***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way. *** Spring is finally here! I think. Maybe. Here in Ohio, you never really can be sure. In fact, the forecast is calling for possible snow tomorrow. How does that even happen in mid-April?! I'm not sure I'll ever get used to Ohio weather patterns!
Anyway, regardless of what drugs Mother Nature seems to be on this year, spring is technically here. To celebrate, we have already started cooking out. We absolutely love grilling season, and spend a ton of time on our deck when the weather permits. We actually had our first official cookout of the year yesterday, and this time, it was extra special. You see, while Daddy worked his magic on the grill, Sophie and Xander got to whip up some juicy steaks and sweet ears of corn, too! No, I do not allow preschool aged children to actually cook on a scalding hot grill. That would be insane and borderline neglect. (Or maybe not so borderline...) Sophie and Xander have a grill of their own! The Step2 Home Depot Sizzle & Smoke Grill, available exclusively at Toys R Us, offers a very realistic grilling experience for apprentice grill-masters!
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Welcome to the "At Home With Baby" Giveaway, hosted by Viva Veltoro and Thrifty Nifty Mommy! Are you expecting, or do you have a little one in your home? We've put together an amazing prize package full of wonderful products for babies that you're sure to love. One lucky person is going to take home over $450 worth of fabulous items including prizes from: Little Giraffe: Little Giraffe's mission is to provide consumers with the most luxurious, exclusive, and hassle-free children's & adult accessories on the market. They've become known for creating the softest, most luxurious - yet practical - blankets, blankies and accessories available for babies & adults. Winner will get their choice of Pink or Blue feather-soft Dolce™ blanket, knitted with love from the softest yarn on Earth! They'll also get the brand new Little G™ Money Bank. Hand-painted dots decorate this adorable ceramic Little G™ so you can "bank" on this quality keepsake & charming nursery accent.Ferrari Baby: If you're looking for the absolutely coolest, high end baby walker for your child, look no further. The Ferrari F1 Baby Walker is the best of the best! In true Ferrari fashion, the F1 Racing Car Walker was designed and built to perform and outlast the test of time! From high end, easy to maneuver wheels, to the action packed activity center which includes race car lights and sounds, your child will have a blast driving their first authentic Ferrari! Blooming Bath: Blooming Bath is the cute, cuddly and convenient way to bathe your baby. Unlike traditional baby bath tubs, Blooming Bath is made from incredibly soft, plush materials — providing a safe, soft, and unbelievably adorable bathing experience for the most important person in your world. Winner gets to choose any color bath! Kickee Pants: Kickee Pants is a family run, family oriented company. All of their styles are based on the idea that children should feel unrestricted by their clothing, even when they are dressed up, and that apparel for little ones should celebrate the innocence of childhood! Winner will receive one footie (like those pictured above) in their choice of size and boy/girl/gender neutral. Footies come with little paws to keep hands warm and protect faces from scratching. The inside of the foot is lined with a super soft fleece to keep baby's feet warm, and the bottom of the foot is embroidered to avoid slipping Olivine: A little something just for mama! Winner will receive a beautiful 72% organic lotion, packaged in an 8 oz glass bottle with a black pump. It says "You Are Beautiful" on the front as a reminder to tell yourself that every day. All products from Olivine Atelier are Vegan and cruelty free! Piyo Piyo: Named after the sound of a duckling, Piyo Piyo was created by two parents who noticed a lack of fun and useful products for babies. All of their products are designed with little ones in mind. Winner will receive a 6-Piece Baby Grooming Set, a Piyo Piyo Cup Stacker toy and their fun Training Chopsticks. Comotomo: Comotomo started making products after realizing that nothing had changed in baby bottles for decades. They decided it was time for a change and the result was their fully evolved baby bottle. It's the next best thing to mom! Winner will receive a set of large green bottles, replacement nipples, and their 100% medical grade hygienic silicone teether that's perfectly sized for little fingers. AXL brand: At AXL brand they believe less is more. Their goods combine superior quality and understated elegance, with a modern aesthetic using only the finest, most environmentally sensitive materials. Winner will receive an adorable Fog Footie made of 100% organic ring-spun cotton. Featuring a tagless neck, nickel-free snaps, V-neck and roomy feet for comfort, this snug-fitting footie is made in San Francisco. One winner will take home this fabulous prize package! Will it be YOU?! Just enter using the Giveaway Tools form below! Open to the US only, ages 18 and up. Ends 4/28/14 at 11:59 PM EDT. Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for hosting this giveaway. Viva Veltoro, Thrifty Nifty Mommy, and the participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Please contact vivaveltoro{at}gmail.com with questions about this giveaway.***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** My 4 year old daughter, Sophie, is a pretty unique little girl. While she is incredibly feminine in her tastes, she is also a "tough girl" who can hold her own while playing with rough and tumble little boys. Sometimes, she'd rather be a super hero or ninja than a princess. Which is fine, of course, but I really love it when she wants to embrace her sweeter, more delicate side.
When I learned about the kids' play makeup from Luna Star Naturals, I knew I just had to grab one of their fun kits for my Sophie. She's always curious about Mommy's makeup, and has even tried to raid my purse before. This did not end well, by the way. She ended up covering herself as well as Daddy with ColorStay lipstick in fire engine red of all shades. Oh, did I mention this was at about 3:00AM while everyone else was sleeping soundly? My husband was not amused. Not amused at all. Although he does look awfully dapper in red. Anyway, since my daughter has an interest in experimenting with makeup, I wanted to get some special makeup made just for kids. Luna Star Naturals offers a wide variety of products for little girls, tweens and even teens that are fun, shimmery, and safe to use. In fact, since they're made from mineral powder and other natural ingredients, these cosmetics may just be among the cleanest on the market. There are no synthetic ingredients whatsoever! (This excludes the nail polishes. They do contain an inert plastic material that is needed to help the polish form a coat on fingernails.) We received the Luna Star Naturals Queen Fairy makeup kit to try for ourselves. It arrived quickly, and comes in an adorable storage box. I don't know about you, but I love it when products come in cute packaging. Little details like that get more more excited about the brand! ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.*** Sophie and Xander are both pretty obsessed with dolls. It's funny, they were deathly afraid of them for awhile. They'd scream and cry like someone was murdering them if you brought a doll within 20 feet of them. It was pitiful, and honestly kind of funny. We didn't laugh in front of them, of course.
Then out of nowhere, almost overnight, dolls were THE toys of choice for both of my little people. They just had to have dolls, clothing, accessories, and shoes. They wanted princess dolls, big 18 inch dolls with flowing hair, and of course baby dolls. Baby dolls seem to be a favorite since they seem to like caring for little babies. So when I saw the adorable Bath Time Doll from the folks at Nenuco by Famosa, I knew that Sophie and Xander would fall in love with it. It combines 2 of my kids' favorite things: Dollies and bath time! Stop Changing and Start Dressing With Huggies Little Mover Slip-On Diapers #FirstFit #MC #Sponsored4/13/2014 ***Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Huggies. I received product samples to facilitate my review and to thank me for my participation.*** My 3 year old son, Xander, is probably the most difficult child in the world when it comes to potty-training. We encourage him to go on his big boy potty every single day. Every. Single. Day. Yet the boy refuses. At the point, we're losing our minds. And Xander is still in diapers. For now. He has to be ready to potty-train eventually, right?
Since potty-training isn't going too well with my stubborn little guy, I decided to make the transition from diapers to potty a little easier and more fluid for him. Rather than buying traditional diapers or breaking out the cloth that he now refuses to wear, we've been buying Huggies Little Movers Slip-On Diapers. Maybe if we start dressing him and having him step into his diapers like he would with real underwear, he will stop resisting taking the leap from diaper to potty. Now before I go any further, these are not to be confused with Pull-Ups. These do pull on and off just like training pants do, but offer the absorbency and protection of a diaper. The diaper has absorbent Leak Lock Protection and multiple layers and long lasting core. These help to seal in wetness and keep baby's skin dry. ***Disclosure: I have partnered with Red Gold and New Creative Media to bring you this post. I received complimentary product to facilitate my recipe. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** I have to admit, when it comes to lasagna, Garfield the cat has nothing on me. Lasagna is one of my all time favorite dishes to make, especially since it allows for a lot of creative cooking. Lasagna is totally versatile, and there are plenty of ways to make it your own. Some of my favorite lasagna dishes are a Chicken Florentine Lasagna, Cajun Chicken Lasagna with Andouille sausage and red peppers, and of course, there's my Grandma's lasagna. Her recipe is very basic, but it also has a lot of memories attached to it, so it's my all time favorite.
Recently, I was browsing the Red Gold website and was inspired by their collection of lasagna recipes. I decided to put my own twist on a basic lasagna recipe. What makes my new lasagna recipe different? Well, rather than using my normal meat sauce, I decided to switch things up a bit by making a meaty Arrabbiata sauce. (Arrabbiata means "angry peppers" in Italian, but trust me...There is nothing angry about this dish. Unless it's the anger that is experienced when you realize your teen snuck the last bit of lasagna from the pan in the middle of the night. True story. Seriously, though, doesn't this look amazing? I am a cheese lover, so I made sure to add plenty of cheese to the top to have an ooey, gooey, almost sinful dining experience. ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** As the proud Mama of 2 little children, I am always looking for adorable outfits that can withstand the wear (and often abuse) of a couple very active preschoolers. Sure, in a perfect world, kids would behave like little angels when they're wearing their nicer clothing. Moms would never have to worry about dirt or mud or spills of any kind. Of course this is not a perfect world, at least not in my home, and my kids don't seem to "act right" when they're wearing their higher end apparel. If anything, they see it as a challenge and get even more rambunctious.
So obviously, I want to buy my kids outfits that are of a higher quality than those found at big box retailers. Sure, I can find a cute dress at Walmart for about $10. But more often than not, these cheap garments are just that.... Cheap. Cheaply made, cheaply designed, and they certainly don't last very long and even start to come apart after a few washes. Sometimes you really DO get what you pay for! To avoid these issues, I often shop at higher-end, online children's boutiques like My Little Darling. This is one of my favorite retailers of children's apparel, and they have tons of stylish, well-made clothing from coveted brands like 7 For All Mankind, 3 Pommes, and Elegant Baby. Here are some of my favorite My Little Darling looks this season: Welcome to the Goodie Goodie App $25 Gift Card Giveaway! Hosted by: Living Frugal with Erika & Drugstore Divas Sponsored by: Goodie Goodie App Do you have trouble getting your children to do chores around the house? What techniques have you tried? My 4 year old screams bloody murder when we ask her to help clean up. It seems to be a constant battle! If you have a smartphone, the Goodie Goodie App could be a solution to your problems! The Goodie Goodie app allows you to set up chores for your children and reward them for completed chores! You can checkout the Goodie Goodie App website and get your FREE app today! Goodie Goodie is offering TWO lucky readers a $25.00 gift card! The winners will be able to select from Amazon, Target, or Wal-Mart! This giveaway is live now and ends 4/18/2014 at 11PM CST. This giveaway is open to US Only and you must be 18+ to enter. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to the winning email or another winner will be selected. Disclosure: My Blog did not receive any compensation for promotion of this giveaway. For any questions or concerns please contact Living Frugal with Erika. Welcome to theSpring Amazing Comfort SweepstakesSponsored by QiPillowOrganized by Mom Powered MediaWith Special Thanks to...Purple Monster Coupons, Memoirs of a Clueless Woman,My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life,& Everyday Windshield Did you know that 1 in every 4 Americans experiences chronic back pain? With many of us now spending our days sitting at a computer, even more of us are suffering from back pain, leading many of us to spend hundreds of dollars a year on pain relief products. Most of these products are built on a one-size-fits-all model and don't deal with the overall issue - supporting the lower back. To properly deal with pain and relieve muscle fatigue, you need a product that contours to and supports the lower back. Luckily, there is a product on the market that does just that - the QiPillow! What is so unique about this pillow? Unlike other orthopedic pillows, the QiPillow contours to the lower back using its own unique air-controlled orthopedic core. By inflating and deflating the pillow, it can adjust to the contours of your back, and lessen or eliminate muscle fatigue and back pain. Since it can be completely deflated, it can easily be folded and thrown in a bag, allowing you to use it at home, in the office, or even while driving. The QiPillow had great results in independent clinical studies, which showed that the QiPillow helped 91% of users improve sitting comfort and posture while relieving back pain, stiffness, and fatigue. With the QiPillow, you can take control of your back pain, allowing you to relax and enjoy the things you love! Welcome to the Little Green Pouch Giveaway sponsored by Little Green Pouch and hosted by The Parenting Patch!
Heather at The Parenting Patch loves Little Green Pouch small starter kit that contains a four-pack of reusable food pouches, a collapsible funnel, a cleaning brush, and a roll of 60 dissolvable labels. The BPA-free, lead-free, phthalate-free, PVC-free pouches make storing food and feeding her daughter super easy. Filling the pouches is a breeze with the collapsible funnel, and washing the pouches is simple with some hot, soapy water and the cleaning brush. When she is preparing applesauce and other purees for her daughter, she now reaches for her Little Green Pouch reusable food pouches first. At only $28 for the starter kit, Little Green Pouch can help save you money while making the world a little greener. For more information, check out her full Little Green Pouch Review One lucky reader of The Parenting Patch and Newly Crunchy Mama Of 3 will win one (1) four-pack of Little Green Pouch reusable food pouches. To enter for your chance to win the Little Green Pouch Giveaway, simply use the following Rafflecopter form. Good luck! The Little Green Pouch Giveaway is open worldwide. The Little Green Pouch Giveaway ends at midnight CST on April 25, 2014. One winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter. The winner will be sent an email and will have forty-eight hours to respond. If no response is received within forty-eight hours, another winner will be chosen. The Parenting Patch and Newly Crunchy Mama Of 3 are not responsible for prize fulfillment. |
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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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