Giveaway: Precious Moments

It's always a joy when a new baby is welcomed into the world. I love seeing and holding and smelling the new babies - and of course finding ways to spoil them. It's easy when it's a first child born into the family. By the time it's the third child though, it's harder to find that perfect gift. The parents know more - and have more preferences - plus they already have so many clothes and toys.

A good friend of mine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl yesterday - younger sister to a six year old boy and a three year old girl. They have everything. Luckily, Precious Moments came to my rescue.

They have an online baby boutique full of all sorts of perfect baby gifts for a child - no matter how many siblings he has. Every child needs his own special blanket and stuffed animals. And what proud parent doesn't need another photo frame for their precious new bundle of joy?

I love that these items aren't too expensive, which makes it easier to not have to decide amongst my favorite few! Plush blankets with mini-stuffed animals attached are $10, while a mini plush animal is $5.

I received the mini plush giraffe. While many of the plush animals are truly gender neutral (lion, monkey, elephant, and lamb), the giraffe has pink feet and horns. While I'd be fine with this for my son, I know many parents who would prefer it only for girls. Fortunately, my friend's new baby turned out to be a gorgeous baby girl.

The stuffed animal has a nice amount of detail - eyes, spots, horns, mane, tail, nostrils, etc. They are all sewn on, which greatly reduces the worry of anything detaching and injuring a child. The animal itself is that lovely new soft plush that I wish had existed when I was a child! It's possible I've sat with it on my lap stroking it because it just feels so nice.

And the new baby's reaction? Well, she grabbed it and flung it around - but hey, she's only one day old. Her mom loved it though. And how could she not?

Want one of your own? You can visit the online baby boutique and find one yourself. Or you can win one here. One lucky reader will get a mini plush animal just like mine!

So what do you have to do?

First of all, let me stress that you must follow all the rules. If you do not follow the rules, your entry will not count!

This contest is open until Thursday October 14 at 7pm CST. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment or be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and older. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Mandatory Entry: What is your biggest skin problem?

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each entry - if you put it all in one comment, I'll count it as one entry):

1) Earn one additional entry for following me on Twitter and tweeting this contest (leave a link to your tweet as your comment).
2) Earn one additional entry by following this review blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
3) Earn one additional entry by following my “regular” blog Honest & Truly! publicly via Google Friend Connect.

Good luck!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a mini plush giraffe from MomSelect and Precious Moments. I did not receive any compensation, and all opinions expressed are my own.

1-800-Flowers.com

I have been a fan of 1-800-Flowers.com (and the sister company 1-800-Baskets.com) for a long time. Whenever there is a situation where I need to send flowers, I - ahem - call on one of them.

With Mister Man's birthday coming up, it was the perfect time for 1-800-Flowers.com to approach me with information on their new campaign: Delivery Birthday Smiles. There are three highlighted birthday products that they are featuring: Bucket of Birthday Wishes, Cupcake in Bloom, and Birthday Flower Cake (my personal favorite).

With October 5 the most popular common birthday in the States, 1-800-Flowers.com is celebrating birthdays - potentially in your area. Check out their Facebook or Twitter pages for information on what's happening by you.

And look soon for a review - and giveaway - from me from 1-800-Flowers.com. I have a special birthday bouquet coming for Mister Man, and I can't wait to receive it! And I'm sure someone reading would love to walk away with a $40 savings pass for 1-800-Flowers.com, too.

Review: Bayala By Schleich

Note: I have a bunch of great photos, but Blogger won't let me upload any.  I will be updating this soon - I hope!

This past Friday, I hosted several of Little Miss and Mister Man's friends at our house for a Mommy Party by Schleich. I have to be honest that I'd never heard of Bayala before, but they were a huge hit.

Bayala is a world filled with elve and animals. The figurines are pretty tiny, and when I first unwrapped the box they came in, I assumed they were ceramic because of the intricate detail each figurine has - from the tiny gold threading in the bodice of one elf's dress to the nails in the shoes of a horse. I was a little concerned about how quickly they'd get broken given the delicate pieces such as the horns on the caribou. Fortunately, I was mistaken, and these are flexible plastic molded figures that do not appear in any danger of breaking whatsoever.

When the party began, the third grade sister and her friend of one of the attendees came in during drop off and immediately gravitated to the elves and animals. They picked them up and started playing with them on and around Shadow Rock, and they did not want to leave. They were eventually forced out (not by me!), and all they did was tell that mom how wonderful Bayala was and how they wanted to play, too. I loved that these were toys that older children wanted to play with, too.

The younger children - the kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders - had just as much fun with the Bayala figurines. Everyone was able to choose their favorite figures without (too much) fighting over who gets what. Luckily, we were sent enough that everyone was able to take home at least one figurine, and several children took home multiples.

The girls, not surprisingly were drawn toward the fairy looking elves - Marween, Florindel, and Feya. The boys were drawn towards the warrior-looking elves, Gregis, and Apricum. It was interesting to see the games they set up and played, especially since none of them knew the stories behind Bayala. There isn't a tv series or movie that supports these figurines, which I like, as it gives the children a chance to really use their imaginations more - and use their imaginations they did!

I had several games set up for the kids to play that were Bayala themed, but I didn't even convince most of them to stop playing with the figurines long enough to eat the snacks I'd made, let alone play a different game. It was nice to see how entertained they were on their own with the toys.

There isn't a Schleich relailer near me - which may be why I hadn't heard of these before - but you can purchase them online if there isn't a store near you that carries them. There are many online retailers that carry them from Target to Think Fast Toys to Funagain Games to Amazon.

Given the intricate detail available on the toys, I was expecting them to be exhoritantly expensive, as creating molding like that can't be cheap. They aren't as expensive as I'd feared, though. The suggested price appears to be in the $14 to $17 range, with many on sale for $10 or $11 apiece.

Considering that the wee ones have played with the Bayala figurines every spare moment they've had since Friday (including Little Miss playing with them now while I finish writing this), I'd say that isn't bad at all. I do love the fact that these weren't play with them once and then ignore them toys and also that both boys and girls were interested in them and found ways to play - with all the figurines we had to choose from.

Every hour or so, I get a call from the wee ones to "take another picture of Bayala, Mommy!" because they created a new way to play and want me to capture it. And who am I to discourage that creativity, especially when these toys don't involve the guns or knives or fighting that so many others do. It's refreshing.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received toys from MomSelect and Schleich to host a Bayala party. The wee ones were able to keep two of the figurines each; the remainder were given to attendees of the party. I received no compensation, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of the Strawberry Shortcake DVDs - each winner will receive one DVD, either The Glimmerberry Ball or Berrywood Here We Come.

I do want to point out that I had to disqualify some entries because they did not follow the rules I set out. If you enter a giveaway, please make sure you do what is asked! I always feel awful when I don't get to count an entry from someone.

In the end, I had twelve valid entries. Random.org chose numbers 8 and 12, meaning the two winners are:

Heather Y

Mommy Wants To Read

They have 48 hours to contact me with their information. Congrats, Ladies - and look for more soon!

Giveaway: Eucerin Gift Bags

We are officially in fall around her in Chicago. For me, that means the dry skin begins in earnest. My legs start to get that dreaded alligator skin look. My hands dry out, and my cuticles crack and peel back. It's not pleasant to look at, and it hurts!

I'm working on preventing my dryness this year, thanks to Eucerin. They are focusing on skin health with their Daily Skin and Everyday Protection lines.

I have been using the Daily Skin Balance Hand Creme daily - it now lives in my car - to try to keep my hands healthy, as that is my biggest pet peeve, as well as being the most visible to the most people. I love that the lotion absorbs completely very quickly so that it doesn't leave my hands feeling greasy. I can put the hand creme on while I'm waiting for the wee ones to get out of school and then feel comfortable driving within a few minutes - confident that my hands won't be slipping on the steering wheel.

The Daily Skin Balance Body Lotion has also made it into the regular rotation in my house. I am using the Daily Skin Balance lotion after shaving (ohhhh it makes my legs so smooth and silky!) and nighttime. It has provitamin B5, glycerin and a pH buffer which is designed to be effective for 24 hours. And I'll tell you: once I apply the lotions, they keep me feeling soft for awhile so I don't feel like I have to reapply them every hour.

I love using the Everyday Protection Body Lotion SPF15 whenever I know I'm going to be heading outside. It's the first lotion I have that isn't simply a sunscreen or moisturizer that includes SPF protection, and I think the idea is brilliant. The Everyday Protection uses titanium dioxide, as well as including Vitamin E. I'm lucky in that I don't generally burn when I'm outside - granted, I don't spend a ton of time exposed outside without applying heavy duty sunscreen - but I love that this is giving me added protection without me having to think about it.

So far so good with these lotions. My cuticles are looking good (broken nails not covered by the lotion aside!), and my skin is definitely feeling softer than it normally does at this time of year. I can't wait to see how effective it is in the middle of January when winter and dryness really set in!

When I was at BlogHer, I took a Skin First IQ Test, which was a lot of fun. It's an eight question "test" that is eye opening with regards to some of the information shared in it. I encourage you to take it (and try to best my score of 6 of 8 questions right)! Once you complete the quiz, take the Skin First Pledge to treat your skin with the respect it deserves - a donation will be made to HealthyWomen.org when you take the pledge.

Do you want to try out the Eucerin products for yourself? Visit their Facebook Page where you can receive a free sample of Eucerin Daily Skin Balance by taking the Skin First Pledge.

Or, you can win a gift pack that includes a full size product for each of the four products I mentioned: Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Body Lotion, Daily Skin Balance Hand Crème, Everyday Protection Face Lotion SPF 30, and Everyday Protection Body Lotion SPF 15. I have three (yep, 3!) of these gift bags to give away to lucky readers.

So what do you have to do?

First of all, let me stress that you must follow all the rules. If you do not follow the rules, your entry will not count!

This contest is open until Thursday September 30 at 7pm CST. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment or be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and older. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Mandatory Entry: What is your biggest skin problem?

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each entry - if you put it all in one comment, I'll count it as one entry):

1) Earn one additional entry for following me on Twitter and tweeting this contest (leave a link to your tweet as your comment).
2) Earn one additional entry by following this review blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
3) Earn one additional entry by following my “regular” blog Honest & Truly! publicly via Google Friend Connect.

Good luck!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a sample of Eucerin product while at BlogHer. I received no compensation, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Barbie A Fashion Fairytale DVD

With Little Miss now in kindergarten, she's starting to get into things that little girls typically like more than what she has previously. While she still loves her Star Wars, she's finally figured out who Barbie is.

This past weekend, we had a special movie night where we watched Barbie's new movie, A Fashion Fairytale. The movie isn't rated, but it is definitely appropriate for my five year old.

I loved the fact that Barbie isn't rescued by someone else in the movie. She has a problem - several actually - and she is the one who comes up with the solutions. I appreciate the fact that she is portrayed as independent, just as I wish my daughter to be as she grows up.

The movie was a musical, which surprised me. I had anticipated it being "just" a regular fairytale type movie. Barbie is a movie star who goes to visit her aunt in Paris when she's having a tough time with some issues back home in the States (she's fired from her job, and Ken dumps her). Once she's there, more problems crop up with her aunt's fashion business. It's up to Barbie to find the solution so that her aunt doesn't lose her business, and of course she does - fixing those pesky problems from back home along the way, too.

The movie is fairly innocuous, and I do like the message. It's definitely more modern than I was expecting - especially the music. Fortunately, the movie has managed to straddle the line of being more modern without being inappropriate for a five year old - which is tough to do.

The Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale DVD also includes outtakes, a music video, and a ton more that we have yet to finish exploring. But according to Little Miss, we will. We'll do a different special feature each and every time we watch this movie.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy of the Barbie DVD for review purposes from MomSelect. I was not compensated, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Better for BlogHer Week 6ish

In the interest of full disclosure, I am being provided with 42 Healthy Choice meals, a counseling session at BlogHer, and am being compensated. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

You can read about my previous experiences here:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5

Wow, today is the "official" end of Getting Better for BlogHer with Healthy Choice, but I have no intentions of stopping what I'm doing. This has been a wonderful way for me to focus on myself in a good way. I've been eating better and making sure I get in some exercise regularly.

Since the wee ones have been back at school, I've been doing my three time a week run (and no, I'm not running 5K anymore, but I'll get back there soon enough). I also got a call from a friend of mine asking if I wanted to walk once a week. We're now meeting at a local trail and doing a few miles at a pretty brisk pace, chatting for an hour. It's one of my favorite times of the week. And I've been incorporating some classes into my weekly routine - I've done yoga and soul grooves (I got the time wrong for Zumba, oops!), and I forget how much I really enjoy them.

Some of the meals that I've tried with Healthy Choice have inspired me to remember what foods I love eating, and I've found healthier ways of making them (e.g., the Orange Chicken I made last week). I'm also getting better about eating the smaller, more frequent meals that we so often hear are healthier for us.

I feel better... but not for BlogHer, for me!

The interesting thing is that I have never been an eater of frozen meals. This past week, I went to stock up on my weekly supply of Healthy Choices and stopped to look at some of the other options. Not many of them really appealed to me, but I saw one that looked "healthier" in that it was an Asian-inspired one that wasn't a huge portion and was cooked in a take out container like box. The front of the container touted 180 calories for the option I was looking at, and I was impressed. Then I turned the box around and saw that it had 2.5 servings per container. Ummm really? Really, a small takeout container that is maybe half filled once it's cooked is enough food for 2.5 people to eat for a meal? I don't think so. The previously slender 180 calories ballooned up to 450 calories. Yikes! While there are times when the 230 or 250 calories of a Healthy Choice don't feel like quite enough for me, 450 calories for that option shocked me.

On the other side of the coin, the highly anticipated (by me) Steaming Entrees have arrived in Chicago! I purchased a few of these this week to try out, and I've had two so far.

Honey Balsamic Chicken I loved that this had a ton of cherry tomatoes and asparagus in this dish - although the asparagus was a tad overcooked for me but still crunchy. The chicken was nice pieces, too, but the sauce left a little to be desired. It wasn't bad by any stretch, but it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. I am thrilled that these entrees use fewer ingredients and focus on the ones we can pronounce!

Lemon Herb Chicken This one also featured cherry tomatoes (apparently I love my tomatoes - and they work great in frozen entrees, much to my shock), although they are paired with green beans. The pasta is a whole grain pasta and not as overcooked as some of the others I've had in the Healthy Choice lines, but it still wasn't quite the al dente I prefer. I love lemon chicken, and the sauce on this was a nice lemon blended with chardonnay - which I didn't realize until I'd started eating it. I sorta liked this one and would definitely get it again.

Beyond these two new ones, I've been focusing on some of my favorites - the Cafe Steamers, primarily.

Oh, and did I mention that I have continued to lose weight? Another two pounds in the past few weeks without super "really" trying. Yay!

I have only one more of Tara's tips to share before the end of this series of posts. Move a bit more. Go for a 15 minute walk during your lunch break, walk up and down the stairs a few times, pace while you are on the phone, or get off the subway a stop or two early and walk the rest of the way. This is some of what I frequently forget. It doesn't take a lot of time, but the little things you do really add up. I may not be able to make it to the gym, but I can go up and down the stairs of my house inefficiently doing chores, and that helps. I may miss a run, but I can park further away from the store and walk, then walk to the next store instead of driving to a closer spot in the same outlot. It all helps.

I hope that you've enjoyed learning about this trek with Healthy Choice and Getting Better for BlogHer. I know it's been helpful for me, and I've enjoyed sharing my progress and Tara's tips with you - as well as trying out some of the Healthy Choice options that I might not have otherwise. While I didn't love all of them, I've certainly found some favorites that I will eat again!