Blogmania Spotlight: Always B Designs & Summer Sale

Custom stationery and gifts are always a favorite of mine and my Blogmania 2010 sponsor, Always B Designs has a wonderful selection of great gifts.  From clipboards to jewelry to stationery to scrapbooks and even services for logo design, writing/editing and parties, Always B Designs has a lot to offer.

Clipboards:

• They offer both 6x9 (Small - click on clipboard on left) and 9x12 (Large - click on clipboard on right). 
• If you don't see something you like, contact them and they can custom-design one for you.  You can even add a name!

Jewelry:

• Always B Designs offer Domino, Scrabble Tile, and Bottle Cap Jewelry.  They come ready to wear and can add a little sass to your day. 
• If you want a custom made one, feel free to contact them!

Stationery:

• Always B designs offers custom stationery, including note cards, business cards, and invitations! 
• There is no limit to what you can create with them.  However, due to the custom nature of these products, there is no online ordering option with them yet. 
• In each category you will find samples of the types of things they have created in the past.  

Scrapbooks:

• Scrapbooks are a fun and creative way to capture your favorite memories.  They offer custom-made, pre-made, and digital scrapbooks. 
• Custom-made scrapbooks can be tailored to your occasion, theme, colors, and style.  These are quoted based on individual jobs.
• Pre-made scrapbooks come completed and ready for pictures.  All you do is add your pictures.  Themes include Our Baby From A-Z, Our Wedding From A-Z, Baby's Firsts, Wedding Moments, School Days, and more.  These start at $75.
• Digital scrapbooks are scrapbooks made using their digital software.  They allow you to manipulate the design and use digital pictures.  They are not as bulky as non-digital scrapbooks.  Fees are $25/hr.  Paper is provided free of charge, but albums must be purchased seperately.

Right now, Always B Designs is offering a Don't Sweat the Shipping and you can get free shipping on any order with code SummerShip.

Visit Always B Designs at their store site or on Twitter, Facebook or their blog.

Thanks to Always B Designs for sponsoring my blog for Blogmania!

No Go on Reducing Asthma Medications

I was really hoping the doctor would reduce some of my soon to be three year old's asthma medications but it's a no go due to her allergies and asthma symptoms.  Seems that she's doing well other than when she's throwing a temper tantrum or playing too hard.  He had good reason which is to not hinder her from being a child.  He's afraid that if we reduce it now, she will be afraid to play hard due to the attacks which is logical and I was in complete agreement.  I just hope and pray she outgrows it but I'm starting to doubt it.

On a good note, I thought she seemed tiny for her age but per the charts, she's above average in height but a little leaner in weight.  That child is going to be a performer one day as her ultimate goal is to make people laugh with her funny voices, rolling her eyes and cute faces.  She's a ham just like her seven year old sister.

My oldest has her pre-natal check up tomorrow to ensure everything is going well.  She has to worry about being a cystic fibrosis carrier and having a negative RH factor.  We were positive it was a boy but the tech said girl but I'm not convinced by looking at the sonogram.  Time will tell ....

Near East 100% Natural House Party

Ever hear or try Near East® products?  I never had until I had a chance to experience their wonderful products thanks to BSM Media.  The Near East® products vary and include:

• Couscous
• Pasta
• Rice Pilaf
• Whole Grain Blends
• Kosher Certified Products
• Falafel
• Taboule
• Gourmet Meal Kits

Near East® products are high quality, easy to prepare and 100% natural. Professional chefs and creative cooks everywhere trust Near East® to come out perfect every time while bringing an air of simple sophistication to the able.

We had a wonderful house party with 13 of our friends, family and neighbors over to celebrate and learn more about Near East® and their products and recipes.  Our Couscous turned into a lively cooking party with these tasty recipes.

Thai Chicken Salad with Couscous
Fried Rice Style Couscous
Athenian-Style Chicken Kabobs

The group was divided into three and each made the recipe.  It was so much fun experiencing something new and exciting to make.

A great feature of Near East® is the website.  Not only are there product information and recipes but there are other pages for cooking concepts and dining with style.  Did you know the manner in which you set your table can dramatically add to the ambiance of your meal?  Check out all the great tips at dining with style.

For the party, I had gift bags to hand out compliments of the party host along with recipe cards I created with the select recipes we made that night, coupons for Couscous.  It was an enjoyable evening and very memorable as my girls also helped in the kitchen!  We loved the recipes made with Near East Couscous!

Don't forget to enter the Around the World in 5 Minutes sweepstakes!

I received complimentary products from the PR company or sponsor company in exchange for my participation for having a house party.  I received no financial compensation.

McDonald's Happy Meals: Threatened to be Sued

It's a sad day when a business can't even market their meals geared towards children with a play toy because it promotes poor eating habits.  McDonald's is being threatened to be sued if they don't remove their toys from Happy Meals.  You can read the story here.  I feel it's a mistake as there has to be a line to make parents accountable in making sound, healthy decisions for their children versus having government mandates telling us what we should or shouldn't eat.

Kids love McDonalds and yes, some might choose it for the toys but they also like the food.   The fast food chains have come under scrutiny and have changed their offerings by encouraging milk and items such as apple slices in their meals.  What should worry us is if this succeeds, what is next?  Mandating something such as this will catapult into other lawsuits on more items such as grocery stores encourage my kids to want candy bars by placing them at the front or they offer sales on candy to get me to buy them or french fries are bad for you so they need to ban them too.

I normally stay out of topics that are up for debate but I really feel this is setting a dangerous precedent when someone else chooses what is right or wrong of this nature when it should be up to the parents to decide.

Online School Solutions: Is It For You?

I've taken online classes before and had no problem with it as I've already found myself to be disciplined enough to complete something that can be set at your own pace.   Online instruction is geared towards a certain group of people that may prefer this type of learning over a traditional classroom environment.  Some children are geared this way too and actually perform better in this setting.

Online School Solutions provides a learning set up that can either be private school or public.  There is a difference and in Georgia, there is an online public school available and these types of online public schools are free.  They follow a traditional school year and may have to take standardized tests for their location.

Private online schools allow more flexibility in enrolling when you want, the ability to take up to 12 months to complete courses, optional mid term and end of course assessments to measure achievement growth and they still get to interact with students from around the world.

Online School Solutions offers a convenient map to determine which options are available for your state.  Georgia, for example, has The Keystone School for a private online experience.  Keystone offers both middle school and high school courses and you can earn a diploma.  There are even advanced options available in many areas such as math and foreign languages.

For those that struggle in the traditional environment, this looks like a great alternative in trying to help your child achieve educational success without limiting options of interpersonal interaction.  My oldest partook in online courses her senior year and did very well.  They were courses that served dual credits for high school and college.

Online schools offers the same technology that our iGeneration are familiar with between the internet and other web technologies.  Whether a student requires a few additional courses or prefers to complete all courses, the choice is available and I think it's wonderful!  In my senior year, I needed to transfer to an adult school as I had to work full time to provide financial support to my family.  It was inconvenient and if I had the opportunity to learn through this web based program with real teachers, I would have probably learned even more.  This would also be a great option for the military brats (i.e. my kids) since they move a lot and may not be happy with changing schools every three years.

The amount of support and tools available would really surprise you so if you are thinking of alternative educational sources, check out Online School Solutions to see what your state has for you.

Disclaimer:  I wrote this post as part of a campaign for onlineschoolsolutions.com and MomSelect.  I may receive a $20 gift card for compensation in reviewing the site.

Sunglass Warehouse Review & Giveaway 7/11 CLOSED WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS TO ...
i2ylee!


An e-mail has been sent and he/she has 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen by random.org.


Thanks to all those who entered!

The glaring sun!  The brightness everywhere!  If you are enjoying the sunlight and summer, you need a pair of really cool and fashionable sunglasses and if you are looking for women's sunglasses, men's sunglasses or kids' sunglasses, you are in luck!  Sunglass Warehouse has so many choices and for everyone in your family (except the pets-smile).

  

This is a Mama Buzz review and the sunglasses I'm writing about were provided by Sunglass Warehouse for review.  The sunglasses are fashionable and look amazing!  They are of high quality and do a great job with blocking the glaring rays of the sun which minimized the need to squint.  Now that I'm getting older, I try to do all I can to prevent wrinkles and with the right pair of sunglasses, it can help you from squinting.


I like the sunglasses I chose also because they fit on my face properly.  Too often when I purchase glasses from a store, they seem to be okay at first but after wearing them, they are a little crooked which is annoying to me.  These sunglasses fit perfectly and arrived via the mail in excellent condition.  


I would definitely recommend Sunglass Warehouse due to the ease of ordering, the costs, the customer service and the great selection.


A great feature by Sunglass Warehouse is the ability to have some guidance on choosing sunglasses based on your skin tones and choosing sunglasses for your face shape.


Stay up to date on the latest by checking Sunglass Warehouse on Facebook and liking my Facebook page here.


The Giveaway:


One winner will receive a $20 gift certificate to purchase their very own sunglasses from the Sunglass Warehouse!


To Enter:


Follow my blog and leave a comment that you follow!


Extra Entries:

• Follow Sunglass Warehouse on Twitter
• Follow Sunglass Warehouse's Blog.
• Follow me on Twitter.
• Blog about this giveaway (five entries).
• Subscribe to my blog.
• Tweet about this giveaway (two entries - can be done daily)
• Enter any of my ongoing giveaways (five entries)

Giveaway ends 7/11 at midnight and winner will be chosen by random.org.


Thanks for entering!

Blogmania 2010 Sponsor: Necklace Necessities

Have a necklace that you no longer wear or don't like to wear?   Look no more as with the Necklace Necessities kit, your necklace will be coordinated with the length you want and no more annoying clasps turning to the front.  I've had that problem ever since I started wearing necklaces and sometimes, I quit wearing one because of the clasp.  I had an opportunity to review the Necklace Necessities kit and love it!


When you buy the Necklace Necessities ensemble, you receive a 30 piece package of Necessities Secure Strips that prevent your clasps from turning.  I love that very easy and practical idea!  The Necklace Necessities ensemble is a trio of unique necklace extenders. The silvertone and goldtone extenders adjust your necklace from 3 1/2 to 6 inches and the nonadjustable "faux" pearl extender extends your pearl necklace by 4 inches!

The innovative, adjustable Necklace Necessities extenders attach easily to standard necklace clasps and can adjust your necklace to perfectly fit your neckline. Another fun feature of the Necklace Necessities ensemble is the cute and convenient pink pouch that is included in each purse package. It's great for storing your extenders and for travel too!

Inside the little pouch is a trial size package of Necessities Secure Strips. It's a unique product which addresses another pesky issue women deal with. The small pieces of clear, hypoallergenic adhesive comfortably secure your necklace extender at the back of your neck so that your clasp doesn't turn to the front of your outfit!

The Necklace Necessities ensemble is a fun, practical gift to give if you need an inexpensive and unique gift for your mother, your sister or girlfriends. They'll love receiving the Necklace Necessities products in the beautiful purse package, and don't forget to get one for yourself! They're so handy and a great way to extend your necklace wardrobe!


Priced at $19.99, it's a bargain considering the possibilities of new life you just gave your existing necklaces and future necklaces to come.  To purchase, click here.  There are other necklaces you can purchase as well as custom gift wrapping, skin guard and more.


Thanks to Necklace Necessities for being a partner with Blogmania 2010!


To stay up to date, fan them on Facebook or sign up for their newsletter here.

About The Necklace Necessities Team

Inspired by the concept that a woman can create products women want and need better than men, Janis Helfman set out to design a jewelry accessory product that is not only a practical fashion staple for women, but exceptionally feminine in its presentation. Since May of 2006, she has worked to create the elements of the Necklace Necessities ensemble, spending extra time and effort to develop a product that would appeal to women for its functionality as well as its charm. Janis is president and chief executive officer for Buttercup Creative and its product line, Necklace Necessities, unique products that solve common fashion dilemmas of women. Janis holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing from Southern Utah University and brings over 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising for numerous size companies and agencies and as an entrepreneur. Throughout her career, she has had extensive involvement with all aspects of marketing and promotional campaigns, as well as strategic business development and management. It is the goal of Buttercup Creative to offer the Necklace Necessities ensembles and ancillary products as the foremost choice of ladies interested in a unique, fun and feminine problem-solving product for their own use and as a gift item. Janis is joined by Cheryl Livingston, a professional in the custom packaging industry, as a distributor of the Necklace Necessities product line. A business owner and entreprenuer as well, Cheryl has over 20 years experience in business management and sales in Southern California. Cheryl is focused on sales of the Necklace Necessities products to retailers in Orange and Los Angeles counties. Buttercup Creative is grateful for the opportunity to contract the assembly of the Necklace Necessities product line to Goodwill of Orange County. The efficient and loyal contract labor workers are a joy to work with and the administration of their services is handled in a professional manner, resulting in a win-win for both organizations. The headquarters of Buttercup Creative is located in Fullerton, California, with a showroom and distribution warehouse office in Anaheim, California.

Save Even More Money with Daily Coupon Alerts

Who doesn't want to save money?  I think of all the special things I could do if created a fund with the money I saved.  Whether it's a vacation, having a party, buying clothes or whatever else my family needs, I enjoy being able to have that luxury to buy more.  I've been on a kick to save money and I subscribe to all the great blogs that make it easier by sorting through the sales and providing the best "how to" list each week.  Now, there is a great feature where you supply your e-mail and you are alerted with the new coupons when they become available!

This is what I'm saving money for now:

I'm trying to create everything myself to save even more money but if I can save a little extra, I can get some of the things that makes a party even more special.

Share your tips if you have some for saving money to include links!

Huggies® Little Movers Diaper - Five Pack Diaper Giveaway 6/29 CLOSED WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS TO ....

ELLIE!

An e-mail has been sent and Ellie has 48 hours to respond before the next winner is chosen by random.org.

Stay tuned for information on my chat times at Huggies' Facebook page!

I really can't post enough about the Huggies® line of diapers especially the Huggies® Little Movers Diapers as it's my diaper of choice.   My children have all been using Huggies® from day one and all the way through potty training.  I find the Huggies® brand to be one I trust and can count on with my busy life and so many children.  As part of my partnering with Huggies® to become a Little Movers Ambassador, I have the privilege of giving away FIVE packs of Huggies® Little Movers Diapers in the winner's choice of size!

If you would like to read some of my others posts on Huggies®, click on the following links:

• The Day in the Life of My Huggies® Little Mover
• How to Make a Huggies® Diaper Cake
• Huggies® Little Movers is Our Diaper of Choice
• Huggies® Diaper and Wipes Review

To Win:


Tell me why you prefer Huggies® diapers and follow my blog.


Don't forget the extra entries options for entering other giveaways and grabbing my button (see home page for more details) - get five extra entries for entering any of my other on-going giveaways, five entries for grabbing my button and five entries for grabbing my daughter's button (can be found on right side of blog - half way down).


Winner will be chosen 6/29 and giveaway closes at midnight.  Winner will be chosen by random.org.


Good luck!

Only Hours Remaining to Enter Powermat & iPod Dock Wireless Charger Giveaway!

Only seven hours remaining to enter the Powermat Portable Wireless Charger Mat ($99 retail) and iPod Dock!  This is a must have for any father that has any gadget requiring a plug to charge!  This system can be taken on the road or you can even upgrade and buy the home mat.  Both are ideal for anyone who needs to drop and go with charging their devices.  No cords! No batteries! No hassle!  

We love ours!


I will determine the winner ASAP so you can send a picture in an e-mail or create a card via a program like Smilebox to let your special someone know it's on its way!


To enter, click here and don't forget to check out the bonus entries!

Hidden Valley® Veggie Critter Snacks Recipe for a Fun Afternoon

I love the Twittermoms challenges and look forward to them all.   This challenge is with Hidden Valley®, vegetables and your little one's imagination!  If you want to try your hand at it, click here and join in on the fun!  We moved into a health kick and although we aren't altogether there yet, we have been purchasing more fruits and vegetables.  With that, it's always a struggle to get the girls to eat more so creating this was fun and did get them engaged in having a healthy snack.


Here is what you need:

• 1 packet Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
• 2 8 oz. tubs reduced fat cream cheese
• Romaine lettuce
• A couple of strawberries
• Grapes
• Carrots
• Celery

You can use a wide variety of chopped, colorful vegetables such as: asparagus, cherry tomatoes, crinkle cut carrots, baby carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, eggplant, shredded carrots and olives

For our recipe of Jamie's Veggie-Fruity Fun, here are the instructions:

1. Add the seasoning mix to the cream cheese.
2. Stir until well combined.  This is a fun step for the kiddies as they love to mix and stir and get things on their hands!
3. Cut the romaine leaves into butterfly shapes (with mom's help)
4. Use two small strips of celery and place a layer of the Hidden Valley® mixture to add flavor and to stay in place as the antennas of the butterfly.
5. Use the Hidden Valley® mixture again to place a grape on each end of the antenna. 
6. Shred the lettuce on top of the butterfly template to create a little salad.  Another fun step as what kid doesn't like to shred things?
7. Cut up pieces of carrots and add dabs of the Hidden Valley® mixture to the underside to help them stay in place and give them more flavor.
8. For the flower, take a strawberry and cut into four sections without fully cutting through the strawberry.  Pull the four sections back slightly and place some of the Hidden Valley® mixture in the middle of the strawberry and place a grape in the middle. 
9. Add a piece of celery for the stem with a line of the Hidden Valley® mixture along the stem.

Optional:  Add raisins or Hidden Valley® ranch dress to spruce up the salad or eat as is for more of a finger food. 


This is such a wonderful idea to get your children involved in eating healthier and preparing them for a better future with seeing how cooking with vegetables and fruits are fun!

Have any great ideas yourself?  I'm always looking for fun, new ideas to share with my kids who just happen to love to cook!

Disclaimer:  This post is part of a blogging contest from the TwitterMoms community. There is a chance this post could be selected to win a $25 AmEx Gift Card, so wish me luck! For more details, you can view the contest page here (link to: http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/share-your-veggie-critter)

Great Deal on Step2 Pink Easel for Two: Only $26.81!

My girls have the red Step2 Easel for Two and love it!  It's compact, easy to keep clean and the tray in the middle holds everything nice! 


Look at this great deal right now:

My Future Grandbaby's Gender & IntelliGender: Experience the Journey with Gender Prediction Test Review

Every parent is anxious to know what the gender is of their child and where some will find out ahead of time, others won't.  On my last two, I did want to find out and I remember being so anxious as I wanted to be able to plan ahead of time and buy all the pink or blue items I could.  I remember having to wait to that magical moment where you might get an ultrasound to determine what the gender is.  When I found about IntelliGender Boy or Girl Gender Prediction Test, I jumped at a chance to have my pregnant daughter try it out.  She was more than a happy test subject for my post.


The IntelliGender Gender Prediction Test is a urine-based test that can be performed as early as 10 weeks into the pregnancy.  In minutes, the parents-to-be will know what the gender is based on an easy to read color match.  This is wonderful since the regular ultrasound has to be performed at around 20 weeks to determine gender.

Green equals:   

Orange equals 

You can even read more about it in the news here.

I was so excited to wake up my daughter this morning to take the test that even having my youngest wake me up at 3 am didn't bother me (until now as I'm tired!).  She took the test and within the 10 minute wait time, the result was there and it's BLUE!  It actually turned blue quicker than the 10 minutes but we waited the instructed 10 minutes to make sure.


However, since that first day she took the IntelliGender, she had an ultrasound that showed a girl.  I saw the ultrasound and it looked like a boy to me so I'm not 100% confident that the technician is correct.  The IntelliGender tests are no different from other tests as they are not always 100% accurate but overall, they are pretty reliable at 90% accurate.  It was such a fun and easy test to take and I would definitely recommend it for any new parent-to-be.  The excitement in itself was worth it and the customer service is wonderful.

Stay tuned for her next ultrasound in August to see who is correct, IntelliGender or the technician.  I cannot wait!  The Chinese Astrology Chart even reads boy so I'm still holding out!  My poor husband needs some testosterone in this house full of girls!


About IntelliGender:


IntelliGender was founded in 2006 and has over 500,000 satisfied customersworldwide. At the core of our success is their goal of providing high quality, fun, affordable pre-birth experiences for the expectant mother and healthy essentials for mom and baby.  The IntelliGender product lined expanded and has included IntelliCeuticals products.  These products are made of proven remedies, herbal extracts, and flower essences all formulated to promote physical, emotional or psychological health and restore balance in the body. They are safe, effective, and designed to bring you relief from the stresses of pregnancy and early motherhood.

There is an IntelliCeuticals line for pregnancy and after pregnancy.  My daughter received Peace of Mind Flower Essence.  IntelliCeutical’s flower essence products are a 100% natural liquid blend. Using pure spring water, all of the flower and gem essences are infused in sunlight and then hand-bottled and labeled in a serene environment, away from the production lines, so as not to interfere with the natural energies of the flowers.


The Peace of Mind Flower Essence had a slight pleasant aroma.  It's easy to prepare by adding seven drops to 1/4 cup of just boiled water and cool.  Per the instructions, it should be taken four to seven times a day and used regularly.  My daughter is not experiencing too much anxiety yet so I wasn't sure if it worked but it didn't hurt!  We are on a definitely get healthy kick so this was perfect timing.

Want to keep up to date with IntelliGender, follow them on Twitter or join their newsletter.  They are also international and to find out if they are in your country, click here.  


You can purchase the IntelliGender G.P.T. for $34.95 on the IntelliGender website or at retailers like Walgreens, CVS, Target, etc. 

Disclosure: I received product free of charge, from IntelliGender, for the purposes of this review as a participant of Mama Buzz.