RUVAcards is a mom-owned, mom run design company that offers eco friendly products that are both functional and beautiful. From their greeting cards, invitations, birth announcements and every day stationary to their precious magnets that arrive in a vintage tin, RUVAcards offers a wide variety of sweet products.

RUVAcards goal is to help people celebrate their connections to each other through personalized stationery, greeting cards and newly added gifts. They have an eclectic selection of cards from Independent Designers country wide, Recycled content paper and 100% recycled envelopes. Recently they were featured in Everyday by Rachel Ray for their kid’s artwork holiday cards.

In this year’s Christmas Giveaway, you have the chance to win a set of RUVAcards magnets as well as a set of personalized stationary. The Magnets are a very fun gift for preschoolers learning to spell. They are also handy for hanging up the artwork that your little ones love to so proudly display. The Alphabets Magnets set includes 26 magnets in 13 colors and patterns all packaged in a personalized vintage container. The best part is that they’ll customize an extra magnet for you with the name of your child, and the color of your choice!

The set of stationary cards is personalized with your child’s artwork. Just send RUVAcards a scanned copy of your child’s drawing and they will create custom stationary out of it. Each stationary set includes 16 cards and envelopes.

For more information on how you can enter to win these fabulous prizes, read below.

Of course, if you are not a blogger but would like to enter, you may still do so. Leave us your email address and let us know if you have promoted the contest via Facebook or Twitter for additional entries.

This contest will be open from November 17 to November 30. A winner will be selected and announced on December 1.

Christmas will be here before we know it, so enter to win today and get working on those holiday cards!

Say It Forward – Carnival of Loyal Commenters is a weekly carnival at 5 Minutes for Mom.com where bloggers feature their loyal commenters!

To read more about how to participate in Say It Forward and to get the button codes, click here.

And make sure you visit the links in the Mr. Linky here every Friday. These are the FUN blogging folk YOU want to be friends with. Go to THEIR sites. Read THEIR blogs. And of course, leave COMMENTS.

Oh, we can see the friendships forming already. It’s a beautiful thing!

Say It Forward – Week 42: Today’s loyal commenter award goes to Tesa of 2 Toddlers and Me.

Tesa is a stay at home mom to two adorable tykes who were born just 14 months apart. Having two children so close together can be a challenge, but Tesa faces the difficult days with great energy and grace. And with the tips and tricks she’s learned in keeping two toddlers busy, she is passing on wisdom to her readers.

Outside of her stories, which are both identifiable and hilarious, Tesa also posts some amazing recipes. Like this one.

Tesa describes herself this way: Raising two toddlers keeps me on my toes. My daughter, Kora, is 3 and my son, Logan, is 2 – they are 14 months apart. Something frustrating, exasperating or side-splitting happens in my house every day. This blog chronicles my observations on parenting two toddlers so close in age, as well as the more interesting escapades that take place around here. This blog is also used to showcase products that make our family life easier and/or more fun.

Thank you, Tesa, for sharing your day to day life with us, your readers. You are an inspiration.

And, of course, thank you for being such a loyal commenter here at 5 Minutes for Mom! Please display this Loyal Commenter badge with pride.

If you are selected as a Loyal Commenter either by our site or another blog, you can display this Loyal Commenter badge with pride. Also feel free to give the badge to the commenters that you select each week.

<br /> <a href="http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/feature-columns/say-it-forward/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k210/5m4m/buttons/columns/sayitforwardlc125x125.png" border="0" title="Mom It Forward Award" alt="Mom It Forward Award"/></a>

Thank one of your loyal commenters on your blog and then add the link to your post below.

Get ready to drool ladies…

We online moms appreciate technology — I mean a fabulous computer can make us shiver with love, and a slow, outdated machine can make us growl with frustration.

So we realize that when we show you what we are about to giveaway, it might make you REALLY excited… and really desperate to win it. You might turn green.

I know, cause I AM! I want this prize soooo badly!!!

Yes, we are going to give one of you a new computer. And not just any computer. We are giving away a fabulous HP TouchSmart 600 (valued at $1599.99)!!!

The HP TouchSmart 600 is a collaboration between Microsoft and HP to create best-in-class touch technology that melds with the power of Windows 7. This revolutionary desktop features some of the newest technology in home computing, including multi-touch which allows you to pinch, rotate, arc, flick, and press and drag to zip through applications, photos and more!

More reasons why we love the HP TouchSmart 600:

The integrated hardware & software technology (including TouchSmart Live TV with optional TV tuner) allows you to view video, record TV, and play video games right on your PC.

Windows 7 fast start up and shut down gives you easier access to your apps on the HP TouchSmart 600. This is HUGE for us busy moms who only have a few minutes before the kids wake up from naptime and every minute counts!

Just think how amazing the HP TouchSmart 600, with it’s sleek design, is going to look on your desk! OR you can even hang it directly on your wall!

SO, for a chance to win this amazing HP TouchSmart 600, we want to make sure you have LOTS of ways to try to win. Here’s how:

• Leave us a comment telling us you want to win!
• Subscribe to our Feed
• Sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter
• Add our 5 Minutes for Mom button in your sidebar
• Add our HP TouchSmart Giveaway button in your sidebar

  

  <a href="http://www.5minutesformom.com/11638/hp-touchsmart-600/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k210/5m4m/HP_small.png" /></a>

• Write a blog post and link back to this contest
• Spread the word via Twitter, Facebook or email

Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

Each of the entries mentioned above are optional. Do any or all of them. But don’t forget to leave us a SEPARATE comment for EACH entry method you do. Your comments are your entries. Every time you tweet, post, etc, come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know.

But YES, we mentioned a SECOND computer…

Not only is HP giving us this fabulous TouchSmart 600 to give away to a lucky reader, but they are also giving us A CHANCE TO WIN ANOTHER HP TouchSmart 600. Let me explain…

HP has selected 5 Minutes for Mom as one of nine blogs to “compete” for a chance to win their very own TouchSmart 600.

Now, as much as I am DYING to have this computer, (and my current laptop is two steps from the garbage!) we just couldn’t bear to keep this fabulous computer for ourselves — not when there are so many of our readers and our readers’ friends and families who really, really need and deserve this computer!

So, in the spirit of Christmas, if we are lucky enough to win, WE WILL GIVE THAT SECOND COMPUTER AWAY here at 5 Minutes for Mom to someone that you nominate!

Here’s how you can help make that happen:

Out of the nine selected blogs holding this HP giveaway, the blog who creates the most buzz about their contest wins!

We need your help to create that buzz!

We need you to comment on this post, tweet about this contest, and write blog posts. And all of those actions will count as entries to win the first TouchSmart 600 giveaway here.

Who gets this second HP TouchSmart 600 if we are the lucky blog to win?

Well, we want you to help us with that, too! We want you to nominate someone who you think could really benefit by receiving this new computer — a friend, a family member, a neighbor in need, a family down the street, or maybe you.

If you could bless someone this Christmas with an amazing HP TouchSmart 600, who would it be?

Leave your nomination as a comment on this post and it will also be included in the entries for the first HP TouchSmart 600. And you can tweet, post, etc too. Remember — HP wants BUZZ. And that is the way we will get that SECOND computer to GIVEAWAY!

So, what are you waiting for? Start commenting, tweeting, blogging, and nominating. This contest ends Tuesday, December 1!!!

Enter to win an HP TouchSmart 600 for yourself and help us win another one for a deserving family!

Because, as much as I would love, love, LOVE this computer in my house, we would love the opportunity to bless someone else this Christmas season!

The 5-in-1 Tasty Baker is a perfect treat for getting your kids excited about eating! It is a table top appliance that can bake muffins, sweet bread, pancakes, corn bread, brownies, donuts, and even eggs – in about a third of the time of traditional cooking, AND in seven awesome shapes that are sure to catch your children’s attention!

It has an adjustable thermostat control, fun recipes and tips on how to use it, and a custom sized batter scoop.

My toddler loves cooking, so I knew she would be thrilled to try the Tasty Baker out.  We started out making brownies,  and have made pancakes for several days in a row, and she is hooked!!  She has already organized who gets to eat what shapes – she gets the hearts and smiley faces, Daddy gets the kitty cats and dogs, and Mommy eats the trains and birthday cakes.

And the quick cook time really helps out in the toddler patience arena – 3 minute pancakes and 5 minute brownies keep her plugged into the process and not driving me crazy to know when it will be time to eat!

This is a great gift idea for parents and kids alike, and a ton of fun!

We are thrilled to be giving away a 5-in-1 Tasty Baker to one lucky reader!

Here’s how you can enter to win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends via facebook, twitter, etc.
5. Entries are open from Thursday, November 5th through Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US shipping addresses only. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

* We received a Tasty Baker for this review, and a Tasty Baker was donated for our Under the Tree program.

By 5 Minutes for Mom Contributor, Rachel

I love my girls so much I’d have to hire a poet to describe it.

But most nights if you were spying through my blinds anytime from 5:00 pm through 8:00 pm, you’d likely hear some screaming, crying and tantruming. And you’d see me losing my patience.

It’s no surprise to me that Super Nanny works on the parents behavior and not the kids. I know that it’s basically all about how I handle the situation and that my parenting is down-the-street-and-around-the-block from perfection.

But tonight was such an example, it shocked me.

I’m not saying I parented perfectly tonight, or even that I wouldn’t get torn to pieces by the Super Nanny.

But, I put in 110% effort and made sure I didn’t reveal my inner stress, impatience or try to multi-task by checking email or answering the phone.

And thanks to a couple of little miracles, Sophia and Julia both ate dinner, played, got ready for bed and fell asleep without a single tear, fight or tantrum.

So what happened?

Dinner time started just like any night. I started to feel stress building inside me as I anticipated Sophia refusing to eat and ending up screaming and kicking on the floor about something.

In my sing-song happy voice, while holding a visibly tired Sophia in my arms, I told the girls it was dinner time. And Sophia immediately started reaching for the cupboard and starting to say “No! Yum, yums!” Which means she wants crackers or some other snack instead of dinner.

I felt panic rise inside me. In my sing-song voice, I tried, “No Sophia, it’s time for dinner.” She still was reaching and calling out to the cupboard.

But there on the counter, I saw her tin of markers. “Hey Sophia, do you want to color?”

Insert small miracle here.

Sophia looked at the markers and forgot about the cupboard. We all sat down at their little table with the markers and some coloring pages.

We talked about what Julia drew that day at preschool and I managed to feed both girls while we colored.

Yes, it was a small but very welcome miracle.

With such relief that dinner was a roaring success, we went to the playroom and I got down on the floor and put all my energy and focus into playing with them.

After a little while, I asked if they wanted to go have a bath. Since I’d bathed and shampooed them last night, I didn’t really mind if we skipped the bath, so I decided to give them the choice.

Julia suggested we do yoga instead. (I used to do baby yoga videos with Julia when she was smaller, but we hadn’t done any in months.)

So we turned on the baby yoga video and had a wonderful time. When Daddy came home from work at 7:00 pm the girls were still having a blast doing a children’s ABC yoga video.

Knowing we were getting late for bed, I quickly got them to pick out some books and hurry upstairs. We did our little sponge bath wipe-down routine for nights where we’ve skipped a bath, and got jammies on and teeth brushed. (Okay, Sophia did let out some yelps as I tried to brush her teeth.)

We read some stories, I sang some songs, and they fell asleep.

It may have only been one night without tears, but I am beyond grateful and I’m holding on to the memory.

~Susan
ps. You can watch one of my live action Mommy Confessions about dinner-time here.

pps. You’re getting our feed, right?

By now, you likely know that we’ve been working with Intelligent First Aid to share the news about their Talking First Aid Kits. Well, since I’ve had first aid kits on my brain for the last few weeks, I’ve been realizing what perfect CHRISTMAS GIFTS they make!!!

I think buying gifts for adults is never as fun as shopping for kids, and often times it’s downright frustrating. We grown-ups tend to buy whatever we need or want throughout the year, leaving no room for easy gift ideas.

Well… I’m going to bet that MANY of the grown-ups on your Christmas list do not have a first aid kit in their car and some might not even have one in their kitchens.

So… easy answer. Wrap up a Talking First Aid kit and they’ll really know you love them.

(And by the way, we’re giving a Traveling Talking First Aid Kit away on our First Aid page… just leave a comment on our First Aid page to enter.)

Merry and Safe Christmas to all…

~Susan

Whether you’re a Mommy Blogger or not, you’ll want to stay on top of our feed.

My daughters love playing with their doll house. They will literally spend hours playing with it. No, I’m not complaining! The problem, however, is that when we travel we can’t take their beloved doll house with us. I let them bring a few of their small dolls but then I get the questions: “But mom, where will our dolls sleep? Play? Eat their dinner?”

The Doll House Building Blocks from Babalu, Inc. and WJ Fantasy have solved our problem! The ten boxes stack on top of each other to create a Victorian-style doll house that you can play with at home or take with you!!!

Each of the ten blocks are individually illustrated to create ten different rooms: living room, dining room, library, kitchen, playroom, bathroom, child’s room, bedroom, sewing room, and attic. The blocks can also be stacked one onto of another to create a 10-story house, as the outside of each block is decorated as the exterior of a house.

My girls love stacking the blocks in different ways to create new houses. They split the blocks up between each other to create two separate houses. And they love discovering new things about the intricately detailed interiors.

The best part for me, as a mom…the blocks neatly pack away one inside another for a compact, easy to store and travel with, 6″ x 6″ x 6″ box!!! The Doll House Building Blocks will definitely be coming with us when we travel to grandma and grandpa’s house this Christmas!

WJ Fantasy offers a variety of other Building Blocks, including a Castle, Big City, Country Farm Touch & Feel, Do-Re-Mi Musical Blocks, ABCs, and much more! You can also find some great toys, games and books at WJ Fantasy, as well as some holiday products!

If you are looking for even more affordable and portable fun this holiday season, check out Babalu’s Felt Story Boards and other great educational products! These classic felt boards come in a variety of different scenes, allowing your child to use their imagination as they come up with story after story after story! My daughter already has Felt Tales – Pretty Princess and Felt Tales – Let’s Go to the Ballet on her Christmas Wish List!!!

To make your holiday travels a little more fun, we are giving away one set of Doll House Building Blocks (valued at $20) to a lucky reader!

Here’s how you can enter to win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends.
5. Entries are open until Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US shipping addresses only. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

* We did receive a set of Doll House Building Blocks for this review and Babalu, Inc. is also providing one set for this contest AND another for our Under the Tree Program.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Editor: Stacey Lynn

I absolutely loved the cute maternity wardrobe that I had while pregnant. It was such fun having a legitimate excuse to HAVE to go clothes shopping almost every couple of months.

While I may have enjoyed my maternity shopping spree, my bank account did not. And once my pregnancy was over, most of the clothes were bagged up and sent to Goodwill.

But ladies, there is now a trendy maternity line that not only looks great during those 9 months, but also transitions seamlessly to everyday wear after pregnancy.

Just in time for the holidays, millions of moms-to-be across America can now follow in the footsteps of trend-setting celebrity moms Heidi Klum, Jessica Alba, Ashlee Simpson, Tori Spelling & Laila Ali who are all fans of the ultra-popular high-fashion maternity line Moody Mamas, by scooping up the brand new, affordable, capsule collection just debuted on Target.com.

Moody Mamas is revolutionizing maternity fashion by giving it a hip, stylish, sophisticated make-over with inspiration straight from the runways.

With Hollywood’s baby boom and their stylish collection Moody Mamas is proving that maternity can still be fun and sexy.

Do you want to be a Moody Mama? We have a fall wardrobe, retail value $190.00, to give away to one lucky reader.

Here’s how you can win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends.
5. Entries are open until Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US and Canadian shipping addresses. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

*We did not receive Moody Mamas products to review. Thank you to Moody Mamas for providing a wardrobe for both prizing and Under The Tree.*

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom contributing editor: Erica.

The Kids TRAYblecloth and Activity Center really is good, clean fun!

If you are planning a flight with children, you definitely want to consider buying The Kids TRAYblecloth and Activity Center from Love to Travel Products.

This smart product is a colorful tablecloth and activity center that slips on an airplane tray table. It includes a set of four dry erase markers and an activity booklet. There are also additional activities available for download.

Love to Travel Products sent Susan and me TRAYblecloths for our kids before we went to Disney World. They were definitely great distractions for the kids and the handy pockets were perfect for storing crayons, markers and small toys — which is especially useful on an airplane!

This summer I recorded a quick video about The Kids TRAYblecloth and Activity Center for a discussion we were having on traveling with kids on Say it Face to Face.com:

Considering all the germs lurking on airplanes, having a clean tablecloth over the airplane tray table this flu season is a great idea! I always clean my tray table, arm rests, etc with antibacterial hand wipes when I fly, but TRAYblecloths make it an even cozier, cleaner space.

The Today Show even recently featured The Kids TRAYblecloth and Activity Center on a segment about travel products!

If you want a clean, organized space yourself when you travel, Love to Travel Products also makes The Original TRAYblecloth for adults. And now, they also carry Disposable TRAYblecloths for use on airplane trays.

We have 2 Kids TRAYblecloths as well as 2 Disposable TRAYblecloths to giveaway. If you are planning a flight, or know a family that is, enter to win this set and enjoy a clean, fun flight!

Here’s how you can win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends.
5. Entries are open until Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US and Canadian shipping addresses. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

We received four TRAYblecloths to test out with our children.

Encouraging update from Anissa’s husband…

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 5:32 PM, EST
Update from Peter, Anissa’s Husband:

Neurosurgeon just stopped in.

We talked about the second bleed.

I mentioned in the past 30 minutes her movement had picked up:

* she was searching natalie’s hand for a ring we think – she was moving her left leg and arm more deliberately
* she was having some facial expressions So, the doctor rubbed her sternum and said her name loud. She tried to open her eyes! Did it again, and the eyes opened wider.
* She keeps trying to reach the tubes and such.

Very encouraging!

KEEP PRAYING PLEASE!

Watch for updates on Anissa’s Caring Bridge page.

——
I had one eye on Twitter while I was working this afternoon, and a tweet appeared with the hashtag #prayersforanissa and something about Anissa in the ICU!

I scrambled to click on the hashtag to find out what had happened to our dear friend Anissa Mayhew.

I scanned the tweets in total shock — Anissa had a stroke and is in the ICU. There were no more news or updates from the hospital. All afternoon and evening, all we could do was tweet our frantic prayers, thoughts and hopes.

The outpouring of love on Twitter, Facebook and blogs is reflecting the INCREDIBLE spirit of Anissa!

If you haven’t had the blessing of getting to know @AnissaMayhew, Anissa is a beautiful mixture of passion, love, empathy, irreverance, and humor, (she is simply hysterical!)

Susan and I adore Anissa!

We have been blogging friends with Anissa for years, as she fought her daughter’s cancer at Hope4Peyton, as she celebrates their cancer-free life at Free Anissa and as she makes the blogosphere laugh over at Aiming Low.

For the past couple years, Anissa has also written and worked behind the scenes at our sister site, 5 Minutes for Special Needs. While Peyton was sick, Anissa shared the struggles of a family dealing with cancer with the 5 Minutes for Special Needs’ readers. But once Peyton recovered, Anissa still continued her work at 5 Minutes for Special Needs, working both in front and behind the scenes.

We are SO grateful for EVERYTHING that Anissa has done for 5 Minutes for Special Needs and for every smile, hug, and laugh she has brought the blogosphere.

Everyone who knows Anissa loves her. It is simply impossible to NOT love Anissa!!!

So tonight, we are still shivering in shock and praying, praying, praying that Anissa will have a complete and quick recovery and that her precious children and beloved family will feel the arms of God holding them as they face the days and nights ahead.

You can go to Anissa’s site Aiming Low to find a post with information about what has happened to Anissa and a link to a form if you want to offer help. This form was created in response to the many people in the Atlanta area who have offered help to the Mayhew family. But even if you are NOT in the Atlanta area and still want to help, you can also leave your information on that form. (Please be assured your information will be kept private). If you have questions, please email helpforanissa @ gmail dot com.

At Aiming Low you will also find a Mr. Linky to add a link to your own post if you have written a post for Anissa. We trust she will very soon be reading and laughing at our gushing posts — and feeling the LOVE!

WE LOVE YOU ANISSA!!!!

Photo credits: I grabbed the photos from Anissa’s Facebook profile pics! Hope you don’t mind Anissa!

——

UPDATE: At 12 pm Eastern, Anissa’s husband updated the post at Aiming Low:

“What we know is she had a massive stroke.

She bled into the brainstem and pons areas of the brain. She is no longer sedated but still unconcious and unresponsive. Vitals are mostly stable except for a lowgrade fever most likely due to the damage to the pons. The pons control the bodies ability to regulate temperature. She is still on a vent and it is unclear if she is capable of breathing on her own. She has had an mri/mra/ct today. An eeg is pending. We’re in a waiting game now for survival first, and ultimately for her to wake up.”

The list of posts dedicated to Anissa is growing at Aiming Low. There are over 140 posts right now. Head over to read some beautiful posts about our inspiring and fabulous friend Anissa!

P.S. In her post for Anissa, Rachel included a link to a post Anissa wrote this summer about recovering from her first stroke. This is Anissa’s second stroke.

Do you have Wiggles fans in your home? Let me tell you, my boys are probably some of their BIGGEST FANS! Every morning my boys wake up Jeff, do the monkey and rock-a-bye their bear along with their favorite musical group.

In fact my three-year-old, Isaiah, has a desire to play the guitar just like his favorite Wiggle, Murray.

Over the summer I surprised Isaiah by taking him to see The Wiggles in concert. My poor son was so awe-struck, that he sat in my lap, barely moving a muscle, for almost the entire show.

At one point Murray traveled around the audience, walked right up to Isaiah, and waved hello. My poor son just stared at him, with his jaw pretty much to the ground.

During their last song of the night, Isaiah finally got up and grooved along, just like he does every morning. I just HAD to capture it on video.

Wiggles are now on Sprout, weekday mornings from 6-9 ET. We are so thankful to have Sprout at our house. If Sprout isn’t available in your area, please visit Wiggles Please to petition to get Sprout from your service provider.

Would you like to surprise your child with Wiggly fun under the Christmas tree?

Thanks to our lovely Wiggly friends, we have one Wiggles Prize pack to give away to one lucky reader. Let me tell you, this is one awesome gift too, with a retail value of $140.00.

The Wiggles Prize pack includes:

• Backpack
• Nursery book
• Traveling Book
• Baseball Cap
• Canteen
• Plush Dorothy OR plush Wags
• 2 mini-posters
• Audio CD: Pop Go The Wiggles
• DVD: Sing A Song of Wiggles

Here’s how you can win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway and tell us your child’s favorite Wiggles song. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends.
5. Entries are open until Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to US shipping addresses only. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

Don’t forget to check out The Wiggles each weekday morning from 6-9 ET on Sprout.

*Thank you to The Wiggles for providing one prize pack for giveaway and one for an Under The Tree family. Please note that we did not review the Wiggles Prize Pack.

Written by Janice, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
You get our feed right?

By the way, did you know Susan and I own two online toy stores? Maybe your children would like a Pedal Car or a Large Stuffed Animal for Christmas?

We have ALL NEW questions in our first aid quiz…

Test yourself and leave us a comment on our First Aid page letting us know how you did.

Remember to share your results with your friends on your blog, Facebook page and/or Twitter profile.

A friend of mine has a family of four. Two of her kids are outgrowing toys. For Christmas the last few years she’s given her family an experience gift — tickets to a show or other event. It’s a great way to set aside time to celebrate the holidays together as a family as well as giving them memories that will last longer than the charge on battery-powered electronics.

It can also be difficult to find an appropriate gift for parents and grandparents. Tickets to a Broadway show, specifically Finian’s Rainbow, are something that they might not buy for themselves, but are sure to enjoy. They are a great gift idea for people who either have everything, don’t want anything, or buy whatever they want for themselves!

I am happy to be able to offer up a family-four-pack of tickets to the revival of Finian’s Rainbow on Broadway. The tickets are valid for January 2010 (subject to availability), so if you live in the New York area, or want a little nudge to take a trip to the Big Apple (the city I love)

I was offered a pair of tickets to the show while it was still in previews. I didn’t know much about it, except that it was a revival, and was billed as a family show. I was really interested in bringing Amanda (age 11) with me and hoped it would be to her liking. She’s seen a few of the Disney shows on Broadway, but this was her first time seeing a musical show intended for general audiences.

She liked it. I liked it. The audience around us loved it. On the way out, a woman was saying that this was already her third time to see it.

Finian’s Rainbow is the story of man and his daughter who go from Ireland to the sharecropping South to find their fortune, which involves a pot of gold and the mischievous leprechaun who follows them there. The story also has a very timely theme about bigotry and race relations that’s told in a way that gets the point across, but is not heavy thematically at all, keeping it age appropriate.

This show really has it all: drama, romance, and most notably comedic relief from Christopher Fitzgerald as Og the Leprechaun.

Everything from the costumes, to the music, to the scenery screams “classic Broadway show.” I was glad that Amanda was able to enjoy this show with me. It’s not quite as long as some shows are (it’s 2 hours and 20 minutes, including intermission), so those who are younger — or older — who might not want to sit for over 2 1/2 hours will appreciate this. In general, I don’t think that young children are suited for long Broadway shows, but I think that this show would be suitable kids from about eight and up or for couples looking to experience the magic of a traditional classic Broadway show.

If you’d like to enter to win a four-pack of tickets valid in January 2010 for yourself or to give as a gift, here’s how you can enter to win:

1. See our Christmas Giveaway 2009 post to read more about
   participating in our Christmas Giveaway



2. Either link back to this post and include a Christmas Giveaway 2009 button in that post or on your sidebar, or link to the individual giveaways you choose to enter. We have a ton of different buttons and styles for you to choose from. Click here to get the button codes. (If you post and include the button, either in your post or on your sidebar, and link back here, you are good for all the giveaways. No more linking required.)
3. Please leave one comment below to enter this giveaway. You may earn additional entries for the following:
   1. Subscribe to our Feed
   2. Sign up for our Newsletter
   If you are already subscribed and are on our newsletter list, you qualify for these two additional entries. Go ahead and leave your additional comments below.
4. As always, non bloggers are welcome to participate! We understand you can’t link – but please spread the word to your friends via facebook, twitter, etc.
5. Entries are open from today through Monday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
6. Our winner will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winner Tuesday, December 1st. Please make sure to check our site and your email address to see if you have won a prize. We must receive your reply within 5 business days. (If you want your prize to arrive in time — the sooner we hear from you, the better!)
7. This contest is open to anyone, providing that you are available to see a show in New York City in January 2010. Due to legal restrictions, this promotion void where prohibited.

   Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules.

Do you have a little one who yearns to know the inner workings of everything he sees? Do you have a child who loves to explore and experiment in the world around her? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then the Young Scientists Club’s Science Kits would be perfect for the studious and curious little mind in your care.

Founded by Esther Novis, a mother of five and a former Harvard trained biologist, the Young Scientists Club seeks to bring children fun, interactive learning adventures that allow them to explore and learn the world around them through science.

And the Young Scientists Club Science Kits do just that. We tested out the Weather Kit with my six year old who is a weather nut. Included in the kit were three plastic baggies that each provided several experiments and activities. Thanks to the Young Scientists Club, my son now understands the three phases of matter, how a barometer works and the properties that compose a volcano.

And I can tell you that for his six year old little mind it was almost too much excitement. I half expected him to actually erupt himself when our makeshift volcano bubblied up. He was literally bouncing up and down. Oh, and a bonus? I learned a few things myself!

There are twelve different Science Sets available, each containing three kits, and they span a wealth of topics from Recycling to the inner workings of the body to Polymers. That’s hours of fun and learning for you and your children. Today, we would like to offer our readers a chance to win a Young Scientists Club Science Kit. Leave a comment for your entry to win. There are also ways to earn extra entries. Read below for all the details.

The Young Scientists Club was founded in 1999 to fulfill a clear and simple mission: to engage boys and girls around the world in An Educational Science Adventure that Lasts a Lifetime by offering quality, science-related products that will fascinate them with the wonders of scientific discovery and spark their interest in future scientific endeavors. All of our products are designed by a team of Harvard graduates, scientists, educators and parents with one purpose in mind – to combine fun and fascination with quality and learning in each and every product.

Of course, if you are not a blogger but would like to enter, you may still do so. Leave us your email address and let us know how you shared the giveaway with your friends.

This contest will be open from November 17 to November 30. A winner will be selected and announced on December 1.

Christmas will be here before we know it, so enter to win today and get working on those holiday cards!

*We received one weather kit to review. Two kits are also being provided for our Christmas Giveaway and Under The Tree Program.