What Momma Thinks About It

Mariano's Anniversary and Customer Appreciation Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 01:45:00 +0000

I've been to many grocery stores, and at this point I would have believed i've experienced everything a grocery store can be, but I recently learned of Mariano's and the experience when I got the chance to visit was truly a unique one. My first impression of them came when I googled them and found that they have a more than 4 star (out of five) rating. One of the comments mentioned how clean the store is.

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Macro Life Naturals for Kids. It's Where Healthy Meets Yummy.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 08:59:00 +0000

I can name at least three reasons my kids don't get enough fruits and vegetables. 1) kids can be very picky 2) fruits and veggies can be expensive 3) when we do buy them, I tend to ration things so that they can last and many times they end up going bad before they're all eaten.

I do realize that fruits and vegetables are vital to optimal health. You may have heard the importance of "eating a rainbow." Different colors and types of fruits and vegetables do different, wonderful things for our bodies and help prevent unnecessary illnesses that occur when we lack the vitamins and nutrients that they provide.

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Save on Dinner for 2 at Olive Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 20:13:00 +0000

There's already the deal where you can enjoy a 3 course meal for $25. Well with this, you can save an additional $5. Just click the link under the picture.

Go reward your friendship!

Giveaway: America's Helper

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 04:58:00 +0000

The Helper is travelling across America on a mission. There are one million people eating Helper each night, and this mission is to help the next million discover Helper for dinner.

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Nuby Wacky Ware Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 07:56:00 +0000

This is the Nuby Wacky Ware Bowl. I love the way Nuby keeps their products colorful and BPA free and just all around kid friendly.

This bowl is great for snacks or perhaps a one dish meal fit for a toddler. Something like macaroni is perfect ;)

I was really impressed with how tightly this bowl seals and it is VERY sturdy. While I wouldn't recommend storing liquids in it, I just had to know if it could hold. I put water in it and it did a fine job of holding the water without letting it spill. Now I wouldn't recommend it because the seal is so tight, that you have to open it slowly and carefully to prevent any liquid from spilling, but since it seals so tightly, you can be confident when taking foods on the go.

Keep up with Nuby products and updates:

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Nuby Tub Time Turtle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 07:54:00 +0000

The Tub Time Turtle is another adorable bath time toy from Nuby. It floats on the top of the bath water making it easier for children to get a hold of whenever they're ready for it.

It has holes in the bottom so that your your child can create his own waterfall.

The Nuby Bath Time Turtle can be purchased at:
www.amazon.com
www.cookieskids.com
www.bedbathandbeyond.com
www.buybuybaby.com

Keep up with Nuby products and updates:

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Getting My Baby to Feed Himself

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:22:00 +0000

To me, getting a baby to feed himself is just a challenge within itself. You know there's gonna be a mess. You wonder what would be a good food to start with.

With a now three month old and a twenty one month old, i'm always relying on my older children to help me out. That doesn't always go without attitude and arguing over who's not gonna do it and who did it last. Sometimes it's just a little more peaceful to do it myself.

While out shopping, I wanted to get something special for my little man that he could feel like was just for him. I've been having to leave him behind with dad a lot lately. After work, dad just wants to relax, and so we haven't been going out as a family a whole lot lately and it's just very hard to have two children at such young ages while out shopping without him. I decided on this Danonino yogurt.

I'd passed it up many times because the majority of my children are older and they'd likely not like such small packages for themselves. And besides, I didn't want to pay the same price for these little cups that I pay for the bigger ones.

Turns out he really likes it. After seeing how thick it was when I opened it, I decided, hm, it'll be harder for him to make a mess with this, so I got one of his little spoons and handed it to him to see how he'd do feeding himself.

I did taste it and it's not bad at all. It has two times the calcium of other leading brands of yogurt that are designed for kids. My little guy can now get practice controlling a spoon. Awesome. What more can I ask for? It comes in strawberry, banana and strawberry-banana flavors. I'm glad I decided to go ahead and get it for him. I think it's safe to say he is too.

Combat Nausea with Three Lollies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 08:21:00 +0000

Three Lollies makes all natural products for nausea associated with morning sickness, travel sickness, cancer treatment all other types of nausea. Their products are drug-free and doctor recommended.
Save 20% Off Any Order at Three Lollies, Natural Nausea Products. http://www.usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=460&bid=11215&dealid=1281

*This is a sponsored post. Stay tuned for a review.

Nuby Fish Swoosh

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:56:00 +0000

So far, I have to say that the Nuby Fish Swoosh is one of my favorites of the Nuby Bath Toys line. Cute and colorful, it's designed to strengthen hand and eye coordination and develop motor skills, and it's just fun watching baby play with this, attempting to shoot the little fish into the goal.

It comes with three fish that can also be filled with water and used as squirt toys.

I love how it has a string to pull at the bottom, so it doubles as a storage for the fish so that they're there and ready to go when bath time comes around again. I think a couple of my older kids were a little jealous. They insisted on taking baths when they learned that i'd opened and put this up. I'm pretty sure they used their bath time to brush up on their shooting skills.

The Nuby Fish Swoosh is available at BuyBabyDirect.com.

Keep up with Nuby products and updates:

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Breastfeeding Moms Concerned About Your Milk Supply... Meet Milky

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:11:00 +0000

I'm really glad to have a mom that breastfed. I'm also glad to have had a doctor who believed enough in breastfeeding to encourage me to do so with my first child AND he encouraged me to shoot for at least the first year of my baby's life. I've had 5 more since, and really count it a privilege and a blessing that i've been able to offer something naturally occurring and so beneficial for each one.
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Giveaway: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream and Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream and Lash Serum Duo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 14:29:00 +0000

As I was preparing to make a video for YouTube one day not very long ago, I noticed I have managed to develop what I have assumed to be smile lines. I think they're smile lines because they look to be right in the path of my smile (and I smile a whole lot). Makes me wonder if I will be blessed with those good genes that my mother apparently inherited. Maybe still a little too soon to tell.

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Giveaway: TV Tip Overs: Are Your Children At Risk?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:44:00 +0000

I love being able to watch shows on our 46 inch. Things just look better and I like the fact that I don't have to strain my eyes to see what's going on as is the case with the smaller televisions that are in my my bedroom and my mom's bedroom. I'm sure that most of you probably enjoy the same luxury and agree that bigger is indeed better. The problem is that sometimes, we don't consider the potential danger we put our children in that comes along with owning such devices. Bigger and thinner means these television sets are even easier to tip over and cause harm. Following are some surprising statistics taken from the 2011 US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

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Book Review: Time For Kids Big Book of Where

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:28:00 +0000

Where is the tallest mountain?
Where did the Olympics begin?
Where is the Petrified Forest?
Where are Diamonds found?
Where was the hamburger invented?
Where does spam go after you delete it?

The Big Book of Where is a new book for kids ages 8-12 that has been added to the Time Home Entertainment Big Book series that answers these questions and so many more. Within it's 192 pages, it answers many questions that kids often ask about the world around them that adults rarely have the answers to.

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A Traditional American Labor and Delivery Room: Pictures and What to Expect

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 07:15:00 +0000

When I gave birth to my first son, I hadn't gone through the whole childbirth classes or labor and delivery wing tour. One thing that always brings back that familiarity and mixed emotions of happiness, fear and concern is the traditional setup of the room where I would give birth. So far they're all basically the same, and I snapped pictures after my last birth considering that it may indeed be my last, so that I can always have it to look back on and also in hopes of sharing with someone who may have the experience upcoming. Feel free to click the pictures to enlarge them (and please pardon our mess).

A picture of the bed you lie on. It has the pads because there will be plenty of amniotic fluid whether during labor due to your bag of water previously being broken spontaneously, by a doctor/nurse/midwife etc. to speed things along, or just before birth as was the case with our last little guy. I've experienced each of the above scenarios.

Attached to this machine with the paper coming from it will be two wide straps with circular shaped monitors that will be secured around your belly. The monitors check for baby's heart rate and also your contractions. Although not always completely 100% accurate due to your own and your baby's movements, it helps to let your doctor know if the contractions are stressful to baby. This is all recorded on that strip of paper by way of squiggly lines. There will also be a blood pressure cuff hooked up to monitor you.

Your blood pressure readings will be viewable on the computer screen.

You'll likely be given an IV which will have fluids to keep you hydrated along with any meds you may need at the time. If you were diagnosed with Group B strep, they'll want to get in at least two doses of antibiotics before baby arrives. If baby arrives sooner than anticipated, you'll likely end up with a slightly longer hospital stay to make sure things are fine with baby.

This piece of equipment is one that always stood out to me. As soon as baby is born, he is whisked off here to get vitals and apgar scores. I'm pretty sure it's designed to keep a newbie warm as well. Seeing this would always fill me with joy, expectation and anxiety due to the hopes of a healthy baby that i'll meet within a few hours and knowing the pain that i'm sure to experience beforehand.

Again, since it's likely to be a few hours, there's entertainment for you and whomever may be joining you for your birthing experience. By the time the pain kicks in really good, you're likely to forget that this television even exists. You'll have a remote attached to a cord near your bed which may double as a nurse call device.

And finally, once your baby is born, this is the little bassinet in which he'll be placed. There's a slot for a card which gives the weight, length, time of birth, sex and last name of your newbie. Also there is the nasal aspirator that will be used upon baby's arrival and kept with baby in case any more fluids need to be suctioned. My doctor highly advised I keep it, because, she says, you can't find any like the hospital grade ones outside of the hospital. After seeing the grossness that can accumulate inside of these aspirators, i'd highly recommend not keeping them around long unless you learn of a tried and sure way to clean the inside thoroughly.

If you want more on my birth experience, you can read about the births of my last two boys. The story of the birth of our youngest is here and the birth story of our son prior is here.

Sweet Dreams: Nuby Bedlite Buddies Review {Video Demonstration}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:37:00 +0000

As a brand ambassador for Nuby, I receive free products. The opinions are my own.

The Nuby Bedlite Buddies make excellent companions to assist children in getting to sleep. I found it a little humorous and quite heartwarming seeing my one year old interact with his little buddy. We were both awake and sitting up in the bed. He was playing with my iPad, and I sat there with our newborn hoping he'd soon tire out and hand it over. I handed him his Bedlite Buddy and he set the iPad aside to tend to his little music buddy. I thought it was so sweet that he'd give that kind of attention to a toy and put a game aside.

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Encouragement, Frustration, Patience, Success: Potty Training Time Again

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:25:00 +0000

As a brand ambassador for Nuby i've received product to facilitate this review.

Having two diapered babies in front of me reminds me of times past. I've been here, done this before. Problem is that diapers are expensive. Since these two don't pee and poop in sync, the diaper changing just seems to go on and on. I decided we'd go ahead and take a shot at potty training our older baby. He's a year and just about eight months, which for me would otherwise be young to start, but he sometimes lets us know when he's pooped in his diaper, which is a good indicator that I can give potty training a shot.
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Exciting Products from The World of Eric Carle {Video}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:44:00 +0000

Products were provided to facilitate this review thanks to Mom Select and BSM Media. Opinions are my own.

Chances are you've heard some things about Eric Carle and the Hungry Caterpillar. Well I had the exciting opportunity to review some products from the product lineup that i'd like to share with you.

The first is the Developmental Plush Frog. It's designed for ages from 0 months and up. It has a hook on top so that it can be attached to a stroller or car seat. It has different textures to it and has a couple of attachments that hang from it's feet which include a plush star and a teether. When you squeeze it's belly, it ribbits. The Development Plush Frog retails for $18 at Kohl's and Amazon.

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Sleep With the Fishies (Dinner Recipe)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:49:00 +0000

This is my contest entry into the Pompeian Time to Change Your Oil Recipe Contest

For this recipe you will need:

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Pampers Spring Into Color Sweepstakes Info

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:25:00 +0000

Pampers has offered me coupons in exchange for this post.

Babies have a way of bringing joy to our lives. Waiting for that first smile and every one after is something I look forward to. They just have a way of lifting me, it seems no matter how down I may be feeling. Then there are the other milestones we look forward to as baby grows and matures; reaching, grabbing, crawling and walking just to name a few.

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Win a Trip for Four to the All New Crayola Experience!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:41:00 +0000

Information on the following post has been provided by Crayola. I've been offered a gift in exchange for this post.

I'm sure we all know about Crayola Crayons. A name I remember attached to products I loved and used during my childhood, and one I now purchase for my children. I have yet to find a brand that I can even consider equal to the quality i've come to expect from them.

Well, it's their 110th Birthday and in celebration, they're throwing a birthday bash at the all new Crayola Experience! The Crayola Experience is the world's only interactive Crayola family attraction. Featuring four floors of new interactive exhibits and one of a kind attractions that will bring the magic of color and children's creativity life, the winner will have the chance to be one of the first to experience the fun.

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Dial Kids Body Wash Review and $1000 Sweepstakes Info!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:55:00 +0000

*I was provided a review sample in exchange for this post. No further compensation was received and the opinions are mine.

One of the first things I did when I received this Dial Body and Hair wash for kids was take a good whiff. Ahh peach. I knew it had to be peach before I read the scent on the label. With a smile, I had a couple of my children who were around smell it as well. One thing we knew from there is that we all agreed that it was pleasant smelling. When I bathed my 1 year old with it, I personally thought it left a nice smell. When he passed by my daughter later in the day, she complimented that his hair smelled good. I proudly remembered that i'd used this Dial Kids body wash during his shower earlier.

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Happy National Licorice Day! Enjoy These Licorice Facts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 06:51:00 +0000

National Licorice Day 2013 - LICORICE FACTS

1) Red Vines® are made with wheat (that is sweetened, flavored and baked)—so basically licorice is unleavened bread. Red Vines® are made with no preservatives, so they should be stored in an airtight container. If needed, Red Vines® can be heated in a microwave oven for 5-7 seconds for the candy to reach the desired softness.

2) Licorice root was found in great quantities in the tomb of King Tut among his gold, jewelry and art treasures. It was presumed that King Tut wanted to take the root with him on his journey to the next world so that he could make his sweet drink “Mai sus” when he got there.

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Giveaway: Top Five "Mammoth Mom Myths" Revealed #Rafflecopter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 05:09:00 +0000

5. Moms LOVE to spend their free time cleaning! A new mop, dish scrubber or toilet brush will make her feel more loved and needed and oh-so-special.

4. What all mothers REALLY want is to cater to their families 24/7, so give her that honor by wrapping up a brand new serving tray set complete with pre-made hors d'oeuvres to feed everyone in the family (make sure it's got lots of Dad's favorite snacks -Mom LOVES to please her man)!

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King's Faith Movie. Demand it at Your Local Theater!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:15:00 +0000

When I first received an invite to preview this movie, King's Faith, (available in select theaters April 26), I thought, well, it's a Christian movie and the story line seems like an okay one and it'll be something to do with the kids. I didn't recognize most of the actors and just really did not know what to expect. I thought that maybe this would be a good movie with okay acting and a positive message that I could talk over with my kids. I know this movie is geared towards teenagers and all, but even young children face pressures and I thought it would be good for our discussions.

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Grab Your Red Vines... This Friday is National Licorice Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:39:00 +0000

There are a lot of National Days. I'd say most of which I had no idea they existed. The one coming up Friday is the perfect reason to enjoy something that's sweet, but not too sweet.

Red Vines offers the perfect snack to complement this day for your to create your moment. Red vines are fat free, contain no preservatives are low in sodium and come in a variety of flavors including Original Red, Black Licorice, Grape, Cherry and Strawberry. There are also sugar free varieties. What's even more are the different sizes they're available in, from the long slender ones to stubby bite sized ones.

While my kids really enjoyed the Original flavor, I think that overall we enjoyed the Strawberry Licorice the most. The flavor in these are, to me, like no other licorice I can recall tasting and I have to admit I found myself a tad selfish with these.

Red Vines can be found at many retail locations. Find out where they're sold near you by using the store finder on the Red Vine site. The can also be found online at CandyCabinet.com.

I was sent samples of Red Vines in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.