pediped "Purchases with Purpose"

Beginning June 1st and running through July 3rd, pediped^® footwear will host its Purchases with Purpose fundraiser to benefit children’s charities.  During this period, select styles of pediped® shoes will be marked down as much as 50 percent on pediped.com.  Half of the dollars from this sale will be earmarked to The pediped foundation™, which in turn donates 100 percent of the proceeds directly to children’s charities including the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Since the company’s inception six years ago, pediped^® has been committed to bettering the lives of children and has provided over $1,000,000 in monetary and product donations to children's charities.  These donations include more than $445,000 to the Make-A-Wish foundation, which has helped to grant 60 wishes for children.  pediped^® footwear also donated $80,000 worth of shoes each to the children of Haiti and to Japanese Earthquake victims. 

In 2011, The pediped foundation™ was established to work with charities that are dedicated to the health, education, basic necessities and the personal fulfillment of children around the world. The management and employees of pediped^® donate the resources necessary to fund The pediped foundation™ so that 100 percent of the funds raised go directly to these life changing charities.

“pediped^® has always been committed to supporting causes that help children,” said Angela Edgeworth, Founder and President of pediped^® footwear. “We are thrilled to offer this meaningful sale once again and we hope that everyone who loves pediped^® footwear will go online and shop to make a difference."

For more information on The pediped foundation™ visit www.pedipedfoundation.org.

About pediped®

pediped^® footwear was founded in 2004 by Angela and Brian Edgeworth in their quest for the perfect soft-soled shoe for their first daughter. Exceptional quality, unsurpassed comfort and distinctive styling have made the award winning company the fastest-growing children's footwear brand in the United States. pediped^® footwear has been awarded the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance for the promotion of healthy foot development, and the pediped® footwear system has recently been endorsed by researchers associated with Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston.

pediped^® footwear is sold in over 3000 stores in the United States and 40 countries worldwide with an offering of more than 120  designs for boys and girls between their three lines, Originals®, Grip ‘n’ Go™ and Flex®. Originals® (soft-soled shoes for newborns to age 2), Grip ‘n’ Go™ (thin rubber-soled shoes for children ages 9 months to 3 years) and Flex® (rubber-soled shoes for children 1 to 7 years) are available in EU sizes ranging from 17 to 31. For more information, visit www.pediped.com or call 1-702-567-0311.

Mom Spark Media Promo!

A couple months ago I learned about Mom Spark Media and decided to check it out.  I thoroughly enjoy the member conversations and support as well as the monthly courses and unique review and sponsorship opportunities.  It's a great "family" to be a part of!!

From now until Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. CST, MSM is providing a unique opportunity to bloggers wanting to check things out and get a feel for the community!  This is a great idea, I know I was a little nervous signing up for a subscription community, but I bit the bullet and gave it a shot.  Now you can do the same, but for 2 weeks you can try it free!  After the 2 weeks are up, you can decide if you want to pay to continue your membership or just walk away and cancel!  If you'd like to check it out, simply go to Mom Spark Media and enter the code CarsTrucksTeethingRings when you sign up!  (You MUST enter the referral code to get the free 2 weeks!)

Note: This is limited to the first 100 sign ups, so don't sit around thinking about it too long, you've really got nothing to lose!

Weekend Winners!

Congratulations to a few new winners!

The winner of the Lamaze Tummy Time Air play mat is...

Andrea!!

The winner of the Olivia prize package is...

AmberFaith!!

The winners of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books are...

momtodc!!

debijackson!!

JR911!!

Since I drew winners on a holiday weekend, I'm giving them until TUESDAY to respond to my email.  I don't want anyone to miss a prize because they went on a short vacation!

Intimate Organics Foaming Bath Review

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 loooove taking a good bubble bath. Good bubble bath for adults can be hard to find...at least in my experience! I usually end up just using the kids' stuff because if I want to take a bubble bath, I want there to be actual bubbles in it. Thanks to EdenFantasys, I had the opportunity to try Intimate Organics foaming bath.  I chose the "relaxing" scent of coconut and lemongrass for this review! 

I could definitely smell the coconut scent more than the lemongrass, but both were there.  When I read the scent choices, I thought it would be more invigorating than relaxing, but it was actually more toward the relaxing end of the scale!  And...this foaming bath did just that -- it foamed!  It was great, the bubbles lasted the entire time I wanted to soak in the tub and there were still bubbles going down the drain.  Most bubble baths seem to have lost all their bubbles and you get out of the tub more because there's no bubbles left than that you're actually done soaking.  Love, love, love!  I don't so much love the price ($14.99 for the bottle), but since the bubbles actually stick around and it smells really good, I think I could be convinced to get some more in the future.

Intimate Organics foaming bath is paraben free, certified organic and vegan.  The ingredients are simple and to the point, there's no question about "what IS that that I'm putting into my bath water?"

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

Winners!

Without further delay, here are some winners from the past few days!!

Congrats to the winner of the Minky Couture infant blanket:

leanne_mac!!

Congrats to the winner of the PureAyre prize package:

Heather T!!

Congratulations to the winner of the TheraBreath prize package:

Cheryl F!!

Winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond :)

NUK TrendLine Series Review and Giveaway

With the NUK TrendLine series, "fashion-forward Moms can now coordinate baby's accessories with matching pacifiers, bottles and learner cups in two exciting new patterns. Designed for the best possible oral development. TrendLine™ orthodontic bottles and pacifiers support breastfeeding and promote healthy teeth formation. With removable handles and a soft spout, the learner cup is a great first step to help in the transition to a toddler cup."

The boys weren't particularly into pacifiers and neither of them was at all interested in a bottle.  Little Miss Princess, on the other hand, has an insatiable desire to suck and it was beginning to get to the point that this mama couldn't get anything done!  The opportunity to try some of the items in the NUK TrendLine series could NOT have come at a better time!  I wasn't sure if she would take to the pacifier or not, she had decided that the hospital ones were gag-worthy and another brand similar to those just wouldn't stay in her mouth.  I think the shape was a little "off" for her suck.  I popped one of the NUK pacifiers in and, lo and behold, she went to town with it!  I got a smile from around the edges of the paci and she was perfectly content.  The real test came when she fell asleep and DIDN'T LOSE THE PACI!  It stayed in her mouth!  The past few nights have been more restful, she has the pacifier to suck on and only needs to wake me up when she's actually hungry.  Ahh, peace at last!

As far as the TrendLine Dots bottle goes, I really like the shape of the nipple, it's similar to the pacifier and I think she would "get" how to drink out of it if the time comes that she needs to drink pumped milk.  It looks much more natural than others I've seen; more like what she's used to getting milk from, if you know what I mean.  I especially love the patterns in the TrendLine series!  There are the Dots, that we tested out, as well as the Whimsy sets.  Both come in girl, boy and gender neutral colors, perfect for coordinating together or with various outfits!

Buy It!

You can find the NUK TrendLine series at a retailer near you.  You can also go to NUK-USA.com and get a coupon for $1.00 off of the line!

Win It!

This giveaway has ended, congratulations to the winner!

Giveaway Prize: One complete TrendLine collection from NUK (consisting of: one bottle, one learner cup, one package of pacifiers).

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, May 23, 2011 until Monday, June 6, 2011.

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Mandatory:
1) Head over to NUK and tell me which TrendLine set you would choose!

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 NUK on Twitter.

5) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: #Win goodies from the new @NukUSA TrendLine series in this #giveaway! Ends June 6! http://bit.ly/locgXJ

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

7) "Like" NUK 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 return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

EMABO Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash Giveaway

A few days ago I posted my review of Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash.  They would like to sponsor a giveaway as well!!  As a quick refresher, the Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash is naturally unscented!  There's no overpowering perfumey-baby smell and you're left with a little one smelling just like the sweet little baby that they are!  You can read the full review for yourself and then hop back over here to enter the giveaway!

Win It!

Giveaway Prize: One bottle of Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash.

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, May 23, 2011 until Monday, June 6, 2011.

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Mandatory:
1) Head over to Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics and tell me something else you would love to try!

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 Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics on Twitter.

5) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: #Win some Non Scents Head to Toe Wash in this great @EarthMamaHQ #giveaway!  Ends June 6! http://bit.ly/mixjJy

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

7) "Like" Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics 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 return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

NUK Ultimate Learning Cup Review

I think I've mentioned in previous posts about what a pain it was to get Talker Man to drink from a sippy cup when he was little.  It was almost like a mother's horror story or something ;)  We finally got him to figure out the soft spouts and when Tiny Man came around, we stuck with the soft spout cups and quickly discovered he could EASILY get them to dump all over the place by smashing the spout on his high chair tray.  What.a.mess.  It didn't really occur to me that he would likely be able to understand drinking from a regular sippy, probably from the bad experiences and wasted money spent on cups for Talker Man.

When we had the opportunity to try some NUK Ultimate Learning Cups, I was a little nervous that he just wouldn't get it either.  Wrong, wrong, WRONG.  It took him a minute to figure it out, but I put the cup to my mouth and made an exaggerated sucking noise and handed it back to him.  He got it, tried it, and gave me an enormous smile!  We tried the Stage 2 and Stage 3 and while he had success with both, Talker Man seems to have taken over the Stage 3 cup for the time being.

We have no more wet, messy high chair tray problems to deal with, and this cup has proven throw proof!  Where we've experienced other cups' lids popping off and making a mess all over the floor, these stayed sealed.  Why in the world didn't we try these cups earlier??

NUK says:

Our New Ultimate™ Cup Line continues the good oral development habits you started with our orthodontic bottles and pacifiers into the toddler years. This exclusive age-stage collection addresses motor skill and oral development with an evolving spout shape for each milestone of 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months. This system makes the transition from bottle to cup simple. Developed in collaboration with the NUK medical team's pediatric dentist, the special spout progressively evolves into a soft curve, encouraging baby's mouth to transform from accommodating an O-shaped nipple to a U-shaped cup. As such, it teaches proper lip placement for sipping and drinking from an adult cup.

I can definitely see the benefits of the various stages, it has to be a lot easier to transition from a learning cup with a low spout on the side to a regular cup than to transition from a regular sippy cup with the taller spout to a regular cup.  I like that they look more like big kid cups too.  They have the playful designs, but don't look quite so babyish.  I think that's why Talker Man has decided to use the space ship printed stage 3 cup when we go in the car and on various outings.

Overall, we REALLY like these cups.  I can see myself buying another 2-pack in the future and will definitely consider getting some of the more girly prints when Little Miss Princess hits the big-kid sippy stage!

Buy It!

You can find the NUK Ultimate Learning Cups, stages 1 through 4, at a retailer near you.  You can also go to NUK-USA.com and get a coupon for $1.50 off of the line!

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

Cars 2 Featurette!

Star race car Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2” when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer). Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

Cars 2 (out on June 24th in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D) is one summer movie we are 100% looking forward to!! The boys both LOVE Lightning McQueen and 'Mater. Check out the above featurette for a sneak preview and some great commentary!

For all the latest Cars 2 news, check out Cars 2 on Facebook.

EMABO Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash Review

Shh, don't tell!  I'd never tried Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics!  I know, I know, but I was recently given the opportunity to try out some of their new Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash.  I've mostly used it for Little Miss Princess moreso than the boys.  No real reason, it's just not within reach when I'm giving them a bath (Boys + foaming bottle of soap + bathtub?  Yeah.)  I wanted to avoid using anything that might irritate her poor little legs after her immunization reaction and this fit the bill perfectly! 

Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash is naturally unscented, not masked, so it’s perfect for sensitive wee ones, big kids, mamas, papas and pregnant people too. Truly unscented pure castile Calendula soap, with no harsh detergents, gentle Natural Non-Scents is formulated to be safe, soothing, and effective for the whole family. USDA Certified Made With Organic ingredients.

I wasn't sure how I would like the non-scented soap, but it is actually very pleasant!  After her bath, I am able to smell clean baby and not perfumey-soap scented baby!  She actually smells really good on her own...who would have known!

There's no artificial foaming with this soap, the foam comes from the pump bottle!  So you still get that satisfaction of a bubbly-headed little one, but you don't get the random ingredients used primarily to make bubbles.  You do need to be careful around little eyes, though.  This is NOT a "no tear" soap.  I use one of those big cups with the soft edge and tilt the water back over the back of Little Miss Princess' head and we don't have trouble with it getting in her eyes.

Natural Non Scents Head to Toe Wash has:
NO petrochemicals, petroleum or petroleum byproducts
NO 1,4-Dioxane, formaldehyde, or phthalates
NO sodium lauryl sulfate, cocomidopropyl betaine or other synthetic foaming agents or surfactants
NO artificial preservatives, parabens, phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-15 etc.
NO artificial emulsifiers

Overall, we've really enjoyed using this soap.  The bottle is small, but it goes a REALLY long way!  We're still going strong and we've been using it for a few weeks now.  It could be that Little Miss Princess doesn't need a lot of soap, and I don't give her a complete full-body bath daily, but I do think it would last quite awhile even with everyday use!  It would be the perfect size for inclusion in a baby shower gift basket or a diaper cake!  A great way to give a new mom an organic option!

Buy It!

You can purchase Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics products online or use their store locator to find some place local to you!

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

Wordless Wednesday!

Twizzlers Landmark Summer

As a busy mom and family, it's always important to keep some extra snacks and drinks in a bag ready-to-roll by the door. It's cost efficient and saves from having to stop at a gas station or fast food when the kids start getting whiny and hungry!

This summer, we're hoping to take at least one short road trip. It won't be anywhere especially spectacular, the kiddos are so small and I'll likely be doing it by myself. While I would love to head to NYC to check out the Statue of Liberty or St. Louis (to meet up with a friend! **hugs**), neither of those are going to be destinations for us this year!

No matter your summer destination, Twizzlers is an awesome weather-friendly food to include in you snack bag!  As the months get warmer, you'll need to avoid many things that may melt or fall apart in the heat, so Twizzlers are a great choice!

Disclaimer: I am writing this post entering a contest for a Twizzlers Landmark Summer promotion prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.

Bella Bowls Review

Bella Bowls, by Loving Pets, are pretty spectacular pet bowls.  They're made of veterinarian recommended stainless steel with a removable rubber ring on the base to prevent sliding.  We were given the opportunity to try a pair of the cat-sized Bella Bowls and we've been using them for our kitties wet food "treats"!  I normally am not a very big fan of the metal bowls because they USUALLY aren't dishwasher safe.  With the Bella Bowls having the removable rubber ring, it makes it quick and easy to feed the cats and upon completion of their meal, remove the ring and stick the bowl in the dishwasher.  Nice!  We've washed the bowls several times and they still look new, the color around the outside of the bowl still looks great and it hasn't faded or changed in any way.

Bella Bowls come in a variety of sizes, from the smaller cat sized bowls to an extra large size for your dogs!  I can see the rubber ring being especially useful in the dog sized bowls since they tend to push the bowl around a little more than cats, but it's a great feature no matter the size!

Buy It!

You can purchase Bella Bowls in local stores, check out the handy store locator to find one near you!


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

Ending Tomorrow!

Don't forget that the Minky Couture infant blanket and PureAyre odor eliminator giveaways are ending tomorrow night!  If you have any last minute tweets or anything, post them up!

Just a note: If the missing comments haven't been restored by the time the giveaways end, I will close the giveaways to new entries and will WAIT until the missing comments are back before choosing a winner.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Review and Giveaway

I love diving into a new Chicken Soup for the Soul book!  There's absolutely nothing like curling up with a book of short stories while I'm feeding the baby or getting ready to go to sleep.  This month I had the opportunity to read about beloved pets!  I adore our cats (most of the time ;)) and while I'm not much of a dog person, I really enjoyed the stories by people who are!

From kittenhood through the twilight years, our feline companions continually bring joy, love, and laughter to the lives of their "staff." This collection of 101 new stories captures the experience of living through the natural life cycle with our cats — from the laugh-out-loud antics of kittens and tear-your-hair-out escapades of teenage cats to the more mature adult years and final stages of life. Stories cover each age and stage with all the fun, frustrations, special bonds and routines involved. The book also holds a special chapter about grieving and recovery when our feline friends leave us.

It's a dog's life. This collection of 101 new stories focuses on all the memorable ages and stages of our lovable canines' lives. Starting in puppyhood and covering a range of middle and senior years to the twilight and end when our dear friends leave us, this book captures the entire experience of living through the natural life cycle with our dogs. All dog lovers will laugh, cry, and recognize themselves and their furry friends in these heartwarming and inspiring stories of puppy antics, teenage rebellion, adapting to an aging dog and, finally, having to say goodbye.

Buy It!

You can find these new releases at your local bookstore for about $14.95 each!

Win It!

This giveaway has ended, congratulations to the winners!

Giveaway Prizes: Three (3) copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Cat's Life or My Dog's Life will be given to three (3) individual winners!

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 is open to the U.S. and Canada.

This giveaway will run from today, May 12, 2011 until Thursday, May 26, 2011.

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada.

Mandatory:
1) Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect and tell me who you'd like to win this for (yourself, friend, neighbor, etc).

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 Chicken Soup for the Soul 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" Chicken Soup for the Soul 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)

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

Snack Chat (#1!)

Snack time can be so difficult.  Watch the above video for some great ideas and tips from Christine Coppa on how to get your preschooler involved!

In addition, you can click here to get a $0.50 coupon off the purchase of (1) four-pack of Yoplait Kids yogurt!

Disclaimer: I was sent product coupons from the above company in return for my post. No other compensation was received. Thanks to Yoplait through MyBlogSpark for providing the information above!

Simple Headband Holder DIY

I have had a solution in mind for keeping Little Miss Princess' headbands under control, but I haven't been able to find one affordable and I haven't had a chance to get to the hardware store to look into making one myself.  I was digging through a kitchen cabinet and discovered that our oatmeal had expired an embarrassingly long time ago.  Good thing we don't eat much regular oatmeal. ;)  The thought occurred to me that I still had paint left over from making her hairbow board and I could make a simple holder using the oatmeal can!  Here's how I did it:

I waited until the kids headed to bed and then fished out the paint.  (With little boys it needs to be where they know not where to find it!!)  I dumped the ancient oatmeal and got to work!

After one coat, it clearly needed to be a second, so I let the first coat dry and went over it again.  It probably could have used a third time around, but when I woke up the next day I discovered that the oatmeal can wasn't really made for painting and it was almost like the label was coming apart from the can.  Not really a big deal, this was a freebie solution and something that would have ended up in the trash, so I don't care one way or the other if it lasts 3 weeks or 3 years.  I think if I were to do it over again I might try wrapping the can in pretty wrapping paper or something instead of painting, but it works either way!

Ta-da!  As you can see, it's not a big deal that you can still see through the paint a little or that it may not stay together forever.  Everything is neatly hidden by her cute little headbands! 

My only problem?  She has another can's worth of headbands and I don't have any more ancient oatmeal!

Wordless Wednesday

Heart Ice Cube Tray Review

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.

You may remember a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned seeing these ADORABLE ice cube trays on the EdenFantasys website.  I couldn't resist and ordered a couple of them!

Talker Man thinks it's the coolest ice he's ever seen.  I really like that I can get the medium and smaller hearts to fit into their small-mouthed juice cups.  My only minor complaint is that the cubes are really hard to get out unless you overfill the hearts a little bit.  And, as you can see, there's a crack that started yesterday.  We've been using the tray for a little over a week and didn't have any problems until now!  I think I'll try dropping the tray gently on the counter to break the ice from the molds rather than your typical ice cube tray twist-and-crack.

Overall, super cute and functional!  This would be a great tray to make jello shots from, or maybe even some chocolate candy if the plastic can take the heat!

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

Olivia and the Great Outdoors 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."

The month of May brings a Kidtoons event sure to be a hit with our family!!  Featuring Olivia, a favorite of my boys...

There are adventures, then there are OLIVIA adventures!  Join Olivia and enjoy the great outdoors in a way only she can.  From treasure hunts, to camping trips to soccer games and more, one thing is clear, with Olivia on the scene, you’re bound to have a creative, special, fun-filled experience!

Win It!

This giveaway has ended, congratulations to the winner!

Giveaway Prize: One (1) Olivia and the Great Outdoors Prize Package including:

*1 OLIVIA Poster
*1 Book "This is OLIVIA"
*1 Book "OLIVIA Opens a Lemonade Stand"
*1 OLIVIA tin lunch box (various designs)
*1 OLIVIA DVD (various titles)
*1 OLIVIA sticker sheet
*1 OLIVIA Kaleidoscope

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, May 10, 2011 until Tuesday, May 24, 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) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: #Win a FAB @KidtoonFilms prize package featuring Olivia the pig in this great #giveaway ending May 24! http://bit.ly/kxwiTq

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)

Lamaze Tummy Time Air Playmat Review and Giveaway

Tummy time is an important stage in development.  If your baby is anything like mine were (and are!), it's one of their LEAST favorite activities!  Lamaze recently introduced their Tummy Time Air play mat, just for tummy time!  I was excited for Little Miss Princess to try it, she hasn't been feeling very well and we weren't doing a lot of tummy play.

I can honestly say she doesn't mind tummy time so much any more!  She can actually see herself in the mirror, something she loves.  The tummy section is flexible, but it's got some form to it (nothing like a pillow-type tummy section that just flattens down and baby is face first in the floor).  She can actually use it to learn to hold herself up and she gets a good angle going to play and not be preoccupied with the fact that she needs to help hold herself up.

The Tummy Time Air comes with two toys, a crinkly corn (that she loves) and a tractor teether.  There are additional loops so you can add baby's other favorite toys as well.

I like the farm theme, I think it's actually very gender neutral.  If you want a more girly theme, simply turn baby around!  The other end of the mat is a little more girly with a purple fence and adorable pink piggy!

As you may be able to see, my only minor complaint is that she can get the mat all wadded up with her kicking.  Not particularly a BAD thing, it's just a little annoying to keep straightening out the blanket.  It almost needs a more quilted top sewing the bottom part of the blanket to the top or something to make it feel a little less "loose".

This tummy mat is VERY soft.  We have another mat that is made of a stiffer fabric and doesn't seem as comfortable.  I usually put a blanket between baby and the mat to make it a little more cozy.  This one, I don't need to do that!

The Tummy Time Air printed mat is machine washable.  I haven't actually had to wash it yet, but it seems to me that it would wash up well and have no problem fitting into the machine like our other, stiffer mat does!

I love the portability.  It folds up however you want it to, the only piece you really need to worry about is the ramp part!  You can easily put the whole thing into a tote bag and be out the door, transporting it to Grandma's house or anywhere else with ease.

Buy It!

You can purchase the Lamaze Tummy Time Air playmat directly from the Learning Curve website or in your local store.  The retail price of the mat is $33.99, very comparable if not cheaper than other mats available!

Win It!

Giveaway Prize: One Tummy Time Air play mat by Lamaze.

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, May 10, 2011 until Tuesday, May 24, 2011.

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only.

Mandatory:
1) Tell me who you'd like to win this mat for!

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 Learning Curve on Twitter.

5) Tweet this giveaway (1 extra entry per day, please leave the tweet link) Can use: RT @mtndewmama: #Win a @LCToys Lamaze Tummy Time Air play mat in this great #giveaway ending May 24! http://bit.ly/l2PApM

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

7) "Like" Learning Curve 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 return for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was received.

Another day in the doctor's office!

What a couple of weeks!  Little Miss Princess got her 4 month shots on April 25.  The following day I had her in PJs all day to keep her little legs as comfortable as I could, giving her Tylenol if/when she seemed fussy.  I know those little legs get sore!  April 27 I gave her a bath and put her in an ADORABLE little dress, and as I was holding her, realized her leg was very bumpy.  Odd.  I looked down and was surprised to see a crazy red rash!  Neither of the boys had problems when they got their shots and it never even entered my brain to really pay attention.  Bad, bad mommy!  Here we are, 3 weeks later, and she STILL has the bumps/hives, but they're flesh colored and after 5, count 'em, FIVE doctor's visits (THREE trips to the doctor, TWO trips to the pediatric specialist) and an arsenal of medication, she seems to not be so itchy.  They've put a note in her chart to push off her 6 month vaccines until she's 9 months old, but really, is that going to do any good?  I've been Googling "localized immunization reaction" and all I can find are the common "not-so-bad" versions.  This is NOT helping and I'm going to keep looking and update you all to what I can find.

Have any of your little ones had reactions to getting their vaccinations?  I know there's controversy over them and I'm not up for getting into that, but I think that 3 month delay may turn into much, much longer.

Some winners!

Congratulations to some recent winners!!

The winner of the Strawberry Shortcake (Kidtoons) Prize Package is:

KimmyKat320!!

The winner of the Johnson's Natural Prize Package is:

The Knapps!!

The winner of the Sleepy Wrap is:

Andi B!!

The winner of the Playtex Lil Gripper Straw Trainer Cup is:

The Litrenta Family!!

Winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond.