Scholastic Storybook Treasures

Scholastic Storybook Treasures sent Sydney the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom / Chicka Chicka 1-2-3 set to review. Sydney loves anything musical, and she already loves the Chicka Chicka books, so I thought she would love these DVDs.

They came packaged as a set. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a fun alphabet song, and Chicka Chicka 1-2-3 is a similar counting song. Both songs are very upbeat, and keep Sydney very entertained. Both DVDs include extra stories, such as “Emily's First 100 Days of School” and “Inch By Inch,” all with read-along capabilities. The complete set is just over 2 hours long. The stories are at a much slower pace than the songs, so Sydney isn't very interested in them right now. They would be great for beginning readers though. They are easy to follow and read.

Check out Scholastic Storybook Treasures. You will find many of your children's favorite characters (Curious George for one), along with some you may remember growing up (my favorite was always Corduroy)!  They are very reasonably priced as well.  The Chicka Chicka set is only $19.95!

Their website also offers printable coloring and activity sheets for kids HERE!

My Father's Gifts

I came across a jewelry site called “My Father's Gifts” and found a necklace I just LOVED (right before Mother's Day). I had already been in contact with the seller about doing a review or giveaway, but her computer crashed (literally) and we weren't able to talk for a few days. Before I had finalized plans with her, my husband surprised me with the necklace I wanted for Mother's Day! Since she was having computer problems and shipped it out later than she planned, she even included a free pair of matching earrings! 

I absolutely LOVE the necklace and earrings! The stones are beautiful. Sydney likes to touch the earrings, so I don't get to wear them often, but I love it when I do get to wear them. I get to feel “girly” for a little while. The necklace has “Faith” inscribed around it, which I love. It is a good reminder to me that God will provide if I have a little faith. Apparently, we didn't take any Mother's Day pictures this year, so I don't even have a picture of it, but trust me...it's beautiful!!

You should definitely check out My Father's Gifts. She has a large selection of beautiful jewelry, and I'm sure you could find something perfect for yourself or any special lady in your life.  Her jewelry is VERY reasonably priced, and still very pretty and good quality.  Don't hesitate to ask if you are looking for something, I'm sure she will try to help you out!  You can see her blog HERE or her Facebook page HERE. 

Here are a few pictures of her items:

Yoohoo and Friends Review and Giveaway

Almost every kid loves stuffed animals...and most kids have a few (or a basket full like my niece), but most of them aren't even close to being as cute as Yoohoo and friends.  We received three of the adorable plush animals, and they each make a different sound when you press their tummy.   One was an adorable plush princess complete with tutu and tiara.  The first time my niece saw her, she loved her!  She even named her "Princess Tutu."  We also received the birthday Yoohoo, which plays "Happy Birthday" and is equally adorable if you ask me!  These stuffed animals seem to be pretty sturdy.  They are surface washable only (like most stuffed animals). 

About Yoohoo and Friends
One thing I think is really neat about Yoohoo and Friends is that they have a website that is a virtual world based upon the characters created by Aurora World. The characters (and their plush counterparts) are based upon real animals in their natural habitat all over the world.  Some of them are endangered and children will be able to learn about each animal. Children can choose and raise pets, decorate pet’s room, play games and watch YooHoo and Friends animations all from the website.  Any child can register and adopt pets from the YooHoo and Friends characters. Registration to the website is free and does not require any activation code to enter.  After adopting a pet, children can decorate a pet’s room, play games and earn Green points to decorate their pet’s room. They can also watch previews of the upcoming YooHoo and Friends animation series.  The website is intended for kids around ages 5-12.

About Aurora
Aurora World, Inc. (http://www.auroragift.com/), celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2011, is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high quality, competitively priced plush toys and gifts. Founded in 1981, the Korean company with headquarters also in the United States, United Kingdom and Hong Kong, has ascended quickly to become a respected leader in the world’s toy and gift industry.  The company sells its products via a wide variety of retailers including major zoos, high-end toy stores such as Learning Express, top gift chains such as Hallmark and Claire’s as well as hospital gift shops, fine florists, candy stores and gift/stationery stores worldwide.

What do I think?
I think these plush toys are great!  They have small 5" plush that are the perfect size for snuggling and carrying on trips.  I think it's a good idea to create some based on endangered species to help encourage kids to learn about their new pets.  The website has so many different things to do for so many different ages...I was very impressed.  There aren't many online websites I'd let my child play on, but if Sydney was old enough I'd definitely let her play on the YooHoo and Friends world!

GIVEAWAY
Yoohoo and Friends is offering one reader their very own plush toy similar to the ones I received.  It will be a 5" plush that makes noise when squeezed.

How to Enter
Mandatory Entry - MUST do this for other entries to count!
Visit YooHoo and Friends HERE and tell me which animal is your favorite...Beware - they are all adorable!

(1 entry) - "Like" Yoohoo and Friends on Facebook
(1 entry) - Follow Yoohoo and Friends on Twitter
(1 entry) - "Like" So Mommy on Facebook
Giveaway will end August 4, 2010 at 5 pm CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted via email.  If winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.  I was provided Yoohoo and Friends products in exchange for my honest review which I have given.  See full disclaimer for details.

Bath Luve Review and Giveaway

All of you new moms - get ready - this is a great product!  I wish I had this great bath item when Sydney was a tiny baby!  I know, I know...you're probably wondering if you need another bath product, but when you see this I think you will agree with me!  

The product I am talking about is the Bath Luve.   Luve, LLC was founded by a mom who realized how stressful bathing an infant can be.   If you safely bathe your baby in a few inches of water, it leaves the rest of baby to get cold, and of course in most babies this leads to terrible crying, which makes it a stressful experience for moms and dads.  Bath Luve also offers a Bath Luve Buddy and super-soft hooded terry towels and washcloths.  The Bath Luve Buddy is a sponge that can be used to bathe baby, re-wet the Bath Luve, and become a bath toy as your baby grows.

The  Bath Luve can be purchased at Kohl’s stores nationwide as well as other retailers such as Babies R Us, select Baby Depots, and Wal-Mart.com. The Bath Luvē, in frog, fish or duck design, retails at $6 to $10.
You can also see product information and buy these products online at http://www.bathluve.com/. 

I think this is a great product!  Like I said, I wish I had this when Sydney was born!  Since she was my first baby, bathtime was especially stressful for me.  I know some of you moms out there are thinking a washcloth would do the same thing, and it would, just not as well.  The Bath Luve is made to curve around your baby's body to get maximum coverage.  It would take 3 or 4 washcloths to get the same coverage...and who wants to try to keep all of those on a baby? 

GIVEAWAY
Amy, the creator of the Bath Luve, is offering one reader a Bath Luve of their own! 

How to Enter
(1 entry) - Follow the Bath Luve Blog HERE
(1 entry) - Go to Bath Luve HERE and tell me which design is your favorite.
(1 entry) - Follow the So Mommy Blog HERE
(1 entry) - Leave a Happy Birthday or Half-Birthday comment to my sister, my husband, or Sydney

Giveaway will end August 4, 2010 at 5 pm CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted by email.  If winner doesn't respond in 48 hours another winner will be drawn.  The Bath Luve was provided to me for my honest review, which I have given.  See full disclaimer for more information.

Winners!

I know...I'm a little late posting winners, but here they are!!  Thanks to everyone who entered and good luck next time!!

My Embroidered Gifts "Puppy Lovie" winner is....Imomm, who said, "I love the 'lovies' on My Embroidered gifts! My favorite was Jakka the giraffe :) I liked "My Embroidered gifts" of fb!"

Auntie Bubbles $10 gift certificate winner is....Nell, who said, "The item I like the most is the Adorable Flamingo Dress-- pink and turquoise (size 4T)! Extremely cute! But I also love the red, white and blue striped onesie with tie!"


Also, yesterday was my older sisters birthday and today is my hubby's birthday...AND today is Sydney's half-birthday...so since we're in the birthday gift-giving mode here...I'm going to post a couple of giveaways for all of YOU this afternoon! 

Auntie Bubbles Review and Giveaway

I received a chance to review an adorable skirt from Auntie Bubbles, who is an Etsy seller that makes clothing items for girls and boys.  I was excited to receive this skirt, because they are unique and very colorful!  The top portion of the skirt is jean, and the bottom is fabric.  Feel free to ask about the fabric choices; many times she can work with you on creating something custom.  She has skirts and dresses for the little girls, and tie shirts and onesies for the boys!  Everything in her store is priced $10-$35 so that even those on a budget can shop here!

Auntie Bubbles definitely makes quality items!  Sydney has worn this skirt many times, and it is still as good as new!  It is a little long on her right now, but that gives her a little growing room.  The jeans and fabric used is very good quality and have a good fit.  I guess the only thing I would change about it is the bow.  I wish the bow was sewn so that it stayed tied...mainly because some Dads (like Sydney's Daddy) aren't able to tie a cute bow.  Otherwise, I love the skirt.  The style is adorable, and I love that you can get different fabrics for each holiday!  Sydney gets a lot of compliments on her skirt!

GIVEAWAY

Auntie Bubbles is offering one reader the chance to win $10 off a purchase!

How to Enter:

You can do one or all of these.  The more you do, the better your chances. 

(1 entry) Visit Auntie Bubbles and tell me which item you like the most

(1 entry) Follow So Mommy by Google Friend Connect (publicly)

(1 entry) Vote for Auntie Bubbles HERE

(1 entry) Blog about this giveaway (leave the link to the post)

(1 entry) Grab my button for your blog (leave the link please)

Giveaway will end July 26, 2010 at 5 p.m. CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted by email.  If winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.  I was provided the skirt for my honest review.  See full disclaimer for details.

Wild at Heart

I received the book "Wild at Heart: Revised and Expanded" by John Eldredge (awhile ago...more about that later) through the Blogging for Books program with Booksneeze.   I chose this book because it is written about men, but for women OR men to read.  I was intrigued by how this book could supposedly help 2 completely different sets of readers.   I have to say, the author exceeded my expectations.

This book is written to help men and women discover "the secret of a man's soul."  After reading the first chapter of this book, I looked at my husband and said, "This is such a sad chapter, I hope it gets happier."  What I was refering to is the author describing how many men feel.  I never really thought about it, but the author paints a very vivid picture using quotes from friends, the Bible, and various other people.  He explains how we (as a people, in general) have pushed men into more feminine roles through the years, and how that has taken the passion out of every man's life.   He then goes on to explain how men have been wounded, many by their fathers or mothers.  A boy needs a dad (or dad figure) to usher him into man-hood and let him know he is good enough. 

This book explains so many things that I can't begin to talk about them all, but I have thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It is based on the Bible, and it uses several Bible stories, but ANYONE could benefit from reading this book, man or woman, Christian or not.  I think this book can help wives understand their husbands, mothers understand their sons, and husbands help themselves and other men.  If you have a son or a husband, please read this book!  It may save you a lot of headache from trying to figure out the men in your life! 

John Eldredge also offers a Wild at Heart Small Group Guide with videos.  I'm sure this would be a great series for a men's Sunday School class! 

WINNERS

The Cannons Cottage gadget bag winner is...Vickers, who said, "My son goes at full speed all the time and has lots of bruises. I just try to get him to slow down."



The MD Designs winner is...Shmambee, who said, "I Heart MD Designs on Etsy."


Congratulations to both and thanks everyone for entering.  Watch for more giveaways this week!

Don't forget to enter the My Embroidered Gifts giveaway!

My Embroidered Gifts Review and Giveaway

My Embroidered Gifts is a company that is actually local to me, so I am very excited to help them out by doing this review. They operate out of Madison, AL, but you can check out their website HERE. They have many, MANY gifts from baby keepsakes, to lovies, to stuffed toys. If you are looking for a personalized gift, make sure to check them out.

The owner was a pleasure to work with as well! She allowed me to pick a gift to review from her site, and since everyone has been asking about boy items, I picked the “Patches” Plush Puppy Lovie Gift Set. He came packaged in his own little dog house. Sydney loved pulling him out and putting him back in. He has a very soft velour head, body, and tail, and he can even be personalized! I chose to put the initial “G” (for our last name) on ours so that our next child can enjoy this lovey as well.

Here are a few pictures of Sydney with the new lovey. She refuses to trade her “bunny-love” hand-me-down lovey for the new one, but I'm kind of relieved though, because now we will have this great little lovie for our next baby instead of Sydney claiming two!

GIVEAWAY
My Embroidered Gifts is offering one lucky reader this same lovie! Keep reading to see how to enter!

HOW TO ENTER:
Leave 1 comment per entry. I will notify the winner by email, so make sure to leave an email address you use regularly.

(1 entry) Leave a comment here telling me your favorite product from My Embroidered Gifts
(1 entry) Follow So Mommy publicly by Google Connect
(1 entry) “Like” My Embroidered Gifts on Facebook HERE
(1 entry) Share this giveaway with 3 friends (email, facebook, twitter, etc)

This giveaway will end Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 5 p.m. CST. It is open to U.S. Residents only. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted via email. If winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.

I was provided the dog lovie in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received. My Embroidered Gifts is responsible for sending the prize to the winner. See full disclaimer for more information.

Baby Animals Live With Me - Book Review

I chose the book “Baby Animals Live With Me” by Pearl C. Rodgers-Hatch because I can remember as a child how much I loved baby animals. I think just about every child loves baby animals and I was excited to get to read it to my grand daughter on her next visit to Mimi’s house.

This book not only teaches the fun that each baby animal has, but it also teaches a valuable lesson in life- compassion. As the book goes through, it tells of the bunny wiggling its nose and the kittens pouncing and purring. You just can’t help but smile.

This book was fun and I think most children will love to either read it or have it read to them. Some of the reading may be a little long for the younger children (it has a poem on each page), but most kids ages 6 and older will enjoy it. I think if the pictures had a little color it would hold the child’s attention a little more, but overall, I think this was a great book for kids.

Anita received a complimentary copy of "Baby Animals Live With Me" as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team.  Visit Dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the book review team.
Posted by Anita

MD Designs Review & Giveaway

If you are a mother of a little girl, you know how many adorable things are out there. Well I found a store that has equally adorable baby girl AND boy items! When I came across this Etsy store I was blown away! I'm still not sure how MD Designs hasn't been sold out constantly!  If you know me, you know I love BabyLegs. If you don't know what those are go HERE. There are leggings for babies. They can be used to keep your baby's legs warm or to protect from the sun. When Sydney was younger I kept her in onesies and BabyLegs the majority of the time because it was easier than putting pants on and taking them off for every diaper change, especially in the middle of the night.

Anyways, so I'm obsessed with these leggings because they are SO practical, but I don't like paying over $10 per pair. I was always watching babysteals.com for deals (which still didn't make them cheap). Anyways, enough of my ramblings...I found MD Designs. She created her own matching sets! Boys get leggings and a matching hat (she even adds onesies in there occasionally), and girls get leggings, matching headband, and a matching bracelet (sometimes a onesie or a dress). Like most Etsy owners, she is willing to work with you on colors, etc.

She sent Sydney a beautiful dress, headband, bracelet, and of course leggings. Anytime Sydney wears this outfit people stop us to tell us how beautiful her outfit is and find out where we got it. The blue colors in the dress definitely bring out the blue in Sydney's eyes! Sydney loves to wear the bracelet, but I have to watch her because she wants to chew on it. After all of her tugging on it, it is still in perfect shape with no signs of damage! The headband has a pretty fabric flower attached to it by an alligator clip. Here are a few pictures for you all to enjoy:

GIVEAWAY
MD Designs is offering one winner their choice of a set! This would make a very unique baby shower gift, or a good outfit for pictures of your little one!

How to Enter:
Leave one comment per entry. Make sure to leave an email address that you use regularly because I will contact the winner by that address.

(1 entry) Tell me which set you would choose
(1 entry) Heart MD designs on Etsy HERE
(1 entry) “Like” So Mommy on Facebook HERE
(1 entry) Share this giveaway on your Facebook status
(1 entry) Blog about this giveaway (leave a link to your post)

Contest will end July 18th at 5 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted via email. If winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, another winner will be drawn. MD Designs will be responsible for shipping prize to winner.

I received leggings set from MD Designs in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received. See full disclaimer for more details.

The Beaver Kid's Adventures - Book Review

I received “The Beaver Kid's Adventures” by Elena Dobrina from the Dorrance Publishing Co. to review. I was very intrigued by the thought of a children's chapter book that cost $88. This book was intended for children that love animals and are able to read chapter books (probably ages 7-9). Each short chapter includes lovely color pictures of the beavers and their homes and dangers. The book even includes a glossary, which I thought would be helpful for beginning readers.

The book tells the story of a young beaver, the Beaver Kid, and all of his adventures (including a flood, poachers, bears, and a circus). The story line is a good one for kids who love animals, but after reading the book, I think that children would have a very hard time with this one. The writer uses several large words (some incorrectly), and there were many sentences in the book that were long and confusing. I tried to look up some of the large words in the glossary, but the ones I needed were not there. The glossary was also not in correct alphabetical order, which made it harder to look up any words. Many of the included definitions were confusing as well. “Deer” was one of the included words, and here is the definition given, “a big artiodactyl animal with some branchy horns.”

The pictures in the book are good, but I feel that this book would be very confusing to young readers.

Free Books for Kids under 5!

Free books for kids under 5!

If your kids love to read and love to get mail, then you need to check out Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. It is a program that sends a free book to your child every month until age 5. This program is not available in every area, so check the website for details. Sydney loves getting new books, so we definitely love this program!

The most recent book we received was “Good Night, Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann. I think this book is one of my favorites so far! It is a very short worded book, allowing you and your kids to add more to the story. The pictures show a zoo keeper locking up the zoo for the night, but some of the animals keep sneaking back to sleep in the zoo keepers bed! I think younger kids and preschoolers will all love this book!

Check out Dolly Parton's Imagination Library HERE

Find Good Night, Gorilla on Amazon (Click link)

Cannons Cottage Review and Giveaway

Is it just me, or does it seem that you never have a place to put your camera that keeps it out of the way yet easily accessible for those outings at the park or playdates? Cannons Cottage has thought of the perfect solution for this dilemma! They have created little “gadget bags” just for this purpose. They have a long strap so that you can carry it over your shoulder and push it out of the way. It has a large pocket for your camera (or your phone) and a smaller pocket perfect for your ID and money. They come in a ton of different designs to suit different personalities.  Be sure to check out the other items she offers in her store! She has vintage items such as paper dolls and cute jar pin cushions as well!

I received a beautiful black and white flowered camera bag to review, and since receiving it I have used it everywhere.  I'd show you a picture of it, but I never remember to take one since I use it so much.  I keep the camera bag in my purse, and then when we are out playing or sight-seeing, I can leave my heavy purse behind and carry the camera bag. I love this little bag! It looks girly, but is so convenient my husband will even carry it around! It has a button closure to keep things from falling out. The strap on mine is a little long for me, but that is an easy fix – just tie a knot in it! I tried it with my mom's ipod and it fit in it as well. These small bags are great – they keep your camera safe from scratches and close at hand.

Confession from the Playground
It also prevents your purse from falling and hitting your child when you lean over to catch them on the slide. Yes, this has happened to me – well Sydney – before. She wasn't happy when she fell over because of my heavy purse. Now that I have this little camera bag, she doesn't have to worry about that.

GIVEAWAY
Cannons Cottage is offering the pretty camera bag pictured below to one lucky reader.

Opened with cellphone in it:

 

Opened with a cellphone and ipod in it:

Closed:

How to Enter:
Leave one comment per entry. Be sure to leave an email address you check regularly since that is how I will contact the winner.

(1 entry) Make me feel better – how has your child been hurt at the park or how have you (or will you) try to prevent bruises and uh-oh's?
(1 entry) Heart Cannons Cottage on Etsy HERE
(1 entry) Share this giveaway with 3 friends (by email, facebook, twitter, etc.)
(1 entry) “Like” So Mommy on Facebook HERE

Giveaway will end July 15th at 5 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.

I received the camera bag in exchange for my honest review. For more information, please see full disclosure policy.

Pampers Cruisers with DryMax

How many of you have tried the new Pampers Cruisers with DryMax technology? I received a sample from Vocalpoint recently, so I have tried them and wanted to share my thoughts on them with all of you.

Cost
They are more expensive than other diapers which is a huge drawback for me. When Sydney was a newborn, I splurged for Pampers because they held in messes better than other diapers, but now that she's older I can use almost any type of diaper. I use cloth diapers during the day when we are home because they are easy and save us a lot of money. Here lately Huggies has been giving out a lot of $3 off coupons, which makes for really cheap diapers when paired with the CVS deals over the last month or so. So, what I'm saying is that I'd rather save the money than splurge on diapers. Not everyone agrees with this, and I understand that, but I wanted to put it out there.

Size
Yes, they are thin enough to fit in your purse, but how many of you carry diapers in your purse? I pretty much always carry my diaper bag. Sometimes, I throw my keys and wallet in the diaper bag and leave my purse...but I rarely leave the diaper bag. You never know when you're going to need a snack, cup, wipe, etc. If you do leave your diaper bag a lot, then you will probably love these diapers! They are extremely thin.

Durability and Use
They are very soft diapers-probably not as soft as swaddlers, but pretty close. They fit pretty snug, but still seem to sag just like other diapers. The sagging doesn't bother me, but I know it does bother some parents. They held a lot without getting very bulky, which was nice. I do worry that this may cause some parents may forget to change their child as often (it didn't look or feel wet until it was VERY wet) which may result in diaper rashes in some kids.

Overall, I did really like these diapers. I think they are setting a new standard. I just don't like the price, but I'm a very frugal mom, so what can I say? If you've tried these, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

All Tied Up - WINNER

The All Tied Up Gifts winner is...

...IansMomm, who said "I love the dinosaur shirt for my son Ian - Followed all tied up on Fb :)"

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered! Look for more giveaways VERY soon...like maybe tomorrow :)


-Heather-