Diono & Little Tikes Travel Accessories Giveaway Event

Welcome to the Diono/Little Tikes Travel Accessory Giveaway!

Hosted by Conservamom

Conservamom recently came out with her top products for travel with babies and small kids and this set was ranked among them. With fun colors and functionality this set is a must for any home!

Traveling and being on the go this kids can be hard. So here are some great products the team at Diono & Little Tikes came out with to make being on the go easy!

Cozy Coupe® Back Seat Mirror

Keep all eyes on your little one while you drive. With this fun mirror your little one will have hours of fun exploring and seeing & You'll know they're safe!

Cozy Coupe® Roller Shades

The sun can be brutal hot, let your little one sleep comfy and Cozy with protection from this Roller shade.

Cozy Coupe® Shopping Cart Cover

Keep your little one germ free with this great shopping cart cover you can conveniently carry anywhere you go!

Little Tikes® by Diono® Car Seat Mat

Don't let your car seat suffer through food, tread or more. Protect it with this fantastic car seat mat protector!

Little Tikes® by Diono® Car Organizer

Let's face it kids bring lots of stuff with them, why not keep them organized with this fun car organizer. Perfect for the inside of the car or trunk have everything organized and on hand when on the go!

Cozy Coupe®Stroller Fan

Summer can get brutal hot, especially when out and about. Keep your little one cool and safe with this adorable Cozy Coupe Stroller fan. Light weight and made to keep little fingers safe this fan will be your new friend on whatever adventures you go on this summer!

So how would you like to own all these great accessories? Well here's your chance! The wonderful people at Diono & Little tikes will give one winner a set of all these great products that retail together at $89.94

So head below for your chance to win! This giveaway ends on 7/15 at 11:59pm and is open to US only!

Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: This Blog is not responsible for the fulfillment of prize. This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network. All opinions and experiences are Conservamoms. Open to the US & must be 18+. Confirmed Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of the giveaway. Conservamom will not be responsible for prize fulfillment. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions or to see your product featured in an Event you can contact Elia At Conservamom

Home Art Studio Giveaway

Home Art Studio Giveaway Hosted by Pea of Sweetness

Sponsored by Home Art Studio

Co-Hosted by Dividing by Zero and Deals of Sweetness

 

The Home Art Studio program is a DVD based art education program specifically designed for homeschooling families. It is designed to increase students’ love and appreciation of the visual arts while enhancing a child’s ability to problem solve, think creatively, and truly see the world around them. Emilee from Pea of Sweetness has been using the Home Art Studio 2nd Grade Program with her children. See what she thought in her full Home Art Studio review. 

Would you like to try Home Art Studio? One winner will receive the Home Art Studio program full set of DVD’s – Kindergarten – 5th Grade (ARV $150). This giveaway begins on 6/29 and ends on 7/13 at 11:00pm (times are Central) and is open to US and Canada ages 18+. Please refer to the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools.

Entry-Form

  Disclosure: Emilee from Pea of Sweetness and Deals of Sweetness received free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was received. Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

"How Andrew Got His Spots" Blog Tour Review

   

Title: How Andrew Got His Spots | Author: Louise Lintvelt | Illustrator: Julie Sneeden | Publication Date: April 16, 2014 | Publisher: eBookPartnership.com | Number of pages: 15 | Recommended age: 3 to 8 Summary: Poor Andrew is feeling very blue, all the other giraffes are very spotty but he is as white as can be. He does not have any spots, you see! He keeps seeing spots wherever he goes… One spot, two spots, three spots, Four! And many, many, many more. “Where did you get your spots?” he asks. Join Andrew as he discovers how the ladybug, the leopard and the owl came to have spots and discovers that spots often appear when you are least expecting them! This is a wonderful rhyming picture book for children of all ages.  

Narrated Video of How Andrew Got His Spots

 

Mixed Bag Mama's Review

            Hey folks! I have another super cute children's book by Louise Lintvelt to share with you today: How Andrew Got His Spots. I have to admit, this is probably my favorite children's book I've reviewed lately!
            Like most kids, my daughter loves animals so I was especially excited to check this book out. She is mostly obsessed with barnyard animals, so I was happy to "introduce" her to some wild animals she's not as familiar with, such as giraffes and leopards.
            She's also very hit or miss when it comes to books. I've checked out some from the library before thinking, "Oh! She'll love this one!" and she ends up caring less about it. Myka seems to really enjoy this one, though. Her eyes light up when she sees it and starts pointing at it and jabbering. She seems to enjoy when I use different voices for the animal characters too, especially Andrew. ;)
            I loved this book too for several reasons. One, it's probably the old poet in me coming out, but I love children's books that use rhyming. It's fun and I feel like it grabs kids' attention better. Second, I like that this book tries to teach the importance of being patient. Let's face it: It's a hard concept for even adults to deal with at times!
            Finally, while Myka may be too young to understand the message, I like that we can still look at the pictures and point out different animals, count the spots on various animals, etc. Plus, I have a feeling she'll like this book even as she gets older! Definitely be sure to check this one out if you have young children!

Purchase

Amazon

 

About the Author: Louise Lintvelt

 

I am from South Africa and I live in a city called Pretoria. I am a Chemical Engineer by day and a children’s book writer by night. I am married to a wonderful man and we have a beautiful two year old daughter called Allegra. I love writing stories for my daughter, who is a constant inspiration. I have always loved reading. My childhood was filled with books and you would often find me crouched the corner of my room devouring the pages of my favourite book. I lived for Tuesday mornings as this would bring with it the excitement of a trip to the local library for story hour and the opportunity to take home a new book. I was the local librarian’s worst nightmare. I would arrive a few minutes early to check that she had not mistakenly chosen a book that had already been read in story hour. I was a very bossy three year old with an insatiable appetite for books! This has not really changed much in the last twenty seven years. Dr. Seuss was my absolute favourite and to say that my copy of One, Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish was well read would be an understatement. When it comes to writing, my daughter is my biggest inspiration. I love seeing her face light up with excitement when we sit down to read a book before bedtime. My daughter was fascinated by giraffes after we went on a safari trip in late 2012. This planted the seed for my picture book called How Andrew Got His Spots which is a rhyming adaptation of a story I originally wrote in the third grade. My daughter has since grown into a healthy two year old with a passion for aircraft which was the inspiration for writing Goodnight, Sleep tight, What a Wonderful Flight. I am sure that there are many parents in the world (myself included), who are quite decidedly sick and tired of reading the same favourite picture book night after night. I believe that the words of Oscar Wilde best describe how children should feel about picture books when he said, If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. Happy Reading!

Newsletter Sign-Up | Goodreads | Author Blog | Google+

 

* Blog Tour Giveaway *

 

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: July 15, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Louise Lintvelt and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Gender Stereotypes and Toys

            Hey folks! I've been doing some online toy "research" recently for an event I'm trying to plan on here for October. Perhaps it was just the particular items I was looking up, but it wasn't long before I couldn't help but notice just how many toys still come in solely pink or blue models. This is something that really bothers and irritates me as I strive to find gender neutral toys for the most part for my daughter. With that being said, I wrote this on my personal Facebook page:

Dear toy companies,

Can we PLEASE quit perpetuating this whole gender specific garbage? As Myka gets older and older, this is something that irritates me more and more. Not only is it ok and healthy for boys to play with dolls, girls to play with dump trucks, and many, MANY other examples, but can't we start using some more gender neutral color schemes in our children's toys as well? It is the 21st century, after all. Let's stop ingraining in our kids that "pink is for girls and blue is for boys". Boys can like pink. Girls can like blue...or orange, or gray, or whatever color they choose. Stop helping to perpetuate outdated gender roles and stereotypes!

Yours truly,
Disgruntled Parent

            For the most part, friends and family whole-heartedly agreed and one stated that this is something that drives her crazy too. However, while I'm sure they had good intentions, I felt like a few of them still didn't quite understand my point by the comments they left.
            One of my family members commented, "So get her the blue stuff." I don't want to get her the blue stuff. I don't want to get her the pink stuff either. I want there to be more color options that don't stereotypically belong to one gender or the other. Better yet, wouldn't it be great if toy companies completely did away with the "blue and pink" business and just made everything in gender neutral colors? In theory, I would think that would be cheaper to produce anyways. Plus, then, hopefully parents like me who have had the "blue is for boys, pink is for girls" nonsense ingrained into them will feel more comfortable and not give a second thought to buying an Easy Bake Oven for their son or the regular colored Legos (NOT the pink, purple, white "girly" colored ones) or a regular dump truck (again, NOT the pink ones) for their daughter. Maybe those aren't good examples, but you get the idea, I think.
            Another friend commented, "You're the mommy. You raise her any way you want. They can't dictate that to you." Valid point. But when you're as hellbent on gender neutrality/equality or whatever you want to call it as my husband and I are, it makes it difficult when your only options are pink and blue. Sure, I could buy a mixture of pink and blue toys if it comes down to it and Myka would never be the wiser as to "which one is appropriate for her gender". However, I want different, better options. 
             I don't know. Maybe I'm just weird. (Zip it. lol) I just don't want my daughter living in a world that's predominantly pink and blue. It may be hypocritical, but of course I still think it's ok to have some "pink, girly things" or "blue boy toys". But with all of the "gender equality" we're supposed to have nowadays, there sure seems to be a lot of toys that show otherwise. 
            What are your thoughts on this? Does it drive you crazy too? Or could you care less so long as your kid is happy with whatever toys he/she has?

Random Thoughts of the Day

            Hey folks! It's weird to think that this will probably be the last post I write from Arkansas. In fact, since I schedule most of my posts ahead of time, I am probably on the road for day 2 of my journey from Arkansas to Indiana as you read this. I have to admit that I've fallen behind on my posts with everything else going on in real life, so you may not be hearing from me too much for a bit. My mind has been (and still is) a jumbled mess, so I thought I would share a silly little list of random thoughts that have been going through my head.

1) I'm getting REALLY disgruntled with this whole trying to sell our house business. It's been on the market for a month now and we've only had one showing...And it wasn't even our realtor who showed it. I didn't expect it to sell right away or anything, but I feel like we should have had more showings by now. We live in a nice, quiet neighborhood in a decent sized, affordable house. *sigh* There have to be other people like us in this town who AREN'T looking to buy an overpriced lake house. Just saying...

It's cute, right?

2) As much as I hate taking pills and putting nasty chemicals on my skin, I finally started taking some antibiotics and using some benzoyl peroxide gel to help clear my face up. What's more awesome than having the skin of a pubescent teenager as an adult? On the bright side I've actually been able to swallow my pills whole so far. They're not big by any means, but I have a TERRIBLE time taking pills.

3) I'm starting to worry more and more about finding a job quickly. I still have "standards" as to what kind I will take, but at the same time I don't. The sooner I find a job, the quicker we can save money and the sooner my husband will be able to join us! I'm trying to be positive for once since the job market seems to have increased dramatically up there since we left.

4) I hope I don't strangle Myka (because of the long car ride) before we get to Indiana.

5) I hope my mom and I don't strangle each other for that matter too. :)

6) I'm really looking forward to doing a bunch of the "small town" things with Myka that we've been missing out on.

7) I really need to go get some ribbon and cardstock so I can finish packaging the soaps before we leave. 

            Ok, basically I'm just worried about lots of things. lol Do you ever have times where you're thinking about so much you think your head might explode?

Summer "To Do List"

            Hey folks! First of all, I am totally admitting that I stole this idea from Suzi over at Cloth Diaper Addicts. So please, no one get their panties in a bunch. ;) I just liked the idea so much I decided to do my own. (Btw, you can see her original post HERE. Do be sure to check out the rest of her blog if you're a cloth diaper lover!)

1) Take Myka to the zoo for the first time. I'm especially excited for her to see the elephants in person. We like making silly noises and waving our arm in the air like an elephant trunk when we see them on movies. :)
2) Take Myka to the 4-H fair. Kid loves her farm animals. Hopefully she will get her chicken fix. It was so sad the other day. John said she went to the back door and said "boks?" :( No. No more "bok boks".
3) Play and go for walks at the park as much as humanly possible. I love the park in my hometown because it actually has a good sized area just for little kids. Plus, I can go for walks without having to worry about getting ran over!
4) Go to the pool. I'm not a fan of swimming in natural bodies of water. I missed my public pool.
5) Catch up with old friends.
6) Participate in some craft fairs. My aunt in-law is awesome and got both her and me signed up for one on the 4th of July!
7) Get a job. I'm excited, dreading, and nervous about going back to work all at the same time.

            I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting, but I think that's good for now. Sounds like quite a fun filled summer! (Minus the whole job thing. ;) ) What are your plans for the summer?

How Do You Military Wives Do It?

Weren't we cute when we were younger and skinnier? :)

            With the imminent departure of Myka and I from Arkansas looming over my head since I finally decided on a date for the two of us to move on, I've been doing a lot of thinking. (If you're totally lost, see my previous two posts on our moving shenanigans HERE and HERE.) Thinking tends to get me in trouble...Well, maybe not in trouble, necessarily, but it seems to cloud my judgement, make me think into things TOO MUCH, worry/dread change, and second guess my judgement/decisions and wonder if what I decide on is really the best course of action. Whew! That was a mouthful! Do any of you ever have these intense moments?!

            With that being said, I really have to hand it to you military wives. Honestly. I haven't even left my husband yet and I'm already dreading it and feeling like we're already separated because I've been thinking about it too much! It's like I was just telling John, it might sound silly or crazy, but until I set a date I was thinking, "Oh. It might be good for us to spend some time apart from each other and be nice to spend time with my family without having to worry about you (John) feeling awkward." However, once I set a specific date for us (Myka and I) to move everything changed. 

             There are so many crappy aspects about this move to think about, even though I know it is the best option for all of us in the long run. As far as "positives", it will be great for my mom and I to reconnect. (I'm hoping, at least, since we will be staying with her and my step-dad until we can afford our own place. ;) ) We used to be really close until I became a (somewhat) rebellious teenager. We've made some amends since then, but I still miss the old friendship we used to have.

            As I've mentioned in my previous posts on our move, I am excited and scared about going back to work as well. I am super excited to be helping out financially again, not to mention that it will be nice to spend some time away from Myka. I know that sounds horrible, but I have had a babysitter watch her twice in the last year, if that tells you anything. Mommies need breaks too! 

            I can't help but still be worried about how she will react to suddenly being away from mom (after a whole year!) for several hours out of the day, several days in a row...Even if she is with family...Even though I feel MUCH better about leaving her with family that I know I can trust and that she will be in good hands. What parent likes worrying about their baby? (Even if he/she doesn't happen to be a "baby". ;) )

            I'm also looking forward to reconnecting with old friends before John joins us, especially my bff Caitlin, Terry, and Lindy. Caitlin and I typically have the type of relationship that it doesn't matter how long we haven't actually spoken for, we can pick right up where we left off. Lindy and I were best friends WAY back in the day and kind of drifted apart for awhile. (Let's not go into the reasons behind that.) Fortunately, we have reconnected over the last few years and I couldn't be happier. I missed her company and worried about her. 

            As for Terry, well, we have kind of an interesting relationship that some people might find strange. She's old enough to be my mom (older by a few years than my own mom, in fact), so while we're still "friends" in the general sense, she has that "mom" factor to her too sometimes, whether she wants to admit it or not. (She doesn't have any kids of her own and isn't remorseful of it. That's why I say that like that.) 

            As weird as this might sound, I am also looking forward to being able to visit my grandma's grave as well. I feel like I'm missing out when my mom tells me that she is going out there with such and such aunt. The one time I did get to visit her grave by myself right after she had passed and before we went home to Arkansas, I felt really close to her, like she knew I was there. She was basically a second mom to me growing up and I miss her terribly. I just want to feel like I'm able to visit her somewhat physically again, even if I get the feeling she's watching over me and Myka sometimes. :) 

            Then, there are the "crappy factors". I can't think of a time that John and I have stayed apart from each other since we got together and lived with each other. In other words, I don't think we've been apart for over 5 years...Including the time I had Myka. He stayed in the hospital with me the entire time for that too, thank God. I know we will skype, but it's going to be very weird without him actually there. 

This is another one of my favorite pictures of all time. :) Times were hard because I had just given birth via c-section to Myka less than a month before and John had just had his gallbladder removed less than 2 weeks previous as well, but still. :)

            Like I told John also, I'm going to miss him, obviously, but I'm really worried about how Myka is going to handle it. She may only be 20 months old, but she is very much a daddy's girl and has been for quite some time. It's bad enough that I know my mom is worried about it too. Like I told her, though, I'm hoping that skyping with "daddy" and other family members "oohing" and "ahhing" over her will keep her distracted enough that she won't get into too much of a funk without daddy being around physically. :/ 

            So, again, now that I've rambled for quite some time, I have to hand it to you military wives. I really don't know how you do it. Love, obviously, but still. I could never imagine having to be away from my husband for any length of time before, and now I am doing it voluntarily. :/

Learning Resources Math Mat Giveaway

Welcome to the Make a Splash Math Mat Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Learning Resources

Hosted by: Gloriously Green Gal & Savory Savings

Co-hosted by: Nurse, Mommy, Superwoman & Joy Makin' Mamas

With school out for the summer for many homes, it is time to find a way to keep young kids current on their skills.  One way is to make learning fun by playing fun math games with Learning Resources.  Krista over at Savory Savings recently had a chance to review the Make a Splash math mat from Learning Resources - check out how many different ways it can be used to promote fun and math skills!
How would you like to win a copy of the Make a Splash Math Mat from Learning Resources?  If you would like a chance to win, enter with the Giveaway Tool below.  If you have won a Learning Resources giveaway anytime from another blog in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway.  The giveaway will run from June 18 through July 2, 2014 at 11 PM CST and is open to US residents, ages 18 and older.  Entries will be verified.  Winner will be notified via email (consider adding gloriouslygreengal@gmail.com to your safe list) – winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or another winner will be selected.
Good Luck!

"Night Chill" Adult Fiction Book Review

            Hey folks! You may have noticed when I do book reviews, they're children's books most of the time. While I obviously enjoy it (otherwise I wouldn't be doing them, right?!), it was nice to take a break and read an adult book. Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus was right up my alley too because it's in the same genre as Dean Koontz, both of which I love.
            Jack Tremont, his wife, and two young daughters moved to the western hills of Maryland to start a new life after an unfortunate accident Jack was involved in while living in California. A year later and his family is more connected than they've ever been and enjoying the laid back pace of their new lives. Then everything changes when a deranged man tries to kidnap Jack's younger daughter, Sarah, at a rest area on their way home one night. Things get progressively worse from there.
            Jack tries to stop the man on the highway after he sees the body of a teenage girl in the attacker's trunk. Playing a game of cat and mouse on the dark, stormy highway, another accident ensues, causing Jack to have flashbacks from his accident in California.
            After investigating the scene, police (and even his wife) begin to think Jack is losing it when the body of the teenage girl is nowhere to be found. Things get stranger and stranger. Jack keeps receiving mysterious warnings that someone is trying to take his little girl from him. He even starts to wonder if he's going nuts himself when he starts having hallucinations involving the deranged man who tried to take his daughter.
            As things play out and a man by the name of Joseph Lonetree teams up with Jack, he learns there are dark forces at work in the small town of Prescott City and no one is to be trusted, even the authorities. Even worse, they will stop at nothing to take his little girl away from him. Little do they know is how far Jack and Lonetree are willing to go as well to stop them.
            I absolutely loved this book! I had a hard time "putting it down" for sure. (I reviewed an epub copy so it's not as if I actually had anything to physically put down. ;) ) The author does an excellent job of sucking you into the story right away. There are so many twists and mysteries that you can't help but to keep reading to figure them out and find out what happens next. Never a dull moment!
            I liked the author's writing style as well. I'm not big into overly descriptive writing. For example, I don't care that such and such character bought his black and grey diamond patterned polo shirt from Banana Republic on the third Wednesday of February. I thought Gunhus did a nice job of giving just enough relevant description of characters, places, etc. without boring the reader to death.
            If you're looking for a good suspense thriller with a bit of supernatural aspects mixed in, definitely be sure to check this book out. You can find it on Amazon HERE and you can find out more about the author and his other titles on his website HERE.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes. Regardless, all opinions are my own and may differ from your own.

Traveling with Toddler Giveaway

It's summertime! School's out, the heat is in, and the family vacations are about to commence! 

Will you be traveling with a toddler this summer? Will you be taking a road trip? 

Welcome to the Traveling With Toddler Two Day Road Trip Event! 

Hosted by Mommys Craft Obsession and Sponsored By Diono and Little Tikes!

I can definitely use all the tips and help I can get since I am getting ready to move over 12 hours back to my home state with a toddler! I hope these tips help you for your (hopefully funner than mine) trips this summer! Good luck to all entrants, too!-MBM

Summer is the perfect time of year to hit the open road and travel with your family, but making your plans and heading out on your journey can be a stressful experience! Whether your road trip be three hours long or 24+ hours long, some of the most important tools to a successful trip are a quality car seat, space saving solutions, and the biggest - patience. 

This summer, Mommys Craft Obsession has teamed up with Diono and Little Tikes to bring you the ultimate two day event that will make your summer road trippin' a much more enjoyable experience for the entire family!

If you plan to hit the open road with your family this summer and are worried about how your toddler will handle the long drive ahead, Mommys Craft Obsession has put together a Tips & Tricks guide for taking a road trip with a toddler! After a 17 hour drive (each way) to California, Alex at Mommys Craft Obsession thought about what worked and what didn't on their road trip, and wanted to lay out those tips and tricks in a handy guide, just for you! 

To read the Tips & Tricks guide, use this link! 

In celebration of summer and hitting the open road with your family, Diono, Little Tikes, and Mommys Craft Obsession want to give YOU the opportunity to win a Diono Radian RXT and a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Harness Backpack! Together, the Radian RXT and the Cozy Coupe Harness Backpack make for the ultimate combination of a happy toddler on the road!

To see a full review of the Diono Radian RXT and the Little Tikes Cozy Couple Harness Backpack, use this link! 

To Purchase:  You can visit Diono to find a store or online retailer to purchase the Radian RXT ($339.99) and Diono/Little Tikes to purchase the Cozy Coupe Harness Backpack ($16.99)

To Win:  Mommys Craft Obsession, Diono, and Little Tikes want to give one lucky winner the Ultimate Traveling With Toddler Bundle - a Radian RXT and Cozy Coupe Harness Backpack of their own! Enter the giveaway form below for your chance to win!

Entry-Form

The Giveaway will close late on the evening of July 1st. The winner will be chosen at random through Giveaway Tools. The winner will be announced both on Giveaway Tools form as well as notified by email and announced on MCO’s Facebook. Winner must respond within 48 hours of receiving their winner's email otherwise they will forfeit their prize and a new winner will be chosen. The winner will have their prize sent to them by Diono/Little Tikes. Mommys Craft Obsession and other participating bloggers are not responsible for prize shipment. Must be 18 years and older. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google are in no way affiliated with this giveaway. No Purchase Necessary. Void where prohibited by law. U.S. Residents Only. For any questions contact Mommys Craft Obsession. Mommys Craft Obsession did receive compensation or product in exchange for the promotion of this event. 

The Power of Modern Day...Herbs?

*Warning: This post contains what some might consider "tmi". I'll be talking about my period. (Or lack thereof.) Don't worry. No gory details, just about it in general. You've been warned!

Muira puama, dong quai powder, and damiana

            My irregular periods are nothing new, unfortunately. Aunt Flo started taking extended vacations again starting in the late summer/fall last year. What really baffles me is that I had normal cycles for almost a year, starting right after Myka was born since we didn't end up breastfeeding all that long. :/ (That's a whole other can of worms.)
            As I mentioned a few months ago, I gave in and went to my gyno. I knew she would want to put me on some type of medication to get my periods regular again, and she did. I did make it very clear that I wouldn't be going on any kind of birth control, which she respected my wish for. I was also happy she actually did blood work to 1) make sure I really wasn't pregnant and 2) to check my hormones, because I have had issues with them in the past.
            Nothing came back funky with my blood work and I've never had an abnormal pap smear, so I came to the conclusion that it's probably just because I'm overweight. You hear about it all the time...especially on the show "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant". lol Regardless, I still took my few months supply of artificial hormones and hoped Aunt Flo would get her sh** together.
            I thought everything was hunky-dory when I had 2 periods within a week of each other, so I didn't bother to take the last month's worth of pills because, quite frankly, I have ALWAYS hated taking pills if it's not necessary. Well, lo and behold a few more months go by, it's April, and I haven't had a visit from Aunt Flo since the beginning of January. -_- Wth?
            So, instead of opting for the pill route again, I decided to give my herbal "Aunt Flo inducing" tea a shot again, which brings me to the whole point of this post: There is something to be said about herbal remedies. While in general they do seem to be gaining popularity, there still seems to very much be a stigma or skepticism surrounding them for most people. What I don't understand about this is...where do people think modern day medicine stemmed from? But I digress...
            As far as my Aunt Flo herbal tea goes and regulating cycles, it may not work as quickly as the generic Provera that I took, but it seems to work more consistently. Consistency is a good thing when it comes to menstrual cycles. Sure, it's kind of nice not having one every month, but at the same time it's not very healthy either.
            I spent pretty much the entire month of April trying to make sure to drink one cup of this tea a day. I finally got my first cycle since January on May 6th. I will admit I only drank this every other day or so for the first couple of weeks after my period because, well, I wasn't exactly trying to not get pregnant. (You should NOT drink this tea if you think you may be pregnant. You can find out more about this tea in general and how to make it HERE.) Needless to say, I was a little surprised when Aunt Flo came to visit only a day late this month since I hadn't drank the tea regularly during May.
            Moral of my story: I highly suggest looking to "alternative" or herbal remedies the next time something ails you. You might be surprised to find that it works better than regular medication. :)

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical doctor nor should my opinions and suggestions here be taken as or replaced by professional medical advice. I simply wished to share my experience with others who may have similar female issues and/or are considering trying out herbal remedies. Please always consult with a physician before trying any new treatments, herbal or otherwise. I am not responsible for any negative outcomes the information I have shared in this post may cause to anyone.

A Night of Strategy Board Game Giveaway

Welcome to the Night of Strategy Board Game Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Winning Moves USA

Hosted by: Gloriously Green Gal & Savory Savings

Co-hosted by: Joy Makin' Mamas, Dividing by Zero, Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys, Uniform Mom, & Michigan Saving & More

Board games are a wonderful way to bring together family and friends for an evening of fun and laughter.  Want to bring out the competitive side?  Try a few rounds of strategy games like Risk (ok, so this may be the whole evening!) or Aggravation and you will see a different side of friends and family!  Krista over at Savory Savings recently reviewed three strategy based board games for Winning Moves and shared her thoughts in this board game review!
How would you like to win three stratgy board games from Winning Moves?  If you would like a chance to win, enter with the Giveaway Tool below.  If you have won a Winning Moves giveaway anytime from another blog in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway.  The giveaway will run from June 16, 2014 through June 30, 2014 at 11 PM CST and is open to US residents, ages 18 and older.  Entries will be verified.  Winner will be notified via email (consider adding gloriouslygreengal@gmail.com to your safe list) – winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or another winner will be selected.

Eco Emi Giveaway

Eco Emi Giveaway Sponsored by Eco Emi

Hosted by Deals of Sweetness

Co-Hosted by Pea of Sweetness

Eco Emi is the first eco friendly sampling service. For only $15.00 a month, they will mail you five to ten samples of natural, organic, green, eco-friendly products to your door wrapped in chic earth friendly material made from 100% recycled bottles. All of their packages are adorned with 100% organic or vintage ribbons or they will often use 100% bamboo yarns. Part of the fun is that the package will look a little different every month. You will have the luxury of trying out an array of green products in the comfort of your own home or over a cup of herbal tea with close friends.

Emilee from Deals of Sweetness loves eco-friendly products and was excited to discover Eco Emi. See what she thought of the Eco Emi box in her full eco-friendly products review!

Would you like to try a great eco-friendly product? One winner will receive an ECOCERT Organic Shea Butter 200G Pouch! This giveaway begins on 6/14 and ends on 6/28 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.

Entry-Form

  Disclosure: Emilee from Deals of Sweetness and Pea of Sweetness received free product(s) to facilitate her review. No other compensation was received. Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Pink Lemonade Shop Review & Giveaway

 Pictured from left to right: 7.5 in. minky pantyliner, 7.5 in. hand dyed bamboo velour pantyliner, 8 in. minky light pad, and 10 in. cotton heavy pad

             Hey ladies! I know there are a lot of you who already know about Pink Lemonade Shop and/or are already in love with their products. However, it seems like just as many of you are still "cloth virgins" and eager to learn about cloth menstrual pads from those of us who have tried them! Today I'm happy to share my thoughts and experience on these with you all. Plus, be sure to stick around until the end for your chance to win a Pink Lemonade Shop gift certificate to get your own cloth stash started!
            First of all, I have a confession to make: I'm not a huge fan of pads. (At least the store bought disposable ones.) I haven't been since I realized around the time I started high school, "Hey! Tampons aren't so scary after all!" Let's be honest: the "normal" ones are scratchy and feel like you're wearing a diaper. Not exactly the most pleasant feeling in the world, eh? Not to mention they can be stinky too. Ew.
            I'm happy to report that Pink Lemonade Shop's pads are SO much more comfortable to wear than disposables! They're not nearly as bulky, don't feel like a diaper, and you might even forget you're wearing one!

 I love that these are all backed with fleece!

            "Ok, great. They're comfortable, but how is the fit?" you may be wondering. Well, that's another great thing about Pink Lemonade Shop. Sure, you can get different sizes of disposable pads from the store, but PLS has even more size options. They offer everything from 6 inch pantyliners to 13 inch postpartum pads! You can even get 7.5 inch thong pantyliners! And (as if that weren't enough), they also offer 2 different width options. (Great for those of us who are "bigger girls".)

Durable snaps

             Ok, this is probably kind of gross to talk about, but we are talking about our periods, after all, and this is one of the most important factors: How is the absorbency? Well, obviously that's going to depend partially on which size of pad you're using, of course, but I have to say that I was surprised and impressed by how much they can hold, especially the 10 inch heavy pad I tried out. This is the largest one I've tried so far and I did have a slight leak over the side of one of the wings once but, to be fair, I think Aunt Flo is still trying to make up for lost time since this is only the second period I've had since the beginning of January, therefore I probably could have used a larger pad.
            Speaking of which, PLS now has 12 inch overnight pads! I've definitely got to get my hands on some of those! Just had to throw that in there before I forgot. ;)

 Wide wings

             Overall I really like Pink Lemonade Shop's cloth pads and pantyliners. Some people may not like this, but personally I like that they have wings so that you can snap them to your underwear because I'm a fan of winged pads anyways. I also like thinking about all of the money I will be saving by not having to buy pads and (less) tampons. (I'll get to that in a second.)
            I have two more confessions to make. One, I'm a bad girl and don't always follow the care directions. I'm too impatient for my own good sometimes and use warm water to rinse them out. To be honest, I'm not all that worried about stains because I don't expect them to stay bright and shiny and new forever. However, if you do follow the directions (rinse in cold water, wash in warm or cool water), that should keep the stains away for longer.
            One final confession: I still totally use tampons. Guilty. It has nothing to do with not liking my cloth pads. I just can't stand that, um, feeling (I'll leave it at that) and I can't bring myself to try the reusable cups. Everyone says they take some getting used to (understandable), but when I read that I have a bad mental image of the bathroom looking like a scene from a horror movie. Ew. Sorry. I'll pass.
            However, with all of that being said, I think Pink Lemonade Shop has something for everyone, whether you use pads exclusively, use a cup, or still use tampons as well. Heck, even if you're pregnant! Maybe I'm just weird, but I'm the type of person who likes to at least wear a pantyliner at all times, including while I was pregnant.
            Well, in case you couldn't tell, I could go on and on about PLS cloth pads all day long, but I'll stop my rambling here. ;) Be sure to visit their shop HERE and stay up-to-date with them via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.
            What's that? Oh! Right, right. I mentioned something about a giveaway, didn't I? Simply enter using the Giveaway Tools form below for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Pink Lemonade Shop! Only your email address is mandatory, but keep in mind that the more entries you have, the better your chances of winning are! Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: I received products to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed herein are my own and may differ from your own. This giveaway is not associated with any social media sites, including, but not limited to, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. If you have any questions about this giveaway or would like to feature your brand/product in a review/giveaway on my site, please email me at aliciaowen6814 at yahoo dot com.

Moving Update 6/13

 

It has been SO NICE being able to pack at a leisurely pace this time! Also, it's a good thing we have a big bedroom. lol

            It's time for yet another moving update. Sorry. It's pretty much been all that's on my mind lately. Well, that and selling this house. We haven't even had anyone come look at it yet. But, it has only been on the market for a few weeks and the kids should just now be out of school. Still. Bah humbug!
            Once it dawned on us that, "Hey, this isn't going to be as easy as it sounds since we OWN a house now and will still be stuck with all of the bills until it sells." we've kind of been putting off trying to come up with a better plan for a week or so. The scenarios we did come up with, well, no one plan is really better than the other. They all kind of suck. So I've felt a bit like Charlie Brown (wishy-washy) going back and forth between which one would be best. "Of all the Charlie Browns, you're the Charlie Browniest!"
            Anyways, we finally decided last night the idea John brought up a few weeks ago that I hadn't even thought of will probably be the best way to do things for us. What does that entail? Well, it means Myka and I will be moving and staying with my parents and leaving John behind for awhile. Crappy, right? Since this really is our best option financially, that should tell you how crappy the other two options were.
            Of course it's going to suck being apart from my husband and Myka is such a daddy's girl that I'm worried about how it will affect her as well. I'm hoping that with skype and all of our family fighting over who gets to watch her while I'm job hunting/working, she won't notice too much. Some of you might think we're crazy or terrible parents for voluntarily splitting up temporarily, but we really are scraping the bottom of the barrel here financially. This is our safest option financially.
            Like John and I were talking about last night, things aren't as easy this time with this big of a move. When we moved to Arkansas over 4 years ago, we had the "luxury" of still having unemployment funds and only us to worry about. Now we solely rely on John's paycheck and have another human being to take care of. The game has changed. (Tron Legacy, anyone?)

            I have to admit, I am looking forward to going back to work for the most part. I'm worried about how Myka will react at first, but I think she'll be fine. She likes her Gigi and Aunty M. ;) I'm sure there will be other relatives watching her from time to time too. I think it will do us both some good to get away from each other for a few hours out of the day. (I know it will me, anyways, as terrible as that sounds!) I love her, of course, but her "toddlerness" drives me bat shadoobie crazy some days!
            While I know it's necessary, I'm both sad and relieved that someone is coming to buy our chickens tomorrow. :( But, like John said, it was a good learning experience and we'll have some again another time.

"Hey. Whatcha doin' there with that bright, flashy thing again?"

Goodbye, chickens. :(

Natural Handmade Soap 20% Discount

Natural Handmade Soap 20% Discount

 

You really can't beat natural products...especially those from the Mohawk Valley Trading Company! Their honey is EXCELLENT and I can't wait to try out their soaps as well. You'd be amazed at how hard it can be to find truly natural soap without any extra junk in it!-MBM

The Mohawk Valley Trading Company is offering a 20% discount off all of their Handmade Soap from 6/12/14 through 06/30/14 with the Coupon Code “Mixed Bag Mama Handmade Soap Discount”.

 

Handmade Soap and Natural Skin Care Products from the Mohawk Valley Trading Company are made without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petrochemicals, synthetic or artificial fragrances, dyes, detergents, preservatives or any other toxic or harmful surfactants, degreasers, plasticizers, reproductive toxins, pesticides, carcinogens, industrial chemicals or hormone disruptors.

Instead, they are made with:

• Goat’s milk, shea butter, natural plant oils including; olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, hemp seed oil, palm oil, castor bean oil, wheat germ oil, sunflower oil and other botanical sources such as fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs and nuts.

• 100% natural plant-based essential oils distilled or pressed from fresh citrus peels, flower petals, spices, tea tree leaves, herbs and other naturally fragrant botanical materials.

• Beeswax, propolis and raw honey.

In addition, using the same coupon code, you can also receive a 15% discount on all Mohawk Valley Trading Company 100% Pure Beeswax Candles, Maple Syrup and Honey .

For more information please visit: http://www.tenonanatche.com/handmade-soaps-natural-organic.htm

Dr. Cool Recovery Wrap Giveaway

Dr. Cool Recovery Wrap Giveaway Sponsored by Dr. Cool

Hosted by Deals of Sweetness

Co-Hosted by Pea of Sweetness

What if you could combine ice and compression therapy? Could you do more? Recover more quickly? Well, you can wrap what aches in a Dr. Cool Recovery-On-The-Go Wrap. Dr. Cool is the ONLY product to combine ice and compression in one flexible wrap. Dr. Cool wraps can be used dry as a compression wrap to support and protect various body parts during activities, or frozen to combine cold and compression to reduce swelling and speed recovery mid or post-activity. To use Dr. Cool wraps as a cold compress, simply wet the wrap then roll and freeze it; Coolcore’s patented material will keep the fabric colder, longer.
Emilee from Deals of Sweetness has a chronic pain disorder but needs to keep up with her fitness (and her kids!), so she was excited to see a wrap that combines cold and compression. See what she thought of the Dr. Cool Wraps in her full therapy wrap review!
Would you like to try a Dr. Cool Wrap? Three winners will each receive a Dr. Cool Wrap! This giveaway begins on 6/12 and ends on 6/26 at 11:00pm (times are Central) and is open to US and Canada ages 18+. Please refer to the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools.

Entry-Form

  Disclosure: Emilee from Deals of Sweetness and Pea of Sweetness received free product(s) to facilitate her review. No other compensation was received. Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

"Goodnight Sleep Tight: What a Wonderful Flight" Blog Tour Review

 

About the Book

 

Title: Goodnight, Sleep Tight: What a Wonderful Flight | Author: Louise Lintvelt | Illustrator: Do Thai Thanh | Publication Date: April 16, 2014 | Publisher: eBookPartnership.com | Number of pages: 30 | Recommended age: 3 to 8 Summary: After an exciting flight, it is time to say goodnight. The tired sun sets overhead. Sleepy aircraft get ready for bed. They slow their propellers and park their wings. Time to snuggle up and tuck in...Goodnight, Sleep Tight. The charming illustrations and sweet rhyming text are sure to be a delight for sleepy aircraft enthusiasts.  

Purchase

Amazon

 

Mixed Bag Mama's Review

 
            Hey folks! Goodnight Sleep Tight: What a Wonderful Flight is the first of two children's books by author Louise Lintvelt I recently had the opportunity to review. I have to say (and I hope most of you know by now that I don't dole out compliments lightly) she may be one of my new favorite children's book authors and I can't wait to check out more of her titles!
            Goodnight Sleep Tight takes you through the day in the life of different types of aircraft. From Jane the jet plane to air ambulance Andrew, children will learn about the jobs of various aircraft.
            As I've mentioned several times before, I love children's books with rhyming and this one is no exception. I also liked this book because children are learning something without knowing it...because what child isn't fascinated by airplanes and helicopters? This book would be fun to read any time, but it's an especially great bedtime story, as I'm sure you can guess from the title. ;)
            I think children of both genders would enjoy this book too. We live close to a small airport and a hospital and our 19 month old daughter has recently become fascinated by the planes and helicopters coming and going, so I know she would enjoy this book!

About the Author: Louise Lintvelt

 

I am from South Africa and I live in a city called Pretoria. I am a Chemical Engineer by day and a children’s book writer by night. I am married to a wonderful man and we have a beautiful two year old daughter called Allegra. I love writing stories for my daughter, who is a constant inspiration. I have always loved reading. My childhood was filled with books and you would often find me crouched the corner of my room devouring the pages of my favourite book. I lived for Tuesday mornings as this would bring with it the excitement of a trip to the local library for story hour and the opportunity to take home a new book. I was the local librarian’s worst nightmare. I would arrive a few minutes early to check that she had not mistakenly chosen a book that had already been read in story hour. I was a very bossy three year old with an insatiable appetite for books! This has not really changed much in the last twenty seven years. Dr. Seuss was my absolute favourite and to say that my copy of One, Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish was well read would be an understatement. When it comes to writing, my daughter is my biggest inspiration. I love seeing her face light up with excitement when we sit down to read a book before bedtime. My daughter was fascinated by giraffes after we went on a safari trip in late 2012. This planted the seed for my picture book called How Andrew Got His Spots which is a rhyming adaptation of a story I originally wrote in the third grade. My daughter has since grown into a healthy two year old with a passion for aircraft which was the inspiration for writing Goodnight, Sleep tight, What a Wonderful Flight. I am sure that there are many parents in the world (myself included), who are quite decidedly sick and tired of reading the same favourite picture book night after night. I believe that the words of Oscar Wilde best describe how children should feel about picture books when he said, If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. Happy Reading!

Newsletter Sign-Up | Goodreads | Author Blog | Google+

 

* Blog Tour Giveaway *

 

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: July 1, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Louise Lintvelt and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Toddler Discovery Time: Fun with Homemade Flubber!

            Hey folks! I've had one of those weeks where I'm really into crafty projects and fun activities with Myka and want to do 50 billion of them. The day after we made the tissue paper windsock and played with "sand" for the first time in a month or, I was perusing my Facebook before Myka woke up and saw that my mother in-law had posted a recipe for homemade flubber. Of course, my first thought was, "Oh my God! I have to try that!" So we did...

 

Yes, I have a Halloween shirt on in May. It's my favorite. It's so comfy. Don't judge me. :P

            So, what the heck is flubber made of? Three simple ingredients, my friends! Glue, water, and a tiny, tiny bit of borax. (If you have concerns about the safety of borax, please read THIS. Also, I have no intentions of getting into an argument with anyone about this. hint hint) You can also add food coloring if you like. You can find the full recipe that I used HERE.
            Not going to lie: Myka wasn't super into it. She mostly just enjoyed picking small pieces off and putting them in the bowl, which you can kind of see in the video below. However, I was surprised she was even willing to touch it since she's still kind of weird about textures. She's getting more adventurous!

My attempt at demonstrating how this stuff "flows"...And then Myka trying to steal the show. ha ha I think you get a good idea of the consistency from the pictures and video, though. :)