Enjoying Fall with Hyland's

Disclaimer: I am a Hyland’s Homeopathy Ambassador and receive various products and gift cards from Hyland’s and promotional partners at no cost to me. All views and opinions expressed on this blog post and corresponding social network mentions are my own and are not to be interpreted as medical advice.   

            Hey folks! It is that wonderful time of year when the temperatures (hopefully) start dropping, leaves turn beautiful shades of orange, red, and yellow, and the kids are finally back in school. However, with weather changing and kids being in school, fall can sometimes turn into a time of illness! You love that your children are learning to share with others, but really wish they wouldn’t share germs! Even if you don’t have school aged children, fluctuating weather from hot to cold can wreak havoc on our bodies too.

            This autumn, don’t let a cold, flu, or sinus problems keep you in bed! Hyland’s is here to help! Many of you are probably familiar with some of Hyland Homeopathic’s products, but did you know they have a whole line of products for babies, children, AND adults? I love this because that means their cold and flu medicines are specifically formulated for different ages instead of one generic one for all.

Montessori at Home: Not as Pricey as You May Think!

            Even though I still have much to learn about Montessori, there seems to be a common misconception I have seen so far: You need to buy a lot of expensive toys, furniture, supplies, etc. Now, if you are trying to do a set up in the strictest sense, then yes, you are probably going to spend a small fortune on child sized toilets, chairs, tables, stools, etc. However, if you are incorporating Montessori principles more moderately like most parents seem to, there is no need to spend an exorbitant amount of money on toys and furniture. While it is always nice to have some special purchased toys, you can find SO many fun projects to do with your children or toys/learning tools to make for them on the Internet. (I’ll list a few of the blogs I have found that have some great ideas if you’re interested below.)

            Contrary to popular belief and what a lot of major toy companies would have you believe, your children don’t need a bunch of electronic gadgets and gizmos that take all of the imagination out of playing. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not telling you to throw out all of your electronic toys. What I’m really trying to say is that you might be surprised at how entertaining and how much a child can learn from non-toy items. For example:

Glow Bug Cloth Diaper Review

            Hey cloth or cloth curious diapering folks! As you know, we are a strictly cloth diapering family now and love trying out different diapers. We recently had the opportunity to try out a Glow Bug cloth diaper, which was especially exciting since it’s the first true pocket diaper we’ve used!

            Glow BugCloth Diapers was created by two friends. Sarah and Neta first met and became friends at a prenatal yoga class while each was pregnant with their first baby. They also came to love cloth diapering their children, but weren’t thrilled about the options available at the time. They simply wanted quality made cloth diapers at affordable prices. Thus, Glow Bug Cloth Diapers was formed! You can read more about them HERE.

            As I mentioned, I recently had the opportunity to try one of Glow Bug’s pocket diapers on Myka. I was especially excited to try it out for two main reasons:

1) It is the first true pocket diaper we have tried.

2) It’s also the first snap diaper we’ve ever used. (Can you believe that?! We’ve even used PINS, but never snaps! Lol) Needless to say, I was curious to see how the fit and pocket would work for us.

GIANTmicrobes Giveaway

GIANTmicrobes Giveaway Hosted by Pea of Sweetness

Sponsored by GIANTmicrobes

 

            GIANTmicrobes® are stuffed animals that look like tiny microbes — only a million times actual size! They're humorous, educational, and fun! Each GIANTmicrobes® comes with an image and information about the real microbe it represents. They make great learning tools!

Fall Sensory Box (BLT)

            I recently came across the concept of sensory boxes and fell in love with them! I’m still finding it pretty difficult to find age appropriate activities for my newly 1 year old, so these boxes are a Godsend if you ask me! There are a plethora of ideas for different types of sensory boxes online, including fall related ones, but I decided to keep ours simple. (Mostly because my husband just went back to work after this stupid government furlough nonsense, so needless to say we don’t have a lot of extra cash at the moment. Not that you need a lot, if any, to make sensory boxes.)

            Sensory boxes are a great addition to home school/tot school theme units or just for fun! I believe sensory play is important, especially for young toddlers and babies, since that is the main way they learn about the world around them: seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, and tasting. Plus, in my opinion, sensory activities can be a lot of fun! Who doesn’t enjoy finger painting or splashing in the water with a little one?

Halloween Crafts

Ok. So the candy corn bottles aren't for Myka, but still a neat idea to reuse old stuff, eh? Which, btw, I'm not taking credit for any of the ideas behind any of these crafts. I either found them on Pinterest or other blogs. 

           I enjoy doing just about any type of craft, so when you mix that with Halloween, my favorite holiday, it's extra fun! Since Myka is not old enough to do the projects with me that I found (Pinterest is a wonderful thing, isn't it?), I decided to do them myself anyways for her. They've really spruced up her main "learning corner" in our living room. :)

Rearranging: Montessori Style (BLT)

            Some of you may have read the other day that my husband and I are starting to incorporate some aspects of Montessori education into our house. I still have a LOT to learn, but I’ve done some rearranging of Myka’s books and toys, so I thought I would share.

On the Go Planner Giveaway

On the Go Planner Giveaway Hosted by Pea of Sweetness

Sponsored by Home Educating Family Association

 

            Life is busy so the Home Educating Family Association has created a beautifully-designed purse size planner. The On the Go is an organizer, day planner, and home management system designed especially for women. This effective, yet easy-to-use format will ensure that each day at your home is smooth and profitable. Emilee at Pea of Sweetness has been using the On the Go Planner to stay more organized in the midst of a chaotic move! Head over to check out the full On the Go Planner Review!

Our Nighttime Diaper Solution (Illustrated)

            Hello lovely fellow cloth diapering friends! It’s been a long time since I’ve done a cloth diaper related post!…Too long. ;) I can’t believe I haven’t shared this one sooner, actually, since finding a diaper or “system” to keep baby dry at night while cloth diapering seems to be a pretty common problem.

Super Simple Learning DVD Giveaway

Super Simple Learning Giveaway Hosted by Pea of Sweetness

Sponsored by Super Simple Learning

 

 The most popular of Super Simple Songs videos are now on one DVD. From their earliest videos to the hugely popular Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, you’re sure to find many of your favorites in this collection. These are super simple, super fun videos that children will LOVE singing along with at home, in the car, or in the classroom. Smiles and giggles are guaranteed!

Check out the full Super Simple Learning DVD Review on Pea of Sweetness.

About the prize: One lucky winner will receive a Super Simple Learning DVD!

About the giveaway: This giveaway begins on 10/22 and ends on 11/5 at 11:00pm (times are Central) and is open to US residents ages 18+. Please refer to the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools.

Montessori Interest

            As I’m sure some of you have noticed, I’m really into educational toys and activities for my daughter. I can’t even tell you how I happened to “re-discover” Montessori now, but I’ve been reading up on it some lately. Interestingly, a lot of activities and toys we already do/have for Myka coincide with Montessori.

            I remember reading and researching Montessori a little for a project or research paper we had to do in one of my ECE (early childhood education) classes in college. To be honest, I hadn’t really given it much, if any, thought since then. Until recently, of course.

Chuggington StackTrack & DVD Giveaway

Hosted By: Simply Southern Couponers

Co Hosted By: Tales From A Southern Mom and Sweet Southern Lovin

Sponsored By: Tomy

Tomy is a toy company that fulfills children and parents dreams worldwide with popular toys. Some of their brands include; John Deere, Lamaze, Chuggington, Tomica, Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train and a few more. Here is an amazing giveaway that has not one but two prizes up for grabs for one lucky person. Will that person be you? With Christmas just a little over two months away what better way to have your little one wake up on Christmas morning to Chuggington riding the rails?

Fun with Water Beads! (BLT)

           I’ve been looking for some fun sensory activities to do with Myka now that she’s older. However, she’s still pretty weird about foreign textures, but she IS getting better about exploring new substances. I’d say she’s made a vast improvement between the epic fail flour+water sensory activity and the water beads we played with the other day!

Do Manners Matter Any More?

            When did people stop teaching their children manners and common courtesy? I mean this as a totally legitimate question. (Well, maybe a little snarky.) Do parents still teach “please” and “thank you” or the common courtesy of holding the door for someone? From what I see, the answer is “no” and it seems like it stopped with the generation that raised people around my age, sadly. Talk about the majority giving the few a “bad name”.

Halloween Traditions

            Fall and Halloween are absolutely my very, very favorite time of year and have been for as long as I can remember. That’s why I was particularly excited that our daughter’s birthday is in October. We’re even more excited this year since we can start sharing our Halloween traditions with her!

            I have to admit, I miss autumn in Indiana since it actually cools off and the leaves change sooner/at all. Arkansas falls have been kind of a bummer since we have lived here. Last year I was still wearing shorts and a t-shirt to the hospital when I had Myka. (It was literally one week before her birthday when I wrote this and I still had on the same attire this year. Ugh!) I think there has only been one year where the leaves actually turned the pretty colors instead of being so dry they just shriveled up, turned brown and crispy, and fell off. :(

            However, we have still made the best of it! We like to carve pumpkins, of course, every year. I don’t know why I always look so forward to it. Every time I get to the actual carving part I remember what a pain in the ass it is. Lol We usually come up with some interesting designs/faces. One year my husband (unintentionally) made one that looked like Beavis. Lol

            We did pumpkins way early last year since we knew we wouldn’t want to or have the energy for it once Myka was here. I made a scary face with pointy glow in the dark teeth and John made a somewhat derpy looking one with nails for teeth. Haha! What was really fun was having my husband paint my belly like a pumpkin!

            Two years ago we made a Halloween tree, which is just about the coolest thing ever, if you ask me! We used an outdoor decorative tree, put some lights on it, and spooky ornaments. Jack Skellington would be proud. ;) Hmm…I might have to do a DIY Wednesday post on this. ;)

            Then, of course, there are the scary movies! Admittedly, I’m a horror movie loving freak, so most of my favorite “Halloween movies” get watched at least one other time during the year…Especially since we don’t have satellite or cable. Yep. You read right. Some of my top favorites are “Let Me In”, Trick r Treat”, and pretty much anything by Rob Zombie. (Told you I was a freak. ;)  ) Although not scary, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is also a must watch. :)

            What are you favorite things to do at Halloween time?

Birthday Weekend in Photos

            As I'm sure some of you may have seen, Myka, the baby behind Getting Green with Baby, had her 1st birthday this weekend! While it has definitely been bittersweet reflecting on the last year and even the time leading up to us having her, we have all had a lot of fun this birthday weekend. I am a little obsessed with sharing photos, so I felt like sharing a few with you guys. (ha! A "few"!)

Our little cowgirl ;)

Some photos we took ourselves specifically for her birthday. 

Finally got her to "feed" her horse. haha

She LOVES her monkey! So much so we had to remove him from her crib because she would stay up playing with him! lol

We visited a playground for the first time on her birthday. 

She enjoyed the swing. She probably would have liked it a lot more if she hadn't been ready for a nap! Girl loves her sleep!

Going down the slide with mom.

Much to my surprise, she really likes wearing her tutu. (Which is good since it's part of her Halloween costume too. ;)  ) The picture on the left is one of my all time faves!

Opening a present from mom and dada...Or should I say "dadadadada". 

And last, but not least, my brother and sister in-law and two nieces came over this evening. So, I made some super cute and easy owl cupcakes! (Which my sister in-law happened to share with me from Pinterest!) 

For Small Hands $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway

Welcome to the For Small Hands $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway!

This giveaway is brought to you by Getting Green with Baby.

Photo Credit: For Small Hands

For Small Hands (aka Montessori Services for educators) sells fun, but educational toys for children, especially focusing on 3-6 year olds. You can find all kinds of affordable products to help children develop important life skills, such as child-sized garden, kitchen, and woodworking tools, as well as books, pre-sewing products, and, one of our favorites, a board game that teaches about wildcrafting! And don’t worry: You don’t have to have your children in a Montessori school or even teach it at home to purchase or enjoy For Small Hands toys! They would make great birthday or holiday gifts or “just because” surprises!

Be sure to visit their website HERE to browse all of their great products and Montessori resources. Also be sure to check out Getting Green with Baby’s review of My First Farm Friends from For Small Hands HERE.

Now for the really fun part! Enter the giveaway form below for your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to For Small Hands. Good luck!

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None of the promoting bloggers are responsible prize shipment. All opinions are original and may not be the same as yours. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or any other social media. If you have any questions or concerns about this giveaway, please email Alicia of Getting Green with Baby at Alicia Owen 6814 at yahoo dot com

My First Farm Friends Review

            Hey folks! I’m a little sad to announce that this will be the last review and giveaway for our mini celebration of reaching 3k Facebook fans and Myka’s 1^st birthday. : ( However, I think it’s pretty awesome and think you guys will too!

            I came across For Small Hands/Montessori Services (the former is for parents, the latter for teachers) while researching companies who provide learning toys for young children. Let me tell you, even if you don’t participate in any kind of Montessori education, you will still want to check their website out! They have all kinds of amazing educational products available, including books, board games, and (hubby’s and my favorite) child sized tools, such as shovels, flatware, looms, and MUCH more. As with traditional Montessori, their main age group focus is 3-6 year olds, but they do carry a nice selection of toys for younger (Myka’s age) and older children as well. You can even find things for the whole family to enjoy!

            For Small Hands generously allowed us to review My First Farm Friends (L204), which can be found in their “For the Youngest Child” section (0-3 year olds). (You can search items by age group or categories, such as Yard & Garden, Care of Self, etc.) My First Farm Friends is a wonderful collection of board books, play barn/carrying case, and cardboard cutout animals. The 4 board books included cover everyday life for farm animals, which includes chickens, goats, cows, and pigs! The books come in a barn that children can use to play with when the books aren’t inside, of course. Also included are stand up cutouts of each animal featured in the books. These make the barn even more fun to play with!

            I really enjoyed the board books (by Betsy Wallin) for several reasons. First of all, Myka prefers to look at books by herself as opposed to being read to, so the board books are a lot easier for her to hold and turn the pages. I also liked that they are very simply written, but informative. They’re a good tool to help teach children about farm animals without overloading them with too much information. My favorite aspect of the books is the consistency between them. For example, on the first 2 pages of each book there are images of the same farm. However, each one has the animals in different places to highlight them. So, in “A Day With Cows”, the cows are all congregated close to the barn since that is where they dwell. If that didn’t make any sense, check out the image below.

            Myka, no surprise, enjoyed playing with the barn and animal friends the best. They’re the perfect size for young children to pick up easily. My husband and I had fun making their respective animal noises, identifying what each animal is called, and matching them to their books. Myka seemed to enjoy it too. : )

            Be sure to visit For Small Hands website HERE. I have a feeling this is going to be our “go to” website over the next several years when purchasing new toys for Myka. We like finding fun items that she will actually learn something from or help her develop important life skills, which is what For Small Hands’ products are all about! I almost forgot to mention that yes, their prices are actually affordable too!

            Before you run off, don’t forget to enter the giveaway HERE for your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to use on For Small Hands website! Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated monetarily for this review. I received product in return for my honest opinion and review of the item. All opinions expressed herein are my own and may differ from your own. 

Birthday Extravaganza Code Word Page

Monday: Birthday
Tuesday: Party
Wednesday: Presents
Thursday: Cake
Friday: Decorations
Saturday: Friends
Sunday:  Family

Guidecraft Kitchen Helper Giveaway

Welcome to the MMP Living 

Guidecraft Kitchen Helper Giveaway

hosted by: Open Hands & We're Parents!?

I would LOVE to have one of these for when Myka gets older. I'm not particularly fond of cooking, but I LOVE baking and hope Myka does as well. This would be a great piece of furniture to let her help out and learn safely!

MMP Living has been in business since 2006 and is dedicated to providing you with quality products at great prices on-line, including housewares, toys, gifts, and pet supplies. The Guidecraft Kitchen Helper is lightweight and easy to move and store. This amazing Kitchen Helper allows children to reach the countertop so they can be a part of learning that would otherwise not be accessible to them.  It has a childproof folding design and sturdy wooden construction.  30 pounds total weight and retails at $159.99

To see a full review of their amazing service, read Open Hands review HERE.

Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below.  Good Luck!
Giveaway is open to those 18+ in the US Only!  Ends 10/23/13 at 11:59 PM EST.

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**This blog received no compensation for this giveaway.  Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.  

Our New Etsy Store!

            Hey guys! I thought I would get one more shameless plug in before I head back to "time off land". As some of you may already know, we finally renamed and reopened our Etsy store this week! Woo hoo! I would have liked to have waited until we have more items made, but I didn't want anyone to miss out on the Halloween stuff!
            Right now we only have my tutus listed, but there are a few cute Halloween ones. I'm hoping to have some of the re-usable trick-or-treat bags listed by this evening. On top of the crafty stuff, we will also have natural bath and body items as well as all purpose cleaners!

            I hope you guys find something of interest, especially once we have everything up. :) 

Cottage in the Woods Co

Dawn Publications Book Review & Giveaway

            We are continuing our mini celebration this week of reaching 3k fans on Facebook and Myka’s upcoming birthday with a review and giveaway for Dawn Publications! Myka LOVES books, so I thought this would be a great giveaway to include!

            I enjoy finding new books for Myka and watching her study them on her own. (I try to read to her. She couldn’t care less most of the time.) As I’m sure you have noticed, I love doing things outdoors, such as hiking and fishing. This is why I was particularly interested when I discovered Dawn Pub’s books. According to their mission page, they are “dedicated to inspiring in children a deeper understanding and appreciation of all life on Earth.” Maybe it’s just me, but that’s refreshing to see in this rapidly growing technology age we live in.

            Dawn Pub was kind enough to allow us to review not one, but two books! “over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef” and “Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme” were both written by Marianne Berkes and illustrated by Jeanette Canyon. These are just 2 of the books in the ever expanding “Over in” series by Berkes, which can all be sung or read to the rhythm/tune of “Over in the Meadow.” (Don’t feel bad. I had to look it up too. You can find it on Youtube.) Other titles in this series include “Over in the ‘Forest’, ‘Australia’, ‘River’”, and more! The titles we were allowed to review also happen to be part of a wonderful “Simply Nature Board Books” series for children 1-4 years of age.

            I have to say, both of these books and Dawn Publications in general far exceeded my expectations! First of all, I was in awe of the pictures. For each, the illustrator, Canyon, used polymer clay to mold all of the pictures you see in each. They are absolutely insane and I mean that in a good way! You can tell just by looking at them and all of the details how painstaking they must have been to put together. However, they are beautiful and “paint” a vibrant and colorful, but realistic, picture of what the various creatures in each book really look like.

            A couple of other things I love about these “Over in” books are that their verses rhyme AND they help teach numbers! I love that they rhyme because Myka seems to really enjoy that along with me clapping to the beat. I know she’s still really young, but it’s never too early to start introducing children to the concept of numbers as well!

She LOVES monkeys. ;)

            We already have quite a few books with puppies and kittens. Myka, like most young children, loves animals. That is another reason I enjoyed these books: They include animals, which she already enjoys, but introduces her to new ones! In “Over in the Ocean…” she gets exposed to not just fish, but specific TYPES of fish, such as gruntfish, needlefish, seahorses, etc. “Over in the Jungle…” introduces children to a variety of exotic creatures, from honey bears to ocelots!

            How did Dawn Pub exceed my expectations? First off, I like that many of their books can be ordered in hardback, paperback, and some in board book form like we received. They also include resources for parents and teachers on their website, such as book apps, downloadable activities by book so that you can engage children further after reading, and a specific page just for teachers and librarians! Although it has more to do with the author than the publisher, I LOVE that there are activity ideas in the back of the “Over in” books. For example, there are body movement suggestions for each animal in “Over in the Jungle…” to use as you’re reading the book.
            If you would like to purchase your own “Over in” book or browse through the other great selections Dawn Publications has to offer, click HERE. Or, you can enter the giveaway form below for your chance to win your own paperback copy of “Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef”. Good luck!

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Short Hiatus Notice

            Hey folks. I really hate to do this right now, but I've decided to take a short hiatus. I've got a lot on my plate at the moment and feel it would be for the best. I'm currently looking for a new job, trying to get my Etsy store re-opened, and my husband is currently off work indefinitely due to the government furlough. Needless to say, I'm a little stressed out. I feel like my blogging has been lacking lately anyways, and hopefully this little break will help me clear my head so I can start bringing you some more interesting reads in the future! I feel like I've been writing a lot of Debbie Downer posts lately and no one enjoys that, so there's another reason for taking some time off!
            With all of that being said, I WILL be keeping up with any giveaways, reviews, and the Pinterest Party that are already underway or scheduled for the next week or two. I hope you'll stick around and I would still love to hear from you on my Facebook page. Bigger and better things for the future, right? :)
           

Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent Giveaway

Hosted By: Simply Southern Couponers

Sponsored By: Rockin' Green

Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent is an eco-friendly way to get your family's clothes clean. While it works hard to remove stains and dirt, it is also safe to the environment and your budget. Rockin' Green Laundry Detergents do not contain those harmful chemicals such as Phosphates, Parabens, Enzymes, Optical Brighteners, or SLS. All of their ingredients are biodegradable and their packing is 100% recyclable.

To see more about Rockin' Green read Simply Southern Couponers full review here.

Many of you have probably heard of or already use Rockin' Green's special cloth diaper detergent. I've heard that their regular detergent, such as this, is awesome too! Good luck!

Simply Southern Couponers has teamed up with Rockin' Green to give one lucky reader a chance to win their very own Rockin' Green Smashing Watermelon Laundry Detergent. To enter for your chance to win read the details below.

Giveaway Details:

October 2nd, 2013-October 16th, 2013

Open to US residents only, must be 18+ to enter.

Prize: One lucky reader will win Rockin' Green Smashing Watermelon Laundry Detergent.

To enter complete the Entry form below. All winning entries will be verified.

A big thanks to our sponsor and blogger friends for helping us with this event. Stop by and follow them on their social media pages.

Good Luck and thanks for entering!!!

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DIY Wednesday: Silly Sock Puppets

            I’m sure you can figure out how to make sock puppets on your own, but I felt like sharing the ones I made. Kick it up a notch like I did and use some felt instead of markers to really bring them to life! Young children will enjoy these and helping make them too if they’re old enough for scissors.

What you’ll need:

-CLEAN socks (they don’t have to be new)

-felt in a variety of whatever colors you want

-hot glue gun

-scissors

WARNING! This should go without saying, but do NOT let your child use the hot glue gun! Trust me on this. I accidentally burned two of my fingers while making these and it did not feel very good! And I have a relatively high pain tolerance!

1)     Cut out your felt pieces. Suggestions: eyes, mouth, hats, crowns, hair, fangs, etc.

2)     With your hot glue gun, glue your pieces together that have multiple parts. For example, I glued my eye and crown pieces together first. Be sure to let them cool off for a couple of minutes.

3)     You can start gluing on the pieces in whatever order you like, but I thought the eyes made a good reference point for the other pieces.

4)     That’s pretty much it. I recommend letting your pieces cool off some before gluing more on. Do NOT glue pieces on with your hand inside! Wait until the glue is cooled off if you need to put the sock on your hand to check where to put the next piece on.

The one on the left I dubbed Nicki Minaj and the other one is King Socko because I'm original like that. ;)

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, Myka thought these were great!

Cabin Fever & Other Shenanigans

            Well, I was going to write about how crazy I was going from being indoors so much lately, but I finally cured it some this morning! …I’m still going to write about it anyways.

            I know, I know. It’s only Tuesday, why was I getting cabin fever already? Well, I was sick this weekend, so the only getting out I did was taking Myka to a babysitter. What’s worse, as you may have read, is that one or the other kid has been sick for the past few weeks. So naturally, the day I finally decide everyone feels well enough to go for a walk, I wake up feeling not so great. (In hindsight, the fresh air probably would have done them some good while they were sick.) I still ended up taking them on a walk around the neighborhood because I’m stubborn like that. ; )

            You may be wondering what the big deal is about getting out. Well, to put it nicely, the woman I babysit for has MANY quirks. Evidently, not letting anyone besides her and her husband take their son anywhere is one of them. I thought it was just me…Until this morning when I told her mom, “I already told Lori (not her real name) I’m going to try to take the kids to the library today, so we might not be here if you stop by for lunch.” To which she replied, “I wish she’d let me take him somewhere.” I gave her a confused look and said something along the lines of, “She doesn’t let you take him anywhere either?” She said she’d never taken him anywhere in the car! Her own mom! I told her I was kind of glad it wasn’t just me, if you get what I mean.

            So yah, other than walking around their neighborhood (whoopdee doo), it’s kind of a big deal going anywhere while babysitting. (5 days a week.) Which really sucks because I like taking trips to the library and going for walks at parks. I’m the one who picked this job like a moron, so I’ll just have to suck it up for now.

            I am happy to say that we (we as in MY family) have some fun stuff to do this month. There is some arts and music festival downtown this weekend. The library is also having a Halloween party the week before Halloween and trick-or-treating the day of! Some of you might be thinking, “Trick-or-treating at the library? That’s kind of lame.” Maybe so (even though I don’t think so. I love the children’s section in our library!), but we’ve noticed that this town doesn’t really do door-to-door trick or treating. For the most part, I don’t blame people. There’s some shady areas downtown. I’m still crossing my fingers that my friends at the national park get their shiitake together and have some kind of festivities going on too. 

Autumn AMP Giveaway

Welcome to the Autumn AMP Giveaway 

Hosted by The Parenting Patch and co-hosted by Hackanator, A Sensible Momma, Leettle Baby, Cloth Diaper Guru, My Cloth Diaper Stash, Conservamom, Cloth Diaper Addicts, and Thinking About Cloth Diapers.

 In honor of the autumn season, The Parenting Patch is giving away an AMP cloth diapers prize pack to one lucky winner. The prize pack valued at $83.10 features three (3) AMP One-Size Duo Pocket Diaper in red, orange, and lemon (yellow); three (3) AMP microfiber inserts; two (2) two-layer AMP Boosters; and one (1) three-layer AMP Booster. 

 The Autumn AMP Giveaway continues until October 15, 2013 and is open to legal residents of the United States of America and Canada. To enter to win the Autumn AMP Giveaway, simply use the following Rafflecoptor form. The first entry is free. All other entries are optional; however, the more entries you have, the better your chances of winning. Happy autumn!

Yet another great cloth diaper giveaway from The Parenting Patch! Good luck GGWB fans! 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway  

 The Autumn AMP Giveaway is restricted to legal residents of the United States of America and Canada. The Autumn AMP Giveaway ends at midnight CST on October 15, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter. The winner will be sent an email and will have forty-eight hours to respond. If no response is received within forty-eight hours, another winner will be chosen. Participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Fall Festivities Pinterest Party & Blog Hop

     

Welcome to the Fall Festivities Pinterest Party and Blog Hop!

        Fall has always been my favorite time of year: the leaves are turning, pumpkins get carved, Halloween costumes and decorations are put together. There's just something about it that makes it magical! This year let's share some of our favorite fall activities with each other! 

Rules/Directions:

-These don't necessarily have to be blog posts: It could be a link to your favorite scary movie, a recipe, etc. 

-Everything goes as long as it's related to fall in someway and does not contain adult material. (I realize that's a pretty vague term, but if you have any concerns, just ask first.) Even though this is an October event, PLEASE feel free to include Thanksgiving related posts as well! 

-You are not required to follow anyone, but if you leave a blog post, please try to find at least a few others that strike your fancy and either leave a comment on their post or share it by pinning it on one of your own Pinterest boards. 

-The link-up and Pinterest board will be open all month long, so feel free to link up more than once!

        Once I have approved your submission (aka make sure it's not inappropriate), I will add it to the public "Fall Festivities Pinterest Party" board on my account. Thanks so much for your participation and happy linking and pinning!