Craziest things happening lately...all about birds....

Last Friday morning, my husband was sitting in our basement working on the computer. He heard a noise and found out that there was something in our wood stove. At first, he thought maybe it was a bat or a bird. He told me about it, and I told him to leave it in there if it was a bat. He said that it sounded more like a bird, and I agreed that we couldn't leave it in there. So, he got the fishing net and carefully (and quickly) opened the door on the stove. He was pretty nervous to open it, because he didn't know what was going to come out at him. After looking in there a minute, he realized that a DUCK was in there! Crazy!!! How in the world did a duck get in our wood stove? How did it get through the small hole through the vent? We were much surprised. He put the net into the stove, got the duck in there, and pulled it out. Well, the duck flew out of the net and headed to the nearest window (which was closed). She was flapping her wings and hitting against the window. Finally, after a few tries, my husband got the duck back in the net and ran for the sliding doors (which we had open). He set the net down, and the duck waddled out and flew away. I am glad that my husband heard her in our stove and got her out. She must have been terrified! We are still just flabbergasted that a duck was in our stove!! CRAZY!!

THEN, this Tuesday, Caleb and Madelyn were outside near the front steps. We had just got home from the Chiropractor, and I ran in the house to start a pot of water to boil. I had the front door open, because the kids were right out front. I got the water on the stove and I went out to check on the kids. Madelyn was standing very still and said, "Momma, look." I looked over at her and saw this:

I can't believe that a bird was on her head! Crazy, Crazy!! Madelyn was a bit nervous, and she laughed a little, then she asked if I could take it off. I picked up a stick and tried to put the stick near the feet so that it would walk onto the stick.
However, that little bird just clung on to her hair even tighter. The little yellow bird had found a new friend. So, I asked Madelyn to wait just a second so I could grab my camera. I knew I had to take advantage of this amazing photo opportunity! I missed taking a picture of the duck in our stove, I wasn't going to miss this!
The little bird held on her hair for quite sometime. I took a few pictures, and got the little bird to get onto the stick.

After the bird was on the stick, it held on to that for awhile, too. Cole, my little guy was sitting in his high chair inside the house, and he wanted to come out, so I put the stick on the step. I asked Caleb to hold on the stick so it didn't roll away. When I came out with Cole, Caleb was holding the stick up. I wish I had a picture of that. because it was so neat! I had to take a video of the bird so I had proof that this was an actual live bird!
I don't know if the bird was a baby, or it was just a little stunned from maybe running into something. I do know that it wasn't afraid of me or the kids at all. It was just the craziest thing. It is such a cute bird.

I love this last photo. I was able to snap the photo quick before Cole grabbed it. I didn't want him to hurt the bird. This was the last few moments with the bird before it decided that it was time to move on. How amazing this was. I still wonder what ever made that little yellow bird decide to take perch on my daughter's head. :)

Vistaprint Giveaway!! ($50 value photo book)

I love taking pictures of my kids and loading them on my computer. I also love sharing them with my family and friends online. However, it is really great to have a photo book to show your family and friends when they come to visit, and you have a book to take with you or pass on. Vistaprint offers great Photo Books for keeping your photos together in a customized book. Vistaprint has 3 different styles of books to choose from, Leather, hard cover, and linen covers. Each book has 26 pages to fill up and they can be arranged in several layout and design options.

I would love to put together a photo book for each of my kids. I think it would make a great graduation or wedding gift someday. With graduation and wedding "season" coming up, I thought this would be a great opportunity to spread the word about the Vistaprint photo books. With Vistaprint, there is free 14 day shipping, too, so there is time to put your personalized book together and have it ready for graduation, or that special wedding coming up.

***WIN IT***

Vistaprint is offering to sponsor a giveaway for one of my readers to win a personalized, 12 X 12 Photo Book. The winner can choose from hard cover, leather cover or linen cover. It includes 26 pages and a variety of layout and design options and free 14-day shipping. The value of the giveaway is over $50!!

To Enter, go to Vistaprint's website and check out their great products that they offer, such as

Birthday Invitations, Custom T-shirts, and Personalized Mugs. Comment here about some of the products you found. This contest is open to those in the United States (bloggers and non-bloggers) and will end on May12th, 2010.

**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment about Vistaprint and their awesome products! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

You can get additional entries for following Vistaprint on Twitter and becoming a fan of Vistaprint on Facebook.

I am a member of Team mom and I was asked for my participation in posting this information. Vistaprint offered this giveaway for my readers, in return for my posting of this information and links. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Umi shoes for Spring & Summer!

I love Umi Shoes, and I think that they offer such quality and design for their footwear! I got an adorable pair of sandals for Cole to review, the Gecko (in chocolate/tan color) and I can't rave about them enough! I think Cole looks adorable in the Umi sandals and I love how these sandals are designed! The heel is covered, and the sides are open making for a great summer shoe.
Cole loves wearing his new sandals, and they are easy to put on! Two velcro straps make it easy to put these adorable sandals on and off. I love how the toes are covered with the Umi Gecko sandals, too!
Umi's shoes are made with high quality leather, which make the shoes last a long time. I think that Umi's shoes are very flexible and wear super! My kids love to run, and the Umi's last a long time.
Don't these cute little baby feet look great in the Gecko Umi Sandals? I think these sandals make for the perfect summer wear! With my son walking/running this summer, I am so thankful that he has Umi on his feet!
Umi shoes range in sizes for babies, toddlers and older kids. The sizes are in Euro, and the chart on their website is easy to understand to see what size your child would need.

Thanks to Umi, my little toddler will be cruising in style and comfort this summer. I highly recommend Umi for your children's feet! To learn more about Umi, check out their website!

I was sent a pair of Umi sandals to review. I was not compensated in anyway for my review. The opinions and statements in this review are of my own. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers.

Hallmark for Christmas (plus 2- $25 gift card giveaways)

Christmas is right around the corner, and I think it has really come up quickly! I have talked to several other people that are just surprised at how quickly Christmas has come this year! If you are like me....BEHIND...on the Christmas shopping, gift ideas...well, Hallmark has some great ideas to help you out!
I think Hallmark does a fantastic job with having such great products, sentimental products, gifts to give everyone on your list. I know that Hallmark products will be ones that give out this Christmas! (even if it is a little late)

I love the new Digital Scrapbooks that Hallmark came out with! The Digital Scrapbooks come in different themes, and you can choose which one you would like. You can personalize your digital scrapbook with music, photos, and text messaging all in one to be displayed on a digital photo frame (one of my wish list items), computer screen, television screen or anyplace that you can use a USB drive. You can make more than 50 personalized slides with the digital scrapbook from Hallmark! That is a lot of photos! It is simple to use, too! Just plug in the USB, access the drive, click on the icon, download and enter the codes. You can save your work as you go. This makes a great gift to give someone, or buy it and personalize a gift for someone!
Another great Hallmark product is their new DVD Greetings. This is a great way to bring the traditional holiday letter to life. You can pick photos to insert into your online letter, and animation brings it to life. Each DVD Greeting hosts a template that can be edited and customized with personal photos. You simply burn the photos onto the DVD in your Hallmark card. Everything is included in the Hallmark card: Card & DVD. It is easy to make, and fun to send!
A Hallmark product that is so fun to give is the Recordable Cards. These cards are so fun, because you can include your own personal 10- second message inside. Some of Hallmarks recordable cards have music, and some don't. There are more than 30 holiday Recordable Cards to choose from. The Recordable Cards with Music also feature a 30-second song clip which plays after the message. These are fun cards to personalize, and fun to watch the recipient to open up.

The new products were designed to help families celebrate and capture the memories and joys of the holiday season.


ENTER TO WIN:
Hallmark has offered to giveaway two $25 Hallmark Gold Crown Gift Cards. To enter to win a gift card, share your favorite holiday memories and what your definition of Christmas is to you.
Contest ends December 29th, 2009.
**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday with a link to your favorite Hallmark product. Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was provided from Hallmark. They have provided me with a free product to review and information to share with my readers. I am sponsored to offer gift cards to giveaway to my readers through this review. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Disney On Ice: Princess Classics~ AMAZING show!!

What an amazing show!! My dream to see Disney on Ice came true! It was well worth the wait! However, I highly suggest you make every effort to go see this amazing show...and bring your kids! Seriously, Disney on Ice is a spectacular show...with the dazzling lights, amazing performers, eye catching props, breathtaking moments. My family and I completely enjoyed this amazing, fun-family event! Being a Feld Family Activator, I was able to attend this show, and bring my family. I was also given special coupon codes that I shared with you earlier this month, and let you all know about my experiences. I am honored to be an FFA, and forever grateful!
We started the evening off with a meet & greet...first stop: Meeting Cinderella!

Madelyn was just tickled pink to meet Cinderella. She was such a beautiful princess! What a great way to start off our fun evening. I think Madelyn was completely in awe over the whole event. She was so impressed with Cinderella.
After getting a photo with Cinderella, we went in to a room with the other FFA members and had a great selection of treats (fit for a princess~or a prince), received big coloring books (Terry enjoyed the coloring), and got some great Princess glasses. The kids had a great time, and the food was very good.
Then, we went to our amazing seats! We were in Row 2 at the Xcel Center. I couldn't believe how close we were! I was ecstatic! I am just so thankful for this special opportunity~ especially for Christmas! It was fun to share this with my family.
Minnie and Minnie Mouse started the show off. Minnie and Mickey were so cute~ Disney's most beloved characters!
The setting for the show was spectacular. There was one main palace, but with each Princess/Prince scene it transformed to fit the character. The first ones to take the floor was Princess Jasmine and Prince Ali~ Aladdin! I was so impressed with the elephant: Abu (monkey) transformed to an elephant. There was two skaters inside this massive animal, and Aladdin came out riding on his back. Very exciting! The Genie was very animated, and even went out into the audience and sat with a little girl.
Next in the show was Princess Aurora~ Sleeping Beauty. I love how Disney on Ice gave glimpses into each character's story. I loved watching the ice skating moves. So much talent on the ice!
Heigh-Ho...next was Snow White. The Dwarfs were a lot of fun to watch. They brought out a table where they ate, and next it was transformed into the bed that Snow White was laid down on. I think such brilliance was put into the production of Disney On Ice: Princess Classics!
I love this shot of Snow White twirling. Maddie said that she wants to do that....go around 'n around on the ice.

Later on in the show, all the Princesses and their Princes came out in their beautiful dresses just before the intermission. I was starting to feel sad, thinking this was the end of the show. I did not want it to end yet. I was entirely enjoying the show! To my luck, it was just an intermission.

After intermission, Minnie and Mickey came out again. Another famous Disney character joined them: Goofy. Caleb told me that he was excited to see Goofy, and I didn't think he would be at the show~ thankfully he was. Goofy was on a mission: he carried the glass slipper, and an important message from the king.

That's right, that last part of the show was about Cinderella. Cinderella, her ugly step-sisters, and her step mother were entertaining. The step mother and her daughters had fun costumes and masks.
Cinderella had just had her dress torn off of her from her step sisters, of which the mice had worked so hard on. She had her hopes to attend the ball, but without a dress...or a dream, what is she to do.
Thanks to her fairy godmother, Cinderella will be able to attend the ball. I thought it was great how the fairy godmother came in above our heads.
Happily, Cinderella skates with her true love. However, the spell only lasts until midnight...
At the end of the show, all the Princesses were in stunning evening gowns of cream and gold colors. The Princes' matched their gowns and they both looked amazing! Mullan's gown was my favorite.
Mickey and Minnie were at the ball, too...even dressed in their evening gowns and suits.
I loved the dance/skate. It was so fun to see them all coupled up. I think that the Disney on Ice performers resembled the real Disney Princesses and Princes. I couldn't even tell you who was my favorite. I do know that even after a week, I still smile over the experience that I had.
Some of the other special guests in this show were Beauty (Belle), Mullan, and Ariel (the Little Mermaid). I loved Ariel's hair, and I am still trying to guess if it was the performer's real hair. :) OH, and the Little Mermaid performance with Sebastian and the underwater world was great! The use of black lights, neon colors, and fish-like creatures~ you have to experience it!
The ending was amazing, and I loved how all the couples were on the stairs. With this show was fire, blasts, flying carpet rides, back flips, poisonous apples, and more. It is a show to bring the entire family to. I was beyond impressed, and it is a show I will never forget!

Thank you Disney on Ice for all the hard work, dedication, creativity, hours of intense practice, and all you do to bring joy and excitement to all! Our family had a wonderful time, and we are thrilled to have spent the evening with you! We look forward to future shows...some even coming next year: Disney Live! Mickey's Magic Show & Disney on Ice: Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey.

This review was provided from Feld Entertainment and Mom Central. I am a Feld Family Activator, and they have offered an opportunity for me to attend a show to review and information to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Build-A-Bear's New Movie: Holly & Hal Moose~Our Uplifting Adventure

I was invited to attend a special private premiere viewing of the new Build-A-Bear movie: Holly & Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Adventure. We went to the Mall of America and saw the hour long movie in the theater. Holly and Hal Moose were there to greet us. I was fortunate to go with two of my other blogging friends.

Madelyn just loved Holly Moose. She was so smitten with her. She was a bit bashful with Hal.
Holly and Hal were there to greet all the kids, and they were also there in the theater to introduce the movie. This is Build-A-Bear's first movie.
ABC Family and Build-A-Bear Workshop came together to create this movie. I thought the movie was super cute, and the animation was adorable. Holly and Hal are just cute! Plus, the other characters: Santa and Mrs. Claus, the elfs, Robot Hal, the reindeer...they are cute, too. Madelyn and the other kids in the theater were very drawn into the story. Holly & Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Adventure is about Holly and her little brother Hal. Holly is suppose to watch her brother, but she would rather be at her friend's party. Hal wonders off, and Holly goes on the search to find her brother. They find each other and end up in Santa's neighborhood. The story reveals so much about loyalty, believing in yourself, and making your dreams come true. I really like how the movie portrays Holly as an obedient child, even though you know she would like to do something different. This is an adorable movie, and I recommend it. After the movie, we went to visit the Build-A-Bear Workshop. We each made a Holly and Hal Moose. Maddie picked out the animals from the bin...we waited in line,
then, she got to work the foot pedal to stuff the bears/moose. She thought that was so cool!
I think the kids had a great time watching their Holly and Hal Moose animals fill up and look more like stuffed animals.
After Holly and Hal were stuffed, we put in the hearts. The kids kissed the hearts, so their moose pets were kissed/made with love. At this point, kids can add sounds to their bears. I choose not to add sound.
After the bears from BABW are stuffed, they get sewn up. Madelyn loves her new friends! She carries Holly with her everywhere. Holly ventured to the clinic with us yesterday.
We walked over to brush out Holly and Hal under the dryers. Madelyn loved this part. I think she thought she was really fixing/brushing their hair out.
This is my blogging friend, Jeannie's grandson, Christian. He had a great time with the fun day!
Madelyn was very happy with her finished result. We had to get Holly some clothing. We picked out her puffy red coat, and winter stripped hat. I opted not to get the jeans and UGG boats (even though those are super adorable). Maybe we will have to go shopping for more clothes for Holly in the future. Build-A-Bear has a great selection of clothing and accessories for your bears. Guess what? Hal's Christmas lights on his antler's really light up, and you can change the batteries when they run out of juice! He is super cute, too!
Christian, Madelyn and Sam had a great time in the BABW! Thank you Build-A-Bear Workshop for creating such a fun and engaging atmosphere for our kids! The picture below is my friend, Lisa's little boy, Sam. He is 4 1/2 months older than Madelyn.

Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure premiered last night on ABC Family (sorry I didn't post this earlier, but my daughter was sick). However, there is a second premiere on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 10 AM ET/PT. Today, Wednesday, Nov. 25, this DVD movie is available to buy, which includes a beary special Build-A-Bear Workshop offer, an exclusive virtual gift to use at buildabearville.com and a FREE download of the movie’s signature song. SRP: $14.99 Check it out!

Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building Sets

I am a big time promoter of products for my kids that encourage them to use their imagination, build, play, and interact with. I was given the opportunity to review the Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building Sets: Police Station, and we were impressed with this set. My kids love Sesame Street and the characters, so they were thrilled to put this set together.

K'Nex has great building sets, and their products are made with great quality. I think it is great that K'Nex has these sets for the younger kids to put together, as well as sets geared toward older kids.

The Sesame Street Neighborhood Police Station set includes 44 pieces, which includes a buildable Ernie and Elmo figure. I like that the Sesame Street K'Nex set has a stop sign and traffic light. We used these items to learn about safety on the roads, and what the traffic signs/lights mean. My kids liked pretending with them. I think it would be fun to get a few more of the Sesame Street Neighborhood sets, like the Police Car building set and the 1-2-3 Brownstone Building Set. I think it would be fun to mix and match the sets and make fun creations with all the pieces. There are 4 of these building sets in all.
This K'Nex set is big enough for a few kids to play together with, and I like that there is 2 characters (Elmo and Ernie) so each of my kids can play with one.
The Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection sets are designed for ages 2-5, however I think the parts are safe enough for my 10 month old to play with them. (just my opinion). That makes this set super, too. I know that my kids can play with this around their baby brother, and he will be OK.
Our family gives the Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building sets two thumbs up! We recommend these toys to your family ~ and they would make a great Christmas gift! These building sets from K'Nex retail between $10.99-$20.99. You can find them at your local retail stores.

K’NEX is holding a Make a K’NEXion contest. You have the chance to win over $1,000 worth of K’NEX Toys and be featured on the KNEX.com web site. How? Make a video and include select K’NEX products. The possibilities are endless. Construct your own story or showcase your child’s K’NEX building skills - use your imagination!
The 10 best videos will be featured on KNEX.com and the winning video will receive $1,000 worth of K’NEX Toys. The deadline for entries is December 7th, 2009

This review was sponsored by Team Mom. They have supplied me with product to sample for review and information to share with my readers. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.