Congrats to the following winners (I will contact you by email also):

Tzipora C for the Yummie Tummie giveaway

Mothers and Sons (Chicken Soup for the Soul):

Batsheva & Jaimie
Mothers and Daughters (Chicken Soup for the Soul):

Dini Jacobowitz & Debi

*ALL WINNERS WERE CHOSEN RANDOMLY USING RANDOM.ORG*

Please keep checking back for more fabulous articles and giveaways coming up on fabulous mommy

Happy Mother’s Day,

xoxo

-Carla

Thanks kids I love you too.

xoxo

-Carla

Check out this great blog “A Little Me Time” that my friend just started. It is a great site that is soon to be FULL of recipes, advice and Fabulous products. Everyone should check it out and help support this stay at home mom. Us moms gotta stick together.

Be sure to click on the Coupons section for some great offers.

Enjoy,

xoxo

-Carla

I love “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. The stories are always uplifting and provide a real sense of comfort.

In honor of mothers everywhere, and in time for Mother’s Day there are two new books in the Chicken Soup series. One is for Mothers and Daughters. The other is for Mothers and Sons. Below is a little excerpt from each.

These books make fabulous gifts. I have two of each to giveaway. To enter scroll down and leave a comment…maybe a Mother’s Day memory. Also, please SPECIFY if you would prefer the book for daughters or sons. On Mother’s Day (May 10) I will draw four random winners (two for each book).

Read the excerpt below and enjoy.

Like Mother, Like Daughter:

She Did It Her Way

Mother’s love grows by giving.

~Charles Lamb

“Mom, we’re getting married… sometime in June.” This

from my hippie daughter calling on a pay phone in

Maine. (No phone or electricity at her house — or perhaps

cabin is a better word.)

“We don’t want a fancy wedding or dressy clothes or a lot of

guests. We just want to be married in your backyard. I’ll let you know

the date.”

Long ago, her father and I made up our minds to listen to her and

do things the way she wanted as much as we could. And of course,

I was thrilled she was getting married. I was always secretly worried

that marriage was too “old-fashioned” for her. She was a child of the

’60s, eager to right the wrongs of the world, to live life on the edge

and to never be part of the “establishment.”

Well, backyard weddings can be lovely, I thought. It’s not our

beautiful church with a majestic organ, flowing white dress or bridesmaids.

But, still… I took an upbeat approach, which was really the

only sensible thing to do under the circumstances.

Later with dates arranged, a guest list of sorts (our family and

best friends and “a bunch of friends… we’ll let you know how many”)

and the food decided on (“only veggie stuff and some champagne”),

she agreed I could ask the minister of our church to perform the

ceremony “for legal purposes.”

All negotiations were going well until I mentioned the wedding gown.

“No special dress, Mom. Sorry. Your first daughter, your good daughter

(said with a wry smile, a favorite family joke) did the white dress and veil

thing. Not me. I have lots of clothes that would do for a wedding.”

I thought of all her dresses (short, wild, braless) and realized

that she mostly wore jeans or cut-offs. Nothing I had seen her wear

in years even whispered “wedding” to me.

So in the following days, ignoring my own good advice to let

her do it her way, I wandered around different stores and looked at

dresses that might do for my bride-to-be daughter. Then I saw it:

simple, unbleached muslin with a shirred waist, scooped neckline

with just a bit of Irish lace and little capped sleeves. It was long, but

not floor-length. It was graceful, but not formal. It was lovely and

simple, and it was my daughter.

Envisioning her wearing it, I bought the dress and took it

home.

Later that day, I placed the box on her bed with a little note stating:

“I just happened upon this while shopping (okay, a small white

lie). This looks like you. Would you try it on for me?”

When she came in that evening, she went to her room and all was

quiet. A bit worried I had hurt her feelings with my purchase, I went

upstairs to her room where she sat on the bed holding the dress on her

lap while tears rained down her cheeks — and she was smiling.

“I never knew you thought of me like this, Mom. The dress is so

lovely and soft and simple. I love it. And I’ll love wearing it for the

wedding. Thanks for knowing me so well.”

Two weeks later, on a sun-filled afternoon, friends gathered in

our backyard. Our daughter walked down the steps — to the strum

of a guitar — smiling proudly in her surprise dress. She looked wonderful,

as I knew she would.

It was a perfect wedding… almost.

Had I known her fiancé would be wearing yellow paisley bellbottoms,

I might have shopped for him as well!

~~Julie Firman

Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul

Mothers and Sons:

Against the Odds

It was the summer of 1942. I was nineteen years old and a signalman

third class on the USS Astoria stationed in the South

Pacific.

One hot night in August, we found ourselves skirmishing with

the Japanese for control of Guadalcanal, gearing up for the bloody

battle that soon followed. At midnight, I finished my duty on watch.

Still wearing my work detail uniform of dungarees and a T-shirt, and

only pausing long enough to unstrap my standard-issue life belt and

lay it beside me, I fell into an exhausted sleep.

Two hours later, I was awakened abruptly by the sound of an

explosion. I jumped to my feet, my heart pounding. Without thinking,

I grabbed my life belt and strapped it on. In the ensuing chaos,

I focused on dodging the rain of enemy shells that were inflicting

death and destruction all around me. I took some shrapnel in my

right shoulder and leg, but by some miracle, I avoided being killed.

That first battle of Savo Island lasted for twenty minutes. After the

enemy fire ceased, the men left standing helped with the wounded,

while others manned the guns.

I was making my way toward a gun turret when suddenly, the

deck disappeared. My legs windmilled beneath me as I realized that

an explosion had blasted me off the deck. My shock was immediately

replaced by a stomach-clenching fear as I fell like a stone — thirty feet

into the dark, shark-infested water below.

I immediately inflated my life belt, weak with relief that I’d

somehow remembered to put it on. I noticed between ten and thirty

men bobbing in the water in the area, but we were too far away from

each other to communicate.

I began treading water, trying to stay calm as I felt things brushing

against my legs, knowing that if a shark attacked me, any moment

could be my last. And the sharks weren’t the only danger: The powerful

current threatened to sweep me out to sea.

Four agonizing hours passed this way. It was getting light when

I saw a ship — an American destroyer — approaching. The sailors on

board threw me a line and hauled me aboard.

Once on the ship, my legs buckled and I slid to the deck, unable

to stand. I was fed and allowed to rest briefly. Then I was transported

back to the Astoria, which, though disabled, was still afl oat. The captain

was attempting to beach the ship in order to make the necessary

repairs.

Back on board the Astoria, I spent the next six hours preparing

the dead for burial at sea. As the hours passed, it became clear our

vessel was damaged beyond help. The ship was taking on water and

finally, around twelve hundred hours, the Astoria began to roll and

go under.

The last thing I wanted to do was to go into that water again, but

I knew I had to. Filled with dread, I jumped off the high side of the

sinking ship and began swimming. Although I still had my life belt

on, it couldn’t be inflated a second time. Luckily, I was soon picked

up by another destroyer and transferred to the USS Jackson.

Against all the odds, I had made it — one of the lucky men to

survive the battle of Savo Island. We were issued Marine uniforms,

and I spent my time, in between visits to the ship’s doctors for treatment

of my wounds, sitting on the deck of the Jackson, waiting for

our transport to San Francisco’s Treasure Island and the leave that

would follow.

Though it felt odd to wear the unfamiliar uniform, I wasn’t

sad to lose my old dungarees and T-shirt. The one thing I found

I didn’t want to give up was my life belt. I hung on to the khaki

cloth-covered rubber belt, studying it sometimes as I sat around on

the Marine ship.

The label on the belt said it had been manufactured by Firestone

Tire and Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio, which was my hometown. I

decided to keep the belt as a souvenir, a reminder of how lucky I’d been.

When I finally took my thirty-day leave, I went home to my family

in Ohio. After a quietly emotional welcome, I sat with my mother

in our kitchen, telling her about my recent ordeal and hearing what

had happened at home since I went away. My mother informed me

that “to do her part,” she had taken a wartime job at the Firestone

plant. Surprised, I jumped up and grabbed my life belt from my duffel

bag, putting it on the table in front of her.

“Take a look at that, Mom,” I said. “It was made right here in

Akron at your plant.”

She leaned forward and, taking the rubber belt in her hands,

she read the label. She had just heard the story and knew that in

the darkness of that terrible night, it was this one piece of rubber

that had saved my life. When she looked up at me, her mouth and

her eyes were open wide with surprise. “Son, I’m an inspector at

Firestone. This is my inspector number,” she said, her voice hardly

above a whisper.

We stared at each other, too stunned to speak. Then I stood up,

walked around the table and pulled her up from her chair. We held

each other in a tight embrace, saying nothing. My mother was not a

demonstrative woman, but the significance of this amazing coincidence

overcame her usual reserve. We hugged each other for a long,

long time, feeling the bond between us. My mother had put her arms

halfway around the world to save me.

~Elgin Staples

Chicken Soup for the Veteran’s Soul

Happy Mother’s Day everyone,

xoxo

-Carla

Don’t forget to enter the other giveaway if you haven’t already

Uppababy has taken the Phil & Ted’s double stroller concept and adapted it to now accommodate three kids. This means you can push up to three kids on a stroller with the width of a single!!

The great thing about this is that you only need to own one stroller (unless you have twins!). When you have one kid, use the Uppababy Vista regularly. Have a second kid, add the Uppababy Vista Rumble Seat underneath. Need to push a third, have the oldest stand on the Uppababy Vista piggyBACK Ride-Along Board and go.

My friends who already own the Uppababy rave about how much they love it. It comes with both the bassinet and the chair. It can face both forwards and backwards or the frame can be used like a snap and go. Best of all, it folds very easily and pushes very smoothly.

You can purchase the second seat and surfboard as you need. You can also just use the surfboard and one seat, or just use two seats and no surfboard. There are numerous options.

Another thing I like about this stroller is the large basket. The way that the second seat snaps in reduces the amount of usable space but still leaves plenty of room for a diaper bag.

The price may be a little steep for some, but it is up there with the Bugaboo Cameleon and Phil & Teds Sport Buggy for quality. It is also brand new, if you wait a while it may go down.

I can not wait to see this stroller on the street and examine it closer up.

Happy Strolling,

xoxo

-Carla

There is no end to the number of personalized mother’s day jewelry available. Finally though, there an elegant and fabulous way to show just how proud you are to be a mom.

The Handstamped Personalized Mommy Necklace is a beautiful way to tell your mom you love her. It is also a fabulous way for us Fabulous Mommies to show off our best accomplishments…our kids.

I love the simplicity of the design. I love that they are thin bands so that if you have more then two kids you are not over burdened by charms or doodads etc. I love that you can personalize all four sides, so you can add second names, birth days, birth weights etc. I love that you get to put your child’s birthstone on it. I just love this product.

Check it out and get one for yourself…or your mom.

Happy early Mother’s Day. Don’t forget to enter the Yummie Tummie Giveaway .

xoxo

-Carla

What is SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a sleeping infant under one year of age. In most situations, infants show no physical signs of distress and are perfectly healthy. Ninety percent of all SIDS fatalities occur before an infant reaches six months of age.

Baby Sleeps Safe is a Sleep Panel and Sleep Pouch which work together to position babies on their backs and prevent them from rolling onto their stomachs while sleeping.

What can you do for your baby?

· Place infants on their backs to sleep. As sleeping preference is a learned behavior, parents should consider using products such as Baby Sleeps Safe, a two-piece infant safety product that keeps babies sleeping safely and securely on their backs, to ensure their baby is comfortable with the position.

· Do not place your infant to sleep in your bed. Instead, bring the crib into your room until your baby is at least six months old.

· Make sure the crib has a firm mattress and avoid soft surfaces. Remove blankets, bumpers, toys or pillows.

· Overheating an infant is a risk for SIDS. Clothe your infant to keep him warm, but avoid too many layers or warm room temperatures. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests placing an oscillating fan in the room to help circulation and cooling of air.

· Offer your infant a pacifier. Studies have shown a lower rate of SIDS with infants who use pacifiers.

· Breast-feed your infant whenever possible. Natural milk decreases the likelihood of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, known to contribute to SIDS risk.

xoxo

-Carla

If you are anything like me then you will appreciate this product. Anything that lends support and smooths is my best friend.

Yummie Tummie was created by a woman for women. It looks beautiful worn alone or can be used under anything. It doesn’t compress the chest or ride up. It provides support to your core which allows you to stand up taller and and look better. (It is available in both regular and long length)

From the bust up and the hips down it is your favorite, staple, t-shirt. The waist though has a firm control panel which smooths the stomach and hips making you feel like you just lost inches and pounds instantly. (It’’s important you choose a size that’’s not too tight so that the Yummie Tummie fits you properly and comfortably. If your in between sizes it’s best to go a size up)

This is a great product for everyone…

I just want to mention one of my friend’s concerns with it. The shirt is very fitted which is why it smooths and slims. However, as a nursing mother she found it to tight to pull up or down for feedings. She said that forcing it made the bottom stretch. Therefore, if you are nursing be sure to order the nursing Yummie Tummie tank that is in this year’s spring line and not one of the regular tanks.

*GIVEAWAY*

I had the chance to review this product personally. However, a close friend of mine has one, and so I want to share this opportunity with one of my dedicated readers instead.

I have a $100 gift certificate for Yummie Tummie. If you would like a chance to win leave a comment(tell me anything). On May 10th (mother’s day) I will use a randomizer to choose a winner and then email the winner the certificate. Feel free to comment/enter often and tell all your friends.

Good Luck,

xoxo

-Carla

Kid’s Playdates is a great idea and for a limited time registration is FREE so sign up fast! This site allows you to find playdates with kids in your area.You enter your address and information as well as your kids information and the site connects you to other moms in your area. You can specify things like interests,age difference preferences between you and the other mother, age difference between your kids and theirs and distance from your home. A site like this opens up endless possibilities for new friends.

The site also has great tips on ideas for playdates and ideas of what to do as the host. Below I am including a few playdate ideas from the site itself. I highly rcommend you check this out.

1. Here’s a great way to keep the kids entertained and recycle your holiday and other cards (birthday etc.). Cut out the pictures and words on the cards, then place them all in a bowl or bucket and have your kids choose which pictures and words to glue onto construction paper. They can create a masterpiece based on the theme of their choice such as animals or colors or whatever they can think of. It’s a great project for improving hand-eye cordination and for fostering creativity. And, it’s a fun way to recycle all of those cards you’ve been keeping!

2. Create your own photo shoot! Take out the old Halloween costumes and all of the clothes, shoes, and hats from the dress up box and dress up! Cover a chair or couch with an old blue, green or black sheet to make the perfect backdrop for the photos. Let the kids take the picures and layer on new costumes for each new photo. Digital cameras and polaroid cameras work best for this playdate. The kids won’t be able to wait to see the pictures they’ve taken in their funny outfits. Funny hats and shoes always make for a great photo shoot. The kids’ toys and stuffed animals can make the perfect props! Your kids will love the dinosaur, safari, cowboy, ballerina, and chef themes!

3. Blow up balloons and let your children hit them up into the air and kick them around. Why wait for a birthday party? It’s safe for indoor fun and entertaining for all ages!

Happy playing!

xoxo

-Carla

The Liquid Muse (Natalie) creates signature cocktails for many big events. The cocktail recipe that I attached is simply her cocktail of the month. In the actual book “Preggatinis” the cocktails are created from freshly squeezed juices, fresh fruit or vegetables, herbs and homemade syrups. They are much more healthy then simply sugary mocktails and are a delicious option when pregnant. When your nine months are up, check out the liquid muse for other great cocktails like the “Sweetheart”.
Sorry for the confusion. Neither I nor Natalie recommend consuming alcohol while pregnant.

Thank you Kristin for pointing out that this may be confusing.
xoxo
-Carla