Dressing Your Little Princess at AdorableBabyClothing

The world is abuzz with William and Catherine's wedding and although some thought it was a tad bit over the top to spend so much money and coverage, I think some might be missing the point.  If you aren't into the idea of a monarchy, you will definitely agree it was over the top.  I'm half English so maybe I'm a bit intrigued or interested in it due to that or maybe because I love England and can't wait to go back.  Either way, this was a big deal for England as William will be king one day.  It doesn't happen often and it seems from all media accounts that William is a wonderful person with his charitable work, his military service and how he can easily talk to what they call the "commoners."  Once the Queen passes, Charles is next in line but since he's already fairly old and they suspect the Queen will live another 10 to 15 years, Charles won't have long in the throne if at all.  This leaves William who will rule England one day.

My three year old insisted on dressing up for the occasion and she even has her tiny little hat on:

So with all that I enjoyed of the ceremony, I was on FB sending comments back and forth with Cynthia, the momprenuer of AdorableBabyClothing.com.  She is what the English would call a lovely lady and much more.  Not only is she a friend of mine thanks to social media, she has this incredible online store full of amazing clothing for children.  I'm a regular buyer for our special occasions and holidays.  I can't help but to dress up my girls as I only have so much time before they make me stop.  She also carries every day clothing, toys and more and specializes in special occasion clothing especially for weddings.

In honor of the Royal wedding, here are some ideas if your little one is a princess too:

 

 

 

  

 

  

To find all of these and many more, just search for "princess" on her site at www.adorablebabyclothing.com and you will see pages of items to make your little one be the princess she is!

flipflop Wine Review

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Summertime conjures up thoughts of sitting outside, sipping wine and enjoying the relaxation of a smooth tasting bottle.  I've never heard of flipflop wines so I was interested in receiving a complimentary sample to share with my readers which will be coming soon!  I decided to post ahead because flipflop wines participates in a pay-it-forward mentality which I love.  For every bottle of wine sold, Sales4Souls will distribute a pair of shoes to someone in need.



If you are like me and were unfamiliar with flipflop wines, they have a variety of different flavors to appeal to most everyone:

1. Chardonnay
2. Riesling
3. Pinot Grigio
4. Moscato
5. Cabernet Sauvignon
6. Merlot
7. Pinot Noir

Another true test of a good wine are the awards they have received and that they have.  In 2011, alone, they have received many which you can check out here to find out more.

About flipflop wines:

David Georges, Vintner

"While working at an organic vegetable farm in the Mt. Shasta region of California, David discovered the art of grape growing. After planting a small vineyard on the farm, he was fascinated with wine, from managing the vineyard to tasting the fruits of his labor. Inspired to learn more, David attended the University of California at Davis first to study viticulture, and then added  winemaking coursework as well. David honed his winemaking skills at well-known California wineries including Artesa and Davis Bynum.

In 2009, David began working on the wines that would become the inaugural vintage of flipflop. His goal is to stay true to each wine’s varietal character, and to make great tasting wines that don’t break the bank."

  

Stay tuned for a review and for more information, you can "like" on Facebook here, on Twitter here or check out YouTube here.

Gourmet Gift Baskets Deluxe Summer Fun Camp Care Package™ Review & Giveaway 5/14 US/Canada WINNER CLOSED

CONGRATULATIONS TO ...

I Follow Gourmet Gift Baskets on Twitter -ChristineD22

ceeenndee at gmail dot com

April 30, 2011 7:36 PM 

An e-mail has been sent and Christine has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected via random.org.

Thanks to all those who entered and please check out Gourmet Gift Baskets for all your gift giving needs!

I cannot believe summer is almost here and not a second too soon.  My kids love the outdoors which I'm lucky as they are not wanting to be glued in front of a TV or video game all day.  We have a lot of fun in the water, riding bikes, scooters and just playing outdoor games.  I ordered the Gourmet Gift Baskets Care Package titled
Deluxe Summer Fun Camp Care Package™.  This is the ultimate gift for children who are active outside.

Look at all that you get:

• Balloon Launcher - Hours of fun for your kid and their newest best friend.
• Plastic Frisbee –So versatile, this Frisbee is a must for any camp care package.
• Mini Squirt Guns - 4 pack – You may be causing havoc for the camp counselor, but your child will love these!
• Pet Shaped Rubber Band Bracelets - 12 pack – You wouldn’t dare send a care package that doesn’t include these, they are the current phenomenon!
• Splash and Swim Goggles - 2 pack – Don’t be a fool, make sure they have goggles for the pool!
• Glider Airplanes - 19" – Let their imagination take flight with these awesome glider planes!
• Temporary Tattoos – Send these to avoid them coming back with a real one!
• Bubbles with Wand - 8 oz. – Need we say more? Such a timeless classic, fun for all ages!
• Rainbow Yo-Yo - 2" – So simple, yet so much fun. One is never too old for a yo-yo.
• G2Air Rubber Playground Ball – Foursquare, kickball, dodge ball, this ball covers it all!
• Tie Dye Beach Ball - 16" - This dynamic, colorful ball is great for a variety of games!
• Large Football with Tail – Keep that arm in shape for fall football season!
• Wind Raiders Air Missiles – This one just beams with fun, all they’ll need is a partner!
• Glow In the Dark Bracelets - 15 per tube – Light up the night with these fun summer camp care package accessories!
• Glow Bars - 2 per package – These unique glow bars can be used for a variety of fun activities after the sun goes down!
• Wind Raiders Foam Sling Shooter – A great game to play with friends and get plenty of exercise.

My kids LOVED it!

They played all evening with it and are already planning tomorrow's play date outside.  I love anything that inspires and encourages kids to become active.  It's definitely the ideal gift for kids that love the outdoors!

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The Giveaway:

One reader will win their own Deluxe Summer Fun Camp Care Package™! 

To Enter (it's two part):

1. Follow my blog; AND
2. Like Gourmet Gift Baskets on Facebook

Leave a comment that you completed both with your FB name.

Extra Entries:

• Leave a comment on Gourmet Gift Baskets' Facebook page on a product you like - return with the link - worth two entries
• Follow Gourmet Gift Baskets on Twitter
• Subscribe to my blog
• Follow me on Twitter
• Like me on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily for two entries)
• Blog about this giveaway (can be done twice at least 7 days apart for five entries)
• Enter any of my other giveaways (five entries) 

Giveaway ends 5/14 at midnight (EST) - Open to US/Canada

*Disclosure:  I received complimentary product as part of this review and giveaway.

*** BONUS ENTRY OPPORTUNITY ***

Vote daily for this Pepsi Refresh idea, Send Kids with Muscular Dystrophy to Camp and you can have two extra votes a day for each or all my on-going giveaways.

Beautiful Mom Mother's Day Giveaway $250 GC 5/5

Who couldn't use $250?  It's a great site to handle all your beauty and skin needs.  I've tried some products and I love the selection, ease of ordering and fast delivery.  For this Mother's Day, you can enter the Beautiful Mom Mother' Day giveaway and they will be selecting the best stories to win $250 gift cards along with runner up gifts! 

Submissions close May 5th so hurry!

PowerCapes Customized Capes & More Review

I'm really jealous of the choice of items for children.  Growing up, life was more simple and we had to use our imagination a bit more.  One of the things I remember my brother playing is super heroes.  My own girls will find a towel and ask me to tie them on for them so when I was offered a complimentary PowerCapes for one of my girls, I took it as a great opportunity to also share with my readers.  Since I have two girls, I couldn't have just one so I bought one and I also purchased the matching masks which are adorable.  I let the girls pick out the color of the cape and they customized it themselves.

  

The process if very easy and efficient from choosing the appropriate age to ensure the cape isn't too long to the color, patches, lettering and matching optional items such as the mask.  Since they are customized, you won't receive it in a day or two.  It does take two to three weeks from ordering date due to them being hand made so do have to be aware of that if you are under a timeline.  Once the capes and masks arrived, the girls were not able to contain their excitement.  They played with them for two days straight but since we are in the process of moving, I had to put them up much to their sadness.  I didn't even get to take a picture of them but they really do love them.  I gave them to them while we went on a one day excursion and they were running back and forth in the hotel playing super heroes.

The 100% satin capes arrived in perfect shape with no fraying.  I love that these capes also inspire children to use their imagination during playtime.  They also are active as they run around saving the world which is more than playing a video game.

If you are a Tori Spelling fan, you would have seen PowerCapes during one of her shows for her children's birthday.  Some of the other cool things about PowerCapes:

• Made by Moms
• Made in the US
• Ship Worldwide
• 11 Cape Colors
• 29 Emblem Colors
• 8 Emblem Designs
• Adult Capes
• Custom Tutus
• Ready to Ship Capes
• Satisfaction Guarantee
• Fundraiser Opportunities
• Affiliate Opportunities

You can sign up for a chance to win a PowerCapes product here.  I would recommend PowerCapes the next time you need a really cool present or want a great looking customized costume.

Stay up to date by becoming a fan on Facebook here and Twitter here.

Mamavation Monday - Week Four

I'm an official Mamavation Sista again and I can't wait to do my part in the Sistahood in motivating the other great ladies while getting my own motivation.  The first time I participated, I was really geared up to get into the healthy lifestyle but had so many things going on in my life that I had to drop out.  Now that I'm in a point to restart, this was a no brainer that and I think BookieBoo is a great leader and an inspiration.  So now I begin my second week with the Mamavation Carnival and this past week was a bit of struggle but I lost a pound.

Since I started my weight loss journey January 1st, I've lost 12 pounds and I'm finally going to do it healthier.  I tried the Atkins, Dukan and then Weight Watchers which I enjoyed since I could eat and figure out the point system with real food not to mention free fruit and vegetables.  I then became desperate in wanting to lose so I went back to Dukan and it works but it's hard on the body and not at all safe.  I'm back to watching calories and I will continue exercising as I have been.  I try to minimally ride my bike for 30 minutes but usually go for around 50 minutes and then I complete a series of leg raises and ab work.  I have been doing this for about four to five weeks now.

I did slip a little today and took my girls out after we took some Easter pictures.  I opted for the chicken snack wrap and I had a one scoop vanilla cone.  A few month's ago, I would have opted for the fat-on-my-butt hamburger, fries and Coke along with a 2000 calories specialty ice cream shake.  This is how I know I'm changing.  It's even rubbing off on my eight year old who has been choosing apple slices and milk for her Happy Meals over french fries and soda.  I'm very proud of her!

I participated in last week's Mamavation TV and really listened to Pete discuss halting the cycle of rewarding with food.  It made so much sense as I not only reward but I treat sadness, frustration or anger by eating.  I'm a carb hound and am completely addicted.  I have confused eating with pleasure or a mechanism for comfort versus survival.  I'm getting it finally.  It's taking awhile but I am getting that it's okay to have some pleasurable food but not constantly.  I know that I need to eat for sustainability and health.  This has been an eye opener for me since it's taken my entire adult life to get it but I did.  I now have the foundation to take the next step.  My next thought ties in with this week's carnival question:

Who in your world deserves a “shout out” this week for pushing you to better yourself?  What did they do?

This is an easy one because it's my oldest daughter who understands how important it is for me to get healthier.  She has been trying to hang in there with me to motivate and inspire me as she tackles her last bit of pregnancy weight post birth.  She gives me encouragement and tries to keep me honest with how I'm eating.  She's a trooper with all the different hair brain ideas I have to join the diet of the moment as well as endure my crabby rages when I'm hungry and deprived.  She is my rock and has been for some time. 

 

Don't forget to watch the men behind the moms on Mamavation TV on Monday at 10:00 pm (EST) on Mingle Media TV.  Also, check out My Trainer Fitness' (MTF) 100-Calorie Workouts here.  Six cards with 100-calorie workouts that can be done in 20 minutes sounds wonderful!  When my time is limited, I don't want to have to ride my bike for 50 minutes to an hour.  This is a great way to get in a good workout in limited time.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Mamavation Blogging Carnival for a chance to win My Trainer Fitness 100 Calorie+ Workout featuring MizFitOnline from Mamavation

Those So-Called Fast Food Healthy Alternatives

I just wrote about eating healthier and trying to make smarter choices especially while on the road.  I even noted the recent controversy over McDonald's new oatmeal and how it's not so healthy once you get outside of the sound of good wholesome oatmeal.  It was a New York Times reporter, Mark Bittman, who uncovered the high sugar content and other ingredients that weren't easy to say if at all.  I remember hearing over and over again that if you can't say it, don't eat it.  My e-mail today contained one from Every Day Health with an interview with a nutritionists who tackled some of the worse fast food "healthy" food choices.

Oatmeal was the first food due to the toppings or other sugary additions added which takes away from the healthy goodness of a high fiber, whole grain meal.  I already knew the made to order yogurts had to be chalked full of the same old bad sugars and I was right as it made the list along with fruit smoothies.  This is another example of what the health gurus tell you in that you should not drink your calories.  The infamous baked potato was next but a potato on the surface is not bad for you rather it's when you pile on the butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon bits.

This one was a surprise for me as I never really thought about it but the vegetable sandwich made the list due to the oil, cheese and sodium.  A Blimpie Veggie Supreme has a whopping 1,106 calories per the article!  Of course the fancy coffee drinks made the list but luckily, I don't drink nor like coffee.  I was also surprised to see the turkey burger made the list due to restaurant preparation.  The chicken salads were included but that was a no brainer as anything with breading is usually bad in terms of calories but oh do they taste better!  It's sort of like watching a movie with Johnny Depp and never getting to see him.

To read the entire article, click here.  In summary, I'm trying to get to a mind set where I eat for survival and every now and then, eat for pleasure but within reason.  I used to find myself rewarding myself with food and still do so it's a habit I need to get over along with the stress eating that I'm notorious for.  I learned about stopping the cycle of food rewards via Pete Cohan who is a weight loss guru out of the UK.  He's very motivational and really has great tips on getting healthy which leads to weight loss.

Need Help in Measuring Your Little One for a Suit?

Adorable Baby Clothing is my first choice for all my special occasion children clothing.  I love the selection and the ability to quickly choose multiple sizes in the same dress.  I might pay a little more but I want to have a special dress that is of high quality and that is what I get from Adorable Baby Clothing.  I also opt for that special customer service which I received from this amazing mompreneur who is the sole owner of this online store for not only special occasion clothing but anytime clothing, baby gifts, toys and more.  My mother-in-law made a comment that I must have a small fortune in dresses but when I explained how I see these dresses not only functional at the moment, I also see them as heirloom dresses as they will be passed down through all my children.  My first grandchild is already wearing old clothes from my three year old so it works out perfect.


Adorable Baby Clothing also has a new blog that you might want to follow as she grows the blog and addresses informative topics to help you.  I'm partial to her because she is a mompreneur and I love to support my fellow moms and hope you will take a moment to follow her too!  Her most current post is how to measure your little one for a suit which you can find here.

Our Ultimate Taylor Swift Party

Every year, I have to have the perfect party for my girls.  My oldest one sort of fell out of the radar since she's 22 and it's hard to really come up with themes so I have my younger ones to have fun with.  All my girls love Taylor Swift so I'm taking the opportunity to have a really cool party for my seven year old.

I'm going to update this post as I go as the party isn't until April but I saw that I've had some hits for the party so I wanted to start sharing my preparation for the party with more to come as I proceed.

For the invitations, I chose these cool backstage passes from EventWrapper.com and they had matching Hershey bar wrappers.  Normally, I make my own invitations and wrappers but it was easier to go this route.  The customer service was amazing and I would recommend them for your party needs.  These invitations were the coolest and were very professional.  My daughter lit up when she saw them and loves them.

The balloons were from Ebay and I would put a link but often times, the links expire due to the seller not selling that product.  You can search both Ebay and Etsy with Taylor Swift for more products.  I also ordered water bottle labels.

For the party girl and her sister, I wanted to order necklaces to make it a little more special for them so I purchased two from Tiny Trees Boutique on Etsy, I bought these two:

 

No party is complete without a photo shoot wearing Taylor inspired dresses which was the highlight for the girls.  We went to JCPenney's for some good deals on dresses in the clearance section.  Sears also has some good deals on dresses.

 

The backdrop consists of purchasing a 50' roll of black paper from Shindigz to use both as the wall backing and the tablecloths.  A roll costs around $20 which is a good deal considering you can have a dual purpose and have plenty left over.  

I just purchased this guitar from an Ebay seller and I sprayed Elmer's Glue Adhesive over silver glitter to give it the Taylor appearance in her beautiful video.  This will provide the perfect prop for their pretend photo shoot while giving her something really cool to hand on the wall after the party for years to come.

I need to apply a second coat but here is how the guitar looks so far:

For the backdrop, I found another Ebay seller who has inexpensive silk paper posters at a fraction of the cost and are more durable than regular paper.  For $18.50 and free shipping, I was able to get all three posters.  The two on the ends are 20 x 13 and the middle one which is the theme is 36 x 24.  These will be placed in the staging area for our photo shoot and afterwards, the guitar and posters will make nice decor for her bedroom.

I used Smarty Had a Party plastic ware for the cups and plates.  With them being clear, I was able to print pictures of Taylor on sticker paper and place on the already upscaled plastic cups and plates.  It added a nice touch.

  

We had our party yesterday and here are the pictures:

 

 

Here are some of my other posts on Taylor Swift parties:

http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/2010/01/taylor-swift-party-ideas-more-great.html


http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/2010/01/taylor-swift-party-ideas-more-ideas.html


http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/2010/01/taylor-swift-party-ideas-buttons-more.html

The Adventures of Joe-Joe Nut & Biscuit Bill Case #2 Book Review

This cute story, written by Renee Hand, starts out with the main character, Maple Moo who in the midst of having her friends visit her rock collection, her rare mineral goes missing from underneath her large cow nose.  She instantly turns to Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill, the most famous detectives in Acorn Valley, to find it.  But they didn’t know the task was going to be an impossible one.  The reader gets to follow along and find out that the suspects are hard to figure out. With a host of characters, they have to determine who did it.  Was it Candy Cardinal, who committed the crime?  She collects various gemstones to make jewelry or was it Brutus and Betty Blue Beaver?  They also collect minerals and have a fancy quartz collection.  Liam the Llama looks suspicious with his igneous rocks and exploding volcano, or was it Huckleberry Moose with his sedimentary rock collection? Joe-Joe and Biscuit find themselves at a loss until some bullies roar into town. Will the detectives be able to find the missing mineral? Or, will this be a case they won’t be able to close?


The illustrations are in black and white but depict inviting animals that will appeal to children.  I thought it was a delightful book yet challenging for children as it introduced problem solving from a mystery standpoint but also included resources in the back that satisfies the National Science Education Standards for Earth and Space Science.  It contains picture of the rock cycle, terminology, a "did you know?" section about rocks and minerals.  Your child can also conduct some experiments and work on inquiry, creating charts and using variables and constants to determine an outcome for particular rocks and elements.  It brought back memories of my earth science classes that I enjoyed as a child and feel this is a great introductory to open the mind and foster fun learning.  I am partial to books that teach while entertaining and this is certainly one of them.  I would recommend this book.  


Book Details:

• 82 pages
• North Star Press (March 1, 2011)
• 8.8 x 6 x 0.3 inches

About the Author:



Renee Hand writes because it is a passion in her heart. She is a homeschool parent and likes to create books that educate and inspire the children of today. She was born in Michigan and still lives there with her husband and two children. She has a degree in Zoology with a minor in Chemistry. Renee is the author of the amazing mystery series known as the Crypto-Capers Series that encourages children to read by incorporating several topics of interest. The reader participates into the story by solving cryptograms and puzzles to solve the case. She is also the author of the Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill Series, which focuses on animal detectives. This series is a great way to teach children about animals in a fun and interesting way that captures the reader's attention and yet fills them with knowledge they will be learning about in school. All books are great to use in a classroom setting to supplement various topics or to just enjoy. Renee is an award-winning author, receiving awards such as a Best Book Award, a National Literary Award and a Preferred Choice award for her children's series and adult books. She has just recently won a Seal of Excellence award in Storytelling for her Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill Series. She has been writing for over twenty years and when she is not spending time with her family or participating in author events, she is coaching and playing tennis, as well as doing research for her books and many other things that keep her busy. Not quite sure what a cryptogram is and want to learn more? Visit the author's website at www.reneeahand.com to learn about cryptograms and how to solve the ones that are in the books.


Click here to read more about Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill and to download some coloring pages or watch a video.

Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/thecryptocaper

Facebook URL: http://facebook.com/cdrahand

*Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purposes of this review.