I'm Back & with News!

I'd like to apologize for my hiatus, I've been dealing with quite a bit the last 3-4 months. We've got some exciting news to share!!

Yes, that's correct! We are expecting baby #3 in the beginning of January! In fact, the due date is two weeks after Spank's Birthday and two weeks before Chunk's Birthday! I had planned to announce it sooner than this, but I've recently been diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

I have had a terrible time with morning sickness(if only it were confined just to morning), making me sick 8-12 times a day, every day and night! I was hoping to feel some relief by now, as I am already into my 2nd trimester, but It doesn't appear its going to ease up on me anytime soon. I went in to ER this week, due to terrible pain, only to discover I have a Mallory-Weiss tear. I was told it should heal on its own soon enough, but to remain on a liquid diet for the next 5 days. I cannot keep solids down, but they expect a liquid diet to remain down, I wish!
I haven't had much luck so far, but I am praying that all of this will disappear soon.

I decided this week that I need to start pushing myself to get back into the swing of things, I've got 4.5 months to go in this pregnancy and my boys and I need some structure back in our lives. 

I just wanted to share our news and let everyone know to be on the lookout for some great Review & Giveaways to come soon!!

Men's Costume Review

We are planning on having a big Halloween Party for the first time this year, I have already started planning for it. Halloween is my favorite holiday, I love the Fall air and seeing everybody's costume choices! I usually hand make Spank's costumes, but I will have to see what he decides for this year. I know the hardest person to get into a costume in our family will hands down be my husband. He isn't one for dressing up, but I told him its mandatory this year and he seems to be okay with it.

When I was offered the chance to do a review for Anytime Costumes for Men, I jumped at this opportunity! My hubby has a goofy personality, so I thought the Green Crayon Costume pictured would be perfect for him! When we received it, I had him try it on and we are going to obviously find him a shirt and such to go underneath, because short sleeves just didn't work! He liked the fit of the costume and I thought it was a good fit. The boys loved it, they were excited to see Daddy dressed up as a crayon, and a green one(Spank's favorite).

This Crayola Crayon costume comes in a couple different colors, as well as sizes. It works great for men and women alike, they do have a skirt style in the women's section if you and your guy wanted to go matching for Halloween. If you do end up with the crayon costume or any of their Poly-Foam costumes, I highly recommend stuffing the hat areas so they stand upward, otherwise they are just floppy and don't create the right look. Anytime Costumes has a great selection of men, women and children's costumes in any style you are looking for! Be sure to get a head start on Halloween, cause the closer it gets the more sizes and styles will sell out.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Children's Claritin & Madagascar 3 Party!!

Being a Claritin Crew Mom, we had the opportunity to throw a Madagascar Themed Party to get everyone Pumped up about the latest Madagascar coming to theaters, plus it gave us mommies a chance to talk about our little ones allergies and how Claritin could help with that!

We didn't have as much of a turn out as we'd expected, but the kids still had a blast and Parents received their samples and coupons, so I think everyone was happy when it was over with!

When people arrived we have Madagascar playing and they sat and watched that for a bit, then decided to go play and run around while the adults talked. The kids came back and wanted to watch Madagascar 2(I think this was Everyone's favorite of the two). We had some popcorn and punch and then decided to do some activities and color some coloring pages. We let the kids decorate some little cloth bags with fabric markers to take all their goodies and samples home in.

We had another little snack of Melman's Circus Peanuts and then the kids wanted to play pin the tail on Alex the Lion, the adults even joined in on this one! Some dared to walk the tight rope after that, while others sat back and cheered them on! We made Afro Circus Marty masks and the kids LOVED them! They also had the choice to make a Alex the Lion mask, but I think everyone was excited about the colorful Afro wearing zebra in the upcoming film, Madagascar 3.

They finished up the movie and took home their Goody Bags with stickers, circus animal puzzles, candy and some madagascar 3 Gummies. I gave their samples to their Parents, as some were too young and thought it was Candy and didn't want them getting into it.

If you are interested in learning more about Children's or Adult's Claritin or for coupons or Can't wait to see Madagascar 3, you can go watch the trailer again until you can rush to theaters to see the whole thing! I know we can't wait until June 8th!


Disclaimer: I received the DVD's and promotional items as a member of the Children’s Claritin Mom Crew in order to host this Madagascar Viewing Party. All opinions are honest and my own, I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Poofin Review & Giveaway

My kids are obsessed with anything fluffy and cuddly! Put a pillow on the floor and they will both flock to it like seagulls on a crumb. So when we received our Poofin they fought over it til I had to step in and break it up!

Poofin is a seriously soft plush star pillow type toy that comes with interchangeable soft picture charms to represent all the great things in your child's life that makes him or her unique.

I love this idea! Spank is only 4, but he is starting to become an independent young man, making his own choices of what he likes and dislikes. No, I'm not talking about strained peas type choices but more what sports he likes and music, movies and activities. It really is bittersweet seeing him grow, but I like that Poofin allows children to choose from many different picture charms and collect the different things they like inside the "belly" of the star!

They have many different charms to choose from whether you have a sporty child, a little chef, or a girly girl on your hands. They even have customizable charms for your kids trips away from home this Summer, to help with that homesick feeling. You could even customize a charm for your child's special day, whether it be birthday, preschool or middle school Graduation or other various events.

The steps to getting started are simple!

1. Choose a Poofin- stars come in Bright Red, Blue or Pink!

2. Pick out your charms for inside from the great selection here or design your own charm.

3. Share them with your friends & family!

Spank has had a blast showing his Poofin off to everyone! He chose the Blue poofin and inside has his Skateboard, Bowling and Popcorn charms. He loves skateboarding and bowling, and if you didn't read my post on his Halloween costume a couple years back to know about his absolute LOVE of Popcorn, well, he LOVES it! He will tell you that too when you ask him about his charms, its quite cute. We plan on adding a few Charms to his collection in the coming months, he likes getting on the computer and browsing them. So far he has the Taco, penguin and he wants to get one of a runner because he is a runner. I may have to design one for him with his medals from his races. I think he'd enjoy that!

This would make a TERRIFIC gift for any Older child, I think the older they get it gets a bit harder to shop for some, this would be perfect for those children.

To Buy: To purchase a Poofin, visit the Poofin Store to get started!

To Win: One Lucky Reader will win a Poofin and two charms of their choosing! To enter follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Potty Cover Review & Giveaway

Going potty in public is something that makes my skin crawl sometimes. Thinking of all the germs that linger on those toilets and everywhere in those bathrooms-yuck! Having boys does make it somewhat easier as majority of the time Spank only has to pee, which he can stand for not having to touch anything! There are those moments when he needs to do some other business when we are out and about and I feel like I need to carry around toilet cleaner and a total cleaning kit before I can let my child sit on the toilet, then rush home afterwards to shower!
We recently received PottyCover to try out and it has helped this momma(with a public bathroom phobia) out a Ton! PottyCover is a disposable toilet seat cover for children. I LOVE that it covers the sides and front of the toilet too, cause if your child is like most they hold on to the edges! What I love even more is that it is made of a soft non-woven fabric on top, but coated with a layer of plastic on the bottom, making it waterproof. So if you are in a rush and cant wipe the seat down before hand and it happens to be a bit wet it won't soak through. That little flap up front also helps protect your child's legs or clothing from touching the icky germs on the toilet!
After you're done using it just dispose of it in the trash can, pretty simple! Each PottyCover comes individually wrapped and in a smaller package, so its small enough to fit into your purse,diaper bag or anywhere, but Large enough to cover all those germs!

I would recommend PottyCover to any moms, dads or grandparents who don't like the thought of germs in public restrooms, but have to face them due to little ones!

Buy It: To purchase PottyCovers, you can go here to find a retailer closest to you. They are about $5.99 for a 6 pk.

Win It: One lucky reader will win a 6pk of PottyCovers for themself to try out! To enter follow directions on the Rafflecopter form below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

For The Luck of Liberty Giveaway Hop-Coming Soon!

EVENT NAME: For The Luck of Liberty Giveaway Hop

DATES: July 2-8, 2012

PRICE: FREE!

PARTICIPATION DEADLINE: June 28, 2012 

PRIZE MINIMUM:  $25.00

EXPECTATIONS:

Join BloggerPR Facebook group; 

Post giveaway with event button, linky, host details, etc. on July 2, 2012

*All information will be emailed to participants on June 29, 2012

Get Fit Health Awareness blogger event sign ups

I am very excited to announce that I will be joining the Get Fit! Health Awareness blogger event!

This event is FREE but you have to make a post to promote it.  In exchange for promotion you get 1 (one) FREE link!

**additional link is $2.00**

When:  July 1st – July 15th

Who:  US only

What:  Products that encourage Healthy Living, Exercise, and Getting Fit!!

Signing up for this FREE event is easy!  Just click here!

See ya there!

ipad Giveaway Sign Ups

Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom is proud to present the The New iPad Giveaway Event, sponsored by BeeSavy.
Event dates: July 1 to July 15.
Details: This is a free blogger event, open worldwide and blog accepting sign ups now.
Join The New iPad Giveaway event today!

Tombow roller tape Review

I'm always making cards or invites or some paper crafting activity, and typically just use some roller tape from my local craft store. I can say that I am not too sure how well those adhesives hold together after the cards or invites are sent out, but its all I have ever known to use. Until I was offered Tombow for Review, a permanant adhesive tape runner, its refillable, acid-free, non toxic and forms a strong instant bond with whatever paper it is being used on.

I decided I needed to play around with some Thank You notes for the Boys Groovy Splash Party this Summer, So I cut out some Peace signs and grabbed my Adhesive Tape runner and set to work!  I thought the Tape Runner was lightweight, some of them get a bit bulky, I liked that the glue had a flap to keep debry from getting all over your glue, I hate when that happens.

The Tape runner's adhesive is a lot stronger than ALL of the other tape runner's I've used, so there is no repositioning with this one. But It will hold through mailing and a wind storm, Ok I'm not exactly sure about that one, BUT it is Strong! I can mail off those Thank You's knowing they will get there in one piece! The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the awkwardness of holding it, I had to roll the tape once it ran out. I wasn't in a hurry with these invites, so it wasn't a big deal, but when I am rushing to make something I have a feeling I'd be more likely to reach for my other tape rollers, although they won't hold as well!

Other than that slight negativity, I really liked the Tombow Tape roller and will be using it on projects to come!

To Buy: Want to purchase Tombow tape roller or other great products, you can purchase them HERE.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Carry Me Please Giveaway Event

Welcome to the Carry Me Please giveaway! Babywearing can be a wonderful time for both mom (or dad) and baby! For some it is a necessity for others it is just a way of life. For what ever reason you wear your little one, you should be able to do it in style!

Tailor Made Momma has put together and amazing giveaway and is offering up the winner choice of an Ergo or Pikkolo baby carrier!

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada and will end on May 26th!

Don't forget to come back and get your daily entries in!

========================================================================== a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tailor Made Momma

Tailor Made Momma is having an event called "Carry Me Please" The event will run run from May 12-May 26! Prize will be winner's choice of an Ergo and Pikkolo baby carrier! This is a FREE event, the only requirement being that you post about the sign-ups and then you post about it again when it goes live. Links can be Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS. NO GOOGLE PLUS though.  Sign ups close on May 10th, so hurry!!

Toddler Talk Tuesday

Toddler Talk Tuesday is Back!!
Join me in celebrating the comical dialog that come from the mouths of your babes. 
If you are a blogger, feel free to link up on the Linky below.
Don't Blog? Its okay, leave a comment sharing your Toddler (or child) Talk!


Spank has been talking a while now, but his speech is really improving and with his so is his sense of humor!

I was cleaning the house the other day, putting things away when I had the Home first aid kit(in a cool decorated box) Spank comes up and asks what it is? I start to tell him, but only get out its a ho- and he cuts me off excitedly saying "Its a HUNGER GAME? Oooo I love those MMM"


Chunk still isn't talking much, but he has mastered the art of tattling already at 15 months! He will hollar "MOMMA" and point if Spank, Daddy or his aunts are doing something he thinks is wrong! Its quite funny to see him.
<a href="http://ohhthejoysofboys.blogspot.com/"target="_blank"><img src="<a href="http://s1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa462/ohthejoysofboys/?action=view&current=feet.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa462/ohthejoysofboys/th_feet.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

Free Bracelet with Sneakpeeq account!

 Been meaning to get a Sneakpeeq account, just haven't had the time? Well here is your perfect reason to do it NOW! For joining now, you'll receive a  FREE ETERNAL SUMMER BRACELET , a $60 value, Plus FREE SHIPPING just for joining sneakpeeq! You also still receive the $10 credit when you join! So, hurry over and sign up to get your bracelet and your credit!

NOTE: This deal is for NEW members only!

HOT coffee Deal and coffee maker-$9.99 shipped

HOT deal for ALL coffee drinkers!!

Right now Gevalia is offering a great deal that would be wonderful for ANY mother who LOVES her coffee!! This Deal includes 4 boxes of their coffee or tea PLUS a stainless steel 12 cup coffee maker for only $9.99 with FREE shipping. Hurry over and choose your 4 boxes, they have many Great flavors including , Dark Chocolate truffle, Hazelnut, & Mocha Java, plus many more including tea flavors! Hurry Over HERE to get started with your order, I'm not sure how long these will last!

Note: Your first shipment will be billed at the promotional price of $9.99. None of this is binding,  no contracts and no cancellation fees if you cancel before your next delivery.

Win An Ipad- ENDS TONIGHT!

Here is a great opportunity for you to win a New iPad for FREE!! Simply “Like” Cinsay's Facebook page then register to win yourself the New iPad. HURRY though, It ends TONIGHT, May 8th at 11:59pm (CST).

Louis Vuitton Purse Giveaway sign ups!

Madame Deals is having a FREE BLOGGER EVENT! 
The prize is a  Louis Vuitton Purse and will taken place May 12-June 12th.

She is also accepting 5 other host spots, you may bid on. Your name and blog link will appear in the html and you will hold one of the first 5 spots. (THIS IS NOT REQUIRED)

                                       You MUST be a family friendly blog!

Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway

Welcome to the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway!

Bright Starts and Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom have teamed to offer an amazing Bright Starts Sunnyside Safari Collection giveaway to one lucky reader!

This includes the Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair, Playard, Plug in Sway & Swing, Portable Swing and Saucer making this truly the Ultimate Baby Shower Gift.

Special thank you to the wonderful bloggers who made this possible including our co-hosts: To Sew with Love, The Lucky Ladybug and Mom Blog Society.

 I myself am extremely fond of these colors and of course I LOVE the Elephants and other safari animals in the prints. These are items any Mommy or Mommy to-be needs with a little one or one on the way! I especially love that the print is gender neutral!!

Big smiles and bright adventures go hand in hand in this exciting, fun-filled collection!

Take a walk on the sunny side-where baby gear goes together in delightful new ways. It's a win for infants and parents alike, with irresistable jungle characters adorning an array of fun coordinated products you'll use every day. Each piece of the collection does its job charmingly, with non-stop fun at an unbeatable value.

The Bright Starts Sunnyside Collection is available at Wal-Mart!

Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair
A good high chair is a must for moms, and Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair is as good as they come! It does what a full-sized model does and more, adjusting to four different heights (and nearly any table), reclining to three positions, and converting to a booster seat for smooth transition to the toddler years.
The reversible seat pad is made of stain-resistant fabric you can wipe clean or machine-wash. The removable Stay Level Tray™ remains flat even when the seat is reclining. All this, plus the friendly characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Make mealtime and snack time more enjoyable for baby and you. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• Convenient 2 piece reversible seat pad is made of stain resistant fabric that is wipeable and machine washable
• 4 height positions to fit most table sizes
• 3 position recline
• Removable Stay Level Tray™ remains level even when seat is reclined
• 3 locking positions to grow with baby
• Built-in holders are convenient for drinks or snacks
• Converts to booster for easy toddler transition
• 5 point convertible safety harness

Sunnyside Safari™ Playard
A bright, sunny place for baby to rest, play, get a quick diaper change and spend a few moments with some friendly jungle pals! That's the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Playard. This playard includes a removable bassinet with our time-saving One Less Step™ feature for easy fold-and-go mobility.
There's a convenient changing table, a handy side storage pocket, easy-roll wheels, a travel bag, plus a colorful toy bar to delight baby. And like all Bright Starts™ products, this playard is an unbeatable value. Part of our coordinated Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• Removable bassinet with One Less Step™ to quickly fold and go
• Convenient changing table
• Toy bar with 2 fun toys
• Side storage pocket
• Wheels for easy portability
• Includes travel bag

Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™
Some swings go back and forth. Some go side to side. This one does both—and does it with music, toys, and delightful jungle style. With a seat designed for 180° rotation, allowing three swing directions, the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™ uses our unique TrueSpeed™ technology to sense baby's weight and adjust for consistent speed—so it grows along with baby.
The swing also boasts a volume-adjustable 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds, an overhead mobile—even an AC adaptor to save on battery expense. And it features the fun and engaging characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• Seat rotates 180° for 3 swing directions
• TrueSpeed™ technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
• Mobiles with 2 playtime toys easily pivots out of the way
• 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds with volume control and auto shut-off
• AC adaptor saves money on batteries
• Swing time with 3 settings: 30, 45 and 60 minutes
• Whisper Quiet™ operation
• 5 point harness
• Machine washable seat pad
• Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing
Find baby's favorite speed with this innovative portable swing. The Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing is a win for parents and babies—from its machine-washable padded seat right down to its bright yellow, non-slip feet. With six distinct speeds to choose from, you'll find it easy to suit your little one's mood—and our patented TrueSpeed™ technology keeps those speeds consistent even as baby grows.
The Comfort Recline™ seat gives you a choice of two positions, and WhisperQuiet™ operation makes this swing silent in use. Wrap it all up in the super-fun animal decor and you've got a perfect travel companion. Part of Bright Starts™’ Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Features:

• TrueSpeed™ Technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
• Comfort Recline™ seat with 2 positions
• Whisper Quiet™ operation
• Easily folds for storage or travel
• 5 point harness
• Machine washable seat pad
• Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer
This is where babies go for serious fun. A Walmart exclusive, the 7-activity Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer offers entertainment options galore—and a lighthearted jungle theme with fun characters you'll adore.
The seat rotates a full 360° for endless interaction with the activity stations. Twin overhead toy arms provide even more entertainment options. And the three different height positions make this one saucer your baby won't soon outgrow. Four link loops mean still more toys can be attached. Part of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection, this saucer will quickly become a family favorite. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• 3 adjustable height positions allows entertainer to grow with baby
• Seat rotates 360° for nonstop interaction with 7 activity stations
• 2 overhead toy bar arms with mirror, hanging toy and fabric crinkle leaves
• Hanging elephant toy
• Bendy giraffe teething stalk
• Bead chaser with easy to grip textured beads
• Lion popper with spiraling beads
• Rotating ladybug barrels with fun textures and beads
• Rocking toucan on leaf stalk
• 4 link loops for attaching more toys
• Lays flat for storage
• Built-in toy tray is easy to clean

Giveaway starts on May 7 at 12:01AM and ends May 28 at 11:59PM. Open to the US residents only; must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Enter to win the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway including the Sunnyside Safari Collection on the rafflecopter form below.

Xbox Kinect Bundle Giveaway(July 8-22)

Techy Tribe and Mom to Bed by 8 is proud to present the Techy Summer Xbox Kinect Bundle Event from July 8 to July 22. This is a free blogger event and accepting signups now.

Join the Techy Summer Xbox Kinect Bundle Giveaway event today, grow your readership and offer a gamers must have giveaway!

WINNERS!!

We Have WINNERS!

The following Giveaways and ended and winners have been notified & have 48 hours to reply until another winner is chosen!

Congrats to our Winners:

Powder Pouch

Entry #67Ani G.

Entry #2Lesley M.

Entry #59Ricki L.

Entry #23Jessica B.

Entry #48Ann-Katherine J.

Funbites

Entry #278Connie G.

IdeaPaint

Entry #175Les J.

Not a Winner this time? There is still time to enter my other great giveaways. Also, there will be more reviews & Giveaways coming soon, so check back soon to try again!

Meal Planning Monday

I'm linking up with Finding Hope's Meal Planning Monday again this week.

Monday: southwestern salad
Tuesday: Lasagna roll ups
Wednesday: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps (We tried these as part of the New Year, New cookbook Challege and LOVED them.)
Thursday: Salmon with wild rice
Friday: Dinner at In-laws
Saturday: Crock Pot Taco Chili

Sunday: Coconut Chicken tenders with sweet potato fries.

Whats on your Menu this week?