Monday, January 31, 2011

Week 4 Weight Loss

Ugh... this is getting frustrating. I need to try and stay positive and keep going, but I just can't seem to get myself in a good groove.  I partially blame winter. It's been so cold and snowy that I haven't really gotten out of the house much. Which means I am not exercising enough and I am way too close to my kitchen all day long. Also, with the snow days I have been craving comfort foods. Homemade chocolate chip cookies, hot chocolate, cake. It's bad.

I can fully admit that I did not do well this week. We went out to eat on Monday and I got the richest piece of peanut butter silk pie. It was so good. And I have also been snacking. I tried to keep busy during all the snow by cleaning and organizing my house. So I tackled my kitchen pantry. I went through all the snacks and checked all the expiration dates. I came across several things that were newly expired or expiring soon, so I made the food. I baked a cinnamon cake and a batch of chocolate pudding. Bad idea.

Needless to say, I gained this week. I gained back everything I lost last week. It's like last week and all my efforts never even happened. But I will do better. I have to do better!

The good news is that I am definitely drinking more water. I have even found myself thirsty at times. It's like my body is now remembering that it needs water and is starting to crave it. One small step, right?

Starting Weight: 177.2
Week 1: 174.8
Week 2: 175
Week 3: 173.4
Week 4: 175
Weekly Gain/Loss: +1.6
Total Gain/Loss: -2.2
First Goal: 165 by March 31st

How did everyone else do? What have been your challenges and successes?

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Mabel's Labels Review

I'm going through a phase of wanting to label everything! Ok, I don't really think this is a phase. I think it's going to last a very long time because I am just at the beginning of sending my daughter out of the house with lots of her own things. Child care is the first small step and it's an easy one. First of all, she's too young to really be super attached to anything and she doesn't even know what's going with her each day. If her backpack went home with the wrong kid she would never know. But I would. I pay money for all the little things that walk out of this house. Whether it's a sippy cup or a book, I don't want it disappearing for the simple fact that someone thought it was theirs.

Have you ever noticed that every kid on the playground has the same sippy cup? Or when you go for a play date you look around and see tons of familiar toys? So it's very easy to get things mixed up. Labeling things makes it so much easier to know at a glance that something is yours.

Mabel's Labels sent me some labels since I am a Buzz Mama. They are great! I have put them on her lunch box, sippy cups, some books, and I am only getting started. I am labeling clothing, shoes, bags, and more.

Their labels are:
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Microwave safe
  • UV resistant
  • Peel and stick
  • Satisfaction guaranteed
And you get to pick your color and icon to really make them personalized to your child. Check out their huge selection on their website!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Purex Complete Crystals Softener Review

I never really paid too much attention to my laundry detergent or fabric softeners until I had a baby. Then suddenly I was reading the backs of bottles, looking things up online, and trying to find the safest, most effective products possible. So when I was given the opportunity to review the new Purex Complete Crystals Softener I started to do my reading.

I learned so much about fabric softener by looking into this product. I had no idea that most fabric softeners are oil based. Ew, I really don't want my clothes and towels getting coated in oil. I also didn't know that the oil that is coating them can actually make your towels less absorbent. Isn't that kind of the point of towels? To absorb moisture?

But what shocked me the most was that this oil can interfere with your child's sleepwear's flame retardant qualities. That's pretty scary! So when reading up about the Purex Crystals I was so happy to learn that they are 92% natural, not oil based. So they won't coat your clothing with oils, but rather penetrate the fabric giving you freshness that lasts much longer!

Let's give it a whirl! I used the crystals in a nice big load of towels. First of all, I poured them into my hand to get an idea od how much I was using, what they felt like, and what they smelled like. Oh wow, freshness! They smelled so good. They left a scent on my hand afterward so I went and shoved my hand in my husbands face. He also agreed that it smelled so fresh and clean!

Obviously the scent on my hand was pretty strong, but once the crystals went through the wash everything came out smelling so nice. A subtle freshness that lasted through the drier and made me want to wrap up in my fresh clean towels!

I would definitely recommend that you look for Purex Complete Crystals Softener at your local major retailer!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Winner!

Random.org has chosen our winners for the Lovable Labels Giveaway!!


#60 Emmy's Closet

Congratulations to our winner! An e-mail notification has been sent. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or we will have to choose another winner.


Thank you to everyone who entered!

Brilliant Screen Cleaning Wipes - Review and Giveaway

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

I have my iPad on me at all times. I throw it in my bag when we leave the houses, I carry it from room to room. It's a bit of an obsession, but it's also a huge hit with my daughter. I can easily whip it out while we are waiting for an appointment and let her play a game, have a story read to her, or watch a movie. She loves it! But she also loves to touch it. I guess that's the draw for kids... that immediate response that this generation craves.

Needless to say, at the end of the day my iPad is, um, disgusting. Between my finger prints, my daughter's fingerprints and perhaps some drool, and even my husbands fingerprints... it needs a good cleaning.

 I was excited to have the opportunity to review Brilliant Screen Cleaning Wipes from Black Diamond. The things I loved about these kits when reading about them was that they are super easy to  use (just open and wipe) and also that they come packaged, so I can take them on the go.

So this is what we are dealing with:
All i had to do was take out one of the cleaning kits, which has a wet wipe and a dry wipe. I used the wet wipe first and then dried the screen with the dry wipe. Here is a little about the wipes:
Brilliant screen cleaning wipes with SR-8 provides gentle, superior  cleaning to any electronic screen and removes dust, dirt, finger prints and makeup while imparting an invisible, durable barrier that protects screens 50x more form scratching. Helps protect against re-soiling to keep your screen brilliantly clean! 
*Contains no alcohol or ammonia.
And here are the results after using the screen cleaner:
Wow, so clean! My husband even came down and wanted to see how they worked. I showed him my nice clean screen and he was impressed!

Screen Wipes are available in New York at Duane Reade, Southern California at Ralphs, nationally available at Walgreens and Ace Hardware.
GIVEAWAY: One Lucky Reader will win a 5 Pack of Brilliant Cleaning Wipes!
 
HOW TO ENTER: Leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to leave your e-mail address!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell me why you want to win!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Follow my blog
2. Follow me on Twitter (1 entry) and tweet (1 entry per tweet - one tweet per day)
3. Enter another one of my current giveaways (a list can be found top right - 1 extra entry for each one you enter!)
4. Fan me on Facebook 
5. Grab my button and tell me where it is (3 entries)

6. Follow Black Diamond Cleaners on Facebook 
7. Follow Black Diamond Cleaners on Twitter

This giveaway is open to US only.
This giveaway ends on February 11, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Winners!

Random.org has chosen our winners for the Beech-nut (I never heard from the first winner) and  Peaceable Kingdom Giveaways!!

Beech-nut - #203 lcazaro29
Peaceable Kingdom - #37 Shannon

Congratulations to our winners! E-mail notifications have been sent. The winners will have 48 hours to respond or we will have to choose another winner.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

We are getting MORE snow today!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Robby Wash Review and Giveaway


I'm a mom which means.... I'm busy! I love anything that makes my life easier and faster. So the Robby Wash is right up my alley. I have a very tiny person living with me who creates a whole lotta laundry! I had always heard that my laundry pile would grow by leaps and bounds, but this I did not imagine.  So ever since she was born I have been buying laundry detergent in bulk. I buy two large bottles and keep them perched precariously on the edge of my washing machine since they are too big and too heavy to go in the cabinet above. When the bottle is full I have to lean it on it's side to pour because it's too heavy to pour without making a huge mess. It's not the best set up.

The Robby Was sounded like a perfect answer to my laundry room issues. So when I had the opportunity to take it for a spin (ha... get it?) I jumped on it. Here is a little about the Robby Wash:

Simple to use - just put it in the wash. The Robby wash ball is an ultra high efficiency laundry solution with no need to add any detergent. Makes doing the laundry very easy and saves you the hassle of lugging home large containers of laundry detergent and cleaning up if you spill when adding detergent to your washer.


Economical: No need to buy washing powder, a savings of up to $100+ over 200 washes.

Caring for you laundry has never been so easy, efficient or inexpensive — as soon as the machine starts, the ball gets to work:
- Hypoallergenic and great choice as a baby laundry detergent cleaner or for someone with sensitive skin
- Cleans and protects your clothes
- Guards fabrics against oxidation and discoloration caused by chlorine in the water, and maintains your clothes' springiness
- Eliminates unpleasant smells thanks to its antibacterial action



How it works:  The Robby Wash ball uses a unique and patented worldwide technology to clean your laundry even better than the powder laundry detergents it was independently tested against.  Its activated macromolecules are gradually released through the wash, dissolving dried-in stains by generating ions which activate the water molecules. This increase in the pH enables the activated molecules to penetrate deep into the fabrics and attach themselves to the stains. As the motion of the drum agitates the clothes, the stains come away easily from the fabric and dissolve in the water.  Of all the systems on the market, Robby Wash's effectiveness is tested, proven and guaranteed.


So when the Robby Was arrived I gave it a try. It was so simple to use and saved me so much time. I simply throw the ball in the machine and let it do it's magic. There was some work to be done as a typical dinner usually ends up more on my daughter's clothes than in her belly. I had a pretty large load in and was pleased to find that my clothes came out smelling fresh. After putting them through the dryer I inspected each piece to see how everything came out. Everything looked great! The stains came out and things looked like new. And it even comes with a stain stick for those real tough ones.


I love how easy this is and how little space it takes up. I also love that it will save me money in the long run. The Robby Wash sells for only $32.95! Think of your saving over the course of a year. And to me, time is money and this really saves time. 


GIVEAWAY: One Lucky Reader will win a Robby Wash laundry ball! ($32.95 Retail Value)
 
HOW TO ENTER: Leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to leave your e-mail address!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell me why you want to win!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Follow my blog
2. Follow me on Twitter (1 entry) and tweet (1 entry per tweet - one tweet per day)
3. Enter another one of my current giveaways (a list can be found top right - 1 extra entry for each one you enter!)
4. Fan me on Facebook 
5. Grab my button and tell me where it is (3 entries)

This giveaway is open to US only (no PO Boxes).
This giveaway ends on February 8, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Week 3 Weight Loss


Week 3 is done and I am still going for it! This alone is quite an accomplishment. This week's major challenge was that my daughter was sick. She ended up with double ear infections that were so bad that her left ear had a minor rupture. So at the end of the week my mind was only on one thing... her. I let her sleep on me all day, I played with her at any moment she felt like playing. So I didn't get much thought to healthy meals or exercise. The first night she was sick we ordered Dominos... oh man. And then the next night I made those Perdue breaded chicken cutlets. They're not terrible, but also not great. But they were so quick and easy and didn't require any thought so that was it!

Thankfully she is doing much better! She's been on antibiotics for 4 days now and is back to playing and being happy. We will go back in a couple of weeks to check that her ears are all cleared up and the rupture is healing properly.

So aside from the fact that I didn't eat great for half the week and didn't exercise, I did better in one area. I drank more water! Not as much as I need to... but more. I made a pitcher of Diet Snapple Pink Lemonade and it was really good. So I will do the same thing this week and hope that I will need to make 2 pitchers over the course of the week.

Now it is the moment of truth:


Starting Weight: 177.2
Week 1: 174.8
Week 2: 175
Week 3: 173.4
Weekly Gain/Loss: -1.6
Total Gain/Loss: -3.8
First Goal: 165 by March 31st

Not too bad! I will take it and work even harder this week. How did you all do?

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Luna B. Tee Review and Giveaway

Sponsored by Tomoson.com



I love, love, love personalized items for my daughter. Luna B. Tee is a fabulous place to go for adorable personalized shirts for your kids.


You and your children have unique personalities and styles! Why should any of you have to wear the same generic shirts that everyone else is wearing these days?

Sport your name and personality in "living color" with our Custom Printed, Personalized T Shirts in Short & Long Sleeves by Luna B Tee!

With vibrant graphics printed on 100% ring-spun cotton, we have incredibly unique designs for babies, toddlers, girls, boys, and even women.


I was given the wonderful opportunity to design my own shirt for review. I had the best time browsing Luna B. Tee's website and looking at all the great designs and really fun colors. I loved that you got to choose your style and colors. I was able to do my daughter's favorite colors in a simple, yet fashionable, design.

I was very pleased when my shirt arrived! The quality is very high. The image and letter is printed on very clearly and has not faded in the wash. The shirt is also very soft and a nice thickness. I have gotten several comments on this cute shirt because of how unique it is.

Luna B. Tee also offers shirts for siblings, moms, dads, matching shirts for girls and their dolls, and more. I recommend that you check out their site to see their full selection and variety of designs.

GIVEAWAY: One Lucky Reader will win a $20 Gift Certificate to Luna B. Tee!
 
HOW TO ENTER: Leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to leave your e-mail address!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Luna B. Tee and tell me you favorite design.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Follow my blog
2. Follow me on Twitter (1 entry) and tweet (1 entry per tweet - one tweet per day)
3. Enter another one of my current giveaways (a list can be found top right - 1 extra entry for each one you enter!)
4. Fan me on Facebook 
5. Follow Luna B. Tee on Twitter
6. Follow Luna B. Tee on Facebook
7. Grab my button and tell me where it is (3 entries)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada.
This giveaway ends on February 6, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Winner!

Random.org has chosen our winners for the Beech-Nut Giveaway!!


#15 - Chris

Congratulations to our winner! An e-mail notification has been sent. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or we will have to choose another winner.


Thank you to everyone who entered!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Table For Two

My parents are empty nester's who have fully embraced becoming grandparents! They bought their most recent home when my sister was in college and I was in high school. So we knew that the home was bought as their dream home. It's a gorgeous house on a lake with huge windows that let in tons of light. But recently their "beach" style has changed and become more of a "baby" style. Toys.... everywhere!

The most recent change was that they took down their kitchen table. Yes, you heard that correctly. They took it down to turn their breakfast nook into a play kitchen area for my daughter. Talk about being wrapped around a tiny finger! But they do have some nice high counters in that area that would make for a perfect bar. This would allow them to keep the play area, but also have some eating space so that they don't have to eat all their meals at the dining room table.

When I mentioned the idea of barstools to them they actually really liked it. So it's time to start looking! CSN has an amazing selection of modern bar stools that would look great in their home! Their kitchen is pretty modern looking with white walls and a white marble counter top. They also have really cool lights hanging over the bar. So my first thought was to go with something in silver to match the lights. How about these?
Then I also really liked the look of this... bu I think they might need a back on them for some more support:
This one also stood out to me and they look comfy... but it might be too much white throughout the kitchen:
Tada! Talk about a combo... the silver color, soft cushion on the seat, and back support:
I love this look. I think it's trendy without being too off the beaten track. I am excited to show my ideas to my parents! I'll let you know what they think!

Kidorable Review and Giveaway

As you know, I am a huge fan of Kidorable and all their adorable items! We have several of them at our house and they are always a hit with little miss. When I learned that they had a brand new collection out that features Ballerinas I was so excited! I was a dancer when I was younger and I am so excited for my daughter to dance around happily in a dance class!

The ballerina style comes in sweet pinks and purples with friendly ballerinas dancing across each piece.  Ruffles and sparkles were added to the umbrella.  On the backpack a beautiful ballerina dances across a 3-D stage that girls can play with.  Ribbons are raised from the boots just like real Pointe shoes.  On the raincoat a tutu hem in alternating pinks and a rose detail on the hood are also a special touch.

And, for the week of January 16-23 only, use coupon code DANCE5 to receive a free ballerina umbrella with any order over $20 (make sure you add the ballerina umbrella to your cart first).

I was given the wonderful opportunity to review one of the items from the new Ballerina line. I chose the raincoat because it looked so adorable online! It has a little flower on the hood and the bottom looks like a tutu and even goes out a little. I imagine that this would make any little girl want to dance in the rain!

The raincoat arrived within a couple of days (super fast shipping) and it is everything I imagined and more! It came on an adorable matching hanger and is just precious. All the little details and features added make this coat so fun. It has a pocket under the ballet shoes on one side and is made very well.


GIVEAWAY: One Lucky Reader will win a Ballerina Umbrella
 
HOW TO ENTER: Leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to leave your e-mail address!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Kidorable and tell me another item you love!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Enter another one of my current giveaways(1 entry per giveaway)
2. Follow my blog 
3. Follow me on Twitter and tweet (1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day)
4. Fan me on Facebook 
5. Grab my button and tell me where it is (3 entries)
6. Subscribe to my blog via e-mail
7. Follow Kidorable on Facebook
8. Follow Kidorable on twitter

This giveaway is open to US only.
This giveaway ends on February 4, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!

Valentine's Smiley Cookies


Oh these Smiley Cookies sure did make me smile! 

Got your heart in your mouth?
So do we, because a heart shaped cookie is the best way to get a taste of love’s ultimate temptation. That’s why our bakers decided to offer this consummate Valentines Day Cookie every day of the year — frankly, they had their hearts set on it.
The Ultimate Sweet Heart
Now baked fresh with the same artistry and pure ingredients as our original Smiley Face Cookies, our sugar cookie hearts come delicately hand-iced with a pink base and white face that says love with a smile.
So whether you’re looking for a way to initiate a heart-to-heart, or simply to send a heart-warming message, our cookie gifts are the answer — loved by one and all!

I was so excited to receive a box of the Valentine's Smiley Cookies for review. For starters, you could say that I'm a bit of a cookie monster. As is my husband and my daughter! But here is something you might not know.... I was born on Valentine's Day! So I love all things heart shaped.  

The cookies arrived in an adorable box covered with smiley faces. It immediately brightened my day! (I loved the box so much that I kept it to use as a gift box) And then inside I found my 12 frosted heart cookies

We immediately opened them up and handed one to our official cookie taster. 
She looked like she was really enjoying it so my husband and I each grabbed one. Wow. They are really yummy! They were the perfect texture and amazing sugar cookie flavor. They were just really, really good! And a great size, not huge but certainly not tiny. These would be a great gift to send someone. They would definitely put a huge smile on anyone's face!

Smiley Cookies also offers you the option to create custom cookies, so you can match them to your birthday party theme. You get to choose your shape, icing color, and smiley color. It's super easy to use and a lot of fun to design them! And they offer cookie gift baskets.  

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Lovable Labels Review and Giveaway


I was recently given the opportunity to review a variety of labels from Lovable Labels. Since we have started the adventure of childcare, I knew these labels were a must. So I quickly signed up and was excited to personalize my labels.

Lovable Labels offers a wide variety of icons to help spruce up your labels. They have everything from bugs to teddy bears to footballs. So many options, you are sure to find one to match your child's interests. For my little one I chose a very cute Teddy Bear. Then I was able to "Bedazzle" my package and make it nice and girly! You can also opt for Majestic for a more boyish look.

When my labels arrived I was so happy! First of all, they come in this neat little book so your labels are always in one place and you don't have to hunt around for different sheets. I love how organized they are, they even have labels on the top of the sheets to remind you of what kind of labels they are.

My packet came with the classic sticker, slimline, and fun stickies. With 120 labels in all I can get everything I need labeled for school, including her sippy cups, lunch box, backpack and more. And their products are waterproof, so they can withstand the dishwasher, microwave, washer, and dryer.

And to top it all off, Lovable Labels was so kind they even sent me a Friendship Sampler Pack with 40 labels that I was able to personalize for my little one's best friend. Share the love!


Lovable Labels has generously supplied us with a “Friendship Pack + Friendship Sampler Pack” for one lucky winner!  Thanks, Lovable Labels!

To Enter:  Go to the Lovable Labels website and leave us a comment telling us which one of their amazing product is your fav!

Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries:
1. Follow @mylovablelabels and @momdram on Twitter and tweet  "WIN Friendship Pack + Friendship Sampler Pack”  from @mylovablelabels @momdram http://bit.ly/bEy9h9" -  leave us the link for extra daily entries.
2. ‘Like’ Lovable Labels on Facebook for one extra entry.  (Write Momma Drama sent you on their facebook wall so I can verify)
3. ‘Like’ Momma Drama on Facebook for one extra entry.
4. Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us the link for one extra entry.
5. Follow Momma Drama on Google Friend Connect for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends just in time for Valentine's Day at 5:00 pm EST  on January 27, 2011.  The winner will be selected by random draw and will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Build-A-Bear

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Ecomom Review and Giveaway

Ecomom has made a place for itself in my house. They are one of my all time favorite companies for several reasons. I love that they take the time to select high quality, safe products for their site. This takes the guess work out for moms. I know I spend so much time researching this, that, and the other thing when it comes to my daughter. I love that I can go to Ecomom and trust that they are putting that work in for me and I don't have to give it another thought. I also love, love, love their customer service. Never have I seen a company respond faster or work harder to make their customers happy. And a third reason is how much they care what we (moms and dads) think. They are always asking for feedback, suggestions, comments on the products they carry, the services they offer, and how we feel with the overall experience of working with them.

For all of those reasons, and more, I have featured them on my blog several times and am thrilled to continue that relationship with them. I love sharing different products they offer with my readers! So here is the latest item I would like to show you.

Two great companies have come together for this one: Ecomom carries Melissa and Doug toys! I love Melissa and Doug products. I think they are high quality and promote educational play. Ecomom carries a number of their puzzles, but this one is ideal for children around my daughter's age (19 months).
Happy pets play in the yard on this extra thick wooden puzzle that includes eight easy-grasp, chunky pet pieces. Each pet animal can stand upright for pretend play and has a full-color, matching picture underneath. Encourages hand-eye, fine motor and creative expression skills.


Why Ecomom Likes it: Puzzles are a great way for children to learn important skills in matching, identifying and independence. Start with something familiar, like pets, and move to more abstract concepts...you'll see how much your little one can take in!


Why do I like it? For pretty much all the same reasons. I love that the puzzle has chunky pieces that are easy for little hands to grab and move around. I also think it's so important for their to be a matching image under each piece so that all they have to do is match. My daughter is in the very beginning stages of doing puzzles. She needs me to be an active part of the experience and uses my verbal cues to guide her through. But this is an incredible learning experience that is promoting so many skills including fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, cognitive reasoning, animal recognition, matching, and more. And... it's fun!
Ecomom offers a wide variety of toys, books, organic foods and snacks for babies, toddlers and kids. They also carry eco-friendly products for the home, bath, and more. You can check out their entire selection on their website. And you can receive 15% off your first order by using the code SBBL165 now through February 28, 2011. And shipping is FREE on orders over $50!


You can also join their newsletter and follow them on facebook and twitter to keep up with all their sales, deals, giveaways and more! You can also check out their amazing discounts with their Daily Deals.


GIVEAWAY: One Lucky Reader will win a $15 Gift Certificate to Ecomom!
 
HOW TO ENTER: Leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to leave your e-mail address!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Ecomom and tell me something you would love to get!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Follow my blog
2. Follow me on Twitter (1 entry) and tweet (1 entry per tweet - one tweet per day)
3. Enter another one of my current giveaways (a list can be found top right - 1 extra entry for each one you enter!)
4. Fan me on Facebook 
5. Subscribe to Ecomom's Newsletter 
6. Follow EcoMomCEO on twitter 
7. Follow EcoMom on Facebook 
8. Grab my button and tell me where it is (3 entries)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada.
*Winner cannot have won a prize from Ecomom in the last 45 days.
This giveaway ends on February 1, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Tag*a*Long Review and Giveaway

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

I think the Tag*a*Long is one of those brilliant inventions. It's something that you would probably never think about until you are in the situation of walking along trying to the whole the hand of one child while pushing another in the stroller. Not an easy thing to do, and if your toddlers are anything like mine riding in a stroller is not always an option. Have feet will travel!

The Tag*a*Long is very simple to attach to the side of a stroller. It doesn't require any tools and can be done quickly. It simply loops around any free area where it can't slide down. It is also BPA free.


To me this just offers an easy way for kids to hold onto the stroller while still being a safe distance from it so they aren't tripping over the wheels. It's easy for you to keep an eye on their hand to make sure they are holding on and staying with you. I think it would be very helpful when you have two (or more) kids and you need to keep everyone together. I think it's also helpful for parents of those who are just starting to be more independent and decide they don't want to be in the stroller anymore. You can't just abandon the stroller and walk along with your child. So this gives you a backup plan.

We have had nothing but snow, so we haven't gotten out for too many walks. We did bring the Tag*A*Long with us to the mall, but of course I forgot my camera. So here are some shots of us introducing our daughter the Tag*a*Long. As you can she was really interested in it and actually wanted to hold on and walk along side! We walked around the house to see how she would do before using it out and about. It went great!


GIVEAWAY: One Lucky Reader will win their own Tag*a*Long!
 
HOW TO ENTER: Leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to leave your e-mail address!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Tag*a*Long and tell me the color you would pick if you won!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Enter another one of my current giveaways (1 entry each)
2. Follow my blog
3. Follow me on Twitter and tweet (1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day)
4. Fan me on Facebook
5. Grab my button and tell me where it is (3 entries)
6. Follow Tag*a*Long on Facebook (they are giving away a stroller when they hit 1200 fans!)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada.
This giveaway ends on January 31, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Good Luck!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Week 2 Weight Loss


I have completed week 2 of my New Years Resolution! I've usually given up by this point... haha! This week was really rough. It was my husband's birthday (Happy Birthday, sweetie!), so we basically ate a lot. He requested a homemade ice cream cake, so I bought the Edy's slow churn since it's lower in calories. But I used the biggest spring pan I had (it looked small before I put the ice cream in) so it took 2 full containers of ice cream! Then we always add stuff to make it even more special, so I added fudge and oreo cookies for a middle layer. Not the best idea, but I wanted to make it special for him. (On a side not... he lost 3 pounds this week!)

So yes, I did eat the cake.... on three different nights. Ah! I am so weak when the stuff in the house. I just need to keep the junk food away. We also went out to dinner, but I was actually pretty good and opted for the grilled salmon.

Since I knew I was not making the best choices by eating the cake I tried to balance it out and ate Smart Ones for every lunch, tried not to snack between meals, and cooked healthier dinners.  Some of my fabulous followers shared some ideas to try to avoid snacking:
1. Brush your teeth or use mouth wash (then you won't want to eat because it will taste funny)
2. Chew a piece of gum
3. Drink a glass of water
4. Clean or do something to keep you busy until the feeling passes
5. Have carrots on hand to munch on
Thanks for all the great ideas, ladies!

So here are my results:
Starting Weight: 177.2
Week 1: 174.8
Week 2: 175
Weekly Gain/Loss: +.2
Total Gain/Loss: -2.2
First Goal: 165 by March 31st

So I gained .2 this week, which is better than I expected. I'm not happy that I gained, but I knew I didn't do as well as I could have. I am happy that I am still on the down side of where I started because I was honestly worried I was back to where I was. I am very aware of my challenges and I plan on working even harder this week to avoid the urges. I am also totally failing with the whole drinking water thing. It's weird, I hate water. I just don't like to drink it and I will notice that I drink absolutely nothing between my morning coffee and whatever I drink with dinner. I am going to work on this. Everyone has told me that if I drink more water I might find that I'm less hungry, and I need to drink more water to simply be healthy. I'm definitely not meeting the daily requirements... haha!

So this week: drink more water, exercise more (the Wii did not get a workout this week... oops), and make better choices when it comes to snacking.

How did you do?