CSN Rugs

Finding a place to purchase quality area rugs is one of the biggest challenges my husband and I have faced since buying our house 2 years ago. It has been virtually impossible to find anything we like. So you can imagine my excitement when I recieved an email from CSN Rugs requesting a review. I immediately poured over the website for hours before agreeing to review them. Honestly, I just got sucked into their large selection of area rugs and childrens rugs and couldn't stop looking. Within the next few weeks, I will be posting my review on CSN Rugs and their Farm Play Rug, but for now feel free to check out the rest of their huge selection of area rugs.

My Lifesaver: The Picture Keeper & Giveaway

If you asked me what one thing I would save if my house was burning down I would probably tell you my photos. I am without a doubt a sentimental person and hang on to anything and everything that has memories attached to it. Especially photos.

Unfortunately, I also have really, really bad luck with storing my digital photos on my computer. I cannot count the number of times I have lost photos due to the fact that my computer crashed. The most recent episode happened when my old computer decided to die. Yea, it just decided it didn't want to charge anymore. I was in tears because I had so many photos stored on it. Photos of my daughter when she was just born all the way up to her first birthday. I eventually managed to get enough juice into my laptop to burn most of the photos. It was a tough day for me but the photos were eventually salvaged. Of course, when I went to print some of those old photos I couldn't find the CDs anywhere! Oi. I panicked and tore apart the house. Luckily, I remembered most of the photographs of my daughter got backed up onto the desktop computer as well. But I know I am still missing some and that makes me sad.

So when I was asked to review the Picture Keeper my heart lept. Could this be what I was looking for? A quick and easy way of storing my precious photos? Would I be able to keep up with backing them up and not lose the device? The answer to all of the questions is simply yes.

The Picture Keeper, winner of a Dr. Toy Best Product for Summer Vacation 2009 Award, is a small USB device that automatically stores all your photos. My husband asked why don't I just use a flash drive. When I told him that it has a program built in that will automatically detect any new photos on my computer, he understood. No need to go through and find the photos and even better I don't have to figure out which ones I last backed up because it finds the new ones for me. Since there is no need to download the program to your computer you can use it on any computer in your house, Mac or PC. My 8 GB Picture Keeper is already packed full with over 500 photos. And since it is so small, I placed it in our lock box in order not to lose it with a sticker attached with the dates of the photos so I know what is on it.

Picture Keeper is currently available in 4 GB, 8 GB, and most recently, 16 GB. The developers at Picture Keeper are even working on an external hard drive version, which would be able to hold 100 to 300+GB. I am super excited about that because I could totally fill that baby up!

Contest Closed. Winner has been contacted.

Win it!! One reader will win either a 4 or 8 GB Picture Keeper. Winner's Choice.

To Enter: Visit Picture Keeper and let me know what size you would need to back up your photos.

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Giveaway ends on Friday, June 26, 11:59 PM. Winner will be chosen randomly and emailed. Be sure your email is included in your comment or that it is easily accessible through your blog. Winners will have 3 days to respond before a new winner is picked. Good Luck!

Vote. Again. And. Again.

Nicole at Momtrends just informed me that she was able to vote in the Best Western Retro to Now Roadtrip Contest again today... so perhaps you are allowed to vote once per day which would be wicked cool... I would absolutely love if you would try to vote everyday until June 19th, if it's possible! It only takes like a millisecond. Thanks everyone who has already voted and thanks to Nicole for letting me know she was able to vote again! Yay!

Please Vote for Us!

I just found out that I am a finalist in the Best Western Road Trip Photo Contest! SQUEE!! I would soooo love it if all of you would support me and vote. And get your readers and friends to vote too. I mean if you wanted to. No pressure though!

The photo I submitted is of my husband and daughter when she was 3 months old. We went away for a week to celebrate our first anniversary and were out hiking. Of course, Kate needed her diaper changed mid way through (typical baby) so we had to find a rock to change her on (which wasn't hard). It is one of my favorite photos because you can see the lake in the distance. Just a beautiful view. It was just one of those moments I will never forget.

Wanna know what we get if we win? Well, we would get to go on a Retro to Now Road Trip in August!

The trip will start in "retro" style, complete with an old station wagon, paper maps, and other supplies of yesteryear. Mid-way through the trip, we'll fast-forward to "now" and be equipped with a hybrid vehicle, GPS device and all the conveniences of modern day.

Sounds like fun huh? Or it could be torture especially with a 2 year old...who lets just say doesn't sleep in the car anymore. :) But this exhausted mom will take either. I just want to get away from cleaning and cooking and spend time with my family!

So please vote for me! Please? Please? Voting ends June 19th!! Thanks!

http://www.bestwestern.com/programs/roadtrip_vote.asp

UPDATED: You might be able to vote at least 1x per day (I've been able to at least... yea that's right. I voted for myself :) )

Mamapedia: Google for Mom Wisdom

I told you I was taking a break from blogging and I would post every so often when I found something that was worth sharing. That time has come and it has come in the form of a website especially for moms searching for answers.

The site I'm referring to is appropriately named Mamapedia. This site is a great site to go to when you have a question or concern about your child and don't know who or where to ask. There have been plenty of times I have searched the internet for answers to my questions. And let me tell you this takes a long time. Mostly, I just want to hear other moms experiences. Moms who have been there, survived that. I want to know I am not the only one dealing with something in particular. Mamapedia allows you to type in a search, anything from potty training to language delays and get results.

This is a great resource for moms with kids of all ages. And you don't have to just have a child related question. You can search for quick dinner ideas or money saving tips. Anything. I even searched to find a way to get my tile grout clean! So before you head out on a google search, try Mamapedia and see if you can find what you are looking for there. It might save you some time sifting through websites.

Thank you Mom Central for sharing this website with all of us!

Crib no more.

Wow. It's been a 2 days since I said I was taking a break and here I am posting! But I have to. In order to keep my sanity. See, Kate's crib has been recalled which means I had to move her to a big girl bed. Which means lots of screaming. Yea. I know. And I know she wasn't quite ready. But what choice did I have. I mean I could let her sleep in her Pack N Play until we get a new crib but as it is the Pack N Play is getting small on her and I can't imagine it being comfortable enough to sleep in until we get a new crib. Which won't be for at least a month, maybe two. Especially since there are no Babies R Us near us.

Fortunately, we have a few twin beds that we use as guest beds so I set one up in her room. Two of the beds were part of a bunk bed so I was able to use the railing from it to help keep her from falling off. Then I put her old crib mattress next to bed to use as a step stool and to protect her a bit if she fell.

So yea. Transistion is not fun. Not at all. Screaming. And getting out of bed. Running to the door. While screaming. Trying to open the door (thank goodness she hasn't mastered that yet). Three times. Three times I went in there to put her back in bed.

What's that's I hear? Nothing? Did she fall asleep? Is she on the bed or on the floor? I don't dare open her door to find out. I will just *knock on wood* that she goes to sleep until morning.

Sanity restored. Thanks for bearing with me. Until tomorrow when I have to do it all over again.

Oh. And Husband was not here for this event. He knew it was gonna go down so he opted to stay at work until she was screaming. Men.

Time for a break.

You may have noticed I haven't been posting as often. Truth is I haven't really had time. Kate is now awake for most of the day and the weather has been so beautiful that it is hard to find the time to hop on the computer to post. We have been spending our days going on walks, playing outside and eating ice cream. By the time I put her to bed at night I am so tired that I just want to spend the rest of my day relaxing on the couch with my husband and not worrying about getting something up on here.

So with that I have decided to take a break from the blog. For a little bit. I will post every so often (especially when I find something that I just have to share) but it just won't be as frequently as before.

BRIDE WARS and Paper Shouts Giveaway

To help celebrate the April 28th release of BRIDE WARS on dvd and blueray, 20th Century Fox and Paper Shouts have teamed up for an incredible giveaway! When I say incredible, I mean incredible.

One lucky reader will win a BRIDE WARS dvd and a $25 gift certificate to Paper Shouts!!

In addition to that, the winner of this giveaway (along with the winners from other participating blogs) will be entered into a Grand Prize drawing on the Paper Shouts website. Prizes include movie memorabilia such as the sunglasses worn in the movie by Kate Hudson and a movie one-sheet signed by Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway and the Grand Prize is a great Mexican vacation—6 nights at the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort and airfare for 2 on AirTran airlines.

About BRIDE WARS in case you were unable to catch in the theaters, like me :

Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway), best friends since childhood, are always there for each other, through good times and bad. They even become engaged to be married within a few hours of one another. Together they plan their respective weddings, each to take place at New York’s ultimate bridal destination, the Plaza Hotel. But a clerical error and subsequent clash in wedding dates pits the two brides – neither of whom will step aside – against each other, in a competition that quickly escalates into all-out war.

Sounds good right?!? I've totally wanted to see it since I saw the previews and finally next week I can! Hurrah!

A little bit about Paper Shouts from their website (with which I ordered my awesome Christmas cards this year!!):

As we journey through our lives from the finding that special someone to announcing new additions to the family to celebrating momentous birthdays and everything in between we find ourselves looking for just the right way to shout out our exciting news. Paper Shouts wants to be a part of life's big moments by making the creation of your announcements and invitations a fun and easy process.

Paper Shouts is a family owned business located in the Santa Cruz California area. We created Paper Shouts with the mission of giving people a way to share their family news that is not only easy and cost effective but with an end result that is as fabulous and personal as the events themselves.

In addition, all our designer shouts are printed on 100% PCW recycled, heavyweight (110#), uncoated paper and are shipped with 50% recycled envelopes (30% PCW/20% VF). Our customer can now feel good about sharing their news with family and friends in a very personal way while still being environmentally friendly.

Deal! Use coupon code SUPERMOM at the checkout for 15% off your Paper Shouts order. Good until May 15th.

Contest Closed. Winner has been emailed.

Win it!! One reader will win a copy of BRIDE WARS on dvd and a $25 Paper Shouts gift certificate, as well as be entered into the Grand Prize giveaway on the Paper Shouts website.

To Enter: Post a comment about which characters style you relate to more — Emma’s traditional, romantic style or Liv’s couture, “only the best” approach. Also, let us know which is your favorite Paper Shouts card from the Bridal Shouts section. You must answer both questions in order to win.

Extra Entries:

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Giveaway ends on April 29th, 11:59 PM. Winner will be chosen randomly and emailed. Be sure your email is included in your comment or that it is easily accessible through your blog. Winners will have 3 days to respond before a new winner is picked. Good Luck! US residents only.

Don't forget, if you want to up your chances on winning, do a google search and check out all the other blogs hosting a BRIDE WARS/Paper Shouts giveaway!

Celebrate Earth Day with a Xeko Giveaway!

Earth Day is only one week away and to celebrate we are teaming up with Xeko to give away a wicked adorable hairy eared dwarf lemur! Seriously isn't he cute?!

Hairy (that's his name due to his hairy ears) is made of a soy-based fabric and filled with soy stuffing (instead of the usual polyester). If you remember, I reviewed another Xeko Pal, the Giant Panda, a few months ago and my daughter loved him! In fact he is still one of her top 5 stuffed animals (and she has a lot of stuffed animals). I think she loves him so much because he is incredibly soft and squishy! Hairy looks equally as cuddly and oh those adorable eyes and ears! I just want to squeeze him!

Unfortunately, real hairy eared dwarf lemurs, which are found in Madagascar, are endangered and there are estimated to be only between 100 and 1,000 left! Purchasing a Xeko Pal for your child will not only help you teach your child about endangered species but it will also help in saving these and other animals. You see Conservation International will receive a donation to help save threatened habitats such as Madagascar with each purchase of a Xeko Pal. I mean how awesome is that?

Deal! Use coupon code GOGREEN at the Xeko Store for 15% off entire order; can be used more than once. Expires 10/31/09

Contest Closed. Winner has been notified.

Win it!! One reader will win their very own Hairy courtesy of Xeko!

To Enter: Since this is an Earth Day giveaway leave a comment stating your favorite eco-friendly tip. That's it. Easy Peasy.

Extra Entries:

• Subscribe to our feed. Leave an additional comment letting us know.
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the link.
• Follow our blog. Leave a comment letting us know.
  

Giveaway ends on Earth Day, April 22, 11:59 PM. Winner will be chosen randomly and emailed. Be sure your email is included in your comment or that it is easily accessible through your blog. Winners will have 3 days to respond before a new winner is picked. Good Luck!

Little Learners: Leapfrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Set

My daughter loves magnets, puzzles and music, so the Leapfrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Set was a no brainer gift to get her for her birthday. That and the fact that her friend had one and Kate had loved playing with it at her house.

Originally, I had thought of getting Kate regular magnetic letters to help learn her alphabet since she loved playing with our magnets. But once I saw this at her friends house I knew it would be perfect for her.

The set comes with all 26 letters. When the letter is placed into the reader you can hear the letter name, sound and a catchy little song. The song goes a little something like this " 'B' says "ba", 'B' says "ba". Every letter makes a sound and 'B' says "ba" and I have to tell you that it will get stuck in your head and you will find yourself singing it while doing dishes. So don't be alarmed when it happens to you.

There is also a button that plays the entire alphabet song. This little button is Kate's favorite and she will push it over and over and over and over again. But you know what? I don't care. Why? Because just this morning she started singing the alphabet song into her toy microphone. Sure nobody else would of noticed what she was saying, but I did. And since Kate is a late talker I was thrilled! So we sang the song back and forth each taking a line. And you know what? That singing I am positive had to do with the Leapfrog Fridge Phonics. No Doubt.

Since getting this awesome product Kate is also now able to identify A, B, C, D (which are the letters she has available on the fridge right now) and also say the letters. Sure we work on those letters without the Leapfrog Fridge Phonics but it makes a great reinforcer when I am otherwise busy and she takes advantage of it being there. She can just go up to the fridge whenever she wants and practice her letters.

So basically what I am saying is that the Leapfrog Fridge Magnetic Set is totally worth the $20.