That’s right, Baby#2 is on the way and will be here around December 26, 2013! Though the kiddo doesn’t look too happy in the photo above, he’s very excited about a new baby “coming to live with us” – so long as it’s a boy! He’s been telling us all about the fun things he’s going to do with/teach the baby, such as jumping and reading books.

I am eight weeks into my journey today, and in the next few weeks, I’m going to begin a pregnancy journal which will be posted each Thursday (when my new week starts). Right now, it’s been a fairly uneventful ride aside from the morning all-day sickness that comes and goes! Definitely a part of pregnancy that I do not miss!

I’ve had one ultrasound done so far, though I was way off on my expected due date so I was only 5 weeks, 6 days along at the time. We did get to hear a very faint heartbeat!! The ultrasound tech at my doctor’s office requested we do a follow up at my next O/B appointment on May 22. I’m ready for a much stronger heartbeat by then!

James and I are so excited to be completing our little family. We think Sawyer is at the right age for a sibling – though I once wanted to just be a family of three, I’ve since changed my mind. The kiddo needs someone at home to play with – and assistance to take care of us when we get old!

The post Exciting Announcement from our Family! appeared first on Southern Girl Ramblings.

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Summer Splash Event hosted by Life With Two Boys and With Our Best! A great group of bloggers have teamed up to offer you some amazing prizes to kick off your summer – with a SPLASH! Each blog is giving away at least $25 worth of prizes, plus we have an awesome grand prize for one very lucky winner. Be sure to hop along to each of the participating blogs because the more giveaways you enter, the more chances you have at winning the Grand Prize:

A Yacht Club 3-Piece Rocker Set valued at $1,317!

For this event, Southern Girl Ramblings is giving away a prize pack valued at $41! The pack includes a Flap Happy UPF50 Crusher Hat and Fubbles™ No-Spill® Bubble Guitar!!

Enter to win by completing the Rafflecopter form below. US residents, 18+ only. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Splash hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill their prize in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make every effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize.

The post Summer Splash Giveaway – Flap Happy & Fubbles! appeared first on Southern Girl Ramblings.

Welcome to the Totally Toddler Giveaway Hop! This event is hosted by Mommy’s Favorite Things and Mama’s Baby Cupcakes.

This hop is focused on items you’d want/need for a child ages 1-6 yrs old. After visiting my giveaway, make sure you use the linky below to take a look at the other 25+ blogs and see what they have to offer for you and your little one! Each blog has a minimum prize package of $25 per winner.

Also be sure to check out the Grand Prize featured on Mommy’s Favorite Things blog. This grand prize package is sponsored by Pediped with 3 pair of shoes in gender and size of choice, and 2 Red Hens for a snack bag set and a Toy Nanny for a total value of just over $200 in prizes!

For this event, Southern Girl Ramblings is giving away a $37 prize pack featuring the MagneTalk Early Classifying Board Game {Read My Review} and Monkey Balm {Read My Review}!

Enter to win by completing the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US residents, 18+ only. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Mama's Baby Cupcakes, Mommy's Favorite Things and the Totally Toddler participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

The post Totally Toddler Giveaway: Super Duper Publications & Monkey Balm! appeared first on Southern Girl Ramblings.

Conversation is a great way for your children to grow. Not only does it foster good social and communication skills, it also helps to expand their vocabulary. We make it a point to chat with Sawyer throughout the day, about things that are going on around us as well as how he feels, what he likes, etc. He’s at the age where you never know what he’s going to say, and talking to him is just so much fun!

Super Duper Publications is becoming one of my favorite places to get educational materials for the kiddo. Because he doesn’t go to preschool yet, I want to be sure he is learning as much as he can at home – and in a fun manner. In an attempt to increase conversation, we recently received a couple of products from Super Duper Publications.

Conversation through Classification

My favorite of the two was the MagneTalk Early Classifying Magnetic Board. Inside the neat storage/carrying case was a board with several magnets, which all fit into one of the five categories named on the board. The magnets have photos of common, everyday items that your toddler or preschooler can identify.

When we play with the board, I begin by asking Sawyer about one of the categories. With the food category, for example, I ask him questions about food (what do you do with it?) and about his favorite foods. Then, we look through the magnets to find the ones that fit into the category. Sometimes, he gets a little sidetracked, but I remind him that food is something we can eat and he begins choosing the right magnets again.

I like that the magnets themselves can create conversation too. I ask Sawyer what color the apple is, or if he likes to eat corn when he chooses that magnet. Questions and conversation can arise from the other categories as well.

Conversation through Questions

The All About You, All About Me Fun Deck also promotes conversation with your child. I can see us using these cards for a long time, as the answers would likely change as Sawyer gets older. Some of the cards don’t really pertain to him yet (school-related cards, for example), but there are still plenty for us to sit down and chat about.

Conversation starting activities like the two above have become a great way for Sawyer to wind down before nap or bedtime. We sometimes play with it first thing in the morning, before it’s up and running around for the day!

Find out more about these products as well as others from Super Duper at their website, www.superduperinc.com!

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These days, getting fit and staying healthy have become very easy to manage. Just ten years ago, we didn’t have all the smartphone apps and devices that are at our fingertips now. As a Verizon Wireless ambassador, I love to browse their accessories section for ways to make my life easier. The health-related products they have could definitely give me a push in the right direction toward fitness.

FitBit Zip

This tiny device makes it easy to track your steps and calories burned each day. Though it looks like a standard pedometer, this bad boy can do so much more. I love that it can easily sync to many smartphones – allowing you to check your progress at any time. You can also set goals and compare your progress with others that own a FitBit Zip.

This is the perfect product for anyone wanting to get up off the couch and increase their activity. It could definitely help you with weight loss motivation!

FitBit Aria Scale

This scale is one of the ultimate in weight management and tracking. A quick step on the device provides you with your weight, body fat % and body mass index (BMI) so you can know where you are beginning and how far you need to go to reach your health goals. Charts and graphs are provided so you can quickly see the progress you are making. The Aria scale syncs over a WI-FI connection with the same smartphone and computer app as the FitBit Zip, so the two can be used together to kick butt and get a healthier you!

Of course, these two accessories alone will not make the pounds magically melt away. Using these with your own hard work and determination, however, can get you where you achieve to be!

• Do you feel these accessories could help your health and fitness goals?

• What’s your favorite exercise for health?

The post Getting Healthy with Accessories from Verizon Wireless #VZWA #VZWVoices appeared first on Southern Girl Ramblings.

With Mother’s Day coming this month, May is a wonderful time to celebrate moms. Whether you are a mother or are planning something special for a mom in your life, this event is for you! Several bloggers have teamed up to offer you gift ideas for the holiday. You’ll be able to enter to win these great products from May 10th-26th thanks to the Blogging Mamas Network!

Once you have entered here, hop around to all of the participating giveaways found at the bottom of this post, as they have some great prizes to share with you! Be sure to also enter for the Grand Prize – a $250 Gift Card to Mía Mariú! One lucky Mama is going to look so pretty with all that eco-friendly makeup!

For the event, Southern Girl Ramblings is giving away this beautiful Mother’s Heart Frame from Grandparent Gift Co (bear not included). The 8×10 frame features a lovely poem written by the company’s founder, Teri Harrison.

Enter to win by completing the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US residents, 18+ only. Ends 5/26. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

According to Jenny, So Easy Being Green, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Something Special for Mom participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

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With my recent gallbladder issues and removal in November 2012 came lots of dealing with our current medical insurance provider. We use the cheapest insurance available through James’ work, and that may not be the best decision when it comes to unexpected medical needs.

For my special situation, I had several doctor’s visits, tests done, an escaped gallstone removed, and then finally my gallbladder removal. Luckily for us, most of that was covered by our current provider. They didn’t cover 100% however, nor do they pay for a lot of the additional expenses you can rack up while having medical issues.

Out-of-pocket costs we faced were gas to drive to and from appointments and procedures, food for James while he was with me at the hospital twice, and time off work for James. This was just in addition to our deductible and co-pays. Medical debt and its related charges can pile up fast when there is an emergency.

Aflac’s Real Cost Calculator

Aflac realizes the importance of being prepared for unexpected medical bills. Their Real Cost Calculator can help you better understand what you may be faced with paying, should a medical emergency arise in your family. Many people don’t realize what their current medical insurance covers before an issue arises.

The Real Cost Calculator works by looking at average medical expenses that may not be covered by your insurance in the event of a certain emergency, such as a broken leg. It also figures in household expenses that would continue to pile up even if you were sick or out of work. The third number the calculator figures in is the out-of-pocket expenses you could accumulate – such as transportation needed to get to and from the doctor’s office or hospital, or necessary child care.

The American Journal of Medicine has stated that medical debt is the number one cause for bankruptcy in this country. It’s easy to see why – so many expected costs can come from having an illness or disease requiring surgery or a hospital stay. It’s essential that we look at how we might cover these costs before they occur.

Play around with Aflac’s Real Cost Calculator to see what unexpected expenses you could be facing. There is a section to the right of the screen that allows you to better personalize your experience. You can also find out more about how Alfac can help your family in the event that a medical emergency should arise.

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Last weekend, James, his niece, and I drove down to Atlanta for the Georgia Renaissance Festival. I haven’t been there since I was in middle school, so I was very excited to attend. Luckily, the rain held off on Sunday so we could enjoy the attraction to it’s fullest!

The festival encompasses 16th century kingdom life, with all of the workers dressed in time appropriate clothing. There are knights, maidens, jesters, and more! Plus, I cannot forget to mention the MANY shops located through the kingdom featuring lots of handmade objects. Many are demonstrated throughout the day so you can get a first hand view of how things are made.

Lots of food is available at the Georgia Renaissance Festival as well. With three food courts and then another food stand or two, you can imagine how hard it was to decide what we wanted to eat! There were fried pickles (my favorite appetizer), turkey legs, calzones, steak on a stick, and more. Plus, lots of desserts, such as chocolate covered strawberries and bananas, fried oreos, and funnel cakes. You could really spend the day sampling all the yummy offerings!

Perhaps our favorite part of the festival was the shows. There are so many scheduled for the day, and they provide a nice break from walking around. The best for us was the jousting tournament. We said on the side of the “dark” knight, watching him try to win by using some less than honorable tactics. It was very fun to see, as what the hilarious Hack and Slash show we watched earlier in the day.

Perfect for families, the Georgia Renaissance Festival is truly a fun, all-day activity. The festival is held every Saturday and Sunday (plus Memorial Day) until June 2. The hours of the festival are 10:30am-6pm. I suggest you get there by noon at the latest, and plan to stay until closing. There are so many things to do and see, you won’t want to miss any of them!

SPECIAL: Visit this link and use the promo code sogirl to save 20% on your Georgia Renaissance Festival tickets!

The post Georgia Renaissance Festival Review & Promo Tickets! appeared first on Southern Girl Ramblings.

Dry skin and eczema seem to run in my family. My sister suffers from eczema on her hands badly during the winter, and my mom has very dry skin too. A few of my cousins have skin issues of their own. Sawyer hasn’t had any eczema but he does get very dry arms and legs in the winter. Fortunately, there is a natural way to treat this the skin ailments by using Monkey Balm.

Monkey Balm makes natural skin care for babies extremely easy for moms. It works great for patches of dry skin or eczema. Some people apply it to themselves and their children to prevent skin irritations in drier climates. It can also work against sunburns and minor scrapes.

I personally love Monkey Balm’s easy to apply container. It only takes a couple seconds to roll it on the kiddo’s skin after his bath. I sometimes put it on in the mornings too, depending on how bad his dry skin is. There’s no mess and I don’t even get it on my hands at all when putting it on him.

I tried it on my own skin before using it on him, just to see how well it works. There’s no burning or stinging when it’s applied (something I worried about when putting it on his irritated skin), which I like in a baby product. The two ounce container has been used in our home for over a month now, and I’d say we will get another month’s use out of it before it’s empty.

From my use and what I have read about Monkey Balm, the reason it works so well is because of it’s primary ingredient: Organic Sea Buckthorn oils. This is the same ingredient used in the Sibu Beauty products I’ve been using, and I know firsthand that it’s effective yet gentle on cleansing facial skin. It has also been proven to treat the appearance of eczema, extreme dryness, and other skin irritants, so I’m comfortable using it on my toddler.

Learn more and purchase your own Monkey Balm at www.monkeybalm.com!

The post Monkey Balm – Natural Skin Care for Babies appeared first on Southern Girl Ramblings.

Moms lead busy lifestyles. Many work on top of caring for their children, cooking dinner, and keeping the house somewhat clean. As a work at home mom myself, I sometimes feel that my job never ends! When I do get a chance to sit down, I like to find ways to relax and relieve stress. Receiving a Wahl Hot/Cold Therapeutic Massager to review brought me to the conclusion that it would be a great Mother’s Day gift for busy moms!

Massages are a great way to relieve stress, but lets face it, we can’t all rush to a local masseuse every other day, now can we? Instead, we must bring the art of relaxation into our homes, which is what this massager does. The hot and cold features packs a double punch that provides relief from sore muscles, poor circulation, and other regular pain or discomfort.

I have a terrible habit of slouching in my computer chair, so I’ve been using the Wahl massager on my lower back at the end of the day. Okay, I must admit, my husband has been using it on my back most of the time. It’s easy enough to do to yourself, thanks to the ergonomic design and easy to operate buttons, but why waste the opportunity to be pampered if he’s offering?!

The device comes with four head attachments that change the feel of the massage you receive. I personally like to switch to the hot setting and use the Raised Bump Massage attachment, as it feels SO good on overworked muscles! After ten minutes of it on my body, I feel so relaxed and ready for bed. For cold therapy, I prefer the regular smooth attachment. The massager comes with two speed settings, and I find myself using the lower one on most occasions.

Find out more about the Wahl/Hot Cold Therapeutic Massager at www.wahlmassagers.com.

Giveaway

One lucky reader will receive a Wahl Hot/Cold Therapeutic Massager (valued at $59.99)! Give it as a Mother’s Day gift or keep it for a little self-pampering – the choice is yours! Enter to win by completing the Rafflecopter form below. Ends 5/12. Good Luck!
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This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. I received a Wahl Hot/Cold Massager to facilitate this post. All opinions are 100% mine.

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