Tuesday, November 30, 2010

EcoMom Review and Giveaway



My son being a music lover I knew for his birthday I wanted to get him some sort of instrument for he and I to interact with together. I knew EcoMom just started to carry Plan Toys brand so I looked through their products before deciding. I thought about mini pianos, wind blown instruments or even a simple maraca to shake. After really thinking about the kind of boy my son is I remember he loves to be rowdy and throw stuff I knew he needed some drums. I was so right in my assumption that he would enjoy one. He loved, I mean really loved to hit his drum. He beamed from ear to ear to be able to hit it with his little hands and have it make music back to him. He was so sweet too, he would bring me the drum to use too. He seemed to like even more to sit and clap while I pounded on the drum. This is the exact experience I wanted from a musical instrument. For my son and I to interact and share in the moment together. I also loved the Plan Toys Percussion Set as a great Christmas gift.


In honor of my son's 1st birthday EcoMom has agreed to send one of my lucky readers a $25 gift certificate to use towards a purchase and shipping.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for a $25 Gift Certificate to EcoMom:
MANDATORY Entry: Follow EcoMom on Twitter
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
"Like" EcoMom on Facebook +2
Visit EcoMom and tell me what great product you would pick if you won. +2
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 30, 2010 and ends December 10, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was sent for free a Plan Toys Drum from EcoMom to review for this post.
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1st Birthday Bash 10 Days of Giveaways Day 8: Play Time


Play Time is not just fun for my little guy but for me as well. Its my chance to be silly, free and in the moment just as my son is. I try to let him just be and allow him to explore stuff without my influence. I noticed the other day I cheered him on when he threw his football over and over, then when he did it again and I did not cheer him he looked at me funny. I thought in the moment does he enjoy football or is it my praise he wanted? This led me to think I need to let him show me what he enjoys and then praise him for that. I do not want a child who likes something to please me, I want him to like stuff that gives him joy. And if he happens to get joy from what I enjoy then we can share in that together. With that in mind I wanted to buy him gifts for his birthday that reflect what I know about my little guy's likes from what I have observed. What activity does your child enjoy that surprises you?
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SKOY Re-usable Cloth Review and Giveaway


I must admit since my son has been born my clean freak ways have went out the window. Now I aim for keeping it clean and safe more than sparkle and looking neatly placed. During bath time I seem to need safety and clean up at the same time. My little guy splashes so much water all over I have to make a towel barrier to keep the floors dry. From another mom blog I won a set of re-usable SKOY cloths and I use them for bath time and teeth brushing time. They absorb 15x their own weight making it easier for me to wipe up water around the sink and bathtub.  I do not like to mix cleaning towels from the kitchen or bathroom so I have a set of SKOY cloths for the bathroom and another set for the kitchen. I feel bad when I throw out so many paper towels when I clean, I know they will just go to fill up a landfill. With SKOY cloths I like that they are 100% biodegradable and in a composting test the cloth completely broke down after 5 weeks. They are also made with water based colors and inks. I would love to have more of these reusable towels for the garage and nursery. I think they would make a great stocking stuffer for young adults and parents.



In honor of my son's 1st birthday SKOY has provided me 1 set of cloths to give to one of my lucky readers.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for 1 set of SKOY cloths:
MANDATORY Entry: Follow SKOY on Twitter
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
"Like" SKOY Cloths on Facebook +2
Leave a comment on my review of  EcoStore USA Baby Products +4
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 27, 2010 and ends December 09, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was sent 2 sets of SKOY cloths for free. One to review one to giveaway as a prize.
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Monday, November 29, 2010

Firefly Spider Man Toothbrush Review



Since my son's first teeth came in I have brushed them in one way or another. I used a washcloth or a small finger brush with water. Now that he is almost 1 and has 6 front teeth I was concerned he needed a better toothbrush. I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to review a Spider Man Firefly Toothbrush. Right out of the packaging I was impressed. Spider Man looked so cool. I enjoyed the way it lights up when the timer button is pushed. We even turned out the lights one night after brushing his teeth to watch the red light do a mini light show on the walls and ceiling. He made the sweetest face watching Spidey light the room.


The bristles were just right for his teeth, he let me only brush them a few seconds at a time but each time he seems to get more use to the sensation. My little guy is very grabby so his favorite part was to take the toothbrush from me and try to brush his hair. I recently showed him how to use his hair brush so now he brushes his hair with toys too.

I would recommend this toothbrush for any parent to buy for the light up timer that flashes for one minute. I think this gives kids something entertaining at the same time is giving them guidance on how long to be brushing. I like the idea of 1 minute for the top teeth then press the timer again and brush one minute on the bottom teeth.

Firefly toothbrushes are also available in Barbie, Hot Wheels and non character in the colors red, blue, green, yellow, pink and clear. You can find Firefly toothbrushes at Walmart, Kmart, Walgreens, Toys R Us, Target and Big Lots.
For more information you can follow FireFly Toothbrushes on Twitter and be a fan on Facebook.


* I was not paid for this post. This review is my own opinion and may vary from others. I was sent one free Firefly Spider Man toothbrush.
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Sunday, November 28, 2010

EcoStore USA Baby Body Wash and Shampoo Review + Cyber Monday 60% off Code



When I decide what brands to buy for baby products I do my best to match a good price with a brand that is good for the earth. Since my budget does not always allow for me to buy eco friendly products I was pleased to find a online store that carries products that are green and a reasonable price. For my 1st Birthday Bash event EcoStore USA allowed us to review the Baby Body Wash and Baby Shampoo. Their products contain what they have termed "No Nasty Chemicals" you can read the big list of what harmful chemicals there products do not contain here. A few I was glad to see not in their products are no chlorine, ammonia, or parabens.

I enjoyed the smell of the of both of the products. They have a subtle lavender scent that is pleasing and not overwhelming. A little does go a long way with these products as well. We have been using them for the last couple weeks and are just now at the end of the bottles. The body wash worked well on him but I do have to say the shampoo required a bit more scrubbing than his regular soap to get his hair clean. I do think the extra scrubbing is well worth not exposing him to harmful chemicals that are found in most soaps. I would also love to try their Baby Sleepytime Bath that contains a mixture of lavender and geranium.

 EcoStore USA is having a 60% off Sale for Cyber Monday on November 29th, one day only!  Use the code TX883 in the coupon code box at checkout. All orders over $25 receive free shipping.

For sale info and coupon codes you can follow EcoStore USA on Twitter and Facebook.

*I was not paid for this post. This post is my own opinion and may vary from others. I was sent for free 2 baby bath care products for this review post for free.
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1st Birthday Bash 10 Days of Giveaways Day 7: Bath Time

My son dislikes having his face washed but loves to splash around so I try my best to let him have fun and get him clean. Bath Time for us is also a time when I brush my sons teeth, comb his hair and apply some lavender lotion. I feel like the lavender lotion calms him so he can fall asleep easier. I have tried expensive brands and generic brands and I like to buy Parent's Choice, the Wal-Mart brand. It is a reasonable price and is gentle on my sons skin. This upcoming year I look forward to being able to buy him colored soaps to draw on himself with and fun boats to float in the tub. He has outgrown his little bath tub and will now need a bath seat. Do you know of a good seat or brand to recommend?  I love getting another moms opinion before I make a purchase.
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Saturday, November 27, 2010

Dali Wall Decals Review and Giveaway



As some of my readers know I refer sometimes to my little guy as his nickname "Birdie". I love to find items with little birds and we had a personalized tshirt made with a little bird on it. So when I was looking at the wall decals available at Dali Decals I found the Cute Little Birds Set. The set includes 6 little birds, 4 standing and two flying. They come in 40 different colors and I selected brown.  We were sent two sets of the birds and it worked out just right to decorate the walls in his room. For only $20 the small birds can make a big impact on the feeling of the room. I feel like you can imagine the birds in motion and I want to now get him a big tree decal from Dali Decals. I made the birds above his window be two bigger birds around a smaller bird to represent my husband and I with our baby bird. I thought was super cute!



We also were sent a set of Jumping Whales. These would look really cute in any kids room or nursery but I decided to put them in our guest bathroom, which now since our son has been born seems to be his bathroom now. They look really cute and were so easy to put up. All I had to do was stick it to the wall like a sticker, then smooth it out with the little plastic tool they provide for you then gently pull of the sticker backing and you now have a cute character to enjoy on your walls. The whales were great to have since I just read to him Wally the Whale. He noticed there was a new character on the bathroom wall when I went in there to wash his hands. He smiles really big when I let him touch the "Wally" whale on the wall.
I really do love that the decals are so easy to use and they have so many to select from.  Kids can be sporty one year and a space explorer the next so I definitely recommend decals like these for kids room since you can change the look and feel of their room with simple and non permanent decals.


In honor of my son's 1st birthday Dali Decals has agreed to send one of my lucky readers a $25 gift certificate for their website.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for $25 gift certificate from Dali Decals:
MANDATORY Entry: "Like" Dali Decals on Facebook
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
Follow Dali Decals on Twitter +2
Visit Dali Decals and tell me your favorite wall decal +2
Leave a comment on my review of  CSN Stores Toy Box Organizer +4
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 27, 2010 and ends December 09, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was sent for my review 2 sets of birds and 1 whale set of wall decals.
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CSN Stores Toy Box Organizer Review



For my 1st Birthday Bash event CSN Stores generously allowed us to review a Toy Box Organizer manufactured by American Plastics. I was delighted that we were able to review a toy box since we had just finished reading our book on Clean Up Time. I had fun showing him how to put toys away in his box and how to open the lid. I loved the set up of the toy box since it included a top storage with six interchangeable storage containers.  My son is not old enough to fully use the toy organizer but I do like that he is learning how to put stuff away and where to get his toys from to play with. He definitely likes having it in his room. He likes to walk up to it and throw his toys at it. I figure he is at least attempting to put toys away even if its with a bit of force.

I really like that American Plastic products are made in the USA. I did need to assemble the toy box a bit. I had to screw the top portion all together after having to cut out the pieces from a bigger plastic piece. Unfortunately I did mark up the handle on the toy chest when I cut it from the main piece. The plastic is somewhat soft so do take your time to remove the pieces carefully. I am going to email American Plastics and I am sure they will send me the small handle piece.




American Plastic has many great items available at CSN Stores. I would love to get the Jump and Slam Basket Ball set and the Folding Slide for this Christmas.

You can purchase the Toy Box Organizer that I reviewed for this post for $33.99 with Free Shipping.
For updates on CSN Stores you can follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
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1st Birthday Bash 10 Days of Giveaways Day 6: Decorate



I find it very exciting that my little guy is older now and I can turn his room into a fun room more than a changing and feeding station. We do not have it in our budget to paint his room but thankfully it is already painted blue, we were just in need of some accents to make it fun. I considered different crafts and other homemade ideas as well as great deals on the net. I would also love to find a way to incorporate his baby stuff into decorating his room. Do you have any tips or suggestions?
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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Amy Adele Personalized One-Piece Outfit Review


Amy Adele is well know for their super cute and playful invitations and stationary. Anytime I think of the brand, stationary always comes to my mind but I wanted everyone to know how great their clothing is too. One thing I love about this company is that their products are made in the USA and made with 100% cotton. You can feel the quality of the cotton in the softness of the clothing. For my son's 1st birthday we selected a personalized onesie that I super adore. We also selected a personalized onesie for everyday wearing.


The birthday onesie was perfect for his big day. It is a cupcake and under it is my custom message of Happy 1st Birthday and his name. He wore his shirt all day to the zoo, to dinner and for his party. I knew being white it stood the chance to get messy, but isn't that the fun part of a party, to be free and messy! Surprisingly after all the partying his onesie came out of the wash after two washings gleaming white again. I am going to have him wear it in his 1st birthday pictures we plan on getting done at the mall soon. I loved that the shirt was custom. A few moms at the zoo told my little guy happy bday and kids waved to him since everyone knew it was his 1st birthday. I love that no matter how big he gets I will forever have that onesie reminding me of the sweet memories of my little boy's 1st birthday.

I could not get my wiggle worm to let me see his shirt, so I distracted him with a baba!
The other onesie we customized was one with his nickname on it. I was looking through the selection of onesies and I saw a cute little bird sitting on a branch and it made me think of my "Birdie". I had it customized to say Mommy & Daddy's Little Birdie. My husband loved it and was very surprised by the quality of the shirts. They are super soft and the colors stay bright after a wash. He wore this shirt the day before his birthday and it made me smile even bigger every time I looked at him. I look forward to my little birdie wearing this adorable onesie over and over.

Messy and ready to get down but still so cute in his shirt!

I think any of the tshirts or onesies Amy Adele offers would make an adorable personalized gift for any child. Another favorite design I liked was the Baby Reindeer and the Sports Balls Tshirt.

For more sales and often times coupon codes you can be a fan of Any Adele on Facebook.

*I was not paid for this post. This is my own opinion and may vary from others. I was sent two custom onesies to review for this post.
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Uncommonly Cute Shirt Review and Giveaway


For my little guys birthday I wanted to find him cute clothing that is special and unique. I am a huge fan of finding companies online that carry clothing that most stores do not have. Uncommonly Cute was a perfect match for just what I was wanting. They carry so many fun and cool designs from hip facebook and twitter tees to cowboys and earth friendly kids they have it all! It was so hard to pick what tee we wanted to review. It was definitely between earth friendly shirts and cowboy shirts, and even each of those categories had a few to select from. We selected the Tree Hugger shirt for my birthday boy. He looked so cute in it!
One of the nice features of these shirts is that most of the designs can be in a onesie, a short sleeve tee or a long sleeve tee. They also have little brother and big brother shirts, shirts for twins and of course cute little girl designs too.

 He wore his Tree Hugger shirt two days before his birthday when we went out to get the last of our party supplies.  My son is a flirt, always smiles waves at women, showing off his big blue eyes so I was not surprised when moms were talking to him and asking me where I purchased his shirt. On a funny note one mom did ask me if it meant Broccoli Hugger, I was cracking up so much on the inside but just smiled and said it means tree hugger. I guess it is because the tree is green all the way through, maybe just a dash or outline of light brown that would contrast well with the dark brown would make sure no moms thought it was broccoli. For me I would be pleased either way if he loved trees or broccoli!


In honor of my son's 1st birthday Uncommonly Cute has agreed to send one of my lucky readers one shirt or onesie of the winner's choice plus free shipping ($25 value)

Here is how to enter the giveaway for a shirt from Umcommonly Cute:
MANDATORY Entry: Follow Uncommonly Cute on Twitter
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
"Like" Uncommonly Cute on Facebook
Visit Uncommonly Cute and tell me your favorite shirt +2
Leave a comment on my review of Amy Adele Custom Onesies +4
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 24, 2010 and ends December 8, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was sent for free the Tree Hugger shirt for my review.
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1st Birthday Bash 10 Days of Giveaways Day 5: Clothing


In our house we have two different styles. I am more dorky, mismatching, if its clean put it on kinda style and my husband is more it should be cool, stylish but still kid like and it has to match. So as you can imagine at times he is looking sharp then I throw on his mismatching socks and cat beanie. There was even a woman in a waiting room we were in commenting to her friend about my son's socks. I smiled at them like look people I can hear you and I thought to my self he is only a baby he doesn't care if his socks match! But I guess that is why we have fashion, so others can look and think wow that person looks nice! =)
So after all my rambling I wanted to say I have found two places my hubby and I agree that the clothes are cute and fun but also stylish and cool.
What is your favorite place to get cute and stylish clothing for your kids?
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Baby Prodigy 30 Minutes to a Quiet Baby DVD Review and Giveaway


I have to say I LOVE my Baby Prodigy DVD! I first won the DVD 30 Minutes to a Quiet Baby from another mom blogger like myself. I have enjoyed this DVD so much I asked Baby Prodigy if they could send a copy to one of my lucky readers. Thankfully they have agreed and now one of you will get to benefit from this great DVD.

For me this DVD is a life changer! My little guy is not a big napper and this helps him to wind down before a nap. He sits quietly as he watches the DVD and after 10-15 minutes he is asleep from the soothing music and activities on the DVD. This has been a lifesaver for me and him, he gets rest I get an hour or so  to clean and get stuff done. The DVD features two characters Dookie and Dottie Duck as the learn and play educational games. The movie is a mix of scenes from everyday life, cartoon drawings, puppetry and wonderful instrumental music to go along with it. These remind me of the baby einstein dvd line but with a more personal sweet touch to them. I like that I am helping a smaller company compete with the big guy while entertaining my son. I know for sure we will be ordering more Baby Prodigy DVDs in the future.
One of my sons favorite toys is his Dookie Duck. He carries it everywhere and sleeps hand in hand with his duck. Dookie even holds up in the wash, we had a diaper accident and Dookie survived and was fresh and clean. At times when he is not ready for a nap we watch the DVD together. I act out the I'm a Little Teapot song and the Itsy Bitsy Spider song and he just laughs and laughs at mommy being silly. I even point to the TV to the colors on  the matching games and show him stuff around the house that is the same color. I feel like this DVD really keeps my son engaged and is also fun and educational. This would be a great gift for the holidays or for a mom to be.

In honor of my son's 1st birthday Baby Prodigy has agreed to send one of my lucky readers Baby Prodigy 30 Minutes to a Quiet Baby DVD.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for The Baby Prodigy DVD:
MANDATORY Entry: "Like" Baby Prodigy on Facebook
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
Follow Baby Prodigy on Twitter +2
Visit Baby Prodigy Store and tell me another DVD you would love to have +2
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 22, 2010 and ends December 7, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I previously won a copy of  Baby Prodigy 30 Minutes to a Quiet Baby DVD and was not sent anything for my review.
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The Rattles CD Review and Giveaway


Music is my son's favorite thing ever! He dances to commercials, elevator music, he even moved and grooved at the restaurant during his birthday when they turned on the background music. If it has instrumentals in it he is dancing! I was very jazzed that we had the opportunity to review The Rattles Band CD. We loved the fun upbeat quality of all the songs. The characters are cool and we loved that they are animals. My son danced his little heart out to the CD but I would have to say his favorites are Rattle On, he rocked his little body like crazy for this one and Shipwreck in the Sky he stuck out his tongue and was being silly while he danced. I really enjoyed reviewing this CD and look forward to more songs from The Rattles Band.



Here is a little info from the website about The Rattles Band:

The Rattles product models the following important skills for preschoolers:
Music Appreciation skills as:
  • 1. Identifying different musical instruments in a band.
  • 2. Awareness of tempo, rhythm, and dynamics in music.
  • 3. Developing body awareness by moving to a rhythmic beat.
  • 4. Awareness of how music tells a story, much like a book.
Social Skills such as:
  • 1. Learning cooperation between band members and friends.
  • 2. Conflict resolution: how to work out differences.
In honor of my son's 1st birthday The Rattles Band has agreed to send one of my lucky readers The Rattles Band CD.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for The Rattles Band CD:
MANDATORY Entry: "Like" The Rattles Band on Facebook
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
Follow The Rattles Band on Twitter +2
Visit The Rattles Band and tell me your favorite character +2
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 22, 2010 and ends December 7, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided a free copy of The Rattles Band CD to review for this post.
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Balloonatiks: The Collectors Set DVD Review and Giveaway


I always like to review DVDs from smaller companies and discover new characters to share with my son and other moms. I liked the idea of  Balloonatiks because they are super heroes that battle evil. They are all made of balloons and have cool manes like Flator, Squeeker, Airbrain, Leaky and more. The graphics are great and is a  very colorful cartoon.  I think I may have liked it a bit more than my son. I think he found it hard to follow since it was a bit above his age group, duh to mom I should have looked more closely to the age group. I think my nephew would enjoy this DVD a little more than my son. Its very fun and the classic good over evil with the twist of them all being balloons. There are cute hot air and balloon references in the movie that were funny. Overall it was a fun adventure DVD with lots of fun characters.



In honor of my son's 1st birthday Balloonatiks has agreed to send one of my lucky readers Balloonatiks: The Collectors Set  DVD.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for the Balloonatiks: The Collectors Set  DVD :
MANDATORY Entry: "Like" Balloonatiks on Facebook
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
Follow Balloonatiks on Twitter +2
Visit Balloonatiks and tell me your favorite character +2
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 22, 2010 and ends December 7, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided a free copy of  Balloonatiks: The Collectors Set  DVD to review for this post.
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Norah Jones New Album: Featuring

                                                             ...Featuring Norah Jones

I have always been a fan of Norah Jones. Her smooth yet raspy voice is soul cleansing. I have listened to all of her albums and was excited to have the chance to review her new album "Featuring". This CD is full of well known artist singing duets and collaborations with Norah from songs recorded from the years 2001-2010.
This album includes singers such as Foo Fighters, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Ryan Adams, Outkast, Q-Tip, and so many other great artist. I feel like there is one song for everyone on this album. This would be great to play at a get together for a diverse CD.
Here is the full list of songs on the album:

1. Love Me – The Little Willies
2. Virginia Moon – The Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones
3. Turn Them – Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones
4. Baby It's Cold Outside – Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones
5. Bull Rider – Norah Jones and Sasha Dobson
6. Ruler Of My Heart – Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Norah Jones
7. The Best Part – El Madmo  
8. Take Off Your Cool – OutKast featuring Norah Jones
9. Life Is Better – Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones
10. Soon The New Day – Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones
11. Little Lou, Prophet Jack, Ugly John – Belle & Sebastian featuring Norah Jones
12. Here We Go Again – Ray Charles featuring Norah Jones
13. Loretta – Norah Jones featuring Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
14. Dear John – Ryan Adams featuring Norah Jones
15. Creepin' In – Norah Jones featuring Dolly Parton
16. Court & Spark – Herbie Hancock featuring Norah Jones
17. More Than This – Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones
18. Blue Bayou – Norah Jones featuring M. Ward


I listen to every song at least a few times and have definite favorites.  Track 3 is a very soothing song to me, I love Norah's voice in this one. I loved track 4 and 15 since Norah was singing with country music's classic superstars. The blend of her voice with country is very pleasing to hear. Track 9 with Q-Tip is a fun upbeat song I enjoyed dancing to. My number one favorite was definitely track 17, her voice is beautiful in this one.

This CD would make a great host gift or stocking stuffer for any music fan. I know for sure my sisters and mom will have this CD on their holiday wish list.

You can buy this CD right now in stores and online. Amazon has it available for $9.99














I am a member of One2One Network and received a free CD to review for my post. This is my own opinion and may vary from other opinions.
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1st Birthday Bash 10 Days of Giveaways Day 4: Entertainment


I know as a mom I have many options for entertainment for my son. When we are at home I try to provide entertainment that he and I can do together. I enjoy using DVDs and CDs as a way for us to dance and sing together. I like to buy him DVDs that have lots of music and dancing instead of just something he sits and watches. I know a lot of moms don't like to let there kids watch tv but I feel with the right DVDs it can be an interactive learning experience. I like to first watch or listen to something before I let him. I have found a few products that I have not let him have after hearing or seeing things I felt were not appropriate for him. Generally that doesn't happen as long as I find him things within his age group. While shopping for presents for him I constantly found stuff I thought was "cute" but were not yet ready for his age group. I found myself taking a step back and realizing there is so much time for him to have DVDs and CDs as he gets older and for me to enjoy the silly DVDs and baby music that we share now.
Do you recommend a good DVD or CD a 1 year old would enjoy? I love hearing what other moms are watching.
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Monday, November 22, 2010

Little Green Books Review and Giveaway *2* Winners


While searching for great books to buy for my son I realized even though he is 1 now he still might need a few soft books. Some of the books I have been reviewing for the birthday bash have been used to throw at me by my mischievous little guy. With that in mind I found some cute and soft books from Little Green Book. The two soft books are Little Monkey and Little Panda. I was thrilled that they were soft and he definitely enjoyed being able to put both books in his hands and go wild like they were nunchucks. He was laughing so hard when he realized I was laughing at how silly he was being. He did eventually let me read the stories to him and they were very cute. The two books are sweet and go together well.


We also had the opportunity to review two additional books My First Garden and What Do You See?. These two books are wonderful to read. They foster the habits about gardening and endangered species that I want to teach my son. The basket design on the garden book and the lift flaps in the seeing book make the books interactive as well as cute! A few great things about these books is that they are manufactured environmentally friendly and are printed on recycled materials with vegetable or soy inks.
Little Green Books website also has games and green tips for learning that I found to be very useful.


In honor of my son's 1st birthday Little Green Books has agreed to send 2 of my lucky readers the set of 4 books that I reviewed for this post.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for the 4 Little Green Books:
MANDATORY Entry: Follow Little Green Books (Simon & Schuster) on Twitter
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
Visit Little Green Books and tell me your favorite book +2
Visit Little Green Books and tell me one word from the Green Glossary +2
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 22, 2010 and ends December 6, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided a free copy of the 4 books I reviewed in this post.
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Workman Publishing Indestructibles Books Review and Giveaway


I often comment on how my little guy can be a bit rowdy and free spirited. Well he likes to take out a lot of his energy on his books. He throws them, bites them, stands on them and hits them with his other toys. We have lost a few good board books from chewing and ripping. After reading  "Indestructibles are 100% baby-proof: chew-proof, drool-proof, and rip-proof. Indestructibles not only will not tear or turn gummy with teething, but they are also completely washable." from the Workman Publishing website I knew we had to try them. We reviewed the books Mama and Baby and Jungle Rumble.   If I could find a book I could let me son go wild on and he would like it I would be a happy mom! When they arrived I was amazed by the deep colors on the pages. He definitely first off tried to bite the books, he pulled and grunted but he could not rip them. I was stunned, he was too and a bit mad he couldn't destroy it. He did climb up on my lap and look at the books with me and when he wrestled to get the book I could easy let him have it knowing he couldn't eat it. My favorite book of the two was the Mama and Baby. I loved pointing to my son who is the mommy and who is the baby in each of the pictures. We did put them in the dishwasher after they were covered in sweet potatoes and they were good as new!



The only thing I would change about the books would be for them to be a little thicker. Most kids I am sure would be fine but my son was throwing them around wildly and I was a little worried about him getting the edge of the book on his eye. I know all books have this worry by default I just thought if it was a tad thicker I would be able to really let him go wild with them. Overall I really enjoyed that he could bite them and pull on them with out the worry he would destroy them.


In honor of my son's 1st birthday Workman Publishing has agreed to send one of my lucky readers a copy of both the books I reviewed Mama and Baby & Jungle Rumble!

Here is how to enter the giveaway for the 2 Books Mama and Baby & Jungle Rumble!:
MANDATORY Entry: Follow Workman Publishing on Twitter
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
Visit Workman Publishing and tell me your favorite Indestructibles Book +2
Visit Workman Publishing and tell me your favorite book +2
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 22, 2010 and ends December 6, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided a free copy of two Indestructibles Books to review.
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Free Spirit Publishing Toddler Board Books Review and Giveaway


Free Spirit Books has been a favorite for me for some time. I like that their books teach lessons and have fun at the same time. I like that the books cover topics that can be used as a tool of discussion for topics an adult is not sure how to approach. I love to have board books since my son can throw them and step on them and I don't have to worry about him damaging them too much. When I had the chance to review two board books from Free Spirit Publishing line of toddler books I immediately knew which books I wanted to read.


The first book we read was Germs Are Not For Sharing. I thought this was perfect time to teach him about hand washing and covering his face. I do know he is a bit small to do these habits on his own but I feel now is a good time to read about it and see mom and dad exhibiting those behaviors. We have to teach kids about learning to share but with germs, especially during the holiday seasons, we have to teach them when not to share their germs. I liked the simplicity of this book and how it shows kids to cover their sneezes and when they need to wash their hands. In the end it shows kids how to blow a kiss when someone is sick as to not share germs but still show your love. I found this book to be cute and helpful.




The second book we read was Clean-Up Time. This book arrived in perfect timing since we just got a new toy organizer. My little guy does help somewhat when we pick up his toys. He grabs a toy and tries to put it in the toy chest but most of the time he takes out what I am putting in. I liked that this book made cleaning a group effort and they praised the children for cleaning. I think so many parents expect kids to clean up and forget to give praise for it. This book made me think of one of my favorite movies Mary Poppins and the scene where the children clean the nursery. Since we don't have the magic of Mary I think this book will help teach kids it can be fun to clean up.

In honor of my son's 1st birthday Free Spirit Publishing has agreed to send one of my lucky readers a copy of both the books I reviewed Germs Are Not For Sharing and Clean-Up Time.

Here is how to enter the giveaway for the 2 Toddler Books:
MANDATORY Entry: Follow Free Spirit Publishing on Twitter
Leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry.
If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.
Follow Me on GFC (right top corner) +3
Follow Me on Twitter +2
"Like" my fan page on Facebook +4
"Like" Free Spirit Publishing on Facebook +2
Visit Free Spirit Publishing and tell me your favorite book +2
Enter any of the other giveaways during the 1st birthday bash +2 entries for each giveaway entered.
Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link +10

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts November 22, 2010 and ends December 6, 2010 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided a free copy of two Free Spirit Books for this review.
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