FeverAll Review & Giveaway

Posted on April 3, 2012 by

Another Way to Put Fevers to Bed

FeverAll is the top national brand of acetaminophen in suppository form.  In fact, parents have been using FeverAll for more than 30 years to relieve their children of a fever!  FeverAll Infants’ Strength Acetaminophen Suppositories allow you to quickly and easily give your child an exact dose of 80 mg.  FeverAll suppositories are less than one inch in size making them smaller than any other Acetaminophen suppository on the market.  You can simply insert the suppository during a diaper change.  I find this to be the perfect time, since my child is relaxed during this routine activity.  No more measuring doses and struggling to get your child to swallow medicine.  If you your child is throwing up or tends to spit out medicine, you will not have to guess as to how much of the medicine your child actually got into his or her body.

When my children are sick, I find it almost impossible to get them to drink any fluids let alone medicine.  To be fair, when I am sick the last thing I want to do is have to swallow anything.  I can’t really blame my babies for not wanting to do the same thing.  FeverAll is a brilliant solution to this problem. I no longer have to try every trick in the book just to get my child to swallow his medicine.  I absolutely love that each suppository is pre-measured so I don’t have to mess with determining how much my child needs.  This is especially helpful in the middle of the night!

Buy It!

Be prepared next time a fever hits and keep a box of FeverAll in your medicine cabinet.  You can purchase FeverAll for about $7 at major retailers such as Walmart, Walgreens, and Rite Aid.

Win It!                ******CLOSED******

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook are going to win a package of FeverAll!  The winner will have his or her choice between receiving the Infants’, Children’s or Jr. Strength FeverAll product.  Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment below sharing which age group you would need FeverAll for: 6-36 months, 3-6 years, or 6-12 years.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

  • New! Follow The Children’s Nook on Google+ (2 entries)
  • Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
  • Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Tweet the following: “Enter to #Win a package of FeverAll @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1v9” (Leave a link to your tweet. You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
  • Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
  • “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (2 entries)
  • Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog and leave a comment here telling me which post you commented on (1 entry)
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook, Pinterest or your Blog and post a link to your post in the comments below (2 entries)
  • Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
  • Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries)

Congrats to RG on Random.org choosing your winning comment!

 

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on April 20, 2012.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Thanks to FeverAll and FamilyReviewNetwork I was provided product information and a sample of FeverAll Infants’ Strength for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

Posted in Giveaways | 9 Comments

SmartWav Babies Review & The Miracle BabySleep System ($60 RV) Giveaway

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

SmartWav Babies is an innovative company that has created a BabySleep CD that has been  designed to help crying or fussy babies stop crying.  This brilliant product created by SmarWav is being recommended by Pediatricians, Daycare Centers, parents, and hospitals around the world.  The birth of a child is a monumental event and The Miracle Baby Sleep System was designed to help ease the transition for your baby from the womb to world.  This system provides accurate simulation of the womb sonic environment with a two disc system to help relax your baby and help him or her sleep deeper and longer.  This is music to my ears!  As an added bonus for all of us adults lacking much needs Zzzzzzs, The Miracle Baby Sleep System includes an Adult Sleep CD featuring new Rolling Pink-Noise Technology.  SmartWav recommends you play this Ocean Waves CD on repeat at a medium volume level.  I have actually used the adult sleep CD and I feel like I have a much more sound sleep.  I tend to wake up a lot throughout the night to little noises and when I use this CD I actually sleep soundly and only wake up if my children need me.  I feel like I actually reach a deep sleep and as a result I feel well rested in the morning.

“Early observations are showing better development, better well-being, and far better sleep when babies are played this groundbreaking new system.”

As a recap, The Miracle BabySleep System™ includes:
1)
“Ramp to Sleep” CD Soundtrack
2)
“Sleep Thru The Night” CD Soundtrack
3)
“Adult Sleep” CD Soundtrack
4)
Insert Booklet with Tips & Instructions
5)
BONUS #1: “DATA DISC containing 6 MP3 tracks of differing extended lengths for uninterrupted, continuous sleep.
6)
BONUS #2: “Sleep Thru The Night” Instant MP3 Download – so you can start right away to enjoy better sleep, and a peaceful, nourishing environment!

Want to give your child an advanced opportunity to understand basic math and physics concepts? SmartWav Babies also has a Miracle MusicMath System that uses “tonal technology” to help babies sleep and enhance cognitive development.  You simply play the music in the background and this amazing tonal technology will help enhance your child’s natural developmental stages.

Buy It!

You can purchase The Miracle BabySleep System, The Miracle MusicMath System, and gift packages online at SmartWav.

Win It!                *******CLOSED******

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook are going to win The Miracle Baby Sleep System ($60 RV)!  Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment sharing what you have tried to get your child or grandchild to sleep.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

  • Visit Smartwav Babies and come back here to leave a comment sharing what feature you like about one of their products.
  • Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
  • Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Tweet the following: “#Win The Miracle Baby Sleep System ($60 RV) @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1uS” (Leave a link to your tweet. You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
  • Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
  • “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (2 entries)
  • Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog and leave a comment here telling me which post you commented on (1 entry)
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook, Pinterest or your Blog and post a link to your post in the comments below (2 entries)
  • Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
  • Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries)
Congrats to Lindsay Mc. on Random.org choosing her winning comment!

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on April 13, 2012.  This giveaway is open to residents in both U.S. and Canada.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

SmartWav provided me with The Miracle BabySleep System featured in this post for review purposes only.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

Posted in Giveaways, Reviews | 30 Comments

Get Dolled Up in Old Navy Dresses!

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

Get a fresh look this Spring that you can continue to enjoy all summer long with Old Navy dresses.  You will find a wide selection of dresses in bold colors and patterns this Spring at Old Navy.  If you are looking for a fabulous black dress to sport this summer, Old Navy also has a wide variety of black dresses that will suit many different occasions.  In fact, one of my best friends and I recently went shopping for dresses at Old Navy and we each bought a black dress!  I have to admit that I fell in love with several Old Navy dresses that day and ended up going home with two dresses.

I ended up buying the black Tiered-Jersey Tank dress because it was extremely comfortable and I could see myself wearing this by the lake all summer long!  This dress, like so many other black dresses at Old Navy, is extremely versatile.  I love that I can throw on some knee-length leggings and a cami under this dress and be prepared to chase around my two boys all summer when needed.  Yet, I could simply add a few accessories and wear this little black dress out on a date with my hubby!

My friend chose her black dress because of its versatility as well.  She liked that you could easily change the look of this dress with a light-weight sweater or scarf.

While shopping for dresses at Old Navy, I tried on well over ten dresses.  The one thing I can say that all of them had in common was comfort.  I was absolutely amazed that I could feel so comfortable in each and every dress.  The fabrics of the dresses I tried on were all very light weight and soft.  I tried on a wide variety of styles, so some dresses looked better on me than others.  However, I must say that they all felt great against my skin.  Many of the Old Navy dresses are made of lightweight fabrics which are perfect for hot summer days.  The bright colors and floral patterns on many dresses inspire me to take a trip some place tropical. I also came across many bold patterns and solid colors that would also be perfect to wear to a summer wedding.

   

At the end of my shopping trip, I narrowed it down to three dresses.  However, the Ruffled Chiffon Maxi dress won me over instantly.  I can’t resist a beautiful maxi dress!  It was love at first sight.

Buy It!

Feel beautiful and comfortable in Old Navy dresses this season!  Old Navy has a great selection of dresses available in stores and an even better selection available online.  You can also visit Crowdtap and join to get in touch with great companies such as Old Navy.  It is a great way to earn money and try great products!

Thanks to CrowdTap and Old Navy for choosing me to be a part of the Old Navy Style Council, my girlfriend and I were able to each take one Old Navy dress home free of charge.  All opinions are mine alone based off of my shopping experience and the dresses I reviewed.

Posted in Reviews | 1 Comment

Oré Originals Jumbo Splat Mat Review & Giveaway

Posted on March 28, 2012 by

 

Oré Originals: happy products for good people.  Need I say more?  Oré Orignals is an inspiring company that creates beautiful products that truly make my family happy.  They offer stylish and amazing products for mommy, baby, pets, and home. The Living Goods collection has some new products for 2012 that truly inspire me to organize my office.  I am loving the new magnetic wall strip with the days of the week printed on it.

The Oré Pet collection has a unique selection of products for cats and dogs.  If any of you have a dog or cat, I will warn you that I am in love with the Oré Pet collection and I don’t even have a pet!  I hope to get a dog in a few years, and when that day comes I will most definitely be getting my puppy some Ore Pet products.

The Sugar Booger Collection by Oré Orignals has a wide variety of fabulous products.  We actually have an Oré Orignals storage box in our nursery that looks beautiful and also serves as storage for my son’s baby blankets.  I recently discovered the Sugar Booger Jumbo Floor Splat Mat collection by ore Originals The Sugar Booger Jumbo Floor Splat Mat collection by ore Originals comes in a large variety of different patterns.  In fact, you will find 3 pages filled with different designs on the Ore Originals website!  We have the Numbers Jumbo Floor Splat Mat and I love both the design and functionality of this large mat.  My oldest son picked out the pattern and loves looking at the different colored animal and counting the numbers on the mat.  This splat mat is a laminated cotton canvas that you can simply wipe clean whenever your children get it dirty.  This makes the Jumbo Floor Splat Mat a great work station for art projects, play dates, and a means to protect your flooring underneath the high chair.  Since my little guy loves to toss his food on the floor, I have been using our splat mat for this purpose on a daily basis.  However, I also love to protect our kitchen table with the splat mat whenever my oldest son wants to play with his Mini Mega Bloks or create artwork.  On rainy days my boys and I love to have little picnics on the living room floor.  Our Sugar Booger Jumbo Splat Mat by Ore Originals is the perfect way for me to protect my carpet during these fun picnics.  We recently had a “pirate picnic” where our Splat Mat served as a pirate ship and the reusable storage bag for our mat served as a small boat for my son’s cup.

 

The Jumbo Splat Mat by Oré Originals truly is jumbo.  This mat is 42 inches by 42 inches, so it covers a lot of space.  The Jumbo Splat Mat also comes with a re-usable pouch, so you can store you splat mat safely whenever it is not in use.  I have to admit that our splat mat does not find itself in the storage pouch too often because we are always using it!

 

Buy It!

You can purchase the Sugar Booger Numbers Jumbo Splat Mat as well as any of their other beautiful and highly functional products online at Oré Originals.

Win It!        ******CLOSED******               

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook is going to win the Jumbo Splat Mat of his or her choice! Mandatory Entry: Visit Oré Originals and tell me which item is your favorite.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

  • Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
  • Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
  • Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Tweet the following: “Enter to #win the Jumbo Splat Mat of your choice by Oré Originals @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1qs It has so many uses!” (Leave a link to your tweet. You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
  • “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (2 entries)
  • “Like” Oré Originals on Facebook (1 entry)
  • Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog and leave a comment here telling me which post you commented on (1 entry)
  • Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your blog post in the comments below (2 entries)
  • Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
  • Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries)
Congrats to Janet W on Random.org choosing her winning comment!

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on April 27, 2012.  This giveaway is open to residents in the Continental US only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Oré Originals provided me with a Numbers Jumbo Splat Mat for review purposes only.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

Posted in Giveaways, Reviews | 153 Comments

Butterfly Foot and Hand Print Art

Posted on March 25, 2012 by

We have been having fabulous weather this March so my kids and I have a bit of Spring fever.  I couldn’t resist bringing spring inside by creating a colorful butterfly out of my little guy’s foot prints and finger prints.

All you need for this fun little art piece is colored construction paper, the paint colors of your choice, an artist paint brush ,and some cute little feet and fingers! My 3-year-old loves green, so he chose to make a butterfly with green wings.  I simply painted the bottom of his entire foot green using the an artist paint brush.  I found it to be less messy to paint one foot, make the foot print, and then wash that foot before doing the next foot print.  Once the foot prints were done, my son simply dipped his index finger in paint to create all of the dots on the body and tip of the antennas.  He used his thumb print to create the head and traced his finger across the paper to create the antennas.

Once his butterfly dries, I will give him a colored ultra fine point Sharpie marker to draw on a face.  You can add extra detail by sprinkling a little glitter or placing extra finger prints on the wings as well.

Happy Spring!

Posted in General | 3 Comments

Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny! Review & Giveaway

Posted on March 22, 2012 by

Duck & Goose, Here Comes the Easter Bunny!

It is no secret that I adore Duck & Goose.  Tad Hills has created two lovable characters in Duck & Goose that I can’t seem to get enough of.  Every book takes my children and I on another adventure that never fails to produce a smile and laughter.  Hills has created yet another fun-filled Duck & Goose adventure with, Here Comes the Easter Bunny!

 

My son was extremely excited to get his hands on a copy of Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny!  Truth be told, I may have been just as excited!  We have honestly read this book several times each day since it arrived on our doorstep.  The cover of this book is colorful and fun.  My youngest son is really into texture right now, so he loves to touch the glittery letters and Easter eggs on the cover.  The colorful illustrations continue to the inside of the book and do a fabulous job of telling this adorable and funny story.  Do you want to find out if Duck & Goose find the perfect hiding place to see the Easter Bunny?  Grab a copy of this adorable board book and you can find out!

Buy It!

You can purchase this adorable book online at Amazon. The Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny! board book would be a delightful addition to any Easter basket!

Win It!                               ******CLOSED******

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook are going to win a copy of the Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny! board book!    Mandatory Entry: Visit Random House and come back here to leave a comment sharing what other book you would love to own.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

  • Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
  • Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Follow Random House on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Follow Random House Kids on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Tweet the following: “#Win the adorably funny Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny! board book #Giveaway @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1u0” (Leave a link to your tweet. You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
  • Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
  • “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (2 entries)
  • “Like” Random House Children’s Books on Facebook (1 entry)
  • Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog and leave a comment here telling me which post you commented on (1 entry)
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook, Pinterest or your Blog and post a link to your blog post in the comments below (2 entries)
  • Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
  • Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries)
Congrats to April V on Random.org choosing her winning comment!

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on April 20, 2012.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Randomhouse provided me with the book featured in this post for review purposes only.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

Posted in Featured Children's Books, Reviews | 180 Comments

Crazy For Bargains: Fun Sleepwear For The Whole Family Review & GC Giveaway

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

Dora and Boots Nightgown for Toddler Girls - Click to enlarge  Route 66 Truck Pajama and Bath Robe Set for Toddlers and Boys - Click to enlarge

Crazy For Bargains has a wide variety of fun sleepwear for the whole family.  You will find stylish patterns and designs as well as character or theme sleepwear.  Crazy For Bargains has great quality pajamas, slippers, and more.  My son has a pair of their cotton pajamas and they are honestly the best pair of pajamas he has ever owned.  The quality of this sleepwear has outperformed any other pair of pajamas he has worn.

You may be surprised to learn that Crazy For Bargains has a great selection of bath robes for all ages.  The children’s bath robes are exceptionally cute and soft.  My son has the Navy Sports Coral Fleece Bath Robe from Crazy For Bargains, and the design is extremely fun and rich in color.  This adorable bath robe is made of 100% polyester coral fleece fabric that keeps my son cozy and warm.  I can’t resist cuddling up with my little guy when he is wearing his Crazy For Bargains’ bath robe.  Of course, I always want to cuddle with my little guy, but his new bath robe gives me a great excuse to take a break and curl up on the couch with him!  This bath robe is also flame resistant.  Since my son loves to wear his bath robe at all times of the day it can get a bit dirty; however, cleaning his bath robe is extremely easy since it is machine washable.

Buy It!

Visit Crazy For Bargains online to view their wide selection of sleepwear for the whole family!  You will find a great selection of pajamas, slippers, and robes, including the adorable Navy Sports Coral Fleece Bath Robe my son helped me review.

Win It!          ******CLOSED*******

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook is going to win a $20 Gift Certificate to Crazy For Bargains!  Mandatory Entry: Visit Crazy For Bargains to check out their fun sleepwear and come back here to leave a comment telling me which product you would love to own.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

  • Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
  • Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Follow Crazy For Bargains on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Tweet the following: “Need some new sleepwear? Enter to #Win a Crazy For Bargains Gift Certificate! @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1tI” (You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
  • “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (1 entry)
  • “Like” Crazy For Bargains Fun Sleepwear on Facebook (1 entry)
  • Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
  • Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
  • Post a link to this giveaway on Facebook, Pinterest, or Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your post in the comments below (2 entries)
Congrats to Nicole L. on Random.org choosing her winning comment!

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on April 18, 2012.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Thanks to Crazy For Bargains, I was provided a boys bath robe for review purposes only.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the products I reviewed.

Posted in General | 186 Comments

H2O at Home Review & Giveaway

Posted on March 13, 2012 by

H2O at Home, Inc.

As parents we constantly are trying to stay one step ahead and keep our family safe.  I found H2O at Home products to be the perfect means to help me ban toxic chemicals from my home.  These products perform great and as an added bonus they have little to no impact on our environment.   H2O at Home products are made with the their 3E concept of Efficient, Eco-Friendly & Easy-to-Use.  I personally own and love more than 10 H2O at Home products.  It continues to amaze me that most of these product outperform the traditional cleaning products I have used in the past. They truly are efficient and easy to use!

alt alt  alt alt alt

I attended a H2O at Home  party a little over a year ago and I have been so impressed with the performance of their products that I decided to host a party last month.  When you host a party you can earn free items as well as get certain items 50% off.  Plus, the advisor will ask you NOT to clean your house too much, so she can clean certain areas of your home with products.  You gotta love a party that involves someone else cleaning your house! At both parties I attended we had a fun race where one person cleaned one patio door with Windex and a few paper towels while another person cleaned the other patio door with the H2O Chiffonnettes.  These three microfiber towels allow you to clean glass with just a little bit of water.  It amazes me how every time, the window cleaned with Chiffonnettes is spotless while the window cleaned with Windex takes much more time to clean and always has streaks.

In my opinion, the H2O at Home All-in-One kit may be the best cleaning product ever invented.  I absolutely love this Clay Powder.  You simply wet your sponge with water and dip it into the clay.  Then scrub whatever surface you wish to clean.  Finally, wipe the surface clean with the Heavy Chiffonnette that comes with the kit.  You can see my kit in the photo above right after I used it recently.  You would never guess I have had this kit for over year by how much clay is still in the container.  A small amount of this amazing product goes a long way!  This kit leaves my stainless steel and chrome finished items in my home shining like brand new.  My husband was so impressed with this product, that he reminds me to use it before guests come over!

I recently had the opportunity to try H2O at Home dish soap as well as their laundry detergent.  The dish soap has an extremely convenient pump that I simply press down on and it drops the soap into my sink.   No more messy soap spouts and caps!  One thing you may have to get used to is that H2O at Home liquid dish soap does not create a lot of soap suds.  However, this product does clean my dishes very well and the best part about this all natural soap is that it leaves my dish rags with no smell.  I always get frustrated that a clean rag can already smell dirty after one quick use if I use a non-natural soap, so I was super excited the first time I used H2O at Home liquid dish soap and discovered my rag did not immediately have a dirty smell.  I was also pleasantly surprised at how such a small amount of soap goes a long way with both the dish soap and the laundry soap. These concentrated liquid soaps will last me a long time!

Since I also use the H2O at Home Laundry Ball Kit, I rarely have to use the laundry soap.  This is yet another brilliant H2O at Home product.  It still amazes me that a ball filled with ceramic pearl beads can clean my dirty laundry!  If you want to get technical, the Eco-Clean Laundry Ball reinforces the cleansing properties of water and softens fabric to make impurities easier to remove simply by the friction of its beads. It protects the laundry against oxidation and discoloration and enhances the softness of fabrics.  All I have to do is set this ball out in the sun every month or so to keep it charged.  This Laundry Ball lasts 1000 washes.  This is truly an Eco-Clean laundry ball because it has reduced my consumption of laundry soap by 75 percent.  I only add a small amount of laundry soap if something is badly stained or soiled.  I may just put a date on the bottom of my laundry soap bottle as a little experiment to see just how long that bottle lasts!  I have a feeling I am going to have it a long time and will most definitely forget when I first started using it.  I really love the thought of not having to shop for household cleaning products very often.  The initial price of some of these products may seem a little pricey, but in the end I truly believe they save me both money and time.  Plus, I have the comfort of knowing I am using safe products around my family.

Buy It!

Visit online to view their Natural Living Collection 2012 catalog.  If you have any questions regarding the products, feel free to check out Sarah Lund’s homepage here.

Win It!                            *******CLOSED*******

TWO lucky readers at The Children’s Nook are going to win a H2O at Home prize.   One winner will get the Variety Kit containing 3 Chiffonnettes ($37 value) and one winner will get the All-in-One Kit which includes the Natural Clay Powder, Heavy Duty Chiffonnette, and Sponge ($27 Value)! I have been using both of these amazing products for over a year now.  Lets just say I am in love and I think you may just fall in love with them too!  Mandatory Entry: Visit H2O at Home to check out their 2012 catalog and come back here to leave a comment telling me which product you would love to own.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

  • Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
  • Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Follow H2O at Home on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Tweet the following: “Enter to#WinH2O at Home products: Efficient, Eco-friendly, & Easy to use! @childrensnookhttp://wp.me/pX9wg-1qE TWO Winners!” (You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
  • “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (1 entry)
  • “Like” H2O at Home on Facebook (1 entry)
  • “Like” Sarah Lund’s H2O at Home Facebook Page(1 entry)
  • Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
  • Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
  • Post a link to this giveaway on Facebook, Pinterest, or Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your post in the comments below (2 entries)
Congrats to Pam L and Susanlanai on Random.org choosing their winning comments!

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on April 12, 2012.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Thanks to my H2O at Home consultant, Sarah Lund, I was provided the dish soap and laundry soap to try free of charge for review purposes only.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the products I reviewed.

Posted in Giveaways, Reviews | 116 Comments

Common Experiences in Pregnancy that Will No Doubt Surprise You: My Journey into the “It’s Common Club”

Posted on March 12, 2012 by

I am the proud mother of two healthy little boys whom I adore.  I was quite lucky during both of their pregnancies.  The only hiccup I really encountered during either pregnancy was while carrying my oldest son.  A few weeks before he was born, I learned that he was breech.  I ended up having to have a planned c-section and then had a c-section with my second child as well.  When I first learned I was going to have to have a c-section with my first child, I will admit that I was shocked and very disappointed I was going to be denied the opportunity to give birth naturally.  I honestly never thought I would have a c-section.  My hubby and I both admit to zoning out while that topic was covered during childbirth class.  Once I was told my baby would have to be delivered via Cesarian, I was told it is very common.  I have to admit that it was comforting to know others have gone down the path I was soon to follow; however, it did not ease the loss I felt at having to change my entire birth plan.  I felt really cheated not having the opportunity to deliver my son naturally; however, I wanted to do whatever was safest for my baby.  Today, I feel like it was a small price to pay to deliver a healthy baby.

Early this year I unexpectedly found myself pregnant for the third time.  Since I married my hubby nearly six years ago, I have always hoped to have three healthy children.  Therefore, even though I was not planning for baby #3 to arrive so quickly, I was thrilled at the discovery.  My brain quickly raced ahead 9 months to how my life would change with the arrival of this new addition to our family.  We even decided that we would find out what the sex of this baby was once we had our 20 week ultrasound.  This was a big decision for me since I chose to be surprised for my first two pregnancies.  The anticipation was very exciting but I had another 10 weeks before that event would take place.

Or, at least that is what I thought.  Unfortunately, two days before our appointment for our first prenatal visit and ultrasound I started spotting.  This immediately scared me because I have never spotted during either of my previous pregnancies.  After speaking  with a doctor, I was told yet again that I was experiencing something very common and not to worry.  I was told to go to the Emergency Room if I began to experience any cramping or pain on either side of my abdomen.  I spent the rest of the day monitoring my bleeding which progressively got worse. I eventually started getting pressure and pain but not on my sides, so I decided to try to go to bed.  Around 1 am my hubby told me I needed to call my mom to come stay with the boys so he could take me to the Emergency Room.  I quickly made the call because the pain had become extremely bad. I was essentially having contractions which I knew could not be good sign.

We spent a few hours in the Emergency Room where they ran blood tests, performed a couple ultrasounds, and more.  My human growth hormone level was in a range that did not indicate I was having a miscarriage but the ultrasound provided us with some surprising information.  My baby was only measuring at six weeks and a day old.  They could not detect a heart beat but they said that at that age it can be difficult to get a reading.  I was given some pain meds and a slip stating I was leaving with a threatened miscarriage.  This visit had not been easy.  My hubby and I were often left alone and provided little information.  The ultrasounds are nothing like the ones you experience during prenatal appointments.  We were not allowed to look at anything and the ultrasound tech could not share anything with us.  Talk about frustrating!

When I finally arrived home around 5am, I was more than ready for bed.  I went to the bathroom to check my bleeding. It was at this time that I lost my baby. I had just experienced yet another event that is considered very common.  It was one of the saddest moments of my life.  The next morning I was still scheduled for my prenatal visit with my doctor.  Walking into the office filled with healthy pregnant women was anything but easy.  I’ll admit that I cried silently in the waiting room, while waiting to see my doctor and say goodbye to my baby.  Since this moment, I have been reminded many times that a miscarriage is very common.  Yet again, I hear those words and feel some comfort in knowing I am not alone. However, I mostly feel sadness and anger because I didn’t sign up to be apart of this club.

Now I find myself an honorary member of two very common experiences.  I have had two c-sections like so many other women in the world, and now I have had a miscarriage like so many others.  If you are a member of my “It’s Common Club”, I want you to know you truly are not alone.  We are all a member of a club we wish did not exist.

Now I am not claiming that a c-section and a miscarriage are equal in emotional upheaval and life impact. However, these two events are both related to pregnancy and result in a major loss of control and a dream.  My dream of ever giving birth naturally is gone and my dreams for the baby I recently lost are gone as well.  However, I have new dreams.  Now I dream to have yet another c-section.  The very thing that took away my dream of natural birth.  Yet, the chance to deliver another healthy baby….even if it must be via c-section would be a dream come true.  It’s funny how something that seemed so terrible is now the source of my biggest desire.  The world works in mysterious ways.  Any pain or stress I may go through during a pregnancy is absolutely worth the insurmountable joy of holding my precious baby for the first time.  If being a part of the “its common” club leads me to the point in my life where I have yet another amazing baby, then I am proud to be a member with all of you other amazing mothers out there.

Posted in General | 4 Comments

March’s Pick: Rabbit Ears Review & Giveaway

Posted on March 7, 2012 by

9781599907406

Rabbit Ears by Amber Stewart is a darling story about a lovable rabbit, named Hopscotch, who does not like to get his ears washed.  In this adorable book Hopscotch shares all of the things he loves to do and other things he does not love so much.  Lets just say that, washing his ears was definitely at the top of his list of things he does not like to do!  Since my oldest son had gone through a phase of despising getting his hair rinsed, I really appreciate how this cute little rabbit’s mother tries trickery, begging, and even bribery to get her son to let her wash his ears.  However, none of your attempts work.  A visit from Hopscotch’s older cousin results in Hopscotch realizing that “Big Rabbits” wash their own ears.

This is a fun story that can be read all year round; however, since it does feature such adorable rabbits, I think this book would be great for Easter!  Rabbit Ears could also be a great tool to encourage your child to engage in some new big girl or big boy behaviors. I love how Hopscotch looks up to his older cousin.  My favorite part of Rabbit Ears is when Hopscotch decides to practice scrubbing ears on his beloved stuffed rabbit…..so adorable!  The illustrations in this book are by Laura Rankin and they are as cute as this story, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this adorable book hopped its way into several Easter baskets this year!

Buy It!

You can purchase Rabbit Ears online at many retailers such as, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  This book is eligible for free shipping at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble when you make a $25 purchase.

Win It!                    ******CLOSED*******

One lucky reader at The Children’s Nook is going to win a copy of Rabbit Ears.  Mandatory Entry: Visit Bloomsbury Kids and come back here to leave me a comment with another book you would love to own.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

  • Subscribe to The Children’s Nook via email (3 entries) The subscription must be confirmed!
  • Follow me on Pinterest (2 entries)
  • Follow The Children’s Nook on Twitter (1 entry)
  • Tweet the following: “Enter to win a Rabbit Ears #Giveaway! Enter to #win this adorable Rabbit’s tale just in time for Easter! @childrensnook http://wp.me/pX9wg-1sL” (You may tweet once a day for 1 entry per day)
  • “Like” The Children’s Nook on Facebook (1 entry)
  • “Like” Bloomsbury Kids on Facebook (1 entry)
  • Comment on any other non-giveaway post on this blog (1 entry)
  • Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page or Blog about this giveaway and post a link to your blog post in the comments below (2 entries)
  • Enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
  • Place my button from this website on your blog (2 entries)
Congrats to Domestic Diva on Random.org choosing her winning comment!

Giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. (central time) on April 7, 2012.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Bloomsbury and Walker Books for Young Readers provided me with a copy of Rabbit Ears for review purposes.  All opinions are mine alone and based off of my experience with the product I reviewed.

Posted in Featured Children's Books, Giveaways, Reviews | 161 Comments