Minnesota Mama's Must Haves

Sunday Sweeps! 5/20/12 Edition!

2012-05-19T20:00:00.000-05:00

It is Sunday again! Link up all of your family friendly giveaways below. Please leave them in the following format:

Blog Name-Prize-End Date

The link MUST go to your giveaway page and not your home page. No spamming or affiliate links! Don’t forget to check out my giveaways while you are here and grab my blog button!

Once you’ve linked up here head on over to Sugar Pop Ribbons to link your giveaways there too!

New Winners!!

2012-05-18T10:38:00.000-05:00

After being out of town for almost a week I am finally starting to catch up on things around here! I have drawn winners for the following giveaways:

Moover Toy of your Choice Style/Color! $85+value

Febreze Common Scents Institute Kit

Boppy Nursing Pillow!

ERGObaby Papoose Coats ~4 Winners! $220 ValueEach

JumpSport iBounce Kids Trampoline!!! (ends 5/9) DRAWN

Rubbermaid 2 in 1 Recycler valued at $40!

Lalaloopsy Sew Magical Mermaid Doll!

Deluxe party pack from Birthday Express!

I See Me! Personalized Birthday Book $25 Value

To see the winners click on the links and visit the page! Each winner is announced at the bottom of the post. all winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be drawn! Thank you to all who entered and to the sponsoring companies!

Aloha Friday! Favorite Place To Be

2012-05-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Time for Aloha Friday again! Have you heard of it? It's a fun little thing called Aloha Friday and it started over at An Island Life. Here's how it works. I'll ask a question and give you my answer and then YOU answer the question too!

Sound fun? Okay here is the question:

Where is your favorite place to be?

My Answer.) Soaking in the bath tub with bubbles, candles and a good book!

Your turn!

Tommee Tippee Explora Sippy Cup Review + Giveaway!!

2012-05-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have 3 children under the age of 4 which means we use a lot of sippy cups in our house! It seems that no matter how many I have we always run out! There are always a load of them in the dishwasher, a rotation in the fridge and then the sippy cups they are currently drinking out of. Despite all of the brands I have on hand here I had never tried the Tommee Tippee brand although I had heard about it. When I was offered the opportunity to test out their cups with my kids I was interested to try them and see what was different about them.

Aiden, my 2 year old, instantly loved the bright colors and fun designs. He was attracted to them from the start and he was excited to try them out.

Danika is 4 years old and although she can drink from a regular cup we still use a sippy cup whenever we are on the go as well as having one available in the fridge for her to grab herself. It's nice to know her beverage won't spill if we are in the car or away from the kitchen table.

What sets the Tommee Tippee sippy cups apart from the rest of the pack is their spill proof design. They have a physicist designed valve which makes drinking easy and spilling impossible. The patented advance-flo valve guarantees easy drinking and the super sensitive active sensor valve is really non spill while still allowing liquid to flow on demand. So far we haven't had a single leak!

Aiden isn't quite ready to use a big kid cup all the time yet so I love that the Tommee Tippee Explora Drinking Cup has a sipper spout that helps develop his skills for drinking from an open cup. It's similar to a grown up cup and is insulated to keep his drinks cold.

Currently you can buy Tommee Tippee Explora sippy cups at Target! I love Target :) It's so convenient to pick up everything in one spot! A 2 pack of these drinking cups sells for $8.99!

Who wants a shot at winning a set of the Tommee Tippee Explora sippy cups?! Enter my Rafflectoper giveaway below for your chance to win! (If you can't see the entry form then click on the tittle of this post to be taken to a page where the entry form will appear). Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups. I received a Tommee Tippee Explora Sippy Cup product as well as a promotional item as a thanks for my participation.

SIMPLE Service Project: Teaching Our Kids To Be Giving & Instilling Healthy Eating Habits to Last a Lifetime! #JennieOCFK

2012-05-17T00:33:00.000-05:00

It is so important to me to teach my kids the value and importance in giving to those in need. I want them to grow up knowing that we give and practicing doing it in various ways. I think the younger generations are growing up with a sense of entitlement and along the way they've lost the importance of giving to those around you. In the past month I've been so happy to see the lessons sinking in as we have donated to our local animal shelter and donated to the food shelf. As part of the Jennie-O Healthy Switch challenge we shopped for healthy products for both our family and to donate to our local food shelf. You can see my full google+ story for our entire shopping experience as well as my first blog post detailing our shop!

As part of the Make The Switch campaign we decided to give up our unhealthy white bread and bakery goodies in favor of a healthier alternative. I'm happy to say that my kids haven't missed it at all! We've replaced white bread with whole grain wheat bread which they love and choose healthy fruit crisps in place of bakery goodies. We also decided to start swapping out other meats in favor of turkey. We really love turkey and I have been using it in place of beef more and more often. It is so healthy for you and you really can't tell the difference in your recipes. We've even inspired members of our family to Make the Switch!

While shopping for healthy food products to donate, I noticed that not only do they have ground turkey which I already use in many of my recipes, but they also had Italian Seasoned Ground turkey. I picked up a package of this with spaghetti in mind! I love the flavor of Italian ground sausage but hate all the grease. The turkey seamed like a great alternative to greasy sausage.

Here is our donation that we put together for our local food shelf. I chose healthy foods as I think that often the foods that are donated aren't always the best for you. I want kids in need to be able to eat healthy too! With the Italian seasoned ground turkey, whole grain pasta and jarred sauce they can easily make a healthy and delicious meal. I also included a kid friendly favorite, turkey franks. They taste just like hot dogs and after serving them to a dozen of our friends kids I can honestly say not a single one noticed the difference. I also included turkey bacon which is delicious and can be used to make a breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast! There are so many healthy possibilities with turkey!

My kids learned the value of donating healthy food to kids in need. It boggled their minds that some kids don't have food to eat. It was such an important lesson to instill in them and by including them in the whole process it really sunk in and they still talk about it!

After donating the food we picked up we headed home to make a meal of our own! One of our favorite turkey recipes is my famous turkey chili! It's to die for! I decided I wanted to try something new and took out our Italian seasoned ground turkey. I browned it in a pan and added spaghetti sauce for a quick, easy dinner.

It smelled and looked amazing but would it pass the test? I served it to the kids first to see what they thought of it.

Success! Carson was shoveling it in his mouth so fast I couldn't keep up with him! He loved it!

Aiden's mouth was too full of turkey to even smile for the picture!

Danika loved it too. My kids ate ALL their food and I was amazed at how much they loved it. I tasted it and even took seconds. It's amazing and SO flavorful. We love it! I also love that it is so much less greasy than Italian sausage! It's great!

If you haven't given turkey a try yet then give it a chance! Swap out ground beef with ground turkey at your next meal and see if you notice the difference. I typically add a little more seasoning when making things like meatballs or tacos with it. Give it a try and tell us what you think!

Have you tried swapping out beef in favor of turkey yet? What are your favorite ways to use it?

If we've inspired you to help kids in need then check out the Champions for Kids Website or Champions for Kids Facebook. This SIMPLE service project has been done in conjunction with them! They are a wonderful organization. You can also follow @Champions4kidsTwitter and check out the Jennie-O CFK Project Card or Jennie-O Website for more great ideas!

*I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #JennieOCFK #CBias #SocialFabric.

Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers Review: Real Talk From A Mom of Two Kids in Diapers!

2012-05-16T15:33:00.000-05:00

Some people call me crazy. I am a Mom of 3 kids age 4 and under! My house definitely gets crazy and on most days you will find me tripping over toys, wiping runny noses, cleaning the floor (constantly!) and changing diapers! With two kids in diapers it is a constant merry go round of diaper changing all day long. I really wish Aiden, my 2 year old, was ready to potty train but he just isn't there yet. He doesn't wake up dry and isn't anticipating having to go AT ALL! We ditched diapers and tried underwear for 2 days straight and every time he had to pee he told me he had to go as it was running down his leg! So here we are in diapers.

Many of you know that I am a cloth diapering mama. I'll be completely honest and tell you that I adore my Softbums diapers. My husband even loves them so what more could I ask for right? Well, sometimes I get lazy. Okay let's be honest, it's not lazy, it's the sheer volume of things I have to do in a day! Sometimes I don't want to wash diapers. My diapers are all currently needing a good stripping and I have a HUGE stash to strip so it will take some time and some really good sun bleaching. I also have given up using them when we are away from home. I just plain like the convenience of using disposable diapers away from home. So there you have it. At the moment we are solely using disposable diapers. Whoa! What a weight off my chest :) Don't worry, we will return to using our good 'ol Softbums again but even when we do we will still use disposables while away from home. We always have a use for them at some point in the day whether we are out and about or one of the kids has a diaper rash and needs to use diaper cream.

I have to admit that when Carson was born I knew we would be using disposable diapers for a time while I recovered from my C-Section. I already loved Huggies on Aiden, my toddler but had always used another brand on my babies. While I was in the hospital they gave us Huggies to use on Carson and I fell in love with them. I had never tried them on my babies before and I instantly liked them best. I'm happy to have been selected as a Huggies Ambassador and now I have the opportunity to share my thoughts with you on their new and improved Snug & Dry diapers.

I got some Snug & Dry diapers for Aiden and for Carson. Aiden is in size 4 and Carson is in a size 2. I was excited to put them to the test. Some of the new features that we tried out in the Snug & Dry diapers are:

Unlike other brands, HUGGIES® Snug & Dry Diapers have a SnugFit* waistband and unique Grip Tabs for a secure fit

Absorb-Away layers and Long-Lasting Core lock in wetness—while keeping your baby dry

Stopping guards around the legs and waist help keep wetness in

Adorable graphics featuring Mickey & Friends Disney designs

Carson was excited to try them out :)

They fit him SO well! He hasn't had any of his typical "blowouts" in these diapers. The SnugFit waistband fits him great. The grip tabs on the front allow me to adjust it to fit him just right. As you can see in the picture the stopping guards around the legs and waist fit nicely and help keep wetness in. I love how well these diapers fit Carson.

I'm amazed at how much wetness these diapers hold in when Aiden gets up in the morning. His diaper is soaked and it hasn't ever leaked. He loves the Mickey designs on the front too! You can see that it fits him equally well.

We asked Carson what he thinks of the Huggies Snug & Dry diapers and he gives them a round of applause :) Clapping is his new trick this month! How exciting is that :)

After all of the tests we put them to, from long car rides to overnight soakings these diapers haven't leaked on us yet! The kids are also rash free which is great. Aiden has particularly sensitive skin and the diapers haven't bothered his skin at all. Yay for Huggies!

Keep up with Huggies on Facebook and Twitter!

*I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central for Huggies. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Guest Post: Is Grade Inflation Fair?

2012-05-16T13:12:00.000-05:00

Remember when earning an A was actually hard?

Many high schools, colleges and even some middle schools practice grade inflation. It’s a pretty simple concept: make students look smarter than they actually are, giving them a competitive edge. Adjusting the GPA scale is the easiest way to do this.

The GPA scale was designed to give a numerical value to a student’s cumulative grades. It ranged from 0-4, with 0 being an F and 4 being an A (not an A-). But, some high schools started weighting GPA to reflect a tougher curriculum, and eventually started awarding students a 5.0 for an A in an Honors or Advanced Placement class. Other schools started giving students a 4.3 for an A+.

So, two academically identical students – who both earned the same grades in the same classes – but at separate schools have dramatically different GPAs. One has a 3.5; the other has a 4.5. Naturally, colleges showed favoritism to students with 4.5s, thinking they’re more intelligent and college-ready. But, that is not always the case.

It didn’t take long for other high schools to catch on, and now most weight students’ grades, allowing students to earn up to a 5.0 GPA. Eventually, this practice somewhat leveled out. But, to tip the scales again, high schools started making their classes easier and awarding more A’s and B’s instead of C’s and D’s. High schools are under a tremendous amount of pressure to send students to elite colleges, and some are desperate to make their students more competitive.

And this is where it gets interesting. The average high school GPA has risen from a 2.7 in 1990 to a 3.0 in 2009, according to the US News & World Report. Also, in recent years, nearly 50 percent of college freshmen said they had an A average in high school, according to CBS News. When considering the bell curve, only 20-30 percent of students should have A averages.

This translates into terrible study habits. In 2009, 33 percent of college freshmen said they only studied/did homework for 6 hours a week, the lowest mark in history (since the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles started keeping these stats in 1987).

But, grade inflation does not stop after high school. The average college GPA has risen from a 2.5 in 1960 to a 3.11, according Stuart Rojstaczer of gradeinflation.com. Interestingly enough, in roughly this same time span, study/homework time for college students declined from 24 hours a week to 14, according to the Washington Post.

Essentially, college students are studying less and earning higher grades. Why? Because undergrad colleges are under a ton of pressure to place students in elite graduate schools or high-paying jobs. These are the stats they use to recruit students.

Grade inflation has led to a consumer’s approach to education, and schools that don’t practice it will not attract or advance as many students. Every school knows this. Many are concerned that this is decreasing the overall quality of education. Prepare your students with tutoring classes and don’t allow them be part of this decline, you can easily find the best tutoring prices online.

This guest post article was written and provided by Marissa Krause who is a stay at home mother and homeschools her children with the help of VarsityTutors.com.

Tragic

2012-05-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

I received an email this week from a Father and it ripped my heart out of my chest. It is absolutely in your face sad, awful and unbearable to even think about. I am choosing to share it with you in the hopes that this will help save lives. Here is what it said...

hi, my name is kevin lane reutzel, father of spencer lane reutzel, who passed away april 16 due to probably suffocation due to being left on an adult bed unattended with adult pillows and a blanket, was found prone and dead when the babysitter and her husband were going to go to bed. I wrote this poem the night after he died, if you have any use for it you can do whatever you wish with it to help pass the word on about the risks of suffocation. thank you...kevin lane reutzel

That beautiful, gorgeous baby boy is gone and it just brings tears to my eyes as I think of my own precious babies and how easily it could have been one of them. I hope this will help people realize that it is SO important not to give babies pillows, blankets, etc. It is a real tragedy and it REALLY happens. Take note parents, grandparents and babysitters and tell everyone you know so we can prevent this tragedy from happening again!

National Learn to Swim Day is Saturday, May 19!

2012-05-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

May is National Water Safety Month and May 19th is National Learn to Swim Day! It's so important to learn how to swim and it's a life skill that we can give to our children. It's something that everyone should know how to do and by teaching your children how to swim you will give them the confidence to enter the water and have fun!

As a SwimWays Swim Team ambassador I am happy to once again this year bring you updates on my children's progress as they learn how to swim. Last year presented some trials, most specifically a fear of the water, and I'm hoping this year goes a little more smoothly. Despite it's trials it is so worth it once your child conquers that fear and learns how to swim! What an empowering gift to give them.

National Learn to Swim Day is an effort to raise awareness about the importance of teaching children to swim, and provide resources to parents for teaching their kids the important skill. According to the Red Cross, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years old. Can you believe that? Age 1 to 14! It shocked me to learn that it went up to age 14. Statistics show that children ages 1 to 4 drown most often in home swimming pools. It's so important to be vigilant if you have a pool! Children were often out of sight less than 5 minutes and under the care of one or both parents at the time of many home pool drownings. It's scary to think about but it is something we need to be SO very aware of. Be vigilant! Don't get distracted and always keep your eyes on your kids in the water!

SwimWays invites families across the country to participate in National Learn to Swim Day in their own way. Ideas for getting involved include introducing children to the water with at home swim instruction, hosting a group swimming lesson, visiting a community pool as a family, or enrolling children in swim lessons at a local YMCA or Boys & Girls Club. Additional resources, including information about pool safety, tips and products for teaching children to swim, and downloadable reward and progress charts for kids, are available on SwimWays’ newly re-designed TeachMeToSwim.com website.

SwimWays’ Swim Steps program is a three-step approach that features swim-training aids specially designed to help parents teach kids to swim at home. Step one starts with products that comfortably help introduce babies to the water; step two products give children freedom of motion to develop confidence as they learn to balance and paddle; and step three features a patented Power Swimr™ swim training system that helps children learn to swim at their own pace.

Stay tuned as we teach our 3 children how to swim and give you an up close and personal look at the Swim Steps process and the products we use to teach our children. I can't wait to share with you!

Do your kids know how to swim? What challenges have you had in teaching them?

*I am a SwimWays ambassador. I received no compensation for this post.

14' JumpSport Elite Trampoline Review!!

2012-05-15T16:17:00.000-05:00

As many of you know last July we moved out to the country and we now reside on 10 beautiful acres. My kids LOVE to play outside and so do we! We have always wanted to add a trampoline to our backyard as it is the perfect way to play as a whole family and a great thing to have to entertain all of our friends kids that come over.

My husband set to putting it together and he said it wasn't hard at all. It went together easily and I have to admit that I love the rich dark blue powder coated finish on the frame. It blends beautifully with our landscape and looks really nice in the backyard.

The Unitized design of the Trampoline and Safety Enclosure combined with the interior net of the JumpSport Elite System makes installation easy. My husband had no issues installing the safety net or springs.

I have to admit that the 2 step ladder is a must have item to go with your trampoline. It makes it SO much easier to get on and off the trampoline.
I also LOVE the easy entry and exit of the overlapping door. There is nothing to velcro or unsnap, or crawl under, it's just quick, safe and easy!

I love that the enclosure is sold as a unit with the trampoline and it's designed to work as one unit. It is sturdy and durable. It does a great job of keeping jumpers safe and preventing falls. When jumping on the trampoline I felt that the bounce was soft and easy. It was much better than jumping on the trampoline that I had as a kid. The only way I know to describe it is that the trampolines I jumped on in the past felt like they had a harder bounce that sometimes hurt when you jumped hard. The JumpSport Elite has a nice soft bounce that doesn't hurt when you jump. It is a high quality mat that is 35 inches high, for better ground clearance than most other trampolines. The Permatron® jumping mat is the industry leader in High-Tensile Strength, UV and water Protection, and performance. It boasts 10 rows of stitching and a UV shield. The 14ft mat offers approximately 113 square feet of play space.

One other notable difference from the trampolines of my childhood is that the springs are totally hidden under this thick, durable mat. You can really feel the quality in this mat.

Here are the springs tucked safely underneath the mat. This is a shot from under the trampoline looking up.

I couldn't be more impressed with the sturdy, quality design of the JumpSport Elite. From the soft bounce to the sturdy, powder coated frame, they have done it right! The safety enclosure feels secure and sturdy and doesn't give to allow a fall through the bottom. It is totally designed for the trampoline and they work harmoniously together to keep you and your kids safe!

Want to see it in action? I always find it most helpful to see the product up close and personal while in use! Check out my video below for a detailed view of the JumpSport Elite's features!

Buy It! You can buy the JumpSport Elite 14' Trampoline with enclosure on their site for $1149. They also sell some fun games and accessories like the basketball hoop attachment that we have our eye on!

You can also keep up with all the latest deals and news on JumpSport's Facebook page!

*I was provided product for review purposes only and was not compensated for this review.

Guest Post: 5 Snack Ideas On The Go

2012-05-15T16:10:00.000-05:00

This is a guest post by Rebecca Wilcox. Thanks to Rebecca for guest posting!

People don't often get the time to prepare a meal. Many turn to restaurants and fast food to get their daily meals, but that can get expensive and unhealthy. Eating on the run can be challenging, but this article will help. A low APR credit card will make it easy to buy healthy and cheap food that you can prepare and eat on the go.

Here are some healthy on the go snacks that you can try for you and your kids:

1. Wheat Thins and String Cheese

Wheat Thins are healthy and whole grain crackers that offer plenty of fiber and whole grain carbohydrates to help fill you up. Wheat Thins go great with string cheese because the cheese offers healthy protein that will help you fill up as well.

2. Apple with Milk

This snack is healthy and tasty for both you and the kids. The apple is high in fiber, while the milk provides lots of Calcium, Vitamin D, and Riboflavin. It's quick, easy to eat, and completely guilt free.

3. Wheat Bagel with Cream Cheese

Whole grain bagels are filled with fiber and can keep you and your kids full for several hours. The dairy in cream cheese will help that "full feeling" last longer. For a less fatty option, consider only eating half a bagel with reduced fat cream cheese.

4. Yogurt with Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit should always be considered for your snacking needs. Fruit eaten in tandem with yogurt can turn it into a full meal. Yogurt even has a number a health benefits that are only enhanced with the presence of fruit. Just be sure to avoid yogurt that has fructose or high fructose corn syrup, these ingredients can take away that "full feeling".

5. Pretzel Sticks and Peanut Butter (or Wow Butter if you have a peanut allergy)

Pretzels are a great comfort food, and combined with peanut butter, they're surprisingly filling. Eat some pretzel sticks with about 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for a healthy, enjoyable on the go snack.

Your local credit union can get you a low APR credit card that will make buying the ingredients for these on the go easy. These healthy snacks are even cheaper than restaurant and fast foods, with faster preparation. Now, the only thing left to do is enjoy.

How Was Your Mother's Day?!

2012-05-15T13:18:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy to say that I had an amazing Mother's Day weekend. My hubby and kids got me a gift card to our local fabric store which was just a perfect gift because I've really gotten into sewing lately. It was thoughtful and perfect. I was floored at how Danika wrote out Mom on my Mother's Day card! At just 4 years old she was able to write "Mom" and her name on the card with NO help from her Dad! I absolutely couldn't believe it and I want to know how she grew up so fast!

Over the weekend my hubby, Carson and I spent a wonderful and relaxing time at Ruttgers Resort on Bay Lake, MN. It was absolutely amazing and I promise to share more details about our trip with you soon! I highly recommend visiting them if you are ever in Minnesota!

How was your Mother's Day?! What did you do over the weekend? Did you get any fun gifts from your kids?

I made beach/shower towel wraps for our Mothers and gave them these wonderful smelling lemon plants. When you rustle the leaves they give off a lemon smell. They are an amazing natural air freshener! Our moms were thrilled :) I'll be sharing my 20 minute shower wrap tutorial with you soon! I wasn't able to get pics of the ones that I made as I was quickly doing 5 of them for gifts! I'll be making another soon so I can give you a detailed step by step tutorial. They are so quick and easy! A must have for the beach this Summer!

Our 7th wedding anniversary is coming up this Fall and with all the wedding talk in the air I can't help but think of it! I'd love to have a little kid free getaway for our anniversary! We never got a honeymoon as we were both starting new jobs and didn't have vacation time. It would be amazing to surprise my hubby with a little weekend getaway for just the two of us! By that time Carson will be done nursing and I could leave him easier than I can now.

Have you had a special getaway for your anniversary? Where did you go or how did you celebrate? Did you do the traditional flowers like Anniversary gifts from interflora or find your hubby searching "Interflora gift for wife" on the Internet? I find that after almost 7 years together my hubby knows my favorite flower is the Gerbera daisy and he is smart to always include them in the bouquets he gets me! That lets me know that he is thoughtful and cares. I value bouquets of flowers much more now than I did in my younger years! Maybe I'll have to surprise him with a weekend getaway this Fall...Suggestions?

Best Dog Treats For Training Your Dog! Cesar Cookie Crunchies Review!

2012-05-14T12:05:00.004-05:00

Ever since moving out to the country on 10 acres of beautiful land, we have been trying to train our dog Max to go potty out in the field rather than in the yard. My father in law's dog (who has since passed away) was trained to go potty in the woods and it is so nice not having to watch where you step!

Training Max hasn't been easy as we have to go outside with him every time he is let out of the house to go potty and walk him out to the field. We are making progress though and I am now to the point of being able to walk half way to the field and tell him to go potty in the field and he will run the rest of the way and do it.

Of course we need treats to reward him for his good behavior so I was on the hunt for some treats for dogs that would be good for training. I knew I wanted something small as training treats are typically small in size as a little reward. I found Cesar Cookie Crunchies and they are perfect!

They are small treats and tasty too. Well, I guess I didn't taste them but judging from Max's positive response to them I would say they are tasty :)

They come in rotisserie chicken and filet mignon flavors and Max loved them both! They have been great dog biscuits for training and they've been more well received than other dry dog treats we've tried in the past.

Max was sick this past week and it was so sad not having him in the house! It was so weird to not see him walking around and playing with the kids. We love Max so much and he has been such a wonderful family dog. I'm happy to report that he is feeling all better now!

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Cesar and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Freshen Up Your Home For Spring On A Budget!

2012-05-14T11:38:00.001-05:00

With Spring comes the urge to freshen up my home for the season. Once our Winter weather breaks and the sun shines through all I want to do is brighten up my home and take advantage of the inspiration the sunshine brings. Here are a few ways you can freshen up your home without breaking the bank.

Upcycle! Mason jars are a huge trend this season. Use a few mason jars as vases and fill with wildflowers. They look beautiful and organic. You can use them just as they are, paint them or fill with glass beads or colored water. Put them on top of a mirror and you have a beautiful, inexpensive centerpiece.

Get organized! You can also use mason jars to get organized. Use metal fasteners to attach them to wooden boards and have your very own DIY organization center. It's cheap and looks pretty! This would be great for a craft room, garage, kids art corner, the possibilities are endless

I'm all about gardening this year and I love the idea of doing an herb garden in mason jars. You could mount these right in your kitchen and have fresh herbs at your fingertips all year long! Alternatively you could plant just about anything in them. Flowers would look beautiful too!

When you are freshening up your home don't forget to freshen up the bathroom! Our favorite toilet paper brand is Cottonelle and I'm not embarrassed to tell you that we love their moist wipes too. I'm seeing them appearing in more in more bathrooms when we visit friends and family. If you haven't tried them yet then you should! When used together with toilet paper they leave you feeling fresh and clean!

Since the routine of using toilet paper along with fresh care flushable wipes doesn't have a name it can be difficult to talk about. Cottonelle is putting on a Try It & Name It contest on their Facebook page. You can join the conversation to Name It on Facebook.com/Cottonelle. The Name Generator on Cottonelle Brand’s Facebook Page will allow you to get a name in three fun ways:

The Randomizer: Simply click to get a name instantly
The Personalizer: Answer a few questions for a personalized name
The Customizer: Create a name to add to our Book of Names and enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Cottonelle products.

To qualify for the year’s supply of Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care and Cottonelle Fresh Care, entrants must create a name through The Customizer on Cottonelle Brand’s Facebook Page between June 12, 2012, and February 28, 2013. Winners will be selected in a random drawing on a weekly basis. There is a limit of one prize per person. See full terms and conditions on Cottonelle Brand’s Facebook Page or Cottonelle.com.

People can also participate by following @Cottonelle on Twitter for exclusive opportunities to win #NameIt prizes and check out the Book of Names on Cottonelle.com to see what others have named their routine and get fun bathroom trivia.

Do you freshen up in the bathroom? Is it something you would ever talk about with your friends or family? Give the fresh care routine a try!!

*I was compensated for this post. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.

MyTunes Pro Review + Giveaway + $25 iTunes card Giveaway!!

2012-05-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wanted to take control of how your music library on your iPad or iPhone sounds? With this awesome new app called MyTunes Pro HD you can! It's a really neat app that allows you to change the sound of your tunes.

MyTunes Pro HD and MyTunes Pro are designed to redefine the expectations and capabilities associated with playing lossless and compressed digital music on the i-devices. The apps seamlessly pull music, podcast and audio book files from the iTunes® music library stored on the device, but what these apps do with those files is what makes them remarkably different from any other music player on the App Store today. In addition to being powerful, full function music player apps, MyTunes Pro HD and MyTunes Pro feature a robust mix of advanced SRS audio processing technologies, as well as offer a generous selection of innovative features, such as workout and party mixers, which allow users to fully customize their listening experience to match their mood or activities.

Ready for a workout and want to amp up your song list? Just use MyTunes Pro to change the sound of your tunes to fit your needs!

Features of MyTunes Pro and MyTunes Pro HD include:

·        SRS WOW HD™ Processing: Restores the natural tonality and spatial characteristics of recorded audio, making music sound as if the listener is in the same room as the artist
·        Fully adjustable 10-band EQ with presets or a simple 3-knob tone control: Offers users complete personalization of audio playback
·        SRS bass sculpting technology: Provides deeper, booming bass from headphones and speakers
·        Listening device presets: Provides custom tailored enhancement tunings to deliver optimal clarity and detail based on user selected headphones or speaker type
·        Volume normalization: Utilizes SRS’ award-winning TruVolume technology to maintain a consistent listening volume regardless of the music played
·        Party Mode: Simply select a playlist and the app will reorganize them to fit your party style
·        Workout Mode: The app automatically adjust your music to fit the intensity of your workout
·        Speed Control: Let’s users speed up or slow down the speed of their podcasts and audio books with no detrimental effect on the pitch and tone of the voice
·        Airplay® Support: Provides the ability to send MyTunes enhanced music files to any Airplay enabled device, maintaining MyTunes improved sound quality
·        Advanced drilldown search: Provides a simple way to navigate through substantial music collections allowing users to find songs with ease
·        Special driving mode: Optimizes the GUI for ease of use and minimal distraction (MyTunes Pro only)
·        DJ-style transitions: Offers the full experience of having a live DJ mix the user’s playlist

MyTunes Pro HD for iPad and MyTunes Pro for iPod and iPhone, can both be downloaded for FREE from the iTunes® App Store. Users will enjoy the fully functioning music player to listen to their music library and will also be able sample the advanced features for a limited time each day until they decide to fully unlock the app’s advanced features via a one–time in-app purchase. iPhone / iPod version - $6.99; iPad version - $9.99

To commemorate the launch of MyTunes Pro, and MyTunes Pro HD, SRS is hosting a sweepstakes giving people who have downloaded either version of the app a chance to win one of three brand new Apple iPads featuring the fully unlocked version of MyTunes Pro HD. To learn more, please visit http://srslabs.com/mytunespro.

Want to win MyTunes Pro and a $25 iTunes Gift Card??! Enter my Rafflecopter giveaway below to win! (If you can't see the Rafflecopter entry form then click on the title of this post to be taken to the dedicated page where it will appear.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-13T09:31:00.002-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms out there! These little blessings make all those difficult moments of motherhood worth it! From my family to yours I wish you a happy and blessed Mother's Day! I value each and every Mother out there and all that you do to raise up the next generation! Enjoy your day and take a day off!

Sunday Sweeps! 5/13/12 Edition!

2012-05-12T20:09:00.002-05:00

HOT Deal on Gallery Direct Birchwood Photo Art! Get 80% Off!

2012-05-12T19:30:00.000-05:00

I'm lucky enough to be an ambassador for Gallery Direct. The reason that I am is because I absolutely LOVE their art work and I stand behind it 100%. I won't vouch for something that I don't love and I can honestly tell you that every piece of art I've ever ordered from Gallery Direct has been nothing short of amazing. Now I haven't had the opportunity to order a piece done on their birchwood canvas yet but I've seen pictures of it done and it looks incredible. Now is the time to give it a try! You can head over to Saveology and get a whopping 80% off! Hurry because this deal won't last long! Get it for just $49.99! What a great Mother's Day gift ;) Let Mom pick the photo she loves and you can present her with the certificate to order it!

Win an Invitation to ET's Exclusive Emmy Gala Party!

2012-05-10T23:40:00.000-05:00

Who wouldn't be a little star struck at the opportunity to attend the Emmy Gala Party and mingle with red carpet stars. I certainly would be! Would you like the chance to win your very own invite for you and a friend to attend the Emmy Gala Party hosted by ET?! How fun would it be to hang with the stars? And, if you win and don't have a friend to bring along with you then you can always bring me with you! :)

The sweepstakes is running now and continues until 4:59 PM PDT on Thursday, May 24th, 2012. In addition to the grand prize which is an amazing trip for you and a friend to the ET Gala Party (round trip air transportation included!), there are also weekly and daily prizes! Here's the scoop:

Prizes.

ONE (1) GRAND PRIZE: a trip to Los Angeles, California for the ET’s Exclusive Emmy® Gala Party on Sunday, September 23, 2012. Prize consists solely of round-trip, economy class air transportation for winner and one (1) guest from a major airport near the winner’s residence in one (1) of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia to an airport in Los Angeles or Burbank, CA, round trip ground transportation between the airport and your hotel, two (2) nights accommodations in a 3 star or better quality hotel, round trip transportation between the hotel and the party and two (2) tickets to the ET’s Exclusive Emmy® Gala Party. The winner and winner’s guest will be able to walk the red carpet at the party and have two (2) seats in the VIP section during the party’s music performance. Total retail value of the prize will vary depending on the airfare and accommodations but is anticipated to be approximately two thousand two hundred United States Dollars ($2200.00). All federal, state or other tax liability arising from this Sweepstakes will be the responsibility of Sweepstakes prize winners and not Sweepstakes Sponsor or EYELEVEL INTERACTIVE® North America, LLC.

WEEKLY PRIZE: A total of eight (8) Weekly Prizes will be awarded. A 10 to15 minute private, off-air call with one of Entertainment Tonight’s show talent: Mark Steines or Nancy O’Dell. Whether Nancy or Mark will be assigned to a call is at CBS Television Distribution’s discretion. CBS Television Distribution will monitor the call. CBS Television Distribution reserves the right to discontinue the phone call if inappropriate language or subject matter is broached. Inappropriate phone conversations will be determined at the sole discretion of CBS Television Distribution. The weekly winners will be chosen each Thursday and calls will be scheduled once winners are selected and verified. There is no retail value associated with this prize.

DAILY PRIZE: A total of twenty (20) Daily Prizes will be awarded. Each daily prize winner will get at least his or her first name and last initial on Entertainment Tonight in an on-air graphic within the ticker, bumper or end credit. There is no retail value associated with this prize.

So what are you waiting for? Head over and enter to win this amazing trip!!

Do It Yourself Vertical Garden!

2012-05-07T18:14:00.003-05:00

I am SO excited to be planting a garden this year. It's exciting to finally have a yard big enough for a huge garden! If you don't have a yard that is big enough for a garden then check out this really neat DIY vertical garden idea! It's SO cool!

Source: Bridgman

Leave me a comment if you've ever done this before or plan to do it. I'd love to do this with an herb garden! Anyone have experience with this?

Make The Switch With Jennie-O! #JennieOCFK #CBias

2012-05-07T14:08:00.000-05:00

As a family we decided to participate in the Make the switch campaign with Jennie-O and Champions For Kids. As part of this challenge we were asked to give up something unhealthy and use the money we saved to donate to kids in need. We decided to give up white bread and bakery goodies and donate healthy foods to kids in need through our local food shelf. My family was excited to take on the challenge and I love using these opportunities to teach my kids important life lessons like giving and healthy eating.

We decided to go to the store after we dropped Danika off at preschool. The kids were excited to get going!

One thing that my family has already started doing is to swap ground beef for leaner ground turkey. We love eating turkey and it's a healthier option without sacrificing your favorite meals! Walmart had an awesome selection of Jennie-O products to choose from. You can easily swap out chicken tenderloins for turkey tenderloins. They even have turkey burgers!

My kids gladly accept turkey franks in place of regular hot dogs too! We got a huge package for our upcoming BBQ and to donate to the food shelf.

We found these yummy fruit crisps and decided to try those in place of bakery treats. Aiden spotted these near the raisins!

I was so glad that he liked them so much! They are a great healthy treat to replace unhealthy bakery treats!

Danika approves too :) She loved them! I got the pineapple kind for myself and loved them!

We have inspired so many of our friends and family members to make the switch from ground beef to ground turkey. It's leaner and healthier for you. I usually add a little more seasoning to my ground turkey to give it good flavor. It's an easy switch to make to eat healthier and still enjoy your favorite meals!

As we shopped for our donation to the food shelf I was keeping healthy eating in mind. I feel like people often donate quick, easy food and those in need end up eating less healthy food. It's easy to eat healthier and doesn't have to be expensive. Stay tuned for more details on our food donation and my healthy eating ideas! You can check out my entire shop experience by looking at my Google+ story!

If you are inspired to help kids in need then check out the Champions for Kids website, Jennie-O website, or follow @Champions4kidsTwitter, Champions for Kids Facebook, or look at the Jennie-O CFK Project Card!

*I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #JennieOCFK #CBias #SocialFabric.

Chuggington Twitter Party TODAY! Join me and win great prizes!! + Get Chuggintong on Gilt Now!

2012-05-07T12:08:00.001-05:00

I hope you will join me today at the Chuggington Twitter party from 2-3 PM EST (1-2PM CST). Join in on the fun and tweet using the party hashtags #Chuggington, #giltkids and/or #gilt! You can find me on Twitter @mnmamamusthave. See you in an hour!!!

Chuggington will be a featured sale on Gilt.com beginning Sunday, May 6 at 9 p.m. and running through Friday, May 11 at 9p.m. EST! Chuggington toys, DVDs, puzzles, games, bedding and more will be on sale on Gilt Babies & Kids, and the brand new Chuggington DVD, ‘Wilson and the Ice Cream Fair,’ will be available for purchase through the site before it hits retail shelves on May 15. In addition, fans who purchase Chuggington TOMY products will receive a free gift – a Chuggington traffic safety vest for their child, part of Ludorum and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) ‘Think Safe, Ride Safe, Be Safe!’ campaign. If you are not familiar with Gilt, it’s an innovative online shopping destination offering its members special access to high end merchandise at insider prices.

Sunday Sweeps! 5/6/12 Edition!

2012-05-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

Peppa Pig on Nick Jr.!

2012-05-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

Have you checked out Peppa Pig yet? My kids just love her and I have to say that I enjoy the simplicity of the show and the values of family, fun and humor that the show celebrates. I think my kids really relate to Peppa and her brother George. Since Danika and Aiden are siblings they enjoy watching Peppa and George interact with one another as well as with Mommy Pig and Daddy Pig. Peppa is 4 years old just like Danika and her brother George is 18 months old (Aiden is 2). This makes them so relatable! What can I say, I love her little British accent too :)

If you haven't had a chance to check out the adorable and hilarious Peppa Pig on Nick Jr you need to! I love that this is a great show for the kids that the adults won't mind watching along with them. If you don't crack a smile then something is wrong :)

The core family values told in a humorous way make them interesting to the kids. So check out Peppa Pig on Nick Jr as they play games, go to school, take family trips and, best of all, jump in muddy puddles! Your kids will love it! :) You can catch Peppa Pig on Nick Jr. Monday-Friday at 12:00 PM and 12:20 PM or Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM. You can also connect with Peppa Pig on Facebook!

*I was provided product for review purposes only and was not compensated for this review.

Aloha Friday! When is the last time you cleaned your car?

2012-05-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I feel like our cars get neglected. Especially with 3 kids riding around in them and making a mess. So when is the last time you cleaned your car?

My Answer: My husband just cleaned it for me last week! It needed it badly and it's so nice to get into a clean vehicle!!

Your turn!