Blabla Kids Review and Giveaway

ABOUT BLABLA KIDS:
Blabla's collection is designed by Florence Wetterwald and Susan Pritchett. They are a company that honors the fair trade ethic. Their products are knitted by Peruvian artisans and everything is made from natural fibers grown in Peru. The natural fibers make their line so soft, snuggly, and environmentally friendly. They make dolls, doll clothing, rattles, backpacks, finger puppets, blankets, mobiles, and clothing for their store.

MY THOUGHTS:
I received a giraffe Blabla doll named Gigi to review from Blabla Kids and I gave it to my daughter, Teela. Gigi is beautiful and made exceptionally well! I love the bright colors they use for the yarn. Teela loves her and takes Gigi everywhere she goes. She asks for Gigi by name when she does not have her and loves to sleep with her Gigi doll.

My other favorites at the store are: Mermaid doll "Anemone", Mermaid doll "Coral", Mermaid doll "Mini-Anemone", Mermaid doll "Mini-Coral", Giant Mermaid doll, Veggies rattles, Fruits rattles, Flower Blue hat, Butterfly Lilac hat, Boatneck "Pumpkin" sweater, and the Cardigan "Rose" sweater.

Thanks to ChicExecs, a company which was created to promote small business campaigns, I was able to let you know about this product.


WIN IT:
Susan at Blabla Kids is is giving one lucky reader a chance to win their very own doll.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Blabla Kids website and tell me what doll you would pick and for whom?.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Blabla Kids in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button - See Sidebar to the left - Leave your link (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @blablakids WIN: Blabla Kids doll http://bit.ly/fzmHI
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on any other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Follow Blabla Kids on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Fan Blabla Kids on Facebook.

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday October 9, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open Worldwide!!

Wordless Wednesday Teela's Shadow

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Bear Naked Review

ABOUT THE PRODUCTS:
Their 100% Pure & Natural Grain-ola Bars:
* Made with 15-17g whole grains per serving
* All-Natural, Bearly Processed and Utterly Naked Ingredients... that you can actually pronounce!
* NO Artificial Flavors, NO Cholesterol, NO Hydrogenated Oils, NO High Fructose Corn Syrup, NO Preservatives, 0g Trans Fat
* Vegetarian friendly
* Kosher certified

Their 100% Pure & Natural Cereal:
* Made with hearty whole grain flakes
* All-Natural, Bearly Processed and Utterly Naked Ingredients... that you can actually pronounce!
* NO Artificial Flavors, NO Cholesterol, NO Hydrogenated Oils, NO High Fructose Corn Syrup, NO Artificial Preservatives, 0g Trans Fat
* Vegetarian friendly
* Kosher certified

MY THOUGHTS:
I received a free sample from Bear Naked the other day in the mail. It was so scrumptious I had to tell you all about it! I chose the tropical fruit grain-ola bar and I am sure glad I did! It has yummy pieces of mango, papaya, coconut and pineapple mixed in with the delicious granola. I can say this was one of the best granola bars I have ever tasted!

They have their new 100% pure & natural cereals and grain-ola bars and you can also choose one to try free (check back I hear they will have more in stock soon): fruit & nut grain-ola bar, chocolaty cherry grain-ola bar, tropical fruit grain-ola bar, cranberry raisin cereal, and banana nut cereal.

Update...
They unfortunately don't have any free samples in stock right now, but make sure to check back often on their website as they have said they will replenish their supply and then you can try them out on your own. Or alternatively you can go buy some at your local store or online!

Read the story about Bear Naked. Save your Bear Naked bags and get some gear. Fan them on Facebook! Follow them on Twitter.

Putumayo Kids, Yoplait, and Uprinting Giveaway Winners

The winner of the Putumayo Kids Picnic Playground CD is #3 Erin. Erin said Since her Grandma is Japanese, she is very interested in the Asian Dreamland CD.

The winner of the Yoplait "Delight Your Day" Gift pack is #19 justicecw. She said that Chocolate Raspberry sounds yummy! And to be honest her favorite thing to snack on is potato chips!

The winner of the 18x24 inch Rolled Poster Print from LargeFormatPosters.com is #4 Stargirl! Stargirl said that her brother is a talented amateur photographer and she has no art in her home! She would have a poster made from a photo he took off the coast near Charleston at sunset.

Congrats again to all the winners! I will contact each winner by email. If you did not have your email posted please post it here so I can email you! Thanks to all those who participated and don't forget to enter in my contests/giveaways that are going on now! I will also be adding more posts and giveaways soon so stay tuned!

*All winners are chosen by my True Random Number Generator.

Zhu Zhu Pets Review

ABOUT ZHU ZHU PETS:
Zhu Zhu Pets (previously named GoGo Pets) are the newest toy craze and there are so many reasons why. They are cute furry hamsters without the mess, smell, and reoccurring costs (just batteries every now and then).

They currently have 4 hamsters although the pictures on some of the boxes shows a total of 9. Each Zhu Zhu hamster has its own unique personality and whimsical sounds! Chunk is the white one with a sun design on his back. He loves to surf (one of the items our habitrail came with was a surf board). Pipsqueak is the yellow one with the star on her back. She is a little dare devil that is afraid of nothing even though she is sweet and small. Squiggles is the tan one with a squiggle on his back. He is fussy, finicky and loves to explore. He has been there, done that and is still here to tell about it. NumNums is gray with a heart on her back. She loves to eat and has a great sense of smell for those munchies she goes after.

All the hamsters have three modes: Pet them (press the button on their heads) to get the hamsters in Loving/Talk Mode then you will hear them squeak, coo, chirp, and chatter. Press the back button for the Explore Mode and watch them scoot, scamper, bump & boogie across the floor or through their hamster habitat. The hamsters will automatically go to Sleep Mode after a certain amount of time depending upon what it is doing. You can also do this manually by pressing on the back button again after it has been engaged.


MY THOUGHTS:
We received the Zhu Zhu Pets Party Pak which included: 11 Zhu Zhu hamsters (most to give away to the guests), a complete hamster "habitrail" (including: giant hamster fun house, surfboard & sleep dome, sk8board and u-turn, hamster wheel & tunnels, hamstermobile & garage, spiral slide & ramp, and adventure ball), themed games and activities, and easy-to-make recipes. My boys were so excited! We set a date for our Zhu Zhu Pets in-home party and since my son Delbin had a birthday in September we combined the two and had the party on the 26th. Delbin invited all of his friends and we had a great turnout.

We also made all the recipes they suggested we make for the party. All were a hit especially the fruit kabobs which were gone in a matter of minutes. Here they all are in case you want to try them out too:

Chunk's Chunky Chicken Salad
Even Chunk, the hamster with attitude, won't pass up this tasty and healthy treat! Serve with wheat bread or crackers for a super-healthy snack.

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (or 2 cans chicken)
2 tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped celery
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, mix chicken with mayonnaise, lemon juice, and celery. Variations: Add 1 apple or 1 cup halved grapes to spruce up this salad.

NumNum's Yummy Fruit Kabobs
Like NumNum, the hamster who loves to eat, your little ones will love putting together this sweet and healthy treat.

1 cup cubed apples
1 cup grapes
1 cup cubed pineapple
1 cup strawberries
1 cup mini-marshmallows
wooden skewers

Place each ingredient in a small dish and let your child create their own delicious and nutritious kabob. Makes approx. 4 kabobs.

Pipsqueak's Sweet Trail Mix
Pipsqueak, the sweetest of them all, loves dried fruits and nuts, and your kids will love the chocolate treat. Even sweeter when the kids get to help!

3 cups pretzel sticks
1/2 cup peanuts (lightly salted)
1 1/2 cups corn cereal
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
12 oz. white chocolate

In a large bowl, combine pretzels, peanuts, cereal, and dried fruit. In a smaller bowl, melt the white chocolate in the microwave or melt it on the stove top (times vary, see package directions). Slowly pour the melted chocolate over the dry mix and gently stir to coat dry mix. Transfer mix to waxed paper to cool; about 20 minutes. Break mix into bite-sized pieces and enjoy! Makes approx. 10 cups.

We played a sort of a race the hamster game. While the hamsters raced some had to be rescued from getting stuck and also turned over on their side. Some of them had a difficult time getting up the tube to the slide needing an little nudge to get them the rest of the way and one turned its exploring mode off every time it reached a certain point up it. Besides the cute hamster noises they also make mooing and crowing noises of which I did not know why. Then we played a game I used to play at my parties as a child called "Fruit Basket Turnover". The party was a big hit! After it was over we handed out the extra Zhu Zhu hamsters and some stayed to play with the habitrail for a while longer. A word of caution: one girl at our party was playing with her hamster and accidentally got one wheel stuck in her long hair. The hamster wouldn't let go and we ended up having to cut it out. Thank goodness it wasn't a large amount of hair...just a small strand, but I would just be extra careful around anything that could get stuck in the wheels. My youngest, Teela, is 1 and a half and she thought they were funny and was giggling at them go around the maze, but she got a bit scared of their wheels when she decided to try and pick one up while it was still in motion. Despite the little quirks in the toys the kids were having a blast and after everyone went home my boys couldn't get enough of the hamsters and their hamster city. I highly recommend this toy for ages 4 and up (this age limit is also what is stated on the boxes)! Pick them up at your local Walmart, ToysRUs, or online at Amazon.com!



Thanks to MomSelect and BSM Media for this wonderful opportunity!

Wordless Wednesday Superboy

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Hasbro's National Family Game Night & Turnoff Week

Tonight is Hasbro's National Family Game Night. This evening during Turnoff Week sit down and play a board game with your family. You owe your family some bonding time together not in front of the TV, computer, or game consule.

In addition to offering hours of fun and entertainment, games also provide countless learning opportunities. Playing games reinforces patience, turn taking, cooperation, teamwork, losing gracefully and following directions. Participating in National Family Game Night will undoubtedly create great memories and bring your family closer together. So go ahead and dig out those dusty board games that haven't been played in ages and have some fun with your family tonight!

World Gratitude Day

It is World Gratitude Day today! So I would like to take time and thank each and every one of my readers and soon to be subscribers. You are wonderful! I also want to take time to thank God for all the trials and tribulations in my life that have made me stronger. I am so very blessed to have a wonderful family who looks out for me and wonderful friends who are there for me. Thanks! I am grateful to you all!


These pictures of Tatiana were taken shortly after Christmas of last year. She had to spend Christmas in the hospital and my parents helped watching her while she was there so she would not feel alone. The hospital staff gave her Patti the pink platypus to hug and cuddle. During that time we had trial after trial thrown at us at home: our toilet backed up, our water heater broke, and our furnace broke. When my husband went to go see Tatiana in the hospital both back tires on our van blew out and we had numerous times the chains on his tires kept breaking. In January our family and friends sent blankets to keep us warm while the furnace was being fixed and despite the trials we got through it all. I am so grateful to my friends, family and strangers that helped pull us through.


I am also posting this video from Mom Fuse. They and Tiny Prints asked several well known bloggers to volunteer their time and to take part in a 21 day challenge that encouraged them to take note of the brighter side of life. Now they are asking for more participation. Join the Gratitude Challenge! Seek out things that that you feel gratitude for and share them on your blog, Facebook, Twitter or wherever you express yourself.


Follow them on Twitter @TakeNoteGiveThx hashtag: #GratitudeChallenge
Fan them on Facebook. You can even add an interactive 21-day gratitude calendar widget to your blog or website.

Thanks to Mom Fuse POP (Post Our Pitch) Alerts for this information!

Gratitude Challenge

Share This Widget

» Join the challenge

» Read participating blogs

tiny prints

Sneaking Fruits & Veggies Into My Toddler’s Diet

I am a very big fan of eating healthy. Getting the right amount of fruits and veggies in my kids' meals is important to me and the task can be challenging at times. There are many ways I have hidden fruits and veggies in my kids' foods. Some of my kids are more picky than others. My youngest, Teela, isn't the pickiest of my bunch by any means as you can probably tell from the picture here of her eating broccoli. But hey, I would love to share some secrets I have tried to get her and my others to eat their veggies in particular...fruits I don't seem to have a problem with...unless you are discussing the eating habits of my developmentally delayed special needs child, Tatiana.

SOME IDEAS:
1. Fruit and veggie smoothies.
2. Fruit and veggie juice blends without added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. You can also make them into popsicles or frozen cubes.
3. Bake them into things. I love chocolate chip zucchini muffins :)
4. Make zucchini puffs, poor mans crab cakes, an omelet, or Okonomiyaki (A Japanese style pancake that you can put all sorts of things in.).
5. Have them make their own foods with ingredients you provide. Kids who cook or prepare it themselves (with a little help) usually end up also eating what they have made. Salads or fruit and veggie kabobs are wonderful to do this with!
6. Broccoli with cheese sauce. Classic!
7. Casseroles and Crock Pot meals loaded with veggies. Have your little one help you with what goes in it.
8. My kids think they are cool because they like "green paper", seaweed wraps for sushi, to eat plain. They think it is funny to eat them in front of someone who might think they were a bit strange for doing so.
9. Rename things in fun ways like the above "green paper"...broccoli could be mini trees, peas could be called "power peas", or spinach leaves could be "dinosaur scales", etc.
10. Have them help you in the garden...if they have picked it or grown it maybe they'll eat it.
11. Teach 'em while they are young. Read books to your baby and toddler about fruits and veggies and the importance of eating healthy.
12. Use Japanese Bento Boxes or be creative about serving the fruits and veggies. You can make all kids of fun creations from animals to faces the skies the limit!
13. Frozen fruit and veggies...some kids love to just eat them frozen...esp. good on a hot day!
14. Start early, offering your toddler lots of different types of foods and letting them see you eat and enjoy a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
15. Last but not least, I am going to give Little Blends a try.

ABOUT LITTLE BLENDS:
Little Blends from Horizon is an all-natural yogurt blend of fruits and vegetables that will help parents incorporate more nutrition and variety into their child’s diet. Each 4-ounce cup packs a daily value of 20 percent calcium, 25 percent protein, omega-3 DHA and probiotics. Parents will really love how Little Blends makes sneaking fruits and veggies so much easier. This new line is just one example of how Horizon continues to deliver nutritious food options that support healthier kids and a healthier planet.

Little Blends is an all-natural yogurt, meaning it’s produced without added growth hormones, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It is also created without high fructose corn syrup. It comes in three flavors: Banana and Sweet Potato, Apple and Butternut Squash, and Strawberry and Carrot.

Thank you TwitterMoms for telling me about Little Blends! Go to TwitterMoms and you can blog and tweet to win some cool prizes too.

Uprinting 18x24 Poster Giveaway

The above photo collage of my family was done in a 16x20 inch high gloss poster print by Uprinting and they did a fabulous job on the large format printing!!

Because my blog is sponsored by Uprinting they offer gifts for me and giveaways for you! Now they are offering me and one of you a free 18x24 inch Rolled Poster Print from LargeFormatPosters.com. Large Format Posters is a division of UPrinting Network and is sponsoring this giveaway. I am excited to be able to choose another photo to become a poster :)

WIN IT:
Mandatory:
1. Leave a comment explaining how you would use the Poster Print if you won and what picture you might use. (example: a poster of your favorite travel destination on your wall in your office)

Additional entries:
1. Blog about this giveaway and link to my blog as well as LargeFormatPosters.com

2. Tweet this: @finamoon: @uprinting WIN 18x24 Poster Print #giveaway http://bit.ly/GMFNF

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. This contest ends on Monday September 28, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only and entrants also get FREE UPS Ground Shipping!!

Boogie Wipes Review and Giveaway

MY THOUGHTS:
My daughter, Teela, had a yucky nose recently and thankfully I had these little gems around! The cleanup was painless, I didn't have to chase her around the house with a dry tissue (Teela's toddler legs can move fast if they are motivated to!), and she didn't throw a tantrum getting her nose wiped. My son Jaedan is known to have allergies and was sneezing one day so I handed him a Boogie Wipe he blew his nose in it and I got this picture :)

I received a 30 count resealable flex pack with flip top lid in Great Grape and Magic Menthol. I also received 10 individually wrapped 'Boogies on the Run' wipes in Fresh Scent for backpacks, lunchboxes, or purses. These are great for on the go!

The Great Grape smell was pleasant and my kids loved these wipes the best. I love the Magic Menthol smell (that is actually comprised of Eucalyptus and Rosemary) the best and it is especially wonderful for clearing sinuses and stuffiness. The Fresh Scent smells like flowers. I kind of wish they had one without a scent because people that are sensitive to fragrance might have troubles with these especially because they are held to your nose.

The Boogie Moms, Mindee & Julie, are two awesome ladies from Portland, Oregon who came up with Boogie Wipes. (Little did I know that their Little Busy Bodies, Inc office is just an hour and 10 minutes from me! Small world indeed!) They have made cold and allergy season so much more tolerable!

So, I have to ask...Who here wants to hold down little ones while trying to: wipe their horribly chapped nose with a dry tissue, spritz up their nose with saline spray, and bulb out their nose? I sure don't! It is a tantrum waiting to happen! Say no to the dry tissues, nose bulbs, and saline spray! The Boogie Moms have made a better product! The saline wipes are perfect because they don't dry out little noses. They leave them moisturized instead of chapped and the saline infused in the wipes dissolves the icky boogie goo off your child's face! Need I say more? I don't think so!


FACTS ABOUT BOOGIE WIPES:
Boogie Wipes are made with saline to dissolve boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold, allergies or otherwise booger-filled kid moments. Extra soft and scented in Great Grape, Fresh Scent, or Magic Menthol (for extra stuffy noses) Boogie Wipes are recommended by Pediatricians as a gentle, effective alternative to a dry tissue.

How are Boogie Wipes different
than a regular baby wipe?

* Made with Natural Saline to Dissolve Mucus
* Hypoallergenic
* Alcohol Free
* Moisturizes with Vitamin E, Aloe and Chamomile
* Fun Scents Kids Love
* Gentle Enough for All Ages
* Phthalate & Paraben Free

Go HERE to see where you can purchase Boogie Wipes. You can also order them online at Boogie Wipes. Join The Boogie Bunch and Get a Coupon for $1 Off Boogie Wipes!

Enter the Boogie Back to School Giveaway! One lucky teacher/provider will win years supply of Boogie Wipes! (6 - 30 count packs/month, shipped direct to their school) 250 entries will receive a Boogie Back to School Kit complete with coloring sheets, coupons, stickers, buttons and samples.

WIN IT:
Molly at Boogie Wipes is is giving one lucky reader a chance to win two 30 count packs of Boogie Wipes.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Boogie Wipes website and tell me a story about a time when you could have used Boogie Wipes.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Boogie Wipes in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button - See Sidebar to the left - Leave your link (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @boogiemom WIN Two 30 Count Packs of Boogie Wipes http://bit.ly/9rHDC
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on any other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Follow them on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Fan them on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday October 2, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only!!

Thanks to ChicExecs, a company which was created to promote small business campaigns, I was able to let you know about this product.

Chronicles Of Narnia Unabridged Book And CDs Box Set Review

MY THOUGHTS:
We have been listening to an awesome Chronicles Of Narnia Unabridged Book And Audio box set by C.S. Lewis that we purchased online from Seagull Book on May 30th for 80% off the listed price of $99.99!! That is just $19.99!! Unfortunately they don't have it at their online store any more and so I went searching for a comparable price for you but only found 33% off at Christianbook.com. Maybe you will have better luck at searching. At least you can listen to a sampling of the audio HERE.

This magnificent set is well worth even the $66.99, in my opinion. When it arrived at our home and we took it out of the shipping container we were awe struck at how nice a set this was. The combined book is beautifully illustrated and unabridged. At the first chance we got of a long van ride we put in the first CD and our kids fell silent listening. They have enjoyed listening so much that they sometimes forget that they are CDs and have begged us to put in the "video". I believe that they must have wonderful imaginations to have that kind of imagery in their heads, but C.S. Lewis is also a masterful author indeed for he has painted the pictures so very well.

ABOUT:
C. S. Lewis's masterpiece, The Chronicles of Narnia, continues to captivate readers more than 50 years after publication. The 7 books include journeys to the end of the world, fantastic creatures and epic battles between good and evil. All 7 books are collected in one impressive paperback volume. Each chapter is graced with a black-and-white illustration by the original artist, Pauline Baynes.

Celebrity voices (Kenneth Branagh, Lynn Redgrave, Michael York, and Derek Jacobi) have come together to read these extraordinary works, and now, for the first time ever, this seven-in-one paperback and the complete unabridged recording of each book are available together in this heirloom quality box set from HarperCollins.

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

Ahoy, me Mateys! 'Tis day be international speak like a scurvy pirate day so in celebration I have decided t'message some pictures 'o me cabin Jim laddies in scurvy pirate garb :) Avast Ye! Better take a look or I'll have ye walk th' plank or better yet scrub th' poop deck! Arrrrrrr!

Aye, so 'tis day don't be landlubbers! Get ye sea peglegs 'n be ye sea folk. Come on the account to sail th' seven seas 'n celebrate wit' me 'n me trusty parrot.

Shiver me timbers! I almost forgot, thar be treasure in 'tis here blog so before ye leave, comment here 'n on me giveaway messages fer free lovely booty if ye be th' lucky ones to stay clear 'o Davy Jones' locker.

Yoplait Delights Yogurt Parfait Review and Giveaway

Yoplait Delights are a rich and creamy layered yogurt parfait with just 100 calories! They are available in four yummy flavors: Chocolate Raspberry, Triple Berry Creme, Lemon Torte, and Creme Caramel!

I got to participate in a Spark with MyBlogSpark and got a "Delight Your Day" gift pack that included: a spa mask, wrap robe, slippers, and a coupon for a free package of any flavor Yoplait Delights Yogurt Multipack. I tried the Creme Caramel and it was fabulous!
Do you want to try them? Download a $1.25 off coupon for Yoplait Delights Parfait HERE!

WIN IT:
Amanda at MyBlogSpark is is giving one lucky reader a chance to win their very own "Delight Your Day" gift pack.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Yoplait Delights website and tell me what flavor you would be interested in AND what your favorite treat to snack on is (do both or be disqualified)?.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Yoplait Delights in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button - See Sidebar to the left - Leave your link (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon WIN: Yoplait "Delight Your Day" Gift Pack http://bit.ly/2kgGVp
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on any other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday September 25, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only!!

Cozi $500 PTA/PTO School Sponsorship

How Would You Like to WIN $500 for Your School?

In honor of our kids heading back to school, Cozi will sponsor the PTA/PTO’s of three North American grade schools for $500! Yours could be one of them! Anyone can enter. Here’s how:

1. Ask all your friends and school contacts to become fans of Cozi on Facebook
2. Have them leave a comment HERE on the fan page stating the name, city and state of your school

That’s it!

(PLEASE be sure to leave the comment in the comments section, not as a separate wall post, so they can keep track!)

The more entries your school gets, the greater its chances of winning! Just imagine what your school PTA/PTO could do with an extra five hundred bucks!

Each entry counts once, and they will choose three winners at random.

The opportunity lasts just two weeks and now there are ONLY EIGHT MORE DAYS TO ENTER AND WIN, so SHARE this post on your own Facebook page and ask your friends to pile on the entries for YOUR school right now. Good luck to all our schools!

NOTE: You may enter only ONCE for each school represented by the kids in your family. (For example, if you have one kid in middle school and two in high school, you may enter twice - once for each school)

Wordless Wednesday Butterfly Bush

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Putumayo Kids Review and Giveaway

ABOUT PUTUMAYO KIDS:
Putumayo Kids is the children’s and educational division of Putumayo World Music. They are committed to introducing children to other cultures through music from around the world. Their CDs are a beautiful multicultural, multilingual mix that is sure to please and inspire any child. Around the world they have sold more than 3 million Putumayo Kids CDs and with each CD sold at least one percent of the CD sales benefit non-profit groups that support children, families, schools and other charities. They have already contributed more than $1 million dollars to non-profit organizations that do good work in the regions where the music originates. They have both a Playground (which is upbeat) and a Dreamland (which is soothing and relaxing) series.

Watch this video to learn more about Putumayo Kids!

MY THOUGHTS:
I homeschool and I love to learn and teach about different cultures. I absolutely love world music and actually seek it out for my children so that they can experience and learn to appreciate different cultures by music. I think that it is very important while my children are still young to instill in them an importance of culture and immerse them in the diversity. One of the things I am doing this year is teaching my kids Spanish. I have found that by giving them an opportunity to also learn about the culture in the different places that speak Spanish that I am giving them a wider view of the world.

I was given Picnic Playground and European Playground to review and then also went out and bought the African Playground at a gift shop in the Portland Children's Museum. I love all of them!

Picnic Playground is Putumayo Kids' newest CD. It is packed with 12 great songs about food. My favorite song from that CD was #7 Beautiful Day by Kheswa from South Africa.

European Playground is is a collection of 15 songs from Europe's rich cultural variety. My favorites were #12 Tarantainas De La Casa Sin Pared by Biella Nuei from Spain and #15 Sandy River Belle by Sharon Shannon from Ireland. Get the Teaching Guide HERE, the lyrics translated to English HERE, and a map HERE.

My absolute favorite so far is the African Playground CD. It has 13 wonderful songs on it. My favorite song on it is #3 Mbube by The Mahotella Queens from South Africa (The Lion Sleeps Tonight). It is a very different version from what you are used to, but it is fabulous! Get the Teaching Guide HERE, the lyrics translated to English HERE, a fun craft activity HERE and a map HERE.

Get other Teaching tools for other Putumayo Kids CDs HERE! Visit their blog HERE.

WIN IT:
Beth at Putumayo Kids is giving one lucky reader a chance to win the Picnic Playground CD.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Putumayo Kids website and tell me what other CD you would be interested in.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Putumayo Kids in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button - See Sidebar to the left - Leave your link (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @putumayokids WIN: Putumayo Kids World Music Picnic Playground CD http://bit.ly/incgv
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on any other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Become a Putumayo follower on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Become a Putumayo Kids follower on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

12. Become a fan of Putumayo and Putumayo Kids on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday September 25, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open Worldwide!!

Happy Grandparents Day Tribute

Happy National Grandparents Day! I made a collage of my Papa (he's the one in the cowboy hat), and my mom and dad with my kids to have a tribute to them on Grandparents Day on my blog :) I hope you like it! Unfortunately my husband's side of the family is blog shy. I also didn't get the chance to ask my Grandma (my dad's mom) if she would mind being on here. Oh well. I just wanted y'all to know that they mean a whole bunch to me too even though they don't show up here in pictures.

Lunchables Lunch Note Promise SiteWarming Twitter Party

About Lunch Note Promise:
Beginning this week, the folks at Lunchables invite parents across the country to take a moment and place a note of encouragement in their child’s lunch before they go to school. If you homeschool like me and make meals on the go put a little note in for the car ride to brighten their day. Are you ready to promise to join the campaign to give children what they need – a little encouragement?

For every parent that makes that promise at Lunch Note Promise, Lunchables will donate a meal to children and families in need through Feeding America, which serves an estimated nine million children each year. Together we can help Lunchables reach their goal of turning 100,000 promises into up to 100,000 meals!

So, go to Lunch Note Promise and make your promise. Then they also have neat downloadable lunch notes that are in PDF format for you to print out! Easy!

About the Party:
I just learned on Resourceful Mommy that Lunchables is having a Twitter SiteWarming party Tonight for their new website, Lunch Note Promise and I thought you might like to know about it.

Date: Friday, September 11th
Time: 9p.m.-10p.m. ET
Hashtag: #Lunchables
Location: Twitter
Host and Who to Follow: @ElizCron on behalf of Lunchables, @ResourcefulMom, and @TwitterMoms

Go HERE to find out more on the party and to RSVP!

*Note on Lunchables...they aren't what they used to be. They are a lot healthier and more wholesome than the Lunchables they had back when I was in school. Check out what Resourceful Mommy says about them and then go check the them out on the Lunchables website. Sure they still have the cold pizza, but it has wholegrain crust now and they also have New Lunchables with sub sandwiches! They also have added bottled spring water, apple sauce, sugar-free Jell-O, and 100% juice to the meals.

Luvs Take A Stand Campaign

Luvs baby diapers offer great value, price, and leak protection! The people at Luvs® are excited to invite you to join the Luvs "Take a Stand" campaign, which rallies moms to unite and take a stand on things that are important to them, such as not paying too much money for everyday items such as diapers!

Starting September 15, we can all go to Luvs.com and receive a $5 coupon off a pack of Luvs diapers! There is limited supply so go there on that day early before supplies run out!!

You can also enter the Luvs "Diapers for a Year" Sweepstakes by registering at Luvs.com or updating your existing account. It only takes a minute for a chance to win a year's supply of diapers for your baby.

They also have this really cute Luvs Baby Builder application on their website that will allow you to make yourself into a Luvs Baby.

"Marissa Jaret Winokur, Tony-award winning actress, “Dancing with the Stars” contestant, and host of Oxygen Network’s “Dance Your &%$# Off,” is leading the charge for the Luvs “Take A Stand” campaign. Marissa absolutely believes in the idea of empowering moms to stand for things that are important to them, and you can watch a series of videos on Luvs.com where she talks about all sorts of things that she stands for – from charitable giving, to just trusting your gut when it comes to parenting." You can also share your own inspiring “Take A Stand” story with other moms within the Luvs online community.

Luvs loves moms! They understand that you have more important things in life than overthinking diapers. You want to find both affordability and something that will work well. With Luvs, you get a great diaper that provides ultra leak protection, and there's even a money back guarantee.

Grandparents.com Review and Twitter Party

National Grandparent's Day is Sunday, September 13th. If I get around to it on that day I will be celebrating by posting some pictures and a little bit about my family's grandparents and great grandparents (to some).

Speaking of grandparents... grandparents.com is a great website that you can go to to get everything you need to make Grandparent's Day special.

We had some fun with a new technology on Grandparents.com and used it to send emails to them with a recording of my boys voices. All you have to do is go HERE on Grandparents.com dial their phone number, put in a passcode, and record your message, hang up, click finished on the computer, and send it to any email you like. Simple! Their grandparents can now send my children a message back if they want to using the same "Your Voice" technology. You can also download and save the message to listen to over and over again if you like. It is all done for FREE!

HERE is the message my boys and I did for their grandparents.


Also if you haven't heard already...

Grandparents.com and MomSelect are having a Twitter Party!!

Date: Thursday, September 10th
Time: 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. EST
Hashtag: #grandparents
Location: Twitter
Host: @MomTalkRadio (Maria Bailey, Founder of MomSelect)

They'll be swapping stories, sharing ideas and even giving away great prizes that would make terrific Grandparent's Day gifts! Moms, Dad, Grandmas, Grandpas and Grandkids are all welcome to join in the fun at #grandparents.

Let them know you're coming by clicking HERE to RSVP. Your registration will count as an additional entry to win a $25 e-gift card from Target.com. Additional giveaways throughout the evening will include:
Two (2) $25 1-800-Flowers gift cards
Two (2) $25 Snapfish gift cards

Make sure you follow @ResourcefulMom throughout the evening for updates and prize information. For more chances to win tweet the details of the party (including hashtag, date and time) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday to be eligible for a separate drawing for another $25 e-gift card from Target.com.


Display your support of Grandparent's Day by downloading a badge HERE. Spread the word about this important, and overlooked, holiday!

bTrendie Review

bTrendie is an exclusive shopping network where moms and moms-to-be can shop for fabulous products (most are name brands, designer brands, brands that aren't in stores yet, and brands you don't see often or at all in the USA) at amazing prices (up to 60% off!). There is stuff for mom, home, and baby on bTrendie. Sometimes they even hold great giveaways!

In August I purchased a Cloud B Dozy Dolphin On The Go for my daughter, Teela, from bTrendie at a wonderful 40% off the retail! I thought it was a sweet deal then, but I had to pay shipping...now they are having a Cloud B event that gets you the same 40% off as I did, but with FREE SHIPPING! I guess for me it just goes to show that the saying early bird gets the worm isn't always true, but the saying will be true for you!

Right now they have other Cloud B products listed other than the dolphin too...all at 40% off with free shipping. They also have a trendy designer handbags event going on now. Both events close September 13th at 12pm EST. After that they will have other events starting up with other fabulous deals!

Don't miss out! Go get some trendy mom and mom-to-be products at the exclusive shopping club bTrendie!

There's absolutely no catch -- membership is free. But, since membership is by invitation-only, consider yourself invited! Use the invitation link to get into the site.

Hurry and check it out for yourself!

Wordless Wednesday Sack Of Potatoes

If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays, click on the Mister Linky image, enter your name and URL in the form, and press Enter.

The Jesus Storybook Bible Sweepstakes

I am blogging about The Jesus Storybook Bible not only because I could win 16 copies (a case) of The Jesus Storybook Bible Deluxe Edition, but because it sounds like a very intriguing storybook for kids and parents alike!

The illustrations are fantastic and although I have yet to read this storybook myself this is what the website says about it...

"Every Story Whispers His Name…

Written for children ages four and up, The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the one story underneath all the stories of the Bible and points to the birth of a child, the Rescuer, Jesus. Complete with 44 Bible stories, The Jesus Storybook Bible paints a beautiful portrait of Jesus and invites children to see that he is not only at the center of God’s great story of redemption—he is at the center of their story too. Children and adults alike will be captivated by the beautifully written narrative and the original and unique illustrations by accomplished artist Jago. Lloyd-Jones’ powerful gift of storytelling draws the reader into the greatest adventure of all time in an exciting page-turner that kids (and adults) find hard to put down.

Since its release in 2007, The Jesus Storybook Bible has become a must-have for children and adults and has grown into a brand that includes: a Spanish edition, an ebook for large and small group presentations, and the new Deluxe Edition, which includes the complete book on audio CD, read by award-winning British actor David Suchet. The audio from the Deluxe Edition is also available separately."

Just the illustrations alone should make you want to go out and pre-order it (it is available October 2009) or at least try to win it yourself!! Besides Submitting your e-mail address and blog-post URL for entry you can go to the website to read a page, hear the audio, and learn more about the author, illustrator, and audio reader. There are also free downloads of mp3 and pdf from the book and audio on the website as well.