Pages

Saturday, August 31, 2013

$75 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Courtesy of babyroues Strollers!


Welcome to the $75 Amazon Giftcard Giveaway 
Courtesy of babyroues 
hosted by: We're Parents!?








The babyroues is a stroller that I hope to one day own,
they are a page that I follow on Facebook, and a brand that I see a lot of potential with. I am very excited to have teamed up with babyroues and We're Parents for this giveaway! 

Check out *babyroues Strollers*
simple lightweight compact
babyroues is proud to introduce the first compact and lightweight luxurious infant-to-toddler Bassinet and Stroller system, which uses the highest technological quality workmanship and safety features available.  For your ultimate convenience the stroller and bassinet have a Dual-facing capability.  It's ONE OF A KIND folding mechanism allows for the bassinet and stroller to fold while attached to the stroller too!  This system will WOW you and your baby from infancy through toddler.  

Prices for this luxury stroller start at just $550 for the LeTour with upgrade options available for the LeTour Lux and Special Collectors Edition LeTour Argent. 

Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below.  Good Luck!
Open Worldwide!!  Ends 9/10/13 at 11:59 PM EST.


Disclosure: No compensation was received in exchange for hosting this giveaway.  The participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.


Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory




Friday, August 30, 2013

A Woman's Fairytale Experience: Wedding Dress Shopping

When I got engaged I was over the moon. I had a gorgeous three month old little boy and I was living with the man of my dreams. When he took me out to the beach one December afternoon I thought to myself "How fun! Our first family trip to the beach!". Little did I know in just a few short minutes, I would be engaged.

Our Northern California beaches are freezing so we all bundled up and headed down toward the water to watch the waves roll in. I sat down on a large piece of driftwood while holding Baby A and watching the waves. It was a beautiful view and I felt calm and happy. In my contentment I failed to notice that Mr. Hunky was a nervous wreck. Next thing I knew he was down on one knee, smiling and shaking as he asked me to marry him. Amazed and a little shocked, I accepted the ring as he slid it onto my finger and said YES!

Within an hour we had told all of our friends and family and we out at a nice restaurant to celebrate. I couldn't stop staring at the beautiful princess cut diamond on my finger. I was on cloud 9.

Once the excitement of getting engaged had settled a bit, I started looking at dresses. I knew what I wanted and that was BIG and PRINCESS. My dream dress needed to scream "ALEX" and I needed to have that butterfly-giddy feeling in my stomach when I wore the dress. I couldn't wait to try some gowns on!!!


I did a lot of online shopping so that I could figure out exactly what style I wanted. I knew I wanted a big princess dress but there were also a lot of gorgeous lace dresses that caught my eye. I bookmarked a lot of dresses from Maggie Sottero's website and couldn't wait for my appointment at our local bridal boutique.

On the day of my appointment I went into my local bridal boutique with an iPad FULL of bookmarked dresses that I loved and was praying they would have for me to try on. To my dismay, there were several dresses that I had loved online that they didn't carry, but they were very kind and explained to me in detail as to why they decided not to carry that dress. I was devastated when I showed my bridal consultant the dress that I had been so in love with from it's photos and she told me that they also did not have that dress. The consultant promised that she would pull dresses that they did have that were similar and she was confident that I would find a wedding dress that I would call my own. I can't remember the exact number of dresses that my consultant and myself picked out for me to try on, but it was probably close to 8 dresses or so. I had thought every single one of them was beautiful except for one, which I recognized from Maggie Sottero's website. Not saying that it was hideous but I personally hated it. It just was so blah to me and I really didn't want to try it on, but my consultant promised me that I would like it on, convincing me by saying it was the closest one she had to the dress I had come in dying to try on. Reluctantly I agreed to trying it on, although I saved it for last, still unsure.

I tried on each dress one by one, coming out of my fitting room each time to stand on the pedestal in front of the huge mirror. I liked several of the dresses but none of them gave me feeling of "MY DRESS". When we got to the last dress, the dress I still wasn't interested in trying on, my consultant helped me into it, clipped the back, and sent me out to my family. I huffed and puffed my way to the pedestal not bothering to look at the reactions of my family and friend who were with me. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I was stunned. I looked like a bride. I looked like myself as a bride. I was in love. The butterflies came and never left, and when my consultant placed a veil in my hair I was sold. I was shocked that the dress that I hated online, the dress that I so desperately didn't want to try on, was the dress that I fell in love with and knew would be the one that I walked down the aisle in. It was the dress I was going to marry the love of my life in. I was ready to put a deposit on the dress right then and there.

My mom convinced me that we should continue looking at other boutiques to see if there was another dress that I loved more. I knew there wouldn't be but being the good daughter that I am, I agreed, and off we went to the next store. Walking into the next dress shop I was breath taken by gown on display that literally looked like Cinderella. It was gorgeous, huge, and glitzy, and I couldn't wait to try it on. I still loved the dress at the other shop, but this dress was certainly giving it a run for it's money.

As I slipped into the Cinderella dress I couldn't wait to see it on. I had a good feeling about this dress and I was excited to have found another contender. My excitement quickly faded when I took a look at myself in the mirror and was horrid by the reflection. It looked absolutely awful on me, not flattering in the least bit, and all of the feelings of the old dress came flooding back. I suddenly became grumpy and wanted to go home. I was the whole dress shopping thing and was ready to relax.

A week later I was constantly thinking my dress and knew that I needed to go and put a deposit down. My mom and I made an appointment for a few days later so that I could try it on again to be sure. From the moment I had the dress on again I felt amazing, beautiful, and like a woman who was getting married. There was no doubt in my mind that that was indeed my dress and that we needed to order it.

The dress now hangs in the guest bedroom of my moms house, waiting for my special day. The dress fits as though it was made for me and won't need any alterations (so long as I don't lose or gain weight!). It is simply stunning and feel so lucky to have had such a great experience finding my dream dress. It truly was a dream come true, I was the princess and it was just the beginning of my fairytale!


Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory


Thursday, August 29, 2013

Livin' The Green Life: Carseat Canopy Prize Package Grand Finale!

We hope you've enjoyed our month-long event focusing on green products for your family! For our grand finale, we've partnered with Carseat Canopy to bring you an amazing prize, valued at $250!
$250 Carseat Canopy Gift Set
Carseat Canopy is sponsoring this 15-piece gift set retailing at over $250!



Included in this great country wicker basket is a set of mommy and baby products from many of their sister brands. In it, you will find:
  • a Carseat Canopy Whole Caboodle
  • one Nursing Pillow
  • one Seven Sling
  • one Udder Cover
  • one pair of Baby Leggings
  • three Milk Bands
  • Four pairs of Breast Pads 
 If you’re the selected winner of the contest you have limitless options of styles for each of these products. By visiting each brand’s website, you will be able to select the perfect size, pattern, and even texture to showcase you and your baby’s personality! 
Also, by liking the Carseat Canopy Facebook page — along with their sister brands’ pages — you will have the opportunity to take part in the amazing giveaways they do every so often! You can find these pages by visiting Facebook.com and using a slash followed by the brand name as the URL; e.g., Facebook.com/carseatcanopy.
A little about Carseat Canopy: Their goal is to provide every parent with a high quality, sleek and stylish infant car seat canopy. With a variety of prints from retro to elegant accompanied with our cuddly minky fabrics, you’re guaranteed to find the perfect car seat canopy for the perfect motherhood experience!
CHECK IT OUT: Visit www.carseatcanopy.com and use code: THRIFTYNIFTY for a FREE Carseat Canopy or $50 off a Whole Caboodle at checkout. Remember, choosing optional custom embroidery adds an additional $6.95 to the price. One lucky reader is going to win the prize package described above.
If you'd like a chance to win, just enter using the easy Giveaway Tools entry form below.   Open to US only. Ends 9/10 at 11:59 PM EST. Good luck! 

If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers



Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Graco Smart Seat with Safety Surround Giveaway!


Viva Veltoro and Thrifty Nifty Mommy have hit some blogging milestones!  
To celebrate Viva Veltoro reaching 10,000 Facebook followers and Thrifty Nifty Mommy 
reaching 25,000 Facebook followers, they're hosting a huge giveaway event!
Today's amazing giveaway is coming to you courtesy of Graco! 

Viva Veltoro had the opportunity to review the Graco Smart Seat with Safety Surround Protection, 
valued at $339.99.  Check out her review of this fantastic all-in-one car seat HERE.

Here is a little information about the Smart Seat with Safety Surround Protection from Graco:
The Graco® Smart Seat™ All-in-One car seat is the ultimate in car seat longevity and has the only side impact protection properly positioned to protect your child at each stage. This convertible car seat fits your child from 4-100 lbs, features Safety Surround™ Side Impact Technology, and Smart Base™ a convenient stay-in-car base so you only have to install the base one time! Additional features you'll love include, seat-to-base locking indicators, 5-position recline, flip up arm rests, integrated cup holder and a 6-position adjustable headrest with no re-thread harness. 

Features:
  • Fits infant 4-40 lbs rear-facing in a harness, fits toddler 20-65 lbs forward-facing in a harness and fits youth 30-100 lbs in a belt-positioning booster
  • SafeSeat Engineering - Engineered & Crash Tested to Meet or Exceed US Standard FMVS213: 
    Side Impact Tested* (*In addition to meeting or exceeding all applicable US safety standards, the SmartSeat™ car seat has been side impact tested for occupant retention with the built-in 5 point harness system and with a standard vehicle harness system when in high back booster mode. Please consult your vehicle's owner's manual for more specific information on the performance of your vehicle's safety belt system.)
  • New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) – peak crash force approximately 2X Car Seat Standard
    Extreme Car Interior Temperatures
  • Meets BOTH Graco's Side Impact Testing and Europe's Side Impact standard* (*draft standard)
  • Smart Base™ stay-in-car base for one time install (LATCH-equipped and belt lock-off equipped for easier seat belt installation)
  • Steel-reinforced car seat frame & stay-in car base provides strength and durability
  • Seat to base locking indicators help to ensure that the car seat is secured into the base
  • Integrated harness storage compartment holds the harness straps that are not in use while in the belt positioning mode
  • Easy-to-read level indicator on the seat helps to eliminate installation guesswork
  • One-hand, adjustable headrest with no re-thread harness automatically adjusts the height of the harness & headrest
  • One-hand, 6-position adjustable head rest for your growing child
  • On-the go, 5-position recline so you can recline child while in use
  • EPS, energy absorbing foam
  • Flip-up armrests makes it easy to get your child in & out of the car seat


One lucky person is going to win a Graco Smart Seat with Safety Surround Protection
in the #10K25KEpic Giveaway Event! 

Open to the US only, Ages 18 and above.  Ends 9/15/13 at 11:59 PM EST.
Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below.  Good Luck!


Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for hosting this giveaway.  The participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.  If your company would like to be featured in a giveaway event like this please contact Viva Veltoro.




Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory




Whirley Pop Review & Giveaway



My family and I love to get out and enjoy life together, but there are some evenings where there is nothing better than a "movie night!". Whether it's the whole family, or just the Hubs and I, we love curling up on the couch and watching a movie with a big bowl of popcorn on our laps. To be honest...even when its not movie night, we love a bowl of popcorn. It's a great healthier snack and we always have it on hand. I also love to add a few chocolate chips to mine, for that sweet & salty snack! YUM!!

Several years ago , Hubs and I stopped buying those microwaveable bags of popcorn...mostly because it was a lot cheaper to just buy a big back of kernels. As the years have passed on we've continued to buy just the kernels, because it's also a bit better for you than using your microwave ;-) So, for years we have been using a heavy bottom pan to make our popcorn..... it works, but honestly I NEVER make it. If Hubs wants to make it, that is great, but I have a hard time getting it to work well.


I was so excited when I was recently given the opportunity to work with Whirley Pop. I had actually used the Whirley Pop stovetop popper before, because the year Hubs and I got married we saw them in the store...my brother is a popcorn fanatic!! So , we purchased one for him. This popcorn maker, seriously made the best popcorn EVER!! We were all so shocked the first time at just how great it was. Hubs and I both were pretty stoked to be getting one for our home.



WhirleyPopShop was kind enough to send me their Naturally Perfect Gift Set. This set includes the Whirley Pop stovetop popper, 8oz tin of organic heirloom  lemon yellow popcorn, 3 oz tin of fine sea salt and an 8.5oz bottle of organic green tea oil.  The day my items arrived it was a rainy Saturday and my family had been out running errands all day with a friend, when we arrived home it was waiting on the porch. We put the kids to bed and then Hubs, our friend & myself made some popcorn to enjoy. It was delicious!!



My kids think this popcorn is incredible too! They also love the popper, my 5 year old loves to start making the popcorn, but it is a little too much for his little arm to finish up.  I did use olive oil the first few times I made this popcorn because I had never even heard of green tea oil...I was a bit nervous. I finally tried it one evening and have't gone back to the olive oil. It's delicious! I also have to mention the salt...I know, its just sea salt, right? Not really...this sea salt is so fine and it is perfect for the popcorn. LOVE IT!! This set makes the absolute best popcorn I have ever had!



You can purchase the Naturally Perfect Gift Set for $49.99 , and you can find many other great products on Whirley Pop Shop. One of you will win the gift set above, please fill out the entry form below for your chance to win. This giveaway will remain open until Wed. 9/11. Good Luck!


If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers








Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory


All Paci's Go To Paciland



So the other day I asked if any of my lovely readers had any tips or tricks for breaking their little ones of their beloved pacifier, and the advice came pouring in. 

I was grateful to hear the various ways that other moms broke the habit; I have even dreading this day since Baby A first took his pacifier. I have told myself from day one that I would not let my child have a pacifier past two years old, and I was sticking to my guns. 

Baby A will be two next month, on September 22nd, and I knew we'd have some work ahead if us if we were going to say bye-bye to the beloved paci. Baby A carried it everywhere, even though I asked him not to put it in his mouth unless it was nap time or bed time (and he usually obliged), he still wanted to have it within grasp, or at least know where it was at all times. 

Like I said, this was going to be a challenge. 

One readily agreed on, piece of advice, was to cut a little of the nipple of the pacifier until it got to the point where they wouldn't want to suck it anymore because it felt different. Well, with some children this may work, but with Baby A...yeah right. I actually tried that several months ago and he looked at me and threw the pacifier on the ground. He knew just by looking at it that something was off. Then he screamed for a new one. Yep, it happened. 

It also doesn't help that I'm a giant push over. Oh you want a different paci, okay here's three. Yeah, I'm that mom. 

So now what? 

Others suggested that I put something yucky on the pacifier like mustard or vinegar so that when they tasted it, they thought it was something wrong with the paci and wouldn't want it anymore. 

Some said bribery. Offer a toy car or a lollipop in exchange for their paci. 

Some suggested not picking them up anymore as the child dropped them while out and about. 

Some suggested leaving them on a tree branch for the "Paci Fairy" to bring to other babies who needed them. 

Some even said encourage the child to throw their paci's in the trash. 

While all these are great, fun ideas, I know my son well enough to know that none of these would work. So I had to turn to a different method. A method I had been avoiding. A method that I really was hoping to not use..

Cold Turkey. 

Harsh right? But I knew it was the only thing that would work. 

Day/Night One.

Baby A refused to go down for a nap and after 10 minutes of him crying for his paci, my heart couldn't take it any longer. I pulled him out of his crib and we watched Peter Pan and ate snacks. I figured it was fine if he skipped his nap, he'd be exhausted by bedtime and not even realize his paci was gone! Right? Wrong. So very very wrong. 

Bed time came and a battle started. When I announced it was time to go to sleep Baby A started to cry, ran to our kitchen, and stood under 'his' cabinet; the cabinet that held his paci's. I knew that I had to be smarter than a 2 year old so I distracted him in the play room then ran back to the cabinet, threw all of the paci's into a container, put a lid on the container and threw the entire thing into the very back corner of the top shelf. By the time Baby A came toddling around the corner again the paci's had magically disappeared and I could finally SHOW him that the paci's were all gone. There were no more. They had gone to Paciland. 

The look he gave me crushed my heart into a million pieces. 

2 1/2 hours, a turkey sandwich, and half of Bambi later, Baby A was asleep with only 15 minutes of on and off whimpering. 

Day/Night Two. 

Baby A never woke up through night one which I was delighted about! I figured he would have woken up a couple of times in search of his paci but he never did! When he woke up the next morning he never asked for his paci and he did perfect the entire day without so much as mentioning it. 

I happily skipped nap time having accepted that until he truly 'forgets' about the paci, nap time probably wouldn't happen anyway. Hey, I have to pick my battles, right? 

Instead of nap time we enjoyed playing cars together and snacking on some homemade nachos.

By bed time Baby A's eyes were red and he was yawning so big he could have been confused with a butterfly net, so I figured that I had bed time in the bag. I couldn't have been more wrong. 

Ill spare you all of the "gory" details, but lets just say it wasn't pretty. Bedtime is typically 7-7:30 and Baby A didn't go down until after 10. Then he was up again at 11:30....

...and as I write this, I'm laying in bed next to my sweet, snoring little boy, who refused to go asleep alone. 

Pacifier weaning sucks. 

It's a battle. 
It's a challenge. 
It's heartbreaking. 
But you will get through it. Just be strong, and don't give in. 

And give your little one lots of kisses during the process! It'll make you AND them feel better! 

XO


Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory




Monday, August 26, 2013

Mama & Papas Tour Lightweight Stroller



Viva Veltoro and Thrifty Nifty Mommy have hit some blogging milestones!  
To celebrate Viva Veltoro reaching 10,000 Facebook followers and Thrifty Nifty Mommy 
reaching 25,000 Facebook followers, they're hosting a huge giveaway event!
Today's giving is coming to you from Mamas & Papas!

Thrifty Nifty Mommy had the opportunity to review the Mamas & Papas Tour Lightweight Stroller, 
valued at $199.  You can check out her review HERE.

Here is a little information about the Tour from the Mamas & Papas website:
The Tour umbrella stroller is stylish, practical, comfortable and ideal for vacations and days out. Tour has a soft padded seat and reversible liner with a multi-position adjustable back and leg rest to allow your little one to enjoy the journey in comfort, whilst the canopy has a peek a boo window allowing you to check your baby is resting comfortably.

A protective canopy and a rain cover have been added so that you have everything you need to keep your baby comfortable in any weather, with a shopping basket to help keep your hands free while you’re out and about. . 

The Tour lightweight stroller comes with a carry handle to make transportation easy, the umbrella folding design means that it is easy to place in and out of the trunk and a reversible stroller liner for added comfort. If you are looking for an everyday, long lasting stroller which is ideal for daily usage, then Tour has everything you need with great value for money.  Suitable from 6 months to approximately 50lbs. 


One lucky person is going to win a Mamas & Papas Tour Lightweight Stroller
in the black chevron print the #10K25KEpic Giveaway Event! 

Open to the US only, Ages 18 and above.  Ends 9/10/13 at 11:59 PM EST.
Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below.  Good Luck!


Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for hosting this giveaway.  The participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.  If your company would like to be featured in a giveaway event like this please contact Thrifty Nifty Mommy.  




Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory
*Mommys Craft Obsession did not receive compensation for the promotion of this giveaway*


OrganizHer Shopping Companion Review & Giveaway

*I received a complimentary Shopping Companion for review in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions*

Photo Credits: OrganizHer

Mead is a household name for those who love to organize. It is a product line created for anyone who aspires to learn, imagine, and create through trusted daily tools such as planners, notebooks, and shopping tools. The OrganizHer sub-brand was created to keep us ladies organized in our daily lives and while we're out and about! 

I was so excited to have the opportunity to work with Mead/OrganizHer on a review and giveaway for their Shopping Companion. Since I can remember, I have always been obsessed with school/office supplies including but not limited to planners, notebooks, folders, pens, and highlighters. When I learned that OrganizHer offered 'Shopping Companions' I was over the moon and couldn't wait to have it in my hot little hands!

Photo Credits: OrganizHer


I received the purple Shopping Companion for review and I was instantly impressed with the quality. The notebook (for lack of a better term) included an elastic band to keep it closed so that your lists and coupons won't fall out in your purse or diaper bag. 


The front page of the Shopping Companion has clear store loyalty card holders so that you can easily keep all of your store cards in one convenient place, since you'll always have your Shopping Companion with you while you're out! The cards fit perfectly and are quick and easy to take out when needed! I only have four loyalty cards, however the shopping companion can hold 8 (front and back) as well as 8 (front and back) of the keychain sized loyalty cards! I thought this was an awesome feature!


The Shopping Companion has two tabs for you to utilize - shopping list, and coupons! I love that there are not tons of tabs in the Shopping Companion, it keeps organization simple and easy to utilize. 


In the "Shopping List" tab there are several shopping list pages that are perforated so that you can easily remove them from the notebook if it is easier for you. There are many lines to write in your grocery items as well as bubbles for you to check off items as you put them into your shopping cart.  


The "coupon tab" of the Shopping Companion is a feature that I was very impressed with! The pages of this section are actually small pockets to store coupons in. I love that they are pockets because it is easy to accommodate different sized coupons or store multiple in one pocket! The pockets also have a section where you can write in what type of coupon or if you want, what store the coupons are for. 


The Shopping Companion also features a plastic zip-locking sleeve that is perfect to store pens or pencils in, so that you can write in your Shopping Companion while on the go! 


The last feature of the Shopping Companion is that it offers a section in the back for you to write your favorite websites and blogs in, which is perfect for remembering the websites with tasty recipes that you come across!


Overall I love my OrganizHer Shopping Companion and think that it is a fantastic purchase for anyone who wants to keep their grocery shopping a little more organized! If I were to offer a suggestion to Mead/OrganizHer, I would absolutely love for Organizher to create a section in the Shopping Companion for weekly meal planning, then I would say that this Shopping Companion is the total package! 




To Purchase: OrganizHer products are sold exclusively at Target! Visit your local Target to snag your Shopping Companion!

To Win: OrganizHER and Mommys Craft Obsession want to give one lucky winner a Shopping Companion of their own! With this giveaway, we're switching things up a bit! Check out the Giveaway Tools Form below to WIN!




Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory


Entry-Form

Congrats to Dorrie Turner!

The Giveaway will close late on the evening of September 9th. The winner will be chosen at random through Giveaway Tools. The winner will be announced both on Giveaway Tools form as well as notified by email and announced on MCO’s Facebook. The winner will have their prize sent to them by OrganizHer, Mommys Craft Obsession is not responsible for prize shipment. Must be 18 years and older. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google are in no way affiliated with this giveaway. No Purchase Necessary. US Only.

*This review is 100% original and in my own words. Everything written is from my own personal view point and opinions, what works for me, may not work for you. All photos have been taken by me unless stated otherwise. I have been provided with product to review by OrganizHer however I have not been compensated monetarily for this review.