Happy Halloween!

(We have a Batman as well, but couldn't get him to keep his costume on at the party last night!)

Free MP3 Veggietales Christmas Album

Check out Amazon for this awesome 16-track VeggieTales freebie!  We're always looking for something kid-friendly to listen to in the car, and this will be great with the holidays coming up!

Thanks to Brooke's Bargains for sharing!

Giveaway Update!

The Preggers giveaway has been updated to include TWO items of the winner's choice!  I'm so jealous!  (There's still only one winner, they just get to choose 2 items in the size/color/style that they decide on.)  If you missed seeing this the first time around, go ahead and get your entries in!  This is still relatively low on the entry count and there's still plenty of time to enter!

Friday again? Already?

I can't believe another week has passed!  Here we are on Friday blog hops again, one of my favorite days!  I love finding new blogs to enjoy and I love seeing new faces around here as well!  Please feel free to enter my giveaways, there are several going on and several more to come next week, so get those extra entries in!  If you decide to follow me, please leave a comment so I can come visit you as well!

"Hello My Name Is Hope" Campaign

I want to tell you about the "Hello My Name is Hope" campaign, presented by Quill.com, a leading business-to-business online and direct marketer of office products. To boost breast cancer awareness, Quill.com is inviting all Facebook users to post and personalize virtual "Hello My Name is Hope" stickers on their profiles to honor both survivors and victims of the disease. The familiar "Hello My Name Is" stickers take on new meaning with personalized messages of hope and support shared across the Facebook community. For every sticker shared, Quill.com will donate $1 - up to $20,000 - to City of Hope, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center dedicated to research, treatment and education.

Throughout October, every sticker created will be displayed in a community gallery on the Quill.com Facebook page, creating a virtual wall of breast cancer messages and images.

Because breast cancer is a disease that has impacted the lives of so many women all over the world, Quill.com is hoping to give a voice to those affected. I hope you can help spread this powerful message, simply create your sticker here to participate!

NOVICA.com Review and Giveaway

I was recently introduced to an amazing company.  NOVICA is one of the leading fair trade artisan websites. They work with National Geographic to give talented artisans around the world a place to express their artistic talents and provide access to the world market.  They have thousands of gorgeous items from all over the world and offer everything from corporate gifts to paintings and home decor.

Company Info:

"NOVICA unites you with more than 2,000 extraordinary master artists around the world. Read about their lives, explore their fascinating cultures, and select from more than 30,000 handcrafted works of art."

How often do you get a package in the mail as beautiful as the one above?  I was VERY impressed with the website's ease of use and super fast shipping, but even more so when I opened the shipping box!  My purchase was beautifully wrapped and then wonderfully (and safely) packed inside.

I chose a gorgeous "Indivisible Love" wooden statuette by artist Wayan Rendah.  The quality is outstanding, and it's just beautiful.  It will be holding a prominent place in our bedroom for a long time to come!

Buy It!

The statue I chose can be purchased on NOVICA's website for just $25.99.  The quality far surpasses that price, in my opinion!  There are, as I said, thousands of items available, handmade jewelry, paintings, just about anything you could imagine!

Win It!

Prize offered: NOVICA has graciously offered one of my readers a gift certificate of $37.50 to be used on their website for the item of your choice!  (This can include shipping too!)

Entries: I must be able to easily find an email address for the winner. If it isn't in your visible profile, please include it in your comment. If you're chosen and I can't find an email address, I'll be forced to choose another winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before another winner is chosen.

This giveaway will run from today, October 28,2010 until Thursday, November 11, 2010.

Mandatory:
1) Visit NOVICA.com and tell me what item you would choose!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)

2) Follow my blog.

3) "Like" NOVICA of Facebook.

4) Become a Facebook fan of my blog.

5) Follow NOVICA on Twitter!

6) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Twitter.

7) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: Enter to win a gift certificate from @NOVICA http://bit.ly/crIIp3 #giveaway

8) Subscribe to my blog feed.

9) Grab my button and display it on your blog.

10) Enter any of my other giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered, post separate comments)

11) Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, please post 5 comments)

ToiletTree Fogless Shower Mirror Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of the ToiletTree fogless shower mirror!  The winner has been emailed and has 48 hours to respond. 


janetfaye said... 18
I follow you on Twitter - Janetfaye

Halloween Contest at Gilt Children

Halloween Best Dressed Photo Contest

If you think your child’s costume is the cutest on the block, here’s your chance to prove it. Post a picture of your kid in his or her outfit to enter for a chance to win $1,000 Gilt Credit.  Visit the “contests” tab on the Gilt Children Facebook page or click on the following link to enter to win: http://on.fb.me/GiltHalloween

How the Contest Works

Between October 22 and November 8, upload a photo of your kid in his or her costume to the Gilt Children page by clicking on the Enter link above. The 10 most popular entries—as voted on by Gilt Children fans until November 19—will become finalists.

Fans can encourage their friends to vote for their the following ways:

   1. Invite friends to participate in the contest:
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/68665/invites/new?ogn=facebook
   2. Post your vote to your Facebook wall my selecting “share on my
wall” when you vote for your favorite photo.
   3. Let your friends know that you can vote for each entry once per
day -- so submit your entry early and vote often!

A panel of Gilt Groupe judges will then select five winners based on
the overall quality of the photo and the costume, announcing the
results by November 26 on the Gilt Children page and Twitter account.
Each of the winners will receive a $1000 credit for use on Gilt.com.

 

Disclosure: This is a compensated post through a Mom Bloggers Club member program.

CSN Preferred Blogger - Drop Leaf Tables

Growing up, I remember my Grandma always having two drop leaf tables.  One was in the kitchen (obviously) and another, smaller one, in the living room.  That sounds odd, but the leaves were always down so it just looked like an end table. ;)  I was perusing CSN Stores again recently and came across their huge selection, and it brought back a lot of memories and I found some AWESOME options!  I especially liked this black one with the storage compartment underneath!

Do you have a favorite style table?  I had no idea that there were so many different options for the drop leaf style!  These aren't my Grandma's tables! ;)

Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming CSN review!

Preggers Review and Giveaway

I'm heading into my 32nd week of pregnancy already. It's pretty crazy if you ask me, especially since it seems like we JUST found out about this little miss!  With pregnancy comes joy and happiness, but we can't forget the swelling, back pain and fatigue!  Since I sit for 8+ hours a day at the computer, it's especially the swelling that gets to me.  I have to keep at least one foot on the pedal all the time and I seem to get a zone where I forget that I'm pregnant and at the end of my shift I remember quickly that my feet and ankles tend to swell when I don't get up and move enough. ;)  When I was pregnant with Tiny Man, the doctor wanted to prescribe me some compression stockings, but I balked at that idea!  All I could picture in my head was a little old lady walking around the grocery store wearing those hideous things!  (Nothing against old ladies, the grocery store, or the necessity of the stockings, but they're just plain ugly.)

When I got the chance to review Preggers by THERAFIRM, I jumped at the chance!  I realize that the compression really does help with swelling, and the fact that these were pretty darn cute and not truly frightening like the stockings of yesterday, I decided it was well worth it!   

I tried a pair of black maternity trouser socks, and what do you know!  They work!  I put them on at the start of my shift and found them to actually be comfortable (I wasn't sure what to expect) and forgot that I was wearing them.  When I took them off to go to bed, my legs weren't throbbing and sore, they felt normal!  I wore them again on a shopping expedition and didn't have nearly the pain or leg fatigue that I normally would.  I REALLY wish I'd found these last year, but I'm grateful to have had the chance to try them this time around.  They have several other style (and color!) options available, if trouser socks aren't your thing. 

Product Info:

Preggers by Therafirm™ is a unique line of maternity support hose and compression products developed by future moms for future moms. We invited moms-to-be to try our products and provide opinions on styles, colors, and fit. Our “Preggers Mommas” team were an integral part of our product and brand development to ensure a full line of healthy products that will benefit you during and post-preggers.

What is unique about Preggers by Therafirm™ compression products?
Finally, maternity compression products where you, expecting moms, are being heard. No more stigma of the old, “yucky” compression that is available in only a few styles, off-trend colors, is uncomfortable, hard to get on, and expensive. We believe you can wear compression and get the benefits it provides and still be fashionable. We want to you to feel AND look great!

Buy It!

You can purchase Preggers directly through their website, the prices range from $14.95 to $28.95.

Win It!

Giveaway is now closed, thank you for entering!

Prize: Thanks to the great folks at Preggers, one lucky winner will receive 2 products from the Preggers line.  Winner chooses size, color and style!

Entries: I must be able to easily find an email address for the winner. If it isn't in your visible profile, please include it in your comment. If you're chosen and I can't find an email address, I'll be forced to choose another winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before another winner is chosen.

This giveaway will run from today, October 27,2010 until Wednesday, November 10, 2010.

Mandatory:
1) Visit the Preggers website and tell me what type and color you would pick if chosen the winner!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)

2) Follow my blog.

3) "Like" Preggers on Facebook.

4) Become a Facebook fan of my blog.

5) Follow Preggers on Twitter!

6) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Twitter.

7) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: Enter to win a pair of Preggers at http://bit.ly/ac5IQq #giveaway

8) Subscribe to my blog feed.

9) Grab my button and display it on your blog.

10) Enter any of my other giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered, post separate comments)

11) Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, please post 5 comments)

Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Brilliant Lenses Review and Giveaway

I've worn glasses for what feels like forever now.  With 2 little boys, it seems like they're forever smudgy and hard to see out of.  I never have a convenient way to clean them, I'm typically trying to wipe them on my shirt because I don't notice they're dirty until I'm driving or at the store or something.  I don't wear them around the house unless I'm going somewhere...no real reason, sometimes it's just a hassle and I can see okay without them as long as I'm not trying to drive or read things far away.  In addition, I tend not to wear them when I'm at the computer and/or when I'm transcribing because it's uncomfortable to wear headphones and glasses at the same time!

We recently had the opportunity to try Brilliant Lenses, a lens cleaner that can be used on all types of glass and plastic lenses.  We've put this to the test, let me tell you!  My husband tried it on his phone screen and it worked great!  He went on to do my eyeglasses and his sunglasses and they both went from dirty to crystal clear, it was truly amazing!  I love that it comes in such convenient packaging, I can slip the soft pouch into the diaper bag and have it whenever I need it!

Product Info:

Finally a lens cleaner that is Alcohol and ammonia free! Brilliant Idea! When you add in our SR8 scratch resistant coating you now can offer the most advanced cleaner/protector for ALL types of glass or plastic lenses. Double Pack: Two bottles (7ml ea) Brilliant Lenses Cleaner and optical microfiber cloth and carrying bag.

* Cleans Glass & Plastic Lenses
* No Alcohol or Ammonia
* Added scratch resistance with SR-8
* Comes with a Micro Fiber Cleaning Pad
* Also works on Phones, Monitors, and MP3 players!

Brilliant LensesTM with SR-8TM provides gentle superior cleaning while imparting an invisible durable barrier that resists scratches, soiling and water spots.

Treat Your Lenses with the protection of SR-8

* SR-8 is a Polimer Additive that reduces surface tension making cleaning easier each time it is used.
* SR-8 Coats the lens leaving a protective barrier
* SR-8 Improves scratch resistance
* SR-8 Will not dry out protective coatings

Buy It!

You can purchase Brilliant Lenses on their website for $7.99.

Win It!

Prize: Win Brilliant Lenses to try out for yourself!

Entries: I must be able to easily find an email address for the winner. If it isn't in your visible profile, please include it in your comment. If you're chosen and I can't find an email address, I'll be forced to choose another winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before another winner is chosen.

This giveaway will run from today, October 26,2010 until Tuesday, November 9, 2010.

Mandatory:
1) Tell me what you would try Brilliant Lenses on in your house!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)

2) Follow my blog.

3) "Like" Brilliant Lenses on Facebook.

4) Become a Facebook fan of my blog.

5) Follow Brilliant Lenses on Twitter!

6) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Twitter.

7) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: Enter to win a prize package from @BrilliantLenses http://bit.ly/9biuRV #giveaway

8) Subscribe to my blog feed.

9) Grab my button and display it on your blog.

10) Enter any of my other giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered, post separate comments)

11) Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, please post 5 comments)

Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

BabyCenter.com Giveaway

Last year, 7 in 10 babies born in the United States were BabyCenter babies and more than 8 million moms in the United States turn to BabyCenter each month for information, advice and guidance.

As the world’s partner in parenting, BabyCenter offers moms trusted advice from hundreds of experts around the globe, medical advisory board-approved information, friendship with other moms, and support at every stage of your child’s development.

In an effort to be there for mom during her pregnancy and parenting journey, wherever and whenever she needs it most, BabyCenter continually strives to offer valuable parenting tools. Among the latest and greatest include:

* BabyCenter My Pregnancy Today App
This new, free application for the iPhone and iTouch, guides expectant moms through their pregnancy journey, offering award-winning, medically reviewed health content; advice from obstetricians, midwives, nutritionists, and other experts; daily activities and reminders; and conversation and connection with other moms-to-be in BabyCenter’s community.

* BabyCenter “Preparing for Labor and Birth” Online Class
The BabyCenter Class is a convenient, at-home option for moms who can’t attend hospital childbirth classes due to hectic work schedules or being put on bed rest. And the price is right, too! For only $39.99, the all-new 2-hour instructional course lets you hear from doctors, ask your questions, and build confidence for your big day. Preparing for Labor and Birth includes: An explanation of the signs and stages of labor; What to expect during labor; Labor and birth stories from new moms; An overview of your pain-management options; A tour of a delivery room; Suggestions for creating your birth plan; A checklist to help you prepare for the big day and more.

* BabyCenter Parenting Books (BabyCenter® Pregnancy and BabyCenter® Baby)
These two new practical and reassuring books provide pregnant women and new mothers with all of the information and support they need during this exciting new time in their lives, with a blend of expert advice and true “mom wisdom.” Both are great, highly visual, reference books to keep on the nightstand for that nagging question or concern that inevitably pops up in the middle of the night.

* Mom Answers
This new interactive tool gives BabyCenter moms an emotionally supportive environment where they can ask questions and get answers straight from other moms who’ve had similar life experiences. It’s like having access to 8 million best girlfriends 24/7.

* Milestones
The new Milestones tool provides BabyCenter moms the ability to quickly and easily record important pregnancy and childhood milestones and share them with friends and family via e-mail, Facebook, and the BabyCenter Community. It’s a fun way to create an online “baby book.”

Win It!

Prize: Thanks to the generous folks at BabyCenter.com and MyBlogSpark, one of you will win a GREAT prize package featuring two new BabyCenter parenting books (BabyCenter® Pregnancy and BabyCenter® Baby), a package of Seventh Generation diapers, a gift card from BabyCenter partner, Shutterfly and a BabyCenter bib!

Entries: I must be able to easily find an email address for the winner. If it isn't in your visible profile, please include it in your comment. If you're chosen and I can't find an email address, I'll be forced to choose another winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before another winner is chosen.

This giveaway will run from today, October 26,2010 until Tuesday, November 9, 2010.

Mandatory:
1) Tell me what, if anything, you have used BabyCenter for in your own personal life.  If this is the first time you've heard about it, tell me that too!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)

2) Follow my blog.

3) "Like" BabyCenter on Facebook. 

4) Become a Facebook fan of my blog.

5) Follow BabyCenter on Twitter!

6) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Twitter.

7) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama Enter to win a @BabyCenter prize package at http://bit.ly/cVVovj #myblogspark #giveaway

8) Subscribe to my blog feed.

9) Grab my button and display it on your blog.

10) Enter any of my other giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered, post separate comments)

11) Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, please post 5 comments)

Disclaimer: The above information, giveaway prize package and prize package provided to me were all supplied by BabyCenter.com through MyBlogSpark.

Clear Hills Honey Review and Giveaway

You all know how much I like trying out new WAHM/family owned products that I come across, and I have another amazing company to share with you!  Clear Hills Honey Company has been in business for a number years and is still family owned and operated.

Before I get into the review part, here's a bit about the company:

"We are a beekeeping family located in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Our family keeps about 110 bee hives and we extract the honey and gather the honey bi-products ourselves. We use honey, beeswax, and propolis to create value added products like lip balm, soap, cream, salve, and candles.

Dr. Charles Hunt started keeping bees over 30 years ago in Alberta, Canada. After moving back to the United States, he and his wife Katharine started the Clear Hills Honey Company in Eugene, Oregon. They have both been active as board
members of the Lane County Beekeepers Association, helping the organization to grow. They also assist at the local bee school which is held in Eugene once a year.  They sold honey at the local Lane County Farmer's Market from 1997 to 2006."

I was almost giddy when I got my package in the mail!  I have so much to share, but I'm going to start with the lip balms.  Hands down, the best smelling and tasting lip product I've ever come across.  There's a huge assortment of flavors with everything from Chocolate Cheesecake to Chai Tea.  They're made with organic (and pronounceable) ingredients, unlike many commercially branded products these days.  They don't make your lips feel like they're loaded down with goo, they feel soft and natural.

I also got a pot of Mama Bee Belly Butter, made with natural butters and oils.  It's been making my baby belly feel more moisturized and less "stretched" (if you've been pregnant, you know what I mean!).  I like that it's so much more natural and not greasy.  Where other belly "butters" can make it hard to not feel like your belly is solidly stuck to the inside of your shirt, this absorbs right in!  It was created and formulated to heal and smooth stretch marks and scars...if this little lady leaves me with some trophy stretch marks I'm sure I'll be using it well after pregnancy too!

Moving on to the kids stuff!  Talker Man always gets excited when we get something in the mail, clearly hoping it will involve him.  Clear Hills Honey was gracious enough to send along some of their kids art goodies and totally made his day!  He especially liked the Busy Bee Natural Non-Toxic Bath Crayons.  I've never let him have bath crayons before (mean mommy alert!) because I was worried they would just be a big mess and stain up the tub.  Not these!  He was totally enthralled with the fact that he could draw in/on the tub and not get in trouble, haha.  He liked that they were shaped like "guys" and played with them for a short period of time as toys too.  They cleaned up easily and he's already asking for more "bath tub draw-draws" for Christmas.  He also got to try out some Non-Toxic Beeswax Crayons, and anyone that knows this child knows he goes crazy for crayons.  He calls them his "special crayons" because of the size.  I like that these crayons are completely non-toxic and contain NO lead or mercury...especially since Tiny Man still likes to mouth on things, it made me feel better knowing that if he DID get ahold of it, it would be safer than other brands.

I like that everything we tried was non-toxic, made from natural ingredients AND USA made (Even though it's not made local to us, everything shipped VERY well and arrived unmelted and stable during a freak October heat wave).

Buy It!

All of the things I reviewed are available for sale here and/or here along with other various items (natural deodorant, soaps and knitters balm, just to name a few!).

Win It!

Clear Hills Honey has graciously offered one of my readers a set of Non-Toxic Beeswax Crayons!  One of your little ones is going to have a great time creating with these!


Entries: I must be able to easily find an email address for the winner. If it isn't in your visible profile, please include it in your comment. If you're chosen and I can't find an email address, I'll be forced to choose another winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before another winner is chosen.

This giveaway will run from today, October 25, 2010 until Monday, November 8, 2010.

Giveaway available to those in the continental US.

Mandatory:
1) Go to the Clear Hills Honey website and tell me another product you would like to try.

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)

2) Follow my blog.

3) "Like" Clear Hills Honey on Facebook.

4) "Like" my blog on Facebook.

5) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Twitter.

6) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link)

7) Subscribe to my blog feed.

8) Grab my button and display it on your blog.

9) Enter any of my other giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered, post separate comments)

10) Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, please post 5 comments)

Disclaimer: I was sent product for review, all opinions in this post are mine and may not be the same as other users.

Shout - Go Play!

It's that time of year again...the smell of the crisp, cool air and the crunch of leaves under your feet.  Fall is one of my favorite seasons, it always has been.  I remember playing outside in the woods, getting nice and dirty and coming in, clothes and hair a mess.  Now I get to share those fun experiences with my boys!  (Not so much Tiny Man yet, but Talker Man is all about it!)

Now that I'm a mom, I have to say thank goodness for Shout stain removers!  They can be a lifesaver for little boy clothes, that's for sure.  I prefer the 'all natural stuff' as you all may have figured out by now, but nothing I've found knocks the stains out like Shout.  Whether it's the Triple Action Trigger Spray or the Advanced Gel (for more set in stains that I don't see until laundry day), our clothes have been saved from strictly "play clothes-dom" on more than one occasion!

Thanks to Growing Tree learning toys and Shout's Go Play Initiative, we had the opportunity to try the above items and we were also provided a set of 52 Nature Activities (available on Amazon) to help us in our adventures!

Whether you purchase a set of cards for your family or just head off on an outdoor excursion, remember that's the kind of thing memories are made of.  With Shout in your arsenal, there's no reason to worry or fuss about dirty clothes after the kids been having a wonderful day of mud and grass!  Kids can be kids!

Disclaimer: I was sent product for review, all opinions in this post are mine and may not be the same as other users.

Surfin' Sunday

Happy Sunday all! If you decide to follow me, please let me know so I can return the follow!

!!!!!!

This blog could use a little PINK, right???  Wheee!  Ultrasound today showed a lil girl growing right along in there!  She weighs about 3-1/4 pounds already, and is hanging out breech at the moment.  She likes to roll around quite a bit though, so I don't think it's permanent!

It's an exciting Friday!!

Happy Friday everyone!!  I'm especially excited because we get to find out if we're expecting a little boy or a little girl!!  Look for an update on that sometime in the afternoon ;)

Welcome Friday Blog Hoppers!  I hope you enjoy my blog and choose to follow...let me know if you do, leave me a comment so I can follow back!

(Um, I think every sentence in this post has ended with an exclamation point, can you tell I'm excited??)

Libman Freedom Spray Mop Winner!

Congrats to the winner of the Libman Freedom Spray Mop, commenter #27!  Winner has been emailed and has 48 hours to respond :)

Niecey said... 27
I have your button on my blog sidebar
http://goodieslist.blogspot.com/

Only 2 days left to enter!

Don't forget that the Libman mop giveaway ends in 2 days, for those of you who may have missed it or want to get in any more tweets!

Friday Hops!

Happy Friday!  Welcome to my blog, first time visitors and returning friends!  Don't forget to check out the giveaways going on (there's a list on the right side bar).  If you decide to follow, don't forget to leave me a comment so I can check out your blog as well!

Where's the candy?!

Some people shy away from Halloween for the scary factor, but I'm all about the sweetness of it all!  I love, love, LOVE Halloween and it's mostly for the candy.  ;)  I have a serious sweet tooth, and I'm afraid the kids are taking after their mommy in that regard!

Here's a bit of interesting information, courtesy of The Hershey Company (because really, who knows Halloween candy better??):

According to a national survey conducted by The Hershey Company, personal candy preferences may provide insight into Halloween costume choices. According to the survey:

* About 30 percent of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Kit Kat Wafer Bar and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate lovers will do the monster mash this year as a vampire, witch or monster.
* Fans of Twizzlers Twists may get the chance to show their dance moves as they twist the night away dressed in garb from the 1950s. More than 41 percent stated they plan to dress-up in period piece costumes from different eras of the 20th century.
* Jolly Rancher lovers will most likely sport a cape on Halloween, as 23 percent expressed a desire to channel superhuman powers as their favorite superhero.

Hershey's has all kinds of good recipes, crafts and fun costume ideas on their Halloween website!  I especially like the Book of Spells Candy Dish.  Which one is your favorite?

Disclaimer: I am posting this so I can win a Hershey’s Halloween prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.

Happy Heaven Day Angel Baby

I'm the mommy of an angel. Two years ago today, we lost a pregnancy at just over 13 weeks (when it's supposed to be "safe"). Last year I found out that October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss month and that October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. How ironic, that the dates are so close together.

I can't seem to stop re-living the night (it started in the middle of the night) and day. Every time I close my eyes, there it is. If it wasn't for losing that baby, we wouldn't have our sweet Tiny Man, but even that doesn't make it much easier this time of year.

I can't seem to get comfortable in a pregnancy, not anymore. You always assume everything will go according to a general plan, you get pregnant, you feel movement, you go on to deliver a happy & healthy baby. I've lost that feeling, both with Tiny Man and the newbie in my belly. Nothing is "for sure" and things can be taken away just as fast as they're given. I had trouble getting close to Tiny Man until he had arrived and was safe in my arms. I feel similar with this little one growing now. I love my babies, but the feeling is guarded, like I don't want to get caught up in the emotion and have it all crash down.

I found this poem one night shortly after, when I couldn't get any sleep. I've had it saved, and wanted to share. I know I'm not the only one who has gone through this and maybe someone could get some understanding from it.

What Makes A Mother

I thought of you and closed my eyes

And prayed to God today

I asked, "What makes a Mother?"

And I know I heard him say

A Mother has a baby

This we know is true

But, God, can you be a mother

When your baby's not with you?

Yes, you can he replied

With confidence in his voice

I give many women babies

When they leave it is not their choice

Some I send for a lifetime

And others for the day

And some I send to feel your womb

But there's no need to stay.

I just don't understand this God

I want my baby here

He took a breath

and cleared his throat

And then I saw a tear

I wish I could show you

What your child is doing Here

If you could see your child smile

With other children and say

"We go to earth to learn our lessons

of love and life and fear,

but My mommy loved me so much

I got to come straight here!"

I feel so lucky to have a Mom who

had so much love for me

I learned my lessons very quickly

My Mommy set me free.

I miss my Mommy oh so much

But I visit her each day

When she goes to sleep

On her pillow is where I lay

I stroke her hair and kiss her cheek

And whisper in her ear

"Mommy, Please don't be sad today

I'm your baby and I am here"

So you see my dear sweet one

Your children are okay

Your babies are here in My home

And this is where they'll stay

They'll wait for you with Me

Until your lessons there are through

And on the day that you come home

they'll be at the gates waiting for you

So now you see

What makes a Mother

It's the feeling in your heart

It's the love you had so much of

Right from the very start

~Author Unknown

I'm not sure that this post is what I wanted it to be when I started out to write it, but some things are so hard to express in words.

Holiday Card Ideas

It's just about that time of year again already! Last year my Christmas card intentions fell by the wayside...we moved into our apartment just a week or 2 before Christmas and had a newborn...I was lucky to have gotten the birth announcements out! This year I've been looking into ideas already, hoping to get everything sent out and in a timely fashion (for once!). Here are some awesome ideas that I've found through blogs as well as cards we have received that make you go, "Hey, I love that idea!"

1. Pictures, pictures, pictures!
With kids (or pets!) growing and changing each year, pictures are a great way to include a more personal touch to your cards. Either by choosing a photo-type card from the start (which can be a huge time saver), or by including some school or family photos in a more traditional card. PurpleTrail.com has a great selection of personalized holiday cards to make it easy to create a beautiful photo card to share with friends and family.

Don't forget to include names and ages of kiddos on the photos sent, the last thing you want is for someone to not know which kid is which!

2. Hand make it!
I can't tell you how many beautiful handmade cards I've received. I simply love to get them and would love to try to get the kids involved in creating one this year. How cute would that be? Time consuming, but I'm sure cherished by loved ones.

3. Make it personal.
It's super simple to buy a box of traditional cards and sign names. If that's all you really have the time for, then there's nothing wrong with that! Make it a little more personalized by having each household member sign their own name in a pretty, festive pen or ink color. If you can swing it, add the family or individual's name to the top of the card to make it more personalized (just make sure the right card gets in the right envelope!).

4. Include a short letter.
We've all gotten them, those holiday letters that serve as a yearly update. These are probably some of my favorites, I love reading about what other people have done throughout the year. Nowadays, with all the social networking, I'm sure some of these letters have fallen by the wayside..with updates and pictures shared online, it's hard to think that there could be anything left to share! A short summary is still a great idea for the people you may not share the day-to-day with!

5. Include a "surprise!"
These are the cards that make me giggle. The cards that I'm sure drive some people crazy, but I think are super fun! Including a bit of sparkle (glitter, shaped sequins, etc) is a fun way to make someone smile! If you're worried they may not like the surprise effect, you could always put a "caution when opening, surprises inside" warning. I think most people would figure it out. ;)

What ideas do you have? If you care to share, please leave a comment, I love to read about new ideas!

Disclaimer: This post is written in participation of a giveaway for PurpleTrail.com, making me eligible for a PurpleTrail.com gift code. For more contest information, please click here.

ToiletTree Shower Mirror Review and Giveaway

My husband is a messy shaver.  Period.  I despise cleaning the sink when he's done and he never seems to remember (I think it's selective memory, hehe).  Thanks to ToiletTree Products, that's no longer an issue in our house!  Now, let me tell you why.

I had heard of shower mirrors before, obviously, but I'd never heard anything good about them and didn't see the point in spending money on something that wouldn't work.  That is, until I had the opportunity to review ToiletTree Products Fogless Shower Mirror.  I initially was going to keep it a little secret from hubby until it arrived, but I slipped up and he knew it was coming.  When I got home from the store one day, it had arrived and he already had it unpacked and installed!

He said that the installation was very easy and took very little time.  As you can see, there are only really 3 pieces.  I was a little worried about putting it on the shower wall since we're in an apartment, but it's hung with soft silicone that will be easy to remove when we're ready to move.  He hung it at a height a little above what I would have, but he's taller than me and I can adjust it to where I can see if need be (he uses it daily, so it makes more sense that way!).

The durable, acrylic mirror is flawlessly fog-less because you fill the water reservoir with the same temperature water that you're showering with, neutralizing the mirror and making sure it's the same temperature all the way around (eliminating the fog!).  It can't "wear out" or "stop working" because there is no special film or anything to wear out, simply dump the water out when you're done showering and fill it back up the next day!  Super simple!

There's a great little shelf that is part of the mirror base (the piece you can slide the mirror on and off of to fill the reservoir or if you need to view a weird angle...a feature I've used thanks to an incident involving Talker Man eating gummy candy in our unmade bed and then my sleeping on it...yeah, we won't go there ;)).  My husband uses it to store his razor and there's a slot for the squeegee to slide right in underneath, making it nearly impossible to lose!

I love, love, LOVE this shower mirror.  I would recommend it to anyone looking to buy one.  It has taken care of my pet peeve of facial hair in the sink, he now does 95% of his shaving in the shower and the water just whisks it right down the drain!  It's so easy to use, it looks nice and is large enough to actually see your whole face.

Buy It!

You can purchase a ToiletTree Fogless Shower Mirror on Amazon and it's currently available for just under $30.  I feel that's a great price, it's one shower mirror that you won't have to replace and keep spending money on.

Win It!

This giveaway is now closed, thank you all for entering!

The amazing people at ToiletTree have offered to sponsor a giveaway so that one of you readers will have the opportunity to win a mirror of your own!


Entries: I must be able to easily find an email address for the winner. If it isn't in your visible profile, please include it in your comment. If you're chosen and I can't find an email address, I'll be forced to choose another winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before another winner is chosen.

This giveaway will run from today, October 12, 2010 until Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

Giveaway available to those in the continental US.

Mandatory:
1) Go to the ToiletTree website and tell me your favorite feature of the fogless shower mirror and who you would be winning it for!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)

2) Follow my blog.

3) "Like" ToiletTree products on Facebook.

4) "Like" my blog on Facebook.

5) Follow ToiletTree on Twitter.

6) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Twitter.

7) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama Enter to win a fogless shower mirror at http://bit.ly/a9rrP3!

8) Subscribe to my blog feed.

9) Grab my button and display it on your blog.

10) Enter any of my other giveaways (1 extra entry for each giveaway entered, post separate comments)

11) Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, please post 5 comments)

Disclaimer: I was sent product for review, all opinions in this post are mine and may not be the same as other users.