Ladybug Soup

Where I've Been...

2011-08-17T23:30:00.000-05:00

I took some time off, in case you didnt notice, LOL!

After my husbands job transfer, a move across the country, and a new baby, I was exhausted. I needed to take time off and just focus on myself and my family. I didnt have time to blog anymore. I still dont have much freetime, but I wanted to just start up again with family type stuff so that one day I can look back at my blog and smile at the memories of my babies growing up.

My Emmie is 8 months old tomorrow. I cant believe she is that old, and that I have been living in this state for that long. I still feel like a Minnesota girl, I dont know if I will ever fit in here.

Emmie is into everything! My goodness, she is trouble LOL! She has been crawling since 5 1/2 months. She must get her hands on anything and everything. Especially if its her sisters! She laughs most easily at her big sister and looks at her with such admiration it fills up my heart with joy. Two little girls, how did I get so blessed?

She still sleeps great, always has. Thank goodess for that! She is always smiling, so happy to socialize. If she is sad, the instant I hold her she is calm. She reaches for me now, which makes me feel so loved :) She loves solids, but has become a litlle more picky lately. Today a tooth popped through, her very first one!

Her big sister is 4 now and starts preschool in a few weeks. She is so smart and says the funniest things, I am always laughing with her. She is nervous about school because she had a rough class over the summer. Some of the girls were mean to her which absolutely brok my heart into a million pieces. There is nothing worse than your child losing their little innocence and learning those hard lessons. I am trying to be positive about school and let her know what to expect. She will have different kids and a different teacher, so it should be a different experience. Its also at a church so I am hoping that will help infuse kindness, not bullying.

Life is good...stressful at times, but we are hanging in there. Luckily I have had lots of family come out to visit me, but I still miss them all like crazy. I miss being a quick car ride away. I miss them on the different birthdays and holidays. I miss seeing the joy my girls bring to them. So we are getting by, day by day.

I feel like I have missed so much in the online world! If anything is new in your life, I would love to hear about it! Hope you stuck around during my break and check back from time to time!

Kellie

some pics of the fun we've been having together!

My Growing Girl!

2011-03-03T21:50:00.000-06:00

Guess who's 10 weeks??? Actually almost 11 weeks!! She is a happy, sweet, cuddly little girl who I am so thankful for. I just can't get over how happy she makes me, and how she fits into our family so perfectly.

She is still nursing like a champ! And she's almost 9 pounds, which may not seem like much but she came home and was only 4lbs 11oz so she's grown a lot! She started in preemie clothes, now she's almost done with newborn size.

She gives happy smiles pretty easily now. It used to be only in the morning she'd smile at me, but now it's all the time. It is the cutest thing ever...and always makes me laugh!

My 1st daughter was born with jet black hair, just like me when I was born. But Emilie has almost red hair! It's brownish red and looks so pretty in the sunlight. Both mu husband and I are Irish, so I guess we were bound to have a little red in the family :)

Attention Facebook Fans! I Lost My Old Facebook Page, Can You Like My New One? THANK YOU!

2011-03-03T21:22:00.000-06:00

Soooo....

A couple of weeks ago I lost my Facebook Page for Ladybug Soup. I had almost 500 Fans - or likes - so this really upset me. I've had that page for quite awhile and there is no way to know who the people were that liked my page.

I can't get the original page back, so I am asking you all to please, please, please re-like my new page. This one is set up differently, so it won't be deleted by Facebook again. I really hope that you all just take a moment to like my page. If you leave a comment here or on facebook, I will go and like your page back!

Click HERE to 'Like' Ladybug Soup on Facebook!! Thank you SOOOO much!!

DACRON Mini Pillows Review & Giveaway

2011-03-03T21:10:00.000-06:00

Early spring is the perfect time to get some things done around the house! I have been cleaning, sorting, and updating pieces around my home to lighten and brighten the feel of my house. Many stores are celebrating this new season with White Sale, making it so moms everywhere can find great deals on bedding for everyone in their family!

When searching for pillows for your bedroom, guest bedroom, or Child's room, you can always turn to DACRON - America's favorite pillow fiber for more than 50 years! In fact in a recent nationwide study, 2/3 of consumers were familiar with the DACRON Brand making it one of the highest levels of consumer awareness among popular home furnishing brands!

I was able to try out a pillow with DACRON fiber and it was so comfortable! I am a pillow nut...I use them everywhere! when I was pregnant I would use them to support my growing belly. Now that I have my newborn I still use them to support my arms while holding her or breastfeeding her. the DACRON pillow is the perfect size to support my arms and I find that it is supportive yet still soft enough to feel comfortable. My oldest daughter also loves to use it while she lounges, it really is the perfect size for her!

Now it's easier than ever to find a quality pillow with DACRON fibers...just look for the quality seal. The DACRON® fiber quality seal, introduced in the fall of 2010, will be featured on the packaging of bedding products that are filled with the branded fiberfill from INVISTA. The DACRON® fiber quality seal will endorse brands, like luxuriously comfortable DACRON® Comforel® fiberfill, durable and functional DACRON® Performa® fiberfill, and long-lasting DACRON® DuraLife™ fiberfill.

Consumers can trust the DACRON® taglines: “Trust What’s Inside” and “It Just Feels Good”. They can also be assured that pillows bearing the DACRON® fiber quality seal are filled with quality fiberfill, leaving them feeling comfortable night after night.

One reader will win 2 DACRON Mini Pillows!

TO ENTER:

Leave me a comment telling me how many pillows you like to sleep with....or your pillow style. Do you like a firm pillow? Or soft and fluffy?

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete.

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Giveaway will end on March 14th at 10pm CST. winner will be chosen via random.org and will be announced on Lady bug Soup 7 emailed directly. Winner has 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I received one pillow in exchange for an honest review. No monetary payments were given for this post. All opinions expressed are my own and different people may have different experiences with product and/or company.

First Time on DVD! Chuggington: Let's Ride The Rails Giveaway!

2011-03-03T16:49:00.000-06:00

Honk your Horns!

Have a train fan in your house?? Then chances are you've seen the fun kids show 'Chuggington' on the Disney Channel! The colorful and contemporary CGI-animated TV series follows the amusing adventures of three young trainees, Wilson, Brewster and Koko, as they learn to “ride the rails” of life and become productive chuggers. Featuring a dynamic fleet of relatable and diverse characters, each engaging episode of “Chuggington” is filled with positive life lessons that encourage and promote early social skills.

Now Chuggington is available on DVD for the first time in Chuggington: Let's Ride The Rails

Chuggington: Let’s Ride The Rails (SRP: $16.98) welcomes preschoolers to the vibrant world of “Chuggington” with six fun-filled episodes that take young viewers on entertaining explorations, while gently reinforcing valuable lessons such as humility, trust, respect and teamwork. The episodes featured on the new DVD are “Clunky Wilson,” “Braking Brewster,” “Can’t Catch Koko,” “Old Puffer Pete’s Tour,” “Koko On Call” and “Hodge And The Magnet.” Special bonuses include “Chuggington”-themed coloring pages and activity sheets.

My Daughter is really into trains right now and we can't wait to check out this fun new DVD! And one lucky reader will get to win their own copy right now!

You can purchase this new DVD on Amazon for approx $11.99!

One reader will win this new DVD 'Chuggington: Let's Ride The Rails'

Please leave a comment telling me who you would like to win this DVD for!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra you complete

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Giveaway will end March 17th at 10pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen. US Only Please.

Disclaimer: No payments or products were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own and different people may have different experiences with products and/or company.

2011-02-28T19:44:00.000-06:00

I've been trying some new recipes lately and have been having so much fun baking & cooking! I have never really been great in the kitchen, but I've never really tried hard either. I am finding so much enjoyment in making meals and treats for my family. It's actually a lot of fun, and I'm not too bad at it either! I feel so domestic lately, it muyst be the new home and new baby having an affect on me :)

I've never made Banana Bread before, this was my first try. And it turned out delicious!! I thought I over cooked it, but on the inside it is SO soft and moist. We had a favorite bakery back in MN that I would always buy banana bread at, and my Husband said this is better than that! That makes me feel great, and inspires me to keep making great food!

Here is the recipe from Betty Crocker:

You'll Need:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Directions:

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.

2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.

3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

I added chocolate chips to my banana bread, right before adding it to the pan. I also skipped the nuts, since I'm not too fond of them in my breads. You'll want to try this recipe, it is a great one!

Ten Things To Miss If Mom Was Abducted By Aliens!

2011-02-28T15:07:00.000-06:00

Being a Mom means running the household...whether it be making sure your child has their favorite jeans washed & ready for Monday morning, keeping track of Doctor appointments, or getting a hot meal on the table...moms do it all! Sometimes, as kids get older, the may forget just how much Mom does for them!

To celebrate the March 11th release of 'Mars Needs Moms' SocialMoms is having a fun blogging opportunity for moms to share what their kids would miss most if they were abducted by aliens! I'm pretty sure that these things would get my kids missing me so much, they'd find a way to get me back...just like in the movie!

My comfort when they are sick or hurt. Nothing is better than having your Mom with you when you are hurting. My Husband does a good job too, but there is something about the comfort I give my girls that is something only a Mommy can do.

Dancing! When I dance with my Daughter, we have so much fun! It's hilarious to teach her my silly moves. She doesn't care if I look ridiculous or can't dance well. It's about letting loose, laughing, and bonding with my girl.

Cuddles! Both of my girls love to cuddle! My oldest likes to cuddle at night still, which I soak up and enjoy because it won't be like that forever. My youngest of course is a cuddle bug, and she sleeps on me with love and trust.

Doing Girly Things - Hair, nails, and fashion! I can't resist a pretty dress that is perfect for spinning. I paint her nails and do her hair, and totally get the Princess thing. After all, I was once a little girl too!

Imaginary Play - My Daughter takes after me in this way. She can play for hours with anything....things like sticks, rocks, her own fingers even....become alive with her imaginations. They become real to her, have conversations, and play out stories. She has the best imagination and I love playing along with her! I think she'd miss that extra playmate she gets from her Mommy.

Singing Songs! I teach her some great songs that I knew when I was a kid. I even make up completely new ones to help her get through a hard situation, or to make something more fun! She used to hate brushing her teeth until I made up a fun song that we could sing together!

Our talks. She's only 3, but I think she would miss our chats about different things. I like to ask her questions, have her tell me stories, give her my undivided attention and really hear her. If she is acting out, I get down on her level and find out WHY she is crying. What is the reason behind her attitude. It usually helps her so much, and I think she trusts me because of it.

My smiles! This is mainly for the new baby! She is smiling now, which warms my heart so much. I am good at getting her to smile back at me, and I believe she knows my face from other people. My smile is familiar to her, and she likes to return the favor :)

Holding her! My baby knows that if she needs me, if she cries, if she is hungry, Mom will be there for her. I will come scoop her up, let her feel my warmth and love, and help her. Make it better. Even my oldest knows this. If she falls, is sick, or needs help, I will come scoop her up and rescue her.

The way I know them so well. I know when my oldest gets scared. She has a certain look on her face, even a fake smile, and a tone of voice that tells me she is scared. Even when she tries to hide it, or fake being happy, I can tell. I know her better than anyone. I've been with her everyday of her life since she was born. I know what she needs, and she knows I will give her that.

There really are so many things I think they would miss about me. Fortunately, I don't foresee any alien abductions in my future, so my girls won't have to worry about fighting martians to get me back :) Instead, we'll just enjoy the movie 'Mars Need Martians' when it comes to theaters!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure you link to http://marsneedsmoms.socialmoms.com/about)

A Weekend Any Twilight Fan Would Appreciate!

2011-02-10T16:18:00.000-06:00

My amazing Husband surprised me with a really fun time last weekend. He wouldn't tell me what we were doing or where we going, just that he had my day planned for me. Of course this made me nervous, because we aren't always on the same page when it comes to fun :)

After driving to who knows where, we ended up here. Recognize it??

It's the Carver Cafe...the exact place that the cafe scenes were filmed in the movie Twilight!!! How cool is that!!! We had breakfast there (which was so delicious!) and then busted out the camera. The waiter & waitress were so friendly, she even asked me if I wanted to sit in the exact table that they filmed in. Of course I was really excited for that!

They are so used to tourists, they said that teens come in and completely freak out, LOL!

I was SO proud of my Husband for finding this place for me. It was a complete surprise, and he had the whole thing planed out for me. I was thinking of taking the long drive to Forks Washington this summer to get my picture taken there, but I really love the idea of visiting the places that the actors actually filmed at. We also saw one of the high schools and the Cullen house. Next time we get some free time we're going to drive by Bella's house, which would be so cool to see since so much was filmed there!

When we got home we put the movie in since it had been so long, and it was really cool to see the places we visitied on the tv! Hubby definitely got big points for this one!

More Winners!

2011-02-10T16:04:00.000-06:00

Pillsbury....Simply Basket Winner

#43 Janell

Congrats!

American Express Gift Card Winner

#1174 Life Is A Sand Castle

Congrats!

Winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to reply

Mealtime Etiquette - My Tips!

2011-02-10T15:33:00.000-06:00

Dinnertime with toddlers can sometimes be a challenge. My daughter has always been extremely picky with her food. If it isn't the right brand, color, or does not look familiar, she doesn not want to go near it. It is really frustrating as a Parent, let me tell you! There are certain things I have done to make dinnertime a little more smooth for all of us. It has helped to get everyone toegther to enjoy meals....

Here are some of my Do' and Don't of Meal Time Etiquette. If you'd like to see more, head over to Socialmoms.com!

Do- Involve Your Child. If you let them help cook the food, prepare the food, or serve the food, they may be more willing to try it. Sometimes my daughter will help me cook but still not want the food. But that's okay because we are still getting quality time together while we cook, and who knows the next time she may just try it!
Do - Have your Child Try One Bite. I will have my daughter try one bute of something new, just because she may end of liking it.
DON'T - No TV While We Eat. This is a big one! Dinner time is an important time to get together as a family and share stories about your day. When my Husband gets home, we sit down and eat together and leave the tv off. That way we are forced to chat and won't rely on the tv to fill the silence.
No Cell Phones At The Table. My Daughter is too young for this,ut it's a great one for teens...and the Husband!
Clean Up Your Own Dish - When you are finished with your meal, you can get up and clear your plate in the sink. It's easier if they are rinsed right away, and it lets everyone help in the cleaning process.
Wash Your Hands Before You Eat Especially important with kids in the house! If they are outside playing, and come in to eat, make them wash up frst!
Use A Napkin - not your sleeve...pretty slef explanatory right?
Teach Kids How To Set The Table - the right way! Show them where all of the silverware goes, the cup, the napkins. People may not know these skills anymore, but it's important to learn. I personally learned from my Granmother. The table had to be set the proper way everytime, so I learned earlly and would help her set the table for holidays and everyday meals. I never forgot and will teach my daughters too!

I am sure as my children get older, there will be even more rules for dinnertime. They will want ot be playing outside, texting, the whole teenager thing. What are some of your tips for a smoth and enjoyable dinner?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Wubbzy DVD Winner

2011-02-10T07:58:00.000-06:00

Wubbzy Be Mine DVD Winner

#21 Michelle

Congrats!

Winner has been emailed!

Helpful Tips For Planning Your Valentine's Day Evening/Weekend!

2011-02-08T23:19:00.001-06:00

Still trying to come up with a special Valentine's Day plan? Here are some helpful tips to make the planning easier and more fun!

Plan a getaway... at a hotel in your own backyard. A romantic escape in your own hometown is a great way to “get away” from life’s daily stresses without having to go too far – or breaking the bank. Plus, with Valentine’s Day on a Monday this year, you can add an extra day of romance to your weekend together.

Pack a picnic. Fill up a picnic basket with all of the foods and luxuries that you both enjoy most – think chocolates or gourmet take-out from a favorite restaurant. This allows you to spend time one-on-one, without the hassle and high price of dining at a restaurant.

Fill the day with little surprises. Take a bubble bath, plan a movie marathon, and make a playlist of favorite songs that you can both relax to. Remember – Valentine’s Day is really about the experience and enjoying every moment together.

Find deals that let you indulge yourselves. Look for deals that do the planning for you with some great value-added bonuses. DoubleTree by Hilton’s “Sweet Romance Getaway” package greets couples with a bottle of sparkling wine waiting in the room so you can kick off the Valentine’s Day celebration in style. Plus, you’ll even receive a full breakfast in the room or in the restaurant, and perks like early check in and late check out so you are guaranteed extra quality time with your sweetheart. And who could forget that the hotel’s legendary, warm chocolate chip cookies, are a guaranteed sweet treat for everyone at the end of the night!

We'll be celebrating Valentine's Day this coming weekend since the holiday falls on a worknight this year. Of course we'll have the kids along, since it has become more of a fun family holiday which is still great! Whatever you choose to do, the important thing is to share it with someone you love!

Disclaimer: Info shared with you on behalf of Doubletree & Ketchum PR. No monetary compensation was provided for this post.

Dei Fratelli Review - Delicious Products For Your Everyday Meals!

2011-02-08T16:19:00.000-06:00

When it comes to dinner, I want something that is easy to make that still tastes fresh and is good for my family. Some of my favorite dishes involve tomatoes so I was very excited to be able to review some items from Dei Fratelli! I had never tried this brand before, but when I saw how many versatile products they carried I knew it would be a great fit for my family.

Dei Fratelli carries Pasta Sauces, Salsas, Canned Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Pizza Sauce, Sloppy Joe Sauce, and more! Their products are made with fresh ingredients like vine ripened tomatoes that taste fresh from the garden. Dei Fratelli means "of the brothers" which supports their message of Family being their secret ingredient. Food brings family together, and you can enjoy a delicious meal with your family and Dei Fratelli every night of the week!

The Original Salsa (Mild) was absolutely delicious! I am not normally a salsa fan, only because I can't tolerate hot foods very well. If it burns my mouth and tongue when I eat it, I am just not interested. But when I tried this salsa, I could actually taste the tomatoes! And the flavors of the peppers, onions, and garlic was sweet and tasted fresh. I could not stop eating this with my favorite chips, and since there is no fat in the salsa you won't have to feel guilty for enjoying this as a topping on your favorite meals!

I used the sloppy joe sauce to make this yummy meal one night, and it was a great hot meal to enjoy after a cold day. I browned hamburger, then mixed in the Dei Fratelli Sloppy Joe sauce and some frozen veggies. After heated, I put the mixture into individual ramekins and place a Pillsbury biscuit on top. This was a delicious and easy meal that my family really enjoyed! The sloppy joe sauce was so good and had a robust tomato flavor. I'll definitely be adding it to my grocery list!

I highly recommend trying Dei Fratelli next time you are at your local grocery store. Use them to add delicious flavor to your meals. You can also find plenty of recipes that include your favorite Dei Fratelli product. Next on my list to make is the Grilled Chicken Fajitas!

Disclaimer: I received these products in exchange for an honest review. No monetary compensation was provided. All opinions are my own and different people may have different experiences with products and/or company.

Wubbzy Be Mine DVD Giveaway! Perfect for Valentine's Day!

2011-02-03T13:06:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is less than 2 weeks away! It's such a fun holiday, even for kids! There are crafts to do, Valentine's to create, and yummy treats to bake! And one of my Daughter's favorite characters Wubbzy is helping the kids get excited for Valentine's Day with a new DVD called "Wubbzy Be Mine"

Here's more info on this fun DVD!

As Valentine’s Day is approaching, I wanted to share with you the release of Wubbzy’s newest DVD called “Wubbzy Be Mine.” The festive new DVD, which offers loads of Valentine’s Day–themed fun for young viewers and their families, is set to spark lots of “Wubb love” and laughter – just in time to celebrate the special day!

“Wubbzy Be Mine” (SRP $12.98) is an irresistible compilation of three episodes featuring the series’ well-loved characters, Wubbzy, Widget, Walden and Daizy. In “Mr. Valentine,” Wuzzleburg’s trusty mailman falls ill on Valentine’s Day and Wubbzy steps in to deliver all the valentines, but he soon discovers there are none for him…. To Wubbzy’s surprise, his pals personally deliver his valentines, saving the best for last! In “Cupid’s Helper,” Cupid pays a visit to Wuzzleburg, but loses his prized bubble-blower. When Wubbzy finds it, he starts blowing bubbles bringing together some of Wuzzleburg’s oddest couples. And, in “My Speedy Valentine,” the third love-filled episode on the new release, Wubbzy and his pals try to find the fastest way ever to make their own valentines, but something keeps bugging Walden….

One reader will win this DVD perfect for Valentine's Day along with some Wubbzy Valentine Candy Hearts!

To enter this giveaway simply become a Follower of my blog on Google Friend Connect!

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Giveaway will end on February 7th at 10pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and has 48 hours to reply to my email or a new winner will be chosen. US Residents only.

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation or products were received for this post. Simply taking the opportunity to host a giveaway for a reader!

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Have Some Fun This Valentine's Day With Eden Fantasys!

2011-02-02T17:20:00.001-06:00

*Links provided in this post contain adult material! They are intended for an audience of 18 or older only***

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, many people have romance on the mind! Whether you are looking for something sweet or a little spicy, EdenFantasys has you covered!

EdenFantasys is an online retailer of products that can help you spice up your love life. Personally I would not have the time to go shopping at a store that sold sexy products....being a stay at home Mom that just doesn't happen. With EdenFantasys you can shop right from the privacy of your own home.....online....taking all the time you need to pick something perfect for you.

When searching through their website, I found the products to be surprisingly affordable! With specialty products you tend to see higher prices, but there were tons of items that were under $20...even lingerie sets! I really love babydoll nighties, they have some really pretty colors and styles to choose from. Of course, I just had a baby so I may not look exactly like those models wearing the outfits on the website, but I am pretty sure my Husband would be thrilled anyway! ;)

I also loved EdenFantasys selection of Sensual Bath & Body Products and Aromatherapy candles! This particular one uses soy wax and lead free wicks to get a clean even burn...for up to 50 hours! Choose from scents like Angel Food Cake, Valencia Orange, Pomegranate, or Cucumber! Candles are an easy way to add romance and set the mood for a special evening!

And how romantic would these rose petals look on a bed! Perfect for Valentine's Day! (Rose Petals Exposion, $15.45)

Sometimes as Moms we tend to let the romance department slack a little, I know I am guilty of that. This Valentine's Day, why not surprise your Husband with some unexpected fun from EdenFantasys? When the package is delivered to your house, it is in a discreet box that won't let anyone know your little secret. You can shop from home, get it delivered right to your house, all at an affordable price! Check out EdenFantasys to find the perfect bit of romance for you and your partner!

Disclaimer: I will receive a gift card to thank me for my time in posting this. All opinions expressed are honest and my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or company.

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - Perfect For Your Health & Beauty Needs!

2011-01-29T21:22:00.000-06:00

Many people, including myself, turn to Arm & Hammer Baking Soda for many of their household cleaning needs. I have had tough stains in my kitchen that I thought were a lost cause...until I used Baking Soda. It worked like magic! A box costs less than a dollar and isn't harsh smelling or full of chemicals that you can't even pronounce.

Did you know that you can also use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda for your health & beauty needs? I know I didn't! Mom Central sent me a gift basket full of spa goodies so I could have an at home spa experience with Baking Soda, and it really could not have come at a better time! Sleep deprived, no extra time, and getting spit up on multiple times a day...you can see how much I needed some 'ME' time! And what better way to get it? This was a 'review' so sorry Hubby, it has to be done ;)

Included in my basket was a booklet full of beauty tips that all include baking soda. I decided to to try the Home Pedicure Foot Soakfirst, because frankly my feet have been pretty neglected lately and have seen better days. It was easy to create, and left my feet feeling noticably softer, and with less dead skin build up. Here are more Health/Beauty uses for Arm & Hammer Baking Soda!

Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant

For smooth, radiant skin, give yourself a gentle facial and body scrub with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. Make a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate skin and remove dead skin cells. Rinse clean. Gentle enough for daily use!

Hair Care

Get rid of product buildup by sprinkling a small amount (quarter-size) of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo. Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly. The ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.

Soothing Bath Soak

For a relaxing ending to a long day, add 1/2 cup of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration. Your skin will feel silky smooth!

Home Pedicure Foot Soak

Start your home pedicure by dissolving 3 tablespoons of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda in a basin of warm water and soak feet. Gently scrub with a paste of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda.

Pearly Whites

For gleaming smiles, brush teeth with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. . Just sprinkle baking soda into your palm, dip a damp toothbrush into it, and brush*. For a refreshing mouthwash, use 1 teaspoon baking soda in ½ glass of water. Swish the solution through your teeth and rinse.

*ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda does not contain the anti-cavity ingredient fluoride. Use it where water is fluorinated or when non-fluoride toothpaste is desired for adult use or as directed by your dentist of physician.

Hand Cleanser

Soften skin with a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water. Forget the harsh soaps and gently scrub away ground-in dirt and neutralize odors on hands with 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to your liquid hand soap. Then rinse clean.

Clean Brushes and Combs

For lustrous hair with more shine, keep brushes and combs clean with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. Remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda in a small basin of warm water. Rinse and allow to dry.

Natural Deodorant

Dust ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda under arms as needed to feel fresh all day.

The magic of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda actually absorbs odors instead of just covering them up.

I also shared my new found tips with my Husband, who uses hair products in his hair everyday. He included the baking soda in his shampoo to help remove the build up that the products leave in his hair. It helped his hair feel less oily, and his scalp feel cleaner!

I had such a nice time using the relaxing products in my spa basket....included was even a scented candle to really help me relax and unwind! I can't wait to use everything again during my next 'me' time. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is an affordable, easy, natural way to pamper yourself and give yourself a new way to get clean. It's not just for household uses, so try something new for yourself!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Arm & Hammer and received a beauty basket to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Blog Hops - Find New Friends to Follow - Follow Me, I Will Follow Back!

2011-01-28T00:43:00.000-06:00

There are so many blogs that participate in different Friday Following blog hops, I decided to join in today! Not only to get some more followers, but to discover new blogs and give myself plenty of new posts to read. With late night feedings, sometimes I'll open up my laptop and read a little, so I need some new material ;)

If you'd like to join in, go check out Fun Follow Friday at Simply Stacie ..

and Hop Along Friday with Chubby Cheeks Thinks.

If you follow my blog, please leave a comment on this post letting me know, and I will be sure to visit your blog and Follow you back!!

Have fun blog hopping!

Unique,Frugal,Fun Valentine's Day Gifts for Women, Men, and Kids!

2011-01-27T16:07:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is a favorite holiday of mine....probably has something to do with treats, flowers, jewelry....all good things! I am very easy to buy for (my Husband may not agree) I just like something simple....not flashy or expensive. Just something sweet and thoughtful. And NOT a box of chocolates....that may be great for some people, but I don't like any of them that they include in those big heart shaped boxes. Get me a peanut butter filled chocolate heart....now that would be perfect!

Valentine's Day isn't just for me in this house....we also get my daughter something special and fun. Another yearly tradition since my husband and I met was to get our mothers a gift. It's just a nice way to make a woman feel special and to let them know you are thinking of them.

Here are some fun gift ideas, for the many people in your life that you may want to share this fun day with!

Flowers. Giving them in person is sweet, but a surprise delivery is also so much fun! Roses are traditional but picking their favorite flower shows more thought in my opinion.

Spa Gift Card. Seriously, perfect gift. I have never been to a spa, but I would love to go someday. It's something I wouldn't go spend money on for myself, but if I had the gift card I wouldn't feel any guilt for doing something nice for myself. Moms deserve it!

Dinner Out. Pick a favorite restaurant, maybe the one you had your first date at (ahem....unless you were 19 when you met and had your first date at Perkins) My Husband and I will usually get a nice meal to go...and eat it at home together since we have young children.

Jewelry. Can't go wrong there! I generally don't wear a lot of jewelry unless it means something to me, so getting something engraved wold make it more special.

Pajamas....sexy or comfy! It can be lingerie (classy kind lol!) or maybe a nice luxurious robe.

Candles, Perfume., Bath Products. Always a safe choice!

An apron from FlirtyAprons.com! Gorgeous styles, great fit! Makes ordinary cooking and baking more fun and more flirty.

MEN

Cologne. Pick their favorite scent....if you don't know what that is you can go off of what he already uses and pick something similar. Check their body wash or deodorant...this will give you a clue. Or visit a department store and get help from salesperson...best sellers are a good choice.

Watch, Tie, Cuff Links, Wallet. Classic choices, always nice!

Tickets to sporting event or concert. You can make it a future date night or give him a night out with his buddies.

Bottle of nice Wine

Electronics. GPS, IPOD, IPAD, Headphones for his online gaming habit....I am sure this would be a favorite choice for most men!

Video Game. Not romantic, but maybe something he'd really enjoy.

Grooming Set or a nice electric razor. Hubby have a beard? Or is he trying to keep his face clean shaven? Both are practical gifts he will get a lot of use out of.

FRUGAL

Breakfast in bed. Can be fun if the kids help too!

Write them a Love Letter. You can even get it printed on old fashioned paper to add to the effect! Words that come from the heart will be much more meaningful than anything you purchase at the mall.

New Book from their Favorite Author. If they love to read, they will appreciate this gift so much!

Make a Gift basket of their favorite things! Some theme ideas are bath products (bath salts, bubble bath, lotion, manicure set, nailpolish, eye mask) Movie theme (a dvd, popcorn, movie theater candies, blanket to cuddle with)

Give your spouse a massage! It's free and it will make them feel so good! Maybe you'll even get one in return!

Cook them their favorite Meal! This will be cheaper than eating out and will mean more since you pepared it yourself. Light some candles, open a bottle of wine.....you can even eat a late dinner after the kids go to bed so you can have an adult conversation :)

Have a Movie Night - Netflix! At a dollar a night you can't get more frugal than that! Reserve a movie online early in the day to avoid the rush & risk not getting the title you want.

KIDS

Craft Kits- This is a great gift that your child will love to open! You can even do the craft with them for some quality time! I love Creativity For Kids

DVD - Pick a valentine themed DVD with their favorite characters. Don't worry - they will get use out of it even when Valentine's Day is over. My kid watches Elmo's Christmas Countdown all year long!

Baking Kit. I like ones that have a fun theme, with cool cookie cutters and decorations. You could even make your own kit and bake them that same day. Sassafras is a great place to look!

Pair that With A Sweet Child's Apron! I love Jillie Willie

Pretty Dress Up Clothes, headbands, bows, tights, Heart Shaped Sunglasses. Make them pink & sweet!

Ladybug Pillow Pet or the Red & White Valentine Dog

Games - you can get a lot of use out of a board game....add them to your family game night rotation!

Toys that include hearts, are red/pink, or play food sets with cupcakes and other sweet treats

Pretend Archery Set - Cupid anyone? Your little man will love it!

Heart Shaped Pillow

......

The most important thing is to personalize the gift. Maybe they have been hinting at something they need, like a new pair of slippers. Or a NOOK FROM BARNES AND NOBLE. Oops. Sorry, caps lock must have gotten stuck there :)

Whatever you end up buying, making, or doing.....be sure to let people in your life know how much you love them. Not just on Valentine's Day, but every day.

No company asked me to link to them....just sharing some favorites with my readers to be helpful!

Let it Snow....Errr...I Mean Rain!

2011-01-27T13:00:00.000-06:00

While most of the country is getting snow dumped on them.....and having freezing temperatures.....here in my lovely new state I have seen none of that.

Today the high is 58!

And I haven't seen snow since I left my chilly state of Minnesota.

We do get plenty of rain though....not surprising for the Pacific North West. Sometimes it will rain and rain.....and be grey and dreary. But then the sun comes out, and it really makes you appreciate it even more. Kind of like how the bitter cold MN winters made me appreciate a 50 degree Spring day even more.

The views here are spectacular and impress me everytime. Of course we can only see the mountain when the sun comes out.....

I will admit that sometimes I miss the snow. An inch or two would make my yard look pretty, and I know my daughter would love to play in it again like we did back home. I certainly don't miss the below freezing temps of MN though, the kind of temp that actually hurts when you have to go out in it.

We are slowly getting used to our new home, but I am still missing the old one...

Pillsbury...simply - Delicious Addition to Any Meal! Review With Great Giveaway Package!

2011-01-26T23:57:00.002-06:00

On these cold and busy nights, I like to keep my meals simple, hearty, and delicious. With a newborn, I don't have a lot of time to spend on my meals, so I choose things that are easy to make and are still good for my family.

I often use refrigerated pizza dough, crescent rolls, and biscuits in recipes or as a yummy addition to a meal. Because we enjoy those so much, I was excited to be able to try the new Pillsbury simply...products including Buttermilk Biscuits and Rustic French Bread.

Both of these products contain zero grams of trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial colors or flavors. They are both made with real ingredients like sugar, honey, and buttermilk. It's definitely a food that you can feel good about choosing to make! It's also affordable, quick, and super simple to make...which makes it the perfect addition to any meal!

Pillsbury simply...rustic French bread goes so well with so many different meals. A steaming bowl of homemade chili, a spaghetti dinner, or even use it to make a hot turkey sandwich! My mouth is watering just thinking about the possibilities! I paired my bread with potato soup, one of my favorite winter meals. The bread was very easy to make...I literally just took it out of its package, placed it on a cookie sheet, and baked it at 350 for 28 minutes. Add some butter, dip it in the soup, and enjoy!

The simply...buttermilk biscuits can also be used in so many ways...for example we used ours at our 'breakfast dinner'. my Husband and I both love biscuits and country gravy, and we added scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. it was tasty and so filling! These biscuits are also very easy to make, just place each pre-cut biscuit on the pan and bake. can't get any easier than that!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Would you like to try the new Pillsbury simply...products? One winner will get to try them along with this great prize pack!

Includes:

Bread Basket

Cutting Board

Jar of Honey

Spreader

TO ENTER: Please visit Pillsbury and tell me one other product that sounds good to you!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an extra comment for every extra entry you complete

Tell me a recipe you'd like to try from the Pillsbury site! They all look so good!
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Giveaway is open to US Residents. Giveaway will end on February 8th at 10pm Pacific Time. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be emailed directly. Winner has 72 hours to reply to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: No payments were received for this post. I received two free products to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and different people may have different opinions/experiences with products and/or company.

BabyBond Nursing Accessories - Cover Mom Not Baby!

2011-01-20T14:02:00.001-06:00

When I nursed my first daughter, I had no idea that different options existed for helping me stay covered while nursing on the go. I would use a blanket, and that would get bulky and hot for the baby. This time around I have learned about all of the great companies that exist to help nursing mothers feel comfortable while nursing, and help baby be more comfortable too!

Nursing covers are great, but I will admit that it's a little awkward to have your baby so covered up. It basically covers their entire body, just leaving room for you to see their face....but not allowing them to see out too. That's why the BabyBond Nursing Cover is a great choice for Moms who like a new way to stay covered, but not cover their baby!

This innovative design focuses on covering MOM not the Baby. It's worn as a sash, functioning as a nursing top. You nurse from the top of your shirt, an simply separate the layers of fabric to get your baby latched on. Your back and stomach stay covered by your own shirt, and your breast is covered by the BabyBond! There's also a convenient built in burp cloth area that is in the perfect spot for burping your baby when they finish feeding.YOUR

HERE IS A HELPFUL VIDEO ON USING BABYBOND!

I was able to try a BabyBond for myself, which was perfect since I am nursing again now with my newborn. I really love that the baby is not covered up...they get to see the world around them still, instead of being covered up by a large piece of fabric. It's comfortable to wear, easy to put on, and is stylish too! I keep it will tucked in my diaper bag to wear while we are out and about. It will also come in handy for when family visits....I can stay nicely covered, without having to show anyone my goods....LOL! I know many Moms choose not to cover up at all, and I think that works great....definitely do what makes you happy! For me though, I like to stay a little covered so this is a great option for me.

The BabyBond comes in three different styles. You can choose the Original, Flex, or the Couture. The Couture is adjustable allowing you to create a custom fit perfect for your body. It can be worn to function as a nursing top OR a belly band! The Couture also comes in 5 great colors!

With each BabyBond product comes a classy and convenient carrying case! The sash will roll up to fit perfectly in it's case, allowing you to tuck it into a diaper bag, your glove compartment, or suitcase easily.

BabyBond products are available for $35 each. You can purchase them online

DEAL ALERT!

If you go online to Babies R Us and purchase a BabyBond, you can email BabyBond at missy@babybondnursing.com with your receipt to get 75% off your next BabyBond purchase! She will send you the code to use after you send her the email.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

One Month Old!

2011-01-18T15:54:00.000-06:00

Today my sweet baby is one month old! I got the best smiles this morning, the first real smiles I have seen. She gave me 2 in a row, big wide happy smiles! It made me so happy!

Then about 10 seconds later....she barfed on me! LOL!

The joys of motherhood!!

She is growing great, and nursing like a champ. She is awake a lot more now, happy and looking at her environment, wide eyed and calm. That is, as long as you are holding her :) If you put her down though...she will cry. And scream. She likes to feel warm and safe in my arms. I love the snuggles, so it works :)

Get Heartburn Relief with Prilosec OTC & $100 American Express Gift Card!! (Giveaway!)

2011-01-13T14:38:00.003-06:00

So many people suffer from heartburn everyday, not able to enjoy their favorite foods because of the pain they know they will feel afterwards. Having just been pregnant last month, I understand how painful heartburn can be. I suffered everyday those last couple of more months, unable to enjoy my favorite foods for fear it would make the pain worse.

Luckily, there is hope for relief! And in my house, Prilosec OTC is a name we know well and turn to. My Husband is a chronic sufferer of heartburn, and he uses Prilosec OTC for relief from the pain heartburn brings. Taking one pill a day allows you to stop the pain before it starts, and provides you with 24 hours of relief.

Here's a little more about how Prilosec OTC works:

When you eat, millions of tiny pumps in your stomach lining create acid to break down food. Normally your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) works as a door, opening and closing to let food pass from your esophagusHEARTBURN GLOSSARY Esophagus: Tube connecting the mouth to the stomach; a passageway for food; part of the digestive system. into your stomach.

When your LES relaxes, excess acids flow up, or reflux, into your esophagus. This creates the painful sensation of heartburn.

Prilosec OTC works by directly blocking many of the active stomach pumps that produce acid before they start. Prilosec OTC is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The way Prilosec OTC works to fight heartburn sets it in a whole separate class from other treatments such as histamine blockers or antacidsHEARTBURN GLOSSARY Antacids: Common treatment for heartburn symptoms, neutralizing acid in the stomach for a short period of time..

SPECIAL OFFER!!!

If you'd like to see if Prilosec OTC can work for you and your heartburn, now is a great time to buy it....through February 15th when you buy a 42ct pack of Prilosec OTC you get a $25 gift card! Go HERE for more information!

GIVEAWAY!!!

One reader will win a pack of Prilosec OTC and a $100 American Express Gift Card!

TO ENTER:

Please leave a comment telling me your favorite guilty pleasure food! (Mine would have to be chili cheese fries..yum!)

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

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Follow me on Twitter & tweet about this giveaway (you can do this once a day) - leave the link. You can use this this tweet if you'd like: Get Heartburn Relief with Prilosec OTC & $100 american express Gift Card!! (Giveaway from @Kelliebug ) http://t.co/8S7Sa3a #POTCBOGO

Giveaway will end January 27th at 10pm Pacific Time. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be emailed directly. Winner has 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: No payments were made for this post. I will be receiving a sample of the mentioned product. All opinions given are honest and my own....different people may have a different experience with product.

I'd blog everyday....but...my hands are occupied holding my sweet baby!

2011-01-10T17:40:00.000-06:00

At first, my baby was so sleepy....I could barely keep her awake long enough to eat! She'd sleep through everything, any noise, no matter where she was sitting or laying.

I foolishly thought this time around I had gotten a good sleeper. A more mellow, relaxed baby.

Pretty sure I was wrong, LOL!!

All of a sudden she hates to be set down. She'll only sleep in my arms. If I have to eat or go to the bathroom, I set her in her swing.

And she cries.

Poor little peanut!

I think it may have something to do with reaching her real due date. It's like she perked up now that she is actually old enough to be full term :)

So blogging is a little hard to do one handed, that's why it's been quiet here lately. Pics are easier to post, so here ya go!

2 Winners to Announce!

2010-12-30T20:53:00.000-06:00

Just Dance Kids Winner:

#64 Cassie

Congrats!

Jumbies Winner:

#62 Andrea V

Congrats!

Winners have been emailed! I will be bcak to posting more regularly once life gets a little more routine here. I am basically in new baby mode, sleeping, feeding, changing diapers.....on repeat all day long :) Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Christmas Came Early For My Family - Meet My New Baby Girl!

2010-12-25T19:38:00.000-06:00

Christmas came early for us this year!

A week ago today I gave birth to my beautiful little girl, Emilie. My last post talked about some concerns the Dr had about her size, and they ended up inducing me at 37 weeks. I will write more about her birth story soon, when I have more time. She ended up not tolerating labor well, and we did a c-section. The cord was wrapped tightly around her neck 3 times, just like a turtle neck. I am thankful that the oncall Dr was watching us so closely, and that they didn't attempt a vaginal delivery that coulld have caused her more stress. She is healthy, beautiful, and weighed 5 pounds even at birth :)

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas! It's been hard to be away from my family, and a sore recovery from my c-section, but I am so happy and thankful for my girls and my amazing Husband.

Old Navy $5 Performance Fleece Tops - Saturday 12/11 Only

2010-12-09T17:57:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I have blogged about an Old Navy Deal, life is so busy!

Here's a great one if you are looking for an affordable gift or needing to add some warmer clothing to your wardrobe.

$5 Performance Fleece Tops for the whole family - good Saturday December 11th only! If you are going out early, I'd make this your first stop. Sometimes with these deals they can tend to sell out quickly of common sizes or the best colors.

Limit 5 per customer.

More details are here on Facebook

I may just have to find an Old Navy in my new neighborhood and pick up a couple!

Meet Jumbies: Adorable Jumbled Animals Your Child Will Adore! Enter to Win 2 Jumbies Here!

2010-12-08T18:31:00.003-06:00

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Some of my Daughter's favorite toys to play with are stuffed animals. She gives them names, makes them talk to each other, and sleeps with a couple favorites at bedtime. My personal favorites are the ones that come with a story, something special that sets them apart and makes them more interesting.

Jumbies are the perfect example of that! The adorable story behind Jumbies starts with baby animals being carried high in the sky by storks (so cute!) There were so many babies being born, that the storks got VERY busy, flying all over the world, to every continent. But then it began to get so busy, the storks started getting confused. Some went north when they should have gone south.....some flew all day when they should have flown all night. Then, it happened! The storks began crashing into each other! When the storks went to go check on all of those babies, they found out they they were okay...but were all Jumbled together! There were all of the animals...all mixed toegther! Zebras and Elephants became Zelephants! Giraffes and Buffaloes became Girrafaloes! the Storks decided to take all of these new Jumbled babies to an Island, and called the beautiful place Jumbieland!

To this day those Storks are picking up those babies from Jumbieland and delivering them to boys and girls all across the World, letting them each have a loving home to call their own.

Make believe play with her Jumbies!

Your child will simply love hearing the story behind their Jumbie friends! My Daughter loved hearing all about how her animals were made, and likes to use the story when she makes them talk and play together. So far there are 12 Jumbie animals that have been discovered...all with a unique and fun look that will make your child smile.

Some of the fun combinations include:

Blabbit (Bluebird & Rabbit)

Dingbat (Dingo and Bat)

Horsefly (Horse and Butterfly)

Moosecow (Moose and Cow)

Tyramasaurus (T-rex and Ram)

And many more! Each animal also comes with a little Biography that you can read online, which is so great for kids that want to learn more about their animal.

You can visit the Jumbies Website to learn more about where to purchase these adorable toys!

One reader will win TWO Jumbies!

Visit http://www.jumbieland.com/ and then leave a comment telling me the name of your favorite Jumbie!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

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Tweet “Check out JUMBiES. They have been compared to the next Beanie Babies!” @Jumbies
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Giveaway will end on December 15th at 10pm CST. winner will be chosen via random.org and will be announced here on Ladybug Soup & emailed directly. winner has 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

GIVEAWAY! Great Gift For Kids That The Whole Family Can Enjoy - Just Dance Kids For the Wii

2010-12-08T17:05:00.002-06:00

With Christmas just around the corner, you may still be searching for a great gift for your child. Video games are always a popular choice on kids' wish lists, and the new Just Dance Kids for the Wii will have them up and moving, and having fun!

Just Dance Kids has over 40 fun songs to dance to, with a great selection for the younger crowd (The Alphabet Song, I've Been Working on the Railroad, and even songs from the Wiggles & Yo Gabba Gabba) as well as plenty of songs that your older child will love (Hey Mickey, One Time from Justin Beiber....even I liked that one!)

Each song has a different skill level, so beginners can pick something a little easier, and a more experienced dancer can try the harder ones and challenge themselves. The game itself is very easy to play and understand. You pick your song, and then follow the dancers as they bust some fun moves to the beat of the music! Dance along with them the best you can, and you'll earn points for how well you follow along, keep up with them, and hit the moves on time.

Just Dance Kids is the perfect way to get your Child up off the floor and moving, providing a great source of exercise that they won't even realize they are getting! Most games keep them glued to a chair, and we all know watching TV is no way to stay fit. The songs are so upbeat and fun, they will have a blast trying to beat their old score, or even having a dance challenge at a sleepover!

We were able to try out Just Dance Kids for our Wii and we had SO much fun! Because my Daughter is still pretty young (3 1/2), I really appreciated the songs for the younger children that are included in this game. She knew a lot of them already, and even learned a few new ones that became her favorites (The Monkey Song is a great one!) She of course couldn't keep up with all of the dance moves, but to her it didn't even matter. She just did her best and enjoyed singing and dancing along with the kids on the TV :)

I have played this game with her many times now, and even I have fun with it! After a song or two, I was definitely feeling a little winded and getting a great workout. If you are a Mom who needs to find time to exercise, this may be the perfect game for you. You get to play with your kids and get a workout at the same time! Just Dance Kids really is the perfect family game, as it's easy enough for even a toddler, but still fun for the adults too!

The songs also have a karaoke setting that shows the words to the songs right on the screen, so the kids can sing along and learn the words! I found this to be a great feature, because I could sing along to get my Daughter more excited about the dance!

You can find Just Dance Kids online at Amazon.com for about $29.99

One lucky reader is going to win their own copy of the Wii game Just Dance Kids!

Leave a comment on this post telling me the name of a song your Child likes to dance to....or even a song that gets you up and dancing too!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an extra comment for every extra entry you complete

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Enter to win Just Dance Kids for the Wii - Great gift the whole family can enjoy! Ends 12/12 http://t.co/r1VjDzo

Giveaway will end on Sunday December 12th at 10pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to reply to my email or a new winner will be chosen. US Residents only.

Disclaimer: While Ubisoft sponsored this review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

This Is What Happens When You Have To Change Doctors When You're 35 Weeks Pregnant

2010-12-06T18:33:00.000-06:00

Yeah, long title. But seriously, I wouldn't recommend it.

So I moved away from Minnesota. My wonderful home state that I have NEVER lived outside of. We're here, made it safely, settling in.

But I have this little detail to iron out...getting a new obgyn and finding a new hospital to deliver at. Oh yeah, that tiny minor detail right. And it's not like I have much time....I'm 36 weeks already! Not sure how the heck that went so fast, but here we are!

So after the first place I called refused to see me because I was too far along (cue the crying of the lonely pregnant lady) I found a place that would take me. The receptionist was super nice, which was about all I could go on at this point. I needed someone, anyone.....even a male. Yeah. All of the lady doctors were booked (suprised?) so I would have to go to a BOY.

I was optimistic though. Maybe he'd be great. Fatherly. Safe. Something I needed right about now after this move. Some women prefer having a male obgyn....

What did I get? Exactly what I didn't want. He was not personable, not comforting. Didn't want to answer questions. Wasn't sympathetic to the giant life change this move has brought, and what that will mean for the pregnancy and delivery. I mean HELLO!! I know ZERO people in this state, I don't even have a person to watch my 3 yr old when I go into labor. I'll probably end up delivering alone without my Hubby, because he'll have to watch my Daughter in the waiting room. The Dr barely acknowledged I said that, which sucks because that is a huge cause of anxiety and fear for me right now.

He's exactly the type I have avoided by seeing my lovely Midwife (who by the way HUGGED me goodbye at our last appt together, that's how she rolls)

When it comes to pregnancy, I love Midwives. For me, they are much more understanding, want to hear about your concerns, fears, etc. They will easily have an hour long appt with me. My midwife's face always lights up just like mine when we hear the baby's heartbeat. You can tell she really loves her job and loves babies.....and supports the Mama too.

This guy didn't tell me what he thought the heartrate was (sure, nothing huge but it's a fun highlight for me). He babbled through the process so I couldn't even listen to my little girl.

And what's even more annoying? He started doing his whole "I'm gonna guess how big your baby is" skit I knew so much about. Normally I don't give so many opinions here, because I don't like to offend people. But it's my blog, right? Right. So here it is. I am not a fan of doctors that try to make their stupid guesses and get women all worried for nothing. Like saying they need a c-section because the baby is huge, and then having a nice 7 pounder born. I get the feeling he would be the type to push a c-section, and you know what...that is just not me. I would of course do it if it were an emergency, but other than that I want things to happen naturally.

So, long story short (okay, kinda long), he predicted that this baby would be smaller than my first. Then he measured me, and told me that I was measuring small and that he wanted to do an ultrasound to check on the baby. Super. At first I almost laughed because it was so exactly the kind of thing that I knew would happen. But then I started googling and getting worried about my baby. So thanks for that, Doc.

Here's my guess. My last appt with my Midwife was Nov 10th and she said I was growing beautifully. Measuring perfectly. She did it monthly, the same way every time. This new guy comes in with his new way of measuring, and suddenly it doesn't match. Duh.

And also, looking at my tummy I really think I have dropped quite a bit, so that can affect things too. My breathing was crazy bad up until my last appt, and now I am doing much better. That's been at least 2-3 weeks ago now. I get that suffocating feeling much less now, which makes me think the baby is lower and I have more room to breathe. Thanks for that, baby!

So now I have an ultrasound next Friday to check on the size of my baby, and to make sure she is growing right and all of that. Basically, it just makes me nervous and got me more worried. Deep down I know she is a healthy girl, everything has gone so well. But there is still a part of me that is scared there could be a problem. I guess I'll know more after Friday, until then I wait.

The Search For Santa Paws Blu-ray/DVD Combo Is Out Now!

2010-12-06T17:51:00.001-06:00

It's not too often that my whole family can sit down and watch a movie together, and everyone will enjoy it. My daughter is still a little young to like a lot of the family movies that are out, and Dora doesn't exactly hold my attention too well.

But recently we were able to sit down and watch the new Two Disk Blu-ray/DVD Combo 'The Search For Santa Paws' from Disney, released on November 23rd. This is a prequel to Santa Buddies, so if you liked that you may want to check this one out too!

Here's a little more about the movie from Disney:

When Santa and his new best friend, Paws, discover that the boys and girls of the world have lost the spirit of the season, they take a trip to New York City. But after Santa loses his memory, it's up to Paws, a faithful orphan named Quinn (America's Got Talent's Kaitlyn Maher), her new friend Will (The Game Plan's Madison Pettis) and a wonderful group of magical talking dogs to save St. Nick and show the world what Christmas is really all about.

Many parts of the movie were a lot of fun to watch, but as a Parent of a young child I did have to keep my remote in my hand at all times to skip past some parts that I thought were too mature for my Daughter. Some kids may not be bothered by these couple of things, but I know my Daughter and she tends to get scared of movies easily.

As you probably read, the main character is an adorable little girl who gets sent to an orphanage after her Parents die. Not exactly an easy topic to enjoy, but she does get an ending that is happy - as happy as it can be after a thing like that. My Daughter was too young to be sad about that, she never really caught on which was a good thing. The lady who takes care of the girls at the orphanage is also very hard for kids to watch, because she is quite mean and does things that make the little girls sad, like burn their toys or take things that belonged to the girl's Parents. That was upsetting for my daughter, and I was already prepared and I knew to skip past those parts and she never knew the difference.

There were many sweet parts in this film too though, and I always enjoy watching Christmas movies to get me in the Holiday spirit. It has great lessons on believing in the Christmas spirit, and knowing that there are good people in the world that care about others. The sweet puppy is adorable to watch too, and kids will love him! It's a movie that we all can watch together, which made it really fun and an enjoyable experience.

The Search For Santa Paws is available on DVD and in a great Blu-ray/DVD Combo Set. You'll find fun extras like an animated pop up book with a story read by Paws (the main puppy in this movie), a music video, and bloopers/deleted scenes.

You can find both styles on Amazon.com!

Disclaimer: I received the mentioned movie at no cost in exchange for an honest review. All opinions given are my own and different people may have different experiences/opinions of product.

Celebrate the Holidays With a Gift Basket From Hickory Farms!

2010-12-06T17:07:00.000-06:00

This time of year families bring out their favorite Holiday traditions, something that makes them feel festive and brings back those Holiday memories. We attend and throw Holiday parties, inviting families and friends over for appetizers, gift exchanges, or cookie decorating. It is most definitely my favorite time of year!

When the Holidays approach there is a favorite brand I always enjoy seeing in the store, and that's Hickory Farms! Delicious meats, cheeses, crackers, sweet treats...all brought together in a festive holiday package. They make wonderful gifts and are great for displaying at parties. My favorites include the nuts and cheese balls! Delicious and festive!

Last year, we reviewed an adorable Hickory Farms gift set that included a Mickey Mouse book that we have already been reading to get us in the Christmas mood. It's a favorite book of my Daughter's and I love reading it to her!

This Holiday season, Mom central and Hickory Farms sent my Family the Perfect Picnic Gift Basket to try out. I wasn't sure which set was coming, and when i saw the adorable picnic basket I was thrilled! I have always wanted a traditional picnic basket to use for little family outings in the Summer, and this will be the perfect thing to use!

It's very sturdy and well made, and deep enough to hold quite a bit of food! I love that the packaging for this set can be used again and again. In fact many of their sets come in cute baskets or tins that you can reuse around your house.

Inside I found some familiar treats and even some new products I hadn't tried before. There were some sausages, cheeses, sweet hot mustard, honey pineapple mustard, flat bread crackers, and the sweet treats peanut brittle and mini melt away mints! It was so fun to get this in the mail and be surprised with the selection of foods inside. I think it would make an amazing Christmas gift, or maybe something to bring along to a Holiday party as a Hostess gift or treat to share!

When I traveled to my new home, I brought along my Mom to make the trip with me and stay with us for about a week. We enjoyed having the meats and cheeses as quick snacks to munch on while unpacking, and also had some while decorating our tree. It really was a filling and satisfying treat!

When I got to my new home I also started decorating for the Holidays, so I added the mini melt away mints to a festive snow man jar. It was the perfect thing to store in there, and looks great on my counter top! Of course it was much fuller to begin with, they are so good they won't last long in any house :)

You can find Hickory Farms at many local stores and Malls, as well as their website. You can place your order online and choose from their huge selection of gifts at all different price ranges!

They also have a great program if you are shipping to a military family this Holiday season. Choose from their Military selection and Receive free shipping to any APO or FPO address! More info here.

Hickory Farms is a holiday tradition for so many families, and it's no wonder why people go back year after year. It's an easy way to entertain, delicious to taste, and easy to share!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a signature gift box from Hickory Farms to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Nature Made Giveaway Winner

2010-11-29T20:39:00.000-06:00

Nature Made Winner

#30

Congrats to Tina!

Please reply ASAP to claim your prize!

14 Ways to Have a Fresh and Festive Holiday

2010-11-18T19:00:00.001-06:00

I absolutely love this time of year. Everything about it is cozy and festive. I love the snow, the stockings, the hustle and bustle of shoppers looking for th eperfect gift. I love family get togethers and delicious dinners of mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and stuffing.

This year it will be especially important for me to embrace the Holiday cheer and make my home festive, because it will be my first Christmas away from my home and family. This move we are in the middle of right now will take me clear across the country, and away from everyone I know. I am planning on throwing myself into the Holidays to help lift my spirit and make my Daughter have a wonderful Christmas, even if we are far away.

TwitterMoms is asking for 14 ways to have a fresh and festive holiday season. I thought it would be a great way to get some brainstorming done and get me excited about my favorite season!

Turn on the Christmas Music! I am (slightly) embarassed to say that I lareday have been listening to Christmas music for the last couple of weeks! We have a 24 hour radio station that plays all ofthe classic favorites and new releases. It gets me festive and my Daughter is really enjoying the songs. It's great to bake to and wrap presents to!

Use Scented Candles I love walking into a home and smellingsomething wonderful! There are great holiday scented candles that make you feel festive, like sugar cookies, cinnamon, or apple spice.

See Santa! We have gone to see Santa every year since my Daughter was born, and it is always so much fun. She always does really well, and only cried her first time seeing him :) Malls are so fun to be in when the Holidays are here, the decorated trees and lights are so pretty to look at.

Involve your Kids in the Baking! We like to make sugar cookies, because they are so easy to cut with cookie cutters. Stockings, snowmen, trees, angels.....there are a ton of choices around the holidays. You can use sprinkles or frosting as decorations! Easy & yummy!

Make Homemade Gifts! Not only is this an affordable way to give to your loved ones, it will give you something fun to do with your kids! Get them involved and make homemade fudge or decorating Christmas cards!

Decorate the Home I would love to be able to afford expensive decorations, but I have found that even my local dollar store has some great Christmas items that really spruce up the house. A lot of items are great for Winter too, so you don't have to worry about taking them down right away after Christmas.

Set up a Nativity Set Tonight we actually went out and bought my Daughter a Child friendly nativity set that she could play with. She is loving it and I now it will bing her so much joy to b ring out every year aroud Christmas! It's also a great time to teach a Child all about Jesus.

Bring out Family Recipes! My Grandma was famous for her baking, and so many of them taste like 'home' to me. This year I would love to get in the kitchen and try out some for myself to see if I can recreate the tastes and warmth of my Grandma's kitchen.

Make Tree Decorating an All Evening Event! When we pull out our tree, I make sure to do it on a weekend so my Husband will be home. We turn on the Christmas music, have some treats, and spend the evening decoartign and talking baout all of the ornaments. And maybe spend an hour or two untangling the lights, lol! It's a great tradition to start and your kids will remember it forever.

Set Up Your Guest Room If you are forunate enough to have a guest room, you can easily make it cozy and festive for your holiday guests. Add some decorative candles, a warm quilt, and some toss pillows to make it more inviting.

Use Scented Pinecones Sometimes when I wlak ito a store, I instantly smell cinnamon. And I always know exactly where it's coming from....the scented pinecones! These make pretty deocrationsfor a livingroom and will make your home smell amazing! They are also very affordable and can be placed in a glass vase or bowl that you already have lying around the house.

Clear out the Clutter Trust me, you will feel better! Clutter is an instant downer for me, and if my house is clean and clutter free, I am in such a better mood. If you are planning on having guests stay, you'll want to clean clutter from coat closets, the kitchen, and bathrooms for sure.

Let in the Fresh Air Opening up the windows is also a great way to get your home smelling fresh, and everyone feeliong refreshed! If it's very cold like it is here in Minnesota, you'll want to only crack a window, or everyone will freeze :) I love cool crisp air!

Use Garland! Decorate your banister with garland, or use it along your frotn walkway along the walkway. Even a wreath on the front door is the perfect holiday decoration, that will greet your guests as soon as they arrive. That will be the first thing they see, and let them know you are ready for the Holidays!

All of these tips are going to make my new home feel much more cozy for me this Holiday season. I know it will help keep me festive and happy, and give me and my daughter something fun to do during the day. For many more tips be sure to check out TwitterMoms!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Snuggle blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

2010-11-16T19:05:00.000-06:00

Cottonelle is not only a maker of a strong yet gentle toilet paper, but they've also created a new way to stay clean and fresh. Their Flushable Moist Wipes are designed to leave you with a fresher feeling than just toilet paper alone.

Cottonelle knows that talking about toilet paper isn't always the most natural conversation piece, but their humorous approach has already inspired over half a million people to 'get fresh' snce their program launched in September!

Cottonelle launched GetFreshWithAFriend.Com to help get the topic out there and make bathroom products something easy and fun to talk about. It features a special 'funny or die' video as well as great fresh reward offers that encourages people to try their products.

Thanks to Mom Central I was able to try a package of Cottonelle's Flushabel Moist Wipes for myself. I normally use toilet paper alone, but I really liked the extra cleanliness that these wipes provided my family and I. They are safe to flush just like your toilet paper, so no worries there. There are a couple of different design choices for your tub of wipes so you can find one that matches your bathroom decor. The tub is also designed with an easy pop up style to give you one sheet at a time.

For a limited time the packages also come with a convenent Cottonelle EasyReach hanger with Command brand strips from 3M for damage free hanging. I loved this feature because my bathroom doesn't have a lot of extra counter space, so this attachment allowed me to hang the tub of wipes right above my toilet paper, without taking up counter space. This feature made Flushable Moist Wipes even more convenient to use, which is a huge plus in my book!

For more info you can visit http://www.getfreshwithafriend.com/

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the Cottonelle brand and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate."

Moving Day...CSN Stores Helps With Travel!

2010-11-11T11:34:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is the big day....moving day! Well, at least it's packing day :) I am so fortunate that I don't have to worry about packing anything, we have movers coming that do all of that for us. Which is perfect, because at 7 months pregnant the last thing I want to do is lift and pack boxes! I'll be heading West about a week after our things get shipped, so I'll be staying with my Mom until our things get to our new house. My job today is to get all of our belongings packed and ready to be put into a suitcase for our journey ahead!

We will surely be traveling more frequently now that we are moving away from family. We'll want to come back as often as possible in the years ahead for visits. For those upcoming trips, CSN Stores has us completely covered with plenty of luggage options to choose from.

I love this 4 Piece Luggage Set by Rockland. The polka dot style is fashionable, and lets your luggage stand out in the baggage claim area! They have some great sets that will be large enough for your whole family, and at a great price!

I am trying to keep it light so that I don't have too many checked bags...the carry ons are all for toddler entertainment. My main goal is to keep my little one happy and meltdown free.....or at least keep the meltdowns to a minimum! I'll include lots of snacks, books, a couple of toys, and the always fail proof DVD Player!

This would be an adorable option for my daughter's carry on. I love that it rolls so that it is easy to maneuver. The design is so adorable and would make traveling that much more fun for her!

It seems like the most work is ahead of us in the next couple of weeks, but after that I will be able to relax and be in a larger home, with plenty of room for us all. Just in time for the Holidays, and for the new baby!

So many families will be traveling all of the Country to spend the Holidays with their loved ones. If you are looking to buy luggage for the first time, or interested in updating your older pieces, check out CSN Stores for a great selection and great prices!

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Couple of Winners!

2010-11-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

Crazy Dog T Shirt Winner

#11...Jingle!

Congrats!!

Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover

#107...Beckee

Congrats!

all winners have been emailed & have 48 hours to reply to claim their prize.

Nature Made Prenatal MultiVitamin With DHA! Plus A Great Giveaway!

2010-11-09T12:33:00.000-06:00

When I first decided that I wanted to have a second baby, I knew the first step would be to start taking prenatal vitamins. I always try to eat healthy, but taking a vitamin gives em the extra help in getting vitamins that my diet may miss. Also when you are pregnant, your body must support not only you, but your growing baby.

Nature Made, a trusted maker of vitamins and supplements, offers a prenatal Mulitvitamin with DHA in one single softgel. This product provides the needed vitamins plus 200mg of DHA, an omega 3 Fatty Acid, which is passed directly from the mother to the baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Here is some more info on this product and the importance of DHA:

Product Information:

Nature Made was the first OTC brand to launch a Prenatal Multivitamin with 200mg DHA in one single softgel so that expecting moms/nursing moms would only have to take 1 softgel per day.
One softgel offers:
- 200mg DHA
- 800mg Folic Acid
- Vitamins A,C,D and Zinc
- Iron
- B – Complex (Vitamins B6, B12)
- EPA/DHA, Niacin

What is DHA?

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that plays an important role in brain development, especially during the critical period of fetal development and infancy. DHA is transferred directly from the mother to the fetus during brain and retina development or to the infants through breastfeeding. Recommended DHA dose is 200-300 mg/day.

What is Folic Acid?

Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains. Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms or more (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy may reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.

How do the the vitamins, iron, etc. play a part in my overall health?

Vitamins A, C, D & Zinc – Support Immune System Health

Iron – Supports Blood Cell Production

B – Complex (Vitamins B6, B12) – Supports Energy Metabolism

EPA/DHA, Niacin – Support Heart and Circulatory Health

I have been taking Prenatal Vitamins for months now, and will continue to do so even after I give birth, to help while I breastfeed. Many prenatal vitamins do not include DHA, so it is great to see that Nature Made makes a product that provides this great nutrient to expecting Moms and breastfeeding moms.

The prenatal vitamin I was taking prior to trying Nature Made was very large and hard to swallow. Especially with my morning sickness I had the first few months! The last thing you want to do when you are nauseous is swallow a huge pill, and some brands even have you take 2 pills a day. The Softgel made this an easy pill to swallow, and I take one pill at night with no ill effects on my tummy.

To learn more you can visit www.naturemade.com for complete product information

One reader is going to win a great prize pack!

9 Month Supply of Nature Made Prenatal MultiVitamins with DHA
'Just For Baby' Food Processor
2 Packs of Cloth Diapers

Please leave a comment telling me a kind of food you would put into your food processor!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

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Giveaway will end on Sunday November 14th at 10pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be emailed and announced on this blog. Winner has 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central on behalf of Nature Made and received the products necessary to facilitate my review and giveaway.”

Life Changes

2010-11-03T13:07:00.000-05:00

Big changes are coming to my life...even more than I had originally planned on.

Of course, we will be having another baby - I'm in my 3rd trimester already!

But the unplanned change is a biggie too.

My husband is being relocated for work, and we are moving across the country. Soon.

Very soon.

So needless to say the last month or so has been extremely hectic around here. There are so many things that go along with this. Finding movers, packing, finding a place to live, getting rid of things that won't be coming with us....

And trying to squeeze in as much family time as possible, before we leave.

Oh, and then you have the problem of finding a new hospital to deliver at & a clinic to go to.

All while I am dealing with a busy 3 year old and a growing belly.

So that's why I haven't been posting as much lately. I won't have a holiday gift guide this year either, because they are a lot of work, and with the move it just won't work out. But I'll still be doing regular reviews and giveaways, just nothing huge like everyone else is doing. And I'm okay with that....Once we get settled, I'll find a comfortable place again and be back at it all.

If anyone has any advice on moving, relocating, etc I'd love to hear it! I honestly think the hardest part will be living so far from my Family. And also figuring out what to do with my 3 year old when I go into labor. I can't get any of my family out until I have the baby, and I literally will know zero people in this new state. That's probably my biggest concern right now.

Bringing Home a New Baby - My 10 Tips (That I really need to get started on!)

2010-11-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

Bringing home baby. In a couple of months, I will be bringing home my new little baby, and let's just say I am not quite as prepared this time around! I think it has to do with having a very busy 3 year old to take care of now, whereas before it was just me and a lot of free time to plan.

When Twitter Moms asked for 10 tips for new moms that are bringing home babies, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share my thoughts and make sure that I actually started getting ready to bring home MY new baby. I've got about 2 months left, which is going to fly by, especially with the Holiday hustle and bustle. So here are my tips for new moms...and actually not so new Moms that are just a little busy and may have forgotten about this stuff :)

The most important thing is keeping your new baby healthy. Young babies don't have a strong immune system yet, and are more at risk of complications from things that may seem common or harmless to everyone else, like a cough or fever.

With that said, my first tip would be...

Wash your hands frequently, and be diligent that all of your visitors wash their hands before touching or holding the baby. This is an easy way to prevent spreading germs to your baby. I found that if you make it 'the rule' no one can get offended when you tell them they need to do it.
Don't let sick people be around your baby. I know sometimes if a Parent or Sibling is sick, it is harder to prevent. But if your cousin is still getting over a cold, tell them you'd like to hold off on a visit until they are completely better. It's okay to be the cautious, over protective parent right now.
Wash all of your babies clothes NOW. Don't wait until they are home, laundry will be the last thing you'll want to worry about. New clothes should be washed, but if you are like me and have hand me downs form a previous baby, you'll want to sort and wash those too. This is a big one on my to do list.
Go through hand me down baby toys and disinfect them now. You'll wan to make sure there aren't any lingering germs on them for oyur new little one.
Keep disinfecting wipes in the house so that you can clean easily and get rid of germs quickly. You can use them on all of those plastic toys, counter tops, door handles, faucets, etc. I find that if something is convenient, I am much more likely to do it. So I keep these in my house at all times.
Have lots of food options available in the house, like meals that you have prepared & then frozen. One thing there was never time for after a new baby? Cooking! Or eating a warm meal....with 2 hands. I noticed that I was always eating one handed, so you may want to have convenient foods on hand that will keep you full.
Prepare your nursery now, while you have time. When that baby gets home, you'll be so busy with their needs that you won't have time to worry about anything else. Work now to get your nursery set up so that it is a calm, clean, serene place that you will enjoy with your baby. Let's face it, the only one who enjoys the room at first is you, baby won't notice. Have a nice comfortable glider chair (with an ottoman, it helps!) set up for rocking the baby. Maybe a CD player for lullabies, a nice night light that makes you both feel cozy. It will do wonders for your mood!
If people offer to help, let them! Tell your Mother in Law to bring by some groceries. Let your sister come over to clean up the house. If you have a second child, let them stay at Grandma's overnight. They'll have a blast, and it'll be a little break for you and give you some baby bonding time too.
Don't be Afraid to say NO! Your 3rd cousin wants to visit, after work, on a weeknight? Don't feel bad saying no. This is not the time to be worried about letting everyone you've ever met meet your new baby. When you first get home from the hospital, you'll be exhausted. the last thing you'll want to do is entertain guests. Tell them you'll email them some pics soon, that should hold them off awhile :)
If you are Breastfeeding - remember this is a great health benefit for Baby. Even if you yourself are sick, the baby will already be getting your antibodies before oyu even get your symptoms. Those antibodies help to protect baby and keep him/her healthy. My daughter never caught any of my illnesses while we nursed, and I credit breastfeeding for that.

There are so many more tips that would be helpful, I could literally go on and on. The most important thing is to enjoy your baby, and trust your motherly instincts. If something doesn't feel right, it's okay to call the Dr...even in the middle of the night. and if you worry that you'll have no idea what to do, trust me that you'll do fine. Every moms was once in your shoes, just starting out for the first time, not sure what to expect. Just take it one day at a time, and if you need help...ask for it. And remember it goes by fast. My daughter is now 3 1/2 and it feels like just yesterday I brought her home from the hospital, exhausted and overjoyed. Cherish these days!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Shout Go Play Initiative - Get Outside & Play Without Worrying About Stains!

2010-10-28T14:32:00.000-05:00

Fall is my favorite season for many reasons, a big one being all of the family friendly activities you can take part in. There are pumpkin patches, apple farms, hayrides...not to mention just getting out in the cool Fall air and playing in the leaves!

Allowing Children to explore and play lets them build life long lessons such as problem solving, conflict resolution, as well as independence and creativity. One of our Family's favorite brands, Shout, has started a Shout Go Play Initiative to help educate Parents in the importance of unstructured play and to inspire families to get outside and play! And of course, with Shout as your stain fighter, you won't have to worry about your little one's clothes getting wrecked with grass stains or mud :)

Shout sent me some helpful products to keep our laundry looking great, no matter how hard we play in them! The first product I got to try was the Shout Color Catcher. I am pretty sure this product was made for me specifically...or maybe just for Moms who want to save a step and save some time.

The Shout Color Catcher allows you to mix in whites and colors and prevents color runs. You simply throw a sheet in with your laundry in the washing machine, and this cloth catches any color that may run...and prevents it from getting on your other clothes. I tend to have the habit of not separating my clothes properly, so this has been a great laundry saving product that I have gotten a lot of use out of.

The Shout Triple Acting stain Remover is a great, easy to use product. You simply spray the product on your stain, rub in, then wait 1-5 minutes. Then you throw it in your laundry in the warmest water the fabric will accept. I really like the convenient spray feature, easy and fast is a plus when doing chores!

The last product I was able to try from Shout was their Shout Advanced ultra concentrated gel formulated for heavy duty stains. my Daughter had a little ice cream treat after dinner one night, and of course it ended up all over her shirt. Toddlers and ice cream don't mix :) I figured it would be the perfect time to try out this product.

BEFORE

AFTER

Of course part of their message is to get outside and get some great playtime in! Growing Tree Toys is a website that offers a wide variety of learning toys for every age group...from birth and up! They also have a great selection of outdoor toys to help your kids make the last of this weather before the snow sets in!

I didn't just get to try the laundry products, they also sent me this fun set of cards 52 Activities in Nature. This set offers 52 cards each with a creative activity or idea to help spice up your playtime and get your children using their imaginations!

It was so fun tog o through and read these cards because it gave me ideas that I never would have thought of otherwise. Many of them let you use your different senses, like listening and naming all of the things you hear in Nature. Or going on a Scavenger hunt for different items. I also loved the idea to find items in Nature that can be used as a musical instrument or making Twig Dolls!

This set of cards would make a great stocking stuffer or a gift for a Daycare Provider or pre-school teacher! You can purchase it on Amazon for about $6.95.

Be sure to check out Shout cleaning products to keep your clothing looking fresh and stain free!

Disclaimer: I received the mentioned products free of charge from Shout. All opinions expressed are my own and different people may have different experiences with product and/or company.

Find the Perfect Holiday Card at Shutterfly - Plus an Opportunity to Get Free Cards!

2010-10-28T11:15:00.006-05:00

It's almost November! Can you believe it? The time has passed by so quickly, and before you know it the Holiday Season will be upon us. It seems like we were just celebrating Christmas, and now here we are again!

In preparation for the Holidays, I have started thinking about Holiday cards. In fact, we have a little photo shoot scheduled for next weekend and I plan to get some good shots for a Christmas card. I always like to one of just my Daughter and a second image of a family shot. This year will be even more fun because I have this cute baby bump to show off!

Shutterfly has an amazing selection of stationary and cards this year. I have been looking through the site and really love so many of the different styles of Holiday Cards

Since my first thought was to include 2 images in our card, I was quick to call the Spot The Snowflakes Christmas Card a favorite! The top image would be an individual of my daughter, and the bottom image could be a family picture. And since Christmas is all about snow here in Minnesota, the snowflake theme fits perfectly!

I also love this Be Merry Design. Some holiday photo cards may be going to people who celebrate a different holiday than you, and this design would be perfect for that. If my baby was due a little sooner, I would love to have both of my girls smiling faces on these ornaments!

And maybe we will have so many favorites, it will be too hard just one or two images for our card! This third design is great because you get to add so many wonderful pictures...

I think the most important part of a Holiday Card should be showing your personality to your friends and family. You can pick something cute and cheery, or go for a simple monogrammed design. Shutterfly makes it easy to upload your photos and choose your design, taking the hassle out of sending cards!

You can also find a great selection of New Years cards and Christmas invitations at Shutterfly! I am going to make a special effort to order min early this year, so that I will be ready to send them once the Holidays arrive. When you are doing last minute shopping, cookie baking, and present wrapping, you will be so happy that you went to Shutterfly right away and ordered your cards. One less thing to worry about when the rush sets in!

Bloggers - Special Offer!!

Do you want 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly? Click here to go to Shutterfly for information on how you can get 50 free cards this holiday season, and make sure to select Clever 1000 as the referral source.

This post is part of a series sponsored by Shutterfly. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Meet The Double Duty Divas - Facebook Edition - Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

2010-10-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

Recently I joined a network of wonderful bloggers called Double Duty Divas! Joining this group of women is a great way to get blog support, make new friends, and grow your blog by having the opportunity to work with some great companies and get your blog name out there for people to see.

It's completely free to join Double Duty Divas, and you may even get some great review & giveaway opportunities out of it too! They are also hosting a Reviewers Retreat that caters especially to bloggers that review items/resources on their site! It's taking place at the family friendly Great Wolf Lodge, and for more info you can visit ReviewersRetreat.Com

The Double Duty Divas are currently having a 'Meet The Divas Facebook Edition' Contest that is super easy to enter....winner gets a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

All you have to do is choose any of the following Divas to 'Like' on Facebook. You can do one, or you can do them all! For each page you 'like' leave a comment and you will get an additional entry into this contest. The more you Fan/Like, the more chances you have to win! (possibility of 11 total entries!)

Ladybug Soup

Fabulous Won

Children Teaching Mama

Sassy Moms in the City

Upstate Ramblings

Mama's Money Savers

Remember to leave a comment for everyone that you go and 'Like' on Facebook!

Giveaway will end on 11/5/10 at 10pm CST.

Our Early Halloween Fun at The Zoo!

2010-10-19T16:22:00.009-05:00

On Saturday we visited a local zoo for their Halloween Celebration! We visited last year too and had such a great time that we wanted to go again this year. Basically the kids get dressed up and walk through the zoo...trick or treating at different stations they have set up. It's decorated with painted wooden figures, lights, pumpkins, and plenty of other interesting things too. there's also adult volunteers dressed up in friendly costumes to greet and dance with the kids while they visit.

My Little Monkey Ready To Go!

We got to bring along my mom, which was really fun! She loved seeing my daughter enjoy herself, and got to see firsthand just how completely outgoing, hyper, and excited about life my little girl is. She would bound up to the volunteers and talk to them, hug them, and jump up and down while she talked to them. She was so happy to be there! That's one of the many things I love about her.....she is outgoing and genuinely loves to meet people and make 'friends'

She could have danced with these girls the whole evening!

Afterward we headed over to their carousel for a pony ride...she loves to ride ponies! These were HUGE, I swear she was SO high up! It also went pretty fast and she looked like she was having a great time.

When we were heading back to the car, we had to have some last minute fun in the Fall leaves :)

I think that she thinks that visiting the Zoo was our Halloween! lol! I can't wait to take her out trick or treating on Halloween night, it is going to be so much fun! She'll think she got two Halloweens :)

Crazy Dog T Shirts Review & GIveaway!

2010-10-19T15:58:00.000-05:00

My Husband usually wears button down dress shirts to work, but on the weekends he loves to just relax and go out in a tee shirt and jeans. I am the same way, especially being pregnant....I like to be comfortable!

Wearing a tee shirt with a little personality is a great way to express yourself and lift your mood! You can tell a lot about a person from the clothes they wear! If you are looking for a great tee shirt for yourself or someone in your family, you'll definitely want to check out Crazy Dog T Shirts!

A Few of My Faves From Crazy Dog T Shirts!

For this Review, I decided to get a Men's Tee for my husband to wear. I let him pick his own shirt out form their website, and he chose the Callahan T shirt in Green. When he showed me what he picked, I think he thought he was going to have to explain the shirt to me.....but he was wrong! I knew right away it was Callahan Auto parts from the movie Tommy Boy! In High School I loved all of Chris Farley's movies, and Tommy Boy is totally a classic.

My Husband sporting his Callahan auto Parts Tee Shirt!

This tee shirt fit him really well, and was extra soft too. His favorite color is green, so it worked out perfectly that they had a green available in this design. I also loved the dark green color, it looks really rich and bold. And although he was nervous for me to wash it ( I may have a rep for shrinking things) I am happy to announce the tee came out looking great. Same size, and not faded!

Crazy Dog Tees has so many funny tees to choose from, you are sure to find something perfect for someone you know. I also love their selection of Halloween shirts!

I could definitely see a guy wearing this tee to a Halloween party...maybe a work party! It makes people laugh & gets them talking :) (On Sale for only $5 right now!)

You'll also find plenty of Sales going on at Crazy Dog Tees, including a $6.99 Daily Tee Shirt deal that changes throughout the week. That is a great price on a shirt you are sure to get a ton of use out of!

How would you like to win your own Crazy Dog Tee Shirt?? One winner will get to choose any shirt ($16.99 or less)

Please visit Crazy Dog T Shirts and tell me which shirt you liked from their website!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

Follow my Blog
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Tweet, blog, or send out a Facebook post about this giveaway. One entry for each you do to spread the word, and leave the link!

Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway will end on November 2nd at 10pm CST. Winner will be emailed & has 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen. Winners are chosen via random.org

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and different people may have different experiences with product and/or company.

Bebe au Lait: Stylish Nursing Covers Review & Giveaway!

2010-10-14T19:00:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate enough to have a great nursing experience with my Daughter. Of course it wasn't easy, and I had those days where it was painful and was frustrating. But we got through it and we both learned to nurse like champs!

The only downside I found was that I wasn't able to feed her while we were out and about. My trips out of the house would be planned around her feedings, which wasn't always convenient. I tried to nurse her a few times in public, throwing a receiving blanket over us for coverage. That did not work for us and was more hassle than good. The blanket would slip, or it would be a hot day.....and although I am all for nursing however you'd like, not using a cover would not have been my style.

This time around, I will have help from my Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover! Their nursing covers are not only gorgeous, but they are very functional as well.

(Image from Bebe au Lait Website)

They have many patterns to choose from at Bebe au Lait. There are pinks, blues, black and white, and so many more! It was hard to pick only one, but I ended up choosing the beautiful Ascot pattern. I loved the Asian inspired floral pattern and the colors are so pretty together.

These covers offer a rigid neckline, which allows an opening for baby to stay cool and a space for you to see the baby and maintain that special eye contact. The strap that goes around your neck is also adjustable, making it possible to find a fit that works for you and your baby. The rigid neckline is not the least bit pokey or uncomfortable either. It just maintains its shape perfectly and will maintain its shape even after you wash it time and time again.

Adjustable neckline!

Another great extra is that it comes with 2 built in burp cloth corners, just in case you need a little extra help for those drips and spills that are sure to occur!

The covers are generously over sized, giving every woman enough material to feel comfortable and stay covered, no matter their body type. The problem I had with the blanket slipping off won't happen with this cover...with the neck strap, rigid neckline, and ample material, this nursing cover will make nursing possible wherever we end up. This means I won't be stuck in my house for feeding times, which will be perfect when I have a little toddler who likes to be on the go!

Even if your nursing days are over, you may still be attending baby showers for friends and family. a nursing Cover from Bebe au Lait would make a wonderful gift for an expecting Mom. It will show them that they have support for their decision to breastfeed (if they are choosing that route) and it will give them a stylish way to stay covered. I only wish I had known more about nursing covers when I had my Daughter a few years ago, it would have made such a big
difference for me!

Nursing Covers from Bebe au Lait are approx $35 each. They are currently offering Free Shipping for a limited time, so it's a great time to buy!

Bebe au Lait also offers a variety of other baby essentials, like Burp Cloths, Reversible Bibs, and Hooded Towels. They even have Organic Nursing Covers, made of hand selected organic materials!

One reader will win their own nursing cover from Bebe au Lait!

Please visit Bebe au Lait and then leave me a comment telling me the name of a product or pattern that you liked!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an extra comment for every extra entry you complete

Follow Bebe au Lait on Facebook
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Tweet OR Blog about this Giveaway - please leave the link to your tweet or post in your comment

Giveaway will end on October 28th at 10pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be announced on ladybug soup & emailed directly. Winner has 72 hours to reply to this email or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions give are 100% honest and my own. Different people may have different experiences with product and/or company.

Encourage Hand Washing For Your Children With SoapSoundz!

2010-10-12T14:32:00.014-05:00

Flu Season is already here again, and it's more important than ever to make sure that our kids are staying healthy. The best way to do this? Teach your children the importance of washing their hands! Spending a day out of the house puts kids (and Parents) in contact with all kinds of people and germy surfaces. Shopping carts, playgrounds, play dates....you can pick up a sickness pretty easily.

A lot of times kids see hand washing as another chore.....something they will fight you on and hate doing. If this sounds like a struggle you see in your household, you may want to check out SoapSoundz Musical Hand Soap!

These Hygiene Products combine audio technology with hand soaps and sanitizers that will give your child a new and exciting way to wash their hands!

Soap Sounds currently offers 3 different lines to fit your family's needs.

Their Hygiene Heroes line was made especially for Children, to encourage washing and teach proper techniques.

Their Seasons Harmony Line is a festive way to add Holiday decorations to your kitchen or bathroom throughout the year!

Their Earthtones Line is an all natural alternative for everyday use

We were sent a bottle of the Captain Clean Hands in a yummy Rocket Raspberry scent. Their Hygiene Heroes line is especially fun because of the bright colors and cheery tunes...not to mention the fun scents! These soaps are sure to get your kids to want to wash their hands more often and for the right length of time....no more hand washing struggles!

When your Child is ready to wash their hands, they simply use the pump and the fun tunes will start to play. The song will last about 20 seconds, the same length of time that the CDC recommends for hand washing.

My Daughter was really excited to try out her new soap from SoapSoundz. I told her about the song that would play, and that she should wash her hands for the entire song, then rinse. It worked perfectly! It was nice to have a little help when it comes to remembering the length of time to wash, because of course I can get sidetracked or rushed. It also made her feel independent because she could tell me when it was time to rinse....and to a 3 year old getting to help with everyday things makes them SO much happier.

I would definitely be interested in purchasing their Seasons Harmony Soaps too, since Christmas is right around the corner.Winterberry and Sugar Cookie would be perfect for my bathroom this Winter!

To view all of the available scents from SoapSoundz you can visit their website and choose which Line you would like to see more of. Each Soap goes for approx $5.89 a bottle.

Be sure to stay connected with the latest news and promotions by Following SoapSoundz on Twitter and Liking them on Facebook!

Disclamier: I received a bottle of soap in exchange for an honest review. All opinions given are my own and different people may have different experiences with company and/or product.

This Product Was a Free Giveaway

Clorox Week 3 and 4 Winners

2010-10-10T10:33:00.003-05:00

Week 3 Winner

#1

Mami2jcn

Congrats!

Week 4 Winner

#121

itsme

Congrats!!

Both winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to reply! Thanks to everyone that entered!

My Tooth Ache Rant

2010-10-08T11:34:00.004-05:00

I am sitting here waiting for a call back from the Oral Surgeon's Office. Last Monday I woke up in the middle of the night with the worst tooth pain of my life.

That was on the 27th.

Since then I have been on antibiotics (almost done) and I had the tooth pulled on Tuesday afternoon. I hoped that after the extraction I would feel relief....after a day or two. But now it's Friday, and I still can barely sleep at night from the pain. It feels just as bad as it was before the thing was pulled.

The antibiotics seem to have done nothing for me. Since I am pregnant, I can't take Ibuprofen...which is absolutely the only thing that worked when I had my wisdom teeth out. I take Tylenol, which does nothing.

I am so tired of being in pain, I could scream. I want it to stop! I'm now worried that either I have a dry socket or maybe they pulled a tooth that wasn't the problem. It still feels like there is something going on, something isn't right.

I am trying to get in today to the oral surgeon that performed the extraction. I just want them to check if it's a dry socket, or to tell me that there is a good blood clot formed. If I am still in this kind of pain on Monday, I will absolutely cry. It feels like I'll never get relief, that nobody actually knows what is going on.

And being pregnant has me worried even more! I am scared of getting an infection that could harm the baby...I think the antibiotics are helping with that but there is still so much pain involved, it makes me kinda freak.

Let's hope they call me back soon and I can get in today, and get a professional to look at it for me. Wish me luck!

UPDATE: I just got back from their office. They said I had a partial clot, but it wasn't complete. They put some of their medicine pack on the area, so I am praying that will help heal the spot and give me some relief.

She gently flushed the area out, and that hurt really badly. I rinsed the area before I left, and there was still food back there. I have no clue how I am supposed to keep the area clean, since apparently plain rinsing didn't do much. She gave me one of her rinsing/flushing syringes but told me not to use it for a week. until then I am hoping that food doesn't get stuck back there and make it hurt more.

Honestly, I am just so tired of being in pain.

Both the Dr & Nurse thought it would start to heal more now, but told me to come back on Monday if it was still giving me problems. I am just praying for some relief and for it to heal properly.

Healthy Choice Steaming Entrees Blog Tour

2010-10-06T20:00:00.011-05:00

I love a quick and easy lunch, something I can just pop in the microwave and that won't keep me tied up in the kitchen long (that comes later for dinner!) But sometimes when you buy those frozen meals, you get a lot of extra calories, extra grams of fat, and ingredients that you can't even pronounce and have no clue what they are doing in your food.

The new Steaming Entrees from Healthy Choice are the perfect solution to this problem. They offer an affordable meal with fresh ingredients in a clear package that actually lets you see what the meal looks like before you buy it.

You'll find a delicious variety of meals to choose from, with abundant veggies and meats like chicken or even shrimp. This Rosemary Chicken & Sweet Potatoes meal is just 170 Calories and 2.5 Grams of Fat. It's a great choice for a quick lunch at work or if you are busy at home chasing a toddler, like me.

Mom Central sent me 2 Healthy Choice Steaming Entrees to try out, and it could not have come at a better time. My Husband has been eating healthy and working out...just trying to lose a little weight and feel healthier overall. He absolutely loved these steamers! He ate one a night for a dinner, and then actually went and stocked up on more Healthy Choice meals for the rest of his week. He is still buying them regularly, in fact I have a few varieties in my freezer right now. I love that the packaging shows you the fresh ingredients that are included in your meal, and that the steam makes your food flavorful and crisp. I have eaten plenty of 'healthy' frozen meals and Healthy Choice meals taste the most fresh and healthy to me.

Whether you are looking to watch your calories while you lose weight or are just looking for a healthy lunch idea, I would definitely recommend trying out these new Steaming Entrees!

CONNECT!

To stay updated on new products & promotions, be sure to Like Healthy Choice on Facebook!

MORE INFO:

You can learn more about Healthy Choice Steaming Entrees at the Healthy Choice Website. Approx price for a meal is $2.50, and our store has had them on Sale for $1.99.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Healthy Choice and received samples of their new steaming entrées to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Week 4 of Emergency Preparedness Month - With Final Giveaway

2010-10-05T11:56:00.006-05:00

Welcome to the last week of my Emergency Preparedness posts! Hopefully you've gotten some great info the past 3 weeks that you can implement into your own family and life.

Week 4....

Emergency Preparedness Plan...check!
Emergency Preparedness Kit...check!

What happens AFTER disaster strikes? What do you do when you get home?

In the wake of disaster, there is much to do as you assess your health and safety of your household as well as next steps to rebuild your life. The first thing you'll want to do is check communication channels to ensure that local officials have declared it safe to return home.

When home, cleaning up after a natural disaster can be a daunting task so its important to keep your health top of mind using these steps:

Before entering the home, look outside for loose power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks or other damage
During cleanup, wear protective clothing , including rubber gloves and rubber boots
Look for flooding or large pools of standing water surrounding your home. These waters can be contaminated with high levels of bacteria that can make you sick, so disinfecting with a solution with a solution of bleach and water may help to remove mold and prevent the spread of infections and illness.

For more information please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness

guide: Prepare Yourself Now for Peace of Mind Later

General Health & Safety Tips:

For more information please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness

guide: Prepare Yourself Now for Peace of Mind Later

Keep your hands clean, either by washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer

If you feel feverish or sick after a disaster or during clean-up, see a doctor immediately

Eat healthy foods and drink lots of clean water

REMEMBER – your emergency preparedness kit should include a minimum three-day

supply of water for evacuations (2 weeks for home) for your entire household. This

means approximately one gallon per person, per day for washing and drinking

If water supplies are compromised and you are unable to boil water for one minute (three minutes at high elevation), you can create drinkable water by using un-scented disinfecting bleach such as Clorox. You can also use bleach to clean non-porous surfaces in your home

To Disinfect Surfaces: Use 1/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water, or as directed on the

label, to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces in your home.

To Disinfect Water: If you need to purify water during an emergency, (and do not have

the means to boil it for 3-5 minutes), you must disinfect your water using bleach. If water

is clear, add 8 drops (1/8 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. If water is cloudy, add 16

drops (1/4 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand

for about 30 minutes before using it. Properly treated water should have a slight chlorine

odor. If it doesn’t, repeat dosage and allow water to stand an additional 15 minutes. The

treated water can be made drinkable by pouring it between clean containers several

times.

GIVEAWAY!!

I have one Last $25 Gift Card to giveaway today!

TO ENTER:

Please leave a comment telling me what you would include in your pet's kit...if you don't have a pet tell me an item you would include in your Family's Emergency Preparedness kit.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

Follow my blog
Subscribe to my blog by email
'Like' Ladybug Soup on Facebook
'Like' Clorox on Facebook
Follow Ladybug Soup AND Clorox on Twitter
Tweet about this Giveaway (leave the link please)

Giveaway will end October 8th at 10pm CST. Winner is chosen via radnom.org. Winner has 48 hours to reply to my email or a new winner will be chosen.

As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The CloroxCompany and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by TheClorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.

Clorox Week 2 Winner

2010-10-02T10:47:00.003-05:00

Clorox week 2 Winner

#120 Deanna G

Congrats!

winner has 49 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to everyone that entered!

P.S. I have been out of state the last week (that's why it was so quiet around here!) I am playing catch up this weekend though, so more things will be posted soon. Thanks for being patient with me!

Almost 25 Weeks Along!

2010-09-22T16:42:00.006-05:00

I am almost 25 weeks along in this pregnancy! It's actually going pretty fast. My next appt will be the one that we'll do the glucose testing on, I can't believe I am already that far!

Things have been very good the last few weeks. I am feeling pretty good most days, and haven't had too many complaints (except heartburn...ouch!) The kicks this little girl is giving are SO fun to feel. We nicknamed her Thumper, because she thumps my belly instead of kicks it. She's so strong!

We've started thinking about names but there isn't one that has jumped out at me as being the one.

Which doesn't surprise me really...it took a couple of days after my daughter was born to finally decide on a name for her. We are just indecisive like that, with pretty much a lot of things :)

My Daughter is still really excited about this baby. She is always finding little ways to include her baby sister and she hasn't even met her yet! She'll include her completely on her own in conversations, including her when even I forget to.

One night we were all cuddling on the couch, the 3 of us. My Husband asked her jokingly who her best friend was. After he asked he whispered 'Daddy' as a helpful clue to the answer :)

I said "No, let her answer' Thinking for sure she would pick her Mommy. I mean, we spend all day together after all :)

She was quiet a moment...then said....

'My baby sister!"

So freakin sweet! I hadn't even thought of that answer, and here she is thinking of the baby, and already saying they are best friends. It makes me so happy to see her so excited about this, and it makes it all the more exciting for us.

........

I have been having some pretty strong food cravings...mostly for Chinese food (yum!!) and fried chicken. Actually any kind of chicken will do...like drummies with barbeque sauce...mmm. And especially KFC. Yeah, not proud of that but what can I do? I made a late night run the other night just to pick up some crunchy goodness, and it was totally worth the effort.

Now I want some Chicken again, LOL!

I won't be around much the next week...we have a trip planned that will take us out of state. Kinda exciting, but I am a nervous flyer so hopefully I can handle that okay :) I'll be back mid next week!

CafePress T-Shirt Review & Giveaway! (Winner Gets 2 Tees!)

2010-09-22T15:11:00.012-05:00

One of my favorite items to wear would definitely have to be the classic tee shirt. Tees are not only comfortable for me to wear, but there are also so many designs to choose from that there is always something to fit my mood and style. One of my favorite places to find new tees for myself and my family is CafePress!

CafePress has a huge selection of products that would be perfect for every member of your Family. Their items make wonderful and unique gifts too, I actually bought my Husband's father's day present from CafePress last year and he loved it! CafePress offers the best selection of personalized gifts and unique t-shirts, clothing, mugs, art, and posters. You can even create a Custom Design all of your own.....perfect for a business, school team, or a great personalized gift for a loved one!

CafePress sent my daughter and I each a tee shirt for this review, and right away I knew what themes I would select for us. With another baby on the way, I was interested in checking out their Maternity Line to see what styles they offered for Moms to be. What I found was a HUGE variety of tee shirts that ranged from humorous to sweet, ones that made me laugh and made me smile!

I loved this tee shirt, it's a line I have used on my Husband before, LOL!

I loved this one too, perfect for my January Due date!

For my daughter, I wanted to get her something that would celebrate her being a big sister. Afterall, this is an exciting event for her too! They had a lot to choose from, it took awhile to nary my choice down to one! This Big Sister Tee will be perfect to wear when she gets to meet her sister for the first time! In fact, it's already one of her favorite shirts to wear, and she is so proud to show people her shirt and let them know that she gets a baby sister soon! I think these shirts are a great way to get an older sibling excited about a new baby and let them feel included in it all....it's a special gift!

Here we are in our tees! I ended up choosing the Mommy's Sidekick tee, because baby kicks are my favorite part of pregnancy :)

My shirt is so comfortable to wear, and fits my growing belly perfectly. I ordered a Large to ensure that it would fit me the whole 9 months. The shirt is also a longer length which is perfect because it covers my backside when I have to bend over! That's something I need even when I am not pregnant :)

CafePress products are very easy to order, and their website is easy to navigate with a helpful themes to get you started, and a search bar to get you to something specific you may already have in mind.

If you are looking for a great gift, you're sure to find a great item that will fit that person's personality perfectly! I know my Mom loves Grandma themed sweatshirts to wear in the Winter...it's the perfect Christmas gift!

CafePress would like to offer one winner 2 T-Shirts! - One for you and One for a Child (choose the size - onesie, toddler, or youth!)

Please visit CafePress and then leave a comment telling me the name of a product you liked from their website!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

Follow my Blog
Subscribe to my blog by email
'Like' Ladybug Soup on Facebook
Follow Ladybug soup on Twitter
Follow CafePress on twitter
Tweet or blog about this Giveaway - please leave the link!

Giveaway will end on October 6th at 10pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be emailed directly. winner has 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I received the 2 mentioned products in exchange for an honest review. No monetary payments were given. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and different people may have different experiences with products and/or company.

Anytime Costumes Winner!

2010-09-22T15:04:00.003-05:00

Anytime Costumes Giveaway Winner

Comment #304...Anne J

Congrats!!

I have emailed the winner, and she has 48 hours to reply or a new winner wll be chosen. Thanks to everyone that entered!

Week 3 of Emergency Preparedness Month - With Another Giveaway!

2010-09-22T14:12:00.001-05:00

I hope you've all been enjoying the Emergency preparedness posts and have been learning some great new information! To catch up be sure to visit Week One and Week Two's posts, this will give you a great start in preparing you and your family for an unexpected emergency.

This week, we will focus on our furry friends....our beloved pets!

Do you have an Emergency Plan for your pets? For many people, pets are an integral member of the family; however, when disaster strikes pets are often left out of the emergency preparedness plan.

As you design your plan, here are a few steps to keep in mind to make sure your beloved pets are taken care of:

Create a Pet Survival kit along with your emergency preparedness kit. Include:

Pet food
Vet records
Can opener
Cat litter/pans (if applicable)
Medications (if applicable)

Keep your pet's identification tags up to date and securely fastened to their collar. In case you are separated, your pet's doctor will know exactly whom to contact.

Make sure to choose an alternate location within your emergency preparedness plan that allows pets. Keep in mind that many emergency shelters are unable to accept pets due to public health reasons

If you are ever concerned about including your pet in your emergency preparedness plan and need advice, contact your local animal shelter or animal control office.

For more information please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the emergency preparedness guide: Prepare Yourself Now For Peace of Mind Later

And to help one reader get their Emergency Kit started, I have one $25 gift card to giveaway this week!

Please leave a comment telling me what you would include in your pet's kit...if you don't have a pet tell me an item you would include in your Family's Emergency Preparedness kit.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

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Tweet about this Giveaway (leave the link please)

Giveaway will end September 28th at 10pm CST. Winner is chosen via radnom.org. Winner has 48 hours to reply to my email or a new winner will be chosen.

As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The CloroxCompany and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by TheClorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue Now Available on DVD & Blu-ray!

2010-09-22T12:37:00.017-05:00

Everyone's favorite fairy is back in the brand new movie Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue!

In this all new adventure, you'll follow along as Tinker Bell meets her very first human being...and it's not who you'd think!

Years before meeting Wendy and the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell met Lizzy, a little girl with a steadfast belief in the power of pixie dust and the magic land of fairies. During the fairies’ summer visit to the flowering meadows of England, two very different worlds unite for the first time and Tink develops a special bond with a curious child in need of a friend. As her fellow fairies launch a daring rescue, Tinker Bell takes a huge risk, putting her own safety and the future of all fairykind in jeopardy.

Experience Disney’s astonishing all-new movie about the true power of faith and friendship. Bursting with excitement and imagination, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is magical entertainment for the whole family. You might even learn to fly.

We were able to review this fantastic new movie, in the DVD/Blu-ray 2 disk Combo! I was really excited to see that this movie was available in Blu-ray, because we recently upgraded to a nice big HDTV and a Blu-ray player! The colors and images on the Blu-ray DVD were so vivid and fun to watch, it really made you feel like you were part of the fairy world, flying right along with Tinker Bell! My daughter loves Tinker Bell and was so excited to see there was a brand new story to hear about her. She also really enjoyed all of Tinker Bell's friends and even I enjoyed seeing more of their personalities in this film!

This was a really great movie to watch with my Daughter! It had adventure, friendship, and a storyline that will hold your interest just as much as your Children's. It would be the perfect DVD for a family movie night!

I have some fun Tinker Bell crafts and a recipe to share with you today! Just click on the image to view the printable instructions!

And here is a special coupon you can print for $10 off the Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack from Disney Movie Rewards!

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is in stores now and can also be found on Amazon for approx $21.99

3 winners to Announce

2010-09-20T12:18:00.006-05:00

Glow Baby $25 Gift Card Winner

#44 felesseta

Congrats!

Piggy Paint $15 Gift Card Winner

#20 Mom2anutball

Congrats!

$25 Gift Card (Winner of 1st emergency preparedness giveaway)

#99 Kathy

Congrats!

All winners have been emailed! If winners do not responded within time frame stated on email, new winners will be chosen.

Week 2 of Emergency Preparedness Month-Builidng Your Kit - With a GIveaway!

2010-09-16T17:07:00.008-05:00

Last week, I introduced a series of posts on National Preparedness Month, and this week I will be focusing on building your Emergency Preparedness Kit with your Family.

I will be honest with you, as of right now we do not have any type of emergency kit set aside for our Family. That's why this topic is so important...I am sure many families are in the same situation as mine. As I share these tips with you, I will be implementing them here in my home as well. By the end of these 4 weeks, I know I will be better educated on being prepared for an emergency.

So let's get started with building an emergency kit!

An important component of emergency preparedness is building a comprehensive emergency preparedness kit. Feel free to use this emergency preparedness kit checklist as a start to your kit:

Water (minimum 3 day supply for evacuations, two week supply for home) washing and drinking)
Non-Perishable Foods (minimum 3 day supply for evacuations, 2 week supply for home)
Assorted Battery Pack (purchase the pack that provides a variety of battery sizes so that you're prepared no matter the need)
Flashlight
Multipurpose Tool
First Aid Kit
Medications (at least 7 day supply)
Battery Powered or Hand Crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio if possible)
Extra Clothing
Sanitation and Personal Hygiene Items
Cell Phone With Chargers
Family and Emergency Contact information
Extra Cash
Emergency Blanket
Map(s) of the Area
Household Liquid Bleach. Did oyu know that bleach, like Clorox Liquid Bleach, can not only disinfect surfaces but also can be used to create drinkable water? Here's How:

To Disinfect Surfaces: Use 1/4 Cup Bleach to 1 gallon of water, or as directed on the label, to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces in your home.

To Disinfect Water: If you need to purify water in an emergency, (and do not have the means to boil it for 3-5 minutes), you may disinfect your water using bleach. If water is clear, add 8 drops (1/8 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. If water is cloudy, add 16 drops (1/4 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand for for about 30 minutes before using. Properly treated water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn't, repeat dosage and allow water to stand an additional 15 minutes. The treated water can be made drinkable by pouring it between containers several times.

Copies of important documents - in case of emergency, you'll need copies of birth records, household lease or deed, medications list, passports, and insurance policies

....

Check out your local home supply store. Many of them sell pre-assembled emergency preparedness supplies that provide a great foundation for the full kit you will need to build.

When disaster strikes, you could be anywhere, so make sure you have either a full or abbreviated emergency preparedness kit. (i.e. food, water, change of clothes) at work and in your vehicles.

make sure the members of your household are aware of each kit, its contents, and its location. In the event of an emergency, its essential to make sure everyone, even the children, are prepared.

Are your pets included in your preparedness plan? If not, they should be! See nexct week's blog post to create a plan for your pets.

For more information, please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness guide: Prepare Yourself Now For Peace of Mind Later

And just like last week, I will be giving away one $25 gift card to one reader to help with starting their own emergency preparedness kit!

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me one item you would need to add to your kit after reading the list I provided above.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

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Tweet about this contest on Twitter (an easy way to do that is to hover your mouse over the SHARE button at the end of this post, then click twitter. It does the work for you!)

This giveaway will end next Thursday Sept. 23rd at 10pm CST. winner is chosen via random.org. Winner has 48 hours to reply to email or a new winner will be chosen.

As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The CloroxCompany and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by TheClorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.

This Is SO My Daughter....

2010-09-14T21:41:00.001-05:00

Today I dressed my Daughter up in this pretty little ballerina outfit, and she was all about the spinning, turning, smiling, laughing, and looking oh so pretty!

There was lots of falling down & giggling!

Then when her Daddy got home from work, he surprised her with this Pirate sword that would match the Pirate hat she got from the dollar section of Target.

Of course, being a Pirate means bothering the Cat and making her tough girl faces :)

I love that she is such a girly girl but still loves to play with dinosaurs & wear her pirate hat. Life with this little one is just so much fun! She is one spunky little girl!

National Preparedness Month - Helpful Tips & A Giveaway!

2010-09-09T10:58:00.010-05:00

September is National Preparedness Month, and I am excited to be working with Clorox and some other great bloggers to bring you all helpful tips on how to keep you and your Family better prepared in case of an emergency.

Thankfully I have not personally had to deal with any natural disasters, but my State is no stranger to them. Many parts of Minnesota have dealt with floods that have ruined homes, businesses, and schools. Some parts of the country may be well prepared for these types of emergencies, because they live in an area that has seen them before. But a lot of times it is unexpected, and can happen suddenly and quickly.

The best thing you can do is be prepared, and over the next month I'll be sharing tips on how to do just that. This week, I'll highlight three critical steps to create an Emergency Preparedness Plan for your household in case of an emergency.

Each week, I will also be giving away a $25 Gift Card to help you start your own Kit!

Disasters can happen quickly and unexpectedly. The most important step to staying safe is being prepared BEFORE an emergency occurs.

When designing your Emergency Preparedness Plan, you can implement the following three easy steps ...

Purchase or Build an Emergency Preparedness Kit - your kit should house enough supplies to last your household a minimum of three days for evacuations and 2 weeks for emergencies at home. Next week, I'll offer specific tips on building a disaster kit with your family. Include things like: water, non-perishable food, flashlight, radio, first aid kit, a multi-purpose tool, important medications, and copies of personal documents. You may also include household liquid bleach such as Clorox for cleaning and disinfecting and emergency water sanitation.

Make an Emergency Preparedness Plan - Schedule a meeting in your household to discuss what to do in case you are separated during an emergency. Choose 2 places to meet - one right outside the house and the other outside your neighborhood. Be sure to practice and review the plan twice a year!

Get Educated - Get to know the types of disasters (i.e. hurricanes, floods, or forest fires) prevalent in your area so that you can better tailor both your kit and plan. Find out how local officials will contact residents of your city to advise of important safety information. AND get first aid training. Learn critical techniques like CPR and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

For more information, please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness guide: Prepare Yourself Now For Peace of Mind Later.

I also have one $25 Gift Card to giveaway this week for one reader!

To enter this Giveaway, please leave a comment telling me an item that you would include in your Preparedness Kit.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

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Giveaway will end on September 16th at 10pm CST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

Be sure to watch for next week's post on building an Emergency Preparedness Kit with your Family, and another chance to win a $25 gift card to help get you started!

As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The CloroxCompany and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by TheClorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.

Anytime Costumes Giveaway! (Win Costume of Choice Up To $50!!)

2010-09-05T20:40:00.004-05:00

It's officially September now, and I for one am very excited to be looking forward to the Fall! The best part of these upcoming months is definitely the holidays, and the next one we have to look forward to is Halloween!

If you think it's too early, think again! It takes a lot of the pressure off when you are already fully prepared by the time October rolls around. When you deal with items selling out, and time to ship a product, earlier is definitely better. For my Daughter's 2nd Halloween, I waited until the last minute to order an Elmo costume, and the thing barely made it here in time. I was one panicked Mama!

To start your Halloween shopping off right, I recommend checking out Anytime Costumes! They have a great selection of costumes for people of all ages, from infants to adults. Their prices are also very reasonable, which is definitely something I look for before buying a product. They also have some helpful recommendations if you are looking for some Couples Costumes or costumes to do with a group of people! This is great for Halloween Parties!

This Mermaid Costume is adorable, and really caught my Daughter's eye!

Anytime Costumes also has adorable Toy Story costumes, and I predict they will be huge this year because of the movie's success! This Woody costume is too cute for a little boy!

This year I am beyond excited to take my Daughter out trick or treating. Last year was her first year going door to door, but we only did 2 blocks or so. She loved every minute of it! it made her so happy to say hi to people, see other kids trick or treating nearby, and to be dressed up as Snow White was the icing on the cake. This year, we are heading out to a great block right away, so that she can get a great experience in!

Picking a costume was a little tricky this year, only because she wanted to be everything! She loves playing dress up, and was game for being whatever she could get from me :) I knew I wanted to get her something warm, because trick or treating in Minnesota is cold. To avoid the whole jacket over the costume thing, we ended up choosing the Child Monkey Costume!

She pretty much is a little monkey anyway, so this suits her perfectly :) On the day the costume arrived, she wanted to put it on immediately! Of course! So we opened it up, and got her dressed up as a little monkey. The costume comes with the monkey outfit (one piece jumpsuit with a tail!) a monkey hood with ears, and monkey feet footsies. Head to toe perfect! Her little face looked so completely cute in the monkey hood, and she was SO proud of it! The first thing I did was get her over to her mirror so she could see too...she laughed & laughed!

This costume will be perfect for Halloween. It is SUPER soft and very warm. We ordered a size up so that we would have room for clothes underneath and I figured I could always pin something if it was too big. They have good sizing info on each costume, so I recommend looking at your individual costume and deciding which size would be best for you/you child.

You can find a great selection at Anytime Costumes, from girly to humorous, to different animals...and everything in between! you can find some great Sale prices too, and have an easy to navigate website that will take the hard part out of shopping.

Right now there is also Free Shipping on orders of $50 or more when you enter SUNNYTEN at checkout. This code is mentioned on their website, so I am not sure of the expiration date.

One person will win ANY COSTUME OF CHOICE - up to $50!!

The required entry into this Giveaway is to Follow My Blog Through Google Friend Connect - then just leave a comment saying that you do!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete.

Visit Anytime Costumes and leave a comment telling me which costume you like!
Subscribe to Ladybug Soup by email
Follow me on Twitter
Tweet about this Giveaway. You can Tweet once a day - leave the link each day you tweet (you can copy and paste this tweet if you'd like: Anytime Costumes Giveaway! @Kelliebug (Win Costume of Choice Up To $50!!) http://t.co/ig9A0HM
'Like' ladybug Soup on Facebook
Blog about this Giveaway-leave the link

Giveaway will end on September 18th at 10pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be emailed directly. Winner has 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen. US Residents only please.

disclaimer: I received a complimentary costume to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed in review are my own and different people may have different experiences with products and/or company.

Piggy Paint: New Project Earth Line - Review & GIveaway!

2010-09-05T19:48:00.003-05:00

Having a little girl means that I get to do fun girlie things like play with hair, play princess dressup, and more recently indulge in some play pampering. One of my daughter's very favorite things to do is have her nail painted!

Last year we got to try out the kid friendly and eco friendly nailpolish brand Piggy Paint and it was instantly a hit, for both my Daughter and myself. She loved to have her little toenails and fingernails painted just like Mom, and I love that there were no harsh smells or chemicals in their nail polish. it was a perfect fit! Since that review, I have bought another bottle of a pretty pink that shows up so well on my daughter's nails. It was great for Summer sandals!
Recently Piggy Paint launched a new line of paints called 'Project Earth' These new colors are perfect for young ladies that are concerned about the Earth and doing their part for the environment. Many kids are learning ways to be more earth friendly and also more friendly to our bodies by choosing products free of harsh chemicals, so this really seems like a wonderful idea they had!

With names like 'Drama' and 'Eat Your Peace' tweens will be jumping for these new styles! They even have one that glows in the dark - so cool! I would have loved that one when I was a young girl!

Piggy Paint was kind enough to send me and my Daughter 2 bottles to try out from their new Project Earth Line - LOL and Solar Power. LOL is a hot pink color that is just perfect for a girlie girl like my Daughter. It's so bright, cheerful, and really fun! The Solar power is a hot yellow color. Before I tried that one I was thinking it might not show up well, but I was completely wrong. It looked so great on her nails, and you could absolutely see that it was there.

Like all Piggy Paint experiences we have had, there were no harsh odors when we did our nails. In fact, no odors hit me at all! The only hard part was trying to keep my 3 year old from smudging her paint...she is almost impossible to keep still :) We did a really fun pattern - we alternated pink and yellow for her fingers, then painted her big toe Pink and her little toes yellow :)

It turned out so cute, and later that day when we were at Target, she literally held them up to strangers walking by and asked them if they liked her nails! It was SO funny! She was very proud and kept saying how beautiful they were!

Use Coupon Code LADYBUG10L when checking out for 10% off your Piggy Paint Purchase - also good on Sale items! Expires 11/30/2010

Also if you spend over $35.00 Domestic Shipping is FREE! (They DO ship worldwide as well!)

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

Please visit Piggy Paint and tell me your favorite color they carry!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave an additional comment for every extra entry you complete

Follow my Blog
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'Like' Ladybug Soup on Facebook
'Like' piggy Paint on Facebook
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Follow Piggy Paint on Twitter
Blog about this Giveaway - leave the link
Tweet about the Giveaway - leave the link

Giveaway will on September 17th at 10pm CST. winner will be chosen via random.org and will be emailed directly. Winner has 72 hours to reply to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I received the mentioned products at no charge to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and different people may have different experiences with products and/or company.

Another Winner!

2010-09-03T10:50:00.004-05:00

Winner of Robby Wash laundry Ball

#58 Nancy's Couture

Congrats!

I have sent over an email, please reply within 72 hours to claim your prize. thanks to everyone that entered! If you are still interested in checking out the Robby Wash Laundry Ball, be sure to visit their website!

Ways to Make My Favorite Foods More Healthy! Still Delicious, But Better For Me!

2010-09-02T13:55:00.015-05:00

On January 1st, I started on my weight loss goal of losing 10-12 pounds. Those numbers may not seem that high, but it was still quite a challenge! Especially since I really enjoy food. And I wasn't doing any kind of exercise program yet, so adding that in was a really big challenge too.

The first thing I needed to do was change the way I ate food. I cut back on calories and fat, and found myself hungry all the time. It was like as soon as I said the word DIET, my brain went into hunger overdrive! But once I started, I found that I didn't want to give up, didn't want to throw it all away for 1 day of fattening foods. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. And also? I had a secret goal in mind...I wanted to lose those pounds so that I could get pregnant. I didn't want to start my pregnancy at 134 pounds. I wanted to start it at 120. And you know what? I did!

I'll admit that I am not normally the healthiest eater. I don't like too many kinds of vegetables (yes, sad I know!) But I do love fruit! And salads! I quickly found there were many healthy options that appealed to me that wouldn't break my diet plans. Here are some ways that I made my favorite meals/foods healthier for me, and still had them taste great.

1. I love a loaded baked potato, don't you? Well if you eat them the way I used to, you'll be adding butter, sour cream, cheese, and bacon bits. That adds up to a lot of calories and a lot of fat!

Substitute the regular sour cream for FAT FREE Sour Cream. You'd be surprised to see how much fat you are getting from those simple add ons. I would recommend skipping the butter and bacon bits, and using Weight Watchers Cheese or a low fat shredded cheese. Use more sour cream than cheese & you'll get taste without the extra calories!

2. Love Tacos? Me too!

Use healthy lean Chicken Breast instead of hamburger! Chicken is one of the healthier meat options, and if you cook it right, you won't be adding fat. I use my George Foreman Grill because it's convenient and uses no oil, butter, etc to cook it.

3. I love crunchy salty snacks - like chips, but not the fat and calories that they are usually loaded with.

Instead of reaching for the greasy chips I eat fat free pretzels. They have a little salt for taste, and are one of my favorites! Snyders of Hanover is one of my favorite brands, and this version is fat free!

4. Popcorn is another snack food that my Family loves. But When you add salt & butter, it's not a healthy snack anymore1

We recently bought our own popping machine, so that we can control what kind of fat & calories go into it. We then bought some Kernal Seasons to sprinkle on our popcorn as an alternative to butter. You can get tons of flavors, like Caramel, Kettle Corn, White Cheddar, and more! Each goes for about $3.99.

5. Healthy Lunch Sandwich Option! Normally you'd get the mayo, cheese, or add some butter to the bread...

Since I am at home all day, I need a healthy lunch option. I liked to use shaved turkey breast lunch meat on whole grain bread. Whole Grain bread is a must, especially if you are trying to eat healthy. We don't even buy white bread anymore, and haven't for probably 2 years now. If the turkey sandwich is dry, you can add a tablespoon of BBQ sauce to spice it up a little. There's no fat in most of them, unlike butter or mayo. Perfect!

6. Stir Fry!

Remember when I mentioned I don't like veggies? Well the truth is that I WILL eat them when they are mixed together with some pasta or rice. That's a great way for me to get my vegetable servings in, and I often will make one with chicken breast added in. Delicious, hardly any fat, and getting veggie servings!

7. When you Bake or Cook, use FAT FREE milk and low fat butter/margarine.

After my Daughter turned one, she got on whole milk. And guess who else did too? Yeah, that would be ME! Whole milk has so much fat and calories! and since I drink the stuff like it's going out of style, and use it in a lot of my casseroles, I was getting FAT and didn't even realize it. Now that she's 3, she gets 2%. I drink that or Skim.

8. I love ice cream and sweet treats, but don't love the fat and calories.

I LOVE Kemps Frozen Yogurt Bars. Seriously, they are so yummy! and when I was right in the middle of my diet, wanting so badly to cheat, I would eat one of these and it would really help with my sweets craving. 50 Calories. Zero Fat. Yum!

9. Pasta Lover...but the difference is in the sauce!

I am CRAZY about Alfredo sauce, but the calories and fat content in them is through the ROOF! Especially when you got to a restaurant, it could easily be the most fattening item on the menu. Instead of eating pasta and Alfredo sauce, we will eat it with a marinara sauce or red sauce. It's SO much better for you, and still tastes great!

10. I am an egg lover, but the way I used to eat them was not so healthy!

I would prep the frying pan with lots of butter, and scramble my egg in it. Yummy, but not healthy! Now I hard boil my eggs instead. I cut out all of the butter and instead get all of the health benefits that eggs offer.

These are just some of the ways you can still eat foods that taste great and are healthier for you too!! Small changes that you make to your diet everyday can really add up in the long run. Even cutting out soda and drinking water is a great start! you can even buy flavored water, like Aquafina Flavor Splash (so good!)

Do you have any favorite foods or meals that you know how to make healthier? Leave a comment or join the conversation at Twitter Moms!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and WeightWatchers SmartOnes blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here .”

3 Winners To Announce!

2010-09-01T11:10:00.005-05:00

Shutterfly Stationary / Cards Winner

#38 Baby Mama

Congrats!

Bob Books Winner (2!)

#13 GoldenOrchard

&

#99 Shelly

Congrats!

Executive Gift Shoppe Winner

#135 - Suzy

Congrats!

All winners have been emailed & have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to everyone for entering!

Follow me Tuesday - I'll Follow you Back!

2010-08-31T13:10:00.003-05:00

Today I am participating in Follow me Back Tuesday hosted by Survey Junkie! I have been looking for new blogs to follow lately, and this is a great way to find them!

If you Follow my blog, just leave me a comment on this post and I will go follow yours back!

Thanks so much, looking forward to getting to know you all better!

Wubbzy Goes To School DVD Review!

2010-08-30T17:57:00.005-05:00

Just in time for the new school year comes a new DVD Release from kid's favorite character Wubbzy! Kids, along with their Parents, will enjoy watching Wubbzy Goes To School and preparing for the big day!

Here's a little more about the episodes included on this fun DVD!

“Wubbzy Goes To School” (SRP $16.98) puts the “cool” in “school” with six charming episodes that will have everyone ready to hit the books. In “Who Needs School?,” Wubbzy is nervous about going off to school for the very first time and decides he can learn all he needs to know on his own. When things don’t work out as expected and Wubbzy has no one to play with, he realizes that maybe school isn’t so bad after all. In another episode, “New Kid On The Block,” Wubbzy learns that meeting and accepting new friends can be a big! big! big! job. When Murphy, a larger-than-life new student, joins the class, Wubbzy finds that good friends can come in all shapes and sizes.

Additional episodes include: “Gotta Dance,” “Wubbzy the Star,” “You Gotta Have Art” and “Magic Tricks,” starring Wuzzleburg’s own Moo Moo the Magician! Fans will also be “wowed” with cool bonus features such as the “Meet Wubbzy’s Schoolmates” photo gallery, coloring and activity sheets and more.

We were able to review this DVD, to my Daughter's delight! She is familiar with Wubbzy and loves him, and I will admit that I don't mind watching the show either! It's full of bright colors, great lessons, and catchy songs that are easy to remember and fun to sing along to.

Each episode offered up a lesson on school, learning, or friendship...along with a lot of humor! Ever since we got the DVD a few days ago, my Daughter has been repeatedly asking to watch it. She learned the name of a couple of the episodes, and her favorite has to be New Kid on The Block. If I pop it in the dvd player, that is what she will request (although she does watch all of the episodes included of course!). My personal favorite is Magic Tricks because it teaches kids that they shouldn't give up when something is difficult, and sooner or later they will find their talents and learn that they can be great at things too.

Overall this was a fantastic DVD and something I would recommend to Wubbzy fans and those that haven't yet seen him. Wubbzy is adorable and his friends offer cute new personalities and interests into the mix too, which makes it even better! It's not obnoxious for the Parents, and is great for preschool aged kids.

Wubbzy Goes To School is available on DVD now and can be purchased in your local stores as well as Amazon.