My Family Loves It

Enter my Crayola Summer Fun GIVEAWAY!

Heather — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 04:22:16 +0000

We LOVE Crayola here and the kids use their products all the time! We are also going on a LONG car ride this summer (to get to our favorite place in Maine) and we were very lucky to be sent an amazing assortment of Crayola products perfect for travel! I am extra excited because I can give my 3 year old Color Wonder products to use and won’t have to worry about her making a big mess in my recently shampooed minivan (she is quite a messy kid and normally that’s okay but I REALLY want to keep the minivan clean)! It works out perfectly that both girls sit next to each other and can share all of the Color Wonder products and the boys (both older) can share all of the Crayola Dry Erase products in the back row! It is one less thing to stress about for me because I now have some car distractions stashed away and I am not letting the kids see them until they need a surprise mid-travel! THANK YOU CRAYOLA!

As Crayola helps keep your kids occupied in the backseat this summer, you can enjoy the ride because Crayola Color Wonderproducts are made to let kids express themselves without making a mess.

With over 10 feet of coloring, the compact Color Wonder On the Go Tiny Tube lets kids tear off a perforated activity page for magical coloring fun at home or on the road. The tube fits in the cup holder of a car and can store the included markers inside, making it a perfect on-the-go activity. Adhesive-backing allows paper to stay in place while coloring so kids can easily create anything imaginable.

Bring your friends on the road with the Disney and Barbie Crayola Color Wonder Mini Coloring Pad and Markers. With more pages than ever, kids will enjoy coloring a variety of pictures featuring some of their favorite characters. These fun coloring pads are also available in mini sizes that are perfect for tucking into a bag and bring them with you wherever you go.
Get back to basics and allow kids to draw what they see outside their car window or daydream and draw whatever they imagine with the Color Wonder Coloring Pad. Kids will be entertained in the back seat with 5 sheets of Color Wonder paper and 2 Color Wonder Markers that only leave a mark on special Color Wonder paper.

Create, erase, and create again with Crayola Dry Erase products that allow kids to unleash their inner artist over and over without carrying around hundreds of sheets of paper.

You’ll be all packed up and ready to go with the Crayola Dry Erase Travel Pack that features a dry erase surface, along with dry erase crayons, an eraser and a sharpener to help sustain hours of fun. Take out the game and activity templates and let kids challenge each other to different games using vibrant, washable markers.
Everyone can get in the game with the Crayola Dry Erase Zany Play that comes with four bullet tip dry erase markers and boards that your family can use to play games like tic-tac-toe, the dot game and mazes.

The lucky winner’s Crayola Summer Fun gift pack will contain (all the same great items that we got to review!):

Crayola Color Wonder On the Go Tiny Tubes
Color Wonder Coloring Pad
Color Wonder Barbie Mini Coloring Pad and Markers
Color Wonder Drawing Pad and Markers
Dry Erase Travel Pack
Dry Erase Zany Play
Princess and the Frog Mess Free Color Wonder Activity Sets

Here are some Crayola links for you to check out:

Crayola Website http://goo.gl/UZO6e
Crayola on Facebook http://goo.gl/UV3aV
Crayola on Twitter http://goo.gl/7dsuo

TO ENTER TO WIN A BUNCH GREAT CRAYOLA PRODUCTS:

Leave me a comment letting me know if your kids like to color in the car
One entry per person and US mailing addresses only
CONTEST ENDS Tuesday July 31, 2012

Disclosure: The information, products and additional Crayola Summer Fun gift pack was provided by Crayola® through MyBlogSpark.

Pillsbury Baguette Chips! Enter below to win some bags. I know warm weather is supposed to make people crave...

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Pillsbury Baguette Chips! Enter below to win some bags.

Heather — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 03:44:28 +0000

I know warm weather is supposed to make people crave ice cream but I’ve been craving salty crunchy things since spring. Flavored chips have not been lasting long here so I was very eager to try these new Pillsbury Baguette Chips! We all liked both the Italian Cheese & Herb flavor and the Cheddar Sundried Tomato flavor. I was thinking just John and I would like these but all four PICKY kids liked both flavors! In my mind these seemed like grown up snacks but we ended up having to share. I suppose they come closest to a bagel chip of anything I’ve had before but they are more bite sized. Very yummy! We were sent six bags but they are now gone I get to give six bags away to someone though

Pillsbury Website: http://goo.gl/fL5Fa
Pillsbury Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/pad9ru
Pillsbury Twitter Page: http://bit.ly/q8CoIm
Click here for a Pillsbury Baguette Chips 75 cents off Coupon: http://bit.ly/PBCcoupon

ENTER TO WIN 3 bags of Italian Cheese & Herb AND 3 bags of Sundried Tomato Baguette Chips:

Leave me a comment letting me know which flavor appeals to you the most
One entry per person, US mailing addresses only
Contest ends Tuesday July 31, 2012

Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

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General Mills cereals have Curvy Straws inside, WIN a prize package!

Heather — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:27:51 +0000

We are big General Mills fans here! I’m slow with this review but wow is spring BUSY! Crazy but good crazy. So that’s also my excuse why cereal is not just for breakfast anymore, we’ve had cereal nights when our schedule gets too insane with sports and activities. Of course no complaints when I offer the kids Cheerios for dinner and soon school will be out and summer laziness will be very welcome. Here is a little info from General Mills about the new CURVY STRAWS inside specially marked boxes (my kids love them in their cups or for finishing up the extra milk in the bottom of the bowl):

Be sure to collect all six different colorful straws featuring beloved Big G cereal characters
Participating Big G cereals include Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms®(16 oz.), Reese’s® Puffs (18 oz.), Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Trix®(14.8 oz) and Cocoa Puffs® (16.5 oz)
Made with more whole grain than any other ingredient, Big G cereal, combined with a ½ cup of milk, can help provide a great start to your family’s day

Whole Grain Nation Website: http://bit.ly/CurvyStraws

I was sent the following and the winner I pick will get the same fun prize:

1 box of a participating Big G cereal
1 Curvy Straw (you’ll get one in the cereal also, my kids have been using them a ton, since they come apart washing it easy)
1 ‘spilt’ milk bowl (super neat silicone bowl, my kids LOVE it!)
2 glow cups
2 tangle toys

ENTER TO WIN a curvy straw prize package:

Leave me a comment on this post letting me know how many mornings cereal is eaten in your house
Open to US mailing addresses only
HURRY contest ends Thursday May 24th 2012

Disclosure: The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

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recent stuff!

Heather — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:26:18 +0000

Well here are some things that we’ve been up to:

I made the girls carrot shirts and hair clips for Easter and all the kids got fleece carrots. Oh and before that I made the girls a bunch of clover hair clips for St Patrick’s Day. Oh AND I surprised the kids with a hamster the day before St Patrick’s Day so she is named Lucky Clover (Clover for short)!
On April 1st (which was a Sunday this year!) we convinced the kids it was a school day and had them get ready and drove them to school. When it was closed we took them to Chuck E Cheese for some fun. They are very trusting/gullible. We have to keep the April Fools going every year!
Bennett isn’t shy and has a loud voice so he won for best boy in his class for poem reciting (of course he is probably the least organized and never brought me the notice so I could go watch it). Luckily the winners of each class will read them again this week so I can go in like a good mom! Ben also came in second place in the Boy Scouts pinewood derby.
Gee this isn’t in any real order, just my thoughts of what we’ve been up to! In March we had a preview of spring and opened our pool EARLY, the kids had a week of swimming in 50-60 degree water! They are nuts but we encouraged it. I guess with the warm weather and then the return to seasonable weather, the mini ants have moved back into our house early this year. We will get them gone ASAP!
We just had a trip to Maryland to visit family and go to the Baltimore Aquarium and then to a little Robot Fest yesterday. Ethan really LOVED taking picture at the aquarium and making cardboard robots. Jillian confirmed that she is really a child that should have one of those kid leases when she climbed onto the half wall at the aquarium and could have fallen far down to the first floor (anyone have a leash I can borrow for our next trip? Otherwise I may have to buy one for the cliffs in Maine).
On Feb 4th and Feb 12th Jamie lost her first two teeth, both when biting into apples! The bottom middle teeth and they are poking through a bit now but I think they are pretty crowded so its taking some time. She currently has a very wiggly top tooth we are waiting on!
My boys still think the Dr Who Daleks say “desterminate” instead of exterminate, its fun listening to them play. Not sure if they still are saying “canyon balls” but I always loved that one. Of course NOTHING topped when Ethan was younger and thought the holes in your nose were called “nostricles”. Jamie is calling squirrels “squirtles” but I blame that on too much Pokemon play here lately.
This is the first week where we will have activities every weeknight except Fridays! WOW, hope it goes more smoothly than I am imagining! John has volleyball and Jamie has dance on Mondays, boys have baseball on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Wednedays is rollerhockey for the boys (they are in different age groups this year so that means 2 hours there instead of 1) and also Jamie has Girl Scout Daisies every other Wednesday. Its tough fitting extracurricular stuff in for four kids! Those four nights are just things for John and the three older kids, luckily Jillian can do her dance class during the big kids school day!
That’s all for now!

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Crayola Colored Bubbles and Launcher!!! WIN some for your kids!

Heather — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:05:36 +0000

COLORED BUBBLES!!! I was really excited to get the chance to review Crayola’s new COLORED BUBBLES with my kids! So fun! A bit messy but GOOD messy! We were sent a three pack of colored bubbles and a bubble launcher that comes with two bottles of colored bubbles. These are perfect now that its spring and we need to get outside and run around more. The colors are nice and bright! They were messy but they didn’t stain our clothing (I wouldn’t send my kids out in clothes that I love just in case but I washed their clothes the next day and nothing stained)! The bubble launcher was fun and I liked when I used it and the kids popped the bubbles the best. My three year old couldn’t do it well on her own but the older kids got the hang of it pretty quickly. I like that you crank the handle to make the bubbles so NO BATTERIES are needed! Next time we use them I want to bring out my big roll of white paper and see it we can make some bubble art! I think my favorite time to use these will be on a hot day when I can let the kids go crazy with the bubbles and then hose them off outside after. I love any excuse to spray the kids with the hose in the summer!

Here is some more information from Crayola and then my contest:

Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles aren’t ordinary bubbles. Because they contain color, they’re messy and will leave temporary colorful marks on skin, cotton and cotton-blend clothing and intended outdoor surfaces. This took some moms by surprise when they used the product last year. They loved the idea of bubbles in different colors, but weren’t expecting them to be messy. We quickly acted on parents’ feedback and created a new version that keeps all the fun for kid and makes clean up easier for parents. Color magically rubs off skin, hoses off of many outdoor surfaces and washes out of cotton and cotton blend clothing.

Because you’re OK with messy play, we’d love for you to be among the first to try our next generation of colored bubbles and share your experience with your readers

Before you get blowing, we have some simple tips for you and your readers that make playing with Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles and cleaning up, even more awesome and enjoyable for both kids and moms.

Dress for Mess. Wear washable play clothes and shoes. It’s best to not wear suede, leather or any other material that can’t be washed.
Play Outside. An open grassy area is best away from new concrete, decks and porous surfaces like marble. Don’t use at formal events like weddings.
Rub skin to remove color.
Launder clothes promptly with water and detergent. Repeat washing may be needed.
Hose off outdoor surfaces like sidewalks and driveways to wash away color.

Crayola on Facebook http://on.fb.me/CrayolaFBK
Crayola on Twitter http://bit.ly/CrayolaTWT
Crayola on YouTube http://bit.ly/CrayolaLLC

I get to give away a Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles gift pack that will contain:

One Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles 3-pack:

Watch in awe as the air becomes filled with bunches of brightly colored “purple pizzazz,” “fuschia” and “unmellow yellow” bubbles, bringing wonder and adventure to a day of outdoor active play.

One Bubble Launcher:

For an instant bubble bash, just connect a bottle of colored bubbles, attach the crank handle to the launcher, and create tons of colorful bubbles with each turn! Turn the crank slowly to create bubbles.

TO ENTER:

LEAVE ME A COMMENT LETTING ME KNOW YOUR FAVORITE TIME TO PLAY WITH BUBBLES
FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY FOLLOW MY BLOG AND LET ME KNOW IN A SECOND COMMENT
CONTEST OPEN TO US MAILING ADDRESSES ONLY
CONTEST ENDS MONDAY APRIL 23, 2012

Disclosure: “The Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles product information and gift packs have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.”

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Pillsbury Ready to Bake Shape Cookies! Win a prize package!

Heather — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:53:30 +0000

Well I’m too late to tell you to try the cute Pillsbury Ready to Bake Easter shaped cookies that I was able to make with my kids BUT don’t worry there are cute designs available all year! I was just at the store and saw some cute I Love Mom cookies that even the most baking challenged dad and kids can surprise mom with! We made Pillsbury cookies with a bunny on them and I was really impressed with how detailed the bunny image was both before and after baking, totally adorable! It had been a few years since we tried these type of ready to bake cookies and my kids were very pleased with them, they had some friends over when I made them and between the 6 kids the cookies didn’t even last 1/2 an hour! I love to make homemade cookies but when we are having a busy day on a holiday or with friends over there isn’t much time for that and these type of cookies are super easy and fun to give the kids for a special treat. I like to be the mom that gives out the yummy snacks when my kids’ friends are over! I’ll definitely make these again for play dates.

For more Pillsbury information you can find them on Facebook and Twitter:

Pillsbury Facebook: http://on.fb.me/EasterPSC
Pillsbury Twitter: http://bit.ly/PSCEasterTW

YOU CAN WIN THE PRIZE PACK SHOWN IN THE PICTURE (you will recipe a FREE coupon to pick out the cookies at your grocery store)!

TO ENTER:

Leave me a comment with letting me know your favorite Pillsbury product
Contest open to US residents only
For a second entry follow my blog and let me know in a second comment (I have 3 more contests coming very soon)
Contest ends Saturday April 21, 2012

Disclosure: The VIP coupon, prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

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Father Daughter Dance!

Heather — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:48:11 +0000

Jamie went to her first dance last week! She had a great time and looked so pretty in her new purple dress. John took her out for ice cream after and she came home one tired and happy girl! She did some silly poses for me before they left and a cute one with daddy:

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Mega Bloks Squad is a hit with my kids!

Heather — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:44:33 +0000

We were sent a fun new Mega Bloks Squad set to review! My kids LOVE anything that they can put together and the boys’ floor is never brick-free (and that’s how we like it!). The Mega Bloks Squad are great for kids just graduating from the chunkier “toddler bricks” into the small “big kid bricks” because the sets are not huge or hard to build yet they still have a lot of pieces to play with. The Blok Squad consists of the fire patrol, police force, construction unit, army unit and space unit. My kids loved the construction set we were sent. The vehicles were fun for them to build and there were plenty of accessories like construction workers, tools and traffic cones. My boys are pretty much experts at building and following the directions on their own (they are 7 and 9 years old and its been their thing since they were toddlers) but they still really enjoyed putting the set together and playing with it. They also built buildings out of bricks that they already had to make a construction site. When I asked them their favorite things about the set they said the YELLOW construction trucks (apparently we had a shortage of yellow bricks in their minds) and the traffic cones (which are really cute to me too). I asked if there was anything that they didn’t like but they didn’t have any complaints (boys are so much easier than people like to admit)! I do try to stay away from saying toys are “boy toys” or “girl toys” but even though my girls also love building they much prefer their Hello Kitty Mega Bloks. This is a review of the Blok Squad BUT I just have to mention how big of a hit the Hello Kitty Mega Bloks are with my girls! I think they are the most adorable sets and am so happy that there are building sets to appeal to all kids! So you can check out the Mega Bloks site and see learn more about the Blok Squad but also check out all of the many other types of brick collections they have from Smurfs to Power Rangers. Oh and we can’t forget the Marvel sets (we own quite a few of those too)!

*Disclosure: We were sent a Mega Bloks Squad set from Mega Bloks through Child’s Play Communications for review purposes.

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CRAYOLA FUN! Learn about a live chat 3/7 plus I am giving away a huge Crayola prize!

Heather — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:29:57 +0000

I LOVE Crayola products and am super excited to share some info on their first live chat AND to be able to pick one of you to win some amazing Crayola products (and yay I will be sent some for my kids too). The live chat is coming up soon so I am blogging about it before my package arrives so you can all mark your calendars. I showed my kids what they will be getting and they can’t wait. It seems Crayola is always coming up with fun new products and in my opinion you can never have enough art supplies! Well I was an art teacher before I had the kids but even if I wasn’t I would feel the same!

Crayola wants every child to be creatively alive, so they’re inviting parents “Inside the Crayon Box,” for a special live chat with celebrities and trusted parenting experts that will inspire and spark ideas to expand your child’s creative thinking. If you find yourself looking for new ways to inspire your children to express their ideas and build their creativity, you’ll want to join us to learn and share!

The first “Inside the Crayon Box” live chat is Wednesday, March 7 at 9 p.m. EST. Join Crayola and musician, children’s author and mom, Lisa Loeb for a 45-minute live streaming video chat on the Crayola Facebook page. Lisa, best-known for her number one hit “Stay (I Missed You),” will share as personal stories, practical advice and ways she brings a little creative play into every day for her daughter. We want to hear from you – participants can ask Lisa questions during the event, too!

Interested in the topics to be covered during the chat?

Why Does Creativity Matter? Creativity is not about who’s the best artists or becoming an architect. It’s a way of thinking that encourages kids’ original ideas and develops their confidence.
Growing Up Creative. Lisa will share stories about growing up in a home where creativity was encouraged.
Simple Tips. Easy Ideas. Like most moms, Lisa juggles a lot. She’ll share simple, easy ways she sparks her daughter’s creativity as part of their daily routine.

Also, be sure to check out Lisa’s book Lisa Loeb’s Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs (Sterling Children’s Books, 2011) available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Sing, laugh, and play with pop Lisa in this fabulous collection of ten of the silliest songs ever. Fun activities, games, and recipes accompany whimsical songs. Take Lisa’s Silly Sing-Along with you wherever you go and get the high-spirited good times started. Includes a 10-song CD recorded by Lisa!

Crayola’s Website http://bit.ly/CrayolaSite
Crayola on Facebook http://on.fb.me/FBCrayola
Crayola on Twitter http://bit.ly/TwitterCrayola
Crayola on YouTube http://bit.ly/CrayolaYouTube

I get to pick one of you to WIN THE FOLLOWING GREAT CRAYOLA PRODUCTS!

My First Crayola Washable Crayons, Markers & Stampers: just the right size and shape for little hands, toddlers can create bright and colorful designs with no caps to lose or no messy ink pads
Crayola Mess Free Color Wonder Tiny Tube: with over 10 ft of coloring, perforated activity pages, a carry-along handle and the ability to store markers inside, kids can color at home or on the road; markers magically appear only on the special Color Wonder paper, not on skin
Crayola Crystal Effect Window Markers: turn an ordinary window or mirror into a colorful crystal canvas and create amazing effects on an unexpected surface that can be wiped clean with a damp cloth
Crayola Washable Kaleidoscope Chalk: experience sidewalk art in amazing new ways, by drawing designs, putting on the 3D Kaleidoscope glasses and watching as creations pop up off the ground
Crayola Dry-Erase Bright Crayons: a dry-erase drawing and writing tool for kids that’s washable, smudge-proof, odorless, and will never dry out
Crayola Dual-Sided Dry Erase Board: a two-sided board that makes it fun and colorful to share eye-popping messages or track soccer schedules

ENTER TO WIN:

Leave me a comment with letting me know the Crayola product your kids love the most
Contest open to US mailing addresses only
Contest ends Friday March 9, 2012

Disclosure: The Crayola “Inside the Crayon Box” prize pack, product information and prize pack for giveaway have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.

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Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers (WIN a package and the Lorax)

Heather — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:01:50 +0000

YAY I am nearing the end of diapers with my kids!!! Actually we have been done with daytime diapers for a long time (thanks to our youngest being a super early easy potty trainer) but nighttime is still not so easy for some of my kids. Since I’m only buying pull-up types of diapers for at night I really haven’t been paying much attention to new diaper products and I’m glad that I was given the chance to do this review and learn about Seventh Generation diapers. Our one daughter doesn’t seem like she’ll be dry at night for awhile and she is very prone to eczema on her bottom so I was glad to learn that Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers do not contain chlorine, fragrance, petroleum-based lotions or latex, and all Free & Clear products are also hypo-allergenic. Here is some more info followed by a contest!

In partnership with Universal Studios’ motion picture debut of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax* also known as the “Speaker for the Trees” who brings environmental truth and ecological hope to all, Seventh Generation will feature limited edition Lorax prints on all our diapers and training pants. These prints are intended to remind parents and caregivers of the lessons of The Lorax, and encourage family reading and environmental awareness while creating a few smiles. Discover (or rediscover) Dr. Suess’ The Lorax as you read about his legacy and messages of sustainability with your child, and inspire a new generation of environmentalists starting with your family!

The Seventh Generation family of Free & Clear baby products continues to deliver on your needs as it expands in March, with the addition of NEW Overnight Diapers. Moreover, Free & Clear diapers have been redesigned with new, improved tabs for better fit while Free and Clear training pants now have an absorbent core that is made with more renewable materials.

Be among the first to try these new products before they hit store shelves and rest assured that with every Seventh Generation purchase you’re helping to protect the planet for future generations!

NEW Overnight Diapers are absorbent enough to keep your baby and bedding dry through the night or during prolonged travel
Free & Clear diapers have improved more flexible tabs that provide even better fit
Free & Clear training pants have an absorbent core made with more renewable, plant-based materials. They also feature stretchy, tear away side panels for a better fit and added convenience, as well as inner leak barriers for superior leakage protection
Seventh Generation Free & Clear baby care products do not contain chlorine, fragrance, petroleum-based lotions or latex, and all Free & Clear products are also hypo-allergenic
Starting March 2, you can register for a free The Lorax scrapbook with the purchase of any three Free & Clear diaper products, until supplies last

You can stay updated by being a fan of Seventh Generation on Facebook and Twitter

ENTER TO WIN A PACKAGE OF SEVENTH GENERATION DIAPERS IN THE SIZE OF YOUR CHOICE AND THE LORAX BOOK:

Leave me a comment letting me know what size diapers you would like if you win
Contest open to US mailing addresses only
Contest ends Friday March 9, 2012

Disclosure: The Seventh Generation Diapers prize pack, product and information have been provided by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark.

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