Elmers Magnificent Manicure review

No matter what age, every girl deserves to be pampered. When I received the Magnificent Manicure Kit by Elmers in the mail for review I was a bit hesitant because the age range is ages 8+ and Sophia is just going to be 4. The minute I started reading the product directions that hesitation was quickly put to rest and I was very excited to try it out with her! Sophia was just as excited to make her very own lotion and sea salt scrub!

What I loved the most about the kit was that in the instructions it includes a group of questions regarding the step you are taking in making your spa products, challenging the child to evaluate what they are doing on a different level. So not only is the child having a blast having their girly fun, they are learning chemistry as well! As some of you know, Sophia has sensory processing disorder and part of the discomfort for her is tactile aversion (The feel of everyday items can upset her immensely) so this was also a very therapeutic project for her as she had to feel some different textures that she wasn't used to!

If you have a little lady or tween that loves to be girly this is a great item! The Elmers Magnificent Manicure Kit just picked up Creative Child Magazine's 2009 Toy of the Year Award in the Educational Toys Category. The kit is available now at your local Toys "R" Us and Toysrus.com and retails at a low $19.99 Sophia and I definitely give this a two thumbs up and we cant wait to use it again!

*The above named product was recieved as a sample for review from Team Mom.

Exergen Temporal Scanner Review

I'll admit it, I am a worrying mommy. First sign of anything 'off' with Sophia and I automatically wonder "Is she getting sick?!" Being the worrying mommy that I am you can bet that I often reach for the thermometer to check for fevers. Trust me checking the temperature on a 3 year old is no easy task. Until now.

Honestly this review couldn't have come at a better time. The day before I received the Exergen temporal scanner I was diagnosed with H1N1 and 3 days after I was diagnosed my poor sweet Sophia caught it. Now, I would never wish to be as ill as we were but having this God sent product on hand made it a little easier. Like I said before, checking the temperature on a finicky 3 year old is one heck of a job but add in a nasty flu and it is just THAT much harder.

With the Exergen Temporal Scanner there are no battles of keeping the thermometer under the arm or under the tongue. With just one quick and easy swipe of the Temporal Scanner across the forehead you are given quick and accurate results. In fact, I was quite impressed with the consistent and accurate readings from it. There are several comparable products on the market today but I urge you all to go straight for this product. It is definitely a must have and is sure to make those nasty seasonal colds and flu's easier to handle.

The Exergen Temporal Scanner can be purchased at Walmart, Walgreens and Babies-r-us (for a full list of retailers please visit here) and runs about $30. Go and pick yours up today.

*The above named product was recieved as a sample for review from Parent Reviewers.

REVIEW: Kiss My Face kids products

With National Endangered Species Day (May 15th) having just passed I felt that this would be a great review to post! Kiss my face is a great company that uses natural ingredients to create products that won’t harm the earth, or your skin! They also have a line just for kiddos which I found awesome! The kids’ collection packaging highlights various endangered species and provides facts and tidbits on each animal. Inside, parents will find products free of artificial colors, fragrances, parabens and SLS, and boasting natural ingredients such as Organic Green Tea Extract to protect against sun damage, Nettle Extract to stimulate hair growth and improve the condition of the scalp and Tea Tree Oil to kill germs

Kiss My face has recently launched a kids only site! Here, kids and parents can learn about endangered species and have fun with some great kid-friendly activities including a coloring page, videos and games! Kiss My Face launched the site to celebrate the launch of its collection for kids. With endangered species friends like Terell the Tiger and Preston the Penguin appearing on every package, kiddos are sure to have a blast getting clean with these fun products!


We received the entire line to review! Sophie was absolutely ecstatic when she saw the whale shaped soap! What I loved about all of these products is that they smelled AMAZING. The scents are Orange U Smart and Berry Smart. Both scents are fantastic. I also REALLY liked how clean the products washed off. Like the shampoo left her hair squeaky clean, same as the soap and the handsoap! The only thing I was surprised by is that the items are not tear free. Which not many bath items are, right? That was just a mommy mistake that only happened once.



Overall I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review these amazing products and Sophia and I give all of the products 2 thumbs way up!

I definitely recommend heading over to the Kiss My Face Website and checking out all of the great products they offer and have a little fun while your there!

LEE Jeans ® Colorwash Capris- A review and a giveaway -10 Winners!-GIVEAWAY POSTPONED DUE TO INVENTORY SHORTAGE

I was recently approached by a representitive from LEE Jeans ® and asked to be one of twenty-five "Lee Blogger Ambassadors". My first opportunity as a Lee Blogger Ambassador was to review a pair of their new "colorwash capris".

When I received the capris in the mail I was ecstatic. Not only was the color amazing ( I received the Strawberry!) but the over all appearance and style of the capris suit my taste to a T!

My favorite characteristic of the colorwash capris was the lightweight material. I live in Missouri, where summer heat is miserable. I know that these pants will keep me cool and comfortable. I also loved the cut of them. There is a slight flare at the bottom that adds shape and flow to them. And can I just say that I have a FLAT butt. Im talking FLAT. I was pleasantly surprised when I put these on and had a little OOMPH in my backside.



Overall I was very happy with the capris that I received and I urge you all to check out the NEW LEE.COM and see what other fun styles they have to offer. From the kiddos to mom and dad, Lee is sure to have something suitable for all.

Do you want a chance to win a pair of your own??? Lee has generously offered TEN readers a pair of their own Colorwash Capris! Heres how you can win:

-First you must visit the NEW Lee.Com and take a look around at their fantastic collection. Post a comment here telling me what your favorite style is.

You can earn additional entries!

-Tweet this contest- One entry
-Blog about this contest- One entry

*Please post each additonal entry in a separate comment.

THIS CONTEST HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD. DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF THE COLORWASH CAPRIS THERE LEE HAS INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF THE PRODUCT. SORRY FOR ANY INCONVIENENCE

Mom Agenda- A review

Sophia and I are busy girls. Especially now that I am working 40+ hours a week. I constantly have so much going on that I am surprised that my head is not spinning around. I rely on complete organization to keep my days chaos free.

I recently heard about the site Mom Agenda. Mom Agenda makes these amazingly convienent day planners that have special features that your everyday *normal* agenda would have.
Here are just SOME of the features that these planners have:

·Unique day-on-a-page format with space for mom and up to four children. Features monthly views too.
·13-month academic calendar runs from August 2008 through August 2009.
·Features the momEssentials address book that can be removed and reused from year to year.
· favorite websites section
·space for notes on books, movies, fashion, and music, vacation and party planning pages, and more.
·The momEssentials pamphlet comes with space not just for addresses, but also for adults' and kids' medical information, birthdays, websites and passwords, and more.

Mom Agenda was generous enough to send me one of their mini daily planners for review and I was impressed to say the least. Actually, I loved it before I even opened it. I loved that it was GIRLY!I received the daily mini in LIME it wasnt your average brown/black that some day planners come in. I really like that the cover is STAIN RESISTANT and any mom knows that spills and stains happen. Its nice to know that stains WONT happen on my new Mom Agenda planner! There are also 2 silk ribbons attached that act as page markers, its awesome to not have to flip through to find the current week or day. I loved the area to write in your childrens activities and appointments. With Sophies schedule consisting of 5 therapies in 5 days with Dr appointments added in,Its nice to have those appointments in their own category.

I definitely recommend Mom Agenda to any mom that needs some organization in her life. Mom Agenda has been featured in magazines like Parents and Family Circle and with celebrity fans like Rachel Zoe and Felicty Huffman Mom Agenda definitely gets several mom thumbs up!

You can order your Mom Agenda online here or you can go here and search for a store in your state that carries Mom Agenda.

Winner of Label Daddy

Winner is # 8

Lots of blog party winners!!! Blinc,Dapper Snappers,See Kai Run and Baby Emi!

Winner of the Blinc Kiss Me Mascara: #90



Winner of the Dapper Snapper: #3



Winner of See Kai Run: #47



Winners of Baby Emi: #63 and #4





Congrats Everyone!!!

Jingle Bell Blog Party Day #19-Milestone Parenting

As the mother of an autistic child, A firm daily routine is a necessity for us. Sophia thrives on daily routine. With a routine, her tantrums are lessened and she sleeps much better at night!

Here is a little bit about the importance of teaching your daily routine from the milestone parenting website:

What is a routine? A routine is any activity that we do automatically on a daily basis.

When children grow up without routines, duties and limits, they grow up in an uncontrolled manner and become difficult to manage.

Our biggest responsibility as parents is to provide a structured and nurturing environment in which our children can become prepared for life as an adult. It is critical that we stimulate our children's minds, social skills, emotions and bodies. Routines play an integral part in this stimulation, ensuring that children understand and embrace their duties and receive the nurturing and care that is so important to them.

According to the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning,
Studies have documented that schedules and routines influence children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Predictable and consistent schedules in preschool classrooms help children feel secure and comfortable. Also, schedules and routines help children understand the expectations of the environment and reduce the frequency of behavior problems, such as tantrums and acts of aggression.

Consistent routines are an effective tool that parents can use to prepare their children for life, and to accomplish the stimulation and teaching that is so important to their development.

Our It's Time To... Bedtime and Daily Routines make it easy for parents, teachers, educators and caregivers to introduce routines to their children. Read more about our Routine Kits to find out which one is right for you...

I am so excited to have had the opportunity to review the Daily Routine Kit from Milestone Parenting. I have tried several different methods of implementing a routine schedule in to the day and it has always been an eventually failed struggle. But so far, after just over 4 weeks of use, the Daily Routine Kit from Milestone parenting is still a hit in our house!

This durable and reusable chart features KC the fox, A fun companion to guide your child through his or her daily happenings. With 21 removable action cards this makes the day go by smoother. From teeth brushing to nap time, Sophie is always aware of what is coming up in her day! Another feature I really like was that the chart came with a wipe off marker and each card had picture of an analog clock and slots to write the time, helping your child learn time at the same time they are learning structure! Sophie just loves being able to take the cloth and wipe the time mark off of each clock after that portion of her day is complete. The daily routine chart has made simple things like getting dressed more fun to look forward to. Milestone Parenting also has a bedtime routine chart making your child's bedtime a breeze! For more information on the importance of a daily routine and to order your chart today, visit Milestone Parenting!

The only suggestion I have for the product is to add laminating to the chart and to the cards. I am afraid that sticking and unsticking them is going to kill the static cling. Overall I give the product 2 thumbs up!

I have one daily routine chart to giveaway. To enter, post a comment telling me what the current daily struggle is with your child(IE bath time,bedtime)

Additional entries:
·twitter this post
·stumble this post
·favorite me on technorati
·blog about this post linking back to both my blog and Milestone parenting.

This contest will end on December 31st. Winner will be announced on January 1st.

Jingle Bell Blog Party Day #18-Eyescream Shades.Review and Giveaway

Everyone needs a good pair of sunglasses. Sunglasses are not only a fashion statement or something worn to deflect the suns brightness but they actually protect our eyes from the suns damaging UV rays.

Just how harmful are the suns rays?
Sunlight is the primary source of UV radiation that can damage tissues of the eye. Results from dozens of studies suggest that spending long hours in the sun without eye protection increases the chances of developing eye diseases, including cataracts. The 1998 Journal of the American Medical Association reported that even low amounts of sunlight can increase the risk of developing eye disorders.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has cautioned that excess exposure to UV radiation may increase the incidence of cataracts. Cataracts are a form of eye damage that causes the loss of transparency in the lens, clouding vision. Everyone is at risk for developing cataracts. Another potential effect of UV radiation is a "burning" of the eye surface, called "snow blindness" or photokeratitis from sunlight. The effects usually disappear within a couple of days, but may lead to further complications later in life. UVB damage to the eyes is also cumulative, so it is never too late for people to start protecting their eyes.

I received a pair of children's sunglasses from Eyescream shades for review. not only are these dark tinted glasses a total fashion statement and great protection from the bright sun but they also offer total eye protection for kids.All of eyescream shades have polycarbonate lenses that block virtually 100% UVA,UVB, and UVC rays! Giving your little ones eyes total protection from the harmful sun. We received the strawberry ice and Sophie LOVES them. She totally rocks those shades!

See the attitude behind this picture? Yes, my child is paparazzi unfriendly lately LOL!


I have two pairs of these awesome shades to giveaway! On pair in Choco-raspberry and one in Strawberry Ice




Want to snag one of these pairs for your kiddo? Heres how you can win!

First post a comment telling me which pair you would choose if you won.

YOU CAN HAVE UNLIMITED ENTRIES!
·Receive one entry for every sun safety tip,fact or statistic that you post here.

Additional Entries:

-Twitter this post
-blog about this post linking back to both my blog and Eyescream Shades.
-Carry my banner
-Add me to your live blogroll
-Favorite me on technorati using the button on the right sidebar.

This contest will run through December 29th. Winner will be chosen using random.org and announced on December 30th

Jingle Bell Blog Party Day #17-Cutie and Patootie.Review and Giveaway-closed

I think it is essential for kiddos to unleash their inner rockstar(Yes,Everyone has an inner rockstar!) and show their wild side, That's why I'm excited about this next review! Cutie and Patootie sent us their totally awesome royal wings long sleeved Tshirt to review recently and I was really pleased with the item we received!

Made of 100% super soft cotton and featuring an adorable heat transfer design, this shirt is surely fit for a princess! I loved the unique design on the shirt. Definitely not something that you see everyday and draws a lot of positive attention. People are forever telling me how cute the shirt is when Sophie wears it. Cutie and Patootie carries a wide variety of super cute clothing for kiddos ranging from infant to children's sizes as well as many of accessories for mom to enjoy. Whether your looking for something for your little rock star or a chic new diaper bag, you can find it at Cutie and Patootie!

I have a long sleeve heartbreaker tshirt size 4T IN WHITE to giveaway to one lucky reader!

want to win this super cute shirt for your little heartbreaker? Here is how to win!

First you must visit Cutie and Patootie and tell me what your favorite item is, post a comment here with a link back to that item.

Wanna gain more entries?
·Twitter this post. One entry for EVERY tweet.
·blog about this post linking back to both my blog and to Cutie and Patootie.
·Favorite my blog on technorati using the button on the right sidebar
·Carry my banner on your blog
·Add me to your live blogroll

This contest will run through December 28th. Winner will be chosen using random.org and announced on December 29th.

Jingle Bell Blog Party Day #16-for the monster. Review and Giveaway.CLOSED

We recently received a super cute nap mat for review from For The Monster.
For the monster is an online boutique that specializes in Cloth Diapering needs, Nursing mother accessories and much more. When I removed it from the box,I could instantly tell that the quality of the nap mat was impeccable.

Here are some features of the nap mat:
·completely machine washable and dryable
·made from 65% polyester - 35% cotton.
·conveniently roll up and secures with Velcro™
closures for easy storage.
·attached shoulder strap for easy carrying and weighs only 3 pounds.
·24" wide x 54" long.
·shell made of a durable cotton/polyester blend with a high quality, oversized blanket.

Filled with cotton batting and having a built in pillow and attached fleece blanket this is sure to keep your kiddo cozy and comfortable during nap time! Or anytime! Sophie loves hers so much she likes to lay on it and watch her shows! My favorite feature is that the attached fleece blanket it THICK. Any nap mat Ive seen before has a dinky thin attached blanket but I was very pleased at the thickness and durability of this one. I also love the adorable Noah's Ark print. It is fun and colorful and Sophie loves to talk about the animals in the pictures!

For The Monster has graciously offered one of my readers a Noah's Ark nap mat! Want to win one for yourself? Here's how you can!

First, you must visit for the monster and browse around. Post a comment here with a link to your favorite item from the site.

Want more chances to win? Sure you do!
*Please post an additional comment for EVERY ENTRY. IE: Twitter 1. Twitter 2.(In a separate comment) etc..

·Twitter this post- 5 entries
·Favorite me on Technorati using the button on the right sidebar-10 entries
·Add me to your blogroll-5 entries
·blog about this post linking back to both my blog and For the Monster-10 entries

This contest will run through December 28th. Winner will be chosen via random.org and announced on December 29th.