Little Kiwi

Wow!

2012-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

So I finally decided to take a look on blogger and it has been quite sometime since I have posted on here. Life is a whirl wind of craziness...boy oh boy! My Kiwi turns six this year man time flies. I was looking back into my older posts and I saw pictures of her when she was little. I miss those times the baby stage when all she wanted was me and now I am lucky if I can help her put her coat on lol. She is becoming herself and I love learning new things about her daily. Not a day goes by that I believe that she is developing into nothing shy of greatness.
Parents we all want the best advice and well every parent has something that worked differently for each other. I want to hear the stories in which you did when your child got older to see how they are changing through the years. Every month I take Kiwi to see Mr. Dean at a paint it pottery place so I watch her art evolve into masterpieces :) I'd like to find new ways of watching her development through out the years. Suggestions please!

The days are interesting!

2010-07-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

So today begins with a day of many questions...am I being the best parent that I can be? Am I effecting someones life? Do I make someone smile everyday? Am I proud of myself? Well to answer all of the above I feel some days not so much but who in life is perfect? I am certainly not but I strive to do my best. I was told recently that I am too hard on myself but who isn't. I guess this little note was to say don't strive too hard to be well at something just sit back and enjoy the moment in which you are in. I am extremely grateful for my family and friends that remind me daily that nothing is considered perfection. Just a job well done. So when you question yourself sit back smile and enjoy those little moments and feel great about yourself :)

Toy Wrangler

2009-11-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

I love this product that I am featuring! The Toy Wrangler has been a life saver while shopping in the store. We as parents love how our kids get feisty and want to throw their cups and bottles to the ground. This lovely little gadget the Toy Wrangler is fun for the little ones to play with solves the problem of phobia over nasty floors. Also parents I have to ask how many times have you tried to squeeze underneath a table to grab a toy or a bottle? Bending all crazy trying to grab stuff from the floor is not fun!

The Toy Wranglerproduct was created because the creator had to keep getting toys from the floor. She used her crafty mind to create this fun product. She realized that she could use the Toy Wrangler for multiple uses. She used it for toys, pacifiers and bottles and I personally know it is great! She wanted product that was safe, easy for the child to get their toys, pacifiers, bottles and cups by themselves. PARENTS EXTRA BONUS**** this product is machine washable. Also as a respectable company they did decided to test their products with one of the leading safety testing labs. As well as having the plastic rings tested as a food grade plastic.

So parents stop worrying about gross floors in restaurants and things hitting them. You will never have to deal with that issue again. Enjoy a relaxing time shopping and eating with out the hassle of bending over all crazy. Grab your Toy Wrangler before you leave the house and be sure to grab the second one for your friend as well.

I AM BACK IN ACTION

2009-11-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

Hey readers so this week has been a very interesting week. I have been busy with life and wow I didn't realize how long it has been since I have been on here. So life is good. The Kiwi monster is turning four in February...man life goes by fast. I never believed many when they would say cherish the moments because they grow up fast. I would laugh and well now I have come to realize man they weren't lying. I wanted to let my readers know that I will be having someone join my blog to write about their parenting experiences with you as well. My best friend Jen will start letting you into her life as well and the crazy moments of parenting. The last few posts were about the Kiwi and potty training. Sorry I didn't inform you guys but yay she is fully potty trained! :) Huge smiles across the board. Thank you for the readers that showed concern to my last post. I love knowing that people care and hope for the best to others. So as I am hitting the scene again what would you readers like to read about? Are you facing issues that you want advice about? Are you in search of a great organic product website? Hmm...do we get back crafty? Keep me posted on what it is you want! Lookiing forward to learn about the latest news in your life.

Hey Readers

2009-06-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

So as many of you have seen I have been on here and there. I honestly apologize to my daily readers. Many life changes happening and many issues I am currently facing. I must thank the man above for granting my wish that my sister did not have tumors on her brain. We as a family have been waiting for answers so now that all is clear and all is well I will begin again. The only news I have now is that I have to learn sign language. So mothers out that have a child with hearing disabilities I could really use advice at this time. I am going to have to relearn some sign language. I used to know basics because my old friend is deaf. All the challenges of the changes begin to surface I will need the greatest and best advice from anyone that is facing such issues currently or had ever faced the issue. I must let everyone know I will be back in action now that I can focus more time into my blog. I will begin posting everyday from here on out. So please look forward to updates on my latest challenge of sign language and being a mother to the world's greatest little lady.

2009-05-10T07:36:00.001-07:00

Hey moms today is our day so be proud of that title because we had to go through a lot to get it. So today take a moment and enjoy this fabulous day!

My Favorite Organic Baby Wash Right Now!!!!

2009-05-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

I am so stoked to let you all know of this company I found and I am excited to introduce them to you! The company is called ONEgroup and I am happy to have tried their baby cream wash. It did not leave a bad smell actually it enhance the baby smell :) I also love that is low foaming well because I hate to have bubbles over flowing and not really seeing what I am washing lol. There are no chemicals or detergents so it is the perfect was for newborns with highly sensitive skin.
Hey moms they also have a great product called the belly and breast balm it's perfect for our ever expanding bodies during such big changes. We are always looking for the best product to rub on the tummy and I found it. I look at it this way why not put healthy products on the outside of our bellys just like what we put on the inside. Visit ONEgroup with Jane and get those good products for the inside of the skin as well as the outside. Also featured are travel packs for the traveler that loves organic ahhh hemm me lol. I will see you over at ONEgroup for a one stop shopping experience of organic!

Organic and Why I am trying to Switch!

2009-05-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

Many parents out there are curious of finding organic products! I happen to be one of them. I love know that I am not rubbing crazy chemicals into my skin or my families. The best part about organic is that we are not harming the environment in which we are trying to make a better place for our kids. All of those crunchy green moms I envy. So enough I will make it to where everything I do and use is 110% perfect for this world. I want to set standards and I can't help but smile while trying. My recently went to the baby store to look around at bedding. He is expecting a little princess like my kiwi in October!!!! How exciting. Well back to the story lol he came to me and said, "Marissa you will be so proud of me I found two bedding sets and guess what and me being me said what some crazy pattern?" haha He said, "No all organic bedding" and well lets just say I am shocked. My brother who makes fun of me for all organic is wanting organic.
So I am glad I am finally getting to the point where my family is opening their eyes to organic as well. I know many people are still curious and they wonder why so many parents are excited about organic. Hey I started to google organic and find many products and why they are so much better for you and well lets just say I am shocked what many makeup companies hide and what is hiding in your mattress lol. I opened my eyes to a healthy new living and I hope that you will do some research. I mean I am not telling you, you need to buy it but just get started with one or two things and let me know how it goes for you. I am always excited to learn about many new products so open my eyes to another great organic product out there! Every have a happy green day :)

I AM BACK!!!!!

2009-04-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

Alright mommies I am back!!!! I recently was in the process of moving and now I am back up and running. Lately life has been pure choas with the move and all. I am excited to be settled down now. My typing fingers have missed blogging to all of my favorite readers. I will be starting more giveaways soon! I PROMISE! I will be posting some fabulous reviews here in the next day so tomorrow look forward to a great review on organic children products!

ZOJIRUSHI MINI BENTO GIVEAWAY

2009-03-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

Their company profile, " Zojirushi Corporation began operation more than 80 years ago with the launch of its first glass-lined vacuum bottle - setting an industry standard for new vacuum insulation technology in an everyday kitchen appliance and firmly establishing itself as a company which uses cutting edge technology to bring comfort, ease, vitality and affluence into the lives of its customers worldwide. Improving customers' quality of life through creation of innovative products remains the heart of Zojirushi's corporate philosophy."

The Mini Bento Stainless Lunch Jar features durable stainless steel construction and vacuum insulation with excellent heat retention to keep hot lunches hot and cold lunches cold. It contains a washable vacuum insulated main bowl, two side bowls, chopsticks, chopsticks holder, and easy-to-carry insulated bag. All bowls are microwaveable and the carrying bag reconfigures to half its size when the bowls are empty.

How to enter:
Enter by March 25th 2009 11:59 CST

Get one entry by heading over to Zojirushi and tell me your favorite recipe.

Get additional two entries for grabbing my button

Get three additional entries for following me or tweeting about this giveaway
or technorati Little Kiwi

Get four additional entries by making a purchase at Zojirushi

Thank you all for participating and I wish you luck :)

MOVE OUT OF THE WAY METHOD SOMETHING NEW IS IN TOWN!

2009-03-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

I found the best cleaning products that are really safe for my home and the environment. Their products are really powerful yet not harsh. A added bonus is that after using them you will not have that chemical smell lingering around your home. I also love that if you get some on your skin it does not make it raw. The lemon scent in some of their products are intoxicating and trust me you will want to continue to clean more and more! Many of you readers only know of Method products and Seventh Generation but all of my green moms I would love for you to go over to the Ecostore

This is how they describe their products "Our eco friendly, plant-based household cleaning products are as effective as the leading supermarket brands, and our body and baby care ranges are gentle on your skin and are simply beautiful to use. Our pet care products let you spoil your pets with our nourishing, rich blends of ingredients and show them how much you care by reducing their exposure to unhealthy chemicals.

All of our products are made from plant- and mineral-based ingredients, free of toxic chemicals that bring people closer to nature with non-toxic, environmentally safe solutions that also help to reduce our carbon footprint.

Our products also help to ensure value for the dollar for our customers. We know it can be expensive to buy natural or organic products but we’ve found a way to safely super-concentrate our formulations. Our super-concentrates means that a little really does go a long way - saving you money by cutting down significantly on cost per use."

Also for my parents out their Ecostore features products for you and your little ones. I love the variety that Ecostore carries. I like that you can do a one stop shop for all of your favorite green products for you and your house. If you are a green parent please head over to the Ecostore and find out why I love the shop so much!

Take a moment and watch the clip below.

Bear Feet Giveaway

2009-03-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

A little bit about Bear Feet is that all of their products are proudly made in USA. Bear Feet's manufacturing, design, and marketing facilities are all based in Texas.The soles on Bear Feet are made from the sap of the Hevea tree. The rubber is tapped in a process similar to maple sugaring by doing so it's preserving the life of the tree. Bear Feet also believe in using as many natural or organic products as possible. Bear Feet does not produce chemical wastes, they recycle their rubber scrap, donate their 2nds and scrap leather to charity, and keep a low stock since their products are made to order. Bear Feet just wants to leave the planet like the way they found it but even better :) Gotta love that!

Up for grabs are a pair of Bear Feet brown scalloped edge on pink sandals.
How to enter:
Enter by March 23Rd 2009 11:59 CST

Get one entry by heading over to Bear Feet and tell me your favorite pair of shoes.

Get additional two entries for grabbing my button

Get three additional entries for following me or tweeting about this giveaway
or technorati Little Kiwi

Get four additional entries by making a purchase at Bear Feet

Thank you all for participating and I wish you luck :)

Easiest Way for Your Little Ones to Learn Piano

2009-03-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

My Kiwi always loved to smash on the piano and really try to learn. I thought of it hey let her make her own music. I love how once she saw it is was absolutely curious on how to play. Her grandfather told her when you get a little older we will get you lesson so you can play music for me. Well how about you give your child a lesson. Trust me it's very easy by using Piano for Preschoolers.

I am glad that Piano for Preschoolers gives you an easy to follow book. Also they give you a color chart to place above the keys so you child can follow the colored notes easily. The book contains 17 songs to get your little one started. In the kit you get a cd with all the songs included. My suggestion is if you want your little ones to learn piano and have fun while doing it head over to Piano for Preschoolers and get your kit today! I am glad to have tried this product because it was fun and it brought the Kiwi and I closer :)

Piano for Preschoolers

Do You Want A One Stop Shop for the Entire Family?

2009-03-12T09:37:00.001-07:00

I found the best website ever for one stop shopping and I wanted to share with my readers where to go. I found this place for toddler stuff and it has become my new best friend. I am always looking for the latest and greatest products and it has it all. I have been looking for a new car seat for my Kiwi and I love that it gives you a guide to help you make the best decision for your own needs.

The best thing ever is I love to be up on my fashion and I always love a great pair of jeans.This shop is constantly following all the trends that are happening out there. One their page they have a seasonal forecast, following trends, designer fashions, special sizes, find an outfit, create a wardrobe and my all time favorite eco finds. What more could one fashionista need in a site. Seriously!!!!!

No worries Dad they have all information on all the latest and greatest gadgets for you as well. They have electronics,computers,office and automotive. So parents out there please take a peek over at this shop for all of your shopping needs!

Great Place for Organic Clothes

2009-03-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

I have searched and searched for a company that offered simplicity in their organic clothes. Its like having that black top that goes with everything. I wanted to find a company that I could take their products and pair it with anything in Kiwi's wardrobe I found one that is simple yet very cute. I love so many of their products, they have cute rompers and tops for two year olds. Wanna know the company I am talking about? I happens to be B Nature.

Want to know how they are green? Well let me tell you. B Nature incorporates 100% organic and color grown cotton grown under Fair Trade conditions. If you do not know what Fair trade is, it is where farmers and producers earn living wages and maintain excellent working conditions. So they make sure everyone is respected and they products are made of true quality. Also they use organic cotton to leave out insecticides and pesticides in your child's clothes. A great bonus they use methods to minimize an impact on our environment. It's always great to see a company trying to leave the environment same if not better from when they found it.

In their shop they make it easy to shop for you friend that is expecting. I have three ladies I work with that are pregnant and trust me this year is a baby boom. I don't know what's in the water but boy oh boy everyone is getting pregnant. In B Nature's shop they have gift sets already prepared for you. Also they package those gift sets in recycled paper. Let's just say they love our planet and they do not want to clutter it up.

So mothers head over to B Nature to snag up that super soft organic items that are an essential in every little ones wardrobe. I highly recommend their products to all of my green moms and mothers leaning towards being green.

Boogie Wipes Giveaway and Review

2009-03-04T21:42:00.000-08:00

It's so sad but my Kiwi has the worst cold ever. I swear it seems like every time I turn around she has another cold. Ughhh! My nieces and nephews noses are running like faucets lately as well. YIKES big YIKES. I thought to myself what in the world could help them? The regular Kleenex after awhile just turn their noses red no matter how soft they are. Well I found the best thing for their noses. I bet you are wondering exactly what it is. I found Boogie Wipes. Ahhhh a parents best friend for those pesky boogies.

I was lucky to do a review of Boogie Wipes and lets just say I am super glad to have done one. It not could have come at a more perfect time. I love the Boogie Wipes with minty vapors because I do not have to rub that slime all over my daughter chest. I just wiped her nose with it and she started breathe better. I am glad she wasn't annoyed by it either. The wipes are super soft and easy on the skin. They also offer a variety of scents.

The other Boogie Wipes scents are great if your child is suffering from allergies and you do not want them sniffing menthol. They have a grape scent and fresh scent available in a 30 count pack or they have boxes with 10 individual packages that can easily slide in a purse or wallet. I love the individual ones personally because they are so small I can just put it in my pocket for when we are out shopping.

So do you want to try out Boogie Wipes for your little ones nose? Please enter today for your chance to win one 30 count fresh scent and one 30 count grape scent.

How to enter:
Enter by March 11Th 2009 11:59 CST

Get one entry by heading over to Boogie Wipes and tell me your favorite boogie tip.
Get additional two entries for joining the boogie bunch
Get three additional entries for following me or tweeting about this giveaway
or technorati Little Kiwi
Get four additional entries by making a purchase at Boogie Wipes

Thank you all for participating and I wish you luck :)

See Kai Run Shoes Review and Giveaway

2009-03-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

Recently I had the chance to review a great pair of shoes. I had the chance to share a pair of see kai run shoes with my brother for my niece. My little Lexi loves the shoes. The see kai run shoes are well crafted and have such style. The insoles are made for comfort and the rubber on the bottom are flexible for those little feet. I also love the little saying on the bottom of the see kai run shoes. Its super cute when the little ones walk the saying is placed everywhere.

I am glad I was able to review such great made by see kai run. I will say this the shoes do no justice on the computer. They are very cute, nice and are worth every penny.I love that see kai run has mulitple styles and sizes availabe. They also carry the size smaller for those tiny feet. So if you want to quality and comfort your best bet is to check out see kai run.

So do you want to experience the quality for yourself?I bet lol!
Here is your chance please enter by March 10th 2009 11:59 CST
How to enter:

One entry by heading over to see kai run and tell me your favorite shoes
Two entries by following me or tweeted about this giveaway
Three additional entries by joining the see kai run email list
Four additional entries by making a purchase at see kai run

Thank you all for participating and I wish you luck!

Are you the Ape to Zebra Giveaway Winner? Find Out Now

2009-02-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

HEY HEY HEY READERS WE HAVE WINNERS!!!! YES I SAID WINNERS! So I woke up this morning to the best news ever. Cornel of Ape to Zebra had such a hard time picking one winner so he picked two. Yes two. He picked the following:

Coliebear said I teach Kindergarten in a low-income school district and I would love to have some of these items for my classroom..specifically the games. From an educators standpoint these products are great because they utilize and pinpoint a variety of skills necessary for a kindergartner's development like fine motor and balancing skills ( balancing cactus game, cone sorting), number concepts (king of numbers,) (spot the dots),and the majority of the games involve social skills and team work. These characteristics make these games very fun to play and enhancing for skill development and learning in the classroom. I also really like how most of the games are self-correcting because it puts more responsibility on student learning and less adult involvement is required. I would love to win this prize so that I may add some of these valuable games to my classroom learning environment.

Beverley said I would love to have the Quercetti Toys - Discovery Car. My three year old grandson is autistic, but remarkably gifted in mechanical things. His greatest joy is taking things apart, and most often he puts them right back together again. This would be an amazing learning toy for him. It would be great to find toys like this in stores for gifted special children like him.

Please contact me if have not already confirmed to you are the winner!

Thank you everyone for participating in this great giveaway!

Do you want to earn free products from Ape to Zebra? Well then please follow me over to this great link.

Current Giveaways Happening On Other Blogs

2009-02-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

Little Partners carries the tower in a rainbow of non-toxic colors, and To Think is to Create excited to have the chance to give away one of these awesome towers (in the color of your choice) to one of their lucky readers! So head over to To Think is to Create by today to win this prize!

Giveaway: Fair Indigo is offering one Growing Your Baby reader the opportunity to win a Joobles Gift Package Containing one Joobles bear and a Hooded Sweater (value $98) Head over to Growing Your Baby to enter by tonight!

Little Painted Polka Dots Giveaway

2009-02-19T08:37:00.000-08:00

I must introduce you to a great company that loves to put their guests first! I love how personal Little Painted Polka Dots can get for you. In the Little Painted Polka Dots shop they have a large variety of personalized products from jewelry to wall decor to dress up items. This is your one stop shop for that mother in your life, friend having a baby or for your own home. I looked around Little Painted Polka Dots and fell in love with so many things. I like to mention that Little Painted Polka Dots uses bright colors which I love that.

While in the Little Painted Polka Dots shop you can find the cutest little things for the little lady in your life. I adore the tutu dress that Little Painted Polka Dots featured it was beautiful. You may also wonder if they have regular tutus for you little ones, yes they do. I love the variety of colors they carry. They added a chart of colors you can choose from if you decide to create your own custom tutu. I must note that they carry tutus for newborns to little girls. A great bonus Little Painted Polka Dots made hair ties to match the tutus. How cute!

I bet you are wondering what it is you are entering in to win. Let me tell you, you are winning a sterling silver stackable necklace from Little Painted Polka Dots. I love how you can put your family on names on it and put your little ones on the top with a heart because we all know they are the ones that is closest to your heart. Wanna grab some swag from Little Painted Polka Dots use the code KIWI to get an additional 10% OFF your purchase. What a great deal!

Please join me for this giveaway by:
February 27Th 2009 11:59 CST

I will be picking the winner by using random.org. I will contact the winner via email. You have 48 hours in which to respond. I am sad to say :( by not responding means you forfeit your prize and a new winner will be picked.

Ways to entry are:

1) Go to Little Painted Polka Dots and come back and tell me your favorite item in the shop
2) Follow me here or on twitter
3) Get two additional entries for blogging about this giveaway
4) Get three additional entries for subscribing to Little Painted Polka Dots by clicking the coupons and sneak peeks located at the bottom of the page
5) Get 5 additional entries for making a purchase on Little Painted Polka Dots just remember to use the code KIWI to get that additional 10% OFF.
So head on over to Little Painted Polka Dots so see the variety of products they carry.

Thank you all for joining me and I wish you luck :)

Chalkydoodles Giveaway

2009-02-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

How many of you parents out there have a teenager at home? I have the perfect product for them to keep you posted on what tasks they need done! I also found a product that allows their creativity to shine. I was excited to review the Chalkypalooza TEENS Teen wall sign. I currently use this product to create environmentally friendly notes to my husband. Instead of constantly wasting paper to leave notes. I used the Chalkypalooza TEENS Teen wall sign to leave him this quick info.

I never thought that a chalkboard could look so pretty. I love that the Chalkypalooza TEENS Teen wall sign is big enough to hold a lot of notes. This product will come in handy for when we have babysitters as well. It is great to have that posted up with all contact information for the babysitter to glance at if needed. I am looking for the right place to put it. It will either be in my kitchen or I might get my sister to do some magic art work on it and hang it in the Kiwi's Room. I am not that artistic so I need her assistance lol. I love that I can get her to make new art each month.

I must let you know that any Chalkydoodles products are not to be used by anyone under the age of 13 years of age. This product is geared towards teens but mothers I wanted to let you know it's also great for you to use. If you have your own business I would find this fun and creative to make a banner to attach to the table. It has the ties on it so it makes it easy to hang on the wall, table and other possibilities. Also if you are the winner of the Chalkypalooza giveaway you must season your banner before use. Included with the giveaway is a card that goes over what you should do before use. Please check out all of the other great products featured in Chalkydoodles shop.

My question is do you want to win a great prize? If you answered yes you will be entered in to win Chalkypalooza for TEENS Small Chalkboard Banner.
So I bet you are wondering how do I win this fabulous prize huh?
Well here is how:

Must enter by February 26TH 2009 11:59 CST. The winner will be picked by using random.org and will be notified via email. You have 48 hours in which to respond if you fail to I will pick another winner.

Methods of entries

1)Head over to Chalkypalooza on Chalkydoodle
and come back and tell me your favorite product in the shop.
2)Follow Me here or on Twitter or Fave on Technorati
3)Get two additional entries by blogging about this giveaway or twittering about it.
4)Get five additional entries by making a purchase on Chalkydoodles

Thank you all for entering and I wish you all luck!

Parents Gear Giveaway

2009-02-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

Hey readers so I have a fabulous giveaway to share with you that a great blogger has to offer! Please join Parents Gear for their great giveaway! Parents Gear is giving away a frameagram. I have created so many fun styles while entering this giveaway! Looking forward to you joining me at the giveaway at Parents Gear!

Bumbo Potty Seat

2009-02-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

As many of you know potty training can be quite tricky. Well at least for me it has. I tried so many products and for some odd reason the kiwi wanted nothing to do with the toilet. I bought a toilet seat cover that just sat on the top, it was one of those toilet seats that had no support. I kept thinking of ways to get her to understand it is ok and it is safe to use the potty. The trying was not working until one day.

THANK YOU BUMBO!!!!!! I had the chance to review a Bumbo Potty Seat and my gosh that was the biggest life saver ever. It fully supported her and she felt truly safe. I love how it contours the tushie so she feels comfortable and the material is really soft on the skin. I sat with her and started to read a book and I guess she was not nervous sitting on it because she immediately used the potty. SERIOUSLY I thought this is all I needed? I suppose so.

The next day she woke up no potty in the diaper and she sat on the Bumbo Potty Seat and again immediately went potty. WOOOHOOO I praised her so much! My challenge wasn't getting her to understand she had to go but it was her giving me a challenge to figure out why she did not like the typical potty seat. I guess she know quality when she sits down lol. I am glad my daughter used this product because she is picking up faster with the potty training than I had expected.

A bit of advice for all of the parents out there PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not freak out when your child wants nothing to do with the potty try the Bumbo Potty Seat and I bet they will love potty time just as much as the Kiwi. I will keep everyone posted on the success and the trying days of potty training.

So calling all parents ADVICE is super great right now getting through this tough stage! I hope you all give the Bumbo Potty Seat a whirl and I am looking forward to all the comments!!!!!

P.S. PARENTS PLEASE CHECK OUT ALL THE GREAT BUMBO PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR LITTLE ONES!!!

Sikulu & Harambe Book

2009-02-17T18:43:00.001-08:00

Hey parents out there so I wanted to let you know about a fabulous book I came across. The name of it is Sikulu and Harambe. This book helps to teach your children about helping and what can happen if you do not help. The book is considered the African version of the Good Samaritan story.

In the book Sikulu and Harambe they have many languages featured in it. Also the book gives you the proper way to enunciate the words. I love that they do that because, then I am not saying the words wrong. I like how the artist Bruce McCorkindale created fun whimsy animals and my kiwi loved looking at them as well. My daughter has become a big helper since we read this because I told her that helping makes it easier for others. She now loves helping me with small easy tasks she can complete.

I would suggest the book Sikulu and Harambe to any parent trying to teach their children how helping can change the world. In Sikulu and Harambe I have learned that one small act can make a big difference. So if you want to make a difference in your child's life, buy this book with great morals for them to learn. Head over to Sikulu and Harambe to get your copy today!

My Princess Is Three

2009-02-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

So I had to work all weekend so I must say sorry to my readers for not posting. I am so sad Friday was Kiwi's third birthday. Wow that time has gone way too fast. I am currently having empty newborn baby nest syndrome lol. Yet that won't last for long :) I also found out on my Kiwi's birthday that my brother is expecting with his girlfriend. Yay another baby!

As I look through the years I see so many changes in my Kiwi, she was practically bald till she was one and a half lol. Then when she did finally get hair, she had these little curls at the ends :) Also she is grew really tall for her age. Probably gets that from her dad because she did not get it from me. I am a whole five feet tall.

So join me through these three pictures of my daughter getting older. I will always remember her as my little baby and she will never be different in my eyes.

BestBuys.Com Helped Me Find My DVD Rental Service

2009-02-12T20:25:00.000-08:00

So I have been debating which company to use as a DVD rental provider. The toss up was between Blockbuster and Netflix. Well let's just say I am excited to have found BestBuys.Com comparisons. Its great that Netflix is right now giving a free trial so you can find out all the great benefits it has to offer vs Blockbuster who is only offering 50% off the first month. I found out that Netflix carries 5,000 more movies than Blockbuster. Wow! Who would have known that one? I sure didn't. I guess I just assumed that store that featured all the latest movies would have a larger variety. Guess not lol. Also another great bonus about Netflix is that you can view the movies right away. So you are wondering what is great about Blockbuster because you see me raving about Netflix well let me tell you. Well Blockbuster is perfect for the gamer in your life. They feature games and unfortunely Netflix does not. Also you can return your movies in-store with Blockbuster when Nextflix you can't.

So my results from reading BestBuys.Com I made my choice. Wonder what is and why. I picked Blockbuster and the reason my husband and I are gamers well not all the time but every now and then we like to try new games :) So I hope that this helped you pick which DVD rental service you will choose.

Wanna get the facts yourself and take the challenge head over to BestBuys.Com's Product Comparison or you just wanna shop for electronics head over to BestBuys.Com

Flu Advice Needed From All Parents

2009-02-12T17:56:00.000-08:00

Finally our family is feeling better after a long time being sick with the flu. Yikes who would have known it could be that bad! I had to miss three days of work and yes I must admit you know how you get that sick feeling in your stomach on your arrival back to work yeah well I have that. You always know that someone you work with it not understanding and of course everyone has their opinions. I will say I am truly excited to get back to work. It has been long enough to be away from work. I am ready to go back to telling people what to do haha lol no I am not. Yet hey that's my job. Management gotta love it. So I must ask my readers what was your diet to cure the flu lol. I did the bread, rice and applesauce diet. Yet that didn't work until the third day. By that day I was in the doctor's office and them saying hmm I think you are dehydrated. Then they said they might have to hook me up to an IV ughhh I fear needles. So I have to ask for future reference so I never make it to that point. ADVICE NEEDED PARENTS :)

PinkGasoline Giveaway

2009-02-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am excited to introduce a great company PinkGasoline. PinkGasoline is comprised of three "Southern" ladies who work full-time in order to support their love of sewing, jewelry making, scrapbooking, and all other creations. PinkGasoline has a lot of great products and they are open to wholesale large quantities in addition to retailing one of a kind.

They truly take the time to create great products. I love how they take time to understand what it takes to carry a baby around and how it can hurt after awhile. I also love how they add tassels to keep the baby's attention. The bold color is also a great attention grabber. They also created a burp cloth to match. I love that I know what burp cloth is the one to take on the go. I am a mother that loves to coordinate my stuff so it's great for me.

PinkGasoline understands my need for coordination that they are offering of my readers a chance to coordinate like me. They are generously giving a reader a chance to win a coordinating car seat handle wrap, burp cloth and a wristlet key fob.

Also a great bonus PinkGasoline is offering a 10% discount to buyers who convo them and mention Little Kiwi! If you purchase 2 or more items you will get a 15% discount when mentioning Little Kiwi!! The more items purchased the cheaper the shipping!! What a great shop PinkGasoline is! They truly give you more product for your buck. As a reminder you have to convo them prior to purchase so PinkGasoline can make a "special order" with all the discounts.

So you want to win this great prize.
First the giveaway ends February 19Th 2009 11:59 PM CT randomly by random.org

Comment on the post with what item you love in PinkGasoline shop.

Additional entries available.

Get one additional entry for following or commenting about my blog on technorati

Get two additional entries for blogging about the giveaway

Get three additional entries for making a purchase

Thanks for entering and good luck :)

Why Skipping Naps Equal Meltdowns

2009-02-07T22:46:00.000-08:00

The Volcano Effect: Why Skipping a Nap Results in Meltdown

By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of The No-Cry Nap Solution

From the moment your child wakes in the morning he is slowly using up the benefits of the previous night’s sleep. He wakes up totally refreshed, but as the hours pass, little by little, the benefits of his sleep time are used up, and an urge to return to sleep begins to build. When we catch a child at in-between stages and provide naps, we build up his reservoir of sleep-related benefits, allowing him a “fresh start” after each sleep period.

As shown on the sleep chart below, as children age, the length of time that they can stay “happily awake” increases. A newborn can only be awake one or two hours before tiredness sets in, whereas a two year old can last five to seven hours before craving some down time for a nap. When children are pushed beyond their biological awake time span without a break that’s when they become fatigued, fussy and unhappy.

Age
“Happily Awake” span of time between naps

Newborn
1 – 2 hours

6 month old
2 – 3 hours

12 month old
3 – 4 hours

18 month old
4 – 6 hours

2 year old
5 – 7 hours

3 year old
6 – 8 hours

4 year old
6 – 12 hours

As the day progresses, and the sleep pressure builds, a child becomes fussier, whinier, and less flexible. He has more crying spells, more tantrums, and less patience. He loses concentration and the ability to learn and retain new information. The scientific term for this process is “homeostatic sleep pressure” or “homeostatic sleep drive” . . . I call it The Volcano Effect. We’ve all seen the effects of this on a baby or child, as it is often as clear as watching a volcano erupt; nearly everyone has observed a fussy child and thought or said, “Someone needs a nap!”

As a child progresses through his day, his biology demands a sleep break to regroup, refresh and repair. If a child does not get this break the problem intensifies: the rumblings and tremors become an outright explosion. Without a nap break, the homeostatic pressure continues building until the end of the day, growing in intensity – like a volcano – so that a child becomes overtired, wired and unable to stop the explosion. The result is an intense bedtime battle with a cranky, overtired child, or an infant who won’t fall asleep no matter how tired you know he is.

Even more, a child who misses naps day after day builds a sleep deprivation that launches her into the volcano stage much easier and quicker. If she is missing naps and also lacking the right quality or quantity of nighttime sleep…watch out!

Newborns and young babies have a much shorter span in which their sleep pressure builds. They rapidly reach the peak of their volcano in one to three hours. This is why newborns sleep throughout the day, and why young babies require two or three or four daily naps. Over time, as a baby’s sleep cycle matures he will be able to go longer periods between sleeps. It is not until age 4 or 5 that a child is able to go happily through the entire day without a nap, and sleep research suggests that even through adulthood a mid-day nap or rest break is extremely beneficial in reducing the pressure in all human beings.

The Volcano Effect is not something reserved only for children! This biological process affects adults as well. Understanding this can help you interpret what is really going on in your home at the end of a long day, when children are fussy and parents are grumpy – resulting in a whole mountain range of volcanoes.

Sleep pressure can be exaggerated by environmental issues such as the previous poor night’s sleep, on-going sleep deprivation, or daily stress. What's more, each person’s moodiness feeds off the others, causing contagious crankiness. And then you’ll find yourself losing patience and saying to your child, “I’m sorry, honey. Mommy’s just tired right now.” (This is a very telling explanation we don’t often stop to analyze.)

This Volcano concept brings to light one more important point: Quality naps can make up for lost night sleep – but extra nighttime sleep does not make up for missed naps, due to the homeostatic sleep pressure concept. Therefore, no matter how your child sleeps at night – great sleeper or poor sleeper -- his daily naps are critically important to release the rising sleep pressure.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This is a copyrighted excerpt from The No-Cry Nap Solution: Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems by Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, December 2008).

If you want to find more great tips on nap times please check out The No-Cry Nap Solution: Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems” by Elizabeth Pantley

Kiwi's Birthday Is Right Around The Corner

2009-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Kiwi is going to be three. Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday I had her. It breaks my heart my mini me is no longer a baby, she is a big girl now. I can't even dare to think about two years from now. School yikes! I know I am going to be one of those parents crying as she walks away and then trying to sneak a peak into the door. I know my husband is going to be extremely sad as well.I think he will not cry but he will be very close to lol. His princess is getting older.

She has already started screaming and running around saying "Kylie's birthday, Kylie's birthday cake!" I laugh how whenever we say we have to go to a birthday party she immediately starts talking about cake. Haha that's great.

As you can see from the princess up top she is already to be the princess of the day. She will always be the princess of my life as well as my husband's. I love her so much and I can't believe she is going to be three.

Fondant is Kinda Tricky

2009-02-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

My kiwi has a birthday coming up soon, really soon. I wanted to get creative for the cake and I thought hmm.... why not try fondant. I followed this marshmallow recipe.

MM (Marshmallow) Fondant Recipe

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)

2 to 5 tablespoons water

2 pounds icing sugar (please use C&H Cane Powdered Sugar for the best results)

½ cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

NOTE: Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 ½ minutes total. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY - palms, backs and in between fingers, then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. (By the way, this recipe is also good for your hands. When I’m done, they are baby soft.)

Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. If you have children in the room they will either laugh at you or look at you with a questioning expression. You might even hear a muttered, “What are you doing?”

Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant is sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about ½ tablespoon at a time then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.

Its best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.

Prepare the fondant for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic- type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.

MM Fondant will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make 2 batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant can be prepared well in advance.

Thank you Peggy for this great recipe.

Well she wasn't telling a lie when she said grease your hands and your counters well. My counter ugh it took a beating after that mess. I had grease and fondant stuck to it. Boy oh Boy. It was crazy how much it sticks to everything. My husband walks in and immediately says I am not cleaning the kitchen. HAHAHA love him so much. I said I figured that much lol. So he sat there for quite sometime and then something magical happened. The fondant became solid and no longer that goopy marshmallow mix. After that he was all over it. Let me try once. Nice let me deal with the crazy sticky stuff so you can have fun playing. He was such a big help and for our first fondant cake trust me it could have been worse.

L.A. BabyCakes

2009-02-04T20:34:00.001-08:00

I had the chance to review one of the cutest cakes. Well not the typical type of cake lol. I had received a toddler spa cake from L.A. BabyCakes. I love it was professionally packaged and that on the box it stated which way it had to held to ensure the product was delivered properly. Also it was covered in plastic and had ribbon tied on the top. If I was giving this as a gift I would not have to do any work before giving it to the receiver.

I was unsure if it was the soap in the package, but when I opened it oh my goodness I smelled bananas. :) Kiwi was so excited that she barely let me get it open before she tried grabbing everything. The toddler spa cake has two super soft yellow towels with a really cute hippo wash cloth. Also included was a full bottle of bath and body gel. L.A. BabyCakes. also put in a really yummy looking cupcake bath bomb along with cute soap flakes and this soap that looks like the bubble tape candy. The Kiwi thought they were candy and trust me she wanted to try them. Kiwi created her own beautiful picture of flowers when we pulled the toddler spa cake apart. I would highly recommend the toddler spa cake as a gift to that special toddler in your life.

Do you have a baby shower coming up? Trust me I have so many coming up. I swear everyone is pregnant right now. Head on over to L.A. BabyCakes. they have so many styles of diaper cakes that you can quickly buy or you can create a custom cake. So do not stress the next time you have to buy a cute fun and easy gift for the young person or pregnant person on your list. You will be completely satisfied with the high quality product you will receive.

$75 Gift Certificate to Ape to Zebra Giveaway

2009-02-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

So I was searching the internet for a great store that carried a variety of items and that the age range was larger. I then came across Ape to Zebra and the selection was large. While searching their site I found so many great products that are safe. They have strict rules on what products they carry.It's great because they are concerned about the latest lead related toy recalls and stay up to date.

Ape to Zebra specialize in safe educational toys as well as natural and environmentally friendly toys including German made wooden and soft toys, Wood toys made in Thailand and toys made in USA and other countries from all over the world. They truly make decisions about the quality of the toys you buy, the educational benefits and the origin of the toys and hope that the list of toy manufacturers and information on where their toys are manufactured will be of help to you. It's great because they concerned about the latest lead related toy recalls so they only feature products that are safe for children to explore.

Ape to Zebra have some great added bonuses on their site. My husband and I are trying for a second and on their site they have a list of baby names and how popular they are. Thanks for making it easier to find a name. :) Also on their site they have a section to child development. They go into detail about each age group and define fine and gross motor skills. They also have more great skills defined for you.

Ape to Zebra makes shopping super easy for you! I went to through the sidebar and they had categories for all ages, manufactures, toy brand, best seller, accessories, award winning, by theme, product type.

So you want to win this great prize?

Please enter here by February 15Th, 2009 by 12 P.M. CST
The winner will be personally picked by Ape to Zebra so make it count and get noticed :)

Head over to Ape to Zebra and come back and tell me what products you love and why. Also tell me if there are any products you would like to see in the store.

Please feel free to follow me or blog about the giveaway. They will not be counted as additional entries since Ape to Zebra will be picking the winner.

Thanks for entering and I wish you all good luck!

Great Valentines Day Craft

2009-02-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

So I was searching for a fun not so messy craft idea for Valentine's Day and I came across this great video.

At Christmas time I had asked the family to get kiwi some Crayola color wonder stuff and they did. I am super excited to create this great project with her.

I would love to see your great craft ideas you have. Please share them and I will be excited to share them with my other readers!

All Organic Crib Mattress

2009-02-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

Right now everyone is looking for green products! I had the chance to review the mother load of a green product. I had the chance to review an all organic crib mattress made by Naturepedic. So many of you out there wonder why should you go green with your crib mattress. Well, I will give you some great reasons why.

Naturepedic has created a mattress that is free of those nasty toxins, that are usually found in the typical mattress. Due to those toxins, many researchers say they have increased childhood disorders. Here are some of the toxins found in that typical mattress polyurethane foam, vinyl (PVC), phthalates, chemical fire retardants or barriers, and a large list of industrial chemicals. Hmm.... Do you want you want your child breathing all of that in? Just think your little one sleeps between 10-14 hours. Wow! All of that has been inhaled. YIKES!

Want to know what's in the Naturepedic mattress? Ahh I will tell you, nothing but fabulous products that you can feel comfortable about laying your child on! A seamless design that is waterproof (when Kiwi spilled some milk it just rolled off) with dual firmness so your child can grow with it. So you are curious how can it be waterproof and toxic free huh? Well they use polyethylene an environmentally friendly plastic used throughout the food packaging industry for its purity and non-toxic properties. <---Yes an environmentally friendly plastic :) Trust me I am smiling right there with you. Also you get an organic cotton filling with orthopedic innerspring inside. At last a great hypoallergenic mattress, it has a dust mite barrier and it is free of wool and latex. It has fire protection that is toxic free. A little tid bit for you I had no idea that cotton does not burst into flames or release deadly fumes when ignited. Who would have known besides you local fire fighter. LOL

So my question to you is do you want your child sleeping in toxins? If not I would HIGHLY recommending head on over to Naturepedic and get one of these environmentally safe and children safe mattresses. I am glad my princess gets to get her beauty sleep on a mattress that won't harm her. So why not let your prince or princess feel like royalty on a Naturepedic mattress.

Please check out Naturepedic for some other great green items.

BumbleRide Stroller Giveaway

2009-01-26T08:50:00.001-08:00

I Never Grew Up has been so excited to unveil this giveaway. This is an unbelievably HUGE prize to win for one of her readers!

I Never Grew Up has owned the Bumbleride Indie Twin Stroller for well over a year and she is so incredibly impressed with it. She has two girls that are less than a year and a half apart makes it hard to go or do anything and but the Bumbleride stroller has been a lifesaver.

I Never Grew Up's husband was in awe that it did not “drive” and “feel” like you are pushing a stroller. It is so smooth, takes turns so well and will not interrupt any sleeping babies it carries! You can even use it as a jogging stroller but it does not push like the other jogging strollers out there.

What I Never Grew Up loves the most about this stroller is how you can adjust the backrests, canopies, bumper bars and infant seat adaptors independently. Also you can custom the side by side stroller to both of your kids!

I Never Grew Up feels that her girls are safe and secure in this stroller because of it’s five point adjustable safety harness and infant headrest & shoulder pads.

I Never Grew Up also cannot get enough of how much room it has in the back for all of their “expeditions” or mall trips they go on!I Never Grew Up loves the cup holder and all of it’s accessories.
Bumbleride is a fantastic company with amazing customer service, I Never Grew Up has been more than impressed with the level of customer service they offer her.I Never Grew Up never of thought she would call a stroller beautiful, but do you not agree? This is a pretty classy looking stroller.

Would YOU like the chance to win this giveaway?

To have the chance to win the Indie Bumbleride Stroller in the color Spice (pictured above), Please follow these instructions EXACTLY:

-Comment on this post I Never Grew Up ONCE with an item that you love in the Bumbleridewebsite.

-For 10 ADDITIONAL ENTRIES into this fabulous giveaway all you have to do is blog about this giveaway!

This Giveaway ends ends January 30Th at 7pm (MST)

Good Luck EVERYONE!!! :)

2009-01-25T20:42:00.000-08:00

It is offical I am going to stick with blogger! :) As soon as the two giveaways end you can now find me here!!!!!! YES. I look forward to coming back to blogger.

Advice Please

2009-01-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

Ok so I thought that a website would be perfect it has so many functions like added pages and so on. I decided to create a web page LittleKiwi.Net but as I continue to look back and forth blogger has so many great things I can't get on the page. I would like opinions. I love my blogger NOW it's eye appealing versus the web. Confusion lol.

ATTENTION BLOGGERS NOTICE ABOUT GIVEAWAYS

2009-01-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let you know I will be posting information about my blog giveaways here and on Littlekiwi.net. You can only enter by going to Littlekiwi.net. I will let you in on a bonus while entering my giveaways. You can follow this blog and gain one additional entry.

2009-01-22T17:39:00.000-08:00

I am glad to share with my readers another great giveaway. WarmandFuzzyBaby has generously given one of Little Kiwi's readers a chance to win a crown. WarmandFuzzyBaby has created so many cute and fun products. You can also buy the some of the patterns of the featured products in their store.

A little information about the creator of WarmandFuzzyBaby. A stay at home mother that shows her passion for crafting in her work. She has learned many of her crafting techniques by her mom in her early childhood. She loves and appreciates everything handmade so she buys handmade products quite often.

Now onto the prize! You are entering in to win a cute yellow crown. You can use it on newborns and WarmandFuzzyBaby has also used it on a five year old. Your child will absolutely love playing dress up with the crown.

Wanna know how to win? Here is how:

1) Get one entry for going over to WarmandFuzzyBaby and going to Little Kiwi Giveaway and telling Little Kiwi what you love in the shop and why.

2) Get an additional two entries for subscribing to the Little Kiwi Blog

3) Get five additional entries for purchasing something in WarmandFuzzyBaby shop!

For the additional entries please make additional comments on Little Kiwi Giveaway so your entries will not be missed!

I wish you all good luck :)

Kitchen Witch Review and Giveaway

2009-01-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

I recently received some really great treats from Kitchen Witch. I love so many of her products. It is practical for the everyday mother. You want to give you children treats and bake for them but now a days it's hard finding time in that busy schedule. I love that Casey the creator of Kitchen Witch has made it easy for us parents to create great treats that makes it seem like we have been baking for hours.

Right now with Valentine's Day nearing Kitchen Witch have created heart shaped brownies. I had a chance to sample them, they are really rich and really soft. She also tried the marshmallows and boy they were fabulous. My favorite treat of them all were the chocolate chip cookies. The texture and flavor of the cookies are undescribeable. I never had a cookie taste like that and I am being 100% honest. They were my absolute favorite cookie I have had so far.Sorry mom her cookies beat yours hands down.

The reason Kitchen Witch products are so good for you is because there are no hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and items that are artifical put into her products. So if you want to give into the sweet tooth and give it something better than the box cookies head over to Kitchen Witch which takes less time and tastes better!

*******ADDED BONUS********

The Kitchen Witch is giving one of Little Kiwi's
readers a chance to win a dozen of the world's most fabulous cookies.

Wanna know how to win? Here is how:
Enter by January 26th 2009 by Midnight

1) Get one entry for going over to Kitchen Witch and going back to >Little Kiwi Giveaway and say what you love in the shop and why.

2) Get an additional two entries for subscribing to the Little Kiwi Blog

3) Get five additional entries for purchasing something in Kitchen Witch shop!

For the additional entries please make additional comments to >Little Kiwi Giveaway so your entries will not be missed!

I wish you all good luck :)

2009-01-13T22:20:00.001-08:00

I was so happy when I got to my mailbox and found a box of soaps from Britewerkz Bubbles for my husband to try. So here is the truth he hesitated at first because of the look of the bar. I guess he is used to the typical boring simple white bar of soap. Ahh the power of a woman lol. He took the bar and used it and of course me being me I asked him a million and one questions.

Here are the stats on the Britewerkz Bubbles soap. His skin was oh my goodness really soft. Sometimes when you use the typical bar soap it tends to dry your skin out but this soap did not do that. I also love the scents that Britewerkz Bubbles put into their soaps. I love that they have created a bunch of scents that truly reflect a man's taste. My favorite scent as well as my husbands is difter.

After testing Britewerkz Bubbles out I was curious what was in the soap. Well let's just say it's great to know what is in the soap. I mean you look at that typical bar of soap and half of the stuff that is in it I have no idea what it is. I love that they put shea butter and coconut oil in their products. The reason I love shea butter is because anything with shea butter leaves the skin super silky and right now with the bad weather hitting us in Wisconsin it's FABULOUS! I also love that they put coconut oil in the soap it's that extra added scent that leaves the skin smooth as well. Plus one last bonus cocoa butter every mommy knows the importance of cocoa butter :)

My husband has tried the Britewerkz Bubbles soaps and we were so thrilled that we had a few other samples and we passed them on. My father in-law and my brother in-laws can't stop raving on how great the Britewerkz Bubbles soap is. Thanks for introducing my family to wonderful men soaps and ladies soap by Britewerkz Bubbles is the best for that special man in your life.

Cloth Diapers I FOUND THE PERFECT ONE

2008-12-17T16:39:00.001-08:00

So my review of the Toilebudz cloth diaper took quite a bit of time because like many parents out there I was kinda skeptical over cloth diapers. So I took time with this one because I wanted to use it quite often and then continue to wash it mulitple times before I wrote this so I could honestly give my opinion if it could with stand the test of time.

Honestly I was very skeptical if it could hold a lot of urine. Well I truly was!!! I thought to myself hmmm do they really hold all that urine or is it a bust. I then also thought that after you wash them a few times maybe they would lose the soft feeling or the print begin to fade. Another thing I was concerned about was the velcro pulling away from the material.

I tested out a cloth diaper made by Toilebudz let's just say it made me want to switch over to cloth. I love that it truly lasted through it all. The best part was that my daughter really liked it because it made her feel like a big girl. I love that during this trying time of potty training it will help out if she has an accident during this time. She thinks they are for big girls and it's perfect for me if she has an accident. I love all the patterns that Toilebudz has in their shop.

So you are curious about the fabric and sizing well here is the info for you! :)

Hows its crafted:

Cloth diapers made by Toilebudz come in newborn, small, medium or large sizes. All diapers are made of 100% cotton on outside and flannel inside, that touches your baby skin. Also 4 layers of ultra absorbent microfiber for those big milk drinkers. LOL Included is a hidden water proof layer of breathable PUL (This is polyurethane laminate coated fabric) which is not only waterproof, it is plyable, and very soft and thin, so it doesn't add any bulkyness to the diapers. There is a long piece of velcro across the entire tummy for adjusting. I love the elastic in the legs and back for snugle fit. <- It keeps it in place and keeps those messes in the diapers. On them are laundry tabs for washing. They also added on they page that there is no need to change for going into a pool or at a water park!

Sizing:

NEWBORNtab to tab 16"rise 15"weight 5 to 15 lbs

SMALLtab to tab 17"rise 17"weight 15 to 25 lbs

MEDIUMtab to tab 19"rise 18"weight 20 to 30lbs

LARGEtab to tab 21"rise 20"weight 30 to 40lbs

They have a lot of prints and great quality products at great prices! So please head over to Toilebudz and look around their shop.

I WOULD TELL ANY OF MY GIRLFRIENDS WITH KIDS ABOUT THIS PRODUCT!!!!

The Cutest and Softest Growth Cart

2008-12-02T23:10:00.000-08:00

So I have a question for all my readers, in your home did you have the pen and permanent marker slashes on one wall in the house as your growth cart? I walk into my father in-laws house and on his wall was a growth cart that doesn't seem to really fit my little brother-in-law at all. I feel we all can relate when I say finding that pretty and not super pricey growth cart seems impossible to you huh? Well I have found a solution for my readers out there.Please head over to Bekah Mae

I went to my mailbox only to see a lovely present for my daugther's big girl room. I was really excited to open the box. When I got to opening it, I found a really cute growth cart. It was a beautiful pink plaid print with butterflies on it. I was immediately in love with it. When you think of growth carts you think of those really tacky paper or badly printed cloth. I was really happy to find a big girl style growth cart. Many that I would see would just be a baby print but, I was really looking for something to match my daughters decor.

I love that she can grow with it and not get tired of the print. I also love that it was made with really soft flannel so for now if my mini me decides to get too excited and grab at it, it will not hurt her. It is crafted very durable and I love the cute little ribbon at the top to hold it on the wall. I really like that when I had gotten this item from
Bekah Mae she included a piece of ribbon to see if my marker would react to the ribbon well. I LOVED THAT.

If you want a great product for your dollar I would really head on over to the Bekah Mae Shop.

WIN A MUTSY SPIDER

2008-11-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

Win big on 1000th post! Mutsy Spider Giveaway
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Musty collection is expertly designed to meet parents’ every need with a unique travel system that is extremely flexible - perfect for the mom on the go.The basis of the Mutsy range is three frames, each with its own specific features. Various components fit into the clean and modern Mutsy frames such as a travel cot (bassinet), a stroller seat, a car seat (with adaptor). An intelligent click mechanism allows for components to be easily interchanged with a single movement.The easy click mechanism is found on the Babysitter chassis, as well. The Babysitter is a convenient and portable lightweight aluminum stand that allows Mutsy’s stroller seat to become a baby rocker.The unique Mutsy system has allowed me the luxury of on-the-go ease. It really is so easy to use and manuever! Its can grow with your family use the bassinet for your baby, the stroller seat for your toddler, and the fun seat to make traveling in the stroller fun for your little guy.With many other features, such as the dinner tray, which can replace the front bumper bar for snack or mealtime, and the diaper bag, which can be attached to the back of the seat or the stroller handle for hands-free access, make the Mutsy systems some of the most versatile.Here are some famous parents who love Musty:Christina AguileraJacinda BarrettHalle BerryMariska HargitayHeidi KlumTobey MaguireMark TeixeiraNaomi WattsRachel WeiszTiger WoodsCheck out mutsy.com, for more info. Or, go to moderntots.com to purchase your very own system! You can enter the code from dates to diapers to receive a 10% discount on any Mutsy order!
------------------Enter to Win!
This is her 1000th post at From Dates to Diapers way to go :) She has a Mutsy Spider as well as a My Bag (from Kushies) to give to one of you... The Spider for mobility and My Bag to help keep you organized; a perfect combination for you to effortlessly travel with your little one!

2008-11-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

Give Thanks, Save Money: Win $500 Walmart Gift Card
Thanks for visiting!

She is thrilled to have the chance to give away a $500 Walmart gift card, sponsored by Nickelodeon, to one of you just in time for the holidays. You’ll get your card in time for last minute shopping, and she is seriously so excited to bless one of you with this gift! Even better, all the other Walmart ElevenMoms are giving away the same thing, so you have LOTS of chances to win (sorry, you can only win once though!). Everyone has different rules to their contests, so be sure to read each post carefully.

Most of you know (and can relate to) the fact that the economy has been very hard on our family this year. The holiday season is a little bittersweet when you can’t celebrate the way you’d like to, or are used to. I’ve had to become a bargain finder, deal hunter and all around frugal loving mama, and I can’t get enough of the smart and savvy ideas when it comes to inexpensive gifts and ways to save money this time of the year.

This is where you come in! To enter her contest, she wants to learn from you, and find more ways to have a fun and frugal holiday.

To enter the $500 Walmart Gift Card contest:

1. Comment on her blog To think is to create and post with a money saving tip for the holidays. It can be about ANYTHING, but make it good and make it count.

2. You can get two additional entres by posting about this contest on your blog and/or writing about it on Twitter. This means a total of 3 possible entries per household. Please either her Twitter name (@ToThink) or use the tag #Nick11 in your tweet. Comment here with the url of your post or tweet for each additional entry.

3. Contest ends December 8th at 12:01am The top 10 tips will be chosen based on creativity and originality. The winner will then be chosen at random. Your tip may even be featured on Walmart’s site, so again, make it good!

Recaro Carseat Giveaway

2008-11-24T13:30:00.000-08:00
SWAG ALERT: Our Favorite Car Seat - The Recaro Young Sport!

This week we’re swagging one lucky reader with our Favorite Car Seat - The Recaro Young Sport! It’s a $330 value, so let’s make those comments really good for our friends at Recaro:)!!! We really appreciate such a great gift for you, our fabulous readers, and we know Recaro will really appreciate your feedback!!!
To enter, go to http://www.recarokids.com/ and take a look at their products. THEN simply comment on her post saying what you love most about the products, their website or the company.
You may enter once per email address per day as usual and EXTRA ENTRIES are available as always for blogging about them, referring new confirmed subscribers, and/or adding our button to your blog or website. Just leave a comment telling us how you earned that extra entry (plus any relevant info like your blog address or referral’s email address). Please do leave separate comments for each, as your comments are your actual entries.
All entries must be received by Monday, November 24th at midnight, PST. Winner will be chosen from the comments posted and our subscription list on Tuesday via random.org. Winner will be fetched using Prizey.net. Subscribing to her page gives you an extra entry every week automatically!!!

HEAD TO HER PAGE TO SUBSCRIBE AND ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Bellaziza's

With Christmas on the way I want to find out the best and worst gifts

2008-11-22T21:06:00.001-08:00

So Christmas is nearing and I have gotten some rotten gifts and some really sweet gifts. My most rotten gift of all was the gift I gave someone the year before. YIKES, come on please try and remember what I got you. That is just something you should do. I mean if you know that you are going to be re gifting you should just leave the tag on the gift so you don't have that blunder. I still can't help but laugh and I still will not confess that I knew it was the I gave them the year before.

My favorite Christmas gift was my Mr. Potato Head huge gift set from my mother in-law. Yes I know I am a kid at heart but, it is something I collect. I know call me a dork but, I love them why I just don't know. The next year at Christmas the family played white elephant and my sister-in-law included a Mr. Potato Head lets just say it got a little ugly. Just kidding! My husband and I were in competition with others just to get me that. Ever since my husband finds time to mention a new potato head that he has seen just to see if that is what I want this year. SO CUTE I LOVE HIM FOR THAT! :)

I will say my best Christmas gift of all is just spending it with the ones I love and sharing that special moment. Those are the times I cherish and add to one of my chapters in life. I just love spending that time with my daughter and husband. Watching my daughter's eyes light up when she sees that special gift. So now I must ask what is your worst and best Christmas gift you have gotten in the past or ones that you already had to sneak a peak on?

If you need help this year on getting that best gift and not be the rotten gift mentioned in my blog you need to head over to http://presentprofessor.com its the guru of gift giving. It will help you out with that difficult hard to find gift for that special person!

ONE OF THE BEST CUPCAKES

2008-11-21T11:46:00.000-08:00

Today I had gotten the best cupcake ever from Cupcakes in a Jar! A root beer float one. My goodness. It was packaged so beautifully and I did not want to even open it. When I did it was in this cute cup with a layer of cupcake, then frosting, then cupcake, and then frosting. My daughter kept asking, "What is that, what is that?" I said, "Lets try it out and see how we like it?"

I questioned exactly how much would it taste like a root beer float well lets just say, it was like having an entire float without having that sticky melty mess of a real one. I got exactly what I wanted. It was so true to the real thing that I couldn't believe it. Also if you smell it, it smells just like a bottle of root beer. I was so anxious to get this cupcake that last night I bought a bottle of root beer and I will admit that the cupcake was sweeter than my soda. I have a sweet tooth and this was absolutely perfect for me. I just wanted to add that these cup cakes aren't mini they are 9 oz in size, which is the perfect size for 1-2 servings. You get a quite a bit for your buck!

The owner uses only THE best ingredients available. I love the organic eggs, unbleached flour, real butter yes I said real butter, Madagascar vanilla and vanilla beans, both Ghirardelli and Scharffen-Berger cocoas and organic milk yes organic once again. I can say you get great quality with her items. Her items are under a private label so I am sorry no wholesale orders but feel free to contact her with any questions.

This year instead of giving a sugar cookies I am going to give a Cupcakes in a Jarcupcake cup. Its so yummy and pretty. Its packaged perfectly so I won't have to wrap it myself :) So if you are looking for a great gift this year for that sweet tooth in your family head on over to Cupcakes in a Jar I was so happy to have had the chance to review the product. I would honestly recommend it to others.

Head over to her page Cupcakes in a Jarand see some of the other great finds!

Enter to win a Crazyjaneknit's Cream Cowl

2008-11-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

Crazyjaneknit's has kindly given me the opportunity to give one lucky reader a chance to win one of her cream cowls. I absolutely love this product. It can be dressed up with your favorite peacoat or dressed down with your favorite sweater. She also has gotten into making jewelry so stop by her shop Wildfeatherbeads.

She was born and raised in Greenwater, Washington which gave her a love of nature and inspired her creativity.

A little bit about the owner of Crazyjaneknit'sand Wildfeatherbeadsshe was born and raised in Greenwater, Washington which gave her a love of nature and inspired her creativity. Also, she loves to knit and once she started she can't stop. She is a mother to a beautiful three year old that keeps her on the move :)

She also does custom orders so please contact her with any question or ideas that you may have.All of her items are made especially for you by her.

How to enter and win this prize. You have multiple ways to get additional entries
** For additional entries please leave additional comments for those extra entries**

1)Head on over to Crazyjaneknit's or Wildfeatherbeads shops and sneak a peak at her items and come back here and leave a comment telling me what items you like. Get 1 entry.

2)Copy and paste my widget in your page and send me a link to your blog or follow me. Get 2 additional entries.

3)Buy from Crazyjaneknit's if you purchase at Crazyjaneknit's every purchase comes with a **FREE GIFT**Wildfeatherbeads.Get 5 additional entries

This giveaway will end on November 23rd 2008 at 11:59 CT. I will be contacting the winner by email and I will post the winner here on the blog. Also I will be submitting winner info to PRIZEYWinners, and you can check there to see if you have won my giveaway.So please come back and see if you are the winner. You must contact me in 72 hours after the winner has been announced if you have won the prize.

I will find a winner by random.org Thanks for entering the contest and good luck!

******I HAVE A WINNER******* Congrats to Christian Kay for being my bloggy winner!

So who says you can't have fun as you get older

2008-11-15T00:55:00.000-08:00

As I watch the video of me spinning around this bar, well it takes me back to when I first figured out how to do it. I was in the fifth grade and it took me half the year just to learn it. It's one of those things you learn and you never forget how to do it no matter how old you get. Time has past, twelve years to be exact and boy I still got it! lol I like that even though I get old I still act young at heart. Many would say they feel that way but honestly how many truly and honestly feel that way? I can say not at all times I feel like that but I love those moments that take you back to being a kid. Its like that favorite treat you have that hits that memory trigger and bang its like being a child again. I know that I will have many more moments that will make realize I am a kid at heart and I am happy I have this to prove it.

2008-11-13T21:26:00.000-08:00

Morelle is her small, one person company that she started in Amsterdam. Her purpose is to make handbags that are functional but also stylish.

All the designs are made by her, Katie. She will create whatever comes to her mind... she will usually get an idea and quickly draw it down! She also gets her inspiration from the city she lives in and from everyday situations around her. Katie loves color and also likes the idea of a bright, pretty bag standing out in the middle of a busy city.

Her designs are mostly medium to large-sized bags, simple scarves and pouches. Also Katie loves using various textiles to make beautiful bags with simple lines, ruffles and beautiful linings. Also she will produce all of her bags by herself in her home studio with a lot of care and love. She wants your morelle experience to be as pleasurable as possible.

The one bag that really caught my eye was the lilac truffle. The layers on the bag adds dimension. Also for someone my height the simple flat bag is not as flattering as this bag.I like that I can use it as a purse and when taking my daughter out it is big enough to fit her diapers in it. I love the detail and craftmanship that Katie prides herself on. If you want a quality bag that wasn't mass produced and that is truly a piece of art you need to head to her shop Morelle

Want me to write a review or host a giveaway find out how below

2008-11-13T21:23:00.001-08:00

Review Time
So did you get that A+ in school?
I bet you aced this one! What do you think?
Well let's see how you rate on the mommy reader.
Down below YES in that wonderful small print are a set of rules and extra
opportunities to drive sales!
Review Rules
Rules What Rules? Ahhh you thought you could get off that easy nice
try!
I would like a sample. A sample yes I know but by sending me a sample I can test out your products with my family and give my honest opinion. When I get the sample I will write out that fabulous review including pictures of my family using the product. Unfortunely the samples will not be returned. I know I know you'd like it back but due to health reasons I will not be able to send it back.
Please contact me by email for shipping address
Say you wonder how to get that great email address huh?
Well here it is littlekiwi@live.com .
Offer that extra incentive!
Offering a discount for my readers will drive more sales while they search your shops. Please let me know the discount code in advance of the review so I can add that in. Thanks!

Every mommy loves free stuff!
Offer a giveaway! Give me an image and description of what you would like to offer or send me to the link of the item and I will grab the information there. The giveaway will be posted here on my site for a week and a few other blogs for a couple of days. Readers will be sent to your shop to look around at that great stuff in your store.Ahh the catch they have to come back to post their favorite product here on my site. I choose a random winner by using random.org. I will then send you the winner's name and email address to you so you can get in contact with them.YAY!!!!!! This is a great way to advertise your shop and products plus drive traffic to it as well.
The Little Technical Stuff here
Please allow a little bit of time depending on the nature of the product to ensure a proper review. No worries I will never post a negative review on an item. I enjoy reviews and it allows me to connect more with my family.
Now that you are finally done and you have read all that
small print email away! I can't
wait to start that review or giveaway for you.

OUR FRONT PORCH GIVEAWAY

2008-11-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

$100 FREE HAND STAMPED JEWELRY Giveaway

To Enter Go To: OUR FRONT PORCH
Prize: $100 in jewelry from ElliNoelleDesigns Etsy Shop
Ends: Saturday 15th at 12:00 PM

Mammalicious Finds: Kids Lunch Box Cards Give Away

2008-11-11T21:44:00.000-08:00

Mammalicious Finds: Kids Lunch Box Cards Give Away

Announcing a Kids Lunch Box Cards Give Away

We love the Kids Lunch Box Cards that we reviewed back in September.
Check out the review HERE
Would you like to win some of these fun cards? You get the chance to win FIVE full sets of cards. That's one pack for each theme, five themes total.

Give Away
Head on over to Kids Fun Cards and pick your favorite theme pack, come back here and leave us a comment telling us which pack you liked.

Extra Entries
1. Subscribe to Mammalicious Finds (if you already do, let us know, and thank you!)
2. Blog about this give away with links back to Mammalicious Finds and and Kids Fun Cards

3. Add our button to your side bar.
4. NEW! "Follow Us", if you already do, thank you! Located on side bar.

Please leave an extra comment for each additional entry.

Open to U.S. residents only.

Deadline to Enter: November 12, 2008 @ 11:59am

Win $100 in Our November Giveaway!

2008-11-11T15:48:00.001-08:00
Win $100 in Our November Giveaway!

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Gingerlouise Clothing's

2008-11-10T21:59:00.000-08:00

At this time I'd like to take the time to recognize a woman of compasion! She has done so much for the fashion industry by creating unique items for children from ages newborn to 8 years old. She had two stores and did many truck sales but now she is a stay at home mother to a 11 year old daughter.She is making a beautiful come back with her latest line! Her compasion for her fashion is a given. She is also very giving by creating an abundance fund which donates 2% of every sale to go to a fund to help woman who fall on hard times. So please take the time to head on over to her shop and take a look at all the fashions.
GingerLouise

So you won't have confusion get Mabel's Labels!!!

2008-11-10T11:38:00.000-08:00

These labels help you out! Please read below about the labels.

All time classic labels are one of my favorites. They are so durable. These labels will withstand the dishwasher, microwave and UV rays for years to come. I Put the sticky labels on cups to go to grandmas. My niece and my daughter are about the same age so I don't want confusion between their cups. So this is super great!

The clothing labels are fabulous as well. You pack and overnight bag for sleep overs and the next day you pick your child up you realize you don't have all of their clothes. Well with these labels you will have no concerns. I just put them on the inside of the shirt and I never lose my daughters clothing again!!!!

Please check out their website for a variety of labels.

www.mabel.ca