It was a great Thanksgiving. We left on Wednesday night, around 6:30, to go to Terry's Mom and Grandma's house. We had to take our truck because we had a load of things to bring up to store at Terry's brother's house. It was a tight fit with 3 kids in the back seat, Lena (our dog) on the floor~ among a few bags and backpacks, and Terry and I in front. We made it work, though. We stopped for supper at one of our favorite Mexican Restaurants. It was good food, and while we ate we had good entertainment from a magician on the TV. He was pretty amazing to watch! I always wonder how they do those tricks! Madelyn liked watching these 3 guys at the table next to us. They tried to make her smile and wave, but I think she was playing shy. Caleb noticed a table with a man and woman sitting at it. He saw that they were speaking in sign language to each other. He was fascinated with them. I told him that is another great reason why we should learn signing, so we can communicate with them, too.
We made it to Terry's family about 10 PM. It was great to get there and visit for a bit with Terry's Mom and Grandma. His Grandma just got out of extended hospital stays. Her health hasn't been that great, and she has gone through 3 surgeries in 4 months. She is healing from a terrible fall, so she looks a bit beat up. I am glad she can be home now, and do her healing in the comfort of her own home.
The kids got to bed past their bedtime, but it was the holidays. Madelyn had never really done well sleeping away from home, and Wednesday night was a rough one for her! She woke up screaming, we pulled her into bed with us, and she crawled all over me crying. After fighting with her for about 20 minutes, my MIL came to get her. She did get her to sleep sitting in the chair, and put her back in the pack-n-play. It didn't seem long after that when Madelyn woke up again. I was so tired...not being in my own bed, being preggo and uncomfortable, and dealing with a non-sleeping daughter....all combined to cause lack of sleep. Fortunately, when my MIL went to work on the turkey, Madelyn and Caleb went upstairs with her, and I went back to bed (on my MIL water bed). So, I did get a few more Zzzz's. My parents came around noon with my niece. It was great to see them, too. Terry's uncle, girlfriend, and each of their boys came for lunch, too. It was a good crowd. My MIL did a super job with the meal, too. It was nice to have a new celebration arrangement this year! For the last 4 years, I hosted a Thanksgiving meal at our house for whomever could make it~ plus a potluck. I really didn't feel up to hosting this year~ being 8 months pregnant. I did bring the turkey, and make the green bean casserole, but I feel like I should have helped more. Thank you to my MIL for being so wonderful and hosting Thanksgiving this year! It was so great to be with you and my parents this year!
We came home on Friday afternoon. We stopped by my parent's house because Nathaniel went home with them on Thursday night to spend the night. Him and my niece wanted to have more time together. We got home about 4, and I was heading out at 5:30 to meet my friends from High School (whom I haven't seen since August). It was so wonderful to go see them and reconnect. Talk time with them~ minus the distraction of children~ was wonderful! The time went way too fast, as always, but I will take it! I am really looking forward to when we get together next!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Christmas gift guide giveaway (number 3)!
From my Christmas Gift Guide we are doing another giveaway! Head over to the Christmas Gift Guide and check out the Cheekeyes wooden blocks review. There are a few different selections of animals to this great preschool product line. Check out the great different sets at the Oompa online store site, and check out the Cheekeyes wooden toys. Leave a comment about which set you would like to win! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. You may come back each day and enter (again) after you do the first rule, just leave a comment about what other great products you checked out at Oompa Toys. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on December 10th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
Christmas gift guide giveaway (number 2)!
From my Christmas Gift Guide we are doing another giveaway!
Head over to the Christmas Gift Guide and check out the Xeko Mission: China eco-friendly game review, along with the Xeko Pals review. This is a contest to win the Xeko Mission: China game and the
Giant Panda Xeko Pal!! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. Leave a comment about what you like about this game, and who you would give it to. You may come back each day and enter (again) after you do the first rule, just leave a comment about what other great thing you found out from the Xeko Site. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on December 10th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
Bobbing for bubbles?
I babysat on Wednesday, and it was a great day! The kids all played very well together. Nathaniel was home from school this week, so it was super having the extra time with him. He got to come with me on Monday and Wednesday for babysitting. Tuesday, he was able to spend the day with his friend. Anyway, on Wednesday, I was blowing bubbles for the kids. Well, with my kids...bubbles are a tasty treat. Yep, Nathaniel loves to bite the bubbles~ so to speak. He pretends (and sometimes) eats the floating bubbles. Well, with Claudia giggling uncontrollably over his moves and actions, Caleb joined in the biting for bubble action! Claudia and Madelyn thought the boys were really funny! After the biting of bubbles came the bubble blasting. Nathaniel pretended like the bubbles were attacking him. Claudia's uproar of laughter became even higher in decibels! There is absolutely nothing like the laughter of children, being created from other children making them laugh! It was so comical! I could barely blow the bubbles because I was laughing so hard. Trust me, it was great entertainment!
The whole day went very well~ except Caleb would NOT take a nap. I am not sure what was up with him that day, but a nap was not in his agenda. So, about a half an hour before we were to head home, I gave him the option to sit on the couch and read for a quiet time. Before we left, I said to him, "Without getting a nap today, you better not be crabby." His response to that was, "I'm not crabby Mom. See, my smile isn't upside down."
Kids think of things in such a creative way~ what a great perspective!
The whole day went very well~ except Caleb would NOT take a nap. I am not sure what was up with him that day, but a nap was not in his agenda. So, about a half an hour before we were to head home, I gave him the option to sit on the couch and read for a quiet time. Before we left, I said to him, "Without getting a nap today, you better not be crabby." His response to that was, "I'm not crabby Mom. See, my smile isn't upside down."
Kids think of things in such a creative way~ what a great perspective!
Christmas gift guide! Plus a great giveaway...more to follow!
With Christmas coming up, you may be searching for ideas. I have a few suggestions of some great toys for a wide range of ages that I would like to share with you.
The first one is Elmo Live! I wrote a description on this adorable, soft and fuzzy monster a few months ago (you can read about him here). This Elmo is like no other: He waves his arms, sits and stands, even crosses his legs, all the while telling stories and jokes, singing songs and playing games. Children can activate the magic with a tickle or a squeeze of Elmo’s foot, tummy, back or nose. He is approximately 1 foot tall, so he is pretty tall. I know he is a big hit with Elmo fans everywhere! He is retailing for $60 and will bring hours of fun! What a great interactive toy for our little ones! Elmo Live is a great gift to give to kids ages 18 months and up! Even adults will get a kick out of this little red guy!
Oompa Toys carries a great selection of toys for kids! One of the newest editions to their line is the "green toy" Cheekeyes wooden block sets! Cheekeyes won the prestigious Platinum Award for one of this year’s best preschool toys. Cheekeyes can only be found in the United States at online toy store OompaToys. These wooden toys are handmade in Sri Lanka, from the hands of Dutch designer Rogier van Zijp, with eco-friendly rubberwood. Painted with slight color, with a one-of-a-kind red cheek and painted eye (creating the name Cheekeyes) these sets are in different categories: Arctic, African, Forest, Farm and Dinosaurs. The sets come with 5 animals for $29.99 and you can buy trees and rocks (separately) to go with the animals. Cheekeyes are great for ages 3 and up. You will have the chance to enter to win a set (your choice) of Cheekeyes coming soon! 
Playing cards and trading cards are really big right now for the elementary age kids! My son really enjoys the earth-friendly Xeko Mission card game! This is a 2 player card game that he can learn about conservation and the environment while he plays, plus he can be strategic with his moves! Xeko Mission: China is the newest edition of Xeko.
This mission includes endangered animals like the Giant Panda, critically-endangered Snow Leopard, and the King Cobra. The Xeko Mission: China starter set comes packaged in a pagoda box decorated with animals from China’s habitats and dragon illustrations that capture the mysteries of ancient Chinese culture. The starter set retails for $24.99. Booster packs of 9 cards are available for $3.99. A new line of eco-friendly plush, the Xeko Pals, also debuted this fall. Each plush is based on the most popular characters from the Xeko eco-adventure game. The plush are made with soy and certified organic cotton “fur” and filled with soy-based stuffing. These new toys feature “mission codes” that allow kids to join the fun at xeko.com, where the Xeko adventure comes to life on the web. The most popular character from Mission: China is the Giant Panda and!
retails for $19.99. I think this is a great educational and fun game geared for kids ages 8 and older. Great game to work on math and comprehension! You will also get the chance to win this game and Panda Plush valued at $45.00 total!
One big hit for those toddlers learning to go potty is the new toy from Mattel: Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Gotta Go Doll! This is a great toy to promote developmental and learning activities! The Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Gotta Go Doll includes a complete bathroom area where girls can help their doll learn to go potty and clean up. The Gotta Go Doll goes both “number 1” (and “number 2!”) on her very own small potty, but, unlike real toddlers, there is no mess and no water – just realistic sights and sounds! The doll can flush, knows to wash her hands and loves to do all the things a big girl does when she gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night. The bathroom area features potty, sink, towel and more. Available in Caucasian, African American and a Spanish speaking Hispanic version. Approximate retail price is $39.99 each and is geared toward ages 3 and up!
Everyone is raving about Organic Products these days, and the safety of toys for children. When I was introduced to the new cuddly (and quite adorable) Jooble plush characters, I was greatly impressed! Joobles are from the company Fair Indigo, started by a Mom, Dad and daughter. These adorable animals are made of organic cotton, by artisans in Peru under fair trade conditions. When I gave Madelyn her 11" Mooey Cow Jooble she just kept hugging her and saying, "Oh...Oh..." She is just tickled by the softness. I am so happy that I can rest assured that this plush is totally safe for my daughter to play with. Mooey Cow (as well as the other 8 Joobles) are made with cotton grown without the use of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or other chemicals. The dyes are eco-friendly, too!
Retailing for just $29 each, Joobles can be found online at http://www.fairindigo.com/ or at specialty e-tailers like Oompa.com. There will be a giveaway for one of these amazing plush animals...keep reading!
Looking for a fun, and active game for your pre-teen-adult ages? Guitar Praise (by Digital Praise) is a fun and challenging CD-ROM game that includes a wireless guitar controller. This is the Christian version to the currently popular Guitar Hero. This game is for your Windows/Mac and is fun for the whole family. You can hook your computer up to your TV and enjoy this game on your big screen as well. Guitar Praise has over 50 tracks of songs with a wide variety of music. Some of the artists are: toby mac, Skillet, Petra, David Crowder, Kutless, Newsboys, Jennifer Knapp, Paul Baloche and more! There are onscreen lyrics (so you can sing along, too). You can unlock songs in sets of five as you play. You can also manipulate the guitar to score more points. Do your best to keep up, or the artists will stop the music on you. Keeping track of your high scores is fun, because you can keep the competition going strong, plus you can post your scores online to see where you are ranking. This game is a challenge, but it is a good one trying to master. You strum the guitar to the onscreen cues, press the fret buttons and you move up through 4 levels of difficulty. There are 5 buttons to make the chords. This game can be played with 2 players as long as you have 2 guitars. This game retails for $99.95. For one week only, Digital Praise is offering free shipping~ until December 7th enter FREESHIP as a discount code upon checkout.
I love playing games, and it is a great way for our family to have so much fun! We recently got Pictionary Man, the new game released from Mattel, and it is such a blast! I thought Pictionary was fun, but Pictionary Man brings in a whole new kind of fun! You get to draw on props to have people guess what you are drawing. With a dry erase marker, you can either draw on this man, rectangular prop, or a round prop. Once you draw on the 3 props, you can then act out using them. You can't talk, though! You get your clues from the bottom of the Pictionary Man's foot. There are 5 categories (people: character, celebrity, history; actions; titles: movie, music, TV; role play: occupations and pastimes; and miscellaneous) that the Pictionary man will randomly chose from. Sometimes you get a hint to give to your team mates, but not always. If your team is struggling to get those points, you can catch up in the challenge rounds. Retails for $34.99 and is for ages 14 and up. I think my son, who is 10, could play 
with...but some of the categories/ideas are a bit challenging. This is a super family game, and I highly suggest it~ especially if you love games! Another great game that I would highly suggest is the Apples to Apples game from Mattel! This game has been around a few years now, but it is still one that deserves to rank high on the top! We play this game a lot at our gatherings, especially Ladies Night Out!
This game is super for 4-10 people! Every round is different! Everyone gets a certain amount of cards dealt to them (depending on how many people are playing). It is a game of comparisons with a wide range of nouns and verbs, adjectives and superlatives. People, places, things and events get categorized with words. The card reader is the ultimate judge, and you never know what they will decide. This game is sure to produce laughter and tears! It is a game where you don't have to think to hard, and you can have a blast! Apples-to-Apples is perfect for any get together with family and friends. Approximate retail price is $24.99 geared for ages 12 and up. (There are also other versions of this game for other ages).
Looking for another popular game for pre-teens? High School musical 3 DVD game would be a hit! High School Musical 3 DVD Game combines trivia, video clips, outtakes, songs and dances from both of the popular Disney Channel movies as well as the upcoming "High School Musical 3" theatrical release. Players compete in different categories and test their knowledge of the popular franchise, making the High School Musical 3 DVD Game a definitive performance-based game for all true HSM fans! This game has a DVD that you play along with, but also a game board to help keep score. Players can sing along to the songs, and find the missing lyric, dance the steps to figure out the right dance sequence, and guess which character said what. For ages 8 and up this game retails for $19.99.
Would you like to win one of these great gift ideas? Fair Indigo has offered to sponsor a giveaway for one of their adorable Jooble characters! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. To enter, you must go to the Fair Indigo site, and click on the tab About Fair Trade to learn what this term really means. Come back and tell me why you should care~ plus what character (by name) you would like to win . Feel free to leave a second choice, because you may not get the one you chose due to these adorable plush are handmade, so it depends on availability. You may come back each day and enter again after you do the first rule, just leave a comment about what other eco-friendly product you like. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on December 10th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
The first one is Elmo Live! I wrote a description on this adorable, soft and fuzzy monster a few months ago (you can read about him here). This Elmo is like no other: He waves his arms, sits and stands, even crosses his legs, all the while telling stories and jokes, singing songs and playing games. Children can activate the magic with a tickle or a squeeze of Elmo’s foot, tummy, back or nose. He is approximately 1 foot tall, so he is pretty tall. I know he is a big hit with Elmo fans everywhere! He is retailing for $60 and will bring hours of fun! What a great interactive toy for our little ones! Elmo Live is a great gift to give to kids ages 18 months and up! Even adults will get a kick out of this little red guy!
Oompa Toys carries a great selection of toys for kids! One of the newest editions to their line is the "green toy" Cheekeyes wooden block sets! Cheekeyes won the prestigious Platinum Award for one of this year’s best preschool toys. Cheekeyes can only be found in the United States at online toy store OompaToys. These wooden toys are handmade in Sri Lanka, from the hands of Dutch designer Rogier van Zijp, with eco-friendly rubberwood. Painted with slight color, with a one-of-a-kind red cheek and painted eye (creating the name Cheekeyes) these sets are in different categories: Arctic, African, Forest, Farm and Dinosaurs. The sets come with 5 animals for $29.99 and you can buy trees and rocks (separately) to go with the animals. Cheekeyes are great for ages 3 and up. You will have the chance to enter to win a set (your choice) of Cheekeyes coming soon! 
Playing cards and trading cards are really big right now for the elementary age kids! My son really enjoys the earth-friendly Xeko Mission card game! This is a 2 player card game that he can learn about conservation and the environment while he plays, plus he can be strategic with his moves! Xeko Mission: China is the newest edition of Xeko.
This mission includes endangered animals like the Giant Panda, critically-endangered Snow Leopard, and the King Cobra. The Xeko Mission: China starter set comes packaged in a pagoda box decorated with animals from China’s habitats and dragon illustrations that capture the mysteries of ancient Chinese culture. The starter set retails for $24.99. Booster packs of 9 cards are available for $3.99. A new line of eco-friendly plush, the Xeko Pals, also debuted this fall. Each plush is based on the most popular characters from the Xeko eco-adventure game. The plush are made with soy and certified organic cotton “fur” and filled with soy-based stuffing. These new toys feature “mission codes” that allow kids to join the fun at xeko.com, where the Xeko adventure comes to life on the web. The most popular character from Mission: China is the Giant Panda and!
retails for $19.99. I think this is a great educational and fun game geared for kids ages 8 and older. Great game to work on math and comprehension! You will also get the chance to win this game and Panda Plush valued at $45.00 total!One big hit for those toddlers learning to go potty is the new toy from Mattel: Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Gotta Go Doll! This is a great toy to promote developmental and learning activities! The Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Gotta Go Doll includes a complete bathroom area where girls can help their doll learn to go potty and clean up. The Gotta Go Doll goes both “number 1” (and “number 2!”) on her very own small potty, but, unlike real toddlers, there is no mess and no water – just realistic sights and sounds! The doll can flush, knows to wash her hands and loves to do all the things a big girl does when she gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night. The bathroom area features potty, sink, towel and more. Available in Caucasian, African American and a Spanish speaking Hispanic version. Approximate retail price is $39.99 each and is geared toward ages 3 and up!
Everyone is raving about Organic Products these days, and the safety of toys for children. When I was introduced to the new cuddly (and quite adorable) Jooble plush characters, I was greatly impressed! Joobles are from the company Fair Indigo, started by a Mom, Dad and daughter. These adorable animals are made of organic cotton, by artisans in Peru under fair trade conditions. When I gave Madelyn her 11" Mooey Cow Jooble she just kept hugging her and saying, "Oh...Oh..." She is just tickled by the softness. I am so happy that I can rest assured that this plush is totally safe for my daughter to play with. Mooey Cow (as well as the other 8 Joobles) are made with cotton grown without the use of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or other chemicals. The dyes are eco-friendly, too!
Retailing for just $29 each, Joobles can be found online at http://www.fairindigo.com/ or at specialty e-tailers like Oompa.com. There will be a giveaway for one of these amazing plush animals...keep reading!
Looking for a fun, and active game for your pre-teen-adult ages? Guitar Praise (by Digital Praise) is a fun and challenging CD-ROM game that includes a wireless guitar controller. This is the Christian version to the currently popular Guitar Hero. This game is for your Windows/Mac and is fun for the whole family. You can hook your computer up to your TV and enjoy this game on your big screen as well. Guitar Praise has over 50 tracks of songs with a wide variety of music. Some of the artists are: toby mac, Skillet, Petra, David Crowder, Kutless, Newsboys, Jennifer Knapp, Paul Baloche and more! There are onscreen lyrics (so you can sing along, too). You can unlock songs in sets of five as you play. You can also manipulate the guitar to score more points. Do your best to keep up, or the artists will stop the music on you. Keeping track of your high scores is fun, because you can keep the competition going strong, plus you can post your scores online to see where you are ranking. This game is a challenge, but it is a good one trying to master. You strum the guitar to the onscreen cues, press the fret buttons and you move up through 4 levels of difficulty. There are 5 buttons to make the chords. This game can be played with 2 players as long as you have 2 guitars. This game retails for $99.95. For one week only, Digital Praise is offering free shipping~ until December 7th enter FREESHIP as a discount code upon checkout.
I love playing games, and it is a great way for our family to have so much fun! We recently got Pictionary Man, the new game released from Mattel, and it is such a blast! I thought Pictionary was fun, but Pictionary Man brings in a whole new kind of fun! You get to draw on props to have people guess what you are drawing. With a dry erase marker, you can either draw on this man, rectangular prop, or a round prop. Once you draw on the 3 props, you can then act out using them. You can't talk, though! You get your clues from the bottom of the Pictionary Man's foot. There are 5 categories (people: character, celebrity, history; actions; titles: movie, music, TV; role play: occupations and pastimes; and miscellaneous) that the Pictionary man will randomly chose from. Sometimes you get a hint to give to your team mates, but not always. If your team is struggling to get those points, you can catch up in the challenge rounds. Retails for $34.99 and is for ages 14 and up. I think my son, who is 10, could play 
with...but some of the categories/ideas are a bit challenging. This is a super family game, and I highly suggest it~ especially if you love games! Another great game that I would highly suggest is the Apples to Apples game from Mattel! This game has been around a few years now, but it is still one that deserves to rank high on the top! We play this game a lot at our gatherings, especially Ladies Night Out!This game is super for 4-10 people! Every round is different! Everyone gets a certain amount of cards dealt to them (depending on how many people are playing). It is a game of comparisons with a wide range of nouns and verbs, adjectives and superlatives. People, places, things and events get categorized with words. The card reader is the ultimate judge, and you never know what they will decide. This game is sure to produce laughter and tears! It is a game where you don't have to think to hard, and you can have a blast! Apples-to-Apples is perfect for any get together with family and friends. Approximate retail price is $24.99 geared for ages 12 and up. (There are also other versions of this game for other ages).
Looking for another popular game for pre-teens? High School musical 3 DVD game would be a hit! High School Musical 3 DVD Game combines trivia, video clips, outtakes, songs and dances from both of the popular Disney Channel movies as well as the upcoming "High School Musical 3" theatrical release. Players compete in different categories and test their knowledge of the popular franchise, making the High School Musical 3 DVD Game a definitive performance-based game for all true HSM fans! This game has a DVD that you play along with, but also a game board to help keep score. Players can sing along to the songs, and find the missing lyric, dance the steps to figure out the right dance sequence, and guess which character said what. For ages 8 and up this game retails for $19.99.Would you like to win one of these great gift ideas? Fair Indigo has offered to sponsor a giveaway for one of their adorable Jooble characters! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. To enter, you must go to the Fair Indigo site, and click on the tab About Fair Trade to learn what this term really means. Come back and tell me why you should care~ plus what character (by name) you would like to win . Feel free to leave a second choice, because you may not get the one you chose due to these adorable plush are handmade, so it depends on availability. You may come back each day and enter again after you do the first rule, just leave a comment about what other eco-friendly product you like. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on December 10th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
Sugarplum Dreams
Have you checked out Sugarplum Dreams website? They have such a fantastic selection of products for your Christmas shopping lists/needs/wants! I did a review of their products and website (see here) and I just wanted to let you know~ again~ that Sugarplum Dreams is offering a great 15% discount on your order of $50 or more by using the code: sassy15 (code expires on 12/31). Be sure to check them out when you are doing your shopping! They have amazing customer service and you will be pleased!
Winners
Hello everyone! Thanks for stopping by and entering contests! Thanks so much to the wonderful sponsors of the giveaways! It is great to be able to review products and let my readers know about all the great things out there, but it is also great that companies like to offer giveaways for you to win the products! So, without further delay...here are the winners of the most recent giveaways:
All Star Buddies: Review and Giveaway! Winner: Terra (partymix25)
U*neaks: Shoe/sock review & a Giveaway!! Winner: Stephanie V.
Put a smile on their face~ Giveaway! Winner: justicecw
Sugar Plum Dreams: Review with a Giveaway!! Winner: Keyomi
Congratulations winners! If you haven't heard from me, feel free to e-mail me your mailing address and specifics on the contest (final choice of selection/color/size/choice etc.). Just for a reminder, I do have rules to my contest (see here) and if I don't have a way to contact you, you may have to forfeit your prize. I like to list winners here, and if you don't have a way for me to contact you (like an e-mail address in your comment) it is your responsibility to contact me in the time allowed. Sometimes I do have to just pick a new winner if there is no way for me to contact you through a blog or e-mail address. Please keep this in mind when you enter the contests.
I am putting up a few contests today, and starting on Monday~ we have a super big event coming....lots of prizes, lots of fun, and many winners!! There is a cyber shower taking place (see my button on the top right side of my page). You can put the button on your blog now, if you want to. More details will come on Monday...be on the lookout!
All Star Buddies: Review and Giveaway! Winner: Terra (partymix25)
U*neaks: Shoe/sock review & a Giveaway!! Winner: Stephanie V.
Put a smile on their face~ Giveaway! Winner: justicecw
Sugar Plum Dreams: Review with a Giveaway!! Winner: Keyomi
Congratulations winners! If you haven't heard from me, feel free to e-mail me your mailing address and specifics on the contest (final choice of selection/color/size/choice etc.). Just for a reminder, I do have rules to my contest (see here) and if I don't have a way to contact you, you may have to forfeit your prize. I like to list winners here, and if you don't have a way for me to contact you (like an e-mail address in your comment) it is your responsibility to contact me in the time allowed. Sometimes I do have to just pick a new winner if there is no way for me to contact you through a blog or e-mail address. Please keep this in mind when you enter the contests.
I am putting up a few contests today, and starting on Monday~ we have a super big event coming....lots of prizes, lots of fun, and many winners!! There is a cyber shower taking place (see my button on the top right side of my page). You can put the button on your blog now, if you want to. More details will come on Monday...be on the lookout!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Feeling Tired...
I know that I am in my eighth month of pregnancy, but lately I have been so extremely tired. I do have to say that my arm/shoulder is a little better. I just hope that my pain stays minimized until the end of pregnancy. I am sorry I am not doing a whole lot of personal posts lately...just been really tired. I will try to visit around the blogosphere come this weekend, and write more personal stories. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are going to my husband's mom's home. My parents are going to be there, too. So, we get the best of both families! My husband's Grandma is home from a long extended stay from the hospital, so it will be great to see her, too.
I (promise) to write more later, but I need to get me, and this wonderful miracle growing inside of me~ to bed.
I (promise) to write more later, but I need to get me, and this wonderful miracle growing inside of me~ to bed.
Knit Two
Knit Two
is going on sale on November 25th! Knit Two is the sequel to the book A Friday Night Knitting Club. Knit Two returns to the Manhattan knitting store Walker and Daughter five years after the death of its owner, Georgia Walker. Georgia's daughter Dakota is now an eighteen year old Freshman at NYU, running the store part-time with the help of the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club. Drawn together by their love for Dakota and the sense of family the club provides, all the knitters are struggling with the new challenges. With a focus on the challenges, joys, and friendships of these characters, this book is a powerful read for any woman. Although those who read the first book will be especially captivated by the continuation, even new readers will find countless things to love. Few novels these days are a must read, but, for any woman who understands the power of friendship, this should be one of them.
Little compares to the bond between women. Sometimes a great friend can feel like a sister: someone to share secrets with, laugh with over embarrassing moments, or turn to for support. With no sisters ourselves, we have always relied on friends to fill this role! Author Kate Jacobs understands this extremely well, which probably explains why her books seem to speak to each of us individually. She is the author of The Friday Night Knitting Club and Comfort Food. She is a former magazine writer and editor, living in Los Angeles.
Knit Two would make a great gift this holiday season, especially a great gift to give your girlfriends!
is going on sale on November 25th! Knit Two is the sequel to the book A Friday Night Knitting Club. Knit Two returns to the Manhattan knitting store Walker and Daughter five years after the death of its owner, Georgia Walker. Georgia's daughter Dakota is now an eighteen year old Freshman at NYU, running the store part-time with the help of the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club. Drawn together by their love for Dakota and the sense of family the club provides, all the knitters are struggling with the new challenges. With a focus on the challenges, joys, and friendships of these characters, this book is a powerful read for any woman. Although those who read the first book will be especially captivated by the continuation, even new readers will find countless things to love. Few novels these days are a must read, but, for any woman who understands the power of friendship, this should be one of them.Little compares to the bond between women. Sometimes a great friend can feel like a sister: someone to share secrets with, laugh with over embarrassing moments, or turn to for support. With no sisters ourselves, we have always relied on friends to fill this role! Author Kate Jacobs understands this extremely well, which probably explains why her books seem to speak to each of us individually. She is the author of The Friday Night Knitting Club and Comfort Food. She is a former magazine writer and editor, living in Los Angeles.
Knit Two would make a great gift this holiday season, especially a great gift to give your girlfriends!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Potty Training update...
Caleb is doing super in his quest to defeat the diaper usage. I am so proud of him! He loves wearing real underwear, and not pull-ups. When we go places, like church today, we tell him he needs to wear his pull up. He does not like that, but he does understand. He has poo'd 2 times while wearing the pull-ups, so he knows that it is safe to do that. We tell him he still needs to go in the toilet when he has the pull-ups on. Also, if he wants to wear real underwear all the time, he needs to wake up from sleeping with the pull-up dry. I hope that part comes quickly for him. Nap time really isn't hard for him to keep it dry, especially if we remind him to go use the toilet before he sleeps. He is so excited about wearing big-boy underwear~ as he calls it! We will have to buy him some underwear in his size. My mother-in-law bought him underwear last summer (hoping he would spark an interest in training then), and those are 2T-3T....SO, they are a bit small. Maybe he will find some underwear in his stocking and under the tree.
He is filling up his sticker chart now, too...when he remembers. I made this chart for him earlier this summer, when he went potty once on the toilet. We made a huge deal about him going then, but he just wasn't ready yet. He is making his requests to us about what he wishes to get as his prize once he is completely trained. His latest request is for a game boy. I bought Nathaniel a game boy when he was trained (although I was a single mom then)~ so, Caleb is asking for that. Terry isn't keen on that idea.
I am fully convinced that children just need to be ready when they decide they are ready. My oldest son was the same way when he was training. I tried almost every effort out there, and still...he chose when it was time. Plus, I think they feel better when they control when they accomplish being in underwear. I am just thrilled that our expense for diapers has decreased for a month and a half before baby comes. At least we won't have 3 in diapers now. Maybe Madelyn will start training really early, and be out of diapers by summer. That would be super, too! She tells us (many times) when she needs to be changed. I am glad about that, too!
He is filling up his sticker chart now, too...when he remembers. I made this chart for him earlier this summer, when he went potty once on the toilet. We made a huge deal about him going then, but he just wasn't ready yet. He is making his requests to us about what he wishes to get as his prize once he is completely trained. His latest request is for a game boy. I bought Nathaniel a game boy when he was trained (although I was a single mom then)~ so, Caleb is asking for that. Terry isn't keen on that idea.
I am fully convinced that children just need to be ready when they decide they are ready. My oldest son was the same way when he was training. I tried almost every effort out there, and still...he chose when it was time. Plus, I think they feel better when they control when they accomplish being in underwear. I am just thrilled that our expense for diapers has decreased for a month and a half before baby comes. At least we won't have 3 in diapers now. Maybe Madelyn will start training really early, and be out of diapers by summer. That would be super, too! She tells us (many times) when she needs to be changed. I am glad about that, too!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Great book for 'tween girls~
There is a great new series available for the Tween girls called Secret Keeper Girl
! The four-book fiction series explores issues relevant and age-appropriate to today's girls ages 8-12. In a socially advanced world, it's nice to know that Secret Keeper Girl is there as a friend to younger girls as they transition into modern teenagers. With the news filled with stories about pregnant teenagers and the top youth-targeted TV shows promoting promiscuity, this book series is a fun, refreshing change that encourages girls to be just that – girls…not adults.
Dannah Gresh, a best-selling Christian author, teams up with three of her closest friends to write a hilarious fiction series about what their lives would have been like had they collided in sixth grade. Dannah, Suzy Wiebel, Janet Mylin, and Chizuruoke (Chizzy) Anderson are four mothers with hearts to teach their daughters truth, but they aren’t afraid of the crazy true stories of their own lives. Dannah actually threw her brown bag lunch at a teacher! Suzy Wiebel actually dressed like a guy to get on a sports team! Janet Mylin wrote the name of her true love in eight-inch high pencil on the bathroom wall! Chizzy spent most of her sixth grade year recovering from a cross-country move and teaching everyone to say “Cheeeesy” not “Chizzy!” The characters they’ve created are a blend of many of their true-life experiences combined with the fiction comedy and action that 8-12-year-old readers love.
About Danika's Totally Terrible Loss:
Rutherford B. Hayes Middle School will never be the same. Danika is in deep trouble for hitting Mrs. Hefty's right temple with her brown bag lunch. Toni is trying out for the boy's football league…against her dads' wishes and the school rules. Kaitlyn is completely boy-crazy and will stop at nothing to express her love for her older brother's best friend. And Yuzi is the new kid at school whose name nobody can pronounce, and in a valiant effort to fit in she is traumatized by being invited to dress up like a stalk of corn at the town’s annual Popcorn Festival. In a valiant effort to fit in, their worlds collide one afternoon when they all end up in after school detention and the Secret Keeper Girl Club is formed to save the day. Full of comedy, action, emotion and life-transforming lessons.
I think this is a great set of books for those pre-teens in this world we live in where they are bombarded with things to make them grow up faster than they should.
! The four-book fiction series explores issues relevant and age-appropriate to today's girls ages 8-12. In a socially advanced world, it's nice to know that Secret Keeper Girl is there as a friend to younger girls as they transition into modern teenagers. With the news filled with stories about pregnant teenagers and the top youth-targeted TV shows promoting promiscuity, this book series is a fun, refreshing change that encourages girls to be just that – girls…not adults.
Dannah Gresh, a best-selling Christian author, teams up with three of her closest friends to write a hilarious fiction series about what their lives would have been like had they collided in sixth grade. Dannah, Suzy Wiebel, Janet Mylin, and Chizuruoke (Chizzy) Anderson are four mothers with hearts to teach their daughters truth, but they aren’t afraid of the crazy true stories of their own lives. Dannah actually threw her brown bag lunch at a teacher! Suzy Wiebel actually dressed like a guy to get on a sports team! Janet Mylin wrote the name of her true love in eight-inch high pencil on the bathroom wall! Chizzy spent most of her sixth grade year recovering from a cross-country move and teaching everyone to say “Cheeeesy” not “Chizzy!” The characters they’ve created are a blend of many of their true-life experiences combined with the fiction comedy and action that 8-12-year-old readers love.
About Danika's Totally Terrible Loss:
Rutherford B. Hayes Middle School will never be the same. Danika is in deep trouble for hitting Mrs. Hefty's right temple with her brown bag lunch. Toni is trying out for the boy's football league…against her dads' wishes and the school rules. Kaitlyn is completely boy-crazy and will stop at nothing to express her love for her older brother's best friend. And Yuzi is the new kid at school whose name nobody can pronounce, and in a valiant effort to fit in she is traumatized by being invited to dress up like a stalk of corn at the town’s annual Popcorn Festival. In a valiant effort to fit in, their worlds collide one afternoon when they all end up in after school detention and the Secret Keeper Girl Club is formed to save the day. Full of comedy, action, emotion and life-transforming lessons.
I think this is a great set of books for those pre-teens in this world we live in where they are bombarded with things to make them grow up faster than they should.
Toddler Tote: making travel time easier
I like coming across new toys that are both educational and fun for my kids to play with. The Toddler Tote encourages children to work on their eye and hand coordination, learning their colors and shapes, and increasing their fine motor development. The colorful shapes are made from Lauri Crepe Rubber. The Toddler Tote includes large and small geometric shape puzzles with a 9" square carrying case. The carrying case makes this a great activity for my kids to bring anywhere. My kids have a fun time putting the pegs in the holes, and stacking the pegs as high as they can. We also like to find the cat, dog and bear...among the other shapes. This product is great for early childhood development and is geared toward ages 2-5 years old. What a great home school resource for pre-school! The Toddler Tote retails for $16.99, and can be found on the NMC Toys website. If you order in 2008, you can use the coupon code : SAVE8 to get 8% off your order. I think this is a great product for toddlers, and would make a great Christmas gift. NMCToys.com has a great selection of toys that are American and European made~ not made in China. Their products are made with the highest quality and safety. They have won several awards and they all meet or exceed USA or European toy safety standards.
Poingo Interactive Book review and Giveaway
My kids love books! They love being read to, and love trying to "read" to me. I think kids learn so much with being read to and reading books. The interactive books are great, too, because they get children to interact with the stories. Poingo is the all-new interactive book, from the makers of Story Reader, that helps kids find special items on the pages of the books. The magical "pen" included in the set, has an infrared scanner that "reads" the images in the book. The Poingo pen reads, plays music and sounds through the speaker. There are two levels of sound. Poingo comes with two interactive books, Disney's Pixar The World of Cars, and Finding Nemo...two of my son's favorites. Each additional book is $9.99, and the programs are already loaded into the Poingo's memory. All you have to do is purchase the book and you’re ready to go. Content for additional books can be downloaded (for free) when you register the Poingo. As a special bonus, you can connect Poingo to your PC or Mac to receive bonus content, free music and more! My son loves working the Poingo and figuring out the answers to the questions it asks. Not only is he having fun with reading and controlling the pen, he is learning, too. One of the really great features of this new product is, it works right out of the box! No batteries, downloads or charging to wait for...just pull out the plastic piece and your child is happy. How ingenious!
Poingo is a great gift to give any child! It is geared toward ages 3+ and I would recommend this to all families! Looking for a Christmas gift? I would like to suggest looking for Poingo!Systems may be purchased at Amazon.com or your local Target store for $38.00. Guess What? I have a Poingo to giveaway!Enter for your chance to win a Poingo! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. Leave a comment about who you would like to give this to if you won. You may come back each day and enter again, just leave a comment about what is your child's favorite book currently. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on December 9th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Winners and Contests
I have some lucky winners to announce of these fun contests~ Congratulations!!
**Chex Mix Indulgence Basket: Fangirl Jen
**Thomas' Great Race game from Briarpatch: Babysmama (all those extra comments helped you win)
**See Kai Run shoes (from the smaller collection): Kendra Field-Bennett
**4 HP gift cards: blueviolet
Congrats to the winners! I have contacted all of you, so please send me your mailing address. If I don't hear from you in 3 days, I will pick another winner.
Check out my current giveaways~
All Star Buddies: Review and Giveaway!
U*neaks: Shoe/sock review & a Giveaway!!
Put a smile on their face~ Giveaway!
Sugar Plum Dreams: Review with a Giveaway!!
**Plus, I will be posting TWO super contests this afternoon~~be on the look out!**
**Chex Mix Indulgence Basket: Fangirl Jen
**Thomas' Great Race game from Briarpatch: Babysmama (all those extra comments helped you win)
**See Kai Run shoes (from the smaller collection): Kendra Field-Bennett
**4 HP gift cards: blueviolet
Congrats to the winners! I have contacted all of you, so please send me your mailing address. If I don't hear from you in 3 days, I will pick another winner.
Check out my current giveaways~
All Star Buddies: Review and Giveaway!
U*neaks: Shoe/sock review & a Giveaway!!
Put a smile on their face~ Giveaway!
Sugar Plum Dreams: Review with a Giveaway!!
**Plus, I will be posting TWO super contests this afternoon~~be on the look out!**
SHOP.com ~ get shopping!
Are you feeling the stress of Christmas shopping? Maybe you don't like to be in the busy crowds at the stores or malls? I like some shopping in the stores, but I know that it can be overwhelming. There is a super website called SHOP.com that offers a great shopping from the convenience of your own home. It is great to see prices, do comparisons, and make decisions without feeling the pressure of sales. You can shop from over 2,000 merchants all in one place. Shop.com offers over 20 million products, and you can shop for the best deal or the perfect gift and save gas! SHOP.COM provides expert advice, buying guides, shopping tips, and articles, while giving easy ways to save money via price comparison tools, coupons, and rebates.When I was checking out the site, I found out that I can purchase from SHOP.com, or other participating merchants' sites. What is really great, is that I can compile all of my purchases into one "shopping cart." You can't do that at the mall. Shop.com offers such a great variety of products like clothing, shoes, kids & baby, electronics, home, beauty, gifts and more. They even offer a selection of "green" products for the "eco-friendly" with tips on how to save money! SHOP.com also offers specialty shops like the music shop, Christmas shop, and my shop.
SHOP.com also holds contests and giveaways! This week they have a contest to win a Nintendo Wii Fit (ending today). They are having a daily contest to win a great holiday gift until December 14th! Check out SHOP.com today!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Too Funny!
MISSING HUSBAND
Fred was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was really angry. She told him 'Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in less than 6 seconds, AND IT BETTER BE THERE!!'
The next morning Fred got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window and sure enough, there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. Confused, the wife ran out to the driveway. She opened it and found a brand-new bathroom scale.
Fred has been missing since Friday. Please pray for him. *I am thinking he's in an alley somewhere with a scale wrapped around his head!
~~OPPS~~Never underestimate what a woman will do when her weight is insulted.~~
Fred was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was really angry. She told him 'Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in less than 6 seconds, AND IT BETTER BE THERE!!'
The next morning Fred got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window and sure enough, there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. Confused, the wife ran out to the driveway. She opened it and found a brand-new bathroom scale.
Fred has been missing since Friday. Please pray for him. *I am thinking he's in an alley somewhere with a scale wrapped around his head!
~~OPPS~~Never underestimate what a woman will do when her weight is insulted.~~
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Random thoughts
I had my 32 week appointment yesterday...back with my Doctor! It was great to be back in his care! I am thanking God that our insurance covers his facility and the hospital we want! Woo Hoo! I can't believe I am doing the every 2 week visits now! Baby is going to be here before we know it! I am looking forward to seeing that little blessing, and finding out if we have a new son or daughter.
So, I had to meet with a nurse to go over history, since I haven't been there yet with this baby. That lasted about 30-40 minutes. I don't think she normally does the history questionnaire on preggo moms this far into their pregnancy. LOL~
Oh well.
Then, she did the weight (blah,...), blood pressure (it was great) and the pee test (normal and good). She lead me down the hall to get into another room to see my Dr. As we were walking, I saw him in the hallway. I said, "Hi!!" He said, "Hi! I haven't seen you in awhile!" I think I took him off guard. I told him it had been too long. Then, he patted my belly and said, "What is this? Who were you seeing before this?" I told him that my insurance, I was on, didn't cover this clinic...now with switching it is. I also told him that I was crying to my hubby that I wanted to go back to my Dr. Then, he thanked me and said it is great to have me back. *I felt loved* :)
Sitting in the room...I began to wonder if I had been forgotten. Seriously, I think I sat for over 20 minutes! So, I opened the door. Then, the Dr. came in and apologized for the long wait. We chatted a bit with catching up on life. I told him about my arm/shoulder/neck issues. He said that I probably have a pinched nerve or disk. He suggested that I steer away from chiropractic care. He said there really isn't too much we can do at this point. I can take 2 Tylenol for pain/comfort. I could see his physical therapist, but that would be very spendy. He said if things don't improve a month or two after baby arrives, I should get a CAT scan and see what is up. Also, my options will open up greatly after I have the baby.
Then, he listened to our baby's strong heartbeat. He felt my baby (from tummy) and he said, "Baby is definitely down...are you having contractions?" I have never had him ask me this question, and I wish I would have asked him if that meant baby dropped. I told him that I have experienced contractions since about 5 months along, but nothing substantial. He said that he would love it if I could go into labor on my own with this baby, but it does concern him that I am an hour away. ~~Just some history...I was induced with Caleb and Madelyn due to low and no amniotic fluid at the end of the pregnancy. They were still born on the due date~ or near it, but I still needed a little help.~~ I would love to go into labor on my own with this baby, and that is my prayer.
I am glad all is well, and it is great to be back where I am most comfortable in care.
So, I had to meet with a nurse to go over history, since I haven't been there yet with this baby. That lasted about 30-40 minutes. I don't think she normally does the history questionnaire on preggo moms this far into their pregnancy. LOL~
Oh well.
Then, she did the weight (blah,...), blood pressure (it was great) and the pee test (normal and good). She lead me down the hall to get into another room to see my Dr. As we were walking, I saw him in the hallway. I said, "Hi!!" He said, "Hi! I haven't seen you in awhile!" I think I took him off guard. I told him it had been too long. Then, he patted my belly and said, "What is this? Who were you seeing before this?" I told him that my insurance, I was on, didn't cover this clinic...now with switching it is. I also told him that I was crying to my hubby that I wanted to go back to my Dr. Then, he thanked me and said it is great to have me back. *I felt loved* :)
Sitting in the room...I began to wonder if I had been forgotten. Seriously, I think I sat for over 20 minutes! So, I opened the door. Then, the Dr. came in and apologized for the long wait. We chatted a bit with catching up on life. I told him about my arm/shoulder/neck issues. He said that I probably have a pinched nerve or disk. He suggested that I steer away from chiropractic care. He said there really isn't too much we can do at this point. I can take 2 Tylenol for pain/comfort. I could see his physical therapist, but that would be very spendy. He said if things don't improve a month or two after baby arrives, I should get a CAT scan and see what is up. Also, my options will open up greatly after I have the baby.
Then, he listened to our baby's strong heartbeat. He felt my baby (from tummy) and he said, "Baby is definitely down...are you having contractions?" I have never had him ask me this question, and I wish I would have asked him if that meant baby dropped. I told him that I have experienced contractions since about 5 months along, but nothing substantial. He said that he would love it if I could go into labor on my own with this baby, but it does concern him that I am an hour away. ~~Just some history...I was induced with Caleb and Madelyn due to low and no amniotic fluid at the end of the pregnancy. They were still born on the due date~ or near it, but I still needed a little help.~~ I would love to go into labor on my own with this baby, and that is my prayer.
I am glad all is well, and it is great to be back where I am most comfortable in care.
Sugar Plum Dreams: Review with a Giveaway!!
Sugarplum Dreams, located in Texas’ San Antonio region, is a superior baby and children's boutique. Opening in just a few weeks, the store will open it's 8th store and will be located at Lincoln Heights Shopping Center. Sugarplum Dreams has a very customer service oriented website, as well! The online boutique is very easy to surf through to find anything and 
everything you could need. You can register for a gift registry, have your order girt wrapped, get your purchases monogrammed and purchase gift certificates. What makes this shopping excursion even more fun, Sugarplum Dreams donates a portion of each purchase to local and national charities. Over 40 charitable organizations have benefited over the years.I found that the website offers such a wide variety of great products for baby, parents, and children! I got a super cute plush Duck, arrived wrapped beautifully, and there was no sign of tags. I think that Sugarplum Dreams did a superior job making the gift discreet and a fun surprise! They have a beautiful baby doll that I got for Madelyn. It is her first Madame Alexander doll. She is really loving her baby. I think that Sugarplum Dreams offers such a great variety of products, and it is easy to find what you need or want. I think that their prices are competitive, and they offer free shipping on orders over $100.
Reading about how they treat their customers when they visit their store, makes me want to stop by. Unfortunately, I live in MN.
Sugarplum Dreams has graciously offered to give a lucky Sassyfrazz reader a gift certificate for $30 to use in their online boutique. The winner will have their gift (equal to $30) shipped to them. Here are the rules:
This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. Go see what Sugarplum Dreams offers on their site. Pick out what you would like to get with the $30 GC if you won. Come and tell me about it. You may come back each day and enter again, just leave a comment about what is your favorite snack. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on November 28th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
Don't want to wait until the contest is over? Sugarplum Dreams gave me a special discount code to share with you: sassy15 will give you 15% off an order of $50 or more, expires 12/31.
Roll-n-Go Diaper Caddy by LAF
Do you ever get tired of using the "traditional" diaper bag? All diaper bags carry a familiar "look" to them. I know I like to have variety sometimes, and I was excited to review a great product to help make other bags into diaper bags. The Roll-n-Go Rollable Diaper Caddy is a super product that is designed to turn any large purse or bag into a diaper bag. There are several pockets to hold the essentials like diapers, wipes, diaper cream, medicines, etc. The Roll-n-Go opens up and fits nicely inside the walls of your bag. I like how handy and accessible it is! I can just roll it up when I am not using it, and easily set it into place inside my bag when I want to use it. I find this to be a great product for other purposes besides a diaper bag help. If you don't need a diaper bag (maybe your not a mom?) but need extra pockets for storage....the Roll-n-Go Rollable Diaper Caddy will meet your needs. The outer material on the Large Roll-n-Go is a beautiful design, too! It is a very pretty, shiny red with butterflies on it. There is also an Extra-Large Roll-n-Go available. The Roll-n-Go Diaper Caddy's retail for $60.00/piece. LAF's (Little Angel face)makes several products from clothing (even maternity) to baby needs. Check out their website to make your purchases. A percentage of your purchase will go to The Smile Train which provides cleft lip and palette surgery for children in poor nations.
Tis the season
I know that sickness looms this time of year. The only real dread I get in the winter months is the Doctor bills go up significantly. We are on new insurance right now, no co-pay, but we pay until our deductible is met. This can mean we pay a huge bill before our insurance will kick in. I haven't had to take Madelyn in yet, and I am really hoping to avoid the clinic. Madelyn is on day 3 of being sick. Poor little honey. She had a bit of a runny nose on Sunday, but I am not really counting that. Her fever started on Monday morning. So, being on day 3 with the fever, she is ready to start getting well. To top of feeling crummy, she is teething. She has the gunky nose today, and she is kind of clingy. At least she slept better last night. She did wake up at 4:30 and complained for an hour. Finally she drifted back to sleep until 7 AM. I was glad for that. 4:30 in the morning is not a happy-time-to-be-awake kind of time.
So, I am hoping she will get well very soon!
Caleb started his cold on Monday, and then on Monday night, he woke up about 11 PM throwing up in bed. EWW~ is right! I have a feeling he threw up because of the phlegm in his throat. On Tuesday morning he woke up happy, and he ate fine all day. I am glad that passed as quickly as it came! He still has a runny nose, but he is doing good despite of it.
Terry was dealing with the cold symptoms this morning. I hope it doesn't last for him. That would be miserable with working all day sniffing and blowing his nose.
So far, Nathaniel has just had slight colds and stuffiness. Currently he is doing good. He has a great immune system and he can fight things off well...but he is in public school, and he can pick up and carry a ton of germs! I am just hoping we can make it through these wintery months generally sick-free.
I am not sick, and I hope to remain healthy! :)
So, I am hoping she will get well very soon!
Caleb started his cold on Monday, and then on Monday night, he woke up about 11 PM throwing up in bed. EWW~ is right! I have a feeling he threw up because of the phlegm in his throat. On Tuesday morning he woke up happy, and he ate fine all day. I am glad that passed as quickly as it came! He still has a runny nose, but he is doing good despite of it.
Terry was dealing with the cold symptoms this morning. I hope it doesn't last for him. That would be miserable with working all day sniffing and blowing his nose.
So far, Nathaniel has just had slight colds and stuffiness. Currently he is doing good. He has a great immune system and he can fight things off well...but he is in public school, and he can pick up and carry a ton of germs! I am just hoping we can make it through these wintery months generally sick-free.
I am not sick, and I hope to remain healthy! :)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
How'd they build THAT? Trucks and Firetrucks!
My son loves seeing big machinery and vehicles! He was so excited to see the two new
videos
released~just today, November 18th! How'd They Build That? is a new DVD series from Marvelous Media.
Big Truck and Fire Truck are great movies to learn about how these great vehicles are made/assembled and where they come from. Navistar's International Truck assembly plant in Springfield Ohio is one of the largest builders of big transport trucks in America. The trucks are shown in the assembly process from the beginning to finish. My son was totally amazed to see all the robots and machinery used to build the trucks. The DVD also shows how these Big Trucks work from a drivers view.
Seagrave Fire Apparatus, which is the oldest continuously operating fire truck manufacturer in the US, shows their factory as they build large fire trucks from the very beginning in the How'd They Build That? Fire Truck. Viewers can see how the custom fire truck is designed and built using machinery. The DVD shows the variety of styles of trucks and engines. Showing different models, the DVD explains what purpose the Fire Trucks all serve. Future titles in the How’d They Build That? series will include School Bus, Garbage Truck, Locomotive, Big Earth mover, Concrete Mixer Truck, Military Machines and more. The DVDs are recommended for ages 4 and older and will retail for $8.99. For more information or to order contact Marvelous Media 888-251-3661 or visit http://www.marvelousmedia.net/. Each DVD is retailed at $8.99 each, and is available for sale at amazon.com and other online retailers.
Running Time: Fire Truck: Approximately 38 minutes; Big Truck: Approximately 30 minutes
videosreleased~just today, November 18th! How'd They Build That? is a new DVD series from Marvelous Media.
Big Truck and Fire Truck are great movies to learn about how these great vehicles are made/assembled and where they come from. Navistar's International Truck assembly plant in Springfield Ohio is one of the largest builders of big transport trucks in America. The trucks are shown in the assembly process from the beginning to finish. My son was totally amazed to see all the robots and machinery used to build the trucks. The DVD also shows how these Big Trucks work from a drivers view.
Seagrave Fire Apparatus, which is the oldest continuously operating fire truck manufacturer in the US, shows their factory as they build large fire trucks from the very beginning in the How'd They Build That? Fire Truck. Viewers can see how the custom fire truck is designed and built using machinery. The DVD shows the variety of styles of trucks and engines. Showing different models, the DVD explains what purpose the Fire Trucks all serve. Future titles in the How’d They Build That? series will include School Bus, Garbage Truck, Locomotive, Big Earth mover, Concrete Mixer Truck, Military Machines and more. The DVDs are recommended for ages 4 and older and will retail for $8.99. For more information or to order contact Marvelous Media 888-251-3661 or visit http://www.marvelousmedia.net/. Each DVD is retailed at $8.99 each, and is available for sale at amazon.com and other online retailers.Running Time: Fire Truck: Approximately 38 minutes; Big Truck: Approximately 30 minutes
Monday, November 17, 2008
Some tank-ewes!
I want to send out a big thank you to a few fellow bloggers! I have won three contests lately, and I am truly grateful!
First of all, thank you to MommyDaddyBlog for choosing me to win the Dole Giveaway! I won a ton of coupons for FREE FREE pack of Dole Fruit Bowls, Dole Fruit Bowls in Gel, or Dole Fruit Parfait cups! My kids are totally loving these, too! SO~ THANK YOU!! Second, I won a Baby Mozart Music Festival DVD from Deuce's World! I just got this today, so we have yet to watch it! I am sure my kids will enjoy it! Thank You so much!
Then, I won a Playskool set (for boys) from iMommies! This kit contains a blue and green Playskool Easy Grip bowl and spoon, and four Playskool baby bibs with embroidered messages. Thank you so much! Maybe this baby will be a boy??
First of all, thank you to MommyDaddyBlog for choosing me to win the Dole Giveaway! I won a ton of coupons for FREE FREE pack of Dole Fruit Bowls, Dole Fruit Bowls in Gel, or Dole Fruit Parfait cups! My kids are totally loving these, too! SO~ THANK YOU!! Second, I won a Baby Mozart Music Festival DVD from Deuce's World! I just got this today, so we have yet to watch it! I am sure my kids will enjoy it! Thank You so much!
Then, I won a Playskool set (for boys) from iMommies! This kit contains a blue and green Playskool Easy Grip bowl and spoon, and four Playskool baby bibs with embroidered messages. Thank you so much! Maybe this baby will be a boy??
The Secret Mountain books/music review
We love reading books at our house, and it is great being introduced to new books! Team Mom sent me a few books to
review from The Secret Mountain . I was happy to review the three fun books: Down at the Sea Hotel, Dream Songs Night Songs from Belgium to Brazil, and A Duck in New York City. The Secret Mountain creates fun and engaging children's books.
The illustrations are fun, colorful and look painted. My kids really enjoy the pictures. Each book is accompanied by a music CD featuring original songs. The best part is that the book also includes lyrics to these songs so that everyone can sing-along. We especially liked A Duck in New York City,
because no matter what others think, the duck keeps following his dream to perform his ducky dance on Broadway. He encounters skeptics, bad weather, & traffic along the way but his heart keeps telling him, “Yes, I can!” I thought this book did a super job at teaching the lesson of endurance and stamina. My kids thought he was fun to read about. I think these make fun children's books, and if your child loves music, the Cd's will be a big hit, too! Be ready for some giggles, because the lyrics are very creative and funny!
review from The Secret Mountain . I was happy to review the three fun books: Down at the Sea Hotel, Dream Songs Night Songs from Belgium to Brazil, and A Duck in New York City. The Secret Mountain creates fun and engaging children's books.
The illustrations are fun, colorful and look painted. My kids really enjoy the pictures. Each book is accompanied by a music CD featuring original songs. The best part is that the book also includes lyrics to these songs so that everyone can sing-along. We especially liked A Duck in New York City,
because no matter what others think, the duck keeps following his dream to perform his ducky dance on Broadway. He encounters skeptics, bad weather, & traffic along the way but his heart keeps telling him, “Yes, I can!” I thought this book did a super job at teaching the lesson of endurance and stamina. My kids thought he was fun to read about. I think these make fun children's books, and if your child loves music, the Cd's will be a big hit, too! Be ready for some giggles, because the lyrics are very creative and funny!
Potty Training Time
Caleb has been doing an awesome job the last few days with his journey to being diaper free! When Grandma was here the weekend of November 7-9, they were working on potty training. She had pull-ups, underwear, skittles, etc. After a weekend of trying, he did succeed to go on Sunday night when we got home. So, with celebrating, she treated him to Dairy Queen.
Well, after that weekend he hasn't really shown interest, until this weekend. Saturday, he wanted to wear the pull-ups. He did go on the potty chair, too! WOO HOO~ we really praised him for that! Today, with being home, we are really working on it. He wanted a pull-up on right away this morning. Guess what? Still dry! Yeah Caleb!! He has gone potty 4 times! Still waiting for the solid waste, and we are hoping he can do it on the chair. Keep it up young man! I am cheering you on! He just woke up from his nap with a DRY pull-up! Then, he went into the bathroom (without me asking) and tried to go. That is such a great thing! What a big boy!
I told him this morning that if he kept his pull-up dry all day, we would take him to the DQ tonight. Let's see if he can do it!
Awesome Contest!
BabySnazz is having an amazing contest to win 20 pairs of Baby Legs! I love Baby Legs, and I would love to win this contest! Check it out! Contest ends the last day of November!
I have been tagged, now I return the favor~
I was tagged a little while back from Tami (Desires of thine Heart) and Erin (The Mom Buzz) and I am now remembering to do this. I am so sorry ladies that I took a bit to get this done, but here I am. *smiles*
I was tagged to write 7 random things about me...
I was tagged to write 7 random things about me...
So here is my list:
- I am currently pregnant (for the fifth time) due with my fourth baby. He/She is due the beginning of January.
- I do part-time babysitting for another family (in their home) and their daughter is only 5 days older than my 20 month old daughter. So, when I am there, I do experience what twins would be like. I am going to miss caring for her once the baby comes.
- I have 4 brothers, 2 sisters, and many nieces/nephews, and in-laws. I love bigger families, and being with my family!
- I have the best mother-in-law in the world!
- I have been married for 4 years~ and I love being married to my wonderful husband!
- Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea are my favorite movies. They have been my favorite since they came out on PBS years ago.
- I took piano lessons for 13 years, and I played flute (in school) for 7 years. I haven't actively played either one since High School.
Thanks ladies! That was fun! Now, I am going to tag a few bloggers that I don't know well, but who have visited my blog recently:
Cat(3 Kids and Us)
Alaina(3 ladies and a Dad)
Babysmama(Peanut Butter Mother)
Stacey Moore(All because 2 people fell in love)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A pretty good weekend~
Friday night, we had our monthly Ladies Night Out at church. As many of you know, this is a great time of fun, games, food, and TONS of laughing! Every month we have been staying later and later into the night. Friday night, Saturday morning was no exception. We were at the church until 2:45 A.M. I was the first one to leave at that time, and my friend Lisa said they stayed a bit longer! We always have such a super time! It is something I look forward to every month because it is so therapeutic and a stress relief. This event is open to everyone in our church, and anyone they invite, but it usually is the same people every month. This time we played Canasta hand and foot, a game Lisa is reviewing. It was a fun game, and fun to try it out. We also played Apples to Apples. We used to play that one all the time, but we haven't played it in almost a year, so it was fun to bring it back out again. One of the funny things that always happens at our monthly LNO is that we get even sillier, and more laughter explodes as soon as the first person leaves. I am not sure why this happens, but it does. Our friend, Paula, usually goes home earlier, and we were teasing her that the real fun will start now. We are totally kidding about that, and not directing it at her. Seriously, the minute the door shut behind her we were laughing to almost tears over something. It really wouldn't matter who the person is that leaves first, but somehow that is a trigger for us to really let go and have a hootin' good time. I am really looking forward to our December LNO. We are doing a cookie exchange and white elephant gift exchange. I am hoping a few new faces will join us for that one! Of coarse we will do the games, food and share some hearty good laughs.
Saturday, besides being tired, I had to get up early for my monthly stamp club. I am in a Stampin' Up stamp club, and it is so much fun! We make 2-3 cards/projects, enter into a door prize, and make at least a $15 purchase. It is a great way for me to enjoy my hobby on a budget, and to have some time to make a few projects. I also get some great ideas. This club meets for about 10 months, and each month one person from the club gets the benefits of hostess, so they get free products. It is a great time, and I am happy to be in it. Saturday afternoon, my friend Lisa, had a Philadelphia Cream Cheese party. It was fun to socialize with the ladies, and enjoy yummy treats. I really enjoy cream cheese, and it was fun trying new recipes. When I got home on Saturday afternoon, I swept and vacuumed our basement level. It was needing the cleaning and organizing. Then, Saturday night, after supper and getting the kids to bed, Terry and I watched a movie together.
Today, we went to church, and it was great to be there. I haven't been to church in a few weeks. We were out of town last weekend, and the weekend before that I had woken up with the kink in my neck, Terry was working, and I really didn't want to bring the kids by myself...with being pregnant and chasing after the two little ones. Anyway, it was great to be back and fellowship. This afternoon, we all took much needed naps. I was so thankful for that! Now, in just a bit, we are going to get Nathaniel. He was with his Dad this weekend. I am excited to bring him home. I really hope he had a good weekend.
Please pray for my shoulder/neck/arm. I had a horrible night last night, and the pain was excruciating! I took some Tylenol, and Terry rubbed this cooling gel on it. It felt like sharp knives digging into my shoulder blade. I am going to try to get into some kind of Dr. this week. I do get to see my OB/GYN on Tuesday. MY DOCTOR! I am so glad and excited to be back in his care. It will be good to see him. I know he will let me know what type of things I can do or take for my pains. I can't believe I am pretty much 32 weeks already! Wow, this pregnancy is sure going fast! Oh, and I have a fun event coming up (here on my blog) the beginning of December. See the button on the upper right hand side for some details. FUN CONTESTS! Be sure to check it out! Feel free to post the button on your site if you want. I would appreciate it!
Saturday, besides being tired, I had to get up early for my monthly stamp club. I am in a Stampin' Up stamp club, and it is so much fun! We make 2-3 cards/projects, enter into a door prize, and make at least a $15 purchase. It is a great way for me to enjoy my hobby on a budget, and to have some time to make a few projects. I also get some great ideas. This club meets for about 10 months, and each month one person from the club gets the benefits of hostess, so they get free products. It is a great time, and I am happy to be in it. Saturday afternoon, my friend Lisa, had a Philadelphia Cream Cheese party. It was fun to socialize with the ladies, and enjoy yummy treats. I really enjoy cream cheese, and it was fun trying new recipes. When I got home on Saturday afternoon, I swept and vacuumed our basement level. It was needing the cleaning and organizing. Then, Saturday night, after supper and getting the kids to bed, Terry and I watched a movie together.
Today, we went to church, and it was great to be there. I haven't been to church in a few weeks. We were out of town last weekend, and the weekend before that I had woken up with the kink in my neck, Terry was working, and I really didn't want to bring the kids by myself...with being pregnant and chasing after the two little ones. Anyway, it was great to be back and fellowship. This afternoon, we all took much needed naps. I was so thankful for that! Now, in just a bit, we are going to get Nathaniel. He was with his Dad this weekend. I am excited to bring him home. I really hope he had a good weekend.
Please pray for my shoulder/neck/arm. I had a horrible night last night, and the pain was excruciating! I took some Tylenol, and Terry rubbed this cooling gel on it. It felt like sharp knives digging into my shoulder blade. I am going to try to get into some kind of Dr. this week. I do get to see my OB/GYN on Tuesday. MY DOCTOR! I am so glad and excited to be back in his care. It will be good to see him. I know he will let me know what type of things I can do or take for my pains. I can't believe I am pretty much 32 weeks already! Wow, this pregnancy is sure going fast! Oh, and I have a fun event coming up (here on my blog) the beginning of December. See the button on the upper right hand side for some details. FUN CONTESTS! Be sure to check it out! Feel free to post the button on your site if you want. I would appreciate it!
Put a smile on their face~ Giveaway!
Kids go to school...sit through classes...sit down to have lunch, and could use a smile to make their day go better! Here is a way you can send a message to your child to brighten their day, get their mind moving, and create some chuckles. Kids Lunch Box cards are made to connect 
parents with their kids throughout the day.
Our kids are gone over 8 hours a day at school, and it is nice to be able to let them know you are thinking of them. On the back of these postcard-like cards, it is blank, so you can send a personalized note to your sweet child. I know my son feels so loved when I can connect with him during the day.
There are different topics of cards in the series. One set of cards is made up of Riddles like: I have holes on the Top and Bottom. I have holes on my left and right. I have holes in the middle, what am I? Then, kids can try to figure it out. They scratch of the answer to find out if they are right. Another set of cards are Gross, but true facts like: A cockroach can live 9 days without its head before it starves to death. Looney Laws give facts about laws in other states like: In Florida, you can tie your pet elephant to a parking meter as long as you add quarters.The last two sets of cards are Mystical People and It's a Wacky World. I think these cards are great ways to help spark conversations between your child and their friends.
Kids are so encouraged by words of affirmation and praise, and I am happy that Kids lunch box cards encourage this communication to our kids. Kids Lunch Box card's website has some great ideas to make your child's day at school more creative and colorful!
I just think that this product is a great way to give your child some fun times at school, and they will appreciate it, I am sure! Would you like to win each set of 5 packs of cards?
You can enter to win these super cards by going to the site, and seeing which one you like best. This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. You may come back each day and enter again, just leave a comment about what you appreciate about your kids. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on November 28th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
parents with their kids throughout the day.
Our kids are gone over 8 hours a day at school, and it is nice to be able to let them know you are thinking of them. On the back of these postcard-like cards, it is blank, so you can send a personalized note to your sweet child. I know my son feels so loved when I can connect with him during the day. There are different topics of cards in the series. One set of cards is made up of Riddles like: I have holes on the Top and Bottom. I have holes on my left and right. I have holes in the middle, what am I? Then, kids can try to figure it out. They scratch of the answer to find out if they are right. Another set of cards are Gross, but true facts like: A cockroach can live 9 days without its head before it starves to death. Looney Laws give facts about laws in other states like: In Florida, you can tie your pet elephant to a parking meter as long as you add quarters.The last two sets of cards are Mystical People and It's a Wacky World. I think these cards are great ways to help spark conversations between your child and their friends. Kids are so encouraged by words of affirmation and praise, and I am happy that Kids lunch box cards encourage this communication to our kids. Kids Lunch Box card's website has some great ideas to make your child's day at school more creative and colorful!I just think that this product is a great way to give your child some fun times at school, and they will appreciate it, I am sure! Would you like to win each set of 5 packs of cards?
You can enter to win these super cards by going to the site, and seeing which one you like best. This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. You may come back each day and enter again, just leave a comment about what you appreciate about your kids. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on November 28th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Born Free Feeding system
I am really looking forward to our baby due in a little under 2 months! I am really looking forward to nursing again! I love breastfeeding my babies! I also like the option of bottle-feeding (with my breast milk) when we need to be away, or if my husband will be home with the kids. I am so glad I have heard of Born Free Natural Baby Products! Born Free bottles are Bisphenol-A Free, Phthalates Free and PVC Free, which means they are safe for my baby! Born Free offers BPA-Free Bottles, Glass Bottles, Trainer cups (6-12 months) and Drinking Cups (over a year old). They also carry extra nipples, accessories, pacifiers, and now New Stainless Steel!The Born Free Bottles are made with a unique venting system that allows air to flow into the bottle. This reduces the hard sucking that often leads to painful colic, gas and middle ear infections. The nipples for the bottles are soft and are available in 5 different flow rates. These nipples are good for babies 0-18 months old. The Born Free feeding system is suitable for breast fed babies who are being introduced to bottle feeding. The unique air valve begins the steady flow of milk~ just as it does when the baby is nursing! How cool is that? I think that these bottles will be a great fit for our family, and especially our new baby! I will say that these bottles are a bit more on the spendy side, but really~ look what you are getting for the price.
The Born Free site offers several options for picking which bottles and how many to purchase. You can also see their product line and pricing just looking around. I highly recommend getting these bottles and/or accessories. Keep your baby safe.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
U*neaks: Shoe/sock review & a Giveaway!!
Kids shoes just keep getting better, and better! Another great shoe that caught my eye lately, is the all-new U*neaks! With kids changing their mind all the time with what characters or designs they like, U*neaks is the shoe to appease to your child's tastes! U*neaks patented customizable footwear are sneaker style shoes with side clear panel windows and specially designed socks that allow kids to continuously customize their shoes by simply changing their socks. These great shoes are fitted for those in pre-school through elementary school. U*neaks have a great selection of double-sided decorated socks to wear with the unique shoes! One side of the socks have one design, while the other side carries a different design. So, depending on the day, kids can chose which design will be seen by all. U*neaks shoes come in 9 
styles for girls and boys (sizes 8 through 3), and they range in price between $34.99 and $39.99. The U*neaks socks come in a variety of designs and you can get either crew or ankle socks.
There are over 29 styles of socks to chose from, so kids will have many options for those changing moods, outfits, and occasions. The socks range in price from $4.99 to $5.99 for each pair of two sided socks.
Notice how there is two different designs on the socks. I think this is very clever, because it gives kids the control over what the design will be! Caleb absolutely loves picking out his socks for the day, and then choosing which side he prefers. He also loves showing off his shoes when he wears them. I am really liking this new shoe brand!The footwear concept was developed by company founders Steve Braynock and Jeff Gabriele, company CEO, and included a collaboration with the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, New York. "Our product range is designed to meet the varied fashion desires of the younger set," says Gabriele. The shoes come in Velcro versions for preschoolers to cross training, fusion and hip lace-up skater styles for the older set. All shoes are high-quality construction including full grain leathers, breathable mesh, and custom comfort cushioning.
U*neaks are available on the web at http://www.uneaks.com/ or at any of the fine retailers listed on the web site. Would you like a chance to win a pair of U*neaks and also a pair of socks? This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. Go to the U*neaks website, and find the shoes and socks you like best, then come comment about it. You may come back each day and enter again, just leave a comment about where your feet take you most days. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on November 24th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK~
Let's get creative!
The Learning Tower, from Little Partners, is such a big hit at our house. Not only does it serve well as a step stool to aid at the counter top, stimulates hours of imaginative play in the themed "play house," it is now a great place to get those creative juices flowing from ideas created in the mind down on chalkboard or dry erase board!
Let me introduce to you the all new Little Partner's Art Easel! The Art Easel attaches very easy to the Learning Tower!
The Art Easel is a two-sided art board! One side is a very nice chalk board, and the other is a magnetic dry erase board. How fun is that! Kid's can enjoy 2 very fun, and creative ways to show their Picasso-side. The Art Easel comes with a magnetic strip (like a ruler) to use to hold the kid's paper in place. There is also a detachable art supply tray that has two built-in paint pot holders which can be fitted with plastic cups or paint pots. The tray holder also has an indented area that holds a pencil, an eraser, paint brushes, chalk and markers. I am really happy that the tray is made very accessible to remove for easy cleaning! We all know kids can be messy!
My kids are constantly drawing and creating on their new Art Easel. I have a hard time getting them to finish their masterpieces and putting the chalk down. The only suggestion I would give Little Partners is to offer an eraser for the chalk board and dry erase board.
The Art Easel is a super addition to the Learning Tower's accessories! The Learning Tower comes in Natural, Cherry, Soft White and Black colors. New for this year, little Partners will introduce five new colors for the Learning Tower: Red, Pink, Apple Green,
Royal Blue and Azure Blue. The Art Easel comes in 8 fun colors, besides the natural color: Dark Cherry, Ebony, Soft White, Red, Azure Blue, Royal Blue, Pink and Apple Green. The Art Easel has a suggested retail price of $69.99, and you can purchase them at several locations! Thank you Little Partners for adding the super Art Easel to your great product line! My kids and I thank you!
Let me introduce to you the all new Little Partner's Art Easel! The Art Easel attaches very easy to the Learning Tower!
The Art Easel is a two-sided art board! One side is a very nice chalk board, and the other is a magnetic dry erase board. How fun is that! Kid's can enjoy 2 very fun, and creative ways to show their Picasso-side. The Art Easel comes with a magnetic strip (like a ruler) to use to hold the kid's paper in place. There is also a detachable art supply tray that has two built-in paint pot holders which can be fitted with plastic cups or paint pots. The tray holder also has an indented area that holds a pencil, an eraser, paint brushes, chalk and markers. I am really happy that the tray is made very accessible to remove for easy cleaning! We all know kids can be messy!
My kids are constantly drawing and creating on their new Art Easel. I have a hard time getting them to finish their masterpieces and putting the chalk down. The only suggestion I would give Little Partners is to offer an eraser for the chalk board and dry erase board.
The Art Easel is a super addition to the Learning Tower's accessories! The Learning Tower comes in Natural, Cherry, Soft White and Black colors. New for this year, little Partners will introduce five new colors for the Learning Tower: Red, Pink, Apple Green,Royal Blue and Azure Blue. The Art Easel comes in 8 fun colors, besides the natural color: Dark Cherry, Ebony, Soft White, Red, Azure Blue, Royal Blue, Pink and Apple Green. The Art Easel has a suggested retail price of $69.99, and you can purchase them at several locations! Thank you Little Partners for adding the super Art Easel to your great product line! My kids and I thank you!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
All Star Buddies: Review and Giveaway!
I was introduced to a fun new website created for kids ages 6 and up. It is a fun new site where kids can play and interact in an online world that is Sport-themed! AllStarBuddies.com is a "safe" place where kids can kick balls, shoot pucks and score touchdowns without breaking something indoors.“Varsity Heights” is the name of the town kids interact in. Members receive a user id and password for their own account. The “Locker Room” is where kids log in to the world and select one of seven sports-themed, animated characters as their onscreen persona, which can be changed as often as a child wants to. The “All Star Buddies” animated characters in Varsity Heights include: Chip, (the “Golf Buddy”)Blitz (the “Football Buddy”)Deuce (the “Tennis Buddy”)Striker (the “Soccer Buddy”)Ace (the “Baseball Buddy”)Swish (the “Basketball Buddy”)Deke (the “Hockey Buddy”). Kids of all ages and skill levels can enjoy this game, compete and socialize. The online chatting is in safe codes, so only words that are in the site's dictionary can be typed. Among the different “zones”, players will find various games and activities where they will compete for coins that can be cashed in at virtual stores like Fluff ‘n Stuff for customized features and accessories, such as a crazy orange faux hawk hairdo, silly eyes or a funny mouth. There are many fun places to visit, games and activities offered on the website:
Varsity Heights Stadium Games- Suit up and head straight to Varsity Heights Stadium to tackle great sports-themed games featuring All Star Buddies like Blitz’s Fumble Rumble, Striker’s Breakaway Invasion, and Deke’s Ice Block Rock.
The Arcade - Race over to the Arcade and challenge your friends to classic arcade-style games or enjoy the silliness that happens when you over-indulge on junk-food snacks, just like in real life. In Varsity Heights, though, you can learn the lesson of how bad junk food makes you feel without suffering through a stomach ache!
School Zone - Your brain is like a muscle that always needs strengthening. Head over to the School Zone and let Ms. Applebee test your brain power with games and activities like “Math Splash” and “Animation Station.” (Since kids may be a little reluctant to visit School after real school, the site’s designer moms will offer bonuses, extra coins and other incentives for stopping by for a little learning.) Visit the playground next door to play kick ball and watch your character climb up and slide down the slide.
The team behind the site’s development are constantly innovating and investing in the site to make it better and more fun, so check back frequently to see what’s been added!
There is a special collection of the seven All Star Buddies plush toys which are available for purchase at selected specialty toy and gift stores. Each high-quality, plush character comes with a unique, promotional code that children can enter online to receive extra privileges in Varsity Heights.Founded by Caryn Burns and Cindy Prince, two moms with a passion for sports, fitness and their children. Using individual and multi-player games, children learn about problem-solving, goal setting, good sportsmanship, teamwork, fitness, good nutrition and environmental awareness – all while having a fun online experience that will keep them coming back for many “extra innings.”
Caryn Burns and Cindy Prince created All Star Buddies from the two things they knew best, kids and sports. Each comes from different career backgrounds: Caryn, the buyer and merchandiser of a family-run pharmacy; and Cindy, a CSW specializing in counseling adolescents and families. Together, they combined their knowledge and enthusiasm to create All Star Buddies, a series of interactive based plush toys that teach kids real-life lessons and healthy living in a fun and imaginative way.
Would you like to win a plush from All Star Buddies? One SassyFrazz reader will win their choice plush sport ball, which comes with the special promotional code to enter online. This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. Go to the AllStarBuddies website, take a look around (check out the site) and pick out which plush buddy you would like to win (click on meet a buddy). Come back and comment with the name of the buddy you would chose if you won. You may come back each day and enter again, just leave a comment about which sport you like best, or sport team. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on November 28th, at 7:00 PM CST. GOOD LUCK~
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