Our Version of Unique Baby Gifts Ideas

Whether you are looking for the perfect baby shower gift or a birthday present for a loved one’s baby, a baby boutique is a great place to buy baby-themed presents. When looking for an ideal gift for a baby, one of the factors that you should also consider is practicality. Will the baby’s parents be able to use your gift or is it purely decorative? Baby clothes combine both adornment and practicality. All babies are in need of clothes so you can be sure that your gift will be put to use. Some options that you will find in a children’s boutique are baby booties, onesies, jumper dresses for girls and hoodies for boys.

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It’s been a great 2009, but we’re hoping for so much more in 2010…

In celebration of what we think will be “THE” year, we’ve got a bunch of great giveaways for you. Our first prize is sponsored by us, so there are no websites to visit or companies to tell you about:

Poken Pulse – This handy little gizmo allows you to easily transfer social media contact info to those you meet — no business card required! Features:

• Easy-to-use: no drivers, no software
• Hundreds-of-contacts storage capacity between uploads
• 2GB flash memory drive
• No-hassle 8-12 month battery life so you don’t need to worry about being “open for business” when the time comes
• Easily accessible battery
• Windows, Mac, Linux, you-name-it: works on all OSs that support USB memory sticks
• Firmware upgrade for customized behavior future features
• Poken Applications for developers
• Flexible flash memory capacity

Valued at $34.95, this is the must-have gadget of 2010!

Wanna Win? Just comment on this post with what you hope to see in 2010 (new job, baby, good health?) You have until January 13th at 11:59 pm CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type “Today’s Entry!”)

BONUS ENTRY METHOD: Get one additional entry for each of the following (leave a comment and let us know that you’ve done these:)

• Tweet – “I want a Poken Pulse @LKnerl http://tinyurl.com/yjvotrn“
• Link to this giveaway on your blog or website
• Subscribe to our RSS feed
• Subscribe to our email list (sign up on our sidebar)

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

These cute little Animal Cable Clips would make great gift toppers or stocking stuffers if you are starting your Christmas shopping for 2010 during the after Christmas sales, which is something I did for the longest time.

What’s special about these Animal Clips?

• All-purpose cable holders
• Adds personality and charm to any dull workspace.
• Organizes your cables thereby protecting your equipment
• Hook and loop attachment for versatility.
• 30 designs to choose from.
• Kids love them! A great way to make your kids organize their gadgets.
• Can be used for USB flash drives, cables, ear bud headphones, etc…
• Easily removable

I have to agree that kids love them, especially almost two-year-olds who tend to find everything and anything. A certain almost two-year-old took our animal cable clips off the desk where they were “managing” some off our office equipment cables. We have yet to put them back up. They were definitely working at holding three cable cords, until he found them though. My husband thought thicker cables work better. For example, our phone cords were too thin and the animal’s mouth did not “bite” down hard enough to hold the wires in place.

These nifty little critters are very inexpensive costing only 55 cents for purchases in quantities of 1-4. For quantities above four, the price is discounted and discounted again when the amount is 10 +. The Animal Cable Clips may be purchase in many species of animals at CableOrganizer.com

If you look at the ad at the top of this page, you will see that CableOrganizer.com is also offering a discount on purchases. You might have to refresh the page to see Cable Organizer’s ad. Perfect timing for a New Year’s purchase!

• Last Minute Stocking Stuffers Under $50, $25 & $10
• Holiday Product Round Up…Some Last Minute Ideas
• Stocking Stuffers, Pet Gifts & Teen Tech Must Haves

Happy New Year from The Fashionable Bambino! Isn’t it amazing that we are starting a new year? Time seems to go faster with each passing year.

So are any of you making any resolutions this year? I gave up on resolutions long ago. I haven’t been very successful in the past. But please feel free to share yours with us, perhaps we’ll get inspired!

Enjoy your long weekend, especially if you are blessed with the extra time off to spend with family.

• A Weight Loss Resolution You Can Keep
• Moms, Do You Need Some Holiday Aromatherapy to Ease the Christmas Chaos?
• Last Minute Stocking Stuffers Under $50, $25 & $10
• KMR’s Four Winners Holiday Giveaway!
• Stocking Stuffers, Pet Gifts & Teen Tech Must Haves

We spent a quiet New Years Eve at home this year. The kids were sound asleep in their beds long before midnight. 2009 was an eventful year here at home, though Baby Eilan’s birth kept me grounded for more of the year than I would have liked. Now that I look at the list of places we went, I realize that we weren’t exactly homebound – we did sneak in great trips to Phoenix, Tucson, LEGOLAND, Great Wolf Lodge in Centralia, WA, Orange County and San Francisco.

I also loved the time I spent at BlogHer and TBEX ‘09 meeting so many of the bloggers who I have gotten to know online this year. Though I’m finding myself spread too thin to help organize TBEX ‘10, I’ll be there again next year. Finally, Passports With Purpose was such an amazing and rewarding way to end the year.

I’m looking forward to traveling more in 2010, and can’t wait to start planning!

Most Popular Stories from 2009

Reader Questions: Keeping an Active Child Calm on a Plane

Product Review: Medela Freestyle Breastpump

How to Negotiate Airline Change Fees

Tips for Traveling While Pregnant

Product Review: Baby Bjorn Travel Crib

Top Product Recommendations

I receive a small commission for Amazon purchases that begin with a click-through from my site

Little Dover Activity Books, including the very popular Little Airport Sticker Activity Book

Airport
and Planes Board Book
by Byron Barton

CARES Child Aviation Restraint System

Blue Painter’s Masking Tape (you can use it for everything from babyproofing to making a removable “race track” for toy cars.)

Most Popular City Guides

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!

Palmolive $.96
-$.25 from 1/3 SS
Final Price: $.71

V8 Splash 64-oz. or Vegetable Juice 46-oz. 2/$6
-$1 ECB on two
-$1/2 (Splash) or $.40 (Regular) from 1/3 SS2
Final Price: as low as 2/$4

Welch’s Grape Jelly 32-oz. 3/$5 or $1.67 each
-$.75 from 1/3 SS
Final Price: $.92

All Laundry Detergent 26-32 loads $3.99
-$2 from 1/3 RP2 – good on 32 load
Final Price: $1.99

GE Energy Smart 1-pk. $2.99
-$2 ECB
-$1 printable HERE or $1/2 printable HERE
Final Price: as low as FREE

Purina Dog Chow 3.5-4.4 lbs. $3.99
-$2 printable HERE (IE) or HERE (FF)
Final Price: $1.99

Softsoap liquid hand soap $.99
-$.35 from 1/3 SS
Final Price: $.64

Nivea ECB Deal: spend $10 get $5 ECB
-$2 from 1/3 RP – body wash
-$5/2 from 1/3 RP – lotion
-B1G1 free from 1/3 RP – lip

Softsoap ECB Deal: spend $10 get $3 ECB
-$1 printable HERE – Ensembles

Irish Spring Body Wash $2.99
-$1 from 1/3 SS
Final Price: $1.99

Bioluxe shampoo or conditioner $9.99 B1G1 free
-look for TRY ME FREE peelies found in some stores
Final Price: two for FREE

Colgate single pack manual toothbrushes $2.99
-$1 ECB
-$.75 from 1/3 SS
Final Price: $1.24

P&G ECB Deal: Spend $15 get $5 ECB
Pantene shampoo $5.99
-$3/2 from 12/27 PG

Head & Shoulders $5.99
-$2/2 from 12/27 PG

Olay cleansers $5.99
-$1 from 12/27 PG

Scenario:
(2) Pantene = $11.98
(1) Olay cleanser = $5.99
=$17.97
-$3 Pantene coupon
-$1 Olay coupon
-$5 ECB
Final Price: all three for $8.97

Power Bar 1.94-2.29-oz. $1
-$5 ECB when you spend $10
Final Price: $.50 each

Crave-NX Diet Aid Spray $7.99
-$7.99 ECB
Final Price: FREE

AquaFina 12-pk. 16.9-oz. $2.49
-$1 ECB
Final Price: $1.49

Colgate Total, MaxFresh or MaxWhite 2/$5
-$2 ECB on two
-$1 printable HERE – MaxFresh & MaxWhite
-$1 from January ALL YOU magazine or $.75 from 1/3 SS
Final Price: as low as $.50 each wyb two!

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

Thank you all so much for being a part of my life in this past year. You all bring so much happiness into my life! I love and cherish the friendships that I have made through blogging and I can’t wait for the ones that I will make in 2010!

My hope is that we may all realize our hopes and our dreams in 2010 and above all–take the time to recognize and enjoy each and every blessing that comes our way.

Here’s to another happy and healthy New Year…

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for sharing her Big Fat Freebies List with us! For the full list, please make sure to visit Moms by Heart and tune in every Friday for a new list of FREEbies!

FREEBIES & SAMPLES
-Free 50ct box of Sweetleaf Sweetener HERE.
-Free sample Power Bar Energy Gel Blast HERE.
-Free $35 coupon booklet HERE.
-Free samples Nicoderm patches HERE.
-Free book from Crown Publishing HERE.
-Free pregnancy journal for expectant moms HERE.
-Sign up with Vocalpoint HERE for freebies and high value coupons.
-Free sample Natural Nibbles dog treats HERE.
-Free sample Canker Melts HERE.
-Free Video On Demand rentals from Amazon HERE.
-$50 in free advertising on MySpace HERE and Facebook HERE.
-Free sample Nature Made Triple Flex Softgels HERE.
-Free customized vitamin plan based on your needs HERE.
-Free sample Lift Off Energy Drink HERE.
-Try new products for FREE with Smile.ly – more info HERE.
-Free sample Galaxy Granola HERE.
-Free YoPlus Yogurt sample HERE.

FREEBIES AROUND TOWN
-Free Kids Workshop this Saturday at Home Depot – details HERE.
-Free museum admission for Bank of America customers this weekend – more info HERE.
-Free Fresco Taco at Taco Bell HERE.
-Free Redbox movie rental with code: ACME25
-Mark your calendar for Ihop National Pancake Day on 2/23. Details HERE.

As you know, The Fashionable Bambino is a website that is part mommy blog and part fashion blog. We usually discuss fashion, babies and products. I’d like to take a very brief break from our usual topics to share with you a new resource – just in case TFB readership extends to those of you wearing the “hat” of a WAHM (Work-at-Home-Mom). I have no idea how many of you work from home blogging – whether it is with or without pay, it’s still working from home – or doing other work at home projects…..How about a “show of hands”? I would really like to know how many of you are juggling motherhood and business, especially working from home.

It wouldn’t surprise me if working from home is on the rise with the advance in technology, the popularity of the internet and the recession pushing both men and women to start their own enterprises. Many are looking for ways to earn an income from home and maybe you are one of them. The new resource that I came across is TheWorkAtHomeWoman.com. If you work at home or desire to, then this might be a good site to check out.

The Work at Home Woman; a website dedicated to helping women and moms fulfill their dreams of working at home and/or becoming self employed, while providing inspiration, motivation and support. Read more…

TheWorkAtHomeWoman.com is a resource center of ideas for work-at-home jobs, links to businesses and blogs that are owned by women whom you may wish to support and offers support to those working from home. Holly, the owner of The Work at Home Woman, is launching a new project this month that is a directory of “Women Owned” businesses. Just follow the link to learn more about how to promote your own business or blog.

Photo used with permission compliments of: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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I’m 4 months pregnant, and I haven’t a thing to wear. After 4 kiddos, I’m showing.. really showing, and I don’t have any maternity clothes for the winter season. I did a little research, and found that maternity bands (or “belly bands”) could be an affordable way to wear my regular jeans a bit longer, and possibly avoid buying maternity jeans altogether if I get a size larger. Also, being a c-section Mom, I find the thought of not having to zip up my pinchy denim pants soon after surgery to be a comforting thought.

I purchased two comparable brands of light-weight maternity bands to test during my pregnancy. (There is also a well-known Bella Band that is made of a heavier material, but for my tests, I wanted to go lighter.) Here are my findings!

Walmart’s Maternity Belly Band
Cost: $14.98
Colors: Black and White
Sizes: One

Pros: This was an affordable addition to my wardrobe. It covered a large area, making it great for covering the top of my unbuttoned pants, while smoothing out my belly.

Cons: The material was a bit silkier than I had expected (in fact, it felt like a slimming undergarment rather than the top of a pair of maternity pants.) It had a tendency to roll down a bit on top as my stomach got larger, and it didn’t seem to let my skin breathe as much. (I sweated while wearing it.) It came only in one size, which means that for a smaller gal like me (I wear a size 4/6 normally), it should contain my belly throughout pregnancy. For someone larger, however, I don’t know if it will work.

BeBand
Cost: $16.99
Colors: Black, White, Natural
Sizes: Small/Medium, Medium/Large, Large/XLarge

Pros: The material for this band was a bit less shiny, making it stay in place well and allowing my skin to breathe. It also came in three colors for all occassions, and was available in sizes for a variety of body types. I also loved that this looked a bit more like a long T-shirt over my jeans, since they tend to peek out a bit. This makes it ideal for those who don’t want to wear super-long shirts over their bands!!

Cons: Hard to find in stores, I did find one at my local Target. I would suggest ordering online for the best selection.

(Note: The two bands were of the same size. The BeBand appears smaller because it is folded in half. Both bands can be worn folded or not — the pictures are not representative of this.)

The verdict? For just a couple bucks more the BeBand rules! Made by the makers of the original BellaBand, I’m not surprised. If you’re looking for a light-weight band, need variety, and want something that doesn’t look like a girdle underneath your shirt, go for it!

*Yes! This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon.com. Rest assured, it doesn’t affect our findings, but it does help support our blog!

As mothers we know that cleaning is a part of our job description. Whether it is spilled milk, crumbs on the floor, toys scattered from room to room or an unexpected mess that a two year old made in his daily adventures, we need an ample supply of cleaning products, don’t we? In my web surfing this weekend I came across a “freebie” you all might be interested in. It’s a MicraFiber Cloth.

The MicrFibra Cloth seems to be similar to the microfiber cloths and I really like the new ones I bought for the kitchen, so  I ordered this “freebie”. You can all get your own MicraFiber Cloth- for free, but you do have to pay shipping and handling! I ended up paying $2.99 when I checked out. They currently have a special:

Value Pack Special SPECIAL PRICE of $19.99 vs Regular Price of $25.00
Includes 4 Standard Cloths and 1 BadBoy Cloth

Each cloth by itself sells for $6.00, so the $2.99 seems reasonable in light of the individual price, special and regular price.

More about the Micrafiber:

MiraFiber® Ultimate Cloths®
• Available in two sizes – please see below. (Photo and info on their website)
• ARE TOTALLY GREEN / ECO-FRIENDLY. Good for your environment inside & out… no chemicals & saves the trees when you don’t have to use all the paper towels! Use them over & over. Great for those individuals with chemical sensitivities.
• Leave no chemical streaks or water spots when used correctly.

Visit UlimateClothAmerica.com to order your “freebie”. Or go here for more value pack options.

Once I receive and review my cloth I will post my thoughts, so be sure to leave a comment telling me if you took advantage of this offer and how the cloth worked for you.

• Pregnancy.org Freebie and Discount Offer
• 10 Free Ovulation and Pregnancy Tests
• Moms, Life Just Got A Little Bit Easier…
• Deal Of The Day!

At the start of every new year, I like to get rid of things around the house and get organized. I start in the kitchen. Specifically the pantry. I’m always amazed by how much expired food I find in there–especially spices! Last year, I came up with a really cool way to store my spices using baby food jars, a baby food carousel, and labels. I blogged about it then, but I thought it was time to bring it back for those of you looking for new and easy ways to get organized in the new year.

All you need are baby food jars that have been thoroughly cleaned and food labels removed. Once they are clean and ready to be filled, you will need to figure out a way to label the spices contained within each jar. I used spice labels from Mabels Labels, but you could even print your own using a simple word processing program.

If you have kids, you may already have a baby food carousel, like this one or any other you have or can find. They are very affordable {the one at Babies R Us is $7.99} and work perfectly for this project! Here is how mine turned out:

It totally organized my spice cabinet! Now, I can easily get to all of my spices and can actually see everything. Plus, it looks cute too!

On January 8th, the movie Leap Year will be released in theaters nationwide. This is Amy Adams newest movie and personally–I can’t wait to see it! I always love her movies and Leap Year sounds great!

Synopsis: Amy Adams and Matthew Goode star in “Leap Year,” a romantic comedy that follows one woman’s determined quest to get married to the perfect guy… despite what fate has in store for her. When their four-year anniversary passes without a marriage proposal, Anna (Amy Adams) decides to take matters into her own hands. Investing in an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on February 29th, Anna decides to follow her boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott) to Dublin and get down on one knee herself.

But airplanes, weather and fate leave Anna stranded on the other side of Ireland, and she must enlist the help of handsome and surly Declan (Matthew Goode) to get her across the country. As Anna and Declan bicker across the Emerald Isle, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places. For more information, click HERE.

To celebrate the release of Leap Year, I have a very cool giveaway for you guys!

One (1) Winner will receive a Leap Year prize pack {pictured above} which includes:

* Airline Comfort Kit
* American Apparel track jacket
* Fitted scoop neck t-shirt
* Journal
* Copy of Colbie Caillat’s CD Breakthrough. Colbie Caillat “Breakthrough” now available on iTunes. Includes the hit song “You Got Me,” featured in Leap Year, in theaters January 8!

How To Enter:
1. Leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite movie is.
Extra Entries (leave separate comments for each):

2. Blog about the giveaway and link to www.leapyearfilm.net and www.jollymom.com and leave the link to your post in the comment.
3. Subscribe to Jolly Mom by reader or email or follow on Blogger
4.
One Extra Entry Per Day: Follow Jolly Mom on Twitter and Tweet about
the giveaway. Make sure to leave your Tweet url in your comment.
5. Add the Jolly Mom button to your sidebar
6. Stumble this post (the post, not the site)
7. Become a Leap Year Movie Fan on Facebook. Leave me a comment letting me know that you did and include you
Facebook name.

This is a giveaway only post–no compensation was provided. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

It’s a new year. Most of us are making resolutions and at the top of most people’s lists is getting healthy in 2010. We all know that true good health can only come when paired with exercise. It’s the key to losing weight. It’s the key to maintaining weight. Ultimately, it is the key to a healthy body. We should all be working out in 2010. I know I need to and it is one of my resolutions.

When working out, it is essential to be well supported and comfortable. You don’t want to be pulling and tugging at your clothing. When it comes to sports bras and fitness apparel, you have to check out Moving Comfort. The name says is all. Their motto is: FIT. STYLE. COMFORT. Started by two women who loved to run but hated the strange-fitting men’s shorts they had to run in, Moving Comfort fitness apparel is designed by women for women.

Moving Comfort sent me the Connect Pant to review and they are amazing. Seriously.

They feature a comfy wide waistband with self fabric drawcord, mesh lined hand pockets and inner waistband, side panels for a flattering look and fit and an embroidered logo. These pants are so soft, lightweight, and comfortable. They are great workout pants. No chafing or rubbing to worry about when you wear these! Plus, they look so cute that they can also be worn anytime you want comfort–running errands or around the house. LOVE them!

Want It: The Connect Pants retail for $62.00 and can be purchased online.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

I have announced winners for the following giveaways {click on the links to see who won}:

Men of a Certain Age Autographed Poster
Guitar Hero
$25 Kroger Gift Card
Harry Potter Ultimate Edition DVD Packs
$15 Amazon.com Gift Card
Holgate Toys Prize Pack

Congratulations to all of the winners! As always, all of the winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize.

I was sent a complimentary set of PowerHouse Hit the Deck cards. Due to my current condition, I won’t be using them anytime soon, but I look forward to using them in nine months time. However, from examining the cards and reading the instructions, I do think this is a potentially good product, especially for busy moms. You all know how precious our time is and that maximizing it is always to our advantage. This set of 35 cards seems to be uniquely designed to cater to our needs, ladies! Whether you prefer a dvd for your fitness program, being a member of a fitness club or running in the park, PowerHouse Hit the Deck cards does offer a program that could compliment or supplement part of your fitness regimen. As always, use caution before starting any new exercise program and if you have any existing health conditions consult with your doctor before you begin.

The cards are divided into three different levels of intensity (they make me smile ):

1.) No Sweat – cards 1-10
2.) I’m Glistening – cards 11-20
3.) Sweating Buckets – cards 21-30

30 workout cards, plus five cards with warm up and cool down exercises. They are easy to read and follow. Also included, as shown in the photo above, is a plastic interval timer.

The problem I have with the cards is the image of the woman illustrating the exercises. She has rippling abs, bulging biceps and extremely toned thighs and calves. If she isn’t a computer generated picture and she desires to look like that then I don’t have any problems. The problem is in the message that it could send to all of us moms who are still bearing children and struggling to get the extra weight off between children. The portrayal that all females can achieve this look is wrong in the world we live in. We can’t because each of us is different and cannot possibly fit a cookie cutter mold for the fit and trim woman. The thing each of us has to learn is what our normal is and aim for that.

The PowerHouse Hit the Deck cards retail for $19.99. Visit PowerHouse Performance Coaching for more information.

• Holiday Product Round Up…Some Last Minute Ideas
• KMR’s Four Winners Holiday Giveaway!
• PumpOne’s Top Five Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
• The Ionic Bulb: A Unique Stocking Stuffer for the Last Minute Shopper!
• A Weight Loss Resolution You Can Keep

Are you looking for something different and stylish for your kids? Luv My Lolly is a new company featuring cute t-shirts and onesies. The owners are moms and know how hard it is to find contemporary items for kids.

Luv My Lolly says,

Lolly specializes in stylish AMERICAN-MADE onesies and t’s for children ages 0-6 years.  Most of our designs and garments are UNISEX. We offer 100% sustainable Organic cotton options as well. All our products are printed with safe lead free inks. We like to call it healthy apparel.

Our goal is to bring stylish, original artwork to you. Each design is hand drawn and we often feature local guest artists with limited edition designs and prints. These artists will conceptualize, design and create their garment completely and we will have a complete bio with links to their website/works and blogs. We want to help propel their talents and provide them a blank canvas to create with. We donate a percentage of our featured artist shirts to www.americansforthearts.org because supporting the arts is an important cause to us!

Luv My Lolly offers unique gift wrapping that includes shrink wrapping in the form of a huge lollipop! This service includes a handwritten note on a special Lolly card. They only ship to the USA and Canada, so be sure to make note of that.

For more information about the owners, artist behind the designs and additional product info, please visit www.LuvMyLolly.com

• Soak ‘em!
• Bonjour Bambino
• Celeb Baby Item: Kobe Bryant’s Kids Stay Bundled
• Sneak Peek: NEST Children’s Clothing on Hautelook DECEMBER 11th at 11am ET
• Black Friday: GAP Free Shipping & Awesome Deals

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don’t forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

We are a movie family… we love them! Since getting snowed in a few days ago, we were really anxious to watch something new, and we couldn’t have had a better movie to fill that need! Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs doesn’t come out on DVD until the 5th of January, but we got to see it early. Here’s what we loved:

• The film shows characters facing hardship (the main character eludes to the fact that he lost his mother, the father is obviously struggling silently, and the whole town doesn’t treat the main character very well.) At the same time, it highlights compassion and caring through the actions of many of the people in the film. (Even a Mr. T-like cop shows a sweet side towards his son.)
• The consequences of greed are very glaring. As more and more townspeople ask for their choice of food to fall from the sky, they become wasteful, ungrateful, and in some cases — very fat!
• Family relationships are honored above all else. I found this film to be very touching… hopeful, even. The most strained of relationships have a chance for redemption. It’s never too late to make things right with those you love!

Funny, exciting, and super witty, this is going to be an all-time fave at our house. Appropriate for just about all ages (some scenes might be a teensy bit scary for little ones — if whole chickens and ratbirds are frightening), this teaches a good lesson and is a relaxing way to unwind with the whole family!

You can see the first 6 comical minutes here: http://kids.yahoo.com/movies/videos/video/17060307

Look for it on January 5th!

Christmas Tree Toppers Recalled By Precious Moments Due to Fire Hazard

Toy Dart Gun Set Recalled Due to Death

Stay Safe!

These chairs were sold at IKEA. Please see the full CPSC recall details for all the information.

Stay Safe!

I’m declaring my undying love for FedEx as part of a blog tour, BUT… I have to state that I’ve loved FedEx for a very long time, and they continue to be my shipper of choice for all my personal and business shipments.

Why?

Well, they are just that reliable. If I ever need anything tracked, their online tracking system is super-efficient, updated in a timely manner, and alerts me to any delays immediately. I also really like our delivery driver (he brings treats for my puppy AND my goat!) FedEx is also an average of 10% more affordable than their competitor… The FedEx Office Print and Ship store is amazing, giving busy families a better way to purchase and send customizeable gifts in one stop!

If you’re stuck in a jam and need something shipped ASAP, I suggest you don’t mess around. FedEx is my go-to company for anything important! Learn more about all their shipping services at www.fedex.com

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of FedEx and received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

For moms who are breastfeeding their new little ones, time away from baby might seem impossible. This season, nursing moms have an unexpected, holiday helper: the Evenflo Comfort Select Performance™ Breast Pump. Designed to be easy to use, lightweight, comfortable and compact, the Comfort Select Performance™ is designed for occasional pumping, This occasional use pump gives moms the flexibility to enjoy much-needed “me time” while ensuring their baby is all set while Mom is out.

We have one of these neat pumps to give away to a nursing Mom! To learn more about this product, visit the Evenflo website at www.evenflo.com

Wanna Win? Simply leave a comment with your best nursing tip. If you don’t have one, just tell us why you want to win this prize! You have until December 31st at 11:59 pm CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type “Today’s Entry!”)

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

OK, guys.. this one’s for you!

In celebration of the new year, and the new line of totally-for-men product from Vaseline, we are giving one lucky reader their very own football, signed by Michael Strahan! Here are the details of this new product (details of the giveaway to follow.)

This killer lotion (designed for the face AND body) won’t leave your man smelling like flowers. With all the features of a super skin-softener, but made to be more light-weight and quick absorbent, they are perfect for all skin types, and can fortify men’s skin and can make it more resilient. (It’s perfect defense against the elements.)

Vaseline MEN lotions are light-weight and quick-absorbing formulas designed to fortify men’s skin to make it resilient. They are perfect for busy dads who don’t want to spend a lot of time grooming and ideal for everyday use on all skin types. The line includes:

• Vaseline MEN Fast Absorbing Body and Face Lotion which absorbs in less than 15 seconds
• Vaseline MEN Extra Strength Body and Face lotion, ideal for healing severely dry skin

In addition to our giveaway below, you can also win even bigger prizes at the “Train with the Pros” sweepstakes, sponsored by Vaseline. Prizes include a trip to L.A. to visit the new ESPN studio, a training session with a trainer to the pros, and a signed item from Michael Strahan.. plus other prizes! To enter, just visit www.strongerskin.com

Wanna win? To be entered to win our autographed football giveaway, just leave comment here with why you want to win. (It’s that easy!) You have until December 31st at 11:59 pm CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type “Today’s Entry!”)

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

We know how hard it is to get your home’s kitchen looking “just” like you want it. That’s why this source for undermount kitchen sinks caught my attention! With stainless steel sinks made of heavy 16 gauge stainless steel, I’m confident they will shine for years to come. (And can you say, “Same Day Shipping?”) That’s a home improvement time-saver I really like! Check out their smart divide sink collection for even more efficiency with your next remodel.

*This is a sponsored post that contains my own personal opinions.

KMR Communications is offering one Fashionable Bambino reader a chance to win Mystique Fountain Deep Hydrating Rainy Mist by the luxury skincare company www.Luxtural.com. This prize is valued at $78.00 for a 3.4 fl. oz. bottle.

The first step in the Luxtural skin care regimen, the Mystique Fountain feels like a gentle mist of ocean water. A superb hydrator for any skin type, it tones, calms, cools and refreshes the skin while naturally protecting it from environmental damage. the Mystique Fountain is based upon Luxtural’s Pure Pacific Ocean Rainwater, which allows for increased absorption and moisture retention. Mystique Fountain also contains Luxtural’s special excotic extract (SEE), a one-of-a-kind complex that adds additional moisturizing and antioxidant properties. Mystique Fountain can be used as a primer or enhancer for other Luxtural products or any time of day as a refresher.

The brand’s unique approach to skin care is a return to true luxury – by combining the best aspects of the luxury, natural skin care and scientific industries; Luxtural achieves what no other skin care company can. Luxtural’s primary concern is a green approach to anti-aging. The powerful formulation contained in each of the three skin care products are clinically tested, hypoallergenic, free of parabens and synthetic fragrances, and are created using sustainable ingredients like Pure Pacific Ocean Rainwater. According to the brand’s founder Pnina Vilinsky, “real anti-aging starts with proper hydration,” therefore ingredients found in Luxtural are original collaborations and unique to the line.

See which celebrities use Luxtural here. http://www.luxtural.com/store/press.html

TO ENTER:

Visit www.Luxtural.com, then come back here to this post and leave a comment and tell me what you liked best about Luxtural’s website or products!!

Extra Optional Entries: (Leave 1 comment for each extra entry.)

1 Entry: Follow @fashionablebaby on Twitter (include your Twitter name in comment!)
1 Entry: (per day) Tweet about this contest. Leave 1 comment for each tweet with the link to tweet. (click here to tweet automatically or copy & paste the following:)

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win ONE 3.4 fl. oz. Luxtural Hydrating Mist from Luxtural and @fashionablebaby http://tiny.cc/Luxtural Please RT!

1 Entry: Become a fan of The Fashionable Bambino on Facebook
1 Entry: Subscribe To The Fashionable Bambino’s RSS Feed
1 Entry: For each new thing you comment about Luxtural and their products
10 Entries: Blog about this contest and link back to this post and Luxtural.com

(Note: You must leave 1 comment per entry. Extra entries will not be counted unless you leave a comment for each one.)

Sometimes our spam catcher is a little over zealous and will snag your comments if you leave multiple comments very quickly, one after another. I recommend waiting a minute between each comment. If the spam catcher gets you anyway, don’t worry! Your comments have still been submitted, they are just being held for moderation. I approve them as quickly as possible. If you are very concerned about this issue, you may email me and let me know what the problem is.

Details

Contest runs from December 28th till January 12th. Last chance to enter is Jan. 12th at 11:59pm ET. A winner will be contacted on or before Jan. 20th, 2009 and asked for full name, along with their mailing address. If no response is given within 48 hours, a different winner will be chosen, so please be sure to check your email. Must be 18 or older to enter. Contest open to CANADA and USA!

Prize will be provided and shipped directly by Luxtural.

• Giveaway: LashFood Natural Eyelash Conditioning
• KMR’s Four Winners Holiday Giveaway!
• My Free Brainy Baby Giveaway
• Maukilo – Toys Kids Play with Often – Giveaway *CLOSED*
• Enter For A Chance To Win The Entire Kiss My Face Kid’s Collection Worth Over $55!!!

Merry Christmas from The Fashionable Bambino! We hope that you and your family enjoy feasting on great food and spending quality time together!

Do you have any favorite Christmas traditions? If you do, please share what you do to make Christmas a special time in your home.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday!

• Top 5 Holiday Gifts for Your Children
• Consumer Reports’ ShopSmart: Tips to Buy Safe Toys
• Animoto Greetings Spice Up Traditional Holiday E-Cards
• Affordable Maternity Holiday Dresses
• Goore’s Cyber Monday Promotion-Special Promotion

It is fascinating to see what the celebrity kids are wearing, isn’t it? Even if you don’t aspire to buy these big name items with the huge price tag, you’ve gotta admit that it’s fun to look. Here are some cute designer duds that were seen on Kobe and Vanessa Bryant’s two children from Peach and Plum. This one celeb baby item you won’t want to miss!

Monnalisa Girls Fancy Black Coat Price: $260.00 – $285.00 on sale for $208.00 – $228.00

You will love this warm and elegant Monnalisa Girls BLACK Jacket. Similar style Monnalisa jacket last year was one of our top sellers and completely sold out. Beautiful ties with crystals adorned hearts on each sleeve and embroidered “M” logo on the left sleeve add a special touch. Detachable hood. Washable. Runs true to size. This coat is BLACK (nero).

Sonia Rykiel Enfant Girls Dress with Sequins Price: $197.00 – $222.00 on sale for $137.90 – $155.40

This dress is featured in the Fall/Winter 09/10 Sonia Rykiel Enfant advertisement campaign. This Sonia Rykiel Enfant Girls Dress with Sequins is so cute and chic. Sequins applique of a girl with a bow in her hair is adorable. Famous SR crystals on the back. Wear it with tights for a very cool look. Washable. Runs big.

Vanessa Bryant

We all know celebrity kids have amazing style, thanks to their ever so posh parents! However, with celebrities’ busy schedules and the amount of time pro-athletes spend traveling, it’s hard to take the time to get to all their favorite children’s clothing stores. That’s why Vanessa Bryant, Kobe ’s stunning wife, makes sure their little ones stay bundled up and ready for the winter weather by purchasing their clothes at www.peachandplum.com!

Sticking exclusively to European high fashion, the Bryant kids will be wearing Monnalisa and Sonia Rykiel infant styles. Vanessa purchased two of the above items which are available exclusively at www.peachandplum.com

• Six Baby Shower Tips From WE TV’s Celeb Baby Planner
• Eco-Friendly Gifts & Fashion Accessories
• Celebrity Mom Fashion: Jessica Alba
• Celebrity Bambino: Ava Phillippe
• Sneak Peek: NEST Children’s Clothing on Hautelook DECEMBER 11th at 11am ET

I don’t know why I thought of this, but I did. Probably because I love quotes and had the brainwave to google Christmas fashion quotes! The thing is I did not find any noteworthy Christmas fashion quotes. So here are some quotes about fashion. Let me know what you think:

Yves Saint Laurent
Fashions fade; style is eternal.

Oscar Wilde
A fashion is merely a form of ugliness so unbearable that we are compelled to alter it every six months.

Lord Chesterfield
If you are not in fashion, you are nobody.

Paris Hilton
The only rule is don’t be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in.

Anthony Burgess
Women thrive on novelty and are easy meat for the commerce of fashion. Men prefer old pipes and torn jackets.

Stella Blum
Fashion is a social agreement — the result of a consensus of a large group of people.

Paul de Man
Fashion is like the ashes left behind by the uniquely shaped flames of the fire, the trace alone revealing that a fire actually took place.

Bettina Ballard
Fashions are born and they die too quickly for anyone to learn to love them.

Napoleon Bonaparte
Fashion condemns us to many follies; the greatest is to make oneself its slave.

Henry David Thoreau
Every generation laughs at the old fashions but religiously follows the new.

These quotes were listed on http://quotations.about.com/od/moretypes/a/fashion.htm.

Do you have any of your own fashion sayings or quotes that you’d like to share?

• Where Fashion Meets Paper – Bonnie Marcus Collection
• Mayu Hand-Knit Alpaca
• Catimini Designer Children’s Clothes
• Eco Friendly Designer Handbags from five ACCESSORIES

How have you all enjoyed receiving the Kmart Bluelight Special teasers? I just want to gauge your interest to see if I should let our contact know that we’d be interested in continuing to blog about Kmart deals. Drop me a comment and let me know – perferrably before the end of the week! The Kmart Bluelight Spcieal Holiday Sweepstakes are coming to a close, so this is the last set of teasers we have to share. There are some things to remember as well. Take a look…

Don’t forget!: The last day to enter the #KmartBLS sweepstakes is December 23rd – So keep the tweets coming and use the #KmartBLS hashtag before the contest is over! All those following @KmartDealsnNews on December 23rd will be entered to win the Grand Prize of a $500 Kmart shopping spree! The winner will be drawn on the 30th. For full details, make sure to check out http://tr.im/kmartbls Good luck!

Last minute Holiday shopping? No worries, Kmart has extended their shopping hours to 6am-12am through December 23rd and 6am-10pm December 24th. Use the following link to tweet about the new shopping hours and enter yourself for the daily drawing! Shop @KmartDealsnNews extended Holiday hours: 6am-12am until 12/23 and 6am-10pm on 12/24! #KmartBLS.

Here are the Bluelight Special teasers for this weekend 12/26 – 12/27:

· Gen gemstone earrings (reg.$ 39.99) sale $9.99

· Mushabellies (reg. $24.99) sale $7.99

· Digital Photo Keychain (reg. $19.99) sale $8.99 ( 65% off )

• Kmart Bluelight Special Holiday Sweepstakes
• This Week’s Bluelight Special Teasers
• Teasers from Kmart’s Holiday Bluelight Specials

Are you a last minute shopper? Well, here are some last minute ideas as you do your holiday gift round up. Remember it’s only two days ’til Christmas…

Please just click on the title of each product to take you to the company’s website.

LashFood Conditioning Liquid Eyeliner

Just what women longing for full and flirty eyelashes have been waiting for! LashFood – the all natural eyelash conditioning stimulator for fuller, longer, and stronger lashes is offering new color cosmetics such as Liquid Eyeliner contains natural ingredients to promote longer, thicker, and stronger eyelashes. Help boost the growth of eyelashes in just 2 to 4 weeks! $28.00

Votre Vu Duette Luxe Lip Balm & Hand Crème

Votre Vu Duette Luxe Lip Balm & Hand Crème contains a nourishing lip balm made from coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax gently protects and softens lips in every
condition and an intoxicating hand crème leaves a soft veil of almond and coconut fragrance lingering on the skin. Both products contain UVA/UVB filters to add extra
protection for the lips and skin. $38.00

PowerHouse Hit the Deck ™

PowerHouse Hit The Deck(tm) is an innovative fitness device for at home or on-the-go that tones the body while burning off stress hormones. The easy-to-use, cost-conscious product consists of a programmable interval timer and 30 cards divided into three categories: No Sweating, I’m Glistening and Sweating Buckets.
PowerHouse Hit The Deck(tm) makes it easy to get a great workout each and every time. It is conveniently designed to be used for 30 minutes straight or in small 10
minute sessions which can be completed throughout the day. $19.99

Le Baby Hair Gel

Le Baby hair gel is a styling gel free of harsh chemicals meant to define wispy curls and tackle unruly after-nap hair. While the concept of baby hairstyling products might seem a little child-beauty-pageant to some, for many moms and dads it’s a must-have diaper bag accessory. From taming those wild fly-aways to smoothing frizzies, Le Baby hair gel works on all hair types and is hypoallergenic for sensitive skin. Whatever your child’s hair type, Le Baby will make combing and styling a cinch. The unique formulas leave hair shiny, healthy looking and more manageable. $9.95

• The Holidays are Almost Here – Gift Set Ideas
• Votre Vu Duette Luxe
• Stylish Holiday Hair for Tots from Le Baby, Inc.
• Last Minute Stocking Stuffers Under $50, $25 & $10
• Giveaway: LashFood Natural Eyelash Conditioning

How many women do you know who have tried breastfeeding but couldn’t or gave up shortly after the birth of their baby? Laura Haessly, a Certified Lactation Consultant with IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultants) and Kim Leonetti, a Business and Marketing Director, had the heart and desire to see mothers succeed in their efforts to breastfeed their babies so they started Virtual Breastfeeding Help. Trouble breastfeeding? Knows someone who is struggling in their nursing experience? No need to leave home, they come to you virtually. Have you noticed that we are capable of doing so many things virtually nowadays? I get a Jetson-like feeling, you know? Simply Amazing! But I digress….

Virtual Breastfeeding Help’s Mission

All new mothers, no-matter where they are, deserve to have easy access to exceptional breastfeeding help. All new moms deserve to experience the deep satisfaction of nurturing their babies at their breasts. This is exactly why we started helping moms virtually via Webcam and Skype.

Virtual Breastfeeding Help is another unique but lasting gift to give moms and babies. Right now, they are offering a holiday special:

Celebrate Christmas by sharing a gift that lasts a lifetime: Mothers breastfeeding babies. Purchase any Virtual Breastfeeding Help gift certificate and receive a FREE Baby Coutour ($35.00 value). See VirtualBreastfeedingHelp.com for more details.

They also host a drawing for FREE consultations each month. Check out this page of their site to enter their monthly drawing.

A gift that lasts a lifetime: Mothers breastfeeding babies.

• Now You Can Pump Hands-Free And In Style!
• “Wish It Win It Give It” Holiday Campaign
• New iPhone Application for Babies!
• Moms, Do You Need Some Holiday Aromatherapy to Ease the Christmas Chaos?
• Last Minute Stocking Stuffers Under $50, $25 & $10

I have been to alerted to a hair styling product just for babies, children and anyone with sensitive skin. Le Baby hair gel is hypoallergenic, contains no parabens, no harsh chemicals, no sulfates, and is not tested on animals. Le Baby, Inc. says their product tames the frizzies and the fly-aways, thickens baby-fine hair, moisturizes, and softly holds curls. This is the product to keep your child’s hairstyles in place and never leaves hair stiff or sticky. I hope to get my hands on some sooner or later, but if any of you try Le Baby hair gel before I get to, please drop us a line ok?

“Today’s fashionable parents think of their children as extensions of themselves,” says Tami Dimmerman, mother of two and creator of Le Baby Inc., a hypoallergenic hair gel designed especially for babies, kids and anyone with sensitive skin. “Today’s modern kids need to look just as fashionable and stylish as their cool moms and dads. Hairstyles have become a way of self-expression for kids and remind others that they have their own personalities.”

Meet the Creator – Tami Dimmerman

Tami searched for a product that would tame and style her daughter Chloe’s fly-away hair without aggravating her eczema or irritating her sensitive skin. She hoped to find a safe, gentle and effective gel without harsh chemicals or potentially harmful ingredients. Unwilling to settle for what was in the marketplace, Tami spent months experimenting with different all-natural formulas until, through animal-free testing, she found the perfect combination and solution.

Tami continues, “The children’s haircare market has become a big industry. Where once a baby care routine involved a simple bath and powdering, parents and caretakers are now looking for products that pamper babies both physically and mentally. I wanted to create a worry-free product that helped moms and dads create fun hairstyles; and keep their kids groomed while feeling good about it. ”

• Holiday Product Round Up…Some Last Minute Ideas
• NEW Hair and Body Line Honors Disney’s First African American Princess
• Unique And Adorable Hair Bows For Little Girls

Ok, so this may not be exactly what most of us usually would find in our stockings, but think “green” here. If you are like me, the more you learn about going green, the more you think that going green is really the way to consciously make the world a better place to live by taking care of what we already have at our disposal. Therefore, without further adieu, I introduce to you the Ionic Bulb – a unique stocking stuffer for the last minute shopper!

The Ionic Bulb is an energy-saving light bulb that comes equipped with a patented air purifying microchip ion emitter that is powered by the bulb’s own energy. Unlike standard incandescent bulbs, the Ionic Bulb silently emits negative ions that help clear the air of smoke, dust, pent dander, odors, allergens and airborne viruses.

Imagine using 75% less energy to light your home or office. The Ionic Bulb uses just a quarter of the wattage of standard bulbs to produce the same amount of light. That alone could save you hundred on your electric bill. Plus, the Ionic Bulb lasts 10 times as long as incandescent bulbs- up to seven years – saving you the cost and hassle of frequently replacing bulbs. With the average American  household spending an estimated $1400 each year on energy bills and indoor air pollution on the rise, the Ionic Bulb meets two unique sets of demand with one innovative product.”

Doesn’t this seem like a great new green product?! I think so and would love to try some out! They are not cheap at the price of $19.99 per bulb, but I think that the savings up front makes up for the initial gulp factor for one Ionic Bulb. This could be a significantly small step to greening our homes. I would like to see more studies and hear more testimonials on how effective they actually are, but that will only happen as more of us bite the bullet and buy them, right?

The Ionic bulb can be purchased 877.822.5201 at any time or by visiting www.newionicbulb.com.

For more information, also see the Ionic Bulb Video.

• Giveaway! Luxtural Hydrating Mist valued at $78.00
• This Week’s Bluelight Special Teasers
• Inhabitat’s GREEN GIFT GUIDE 2008

There is lots of speculation and uncertainty about the specifics of the new TSA rules for international flights landing in the United States. There is one thing that seems to be consistent between first-hand passenger reports and TSA document leaks: for the last 60 minutes of flight passengers must remain seated are not allowed to hold any personal items. For parents traveling with kids, that’s going to make the final 60 even more tricky than usual, and I hope the rules will be relaxed soon. Still, for anyone flying into the US in the next few weeks, here are my best tips to help you through the last hour of your long-haul flight.

Before Your Trip

• Learn some new Finger Rhymes before you go
  
• Pack pullups even if your child is fully potty trained
  
• Pack a marker – you’ll see why later
  

Just Before the “Final 60″

• Explain to your child that once the fasten seatbelt light is on they won’t be able to get up or play with toys
  
• Give your child a chance to stretch their legs
  
• Take a restroom break and put on a pullup – remember the final descent may take more than 60 minutes if there are air traffic or weather delays
  
• If you are worried your child won’t want to put their seatbelt on, do it before stowing toys so that you have a way to distract your child
  
• If possible, try to put your child to sleep, but remember that all loveys, blankets and pillows will need to be stowed for the final 60 minutes of flight.
  
• If your child uses a pacifier to help clear his or her ears in flight, clip it onto their clothing. With any luck, your flight attendant will consider it to be part of the clothing (but never argue with a flight attendant who insists that it is not)
  
• Draw “finger puppets” on your fingers
  

During the “Final 60″

• Sing some songs. Even if your neighbors don’t love your signing voice, they’ll prefer it to the sounds of a fussy child
  
• Finger rhymes and other hand games will help keep your child and their hands occupied
  
• Tell stories
  
• If your child has trouble clearing their ears (bottles and sippies are no longer allowed) let them suck on your (hopefully clean) knuckle or teach them to pretend they are chewing.
  
• Use your drawn on “Finger Puppets” to act out stories and plays
  

Readers: What suggestions do you have for keeping a child entertained without any books, toys, or electronic devices?

Passports with Purpose turned out to be way more consuming this year than I had planned – partly because I was having so much fun, and partly because I’m spread so thin now that I have a baby in the house again. I plan
to get back into a regular blogging rhythm again once the New Year begins, and I have some great stories to tell – from the Light Rail opening her in Seattle to to our Thanksgiving in Bellingham and a winter road-trip in Northern California.

We are also planning some very exciting trips in 2010. We will visit Turkey in the Spring, and I plan to visit Cambodia when our school opens (probably in June).

I hope your family is having a wonderful holiday and that all your travels go smoothly.

Our Passports With Purpose fundraiser is closed for this year and I want to say “thank you” to everyone who helped make it so successful. We blew past our original $13,000 goal and today we shot past our $26,000 goal as well. Individual donations are still coming in, and we know that some additional money will be donated to the school through corporate matching programs. We’re so thrilled that instead of the bare-bones school that seemed like a dream 3 weeks ago, we will be able to provide a school plus safe water, a nurse, nutritious meals from a kitchen garden, and books!

If you still want to help out, you can make a tax-deductible donation here – there’s still time to add additional improvments to our your school.

First of all, THANK YOU, to everyone who made a donation. It was your donations, ranging from $10 to hundreds of dollars, that will build this school. We have been absolutely astounded at how many people were willing to help support this effort. It’s a great testament to what just $10 can do when hundreds of people work together towards a common goal.

Second, I want to thank my partners in this effort. My co-founders Beth Whitman, Michelle Duffy, and Pam Mandel have been such a joy to work with, and I feel lucky to count such inspiring women among my friends. We were also incredibly lucky to have Meg Paynor help us with PR.

Third, I want to thank all the bloggers and others who helped round up prizes, posted on twitter and facebook and put in such an incredible effort to make this happen. I just don’t know what to say. WOW is the best thing that comes to mind. WOW. WOW. WOW. If anyone ever doubted the ability of travel bloggers to change the world, they won’t now.

Finally, I want to thank the sponsors who gave us a great start

Platinum Sponsor

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!

Dawn Dish Soap $.99
-$.25 from 12/27 PG
Final Price: $.74

Revlon Cosmetics B1G1 free
-$2 from 12/13 SS, use two
Final price: as low as FREE wyb two items for $4 each

Natures Bounty or Flex-A-Min B1G1 FREE
-$3 ECB wyb two
-$2 from 11/15 RP (valid thru 12/31) – Natures Bounty
-$6 from 11/15 RP (valid thru 12/29) – Flex-A-Min Joint

Colgate Total Toothpaste $2.99
-$2 ECB
-$1 printable HERE
Final Price: FREE

Coke 2L Soda 3/$3
-$1 ECB on three
Final Price: $.66 each

Corn Flakes $2.50
- $1.50/2 printable HERE
Final Price: $1.75

South Beach Living Bars 3/$10
-$5 ECB on three
- $1 printable HERE
Final Price: 3/$2

Betty Crocker Warm Delights, $1.50
-$.50 printable HERE
Final Price: $1

Olay Pro X Get $5 ECB w/purchase
-$5 from 12/27 PG
*Submit for rebate HERE. $20 back when you spend $50 (valid thru 12/31)

Olay Regenerist Scrub 6.5 oz $8.49 – buy two
-$3 from 11/29 PG, use two (valid thru 12/31)
-submit for $15 rebate on two Regenerist products HERE
Final Price: $4.02 overage!

Gillette Fusion Razor $8.99
-$4 ECB
-$4 from 11/29 PG (valid thru 12/31)
Final Price:$.99

Pampers Cruisers $21.99
-FREE Venus razor with purchase (in-store promotion)
-$2 from 12/27 PG
Final Price: both for $19.99

Old Spice or Secret Deodorant 2/$5 or $2.50 each
-$1 ECB on two
-$1 from 11/29 PG – Old Spice (valid thru 12/31)
-B2G1 free from 11/1 PG – for Secret (valid thru 12/31)
Final Price: as low as $1

Scope Outlast mouth rinse or toothpaste $3.49
-$1 ECB
-$1 from 11/29 PG or $.75 from 12/27 PG
Final Price: As low as $1.49

Just for Men Hair Color $6.99
-$2 printable HERE
-full mail-in rebate HERE
Final Price: FREE

Aussie Hair Stylers $2.88
-$1 from 12/27 PG
Final Price: $1.88

Efferdent Denture Cleanser $4.99
-$3 ECB
-$1 from 6/14 SS
Final Price: $.99

Thermacare Heat Wraps 2/$13.98
- $3 printable HERE
-$3 ECB on two
Final Price: two for $3.98

Abreva Cold Sore Treatment cream, pump, or On-The-Go tube
-$5 ECB
-$3 from 12/13 RP

Pantene 2/$7
-$2 RR on two
-$3/2 from 12/27 PG
Final Price: $1 each!

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

“T’was the night before Christmas when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads…”

I remember being a kid on Christmas Eve. The excitement. Anticipation. Sleeping was the last thing on my mind. However, we all know how important it is for kids to get their rest–if they don’t what you usually get are cranky, sleepy kids. And nobody wants that on Christmas! Plus, Santa can’t make his appearance until the kids are sleeping in bed! The Sprout Channel has parents covered though.

The third annual Snooze-a-Thon, featuring 12 uninterrupted hours of “keep ‘em asleep” programming starts at 6:00 pm ET on Christmas Eve straight through to 6:00 am ET Christmas morning.

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don’t forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

First time meeting Santa Claus. Or…as Lucas would say…Santa Craws. I really thought he would cry, but he didn’t shed one tear. He hugged Santa and said, “Santa Craws…Luuueee…red bike.” This is code for Santa Claus, please bring Lucas a red bike. LOL

If you’ve been looking for a green way to get your house clean and don’t want to spend the money on expensive eco-friendly cleaners then you should check out the Shark Portable Steam Pocket. Euro-Pro sent me one to try out and review and we’ve been using it for a little over a month now. We love it. Not only will it save you money on cleaners, but steam is truly one of the best ways of cleaning and disinfecting.

The Shark Portable Steam Pocket is designed to clean pretty much every area of the home–kitchen, bathrooms, furniture, and so on. Weighing in at only three pounds makes it easy to carry around the house. What I love about it is that it heats up really fast and gets really hot. Meaning I don’t have to wait and it gets the job done. It also comes loaded with attachments. It comes with two cylinder shaped pads {one for dusting and another for cleaning} and a large wedge shaped cleaning pad. Between both pads, you can clean and/or reach most areas–even tight spaces. You also get a 30″ extension hose, a crevice tool, a scrub tip, a small pad, and a squeegee. As if that wasn’t enough, there is even a garment attachment, which allows you to steam clothing or curtains, linens, and more! I have only used the garment attachment once on a tablecloth {that was already on the table} and it worked really well–much easier than ironing! The only thing that I do wish is that it came with some sort of carrier or holder for all the attachments, but that is easily remedied. We put all of our attachments in a small bag that we keep right next to the steamer.

Now, I will say that even though I love this steamer, it is not a miracle cleaning product. I mean–steam will clean really tough areas–the grime in between bathroom tiles, kitchen spills, and other tough jobs, but it still takes some elbow grease and some jobs are still too tough for this machine and others like it {i.e. years old dirty grout, mold, etc}. However, it does get the regular jobs done quickly and effectively–much better, safer, and greener than chemicals and cleaning products. Not to mention that it makes those jobs flat out easier and more manageable. For instance, my favorite attachment is the wedge–I use it to quickly deep clean my kitchen cabinets, furniture, bathtubs, showers, refrigerator, and more.

Features:
* Item Style: Hand Held
* Features: Quick Release Hand Tools
* Includes: Mop Pad – Cylinder Shape, Steam Dusting Pad – Cylinder Shape, Mop Pad – Wedge Shape, Mop Head – Wedge Shape, Mop Head – Cylinder Shape, 30″ Extension Hose, Scrubbing Brushes, Owner’s Manual
* Cleaning Surface Type: Multi-Purpose
* Water Tank Capacity: 1.5 Cup
* Cord Length: 20.0 ‘
* Power Source: Electric
* Power Amp/V/HP Required: 120.0 V
* Power Wattage Required: 1500 Watts
* Warranty Description: 1 Year Limited Manufacturer Warranty
* Cleaning Path Width: 8.0 “
* Dimensions: Height: 10.0 “; Width: 10.75 “; Depth: 4.75 “
* Product Weight: 3.0 Lb.

Want It: Buy it at Target for $79.99.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

You guys know that I love to cook and bake and that for the most part–I am not a huge fan of prepackaged foods, but seriously…Little Debbie snack cakes are like a little slice of heaven, aren’t they?! Especially now that they’ve introduced their new Chocolate Cupcakes with creme in the center! I got the very welcome opportunity to try them out and oh man. Delicious. Seriously.

Little Debbie has been working on these cupcakes for THREE YEARS. There were 119 variations of the cupcake during the development process. Plus, they tested each component–the cake part, frosting, creme, and even the squiggle on top–over and over in test kitchens. Even hundreds of consumers were asked to test them out. Whatever they did. Little Debbie got it right. After all the holiday baking, I am kind of done with being in the kitchen for a little while. These sweet little cupcakes are just the thing to have laying around to enjoy with a cup of coffee, as a quick treat for unexpected guests, or just…because.

Want It: Little Debbie Chocolate Cupcakes come in a package of eight cupcakes and retail for $3.09. For a coupon, click HERE.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

A couple of months ago I reviewed and raved about The Cake Bakery by JAKKS Pacific. If you’ve never heard of the Cake Bakery it is like the ultimate baking toy for kids! It allows kids to bake and decorate their own mini tiered fondant cakes–just like in a real bakery {well…almost LOL}! The best part is that the entire process can be done by kids–from baking the cakes in the microwave to the decorating.

The Cake Bakery literally comes with everything that you and your kids will need to bake up some beautiful cakes. The set includes the following:

• Cake bakery unit and Cake mixes
• 4 color fondant mixes and 1 bag of rainbow sprinkles
• 1 tube of white icing plus Icing decorator
• Decorating wheel & Microwave baker
• Mixing bowl & Cake mold
• Measuring spoon plus Tray
• Spatula & Fondant cutters
• Utensil holder & Working mat
• Rolling pin & Icing cartridges
• Cartridge cleaning brush
• Recipe cards and instructions

The Cake Bakery is a collaboration between Jakks Pacific and one of my favorite chefs–Duff Goldman, of Charm City Cakes and one of my favorite shows–Ace of Cakes.

Thanks to Jakks Pacific I have a very cool giveaway for you guys!

How To Enter:
1. Head over to JAKKS Pacific and tell me which toy besides the Cake Bakery you would like to own.

Extra Entries (leave separate comments for each):

2. Blog about the giveaway and link to www.Jakks.com and www.jollymom.com and leave the link to your post in the comment.
3. Subscribe to Jolly Mom by reader or email or follow on Blogger
4. One Extra Entry Per Day: Follow Jolly Mom on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway. Make sure to leave your Tweet url in your comment.
5. Add the Jolly Mom button to your sidebar
6. Stumble this post (the post, not the site)
7. Become a Jakks Pacific Fan on Facebook and write on their wall letting them know that Jolly Mom sent you. Leave me a comment letting me know that you did and include you Facebook name.

I was not compensated in any way for this post. It is just a COOL giveaway for my readers! All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

I received a complimentary tube of Votre Vu Duette Luxe to review. This product is made in France, but manufactured Spring Grove, IL. I have to say that it is very nice. It would be a great gift idea or a great way to pamper yourself. It comes in a pretty nifty tube, as seen in the photo to the left. It is a two-in-one product. The top portion opens and holds the lip balm, which works effectively on dry chapped lips. It’s called Luxe Lips and feels soft and silky when I applied it to my lips. There is no applicator so your fingertip or an extra lip brush will have to do. At the bottom half of this “Duette” tube from Votre Vu is Almond Pie hand creme. It does smell like almond and it does leave your skin feeling smooth. However, there is a degree of greasiness until it wears off, as is the case for the majority of hand creams on the market. I even applied it to my dry cracked elbows and it has cleared that problem up nicely, but only as it is reapplied every day or two.

What makes this product unique is its Duette feature. I don’t know about you, but this is the first time I have seen lip balm and hand cream combined in separate packaging in the same tube. The tube wouldn’t fit in a very small purses, but is definitely still very portable. It is on the pricier side at $38.00 a tube. Their website has a listing for a 3-pack for $79.00.

Votre Vu offers ingredients, instructions and a summary on their site here. They also include a short informative video to the left of the screen below the product images.

• Holiday Product Round Up…Some Last Minute Ideas
• Moms, Do You Need Some Holiday Aromatherapy to Ease the Christmas Chaos?
• The Holidays are Almost Here – Gift Set Ideas
• Giveaway! Luxtural Hydrating Mist valued at $78.00
• Little Baker Gift and More from Child to Cherish

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and holiday weekend! I have to say that this has to be my favorite Christmas of all and that’s saying a lot since I am a total kid at heart when it comes to the holidays LOL. Seeing Lucas really understand what was going on was priceless. Mike and I wanted to make sure that we really did a lot of fun Christmas events this year and we definitely did that!

The fun began the weekend before Christmas. On Sunday, we hosted a holiday brunch. The whole family–both sides came over–including my younger brother who has been away at boot camp for the Army. We hadn’t seen him in 4 weeks so it was great to have him home!

On Monday, we went to a Stone Mountain Christmas where Lucas had a lot of firsts. He met Santa Claus for the first time. Wrote Santa a letter. Rode a train for the first time. Met a Snow Angel. Saw a fireworks display. And so much more! If you are ever in Georgia for the holidays you should definitely check Stone Mountain Christmas out. It is a truly magical event!

On Wednesday I cooked and baked for my parents Christmas Eve party. On the menu–spanikopita, zuccotta, French apple tart, caulifower gratin, and homemade creamed corn {recipes on all coming very soon!}. I even managed to bake the neighbors some pumpkin bread. By the end of the day, I was totally wiped, but then we packed some snacks and coffee and the three of us hopped in the car to check out the Christmas lights around town. I couldn’t believe how into it Lucas was. Every time he saw lights, he would say, “Mama look! Wiiiites {aka lights}!”

On Thursday the three of us went to breakfast and when we came back home–we decorated Christmas cookies for Santa Claus.

That night, Mike’s parents came over to give Lucas their special Christmas present. A train table. I can’t tell you guys how much Lucas loves this thing!

Afterwords, we all headed to my parents annual Christmas Eve party. As always, it was awesome. Good food. Good company. Good times. We didn’t get home until 1 am!

When we got home, Lucas put out the cookies we baked for Santa and of course–we also left Santa some milk and even put out carrots for the reindeer! Mike and I–of course–still has a lot to do after Lucas finally went to bed. We had to get all of the presents from the basement and put them under the tree.

Friday–Christmas morning was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. We actually ALL woke up pretty late–almost 10 am! The first thing Lucas remembered when he woke up was Santa’s cookies. He wanted to check if “Santa Craws eat coooeeeeesss n milll” yet. We went downstairs to check and he forgot all about the cookies and milk when he saw all the presents under the tree! He literally squealed with delight LOL. After building a fire and baking some biscuits, we took our time opening presents. Lucas was really good–he opened a couple and then played with his new toys while Mommy and Daddy opened their presents.We went back and forth like that for hours–it literally took hours to open all the presents LOL.

Mike was very happy because Mrs. Claus {aka ME–his lovely wife} got him a blu-ray dvd player and a bunch of blu-ray dvds! I didn’t put the box under the tree. I hid it. In a little gift bag, I placed a teeny note that said, “If you want this gift, you will have to find it.” No clue or anything. He just had to search LOL. It was hidden under a couch in the living room. I also used some of Lucas’ artwork as a gift tag.

And, I got some awesome gifts too! A canning set, a bunch of specialty baking supplies, enameled cast iron cookware set {SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS!}, a bunch of new cooking and craft books, a cozy chenille wrap, and more. One of my favorite gifts are these awesome embroidery kits by Sublime Stitching. I have always wanted to learn to embroider and these are just the thing to get me started! Honestly, I have been embroidering all weekend LOL. It is so much fun!

I can’t believe this Christmas has come and gone. Time passes so quickly. Too quickly. By next week it will be 2010. Amazing.

This week we will be spending it trying to get ready for the new year. We will be cleaning and organizing. Out with the old to make room for the new so to speak. I will be blogging for the most part–limited at times since there is so much to do and I want–as much as possible–to enjoy these last few days of 2009 with Lucas and Mike and maybe even a little bit of embroidery LOL.

Yuck. The flu is about the nastiest thing I can think of (or experience). But with kids licking, drooling, and sharing all kinds of things (including germs) in a typical play day, it’s bound to spread this season.

Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo by E.S. Redmond is a touching, funny, and practical book that teaches kids the basics of hygiene in a way that they are bound to remember. With comical illustrations and a likable (but grimy) main kid character that transfers the germs from one poor zoo animal to the next, kids can’t help but learn how the flu is really spread.

My kids laughed … a lot.. at this story. And while they had to have a bit of a follow up chat about how the animals could have easily been one of us (or a pregnant Mommy), they soon understood how important it was to wash up and keep your nasty stuff to themselves.

Know a kid who likes to use their sleeve (or heaven forbid the end of the couch) for their goobers? Get them this book. It’s a winner!

Pick up your copy for less than $15 at sellers like Amazon and for $15.99 at your local book store. (Published by Candlewick.)

*Review copy received for this review. Post contains an affiliate link.

Check out these great free offers before the weekend!

• Get a free 7-day trial to Bally Fitness!
• Free sample of Pampers Extra Protection Diapers.
• Free sample of Benefiber Orange.
• Join Vocalpoint to get surprising gifts from P&G and other leading companies.

I can remember my little sister struggling to learn her money math when we were kids. With the size and shape of common coins changing more recently, I find it even more difficult to teach my own kids these same concepts. (“Yes, son, there really are that many quarter designs!”)

Since my children are admittedly influenced by TV media, we use videos a lot in our homeschool curriculum. When we recently got to try out Munchkin Math: Counting Money on DVD, I was surprised at how interactive and not-at-all annoying this video was. Did it pass our entertainment test? Yes! Did my kids actually get anything out of it? Yes!

Whether you’re looking to “raise your child’s math I.Q.” as mentioned on the website, or you just need an alternative way to get them to pay attention to math, these videos are a great idea. The hostess is friendly, the animations vivid, and the principles sound. With repeated exposure to this DVD, even my youngest kids (ages 2 and 4), were retaining basic money facts! (My 11 year old claimed to have learned a few things, too!)

By visiting the Munchkin Math website, you can preview the videos to get a better idea if they are right for you. (Other titles include “Telling Time” and “Shapes”)

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Munchkin Math and received a sample DVD to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Playskool has always been about more than play. What do I mean? I know for a fact that they know all about the educational and developmental benefits of play, and how a well-constructed, simple toy can bring about more than just fun — it can encourage growth on so many levels! Since we homeschool, I am super-confident in my kids’ ability to learn from their daily play, and open-ended toys are our favorite.

Thanks to Playskool’s More Than Play campaign, I’ve gotten to know all about the stages of development that are on target for my own kids. I was also lucky enough to review a very unique and high-quality toy called Blocksters!

This neat toy, called the Blocksters Block Spot, was designed for ages 12 months and up (although my almost 3 year old love this toy!) It features chunky block “animals” in various shapes and sizes, full of color and featuring various activities. By visiting the More Than Play website, I learned that it encourages so many skills: Fine Motor Skills, Pincer Grip, Spatial Awareness, Problem Solving, Conceptual Thinking, and more!

Proof that kids aren’t just playing… they’re growing!

Check out this neat video of Blocksters. Could you see your child learning from a toy like this?

*Sample was received for this review.

The insoles in pairs of the Classic Scuffproof Boots contain excessive levels of lead. Please see the full details at the CPSC website.

Stay Safe!

There are few party foods I like more during the holidays than meatballs. I love making my own from scratch a few weeks before Christmas and freezing them for easy party preparation down the road. There are so many recipes I like (including those with mushroom soup gravy and my Grandma’s Sweet and Sour recipe.) There is one sure-fire way to make everyone drool at your next party, however, and that’s the Ultimate Party Meatball recipe!

To learn more about this great recipe, (which includes just the meatballs, Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce, and Heinz® Chili Sauce as the main ingredients), visit http://ultimatepartymeatballs.com and click on the recipe link.

If you’re not as ambitious as me (and I have those days), you can use pre-made meatballs from your grocer’s freezer. They are the next best thing to fast-food, and with the recipes provided on the website, you’ll have everyone stopping at your dish during the party. I love this recipe, and even my 11-year-old daughter can make it with ease!

Don’t forget to check out the Ultimate Party Sweepstakes at the site, too! You can win $3,000 in gift cards or one of 20 slow-cookers! Giveaway ends on Feb. 15th, 2010.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Heinz and Ocean Spray and received the ingredients necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

My husband made me a shopping list the other day — one that would result in a fairly large grocery bill and all the makings for a week of holiday baking and gift giving! While it is certainly frugal to make your own fudge, cookies, and gingerbread, we understand and it can also be a little burdensome to buy all that stuff at the last minute! We are pleased to help you out with a fantastic Nestle Family Holiday Giveaway…

While there is only one kind of chocolate chip I use to make cookies at my house (Toll House, of course!) I know that you each have your own ways to use them in your own holiday recipes. We want to hear about your favorite things to bake up fresh during the holidays, and if you tell us, you might win a nice prize from Nestle!

One lucky winner will receive free product coupons for Toll House chocolate chips and cookie dough, Carnation Evaporated Milk, Carnation Breakfast Essentials, Stouffer’s, Juicy Juice, and Boost Kid Essentials. We’re also throwing in some sweets from Wonka and Raisinets, as well as a beautiful 4×6 silver photo frame and a nifty recipe guide.

Wanna Win? Just comment on this post with the name of your favorite holiday recipe! We’ll pick one lucky winner to receive the prize pack mentioned above (valued at $40). You have until December 24th at 11:59 pm CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type “Today’s Entry!”)

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

There is also another fantastic giveaway going on at the Nestle website! You can enter this Holiday Memories Photo contest for a chance to win a $500 gift card, as well as other prizes. Check it out!

*A similar Prize pack was received for participation in this promotion.

This time of year in the US, most of us are consumed with buying the perfect toys for our children, finding the most adorable holiday outfits and decorating our homes to be the perfect backdrop for childhood memories. But those things aren’t essential for a happy childhood, are they? One of the things that struck us in Cambodia was how often we saw kids playing with makeshift toys – things made out of old water bottles, or string, or sticks, or a plastic bag. In this picture, my husband is showing some kids how to juggle using some small rocks, and they’re obviously fascinated.

These kids will be just fine without the toys, fashionable clothing, and scheduled activities that our kids take for granted, but what they do need is an education and a healthy diet (almost 50% of kids in Cambodia are malnourished). I hope you’ll take a moment to make even a small donation before the Passports with Purpose fundraiser closes on Monday.

Photo Friday:

Share a favorite travel photo by adding your link below. Please take a moment to make sure that you are linking directly to your photo post instead of your homepage. If your url is longer than 100 characters, you will need to use a url shortening service, like bit.ly

First timers, here is
more Information about Photo Friday

I’m so thrilled that the Frugal Traveler wrote about Passports With Purpose, our fundraising effort to build a school for children in rural Cambodia today. The column will also run in Sunday’s paper, so if you see a car struggling along under a load of newspapers this weekend, be sure to stop me and say hello!

About Passports With Purpose

We’re building a school in rural Cambodia with American Assistance for Cambodia. Through the generosity of our sponsors and donors we have raised over $20,000. The school is fully funded; we’re now raising additional money to provide health services to the kids that attend “our” school. We expect that the school will be completed in June of this year!

You can donate here. Our success has been built on donations as small as $10, and each $10 donation enters you to win a fabulous prize.

About DeliciousBaby

DeliciousBaby is about Traveling with Young Kids. We have lots of tips and helpful advice to make your family vacation easier and more enjoyable. If you are new to DeliciousBaby, you might want to check out some of these useful links and resources:

• Travel Tips: Flying with Babies and Kids
  


• 
  Money Saving Trips the Travel Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

• 
  Family Friendly City Guides including
  Rome,
  Paris,
  Chicago, and Santa Fe
  

Sponsors

I want to take a moment to thank the sponsors. Each one made a direct contribution to AAfC and their generosity helped us launch this effort with a bang!

Platinum Sponsor

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for sharing her Big Fat Freebies List with us! For the full list, please make sure to visit Moms by Heart and tune in every Friday for a new list of FREEbies!

FREEBIES AND SAMPLES
-Free tshirt from Izze Sparkling Lime Drink HERE.
-Free Special K Cereal when you buy one HERE.
-Free Pampers Extra Protection sample HERE.
-Free gift basket for the first 2,000 that sign up HERE.
-Free sample Splenda Flavors For Coffee – Mocha HERE.
-Sign up for the Halo newsletter HERE and you can print a coupon for a $5.99 off any Halo dog treat.
-Free sample Hill Science Simple Essentials dog treats HERE – wait for pop up at the end of the intro.
-Free sample Benefiber Orange HERE.
-Free book: In God We Still Trust HERE.
-Sign up for the Homemade Simple newsletter for offers from your favorite brands HERE.
-Printable coupon for a free Steaz Zero Calorie drink HERE.
-Free customized vitamin plan based on your needs HERE.

FREEBIES AROUND TOWN
-Kids eat free at Qdoba all weekend – details HERE.
-$5 off your next meal at Ihop when you purchase a $25 gift card HERE.
-Free Crest Whitestrips at Rite Aid HERE.
-Use code ACME26 and get a free movie rental at Redbox.

FREE DOWNLOADS
-Free eBook: 34 Holiday Ideas For Gifts In A Jar HERE.
-Free eBook: Christmas Crafts for Kids HERE.
-Free Christmas music downloads from iTunes HERE.
-Free eBook from $5 Dinner Mom – holiday recipes HERE.
-Sign up for the MercyMe newsletter and get a free download of the Live 10 album HERE.

I cannot rave enough about the Leapfrog DVDs. Until now, Lucas owned one–Lets Go to School and it has helped him so much with his numbers and letters. Recently, Lionsgate released the new Leapfrog Learning Gift Set which contains the Lets Go to School DVD PLUS Letter Factory, Talking Words Factory and a learning flashcards pack. We received this dvd collection for review and it is amazing! Lucas loves them and I love that he is learning so much! From sight words and spelling to letters and numbers–these dvds are jam packed with learning, cute music, and a lot of fun!

Product Information:

Includes 3 LeapFrog DVDs and set of 26 flash cards! LET’S GO TO SCHOOL™: School starts tomorrow, and Tad and Lily are nervous! Join Tad, Lily and their magical firefly Edison as he gives them a tour of the classroom and shows them that the classroom is more nervous than they are! As the twins reassure the blocks, globe, clock and more talking “teachers,” they learn key lessons about phonics, counting, days of the week and animals. (AGES 3-6) LETTER FACTORY™: LeapFrog characters spring to life in this engaging and educational video. Popular LeapFrog characters, Leap, Lily and Tad go on a wild adventure to the Letter Factory. Led by wacky Professor Quigley, Tad joins Js jumping on trampolines and Ks practicing karate kicks as new letters learn their sounds. Fun songs will have kids singing letter sounds in no time. Includes 26 flash cards to help teach letters and their sounds through colorful graphics inspired by LETTER FACTORY. Flash cards also feature fun, parent-child letter activities! (AGES 2-5) TALKING WORDS FACTORY™: Leap, Lily and Tad journey to the word factory where the Word Whammer, Sticky-Ick-O-Rama and more amazing machines take letters and make them into words. Humorous rhyming songs and an out-of-control word machine add to the fun. (AGES 3-6)

If you’re looking for a gift that keeps on giving–this is it. Kids will laugh, be entertained, have fun, and learn right alongside Leap, Tad and Lily! Great DVD set that I highly recommend for all toddlers and preschoolers!

Buy it at Amazon.com for $20.99 and FREE Super Saver Shipping!

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

I have announced winners for the following giveaways {click on the links to see who won}:

Also, I haven’t heard back from the winners of these two giveaways. If I don’t hear back by the end of the day today, I will have to choose new winners.

Little Tikes PopTunes Big Rocker Guitar{Winner: Kelly} Heard back from Kelly!
Curious George Prize Pack {Winner: Leonard Family}

Congratulations to all of the winners! As always, all of the winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize.

Those of you that live in the West are really lucky. You can buy Challenge Dairy butter. I had a chance to try out their butter and it is sinfully delicious. Truly. It will make everything you cook or bake taste better. Seems like most of you already know that since Challenge Butter is the largest selling brand in the West!

Challenge Dairy Butter is 100% real cream butter with nothing artificial so you taste only the rich and natural sweet cream. From cows not treated with the Growth Hormone rbST. The newest addition to the Challenge Dairy lineup is Spreadable Butter, which is made by combining their regular butter with the finest canola oil. Plus, it provides DHA Omega-3 which as all moms know has been found to support healthy brain and eyes.

Challenge Dairy came to me with their own challenge. They would send me some ingredients–including their incredible butter–and I would come up with a side dish. Truth is, I used Challenge Dairy butter over the holidays for my pie crusts too–they were delicious! I did also come up with an easy roasted potato recipe that has been a big hit at my house.

Lemony Butter Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup Challenge Dairy Butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* Zest from 1 lemon
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dill, salt and pepper. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet and drizzle any remaining liquid from the bowl over them.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are brown and crispy, about 45 minutes.

To celebrate their success and fans in the West, Challenge Dairy is holding a pretty amazing sweepstakes!

They are giving away a 7-day/6-night trip for 4 people to the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Montana’s Paradise Valley, just North of Yellowstone National Park. Airfare, food, accommodations and certain activities are all-included in this $17,000 luxury getaway. Plus, there’s even a runner up prize of an $850 kitchen package from Spice Islands and OXO!

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. Plus, Challenge Dairy sent me some spices, a whisk, and small storage container to help prepare the recipe. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

If you follow my blog, you probably know that we have a dog–Aries. She is a chocolate lab. She is out first baby. To us, she is a beloved member of our family. We want the best for her. Just like we do for Lucas. Like me, most of the nation’s 70 million pet owners, pets are family too. And when pets get sick or injured, most of us are willing to spend almost whatever it takes to get them back on all four feet. But all pet owners know that veterinary care does not come cheap, as a matter of fact, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA) vet bills last year in the U.S. topped $11 billion!

I remember one unsuspecting afternoon a few years ago, Aries was outside playing fetch with the neighbor. I was watching–amazed at how incredibly accurate Aries is at catching the frisbee when all of a sudden I see her trip and go flying across the yard. The yelping and crying that came from her was heart wrenching. I ran to her and quickly inspected her to find that one of her toes was hanging on by a thread. I frantically took her inside and tried to put together a makeshift bandage and got her into the car. I was shaking and nervous. I was all alone and needed to get her to the vet. When I got to the vet, they told me it would cost $1,200 to get her fixed up. When I told them that I didn’t have that much–I could pay half now and half later. They told me SORRY BUT NO. I had to leave–with Aries limping, bleeding, and crying. I finally found a vet that was willing to put me on a payment plan. However, not everyone is that lucky. That’s why I was so excited when I found out that Kroger Personal Finance (KPF) is now offering an “accident only” pet insurance policy for $9.95 per month per pet.

Kroger Personal Finance® (KPF), a Kroger joint venture that brings together a wide array of quality financial products and services from preferred providers for Kroger customers, is making pet health insurance information available in the check lanes of more than 2,400 supermarkets operated by Kroger, the nation’s largest traditional grocery store operator. At $9.95 per month, Kroger’s pet insurance allows pet owners to have some peace of mind knowing that in an emergency situation, they won’t need to worry about coming up with unbudgeted veterinary expense. This would have come in handy that horrible afternoon a few years ago.

If you’re a pet owner and are interested in pet health insurance, make sure to inquire at your local Kroger or online. Many pet insurance plans are available–starting at $9.95. For those of you that don’t have a Kroger, the insurance is available online and at most of the Kroger banner stores – Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralph’s, King Soopers, etc.

How To Enter:
1. Check out the pet health insurance plans and tell me which plan you are most interested and why.
Extra Entries (leave separate comments for each):

2. Blog about the giveaway and link to www.krogerpets.com and www.jollymom.com and leave the link to your post in the comment.
3. Subscribe to Jolly Mom by reader or email or follow on Blogger
4. One Extra Entry Per Day: Follow Jolly Mom on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway. Make sure to leave your Tweet url in your comment.
5. Add the Jolly Mom button to your sidebar
6. Stumble this post (the post, not the site)

Kroger Personal Finance provided me with a $25 gift card for the pet in my life, as well as a gift card for one of my readers. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don’t forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

If you follow my blog, you know that I am a Marshalls & T.J. Maxx girl. In fact, I just bought Mike a bunch of gifts at Marshalls this past weekend and after I type this post I am headed to T.J. Maxx to shop some more! I love that I can find just about anything and everything at both stores and that I can save money! Getting name brands at close out prices is always a plus too! Not last year’s styles either–their merchandise is what’s IN NOW.

With this weekend being the last shopping weekend before Christmas, there are many of us {me included} still doing last-minute shopping and still looking for the perfect gifts for our loved ones. Marshalls and T.J. Maxx are the perfect spots to shop! In the spirit of the holidays and giving, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx  invite you to join us Thursday night to share gift ideas, holiday shopping tips, and more!

Party Info:
When: Thursday, December 17, 8-10 PM EST
Where: Twitter Use hashtag #MarshallsTJMaxxHoliday
Topic: Holiday Gift Giving
Follow: @jollymom @LoveALizzard @Marshalls @TJMaxx
Prizes:

• ONE GRAND PRIZE: $250 Gift Card
• Additional Prizes: TEN $25 Gift Cards

RSVP: Leave your Twitter ID in the comments so that we can all make sure to be following each other on Twitter.

I love getting Christmas cards this time of the year. The question is what to do with all of them once you get them? With this easy, homemade card holder–you can display all of your Christmas cards and turn them into part of your decor!

All you need is:

Wooden clothespins
Ribbon
2 tacks, push pins or nails

Once you have your supplies, pick a spot to display your cards. Place one tack on the left side of where you want your display to start. Don’t push the tack all the way in. Wrap one end of the ribbon around the tack and push the tack all the way into the wall–securing the ribbon in place. Take the other end of the ribbon and go across to the other end–where you want your display to end. Make sure your ribbon is straight, place the tack at that point, wrap the ribbon around the tack and finally push the tack all the way in. Then, grab your cards and clothespins and hang your cards on the ribbon. After Christmas, it is easy to take down or keep it up and use it to display family pictures, To Do lists, and more!

Christmas tree shopping a couple of weekends ago. Lucas was so excited!

Great news for parents who have been trying to hunt down the infamous Zhu Zhu Pets!

Walmart has announced that it will have a three-day special morning sales event for the hottest toy this holiday season—the Zhu Zhu Pet hamsters. Next week just in time for Christmas, Walmart will have hundreds of thousands of Zhu Zhu pets available for purchase. The three-day event starts Monday, December 21st! For more info, check out Walmart’s Facebook page.

I saw something like these Christmas jars a few years ago in a magazine–maybe it was Martha Stewart, but I don’t really remember. Anyhow, I have been meaning to make them for years and this weekend–I finally did it. They are so extremely easy and affordable to make too! Kids can even help or make their own.

Supplies:
Miniature Christmas trees {These are from the Dollar Tree. Two trees come in each package! You can also buy them at craft stores.}
Miniature ornaments or figurines {These are also from the Dollar Tree. Three figures come in a package! You can also buy them at craft stores.}

Glue gun and glue sticks
1 sheet of green felt
Scissors
Clear glass jars that have been cleaned of all labels and food, etc.
Marker

The first thing you want to do is make sure your trees and figurines fit inside the jars. Place everything on the lid of the jar how you want it to go and then place the jar on top. Make sure the jar will close. Now, it’s time to put it all together.

Trace around the mouth of the jar with a marker and cut out the circle. Make sure the circle fits nicely inside the jar lid.

Cut the center of the circle forming an X. You can easily do this by folding the circle in half and cutting a small slit in the center. Unfold. Then make two more cuts forming the X.

Pull the base of the Christmas tree through the slit you just cut in the felt.

Put a generous amount of hot glue all around the bottom of the felt circle and the base of the tree.

Stick the felt and tree onto the inside of the jar lid. Press down firmly and hold for a few seconds.

Put glue on the bottom of your figurine. Glue on top of the felt circle making sure to place it so that the jar will close.

Place jar on top of the lid and screw closed.

Voila! Pretty Christmas or Winter scene!

Now, you can get really creative with these. Use large jars to make more intricate scenes. Use waterproof glue and make your scene. Then, add water and glitter to make your own snow globe! These are fun, cheap, and easy to make–plus they are CUTE!

The Children’s Place has definitely stepped it up a notch for the holidays–offering more than just their usual super cute clothing and accessories. From an assortment of children’s books, stuffed animals, plates and cups for newborns and watches for boys and girls of all ages, The Children’s Place has something for just about any child!

Many of us honor a yearly gifting tradition of PJs on Christmas Eve, right now The Children’s Place has the coziest PJs available in fun new prints.

I am totally IN LOVE with these new hats and mittens.

And, I recently received a watch from The Children’s Place to review. Every fashionable child should have a watch, right? Right.

They are available for both boys and girls and would make an awesome stocking stuffer. The watches will hit store shelves on December 15th so be on the lookout!

Want It: Visit The Children’s Place stores across the country to purchase featured products or shop online by 12/16 at noon for guaranteed shipping by December 24th.

The Children’s Place provided me with a complimentary boy’s watch for this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

One of my favorite stores to shop at is hands down Land’s End. They are literally a one stop shop to outfit the entire family! Now that the holidays are literally around the corner, Land’s End is the perfect place to shop for last minute gifts. You can find something for everyone and it is pretty much guaranteed that the recipient will love it! I mean, come on–who wouldn’t love to receive a cozy pair of pjs and slippers or a soft sweater for the holidays?!

What I really love about Land’s End is that everything they sell is classic–meaning it’s likely that it will never go out of style. I am a huge fan of their totes and bags. Over the years, I have purchased several of them and they are durable and beautiful!

Land’s End recently sent me the Women’s Regular Original Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan Sweater in blackberry to review and it is so pretty!

Check out the features:
* 100% Supima® — America’s finest cotton
* Classic Argyle pattern
* Flattering, gently shaped silhouette
* Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan falls to mid hip
* Also available in solid

I love the classic fit, which is not too loose or fitting–basically it fits just right. Comfortable, but still stylish. Also, this is a sweater that can be dressed up or down. Wear it a pair of evening trousers and blouse for an elegant look. Wear it with a collared shirt to work. Or, throw it on with a pair of jeans for a casual, weekend look. No matter when or where you wear this sweater–one thing is guaranteed–you will be comfortable. The fine gauge ribbing and 100% Supima cotton makes this sweater so SOFT and easy to wear. LOVE it!

Want It: The Women’s Original Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan Sweater comes in a variety of patterns and colors and retails for $49.99. For more info or to purchase, please visit LandsEnd.com.

Win It! Land’s End is giving one Jolly Mom reader a Women’s Original Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan Sweater!

How To Enter:
1. Head over to Land’s End and tell me something {besides the items in my review} that you would love to own.
Extra Entries (leave separate comments for each):

2. Blog about the giveaway and link to www.landsend.com and www.jollymom.com and leave the link to your post in the comment.
3. Subscribe to Jolly Mom by reader or email or follow on Blogger
4. One Extra Entry Per Day: Follow Jolly Mom on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway using hashtag: #landsend. Make sure to leave your Tweet url in your comment.
5. Add the Jolly Mom button to your sidebar
6. Stumble this post (the post, not the site)

The featured product {Women’s Original Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan Sweater} in this post was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

If you are shopping for a young girl this holiday season, you should truly look no further than Adorable Kinders. I could try to use all types of fancy words and adjectives to describe these amazing rag dolls, but let me keep it simple. They are beautiful. There are 26 different Adorable Kinders dolls available–one doll for each letter of the alphabet {Alise to Zachary} and encompassing a wide variety of physical traits and features. Every detail is exquisite and well thought out. The soft, yarn hair. 100% soft cloth body. No plastic or hard parts at all. Gorgeous {removable} clothing. Even the weight of the dolls was taken into consideration–each weighs under 2 pounds so that young kids can play with them without being too heavy. However, each doll is a substantial 18 inches tall.

Adorable Kinders sent me the Mari rag doll for me to review and she is–as I said above–beautiful.

Mari is actually one of the most popular Adorable Kinders dolls and I can see why. Her bright red dress is festive and her hair is long and stunning. Young girls will love her, but honestly–all 26 are so cute–that choosing is the hardest part.

While rag dolls are an obviously classic toy, Adorable Kinders stepped it up a notch {or three} by bringing their dolls into the 21st century. The rag dolls are actually based on a diverse group of kindergarten friends so each doll comes with a unique internet key-code that children can use at the Adorable Kinders eSchool. Kids can play games while they develop their computer, reading, and problem-solving skills. Outside of the eSchool, there are additional activities available at www.adorablekinders.com. Kids can choose from the 26 Adorable Kinders characters and play house with them, create a printable greeting card or sticker sheet using their favorite Adorable Kinders doll, or have fun coloring on a digital coloring page.

The Adorable Kinders have already won seven of the top toy industry awards in 2009, including being named to Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Toys of 2009 List, and earning a NAPPA Gold Award. These dolls are lovely and I would have truly loved getting one as a child–as I’m sure that any young girl would. It is a gift that will be cherished and even passed down generations. Giving an Adorable Kinders rag doll is one of those gifts that a child never forgets.

Want It: Adorable Kinders Rag Dolls can be purchased online and retail for $59.99. SPECIAL OFFER! Use coupon code AKBLOG25, good through December 31, 2009 and get 25% off your entire purchase price at www.adorablekinders.com!

How To Enter:
1. Head over to www.adorablekinders.com and tell me which doll you would choose if you won. Choose wisely–this will be the doll you will receive if you win!
Extra Entries (leave separate comments for each):

2. Blog about the giveaway and link to www.babygenius.com and www.jollymom.com and leave the link to your post in the comment.
3. Subscribe to Jolly Mom by reader or email or follow on Blogger
4.One Extra Entry Per Day: Follow Jolly Mom on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway. Make sure to leave your Tweet url in your comment.
5. Add the Jolly Mom button to your sidebar
6. Stumble this post (the post, not the site)
7. Become an Adorable Kinders Fan on Facebook and their wall letting them know that Jolly Mom sent you. Leave me a comment letting me know that you did and include your Facebook name.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

I have winners to announce for the following giveaways:

Chelsea & Main Diaper Bag
Chuck My Talking Truck
Talking Madeline Doll
Walmart Gift Cards
Leapfrog My Pal Scout
Borders Gift Cards
Hasbro Stocking Stuffer Giveaway
Babalu Toys

Congratulations to all of the winners! As always, all of the winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize.

Here are a few stories I enjoyed recently.

I loved this article from Minnemom about why she travels with young kids and this one from Scribbit about why family vacations are important

Here are some tips for traveling in China with kids

Here are a few ideas for road trip games

Giveaways

Enter to win a vacation in Jamaica complete with a vacation nanny! from Travels With Baby

Win a Putamayo Kids Christmas CD and a Zebra Mix cookie baking kit from Wandermom

If you are running a travel related giveaway and would like to be listed here fill out my giveaways form

If you’re still shopping for some last minute gifts, here are some amazing beauty products–in all price ranges that you should check out.

As Hollywood’s preeminent hair-treatment expert, Philip B. has garnered international praise for his visionary approach to hair, scalp and body-care treatments. His award-winning blends, all based on pure botanicals and essential oils at potent, unheard-of-in-the-industry concentrations, have dramatically changed the way the world perceives luxury care for hair and skin.

I had the chance to try out The Full, Sexy Hair Collection Holiday Gift Set, which comes with Peppermint & Avocado Clarifying & Volumizing Shampoo and Katira Universal Revitalizing Hair Masque. The shampoo is awesome! It is so incredibly refreshing and you can FEEL your hair getting cleaner. It works to lift fine, weakened hair at the root and deep-cleans your scalp. Katira Universal Revitalizing Hair Masque is the real star in this duo. After using it, my hair was shiny and full of volume. LOVE this!

Other Phillip B gift sets that I want to try The Dream Créme Collection Holiday Gift Set and the Limited-Edition Chocolate Milk Collection Gift Set.

Purchase Phillip B products online or at select retailers across the country.

I am a huge fan of Burt’s Bees products. I have been a loyal customer for years and years. The bottom line is that their products work AND they never contain Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates or Petrochemicals and are never tested on animals. This year they have–as always–some wonderful holiday gifts sets that any woman would love to receive under the tree. Plus, at $20 or less for each festive selection of Burt’s Bees favorites, they are an affordable option!

Burt’s Bees Holiday Gifts include:

·Burt’s Bees Lip Balm Purse Packs ($9.99): Loaded with the world’s best natural lip balm, these adorable keepsake cloth purses each include four lip favorites. Choose from the Classic Purse Pack – featuring four Burt’s Bees® Beeswax Lip Balms – or the Mixed Purse Pack – a grab bag of favorite flavors.

·Burt’s Bees Mini Lip Gloss Collection ($14.99): Perfect for the girl on-the-go, this pack of holiday gloss essentials lets her sample four sweet shades of Burt’s Bees® 100% natural Super Shiny Lip Gloss. The must-have mini gloss moisturizes like a balm and provides the sheer color of a gloss, leaving behind a sweet fruit flavor.

·Burt’s Bees Bee Keeper ($9.99): Stock up on your must-have Burt’s Bees balms in a fun, festive way with this reusable lip tin. Choose from the ‘Classic’ pack filled with original Burt’s Bees® Beeswax Lip Balms, or the ‘Mixed’ pack with a variety of favorite balms.

·Burt’s Bees A Few Favorite Things ($19.99): Share a few of Burt’s Bees favorite things with some of your favorite people this holiday season. This festive holiday kit includes Burt’s Bees® Beeswax Lip Balm, Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme, Milk & Honey Body Lotion and Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream.

·Burt’s Bees Tingling Treats ($19.99): Experience the fresh scent of the holiday season’s essential ingredient – invigorating peppermint oil. This perfect stocking stuffer includes a collection of the brand’s head-to-toe peppermint products, from lip balm to foot lotion.

·Burt’s Bees Polka-Dot Perfect Mani-Pedi ($19.99): For those that love to be pampered, this collection fits neatly into an adorable cotton bag for natural beauty anytime, anywhere. Indulge hands and feet with Burt’s Bees® Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Crème and Coconut Foot Crème, then complete the pampering process with the replenishing power of Pomegranate Lip Balm.

Purchase Burt’s Bees online or at retailers and drugstores across the country.

Celebrate her sparkling energy and modern sensuality this holiday season with a Republic of Women Fragrance Gift Set.

The limited-edition collection features a 50mL Eau de Parfum and a 50mL Body Cream available exclusively in the gift set. Banana Republic’s newest women’s fragrance, Republic of Women leaves an alluring impression with a seductive blend of juicy berries, pink jasmine, Moroccan rose and precious woods. For her, the set showcases a subtle cast of gold metallic.

Purchase for $49 at Banana Republic {online or in stores}.

The following featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge: The Full, Sexy Hair Collection Holiday Gift Set by Phillip B. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!

Revlon Cosmetics & Beauty Tools from $1.99 B1G1 free
-$2 from 12/13 SS – color cosmetics
-$1 from 11/15 SS – beauty tool
Final Price: as low as FREE

Nabisco Crackers 2/$5
-$1 from 11/8 SS
Final Price: $1.50*
*submit for $10/10 rebate HERE

Nestle Jingles 2/$5
-$1 printable HERE or $1/2 printable HERE
Final Price: as low as $1.50 each

Rimmel B1G1 50% off
-$1 from 12/13 RP

Cover Girl Cosmetics: get $3 ECB when you spend $10
-$1 from 11/29 PG

Lubriderm lotion from $5.99
-$5 ECB on two
-$2 from 10/11 RP, use two
-$1 from CVS Flu booklet
Final Price: as low as 2/$.98

Oral B Pulsonic Professional Care 20% off
-$15 rebate HERE
-$10 from October 11 or November 15 Parade magazine

Arm & Hammer Spinbrush $6.99
-$2 ECB
-$2 from 12/6 SS
Final Price: $2.99

Bic Soleil or Comfort3 disposable razors $4.99
-$4 ECB (limit 1)
Final Price: $.99*
*$4 added to your uPromise account wyb two

Axe Gift Set $9.99
-$2 ECB
-$2.50 from 11/15 RP (exp 12/17)
Final Price: $5.50

Advil PM 4ct $.99
-$.99 ECB
Final Price: FREE

Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment $1.49
-$1/2 from 12/13 SS
Final Price: $.99

Glade Spray $.99
-B1G1 free from 11/1 SS
Final Price: 2/$.99

All Laundry Detergent $3.99
-$2 from 12/6 RP
Final Price: $1.99

Kodak memory card or Lexar memory stick $24.99
-$5 ECB
Final Price; $19.99

Merry Brite Holiday Bows 12ct $2.99 (Sun-Tues only)
-$2.99 ECB
Final Price: FREE

Merry Brite red or green tissue paper $1.99 (Sun-Tues only)
-$1.99 ECB
Final Price: FREE

Merry Brite peel-n-stick gift tags 35-50ct $1.99 (Sun-Tues only)
-$1.99 ECB
Final Price: FREE

M&M 9.9-12.6oz 2/$5
-$1/2 from 12/13 RP
Final Price: $2 each

Neosporin Lip Health $5.49
-$2.50 instant coupon – savings comes off instantly at checkout
-$3 printable HERE (IE) or HERE (FF)
Final Price: FREE

These books from Simon & Schuster are being recalled, because the little eyes can detach and pose a choking hazard (no injuries have been reported.) See the full details at the CPSC website.

I’m going to be honest with you… my house hasn’t smelled very “fresh” in a while. With a new puppy, four kids, and many of us battling colds and flus, it’s been stale and closed off at our house. I open a window when I can, and try to keep everything clean. Still… it’s nice when I find something that brings a little extra freshness to the air in my home!

The Glade Candles Holiday Collection is the perfect solution to musty home odors. They light up and produce pleasant aromas instantly (no need to wait 10 minutes for a candle to warm up.) They come in festive patterns and provide a feeling of holiday fun for every room in your home.

The Apple Tin Oil Candle was our favorite, as it filled my home with a naturally-sweet smelling apple scent (like baking pie) and came in a reusable candle tin. This would make a great stocking stuffer! It’s only $3.49, and you can buy a pack of 4 oil candle refills for the same price! It’s a gift that gives and gives and gives…..

You can see the entire holiday collection at Glade’s website www.glade.com/holiday

Wanna win? We have one amazing gift basket to give away, compliments of Glade! The winner will get the following:

• Two Glade Candles from the Holiday Collection, in Apple Cinnamon and Bayberry Spice
• Bellagio® Gourmet Cocoa Chocolate Truffle, a true liquid chocolate bar
• Home Classics® Fleece Throw
• Mineral Bath Soak Stress and Tension by The Village Company, made from natural lemon oil, rosemary, and eucalyptus,
• A Holiday favorite, The Polar Express DVD
• Woven Strap Small Shelf Tote, great for both stylish display and storage of accessories

To be entered to win, just comment on this post with your favorite holiday scent. You have until December 15th at 11:59 pm CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type “Today’s Entry!”)

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

*Sample was received for this review.

Sometimes we hear conflicting reports about what toys are good and which ones should be avoided. We spend many hours testing and reviewing toys to give you a better idea of what will work for your family, but what about those that we don’t have a chance to review?

We recommend that you go to the toy experts — the Toy Industry Association (TIA). They have just launched two very helpful websites for consumers, and you should really check them out!

ToyInfo.org gives you the bare necessities in toy shopping. Whether you’re looking for safety facts or downloadable play guides, they’ve got you covered. They’ll share recall information and even have a neat discussion board to help get consumers talking! It’s a truly one-stop resource for anyone who cares about kids to get the scoop on what toys are right for their family.

ToyAwards.org is the fun website that gives you the top toys nominated for 2010 Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY). You’ll get a look at what the toy industry experts are loving, and you’ll also be able to register to win your choice of one of more than 11 prize packages!

So, to recap:

Learn what’s best for your family AND get a chance to win! If that’s not holiday cheer, I don’t know what is…

*This post was part of a Team Mom blog tour!

Got a picky eater? Think the “airplane game” has lost its appeal? How about a cute set of eating utensils that encourage fun, but promote independence at the same time?

The Construction Cutlery set from Flying Peas is nothing short of adorable. The bulldozer pusher (which replaces using fingers as a way to get peas under control), fork lift fork, and front loader spoon give familiar objects a purpose in helping your child eat by themselves!

Not only are these a fun, effective way to get mealtime done without a fight, they are also super safe! Containing no PVC, Phthlalates, Bisphenol A (BPA), lead or paints, they will give you “peas” of mind. Girls will love the hot pink version, and there is a specially-designed construction plate that can make this set complete!

Totally thrilled with how heavy-duty these were, we couldn’t keep our little guy away from them. Kudos to Flying Peas for offering a mealtime solution that’s even cuter than our kids!

To see all the items that Flying Peas has to offer (including clothing, books, and gifts), visit their website at www.flyingpeas.com.

Wanna Save? Our readers can use this exclusive coupon code to save BIG! Just plug in coupon code PUNKINFP09 to start saving!

*Sample was received for this review.

We’ve partnered with Avon this week to offer you the opportunity to win a 2 piece Christmas Dress for your favorite little girl!

The Bias Plaid Dress and Legging set retails for $24.99 on Avon.com.

Did you know that Avon has children’s clothing? I didn’t until a few weeks ago! I used to think that Avon was just an affordable line of makeup and skin care products, but they have actually offer a lot more. You can find an amazing selection of Fashion, Jewelry and Accessories as well as their fabulous line of ANEW Clinical Line and Wrinkle Correcting products.

Shop AVON’s Holiday Gift Guide for affordable Christmas gifts.

Bias Plaid Dress and Legging

Enter for a chance to win this 2 piece set!

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TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post and tell me whether you would keep this dress for your own child or give it as a gift.

Extra Optional Entries: (Leave 1 comment for each extra entry.)

1 Entry: Follow @fashionablebaby on Twitter (include your Twitter name in comment!)
1 Entry: (per day) Tweet about this contest. Leave 1 comment for each tweet with the link to tweet. (click here to tweet automatically or copy & paste the following:)
GIVEAWAY! Enter to win AVON Bias Plaid Dress & Leggings from @FashionableBaby http://bit.ly/PlaidDress Please RT!

1 Entry: Become a fan of The Fashionable Bambino on Facebook
1 Entry: Become a fan of AVON on Facebook
1 Entry: Subscribe To The Fashionable Bambino’s RSS Feed
1 Entry: Subscribe to The Fashionable Bambino’s Newsletter
10 Entries: Blog about this contest and link back to this post and www.avon.com
5 Entries: Put the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Extravaganza button in your sidebar.

<a href=“http://www.thefashionablehousewife.com/12/2009/12-days-of-christmas-giveaway-extravaganza/”><img src=“http://www.nashaversia.net/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/9058a_TFH_12days.jpg” width=“125” height=“125” alt=“The Fashionable Housewife 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Extravaganza” title=“The Fashionable Housewife 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Extravaganza”>

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(Note: You must leave 1 comment per entry. Extra entries will not be counted unless you leave a comment for each one.)

Sometimes our spam catcher is a little over zealous and will snag your comments if you leave multiple comments very quickly, one after another. I recommend waiting a minute between each comment. If the spam catcher gets you anyway, don’t worry! Your comments have still been submitted, they are just being held for moderation. I approve them as quickly as possible. If you are very concerned about this issue, you may email me and let me know what the problem is.

Details

Contest runs from Dec 7th till Dec 20th. Last chance to enter is Dec 20th at 11:59pm ET. A winner will be contacted on or before December 27th, 2009 and asked for full name, along with their mailing address. If no response is given within 48 hours, a different winner will be chosen, so please be sure to check your email. Must be 18 or older to enter. Contest open to USA!

Prize will be provided and shipped directly by Attention PR on behalf of Avon.

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• EnviroVogue Eco-Friendly Reusable Bags Giveaway
• Maukilo – Toys Kids Play with Often – Giveaway *CLOSED*
• LAST DAY to Enter Fashionable Gals for A Cure Fundraiser and Giveaway!
• Celebration of Madeline’s 70th Anniversary Giveaway *CLOSED*
• Fashionable Gals For A Cure, Let’s Make a Difference!

As Dr. Greene mentioned in my earlier article, BornFree is the first company to come out with a full line of baby products that are BPA-Free. Due to Dr. Greene’s interest and history in speaking about BPA, BornFree approached him to talk about their products, which he continues to do as opportunities arise. I was sent free samples of Born Free’s baby products to try and I write this review without payment from BornFree. I consider it a privilege when companies are willing to send samples so that I can provide readers with tried and true reviews.

BornFree specializes in developing products that are 100% free of Bisphenol-A, Phthalates, PVC and Aluminum. The BornFree product line currently includes baby bottles (5 oz and 9 oz sizes), cups and accessories such as: replacement nipples, valves, collars, bottle caps, seal disks, cup spouts, handles, travel caps, silicone sleeves, a formula dispenser, as well as twister brushes to clean cups and bottles and pacifiers and teethers. BornFree even has a breast pump adapter that fits most breast pumps, so nursing moms, we weren’t left out! (Ha Ha!) BornFree also offers eco-friendly baby bottles and a water bottles for the rest of the family.

I am a full-fledged breastfeeding mom and have only used bottles on rare occasions. So my son has never even used a baby bottle, but when we tested one of the baby bottles, our son did not have any trouble with the flow of liquid that came out. Each of the bottles has seven parts: the bottle, the silicone vent, white plastic vent cover, sealing disk, nipple, collar and travel cap. In our use, the bottle was leak free around the cover and collar as long as the bottle was assembled correctly. When we first put it together, it leaked but that was because we put it together wrong. BornFree offers bottle nipples in 5 different flow rates, so there is a wide variety to meet the growing needs of your baby from 0-18 months. (BornFree’s product recommendation)

I like the valve design on these products better than valves we have used in other products, not just because of the BPA-free factor, but they seal well and are not actually attached to the nipple of the bottle or cover of the training/sippy cup.

We love the training cup, even though it is not spill-proof. We did discover that the sealing disks that came with the baby bottles may also be used on the sippy cup to prevent spills, both when our son was not drinking and for traveling. Otherwise this cup does leak out the mouth spout, even with the travel cap on. If the cup is tipped, liquid will leak into the cap, creating a mess when the cap is lifted. However, the collar seal – when tightly twisted – does not leak. As I stated for the bottles, when we first put the valve system and collar together, it leaked and we did the same thing with the sippy cup, but when everything is assembled correctly, there are no leaks around the collar.

It’s great that there is now a BPA-free product line that specializes in providing an alternative to the other products on the market, thus, making it safer to feed babies artificially; but remember, if you can, breastfeeding is always best. As with any products of this nature, they do seem to cost more, but in the long run do we value money saved or our child’s health?

BornFree products may be purchased directly from the BornFree website. We just received our new catalog from VitaCost and noticed that they are now selling BornFree products too. You may also check this link to locate a store near you.

Follow The Fashionable Bambino blog with bloglovin

• My Chat with Dr. Alan Greene About BPA
• A Review of Tinytongs
• Tinytongs Giveaway – The Ideal Mealtime Solution For Tiny Hands *CLOSED*
• Tasty All-Natural Meals for Kids of All Ages – Greenie Tots
• Eco-Friendly Gifts & Fashion Accessories

This week I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Alan Greene, a practicing pediatrician, author of Feeding Baby Green and Raising Baby Green and founder of DrGreene.com. We talked about the concern over BPA found in plastics, particularly baby products. While we here at The Fashionable Bambino are strong breastfeeding advocates, we realize that there are many mothers who choose not to breastfeed or simply cannot. Therefore, the products that Dr. Greene and I discussed will be of great interest to those of you just learning about the dangers of BPA or in search of BPA-free products for your baby.

I first asked Dr. Green to give a definition of BPA in laymen terms and this is what he said,

BPA is the ingredient added to plastics to make it hard and clear. It does a great job at that. Originally, it was developed as one of the first estrogens in the 1930s and people have forgotten about it. It is more efficient in plastics than in medicine. In the early 90’s one of my colleagues found estrogen in yeast, and then found out that it wasn’t in the yeast, it was in the plastic flask and petri dishes. That’s what started the concern.

Low levels of BPA have consistently caused problems in animals. There have been about 200 studies done on animals and about 93% of them show that BPA cause early puberty, increase in breast and prostate cancer, obesity, and attention problems. There have also been findings that men working in factories producing BPA have higher impotence than men not working in BPA factories. The higher levels of BPA, the higher incidence of impotence.

So how do we avoid purchasing products with BPA if BPA is found in plastic products all across the board? We can do so by looking at the recycling number. The good numbers are: 1, 2, 4, and 5; if we see those numbers, we can relax, as it is safe to assume there is no BPA in products with these numbers. Plastic that has the number 7 often has BPA, but not always, so we want the product or container to say BPA-free. If it doesn’t have a number, we want it to at least say BPA-free.
Another place of concern is in canned fruit and soups. Canned green beans have contained the highest levels of BPA. Therefore, purchase frozen veggies or fresh and if you are going to purchase prepared soups, buy them in a carton, as cartons of soup that were tested contained no BPA.

In my own research, one article mentioned this:

The NIH’s National Toxicology Program advised ‘concerned parents’ to reduce their use of canned foods; use BPA-free baby bottles; and opt for glass, porcelain, or stainless-steel containers, particularly for hot foods and liquids.

One of the ways that Dr. Greene raises awareness among his patients and those that he speaks to is to educate them about BPA during pregnancy and during the first three years of the child’s life. He says that by making them aware during this time, they will most likely make the switch to BPA-free products. Dr. Greene acknowledges that there are so many scares out there about one thing or another that it is difficult to know what is a priority and what’s not. As a pediatrician, Dr. Greene believes this is a priority and it is an easy change to implement.

For more information on this, please read December’s issue of Consumer Reports, as they have done a report on this very topic. Thanks for the tip, Dr. Greene!

Dr. Greene recommends the use of BornFree products, which is the first company to come out with a whole line of BPA-free baby products, which includes baby bottles, training cups, pacifiers, nipples, and a formula dispenser. Even though Dr. Greene is promoting BornFree, he acknowledges that breastfeeding is the best, cleanest and greenest way to nourish your baby.

Dr. Green closed our interview by mentioning a small animal study conducted where the animals were given BPA while pregnant, but they also gave folate to them and it nearly eliminated the BPA found in them. Dr. Greene likes to see more studies done, but mentioned this study to emphasize his closing statement:

We want to minimize exposure to toxins where we can, and also maximize great nutrition because it protects us from many things.

Dr. Alan Greene Bio:
Dr. Greene is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of California at San Francisco. Upon completion of his pediatric residency program at Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Northern California he served as Chief Resident. He entered primary care pediatrics in January 1993. He is now a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, an Attending Pediatrician at Packard Children’s Hospital, and a Senior Fellow at the University California
San Francisco Center for the Health Professions.

Dr. Greene is the Past President of The Organic Center and on the Advisory Board of Healthy Child Healthy World. He is a founding partner of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment. He also consults for the Environmental Working Group.

Stay tuned for a review I will be posting this afternoon about BornFree products.

More Resources:

http://origin-www.fastcompany.com/blog/stephanie-schomer/write/new-study-detects-bpa-levels-infants

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/132/the-real-story-on-bpa.html (A very long article, but worth it if you have time to read it.)

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS226735+03-Nov-2009+PRN20091103 (This specifically mentions how Consumer Reports found BPA in canned foods and health concerns.)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-10-28-BPA-bisphenolA-federal-study_N.htm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20091111/hl_hsn/bpatiedtoimpotenceinmen (Contains a guide to recycling codes to the left of the article.)

• BornFree – BPA-Free Baby Products
• A Review of Tinytongs
• Tinytongs Giveaway – The Ideal Mealtime Solution For Tiny Hands *CLOSED*
• Tasty All-Natural Meals for Kids of All Ages – Greenie Tots
• Mayu Hand-Knit Alpaca

Have you heard of 6pm.com? It’s the sister sight of zappos.com and offers a wide selection from top designers at up to 75% off retail.

This week Polliwalks Footwear is on sale for $6.95! All styles are $6.95 until 12/11 so hurry!

Last time they were on sale, I bought the Polliwalks Furry Kitty shoes in Lilac for my daughter…

She absolutely loves them and has worn them every single day since they arrived. Sometimes on the wrong feet… but they still look adorable as you can see!

• Dinosoles For Just $9.99 and $13.99 at Shopflick
• TOMS Shoes Celebrates Facebook’s 200 Millionth User Milestone with Gifts!
• Easter Shoes at Piperlime!
• Week Of Treats At Piperlime!!
• New “Make A Statement” Series Empowers Teen Girls

Just wanted to keep you posted about the Kmart Holiday  Bluelight Specials. Below are the teasers for this weekend December 12^th and 13th:

• Essential Home Snug Sack 50% off (reg. $19.99)
  • Jaclyn Smith Today Cashmere Blend Throw $12.99 (reg. $29.99)
  • Kodak 7” digital frame $49.99 (reg. $79.99)

All day offers:

Saturday:

• Mens Boxed Gifts $5 (reg. 16.99-19.99)
• Die Hard Battery Bank BOGO Free (reg. $9.99)

Sunday:

• Fisher Price Fashion Separates $4.99 (Infant/Toddler) reg. $10.99-$18.99
• Hershey Snack size jumbo bags $3.50 (reg. $5.99)

Don’t forget to follow @KmartDealsnNews and use the #KmartBLS hashtag for a chance to win every day!  For more info & rules: http://tr.im/KmartBLS.  Good luck!

Look out for more Kmart Bluelight Special teasers next week from me, and don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any additional info!

Happy Holidays and happy shopping!!

• Kmart Bluelight Special Holiday Sweepstakes

This is a guest post by Nancy Solomon of Ciao Bambino. Nancy has generously shared her story about a dramatic trip to London with kids.

The Injury

Our trip to London had an ominous start. I ruptured my calf a week before we were due to leave. Although this was not part of the plan, everything was booked and we were not about to cancel our trip. So, I found a “roll-a-bout”—think razor scooter with a knee pad— which allowed me to have much more mobility in London than crutches.

This scooter basically gave me celebrity status (can you imagine how ridiculous I looked— a grown-up on a scooter!) throughout London as curious people (particularly those in the orthopedic field) stopped to take pictures.

This was all great, except my disability doubled husband’s workload and his patience wore thin.

The Flight

We love Virgin Atlantic! We traded American Express points in for “upper class” pods, the best-spent miles to date. Lying flat wrapped in down comforters after a delicious meal was truly luxurious. As I watched my wonderful older children drift off to sleep, I noticed my toddler was getting increasingly hyper. Not unusual when she is tired. Unfortunately, her activity level grew just as all the adults around us were grabbing eye masks and getting ready to sleep.

After an hour of pushing every possible button in the vicinity, she burst into screams. This is our fourth child. You’d think we’d stay calm. But no, I started sweating, stepped on my injured foot—which cannot bear weight—and was in agony. Finally, I hopped to the bathroom where I flip-flop from nice mom to psycho mom with alarming ease.

FYI, covering your child’s mouth doesn’t work.

The kind stewardess came to our rescue with food for her. Could she really have just been hungry? At long last, she doses off to sleep. We all get about 3 hours of rest and arrive just as the morning started in London.

The First Day

I had an idea that the first day would be tough, however, I was lulled into a false sense of security by thinking that my kids were experienced travelers. Pulling an all-nighter is tough on anyone. Add kids to the equation and you have a nightmare!

Driven by the excitement of being in London, we had a strong start, but then we all faded quickly. Literally, by nightfall, four out of six of us were ready to go home. My husband and I decided that we were just plain stupid to travel internationally with kids.

Fortunately, a good night’s rest cures all woes. The next day we started fresh and all went well. I have to thank a thoughtful colleague who sent me an article about that horrible first night when traveling abroad with kids—it enabled me work through the desire to go home and move on with our trip.

We ended up sleeping in every day and then stayed up late together. Although we gave up some sightseeing time on this schedule, it worked well as we were always rested.

The Shopping

On Ciao Bambino I’ve covered kid-friendly activities in London, and a London food tour and then did tips for visiting London with kids on PeterGreenberg.com. What I didn’t include in those articles is shopping highlights. I usually don’t get a chance to shop when traveling, but this trip it just seemed to work out because the antique markets had a little something for everyone.

Our favorite street was Portobello Road, located in Notting Hill. My husband and boys looked for war memorabilia and antiques. My daughter and I had fun at the boutiques. London has a well-earned reputation for being expensive, but we were able to find many stores that were reasonable and unique. I loved the shopkeepers as well; we met quite a few characters.

Portobello Market on Saturday, offered a ton of items, but it was incredibly crowded. I recommended visiting this neighborhood during the week.

Here’s a list our favorite stores and stops on Portobello Road:

Appletree Boutique (164 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W11 2EB): A trendy collection of women’s clothes, accessories and shoes. Very reasonably priced. My daughter and I both loved this store.

Their Nibs: (214 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 1NR) We couldn’t resist some of these retro-inspired designer children clothes.

Hummingbird Bakery (133 Portobello Road, London, W11 2DY): Capitalizing on the cupcake craze, this bakery is a wonderful stop with children.

Bangers Bros (225a Portobello Road London W11 1LU): An inexpensive and easy stop for breakfast sandwiches.

Electric Brasserie: (191 Portobello Road London W11 2ED) Yummy milkshakes.

Gail’s Bakery: (138 Portobello Road, London, W11 2DZ) Perfect for delicious muffins and healthy snacks for refueling.

Nancy Solomon lives outside Boston with her husband and four kids under 10. She enjoys traveling the world and sharing helpful tips for finding fun family activities on the road. She writes about travel with kids on Ciao Bambino, a guide to the best kid friendly hotels and family travel blog.

Other Articles by Nancy Solomon on DeliciousBaby


Alexandria, VA With Kids: A Charming Place to Stay outside of Washington DC

What to do in Boston With Kids

Related Links

What to do in London With Kids
City Guide: London With Kids
A British Summer Vacation With Kids

A Giveaway

If you haven’t had a chance yet to make your donation to help build a school in Cambodia, now is the best time to do so! This week, I will be giving a $100 donation to AAfC on behalf of one lucky reader. Since I cannot win any of the prizes, the reader will get to choose which prize drawings to enter.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Visit our prize list
   
2. Come back here and tell me what your three favorite prizes are
   
3. If you made a donation, tell me that too!
   
4. That’s it
   

I’m making a bet that once you see all the great prizes, you won’t be able to resist helping build this school. Every donation is tax deductible and enters you to win the prize of your choice.

Winners

I will choose a winner randomly from the people who comment on this post before 11:59PM PST on Wed Dec 9. I will announce the results here on Thurs Dec 10 2009. If you win, I will ask you to tell me which prizes on the Passports With Purpose website you would like to be entered to win.

Updating our Goals

I’m overjoyed to announce that Passports with Purpose raised enough money in one week to build a school in Cambodia! We’re not resting on our laurels though – there is so much more we can do to make our school a true resource for the entire community. Each additional dollar that is donated will be used to improve the health of both the students and the overall community. We have updated our goal to $26,000 in order to fund the following improvements:

1. Hagar water filter: $300 one-time cost
   
2. 1 “Victory” vegetable garden,: $7,500 funds first two years, $2,000 each additional year
   
3. School nurse: $5400/year
   

More about The School

We know a little bit more about our school now. It will be built in Preah Vihear, the region that’s under dispute with Thailand. We also know that it will open in about six months — June of 2010 is our current best guess.

Thank You

I want to thank the very generous sponsors who gave us a great headstart towards our goal by making donations directly to AAfC to help build a school in Cambodia

Related Links:

Passports With Purpose Travel Blogger’s Fundraiser

Rules
Please, only one comment per person per giveaway post. Duplicate comments and Anonymous comments will be discarded. Please make sure that the email address in your comment form is valid (email addresses are never public). Winners must claim their prize within three business days after the date of notification of such prize. A Sweepstakes winner’s failure to respond to the prize notification within the specified three business days will be considered such Sweepstakes winner’s forfeiture of the prize and an alternate winner may be selected from the pool of eligible entries. If an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may also be selected from the pool of eligible entries. Employees, partners and vendors of DeliciousBaby and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter. We will disqualify any entries that we believe are generated by scripts and other automated technology. When applicable, the winner may be required to execute and return within five business days an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability and Publicity Release to be eligible for the prize or an alternate winner will be selected. All prizes will be awarded. No substitutions including for cash are permitted, except that DeliciousBaby reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater monetary value for any prize. Winners shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of their prize.

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don’t forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

And, while you are here–there are a ton of holiday giveaways going on right now at Jolly Mom! Here they are:

Holgate Toys (12/23)
TEN $50 American Express Gift Cards (12/15)
Baby Genius Toys Prize Pack (12/15)
Duncan Hines Gift Basket (12/20)
Get Buttoned Up Prize Pack (12/15)
Victory Lane NASCAR Racetrack (12/15)
Alex & Ani Jet Crystal Bracelet Set (12/13)
V. Smile Motion Active Learning System (12/13)
Leapfrog Prize Pack (12/13)
Star Wars Dagobah Frog Habitat (12/13)
Little Tikes PopTunes Big Rocker Guitar (12/13)
Curious George Prize Pack (12/13)
LUSH Season’s Greetings Gift Set (12/13)
Whiplash Wave Scooter (12/13)
Step2 Fresh Market Kitchen (12/13)
Christmas Books & DVD Prize Pack: 2 Winners (12/13)
Disney Precious Collection Jewelry: RV $225 (12/13)
Chelsea & Main Diaper Bag (12/12)
Chuck My Talking Truck (12/11)
Talking Madeline Doll (12/11)

Every year there is always that person it’s impossible to shop for. It always happens. The person you don’t know that well or the person who has everything. Most of us end up buying the person a gift card, right? I usually do that, but it is so impersonal. I recently discovered just the thing to get them. Vivabox. It is the ultimate gift of choice without having to give an impersonal gift card!

What is a Vivabox? It is basically a gift that is experienced by the recipient in two layers. The first is the gift inside the box, which introduces the recipient to the product. The second is the gift card that can be redeemed for their gift selection from a menu of choices.

This is how it works:

Step 1. You {the gift giver} pick a theme from the website. There are all sorts of Vivaboxes–everything from Spa and Coffee boxes to Movie and BBQ boxes. Truly something for everyone–women and men–covering many interests.

Step 2. The recipient gets their box and tries the samples and gifts inside. Depending on the box this could be a gift to try, taste or use and they all relate to the theme of the box.

Step 3. After enjoying the first gift, the recipient visits this website and enters their card number