My 12 year old is incredibly difficult to shop for. You see, he's at that awkward age where he is too old for toys, but too young for things like a computer of his own or a cell phone. (Yes, I am strict.) Recently, he turned 12. What did he want? A Fedora, Bruno Mars style, a pair of red Dr. Marten's boots, Ed Hardy Sneakers, and a tour of the Sarah Winchester House. He got everything but the tour. Still, I wanted to give him something special that he could hold onto and remember his birthday with. That's why I was excited to learn about the Birthday Chronicle from Because I Tried It. This is a very unique way to commemorate a special date, such as a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or other significant event. The Birthday Chronicle comes as a downloadable, printable "front page" which includes a ton of fun facts about your selected date, such as who was president, which celebs share the birth date, and top news stories from that very day! The Birthday Chronicle from Because I Tried It makes the perfect gift for that special someone who seems to have everything. I received my custom Birthday Chronicle in no time flat. I then printed, matted and framed it to give to my son. When I presented my son with his Birthday Chronicle, he was amazed. He also asked a lot of questions about the events listed, asking if I remember them, since I am so "old". He currently has his Birthday Chronicle hanging on his wall. Ordering is easy! You simply submit your name, specify a date, and you're good to go! You can choose dates between January 1, 1900 up to December 31, 2011! Pretty cool, huh? Check it out! HOW TO CONNECT: You can learn more about this and other personalized gifts on the Because I Tried It website. WIN IT! I am so excited to announce that 2 lucky readers will receive a Birthday Chronicle of their own! How cool! Please use this easy Rafflecopter form to enter. This giveaway is open to people 18+ until 11:59PM on April 8, 2012. No PO Boxes. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck! ***Disclosure: I received complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
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As the mother of two active toddlers, I know one thing for sure: Scrapes, bruises, scuffs and bumps happen. A lot. My kids may be 1 and 2 years old, but they like to climb, wrestle, and even body slam each other to the ground. Yes, they may be little, but they certainly play rough! There's nothing worse than a baby with raw, bruised, red knees. Not comfortable for baby, and I swear my babies' boo-boos hurt me worse than they seem to hurt them! I recently discovered a cool new product called Crawlings that are specifically designed to help keep baby from scraping their knees while crawling, climbing, scooting, or exploring. These high-fashion knee pads are made from a super-soft and stretchy premium cotton, EVA foam and spandex, which allows them to literally grow with your baby. Yes, they really are one size fits all! Babies can begin wearing their Crawlings when they start crawling and scooting, and can continue to wear them when they're toddling and climbing around the playground. Crawlings come in 11 fun prints, too, so you're sure to find the perfect design for your little one's own personal style! Another thing I love about Crawlings is that this company has a great big heart. They support MiracleFeet, a non-profit international organization to help children with clubfeet get the simple, affordable, and effective treatment they need to walk, run and play like every child deserves. How cool is that?! Recently I received an adorable pair of Crawlings to try on my toddlers. I was sent a rather feminine print, so I am only showing photos of my daughter wearing them in order to avoid embarrassment for my son later on. While I think the pink bandages are absolutely charming, he may not agree with me later on. When my Crawlings arrived, I was immediately impressed by the quality of construction. These knee-protectors are very soft, very stretchy to accommodate even the chubbiest of legs, and the foam padding is very soft and flexible, making them comfortable for the child to wear. I also love the length of the Crawlings. They cover knees perfectly, and also act as a shin-guard, keeping little legs scrape-free. Sophie absolutely loves her Crawlings. She calls them "Cute", and brings them over to me before we go outside. She already knows that when we put on her shoes, she gets to wear her Crawlings, too! Take a look! The weather here has been so gorgeous lately that we've been spending a lot of time outdoors. As soon as we get our daughter's shoes on, she literally runs to the front door, starts knocking on it, and says "Step2! Step2! Slide!" over and over again. Yep, I think it's safe to say she is quite enamored with her Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber. She has a trampoline, she has balance bikes, and somehow the only thing she wants to play on is her Step2 climber! Can you blame her, though? With a ladder, a rock-climbing wall, dual steering wheels, a slide, and even a secret hiding place, this outdoor toy is loads of fun for little ones! I can't wait till her little brother, Xander, is a little bit bigger and can play with her! Yesterday, despite the wind, Sophie just had to get a couple hours of play in. We got some great pics that I would love to share with you! In anticipation of Disneynature's upcoming true-life adventure, CHIMPANZEE, I just wanted to share the new music video, "Rise" by the McClain Sisters! “Rise,” was written and performed by McClain Sisters after being inspired by Disneynature’s feature film CHIMPANZEE, is the latest Disney Friends for Change anthem. With the motivating lyrics “Together we can do anything,” the song captures the central message of the program: when kids and families work together, they can inspire each other and their communities to make a lasting, positive change in the world. “Rise” is the fourth Friends for Change anthem to be released with a benefit back to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. This contribution marks nearly $1 million awarded through the music campaign to charities working to protect the planet and conserve nature for future generations. Also, be sure to check out CHIMPANZEE on Facebook! As you know from the title of this site, I am the proud mama of three beautiful, healthy children. For almost a decade, I only had one child. Sometimes people take for granted the ability to have kids. I can tell you from personal experience, it's not always as easy as it sounds. It took my husband and I four years and four devastating miscarriages to have our babies. There was a lot of heartache and disappointment along the way, but we're finally been blessed with the family we've always dreamed of. Here's my story and the struggles we went through when building our family. I got married far too young to my ex-husband, and that marriage was an absolute horror. During that marriage, I welcomed my 12 year old into the world. I later found the courage to end my abusive marriage, and have since remarried a wonderful man. My husband not only treats me like gold, he loves my son as his own. He never says "step-son" when talking about Kyle. He simply calls him his son. It takes a real man to be able to accept a child as his own that isn't biologically tied to him. I have a man like that, and I thank God everyday for him. We had a loving, happy family. The next step? Giving my son siblings to grow up with. He never wanted to be an only child, and I finally had a man in my life who deserved to be a father. When my husband and I decided to try to expand our family several years ago, we had no idea what a rough and bumpy road we would encounter. We were doing everything we needed to do to make a baby...and we were doing it regularly. We both took various supplements, altered our diets, and month after month, nothing happened. It seemed that conceiving wouldn't be as effortless as we had hoped. During this time, we suffered from 4 miscarriages and month after month of negative test results. And to add insult to injury, it seemed that everyone around me was getting pregnant. It was literally one of the darkest periods in my life. I wanted nothing more than to give my husband children of his own, and I felt like a failure as a woman when month after month, we experienced disappointment or loss. Finally, after a diagnosis of Secondary Infertility, we were able to conceive our daughter, Sophie. Shortly after she was born, we got the shock of a lifetime when we found out we had another baby on the way. While the road was hard, long, and full of heartache, our family is now complete. Trying to conceive can be a lot trickier than one would anticipate. There are a lot of factors that need to be considered. Diet, age, physical fitness, and stress level are just a few of the things that need to be examined. A healthy lifestyle is essential when trying to conceive and can definitely up the odds for a successful pregnancy. The folks at ConceiveEasy understand how difficult it can be to get pregnant for many women, and they have created a wonderful TTC Kit that can help make this process so much easier. It contains everything you need to take the guesswork out of baby-making. As a matter of fact, women using this kit have seen an increased pregnancy rate of 33%! Here's some info about the TTC Kit from the folks at ConceiveEasy: Have you heard the news? Safety 1st, a trusted leader in baby gear and home safety products, has launched a brand new app designed just for parents! This app is called the Baby Book app, and is for the iPhone and the iPod Touch!
Here are some of the great features of this app: Baby Book: Facilitating instant updates, the Baby Book feature allows moms to capture milestones, photos and notes in one convenient place. Moms are also able to create an individual, color-coded Safety 1st Baby Book for each child. Tags: Assign tags to each photo and note to easily organize events such as baby’s 1st checkup, 1st words, 1st steps and more. Moms can also create their own custom tags to personalize and organize. Photos: Moms can take or import photos for one or multiple Safety 1st Baby Books. The app also allows users to save photos to their photo library. Tips & Articles: Helping to navigate the everyday concerns of a parent, users can browse child safety tips and articles that are specific to their child’s age range. Tips and articles can also be pushed to users for instant age-appropriate notifications, such as car seat safety, home safety and child care. Share: Unlike typical baby books, moms are able to instantly share photos, milestones, notes and articles on Facebook, Twitter and via email. I especially love the fact that you can use a special color coded system to create a Safety 1st Baby Book for each of your children, which can be shared with family and friends through various social media outlets. As a mom, I use social networking every single day to keep in contact with loved ones near and far. I also love knowing that a wealth of knowledge is available right at my fingertips. With a ton of great articles, safety tips, and more, pretty much any concern I may have as a parent is addressed by the folks at Safety 1st. This is a great tool for new and experienced parents alike! The best part? This app is completely free, and can be downloaded HERE. HOW TO CONNECT: Once you see how useful this app is, be sure to check out all of the amazing products Safety 1st has to offer on their website. You can also connect with Safety 1st on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their newest products and promotions! ***Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation for this post. I simply thought this information would be valuable for my readers.*** Okay, after a long day spent doing taxes and cleaning, I have finally gotten around to drawing winners and verifying entries. A big congrats to my lucky winners! You've all been e-mailed and have 48 hours to reply and claim your prizes! As always, thank to everyone who entered and be sure to check back for new giveaways often!
Incredibum: Blue Racer Step2: Juli G. Silk: Karen F. Now that spring is here and summer is right around the corner, I am looking forward to spending a lot more time outdoors with my family. After a mild but wet winter being cooped up inside, I can't wait to take trips to the zoo, the park, and maybe even an amusement park or two! Something I am not looking forward to? Chafing due to heat, moisture, and friction. You know what I mean. It's painful, annoying, and no fun at all, and it tends to crop up when you're supposed to be having fun. With 2 active toddlers, skin irritation happens, especially when the weather warms up. I mean diaper rash, which most babies deal with at some point or another, as well as environmental skin issues from heat, humidity, and excess sweat and moisture. I know my kids tend to get heat rashes around the thighs, waists, diaper area, and even in the armpits after a playful afternoon at the park. This is uncomfortable for little ones, and can be stressful for parents, too. No one likes seeing their child with an "owwie". These issues can crop up quickly and with very little warning. Small children tend to have really sensitive skin, so the best way to prevent redness, rawness, and skin irritation if to take preventative measures to protect against these problems before they strike. Recently, I was introduced by a pair of products specifically formulated for babies from the Anti Monkey Butt family. Baby Anti Monkey Butt Diaper Rash Powder and Diaper Rash Cream are gentle enough to use on baby's delicate skin, but pack a powerful punch to combat rashes and keep baby dry. While these products are great with treating and preventing typical diaper rashes, they're also great for preventing painful chafing that can occur in warmer weather, too! It's hard to believe that Easter is only a week away! I know most of you have special plans to spend the day with family and maybe even participate in an Easter egg hunt or two! We'll be traveling to the mountains in Maryland to spend the morning with Dan's family at their annual Easter brunch. It's always a ton of fun with lots of laughs, good food, and a scenic drive. While Easter brings to mind images of bunnies, dyed eggs, and chocolate, another thing synonymous with Easter is food. Whether it be turkey, ham, roast, chicken, or seafood, most families have an Easter feast to celebrate the occasion. I personally hate turkey and never, ever prepare it for any reason. There's just something about the smell and taste of turkey that makes me gag. I don't like pumpkin pie or sweet potatoes, either. I know, I am abnormal. So while turkey is out of the question, I am still planning to make a special Easter dinner for my family, with the help of Mrs. Cubbison's! I received a special Easter themed gourmet package from Mrs. Cubbison's, including their stuffing and croutons, to help me create a delicious meal for my family this year. I normally don't eat stuffing in the traditional sense, but I was able to find a way to incorporate it into an entree in an unexpected way! ***Please scroll down for Spanish and French translations.***
This article is once again, one of the most important articles you will read. This is a continuation of my former article about America's second fastest growing infectious disease. Prevention of Lyme Disease is the better alternative than to try to treat Chronic Lyme. There are areas that are of higher risk than others. Consideration must be taken into the fact that not only do people travel from time to time, whether it is work related or vacation, people also relocate. Relocation and travel can be from "high risk" Lyme areas to places where Lyme may be almost non existing. Then you have traveling for a family emergency. People easily forget about these. As a result an onset of symptoms in a "low risk" Lyme zone may not be traced to the possibility of being exposed to Lyme. Then a possible situation could be that someone with symptoms does ask to be checked for Lyme. The response may be "there is no Lyme here" your response as a paying patient should be "I know but I travel to places that do have a high risk of Lyme". If you have relocated you need to inform the doctor as well. "I have not always lived here I moved here from a high risk Lyme zone". In any event of strange symptoms a Lyme test must be requested no matter your location. If you are living in an area where Lyme is prevelent precautions must be taken to prevent infection. Permethin is a chemical effective in preventing lyme infected ticks from attaching on to your clothes. Permethin must be sprayed on all cloths and boots etc. Do not spray the chemical on your skin. Pretreated clothes are available as well. There is a company named "Insect Shield" that will pretreat clothes for about $2.00 per item. These pretreated clothes are effective up to almost 70 washes. Reducing the deer population is not an effective way of preventing Lyme. Lyme comes from rodents especially,the white-footed mouse. If people are against using chemicals then a thorough inspection needs to be done upon returning from outdoor activities. Avoid sitting on stone walls. keep wood piles in sunny areas and never sit directly on the ground. Parents and teachers must inspect children thoroughly after any outdoor activity. Walking off paths is in no way recommended. All outdoor workers must do a thorough inspection as well or wear permethin treated clothes. For people that have already been exposed to Lyme, the biggest mistake is the thought of being "immune" It is not proven that you can't become reinfected. Due to the mild winter, this could be a bad tick season. Precautions must be taken. "Lyme Is Not The Only Disease" The coinfections that come with Lyme are overlooked. Lyme can be more difficult to treat if there is a coinfection that has not been treated. Many people are unaware of these and that is the reason for this article. The list of Lyme coinfections are: Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tick Paralysis and Mycoplasma. Babesia has 13 strains of which standard labs only test for two. A Lyme Literate Doctor should be able to diagnose such coinfections. Coinfections result in more serious symptoms than Lyme itself. The period of recovery may be longer as well. The three main coinfections are: Babesia, Bartonella and Ehrlichia. Symptoms of Babesia are: imbalance, sweats, headache and chills. The symptoms of Bartonella are: flu-like symptoms, sore throat, weak immune system, and exaggerated Lyme symptoms. Ehrlichia symptoms include: ongoing fatigue and headaches. The coinfection symptoms listed are only a few of the many symptoms that come with each one. Research must be done on these in every household. These tick borne illnesses are easily cured if caught and treated on time. The best cure is prevention. This article is written on the research that I did and my own experience as well. I am not a doctor. Any exact information on these should be obtained from a Lyme Literate Doctor. My email is marcmerullo@gmail.com |
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
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