Baby Everywhere: A Book and a Bag Review and Giveaway

A Caring Gift

Baby Safety

You could call me “Antique Roadshow.” As a grandmom, I often still find myself carrying around a diaper bag for Slugger, who’s going on two.  A diaper bag is one of those essentials most grandmoms or moms would be lost without.

I received A Book and A Bag from Baby-Everywhere to try out.
When you want to take an excursion out of your home with a small baby, there’s no telling what you might need. A good diaper bag can hold everything you might need including baby wipes, diapers, diaper ointment, baby powder, clothing, bottles, food, just about anything else you might possibly need while out and about with your baby.

A Book and a Bag is a wide tote that can be used by moms, grandmoms, nanny, daycare providers or babysitters.  Also an organizer, there’s a place for keys, cell phones, wallet as well as baby’s necessities. It includes a Safe Baby Organizer – a 50-page loose-leaf book (4″x7″), containing expert advice on how to prevent injuries and handle an emergency, should one occur, which fits into an outside pocket – available in English or Spanish. Colored tabs divide the sections.

Since the most important item in a diaper bag is diapers, A Book and A Bag also contains a changing pad! In fact, anything that you need to use on a daily basis can go into this tote.   Since all the “stuff” in your diaper bag can make it really heavy so if you’re going to have to be carrying it for a long distance, it has two sturdy handles that you can easily put over your shoulder.

This tote comes in either marine blue, or fire engine red – colors that even dad or grandpa wouldn’t mind carrying around!

• Recommended by the American Academy of Emergency Medicine

• iParentingMediaAward.com voted the Safe Baby Tote one of the most outstanding safety products of the year

At Baby-Everywhere, you can find diaper bags and grandmother bags that vary from basic, to trendy …

… beautiful, affordably-priced products that can be used anywhere the baby is – at home, in a car, with the babysitter and at grandma’s home.

Baby-Everywhere is offering readers of Moomette’s Magnificents a $5.00 discount promo code at checkout on these bags.

Use Code: 2442

For More Information Visit: Baby Everywhere

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the Baby-Everywhere Information Station. Designed to hang on the refrigerator door, a babysitter has everything –phone numbers, reminders — all in one place, and doesn’t have to run through the house looking for little pieces of paper left by the baby’s mother! Parent Tested and Parent Approved recently voted the Information Station a winning product.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Baby-Everywhere and leave a comment about what you like best about their site and another product you’d like to try.

This contest will run until March 22, 2010 at 11:00 pm. EST

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

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@Moomettes

Thanks for visiting! Comments are always appreciated! This blog is Do-Follow Links!

Organic Batter Blaster: Making Breakfast Easy With Kids

Keep Cooking Simple

Cooking Teaches Kids Life Skills

Many families never plan menus. They go to the grocery store with no idea in mind or what it is they want to buy. Is it any wonder that there’s often nothing in the house to eat?

Menu planning isn’t a difficult task. It seems to take a lot of valuable time, but in the end it actually saves time in unnecessary trips to the store, and the nightly indecision of what the kids are going to have for breakfast in the morning.

When my kids were little, their favorite breakfast before heading out to school was chocolate chip pancakes and waffles.  I didn’t mind making them when I worked part-time.  I worked out of the home 3 days per week until they got older; so it was easy for me to do.

But on those days when I did have to rush out the door, I felt guilty about not making their favorite breakfast food, as preparation time is required.

I like to try something new occasionally, and my husband, who likes to poke through grocery stores,  brought home Organic Batter Blaster Pancake Mix!

On the days that I have to babysit ‘Lil Moomette and her brother, I can easily make pancakes for the grandkids and know that they’re starting off the day with a good breakfast! We pressed a few chocolate chips into the batter as it was cooking in the pan, and presto! It tasted just as good as if made from scratch!

Kids love to help when it comes to cooking. Getting them involved early is a good way for them to learn responsibility and a skill they can use in life.

Cooking with kids can also be a time of bonding for child and parent. Kids can help in various ways; age appropriate tasks are best. Your younger children can just point and blast the pancake mix into the pan!

Showing kids simple things they can do will make them feel important. It’s a way of having fun with your children, and the fun thing about cooking with your kids is that they’re learning a new skill, they just don’t realize it!

Cooking with your kids and as a family is a great way to connect with your children. Keeping them involved in activities such as finding new recipes and cooking lets them know you think they’re special.

Organic Batter Blaster has been featured on the Food Network and CBS, and is available in BJ’s and local grocery stores.

For More Information Visit: Batter Blaster

Note:  This is not a compensated post.

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Bean Appetit: Childrens Cookbook Review and Giveaway

Hip and Healthy Ways to Have Fun with Food

Bring Kookiness to the Kitchen

As any grandmom knows, kids learn through emulation – watching and imitating the actions of others.  That’s why it’s a good thing to always strive to be a good example.

For me, I learned to cook by watching my mom and aunts who passed down many of the traditional Polish recipes that I learned to love as a child.  I’ve since passed down those traditions to my own girls.

Recently I had the opportunity to review a new cookbook – Bean Appetit:  Hip and Healthy Ways to Have Fun with Food (Andrews McMeel Publishing) which was recently featured on Martha Stewart Radio.

The authors, Shannon Payette Seip and Kelly Parthen are co-owners of  Bean Sprouts Café and Cooking School.  They offer cooking classes for toddlers and grade school children.  The school lets the kids have fun with food while exploring new ingredients.  The authors are also currently developing a kids’ cooking show.

Bean Sprouts, a hip and healthy kids’ cafe, opened to much anticipation near Madison, WI in 2007. Bean Sprouts has drawn great media attention for providing a place for families that is both healthy and fun. Under the guidance of a child nutritionist, Bean Sprouts built its menu with the help and enthusiasm of Gale Gand–renowned chef, author, and Food Network star, who believes in Bean Sprouts’ mission.

One of my favorite chapters in the book was the breakfast chapter.  The meal that both of my grandkids, ‘Lil Moomette and Slugger, enjoy best is breakfast.  Soon they’ll be spending their first overnight with my husband and I, so I paid particular attention to finding recipes that would start their day off right!

Pancakes is a favorite of both grandkids, and “Stick Stacks” incorporates yummy fruit and skewers in an eye-appealing manner.

A great rule of thumb when it comes to cooking with children is keep it simple silly. Foremost, most children have relatively short attention spans. While they want to learn and help mommy out, they also don’t want to have enough time to get bored with the details. Use simple recipes when cooking with children and your chances for success will be much greater than with overly complicated or ingredient intense recipes.

The book is full of whimsical presentations, as well as food-themed games, crafts and activities.

Bean Appetit would like you to help them taste-test some recipes.  You can test online recipes for Bean-GO (a healthy twist on Bingo that gets kids to try to new tastes) found in the book. Feedback Form

Visit on Facebook

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the book, Bean Appetit.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Bean Sprouts and leave a comment about what you like best about their site and why you’d like to win this book.

This contest will run until March 15, 2010 at 11:00 pm. EST

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Follow Me on Twitter
@Moomettes

Win a Conference Pass to BlogHer10 in NYC: Giveaway

2-Day Conference in New York City

Win A Ticket

If you’re a veteran blogger, you’re probably familiar with all the conferences that take place throughout the year in various parts of the country.

If you’re new to blogging, Blog Conferences are a great opportunity to meet fellow mom bloggers, affiliate marketing bloggers and bloggers from all walks of life.  Together they share information and bounce ideas off of each other.

BlogHer is open to anyone and everyone who considers themselves part of the blogosphere; BlogHer is particularly focused on highlighting the skills and talents of women who blog. All genders, ages, ethnicities, and levels of blogging experience are encouraged to attend! We promise there’s something for everyone.  (And in case you’re curious, about 10-15% of attendees are men.)

Many of my readers know I was all excited about attending BlogHer10 in New York City this summer however I’m now unable to attend.

WIN my ticket! I’m hosting a Giveaway for a 2-Day Conference Pass to BlogHer ‘10 in NYC!!!!  (a $298 value for the 2-day pass) open only to my readers who are email subscribers!

Mandatory Entry Requirements.

Main Rule:   (remember if all of these rules are not followed and completed then no others will count)
1. Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment)

2.  Enter by writing  a blog post of approximately 200 – 300 words about why you would like to attend a blogging conference.  Let me whether you’ve ever attended BlogHer or similar conferences in the past, and how you benefited from them.

Choose one of the keyword phrases below and corresponding links to place within your post.

If you have more than one blog, you may write one post per blog url that you own.  Each post will count as an entry.  You will need to post your link here in a separate comment for each entry.

Your blog must have its own domain and have a Google rank of 2 or better.  Blogs not meeting these requirements will not count as an entry.

3.  Please use one of these keyword phrases within the context of your post, and make sure that the link is live, and works before submitting :

Link #1: “WAHM tips” and link to http://moomettesmagnificents.com/blog/backlinks-how-to-build-solid-traffic/

Link #2: “blogging resource tips” and link to http://moomettesmagnificents.com/blog/alexa-toolbar-benefits/

Link #3: “product reviews and giveaways” and link to http://moomettesmagnificents.com/blog/review-info/

Rules #1, #2 and #3 must be completed to be considered entered into the contest.

Submit a comment for each blog post, along with the live URL link to your post. If the post is done in accordance with the above rules, it will be counted as an entry in the contest to win a 2-Day Conference pass to BlogHer ‘10 in New York City.  Please ascertain that all links work before submitting your post.  Posts that are incomplete will be voided.

This contest will run until April 15, 2010 at 11:00 pm. EST

*No purchase necessary
*Open to USA and Canada Only 18 years and older
*Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.
*Winner will be contacted by me to transfer ticket. May not be re-sold or transferred to another person. Not exchangeable for cash.

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.  Grab this banner to place on your sidebar, linking to this post, and it will also count as an extra entry.  Please leave your blog’s URL:

SUBMIT ENTRIES HERE FOR MY SPREADSHEET:

For a second chance to win, Visit Digital Mommy, who’s also hosting a BlogHer10 Conference Pass Giveaway!

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@Moomettes

Custom T-Shirts for Women from VistaPrint: Get Ready for your next Fundraiser or Blog Conference!

Market Your Brand

One of the most common ways of introducing yourself to new clients is by distributing a business card.

Those who attend blogging or marketing conferences probably have received many such cards.  Even moms with children in daycare, preschool or playgroups hand out mommy cards!

My husband owns his own business and one of the ways he markets and rewards his customers is by distributing custom-printed t-shirts, caps and sweatshirts.

I have all my business cards printed at Vistaprint, and was delighted to find out that they now offer Custom-Printed T-Shirts for women!

What a fabulous way to market your brand and blog at conferences such as BlogHer10, tweet-ups or affiliate marketing conferences!

I received three custom printed ladies T-Shirts: a long sleeved one and two short-sleeved shirts.

Here I am wearing the long-sleeved version with my Moomette’s Magnificents logo.  (Cosmetic makeup and hair products were also previous reviews!)

Cindi - Moomette's Magnificents

Although my blogs may be very familiar to readers in the blogosphere, now I have a way to show off my Moomettesgram’s Favorite Recipes and Moomette’s Magnificents logos when I go to the grocery store, and possibly an opportunity to then hand out my business card!

All T-Shirts are:

• 100% preshrunk cotton T-Shirt

• Easy to design and order

• Available sizes are: S, M, L, XL and XXL

If you’re going to be in a bridal shower this wedding season, have some made up for the bridesmaids in the wedding party, or as a gift for the bride-to-be for her bachelorette party!

Order for your next PTO or sports team fundraiser!

To design your own Custom Printed T-Shirt visit: Vistaprint

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@Moomettes

Kidorable Children’s Apparel Review & Giveaway

Functional and Fun

Kids Rain Coats

Both of my grandkids attend preschool now, which means going out in all kinds of inclement weather.  Right now they’re wearing winter snow jackets, but soon spring will be around the corner, and that means ‘April Shower Bring May Flowers’!  They’ll be in need of rain coats!

My charming son-in-law is from Vermont, and the kids often visit their grandparents up there in the spring – which is mud season!

I’ve had the opportunity to review some absolutely fun, trendy stylish rain gear for kids from Kidorable!  Started in their efficiency apartment by Liping and Jonathan Domsky, Kidorable was conceived to “create children’s apparel and accessories that are both functional and fun.”

The grandkiddos were all excited when they tried on the new rain coats we were sent.

‘Lil Moomette got to try the Lucky Cat Raincoat, while Slugger tried on the Fireman Rain Coat, both of which came with matching hangers.  Each rain coat had a hood for stormy days, and colorful, fun designs on the jackets that the kids delighted in.

I liked that the Rain Coats were reflectorized which makes it easier to see the kids if they’re out at night. The closures were easy to snap shut and open – although I did caution ‘Lil Moomette not to pull at the closures. I remember what happened when her own mom was young trying to get out of her rain coats!

Slugger is a bit too young to try to take is own coat on and off.

All styles are made out of PVC and have a comfortable polyester lining, and are machine washable in cold on a gentle cycle.

We have a full-time team of quality control experts assuring that our factories meet our high standards. We also regularly test the quality of our products in internationally recognized labs for lead, phthalates and other toxic substances. All Kidorable products meet or exceed all voluntary and mandatory product safety standards.

Kidorable offers sizes from 1T-6X (and larger) and offer matching ensambles:

• Rain Boots
• Rain Coat
• Umbrellas
• Backpacks

Doing your spring shopping?  Surprise the kids or grandkids with adorable clothes from Kidorable!

Visit on Facebook at: Kidorable

The Kidorable line is available locally through their Store Finder, or Visit Online at: Kidorable

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of an Umbrella of winner’s choice from Kidorable! *USA Only

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Kidorable and leave a comment about what you like best about their site and another product you’d like to try.

This contest will run until March 1, 2010 at 11:00 pm. EST

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Follow Me on Twitter
@Moomettes

American Heroes #3 Children’s Music CD

Educational Songs

It’s never too early for kids to start learning about American History!

When I was in high school, American History was a required subject in our junior year in order to graduate.  I passed the first time around – however, I do know some who had to repeat the course a second time.

I’ve had the opportunity to review Jonathan Sprout’s newest CD, AMERICAN HEROES #3. Jonathan Sprout is being touted by the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for his album and had been nominated for the GRAMMY Awards in the “Best Children’s Album” category.  He’s done over 6,000 performances for children across the country, as well as received numerous national parenting awards.

The CD features upbeat songs about historical figures such as:

• Jane Addams
• George Washington Carver
• Jonas Salk
• Pocohontas
• Cesar Chavez
• Milton Hershey
• Thomas Jefferson
• Wilma Rudolph

I played the CD for the grandkids, who are 1 and 3.  ‘Lil Moomette really enjoyed listening to the story of Pocohontas.  While my grandchildren are pre-schoolers, I think that it’s a wonderful way to introduce older children who are at least school-age to history through music.

Sprout serves up children’s music and a history lesson, all rolled into one!  Why not educate our kids while entertaining them too?

Home school Moms – this CD would be a terrific way to introduce the kids to some American Heroes that they may not be familiar with!

Available on Amazon

UPDATE – Giveaway Cancelled as CD has been damaged.

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Children’s Activities – Arts and Crafts Family Fun

Snow Day Fun

I was babysitting my granddaughter last night while her parents were at a Super Bowl party and was trying to come up with some ideas to keep her entertained.

In my family room I still have a cabinet filled with arts and crafts supplies that my girls used for school projects.

It’s only February, but there’ll still be plenty of snow days off from school before spring finally arrives.

What are some fun ways to spend time together when the weather outside is dreary? There are all kinds of inexpensive ways to spend time with your kids. Reading a story to your young child is a wonderful experience. Listening to music and dancing together is also fun. Another fun activity is building forts with blankets and moving furniture together. Then bring in a flashlight and read a book to your child.

Play dough is also a nice creative way to spend time together. Roll it, mold it and create great works of art. It’s safe and can be used over and over again. You can make your own play dough and make different colors.

Here’s a nifty play dough recipe that I’ve used many times with my own kids.

• 4 cups flour

• 1 cup salt

• 4 cups water

• 4 tablespoons oil

• 1/2 cup cream of tartar

• food coloring (use this to create the colors of your choice)

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Cook and stir over low/medium heat until play dough is completely formed and no longer sticky. Allow to cool slightly before storing in an air tight container or zip lock bag.

Shaving cream art is also fun and easy. Using a vinyl table cloth or plastic place mats just spray some shaving cream on and let them use like finger paint. I would recommend using the sensitive skin brand of shaving cream.

Another great favorite is collages. You’ll need a few craft supplies such as construction paper, some magazines, Elmer’s glue and safety scissors. You can find deals on craft materials at Create for Less.  Have the kids cut out pictures of interest to them and glue them all over the construction paper. Once their project dries hang it proudly on your fridge!

These fun projects are also great for homeschooling moms or daycare moms!

Turn a snow day into a fun and exciting day with your child or grandchild if you’re babysitting while their parents are at work!
photo credit: woodleywonderworks

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@Moomettes

Snow What Winter Olympics? Find Me at the Lodge

What Kind of Snow Bunny Are You?

After the blizzard the Mid-Atlantic states and Washington D.C. experienced this week, we in Connecticut were lucky we missed it.

But our turn in New England is coming on Wednesday!

How do you handle snow?  Does your inner-child come out?  Maybe you always dreamed of participating in the Winter Olympics! Do you rush off to go skiing, snowboarding, skating or sledding? Do you hunker down inside, or maybe go on a cruise or fly south like the snowbirds from up North do?

I just took this little test – and if you read through my posts and 101 Random Things About Me – you’ll see it’s right on the mark! Look for me inside the Ski Lodge!

You Are a Snow Kitten

You like snow in small doses. You find snow to be comforting, and you love to snuggle up under a blanket of snow. You’re not a big fan of the hassles of snow. You’re happy to see it come, but you’re also happy to see it go. Go ahead and venture out in the snow from time to time! Throw a snowball or make a snow angel. You have an inner snow bunny inside you, and it’s time to let that bunny play.

Are You a Snow Bunny?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

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Guide to Walt Disney World With Preschoolers: Review and Giveaway

Disney Tips for Traveling With Preschoolers

Plan a Magical Vacation That is Perfect For Your Family

I’ve had the opportunity to review a new book that takes all the guesswork out of planning for a trip to Walt Disney World with preschoolers in tow.

My oldest daughter fondly remembers our family vacation to Disney World when she was younger.  I saved for almost a year, and paid for the entire vacation in cash.

The girls were 7 and 11 at the time, in 1994.  We went towards the end of August when the rates were somewhat less expensive, and stayed directly on the grounds in Florida at the Polynesian Resort.  I don’t mind the heat since I live in New England.  Actually I thrive in it!

Now that my daughter has two toddlers of her own, she’s been making “noises” about wanting to revisit Disney with their kids, who are 1 and 3.   Both my daughter and charming son-in-law are extremely close to both sets of parents.  They’d really like that the grandparents can all join in together for a memorable family trip.

As a parent, you already know that you don’t want to have to carry your preschooler around in your arms all  day. You couldn’t possibly make it through the day!  You also can’t expect your child to walk all day long.

Beyond the Attractions:  A guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers by Lisa M. Battista (BookSurge) is a definite must-read book.

Lisa Battista answers common and not-so-common questions in Beyond the Attractions such as advance reservations; the best time to visit; sleeping away from home and more that will assure that your family vacation is enjoyable and stress free:

Strollers – Strollers are not only welcome at Disney World, they’re highly recommended. In fact, Disney World rents strollers for a reasonable fee.  My suggestion would be to tie something on the stroller, such as a brightly colored ribbon to help identify it from all of the other strollers in the park.

FastPass – You don’t want to spend your entire Disney World vacation standing in long lines. This can be avoided by using Disney World FastPass. FastPass can be obtained from kiosks located near the rides that accept FastPass. This doesn’t mean that you get to immediately move to the front of the line. It’s more like scheduling an appointment for the ride later in the day – at which time you actually will move to the front of the line. In the meantime, you’re free to go enjoy other sites and rides around the park.

Many other tips to help you maximize your hard-earned vacation dollars are included in this reference guide for parents, by a parent.

Start planning your next vacation!

On Twitter: @DisneyExplorer
Pages: 169
ISBN: 978-1-4392-5757-9

For More Information Visit: Beyond The Attractions

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the book, Beyond the Attractions:  A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Tell me why you’d like to win this book.

This contest will run until February 28, 2010 at  11:00 pm. EST

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Follow Me on Twitter
@Moomettes

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