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Playing Indoors in the Summer

August 4, 2011 by

When it’s too hot to actually venture outside what do you and the kids end up doing? Watching TV, playing on the computer, eating? While there is nothing wrong with any of these I prefer to engage the kids with something more entertaining and lively. Lately board games have been Shae’s favorite thing to do. Candy Land, Guess Who, Uno (I know, it’s not a board game) and Hungry Hungry Hippos are her lastest faves. Mix that in with crafts, puzzles, outings and the iPad our day is pretty solidly packed.

But when we got the opportunity to review some fun Nickelodeon Character games and toys the kids were thrilled. Dora’s Carousel Adventure Playset was perfect for my niece Madi. She’s recently fell in love with Dora on the television so I knew she’d take to Dora in her hands. The cute Dora figure came along with colorful accessories that included a carousel horse.

My kids have been enjoying Dora Candyland and Spongebob Hangman. The hangman game has been helping Shaun with his spelling and Candyland is always a great color and counting teacher.

How are you spending those rainy or too hot to bear summer days with the kids?



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The next step in our bedroom makeover

August 3, 2011 by

Our bedroom makeover has been a working progress. It started with bedding, a new headboard then a make-up vanity and television. The next big purchase is new dressers. Until that happens I wanted to give the room some personality, a bold look. I went to Gallery Direct and picked out Laura Gunn’s Red Magnolia wrapped canvas print for above our bed.

The Red Magnolia print is a bold floral print with hints of blue, green, brown and of course red. This picture goes perfectly with our dark wood headboard and rich brown bedding. Right now our curtains are red but will be changing to cream but the picture will still look fabulous.

gallery-direct-blogger-ambassador

red magnolia from gallery direct

This is our 2nd experience with Gallery Direct and I’m still overjoyed with the quality. I recommend Gallery Direct to anyone looking to decorate or redecorate their home. Don’t visit your high end design studios anymore. One peek at Gallery Direct will give you tons of inspiration for any room style or personality. I’m proud to be a part of the Gallery Direct Blogger Ambassador program and look forward to what the upcoming seasons bring.

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Listen to Shae and Shaun sing

July 29, 2011 by

I like to call Shae my pop princess because she picks up on music really fast and can recite it back pretty darn close to the original. This often is a problem if you tend to listen to lyrics from singers such as Katy Perry and Bruno Mars. You can usually find me turning off the volume quickly when I know of a particular word or phrase coming up.


In order for Shae and Shaun to enjoy the music that is current today I let them listen to Kidzbop. The latest installation in the kid-friendly versions of today’s hottest pop music CD is #20. Shae is in love with Tonight, Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae. We all sing it as a family because it’s catchy and mostly clean. Kidzbop changes the lyrics just enough to make it ok for kids aged preschool to teen to sing along without getting in trouble.

Excuse the munchkin taking over but that goes to show just how much we actually listen to this song. The Kidzbop version of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep is great in my opinion.
Get Kidzbop 20 at Kidzbop Shop or through Apple iTunes.






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Do You Suffer from Adult Acne?

July 28, 2011 by

Healthy clear skin is something that comes pretty natural to me. Rob on the other had has suffered with occasional bouts of adult acne. He’s tried many products and while lots of them work for short periods of time he hasn’t found anything to solve the problem long term.

Proactiv is trying to help him solve his dilemma by introducing him to one of their newest additions to their Acne System. The Medicated Cleansing Bar is formulated differently than the Renewing Cleanser that most people are used to when thinking Proactiv. The main soap-free cleansing agent is 1% salicylic acid; an ingredient that helps exfoliate skin and clear pores to reduce breakouts. The Medicated Cleansing Bar is suitable for all skin types even those without acne issues as a way to keep skin clean, glowing and healthy.

Rob has been using the Medicated Cleansing Bar for about 2 weeks and has noticed a difference in frequency and amount of acne on his face and neck. Last week he might have had a couple set backs because we were on vacation and using lots of sunscreen, in and out of harsh waters and just plain ole lazy in our normal skin care routines. While he may not have been as faithful in getting his typical 2 face washes in he still managed to use the entire bar in about 2 weeks. Not usually a big deal but the cost of 1 bar is $18 dollars. That’s a pretty steep expense for just 1 step in a skin care regimen. If Rob realizes by next week that The Medicated Cleansing Bar is something he’d like to continue then of course we’ll pony up the money.

Proactiv was developed by former acne sufferers and leading dermatologists, Katie Rodan, M.D. and Kathy Dields, M.D. It has been used successfully by millions of women, men and teens round the worked. Proactiv has been recognized with 30 awards and honors from the beauty and health industry. We were provided products to try and share our experience with our readers.





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Get a Good Night’s Sleep

July 26, 2011 by

Sleep is something that eludes me most nights. Shae wakes up for a sip of water, a blanket adjustment or because she dropped a stuffed animal. Getting back to sleep used to be a struggle. I blamed flat pillows, warm sheets and creaky floors but the truth was it takes me long to get comfortable in bed.
I looked into getting an adjustable bed because I like a softer mattress and Rob doesn’t. To help with this lopsided need I turned to Sleep Innovations for a Memory Foam Mattress Topper. It turned our bed into a luxury experience. I get my soft cushioning without losing the firmness needed for healthy sleep. Since the mattress topper is on only 3 inches thick there is no sinking down feeling like you get with memory foam mattresses. No pressure points mean no aches and pains in the morning either.
3 inch memory foam mattress topper
Sleep Innovations is a leader in memory foam design and production. Their collection includes memory foam pillows, mattresses and toppers and some specialty items. All of their memory foam products are manufactured in the USA using environmentally friendly processes and strategies to reduce their carbon footprint.

Visit a local major retailer to feel for yourself the plush feel of Sleep Innovations Mattress Toppers.





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Summer Road Trip Ideas

July 25, 2011 by

Summer is almost over but there is still time to get on the road and take that much needed road trip. If you are traveling the roads with children try to remember the essentials that may make your trip much easier:

  • Snacks and drinks are a must have for any kind of road trip. Packing your own snacks and drinks allows you to save some money as well as time because you limit the amount of times you need to stop for food.
  • Entertainment of some form. In our van we have a built in DVD player but we also have the kids bring additional items such as gaming systems like the Nintendo DS and their iPod for music.
  •  Blankets and pillows. If your kids are like mine after about ten minutes in the car they are cold from the air conditioning or tired from the drive so having these items will allow your kids to be comfortable making the drive and trip much more manageable.

In addition to the items above for the kids it is important that you have some kind of protection while on the road in case of a break down and the Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance is just what the doctor ordered.

Register for the Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance on Look What Mom Found…and Dad too!

Here are a few things to know about the service:

  • You do not need to have Allstate insurance to use this service
  • You only pay when you use it, there are no monthly fees
  • Anyone can call at any time and use this service when needed by calling a 1-800 # and asking for roadside assistance

You can have a total of 5 drivers on your account, and also enter your credit card information if you wish. So if you enter your children’s information and they run into an issue on the road, they are set up so that all they need to do is call the number and it will be charged to you, and only for that use.

Remember safety while on the rode and being protected from an unforseen breakdown are extremely important so be sure to keep yourself protect with Allstate.

I was compensated to be an Good Hands Roadside Assistance member but the opinions in this post are my own.









It’s Raining It’s Pouring, Well maybe not

July 15, 2011 by

I’m been wanting rainboots for so long and I finally get them and guess what, no rain! I’ve had my Chooka Rainboots for a couple weeks and there has never been a reason for me to leave the house the couple times it has rained during the day. I strutted around the house a couple times with them because I love the look of them so much but they haven’t seen pavement yet.

kids-rainbootsWestern Chief is a top supplier of shoes, rainboots, cold weather boots and work boots for everyone. Their kids selection is fun and whimsical and stocked to suit any child with any personality; ladybug, monster, construction, polka dot and more.

FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS Washington Shoe Company has been making shoes that fit people’s lives. From our rugged Western Chief work boots originally built for the Alaska gold rush to our fun and fanciful rain gear for kids, we’ve created footwear to keep people warm and dry, comfortable and stylish, safe and secure. Built with the finest materials to demanding standards, our footwear fits people’s needs , their pocketboots, their lives.

trendy-rainboots-peacock-designFor women the choices are incredible. I went for a trendy style, Big Peacock and I love it. The design is bold and bright and looks great with shorts and with jeans. My 2nd favorite was Gypsy Dot, a flurry of owls, trees, flowers and leaves. Simple polka dots, herringbone and plaids are available too.  If you are a bit more practical and looking for boots to work in like farm work or garden work try out the neoprene or Chooka Solids might work best for you.

Whatever your sense of style or need Western Chief is going to have a style perfect for you.

 


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What Is Snack Time Like At Your House?

July 13, 2011 by

It seems like my kids eat a TON and I feel like they want a snack every ten minutes.  We try to give the kids a good healthy breakfast followed by a mid morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack then dinner.  Sometimes we throw in an extra snack during the day and for the most part we try to keep it simple and healthy.

I recently took the Bagel Bites “Snack Simply Pledge” pledging to make simple and wholesome choices at snack time.  Also for each pledge, Bagel Bites will donate $1.00 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America (up to $50,000).  How can you go wrong here you are vowing to be a better parent at snack time and making a donation to a great organization all at the same time.

So far so good on the snack front.  We typically will give the kids things like bagel bites, yogurt, fruit cups and granola bars for snack just to mention a few.  The thing Melinda and I learned is keep it simple.

Here are a few snack time tips:

  • Keep it Quick and Simple: You don’t need to spend more than 10 minutes to prepare a good-for-you, wholesome snack that kids will love. If you spend much more time, it’s probably more complicated than it should be and chances are kids won’t like it!
  • Get Fueled for Activities: Remind active children that food is the fuel for sports, dance, active play or any kind of movement. Share with kids that top athletes in all sports rely on wholesome snacks for peak performance.
  • Get The Kids Involved: Kids really like taking part in making the food that they eat and are more likely to enjoy it because they helped prepare it.

Sometimes we fall off the wagon and give the kids cookies or maybe some ice cream for dessert but this isn’t necessarily a bad snack/treat if given in moderation.

Just remember keep it simple and they will come!

What do you normally give your kids for a snack? We could use a few more ideas. LOL










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Get Organized with GlowBaby

July 11, 2011 by

Organization is key for all families. Glowbaby has been vital resource for many families for their user-friendly planning and scheduling tools.
meal planner
Being the primary cook in the house I have to stay organized for meal planning. GlowBaby has just released the Organized Family Menu Planner. This planner helps create 52 weeks of meals, shopping lists and recipe collections.

  • 52 weeks of Menu Planning worksheets with detachable shopping lists
  • Food preferences chart
  • Favourite Meals list
  • Recipes Section
  • Envelope to store recipes
  • Special Occasions Planning Pages – includes event information, menu planning chart, guest and RSVP list and notes
  • Measurement Conversion Chart
  • Wipeable Covers
  • Printed on FSC mixed sources paper

For new and expectant moms the My Story-A Book of Memories was created to capture the milestones and memories that come up each day watching our babies grow.

A Family Calendar is a must for busy schecdules and families on the go like us. I’m eager to use this when the school year starts. It’s set up to include space for everyone in the family and all the activities and errands going on.


Glow Baby is the design of Lindsay Harris. Becoming a mother made Lindsay quickly realize that she needed help getting and staying organized and that by offering her ideas and tools to other families she would help so many others in the same difficult situation.

Visit GlowBaby to learn of these new additions to the already stylish and useful collection of organizational products designed with families in mind.






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Off to Mom-Moms House, Trunki Giveaway

July 7, 2011 by

Shae loves to spend the night at my parent’s house and now my sister’s. She had her first sleepover at my sister’s last weekend and took along her new Melissa and Doug Trunki rolling suitcase. The Trunki is a little more than just a suitcase actually, it’s also a ride on toy and personalized friends.
Equipped with a tow strap, carry handles, secure catches, integrated wheels and stabilizers to prevent toppling over; the Trunki can handle a child up to 100lbs. An optional accessory is a padded seat that transforms into a saddle bag with lots of little compartments.


As you can see from the all the pictures Shae really made the Trunki her own. She loaded it up with stickers, faces on both ends and destination labels of all the places she wants to take it. So far it’s only gone 1 place but I’m sure it’s going to get a lot of use this summer and beyond.

GummyLump is giving a LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! reader a trunki of their choice. Let me know what color you would choose for that special child in your life.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules will be disregarded/ignored/deleted.

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Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Thursday, July 28, 2011. The winners will be emailed and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Continental US residents only. For complete rules please read our contest rules page.

 

 

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