Life- In Living Chaos!

Showing posts with label Back to School. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Back to School. Show all posts

Friday, August 15, 2014

Back to School 2014

I cannot believe that summer is over/

Tomorrow, I strip their beds, sort their clothes (again), hang and refold everything, and get them ready for school on Monday.

We had dreams for this summer. We were going to go on day trips, and perhaps a few overnights while we explored Florida. Instead, we spent it repairing our car. First, a radiator. Which literally opened up the flood gates unto a dozen more minor- yet crazy expensive because it was all at the same time- repairs. Then, we had almost a week where things were ok.. and then the sensor went out. We replaced the sensor and realized it went out because the main-frame computer died. You know, the thing that tells the car to START. Yeah, that. It died. And I cried.

We made our own fun, but the kids will tell you it was boring. We had a kiddy pool set up for my little guy, I hosed them all down as often as I could, and you would think that since we live so close to the beach we would have lived there-- but we don't live close enough to walk.

One day, we took an accidental 6 mile walk. That was fun.

We taught Zackie some of his colors, and how to count to five. Sometimes he throws a six in the mix, but what the heck.. it's better than nothing.

I decided to change our future, and launched ANOTHER home based business. While it's difficult keeping up with two businesses, a blog and a family, I think I'm doing ok. Now that the kids are going back to school, I see more regular posts happening here.

Our name change is happening soon.. Our designer moved cross country, so we're waiting on him to get settled, and then going from there. The name, logo, and domain are chosen, designed and ready to go- it just needs to be installed.

So.. this is our life. Crazy, chaotic, fun, and awesome- even when it's not so great. Get ready to ride this ride with us as we enter the newest chapter and say good-bye to 4BabyAndMom as we know it.

Monday, August 27, 2012

End of Month Coupons- Print now to SAVE!

These fabulous coupons won't be available to print after 8/31, so be sure to print them out NOW! Save big on breakfast foods, snacks, and vitamins-- perfect timing for back to school!!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Kranich's Website Review+Jewelry Giveaway! Ends 8/29

My Actual Engagement Ring

My engagement ring was stolen back in 2004. It's a long story and a whole other post that I will write one day.. but not today. Anyway- I loved my rock.. er.. ring. It was a 1.17 carat solitaire on a platinum band, with a medium/high setting. It wasn't ginormous, but the way it sparkled made it look bigger than it was. It was perfect for me. I miss it terribly, and every now and then, I browse the internet in search of my future replacement ring.

I've found a few that have caught my eye, but none like the gorgeous Verragio rings at Kranich's. I tend to like simple and stunning pieces, and that these rings are. Stunning. The detail is just equisite. Hidden scrolls, diamonds and details on the gallery and down the sides of the ring, offers just a perfect touch to make Verragio jewelry the treasure that it is. There are two styles that I completely fell in love with. My only problem now is how to convince the hubby that next year (for our tenth anniversary) he should get me one.

Kranich's offers jewelry for anyone in the family. From pearls to precious stones, gold to silver, men's or ladies designs, Kranich's has it all. While I was there looking at rings for me, I found a really handsome watch for my husband that actually made me drool a little.

They even have bracelets- perfect for accessorizing all year long. Whether you have a daughter who is turning Sweet 16 this year, heading to college, getting married, or watching her own kids go back to school, think about getting her a bracelet just to say 'I love you'.

September's birthstone is Sapphire. You could always pick up one of these beautiful 7.5 inch sterling silver sapphire and diamond bracelets for that special someone. Or, you could just enter to win one.

One lucky reader will win a beautiful Kranich's silver bracelet in their choice of stones: Sapphire, Blue Topaz, Citrine, Peridot, Ruby, or Amethyst. Click the sapphire link above for a more detailed description of the bracelet. This bracelet retails for $149.

Here's How to Enter:
Go take a peek at the Verragio line, and come back and tell me which ring is YOUR dream ring.

After you've left a comment, click on our RaffleCopter widget below. This giveaway is open to US only.

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Back to school blues-

This time of the year is always bittersweet. Our babies are growing up..

A little old lady in an elevator told me when I was pregnant with Alex to enjoy every moment, because in a blink they start to walk, in a blink they graduate high school, and in a blink they have families of their own. As we left the elevator, I thanked her, and thought to myself how easy that would be, he was my baby.

Having a child with special needs- especially one who wasn't diagnosed for so long- is hard, I'm not going to lie. Having a child who's smart is hard, too. One way or another you're looked at weird. Your child is different. As a mom, we encourage our children to be different, but when they're born different, most try to shelter or hide that. Why is it?

I love my kids. All three of them are so unique and so special.. They all have different strengths and weaknesses, they all have different features and different voices. Different attitudes, and different skills. I can't wait to see how the baby grows up and the little person he becomes.

But I can.

It seems that it was just a few months ago, when I held Abbie to me as an infant. She's now going into first grade. She's got a brand-new-to-teaching new teacher. She seems very sweet. I'm not bothered by the fact that she was only hired a week ago. She's still young enough, and new enough to have that passion for teaching, to not be burnt out like so many teachers we've crossed paths with, and is still excited about teaching. That excites me.

Alex has the same teacher he had during the last semester last year. This is our first full year in a self-contained ASD class. I'm excited for him, but nervous. He adores his teacher, and actually seems excited that he's going back there. I think he's more excited that his buddy Jonathan is back in his class.

This is the first year that I'm not up, literally making myself sick over worry because of his placement, since he started school.

None of my family and friends understand it. Heck, I don't even think my husband understands it. For the first time since the first day of Kindergarten, I'm excited for back to school.

But then I step back, and watch the both of them get ready. They get their shoes on, make their hair perfect, eat some breakfast, and kiss me good bye as they climb on the bus. And I stop. I remember them little, holding my hand while they drank their bottles, promising them I'd love them forever, and treasure every moment always.

Sometimes it's hard, but I think that's truly being a mom.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Colorforms Revolution Review + iPad App Giveaway!

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly kids pick up on using new technology. When I bought my iPhone, I swear it took me a month to figure it out and I still haven't used half of it's capabilities a year in. My kids were very excited and pestered me relentlessly to use it. They wanted to play and I refused on the grounds of it being A) too expensive and B) too difficult.

My son, however, exceedingly enjoys the fact that he has since gone above and beyond proving me wrong, as has my daughter. First came the tablet; I still don't understand that thing at all (it is an android and I am not at all used to it's OS at all!) About a month ago he got an iPod touch (a gift from an amazing friend who no longer used it!) and has been a pro since day two. He has already shown me a few tricks on my phone. He gave his tablet to my daughter when he got his iPod--and she uses it like it is the simplest thing in the world. It pains me to no extent to tell her to ask her brother when she needs help, but I know from experience that I can't do much other than turn it off and on (aside from parental settings--those seem to be the same in most devices. Thank goodness!)

So with kids getting more and more tech savvy, it makes since that there are more and more apps being marketed towards children and families of all ages. With so many in the market--it is hard to choose which ones are appropriate and worth the effort and money to download. Is it simple to use? Glitch free? Age appropriate (which is one of my biggest questions!)? Is it fun? Lucky for you, we have one that comes with our stamp of approval.

The app is called Colorforms Revolution and it is beyond cool! It is very simple so everyone will be able to use it--very young children as well as grandma! It allows you to use basic shapes and colors as well as backgrounds to create pictures. It's like a coloring book but you get to design it yourself and personalize the pages. You can even add your own pictures as backgrounds! Kids will have a ball creating pictures with their family members or pets in them.

In addition to shapes, there are also pre-loaded themes with stickers and backgrounds to choose from. These are super cute and fun for the kiddos as well as for anyone else using the app. There are other features as well such as puzzle animators and animated shapes that are sure to please and keep the kids occupied. Here is a look at the app in action:

From the press release:

It’s a bright new day for Colorforms…! The iconic 60-year-old brand from University Games that has changed the way generations of children have played is making its digital debut with the very first Colorforms app, Colorforms® Revolution™. The new app extends the traditional Colorforms experience, giving players fresh and fun ways to play with sound, motion and animation. Colorforms Revolution is now making a colorful splash on the App Store for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

The revolution is finally here with COLORFORMS® REVOLUTION™ HD, the new iPad (and iPhone) app celebrates the nostalgia of the stand-out original and allows the family to experience Colorforms® like never before! Combine shapes, colors, patterns and backgrounds in endless combinations to create an infinite number of exciting designs. Or choose a Play Set with themed stickers and backgrounds, put them in a scene and a story is born. Play a Puzzle Board to build a picture and see it animate. Or go wild with the crazy circle, surprise square, kaleido-triangle and radical rectangle. With simple controls you’ll figure out as you go, Colorforms® is good wholesome fun for everyone. Just pick it up, start playing and join the revolution!

A pop culture favorite, Colorforms was invented in 1951 and more than 1 billion of the vibrant vinyl playsets have been sold to date, with imaginative new styles continuing to captivate families worldwide. Recently, the Toy Industry Association recognized Colorforms as one of the Top 100 Toys of the Century and TIME magazine named it among its “All-TIME 100 Greatest Toys.”

There is a free version of this app for download at the Apple app market, but we want to offer one reader their chance to get the Colorforms Revolution HD iPad App for free!

Here's how to enter:
Do you remember Colorforms? Did you play with them when you were young? Do you like it when your kids can enjoy the toys you grew up with? Why do you want to win? Leave your comments on this blog post, then enter on the RaffleCopter Widget below.

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Back to School Savings with Kmart

Save big on back to school this year with Kmart. Use coupon code KMARTBTS2 to save 10% on orders of $59 or more, and 20% off of orders of $79 or more- AND take advantage of free shipping. Back to school shopping from the comfort of your own home! If you prefer to shop in store, you can get 5% off of layaway purchases.. it might be a good idea to think about setting up your holiday layaway now. Visit Kmart.com to see their sales and local flyer for special deals.

Monday, August 13, 2012

SUSPEND! Review and Giveaway Ends 8/22

We love having family together time. Whether it's watching a movie, playing a game, or doing something outside, our family enjoys being together. Every night we eat dinner together- it's the one constant in our home. We make memories. So does Marissa's family.. (did you read this post about her hysterical dinner conversation?)

Back to school often means back to the hustle and bustle of a jam-packed schedule. Making family time is just as important during the school year, and summer- at least for our family.

When we received an opportunity from GummyLump to review the Melissa & Doug game, Suspend, we jumped at the chance.

Of all the games we love to play, puzzle and strategy games are our favorites. We have a popular wooden block game, and this game I would say, is like a modern day, more exciting version. It's also a little bit harder...at first.

They claim that if you try this hanging balance game,you'll be hooked- and it's true! SUSPEND is a family game of tricky hangs and steady hands. It comes with 24 notched, rubber-tipped wire pieces to hang from a tabletop stand.

Sound easy? Try adding another piece! Each time a bar is added, the balance shifts, the difficulty changes and the incredible midair sculpture transforms. This tricky game for 1-4 players is a test of steady nerves and steady hands. It's geared for ages 8 and up.

That being said, the first time we took it out my 9 year old, 6 year old and I set up the game, couldn't get any of the bars to balance, and put it away frustrated. We did not read the instructions, we figured we'd wing it- it couldn't be that difficult... oh, but it was!

Later, my friends came over for ladies night, and I brought out the game. The four of us sat around the table, reading the directions, and started playing. It was HYSTERICAL! We've played it multiple times now, and it's always a great time.

I took what I learned and taught the kids the next day. Since then, they've played it almost every other day! Now that we know how to play it, and have done so successfully, we think it's easy.. but we love laughing everytime we make the bars fall.

It's so interesting seeing the way their minds work; Alex is logistical, and structurally sound in his placement, Abbie is more artistic and whimsical. They both prefer to play the "Intermediate" version, by rolling the dice to see which color to hang next.

Every game is "new", and it doesn't lose its appeal very easily, at all. If you like brain games, puzzles, strategy games, or just challenging games, definitely give this one a chance.

This game, as well as other Melissa & Doug toys can be found online at GummyLump.com, and is currently priced at $13.59. There are several sales and special promotions there, as well, including a "Buy Three, Get the Fourth Free" on Melissa & Doug wooden play food, Free UPS shipping on orders over $60, and the Biggest Sale Ever- with savings up to 50%!

Our friends at GummyLump have offered one of our readers their chance to win a SUSPEND game for their family!

Enter to Win using the RaffleCopter Widget below: Please allow it a few moments to load properly. If you are still having issues, please click on the title of this post to refresh it correctly.

Please note that this giveaway is open to all residents of the Continental US only.

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Saturday, August 11, 2012

Crayola Chuck Taylors=A Dream Come True + $150 Giveaway! Ends 8/25

Back to school shoe shopping has been the bane of my existence recently. My daughter, who is nine, has some fashion ideas of her own this year and has been whining all summer. You see, she wanted Converse High Tops—but not just any high top. She wanted the ones that go all the way up to your knee. I told her that her father would never allow her to wear knee high sneakers, and certainly not for school. She insisted that they were all she wanted. She asked her father for high tops and he said, ”Sure, every kid should have a pair of All-Stars.” She then got very excited yelling to me that “Daddy said yes!” Well played, daughter of mine!

He got “ the look” as I sent him a picture of the shoes she wanted. After a look at them,he said absolutely not! “I thought she wanted a standard pair of high tops!” She was once again devastated. She even drew me a picture with a note the begged for them. I was not budging though, as those high tops were just a bit too high for my 9 year old.

Then, the greatest thing happened! We received a pair of Crayola Converse All Star’s (Chuck Taylors!) to review from Kid’s Foot Locker! I cannot begin to thank them enough! Not only did they save me from another argument with my daughter, but they also supplied me with a fantastic pair of kicks to kick off the school year.

The Crayola line of shoes by Converse is super cute! The Crayola crayon trademark is all over the shoes, but is also very subtle! Her pair are yellow, and just like a crayon—it says so on the bottom. The shoes come with a fold-able layer that changes to grey for a new look. I have always been a fan of Converse sneakers; I grew up wearing All-Stars in every color and am glad to be passing the tradition to my children. My daughter fell completely in love with her YELLOW (her favorite color) high tops and proclaimed they were, “Just what she always wanted!” She loves that they have Crayola details and thinks they are, “So AWESOME!” The shoes are made extremely well and are very comfortable. Mia is very excited to start the new year with them.

Thank you again Kids Foot Locker for the opportunity to review these fabulous sneakers, but also for saving me from the tantrums of a nine year old.

In celebration of Back to School our friends at Kids Foot Locker are giving us $150 in gift cards to giveaway to ONE lucky reader! Kids Foot Locker Gift Cards can be redeemed online, or in any Foot Locker brand store. This is a great opportunity to get sneakers for the whole family, or at least put a dent in it!

Enter with the RaffleCopter Widget below. Need help? View our Tutorial. Not loading properly, click on the title of this giveaway, to reload the page correctly. Please allow a few moments for the widget to load.

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Comotomo Baby Bottle Review and Giveaway! Ends 8/19

Back to School (and work) often means back to pumping, storing, thawing and feeding by bottle instead of by breast, for many moms.

It's hard to believe that school is about to start, and that my little one is 13 weeks old I decided to try breastfeeding again, and in this instance, the third time was the charm.
Zachary has been successfully nursing, almost full time, since day one. He does drink from a bottle, and we do supplement him at night with soy formula.

After I had Zachary, I got a spinal headache. It was horrible, and that's a whole other post. Basically, I couldn't sit up, without feeling like my brain was going to explode. Think of your worst headache ever and multiply it by a gazillion.

Before they gave me the blood patch (to fix the spinal headache) they made me take a shower. They gave the baby a pacifier while I was in the shower, and then we spent the entire day trying to get him to latch correctly again. It was hard. We had to use an SNS for four days to help him along, and eventually got him back.

I tried six different bottles before I received a pitch for Comotomo- a new, innovative bottle, geared towards babies who breastfeed. As soon as I saw this bottle, I knew I had to try it. The base of the nipple is wider, allowing baby to latch the way he or she would to a breast. The body of the bottle is very soft, and squeezable. Squeezable? Yes.. squeezable.

Zachary is not a lazy eater. Abbie was, though, and this would have been incredibly helpful for her. She was a formula baby, but she would lose interest completely, and doze before her feeding was up, wake up, suckle again, and repeat.

Because the bottom is squeezable, you can simulate a 'let-down' and get the baby interested in feeding again. It's also particularly helpful during those last few pulls when there's *just-a-little* left in the bottom of the bottle, assuring there's no wasted milk.

150ml/5 oz bottle

Comotomo advertises that the soft exterior is supposed to feel like a breast to the baby. I cannot give you an opinion on that, because I'm not a baby. I do find that it's soft, a little textured, and much closer to skin than traditional bottles, but definitely not the same texture as my breast. Zachary will rub his little hand on me while he nurses, but he hasn't done that to his bottle at all. Now that he's a little older, (13 weeks) he tries to hold it, but hasn't been successful, yet. I think that it might be easier to hold, because of its wider base.

These bottles come in two sizes- 5 ounces (150 ml/slow flow) and 8 ounces (250ml/medium flow). We received both sizes to review. The wide-neck design is very easy for cleaning, you don't need any special brushes. This bottle is safe in the microwave, boiling water, dishwashers and sterilizers; made with 100% safe materials: BPA, PVC, and phthalate free.

Zachary is a colicky baby, and this bottle contains innovative and non-leaking anti-colic vents. Do they work? I know when he tries other bottles he's gassier and fussier, and gets more air. I prefer this bottle over all of the others we've tried.

Who's more tired? Daddy or baby?

The price is a little steep, (about $15-16 for one), and it's available online at Amazon, or in stores at Target. They just launched in Target stores, so it may be hard to find. In my opinion, the price is worth it if you want a bottle that allows your baby to transition easily from breast to bottle, and have a more natural experience- even when you're not there.

For moms who are going back to work, or school, despite the wide base, orbit labels or other identifying bands *do* fit, making it easy to distinguish your baby's bottle from others at daycare, or your care-givers home.

The bottom line: I love this bottle. For us, it was a life saver. I think every nursing mama (and formula mama, too!) should get one for their shower so that Dad can have the same bonding experience we share with our baby. I think it's worth the money, and with Amazon, it ships free with super saver shipping on all orders over $25. The only con I've experienced, is that because of the flexible bottom, you need to make sure when you fill it, it's properly on the counter- I've almost tipped it over several times, and with the wide neck opening, the milk will slosh out easily. It's super easy to make powdered formula in (on the go), and really easy to sterilize.

Our friends at Comotomo have offered our readers a chance to win a pair of Comotomo bottles for their baby! Enter on the RaffleCopter widget below.
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Thursday, August 9, 2012

Back To School Pencil Box Giveaway! Ends 8/18

I was really surprised this year- the one thing on both of the kids back to school list that was missing was pencil boxes. Last year, we had to have specific color ones. That was a pain. This year, we decided to try to eliminate the stress of finding all of the right materials for you, by giving away a School Supply Prize Pack. Perfect for both boys and girls, these Prize Packs are full of many goodies.

Inside you'll find two notepads, two pink erasers, one pencil sharpener, one package of pencils, and one bottle of school glue inside your choice of a blue and clear or purple and clear pencil box. Everyone needs these types of supplies, even if you keep them at home for homework.

Two winners will be drawn- you could win one, you could win both. Please be sure to leave a comment telling us which color prize pack you'd like to win most. If you'd like to win both, please leave a comment like, "Both- but I would prefer the blue one", that would be great.

If no comment is left by the winner(s), they will just receive a random prize pack. Good Luck!

4BabyandMom_#BacktoschoolBash

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Walgreens Mouse Pad + Mouse only $2.99!!

Visit Walgreens for more exciting Back to School offers, and be sure to take advantage of this great deal. Even if you don't want to use it for Back to School, think ahead for the holidays!! Stock up now!

17.3 inch Toshiba Laptop only $299!

Whether your child is in Elementary, Middle School, High School or College, back to school means homework, papers, and projects. Take advantage of this super deal on a Toshiba Satellite 17.3-Inch Laptop HERE for only $299! Limited quantites are available, so be sure to check it out.

During back to school, (and all year long), I stalk out Groupon for great local deals, and amazing online deals. From dates with the husband, to stuff for the house, I find deals on there all of the time. Right now, many deals are geared for kids, or for the dorm. Find organizational items, PJ's, some trendy accessories, and lots more. Right now you can even pick up a Schticky for only $15. Tell me you have no desire to try it.. I know I do!! Especially since one of our resident reviewers told us she LOVES hers for her stairs. I don't have stairs, but I'm sure I could find something to use it on!

Anyway- join Groupon, if you haven't already, and personalized deals and special offers will be emailed directly to you. Once you find an offer you can't live without, you simply purchase it, and then follow the prompts online to redeem it. For local items, we print out our Groupon, take it with us, and redeem it much like we would a coupon. I'm telling you- once you start, you'll become hooked. Have fun browsing!

4BabyandMom_#BacktoschoolBash

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

FREE Haircuts at JCPenney All August (Grades K-6)

I love back to school season. Over the summer, I let my kids hair grow wild and unruly. Abbie wanted to try to grow out her bangs, and Alex, well, he's starting to look a little like John Lennon. While I don't mind a little extra hair, it just doesn't suit him.

I just made my appointment for next Tuesday for both of my kids, in only a matter of minutes. Call the number below to set the appoinment, or find a salon near you. Then the salon calls you to confirm a real time, and your appointment is set.

My kids love getting their hair cut, too. They always leave the salon with a big smile on their face. Having a child with Autism, I'm very lucky. While Alex is sensitive to the buzzing of the clippers, he has learned how to sit through it and endure. It's been one of his biggest areas of growth, and I'm very proud of him.

I think it might be because he's older now, and knows what to expect. He know's it's only going to last a few minutes, and that they will be moving to scissors quickly. We do have to bring baby powder and a different shirt to change into, but of all the things we have to "deal with" or accomodate, I welcome that one with open arms.

So what are you waiting for? Book your appointment with a JCP Salon near you, now!

4BabyandMom_#BacktoschoolBash

Kids Foot Locker Makes Little Kids Big Stars +$50 GC Giveaway!

This year your pre-schooler will look adorable in some Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers (available in low or high-top styles) and other brightly colored sneakers from your favorite brands. Kids Foot Locker carries Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and Timberland- to name a few.

Whether your child is in Infant sizes (1-3), Toddler (2-10), Little Kids (10.5-3), or Big Kids (3.5-7), Kids Foot Locker has something for every child.

Our nearest Kids Foot Locker is almost 30 miles away, but I recently popped in there to see what was on shelves. The associate was very nice, offering to appropriately size both of the kids, and find the perfect back to school shoes.

I was surprised to learn that Abbie is in a 13 now, and Alex is in a Big Kids 7. When the heck did that happen!? They grow so quick, and having the right shoes to grow in are even better.

What did we pick out for our kids? Abbie fell in love with a cute pair of pink and white Nikes with an iridescent swoosh, but unfortunately, they didn't have them and couldn't order them, in her size. We decided to hold off on her sneakers and work on Alex. He picked these super cool Reebok ZigActivate Big Kids sneakers.

Right now, Kids Foot Locker is running a great Back to School Sale, and offering free shipping on purchases over $50! While at check-out, enter coupon code IP222835 to take advantage of this great offer.

Our friends at Kids Foot Locker have supplied us with multiple Gift Cards to giveaway in celebration of our Back to School Bash, and for that we are VERY thankful. All opinions in this post, are strictly my own, and my choice to purchase shoes was not influenced by the company in any way.

To kick off our Back to School Bash, we are offering TWO lucky readers their chance to win a $50 Gift Card to Kids Foot Locker!

Here's How:

Fill out the Raffle Copter Widget below. Give it a moment to load. Earn 25 Extra Entries by sharing our button on Facebook, Pinterest, or on your blog. Click HERE for more details!

4BabyandMom_#BacktoschoolBash

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Monday, July 30, 2012

Win a Trip to the Bahamas from Shutterfly + 8x8 Photo Book Giveaway! Ends 8/12

Summer is here and that means you’ll be taking more photos of your family soon. Between beach trips and BBQs, photographs are a great way to capture these summer memories. Shutterfly’s Long Live Summer Photo Contest on Facebook is going on now!

Win a trip for four to The Bahamas and a professional photo shoot so you’ll remember your vacation forever. All you need to do is upload your favorite photo and caption based on the theme of the week. Get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering! You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period, so it's not too late!!

PHOTO THEMES:
• Week 4 (7/30): Sports and Activities
• Week 5 (8/6): Parties and Celebrations

PRIZES:
• Instant win prizes just for submitting a photo!
• Weekly prizes (contestants can enter one time/week)
• Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on the Facebook fan page and awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.
• Grand prize: trip for 4 to Bahamas, 4 nights, family photo shoot

Be sure to visit Shutterfly for more information and for the complete and official rules.

I know I've said it a gazillion times, but I really do love the high quality products that I order from Shutterfly. I love their prints, their mugs, but most of all their photo books. Every year, I make a photo book for our family. For 2011 I made an 8x8, but we also have an 8.5x11 and a 12x12 book. The quality of the paper is great, the book and its bindings are strong (trust me, our kids have ruined books before because they're not very gentle.)

This is our family book from 2011:

Create your own personalized photo books at Shutterfly.com.

Our friends at Shutterfly have offered one of our readers their chance to score an 8x8 photo book just by entering below! Share with us what you would use your photo book for? A special event? A yearly recap? A new baby? A special gift for whom? Leave the comment on our blog below, then fill out the RaffleCopter widget to earn extra entries. Be sure to leave the same email address in your comment that you do in the widget.

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Friday, August 5, 2011

Back to School SALE at Old Navy

What's better than this for back to school clothes? Although I know it's not *really* a Back-to-School sale, it is a phenomenal one!

Amazing! Great time to stock up now! I hit up Old Navy the end of last week and got clothes on sale for as low as $4! Check out OldNavy.com to find a store that's close to you!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

What's in Your Locker? Kids Foot Locker Asks, Do You Have What You Need?

School is in session ("officially"), all over the country. From Elementary through college, students are scrambling to get back into routine, show off their new fancy kicks, and remember where their classes are.

This is the time of the year that is usually the most hectic for us, simply for the fact that it's now that we realize we don't have enough socks in our drawers- because the sock monster struck again- and that the sneakers he had to have just aren't "cool" enough. Don't forget about the backpack.. it's already got a hole starting in it, because she had to have the pretty pop-star one! Ugh.

Right now it's the "End of Season" for most retailers and finding 'cool-enough' stuff is not as hard as I thought it would be at Kids Foot Locker. We told you about all of their great sales and promotions right before school on Twitter and Facebook, and now, we want to make sure that your child's locker has all of the right gear that will last the whole year long.

From Kids Foot Locker:

Backpacks are not only one of the most essential accessories for its obvious function, but they are a great way for children to express their individual styles. For those looking to make a bold statement, the YakPak Splash Backpack with its burst of color will certainly grab attention. You also want to look for one that is durable enough to lug all those books back and forth while maintaining that desired cool factor. The Jordan collection and Jansport Superbreak have double-shoulder straps to ensure weight is distributed evenly, and is lightweight so your child is comfortable.

Socks- Pulled up to the knees or pushed down to the ankles, it’s all about sock appeal this back-to-school. Fun prints and bold color accents make this one of the hottest classroom trends. Mix and match to create your own style with Littlemissmatched socks (available in packages of three designs) or Kids Foot Locker’s new ultra-lite, low-cut socks for boys and girls.

So now that we're scrambling trying to make sure to get super-cool replacements and restock on fun socks to compliment all of our outfits, we want to make sure that you have everything you need and more!

Our friends at Kids Foot Locker have offered one of our readers their chance to win a $50 gift card.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Please visit our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize.

This giveaway is open to residents of the US. This giveaway will end on September 22, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org, and all winner information will be posted on our WINNERS PAGE and on this post. Please include a valid email address in your comment. If we cannot find a way to contact you we will not, we will choose another winner. We do try to email all winners, but due to the volume of giveaways offered on our site, delays can be expected. If you catch your name before we email you, please feel free to contact us first. :) Any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn accordingly and at the discretion of 4BabyAndMom. As always, what you have read is strictly the opinion of 4BabyAndMom. Your opinions may differ.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Lafayette Puzzle Factory + Crayola= Super Fun for Kids! (And Educational, too!)

As a mom of a gifted child, I am always struggling to find toys that engage my son. It's hard to find the perfect balance of fun and educational, and many of the toys on the market are either 'fun' OR 'educational' no matter how hard the manufacturers try to hit both marks, I've found very few that have succeeded skillfully. Until now.

Over the summer I was introduced to the brand new Crayola Chalkboard USA Floor Puzzle. Manufactured by the Lafayette Puzzle Factory, this colorful floor puzzle is perfect for kids of any age to help assemble, although it's marked ages 6+. The 48 large pieces are perfect for little hands and young puzzle enthusiasts, but make for a very large puzzle. At 2'x3', it's perfect on the play room floor.

The kids loved that they could doodle all over it, and we loved the fact that it provides an excellent opportunity to have fun (while learning the names of the states, locations of the states, and distance between various locations), and get excited about learning about the USA!

The entire surface of this puzzle can be written on with chalk, although some of the colors are better than others. My only "con" with this item is that it only comes with one piece of chalk, so as soon as the kids opened it, they started arguing about who's chalk it was. Thankfully, we use a lot of sidewalk chalk, so I grabbed another colored piece, and we were good to go.

My husband and son enjoyed playing "Guess the State" and then we, (READ: My Husband and I) got into a very competitive round of who could name the most states from across the room. Then it continued to how many state capitals we could name. (I won that, hands down!) Abbie loved learning that Idaho makes potatoes, that Vermont is where we get our syrup from, and that Indiana is where the Lafayette Puzzle Factory is! Alex loved pointing out all of the different states that we have family in, and measuring the distance between them. Since then, he's started memorizing the capitals, and has even engaged in some pretend play with his sister (pretending he's a teacher, but still, pretending!), which is totally not his norm.

We had so much fun playing with this during the overly-rainy-summer, and still do! Very rarely do we have a puzzle last for longer than a week or two in our house, but this one has survived our super-hard-testers, (and our disorganized lives), which is why it has earned our "MUST HAVES" badge.

The Crayola Chalkboard Floor Puzzle is available with three different backgrounds, Playground Fun, Space Zone, and USA Map. The Playground Fun and Space Zone puzzles look as though they have less room to doodle on, but still look fun to play with overall. The Crayola Chalkboard Floor Puzzle has also received the 2010 Puzzle of The Year award from Creative Child Magazine.

I could see all three of these puzzles, (but more-so the map of the USA), being used in classrooms all over the world. Home schoolers or moms on the go could still get great pleasure over watching kids get excited about learning about their country, and have a blast expressing themselves artistically as well. You should start to see these products on the shelves of your local Toys R Us this fall.

Our new friends at Lafayette Puzzle Factory have offered one Chalkboard Floor Puzzle as a prize to one lucky 4BabyAndMom reader!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US. This giveaway will end on September 19, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org, and all winner information will be posted on our WINNERS PAGE and on this post. Please include a valid email address in your comment. If we cannot find a way to contact you we will not, we will choose another winner. We do try to email all winners, but due to the volume of giveaways offered on our site, delays can be expected. If you catch your name before we email you, please feel free to contact us first. :) Any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn accordingly and at the discretion of 4BabyAndMom. This product was provided to me at no cost by the Lafayette Puzzle Factory. As always, what you have read is strictly the opinion of 4BabyAndMom. Your opinions may differ.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Please refer to the WINNERS POST for more information on how to claim your prize.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

New Winners Announced!

I know it's a pretty busy time of the year right now in most houses. Whether Back to School affects you or not, getting back into the swing of things after summer is always hectic- at least in my house!

I just wanted to make sure that you all knew that we announced oodles of new winners on our winners page.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Ladies Foot Locker- wcc and Courtney
Marcal Small Steps- EmmaPeel
Funky Monkey Snacks- tree
Zola Superfruit Drinks- tristatecruisers
Tie Buddies- Debbie Stanton
Seventh Generation- mframe
Rubbermaid Reveal Mop: Jill @JillandLil

If your name (or screen name) is mentioned above, please email 4BabyAndMom at gmail dot com as soon as possible with your full contact information, so I can send it to the corresponding sponsors. Thank you all for participating, and keep on the look out for some more amazing Back to School reviews and giveaways.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

So apparently the automatic publishing did not work while I was away..

In other words... Who's ready for a bunch of giveaways? Keep on the lookout for giveaways from Tabatchnick, Nature's Hand Granola, a $25 Shell Gas Gift Card, and a special Kids Foot Locker giveaway!

I thank you all for your patience.

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