As They Grow Up

My Baby Clothes Boutique Review and Giveaway #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:04:00 +0000

My Baby Clothes is a unique baby boutique offering up-to-date styles at affordable prices. My Baby Clothes offers clothing and accessories for boys and girls from newborn-4T. They offer the latest styles from high end brands such as Bonnie Jean, Mud Pie, Zilly Bean and Kalencom just to name a few.

My Baby Clothes is very easy to navigate and designed to where you can shop by gender, size and brand as well as new arrivals and sale items. They have a lot of great fall and winter items currently on sale in addition to some amazing new arrivals from, Mud Pie. Here are some examples of My Baby Clothes new arrivals:

Mud Pie Monkey Tunic and Capri Legging Set

Ruffle Butts Gray Guitar Birds Knit One Piece

A few months back we reviewed a beautiful Bonnie Jean fall corduroy dress from My Baby Clothes. For this review, I chose a gorgeous Fuchia Caycee Tunic and Legging Set made by Nicole Miller. I opted to get this outfit in a size 18 months and although it is a little big right now, Caroline will be sure to fit in it comfortably come summer. I like this outfit because it is bright and very lightweight. It was easy to get on and off and does not seem like it would be hot and sweaty during those brutal summer months. I also like that it can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. This outfit is currently on sale for $9.99 which to me is a total steal!

Did you know that in addition to clothes, My Baby Clothes sells some adorable accessories for your little one? They offer a nice selection of tutu's as well as baby headbands and baby hats. Unfortunately Caroline refuses to keep anything on her head but if she did, this stunning little outfit would definitely be on our "must have" list.

Do you have a special little man you need to outfit or accessorize this spring? Check out these fashion forward hats that are sure to get your little man lots of positive comments!

As you can see, My Baby Clothes truly offers something for every little one. Not only do they have an array of styles but their prices are unbeatable. If you are looking to start shopping for spring/summer or are wanting to score a great deal on some fall/winter items I highly recommend checking out My Baby Clothes first!

WIN,WIN,WIN

My Baby Clothes is giving away a $25 gift certificate to one lucky reader

MANDATORY ENTRY:
(Please Leave A Valid Email Address)
Visit My Baby Clotheshttp://www.mybabyclothes.com/ and come back here and tell me what you would use your $25 gift certificate on.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

'Like' My Baby Clothes on Facebook

Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

Follow My Baby Clothes on Twitter

Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily) using

Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

Subscribe to My Baby Clothes newsletter

'Like' Parentsnewz on Facebook (parentsnewz is My Baby Clothes internet newspaper)

Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

One winner will be chosen ! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Feb 11 , 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only.The winner will be emailed.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to My Baby Clothes for providing a product to test.

Keep Produce Fresh Longer with Clearly Fresh Bags!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:06:00 +0000

Let's face it fruits and vegetables are expensive. You can always find coupons on snacks and cleaning supplies but it is rare to find one for produce. One of the things that always gets me is you can buy a bunch of bananas or grapes and by the time you get to eating them they've gone bad. That drives me batty! I hate throwing away food. I have a strict budget this year of $100 or less a week to feed my family of 5 so I want every bite to count!

Clearly Fresh bags are a great way to help keep your produce fresh longer. They are simple to use because it is just a bag that you zip shut. I really liked that size of the bags which were big enough to fit a whole bunch of bananas in them.

How Do Clearly Fresh^® Bags Work?
The technology behind Clearly Fresh® bags is our BreatheWay membrane. You’ll note that there is a hole in the film behind the BreatheWay logo on each zip bag. This is because BreatheWay acts as an Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide passageway – allowing just the right amount of oxygen in and much more carbon dioxide out. For more information on how and why BreatheWay is so effective visit www.breatheway.com.

My bananas in the bag, you can see there is plenty of room!

Bananas that have been stored for 9 days.

My thoughts:

Clearly Fresh bags definitely extended the life of our bananas. I bet that they would be even better but someone in my house kept leaving the bag open! These bananas were bought on the 17th and put in the bag on the 18th. They were green when we started. They look pretty speckled in this picture but actually they are perfectly ripe. Not mushy at all!

You can purchase your own Clearly Fresh Bags online at ClearlyFreshbags.com. They come in a pack of 10 gallon sized for $3.99. Be sure to visit Clearly Fresh Bags on Facebook for additional information.

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Clearly Fresh Bags for providing a product to test.

Mega Swag Bucks Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:24:00 +0000

Looking For a Great Tip on how to earn some extra money via Gift Cards? One of the ways I do it is through Swagbucks!

Today is Mega Swag bucks friday.

Have you signed up for Swagbucks yet?

Swagbucks is a search engine that pays you in swagbucks when you search. You can then save up your swagbucks for giftcards or other rewards. My favorite is amazon gift cards because you can store them in your amazon account and when you need to buy something you'll have money to spend.

My best tip for earning Swagbucks is to add the toolbar and do a search when you would normally search. Then I do like 2 additional random searches during the day. Typically I can earn about 30 Swagbucks a day. Each $5 gift card for Amazon is 450 pts so essentially you can earn $10 a month. That would be $110 by the end of the year to spend if you saved them up!

Tips:

Add toobar
Search daily
Look for special codes for additional points!
Do the Daily Poll for 1 swagbuck
Search on Fridays for Mega Swagbucks Fridays!
Invite Friends to Earn ( easiest way is to link your Facebook to automatically post your swagbucks earnings)

My last tip is to be sure to cash in your swagbucks. I know it can be tempting to have them all sitting in the account an to see a large number but Swagbucks limits the amount of Gift Cards you can cash in per month to 5. So be sure to cash in monthly. (If you choose to do Amazon it is very easy to just load the gift cards into your account to use when purchasing!)

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.

Sparkling Ice #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:08:00 +0000

In my quest to eat better this year I noticed one of the harder things for most people to give up is soda. I don't typically drink that much I'm more of a water drinker. However every once in a while I do enjoy a glass of something bubbly. Sparkling Ice is a great choice because I won't have to worry about the empty calories! My Mother-in-law found out about a year ago that she was diabetic. Since then she has truly taken control of her health. She watches what she eats and has lost quite a bit of weight. I'm so proud of her! She was over babysitting recently and I told her she had to try Sparkling Ice. It is sweetened with Splenda she can have it and not worry about spikes in her blood sugar. It was a big hit with her as well! There are nine flavors so there is really something for everyone's tastes!

Additional information:

Sparkling ICE is an excellent source of B-Vitamins, Vitamin D and antioxidants.

B-Vitamins are known to play an important role in helping your body obtain energy from food. They may also be important for normal appetite, healthy skin, good vision, a healthy nervous system and red blood cell formation. Vitamin D is widely known to play a significant role in overall health – in particular bone strength.
Sparkling Ice also contains Green Tea Extract, which is known to have powerful levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that protect your body’s cells from harmful molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are a by-product of your body’s normal processes, and are also thought to be caused by pollutants and other environmental exposure.

Sparkling ICE – Light & Refreshing, Zero Calories, Gluten Free, Caffeine Free, Sweetened with Splenda.

My thoughts:
Sparkling Ice taste really good. It is very refreshing and has just the right amount of flavor. My favorites were Black Cherry and Coconut Pineapple. I commented to my Mother-in-Law that they would be great for frozen yogurt floats too! YUMMY! I love having the option of a great bubbly drink and still having something with zero calories.

You can use Sparkling Ice's store locator for a store near you or order directly from Amazon.com.

WIN,WIN,WIN

One lucky reader will win a Case of Sparkling Ice!

MANDATORY ENTRY:
(Please Leave A Valid Email Address)
Visit Sparkling Ice and come back here and tell me which flavor you most want to try.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

'Like' Sparkling Ice on Facebook

Share this contest on your facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily) using

Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

Follow My Blog (See sidebar)

Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen ! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Feb 10 , 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only.The winner will be emailed.

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Sparkling Ice for providing a product to test.

Why Not Serve Pirate's Booty For The Big Game #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:23:00 +0000

Did you know that Big Game Day is the second largest day of food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving…? On average, a whopping 5,000 calories are consumed during the Big Game and chips are the second most eaten food. An estimated 28 million pounds of potato chips and 8.5 million pounds of tortilla chips are eaten during the Big Game.

Score points with the home team by serving a family favorite – Pirate’s Booty! This year, intercept regular chips with a healthier alternative like Pirate’s Booty, which has half the fat and less calories (130 calories for a one ounce serving) than greasy fried potato chips. Pirate’s Booty is a deliciously baked, all-natural snack made from puffed rice and corn. Pirate’s Booty is also trans-fat and gluten free and fun!

Pirate’s Booty comes in a great variety of flavors like Aged White Cheddar. Pick up a four ounce bag for the Big Game. Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar also now comes in half-ounce 65-calorie 12-packs!

WIN,WIN,WIN

1 case (12 4-oz Bags) Pirate's Booty Ages White Cheddar

MANDATORY ENTRY:

(Please Leave A VALID Email Address)

Visit Pirate's Booty then come back here and tell me what your favorite product is.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry

Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily)

Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on February 10 , 2012. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only. The winner will be emailed.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Pirate's Booty for providing a product to test.

Sam's Club and P&G #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Don’t miss out on precious moments by wasting hours at the grocery store and fussing over budgets. Discover an easy way to save on baby essentials from P&G by buying them in bulk at Sam’s Club this February! Purchase all the basics for baby at your local Sam’s Club store to save time and money with this limited-time $10 Gift Card offer.

Stock up on P&G products at Sam’s Club in February so you can afford to give your baby quality products and a little more mommy time. When you pick up any two of the following baby products you will receive a $10 Sam’s Club Gift Card toward your purchase made between Feb 1st and Feb 29th:

Pampers Swaddlers or Pampers Cruisers Diapers
Pampers SoftCare Scented Baby Wipes
Similac Advance Powder or Similac Sensitive Powder
Dreft Liquid Laundry Detergent

WIN,WIN,WIN

$25 Sam's Club Gift Card

MANDATORY ENTRY:

(Please Leave A VALID Email Address)

What qualifying baby products will you purchase?

EXTRA ENTRIES:

To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry

Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily)

Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

The Sam’s Club Gift Card and information have been provided by Sam’s Club and P&G through MyBlogSpark.

KRAFT MilkBite Milk & Granola Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:41:00 +0000

Kraft Foods is raising the bar in snacking with its new KRAFT MILKBITE Milk & Granola Bars. Found in the refrigerated dairy aisle, each KRAFT MILKBITE Bar combines real milk with whole grain granola and other tasty and nutritious ingredients like fruit or roasted nuts, while providing the same calcium as an 8 oz. glass of milk. A wholesome alternative to existing bars, KRAFT MILKBITE Bars are a deliciously different snacking experience the entire family can enjoy.

KRAFT MILKBITE Milk & Granola Bars are made with real milk and calcium, making them an excellent source of calcium with 30% of the daily recommended value. They are also a good source of vitamin D and fiber, include protein (5g), and whole grains (7g), and DO NOT contain any artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

KRAFT MILKBITE Milk & Granola Bars are available in five delicious flavors

Chocolate
Strawberry
Peanut Butter
Oatmeal Raisin
Mixed Berry

What We Thought:
These bars are AWESOME! They are seriously very tasty and have been a hit with all three of my kiddos and I love the fact that they are soft and not a crunchy bar. My husband has yet to try them and I am very guilty of sneaking bites from the kids bars when they aren't looking! We had the opportunity to try the Chocolate and Strawberry flavor both are equally delicious. My one year old has been having half of one in the morning since we are out running and older kids to school. My four year old eats these as an after-school snack and my sixteen year old just eats them period. Being that our entire family are HUGE peanut butter fans, I want to eventually give these a try. I looked at our local Walmart yesterday and all they had were the chocolate and strawberry flavors, but I will be keeping my eyes open.

KRAFT MILKBITE Milk & Granola Bars can be found in the refrigerated dairy aisle for a suggested retail price of $3.49.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Kraft for providing a product to test.

The Fresh Beat Band: The Wizard of Song

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:41:00 +0000

My four year old has loved The Fresh Beat Band since it first started! He has been a loyal viewer and was looking forward to their upcoming tour concert. Sadly due to me not moving fast enough the show that is scheduled to be near us has sold out. He has been disappointed but I admit that he was excited to receive The Fresh Beat Band: The Wizard Song DVD to preview today!

The Fresh Beat Band are off to see The Wizard, played by music superstar Jason Mraz, in the brand-new hour-long special The Fresh Beat Band, “The Wizard of Song,” premiering TOMORROW Friday, Jan. 27, at 1:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

When Marina gets swept up into a windstorm she lands in a musical version of Oz! She meets kid-sized Juniorkins, Glinda the Good Witch (sarah Chalke), and a cupcake-making Bad Witch! As Marina travels along the yellow brick road to get to the Wizard of Song (Jason Mraz), she meets three new friends- a Scarecrow (Twist), a Tin Woman (Kiki), and a Lion (who Shout). Glinda the Good Witch reveals to Marina that she had the power all along in her sparkly shoes to return home. Reunited with her friends, Marina realizes there's no band like the Fresh beat Band.

What We Thought:
This was so fun to watch. My four year old never left his seat for the entire episode and my one year old always stops to dance to the singing. They both loved seeing Twist, Shout,Marina, and Kiki dressed as the Wizard of Oz characters.

Also Wanted To Add:
In advance of the Fresh Beat Bands’ nearly sold out nationwide concert tour, Nickelodeon will release the first-ever The Fresh Beat Band soundtrack – The Fresh Beat Band: Music From The Hit TV Show -- available on iTunes and in stores everywhere on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

The Fresh Beat Band: Music From The Hit TV Show is the highly anticipated first soundtrack for the popular preschool group who are gearing up for their first 15-week, 95-show live tour kicking off Feb. 2 in Anaheim, Calif. The album features 19 catchy, preschool-friendly tracks culled from three seasons of the live-action TV series that teaches kids about music appreciation and how to express their feelings through movement, song and instrumental music. Both the soundtrack and the tour will showcase the Fresh Beats most popular songs including, “Here We Go,” “Stomp the House,” “A Friend Like You,” and “Just Like A Rockstar,” which peaked at number-one on the iTunes Children’s Songs chart.

For more information about The Fresh Beat Band, check out the tour website -- http://www.freshbeatbandlive.com, Facebook page www.facebook.com/freshbeatbandlive and for more Fresh Beat activities and fun go to http://www.nickjr.com/the-fresh-beat-band/.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Nick Jr. for providing a product to test.

Post Honey Bunches of Oats NEW Fruit Blends

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:27:00 +0000

Wake up your mouth with Honey Bunches of Oats Fruit Blends cereal. With two exciting fruit combinations (Peach Raspberry and Blueberry Banana)cereal lovers have a lot to be happy.

Every bite is a new and surprising combo of flavor and crunch. The two exciting bursts of fruit flavor complement each other with one on the crispy flakes and the other baked into the crunchy granola bunches.

What We Thought:
Our family just recently had the opportunity to review the Honey Bunches of Oats Fruit Blends in the Peach Raspberry and it tastes fantastic! This was especially a huge hit with my daughter since it combined two of her favorite fruits into one great tasting cereal. This cereal even appealed to my four year old as well and that's saying something! He is super pick and I am glad that he actually loved this cereal. It's a fun twist from our some times boring breakfast cereal.

The new Post Honey Bunches of Oats Fruit Blends have 10 grams of whole great, 6 grams of sugar and are available in either 14.5 or 18 ounces in stores nationwide.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Post for providing a product to test.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:10:00 +0000

I can't believe that Valentine's Day is just around the corner! I have to admit though that it is one of my favorite holidays even though some people aren't a fan. I think to me the reason it is so special is because that was the first time my husband and I went on a date.

Eden Fantasys is a great place to start looking when it comes to Valentine's Day gift ideas. Before you say anything, I just want to let you know that EdenFantasys isn't just sex toys anymore. They have an ever expanding line of bath and beauty products. Here are a few that really stand out to me.

Terme trio hair care set – sensual kit

Pamper your hair with Luxe hair care formulations that will cleanse & moisturize with the finest ingredients and heavenly scents to leave your locks shiny, silky soft and healthy. This set includes: a mini Bianco Breeze Hair & Body Powder, Terme Tresses Ultimate Softening Shampoo & Terme Tresses Ultra Hydrating Conditioner.

Fresh fiore creamy body wash

Bellissima, turn your shower into a stand-up spa! This creamy foaming body wash leaves you feeling fresh, clean and ready to take on the world. It has been infused with botanical extracts, vitamin B5, vitamin E & hydrolyzed wheat protein for sensationally soft skin. This product also very lightly scented with isolina fragrance.

Dolce dreams body lotion

Pamper your skin with this deliciously-scented whipped cream that softens and smoothes. This high performance formulation infused with meadowfoam seed oil, shea butter, aloe vera and vitamin E is non greasy and imparts a luminous, velvety finish for sensationally silky, healthy skin.

Perfume oil

Face palette red carpet – eye shadow

This compact is such a cute little idea. I think this is great to give away in grab bags, for bachelorette parties, stocking stuffers, or really any time you wish to give a token of affection or appreciation for a cosmetic lover in your life.

Diamond lip gloss

This delectably flavoured lip gloss will nourish and hydrate lips giving you a wash of color and loads of shine. This product is blended with natural emolients and infused with antioxidants to leave your lips super smooth.

I love you babydoll

Stretch mesh cinched dress with lace insert and matching cotton crotch g-string.

Bedroom bordello corset and G-string

Straight corset & double strap G-string. Available in small, medium and large.

I do hope that you find some thing that interests you on the list that I just posted. For me personally I wanted to add the Sweet Heart Strawberry Box. I mean don't we think about hearts with Valentine's Day? The Sweet Heart Strawberry Box has strawberry body souffle, white chocolate body paint, and strawberry honey dust.

So if your sweet heart is anything like mine, you might want to start making a list and dropping hints! Better yet surprise him on Valentine's Day with a piece you picked out just for the two of you! Oh and while you are there making out your list, you might want to check out their list for Best Adult Toys for 2011

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to EdenFantasys for providing a gift card in exchange for the above post..

meSheeky Review

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Recently I discovered a company called meSheeky. This is an awesome company and hands down their products are fantastic!

They reached out to me about a month ago, which was perfect timing. I have been working on getting in shape and their products where just what I was looking for. I love the simplicity of the product as well as the versatility. I can wear this to a yoga studio and then out running errands and no one is able to tell the difference.

The piece that I recently reviewed is the Ava Skirt. This piece is great! Not only is it very figure flattering but I can wear it as a skirt with leggings, without leggings or even as a dress/bathing suit cover. It fits perfectly and I have no complaints on how it washes either!

The Ava skirt offers a flattering asymmetric waistband with ruching at sides and is the perfect length (hits just below the knee). It is made with a super soft stretch jersey which of course makes it very comfortable.

meSheeky debuted in the Fall of 2009, a lifestyle brand combining premium quality, modern fits, fresh styling and a borderline obsessive attention to detail. We offer simple pieces that mix, match + let us be us. You’d expect nothing less from your favorite pants, sweetest skirt and non-stop tops, produced with the ethical standards of a yogi-owned company.

If you are looking for versatile pieces, be sure to check out all the great products that meSheeky has to offer such as skirts, tops, pants and even accessories!

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to meSheeky for providing a product to test.

It's All About Matching with Stripedshirt.com #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:42:00 +0000

I have to say this I love being a Mom of boys but there is one thing missing. You really can't wear matching dresses and pjs like you can with Mother/daughter. However my opinion has been changed now with Stripedshirt.com. They have a variety of great Tshirts that are in colors anyone can wear (Mom or child). When I received my set of Tshirts I did a little happy dance. They are made with a great fabric that looks great on any figure! Both shirts fit Jace and I perfect. Now the best part, I love that I can have a matching shirt with Jace! I just can't say enough about that! These shirts are great for everyday wear, just throw on a pair of jeans and you'll be looking adorable!

StripedShirt.com offers shirts in 8 striped color combinations. Each combo seems pretty unisex to me so any choice would be perfect! They come in sizes for Mom, children and babies so you can even do all the kids in one color. Think of family pictures and what a struggle it is to go to the store and find 3 sizes for each kid in matching colors. Now you can easily get that look.

Additional information:

Each stripedshirt is made to meet the founder’s highest standards:

high quality cotton jersey knit with 5% Lycra for stretch, to keep shape, to prevent shrinking
true to women sizes, no micro mini boy Ts. XS = size 4, S = size 6, M = size 8, etc.
vibrant color - dye yarn knit weaving of 2 color combinations
stylish, comfortable fit – none too tight crew neckline, flattering short sleeves, long enough to cover any muffin tops
tagless at the neck, cute logo’ed tag with details on side seam
subtle stripedshirt patch on bottom outside corner of shirt
fun, fashionable fan-wear to support your team

You can purchase your own Stripedshirts online at Stripedshirts.com. Also be sure to visit them on Facebook for additional information.

WIN,WIN,WIN

On lucky winner will win a set StripedShirts for Mommy and Child!

MANDATORY ENTRY:
(Please Leave A Valid Email Address)

Visit Stripedshirt.com and come back here and tell me which color combination you like best!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

Follow StripedShirt on Twitter

"Like" Stripedshirt on Facebook

Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily)

Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

Follow My Blog (See sidebar)

Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen ! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Feb 8 , 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only. The winner will be emailed.

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to stripedshirt.com for providing a product to test.

GermFree Toothbrush #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Brushing your teeth is something you should do at least twice a day, perhaps even more than that. We had been using electric tooth brushes until recently when we received Silvercare toothbrushes. These toothbrushes are unlike anything I've tried before. The head where the brush is has pure silver which when it comes in contact with water it releases ions cause it to have antibacterial properties.

Product information:

How does the silver sanitize?

This is like trying to explain how electricity and a light bulb works, I am not sure how, but I know when I flip the light switch the light goes on. So with that understanding. We'll take a stab at it.
Here's how the scientist at Silver Care explain it, 'When the water contacts the silver it creates a natural and continuous antibacterial action. As the silver charged water runs across the bristles it kills the bacteria.' "The silver ions, kill the bacteria by interfering with the metabolism of the cell wall and with the activity of some of the enzymatic proteins." So in English, the bacteria starves and cannot make proteins for growth or reproduction. Like I said, it may be like trying to explain how electricity powers a light bulb.

You can visit GermFreeToothbrush.com 's How Silver Works page for additional information which includes charts, experiments and an FDA Approval Chart. I recommend checking this out to see the power of SilverCare!

Our Thoughts:

My bigger boys and I have been using these toothbrushes for some time now. What I noticed is my teeth look cleaner. I had to laugh because both of my kids said the same thing. This toothbrush gave us all a great clean feeling and since it is traditional (only in style) it was easy to use. I love that the toothbrush has antibacterial properties. My middle son is prone to strep-throat and I think anything that can help prevent that is a great addition to our family. The last thing that really appeals to me is cost. Each toothbrush comes with one replacement head. Essentially you are getting two toothbrushes in one! Then you can purchase additional replacement heads so you are not just throwing away the whole toothbrush each time. I really like that option.

You can purchase your own SilverCare toothbrushes online at Germfreetoothbrushes.com. The come in adult sizes, Junior and Infant. (Junior and Infant toothbrushes do not include removable heads for safety reasons.)

WIN,WIN,WIN

One lucky reader will win an assortment of SilverCare products including:

4 Adult SilverCare Toothbrushes ( two H20 & two Plus), 1 Junior, 1 Infant & a Floss!

MANDATORY ENTRY:
(Please Leave A Valid Email Address)
Visit GermFreeToothbrush.com and take the Tooth Brush Poll (on the right) then come back here and tell me which answer you chose!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

"Like" GermFreeToothbrush on Facebook

Share this contest on your facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily)

Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

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One winner will be chosen ! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on February 8 , 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only. The winner will be emailed.

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to GermFreeToothbrush.com /Silver Care for providing a product to test.

Loving The Skin You're In With Cake Lingerie Review and Giveaway #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:46:00 +0000

I distinctly remember about fourteen months ago packing my bag for the hospital knowing that at any point our baby girl would be making her appearance. I was told over and over that if I planned on nursing a good quality nursing bra was a must. I remember going to Dillards, finding a nursing bra in the size I needed and leaving. It literally took me all of 15 minutes as the selection of bras they had in my size where very slim. I was big and pregnant and my eyes kept wandering to the cute little lacy bras in all different colors that were on a rack near the ones I needed. I remember thinking to myself that the ones I needed were gigantic and the color selection for the gigantic ones were beyond boring. I settled for white, through it in my hospital bag and called it a day until which time she arrived. Although that bra has served it's purpose I never knew just how sensual maternity and nursing bras could get until I found Cake Lingerie!

About the Company:
Cake Lingerie is an international designer brand that offers beautiful lingerie that is both sensual and comfortable all while offering a secure fit during pregnancy and nursing. It is worn by many celebrities and helps empower women to embrace their newfound curves with graceful elegance.

Cake Lingerie's website is laid out so that you can shop by collection. The current options are fashion, versatile, flexible wire and nightwear. I love the fact that each piece of Cake lingerie has a "sweet" name such as Toffee, Cheesecake, Meringue and Turkish Delight just to name a few. I also like that Cake comes in bigger sizes that are otherwise very hard to find in casual department stores.

I recently got a wonderful opportunity to review Licorice. Licorice is one of Cake Lingerie's newest flexible wire nursing bras. The Licorice bra is enriched in black and gold and is layered with a black lace overlay.

Product Details:

Beautiful Black Balcony styled nursing bra
Flexible wire for extra support and great shape
Soft cup bra for a snug fit
Easy drop down cups for feeding
6 hook & eye extension for growth
Cotton lined straps for added comfort

Coming from Australia, I anticipated the shipping to take a while longer but I was shocked within two days later it was delivered straight to my door! I was so excited when it arrived that I opened it immediately and instantly feel in love. It was wrapped nicely in tissue paper and placed in a nice pink box. I tried it on right away and absolutely loved it. I am still nursing my fourteen month old and am so happy that I not only have a bra that serves the purpose but a sexy one! Not only is it a sexy nursing bra but one that actually fits and leaves me feeling confident. Finally, my husband who knows nothing about bras and how they are supposed to fit had this to say: "it's amazing what a new bra can do for you huh?"!

If you are pregnant or nursing and are looking for a nice, sensual piece of lingerie this Valentine's Day I highly recommend checking out Cake Lingerie.

WIN,WIN,WIN

Cake Lingerie is giving away a Licorice Bra to one lucky reader!

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One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on February 7 , 2012. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only. The winner will be emailed.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Cake Lingerie for providing a product to test.

Genghis Grill's 2nd Annual 2012 Health Kwest Rewards a Healthier Life to 83 "Khan"testants

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:01:00 +0000

To jumpstart the New Year, Genghis Grill is getting ready to launch its healthy-influenced campaign, Health Kwest, on February 1, 2012 and will last for 60 days. Last year's khantestants lost a total of 1087 lbs and Health Kwest winner, Brandon Sanders from Murfreesboro, TN lost 60 lbs. in 90 days, adopting Genghis Grill's healthier dining options into his daily life.

This year, khantestants will dedicate themselves for 60 days by eating Genghis Grill's healthier meal options everyday, for FREE and have a chance to win $10,000. Khantestants will share their journey online by blogging about their day to day progress, while also utilizing social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to gain popularity. The public will be able to partake on the khantestant's journey at www.genghisgrill.com/healthkwest , where they will be able to vote for their favorite. Based on the percentage of weight loss, amount of social activity and most public votes, the winner will receive $10,000and most importantly a healthier lifestyle.

"Last year's Health Kwest proved to be a complete success and the campaign elevated the Genghis Grill brand to a whole new level. Not only do people think of us as the premier, build-your own stir fry concept but they also think of us when it comes to healthier dining options," Ron Parikh, Chief Marketing Officer of Genghis Grill, said.

Genghis Grill, the premier build your own stir fry chain in the US, is well-known for its fresh, hot and healthy food, and for its style of fun service. It offers a heart healthy dining option along with an array of recipes to choose from KHAN'S KITCHEN (food bar) where one can "build your own bowl." Currently, there are 83 locations nationwide and are on track to open 30 more locations before the end of 2012.

Food Can Be Fun with FunBites! #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:30:00 +0000

FunBites is a nifty gadget that allows you to cut foods into little cubes or hearts. I know I've been trying to get the kids to eat healthier and something that allows me to make regular food fun definitely helps appeal to them. I used the LUV IT! to cut peanut butter & fluff sandwiches and my only tip is to not over fill them. It was really cute to see the little hearts! I'm planning on sending the boys sandwiches on Valentine's Day cut that way.I think it is a great way for me to celebrate and surprise them while they are at school. The Cube It! works great for cutting fruit and cheese. I personally loved the little uniformed cubes. Made me feel like it looked professional! I can see this being a tool I will use often for cutting things either for the kids or for parties. Like I said I'm all about the food looking good and when I entertain I can be a little obsessive! Both are dishwasher safe in the top rack which is super convenient. I have to say the design of the two pieces is what really makes this product. Being able to push the 2nd piece in and pop the food out easily is the key to success!

FunBites can be used on a variety of foods such as:

Cheese
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Pancakes
Watermelon
Anything you want to cube!

This is the yummy Cantaloupe I cut using FunBites!

Here is a video that shows how it works:

You can purchase FunBites online at FunBites.com. Enter "25%OFF" when checking out to receive a special discount of 25% off!

WIN,WIN,WIN

One lucky reader will win a FUNBITES in their Choice!

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Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen ! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on February 7 , 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only. The winner will be emailed.

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Fun Bites for providing a product to test.

Teaching Toddlers Virtues By Wearing Them On A Tee

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:53:00 +0000

I don't know about you but one of the few types of billboards that I actually enjoy reading are the ones with a little saying, a picture and a virtue followed by "pass it on". They always brighten my day and leave me feeling positive. Although our fourteen month old is still little and cannot fully communicate with words, she understands a lot! My husband and I are working hard to teach her right from wrong as well as positive virtues such as being kind and having patience. As she continues to get older we will continue to teach her in hopes that one day she will be a well rounded, confident and strong young lady.

I was so excited when I found Toddler Virtue Tees! Toddler Virtue Tees was founded by Monika Hall who is extremely passionate about taking little steps to make the future brighter. Aside from loving the tees that Toddler Virtue Tees has to offer, I absolutely admire Monika's strong passion to teach our youth such virtues. Monika was generous enough to send us a virtue tee for review. Toddler Virtue Tees offers five different virtue tees that include Gratitude, Patience, Courage, Tolerance and Kindness. These shirts are currently available in a 2T and 3T and are on sale for $15. They can be purchased directly online at .toddlervirtues.com.

We received the Kindness tee which is a deep royal blue with gray lettering on the front and burnt orange lettering on the back. It is made out of 100% cotton and is extremely soft. It is still a little big but that only means we have an extra amount of time to wear it before it no longer fits!

Each shirt provides a wonderful opportunity to teach a child. There are five simple steps that can be used when wearing the virtue tees. They are:

Make your virtue tee a fun "getting dressed game". Tell your toddler the virtue on their tee.
Tell your toddler the meaning of the virtue inscribed on the tee.
Include your toddler in a playful example illustrating the virtue on the tee.
Wash and wear regularly, repeating the above steps each time the tee is worn.
Pass it On! Encourage others to teach toddlers virtues and Pass On hand-me-down tees once outgrown to other toddler friends!

In the event that you don't have a toddler to pass the virtue tee on to you can simply mail the shirt back to the company where they will distribute to toddlers in local homeless shelters and soup kitchens. Or you can donate to your local community. The future is in the hands of the children. As parents, grandparents, guardians, mentors or friends, we can serve as positive role models and set good examples for the younger generations in hopes that the little steps we take now will eventually make the world a brighter place!

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Toddler Virtue Tees for providing a product to test.

~Erica~

Finding Nemo 3D in Theatres 9/14/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:09:00 +0000

Who doesn't LOVE Finding Nemo! It is one of my favorite movies from Disney! It is coming back to theatres September 14, 2012 in 3D! You can also find out additional information by liking Finding Nemo on Facebook!

Here is the Official Trailer:

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Academy Award®-winning Best Animated Feature “Finding Nemo” returns to the big screen for the first time ever in thrilling Disney Digital 3D™. In this stunning underwater adventure, with memorable characters, humor and heartfelt emotion, “Finding Nemo” follows the comedic and momentous journey of an overly protective clownfish named Marlin (voice by Albert Brooks) and his son Nemo (voice by Alexander Gould)––who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef when Nemo is unexpectedly taken far from his ocean home and dumped into a fish tank in a dentist’s office. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory (voice by Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly-but-forgetful Pacific regal blue tang, Marlin embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero of an epic effort to rescue his son––who hatches a few daring plans of his own to return safely home.

“Finding Nemo” won the 2003 Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature.
The film won a Golden Globe® Award for Best Motion Picture–Musical or Comedy.
At the time of its release, “Finding Nemo” was the highest grossing G-rated movie of all time.
Ellen DeGeneres won an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance.
In 2008, The American Film Institute named “Finding Nemo” among the top 10 greatest animated films ever made.

Pixar Animation Studios’ classic “Finding Nemo” returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a new generation of family audiences to Nemo (voice by Alexander Gould), Marlin (voice by Albert Brooks) and Dory (voice by Ellen DeGeneres.

Thirty-One January Specials #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Can you believe that I have never really checked out Thirty-One Gifts until now. I mean I have had a few of my Facebook friends talk about having parties or ordering but never had the time to actually go over and check it out. In my mind I was thinking that it was only purses and that's all. Boy was I wrong!

I just spent about 35 minutes on the Thirty-One site and I know have to raise my hand and admit that I have a wish list! All I can say is WOW! I was super impressed with all the organizational products that were available.

Thirty One Gifts is the leading provider of fun, stylish and functional products for women, their families and the home. From signature purses and totes, to storage solutions that help organize your life, there’s something to fit every personality and situation. The name Thirty-One comes from the verses of Proverbs 31 in the Bible that celebrates the busy, hardworking wife, mother, friend, daughter and sister in all of us. Thirty-One recognizes women for who they are and all they do for their families and their communities!

Every month Thirty-One has customer specials and I have to share with you the two great deals for this month. These prices are valid through January 31 and remember this is an awesome time to stock up on Valentine's Day, end-of-year teacher gifts or even summer travel!

I first customer special this month is the zip thermal tote. This tote is usually priced at $15 but on sale this month for $10. The dimensions are: 9.5"H x 14" W x 4.5 in diameter.

The other customer special for this month is the Cinch-It-Up Thermal Tote. This tote is usually priced at $20 but is on sale for $15. The dimensions for this particular tote are: 10.5"H x 9.5" W x 5.25" D.

WIN,WIN,WIN

$100 Thirty-One Gift Card

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Visit Thirty-One and check out their online catalog, then come back here and tell me what you would spend your $100 on if you are the winner.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

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Follow Thirty-One on Facebook

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Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

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Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily)

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Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

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Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on February 6 , 2012. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only. The winner will be emailed.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Thirty-One for providing product to giveaway

Enjoy this Article just in time for National Reading Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:07:00 +0000

Story-Telling:
The Perfect Cure for the Winter Blues

By Thomas Weck

This winter try something different with your children to cure the winter blues. Instead of simply reading to them from the books on their shelf, why not come up with your own story? Storytelling is a time-honored tradition, handed down from generation to generation. In some cases, handed-down stories turn into beautifully written-down tales, decades later as in case of my Lima Bear Stories*.

You, too, can create stories either on your own or with the help of your family. The result will not only be entertaining but a source of family memories as palpable as any family vacation photo album.

To get started in creating your family story-telling memories keep these tips in mind:

1. Do not be intimidated. Anything you have to share is going to be interesting to your children.

2. Use what is important to you. If you are super clean, for example, create a character who learns the hard way why cleaning up is important.

3. Use humor. Goofy=happy children

4. Create catchy character names. Catchy names make the story come alive and easily remembered.

Another way to create terrific tales is to let the story unravel by having your family add the content along with you. For example, why not turn the television off on a cold winter's night and simply start a story much like the old children's game "whisper down the lane?" Start with a funny scene using material that is obvious to you. Let each family member add to the story and take the story over for a while. Enjoy as you witness the creative juices flowing. Each family member gets a chance to add and embellish until finally a completed story is created. After you get to the end of the story see if family members can repeat the story back. Did the story change? Try the story again using the new embellishments to see if the changes may become permanent changes.

One of the hardest tasks in creating any story is coming up with a beginning to the story. Below are some ideas of story-starters to get you on your story-telling way:

1. Is a holiday near or around a corner? Make your story a holiday tale.

2. Put a twist on a famous fairy tale. If the writers of

Shrek and Enchanted can do it, you can too!

3. Use a topic from the news. A young hero story, for example.

4. A famous writer instructor once said "write what you know," in this case, "tell what you know." Use what interests you: a football story, a story about your favorite animal, etc.

5. Tell a story based, loosely or closely on a relative who your children may have never met -- what a wonderful way to teach them about someone special who is actually a part of them.

No matter what you decided to base your story on or how you choose to create it, remember that by storytelling you are sharing not only time with your child but a part of yourself. Enjoy making your very own story-telling memories.

Thomas Weck is the author/creator of the *Lima Bear Stories. Originally made-up bedtime stories he told his four children, the Lima Bear tales resurfaced when Weck's son Peter had children. Peter remembered the stories and wanted to have his father write them down so that he could share them with his children. Father and son took it one step further and created Lima Bear Press to produce the stories as books that children everywhere can enjoy. The first three titles in this award-winning series were released in 2011: The Megasaurus, How Back-Back Got His Name, and The Cave Monster. The books are not only fun and funny with great illustrations, they also have an underlying message such as such as tolerance, honesty, courage, etc. Additionally, each book has an Extend the Learning and an Activity section at the end where children can become active participants in the story experience. More books in the series will be released in 2012. Learn more at LimaBearPress.com.

Celebrate Chinese New Year with P.F. Chang's!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:44:00 +0000

Today is the start of the Chinese New Year. This year is the year of the Dragon. I've since learned that both me and my oldest son were both born in the year of the Dragon as well. The Dragon years are: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012. I read a little online about what it means to be born in a Dragon year and well personality wise it sounds like me! For the sake of making myself look good two of the qualities are Passionate and Innovative. Anyone that knows me would probably say those both fit me.

How will you celebrate Chinese New Year? We are going to have a nice meal at home with P.F. Chang's Home Menu. They have a wide variety of frozen meals you can easily make at home. There are 7 regular meals and 5 noodle meals. Hands down my favorite is the Grilled Chicken Teriyaki! The big chunks of pineapple are amazing!! I have to say I personally love the convenience of having them these meals on hand. It is not always easy or practical for me to go to P.F. Chang's Restaurant for a meal but I can always prepare something at home. (No babysitter required!) To celebrate the boys are going to make Dragon pictures and they each will receive a Red Envelope with a small token (cash) inside. The Red Envelope symbolizes Good Luck.

On P.F. Chang's Facebook page you can get your own Virtual Red Envelope with a Good Fortune. They will also be giving away a variety of prizes! Be sure to visit everyday until February 6, 2012 for a chance to win. If you prefer to celebrate by dining in P.F. Chang's is giving away Red Envelops to guest to dine in (to be opened at a future visit by a Manager or Server.)

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to PF Chang's for providing a product to test.

The Pretty Peacock #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:57:00 +0000

I have always been a fan of custom and personalized jewelry. It is just such a great way to remember a special event or occasion such as a birth, marriage, and graduations.

Recently I had the opportunity to work with Ana from The Pretty Peacock. The Pretty Peacock has a fantastic selection of jewelry and keepsakes in silver with coordinating materials such as leather and gemstones. I had the opportunity to try out a brand new piece from The Pretty Peacock and I can't say enough great things about it!

The Limited Edition Family Tree Branch necklace arrived about a week ago and it was packaged beautifully. Had this been a gift, I could easily gave it to the receiver just as it arrived. The peacock feather was such a nice touch to the package!

The Limited Edition Family Tree Branch necklace is an elegant way to display birthstones. My particular necklace arrived with the birthstones of my 4 kids as well as my anniversary. The birthstones are Swarovski crystals and they dangle with life from the sterling silver tree branch.

I personally think that it hangs at the perfect length and is a great size. Each necklace can hold up to 6 stones and for the month of June (my 16 year old daughter's birth month) is represented by a pearl.

The above picture is a close up of my necklace. I had to pull it from The Pretty Peacock website because I really wanted to show all the detail. The birthstones go in order from my oldest to youngest and then my anniversary month is at the end. Unlike a mother's ring, The Pretty Peacock will add on to your necklace as your family grows.

SHOP & SAVE

With Valentine's Day around the corner I would highly recommend checking out The Pretty Peacock. I promise that you will not be disappointed!! Now through February 25 if you enter the code: GROWUP2012 you will receive 10% off and free shipping.

WIN,WIN,WIN

Taglette with initial and embedded birthstone ($48 value)

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Visit The Pretty Peacock and take a look around. Then come back here and tell me what other piece you would like from there!

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One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on February 6 , 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only. The winner will be emailed.

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to The Pretty Peacock for providing a product to test.

Be A Snacktavist With SnackTAXI's Reusable Bags #WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:17:00 +0000

One of my many New Years resolutions was to save more money. One of the ways my husband and I are doing this is by bringing our own lunches to work rather than buying out. We pack different types of food each week be it leftovers or various kinds of sandwiches so that we don't get tired of the same thing everyday. However, it never fails that we no sooner get a sandwich made up only to find out we are out of baggies which in turn means taking an unnecessary trip to the store. Of course, it also means spending more money which defeats the purpose of trying to save. Fortunately, I found SnackTAXI! SnackTAXI is a wonderful company that has been manufacturing the original reusable bags for snacks and sandwiches since 2003.

We chose a reusable sandwich bag for review and I honestly love it! It measures 7.5"W x 6"H and has a nice secure velcro closer. My husband was also pleased to learn first hand that it could hold a hearty sandwich without busting at the seams. It is also very bright which for me is good because I always seem to misplace things. In the event that I forget to put it back in my lunch tote to take home I can easily find it (that sounds silly but I guarantee it will happen sooner than later). I found that cleaning these bags were just as simple as using them. Each bag is coated with nylon so a damp cloth works well for cleaning them out. They can also be put into the washing machine in the event that they got really messy.

In addition to manufacturing reusable bags for snacks and sandwiches, SnackTAXI also manufacturers reusable produce-sacks, twice-as-nice-napkins, gluten free-sacks and lunch-sacks. What is cool about SnackTAXI is they offer fabric choices that are suitable for the entire family and add new fabric every month. Of course if you don't find a print that catches your eye SnackTAXI offers a set of six make-your-own-taxi snack-sacks. Each of these products are great alternatives to plastic bags and wrappers. Did you know that just one reusable bag has the potential to eliminate an average of 1000 plastic bags over a lifetime?

Most of the sandwich-sacks are priced at $8.95 and the snack-sacks run about $6.95. In my opinion, this is a small price to pay when you consider how much plastic baggies cost over time. I also believe that the opportunity to reduce the amount of trash in the environment is priceless! All of SnackTAXI's products can be purchased directly online at snacktaxi.com as well as a number of retailers throughout the United States and Canada.

WIN,WIN,WIN

SnackTAXI is providing one lucky winner with their own sandwich-sack

MANDATORY ENTRY:

(Please Leave A VALID Email Address)

What steps are your family taking to reduce waste?

EXTRA ENTRIES

To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

Share this contest on your facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily)

Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

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Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen ! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on February 4 , 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only.The winner will be emailed.

~Erica~

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Snack Taxi for providing a product to test.

All in Good Time : When to Save, Stock Up and Schedule Everything for Your Home

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Learning how to manage a home is a skill that you have to learn over time. If you ever read a historical romance novel you will remember that the Lady of the House was in charge of everything. Ordering supplies, over seeing clothing, making sure the staff did their jobs, paying bills, menu planning, social engagements. In some ways that role has not changed one bit! I think what has changed is in the course of our busy lives the art of how to manage and do things has not been passed down from generation to generation. This kind of leaves us all walking around trying to figure it out on our own.

I had the opportunity to read All in Good Time : When to Save, Stock Up and Schedule Everything for Your Home. This book has so many tips and helps to really help anyone. Whether you've just gone out on your own and need to learn to manage all the daily and yearly task or if you've been doing this for a long time and need a little help. The book is broken down into sections for the home (and the last chapter deals with holidays & event planning). Mixed through out is tips for how to clean, keep and save money. I really appreciated the tips thought out. One that I will keep in mind for future reference is what a good stock up price for toilet paper is. I've always found it to be pricey even with a coupon so now I have a better idea of what I should be spending. My recommendation for this book is to read it straight though once. Then keep it handy for referring back to often when you need to find advice on how to do something in your home.

Additional information:

All in Good Time is written by Tara Kuczykowski the founder of DealSeekingMom.com and Mandi Ehman the founder of LifeYourWay.net.

Here is a trailer for the book:

My thoughts:

I really find this book to be a great resource for the home. The appendix recipes are worth the cost of the book and you are getting so much more than that! All in Good Time is available at local bookstores, Barnes & Nobles and Amazon.com.

~ Lisa

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to All in Good Time for providing a product to test.

Boboli Pizza Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:25:00 +0000

Movie night! This is something we try to do at least once a week in our house. We will either order out pizza or make our own and then enjoy a family movie.

Recently we had the opportunity to try Boboli pizza crust. We decided to use this particular pizza crust as part of our movie night. Now I was sent this amazing sounding recipe for me to try along with the crust, but sadly my one year old, four year old and sixteen year old won out and I ended up just making a traditional pizza. You know the kind I am referring to I'm sure. One that is a major favorite of all kids! Pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni.

My four year old was very proud of his creation that is pictured above! He put all the ingredients on it himself and had a great time! See usually I have to do the sauce and help with the cheese in what I make from scratch since it goes into the oven to cook a little before we start putting toppings on, but this pizza crust is ready to go out of the pack!

From their site:

Your search for a great pizza dough recipe is over. We've got the best, and we used it to make delicious Boboli® pizza crusts. Our ready-made products can help with all your home cooking needs, from tasty pizzas to delicious desserts. Use Boboli® pizza crusts as creative outlets, and experiment with our pizza crusts in a variety of recipes, from veggie pizzas to fruit pizzas, and everything in between. Or, let cooking with Boboli® pizza crusts become a family activity – start having fun in the kitchen together!

All in all our family really loved the taste of this crust and it made an awesome pizza? Would I purchase it again? Yes I will and already have plans to for next Friday night! I can definitely see this as my go to crust when I don't have the time to do one from scratch!

This is solely the opinion of As They Grow Up. Other people may have different experiences with the product.Thank you to Boboli for providing a product to test.