Alien Abductions

I pride myself in being a pretty good mama. I couldn't imagine being away from my little one for more then a day or two. I still haven't left her for a weekend without mama. Overnight is the best that I can handle! But its hard to imagine what my little one would go through if I were gone. I mean of course she would probably enjoy the chocolate overload surely to ensue once I was gone but I think she would miss me soon after she realized that these were gone

1. Home Cooked Meals: I rarely take something out of the freezer to feed my little one. Its all mama made, not only is it healthier but its got more soul! I can taste the difference in my meals and in the ones that come from the freezer, I'm sure she would notice as well!
2. Hugs: I give great hugs, often, she's my baby and I will never stop hugging her! I don't think much can compare to a hug from a mama.
3. The smell of the house: I'm an incense girl, and I love how it smells, I think that my daughter would miss the way that her house smells, and the way that smoke curls in the air over my desk.
4. Concerts: I bring Annabella everywhere with me! Most concerts are no exception. She went to her first concert on New Years eve when she was three months old. She loved it, had a blast! I miss concerts so I'm sure she would miss them too
5. Car Trips: I am always looking for great ways to show Annabella the world, I know that she would miss us driving around on back-roads singing and dancing to the best music we can find
6. Cuddling in the A.M.: I love weekend mornings, Annabell and I will lay in bed for a bit and watch T.V. or read through a book. Its great to just spend time tickling her, and flopping on the bed. Its something that you do with a mama that just isn't' the same with anybody else
7. Making a mess: I love to make a mess, finger painting, splashing in the tub, or building couch cushion houses. It can all be cleaned up. I don't think that everybody feels the same about this. Annabella and I love arts and crafts and making a mess comes with all of that!
8. Weekday Mornings: Annabella and I have great weekdays, the usually start with me waking her up then we have breakfast together. After that we will dance to some music to get ready for the day, then we go pick up her Uncle Dave from work and we all laugh on the way for daycare. Its a simple routine but its one that I've grown to love
9. Skirt-hide-and-seek: Not all kids are lucky enough to have a hippie mama who is always wearing long bohemian skirts. Annabella treats them like they are tents that she can play under. She loves pointing out whatever flower or animal happens to be on them. And she really likes all the bright colors. I've even made her a few of her own.
10. Mama-made-its: I am crafty as said before. I am always looking for new clothes or toys to make for Annabella, and needless to say it has built up quite a wardrobe. I think that she would miss having clothes and quilts that were made with her in mind and fitted just for her. 

So all you aliens out there, leave me here on earth! I don't want my little one to be sad and I really don't want to have to miss her.  I want to grow and make more traditions with my little one so that she can share the same with her little ones in the future!

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

Swimsuit Time!!

This post brought to you by Express. All opinions are 100% mine.

Its that time again!

Spring has (almost) sprung, and its time to get your body ready to wear that swimsuit!

Express has women's swimwear on sale now! Great idea if you ask me because you can try on your suit and see which areas need a bit of ::ahem:: work. Don't stop when you find your suit, they also have suits for men!

Check out thier fabulous bikinis, personally I'm proud of my post baby body! I'm looking forward to trying on some two piece swimwear

I love white swim suits they really show off a tan (even if its not from a beach) . I would love to get the one above, its just under  $40 on sale so its a deal! Express has quality suits so it would last for the entire summer rather then the not so nice ones that I have gotten at those super department stores in the past.

Right now if you sign up for the Express e-mail you'll be entered to win a $200 gift card, and considering the low prices of these swim suits you'll be able to get a few of them, or a few things to wear when you're not lounging by the pool. Check out the sweepstakes rules to learn more about this sweet contest! 

While you're waiting to see if you win, start doing some crunches and maybe you'll be brave enough to try out one of their string bikinis.  

  

Asthma, Allergies, Children a Parent's Guide

Asthma and Allergies can be scary. Especially when it comes to talking to a doctor about your child. Personally I've never had any allergies (except to the mirena birth control)

I don't have asthma, and I'm pretty healthy.

So I've wondered what I would do if Annabella were allergic to anything.

It would be hard for me to really know what was going on, what questions to ask, what foods she could eat. What symptoms to look for. What therapies are out there for children with allergies.

In the book "Asthma, Allergies, Children... A Parents Guide" The three authors Paul Ehrlich M.D., Larry Chiaramonte M.D.,  and Henry Ehrlich; give advice and insight on how to deal with your child's Asthma or Allergies.

One feature in the book that I particularly liked is the explanations of Allergies and Asthma, the book goes into great detail and tells us how the two work. Which really gives insight on how our bodies work and how the bodies of children with Allergies or Asthma are different. It helped me to really understand what was going on when someone had an allergic or asthmatic reaction.

It goes through which ingredients should be avoided in food if your child has certain allergies. I found this section to be very helpful; especially the section that tells all the ingredients that have to be avoided that I didn't even know that there were eggs in! Like Ovomucin (not that I know what it is!)

One feature in the book that I particuarlly liked is the explinations of Allergies and Asthsma, the book goes into great detail and tells us how the two work. Which really gives insight on how our bodies work and how the bodies of children with Allergies or Athsma are different. It helped me to really understand what was going on when someone had an allergic or athsmatic reaction.

It talks about skin allergies and the different variations of them. Where they come from, I liked the Eczema information as my cousin has eczema and I am always looking for tips for her to use when it comes to her skin.

Learn about alternative treatments for Allergies, learn how Biofeedback and Yoga Breathing can help with your child's asthma! What Vitamins and herbs can help out? Ever thought to try acupuncture for your little one?

If your child has asthma, then "Asthma, Allergies, Children a Parent's Guide" is indispensable. It not only helps teach about allergies and asthma but it will help put your mind at ease about your child's asthma and allergies! 

For more information check out http://www.asthmaallergieschildren.com/

Twist Organic Flavored Water

Finally! A flavored water that acctually makes sense

Its not sweetened with sugar!

Instead the people over at Twist have created a flavored water that is sweetened with Agave!
A great idea for kids to take to school with lunches!

With six great flavors, you can add one in lunches each day for a new flavor, or if you're like me its a great treat for a special day or a Friday lunch.

My daughter loved the twist waters as did I, which says a lot  because normally I hate flavored waters. 

Its only got 9 calories!!

I liked how natural the Twist water tasted, it was clean like water but still had flavor in it so that it could substitute  the taste of soda or other sugary flavored water drinks.

Another thing that I liked about the Twist waters were the flavors they come in 

• Mandarin White Tea
• West Indies Lime
• Mango Acai
• Wild Strawberry
• Lemon
• Pomegranate Blueberry

We tried the Lemon and the Wild Strawberry.

Annabella preferred the Wild Strawberry which is a tad sweeter so I think it appealed to her more. 

I enjoyed the Lemon, it was light and didn't make me think I was drinking soda rather then water which I commonly feel with other beverages like this. 

I really want to try the West Indies Lime, I'm a huge fan of putting limes in my water so I think I may have found a match for me! 

To find out more about Twist water visit their website at www.drinktwist.com

To find a retailer near you visit http://www.drinktwist.com/StoreLocator

Learn about banking your cord blood!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CryoCell International. All opinions are 100% mine.

It was discovered a few years ago that the blood in the umbilical cord can really help us later in our lives. Unfortunately it isn't a very popular topic because not many people know about the benefits, and most hospitals don't offer cord blood banking.

www.Cryo-Cell.com Is a great resource for information on banking your cord blood.  You can learn about all the ways that cord blood can help your baby in the future if needed. You can also get information on cost, and compare private cord banking (which is what cyro-cell is) to public banking.

Its a one time cost that could save your baby in the future. If you don't have a child, this is a great way to give a gift to somebody that will last a lifetime. Much more meaningful then that crib bumper.

For a limited time if you visit www.Cryo-Cell.net and request information about cord blood banking you will receive a phone call from a representative and a FREE adorable 'belly bag'.

If you decide to bank your baby's cord blood you will receive a kit and so will your doctor or midwife so that you can correctly save your child's cord blood!

If you're about to have a baby, this is a great way to find out information about cord blood banking!

Bright Beginnings Formula

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

Not everybody can breastfeed thier baby, whether it be lack of supply, lack of time, or maybe it just makes you feel uncomfortable to breastfeed.

Whichever it may be, there are other options out there that can keep baby fed, healthy and happy. When it comes to formula, there are so many different options! It can get expensive to shop for it at your everyday supermarket and they don't always carry what you would like to feed your baby,

Diapers.com has lots of products for the little one that are easily accessed from your internet connection.

Brighter Begginings formula has Gentle, Organic, Soy and Premium formula available to buy on diapers.com. Personally I would go for the Organic formulas, and it seems that most agree, the Organic formula has an average rating of 4.5 stars with 32 comments to read from!

Brighter Begginings formula is FDA regulated; they offer lots of different products for your little one at affordable prices. Which will help your baby and your wallet stay full.

You can also check out Bright Beginnings on Facebook where you can ask questions about the formula and the other products that they offer as well as find out what other customers are asking. I love how Facebook can help us stay so up to date on whats going on!

If you're a formula feeding mom, be sure to check them out!

Football might be over but.....

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kenmore Live Studio. All opinions are 100% mine.

You can still have a blast with sports themed family diner nights!

Why not get the family together for some game winning recipes that will have your family racing to the bottoms of their dishes for seconds? A sports theme is a great way to get the family to the table and enjoying simple recipes that taste great (and a great way to plan a menu for the next event)

Wow these steak nachos look amazing, I never would have thought to put them together like this, but I would love to sit around with my friends and chow down on them! Marinating the steak is so important here, forgetting could mean a foul ball

 

 

The Steel Curtain Shrimp Skewers are a great seafood dish, we have some issues with vegetarians in my household, this seems to be a dish that would please everyone at the table. I like how simple they are too make. My daughter loves eating things off skewers. Finger foods rock for sure when it comes to getting the kids to eat everything on their plates.

Okay so the more people I tell about this recipe the more mixed reactions I get. I think its a brilliant idea, cheese, bacon, popcorn. Amazing combination, a bowl of this during some game reruns or even for a viewing of ' A League of their own" I'm sure it won't last long, but you should be able to have a tasty few minutes a the start of the movie! Just make sure you have the bowl, because its possible that this may disappear before you get a chance to chow!

Good luck and remember baseball season is just around the corner

 

 

Glo Crazy!

Alright everyone, I think I may have discovered the coolest new toy on the market!

I was sent the "GloCrazy Distance Doodler"

This amazing product comes with special paper that you stick to the wall, you can also cut out shapes and stick them to the wall. They have a faint glow when just left in the dark.

Now here is where the fun part comes in, take the special  'distance doodler' you can stand up to 10 feet away, click the button and start drawing! This product is amazing, the pen writes and it glows right on the sheets that you put on the wall! The sheets can be reused because the glowing color fades after about ten minutes.

Wait theres more! You can also create cool silhouettes with the alternate setting on the glow wand

This is a great way to make silly monsters or practice your hand at shadow puppets!  It was a great way to get the kids to see the differences in their faces.

My daughter had fun pointing out the noses on the silhouettes as we put them up.

My 8 year old cousin thought it was just about the coolest thing ever, he was convinced that a 'mad scientist' must have invented it.

The Glow Crazy kit comes with two sheets of jumbo wall clings to stick on your wall to write on, one distance doodler light wand, 4 stencils and a tip booklet. All that you need for hours of fun.  Check out their Glow Crazy Activity Center for more great activities and ideas to use your Glow Crazy for tons more fun!

You can get your own Glow Crazy by visiting their website at www.glowcrazy.com. They have a great offer going on right now where you'll get 5 jumbo wall clings, an extra distance doodler (what a great way to have light battles) and bonus stencils! All this for just$24.95 (plus postage and handling)

So if you're looking for the perfect gift for just about anybody be sure to check out Glow Crazy, its amazing and sure to put a smile on everybody's face.

Sharing Happiness in my life

Sharing, its important, it shows that you care. When I'm in a good mood I love to share that with my friends and family by cooking for them.

When I'm feeling down I pick myself back up by cooking great food and eating, this is the same way that I pick up my friends when they are blue.

If they are sick, then I cook them some soup or chicken and dumplings. If they are down in the dumps, some chocolate and some cookies are sure to make them smile again.

I also like to have my friends over for cookouts and meals. It makes you smile to get together with friends eating and drinking it just leads to being merry.

Its fun to get the kids together for to make cookies or to just watch them play, allowing older relatives to join in this can really lighten their moods and make them feel included. Who doesn't enjoy watching two toddlers play with some legos or just chat among themselves. 

 I also like to share my happiness by spreading a smile at work, sometimes I feel like the people I work for are a bit uptight, so its nice to add some chatter to lighten the mood. I share pictures of my daughter or tell them stories about her day. Then they will share stories with me. Its nice to have something to break up the day.

Listening to people tell stories about themselves is also a great way to get people into a good mood, especially when they are stories about the old days or good memories. Its lots of fun. 

I also like to take my grandmother out on errands when I go, she is often stuck in the house and she likes to get out. I myself know that I wouldn't like to be stuck inside for days and days and now that I have my license, I  can take her out and just let her walk around the store with Annabella, I know that she loves  to spend time with her great grand daughter, and its good to see her in one of those rare good moods when she gets out. She seems to get 'cabin fever'.

So get out there and do some things to make someone smile. Remember that everything comes back tenfold. I'm a beleiver in Karma and I think that when we do good things we get good things in return. When I make people smile it gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. When I make people do the opposite, it makes me feel sad. There is something to be said for doing good things.

Get out there and do nice things and your kids will learn to do the same. If we all try to lead by this example then we are sure to be in a better place.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hershey's blogging program, for a gift card worth $25 and some product. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Sweet DIY idea

Do you LOVE redoing old furniture? Wouldn't you love a way to customize those knobs that could look so much cooler on your dresser?

Introducing Ghostnest.com and their custom knobs!

Simply select your shape, upload your picture and order as many custom knobs as you need!

Its simple, easy and affordable!

A great addition to really set off that piece of furniture you worked hard to fix?

I'm thinking of getting some holiday knobs to add some really fun holiday decor without having lots of breakable decorations all over the house. They are easy to change out and you can even get a few different ones for each piece of furniture if you're feeling super creative!

If you're a bit confused then just watch the easy 'how to' video on the site, I don't think that most will have any problems creating your knobs!

I uploaded a poppy flower

that I took on my trip to Luther Burbank Gardens in Santa Rosa California. I think it was a great way to remember the trip that we took, everyday.

Here's a picture of Annabella's dresser before I put the custom knobs on. As you can see its adorable but plain. I'm happy that I can help this dresser grow with her as well as change it now when we get bored with the same looks.

Just go behind the original knobs and unscrew the screws in the back. Then replace the knobs with your know knobs.

Screw the new knobs onto the screws! 

Look at that! A simple do it yourself solution to the same 'ol dresser! The whole project only took me about fifteen minutes!

The knobs are great quality, they not only are adorable but they seem like they will hold up well. I found that my screws that came with the knobs were too short for the dresser, so I just left the original screws in the dresser and the knobs fit just fine!

The pictures remain looking just like the original pictures. I really like the idea of customizing a dresser with whichever knobs that I like to go with the decor of whatever room that I'm in!

This is another great example of one of the knobs that you can create with Ghost Nest. There are some great already loaded images already loaded onto Ghost Nest that you can use if you don't have an image that you would like to use.

I love the idea of being able to switch the knobs on a dresser to help a nice piece of furniture grow with the kids! No need to buy new furniture as the little ones grow.

Get Your Own!

To purchase your own custom knobs for your dresser or whatever you may need them for check out www..ghostnest.com. And follow the easy instructions to make your own!

Win some!!

Ghost Nest  is offering one Mommypants reader a $25 gift certificate to their store!

To win:

Be a follower of Mommypants and let me know what you would put on your knobs, or what piece of furniture you'd like to fix up!

Contest ends March 11 2011, at midnight. Please leave your e-mail address, any entires without an e-mail address will be disqualified. (Sorry folks but searching all over the internet for e-mail address is something in my past) Winners will have 48 hours to respond to winning`!

Good luck!

I was sent a sample set of Ghost Nest custom knobs for this review and giveaway, All opinions are mine, I did not receive any cash for this review.

"The Secrets of People who Never get Sick"

Have you ever wondered why some people just seem to never get sick? 

I get sick about three times a year I'd say but for some, they just seem to avoid it all together.

In "The  Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick:" by Gene Stone, we learn 25 ways that seem to be the secrets to these people's health.

Among these secret; Brewers Yeast, Friends, Probiotics, Good Genes, and Yoga. In addition to those six, there are 19 more secrets that are not only simple and easy to add into your life. 

While it may be tough to live in a Blue Zone, it is possible that we could try to create one and all live long and healthy lives like the people in Nicova, Costa Rica. Learn more about these amazing places in Gene Stone's book.

I have already incorporated Brewer's Yeast into my diet.  I sprinkle it on salads and sweet potato fries, and add it to my oatmeal and baked goods."The secrets of People who Never Get sick" tells some easy ways to incorporate these secrets into your life.

And this Author knows his stuff, he's been a co-author of many books two of them New York Times bestsellers! He says in the book that he has tried all kinds of remedies. He's really done his research here, this book isn't just a book of crazy ideas and old wives tails. They are simple habits that you can add into your day to help you stay healthy and give your body what it needs!

This book is an excellent read, its hard to put down. I don't know anybody who couldn't benefit from reading a book like this. The chapters are readable and are easily finished in a short period of time making it a great book to bring with you for a day filled with appointments. Or if you want something to read when you're getting that short break from the kids.

Get a copy of The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick on Amazon.com for $16.29 you won't regret it.

Great Last Minute Gift Idea

The Post-it note heart shaped pop-up dispenser is an adorable Valentines gift for anyone.

I was surprised at how easy it was to put the notes inside, it opens at the bottom then you just slide the special 'pop-up' post its into the slot and there ya go post its at your fingertips!

The notes come up and its easy to write your message while the note is still inside the heart so you can leave cute notes.

They range at retailers from $8.50 to $11.95 so its an affordable gift that will get used as well as look adorable on your desk. I like how heavy the product is. At first glance  you may think that it was light weight plastic. But its heavy, so it makes a good paperweight. 

I can think of so many people to give this to parents, college students, teenagers, grandparents. 

February is Heart Awareness month, so even if you don't celebrate Valentine's day then its still a great 

"Thinking of you" gift for a loved one.

The dispenser comes with a 50 pack of post-it pop ups so you don't have to spend extra money on a pack of post-its to go with it (although they are affordable so its not a huge expense)

Wanna get one? They're available at Office Depot, so stop over and grab one, throw in a bar of fancy chocolate and a sweet card, and thats a great gift for under $20!

Happy Valentines Day!

I was sent a free Post-it Heart Shaped Pop-up dispenser for this review, I did not get any cash for this. All opinions are my own

Boudreaux Butt Paste

This post brought to you by Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

It can be hard to choose a diaper rash cream that is both effective, free of chemical laden products as well as easily available and affordable.

If you haven't heard of it yet Boudreaux's Butt Paste is an alternative to the usual Vaseline that our mothers used to protect our then tiny bottoms from the wet diapers that make a diaper rash worse.

Boudreaux's Butt Paste is a blend of zinc oxide, Peruvian Balsam, mineral oil, and castor oil. Its a great way to protect baby's skin as well as sooth diaper rash.

As a mama who tries to be as natural as possible while still staying on a budget Boudreaux's Butt Paste works great for our family. It was formulated by a pharmacist with help from a respected pediatrician!So its recommended by pediatricians and has been featured in People Magazine, on the Today Show, and even on Oprah! 

I like the zinc oxide in the cream, it gives it the white color and really seems to make my daughter's skin improve when its not in the best shape, it also works great on heat rash which really effected my little one's chunky rolls come the humidity of summer!

Searching mommy forums, its easy to see that  Boudreaux's Butt Paste comes highly recommended by most mommies as well! 

Boudreaux's Butt Paste comes in  five convenient sizes. I like when companies make it easy for consumers to travel with their items and not have to worry about packing them away in luggage. The 1oz and 2oz sizes are perfect for plane travel and so long as your trip isn't too long you should be able to go without buying another tube for your trip (well unless the whole family gets heat rash)

Try it!

Boudreaux's Butt Paste is offering free samples of their great butt paste! Just head on over to their site and you can try Boudreaux's Butt Paste free!

The do's and don't's of dinnertime

Manners, its something that today we seem to have forgotten about, people rarely use 'sir' or  'm'am' these days. Elbows are on the table, hats worn, mouths chatting full of food. Its important that for family diner we remember that not only is it a time to spend with our kids, but also a time to teach them the right way to eat, and behave at the diner table. So I've provided a few tips for you folks, to keep it polite.

DO

• Set the table: don't leave it up to your kids to pull the right knives and forks out of the drawer, a nicely set table is a great way to say 'this isn't eat and run'
• Put the food out: Just like the previous tip, don't just have everybody take their food from the kitchen, put your food on plates and let your family and guests serve themselves on the table, this is a perfect opportunity to use 'please' and 'thank-you' when asking for the plates of food.
• Demand Respect: be sure that your kids act nicely at the table, speaking with respect
• Clean your plate: Only take what you can eat, if seconds are available then take them after you have cleared everything.
• Start Early: the best way to instill good habits is to start when kids are young
• Wash up: Dirty and dinner tables, should not be combined
• Say Thank-you: after dinner, during dinner, before dinner, say thank you, its just plain rude to not say thank-you when someone cooks for you.

Don't

• Chew or talk with your mouth open: This is disgusting, nobody wants to see half eaten food, so just wait. Don't feel rude if you don't answer someone's question immediately, they'll forgive you
• Turn on the television: The television is one of the worst inventions when it comes to dinnertime. Spend this time finding out about your family's day; ask your kid to tell you three things that happened to them at school today, its a great way to start conversation
• Leave the table early: its polite to wait until everybody is done, especially since mom usually ends up eating last.
• Wear your hat: its impolite, especially for men, there is no reason to wear you hat at the table, its one of the oldest rules in the book so just follow it
• Put your elbows on the table: or even worse lean over your plate while eating! Unless you're in a mess hall, and have a short amount of time to eat, there is no reason to be shoveling food into your mouth
• Feed the animals: I think the worst trait of a dog is that it begs, please please please, when you eat keep the animals in another room, it can be tempting to feed an adorable puppy, but when he's a full grown dog begging at your feet, its awful. If you want to give your dog a treat, do it after dinner in his bowl.

I hope that this can help some of you bring a bit more etiquette into your lives. We're living in a world where it is  quickly becoming okay to behave like we don't care. Using manners just shows that we care and are thankful for the people that we are around. Teach your kids now so that later they will be able to do the same with their kids.

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

WINNER! copy of "Papertoy Monsters"

Remember this awesome giveaway for a copy of "Papertoy Monsters"?

Well we have a winner!

The lucky winner ( according to random.com is)

#4!

priscilla said...

My favorite monster is Cookie Monster, by far!

February 4, 2011 9:17 AM 

Congrats Priscilla! I will be sending you an e-mail today!

Review and Giveaway "Exploiting my baby because its exploiting me"

Do you sometimes feel a bit... paranoid?

At times does it feel like every mother in the playgroup is staring at your sweatpants and unmade up face?

Well then  "Exploiting my baby.... because its exploiting me is just the book for you.

Its the perfect book for you. Now, if you consider yourself the perfect mama always looking fab and never having problems... then you probably are  robot.

Teresa Strasser is funny and honest in this book, just like her radio personality. This book is so straight forward that sometimes I wonder if her stories are coming from my house or hers.

The book is filled with hilarious observations of Teresa's own life, I love how honest she is on all accounts and how she doesn't hesitate to talk about feeling left out by other mothers even though its probably only in her head (yes, I felt this way too) Personally I always felt like the 'young mom' or the 'single mom' at birth classes and other events and wondered what we would talk about, I also always thought they were staring at me.

This book is talks about everything us 'normal' parents feel when pregnant, is there something wrong with the baby? What can't I eat? Is this stomach pain something more?

If you're easily offended this book may not be for you, as I said she is brutally honest and doesn't hold back talking about bodily functions, sex, loneliness and so many more topics that we all deal with when pregnant or a new mom.

GIVEAWAY!

One lucky reader is going to get a copy of their own! 

To enter:

Be a follower of mommypants and just leave a comment below telling me what you were most paranoid when pregnant... never pregnant, tell me what makes you most paranoid about being pregnant!!

Giveaway ends March 3rd at Midnight so be sure to enter!

Make sure you leave your  e-mail address so I can e-mail you if you win~

Good luck!

I received a free copy of "Exploiting my baby. because its exploiting me" to review for this post, all opinions are my own. I did not receive any cash for this review

Great T-shirts

Looking for a great t-shirt for your team or event?

Or maybe you need a few to sell at your next craft show?

Check out t-shirt printing.net

I was sent one of their shirts featuring their mascot "cheeky monkey" and I love it.

The colors are super bright, and the print on the shirt seems like it will stay for a long time. I've already washed it about ten times and it still looks just as great as the day that I got it.

What I also like about t-shirt printing.net is all the different types of shirts they have to offer, including work shirts, sweatshirts, and even those for kids! The whole family can match (which could make finding each other on the beach a bit easier)

They are located in England,but don't let the pounds to dollars scare you, these shirts are great and much better then some of the crappy printing that starts to crack after the first few days of wear. Also, its exciting to get a package from England

So if you need something of this sort, just check out t-shirt printing.net give them a call and they'll help you design a shirt thats right for you!

I received a free shirt from t-shirt printing.net, no cash was awarded for this review, all the opinions are my own

Winner! 25 Free shutterfly cards

Congrats to Kelly D. who said

Kelly D. said...

I love watching all the kids come home from school and read all their valentine's cards they received from their friends.

January 29, 2011 9:16 PM 

She's the winner of 25 free cards from shutterfly! 

Congrats Kelly I'll be sending you an e-mail today!

":E is for Enviroment" Review

I'm very excited to tell you about today's book review

I can't tell you enough what a brilliant book this is!

Ian James Corlett, has created a book that is not only a fun learning experience for kids, but it helps me as a parent make healthy choices, for my house, family and the environment.

Elliott and Lucy star in this book along with Mom and Dad. Throughout the book we read two to three page stories about their daily lives. In these stories, Elliot and Lucy learn how to make choices that are green and healthy for their bodies. While reading through these stories, I noticed that Mom and Dad try to help the kids to make the right decisions, and these decisions are instilled into their children.

Elliot and Lucy, learn about buying only what they need, they learn to buy local produce, about the importance of the three r's (reduce, reuse, recycle)

I love all the stories, they are short and are easy to read before a trip to the grocery store, or as a quick story before breakfast or diner. 

What I really love about this book is how it really helps parents to teach the kids (or whoever needs to learn) There are questions to ask the kids throughout the stories, to help kids stay involved and interested in whats going on. At the end of the stories, there are questions about the stories, helping kids to relate what happened in the story to their own lives. 

E Is for Environment is fantastic, I would recommend it to every family and maybe even require it. Not only do I feel this book is helping my daughter learn to be eco-friendly, but I have been reading it aloud to my 'not so eco' family and I'm quite sure a bit of it is sinking in.

So for all you eco-mamas out there and more importantly for you non eco-mamas, get this book. You and the future won't regret it.

To get your own copy of E Is for Environment: , check out the link to Amazon, you'll have to preorder because the book isn't going to be released till  February 22, 2011!

I received a free copy of "E is for Environment" for this review, all opinions are mine.

The Naked Mom

Brooke Burke, is a multi talented woman, she has been on tv, and radio, as well as being on "Dancing with the Stars" , now she can add Author to that seemingly growin list.

All of these which require lots of time, talent, effort and minimal privacy.

Her newest book The Naked Mom is about Brooke, its an honest and real account of her life. She talks about the things that we all deal with in life as mothers. The frustration, joy and, humor that can come with it.

It was nice to read the story of someone who I think is awesome, from her show "Wild on" to "Dancing with the Stars" Brooke is a dedicated and hard worker, so it seems as though it would be easy for her to raise a family. But just like the rest of us, Brooke deals with (even more publicly) the issues we all face, divorce, remarriage with kids, worrying, criticism. and everything else. This book is like getting advice from a good friend.

I especially appreciate the chapter on guilt. Its something that mothers deal with so often, and its hard to get over, I guess it just comes with the territory! In it she has a list of things we shouldn't feel guilty about as well as one we should (that list includes "saying you remind him of his mother") .

Another good topic is the topic of bitchyness... on man do I know about this one. I have on a few occasions been labeled "a bitch". And while I do think that most of the time I am an overly nice person. On the wrong day, I wouldn't recommend crossing me. Brooke's chapter "Embrace the Bitch" lets us know its okay to be a bitch and that sometimes, its almost necessary.

The book is spotted with lists full of everything from life lessons to a suggested playlist. And Brooke is a down to earth girl who just wants whats best for her family. The book is a great read for any mama!

Buy a Copy
The Naked Mom:  is available on Amazon.com!

Win a Copy!

To get your own copy of The Naked Truth just be a follower and leave a comment below!
Contest ends March 1st 2011 at midnight!

Good luck!