Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Another day, another winner!

Not too many people decided to take advantage of the opportunity to win a cool prize package from Interactive Book-Webscene, but that makes it all the better for...


Congratulations, brandy! I hope your daughter enjoys these cool interactive books as much as Big Sister E did. And thanks to everyone who entered!

Still time to enter more great giveaways, check up on the top on the right for all the current ones going on. You can't win if you don't enter!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Mail Delivery: Harry Connick, Jr's Your Songs Review

Every year when the MTV Video Music Awards roll around, I am reminded that I'm getting further and further away from what's "in" when it comes to music. Not only have I not heard of some of the groups but, really, what are they WEARING? And that sound actually passes as MUSIC?

I think I am officially OLD now. Honestly though, if it takes being old to recognize that it's not okay for my almost-3-year-old to hear "I want to take a ride on your disco stick" repeated over and over while we're driving to story time, then so be it.

But sometimes I do need a break from the kids' music that is usually playing around here (there are only so many renditions of The Wheels On The Bus that I can take), so I like to listen to something soothing and relaxing.

Why hello, Harry.

On Harry Connick, Jr's newest album, Your Songs (just released on September 22nd), Harry performs classic songs by some of the greatest musicians of all time. These true love songs are performed with a full jazz big band and string orchestra and are just... smooth. Whether relaxing in a bubble bath or enjoying an evening with family and friends, this CD is perfect to have playing in the background for some easy listening with a "Hey! I know this song!" touch to them.

Your Songs includes the classic hits:
All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Can't Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)
(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)
Besame Mucho The Way You Look Tonight
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
Your Song (Elton John)
Some Enchanted Evening And I Love You So (Don McLean)
Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

My favorite is Can't Help Falling In Love With You, I find myself singing along to that one every time. Other artists have performed it over the years but Harry's rendition is somehow extra sweet.


Visit Harry Connick, Jr's website or Facebook page to find out more and, in conjunction with the release of Your Songs, Harry is going to be making some television appearances that you might not want to miss:

September 29: The View
September 30: Imus in the Morning
September 30: David Letterman
October 1: The Today Show
Week of October 5: Rachael Ray

All in all, as well as liking the warm feeling that Your Songs gives me when I'm listening to it, I appreciate that all of the music on the album is arranged, orchestrated and conducted by Harry, himself. The next time I have a dinner party (are curious babies that climb up your leg usually at dinner parties? How about preschoolers that talk nonstop?) I'll invite Harry Connick, Jr, too.

Thanks, One2One Network, for allowing me to review Your Songs, it's a welcome change from the ABC singing that normally goes on in my house. And, for delivering us a package containing something this relaxing, thanks, Mail Carrier.

(Other than the copy of Your Songs that I was sent in conjunction with my membership to the One2One Network, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this smooth album.)

Another winner!

I love this part! Who doesn't like to be told that they won something?

The winner of the DigitalRoom.com 18" x 24" Rolled Poster Print is...


None other than Clueless Mama over at Guessing All The Way! This is one of my favorite blogs and I find myself stopping over there all the time... plus, Laurie has always been so nice when I email her and ask her random questions so it was fun to get to send her an email of congratulations instead!

Thanks to everyone who entered, be sure to enter the other great giveaways that are still going on right now...

Monday, September 28, 2009

Mail Delivery: Earth Baby Organics Review

I'm not sure how it happened around here, but bath time duties for the girls is one of my husband's jobs. Both of them enjoy the water and playing in the tub, so it isn't a stressful thing for him to have to do and I like the peaceful time that I'm left with while they are in there, so it ends up being somewhat of a win-win situation all around.

I'm happy that Daddy lets me spray water all over the place! Woohoo!

Afterward, they always smell clean and are so nice and toasty that it's hard to not want to eat them up right out of the towel. For Little Sister B, a quick rub on the head dries her hair and she's done. But for Big Sister E, her locks have gotten quite long lately and if they aren't brushed thoroughly through, they'll end up twisted and tangled and I'm the one who will have to coax her into sitting still while I try to work the knots out. When I was given the opportunity to review a product from Earth Baby Organics, I knew their Organic Forget Me Knot Hair Detangler was going to help ease our post-bath hair traumas.

Earth Baby was founded with the idea of offering a new generation of hypoallergenic baby care products to cleanse, protect and nourish baby's delicate hair and sensitive skin. They only use certified organic and natural fruit and vegetable-based ingredients to provide the safest, purest and most effective baby care products.

Also, if you purchase products from Earth Baby Organics, you can be sure that not only will they be safe for your little one, but you are supporting a company that cares about others. A portion of their profits goes to charities that support orphaned children and medical missions that provide free surgery to needy children. Earth Baby also supports the Tarsier Foundation that protects the endangered Tarsier monkey, the smallest monkey in the world and displays these miniature creatures on all of their products.

So how did it work? After washing Big Sister E's hair like normal, the Hair Detangler followed and I immediately liked the smell of it. Earth Baby says that it is a "Chamomile, Vanilla, Honey and Mango formula" but it wasn't at all overpowering or too scented for any of us. My husband rubbed it through, rinsed it off and bath time proceeded like normal.

When it came time to brush her hair, I think both Big Sister E and I noticed that it was soft and smooth. Her brush glided through her hair a little easier than it normally does and later on in the day I was still able to run my fingers through her hair and there wasn't a hint of a tangle. As an added bonus, when I snuggled close to her and took a deep breath, I could still smell a hint of the nice scent of Earth Baby.

Interested in trying out some of Earth Baby's "green" products? From shampoo to sunscreen to diaper rash cream, if you're looking for organic, all-natural products that surpass high standards of quality and safety, here they are. Plus, they're from a company that strives to "help mothers everywhere express their love for their children", something I think we can all believe in.

Earth Baby Organics products can be found online at their website or on Amazon.com. Thanks, Earth Baby Organics, for allowing me and Big Sister E to test and review one of your organic products, it passed our test wonderfully. And, for slipping us an envelope containing something this yummy-smelling and tear-reducing, thanks, Mail Carrier.
I don't have much hair, but go ahead and detangle it!

(Other than the Forget Me Knot Hair Detangler that I was sent, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this all-natural product. I was given the opportunity to review this product because of my membership at The Product Review Place.)

Saturday, September 26, 2009

The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique {Review & Giveaway} Raspberry Sorbet Flower Beanie

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

Having two girls, I tend to think that I've already seen the cutest of the cute when it comes to accessories and clothing. But then somewhere like The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique comes along, and I find out that I've been fooling myself.


The Chic Monkey began when WAHM and owner, Cristie, searched for months for fun, bright, funky baby items and realized that they either didn't exist or were just too expensive. Therefore, she made it her goal to "provide quality baby products while moms everywhere can feel proud to show off a stylish and chic item while not breaking the bank." That's exactly what you find when you shop at The Chic Monkey.

Are you searching for the perfect baby blanket that is buttery soft, made for cuddling and (very importantly) machine washable? Plus, looking for one where you pick the satin blanket that you want and then YOU CHOOSE what color plush minky fabric goes on the back? It's at The Chic Monkey.

The Ella Silky Monkey Blanket.
You had better watch out if you give this as a gift, the recipient might never stop thanking you.

What girl doesn't love a tutu? But where do you search for the sweetest tutus (custom made to fit after you order and comes with a matching headband) that you've ever seen? Want to choose from a selection of colors or want to completely design your own? Thinking about ordering matching wings and wand to fully make your little sweetheart's dreams come true? Look no further than The Chic Monkey.

The SweetTart Tutu.
Is there an occasion that couldn't be made better by wearing this?

How about personalized gift items? The Chic Monkey has a wide variety of bibs, burp cloths, aprons, infant robes and LOTS more that can be beautifully embroidered for your little one. And don't worry if you only have boys, there are PLENTY of items at The Chic Monkey for the little men in your life. Get him ready for football season with a College Monogrammed Burp Cloth! Or how about a Spooky Personalized Halloween Bucket to carry his trick-or-treat candy around in? Looking for something classic for a little boy? Check out this adorable Baby Boy Gift Set, how sweet is it?

You know Tristan is going to look much more hip and stylish than the other babies now.

Best of all (and in case you didn't notice this already), Cristie and her talented mom, Dani, who together make such a wide variety of great items, are willing to customize their high-quality products just for you. Change the colors, change the fabric, change the ribbons... and if you are not completely satisfied, you're able to return it (although I HIGHLY DOUBT you would be able to find anything to not be satisfied with). They stand behind their items 100%, something any mom can appreciate.

When a Raspberry Sorbet Flower Beanie from The Chic Monkey arrived at our house, I was really excited to see it in person. I had seen online that the beanies are made to fit from approximately 1 to 9 years old and I was dying to see how it was possibly going to fit on both of my girls without losing its shape.

As soon as I pulled it out of the ready-for-gift-giving packaging though, I understood. The quality of these items is amazing and would rival any ritzy, upscale, way-more-expensive boutique (one where someone like me walks in the door in my t-shirt and yoga pants and gets snubbed for looking like an actual mom). As soon as Little Sister B woke up from her nap, I sat her down and showed her the Beanie.

I think the picture says it all, but it really does look beyond adorable on her.

I mentioned this hat is adorable, right? I think I did. Maybe once or twice.

All of the crochet hair accessories (there are both beanies and headbands) at The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique come with a cute removable flower clip that can be left on the hat, worn directly in the hair or clipped on clothes as a fun accessory all on its own. Plus, when you order a Flower Beanie, you have the option of adding an extra flower so that you can change them up depending on what color would match best that day. There are a great selection of colors available (the Pumpkin Pie Flower Beanie would be gorgeous for fall and how cool would your little one look sporting the Candy Corn Flower Beanie on Halloween?) and remember, if you are looking for something you don't see, The Chic Monkey will gladly create it custom just for you!

By the time Little Sister B was finished with the Raspberry Sorbet Flower Beanie, Big Sister E was ready to try it out. By now, the Beanie had already been tugged and pulled on (and, ahem, tasted a time or two) by Little Sister B, but when I went to put it on Big Sister E, it still looked brand new, a definite testament to how impeccably well-made it is.
You expect me to want to share this awesome hat now? Like that's going to happen.

If there is anything I love as much as cute hats, it's hair clips. From a young age, Big Sister E's hair has always hung in her face and I have searched high and low for clips to keep it out of her eyes. The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique has a huge variety of Hair Clippies in every style and color from simple to ornate. How cool are the Pastel Pansies with the words in the background?

I love that if I ordered these I would be able to use them in my girls' hair or clipped right on our adorable Beanie!

When I first looked at the Pink Skulls clippies that we received, I almost didn't realize they had the skull pattern on them and thought they were just a cool pink swirl design. When my eyes started to recognize the skull images, that just made them even better! What beautiful clips for fall (I love brown and pink together) and they will be perfect for any Halloween outfits the girls wear in October. And since there are two of these cute clips, now we won't even have to figure out how to share them...

Ready to order your next gift from The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique? In case the adorable items aren't cute enough on their own, you can now select their new Eco-friendly gift wrapping option. Your gift will show up wrapped in The Chic Monkey's signature reusable gift wrap, which can be reused over and over! What a great way to go green while giving such gorgeous gifts! Or are you more of an Etsy fan? The Chic Monkey's items are beautifully handcrafted and for sale there, too!

One lucky person will win their own Raspberry Sorbet Flower Beanie from The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique!


To enter to win a Raspberry Sorbet Flower Beanie: Visit The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique and tell me your favorite items (other than the ones mentioned). I warn you, it will be hard to choose just one! Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted)
1 Extra Entry - Tell me who this adorable hat would be for if you win.
1 Extra Entry - Have an Etsy account? Heart The Chic Monkey to your favorites and leave your user name in a comment.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways currently running on Thanks, Mail Carrier. See the list on the top of my right sidebar - there are some really great ones going on right now!
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link.

I entered to win the cutest hat ever! The Chic Monkey Flower Beanie #giveaway @thxmailcarrier @Thechicmonkey http://bit.ly/45Lth1 Ends 10/16

3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute new button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and The Chic Monkey. Please leave an address where it can be found.
5 Extra Entries (Leave 5 separate comments) if you make a purchase from The Chic Monkey Baby Boutique or The Chic Monkey on Etsy during this giveaway. Tell me what awesome item you picked!

Giveaway will end on October 16th at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

A HUGE thank you to Cristie at The Chic Monkey for providing us with a Raspberry Sorbet Flower Beanie and a set of adorable Pink Skull hair clips to review as well as a Beanie for one lucky giveaway winner. We love ours!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Applied Labels {Review & $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}


Now that Big Sister E has started preschool, my obsessiveness over the possibility of losing items has heightened. I'm not sure where this part of my personality comes from, maybe I lost something very meaningful to me when I was a child, but I freak out at the mere thought of leaving something behind when we go places. Even something tiny like a junk toy or a dirty burp cloth MUST BE FOUND before we can leave and I am constantly double- and triple-checking behind me as I walk away that nothing has been forgotten. Don't get my husband started on the manic routine that I go through when we check out of a hotel room.

Yes, I do realize I'm kind of crazy.

So, now that my big girl is heading off to preschool, the thought of her coming home without her sweatshirt or backpack or even a lowly pair of extra socks makes my pulse race and my palms sweat a little bit.

Again, yes, I KNOW. I just can't help it.

You're a freak, Mommy! I love my backpack, why would I lose it?

Applied Labels is the answer to my obsessive worries. These award-winning products are just the thing that I need to relax in knowing that all of Big Sister E's belongings can easily be identified as hers. The days of using a messy marker to try to write something somewhat legible in a child's jacket are over. As are the times of tearing a strip of masking tape off and writing a child's name on it to label their cup or bottle... only to have to remove it when it's time to go home and then repeat the process next time.

Applied Labels are perfectly sized (1.5" x 0.5"), dishwasher-safe, laundry-safe on clothing with tags and made with permanent adhesive and ink. Whether I am putting Big Sister E's name on her jacket, shoes (or boots, once the snow hits here), backpack or sippy cup, all I have to do is pull out my envelope of Applied Labels and I am ready to go.

When The Ultimate School Pack of labels arrived from Applied Labels, I was amazed at the number and variety of labels that are included. As well as the Applied Labels, which are completely customized with your choice of name, one of 18 icons and 4 different fonts, also included are their great Clothing Backers and Shoe Shields.

The Clothing Backers are used with the Applied Labels to attach them to the tags in clothing and require no ironing or sewing, a DEFINITE plus. Once they are on, you're done. They stay put through both the washer and the dryer and are still easily readable. However, once my girls have outgrown their clothes and I want to pass them on, the Applied Labels and Clothing Backers are easily removed by cutting along the edge of the tags and peeling them off.

The Shoe Shields are another great idea, as they are a clear, protective cover that will keep the Applied Labels safe and secure through all of the times your child's sweaty feet stomp on them. Using a Shoe Shield ensures that no matter how rough your child is to their shoes, the labels will remain unharmed.

Have a younger child that isn't heading to school yet? Applied Labels also has Baby Tapes available in 15 different colors to make your child's bottle stand out with their name label or Baby Dates, which make certain any child care staff would easily know which bottle is for your child and that it is the correct day.

As well as their great products, Applied Labels is impressive to me as a company. Each month they select as many organizations as they can to receive a donation of their products and services. Along with that, they have a wonderful fund-raising program that can be used for schools, camps, clubs and teams. I love a company that not only makes my life easier with their wonderful products but also cares about people!

One lucky person will win a $50 gift certificate to Applied Labels! That can get you an amazing amount of Applied Labels!


To enter to win your $50 gift certificate to Applied Labels:
Visit Applied Labels and tell me how you would use the certificate if you won INCLUDING your favorite font and icon. Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed, please leave a separate comment for EACH entry)
1 Extra Entry - Enter any other current giveaways on Thanks, Mail Carrier (1 entry per giveaway entered). There are some great ones going on right now!
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below (please leave me the link).

Don't ever lose another shirt! $50 gift certificate to Applied Labels #giveaway @thxmailcarrier! Ends 10/15 Enter now! http://bit.ly/12rwbV

3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute new button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway, linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier as well as Applied Labels. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 15th at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Applied Labels for providing me with The Ultimate School Pack of my own, as well as a generous gift certificate for one lucky giveaway winner. I'm still going to be anxiously checking to make sure Big Sister E comes home with all of her belongings, however, now I know that if something gets misplaced, it will have a clear label to help find its way home.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Vinyl Banner from UPrinting {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}
Big Sister E's 3rd birthday is rapidly approaching and I have been working on putting together ideas for it. But one thing that always stumps me is decorating.

Sure, there are balloons and streamers and all kinds of traditional ways to show off our celebration, but there is always something missing. Our house has a somewhat open layout and it has always been crying out for a banner. Right across the living room or the wide doorway from the hall into the main room needs a banner. A big Happy Birthday banner to grab everyone's attention and get people in the mood to party.

The banners that I usually see online or in stores look something like this:

Or this:

And they just aren't... right. I don't want something generic, I want something special that I can use for my girls' birthdays for years to come that I will be proud to hang up in my house.

So, when UPrinting.com decided to sponsor a 24" x 36" vinyl banner with grommets giveaway, I knew I had found the way to go! UPrinting's vinyl banners are high quality, not a cheap, flimsy piece of plastic that is just going to get torn after one use. And the grommets are actually a really nice addition, also making it much less likely that the banner will get ripped or damaged when being put up or taken down.

Not in need of a birthday banner right now? How about using this for a wedding, graduation party, shop advertisement or welcome home sign? Hosting a baby shower soon? How about a It's A Boy (or Girl, of course) banner to set the mood? I am already thinking the possibilities are endless. UPrinting knows banner printing, so you can always check out their website for even more ideas and options.

One lucky person will win (1) 24" x 36" vinyl banner with grommets (a $62 value)!

To enter to win your 24" x 36" vinyl banner with grommets: Tell me how you would use the banner if you won. Do you have an occasion in mind already? Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.


Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed, please leave a separate comment for EACH entry)
1 Extra Entry - Enter any other current giveaways on Thanks, Mail Carrier (1 entry per giveaway entered). There are some great ones going on right now!
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below (please leave me the link).

Decorate with a cool banner from @thxmailcarrier! 24x36 vinyl banner from @uprinting #giveaway. Enter now! http://bit.ly/3EVBof Ends 10/12

3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute new button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway, linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier as well as UPrinting.com. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 12th at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Prize will be awarded by coupon code on November 1st, 2009. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to UPrinting.com for providing me with an 24" x 36" vinyl banner with grommets of my own, as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. For me, I'm really looking forward to having a birthday banner to use to celebrate my daughters' birthdays for as long as they'll let me!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

The Entitlement-Free Child {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

My kids have toys. Too many toys. I've spent a lot of time at garage sales the past few summers and really can't pass up a good deal, so when there's a bargain calling out I can't seem to turn away and it ends up just having to come home with me. The girls have big toys and small toys and things that light up and blink and make noise (shudder) and things that are simple and wooden and run purely on imagination alone.


Even though it is an ongoing joke with family and friends that it's like walking into a toy store when you enter their playroom, I know that overindulging children is a serious issue and I've always been very careful about it with my own. No one wants to raise THAT CHILD. You know the one, the kind that has always been given everything they have ever wanted and is now screaming for a candy bar in the grocery store or yelling and stomping about having to wait their turn for a time on the swings at the park.

So, if no one wants to raise one of those children, how do some of them end up that way? Where can a parent find the strategies for how to bring up a well-rounded, respectful, confident child?


The Entitlement-Free Child
, by Karen Deerwester, is a straightforward, easy to follow book that is written for parents to see results. What is entitlement? It's the "Me! Mine! Now!" attitude, often accompanied by a relentless demand for immediate gratification and a lack of self-control. Well-meaning parents who appease their child's every want and need are unknowingly taking away their child's ability to not only learn that self-control, but those children lose the knowledge of how to respect and work well with others and solve many of the problems they will encounter in life.

Deerwester writes, "The entitlement child doesn't accept 'enough' because he's afraid he might miss out on 'more.' The entitlement-free child, on the other hand trusts that his needs will be met, because he has learned that he can count on other people today and tomorrow. Life is okay even when he is frustrated, confused, or upset."

Parents want the best for their children, of course, and I'm included. But I know that I feel the same pressures that other moms do when it comes to giving them more than they really need to have a happy and memorable childhood. Will every choice that I make now affect the rest of their lives? If I haven't done my best at giving them all the advantages I can, will I be setting them back? In The Entitlement-Free Child, I learned that these are irrational thoughts and expectations to put upon myself and that it is okay to accept that I cannot make my children happy all the time.

Instead, this book highlights the entitlement or entitlement-free messages in parenting situations and shows you just how to meet your child's genuine needs while teaching respect and appreciation for others. The Entitlement-Free Child is a great resource for parents looking to encourage their child's potential and, from an early age, teach them that they matter. Other people matter. Not only that, but the two go hand in hand.

Would you like to have a resource to go to when you are looking for strategies to teach your children self-respect and respect for others? For hands-on tips to guide you through parenting situations such as bossiness, teacher conflicts and bickering siblings? Visit Karen Deerwester's website, Family Time, and...

One lucky person will win their own copy of The Entitlement-Free Child!

To enter to win your own copy of The Entitlement-Free Child: Tell me what about this book appeals to you or why you would like to win it. For yourself? For a friend? Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed, please leave a separate comment for each entry)
1 Extra Entry - Enter any other current giveaways on Thanks, Mail Carrier (1 entry per giveaway entered). There are some great ones going on right now!
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link.

Raise respectful kids in a "me, mine, now!" culture: Enter "The Entitlement-Free Child" #giveaway @thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/8Tl1l

3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute new button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 5th at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Sourcebooks for providing me with a copy of The Entitlement-Free Child, as well as for one lucky giveaway winner.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Rolled Poster Print from UPrinting {Review & Giveaway}

digital room logo{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

My husband and I change our minds a lot when it comes to decorating our home. Ask him, and he'll put all the blame solely on me, but he's a part of the decisions, too. Or, at the very least, after being married to me for this many years, he should know how to help tone down my ideas a little bit sometimes.

Over the time that we have lived in this house, we have had a variety of art on our walls. We started by picking up a piece or two randomly in stores when it caught our eye and looked like it might match our decor. Then, we added to it with some of my homemade additions, fabric pieces or paintings that, at the time, I was happy with.

At the stage we are at now, we only buy art at local Art Fairs, if it is something we definitely love. Because, really? Everything has slowly been replaced with photographs. How can art, even really great art, complete with pictures of our family and our beautiful daughters?

(Borders added to represent the mat and frame that we had done)

A few months ago, I was very fortunate to win a giveaway from UPrinting.com for an 18" x 24" print. I not only loved how simple the process to upload and order my print was, but the results were fantastic and were done amazingly fast. My brother had come over to take some family portraits and this one was my absolute favorite. After adding the mat and frame, it now hangs in the first hallway you walk through after entering our house and we always get all kinds of comments and compliments on it when people come over.

I really don't think there is anything better than enlarged photographs. There is something about having a large picture, whether it be candid or posed, family or nature, that makes people stop and smile. But where do you go to have them done?

The answer is DigitalRoom.com. Committed to providing a high quality printing experience at affordable prices, Digital Room covers all of your digital printing needs. Need some posters printed? Digital Room does that. How about greeting cards? Yes, they do that, too. Calendars, stickers or postcards? Those, plus more. I can't imagine growing tired of the family picture that I have up on my wall, but if years down the road I want to replace it with an updated one, I'll head to DigitalRoom.com for a fast, easy and affordable piece of art that can't be beat.

One lucky person will win (1) 18" x 24" rolled poster print of their own! The sponsor of this giveaway, DigitalRoom.com, is even throwing in FREE UPS Ground Shipping so you don't have to pay a dime to have this delivered right to your door!

To enter to win your 18" x 24" rolled poster print: Tell me how you would use the poster print if you won. What picture would you enlarge? Where would you put it? Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed)
1 Extra Entry - Describe your favorite picture of all time.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below (please leave me the link).

Enlarge your favorite pic @thxmailcarrier! 18x24 rolled poster print from @uprinting #giveaway. Enter now! http://bit.ly/114kK0 Ends 9/28

3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute new button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway, linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier as well as DigitalRoom.com. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on September 28th at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Prize will be awarded by coupon code on October 1st, 2009. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to DigitalRoom.com for providing me with an 18" x 24" rolled poster print of my own, as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. For me, an enlarged photograph of all of her grandchildren will make a perfect birthday gift for my mother.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Interactive Book-Webscene {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

Sometimes I think it's strange to ponder how different it is for my kids growing up now than it was for me.

Whoa there, slow down, I'm not THAT old.

It's just that technology has come so far even in the past 20 years that things are really different. When I played games, they were made out of cardboard and paper and plastic and had pieces that moved, they weren't a cartridge that plugged into my TV. In school, when I wrote a paper, my bibliography was a list of books and articles that I used, not websites.

Remember those lined papers that we used to copy and practice our penmanship because it was important to be able to write legibly? Now there is widespread debate about whether cursive writing is even necessary because my kids are going to grow up doing everything on a computer. They won't write a letter, they'll email. Or text. Or use Twitter. Will I have to finally start using Facebook just so that I can keep up with what's going on in my girls' lives?

When I was young, my family spent countless hours at the library picking out books. This is something that my daughters and I do now and Big Sister E has followed in my footsteps and loves to read (Little Sister B likes books too, but she mostly just likes the feel of flipping the pages. Or chewing on the book jackets). Big Sister E can often be found pouring over the pictures in books, chatting nonstop about the story she sees in them. Every morning, every evening, before nap, after nap... books are a prominent feature in our house.

But really, how can books keep up with the changing of the times? With all of the new, interactive gadgets, how can books resist becoming obsolete to kids?


Meet Interactive Book-Webscene (IBW), a new kind of reading experience. These aren't just books. They are a storytelling process combining an actual print book with the interactivity of online animations. It's simple. You begin by reading a chapter from the book and at the end, you find a weblink. When you go online, you find a colorful animation, or other webscene (complete with sound), that is part of the story.

Not surprisingly, Big Sister E was seeming a little skeptical as to what was going on, mainly because I don't think we've ever sad down to read books together in front of the computer. But as soon as I got to the end of the first chapter and pulled up the webscene, she was hooked.

"Mommy! Mommy, Look! It's on the 'puter!"

After viewing the scene, which we did MULTIPLE times, it was back to the book to read another chapter. There are at least six webscenes included in every IBW book and Big Sister E enjoyed every one. When we got to the end of our KA Reader (aimed at beginning readers and their development of vocabulary and comprehension), she was clamoring to begin again.

I eventually talked Big Sister E into moving on to our second book, a sample from IBW's Busy Preschoolers selections. These books are built around the letters of the alphabet and have step-by-step instructions for parents to help teach kids a ton of skills that they will use as they enter school. IBW knows that children have different learning styles, so their activities (such as the puzzle seen at left) use multiple approaches so that whether you have a visual, kinetic or auditory learner, any child will have a good experience.

Big Sister E wasn't completely sold on the activities that were suggested in our book, but again, when I went to the webscene, she perked right up. Even better than that, when we followed the link at the bottom, she loved the ABC-TRACE-123 handwriting program that we found. With each letter of the alphabet, she (with my help) was able to click and drag animal icons to fill in the letter, which she thought was great. I liked that she was having fun while also learning the correct way to write letters, something that she definitely doesn't know how to do.

By the time we were done with the ABC-TRACE-123 letters, Big Sister E was ready to go back to our KA Reader again. And again. And again.

Later in the day, she was still asking if we could read it a few more times. When my husband came home from work and she was telling him about our day, I asked if she could tell him about our new books. She was not only able to describe the entire storyline, but Big Sister E remembered all of the small details. Usually she retains the main ideas from a book that we read, but I was impressed at just how much she had learned. As well as the repetition, I think that because these books are interactive she paid closer attention to them.


Do you think IBW books sound like something you would enjoy and like to share with others (while making some extra money in the process)? Check out the IBW Bookseller program where you can find out how to sell these unique products and make a 20% commission on all sales at the close of each hosted event!

One lucky person will win their choice from two great IBW prizes:

The Busy Preschooler's Guide to Learning - fun activities built around the 26 letters of the alphabet, with step-by-step help to guide parents in how to use everyday situations to teach 105 skills their kids need before they walk in the kindergarten door.

OR

Three KA Readers - beginning readers that use a new kind of storytelling where kids see an animation unfold at the close of every chapter. Dr. Seuss-like rhyming hooks kids on the fun of words. Online activities help parents assess a child's reading and comprehension.

Both of these prizes have a retail value of $60 and would be a wonderful way to keep the child(ren) in your life interested in reading... while secretly hiding their educational value in a whole bunch of fun!

To enter to win your choice of IBW prizes: Visit IBW and tell me what feature of their books is your favorite. Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed)
1 Extra Entry - Visit IBW Booksellers and tell me something interesting you learned there.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect.
2 Extra Entries (leave 2 separate comments) if you follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave me the link). Feel free to copy and paste:

Make books comes alive! Interactive Book-Webscene #giveaway: win a choice of 2 great prizes! @thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/4855at Ends 9/29

3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute new button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on September 29th at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. residents.

A big thank you to Mary at IBW for providing me with information and books to review as well as a great prize for one lucky giveaway winner. I was given the opportunity to review this product because of my membership at The Product Review Place.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Mail Delivery: Silly Shirt Shop Review

Big sister E likes clothes and has her opinions on what she wears. Fortunately for me, I can still steer her in a certain direction when she's getting dressed and have so far not let her leave the house in anything too wild and crazy. I can't say the same when Daddy dresses her, of course, and sometimes if the two of them are heading to the grocery store and he lets her pick out whatever she wants to wear, the end result is something along the lines of a clashing, color-blind mess. But I figure that if I'm not going to be seen in public with them and my husband doesn't care, then why not? I usually just shrug and tell them to have a good time. And to not let her eat too many snacks while they shop.

I was recently introduced to a new t-shirt company, Silly Shirt Shop, and, as soon as I saw the shirt, I knew Big Sister E would enjoy it.


The unique thing about these shirts? Right on Silly Shirt Shop's website, you are able to design the character on the front to look just like your child, as well as personalize the saying underneath. How much fun is that? Usually when there are people on clothing, you usually have to settle for maybe matching some of their characteristics, but not with these shirts.


Want to make a shirt that is like looking in the mirror for the child in your life? Silly Shirt Shop allows you to do just that. Let me tell you, I thought I was just going to browse through the website, maybe create a character or two... Hours later I was still playing around, having designed a virtual group of friends that ranged from sporty to friendly to punk. Too much time on my hands? You just wait until YOU try it.

So how exactly does the design process at Silly Shirt Shop work?

Step 1: Choose your profile. Right now the available options are girl or boy. In the future, you will also be able to create baby girl, baby boy, toddler girl, toddler boy, dog or cat. Along with these individual characters, you will have the opportunity to design a shirt with multiple kids on it, something that I think is a really fun idea for best friends or siblings. What a fun gift idea to make a I'm The Little Bro/Sis onesie and a I'm The Big Bro/Sis shirt for when a new baby is arriving that actually look like them!

Step 2: Choose your skin color. There are four different shades of skin to pick from, ranging from light to dark.

Step 3: Choose your hairstyle and color. The choices already start to get big with this one. Picking from the four different colors of hair is fairly easy - red, blond, brown and black - but the hairstyles! For both boys and girls, there are 12 different hairstyles! Whatever you are looking for, whether short, long, curly, straight, pigtails, bangs... they're all there. Once you're finished being a hairdresser, you get to choose from blue, green, brown or black for the eye color.

Step 4: Choose your outfit. 14 for girls! There are casual clothes like jeans and skirts and tops to cute dress-up selections like a princess, a super girl or a cheerleader. Boys have 19 outfit choices! As well as a bunch of cute shirts and pants, they can be anything from an astronaut to a cowboy to a soccer player.

This was definitely one of my favorite steps. This allows you to decide to create your character to look like your child in everyday life or dress them up straight from their imagination. Does your son love hockey? Now he can have a shirt showing himself in a hockey outfit to show off all the time!

Step 5: Choose your accessories. Oh boy. This, after having finally decided on what clothes to wear. For girls, there are 4 styles of glasses, 5 hair clips, 3 handbags, 7 pairs of earrings... and that doesn't include the category of Outfit Add Ons so that she can be holding a doll that looks like herself or a rock star guitar. There are 8 headwear options including hats, headbands and tiaras. Options of items she can hold in her hands include magic wands, a teddy bear or an ice cream cone. Boys don't have quite as many choices, but there is still a nice variety of fun things to pick from to finish creating your little man.

Step 6: Add a caption under your character. You have up to 18 letters and spaces and the creativity is up to you. Your child's name? Nickname? Birthday Boy? Grandma's Princess? You get to decide!

Step 7: Select the size and style of shirt. Again with the options! There are 6 different shirt styles that range in size from a toddler 2T up to a youth XL. If you have a girl in your life who likes her clothes more feminine, there are girls' ruffle edge shirts available to make things extra fancy for her. The shirts cost between $22 and $28.

Step 8: Order, sit back and wait for your shirt to arrive. Then watch your child enjoy!

In the end, I had a lot of fun (maybe too much) on Silly Shirt Shop. For being a new website, I was impressed with all of the details that they have to offer. I wouldn't have thought of choosing to match the color of the character's eyebrows to their hair or leave them dark or being able to pick whether a hair clip goes on the left or the right, but they allow you to do so and I appreciated that. My main criticism of the site was that when you are finished creating your character and, if you are like me and VERY indecisive, you click the back button on your browser to change something, you are brought all the way back to the beginning. Of course, this just gave me a reason to start playing again...

Me.
I think I look pretty good.
And yes, that IS an ice cream cone in my hand and I am STILL in my pajamas, THANKS.


Thanks, Silly Shirt Shop, for providing Big Sister E a fun shirt to wear, she thought it was pretty cool that she was on it. And, for folding the padded envelope neatly into the mailbox for us to discover, bring inside and tear open, thanks, Mail Carrier.

(Other than the sample shirt that I was sent, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this website and their products.)