With Father's Day rapidly approaching, I wanted to find the ultimate gift for my husband. After all, he should be awarded the "Father of the Year" award, hands down. What makes him so special? For one, he treats his stepson like he were his own. He never refers to him as a stepchild, he simply calls him his son. It takes a big man to unconditionally love a child that's not his own. He's an amazing Dad to Kyle, and he didn't have to be. But wait! There's more! Another reason my husband is so deserving of something special is because he put up with me being pregnant for 2 years straight. Literally. Okay, so there was a 2 month window or so between pregnancies. Nonetheless, he dealt with it. The mood swings (and there were loads of them), the cravings that sent him to Taco Bell at 1:00AM, and the horrendous morning sickness that lasted all 9 months with both babies. I mean, I was SICK. A lot of the time I couldn't even make it to the toilet. My husband cleaned up SO much vomit and didn't ever really complain about it. Add to that helping me to recover from back-to-back C-sections and the fact that he changes diapers, made bottles, plays with his kids constantly, and even does dishes and laundry, and you might as well call him a saint! He does all of these things and more, without ever being asked, and he still finds time to be my best friend. Now that's a good guy, don't you agree? I like to think I have trained him well, but of course I can't take all of the credit. His mama raised him right! I have been searching high and low, trying to find a gift as spectacular and unique as he is. Something that screams "You're the best of the best." I am thrilled to say, I found just that. I discovered a really awesome new product that is sure to make even the guy who has everything do a happy dance and maybe even throw some Jersey Shore-style fist pumps into the mix. What did I find? The Blacktop 360 Party Hub Grill Fryer! Yes, I know that's quite a mouthful, but bear with me here. This is a name you'll want to remember! The Party Hub is not just any old grill. No, siree! This grill takes the convenience of a portable grill to a whole new level. If a conventional grill and a restaurant kitchen with all the bells and whistles had a love child, it would be the Blacktop 360 Party Hub. Pretty much anything you could want to cook can be prepared on this amazing grill. Okay, maybe not cake, but you get the point. This grill does it all. No, I am not exaggerating in the slightest. Sound too good to be true? Watch this short video, and then allow me to tell you all about it!
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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical. All opinions are 100% mine.
I am blessed in the fact that I do not need glasses yet. At the ripe old age of 30, my eyesight is perfect. My husband on the other hand? Not so much. He can't even read the clock or oven timer from across the room. Seeing street signs, especially at night? I have to be his eyes for him. He's as blind as a bat, that's for sure! However, my husband like a lot of men, is stubborn. He doesn't want to get his eyes checked and he doesn't want to invest in eyeglasses. His reason? Eyeglasses are too expensive. Won't he be in for a treat when I tell him about Zenni Optical! This is an online leader in prescription eyeglasses. They offer a wide range of styles from rimless, full rim, and half rim varieties that can accommodate virtually any prescription. They even have progressive lenses and bifocals! But the best part? The glasses at Zenni Optical are priced to fit any budget. Their $6.95 prescription eyeglasses are durable, fashion forward, and won't break the bank. You could buy several pairs to fit different moods or outfits for less than you'd expect to pay for just one pair of glasses at most major retailers. You simply can't beat that! For a limited time, Zenni Optical is having a crazy, massive, huge promotion that you will not want to miss out on. If you buy 2 pairs of their top quality glasses, you'll receive another pair absolutely free. That's right! Buy 2 Get 1 Free I know my husband won't have any excuse now not to get a prescription for eyeglasses. Zenni Optical offers so many styles at such phenomenal prices, he has no reason not to protect his vision the way he should! Do you need new eyeglasses? Be sure to check out this sale while it lasts! I have known my husband most of my life. I met Dan when I was 13 years old. I was hanging out at the mall with friends, like many teens do, and he approached me and simply said "Hi, I'm Dan." No pick-up lines, no advances, just a hello. It was quite refreshing, actually! I didn't look my age, so I was so used to men hitting on me using the most awful lines, like "Hello, Miss. Can I use your butt as a hat?" True story. Dan was different. He was sincere, confident, and respectful. We dated for about 6 months back then, but we were way too young, and eventually went our separate ways with no hard feelings. We actually remained friends for quite some time. We both went on to marry and subsequently divorce crazy people, and then we somehow through a twist of fate I like to call MySpace, he found me again. We have been inseparable ever since! On April 5th, we will be celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary. I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by! These past few years have been absolutely wonderful. We have welcomed two beautiful children to our family, and life could not be better. He is the most amazing father, even to his stepson, and the best husband a woman could ask for. Because of Dan, I learned what a real man was, and how it feels to love and be loved in return. My husband is not the most outwardly romantic man. While he may not shower me with flowers by Interflora on a weekly basis, he shows his love in a million other ways. He changes diapers without being asked, has gotten up with the babies in the middle of the night more times than I can count, and he is always there to support me in any way I need. He has gone from being the "bad boy" with a questionable lifestyle to a dedicated family man who would give up anything for our happiness. I am truly blessed to have him. So what are our plans for our anniversary? I don't have an answer to that, to be completely honest with you. With 3 kids in the house and a limited budget, chances are we will be spending the day at home. Maybe I will cook his favorite meal, Chicken Cordon Bleu. Or even better, perhaps he will get some take-out so I don't have to cook for once! Hey, you can make anything special with the addition of candles and wine, right? Maybe I will get really lucky and get a knock on the door from an Interflora flower delivery person presenting me with a gorgeous spray of roses. (Hey, a gal can dream right?) Regardless of how our 4th wedding anniversary happens to be spent, I know it will be a great day. My husband is not only the love of my life, he is also my best friend. I believe that's the key to a successful marriage. You know the old adage, "Happiness is being married to your best friend"? It's absolutely, 100% true. I am so thankful to have another year together under our belts, and I look forward to many, many more. Tired Of Kids Playing Games For HOURS? Try Family Gaming Parental Control Kits GIVEAWAY! 3/313/20/2012 See these seemingly innocent faces? They cause this mama a world of grief, especially the 2 "boys". I use the term boys because my husband, while almost 35, acts like he's about 15 a good portion of the time. They're great, wonderful guys and I love them to death, but there are certain things that just plain get on my nerves. Neither one of them knows how to put down the toilet seat, they don't clean up after themselves, and they think disgusting bodily functions are a riot....Even in public sometimes. But the thing that can get on my nerves more than anything else? (Yes, even falling into cold toilet water at 2:00AM, getting my butt wet and waking me completely in the process) The thing that gets me every time has to do with video games. There is something about boys and their games that can drive any wife and mother absolutely bonkers. I like to call this being in "the zone". When my guys are in the zone, they have massive selective hearing. The house could be on fire, a bomb could go off next door, and Richard Simmons could be Sweatin' to the Oldies 5 feet away, and they would not notice. This doesn't help me out when I need to talk to someone or chores need to be done. They simply ignore me, since the only important thing in the world is completing the level of their game. I do limit my son's gaming, so the real issue tends to be my husband, believe it or not! I recently learned about a product that can hand me back control over the video game addiction. Bigben Interactive has come up with a couple of fantastic new products that not only ensure that gaming is done in moderation, but that handheld games are played at a safe distance. If that wasn't cool enough in itself, these products are password protected! Woot! Mommy: 1, Guys: 0. The Parental Control Kits are exactly what a frustrated mama needs to regain control over her household! It's also great for parents that want to set responsible gaming limits for their children. My toddlers LOVE monkeys. They each have several stuffed monkey toys, monkey outfits, and even monkey costumes. Their bedding? Yep, that has monkeys on it, too! I guess you can say we're bananas for anything playful! While they love monkeys of all colors, shapes and sizes, who is their favorite primate pal? Curious George, of course! He's fun, he's clever, and he always brings some monkey mischief to the table, all while promoting hands-on learning and exploration. While I don't allow the kids to watch a whole lot of television, Curious George is a program I am always happy to turn on for them. I am thrilled to announce that the world's most beloved little monkey, Curious George, is having a Dance Contest! How cool is that?! Parents can upload a video of their little ones dancing to the Curious George theme song and have the chance to win some fantastic prizes in the process. Whether your child likes to spin, twirl, do the moon-walk or the robot, or just likes to show off their monkey moves, this is a great way to promote creativity and an active lifestyle. Why is dance so important for little ones? Fitness is one reason! Kids who are active early on enjoy healthier lives overall. Dance can improve muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance. Dancing is such a fun way to exercise, but there's so many more benefits to shaking your groove thang. Did you know that dance also encourages creativity and self-expression? This is so important, since being able to express one's feelings through creative arts can be a wonderful tool for dealing with emotions in a healthy, constructive way. I would much rather have my kids do an "angry dance" when they're mad than destroy my house during a tantrum. Dance is also a fantastic way to promote the early learning of letters, colors, shapes, numbers, and other skills needed for school readiness. Kids can go up and down, side to side, over and under, and since kids are active learners, they will have a better understanding of these concepts. They can also contort their bodies into shapes and letters! Numbers can be taught as well by having kids follow a simple rhythm and beat, such as 1-2-3-2-2-3, etc. I have some great Step2 reader photos to share today, including some vintage Step2, courtesy of one of my sweetest readers, Gladys!
I also have a couple of NEW videos of Sophie enjoying her Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber. The weather was absolutely gorgeous this past weekend, and we took full advantage of it! Anyone who knows me well knows that I probably have some of the worst allergies in the world. I have been suffering from both seasonal and pet allergies for as long as I can recall. My first memories of misery were when I was very young. My mom, who loves fur coats, bought me a white rabbit fur coat. I'm sure it's because she thought it was cute, but in all reality, all it did was give me itchy eyes, a runny, raw nose, and a bad case of wheezing. I hated that coat...I have not outgrown my allergies to fur. As a matter of fact, I cannot be around cats for any period of time, and I am also allergic to most dogs. The only pet I have ever had that didn't make me break out into hives was my beloved Shih-Tzu, Mojo. On top of severe allergies to anything furry, I also suffer from horrible seasonal allergies as well. I cannot be around pollens of any kind or freshly cut grass without loading up on allergy pills beforehand. This is very counter-productive, since all they seem to do is put me to sleep and that totally defeats the purpose of enjoying time outdoors with my family. What good am I if I can't stop sneezing and can barely keep my eyes open? Also, I hate taking medication if I can help it. Yep, I am stubborn that way and tend to lean more towards natural and homeopathic remedies. Another bad side-effect allergies and sinus problems can have? Sinus infections. I get them far more often than I would like. A bad sinus infection will have me grumpy, grouchy, whiny, and laid out for at least a week! And when I get sick, everything falls apart. The house ends up looking like a hurricane hit it, dinners come out of the freezer or take-out bag, and the kids end up getting into more mischief under Daddy's care than I would put up with myself. That's why I was thrilled to be able to try the SinuSense Water Pulsator by Waterpik. I had never tried a neti pot before, let alone a water pulsator, so this was a new experience for me. The SinuSense massages, cleans and moistens your sinus passages with the gentle, pulsating stream of water or Soothing Saline solution. It provides maximum cleaning with a sensitive touch. This is a post that as a mom, is hard for me to write. But it's one I HAVE to write, not only to pay tribute to a beautiful little boy named Elias, but also to spread awareness about the dangers of RSV.(respiratory syncytial virus) As the parent of 3 kids, a preteen and 2 toddlers, I am guilty of taking their health for granted at times. When you see your child thriving everyday, you tend to assume that they'll always be safe...Healthy...Happy. You never think that the unthinkable could really happen, or that God forbid, you could lose your child. See that adorable, beautiful little face? That's Elias. Elias is the son of Amanda, the blogger behind Our Crazy House. Elias was an ordinary little boy who was looking forward to turning 4. He loved playing with his trains, had an infectious smile, and brightened the day of everyone who met him. He had a doting big sister and was also a proud big brother to a couple of sweet little boys. Two weeks ago, Elias, also affectionately known as "Bow", died in his sleep. He was seemingly healthy and had no signs of anything being wrong. While his parents should have been planning his 4th birthday celebration, they had to plan his funeral, instead. This has been a shock to their family, and a shock to the blogging world as well. I remember when I first heard about the loss of Bow on the day he passed, I cried my heart out. It's just not fair, you know? No one should ever have to bury a child. Especially when nothing seemed out of the ordinary to begin with. When Bow's cause of death was determined, they found that RSV was the culprit. What is RSV, and what can you do to protect your children? I have some very lucky winners to announce on this Monday afternoon! Thanks so much to everyone who entered, and be sure to check in often for more great prizes to be won. Congrats to my winners! You have all been e-mailed and have 48 hours to respond and claim your prizes!
DivaCup: Desiree R. $25 AMC Gift Card: Margaret S. APART STYLE: Amber Chuggington: Gianna My toddler, Sophie, is very active. She is constantly on the go, and loves running, climbing, jumping and playing. Honestly, sometimes I get worn out just watching her! Now that springtime has arrived, she wants to spend a lot of time outdoors. After spending all winter being cooped up inside, I can't say I blame her for her enthusiasm about outdoor play. Now that Sophie is a full-fledged toddler, one of the things I have been looking forward to doing is helping to improve her balance with the use of a balance bike. She is always looking for new and exciting ways to challenge herself, and this seems like a wonderful way to do just that, while improving her balance, stability, and overall confidence. What is a balance bike? It's a miniature bike, designed specifically for the littlest of riders in mind. Balance bikes are unique because they do not utilize standard pedals. The bike is powered by the child as they balance themselves on the seat and scoot forward using their feet. (Think Fred Flintstone!) Why does this approach work? Simple! As a child becomes comfortable with sitting on the bike and using good balance, they then quickly develop the skills needed to ride a "big kid" bike later on, with a seamless and easy transition. As a matter of fact, many kids who start out on a balance bike can skip training wheels altogether! One great place to find durable, high-quality balance bikes is TykesBykes. This is a family owned company that is dedicated to helping families raise happy, active kids by getting them off of the couch and cycling in the great outdoors. TykeBykes Balance Bikes are the perfect way to provide a great start at an active lifestyle. What puts TykesBykes Balance Bikes a step above the rest? Quality! TykesBykes balance bikes come standard with rear brake, which is something you don't usually find in a balance bike. This is great for added safety as well as preparation for the feel and function of a "real" bike as the child grows. This bike also has a light weight steel frame, as well as an adjustable seat and handle bars to ensure the perfect fit for your little tyke! The inflatable tires are very durable and rugged with off-road styling that provide great grip and cushion the rider. The generous folks at TykeBykes sent me their sleek, black balance bike to review with my toddlers. Take a look at how adorable this is! |
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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
June 2023
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