Flower Girl World: Review

Audrey, Georgia, and Sydney got to be flower girls in my brother-in-law's wedding this past Saturday. They were beside themselves with excitement in the weeks leading up to the event.

One way I often help my kids prepare for upcoming things is to read them books about the experiences they will be having. So before going to the dentist, we read books about it. Before going apple picking, we read apple books.

And the wedding was no different. We had accumulated a couple of wedding books over the years that the girls enjoyed reading before the big day.

I was offered the chance to review a new website and set of books designed to engage (pun intended) little girls who are interested in flower girls or who are going to be flower girls. Camellia, the Fabulous Flower Girl is a picture book that both Sydney and Georgia enjoyed. It helps girls understand that friends (and flower girls) don't always have to be the same to be friends. It has the little details I like in these kinds of books that help children know what to expect when they are in the situation.

Rosie and the Wedding Day Rescue is a chapter book that Georgia and Audrey both had fun reading. It is for slightly older girls, although I think Audrey (5th grade) is probably even a bit old for it.

But not only are there two fun flower girl books, there's a whole Flower Girl World website. While not yet at full functionality, there are lots of tips for parents and brides, as well as info for flower-girls-to-be and a photo gallery of flower girls. There will be games and activities for girls, as well.

I was provided with free copies of the two books to facilitate my review. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Veggie-Go's: REVIEW

My four kids can EAT. And when Audrey and Georgia get home from school, they are hungry! Of course, if somebody's eating, they all want a snack. So I am always on the lookout for healthy options that are fun and yummy. We often have apples and peanut butter, or cheese and crackers.

I was recently introduced to a new snack, called "Veggie-Go's." Basically, they are a fruit leather-type snack, made from all-natural ingredients, fruits, vegetables, and spices. There are five unique flavor combinations:

Mountain Berry Spinach
Cinnamon-Spiced Beet
Mulled Wine
Carrot Ginger
Sweet Potato Pie


While Joel was napping, the girls and I sat down for a taste test. Everyone was in agreement that they loved the Mountain Berry Spinach. Very yummy! There was a little disagreement in the order of next yummiest, but we all liked the Mulled Wine and Cinnamon-Spiced Beet. I thought Sweet Potato Pie was pretty good, with its chunks of pecans, but Georgia doesn't like sweet potatoes, so that was a no-go for her. None of us were fans of the Carrot Ginger. The ginger was very strong, so if you love ginger, it's the flavor for you!

Veggie-Go's are available at local specialty food stores in the Boulder, CO area, or you can order them online. They retail for $1.49 each, or you can buy a multi-pack. Veggie-Go's are made by a company called The Naked Edge. Find them on facebook, or follow them on Twitter.

CSN Stores: GIVEAWAY!

Our 4-year-old, Sydney, is allergic to red food dye. It is so severe that one time when her preschool teacher made Sydney's footprints on a piece of paper with red paint that she had a reaction. Now Sydney does not use red paint unless she is using a paintbrush.

Then a couple of weeks ago, she came home from school with red marker on her hands. She had been tracing her hands for a picture, and some of the (washable) marker got on her skin. Later that day, of course, she had a huge meltdown of the dye variety.

So right away I decided that I had to find her some natural markers, if any existed. Lucky for me, I found some online. Even luckier, CSN Stores carry them! CSN Stores are a group of online stores that have over a million products, from baby equipment to shoes to lighting and rugs. And luckiest of all, I was in the process of doing a review of their stores for this blog.

So I quickly ordered some Clementine natural art products for Sydney to try. The prices were great--lower than at another large online retailer you might know. Many items from CSN ship for free, or shipping is free once you spend a certain amount. The items I ordered came very quickly, even earlier than I was told when I placed my order. I was very happy with the speed and variety of products offered by CSN.

Sydney liked the markers and crayon rocks I ordered for her. There were only four colors of markers, but they were bold and colorful. The crayon rocks were fun, and came in a package of nine different colors. Hopefully now she can trace her little hands without having a problem!


If you would like to win a set of Clementine natural markers and crayon rocks, leave a comment telling me who you would give them to. Make sure you leave your email address if it's not linked to your profile, U.S. addresses only, please. Contest will end next Thursday, 5/19.

I was provided with a gift card to facilitate this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Jake the Pig series: REVIEW

Recently, Rich and I have had a few incidents with the girls where we are realizing that we need to be more pro-active with teaching them about finances.

Audrey and Georgia often seem to understand money pretty well. They have both saved their allowances for months for big purchases, and don't usually waste their money on candy or junky toys. Sydney (almost 4), is just getting to the age where she is starting to understand money. She especially likes to play "store" at her grandparents' house, where they will give her real money to use in her cash register, and then let her take it home when she's done!

There is a new series of books, written to help parents teach their children about financial responsibility. Jake Saves the Day teaches about the importance of saving, while Jake Earns a Treat teaches children the link between working at a job and earning money to buy something you want.

Sydney definitely doesn't understand either concept yet, so I was glad to read these books to her so we could begin to discuss money ideas. She seemed to enjoy them (I was asked to read each book twice in a row the first time she saw them). The main problem I had with them was that some of the rhymes seemed a bit forced. But I definitely think that teaching kids about finances and how to use money wisely is important. These books are a good way to open up the conversation with younger children in a way they can understand.


I was provided with a free copy of Jake Saves the Day and Jake Earns a Treat to facilitate my review. I was not otherwise compensated for my review. All opinions are my own or those of my children.

Weird Sports: REVIEW

What do extreme ironing, toilet racing, and cheese rolling have in common?

They are all actual activities that actual people partake in!

The girls and I have been enjoying a new book, Weird Sports, by Michael Teitelbaum from Beach Ball Books. It is full of full-color photographs of people playing strange sports and participating in off-the-wall games. Georgia (first grade) had some belly laughs when she read about elephant soccer, and Sydney (almost 4) loved looking at the pictures of the toilet and bed racing.

This book is a fun, fast read. The layout of the book is exciting, with lots of photos and short text passages that describe each sport or game. The quotes from real players of the games add an extra layer of "wow" to the stories. My girls really enjoyed it!


I was provided a free copy of Weird Sports to facilitate my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, or those of my children.

Crayola Green Back-to-School: GIVEAWAY

It's that time of year again, time to start thinking about going back to school. This year, I have three little school girls! Audrey will be starting fourth grade, Georgia is going into first grade, and little Sydney will be starting her first year of preschool (sniff, sniff). It's a good thing that I have my two-month-old snuggle bug, Joel, to keep me company.

And what would back-to-school be without Crayola products? This year, Crayola is featuring their new "greener" line of supplies. According to MyBlogSpark, Crayola has "greened" three of its products:

• Crayola Markers - Thanks to new, innovative ways to manufacture Crayola markers from recycled bottle caps, "black" is the new "green!" Crayola markers will now have black barrels instead of white, which allows for more recycled plastic to be used and gives a second life to more than 1 million pounds of plastic bottle caps. Plus, switching to black barrels keeps hundreds of tons of plastic out of landfills each year. Available in 10-ct. Broadline Classic Colors, 10-ct. Broadline Assorted Colors, 10-ct. Fineline Classic Colors, 8-ct. Washable Broadline and 8-ct. Washable Fineline.


• Crayola Green 24-ct. Crayons - The quintessential school supply found in virtually every elementary classroom will be made with the power of the sun. More than 26,200 solar panels will convert sunlight into electricity, generating the energy required to make 1 billion of the 3 billion crayons Crayola makes each year, which equals 60 million 24-ct. boxes. Mother Earth will be smiling down on every forest green, pine green and jungle green crayon that rolls off the assembly line!


• Crayola Green Colored Pencils - Committed to protecting the rain forests since 1987, all Crayola colored pencils have been made from reforested wood instead of wood sourced from tropical rainforest or endangered species. For every tree used, a new tree of the same species is planted. The 12-, 24-, 36-, and 50-ct. boxes of Crayola Colored Pencils will be among the first to carry the "Eco-Evolution" callout on their packaging.

Each package explains how Crayola is lessening the impact on the environment.
My girls put the new supplies to an early test, and they reported that the new markers, colored pencils, and crayons worked just as well as the old ones. Just as good, and better for the earth. It's a win-win.

If you would like to win a back-to-school pack, leave me a comment and tell me what is (or was) your favorite school supply to buy. Winner will be chosen Tuesday, August 17. US addresses only, please.

Crayola provided me with the products, information, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark for this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated in any other way for this post.

BJ's Spring Clothing Line: REVIEW

We have been members of several warehouse club stores in the past, but our favorite has been BJ's. We like that BJ's accepts manufacturer's coupons in addition to their own coupons, carries brands you will find in the grocery or discount store, and accepts major credit cards. And their store brand diapers are great (and cheap)!

Recently, I was contacted by BJ's regarding their new spring line of clothing. According to my contact, you can dress a family of four for under $100.

Spring highlights include:

• Men’s IZOD Short Sleeve Polo – 100% cotton. Available in a variety of colors. Small – XXL. $14.99-$16.99 ($50 Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP))

• Men’s Nautica Jeans – Assorted washes. Sizes 32-42. $19.99 (Compare to more than $49.50 at department stores)

• Women’s Liz Wear Knit Top– Short sleeve chiffon trim mixed media top. Available in various colors. Small – XL $14.99 ($39.99 MSRP)

• Women’s Liz Wear Crop Pant – Available in black, khaki, chocolate and olive. Sizes 4-18. $19.99 (Compare to $65 at department stores)

• Girl’s Nicole Miller Knit Tops & Capri Sets – Charmeuse and knit tops with capri bottoms in various colors and patterns. Sizes 12-4T. $12.99 (Compare to $38)

• Boy’s Wes & Willy T-shirt & Short Sets – Graphic tee and nylon short sets in various colors. Sizes 3-8. $12.99 (Compare to $39)

= $98.94 BJ’s pricing, $291.49 value

BJ's offered me a $25 gift card to try out some spring things for the girls. There were a bunch of cute choices:


But as soon as Sydney saw the Dolly and Me outfits, we were sold.

Too cute, girls!

If you are not a member of BJ's, you can print out a free 60-day membership pass, which must be activated by July 5, 2010.

BJ's provided me with a gift card to try out their new spring line. All opinions are my own. Pricing information provided by BJ's.

LikeWear Clothing: GIVEAWAY

Although this week in Philadelphia has been rainy and chilly, I am pretty sure that it is finally time to pack away the warm clothes and pull out the T-shirts and shorts. But sometimes when I pull out the tubs, the old stuff doesn't quite look so cute anymore...

So that's why I was excited when LikeWear and MomSelect offered me a chance to try out a new concept in kids' (and adults') clothing design. LikeWear allows customers to choose from tons of popular graphics and apply them to a variety of different clothing items to come up with custom clothing so you can "Wear What You Like!"

I picked out two items for Audrey:


I'm not sure you can see it, but this one is a long-sleeved layered look shirt with a heart made of conversation hearts. Very cute, and great for early spring or these chilly days we've been having.


This one is a short-sleeved t-shirt with a strawberry Tootsie Roll Pop on the front.

LikeWear has a TON of different designs to choose from, anything from popular cereals, to candy of MANY kinds, to sports and just cute icons.

Their website is not too fancy, and was easy to navigate. The only problem I had was that I couldn't find any sizing chart so I just guessed and ordered size Medium in both shirts. They both ended up being too big for Audrey (but they will fit her next year). I would've liked to have been able to use her measurements or regular sizes to correlate with the sizes they offer.

Since the shirts are too big for her, I haven't washed them yet, but they seem to be high-quality and are definitely made of thick and soft fabric. The graphics are bold and bright, and look like they will last through many washings. And hopefully through three girls!

The interesting and unique thing about LikeWear is that it is a direct marketing company, where people can sell the products at home parties (I'm sure you can think of other examples of direct marketing companies). So they are not only a company started by parents, they support parents trying to make money for their families.

The best part? LikeWear is offering one of my readers a $50 merchandise credit to try out their clothing for yourself. To enter, just visit their website and tell me which graphic you might pick if you win! Be sure there is a way for me to contact you through your Blogger profile or in your comment, or you will forfeit your win.

But for all my readers, LikeWear is offering a special discount--25% off your entire purchase! Just enter the code OCCUPATIONMOMMY when you place your order. Code expires 6/19/10.

US addresses only, please. Contest ends Monday, May 31.

I was provided a gift certificate to choose some items to try, as well as a gift certificate to give away, by LikeWear and MomSelect. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Rainbow Brite CD GIVEAWAY

Call me crazy, but I think that having all the toys I loved as a kid available to our little ones now is a lot of fun. I loved Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony and the rest, and I get to share the fun with my girls!

The newest throwback to the 80s is Rainbow Brite, and were my girls excited to get a CD with games and songs to introduce the colorful character. I was given a CD for my girls to enjoy, and a bunch more to share with my friends and readers.

"Rainbow Brite has blasted back onto the doll scene with a vibrant makeover, continuing to delight children with her empowering and imaginative adventures as she spreads her positive messages of courage, kindness, and hope." Georgia (5.5) and Sydney (2.5) loved the Rainbow Brite games on the CD and are still asking to play it. I think Audrey (7.5) is a little old for it, but for ages about 3-6 it is fun.

Rainbow Brite dolls are coming back to stores, as well. I saw one in Target last week, and they should be available in other stores soon. There is also a website featuring Rainbow Brite, where kids can go to get even more of their new friend.

If you would like to win a Rainbow Brite CD for your little princess, leave me a comment about what your favorite toy was as a kid. US addresses only, please. If you are a local, leave me a comment and I will give you a CD when I see you. One non-local commenter will win a CD, and I have 7 more I can give away to local buddies.

Disclosure: I was given a Rainbow Brite CD for free to review, and a pack of CDs to share with my friends and readers. I was not compensated in any other way for this post.

Crayola Winner Week 2 and Giveaway

Congratulations, melanie, you are this week's Crayola Creativity Pack winner! If you email me your address, your prize will be on its way.

And if you didn't have a chance to enter last week's giveaway, you are in luck because this week I will be giving away #3 of four Crayola Creativity Packs. Crayola and My Blog Spark are sponsoring this giveaway in honor of this week's Twitter event, Girl's Night Out. This week's topic is Creative Connections (building and strengthening relationships and character through creativity). I know I will have a lot to say, because I find that the times I enjoy my girls the most is when we are doing crafts together. Join in the discussion on Twitter tomorrow night (Tuesday, August 11) from 9-11 pm. EST.

We have received our Crayola Creativity Pack in the mail, and in next week's giveaway post I will tell you about all the fabulous things we made with our new art supplies. So enter to win!

To win, just leave me a comment telling me how you build and strengthen your relationships with your children or teach them about character through creativity. I will pick a winner on Monday, August 17. US addresses only, please.

Crayola CreativityCast: GIVEAWAY!

Have you participated in a Twitter Girls' Night Out yet? I haven't, but I am looking forward to my first tonight. This Tuesday and all the Tuesdays in August, GNO will be sponsored by Crayola. Join in the "party" to talk about Affordable Fun. With three active little girls in the house, I am always looking for affordable, fun ideas!

And in honor of Crayola's Girls' Night Out sponsorship, Crayola and My Blog Spark will be sending me a pack of Crayola products to try. But even better, I will be giving away a Crayola prize pack every week for the next four weeks!!!

To win this week, just give me an idea of some affordable fun you enjoy with your kids. I will pick a winner on Monday, 8/3. I hope to see your Twitter IDs tonight at the GNO!

Enfant Pediatric Vision Testing

*Disclaimer: This is a compensated post, sponsored by Enfant Pediatric Vision Testing.

I first got glasses in second grade and wore them until I finally was allowed to get contacts in seventh grade. My vision is horrible; without my glasses or contacts, I can't even see the big "E" on the vision chart. So I have always wondered about my girls and how their eyes will turn out to be.

Somehow, my husband has better than perfect vision (I don't know how that's possible, but there you go). Although I will say that my night vision is far better than his. So far, it seems that our girls have inherited his eyesight. And I hope that continues!

I was recently made aware of a new technology in vision testing for children. The Enfant Pediatric VEP Vision Testing System is, according to their information, a "non-invasive, child-friendly medical device that tests for visual deficits...in preverbal children, ages six months and older." When testing young children, the system is able to assess vision without requiring a response from the child.

The Enfant is also able to test for amblyopia, or "lazy eye," in addition to several other vision disorders. The company has also developed an online assessment tool to help parents understand some of the red flags that may indicate a vision problem in their child.

Being able to see clearly is so important for children, and often they are unable to articulate their difficulty in seeing. I remember the first time I got my glasses in second grade and put them on. On the way home, I kept saying, "I can see the leaves on the trees!" I just couldn't believe that it was possible to see so well. Hopefully the Enfant can help many more children be able to see clearly.

*Disclaimer: This is a compensated post, sponsored by Enfant Pediatric Vision Testing.

Lil Boo and Co. GIVEAWAY!

Do you know someone who is having her second baby? Are you planning a road trip, taking your kids to the doctor's office or a wedding? I have the perfect toy that is adorable and quiet, courtesy of Nicole from Lil Boo and Co.


Check out this cute Color Caboodle (TM) crayon roll:





It is made out of soft felt and comes with eight Crayola crayons, although you could easily fit two crayons in each slot if your child wanted more choices. There are several different fabrics to choose from, and each roll is only $7! Pair it with a coloring book and you have a great birthday gift. My girls wanted to color as soon as they saw the Color Caboodle. It will be the perfect thing to bring when we go to the shore next weekend. We won't have any crayons rolling around in the car!



Nicole has a variety of sweet and well-made products in her Etsy store, including hair clips and Boo Boo Cubes:





These "ice" packs are made of soft flannel and also come in a variety of patterns. They are filled with rice and can be frozen for a cold pack or warmed quickly in the microwave to give heat.



Since we received the Boo Boo Cube, my girls have wanted it every time a boo boo was even hinted at. It is so soft, and when frozen it is not painfully cold like some gel packs. Even 2-year-old Sydney was able to keep it on her bumped head without protesting. Well, without protesting the cold at least! These cubes go for just $4.



And it gets better! Nicole has graciously agreed to give away one Color Caboodle and one Boo Boo Cube to one of my readers. To enter, just go to Lil Boo and Co.'s Etsy site and tell me which pattern you would choose for the Color Caboodle and the Boo Boo Cube. Contest ends Monday, 5/25. US addresses only, please.

The Greatest Show on Earth

On Wednesday night, Rich and I took the girls to the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus at the Spectrum. Thanks to Mom Central and the Feld Family Activators, we were given seats in the first row. We were happy to see the winner of my giveaway, Courtney, with her husband and son, Double L.

We took Audrey and Georgia to the circus three years ago, and we weren't that impressed. But WOW, did they improve it since then! We had an incredible time!

Our seats were amazing. The ringmaster stopped by for a pose:

And the elephants and horses paraded right in front of us! My favorite parts were the elephants and the zebras dancing. The big girls were amazed by the acrobats, while Rich loved the high wire act.

And Sydney? She talked about the tigers for the rest of the night and is still talking about them. "Kai-gers! Raaar! Raar! RAAAAAAR!"

If you can get there, I highly recommend "Zing! Zang! Zoom!" And when you call for tickets, use the code "MOM" to get four tickets for $44, and any additional tickets at $11 each.

JumpStart Online: GIVEAWAY

Audrey and Georgia love to play on the computer. Georgia, in particular, could probably play computer games all day, and is always sad when her allotted "screen time" for the day is up. They have a variety of games online they like to play, like PBS Kids, Disney, Nick Jr., and Starfall, but their favorites for a while have been our JumpStart games.

We have a bunch of JumpStart games and Georgia's favorite is JumpStart Artist. She loves creating her own artwork, puppets, and movies, and she spends lots of time mixing colors and even learning about real works of art.

Audrey likes JumpStart artist, as well. Her favorite kind of computer games are games in which she can explore through "worlds" and rack up prizes. Since she is now in second grade, it has been a bit harder for me to find online games that still give her a challenge.

That is why we were all excited when JumpStart contacted me to review their new online world at JumpStart.com! This 3D online world offers children a fun way to learn while they don't even realize it. When kids start playing, they get to customize their own "Jumpeez," their character that will explore the different lands. Georgia loved this part. She made a white cat with a fancy skirt.

This is not her Jumpee, but you can get an idea for the different options. Once the Jumpee is made, there are different lands (Adventure Land, Story Book Land) where kids can play games. The girls had fun exploring the different lands and were excited to play more.

The only disappointment we had on JumpStart was that our computers are on the old side and the site kept freezing up. I don't know what exactly the issue was, but the girls are hoping that Rich will let them play JumpStart on Daddy's work laptop (newer) and that his computer will work better.

Overall, we love JumpStart products and the online world seems like a great addition to their line. And good news! JumpStart is offering one of my readers a free 3-month subscription for your kiddos! Just leave a comment on this post by Sunday, April 26.

Florastor Kids: GIVEAWAY

I don't know about you, but my kids have had a sick, sick winter. I feel like we should just rent an apartment above our pediatrician's office. When one of them gets sick, I know that we will be returning to the doctor with the other two in a matter of days.



And often, they have strep throat, an ear infection, or another sickness that requires antibiotics. When my middle daughter, Georgia, was an infant and toddler, she used to get terrible diarrhea every time she was on antibiotics. The only thing that helped was to give her Florastor Kids with every dose of her medicine.

According to the company,

Florastor Kids is a clinically-tested, natural, yeast-based probiotic that aids in the growth of good microorganisms in the intestines, while destroying and removing disease causing microorganisms to help maintain or restore optimal intestinal health. Unique because it can be safely given to babies and children from the age of two months, Florastor Kids is a great-tasting powder that can be dissolved in beverages, including infant formula, or soft foods, such as applesauce.

Georgia hasn't had a problem tolerating antibiotics lately, but Florastor Kids really got her through some discomfort.

Florastor Kids is usually available at the pharmacy counter. Your child does not need a prescription, but in our area it is stored behind the counter. The retail price for twenty packets (good for twenty doses, or about one course of antibiotics) is $21.95. Yes, it's pricey, but in our experience it was totally worth it.

I have one box of Florastor Kids available for a giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post to enter! (US addresses only, please.) Giveaway ends on Sunday, April 26.

Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus GIVEAWAY

When I was a little girl, my dad told me that the best circus was the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus. He took me a couple of times, and I loved seeing the clowns, acrobats, and elephants.

The Circus is coming to Philadelphia's Wachovia Spectrum starting May 13 and runs through May 25. This year's show, Zing Zang Zoom, promises to be great fun for the whole family.

And thanks to Mom Central, you have access to a great deal on tickets: Get a family 4-pack of tickets for just $44, with the coupon code MOM.

Or, even better, I have a family 4-pack of tickets to give away. Please leave me a comment to enter my giveaway for four tickets to the May 13 opening night show. The show starts at 7pm.

Giveaway closes on Sunday, April 26.