am wondering why our bed has been made almost everyday for the past few months. Did I make a New Year's resolution that I don't remember? Did something change when I hit my 30's? Who knows! But I think I'm going to keep making our bed because I do really enjoy coming to bed at night to a clean, organized bed with my blankets laid out nicely for me.
So now I am wondering why our bed has been made almost everyday for the past few months. Did I make a New Year's resolution that I don't remember? Did something change when I hit my 30's? Who knows! But I think I'm going to keep making our bed because I do really enjoy coming to bed at night to a clean, organized bed with my blankets laid out nicely for me.
Monday, February 15, 2010
How Many Strollers Do You Own?
My husband thinks that I am absolutely crazy! Since my oldest was born 4 years ago, I have owned 7 strollers. Yes, that is correct, SEVEN strollers! Now I haven't owned these all at once. The most amount of strollers I've ever had at one time is 4 (that's how many I have now). Seeing as I only have 3 kids, 4 strollers does seem a bit much. But I am wondering how many strollers is too many? I know that I probably do not need 4 strollers, but I have a hard time getting rid of any of them.
Here is how I ended up with 7 different strollers over the past 4 years:
I received my first Graco single travel system stroller (with matching infant car seat) as a baby shower gift when I was pregnant with my oldest. I still have this stroller and use it occasionally if I go out with only my 1 year old. Okay, so the last time I used it was probably in September 2009. Still, I'm hesitant to get rid of this one.
When my oldest was about 7 months old we went away for the weekend (by car) and didn't bring a stroller (because it didn't fit in the car). So when we arrived in Tampa, FL, we went out and bought a cheap $20 umbrella stroller (stroller #2) to use. I loved how little room this thing took up in my trunk. At the time I drove a Toyota Corolla and this stroller fit great! This stroller didn't even last us a year though - the wheels busted and this stroller ended up in the trash. Oh well - I still think we got our $20 worth out of it!
Once I pregnant with my second, I received the Graco Duo Glide stroller as a gift (stroller #3). I really do love this stroller. This is another one that we still own and just used a few days ago. This double stroller is great for the malls (because it is not too wide to get through stores) and is great for long days outside as the back seat folds all the way down for naps and there is plenty of shade. The downfall to this stroller though was that after my second, we still had my little Corolla. Well, this stroller took up the ENTIRE trunk (and eventually broke my speakers and stereo in the car when the stroller got caught on the wires one day when I was trying to take it out of the trunk). When I couldn't take it anymore, we got a double umbrella (stroller #4) for the kids. We still have this one as well - but I have my complaints - there is not a lot of shade, the seats do not go all the way back, there is not very much basket room underneath, and it is such a pain to use at the mall or any store with crowded aisles.
When I was around 7 months pregnant with my third, I was having a very hard time lifting all of our strollers in and out of my van. I went to a tag sale and picked up one of those really cheap and lightweight umbrella strollers for $1 (stroller #5). I needed something very small and lightweight to use for my 1 year old daughter until the new baby was born. It wasn't in the best condition, but it worked perfectly for the next few months. Once my 3rd baby was born and I was back to using my double strollers, I freecycled it.
A few months ago when we moved, my mom received a used single stroller from a friend of hers to use with my kids. Somehow it ended up at my house (stroller #6) and I was using it for my 3rd and letting my older two walk when we went on errands.
This past week is when I purchased stroller #7! I got such a great deal though that I just couldn't pass it up! I was at Toys R Us and saw a double jogger sitting there with a big red clearance sign. It was regularly $299 and on clearance for $90.90. I have been wanting a jogger since my second was about 8 months old (she's now 29 months old). Toys R Us let me trade in one of my old strollers (stroller #6) that was in my car and I received anther 25% off. So I was able to buy a brand new double jogger for under $75! And let me tell you, so far I really like this stroller. My husband loves it!
But even after I've been using my jogger, I can't seem to part with stroller #1 and #3 yet. I still want to have a single stroller to use when my older kids aren't around or they just don't want to be in the stroller. I also want to keep #3 around for my trips to the mall. So has anyone found the "perfect" stroller that has everything in one so you don't have to deal with what I do everytime I leave the house...
What do I do before I leave the house with my 3 kids in tow? Check my trunk and make sure I have the appropriate stroller for the activity we have planned....
I would love to skip that step!
Here is how I ended up with 7 different strollers over the past 4 years:
I received my first Graco single travel system stroller (with matching infant car seat) as a baby shower gift when I was pregnant with my oldest. I still have this stroller and use it occasionally if I go out with only my 1 year old. Okay, so the last time I used it was probably in September 2009. Still, I'm hesitant to get rid of this one.
When my oldest was about 7 months old we went away for the weekend (by car) and didn't bring a stroller (because it didn't fit in the car). So when we arrived in Tampa, FL, we went out and bought a cheap $20 umbrella stroller (stroller #2) to use. I loved how little room this thing took up in my trunk. At the time I drove a Toyota Corolla and this stroller fit great! This stroller didn't even last us a year though - the wheels busted and this stroller ended up in the trash. Oh well - I still think we got our $20 worth out of it!
Once I pregnant with my second, I received the Graco Duo Glide stroller as a gift (stroller #3). I really do love this stroller. This is another one that we still own and just used a few days ago. This double stroller is great for the malls (because it is not too wide to get through stores) and is great for long days outside as the back seat folds all the way down for naps and there is plenty of shade. The downfall to this stroller though was that after my second, we still had my little Corolla. Well, this stroller took up the ENTIRE trunk (and eventually broke my speakers and stereo in the car when the stroller got caught on the wires one day when I was trying to take it out of the trunk). When I couldn't take it anymore, we got a double umbrella (stroller #4) for the kids. We still have this one as well - but I have my complaints - there is not a lot of shade, the seats do not go all the way back, there is not very much basket room underneath, and it is such a pain to use at the mall or any store with crowded aisles.
When I was around 7 months pregnant with my third, I was having a very hard time lifting all of our strollers in and out of my van. I went to a tag sale and picked up one of those really cheap and lightweight umbrella strollers for $1 (stroller #5). I needed something very small and lightweight to use for my 1 year old daughter until the new baby was born. It wasn't in the best condition, but it worked perfectly for the next few months. Once my 3rd baby was born and I was back to using my double strollers, I freecycled it.
A few months ago when we moved, my mom received a used single stroller from a friend of hers to use with my kids. Somehow it ended up at my house (stroller #6) and I was using it for my 3rd and letting my older two walk when we went on errands.
This past week is when I purchased stroller #7! I got such a great deal though that I just couldn't pass it up! I was at Toys R Us and saw a double jogger sitting there with a big red clearance sign. It was regularly $299 and on clearance for $90.90. I have been wanting a jogger since my second was about 8 months old (she's now 29 months old). Toys R Us let me trade in one of my old strollers (stroller #6) that was in my car and I received anther 25% off. So I was able to buy a brand new double jogger for under $75! And let me tell you, so far I really like this stroller. My husband loves it!
But even after I've been using my jogger, I can't seem to part with stroller #1 and #3 yet. I still want to have a single stroller to use when my older kids aren't around or they just don't want to be in the stroller. I also want to keep #3 around for my trips to the mall. So has anyone found the "perfect" stroller that has everything in one so you don't have to deal with what I do everytime I leave the house...
What do I do before I leave the house with my 3 kids in tow? Check my trunk and make sure I have the appropriate stroller for the activity we have planned....
I would love to skip that step!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Cool Giveaways This Week - 2/14!
Here's my list this week of great giveaways I've entered that I thought you might like....
Birthday Party Ideas 4 Kids is giving away a Kim's Cases personalized pillowcase. Giveaway ends on 2/14.
The Cloth Diaper Report is giving away a $25 Gift Card to EcoStore USA. Giveaway ends on 2/21.
Loves Jurns has a Cloth Diapers Exposed event going on right now with some great giveaways -
Econuts family size box giveaway ends on 2/17.
A Monkey Foot Designs Wetbag giveaway ends on 2/18.
Rockin' Green detergent giveaway ends on 2/19.
Urban Fluff iCandy giveaway ends on 2/19.
Wahmies Pail Liner giveaway ends on 2/22.
Sproutbaby $25 giftcard plus a Kissaluvs diaper ends on 2/14.
$35 gifcard to NiftyNappy ends on 2/15.
CC Bums custom product giveaway ends on 2/16.
CatChick6 Creations giveaway ends on 2/26.
RolyPoly Cloth Diaper giveaway ends on 2/27.
She is also giving away a Nuddle Kids blanket in your choice of color - giveaway ends on 3/4.
Hope's Cafe is giving away a $25 gift card to EcoStore USA. Giveaway ends on 2/22.
Hip Mama's Place is giving away 4 Kohl's Dr. Seuss books with coordinating plush dolls. Giveaway ends on 2/21.
Simply Stacie is giving away 1 copy of Season 1 of Gary Unmarried. Giveaway ends on 2/17. She is also giving away a Lauren Nicole Handstamped Birthstone necklace on 2/26.
Good luck!
Birthday Party Ideas 4 Kids is giving away a Kim's Cases personalized pillowcase. Giveaway ends on 2/14.
The Cloth Diaper Report is giving away a $25 Gift Card to EcoStore USA. Giveaway ends on 2/21.
Loves Jurns has a Cloth Diapers Exposed event going on right now with some great giveaways -
Econuts family size box giveaway ends on 2/17.
A Monkey Foot Designs Wetbag giveaway ends on 2/18.
Rockin' Green detergent giveaway ends on 2/19.
Urban Fluff iCandy giveaway ends on 2/19.
Wahmies Pail Liner giveaway ends on 2/22.
Sproutbaby $25 giftcard plus a Kissaluvs diaper ends on 2/14.
$35 gifcard to NiftyNappy ends on 2/15.
CC Bums custom product giveaway ends on 2/16.
CatChick6 Creations giveaway ends on 2/26.
RolyPoly Cloth Diaper giveaway ends on 2/27.
She is also giving away a Nuddle Kids blanket in your choice of color - giveaway ends on 3/4.
Hope's Cafe is giving away a $25 gift card to EcoStore USA. Giveaway ends on 2/22.
Hip Mama's Place is giving away 4 Kohl's Dr. Seuss books with coordinating plush dolls. Giveaway ends on 2/21.
Simply Stacie is giving away 1 copy of Season 1 of Gary Unmarried. Giveaway ends on 2/17. She is also giving away a Lauren Nicole Handstamped Birthstone necklace on 2/26.
Good luck!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Daddy & His Hair
Just a little background on my husband:
1) Shortly after we began dating (back in 1999 when he was 21 years old) his hair started to thin. To this day, he likes to joke around and blame it on me (but trust me, it's in his genes). By 2005, he was shaving his head because he didn't like the look of receding hair line. Seeing as my son was born in 2006, he has only known his daddy to have a shaved head.
2) My husband is also part italian and has a thin layer of hair over his whole body. His hair is light, but it is there.
So now that you know the background, my poor husband is already taking abuse from his 4 year old son...
Here are 2 conversations we have had recently:
Conversation 1:
My son: Mommy, why didn't dinosaurs have fur?
Me: Because most likely it was too warm when the dinosaurs lived so they didn't need fur. Plus I believe dinosaurs were considered reptiles and those types of animals didn't have fur.
My son: So fur is used to help keep you warm?
Me: Yes, like dogs and cats - they have fur to help keep them warm. Lots of other animals have fur too.
My son: Do people have fur?
Me: No, people have hair. Like you and I have hair on our heads. That hair is used to help keep us warm too. But we also put on winter hats when it's very cold outside to help keep us warm. And when you get older, you will also get hair on your arms and legs like Daddy has.
My son: So Daddy doesn't need a winter jacket then? Daddy has hair on him to keep him warm. (This was said with a completely straight face - no joking at all).
Conversation 2:
My son walks by a shelf with a bunch of picture frames on them.
My son: Mommy, I love all the photos you have here.
Me: Thanks buddy!
My son: (picks up an old photo of my husband and I during college) Mommy, Daddy looks so funny in this picture! Look at his hair!!!! That looks so silly! (while he is almost in hysterics laughing). Daddy's not supposed to have hair on his head. I like Daddy in this picture better (the one from this past Christmas with his head freshly shaven).
Some of the funniest things come out of kids' mouths, huh? What funny things have your kids said?
1) Shortly after we began dating (back in 1999 when he was 21 years old) his hair started to thin. To this day, he likes to joke around and blame it on me (but trust me, it's in his genes). By 2005, he was shaving his head because he didn't like the look of receding hair line. Seeing as my son was born in 2006, he has only known his daddy to have a shaved head.
2) My husband is also part italian and has a thin layer of hair over his whole body. His hair is light, but it is there.
So now that you know the background, my poor husband is already taking abuse from his 4 year old son...
Here are 2 conversations we have had recently:
Conversation 1:
My son: Mommy, why didn't dinosaurs have fur?
Me: Because most likely it was too warm when the dinosaurs lived so they didn't need fur. Plus I believe dinosaurs were considered reptiles and those types of animals didn't have fur.
My son: So fur is used to help keep you warm?
Me: Yes, like dogs and cats - they have fur to help keep them warm. Lots of other animals have fur too.
My son: Do people have fur?
Me: No, people have hair. Like you and I have hair on our heads. That hair is used to help keep us warm too. But we also put on winter hats when it's very cold outside to help keep us warm. And when you get older, you will also get hair on your arms and legs like Daddy has.
My son: So Daddy doesn't need a winter jacket then? Daddy has hair on him to keep him warm. (This was said with a completely straight face - no joking at all).
Conversation 2:
My son walks by a shelf with a bunch of picture frames on them.
My son: Mommy, I love all the photos you have here.
Me: Thanks buddy!
My son: (picks up an old photo of my husband and I during college) Mommy, Daddy looks so funny in this picture! Look at his hair!!!! That looks so silly! (while he is almost in hysterics laughing). Daddy's not supposed to have hair on his head. I like Daddy in this picture better (the one from this past Christmas with his head freshly shaven).
Some of the funniest things come out of kids' mouths, huh? What funny things have your kids said?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Looking for Mommy Thoughts - Picking Out a Preschool
I think it is time for me to start letting go of my kids just a little bit. Since I stopped working after my second baby was born, I have had my kids home with me full-time. Although I may feel like I have officially gone crazy some days, I really do enjoy spending my days with my 3 children. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to stay home with them and watch them learn and grow on a daily basis.
But, my son did just turn 4 and I feel that he really should have the opportunity to attend preschool this fall to help prepare him for kindergarten the following year. I almost sent him last year when he was 3, but held back for various reasons (I enjoyed having him at home and wasn't ready to send him to school yet, during registration time last spring we were in preliminary stages of trying to move about an hour away so didn't want to sign him up to only have us move a month or so after he started, I had just had my 3rd baby and a few registration deadlines passed before I decided to just wait). But there are no excuses this year - I really do feel that he is ready and this will be a great opportunity for him. He is also asking me lots of questions about school (especially since all of his cousins currently go to school and he looks up to all of them) and seems very anxious to go himself.
Now when my son was first born and I knew I would have to go back to work, I did TONS of research on daycare centers in our area. I can't even count the number of centers that I visited (I remember the number of ones that I comfortable sending him to though - 1!). So far though, I find that looking for a day care center for a newborn is very different than looking for a preschool for a 4 year old. The things that I was very concerned about when he was a baby aren't even an issue anymore (SIDS, proper segregation of pacifiers/bottles (yes I did have 1 daycare tell me that they would not allow breastmilk in bottles in case any of the bottles got mixed up between the babies during the day!!!!), routine diaper changes, and an individual crib with our own sheets).
Now I am looking at the structure of their day, class size, discipline, the experience of the teachers, etc. I want to make sure that his day there will have a good mix of playtime (because I feel so many kids learn a lot through play) and structured learning time. I also want there to be music time and arts & crafts and outdoor play. I am wondering if the teachers make up official lesson plans and schedules for the kids each day, or are they just winging it? Will there be time for the teacher and I to talk about my son and his progress (or will I just be rushed out of there everyday)? If food is provided, is it healthy? If not, will I be able to send my son to school with a healthy alternative that I want him to eat. These are just some of the questions going through my head right now.
So I figured that since I am not the first mom to ever have to find a preschool for my son, I thought I would ask all of you other moms (and dads) out there for advice on finding a good preschool for us. Are there specific questions that you think I should be asking? Do you have any experiences you want to share that may be helpful for me with this process? Anything at all would be great!
Thanks!
But, my son did just turn 4 and I feel that he really should have the opportunity to attend preschool this fall to help prepare him for kindergarten the following year. I almost sent him last year when he was 3, but held back for various reasons (I enjoyed having him at home and wasn't ready to send him to school yet, during registration time last spring we were in preliminary stages of trying to move about an hour away so didn't want to sign him up to only have us move a month or so after he started, I had just had my 3rd baby and a few registration deadlines passed before I decided to just wait). But there are no excuses this year - I really do feel that he is ready and this will be a great opportunity for him. He is also asking me lots of questions about school (especially since all of his cousins currently go to school and he looks up to all of them) and seems very anxious to go himself.
Now when my son was first born and I knew I would have to go back to work, I did TONS of research on daycare centers in our area. I can't even count the number of centers that I visited (I remember the number of ones that I comfortable sending him to though - 1!). So far though, I find that looking for a day care center for a newborn is very different than looking for a preschool for a 4 year old. The things that I was very concerned about when he was a baby aren't even an issue anymore (SIDS, proper segregation of pacifiers/bottles (yes I did have 1 daycare tell me that they would not allow breastmilk in bottles in case any of the bottles got mixed up between the babies during the day!!!!), routine diaper changes, and an individual crib with our own sheets).
Now I am looking at the structure of their day, class size, discipline, the experience of the teachers, etc. I want to make sure that his day there will have a good mix of playtime (because I feel so many kids learn a lot through play) and structured learning time. I also want there to be music time and arts & crafts and outdoor play. I am wondering if the teachers make up official lesson plans and schedules for the kids each day, or are they just winging it? Will there be time for the teacher and I to talk about my son and his progress (or will I just be rushed out of there everyday)? If food is provided, is it healthy? If not, will I be able to send my son to school with a healthy alternative that I want him to eat. These are just some of the questions going through my head right now.
So I figured that since I am not the first mom to ever have to find a preschool for my son, I thought I would ask all of you other moms (and dads) out there for advice on finding a good preschool for us. Are there specific questions that you think I should be asking? Do you have any experiences you want to share that may be helpful for me with this process? Anything at all would be great!
Thanks!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Giveaways I've Found This Week
Here are some giveaways I've found over the past few days that I thought you might want to know about:
Are you a Twilight fan? I am. That's why I entered a giveaway for a New Moon Party Kit at Tara's Twilight Blog. Giveaway ends on 2/13.
Room To Inspire is giving away a Footed Pedestal - ends 2/7 so hurry on over!
Luvn Life is giving away a Aden and Anais sleeping bag of your choice. Giveaway ends on 2/28.
Here is a fun giveaway to enter at Fun On a Dime - it's for your choice of a Melissa & Doug Shape, Model and Mold kit or a Child Size Apron. In order to enter you need to make a snowman and send in your picture! Giveaway ends 2/16.
Heck of a Bunch is giving away a $25 gift card to Creative Toy Shop. Giveaway ends on 2/10. She is also giving away a pair of Women's Chenille Lounge Socks. This giveaway ends on 2/17.
Fairytales and Puppydog Tales has a Baby Shower Extravaganza going on right now (ending very soon actually!). Here are a couple of cool baby items she is giving away right now:
Halo Sleep Sack and Swaddle Blanket (ends 2/8)
A Modern Cloth Diaper with small Zipper Dry Bag from Cutey Baby (ends 2/11)
A Dittany Baby Baby Lua carseat cover (ends 2/14)
Newly Wed, Newly Bred has a few good giveaways too: $25 gift card to ecostore USA (ends 2/20) and a Softbums diaper (ends 2/20)
Rave & Review is giving away a pair of child Nowali moccasins. Giveaway ends on 3/4.
Good luck!!!!
Are you a Twilight fan? I am. That's why I entered a giveaway for a New Moon Party Kit at Tara's Twilight Blog. Giveaway ends on 2/13.
Room To Inspire is giving away a Footed Pedestal - ends 2/7 so hurry on over!
Luvn Life is giving away a Aden and Anais sleeping bag of your choice. Giveaway ends on 2/28.
Here is a fun giveaway to enter at Fun On a Dime - it's for your choice of a Melissa & Doug Shape, Model and Mold kit or a Child Size Apron. In order to enter you need to make a snowman and send in your picture! Giveaway ends 2/16.
Heck of a Bunch is giving away a $25 gift card to Creative Toy Shop. Giveaway ends on 2/10. She is also giving away a pair of Women's Chenille Lounge Socks. This giveaway ends on 2/17.
Fairytales and Puppydog Tales has a Baby Shower Extravaganza going on right now (ending very soon actually!). Here are a couple of cool baby items she is giving away right now:
Halo Sleep Sack and Swaddle Blanket (ends 2/8)
A Modern Cloth Diaper with small Zipper Dry Bag from Cutey Baby (ends 2/11)
A Dittany Baby Baby Lua carseat cover (ends 2/14)
Newly Wed, Newly Bred has a few good giveaways too: $25 gift card to ecostore USA (ends 2/20) and a Softbums diaper (ends 2/20)
Rave & Review is giving away a pair of child Nowali moccasins. Giveaway ends on 3/4.
Good luck!!!!
Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce Review & Giveaway!
Until I became a stay at home mom, I rarely cooked dinner. It never really interested me - my husband used to cook on the weekends back then and we did LOTS of take-out during the week. Granted, we were both CPA's and worked crazy hours and were rarely home for dinner most nights. Now though, I really do enjoy cooking dinner and I love to try new things: whether it be recipes or types of foods. I also love to cook different things in order to give my kids a variety of food. I love for them to try new things - I'm trying so hard to not raise totally picky kids who won't try anything new.
I was very excited to find Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce and equally excited to have the opportunity to try it out with my family and share some with my readers! The day my Country Bob's sauce arrived in the mail, I had chicken breast defrosting for dinner that night. I had a few hours before dinner so quickly openned up the bottle and started to marinate the chicken. I was a little sad that my husband was traveling out of town that week because I had a feeling he would love it! (He loves BBQ!). I was also a little nervous because it was just the kids & I (and if the kids didn't like it, well I would have a lot of chicken leftover). And as much as I would love for my kids to not be picky, and I try hard to offer a variety of things each day, there are just days where they say they don't like it.
Well, when our chicken came out of the oven and I served it up (with some steamed brocolli and homemade baked french fries), the kids and I were in heaven! I couldn't believe it, but both my 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter ate every single piece of chicken I gave them (and actually asked for seconds - that's unheard of from them!). I must say, that the sauce was delicious! It isn't as sweet as barbeque sauce but definitely not as bold as a steak sauce. It was the perfect mix of sweet, tangy and a little spice. Of course, as soon as my husband returned from his business trip, his first meal at home was some chicken with Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce (I know it sounds silly, but I cooked the same meal because I thought it was so good the first time and I was bummed he missed out on it). My husband LOVED it!!!!!! He said it was the best sauce he has ever tasted. (wow, huh?)
About Country Bob's (from their website):
In 1968 Country Bob perfected the sauce of his dreams. After years of giving the sauce to friends and family he began to sell it in 1977. The reaction was overwhelming just as it is today. Almost everyone who tries Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce becomes a lifelong user. And why not, it is the perfect complement to practically any meal set on your table.
Also, did you know that if you have not tried Country Bobs yet, you can go to their website and request a coupon for a free bottle to try!
I was very excited to find Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce and equally excited to have the opportunity to try it out with my family and share some with my readers! The day my Country Bob's sauce arrived in the mail, I had chicken breast defrosting for dinner that night. I had a few hours before dinner so quickly openned up the bottle and started to marinate the chicken. I was a little sad that my husband was traveling out of town that week because I had a feeling he would love it! (He loves BBQ!). I was also a little nervous because it was just the kids & I (and if the kids didn't like it, well I would have a lot of chicken leftover). And as much as I would love for my kids to not be picky, and I try hard to offer a variety of things each day, there are just days where they say they don't like it.
Well, when our chicken came out of the oven and I served it up (with some steamed brocolli and homemade baked french fries), the kids and I were in heaven! I couldn't believe it, but both my 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter ate every single piece of chicken I gave them (and actually asked for seconds - that's unheard of from them!). I must say, that the sauce was delicious! It isn't as sweet as barbeque sauce but definitely not as bold as a steak sauce. It was the perfect mix of sweet, tangy and a little spice. Of course, as soon as my husband returned from his business trip, his first meal at home was some chicken with Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce (I know it sounds silly, but I cooked the same meal because I thought it was so good the first time and I was bummed he missed out on it). My husband LOVED it!!!!!! He said it was the best sauce he has ever tasted. (wow, huh?)
About Country Bob's (from their website):
In 1968 Country Bob perfected the sauce of his dreams. After years of giving the sauce to friends and family he began to sell it in 1977. The reaction was overwhelming just as it is today. Almost everyone who tries Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce becomes a lifelong user. And why not, it is the perfect complement to practically any meal set on your table.
Also, did you know that if you have not tried Country Bobs yet, you can go to their website and request a coupon for a free bottle to try!
So are you interested in trying some Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce? Here is how you can:
Buy it ~ You can buy Country Bobs online in cases or just pick up a bottle at you local store
Win it ~ Two lucky readers will win 2 bottles of Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce.
To Enter ~ Go to Country Bobs and find what recipe you would like to try. This entry must be completed first before or your extra entries will be deleted.
Extra Entries:
1) Follow Country Bob's on twitter
2) Follow my blog publicly
3) Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (can be tweeted once per day for an additional entry)
4) Blog about this giveaway (2 extra entries - just leave 2 separate comments below)
5)Add me to your blog roll
6) Enter another giveaway I have going on
7) Leave a comment on any other non-giveaway post (1 entry for each comment left on a separate post)
Giveaway is open to US only and ends on 2/28 at midnight. Thank you Country Bob's for sponsoring this giveaway and thank you to The Product Review Place for linking me up with Country Bob's!
Disclosure: I was given this product for free for the purpose of reviewing it. I did not receive monetary compensation and all thoughts and opinions are mine.
6) Enter another giveaway I have going on
7) Leave a comment on any other non-giveaway post (1 entry for each comment left on a separate post)
Giveaway is open to US only and ends on 2/28 at midnight. Thank you Country Bob's for sponsoring this giveaway and thank you to The Product Review Place for linking me up with Country Bob's!
Disclosure: I was given this product for free for the purpose of reviewing it. I did not receive monetary compensation and all thoughts and opinions are mine.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Make Laundry Time Better with a New Frigidaire Affinity Washer and Dryer
How much would you LOVE to win a brand new Frigidair Affinity Washer & Dryer? I know I would!!!!! Lucky for us, Frigidaire is giving away 3 more sets of washer and dryers between now and April. All you have to do is play their Spin & Win game to enter to win! And even better, each day that you play their Spin & Win game, Frigidaire will be donating $1 to Save the Children.
Here is a little background information on the Spin & Win game: Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner have teamed up to support Save the Children's U.S. Programs,which are dedicated to help children that are living in poverty in the U.S. The Spin & Win game gives me & you the opportunity to win gift cards for spending quality time with our children - whether it's curling up with some new books, starting a craft project or watching a family movie. A prize will be given away every day! And then at the end of each month, they are also giving away a brand new Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer, with time-saving features that give you more time for the important things in life.
And like I said before, every time you play, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children, as part of their $250,000 commitment to support Save the Children's CHANGE program, dedicated to providing nutritious snacks and promoting healthier lifestyles for children living in poverty in the United States. Once you spin, there are also opportunities for bonus entries by sharing links to their game via twitter and facebook.
So what are you waiting for? Head on over to http://www.maketimeforchange.com/ and start spinning!
Disclosure: I was not given any compensation or product for this post. I am a member of MomSelect and was asked (If I wanted) to share in spreading the word about this great campaign. By sharing, I am entered into a drawing for a brand new Frigidaire Washer and dryer.
Here is a little background information on the Spin & Win game: Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner have teamed up to support Save the Children's U.S. Programs,which are dedicated to help children that are living in poverty in the U.S. The Spin & Win game gives me & you the opportunity to win gift cards for spending quality time with our children - whether it's curling up with some new books, starting a craft project or watching a family movie. A prize will be given away every day! And then at the end of each month, they are also giving away a brand new Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer, with time-saving features that give you more time for the important things in life.
And like I said before, every time you play, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children, as part of their $250,000 commitment to support Save the Children's CHANGE program, dedicated to providing nutritious snacks and promoting healthier lifestyles for children living in poverty in the United States. Once you spin, there are also opportunities for bonus entries by sharing links to their game via twitter and facebook.
So what are you waiting for? Head on over to http://www.maketimeforchange.com/ and start spinning!
Disclosure: I was not given any compensation or product for this post. I am a member of MomSelect and was asked (If I wanted) to share in spreading the word about this great campaign. By sharing, I am entered into a drawing for a brand new Frigidaire Washer and dryer.
A Black Tie Affair Giveaway Ends Today!
My giveaway for a copy of A Black Tie Affair ends today. I will have 5 winners so make sure you click here to enter before midnight tonight!
Good luck!
Good luck!
Aloha Friday - Plastic Surgery
From Kailani at An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link HERE. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
I'm sitting here watching a news segment about plastic surgery, so my question today is, would you (or have you already) have plastic surgery?
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link HERE. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
I'm sitting here watching a news segment about plastic surgery, so my question today is, would you (or have you already) have plastic surgery?
As much as I don't like seeing the little signs of aging that I keep spotting on me, and even though there are certain body parts that I wish were either bigger or smaller or shaped differently, I don't think I would ever be able to go through with it. But that's just me...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Chop, Chop, Chop - Time for a Change
Okay, so now having to deal with winter, I can't stand my long hair! It takes so long to blowdry (I never used to blowdry it in Florida), it is so dry and staticy, and it feels so cold when I get out of the shower and it is against my back! And let's not forget, I've lost my curls since leaving the humidity behind :(
I had a hair appointment a few night ago and was planning on bring my kids to my parents house while I went to get my hair done (and since it was late, I was just going to sleep there) Wouldn't you know, my son would be sick with a bad cold and my baby girl would be teething (I can see 4 teeth ready to come through and she was miserable!). So my mom was nice enough to come to my house and watch the kids for me. (yay!!! I needed a night out - my kids were driving me crazy!!!!!)
So I left the house at 6:20 saying goodnight to my kids and came home at 8:30 with almost 10" cut off from my hair and a much better attitude. Here is a before & after shot:
It was no nice blow-drying it yesterday - took no time at all! Now I may actually be able to do my hair in the mornings :)
I had a hair appointment a few night ago and was planning on bring my kids to my parents house while I went to get my hair done (and since it was late, I was just going to sleep there) Wouldn't you know, my son would be sick with a bad cold and my baby girl would be teething (I can see 4 teeth ready to come through and she was miserable!). So my mom was nice enough to come to my house and watch the kids for me. (yay!!! I needed a night out - my kids were driving me crazy!!!!!)
So I left the house at 6:20 saying goodnight to my kids and came home at 8:30 with almost 10" cut off from my hair and a much better attitude. Here is a before & after shot:
BEFORE
(this was taken a few days ago at my kids' birthday party)
AFTER
It was no nice blow-drying it yesterday - took no time at all! Now I may actually be able to do my hair in the mornings :)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Happy 4th Birthday to my Big Boy!
My oldest (and only son) turns 4 today! It amazes me each year how fast time flies (I think I just said tha 3 days ago when my youngest turned 1!). But it is so true. To think that it was only 4 years ago that I was sitting in a hospital bed holding my baby (my only baby at the time). With him being my first there were so many mixed emotions - relief that he was finally here (after 22 hours of labor), excitement, nervousness, total love for this little baby, amazed (mixed with a little bit of shock) that I was officially a mom, and of course pure & total exhaustion mixed with some pain - haha!
Do you think he liked his dinosaur cake?
Happy Birthday!!!
A lot has changed in these past four years - my son is no longer a little baby that I can hold & cuddle with for hours on end. He is a very independent, smart, caring, wild & crazy boy that is currently obsessed with dinosaurs! I am lucky that he still likes to cuddle with me sometimes - but he loves to show me how he can do so many things by himself without any help from Mommy & Daddy. The other day he was thirsty and needed a refill in his cup. I guess I was taking too long trying to get his sister's taken care of that he just went and openned the refridgerator, took the top off to his water bottle, filled it up from the Brita, closed the refridgerator door and then put the top back on his water bottle. When I came around the corner to fill up his water bottle, he responded "Don't worry Mommy - I already took care of it." He actually told me to not worry - I just had to laugh!
We had a birthday party for my son this past weekend (a joint party with his baby sister). He had so much fun - it really reinforced to my husband and I that we made the right decision moving back closer to our family. My son LOVED playing with all of his cousins, and 4 days later is still asking when he can see them again.
So for his birthday party, my dinosaur loving boy got to have a dinosaur cake. My sister and I worked on this project the night before the party over some wine - we had such a blast! We made the dinosaur blue because that is currently my son's favorite color. So here is a picture of our finished cake:
And here is a picture of my son shoving the biggest piece of cake he could into his mouth:
Do you think he liked his dinosaur cake? Happy Birthday!!!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Needle in the Haystack Has Been Found!!!!!!!!
If you read my blog a few weeks ago, you would have read that I had lost my center diamond (setting included). I was devastated. There was really no other way to describe it. Over the past few weeks I have searched my house high & low. There were days I felt like my house was a scene from CSI - I would be crawling along the floor (with my 2 older kids following me) using a flashlight to look in every corner, under heaters, under furniture, etc. Of course, my kids each had their flashlight too! I wish my husband had been home to take a picture of the 3 of us - I'm sure it was cute. I had pretty much given up. Not completely though because I still hadn't vaccumed my house in over 3 weeks. I was too afraid it would get vaccumed up and even if I did go through the vaccum afterwards, I wouldn't find it.
But on Friday evening it was less than 24 hours from when I was having a houseful of people over for my son and daughter's birthdays. I really had no more options at this point, I needed to vaccum. My sister was over and I asked her for her help with one last-ditched effort to find my diamond. I had swiffered under my couch a few weeks before, but hadn't moved the couch completely (I have a huge sectional and needed someone's help). Without moving it completely, the swiffer doesn't reach everywhere. She lifted up each piece so I could do a thorough sweep.
After the first piece, I found 2 puzzle pieces that were missing from a princess puzzle and a santa piece that goes to a book. No big deal - the kids hadn't even noticed that these were missing.
After the second piece, I found a block to a toy and some other kind of toy (again, my kids didn't even realize these were missing). I decided to look in the pile of dust again and I just sat there speechless. My sister stood there staring at me also speechless. She said that all she could see was my stunned face and a glimmer through the dust. Yes, there was my diamond!!!!!!!!!!!! I was ecstatic, thrilled, relieved, and shocked!
I know that it is just a "thing" and there are way more important things in life. But my engagement ring means a lot to me and I am just so happy to have all the pieces of it back :)
But on Friday evening it was less than 24 hours from when I was having a houseful of people over for my son and daughter's birthdays. I really had no more options at this point, I needed to vaccum. My sister was over and I asked her for her help with one last-ditched effort to find my diamond. I had swiffered under my couch a few weeks before, but hadn't moved the couch completely (I have a huge sectional and needed someone's help). Without moving it completely, the swiffer doesn't reach everywhere. She lifted up each piece so I could do a thorough sweep.
After the first piece, I found 2 puzzle pieces that were missing from a princess puzzle and a santa piece that goes to a book. No big deal - the kids hadn't even noticed that these were missing.
After the second piece, I found a block to a toy and some other kind of toy (again, my kids didn't even realize these were missing). I decided to look in the pile of dust again and I just sat there speechless. My sister stood there staring at me also speechless. She said that all she could see was my stunned face and a glimmer through the dust. Yes, there was my diamond!!!!!!!!!!!! I was ecstatic, thrilled, relieved, and shocked!
I know that it is just a "thing" and there are way more important things in life. But my engagement ring means a lot to me and I am just so happy to have all the pieces of it back :)
Giveaways This Week
This post is a couple of days late - but better late than never :)
My Silly Little Boys is giving away a Smartipants diaper - giveaway ends on 2/7.
My Silly Little Boys is giving away a Smartipants diaper - giveaway ends on 2/7.
Country Girl, City Life has a couple of good giveaways right now: is giving away 2 copies of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred Challenge. Giveaway ends on 2/16. She is also giving aways Rustic Valentine's Blocks from The Letter Block shop. This giveaway ends on 2/3. And there is a giveaway for a set of Valentine's Day Buggie Bows for your little girl - this giveaway ends on 2/5.
Mommy Has to Work is giving away a copy of Growing Up Organized. Giveaway ends on 2/2 at 9pm!!!
The Cloth Diaper Whisper is giving away 2 Babykicks One Size Bumboo Diapers with Joey Bunz insert. Winner is announced this Friday!
Feed Your Stash Friday at Cloth Diaper Blog is giving away 2 Kiwi-Pie One Size Bamboo Fitted Diapers. Giveaway ends this Friday!
Getting Kinda Crunchy is giving away a bottle of Skin MD Shielding Lotion. Giveaway ends on 2/22.
A Reusable Diaper Revolution is giving away an AppleCheeks Mini Test and a Size 1 Storage Sac. Giveaway ends on Valentine's Day!
Good Luck!!!
Old Navy Giftcard Giveaway
Head on over to The Dirty T-Shirt to enter to win a $50 off a $100 purchase at Old Navy - giveaway ends 2/5! I really need some new clothes so this would be awesome to win :)
Monday, February 1, 2010
CSN Stores Toy Review & Giveaway!
I was very excited to receive an email from CSN Stores asking me to review of their products (and also having the opportunity to giveaway an item to one of my readers!) from their Online Toys and Games store. Their store has such a large selection of online toys such as blocks, dolls, outdoor toys, puzzles, games, bikes, etc. If you are looking for something, I'm sure you could find it at their store.
I chose to review the Educational Insights USA Foam Map Puzzle. It is recommended for ages 3 and up. A
few months back we moved from Florida to Connecticut (and drove our kids up for the move). Before we moved, my son always knew that we lived in Florida and all his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins lived in Connecticut and Massachusetts. I showed him a few times where each state was on the map at the library, but all he really understood was that it took a plane ride to see any of our family. During our move though and our LONG drive up north, my son paid a lot of attention to us crossig from one state to next. You know how 3 year olds can be – question after question after question. I thought this puzzle would be great for him. Him and his younger sister love to work on puzzles together (especially the larger floor puzzles). I thought it would also help him to visualize where Florida is in relation to where we live now.
Well, I must say that this puzzle has been a big hit at my house! (And actually by all 3 kids). My son loves to point our where we used to live, where we live now, and where Massachusetts is (where some aunts, uncles, cousins and his Nana & Papa live). He is also starting to put together where different types of animals live across th country (the puzzle has pictures over different states to help children learn about the different areas of the country). For example, there is a picture of a space shuttle and an alligator in the state of Florida. My 2 year old daughter loves to sit there and just help my son put the pieces together. My 1 year old daughter loves to crawl on it when it is all put together and play with her toys on it. Since it is a thick foam puzzle, I think she thinks it’s one of her mats we have for her to play on the wood floors in our family room.
Some things that I like about it are that it is educational (I love for my kids to play with educational toys), it is water resistant (my daughter’s sippy cup leaked on it a
nd it was an easy clean up), it is a good size floor puzzle for both kids to work on together, and it is a fun activity for the kids and I to work on together.
My only complaint though is that the recommended age may be a little off. My son turns 4 on February 3rd. Although the age recommended on this puzzle is for 3 and up, I think it is a bit challenging for a 4 year old (and especially my 2 year old). When they work on this one, I definitely have to be there with them to help them along. They have various other floor puzzles that they actually don’t want me to help them – they want to do them all by themselves. I think what makes this one harder is that they can actually put the whole puzzle together and the picture will not be correct. All of the puzzle pieces will interconnect with one another, whether it is the piece that belongs there or not. I hope that makes sense. They’ve only been playing with the puzzle for a little over a week now, so who knows if this puzzle will remain a challenging one for them. But on the upside, a little bit of challenge can always be a good thing!
I chose to review the Educational Insights USA Foam Map Puzzle. It is recommended for ages 3 and up. A
few months back we moved from Florida to Connecticut (and drove our kids up for the move). Before we moved, my son always knew that we lived in Florida and all his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins lived in Connecticut and Massachusetts. I showed him a few times where each state was on the map at the library, but all he really understood was that it took a plane ride to see any of our family. During our move though and our LONG drive up north, my son paid a lot of attention to us crossig from one state to next. You know how 3 year olds can be – question after question after question. I thought this puzzle would be great for him. Him and his younger sister love to work on puzzles together (especially the larger floor puzzles). I thought it would also help him to visualize where Florida is in relation to where we live now.Well, I must say that this puzzle has been a big hit at my house! (And actually by all 3 kids). My son loves to point our where we used to live, where we live now, and where Massachusetts is (where some aunts, uncles, cousins and his Nana & Papa live). He is also starting to put together where different types of animals live across th country (the puzzle has pictures over different states to help children learn about the different areas of the country). For example, there is a picture of a space shuttle and an alligator in the state of Florida. My 2 year old daughter loves to sit there and just help my son put the pieces together. My 1 year old daughter loves to crawl on it when it is all put together and play with her toys on it. Since it is a thick foam puzzle, I think she thinks it’s one of her mats we have for her to play on the wood floors in our family room.
Here is my son pointing to where we live now (Do you notice the big smile on his face? He loves it up here!)
Some things that I like about it are that it is educational (I love for my kids to play with educational toys), it is water resistant (my daughter’s sippy cup leaked on it a
nd it was an easy clean up), it is a good size floor puzzle for both kids to work on together, and it is a fun activity for the kids and I to work on together.My only complaint though is that the recommended age may be a little off. My son turns 4 on February 3rd. Although the age recommended on this puzzle is for 3 and up, I think it is a bit challenging for a 4 year old (and especially my 2 year old). When they work on this one, I definitely have to be there with them to help them along. They have various other floor puzzles that they actually don’t want me to help them – they want to do them all by themselves. I think what makes this one harder is that they can actually put the whole puzzle together and the picture will not be correct. All of the puzzle pieces will interconnect with one another, whether it is the piece that belongs there or not. I hope that makes sense. They’ve only been playing with the puzzle for a little over a week now, so who knows if this puzzle will remain a challenging one for them. But on the upside, a little bit of challenge can always be a good thing!
My overall experience with this puzzle was positive. I would definitely recommend it to other moms and dads for their kids or preschools for their students. It is very educational and seems like it will be hold up well against my 3 little ones.
So not only did I get to review a cool product from CSN Stores, but they have been gracio
us enough to let me giveaway another very cool toy to one of my readers! I am giving away a Melissa and Doug Sea Life in a Box Wooden Jigsaw puzzle. This puzzle is really cool (my son actually got it as a gift while he was in the hospital when he was 2 years old). For the longest time, it was his favorite puzzle in the house! In the wooden box there are 4 compartments that hold the 4 different puzzles. The box slides shut and then your son/daughter can actually do the puzzle on the top of the box. This was great in the hospital (and has also worked well on airplanes and on long car rides). If you are interested in winning one of these puzzles, read below on how to enter :)
So not only did I get to review a cool product from CSN Stores, but they have been gracio
us enough to let me giveaway another very cool toy to one of my readers! I am giving away a Melissa and Doug Sea Life in a Box Wooden Jigsaw puzzle. This puzzle is really cool (my son actually got it as a gift while he was in the hospital when he was 2 years old). For the longest time, it was his favorite puzzle in the house! In the wooden box there are 4 compartments that hold the 4 different puzzles. The box slides shut and then your son/daughter can actually do the puzzle on the top of the box. This was great in the hospital (and has also worked well on airplanes and on long car rides). If you are interested in winning one of these puzzles, read below on how to enter :) How To Enter Giveaway:
Mandatory Entry:
1. Follow my blog publicly.
For additional extra entries (please leave separate comment for each entry):
2. Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway. You can copy and paste this "Enter #giveaway Melissa & Doug Puzzle @3littleonesblog http://3little1.blogspot.com/2010/02/csn-stores-toy-review-giveaway.html ends 2/22." (1 entry per daily tweet)
3. Subscribe to 3 Little Ones via email. Don't forget to confirm your subscription.
4. Subscribe to me any other way
5. Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 extra entries)
6. Add 3 Little Ones to your blogroll (2 extra entries)
7. Enter one of my other active giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered. You can find my current giveaways at top right sidebar)
8. Leave me a comment on any other non-giveaway post (1 extra entry per non-giveaway post)
Giveaway Rules:
Contest will begin on February 1st and end on February 22nd at midnight EST. Any entries recieved after midnight will be deleted. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using Random.org. The winner will be announced here at 3 Little Ones and also sent an email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be randomly selected. Enter as many times as you want :) Good Luck!!!
I was provided with the Educational Insights USA Foam Map Puzzle from CSN Stores to review. I was not compensated for this review. This review includes my own honest opinion and experience with the product.
Happy 1st Birthday Littlest One!
My littlest one turned one over the weekend! We had a birthday party for her on Saturday with all of her family and cousins and she had a blast. Well, she did sleep through the first hour and a half of her party, but after that, she was enjoying every minute of it (almost every minute - except when her aunt tried to put a birthday hat on her - haha!)
I still cannot believe that it has already been a year. I feel like with each additional child we've had, the first birthday seems to come faster and faster each time. I think it may be harder this time around for me too because I really think that she will be our last. And because of that, I want her to stay a baby forever. Or maybe just freeze time for a little bit before all my kids grow up. I know that's not possible, but a mom can wish!
So at a year old, this is what my little girl has been doing:
She is crawling around at lightning speed, she cruises around while holding onto the couch and coffee table (or whatever she can find to hold onto), she will balance on her 2 feet for a few seconds before grabbing on or dropping to her bum, she still has no teeth (although I can see 4 that are right there and they are really driving her crazy), she has been sleeping through the night consistently since the beginning of December (except for last night when I think those teeth were really bothering her), she just stopped nursing a few weeks ago, she LOVES bananas, graham crackers and cuddles, lights up when she sees or hears her Daddy (she is definitely turning into a Daddy's girl), and is very happy to spend time with her big brother and sister (as long as they aren't taking her toys away). We think she is also on the road to becoming a chocoholic like her Mommy...
So her birthday party this past weekend was actually a joint party for her and her brother. Her older brother turns 4 in a few days. For my baby girl, I made white cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting:
After we sang Happy Birthday I gave her her first cupcake. She started to explore it and was having fun.
When she tasted it though, she decided that this was not for her. Every piece of the cupcake was deliberately thrown on the floor while she stared at me (or maybe it was a glare).
In the meantime, most of the other kids opted for a piece of my son's cake (chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting colored blue). My daughter decided to point and yell at the other cake. I decided to humor her and give her a piece of her brother's cake. I figured if she didn't like her's, she wasn't going to like her brother's. Boy was I wrong! 
As you can probably guess from the picture, she clearly favors chocolate cake over vanilla cake! (Just like her Mommy).
Happy 1st Birthday!!!!
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