Such a great weekend~

Happy (Belated) Mother's Day to all of you! I hope all you mommas had a wonderful day with your families!
Nathaniel surprised me with a carnation flower (he purchased himself) from school on Friday. He is such a thoughtful and generous kid! He was so excited to give it to me, too. He made sure I didn't pick him up from school that day, so I wouldn't see his surprise.
Friday evening, I got together with my dear friends from High School! It was great to get together and just talk! We went out to eat at our favorite Chinese Restaurant! It was tasty! We had 4 hours (almost) of uninterrupted chat time! It was just great! Of coarse, we could have been there all night. I miss our night time visits to Perkins...where we would be there for hours on end...just talking!
Then, Naomi and I went to Ladies Night Out where we played the famous LNO game "Quelf." This game is so fun! You can read so many posts about the game over at my friend Lisa's blog! We had endless laughter, as always! What a great and therapeutic night! It was great to get together with "the gals" again! I also made the announcement (with wearing a sticky note on my shirt) that I am prego! Yep, we are due for another baby in December! I hope the baby makes it for a tax break! :) LOL~
Saturday, I went to our Ladies Brunch at church. It was a great time! We had the author of Love Letters to your Child there to talk about her book and inspiration! Tracey Finck is an amazing, and talented woman! I was really touched and moved by what she started! I would love to do this for my children. The idea is to write down things your kids say, or achievements they do, or anything that pertains to your child that lifts them up. I love this idea of a "brag book." What an encouragement to our kids! I think this is such an important and POSITIVE thing to do for our kids. I really had a hard time with Nathaniel this morning, and he made the comment that I hate him. This is devastating to hear as a parent, because it makes me feel like I am failing him. I know if I had a special book just about him, I could pull it out, and show him all the ways I am proud of him, and he would have written proof of my love and adoration of him. It is one thing to tell your child about your love, but another to have it in writing! That is something that Tracey said, and I agree!
After the brunch, I rushed home to get ready for a day trip. We went to a train show about 2 1/2 hours away. It was such a rainy day out, so we decided to head out. It wasn't a big train show, so that was sad, but it was fun to just have a travel day. Nathaniel picked out a train accessory for Terry, and bought it with his money. He loves to give gifts. We went out for supper at Old Country Buffet. It was fun to go out, and I like that restaurant. I ran into a girl that I graduated from High School with. It was fun to see her again. I haven't seen her since High School. She is married now, with 3 kids. It was fun to catch up again.
When we got home that night, we got the kids to bed and I went to get a movie. We watched Rendition with Reese Whitherspoon. It was a disturbing movie, and kind of hard to watch. It was about a man that was accused (wrongly) of being apart of a terrorist attack. I know this stuff happens, but it was still hard to watch him be tormented. I think if I knew now (before watching it) I don't think I would have watched it. I had a terrible dream Saturday night because of what I saw. It wasn't the worst movie I have seen, but not a good feeling movie.
Sunday morning, I was told to stay in bed longer. Nathaniel and Terry brought me breakfast in bed. It was very thoughtful. Nathaniel had made me a special card in school, and he gave that to me as well. It was my first breakfast in bed. I did end up bringing it down stairs, so I could eat with Terry and Madelyn. Then, we went to church, and the service was great. 2 girls did a special music with their flute and violin, and that was sweet. After church, we went home for a quick change of clothes, let Lena out, and get diapers changed. Then, we went to Oseola, WI to ride the train. It was so much fun! The kids were so excited. Caleb and Nathaniel had no idea where we were going, so it was fun to surprise them. Terry was asked my the engineer if he and the boys would like to ride in the engine on the way back. Of coarse, he couldn't turn that question down! They had so much fun. The views from the train was amazing. We saw natural springs and waterfalls. Maddie did so well, too! Can you believe we forgot our digital camera!! So, we had to spend $1o.00 on a disposable. Terry really didn't want to spend that on a disposable (neither did I), but it was the very first time the kids were going to ride a train! So, we had to have the pictures. I really hope they turn out for us! After the ride, we went to the DQ and then, we went down on a hike in the valley where there was a big waterfalls. It was so beautiful! I really hope to go back again this summer. Even though there were uber amount of stairs, it was worth it. Then, we headed for home. I gave Nathaniel a much needed hair cut last night, and we all got to bed relatively early. It was a great Mother's Day. I love spending time with Terry and the kids. I know my house was hurting from not being cleaned this weekend, but it was so worth it!

Swaddle Designs: A Review

I was so excited when I got my products from Swaddle Designs! Their products are made with such great quality! I got a swaddling blanket, 2 burpies and a Baby Lovie soft security blanket. Madelyn loves the soft Baby Lovie! She snuggles it! It is the perfect size to keep in the diaper bag for journeys away from home. She loves holding it when we are in the car. There are three different Lovies from Swaddle Designs: Polka Dot, White Fuzzy and Fuzzy. The colors of the Fuzzys are Pink, Blue and Green. Maddie has a pink one.

I love the thickness of the burpies! Madelyn doesn't use burp cloths anymore (being 14 months),
but I have a new baby on the way, so this will be so great to use them! I know my babies spit up a lot, and they need thickness! Swaddle Designs offers eight different designs for the burpies: Polka Dots, Mod on White, Solid Pastels, Fresh Pastels, Baby Cheetah, Dots Collection, Little Hearts, and Little Stars.
I am really excited to use the Ultimate Receiving blanket! What I love about the Swaddle Designs Swaddling blanket, is that the directions are sewed right on the blanket. This is Swaddle Designs' exclusive 123 Swaddle Tip Tag! So, it really makes it easy to know how to swaddle your baby! Babies love being snuggly, and swaddled! They had that comfort in the womb, and I think the swaddle blanket from Swaddle Designs is great for swaddling! Swaddle Designs offers six different blankets: Polka Dots, Dots Collection, Mod on White, Organics, Fresh Pastels and Solid Pastels. The Burpies, Receiving blankets, and Lovies all match. So, it is great that you can have your essentials coordinate with each other! Or, you can mix and match.
Lynette Damir is the founder of Swaddle Designs. She is a RN and mother of two young children. She created Swaddle Designs from the inspiration of Motherhood and from the benefits and reasons for swaddling babies.
Click here to purchase your own set of Swaddle Designs, or to get a great Baby shower gift!

Funny Kids~

On the way to babysitting this morning, I was gushing over Caleb telling him how much I love and adore him. He told me that he was my big sweetheart. I used to say to him, "Caleb are you my sweetheart?" Then, he would say, "Yes." Then, I used to say, "No, you are my big sweetheart!" Now, he just tells me that he is my big sweetheart. So, anyway...as we were driving, and talking about me loving him, and him being my big sweetheart...I said that God gave him to me. He was smiling and saying yes, God gave him to me. Then, I said, "God made you!" In the past he would always say, "Yes, God made me special." (Which he learned from VeggieTales). So, that is the response I was waiting to hear. BUT~ he said, "Yes, God made people. And, we don't shoot people, just stuff." I thought that was funny...because I always tell him this when he is playing with his Nerf guns with brother.


Tonight, Maddie was in her high chair eating. Lately, she has been really loving her food. Every bite she nods her head and says, "MmMMmm...num!" She was getting upset at this one moment, because I asked her (with signing) if she wanted her milk...with reference to her sippy cup. She got mad, and wanted to nurse. She was crying and saying, "Nur, Nur." So, Nathaniel started to entertain her and made her laugh. Then, she started to hold food up to his mouth. He wasn't coming closer, so she held it closer to him and said, "AHhhh...AHhhh..." Then, he took the bait, and she thought that was so funny, so she tried it again with more food. He wouldn't take anymore, so she threw it on the floor...then, she was all done!

Brighter Minds: A Review and Giveaway!

This Contest is now closed! Thanks for everyone who entered! The very lucky winner is: babakers5 !! CoGrAtUlAtIoNs!!~~

I loved Home Schooling Nathaniel for three years! This year was the first year that he attended public school. For him, it was a good move. I do plan on Home Educating Caleb and Madelyn. I am so happy I found the Company: Brighter Minds! This will help make home school more fun with some of their products!
Brighter Minds is an educational publisher dedicated to improving learning for children aged 3 to 12. They have been publishing award winning software and print materials since 1998. They are based in Columbus, Ohio and Toronto, Canada and count leading educators, artists and animators among their staff.
Their products have been translated into over 15 different languages and published in 25+ countries. They continue to look forward to publishing fun, award winning, educational materials for children and they seek your input in doing so.
I am really looking forward to using the 30 minute a Day learning books with Caleb and Madelyn. I like the idea behind the books. I also love the Brighter Minds board books! They are colorful and educational. I think the Moo, Moo Who are you? is our favorite!
Here are some of the great products that Brighter Minds offers:
30 Minute a Day Learning System: Preschool $15.95
Take the guess work out of helping your child prepare for Preschool! Children will enjoy the five animal characters illustrating each lesson in the 50 days of activities. Your child will build new knowledge and strengthen existing skills with 396 pages of subject material that gradually becomes more challenging.
Includes:
50 days of activities designed for pre-school aged children
30 minutes of activities each day
Vibrant full color illustrations
Fun animal friends, including Quincy the Duck and Paige the Pig
Assessment pages help you determine where your child may need extra help
Tips included on how to use everyday items and locations to reinforce the day's material
Certificate of completion to recognize your child's hard work!

30 Minute a Day Learning System: Kindergarten $15.95
Skills Taught:
Writing letters and numbers
Coin identification
Rhyming words and poetry
Number sequencing and counting by twos
Identifying time

30 Minute a Day Learning System: Grade 1 $15.95
Skills Taught:
Single digit addition and subtraction
Math word problems with addition and subtraction
Letter sounds and sequencing
Sentence structure (nouns, verbs, adjectives)
Reading for comprehension

Feeling Happy $6.95
The PBS KIDS characters have many different feelings - can you name them all?
Rhyming text and colorful illustrations describe six different feelings in this book about emotions. Six faces on the spinning wheel correspond to the six feelings - children will enjoy matching the PBS KIDS characters' feelings with the faces on the spinning wheel and learning that all feelings are okay to have. An end-of-book guide will help parents or caregivers with ways to encourage children to express their emotions.

The Great Cake $6.95
Join happy dogs Yao and Rico as they try to make the perfect birthday cake for their friend Oppenheimer. It's Oppenheimer's birthday and his friends want to surprise him with a special birthday cake. Can you help them count the ingredients? Each page features a new ingredient and a cut out number for finger tracing and counting. For parents and caregivers, there's an end-of-book guide on how to bring numbers and counting into daily activities.

Moo, Moo Who Are You? $7.95Spike the elephant and Jango the giraffe have never been to a farm. They make plenty of friends during their visit, while learning about the sounds that farm animals make. Moo Moo, Who Are You? features colorful illustrations and fold out flaps with real photographs. Rhymes on each page help children learn about farm animals and a special end-of-book guide gives parents or caregivers ideas of how to make more animal connections.
Features:
fold-out pages
guide for the parent or caregiver to follow

Thomas and Friends: Special Delivery $19.95
James is asked to make an important delivery to the zoo, but he gets lost along the way. Sir Topham Hatt sends a search party to look for him. Can you help Thomas and Harold find James and get him and the animals to the zoo on time?

WOULD YOU LIKE A CHANCE TO WIN A GREAT EDUCATIONAL PACKAGE FROM BRIGHTER MINDS?
Bighter minds is generously offering a Sassyfrazz reader this gift package valued at $57.75:
30 Minute a Day: Preschool, Feeling Happy, The Great Cake, Moo, Moo Who Are You?, and Thomas and Friends: Special Delivery!
This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers from ANYWHERE~ yep, that's right, International, Canada, and USA!! Go check out Brighter Minds site, and take a look around. Come back here and comment on another product that they offer.
You can have extra chances to win, you can blog about this contest and link to me, just comment again with your link to the post. You can also grab my button from the top right side bar, and link to my give away for another chance. If you visit everyday of the contest, go ahead and comment again. :) This contest is open until May 20th, at 7:00 PM CST.

Sunshine! Pictues!

Here are the pictures from our walk on Monday. Madelyn feel asleep first, leaning on Caleb. Then, through the walk, Caleb leaned his head over on his little sister's head, and fell asleep himself. It was the sweetest thing.
I am happy that my kiddos are little enough to sit together in the front of the stroller. While babysitting, I really should have a triple stroller, but at $300, that is stretching my wallet too far. So, this is the way we roll with Claudia in the back, for now. I may have to check a bit more into those triple strollers for next year.
Caleb was completely exhausted! I took Madelyn out (when she woke up), and Caleb just leaned forward and was non-coherent.

Mother's Day Giveaway

Join in the fun with a Mother's Day Giveaway Event at Hip Mama's Place!

There are fabulous, sure-to-pamper-mom treats for 10 lucky moms- bloggers and non-bloggers! To participate in this contest, just comment on this post with your three choices of prizes from the two Special Treats baskets. Then add your name to Mr Linky's list. Please include your email address in your comment if you don't have a blog so she has a way to contact you in case you win. This contest is open to all moms in the US and Canada. Come join the fun! I really hope to win, because I have an extra special reason to celebrate Mother's Day this year!

That Baby DVD and CD~Review and great contest!

I really think it is great that more and more DVD's are made with kids doing the entertaining! That Baby DVD is made especially for kids, and parents like it, too. There are some classic songs on there made popular by artists like Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, 10,000 Maniacs, The Pretenders, and more with colorful visuals for kids age 0-5. There is a That Baby CD that goes great with this DVD that you can take with you in the car. Here are the titles to the songs.

1. Happiness Runs/Circle Game

2. Sunday Sun

3. When We Grow Up
4. Pony Boy

5. Brass In Pocket
6. Get Together
7. Garden Song
8. Anything is Possible
9. Songbird

10. These are the Days

11. Three Little Birds, 12. I Will, 13. St. Judy's Comet

I really like the flow of the main singer's voice. It is so relaxing and soothing. My kids loved watching the kids on the movie, and danced with them. The kids are very interactive on the DVD.
Would you like to purchase That Baby DVD? Click here!

Enter the coupon code "MotherTalk" when purchasing and save 20% on your entire order! From now until May 18th, all orders using the coupon code "MotherTalk" will be entered in a drawing to win a new iPod nano.

This review is made possible from Mother Talk.

Keurig: A review of a great coffee machine!

I LOVE coffee! I drink coffee everyday, and I know it is relaxing to have my cup of Joe in the morning. We drink quite a bit of coffee at our home. Terry has cut back some, but he does like to come home and have a good, hot, and flavorful cup of coffee when he gets home from work. That is why I just really love our Keurig Special Edition B60 coffee machine! I like that there is 3 different brew sizes: 5.25, 7.25, and 9.25 ounces. The smallest cup makes the strongest cup of coffee. I like that there is a removable drip tray, so I can make a thermos mug for on the go coffee. Terry really likes this option since he leaves for work early in the morning and has a 45 minute commute. There is also a programmable blue backlit LCD light and message center, so we can chose special settings on the temperature of the coffee, or to have the machine turn off. I really like the conveinence of this amazing machine! When we have company over, I can make each of them exactly what they want. If they want hot cocoa, tea, coffee (regular, decaf, or flavored)...they can have it, and pick how strong they would like it made. All I have to do is make sure the removable 48 ounce water reservoir is filled, insert the K-Cup, and push the button that I would like. When everything is in place, the buttons blink. I like that the machine won't run unless the lever is pulled up and put back down. This makes it a bit more safe with kids around. I also like this feature if I just want some really hot water. You can chose from over 190 K-Cups for your machine: coffee, tea, and cocoa. The chrome accents on the machine makes it look so classy, and stylish, too. Keurig also offers brewers for home or at work. If you have any questions about the Keurig machines you can click here.

Sunshine!

Today was a gorgeous day! I love Spring! The birds were singing, and the smells outside were glorious! I babysat today, and I took the kiddos out for a 3 mile walk. It was great to be outside again! I took them for a walk last week (the one nice day out) and I was looking forward to that today. Instead of carrying Madelyn in my wrap, like last week, I put her in the front of the stroller with Caleb. So, I had 2 kiddos in the front seat, and Claudia in the second seat. I really need a triple stroller! It would make life so much easier! They are super expensive, though. It was so sweet during the walk, because Madelyn was so incredibly tired. She leaned over and rested her tiny head on her brother. Caleb put his head down on her and kissed her. He was snuggling her, too. I really wish I had a camcorder to record that. It was beyond precious. Then, Maddie fell asleep. We kept on walking, and Caleb was getting sleepy. He put his head down on the arm rest, and I let him know he could put his head back. I told him he didn't need to go to sleep, and that it is just more comfortable. Then, he was out. During this time frame, Claudia kept trying to turn around and get up. I don't have straps in my stroller, so, I took my coat and tied her in. At first she did not like that, but she got over it. Then, she was starting to fuss and cry, so I kind of rocked the stroller back and forth while walking. This got her giggling, and then she drifted off....just before home. So, she was up. Then, Maddie was up (short nap), and Caleb stayed sleeping as I lugged him inside and on to the bed.

I was happy to get outside and enjoy the sunshine today! After work, I picked up Nathaniel and his friend. Then, we went home to have supper. I had a loss at Weight Watchers tonight, so I was happy about that.

Now I am tired, so I should go to bed. Good night~ More reviews and contests this week~stay tuned!

Huggies Cleanteam: A Review

With my kids outside longer now, with the summery days finally here, I am just loving the Huggies Cleanteam hand soap! What I really like about this hand pump is, the Hippo Head! Henry the Hippo lights up when you push his head down. The soap comes out, and kids start scrubbing. My kids really like the foam soap. The kids need to wash with the soap, until the blinking light turns off! This process is 20 seconds. Many kids rush through hand washing, and don't fully clean their hands. I am all about clean hands! Especially with all the times my kids have been sick this year!

I really think that the New Huggies Cleanteam products are great!

I just used the Sammy Snake conditioning shampoo while giving the kids a bath tonight. I love the smell...kind of like blueberries, but it is Blue Mellon scent! I really like that the shampoo is tear-free! I think this bottle was easy to open while I was bathing Madelyn and Caleb. It also made putting their hair in a crazy style, while washing, easy!

With Caleb just around the corner from potty training (WE ALL HOPE), I am so thankful for Huggies Cleanteam flushable wipes! I like that I can put this container next to his chair, and Caleb can pull the wipes out easy with the pop up tub. The wipes are made easy for little hands, smell good, and they are pre-moistened! I like that they are flushable, too! It is hard enough to potty train, and toilet paper can be a challenge with a beginner. This makes life so much easier.

Cleanteam products are available at Target, Wal-Mart,and some local drug and grocery stores.

Good Times!

I had a great weekend! Friday night, as I mentioned, we went out for dinner with my dear friend, Jennifer, her hubby and their son. Then, Saturday, Jennifer and Brody came over about lunch time. The day went so fast! Poor Brody was having a tough day. He was overly tired coming to our house, and Jennifer had to hear him scream the whole time she drove to my house. I feel bad for her and him. Then, about 5-10 minutes from my house (wouldn't you know it) he fell asleep. She tried to lay him down when they got here, but that didn't work out so well. So, Brody and Maddie played for about 45 minutes and then we went to McDonald's. Brody screamed his little heart out was upset the whole way there. He was fine once he had food in front of him. I was so impressed with this older gentleman at McDonald's. He saw me walking with the tray and holding Madelyn. He was in front of me before I could place the tray on the table. He had a high chair for me ready, with the tray off! Talk about being a gentleman! I was so touched! He asked me if I wanted the tray. I said no, and he said he would put it away for me! Wasn't that nice? I wish more people like this man were out in our world. Somewhere people have lost touch with the good 'ol chivalry! After McDee's we went to the grocery store. I needed a few items, and Jennifer wanted hair color. She asked me to cut and highlight her hair, and I was happy to do this for her. I figure I need all the experience I can get.
Then, we went back to my house. I forgot to mention that Nathaniel was with us, and Brody was not impressed by him, for some reason. I know Brody was tired, but I felt bad for Nathaniel, because every time he was around Brody, he screamed and cried. So, we had the tunes of Brody's wails on the way home, too. He was fortunate to get about a 30 minute nap, while I was preparing Jennifer's hair. I just got in the first foil, and he woke up. We put him in the pack in play, with his bottle of milk. He threw up, and then, we gave him some Tylenol. Jennifer said his teeth were really bothering him. Needless to say, we did get her hair highlighted and cut between our kiddos having some issues. I think it turned out really cute. I cut it a little shorter than Jennifer and I would have liked, but all in all...I like it a lot. I hope she will continue to like it. Thanks for the great day, and the experience, Jennifer!
Today, we decided to play hookie from church and clean some things in our home. I cleaned both bathrooms (thoroughly), and Terry fixed a few items on the "honey-do list," while doing the laundry. I know I don't like to skip church, but I really felt like we needed to do this. Plus, it was a really nice day, finally, and I knew Terry wanted to get the pontoon and the dock in. He was at the train show on Saturday with Caleb and his mom. He was gone most all day on Saturday, so he didn't really get anytime at home. At noon, I left to go see Jennifer! (Day 3 with her!) We went to a play at the Ordway in St. Paul. It was a good play, and fun. I would say it was a bit risky, but there were some chuckles from Jennifer, her sister Roxanne, and I. We got free tickets from Jen's sister, Tami. Thanks Tami! It was a good time, with LOADS of laughs! I was even in tears from laughing so hard. Thanks for a great day, Jennifer!
Tonight, we ate supper, and got the kid's baths done. Then, we went out for a family pontoon ride. It was a bit chilly, but it was great to be on the lake again!

I am feeling a bit spoiled!

I was so excited when Terry said, "Can you see if you can get a sitter for tonight?" He wanted to go to a dinner and a movie. We got a sitter lined up, but she couldn't stay real late, so my friend Jennifer, her husband, and their sweet boy met us in the cities for dinner. We went to one of my favorite restaurants~ Granite City Brewery. I love that restaurant. Their food is so tasty! Jennifer and I decided to each order something different, and we split our meals with each other. That way we each had two (smaller) meals. I know what I ate wasn't in my plan with Weight Watchers, but boy, did it taste good! Her little guy, Brody, is so cute! He is almost one year old. He was a happy little trooper most of the time we were there. He LOVED the pickle he was chewing on...until it fell on the floor. Fortunately, Terry had another pickle. He was happy. I had a near-perfect steak. waffle fries (YUM) with their special sauce. Jennifer ordered the shrimp Alfredo with veggies. All of it was great!
I also get to see Jennifer and Brody tomorrow! They are going to come spend the day with me, Madelyn and Nathaniel tomorrow. Terry and Caleb are going to a train show. I think her and I are going to lounge in our jammies (I am for sure) and just enjoy being together. I think we may even try our hand at some Mario Kart...for memory sake. Or, we just may have to play some Wii!
If her sister mailed off the tickets, I will see Jennifer on Sunday, too! I know~ that is super! 3 days in a row! Trust me, we can handle it! We are possibly going to a play. I won't say what yet, until after the fact for security reasons. I hope it all works out! Either way, I am so thankful for tonight and tomorrow!