Perfect Stocking Stuffer For Every Little Princess! Lil Princess Bowtique Review & Giveaway!

Lil Princess Bowtique is an adorable etsy shop that makes very cute hair clips. They truly are boutique quality and so adorable. They would make excellent stocking stuffers for your little princess this Christmas.

We received this set of adorable Christmas Goodies hair clips. They are very well made and I like that the ends are heat treated to prevent fraying. They also come with no slip grips so they will stay in even the finest of hair. I tried to get pictures of Danika wearing them for you but she wasn't cooperating :) That is how it goes with kids right? :) I love that the clips are all handmade and are very affordable. This set is only $4!

She also offers some adorable matching bow sets. These clips would be perfect for Christmas!

I'm also in LOVE with this Juicy Strawberry set. She offers lots of coordinating sets which I love. It is so cute that they coordinate but are not identical.

These are a great, inexpensive stocking stuffer for every little princess. You can buy all of these adorable clips and tons more on her site!

Win! There will be 3 lucky winners! I will draw a winner for each of these sets:

-One Set of Joy Joy Joy hair clips- Kristy

-Any set from the Matching Bow Sets - Winner's choice- Stacie

-One Set of Pink Sunflower Wide Clip- jakiesmom

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winners!

2 Giveaways Ending Tonight! Hurry & Enter!

There are 2 giveaways ending tonight so hurry and get your entries in before midnight! Good Luck!

Hugg-A-Planet Earth Toy

Skin MD Shielding Lotion

Night At The Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian DVD Pre-Order and It is ONLY $9.98!

I've got a great holiday deal for you. If you pre-order your copy of Night At The Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian DVD from Walmart.com you can get it for just $9.98! The regular price is $29.98 so you are saving $20! The release date is 12/1 so you'll have to hurry and pre-order to get in on this deal before it is released. AND as an added bonus there is FREE SHIPPING! So you don't even have to step foot in the store and you save $20. This is a great inexpensive gift idea! Happy Shopping!

13 Winners! Click To See If You Won!

I have drawn 13 winners for my giveaways that ended the past couple of days! Click on the links below and scroll to the bottom of the post to see if you won! Congrats to the winners!



Handbag Heaven 2 Winners

Fotobox Plus

eebee's Adventures Mix & Mash book & DVD

Olive Kids

Large Format Poster

Gypsy Jewels Nursing Clips

Tweetlebug Boutique Newborn Package

Nap26

Giant Microbes

Pearl Paradise

Disney on Ice Tickets

aden + anais towel & washcloth set

JJ Cole Urban Bundleme

Winners have 48 hours to respond to my email or a new winner will be drawn. Thanks to all who entered and to the sponsoring companies!

Give The Gift Of Reading To Your Baby This Christmas! Your Baby Can Read Giveaway!

You may remember the review I did of the Your Baby Can Read System for my Baby Shower Bash. Well I have good news for those of you that didn't win the giveaway. I am giving away another Starter Kit!

If you aren't familiar with the program, as I wasn't either, I will give you a little background on the company and it's founder. A professor and teacher for over 15 years, Dr. Titzer, the creator of Your Baby Can Read, has extensively researched infant learning and development. After teaching in the public school system, Dr. Titzer went on to complete his Masters degree at Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in Human Performance at Indiana University, where he developed this revolutionary early learning approach with his own infant children.

You can read my entire review here.

The Starter Kit that I was sent to review includes the Your Baby Can Read DVD, Learn To Read Word Cards, Parent Guide and Lift Flap Book.

The Your Baby Can Read Program would be a great Christmas gift for any child. This is a great alternative to yet another toy. It is something educational and that will benefit them for all their years to come!

You can buy the Your Baby Can Read products on their site.

Win! One lucky reader will win a Your Baby Can Read Starter Kit!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

AStarrA
November 28, 2009 3:39 PM
Entered Healthy Hands Hand Wash Timer

Black Friday...I survived!

So I decided to brave the crazy crowds today and go shopping! It has turned into a tradition and I just have to go every year. So even at 9 months pregnant I went out! I had my heart set on a laptop at Wal Mart and to me it was totally worth getting up at 3am and getting there by 4am. Imagine my surprise when I got there and they were already gone! Apparently certain items were available at midnight instead of 5am!! This was not very clear in the ad. All it said was available all day Friday which I assumed meant 5am on like the rest of the stuff in the ad. Well, to my disappointment I went home with no laptop :(

I got some other great deals and whined about not getting my laptop for the rest of the day :) I was able to get 2 busy ball popper choo choos for just $4 each! I also got a play doh kitchen for $9, a very comfy computer chair (which I am happily using now) for just $35-this was an unplanned purchase, but was meant to make up for not getting my laptop :). I also got a wireless router for $29, which will come in handy when I do get a laptop. I also got Danika some Dora pj's for Christmas at just $3!

Next I braved Target, which was a zoo, but didn't find much there. I got some pj's for gifts and that was it. We went to Herbergers after that (department store here) and got some more people crossed off my list.

All in all it was a good day even though I was very upset with Wal Mart! I got a lot of good deals and got lots of Christmas shopping done which is good since I could pop any day now :) I like to be prepared. All of my gifts are wrapped and I only have a few people left on my list.

So now I am debating as I type whether or not to take advantage of the online hp black friday deals on their laptops or wait until Cyber Monday and see if I can get a better deal. I hate to lose another good deal! I may just order one off of hp's site tonight while their sale is still good.

Did you go out black friday shopping and brave the crowds? Did you find any good deals? I'd love to hear all about your experiences so leave me a comment and tell me all about it! I also want to know how many of you plan on shopping on Cyber Monday and if you know of any good deals yet!

Happy Black Friday!

Help Treat Cold & Flu Symptoms With Vicks! Review & Giveaway!

With cold and flu season in full force it may seem inevitable that you will get a cold or even worse, the flu. If you or your children get the flu you will want to be prepared with some great products to help make you feel better and speed along your recover. I was excited to review some great products from Vicks and to share them with you!

We received the Vicks ComfortFlex InSight Thermometer for review. I love that this thermometer is easy to use and tells you with color coded backgrounds if your child has a fever. It has a green background for a normal temp, a yellow background for slightly above normal and a red background for a high fever. I love that it makes it easy to quickly tell if you child has a high temperature or not. It is also great for those middle of the night temperature readings because it is backlit.

I also love that you can use it orally, rectally or under the arm. This makes it great for children of all ages. It also gives very fast readings in as little as eight seconds depending on the method you are using to take the temperature. The soft comfort flex tip also makes it more comfortable for your child when you are taking their temp. I also love that it is waterproof to make cleaning it really easy!

You can buy the Vicks ComfortFlex InSight Thermometer at WalMart, Walgreens, Amazon.com and other major drug stores throughout the country. I think it is a steal of a deal and a must have for every nursery and child's room at just $9-$14. You really are getting a lot of bang for your buck at this low price!

We also received the new Vicks Pediatric GermFree Cool Mist humidifier for review. As both a mom and a Registered Nurse I know the positive effects a humidifier can have on speeding recovery and easing symptoms. I absolutely love that it is the first of it's kind because it kills up to 99.9% of mold and bacteria through a patented germ-killing UV light chamber. If you have ever used a humidifier then you know that they can be a breeding ground for germs and bacteria and knowing that this humidifier kills it makes me feel so much better.

Since it is no longer recommended that you give young children cold and cough medicine most pediatricians recommend using a cool mist humidifier (to reduce the risk of burns to your child). The Vicks humidifier offers this cool mist and is ideal for nurseries and children's bedrooms. Of course mom & dad can use it too (we do!). I also love that it has an automatic moisture balance system that naturally adjusts output for maximum comfort so you aren't left with too much or too little humidity in the room.

Of course another huge bonus is that you can use the humidifier with Vicks Vapors! I love the refreshing and soothing scent of Vicks. It runs up to 24 hours per filling, and is up to 30% quieter than other 1 gallon cool mist evaporative humidifiers.

You can buy the Vicks Pediatric GermFree Cool Mist humidifier at WalMart, Walgreens, Amazon.com and other major drug stores throughout the country. It retails for $69.99 and in my opinion is a great value. You will definitely want to have one in the house for when you or your kids get sick or just to help humidify the dry winter air.

Another great product from Vicks is their Advanced Soothing Vapors Mini-Waterless Vaporizer. It offers soothing menthol vapors in a convenient, non-medicated plug-in and releases up to 16 hours of Vicks vapors before the VapoPads need to be replaced. It has intensity level controls to adjust vapor strength. It also features an independently controlled soft glow nightlight that allows you to adjust the brightness of the soothing light to your preference. This is a great way to get the soothing effects of Vicks in an inexpensive vaporizer. It also sells at WalMart, Walgreens, Amazon.com and other major drug stores throughout the country for just $9.99. Once again, I think this is a great price for the product!

Win! One lucky reader will win a Vicks Advanced Soothing Vapors Mini-Waterless Vaporizer AND a Vicks ComfortFlex InSight Thermometer! This is a great start to preparing for flu season!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

gypsy_jewels
November 27, 2009 3:35 PM
I entered the mommy necklace giveaway

Give The Gift Of Piggy Paint! Piggy Paint Review & Giveaway!

I did a review for Piggy Paint last summer and we absolutely love it! It is safe, odorless, kid friendly nail polish so you can paint your daughter's little piggies without worrying about the chemicals and odor. You can read my entire review here.

They have tons of adorable colors to choose from with fun names like Mac 'n Cheese Please and Girls Rule. Danika loves having her toes painted and making them "pretty". I love that it doesn't smell and I don't have to worry about her inhaling chemicals or having toxic paint on her toes.

Piggy Paint also offers gift sets which would be great for Christmas gifts. You can get 15% off anything on their site by using the code:

Win! One reader will win a $15 Gift Certificate to Piggy Paint!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

carol
November 30, 2009 5:23 PM
I think girl's rule is pretty.

Bravado Designs Sale! 25% Off Entire Online Order!

Bravado is the maker of my absolute favorite bra, the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra. I absolutely love their bras! Well they have a great offer you will want to get in on if you are in need of some comfy, high quality nursing bras. You can get 25% off your ENTIRE online order through the end of the day Monday by entering code: TH09-175 at checkout. Happy Shopping!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my wonderful readers! I am thankful for each and every one of you. You make this blog great! Thank you for being such wonderful friends and visiting my blog.

I have LOTS of giveaways ending tonight so after you stuff yourselves with turkey be sure to sit down, relax and enter them all for your chance to win! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Giveaways ending tonight:

Tweetlebug Boutique Newborn Package
Gypsy Jewels Nursing Clips
Nap26 Sleep System
Giant Microbes microbe of choice
Uprinting poster photo enlargement


And I have lots more great giveaways ending on Black Friday! Be sure to enter after you return home from deal hunting!

Pearl Paradise Black Akoya Pearl Necklace Value $1,125
JJ Cole Urban Bundleme (this is one of my favorites!)
Disney on Ice Tickets for MN location
aden + anais towel & washcloth set

Good Luck! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and enjoy your time with your family!

Help Keep Your Kids Healthy With Healthy Hands Hand Wash Timers! Review & Giveaway!

With the cold and flu season in full force and H1N1 on our minds now is the time to be teaching our kids healthy habits and how to keep them well. Healthy Hands has come out with a Musical Hand Wash Timer to help your kids know how long to wash their hands.

The Disney Musical Hand Wash Timers fit on any liquid soap pump dispenser and feature kids’ favorite characters and music along with flashing lights to encourage kids wash their hands for 20-25 seconds (the recommended wash time to eliminate germs to a level that will lead to better hygiene). Best of all, parents won’t have to change the brands of soap they know and trust because the patented design fits on all standard soap brands – including wide and thin nozzle brands. With the Musical Hand Wash Timer, the natural action of pushing down on the pump to dispense soap triggers the music to play. Each unit will get more than 1,000 uses – which is a lot of hand washing!

We have been working on handwashing with Danika, especially since she is potty training, and this is a fun way to help her wash her hands for the correct length of time. You can buy the Disney Musical Hand Wash Timers at Get Healthy Hands. They are only $3.99 each and would make great stocking stuffers for Christmas.

Win! One reader will win a Disney Musical Hand Wash Timer!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

TheSuburbanMom
November 27, 2009 9:32 PM
I entered to win the pearls - which I REALLY want :)

Give Mineral Makeup A Try! Everyday Minerals Review & Giveaway!

I have been wearing mineral makeup for years now. I love how lightweight it is on your skin and it doesn't feel cakey or "melt" off your face when you are hot. I have tried many different brands and recently started looking for some quality, affordable brands to try. I came across Everyday Minerals and had the opportunity to try some of their bases samples.

I like that they offer sample sizes to try so you can figure out your best color. With the sample sets you get four different base shades in the same color family which you can mix and match to create a perfect match for your skin. The sample kits are $5 and you can add ONE to your cart absolutely FREE with every order, anytime! This is a great way to change your colors and find the best fit without spending a fortune.

Their makeup was easy to apply and lasted all day. I was satisfied with the overall results that Everyday Minerals offered. I found a great match for my skin color and I like that their prices are affordable.

Everyday Minerals also offers blush, eye makeup and more! Go check out all of their products on their site! You can get a sample kit too for free with any purchase! Their collections would make a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer too.

Win! One reader will win Everyday Minerals Winter Collection! Includes the products in the photo above-Wild Vines Blush, 4 Eye Shadows-Juniper, Cardamom, All Spice & Nutmeg.

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

Peggy
December 1, 2009 12:16 PM
Subscriber

A Must Have For Flu Season. Braun ThermoScan Review!

As promised I have a great review for cold and flu season. I believe every home needs a thermometer in their medicine cabinet. You need to be able to monitor your children's (as well as your own and spouse's) temperature should you get sick. You need to know if a fever is in the safe zone or if it is rising too high and needs medical attention.

We received the Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer with ExacTemp™ Technology for review. As a Registered Nurse and mother I know the importance of being able to easily take a temperature. The ThermoScan worked great on my daughter as well as myself and my husband. I loved that it was easy to use for my whole family. I was impressed that Danika didn't mind me using it on her either.

So what is so different about the Braun ThermoScan? It has a unique pre-warmed tip. Unlike other ear thermometers, Braun ThermoScan ExacTemp features a patented pre-warmed tip. It minimizes the cooling effect that could result from the insertion of a cool probe tip. The pre-warmed tip helps ensure accuracy time after time.

A conventional tip at room temperature has a cooling effect on the ear canal. This cool-down effect can result in an inaccurate temperature reading shown on the display. A cooler temperature in the ear canal could also affect the accuracy of repeated measurements.

You also don't need to worry about whether or not you are properly taking the temperature. The Guidance System checks the position of the thermometer in the ear and confirms the accuracy of the measurement. I also liked that there is a light on it as well as a beep to confirm the temperature has been read. The light was great when taking Danika's temperature so I could see it was done.

I also liked that the memory stores eight temperature readings. It also offers disposable lens covers so you can use a fresh lens cover on each person you use the thermometer on ensuring you don't pass germs to one another.

You can buy the Braun ThermoScan at WalMart, Walgreens, Amazon.com and other major drug stores throughout the country. It sells for around $49.99 and in my opinion is a great investment.

Here are some tips on how to make this year’s cold and flu season a little more endurable for both children and parents from Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, a New York pediatrician.

• Don’t get Mouthy with Me! Replace your child's toothbrush frequently and keep it separate from other family members' brushes when sick. If penny pinching, try soaking it in mouthwash after each use.
• Mommy’s Dearest-Fever is often one of the first signs of the flu. When temperature-taking, reach for what’s trusted. The Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer, which is used most by pediatricians and moms, features a pre-warmed tip and guidance system to ensure consistent readings. Vicks digital thermometers, which are pocket-sized and great for on-the-go, have a large display that changes color to help parents identify a fever.
• Find a Little Teapot, Short & Stout-Try using a neti pot to loosen and rid mucus, thereby clearing nasal passages. Neti pots have been used in India for centuries as one of the disciplines of yoga. For nasal congestion in babies, consider using 2-3 drops of nasal saline drops in each nostril, which are gentler, to help loosen and clear mucus.
• Better than a Spoonful of Sugar-Soothe sore throats and help the medicine go down by gargling with salt water. This is the safest, least expensive way to reduce scratchiness and swelling in the tissues. Mix one teaspoon of salt per pint of warm water to create the gargle.
• Black & White and Read All Over-Before tossing out an old phone book or using it to prop a door, try propping something else. Lying down can worsen congestion and increase sinus pressure and pain. Place a phone book or two under your mattress at night to elevate the head and lessen over-night congestion. If you have an infant, you can also prop a crib mattress to create elevation.
• Bedside Manner-Humidifiers keep the mucus membranes of the throat and nasal passages hydrated, allowing the tiny hairs in the airway to work at expelling germs. Throughout the night, try using a cool mist humidifier to soothe cold and cough symptoms, like the new Vicks GermFree Humidifier that kills up to 99.9% of mold and bacteria in the water.

Jennifer Trachtenberg, MD, FAAP, is chief pediatric officer for RealAge.com and a mom of three active young children. The nationally renowned parenting expert and board-certified pediatrician has practiced pediatric and adolescent medicine for more than 14 years and maintains a successful private practice in New York City. She is also an assistant clinical professor in pediatrics at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

*This was not a paid post and products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. My opinion is my own and is not affected by the product being provided to me.

Blog Award!

I was honored to get the Honest Scrap award from Mimi over at Woven By Words. Thank you Mimi! Here are the rules of the award:

*This award is bestowed upon a fellow blogger whose blog content or design is, in the giver’s opinion, brilliant.

*When accepting this award, you must write a post about it, including the name of the person who thinks you deserve such acclaim, and link back to the said person so everyone knows she/he is real.

*Choose a minimum of seven blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Show the blog names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with the Honest Scrap award.

*List at least ten honest things about yourself. Then pass it on!

So here are my 10 Honest Things:

1.) I have been married for 4 years
2.) I have a cocker spaniel mix dog named Max
3.) Both my parents and my husband's parents are divorced
4.) We moved into a new house a year ago
5.) I like to go for rides on my husband's Harley Davidson motorcycle
6.) We love to go to my husband's family cabin in the summer
7.) I enjoy playing volleyball
8.) I went post secondary to college full time my junior and senior years of high school
9.) I am a Registered Nurse
10.) I spend way too much time on the computer!

So there you have it. 10 honest things about me.

Here are my 7 blogs that I visit on a weekly basis:

The Shopping Mama
J. Leigh Designz
Two of a Kind Working on A Full House
Happily Domestic
Me and My Boys
Momma In Flip Flops 2
Flying Giggles and Lollipops


So go check out some new blogs!

Stylish, Baby Friendly Jewelry For Mama! Mommy Necklaces Review & Giveaway!

Every Mama knows that babies are naturally drawn to jewelry. It seems they are all so focused on getting our beautiful jewelry into their little hands. Since most jewelry isn't safe for baby to be tugging on, many moms don't wear jewelry to avoid this problem. If you have breastfed your baby then you know that nursing time is prime time for them to attack your necklace and tug and pull away at it.

Well thanks to Mommy Necklaces you don't have to avoid wearing jewelry or fight off your baby from tugging on yours anymore. They have absolutely beautiful jewelry that you would never know was meant to be a safe distraction for baby. Their jewelry designs are loaded with color, movement, and texture which engages even the most distracted breastfed baby.

All the Mommy Necklace™ beads are made of high-quality acrylics that are tested for both lead and phthalates. The necklaces are strung on an extra sturdy cording that is guaranteed from breakage and come secured with a break-away safety closure. Because baby is less distracted and nursing longer, Mommy is thankful to have her milk supply back. Breastfeeding is easier (and less painful!) and much more productive. Your time nursing baby can be enjoyable again and all while looking good too!

So now that you know the benefits of the Mommy Necklaces, check out how trendy and stylish their designs are. I received a necklace from the Rose Pink Avacado collection and I have been wearing it a lot. I have gotten SO many compliments on it and people never would guess it was a nursing necklace. I would love to have more of these beautiful necklaces because they are truly beautiful and trendy. They spice up any outfit. I have to say I LOVE mine and want some more!

They have so many color and design options too. You are sure to find one that fits your style. I also love that you get to choose your color, design and length. These would be an excellent Christmas gift for any mama. Not only are they great for when you are nursing, but they are so nice you can continue to use them long after you are done nursing.

You can buy Mommy Necklaces on their site as well as at retailers listed here. They also offer .99 shipping no matter how much you order! You really need to go check out all of their amazing jewelry. I honestly would buy it even if I didn't have kids!

Win! I have a Mommy Necklace like the one pictured above to give to one lucky reader!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

CGBG
December 1, 2009 7:09 PM
I entered your Everyday Mineral Makeup Giveaway