Orkin Bed Bug Home Prevention Prize Pack Giveaway & Blog App

I have the opportunity to give away a Orkin Bed Bug Home Prevention Prize Pack below free for posting this information. All information and giveaway prizes are provided by Yellow Pages and PartnersHub.

Bed bugs have come back strong over the last decade, keeping more and more people from sleeping tight. Now is the time to take control with a smart action plan - before the bed bugs bite.

Bed bugs reproduce quickly, so it’s critical to detect and treat an infestation early. Take the “Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite” QUIZ and download the “5 Must-Know Facts” PDF for a few tips on how to spot a budding bed bug problem.



And if you suspect an infestation, be sure to contact your Orkin professional who will inspect your home thoroughly and design a treatment that’s right for you.

Visit Orkin.com or call 877-412-6806 for a free estimate.



Blog App:

• Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite QUIZ: Bed Bugs have come back strong over the last decade, keeping more and more people from sleeping tight. Take the quiz to find out if YOU let the bed bugs bite!
• Get Social With It!: Tweet using the #OrkinBedBugs hashtag.

WIN IT
Prize: The Orkin Bed Bug Home Prevention Prize Pack (2 mattress Safe Pillowsafe protectors ($30.00 Value)

Giveaway open to the U.S.A.  Each household is only eligible to win Orkin Bed Bug Home Prevention Prize Pack (2 mattress Safe Pillowsafe protectors) via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Orkin Bed Bug Blog App I am getting a Orkin Bed Bug Home Prevention Prize Pack free for my readers as a giveaway. Thanks to PartnersHub and Yellow Pages for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this blog app and giveaway.

A Mom's Guide to Home Organization Book

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional information to share with my readers. I am getting something for free in return for posting this information.

Are you frazzled by your family's hectic schedule and chaotic household? Then try Debbie Lillard's "A Mom's Guide to Home Organization." This book walks you through simple processes and tips for organizing your time, your stuff and your space. The second half of the book addresses how to teach your children the life skill of being organized. Written by a busy mom for busy moms. Buy it here!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the A Mom's Guide to Home Organization Book I am getting the e-book for FREE. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

All You Magazine Back To School Special Issue Review

We received a product free from Crowdtap and All You Magazine to facilitate this review.

All You Magazine has put out a special Back to School issue that you can find in the magazine stand at your local Walmart. I really have enjoyed reading this special issue of All You magazine. This issue is dedicated to getting the school year off to a great start. Its special focus is encouraging kids to read. The contents are organized into relevant categories that you can find things easier with. The categories include: Be prepared, Living healthy, Eating well, Learn together, and Also in the issue.

It has great tips and offers for back to school and home. The recipes for tasty lunches, after school treats, and easy 20-minute meals look yummy. I will certainly have to try the Mushroom Ragout with Polenta! I also love the section about kitchen gadgets and building a book nook.  If you have a new kindergartener, 7th grader or 9th grader going to public school then the article titled "Soothe your child's back-to-school worries is a great read. I loved "End Morning Madness" because really mastering the art of getting everyone out the door without any drama is a special skill that does require some advance planning and they have some good tips to do so. Kellogg's, Scholastic and Walmart has partnered up with All You to give readers the opportunity to get a free Scholastic book when you buy specially marked packages of Kellogg's products at Walmart. It also has valuable manufacturer coupons inside that are good til the end of October.

This magazine has so much great information inside! I enjoyed it from cover to cover. I highly recommend this magazine to other parents.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

ModCloth Home Decor to Beautify Your Apartment or Home

This is a sponsored affiliate post. Thank you for supporting my blog!

I love ModCloth because of their unique variety of decor and clothing that you might not find anywhere else. I recently bought a fun book from there called  Raising Unicorns because we have a farm and wanted to have this book on our shelf beside our books on raising bunnies and horses for an extra laugh...and to see if anyone noticed it there.

ModCloth is launching a magical new line of home decor items for you to beautify your apartment or home. Take a look at some of the new items here: ModCloth Retro & Cute Apartment Decor! Shop Now!. They have the cutest kitchen and bathroom items to make your home playful and elegant, all at an affordable price too. And they offer free shipping on all orders over $50, so don't be shy when you find a few things you love at ModCloth! Come back and let me know what you buy!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Mod Cloth provided this information to me to share with you. This is a sponsored post. The links in this post are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Our Farm Home

Our Farm Home.

We recently purchased a farm property with 2 houses, a barn, a chicken coop/shed, and a lean-to. These were built in the 1920's and have a cute cottage look to them. There is also a tiny building that houses the well on the side of our property. They sit on 5 and a half acres and are nestled in between a gorgeous canopy of trees.

The pasture, large barn, mailbox, chicken coop/shed, well house, and wagon wheel gate.

My favorite structure on the property is the barn. It is a large barn that was used previously for cows and loose hay. I also love the gorgeous wagon wheel gate to the larger pasture and the large mailbox.

The many flora of the farm.

Along with the shade of many trees (walnut, apple, pear, cedar, pine, mock orange, lilac, magnolia, smoke, tulip popular, etc.) there are other flora as well. There are rhododendrons, azaleas, roses, columbine, clover, dandelion, lilacs, daffodils, peonies, violets, ferns, yucca, wildflowers, etc. There is also a lovely grape vine loaded with it green grape leaves right now. We made grape juice from the harvest last year as well as dried pears and apples from the fruit we picked. My daughters planted a petunia in the front flower bed and I have since planted a fuchsia there also. We are planning on growing more fruit trees and having a large edible garden too. We want to keep the property park like.

The mini pony, horses, wild deer, bunnies, and a frog Jaedan is holding.

We would love to own chickens, quail, a goat, and maybe a llama or alpaca someday very soon. We also keep two bunnies and some bees. Right now we rent pasture to three amazing horses. They are so sweet! The large spotted Appaloosa gelding is named Blueberry and he loves me. He comes up to me and nuzzles up against me. He was in my picture for my Renaissance Fair costume review. Then there is a gorgeous Cremello filly named Skittles that looks so much like a unicorn it is otherworldly. Last but not least is a Palomino mare named Dreamer. She is a bit shy, and loves to stand out in the rain. Our mini Shetland pony, Gizmo, is there as well, but since he is a stallion he is in his own separate paddock. We occasionally see other wildlife: deer, owls, bats, cranes, osprey, hawks, eagles, squirrels, birds, skunk, raccoon, lizards, snakes, frogs, etc.

Our plan is to become more sustainable and live in harmony with our surroundings. This is the first time we've owned a farm. We are learning as we go about being farm folk. I am planning on doing a lot more posts about our critters and farm life. Stay tuned and I'll try and keep you posted.

Lamps.com and Tiffany Parrot Table Lamp Review

I received a gift code of $100 to use at Lamps.com to order a lamp or light fixture of my choice to facilitate this review. I chose their Tiffany Parrot Table Lamp because we were given a collection of Lynn Chase Parrots of Paradise (Parrotdise) dishes from Brian's Grammy as a wedding gift when we were married and this lamp matched them. Someday I would love to display these lovely dishes in a china cabinet in my kitchen or dining room. The Tiffany Parrot Lamp will be displayed there as well if I have my own way.

I ordered the lamp. It was under the $100 gift code price, had free shipping and handling and you had the option of also adding a free set of light bulbs that would fit it. I chose to get the free light bulbs also because I was sure that I didn't have any bulbs currently to fit it. Ordering through Lamps.com was very easy and straight forward. I ordered the lamp and the bulbs on February 21st and received the lamp on  March 1st. I however; didn't get the courtesy bulb pack until March 11th. I was told this was because they ship out of separate places. So I had to wait to try the lamp out until the Candelabra 7w (E12) Incandescent bulbs came.

After the bulbs arrived we got one out to place into the lamp. This particular lamp unscrews with two screws at the base of the parrot shade where it joins the tree trunk that it sits on. It is fragile so you have to be careful when replacing bulbs into the socket or handling the lamp in general. Thankfully the lamp only goes on one way (clockwise) onto the stand and it came with easy step by step directions to put it all together. You probably can't tell in my pictures, but there are little parrot bird feet perched on the tree trunk to help you line everything up before you screw it together. It has a lovely dark bronze, circle gold finish and a felt on the bottom of the base so that it won't harm furniture. The polarized plug had a bushing on it that we took off so that we could plug it into the outlet. The cord wire has a good length to it with a simple inline on/off switch to operate the light.

With the lamp also came a little pamphlet that told about Dale Tiffany lamps. Dale Tiffany is the world-renowned manufacturer of fine glass lighting and home decor in the tradition of Louis Comfort Tiffany. With their "opalescent glass" shades the century old tradition continues in these lamps with the same copper foil technique as the original. This "opalescent glass" or stained glass is made of genuine hand rolled art glass. All pieces are hand-crafted art. Each becomes its own truly unique heirloom piece.

I love this lamp. It is gorgeous. The mosaic stained art glass is elegant and definitely fits into my eccentric eclectic style well within my home. When the lamp was on it held a delightful ambiance and was not too bright to make my dog go crazy because of lights and shadows it produced. I was pleased with it even though I would have liked the areas of the tail and beak of the parrot to light up more. It definitely enhances the mood and environment where I place it and proves to be a great accent piece.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Scotch Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes Review

I love the quote from William Arthur Ward that reads, “A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” This is so true. I am trying to prepare my new to me house to become a home so that we might be able to share our love and dreams there as a family. I also love the LDS scripture in D&C 109:8 that says, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;...”. These things are very important to me in organizing my home. Right now I am working on the learning and the order in abundance. The rest I need to work on more steadfastly.

I homeschool so learning in my home is happening round the clock. However when people are sick the learning and everything else seems to come to a sudden halt. Being sick or having a sick child can disrupt everything because of the care involved. This is why keeping a clean orderly house is so important to me. Even though my home isn't as spotless as I would like it to be because of busy schedules and messy children I still try my best to make it that way.

I love the New Scotch Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes because they have a botanical active ingredient called thymol, a component of thyme oil. Thymol is an antiseptic and is antibacterial. These wipes kill and sanitize over 99.9%* of household, classroom, or workplace germs and cold & flu viruses. They are also easy and convenient to use.  I received free for this review one container of  Scotch Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes in Breeze scent and one container of Scotch Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes in Lemongrass scent. The Breeze scented one was a bit overpowering for me and made me want to sneeze, but I really liked the Lemongrass scented one a lot. They both have easy to open flip top lids that make it simple to get the wipes out and they are rolled up inside so another pops up when one is pulled out. These can be safely used around kids, pets and food. They don't require rinsing after cleaning surfaces that come in contact with food, paws and little hands. These are great for the cleaning of all hard non porous surfaces where bacteria or unpleasant odors are a concern, including: desks, tables, countertops, food preparation surfaces, floors, appliances, cribs, children's toys, toilet seats, garbage cans and pet habitats.

*Kills over 99.9% of household germs: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Enterobacter aerogenes, Influenza A virus, Rhinovirus type 37, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 1. Sanitizes hard non-porous non-food contact surfaces of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes in the presence of light or moderate soil load with a 30-second contact time.

BUY IT
Scotch Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes are available now at most Wal-mart stores and other retailers in both Breeze and Lemongrass scent. The suggested retail price is $2.99 for 35 wipes and $4.99 for 75 wipes. You can also get a coupon for $1 off of 2 on the Scotch Brite website.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Scotch Brite for sending me product for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Mohawk Home Rug Review and Giveaway

Since we have moved into the home we live in now we have made a lot of upgrades to our home. We have redone both front and back doors, made a cement doorstep that is wheelchair friendly, re-rocked the driveway, repainted the house, re-roofed and upgraded the skylight in our kitchen, put in a large stainless steel double sink in the kitchen, remodeled both bathrooms, etc. When we moved in our backyard looked like a jungle. We had to go through and rip out all kinds of thorny locust bushes and raspberries that were taking over. I have since had a lovely garden back there with vegetables and herbs growing in it and the grass is lush and green now.

One thing I didn't have though was a lovely doormat to welcome guests to our home. My doorstep was very bare until I received the Mohawk Ocean Doormat to test and review for free on my blog. It was just the right touch that it needed.

If you have read this blog for long you know that I love the ocean. This doormat has wonderful sandy browns, aquamarine blues, and grassy greens. I think my favorite square on it is the Sandpiper because it reminds me of my father-in-law who used to own a business with the same name. The sailboat is a close second because it reminds me of a dream my husband and I wanting to build a large sailing vessel someday to sail the ocean in. This Coastalhome Snapshot is the perfect thing for my front doorstep.

This Mohawk doormat is made of 100% polyester facing and 100% recycled rubber backing. It is a good size, 18" x 30", for welcoming and is very durable for all weather types. It is also functional as well as beautiful since it removes dirt and debris from shoes and feet as you come in and can be easily cleaned with a vacuum or shaken out. You can also rinse as needed with a garden hose and then let it air dry. My rainy weather here in Oregon sure makes cleaning this doormat easy.

Mohawk Home offers more than just doormats. They have a wide selection of area & accent rugs, indoor/outdoor rugs, kitchen rugs, bath rugs and rug pads with different patterns, color, and style. You are bound to find one that you just love. Watch this video to find out more. Mohawk Home makes safe and sustainable products. Just look for their GreenWorks symbol on their items and you will be getting something using recycled rubber and/or fibers, ecocotton, and/or natural fibers.

BUY IT
You can find Mohawk Home products online at retailers like Home Depot, Kohl's, Lowes, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, & Sears, Walmart and JCPenny.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a Mohawk Home item valued up to $19.99 (includes doormats, kitchen rugs, bath mats, and rug padding).

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Mohawk Home for sending me product for free to review and one to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler Review and Giveaway

The Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler attaches to the inside of a cabinet door to collect recyclables out of sight and keeps your counters clear. The bag is durable, machine washable, and made of recycled material. Collect your recyclables and then easily lift the bag from the lid and cabinet by the handle to take them out to your recycle bin.

• Hinged lid attaches easily to cabinet door with over the door hooks or screws
• Bag has wipe-able leak-proof liner and is machine washable for easy cleanup after possible spills inside
• Bag is soft-sided allowing for flexibility inside any cabinet
• Bag is made from 65% post-consumer resin, meaning it is recyclable too
• Packaging is made from recyclable material, making it very earth friendly
• Convenient handle for transport to larger receptacle for recycle pick-up
• 5 gallon bag holds 36 uncrushed 12-ounce cans and is large enough to fit 1 gallon milk jugs
• Great for single stream recyclers
• Great for apartment living

My Thoughts:
Last year I found out that our city does pick up recycling, but unfortunately here it isn't highly advertised about because the city doesn't want to pay more for it than they think necessary. We only get one day each month to put out recyclables for them to come and pick them up and so as you can imagine it piles up quickly, especially for my family of 6. A lot of people in my neighborhood don't know about this service my city provides or just don't do it because of the inconvenience. I do it every month now and I hope that the city changes so that it is picked up more often and so that more people know about it.

I received the Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler from Rubbermaid to try out for free and review on my blog. I thought this was a great product to add to my Spring Gift Guide as it is very eco-friendly and it is for recyclables. It was fairly easy to put together and I tried it with the only cabinet that I thought would work with it, my kitchen sink cabinet since it is an open cabinet with no shelves in the way for the bag. I found, however; that when installing the Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler with the over the door hooks and then shutting the cabinet door, the lid to the recycler hit the side of the bottom of my sink. So, for my cabinet it didn't really fit well inside, but my sink isn't original to the house and has a larger basin than the old one had, so I think that plays into it a little. I could still install it with the screws though and it would fit, however; I don't really like the idea of putting more holes in my cabinet door even though they are not the nicest cabinets and the place where the screws go in on the product is made of plastic and looks a bit like it might break if I did. With the screws I would still have to install the whole product a lot lower than it says to in the instructions and the screws are a little long so they would go through my thin cabinet doors also. If Rubbermaid made the hook's length to be adjustable that would make it a whole lot better in my opinion.

Otherwise the Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler is a very good product and is great for recyclables. I placed mine on the outside of one of my cabinets because it wouldn't fit any where else...so not very hidden, but it is attractive so I don't mind looking at it. I also love the strap on the bottom of the back of the bag to help tip it over to dump out the stuff into the recycle bin outside. It is space-efficient if placed out of the way, compact, durable, washable, and easy to use.

Other uses you can use the Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler for:

• In the kitchen to store dirty kitchen linens before they go to the wash.
• In the laundry room for your unmentionables or delicates and/or hand wash only items.
• In the kitchen to store plastic grocery or shopping bags in so they can be reused.

Link Up with Rubbermaid:
Follow them on Twitter @Rubbermaid. Visit their Adventures in Organization Blog. Fan/Like their FaceBook page.

BUY IT:
The Hidden Recycler is currently available for purchase online at Rubbermaid.com and in store at Meijer.

WIN IT:
Prize: Win a Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Rubbermaid for sending me product for free to review and one to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Pampered Chef Party!

I am having a Pampered Chef Party!
When: Wednesday February 29, 2012 at 7pm
Where: At my home.

Since most of you cannot make the party you can still order something online if you want to! Go here: http://pamperedchef.biz/melodywheeler. After you go there click the picture that says Shop Online. It will automatically take you to a page to put in my first and last name as the host in the appropriate places and click search for host. Select me and then make sure I am listed as the host at the top of the right hand side of the page and then you can shop :) Thank you so much for supporting me and my Pampered Chef consultant Melody Wheeler!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in possibly ordering something. Your order will support me and my blog. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

One Kings Lane Flash Sales - Get a FREE $15 For New Members!

One Kings Lane is a favorite Flash Sale site of mine. They have fabulous Home Decor, Kitchen Items, Bedding, Furniture, Rugs, Linens, Children's Toys & more at up to 70% off. New sales every day. There are so many awesome items on sale for the home at at One Kings Lane today!

Under The Kitchen section (Ends 12/18) on sale they have: Bodum French Coffee Presses and Coffee makers, cute aprons, hand blenders, knife sets, fry pans, cookware sets, pepper and salt mills, beverage dispensers, canisters, mixing bowl set, hanging pot racks, Viking mixers and toasters, kitchen scales, cookbooks, Tovolo kitchen gadgets, colanders, baking pans, stockpots, etc. They also have other sections of sales to check out that are going on now. So many awesome items to choose from!

Get a FREE $15 to spend there when you are new to sign up!!

I am eying a whole lot of kitchen stuff on sale at One Kings Lane now that is on my wish list: Tovolo 5-Pc. Measuring Cups & Spoons Set $15, Reston Lloyd Mixing Bowl Set of 5 in Aqua and Azure $25 each set, Tovolo Stainless Mixing Bowls & Lids (Set of 3) $25, Bodum 51 oz Ice Coffee Maker in Purple $19, Reston Lloyd 5 Pc. Utensil Set in Plum $12, etc.

They have such great prices from trusted brands like Tovolo, Viking, Bodum, and BIA Cordon Bleu! You can't and won't beat these sales and since they are flash sales they won't be around for long. These would be great gifts for Christmas! So don't delay!!

Get a FREE $15 to spend there when you are new to sign up!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in taking part of this deal. I am a fan of One Kings Lane and thought I would share the savings. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post. My affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog! *Referral credits can only be used on purchases more than $30.

Host A Healthy Child Healthy World Healthy Home Party

Host a Healthy Child Healthy World Healthy Home Party this year and start the year out green! With the tools and information provided in the Healthy Home Party Kit, you can educate your family, friends, school, and community to protect children's health and development from common toxins. YOU can make a difference!

This is an awesome opportunity is for bloggers or anyone willing to pay $20 tax deductible for a kit to get some awesome eco-friendly products and have a home party that will help you get you or keep you on the road to a greener life.

The Healthy Home Party Kit includes a ‘Creating Healthy Environments for Children’ DVD, a 5 Easy Steps guide, one set of pocket guides, Healthy Child brochures and 5 Easy Steps flyer, ‘Creating Healthy Environments for Children’ fact sheet, 5 Easy Steps on ‘How to Host a Healthy Home Party’, and product samples and collateral from Healthy Child Healthy World sponsors. The sponsors and partners include awesome companies like: Activeion, Baby Soy, CleanWell, BamboNature, Dapple, Earthbound Farm, Earth Friendly Products, Episencial, gDiapers, Happy Baby, Klean Kanteen, LUNA, Mohawk, Naturepedic, O.N.E Drinks, Organic Valley, Eat Cleaner, California Baby, Plum Organics, Revolution Foods, Seventh Generation, Weil Baby, and Yes to Carrots.

If you are on a budget and can't afford the $20 for the kit you can download free resources and materials You can also apply for a Healthy Home Party Scholarship. Every month Healthy Child Healthy World gives away 10 kits. Fill out the form to apply.

*Due to limited resources, they can only give out ONE Healthy Home Party Kit per household, per year. Please note: they do not ship outside the U.S. or to P.O. boxes, so please provide a valid U.S. street address.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: In entering and not being selected to host a Healthy Baby Home Party I was chosen as one of 300 people for their ongoing Healthy Home Party Kits for free so that I can host a party of my own soon. I posted this information for my readers to let them know of this great offer to host a party of their own. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post.

Bringing Baby Home

I just recently brought home my new daughter, Zari Katana. Here I am finally home with her. Bringing home a new baby from the hospital is something that shouldn't be stressful. You should be able to enjoy your baby and not be bombarded by chores or things that have piled up while you were away at the hospital.

Here are 10 Tips For New Moms (or well versed moms) Who Are Bringing A New Baby Home:

1. Have an adequate support system! Someone to provide emotional support, help with chores and cooking, run errands, watch other siblings, etc. Sometimes you just need some time alone with baby or a nap once in a while!

2. Spoil your newborn. Give your new baby loads of attention, lots of love and affection. Hold your baby and cuddle it.

3. Babywear your baby safely! I am a big promoter of babywearing! When done safely there are so many bonding experiences you can share with your new little one!

4. Go Green! Use reusable cloth diapers, eco-friendly cleaning products, etc. These are better for the environment and better for you and your family!

5. Make sure pets are prepared for baby's arrival. Here is a great resource for doing so. Pets need to be accustomed to babies and introduced to this early so that they don't react in a negative way.

6. Start Going to Bed a little earlier. You need your sleep and so does baby. Being well rested is essential to being a mom and not feeling so stressed!

7. Make noise while baby is asleep! It really doesn't need to be totally quiet for baby to sleep peacefully. I have found that making noise while baby is sleeping helps baby come accustomed to everyday life around my house and become more of a sound sleeper.

8. Give other family members and pets your attention too! Hubby needs some lovin' too. Don't forget to include the pet and the other siblings in activities with the new baby or some one on one attention while baby is getting held by someone else.

9. Breastfeed if you can! Breastfeeding is so much healthier for baby than formula. It helps baby ward off sickness too. It also creates more of a bonding experience and helps you lose that unwanted post baby fat that you gained during pregnancy!

10. Enjoy your newborn! Your little one won't stay little for long. Take lots of pictures and/or videos of your infant. Babies keep changing and they change quickly ...so get it captured and write down those precious moments in a keepsake book of some sort.

Do these 10 tips and I assure you life will be better and less stressful for everyone. Make time for yourself, the other members of your family, and your pets. Cherish the precious time you have with your baby...they grow up so quickly!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Lysol Mission for HealthNewborn Baby

Top 10 Reasons I am Excited to Stay Home with My Family this Coming Weekend.

So, there are a lot of bloggers out there that are going to BlogHer. I happen to NOT be one of them. So, instead I wanted to put my top 10 reasons I am excited to stay home with my family this coming weekend...

01. I can get away from the house a bit even if it will be with my family just running errands. (Many of you don't know this about me but, I still don't have my drivers license. I have a learners permit...just haven't passed the driving test yet. Yes, I know I am a bit old to not have one, but I get nervous! I know, I am a loser, LOL!)

02. My husband will be home with me and the family this weekend! He volunteered to work overtime last weekend because they were short 4 people.

03. I can look for a wheelchair accessible bus. (We have a five year old special needs daughter, Tatiana, that is currently wheelchair bound. We just found out that our 2006 van cannot be equipped with a ramp because it is too old a body style. So because our family might possible grow more, we are now looking for a small bus that will suit all our needs.)

04. I get to go to the Annual Neighborhood BBQ that my good friend, neighbor, and fellow homeschooler has been coordinating every year since she moved to the neighborhood.

05. I get to have my boys back from "Clark Camp", their grandparent's [Babu (short for Babushka...no she's not Russian, she's Alaskan and parts of Alaska have a lot of Russian Orthodox churches) and Papa Clark's] week of fun at their house.

06. I get to announce who the winners are for the giveaways going on now and ending Friday July 24, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) on my blog.

07. I won't be bombarded constantly by therapists and nurses coming to my home for Tatiana because it will be the weekend. (These are awesome folks! Tati and I just need a break once in a while.)

08. We will be able to go to Shriner's hospital to get Tatiana's AFOs (Ankle Foot Orthotics) looked at to see why they are pinching her. While we are there we will also be able to see if Tatiana's EasyStand stander can be fitted to her, get some straps for it, and get whatever else it needs for her to be able to use it. (It was a gracious second hand gift and we hope she can use it.)

09. I can relax at home, run around in my pajamas, eat home cooked meals, sleep in, be with my family, and not have to shave my legs, JK on the last one, LOL!

10. I get to enter contests that are for bloggers like me that can't go to BlogHer for one reason or another. Like these ones: Mommy's Quiet Time Non Blogger Party and the COZI Sponsorship - 15 Bloggers with $100 each!

Please I beg you! Help me win a $100 Cozi sponsorship and leave a comment on this post! Thank you!

A Welcome Home and a Visit to Tatiana

My husband came home last night from a long stay in Orlando, Florida because of a family emergency (I will not be going into that...so, don't ask). Anyway, I was glad he was home. I missed him so much while he was away!! He had me order Red Lobster and he picked it up on his way home from the airport. It was delicious! We settled in for the night and watched episodes of Lost and Heroes that we had missed.

Today he treated all of us (minus one, Tatiana) to a breakfast at the Pancake House. Double yum!! Then he drove us to Portland to see Tatiana. She has been staying at the Providence Center for Medically Fragile Children since April 6, 2009. I couldn't believe it when I walked in to see her. She had gotten a very cute haircut since the last time I saw her and lost two of her bottom baby teeth. I gave her lots of loves, kisses, and hugs and after about two hours visiting we had to leave. I was sad to go without her again. I will be so glad when she is stable enough to come back home. I miss her terribly and I have missed a month roughly of her growing up. She has also missed stuff at home: Easter 2009, Teela's first Birthday, etc. I wish I could be there with her like I was almost every hospital stay she had, but then I would be missing the same stuff with my other kids and this is supposed to be for my respite. It breaks my heart that I had to leave her, but I know she is in good hands! Hopefully she can come home soon.