Hoppin'!

Well, I haven't participated in a hop in over a month, so I'm jumping back in with both feet! Don't forget to leave me a comment if you're a new follower, and check out the AWESOME giveaways that are going on now!

Extra Entry Opportunity!!

I'm getting back into posting, clearly, but I'm behind on getting my giveaways out there! If you post one (or all) of my giveaways on a giveaway linky, you may enter give yourself one additional entry to that giveaway! Be sure to leave a link to the linky you posted on, and if you do so, MAKE SURE that there is only one link to each giveaway per linky. We don't want to be spammy!

Learning Curve's Lamaze Book Line Review

We are very much a book reading family and that starts right around birth for my little ones! The boys absolutely love to be read to and Talker Man likes to "read" to Tiny Man and Little Miss Princess if it's a book he has all but memorized. When I was chosen to review some of Learning Curve's new line of baby books for Lamaze, I was ecstatic! We haven't gotten anything new to read in awhile that is baby-friendly and we keep the paper paged books up out of reach of the destructive Tiny Man. ;)

The new Lamaze books from Learning Curve are absolutely perfect in terms of age for my little ones! Tiny Man especially likes Peek-a-Boo Forest because he's a lift the flap kind of baby, and when those flaps are crinkly, well, that just makes it all the better in his opinion!  Talker Man loves the Little Big Top Circus book because he can read it to his brother all by himself, the pages are pretty self explanatory (For example: "Little Ball, Big Elephant").  Little Miss Princess doesn't have a favorite right now, but she does like the soft books better than the cardboard. ;)

As a parent, I love that the back of each book has the age range most appropriate for that book, a little bit about the development stage of your baby, ways to use the book AND play ideas.  I LOVE that!  We try to make the most of our books and to have some of that "work" already done for you is simply amazing for a busy mama!

Buy It!

You can find these books at retailers near you, the soft books cost from $12.99 to $14.99 and the cardboard ones range between $6.99 and $9.99.

Disclaimer: I was sent product samples from the above company in return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

Super Cute!

Please note that this is a post for ADULTS.  All images are kid-safe, but links included in this post should be opened when the kids aren't in the room.

I've discovered, over the last month, that I can girly-fi my house a little bit.  Yes, I have 2 boys, but that's okay, there's nothing wrong with mommy's kitchen being pink and pretty!!  As I was surfing around the EdenFantasys site, I was (more than) a little surprised to see these cuties on their gag page!

It's an ice cube tray!  How freaking adorable is that?  The boys would get a kick out of having hearts in their juice instead of just regular cubes (and what fun for the far-away Valentine's Day!).  I'm pretty sure that was the most tame thing on the page, but if you're looking to plan a naughty party, there are all kinds of hilarious things to choose from!

Disclaimer: I was sent a gift certificate from the above company in return for this post. No other compensation was received.

Playtex: The First Lil' Gripper Straw Trainer Cup Review and Giveaway

Talker Man was TERRIBLE with sippy cups.  Absolutely, positively did not understand the concept.  Trying to teach him how to use a straw was just pointless until he was almost 3!  Thankfully Tiny Man has been much better about the whole thing and we recently began trying to teach him how to drink from a straw when we would go out to eat.  Playtex has this awesome new cup, designed specifically for helping little ones learn how to drink from a straw!  The Lil' Gripper Straw Training Cup is perfect and makes it easy to teach your little one the concept of using a straw!

As you can see, it's got the awesome training handles and tight spill-proof lid that you expect from Playtex in this stage of cup.  You can squeeze the cup to help force the liquid up the straw and teach your child how to suck without having to tip the cup back like they're used to doing.  I love it!

As a mom, straw cups tend to scare me off a little bit...have you ever tried to clean one?  Run it through the dishwasher?  Typically a disaster.  I'm incredibly picky about the cleanliness of the dishes coming out of the dishwasher and if ANYTHING gets stuck in a straw it grosses me out to no end...I try to hand wash straw cups because of it.  With this cup, the straw comes out easily and you can toss the rest of the cup in the dishwasher!  (You can put the straw in there too, but my pet peeve has me hand washing it ;) ).  I don't have to scrub the whole cup, just the straw, and it's very easy to clean!    

Is your baby/toddler ready for the sippy cup stage?  Check out these dos and don'ts from Dr. Bill Sears and Playtex!

1. Do enjoy this wonderful milestone with your baby who will proudly master a cup at her own pace.

2. Don’t be in a hurry. Wait until baby can sit up and hold an object with both hands — usually between 6 to 10 months.

3. Do choose a first cup with easy-to-grasp handles and a soft spout that’s gentle on baby’s sensitive gums — like the Playtex® The First Sipster® cup, designed with a feeding specialist and pediatrician.

4. Do make it fun for your baby by playing a little game. Sit face to face with him and place an empty cup within his reach. Drink from your cup and see if he grabs his sippy to mimic your actions.

5. Do consider a cup that your child can hold and control easily and can help them transition from bottle to cup. The First Lil’ Gripper™ Straw Trainer Cup was designed with a child development expert for just this purpose. This easy-to-use cup helps moms teach their babies how to suck and drink from a straw. It’s ergonomically designed with easy grip handles for little hands and also has a squeezing feature, such that a parent can squeeze, but a child could not easily do so.

6. Don’t overfill the cup when baby is first learning to use it. Start by adding water or diluted juice into the cup only to about one quarter-full until baby’s skills mature.

7. Don’t worry about spills or leaks as babies graduate from trainer cups. With the Playtex® Twist ‘N Click lid — you’ll see and hear it click closed — and you’ll know it’s Leak-Proof Guaranteed!

8. Do enjoy every moment of your baby’s newly blossoming independence as he makes his way up to the big-kid cups.

Buy It!

You can find Playtex The First Lil' Gripper Straw Trainer Cup at retailers nationwide for about $5.99!

Win It!

Giveaway Prize: One Playtex The First Lil' Gripper Straw Trainer Cup.

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, April 26, 2011 until Tuesday, May 3, 2011.

Mandatory:
1) Go to Playtex Baby and tell me your favorite feature AND whether you're entering for a boy or girl!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)
2) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings via GFC.

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

4) Follow Playtex Baby on Twitter.

5) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: Enter to #win a First Lil Gripper Straw training cup from @PlaytexBaby!  http://bit.ly/k8n2cr (Ends May 3!)

6) "Like" Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Facebook.

7) "Like" Playtex on Facebook.

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 from the above company in partnership with Mom Spark Media in return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

Organic SleepyWrap Review and Giveaway

Having a baby in a carrier makes my life SO much easier.  Little Miss Princess likes to be held and carried around all the time and it can be difficult to do with the boys running around and wanting my attention at the same time!  When I was given the opportunity to review an organic SleepyWrap for this Earth Week celebration, I was a little little intimidated, but pretty excited at the same time.  I'd never tried a wrap before and wasn't sure what to expect.

When it arrived in it's compact packaging I STILL wasn't sure what to expect.  When I opened it, the material seemed to go on forever!  I quickly found the instruction booklet and followed the picture directions for the basic tie.  In no time, Little Miss Princess was snug and secure.  I quickly learned that you should try to tie the wrap as tightly as possible, to the point that it doesn't look like baby would fit, and that the fabric will stretch out to accommodate baby, but the tight wrapping will keep her super safe and secure.  I love that the wrap is so versatile, any size mama can use it!

 (Not a very good picture...it's hard to take a picture of yourself in a wrap!  As you can see, she falls right asleep!)

I haven't tried it with Tiny Man, I'm not sure I could get Mr. Independent into it without a fight, but I love that if we're out and about and he needs to be close to mommy, it's a possibility!  A carrier makes life so much easier -- the boys can ride in the double stroller and see the world and Little Miss Princess is cozy and warm next to mommy!

I found the SleepyWrap to be very comfortable and Little Miss Princess loves it.  I am able to wear her in the wrap and carry Tiny Man around because I don't have to worry about Little Miss Princess' head control or Tiny Man trying to poke her.  He doesn't seem to realize she's in the wrap and thinks I'm just carrying him around like usual!

The SleepyWrap can be used from day one, and depending on your child, can be used all the way through to toddlerhood!

Buy It!

You can purchase and organic SleepyWrap directly from their shop online for $59.95, or find an authorized retailer!

Win It!

This giveaway has ended.  Congratulations to the winner!

Giveaway Prize: One organic SleeyWrap in the winner's choice of color!

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, April 22, 2011 until Friday, May 6, 2011.

Mandatory:
1) Go to the SleepyWrap website and tell me something you learned!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)
2) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings via GFC.

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

4) Follow SleepyWrap on Twitter.

5) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: Enter to #win an Organic @SleepyWrap! http://bit.ly/kh81gR (Ends May 6!)

6) "Like" Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Facebook.

7) "Like" SleepyWrap on Facebook (2 entries, please leave 2 comments)

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 from the above company in return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

Caillou Doll and Boat Set Review

 

My boys LOVE watching Caillou, so I knew they would be excited when this Team Mom review opportunity came up!  Tiny Man has been picking up dolls whenever we go play (and there are dolls available), so I was curious to see what he would think of the Caillou doll when it arrived.

That picture pretty much demonstrates how he spent the next few days!  Caillou slept with him, sat near him when he ate, and he screamed when I wouldn't let Caillou in the bathtub (I wasn't 100% positive how he would do in there!).  He also liked taking Caillou's clothes off, much to the dismay of his big brother.  They both really took to the doll and I was a bit concerned I would have to go out and find another one to appease both boys!  I was surprised by that, but being that it's a boy doll, I think it's pretty understandable!

My photos of the Caillou bath vehicle didn't turn out so well, apologies for the stock photo, but this also continues to be a favorite, both in and out of the tub.  Talker Man thinks it's hilarious because the pieces pop together and you can interchange the pieces.  He likes to stick Caillou's head onto Rexy and vice versa, then laugh hysterically at the creation.

I love that both toys have the wide age range and can hold the attention of both boys.  Tiny Man can't pop the pieces on and off of the boat toy yet, but Talker Man has absolutely no problem.  They love being able to interact with a favorite television character and I think they've both found comfort in the doll during this stressful home upheaval and changes.

Buy It!

You can purchase the toys above from Toys R Us.  The 14.5 inch Caillou doll can be purchased for about $30 and the Caillou bath vehicle set for about $17! 


Disclaimer: I was given the opportunity to participate in this review thanks to Team Mom and was sent the above toys in return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

Johnson's Natural Review and Giveaway

I've been attempting to be more conscious about the products I use on the kids.  I thought that would kind of go away as they got older, but it's actually made me more aware of ingredients that can be in soaps and lotions!  I want the most natural/pure ingredients coming into contact with their skin.

When we had the opportunity to review the Johnson's Natural line of products, I thought it would be a perfect start to the Earth Week celebration!  The Johnson's Naturals are 98% natural (the other 2% are preservatives...I don't know about you, but I would much rather have 98% natural and 2% not-so-natural than 98% not-so-natural and 2% natural) and they're easy to find in local stores.  It's not necessary to order them online or through special retailers because they're available all over the country!

Out of the five, I especially like the pump soaps!  There's one for kids and one for babies.  I put the 2-in-1 hand & face foaming wash for kids at the bathroom sink so Talker Man could use it to wash his hands.  I love that it's so easy for him to use and he loves the foaming action!  I like the head-to-toe foaming baby wash for Little Miss Princess because it only takes one hand to get the soap out.  Have you tried to hold onto a wiggly, wet baby and then try to get soap out of a bottle that you need to open and pour into your hand??  Not so fun.  To be honest, I can't believe this is the first baby soap I've come across in such an easy to use container!

The Johnson's Natural line of products are paraben free, dye free, essential oil free, and allergy/dermatologist tested.  As you can see in the picture, the kids 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner and body wash is low foaming, but still gets the job done.  You don't need a lot of suds to have a clean baby!  I like the light, gentle scent.  It's not overpowering and not overly noticeable, but at the same time, you can tell you have a clean baby when bath time is done!

Buy It!

You can find the Johnson's Natural in stores across the country for prices comparable with non-natural soaps and lotions.

Win It!

This giveaway has ended.  Congratulations to the winner!

Giveaway Prize: One Johnson's Natural gift package containing the products pictured above!

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, April 19, 2011 until Tuesday, May 3, 2011.

Mandatory:
1) Go to the Johnson's Natural website and tell me which of the products you're most looking forward to trying!

Extras: (Please leave separate entries for each, each extra is worth 1 entry unless otherwise stated.)
2) Follow Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings via GFC.

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

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

5) "Like" Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Facebook.

6) Subscribe to my blog feed.

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

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

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

Disclaimer: I was sent product from the above company in return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

Earth Week!!

Hey all, I've been trying all day to get my posts to come up and work, but I'm having an awful time with Blogger today.  My images won't upload, my posts won't save, you get the idea.  Earth Week is STILL ON, I just have to get everything to work so I can get my posts to go up.  Ahh, technology.

Some Winners!

My apologies for the delay in announcing winners!!  Here they are!!

Congratulations to the winner of the $15 gift certificate to Flowerz In Her Hair:

The Litrenta Family!!

Congratulations to the winner of the GladRags Organic Nursing Pads:

Jessica!!

Congratulations to the winner of the BabyLegs Grab Bag:

kjluedeka!!

Congratulations to the FOUR winners of Schick Razors:

Forget Shyness Reviews!!

Jessica!!

teressajoe!!

Barbara!!

Winners have all been emailed and have 48 hours to respond before someone else is chosen!

Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's The Limit Giveaway

"Kidtoons is dedicated to helping parents connect with their kids by bringing family friendly animated movies to the big screen every weekend at participating theatres across the country.

Participating Kidtoons theatres showcase a fun, affordable family friendly matinee movie and provide a family experience filled with entertaining, kid-friendly characters, as well as cartoon shorts, music videos and sing-alongs before each movie."

I'm honored at the opportunity to host this month's Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's The Limit prize package giveaway!

Here's a brief synopsis of the fun in store at this month's Kidtoons family matinee!

When a heavy storm plunks an even heavier boulder into a nearby stream, it stops the flow of water into Berry Bitty City!  So, with help from long-winded Mr. Longface, the girls set out to find the legendary "geyser rock," which creates water from the ground!  Their journey is rocky, and the story about the rock may not be very solid.  But with teamwork, a careful plan and lots of girl power, the friends just might get their creativity - and water - flowing again! 

Win It! 

This giveaway has ended, congratulations to the winner!

Giveaway Prize: One (1) Strawberry Shortcake: Sky's the Limit Prize Package including:

• 1 poster
• 1 dol
• 1 playset (style varies)

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, April 14, 2011 until Thursday, April 28, 2011.

Mandatory:
1) Become a follower of my blog.  If you already are one, just say so!

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

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

3) Follow Kidtoons on Twitter.

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

5) "Like" Cars, Trucks and Teething Rings on Facebook.

6) "Like" Kidtoons on Facebook.

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)

It's "Me" Time

Please note that this is a post for ADULTS.  All images are kid-safe, but links included in this post should be opened when the kids aren't in the room.

This whole "being separated" thing is incredibly draining. The banner above really me think.  Whether you're alone or 'partnered up' EdenFantasys.com has a vast array of things to choose from for play and for fun!

Right now there's a huge selection of sale items, up to 60% off!  I mean really, how amazing is that?  If you're not sure whether or not you would like to try an item, MANY things have video reviews on their product pages.  I LOVE those, you can see the item's true size, hear the item (if applicable ;)) and get a real person's testimony about it, the positives and the negatives.  Those videos have influenced my decision on several things that I THOUGHT I would want, only to find out they really weren't what I was expecting them to be after watching the video.

Now that I'm trying to deal with being alone, I really need to remember to take a little time for myself..as we all should!  A little time for yourself can go a long way! 

Disclaimer: I was given a giftcard from the above company in return for writing this post. No other compensation was received.

A little explanation!

So a week ago today, hubby moved out.  For awhile?  Permanently (most likely)?  Who knows at this point.  Needless to say, the home-boat has been rocked nearly to the point of tipping over, but the kids and I are coming out of it.  (Mostly me, I suppose, they don't really seem overly affected at the moment...Talker Man thinks he's at school all the time and the other two don't really notice because they're so little.)  I was able to sleep last night, pretty solidly, for the first night in over a week, I was able to eat lunch yesterday and today, for the first times in about a week, I'm trying to think of what to make for dinner besides convenience foods for the first time in about a week.  The fog isn't so foggy today. :)  During the day, it isn't so bad, I'm so busy taking care of the kids and making sure they have what they need, I'm trying to work so we can keep this apartment..though I'm thinking about downsizing to a 2 bedroom to get things together.  It's the nights that get so terribly lonely.  Last night I got the kids to bed and went to bed myself just to watch the DVR (um, 87% full, lol) and snuggle with Little Miss Princess.  The first little bit of relaxing time I've had in, yet again, about a week. 

We're gonna make it, we'll be fine.  Whatever ends up happening is going to happen and I have no idea right now what it's going to be.  I have a ton of work I need to get done today, but I plan on continuing to blog for fun and for me.  It's my me time and I NEED that right now.

Apologies!

Hey all, just wanted to stop by and apologize for the lack of posting the last week.  Some unfortunate family events are going on...I will update when I can and get back to blogging regularly, I just need to work on getting out of this funk.

Earth Week event is still coming,  I'm super excited to share some amazing things with you!

I'll work on getting winners up too, don't worry, I didn't forget about drawing winners, it's just not been at the forefront of my thoughts lately ;)