Peter Pan - Diamond Edition

 For a Limited Time

Puff the Magic Dragon - Board Book

I remember when I was a little girl I had a cassette tape of Puff the Magic Dragon and I would listen to it over and over again. It has been years since I've heard that song! Did you know that this year id the 50th Anniversary of the song? So when I learned that there was a new board book for that famous dragon I was excited to check it out.

This book is just beautiful. The illustrations truly bring the story that is told through music to life. I was so excited to share this book with my daughter. It was like bringing a piece of my childhood to her. And since she is still young it was really nice to be able to have the book with the illustrations to help me tell the tale.

Now the words will be stuck in my head for days to come, but at least I can sing them with my daughter now. I would highly recommend this beautiful book to any fans of the famous song. It is a story that can be shared by generations for generations.

OrnamentShop.com Review

Can you believe it's almost October? Christmas will be here before we know it. And this Christmas is going to be extra special (and extra busy) with the planned arrival of our little bundle of joy just a few days before. So when I was given the wonderful opportunity to check out OrnamentShop.com I jumped at the chance.

OrnamentShop.com is a great place to do some holiday shopping. They really have something for everyone! And they personalize the ornaments for free. We are bog ornament people in my house. Everyone gets a new ornament every year and I love giving ornaments with meaning. With Ornamentshop.com I can find an ornament that is really personal to the person I am giving it to. And I love to have them dated so people can look back on them.

This year we are all about the new baby coming. So I wanted to do something special for my daughter who will be a big sister for the first time. So I did a search to see if they had any Big Sister ornaments, and of course they did!

I found the perfect Big Sister ornament for my little girl. We know we are having a boy, so we chose a big sister/baby brother. I had her name put on it and the year, but I left the baby's name blank as we don't have a name yet.

I was really impressed with how quickly my ornament arrived. I anxiously opened it up and found the sweetest ornament. Everything about it was just what I wanted. It's a good size, so the name is visable and clear. It's truly an adorable ornament and will hold special meaning for my daughter for many, many years. 

I would highly recommend you check out Ornamentshop.com for the perfect ornaments this holiday season. They are priced very fair and seem to be high quality products. You can also check them out on Facebook and Pinterest for sales and promotions.

* I received a free ornament for review purposes. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Healthy Schools, Healthy Minds Campaign

As a mom and a teacher I am so excited to share with you some information about a great new campaign going on now. Stop & Shop and Produce for Kids have teamed up for the Healthy School, Healthy Minds campaign that is running now through October 20th.

Local shoppers can contribute to this cause and support your local schools by adding produce to their Stop & Shop shopping lists. During the campaign, participating fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers will make a donation based on consumption of their fresh produce items to DonorsChoose.org, which will support local classroom projects.

Shoppers can be on the lookout for the Produce for Kids display unit, featuring characters from popular Sprout shows, LazyTown™ and Noodle and Doodle, in the produce section of their local Stop & Shop store. The more items shoppers add to their shopping lists, the more local classrooms will benefit!

This is a win-win situation for all! You would be getting fresh, healthy produce for you and your family and the local schools would benefit from your purchases.

Stop & Shop will also feature the Ideal Meals™ program from Produce for Kids in the produce department. Ideal Meals cards provide 12 quick, easy, and healthy chef-created/dietitian-approved complete meal solutions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts.

Here is the Baja Breakfast Burrito:

Serves 4
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Ingredients:
·   1 Tbsp. olive oil
·   ½ cup bell peppers, seeded, diced
·   ½ cup onions, diced
·   1 cup black beans, drained, rinsed
·   ½ cup tomatoes, diced
·   1 cup spinach, cooked, drained
·   ⅓ cup salsa
·   6 large eggs, scrambled, cooked until firm
·   4 whole wheat tortillas·   ½ avocado, peeled, sliced
·   12 cucumber slices

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add peppers and onions, and cook 5 minutes, or until tender and browned.
2. Add beans, tomatoes and spinach. Cook until beans are heated through, stirring often.
3. Remove from heat and set aside. Mix in salsa.
4. Assemble tortillas by adding eggs, bean/vegetable mixture, avocado and cucumber.

 Nutrition Information:Baja Breakfast Burrito  Calories 472; Fat 16.42g; Protein 25.36g; Carbohydrate 55.84g; Fiber 10.87g; Cholesterol 288mg; Sodium 371mg; Calcium 443mg; Vitamin A 2092 IU; Vitamin C 31.65mg; Iron 4.04mg

Produce for Kids has also launched a Pinterest contest where you could win gift cards to your local grocery store. Check it out HERE for more information.

* I received a gift card in exchange for sharing information about this campaign.

Get the Best Deal from Dish-Systems.com

Dish-Systems.com wants to help you get the best possible deal with Dish Network. They have an easy to navigate website that has compiled all of the best Dish Network deals to help save you time and money. They have taken the guess work out of getting what you want from your cable at a price you can afford.

As a busy mom, the idea of trying to figure out all of the options available these days for cable is overwhelming. I know what I need from my cable company, but I don't always have the time or energy to do my research and make sure I'm getting the best deal. So I was really interested in checking out Dish-Systems.com to see what kind of resources they pulled together. Since I don't know much about Dish Network I figured that if I could understand it and walk away with some more information then my readers would be able to as well.

Dish-Systems.com drew my attention towards three areas of interest:
Dish Network Discounts
Dish Network Blockbuster
Dish Network Tailgater

Within the Dish Network Discounts page they have broken your packages down into an easy to understand chart. You can click on the name of the package to get all of the details about what you would receive. They are listed in order of price from lowest to highest and let you know how many channels you would receive.

Dish Network Blockbuster gives you all of the information you need to know about adding Blockbuster @Home to your package. Again, they have laid out the prices of how much it would cost a month for a certain number of disks at a time. I had never even heard of this option, so this was all new to me. They listed some common questions and answers right on this page, so I was able to gather a ton of information in a short amount of time.

The Dish Network Tailgater is another option that I had never heard of. Did you know that you can take your Dish Network with you and watch TV outside? The Tailgater is a portable satellite TV antenna that allows you to hook up to a compatible dish receiver and watch TV. You could take it camping or to tailgating events.  You don't even have to have a yearly subscription. You can just active and stop your service as needed.

I think the Dish-Systems.com site is a huge help in learning about what Dish Network has to offer and what the right deal is for you. They have put a lot of time and effort into creating an easy to use and easy to understand informative site. Check it out today and learn more about what you could be getting with your cable.

* This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Baby Shower - Tommee Tippee

I am a big fan of Tommee Tippee. But I was introduced to this brand when my daughter was a toddler, so I am mostly familiar with the Explora collection. The Explora collection is filled with bright colors and fun designs that make meal time fun and functional. I was really excited when Tommee Tippee became available at Target, one of my favorite stores!

But with a new baby on the way my interest was focused on a much younger line, the Closer to Nature collection. Finding the perfect bottle for your newborn can be very challenging. This was very true for us with our daughter as she was breast fed and bottle fed. So the idea of using a bottle that is close to the natural design of a mother's breast is very appealing to me. And they are even designed to reduce air flow and make the babies feed comfortably.

I was fortunate enough to receive a bottle set, bottle cleaner, and set of bibs from Tommee Tippee to check out in person. The bibs are so incredibly soft and are designed with a dribble catcher. The dribble catcher absorbs leaks and spills as a baby eats. This helps keep things dry and reduce the possibility of irritation on baby's sensitive skin. I am very excited to use these with my new bundle of joy!

I have always been a fanatic about cleaning my baby's bottles. I use hot water and scrub into every nook and cranny that I can possibly get into. With the Tommee Tippee bottle cleaner has wide bristles to clean the insides as thoroughly as possible. And the nipple brush is conveniently tucked into the handle. so you always have it on hand. I love the design!

I am so impressed with Tommee Tippee. Their website is filled with useful information for getting feeding off to a good start, and continuing on through the first few years. I feel like this is a brand I can trust and I feel confident that I am using quality products at an affordable price. Their products are easy to find at Babies R Us and Target. I would definitely recommend that new moms and moms of young children check them out!

Baby Shower - Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow

The one thing I didn't have during my first pregnancy was a pregnancy pillow. So I knew going into this pregnancy that it was a top priority on my list. What I didn't realize was how quickly I was going to need one!

With my first pregnancy everything seemed to easy. It wasn't until the last month or so that things started to get uncomfortable. It was difficult to fall asleep and I started to have some back pain. This time around I felt like I was in my 9 month when I was only in my 4th! I'm not even kidding. My body seemed to remember being pregnant and I popped a big belly and started all my aches and pains.

This baby is measuring big... I'm not too surprised since my daughter was 9 lbs. 11 oz. But I truly wasn't prepared for how uncomfortable I would be so early one. Fortunately I knew I had an Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow on it's way. I had done some research on this product to see what other moms thought. I read about the facts on their website and then visited Amazon where there were several product reviews. The word seemed to be positive, so when this puppy arrived I opened it up and put it to use.

Here is a little about the product:

Proven to reduce back pain within the first few nights
OB/GYNs across the U.S. recommend it for optimal sleep positioning
Chosen by Disney as the #1 Pregnancy Essential
Recipient of the National Parenting Center 2012 Seal of Approval
Yoga instructors use it in class as a way to keep moms comfortably in place during their practice
Best-selling author of prenatal fitness books recommends it. She's an expert in body mechanics and promotes the pillow as a way to encourage side-sleeping as the safest position.
Folds into a cube and used as a decorative pillow when not in use
Easily fits into a suitcase for travel
Made with designer fabrics ECO FRIENDLY
Under $50

I was specifically looking for a couple of things with this pillow. I wanted support for my ever expanding belly. When I would lay on my side I would actually feel my belly pull down toward the bed. I found myself stuffing my blankets under to keep it supported. I was also looking for support for my back. I'm a back sleeper and staying on my side is very challenging. So I would stuff pillows behind my back so that I could roll slightly on my back while still staying on enough of an angle that I wasn't flat on my back.

I feel like this pillow was designed for me. It is the simplest set up with simply opening it up and laying between the two pillows. The pillow for your belly is softer, while the pillow for your back offers more solid support. My body literally melted into this pillow. My belly was comfortably resting on the soft side, but I also was able to lean towards my back for a change in position.

This pillow has kept me sleeping comfortably on my left side. The first night I woke up and removed the pillow so that I could roll onto my right side. I felt the difference right away and brought the pillow back. What a change you can feel when you have some support and then you go back to none! And my husband loves this pillow because it's very compact. It doesn't intrude on his side of the bed. And it's easy for me to take it with me when we travel. I would definitely recommend this product for any momma-to-be!

* I received this product from the company for review purposed. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Baby Shower - NUK Review

NUK recently sent me the most amazing box full of goodies. With my second baby on the way I am feeling a  bit more prepared for the whole newborn experience. With my first I was kind of in this world of ignorance is bliss. I didn't know too much about babies, except for changing diapers and feeding bottles (thanks to my years of babysitting). I was fortunate enough to have amazing doctors and friends who walked me through the new mom experience without making me go crazy doing research and trying to know it all.

One are where I was completely lacking any knowledge was baby dental care. I mean, they're toothless right? Boy was I wrong. Oral care for newborns is extremely important and can set the stage for how your child's mouth develops down the road. Using the correct pacifiers, bottles, cups, and cleaning tools can lead to healthier smiles and less time and money invested in dental care.

When it comes to providing the right products for healthy oral development NUK is the brand to trust. They have been the authority on this topic and have recently unveiled their new line of orthodontic pacifiers, orthodontic bottles, and oral cleansing products. These products have been designed to specifically promote healthy oral development at birth for life long benefits.

While these products have all the right stuff to keep your child's oral development on the right track, NUK didn't slack off the cute department. After all, these are babies and we moms want cute everything! Each product has designs geared towards girls and boys with bright, fun colors. And there is variety so you can try a couple of different kinds to find the one your baby likes, without sacrificing the health benefits.

Here is a little bit of information about each of the new products:

NUK® Grins & Giggles® Infant Tooth & Gum Cleanser (MSRP: $4.99)Designed for the tiniest mouths, the NUK® Grins & Giggles® Infant Tooth & Gum Cleanser properly cleanses gums and baby’s first little teeth of residues associated with feedings and saliva. This kit includes a soft finger brush to fit snugly on mom’s finger and feels great on baby’s tender gums.  The cleanser is made with enzymes found in breastmilk, is fluoride-free and safe to swallow and has a delicious natural apple-banana flavor so baby’s introduction to regular mouth cleansings will be a pleasurable experience.

NUK® Grins & Giggles® Toddler Tooth & Gum Cleanser (MSRP: $5.99)Created for toddlers of 12+ months, the NUK® Grins & Giggles® Toddler Tooth & Gum Cleanser includes a toddler sized brush with an ergonomically designed wide handle so even the littlest hands can easily hold it. The cleanser is fluoride-free and safe to swallow and has a delicious natural mixed berry flavor that will make the next step in mouth cleansing a breeze for parent and child alike.

NUK® TrendLine Dots Orthodontic Bottle 10-oz. (MSRP: $5.49)Lend a touch of style to feeding time and a bit of grace to post-feeding time!  This hot new orthodontic bottle features the NUK® brand’s unique orthodontic nipple for healthy oral development, plus the NUK® Air System which reduces colic. Great looking bottle styles coordinate with like-named pacifiers and learner cups, and are available in a variety of colors as well as in a smaller 5-oz size.

NUK® Soft OrthoStar™ Advanced Orthodontic Pacifier (MSRP: $3.99)Innovation in pacifier technology will gift baby with lifelong benefits courtesy of the NUK® Soft OrthoStar™ Pacifier.  This advanced orthodontic pacifier is made of 100% silicone and features five distinct OrthoStar™ advantages for little mouths. The flexible heart-shaped shield provides greater comfort while the nipple shape mimics the shape of mom’s nipple during breastfeeding.  To encourage healthy oral development, the scoop nipple cavity maximizes tongue movement to build strength, and a thinner neck lessens jaw pressure while integrated channels lessen palate pressure. Winner of 2012 Mom’s Choice Award for Pacifiers/Teethers. Available in a variety of colors. Available in silicone, 0-6 months.

NUK® TrendLine™ Babytalk Orthodontic Pacifier (MSRP: $4.99)Trendy pastel graphics with ABC’s, 123’s, and a pop of color mean baby can sport one of several hot new pacifier designs just introduced by NUK®, the #1 selling pacifier brand on the market. This top-selling orthodontic pacifier features key oral development benefits including being optimally adapted to baby’s oral cavity and mimicking the shape of mom’s nipple during breastfeeding.  This Pacifier features a design that coordinates with other NUK® TrendLine™ bottles and Learner Cups too, so baby will be fully outfitted with the most beneficial gear and smile bright too!  Available in silicone in sizes 0-6 months and 6-18 months.

NUK® Juicy Orthodontic Pacifier (MSRP: $4.79)These fresh-squeezed bright and juicy colors are as healthy as they look! Its natural orthodontic shape mimics the shape of mom’s nipple during breastfeeding and is optimally adapted to a baby’s mouth. Available in silicone and latex in sizes 0-6 months, 6-18 months and 18-36 months.

NUK® Lollipop Orthodontic Pacifier (MSRP: $4.79)Looking good and feeling great has never been so easy for baby. Translucent candy colors show off baby’s sweet smile when out on the town in the deliciously-styled NUK® Lollipop Pacifier. This top seller is available is several fun colors to match any outfit or baby, while featuring the brand’s trademark natural orthodontic shape which mimics the shape of mom’s nipple during breastfeeding and is tailored to benefit baby’s oral development. Available in silicone and latex in sizes 0-6 months and 6-18 months.

NUK® Babytalk Learner Cup 5-oz. (MSRP: $7.99)Babies start learning language in the womb, and can even cry in different accents as early as three days after birth. Show off your baby’s smarts with the NUK® spill-proof Babytalk Learner Cups –and help her transition to sippy cups in style. The spill-proof, soft spout is designed to be gentle on gums and the removable easy-grip handles with anti-slip grips make it easy to sip, travel, and learn all at the same time!

I also received the NUK Expressive Single Electric Breast Pump. I am so excited to try this out! I am planning on breast feeding, but with all the trouble I had with my first I want to be prepared to pump in case I need to do so between feedings to increase my supply. I am also planning on going back to work, so this will be a must! I love how compact it is, making it easy to take on the go. I will be sure to let you know how it works out once the baby is here.

Baby Shower - Pure Romance

I had never heard of Pure Romance before, but I'm glad I found out about it! It's one of those fun companies where you can become a consultant, host parties, or just shop online. They offer products for the bath, beauty, and the bedroom. These are the perfect products to chat about and look at during a fun girls night. Add a little wine and fondue and I'm there!

I was fortunate enough to get to check out one of their products up close and personal. With all the changes my body is going through it could use a little pampering. And what better way to do it then to fight the appearance of stretch marks at the same time!

Save My Skin is just what my body needed. It moisturizes and nourishes the skin with essential oils. I was starting to get that itchy tight feeling that comes along with the ever expanding belly, so each morning and night I would spray some of this fabulous oil onto my belly and slowly rub it in using circular motions. The oil glided on smoothly making it comfortable for me to apply. It also dried pretty quickly, so I didn't stay feeling oily all day. 

This oil has become a part of my daily routine. I won't say I'm without stretch marks (he's a big baby!) but I am much more comfortable. My skin feels great and I am growing each day! I would definitely recommend this for any mom to be! 

So head on over and check out Pure Romance online. You can learn all about the opportunities to host or become a consultant. Or you could just browse their selection of products and place your order online!

Baby Shower - Baby GooRoo

Boy do I wish I had known about baby gooroo when I had my first baby. This is a must visit site filled with tons of information and helpful tips for taking care of a new baby and yourself. But perhaps the most informative section for me was about breastfeeding.

I went into motherhood with the idea that breastfeeding would just happen for me. I wasn't under the illusion that it would be easy (I did do some reading), but I had no reason to believe that I wouldn't be able to do it. Then my baby was born and we jumped right in. We had a lactation consultant come and the baby latched on. Great! Then.... we went home...

My daughter was big and I ended up with a c-section. Two things that could make breastfeeding more difficult. She definitely wasn't getting enough and she just screamed! So supplementing with formula became a must for these frazzled new parents. But we had no idea where to go from there. So we struggled for 3 months where I was only producing a few ounces a day. It was a nightmare for all involved.

So when I learned about baby gooroo I started to do some reading. And then this wonderful package arrived at my front door. I am determined to be better informed and better prepared this time around!

This collection is a dream. The best part for me is the book. This breastfeeding guide takes you through the process from the very beginning. It starts by explaining how it works with illustrations to help you understand what your body does to prepare for the baby and then how it continues to provide what your baby needs. Then you move on to learning how to get started. There are great tips in there for having the most success, like keeping the baby with you for the first hour and letting them bond with you.

This book answered a lot of my questions and gave me some great ideas for this time around. This is a book I will have on hand from the minute my baby is born until we are settled into a nice routine.

The set also came with the softest baby essentials. An amazing hooded towel that I can't wait to wrap my baby in. Bibs, burp cloths, and wash cloths with adorable animals with cute sayings (I go bananas over mom's milk!).  Each item reminds you about the importance of breastfeeding. And seeing these cute little items on your baby will surely help you keep going, even when it gets a little tough!

This would make a fabulous gift for a new mom-to-be! Check it out on the baby gooroo website to learn more.

Goes as a Group this Halloween!

I used to love getting a group together to dress up for Halloween! Group Halloween costumes can be so much fun. I haven't done anything like that since I was in college and I would love to do it again. You can go really silly in this category because you aren't going alone!

At PureCostumes.com there are so many fun costumes for groups. My husband would love the idea of going as Super Mario! This is a fun one that will make people laugh and can incorporate guys and girls. And who doesn't love Super Mario? I would be Princess Peach and I'm sure my husband would want to be Yoshi. You can even get the kids involved with some kids costumes.

I personally would love to get a group of my girl friends together and go in the cute Muppets costumes.  With their really fun movie being release on DVD this past year I'm sure we would be a hit! And very recognizable!

If you can't get a group together for some of these fun ideas, perhaps you could talk the hubby into trying a couples costume. Wilma and Fred? Bacon and Egg? There's a really nice selection from sexy to cute to funny. I think I like Batman and Cat Woman the best.

Whatever your ideal costume may be, PureCostumes.com has a ton of great ideas and options to pick from. I love that they have something for everyone in the family from the tiniest tots to the hippest grown ups. Some say Halloween is for the kids, but I think it can be fun for everyone! What are your 2012 Halloween Costume ideas?

Check out PureCostumes.com for fabulous ideas. You can also visit them on Facebook and Twitter for news and ideas. And shopping now couldn't be better with shipping for only $4.99! No code needed!

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 Viva La Fiesta - Review

Hilarious Fiesta of Family Fun

Unleashed on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital

September 18th!

Everyone’s favorite talking Chihuahuas Papi (voice of George Lopez) and Chloe (voice of Odette Annable) are back, joined by their five playful pups in an all-new family comedy. It’s canine chaos as Papi’s family (dog and human) move into the posh Langham Hotel, complete with a luxurious doggy spa. But there’s trouble in puppy paradise when Rosa, the littlest member of the pack, feels smaller and less special than ever. Now it’s up to Papi to help Rosa find – and celebrate – her inner strength, which turns out to be bigger than she ever dreamed and reminds humans and canines alike of the importance of family, friends and teamwork. 

My daughter and I fell in love with Papi way back with the first movie. It's hard not to love a little dog with big personality. And then things got even sweeter as he grew his family and added 5 adorable pups! The best part about these dogs is that they truly depict family values. They love each other and have each other's backs no matter what life throws at them. And with this bunch life throws a lot of silly and adventurous things their way!

We cuddled up for a fun family movie night to catch up on the latest with this family of puppies. My daughter thinks they are just hysterical and can never seem to get over their silliness. She laughs out loud as they get into trouble and just act like kids. What I loved about the film was that it was something we could all watch together and all enjoy. There were some jokes that were over my daughter's head but were very funny to my husband and I.

While all of the movies staring these pups have been full of family values, this one was above and beyond. The love that Papi and Chloe have for their pups is evident. And the pups, while troublesome at times, definitely want to make their parents proud. And the sibling love is sweet and a wonderful message to share with your kids. Every member of this family is valued and loved... no matter how small! And the supporting characters are fabulous! Of course the location was fun and made me yearn for a spa vacation! From start to finish we had fun with this family film!

Baby Shower - BePe Baby

I learned about BePe Baby and their amazing slippers about two years ago. They are the only slippers I buy and my daughter loves them! I first fell in love with the idea of them when I read that the toddler slippers had non-skid bottoms and my daughter was just starting to walk. I gave them a try and discovered that they were exactly what I needed. They are cute and functional.

Here is my daughter last year wearing her slippers.

My daughter has owned several pairs and we are all set for this winter with a perfect purple pair in Pebbles (purple is her favorite color). So when I learned that we would be welcoming a baby boy this December I reached out to BePe Baby to see if I could check out the Baby Booties, since we had never used them before. The company is amazing to work with and quickly had a pair in the mail to me.

My heart melted when I opened the package. They are so tiny! I forgot how tiny baby feet are! The booties are incredibly soft. They have a elastic around the heel to keep the slippers on (I do remember my daughter always managing to kick her socks off) and the fleece on the bottom is just oh so soft.

BePe Baby booties and slippers are all handcrafted in the USA. You can tell that a great deal of thought has gone into the design and that a great deal of love goes into each and every pair. I can speak for their amazing quality as my daughter has worn the same slippers every day from November to March and they didn't rip or tear. These slippers are adorable and affordable.

BePe Baby has a great selection of booties and slippers for babies, toddlers, and kids up to about age 5. They also have other products like legwarmers, hats, and bibs. I can't recommend them enough. And they have a bargain basket that is always full of adorable stuff at even lower prices. You can't beat it!

You can visit their website to check out all the fun colors and patterns. You can also visit them on Facebook and Twitter for news about sales, coupon codes, and new items.

Special Coupon Code! Use the code mommadrama between now and October 1st for 20% off your order!

Kidorbable - Fabulous Coupon Code!

My family is a huge fan of Kidorable products. We have everything from backpacks to raincoats to hats and gloves. But perhaps the most used items in our home are the perfectly adorable hooded towels. My daughter immediately became a huge fan when she received her first towel from Kidorable, the Lotus Flower. We have since added to the collection with the ladybug and the dinosaur. She looks forward to picking out which towel she will use after her bath. My favorite is probably the dinosaur because she stomps through the hall, roaring as she approaches her room. Too cute!

I have been really pleased with the hooded towels. they are very cute and let my daughter's imagination run wild. They make bath time a little more fun. And we have been using them on a regular basis for over a year and they are still in great shape. They wrap right around my daughter and get her nice and dry.

So I was very excited to learn that Kidorable decided to improve a product that I felt was already pretty great. While keeping their adorable design they have made the towel even softer by adding a layer of super soft velour. I was lucky enough to receive one of the new designs to check out for myself!

As soon as I pulled the mermaid towel out of the packaging I could notice a difference. It really is softer and lighter. Even my daughter said it felt softer on her skin after her bath. And it most definitely kept it's adorableness!

 

Now here is the great news for you! From September 15th - 30th you can get 20% off your entire order when you purchase one of the cotton hooded towels! Just use the code DRYOFF33 when you check out. 

Cooking Made Easy with Progresso and #MyBlogSpark

Back to School often means back to the craziness! For moms, juggling school, work, sports, and all the other events happening this time of year can be daunting. Add in having to get dinner on the table and you could have down right impossible. Luckily, Progresso had busy moms in mind when they created their Recipe Starters Cooking Sauces.

Basically, these sauces create a delicious base to then create a full family meal. They even provide you with tons of great recipe ideas to get you started on creating new recipes or cutting corners with old family favorites. You can visit their website to get a taste of the many recipes they've created. They even have a spot for those who have tried them to leave ratings and reviews. I always rely on the reviews of others to let me know if it's something I want to try or not. I tend to look for recipes with minimal ingredients, preferably things I have on hand, quick prep time, and delicious results!

Here are the five delicious flavors that you can look for in your soup aisle:

• Creamy Parmesan Basil: This creamy, full-bodied and indulgent sauce that was inspired by alfredo and creamy pesto sauces can be used to make dishes such as Crispy Garlic-Parmesan Chicken, Creamy Chicken Alfredo, Basil Chicken Ravioli Carbonara and Basil Chicken Thai Noodle
• Creamy Roasted Garlic with Chicken Stock: With caramelized, roasted chicken broth, garlic and a touch of cream, this stock is perfect for dishes such as Creamy Lemon Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Enchiladas
• Fire Roasted Tomato: A medium-thick tomato sauce, accompanied by flavors of roasted, caramelized tomatoes, oregano and bell peppers, which can be used as a great way to begin creating  Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, Easy Weeknight Chicken Parmesan, Cheese-stuffed Mini Meat Loaves and Mole Tacos
• Creamy Portabella Mushroom: Creamy and highly indulgent, this smooth sauce is rich with sautéed Portabella mushrooms,  giving you any easy way to start delicious dishes like Easy Weeknight Beef Stroganoff, Steak and Mushroom Sandwich and Tetrazzini
• Creamy Three Cheese: Rich and creamy with a blend of yellow and white cheeses, and a savory background of chicken stock, onion, garlic and cracked pepper, this is a great way to satisfy cheese lovers with Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac & Cheese, Twice-Baked Potato Pizza and Cheesy Egg Breakfast Tacos

I received a fabulous kit from Progresso through MyBlogSpark that was filled with everything I needed to create a delicious family meal. The kit came complete with two cans of Recipe Starters, a $10 gift card to purchase other ingredients, 5 recipes to get me started, a baking dish, measuring cups, and a sauce scraper. Now all I had to do was get to work!

We decided to make the Creamy Lemon Chicken using the Roasted Garlic recipe starter. It came out delicious! It was so easy and only required one pan (I love meals like that!). My husband and I were very pleased with the robust flavor, moist chicken, and leftovers!

Click HERE to find a printable coupon for $.65 off of one can of Progresso Recipe Starters!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure:  The information, products and Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ gift packs were provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.

We're Having a Baby Shower!

I am so excited to be having a second baby. It hasn't been the easiest road to get here, but here we are! To help share in the excitement I am going to be doing a week long event where I will share with you some great companies and products. I am thrilled with the companies that wanted to take part in this event. From top name brands to small businesses, they each have something to offer a new mom and new baby.

We will kick this fun event off on Monday! You don't want to miss it!

Glamorous Glasses By Barbara Johansen Newman

Bobbie and Joanie are best friends and best cousins, and they do everything together. So when Joanie has to get glasses, Bobbie figures she’ll get them, too—especially once she discovers the fabulous frames on display at the eyeglasses store. Meanwhile, Joanie has the opposite reaction. Glasses make her feel different and look different. And they’re uncomfortable. So the ever-resourceful Bobbie comes up with a perfect plan to make both of them happy. Illustrations full of rich, comical details enhance this story about friendship and a classic childhood experience.

My daughter and I had a great time reading this book, but what I found the most interesting was what inspired this story. This story is actually based on real events that happened in the life of the author. There really was a Bobbie (that was Barbara Johnson Newman's nickname) and her cousin, Joanie. 

I think that this story rings true for lots of kids. I remember as a child desperately wanting everything I didn't have. This included glasses. I even failed a vision test just so that I could get them! Then once I had them my mother could never get me to wear them. Ahhh, kids!

This book brings a great deal of humor to a very real feeling that lots of kids get. Kids who don't need glasses want them and kids who do sometimes I don't want to wear them. And to have a best friend who gets glasses makes it even more intriguing to the other friend. But these two friends start to realize that seeing clearly may be what's most important after all!

You can visit Barbara Johansen Newman's website and learn more about this fun book! You can also play some fun games (there's even one where you can decorate a pair of glasses.... cool!).

BuyCostumes.com Review

It's official... the kids are back in school! To me that's the official kick off to the fall season. I am so ready for fall. I can't wait to decorate with my pumpkins and simmer some applesauce in the crock pot after a day of apple picking. The sights and smells of fall are the best. And I adore the brisk weather where you can get away with jeans and a sweatshirt. And perhaps the highlight of the season... Halloween!

Halloween is right around the corner and most of us are busy planning and plotting a great costume. I was really looking forward to this Halloween because I was going to get a great costume for our family's Halloween party. But... now I will be 8 months pregnant and not fitting into anything. So I am living vicariously through my daughter this year.

As most of my readers know, Halloween has been on our radar for months. We have been talking and planning... thinking about costumes and trick-or-treating. This may have been a mistake because she asks almost every day if it's time for Halloween yet. Well, at least we are getting closer!

BuyCostumes.com is a great place to go to find the perfect Halloween costume. They have a wide selection of costumes for babies, kids, teens and adults. Whether you are looking for something specific or just for some inspiration this is a great place to start.

My daughter is on a huge Disney Princess kick. So we were given the wonderful opportunity to check out one of the costumes offered by BuyCostumes.com for review. We chose Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.

I am very pleased with this costume. It arrived quickly and in great condition. My daughter was super anxious to put it on and fell in love with it immediately. I feel like the costume is a good quality. It came as three pieces - a headband, under skirt, and dress. We ordered up a size and got a small (4-6x) and it fits really nicely. It has a pendant with Tiana's picture in the flower, which my daughter loves.

My experience with BuyCostumes.com was very positive and I would definitely recommend you check them out this season to see all the great costumes they have to offer at affordable prices.

Baby Update!

I saw this cute little questionnaire over Little BGCG and thought it would be fun to do! It will also help me bring you all up to date on baby happenings.

How Far Along: 25 weeks!

Due Date: December 24th (but c-section will be scheduled about one week before - yay! I will be home for Christmas! I think that's the only thing making the idea of a c-section bearable)

Boy or girl: Boy

Currently craving: Carbs! All I want to eat is carbs. The more pasta the better. Oh, and pancakes... yummm! French toast.. sounds good to me!

Currently Avoiding: Pretty much all meat. I've been eating it but haven't been wanting it. And the thought of it uncooked makes me feel sick.

Weight: I wouldn't have told you that before I was pregnant!  

Belly button status: Still in

Sleep grade: I am always tired! I sleep for 11 hours at night and wake up exhausted. I want to nap in the afternoons. Where is the second trimester burst of energy?

Recent Crazy Dream:  Oh gosh, I know I've had some! I've even woken up and shared them with my husband. But of course, now I can't remember any of them.

Evidence of pregnancy brain: Well, the fact that I can't remember any of my dreams. I've been forgetting a lot of stuff lately.

Symptoms?: I think I am finally over the nauseous feeling. Now my biggest struggles are the pure exhaustion and the aches and pains. My back is already bothering me, and when I have a really active day (like when we went to Sesame Place - I don't recommend it to pregnant mommas!) my legs and feet ache!

Health: Everything seems good! We had a couple of scares with the cervix length, but I have been checked several times and all seems to be good. They also sent me for an early glucose test since I failed with my daughter and she was so big, but I passed the early one. I will go for the regular one at 28 weeks.  

Movement: Thankfully he is active! I started to feel him at about 19 weeks and around 21 weeks he had strong kicks. Then I started to feel him a lot less and got worried. But the doctor reassured me it was still early and he was still small. Now at 25 weeks I feel him throughout the entire day!

Names: How does Baby Boy sound? That's pretty much where we are. He doesn't have a name but we are working on it!

Any Appointments?: Oh tons! We've had regular check ups, the anatomy scan, a CVS for genetic testing, extra ultra sounds for cervix measurements. 

Any baby related purchases?: Guilty. Carter's had some great sales so we got some cute outfits.

Best thing to happen in the past week/ Worst:

Best: Having a good check up on Tuesday..

Worst: Luckily it's been a good week! No major complaints.

Almost Naked Animals - DVD Review

On September 25, 2012
Volume 1 of Almost Naked Animals

will be available on DVD!

Almost Naked Animals is one of the top-ranked animated shows for kids 6-11 years old. It can be found on the Cartoon Network here in the US and on YTV in Canada. The episodes run every weekday and last about 22 minutes. Each episode includes 2 11-minute segments full of fun!

The Almost Naked Animals is a group of very quirky characters with big personalities. Perhaps the most appealing feature of these animals to kids is the fact that they are wearing their underwear. But they are a truly loveable group that doesn't always seem to have their act together and personalities that sometimes clash. The Banana Cabana never has a dull moment with these characters in charge.

This show is definitely geared towards kids with it's humor. I would definitely imagine the 6-11 year olds laughing it up throughout the show. But as an adult it wasn't a bad show to watch. It had some adult humor that wasn't inappropriate, but may have been over the kids head. So it is something parents could watch with their kids.

Now here's some exciting news for fans of the show. On September 25th you will be able to join an online community at AlmostNakedAnimals.com. There you will be able to play an exciting game, Cabana Craze, where you can run the Banana Cabana as some of your favorite characters from the show! You will also be able to get great gear featuring the Almost Naked Animals! With t-shirts, notebooks, tote bags and more available at a new online store!

I would recommend that you check out Almost Naked Animals and get a glimpse of the fun for yourself. And get ready because season 3 will be kicking off soon!

*I received products to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A Laurie Berkner Christmas - Coming October 30th!

 Laurie Berkner

A Laurie Berkner Christmas 

Two Tomatoes Records 

GET THE SEASON STARTED WITH

A LAURIE BERKNER CHRISTMAS OCTOBER 30th!

“The undisputed queen of kindie rock.” – USA Today

Best-selling, award-winning children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner will kick off the holiday season with the release of her first-ever Christmas album, A Laurie Berkner Christmas (Two Tomatoes Records/Razor & Tie) October 30th.  The album features fifteen traditional holiday and seasonal songs, three of which are original tracks: “Santa’s Coming To My House Tonight,” “Candy Cane Jane” and  “Christmas Lights.”

Laurie is joined by bandmates Susie Lampert (keyboards), Adam Bernstein (bass) and Bob Golden (drums, percussion) as well as other talented musicians including acclaimed recording artists Brady Rymer and Elizabeth Mitchell.

Says Laurie, “Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays. I have actually wanted to make this album for a long time, as so many of my memories of being a kid at Christmastime center around music!  All of the songs I chose for this recording remind me of those family times when we shared a lot of playfulness and love through music.  Now that I have my own family, we sing carols together every year.  While there are many holidays that we celebrate, I still get a little thrill when I see the lights go up and we sing our first Christmas song of the season together.”

Laurie also recorded a song for Hanukkah especially for fans who celebrate that holiday.  “Candle Chase” will be available exclusively as a digital download on all digital providers such as iTunes and Amazon MP3 the same day as the album release on October 30th.

The Laurie Berkner Band has received tremendous critical acclaim. Entertainment Weekly proclaimed “Her voice is so rich, so textured, so full of flavor . . . you can almost see and taste everything as she delivers it.”  Parenting Magazine dubbed her “The Pied Piper of preschool” while Time Magazine lauded Laurie as “A kind of sippy-cup Sheryl Crow.”

A former preschool music teacher by day and indie rocker by night, Laurie Berkner started selling her music over ten years ago out of her living room on her own label, Two Tomatoes Records.  Laurie was the first artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr., Nickelodeon’s 24-hour educational, commercial-free preschool network,and is featured in nearly all of the episodes of the channel’s Jack’s Big Music Show.

A Laurie Berkner ChristmasTrack Listing

Jingle Bells

Santa’s Coming To My House Tonight

Little Drummer Boy

I Saw Three Ships

Candy Cane Jane

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Children Go Where I Send Thee (featuring Brady Rymer)

Silent Night (featuring Elizabeth Mitchell)

Christmas Lights

Christmas Is Coming

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Frosty The Snowman

White Christmas

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

I think it's safe to say that Laurie Berkner has groupies and we're one of them. My daughter adores her music and we rock out to it on an almost daily basis. What I love about her music is that it's totally tolerable for adults. She offers enough variety that you aren't stuck listening to the same 2 or 3 songs on repeat. Her songs are catchy... I definitely catch myself signing along.... and they're fun.

This CD is great! We are big Christmas people in this house and we start this Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving as we deck our halls. I love that some of these songs are old classics while some were new to me. This is a CD that I will gladly play this holiday season to keep my little one is spirit!

* I received a promotional copy of this CD. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.