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For Better or For Worse: Santa Has High Standards
This year, I asked Jake what he wanted to write to Santa for and he told me that he wanted a cleaning cart. So I figured that since, a whole year later, Jake was still thinking about that cleaning cart which he never received, that we should ask Santa to bring him one this year. After all, he must really want one if he is still thinking about it.
Well, my husband's feelings had not changed about the Oooooooing and the Aaaaaaaaahing. He really did not want a cleaning cart to be the big gift from Santa, while I thought that there is no harm in Santa's bringing a less-than-elaborate gift if that is what will make Jake happy. So we had to compromise. We ended up buying the cleaning cart for him and putting it aside as a toy that Jake will have to earn. Now everybody is happy.
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Review: Big Kid's SleepSack Wearable Blanket by Halo
This respected company offers an Early Walker SleepSack and a Big Kids SleepSack which has openings for your child's feet. Our nearly 3yr old twins and our kindergartner all kick their covers off in the middle of the night, so I was pleased to find that these wearable blankets for big kids come in sizes 2T/3T and 4T/5T.
What I thought about these Big Kid's Halo SleepSacks:
1) These wearable blankets are very roomy. Both twins have plenty of room to grow. I was concerned about the 4T/5T not fitting our nearly 6yr old son, but his SleepSack fits just fine.
2) The micro-fleece is soft, warm, and cuddly inside and out.
3) I was concerned about whether the twins would have problems climbing in and out of their beds while wearing their SleepSacks, but they did not. We did not allow our kindergartner to sleep in his because he sleeps in the top of a bunkbed and we were afraid he would not be able to climb up and down the ladder very easily.
4) The wide knit cuffs do a great job of keeping the SleepSack from sliding over the child's feet.
5) These wearable blankets are excellent to use for reading or watching a movie during the colder months.
8) These Halo wearable blankets did take some getting use to. Mainly the part we struggled with was getting the twins to wear socks while they slept.
Thank you to Halo for providing us with review products free of charge.
Most 3G2S posts contain commission-yielding affiliate links. When you make a purchase after clicking a link, our family earns a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog.
Ben & Jerry's Certified Fair Trade Ice Cream
As October comes to an end, so does Fair Trade Month. However, this is just the beginning for Ben & Jerry's, who currently has four certified Fair Trade ice cream flavors available for purchase in pints. These flavors include Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee Heath Bar Crunch (YUM!), and their new Chocolate Macadamia.
What qualifies a product to be classified as a "fair trade" item?
1) Paying farmers a fair price for their goods so that they can afford to support their families and improve upon their businesses.
2) In return, farmers are required to run their farms and businesses in the most environmentally-friendly ways possible.
3) Farmers also must use some of their profits to help develop their community.
4) Farmers must offer safe working conditions and cannot utilize child labor.
5) Fair Trade products can only be purchased directly from the farmers so that they have control over their own businesses, eliminating the middleman.
6) Farmers allow their workers to have input about the business and where to invest the money in the community.
Stop by TransFairUSA.org to learn more about Fair Trade. Visit Ndali.net to find out about the vanilla that goes into the various vanilla-based Ben & Jerry's ice creams. Now if we can just get Cherry Garcia on that certified Fair Trade list, I would be better able to justify how many pints I consume on a weekly basis.
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Review: TinkerBell And The Lost Treasure
The premise of this film is based on TinkerBell's having been given the all-important responsibility of creating a new Fall Sceptre, which will replenish the supply of pixie dust for the community of Pixie Hollow. Without this magical dust, the pixies will be unable to fly. Of course, things do not proceed as smoothly as TinkerBell would have hoped.
The entire film is centered around the theme of friendship. TinkerBell is so focused on her goal that she does not appreciate the efforts her friends (both old and new) are making to help her achieve her goal. During her adventure, TinkerBell learns that true friendship is a rare treasure and that she should have treated her friends with kindness and patience, rather than viewing them as a nuisance and blaming them when things went wrong.
I invite you to watch this clip of the two trolls (played by Jeff Bennett and Rob Paulsen) who mind the troll bridge. These two have been friends for many hundreds of years. They show both TinkerBell and the audience that it is possible to argue and disagree and still maintain a true friendship.
Currently you can buy this 2-disc combo set of TinkerBell And The Lost Treasure at the Disney Store or at other local and online retailers of Disney movies.
Thank you to Click-Communications for providing us with a review product free of charge.
Most 3G2S posts contain commission-yielding affiliate links. When you make a purchase after clicking a link, our family earns a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog.
The Visual MD . . . A New Site for the Modern Day Parent
I have to admit that I was so focused on the benefits of breast milk and the type of formula we selected that I lost focus on the importance of my selection of solid foods. It would have been extremely helpful to have a quick and easy-to-use resource like the Key Nutrients guide on page 5 of the Infant Nutrition section on thevisualMD. This guide includes an easy-to-read chart, a summary of all the essential vitamins and minerals, plus short videos which explain the importance of protein, fats, vitamins and minerals, and carbs.
If you are constantly multi-tasking like I have been since my first child was born nearly 6 years ago, then you may want to check out thevisualMD.com . This site's topics are not limited to infant nutrition, but also include a wide variety of health topics for both women and men.
I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Mead Johnson. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.
Most 3G2S posts contain commission-yielding affiliate links. When you make a purchase after clicking a link, our family earns a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog.
Giveaway & Review: Melissa & Doug Stir Fry Slicing Set ($30 GC) [CLOSED]
This sought after cooking set retails for just $19.99 on ecoTimeToys.com . Its 17 pieces include a double-handled wok, a knife, a spoon, a pair of chopsticks, 3 shrimp, 3 mushrooms, 3 snow peas, bok-choi, a red pepper, and cubed steak.
What my children and I thought about this pretend play wok set:
1) Our kindergartner was extremely excited about this toy. He had watched my husband and I cook over the years and knew exactly what to do as far as chopping, stirring the food, and even using the chopsticks.
2) Our twin toddlers learned by watching their big brother. They did not have such an easy time cutting the veggies and the meat at first. Although the Velcro was very strong, they started to master chopping and cutting after some practice.
3) One thing I was not expecting was how adamant my kindergartner was about following the stir fry instructions that were on the back of the box. He insisted that it was a recipe and that it must be followed to the letter.
4) So far, this set has been very durable. There has been lots of tossing the food into the wok. There has not been any injuries or casualties to any of the pieces, even when a piece of bok-choi goes flying several feet because the kids are cutting a little too enthusiastically.
5) Although my kindergartner does not know it yet, this Melissa & Doug toy is going to help me introduce the concept of fractions to him during the week of winter vacation. The bok-choi, red pepper, and cubed steak are all divided into thirds. I wish there was one item that was divided into quarters to help me with this lesson.
I definitely think this is a unique toy that would make a fun affordable gift for a birthday or for the holidays. This set comes in a box ready-to-wrap. To find more green toys like this one by Melissa & Doug and other respected brands, visit ecoTimeToys.com .
What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $30 GC to ecoTimeToys.com .
Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.
How to Gain Entries:
Browse the vast selection of toys on ecoTimeToys.com . Then leave a comment telling me what gift you would pick up with the $30 GC if you won this contest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.
Extra Entries:
1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.
2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.
3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND ecoTimeToys.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.
4) Follow ecoTimeToys on Twitter OR Fan ecoTimeToys on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with either the link to your Twitter profile or to your Facebook profile. You may do both for one extra entry each.
5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook, making sure to show a thumbnail of a product photo or the sponsor's logo. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.
6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.
7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.
8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.
9) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.
(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)
Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.
Good luck in the drawing!
Most 3G2S posts contain commission-yielding affiliate links. When you make a purchase after clicking a link, our family earns a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog.
Giveaway: Box of Unilever Beauty Products [CLOSED]
Today, I thought I would share some of my favorite beauty tips introduced by Unilever thus far. Some of the tips are extremely innovative. Some of them are so simple that I wonder why I never thought of them myself.
Favorite Beauty Tip #1:
Use all-cotton Q-Tips in place of make-up applicators. Sometimes the foam tips of my eye shadow applicators only last through a few applications before they tear or fall off. Silly me . . . I just keep using them and sigh every time the tip falls off while I am applying the eye shadow. I should be using Q-Tips instead. If I break a cotton swab in half, it would fit right in the eye shadow tray. Then after a few uses, I could change it for a new one. This would also be much more sanitary than using the same applicator over a long period of time.
Favorite Beauty Tip #2:
Use Dove Curl & Sculpt Defining Mousse to create loose curls in your hair. It always seems like everyone who has curly hair wants straight hair and everyone who has straight hair wants curly hair. I have not gotten a perm in my straight hair for at least 9 years, but I often miss the fun of having the extra bounce and body. Unilever suggests that you can achieve loose curls by applying Dove Curl & Sculpt Defining Mousse to wet or damp hair. Then braid the hair in sections. Undo the braids when your hair is dry, comb through your hair with your fingers a few times, and you should have loose curls. I think the mousse is key in achieving the desired results. I use to do something similar, but without any product, and my hair always came out frizzy.
Always keep Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes handy. I already use this product. It is extremely handy for me to use when I've stayed up too late and want to go right to bed. Rather than forgo washing my face, I just clean my face with a Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelette. I keep a pack in my room for such an occasion. Other times when these towelettes would be handy is after working out at the gym or after a late night out.
Thank you to Rocket XL for providing us with sample products and a contest prize free of charge.
What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a box of assorted Unilever products from Pond's, Dove, Q-Tips, and Vaseline.
Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.
How to Gain Entries:
Leave a comment telling me what beauty product you use daily aside from make-up (i.e. skincare, hair products, etc . . . ). You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.
Extra Entries:
1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.
2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.
3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND UnileverUSA.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.
4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.
5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook, making sure to show a thumbnail of a product photo or the sponsor's logo. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.
6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.
7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.
8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.
9) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.
(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)
Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.
Good luck in the drawing!
Most 3G2S posts contain commission-yielding affiliate links. When you make a purchase after clicking a link, our family earns a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog.
Review: Playskool Dino-Roars Monty Rex
The Monty Rex roars, eats, burps, sniffs, wags his tail, purrs, snorts, stomps, and even swings his tail to his own music. The majority of Monty's tricks only happen as an appropriate reaction to something your child does.
Take a minute to watch this video of our kindergartner Jake interacting with Monty Rex . . .
What my family and I thought about this interactive toy dinosaur:
1) Our nearly six year old son Jake was drawn to Monty Rex instantly. My husband and I also gave him a pretty high coolness rating. Our 2-1/2 yr old son was indifferent towards this toy and his twin sister was slightly afraid of Monty's roar and large teeth.
2) I like how the interactions have different levels. For example, if you feed Monty Rex, he chomps and makes ravenous sounds. If you feed him many times consecutively, he will burp.
3) The dinosaur's head, jaw, arms, legs, and tail all move. Although he must seem extremely realistic to a child, if his eyes moved also, it would have made him that much more realistic.
5) Some of Monty's actions were easier to trigger than others. For example, he roars every time someone roars at him. Also, the buttons along his back were consistent and triggered him to roar, wag his tail, and walk fairly easily. The trigger for eating inside Monty's mouth, the one for purring under his chin, and the one for snorting/sniffing on his nose were not as easy to push at times.
7) Even as an adult, I thing that this toy has a lot of personality. I find him to be endearing, even when he is trying to be ferocious.
I think a child who is not skiddish would love to find this toy under the tree Christmas morning. You can find Monty Rex and more animals from the Playskool Kota & Pals line on HasbroToyShop.com .
Thank you to Hasbro Playskool for providing us with a review product free of charge.
Most 3G2S posts contain commission-yielding affiliate links. When you make a purchase after clicking a link, our family earns a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog.