TO THE WINNERS OF

Baby Bouquet by Baby Bunch

Donna C #34

AND

“Laugh and Learn About Childbirth” Book

Lisa #15

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 31st March 2010, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED!

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

This special review is for the upcoming Easter celebration! Jenn had earlier reviewed “Baby Bouquet” and absolutely loved how it was packaged so beautifully. This time, Monica, one of our contributing editors, was lucky to receive this gorgeous package from The Baby Bunch. I seriously think we really have a very lucky team of contributing editors. ~ Su Chin

I was offered a chance to check out a really cute gift idea from a site called The Baby Bunch. They sent me their little Baby Egg Nests in Pink and in Blue, and they are definitely a cute idea, especially great for anyone expecting a baby around Easter time! With this gift, you can go green, as it is completely organic, and give mom and baby something they can both enjoy. Each Baby Egg Nest contains three pairs of 100% organic cotton socks that are rolled up to look like eggs, and a handcrafted lavender scented bird sachet for mom.

The organic cotton socks fit infants 0-6 months or up to 16 lbs. Each organic Baby Egg Nest is wrapped up in cellophane and tied with a pretty ribbon. This gift would probably make a good starter for any larger gift basket too! They can even ship directly to the recipient and include a personal message on the gift tag for you!

BUY IT!: Baby Egg Nests are available in Blue and Pink at http://www.babybunch.com and are $19.95 each.  While the price may seem to be a little bit on the high side, but the beautifully packaged eggs and handcrafted lavender scented mommy bird sachet, in a nest, will only demonstrate to the new mom, that you’re especially thinking of her and her gorgeous new baby (hey! even if it’s the 2nd/3rd/4th child ~ we’re all still new moms, again and again and again ).  Other gorgeously packaged baby clothing are also available at The Baby Bunch, with gifts for baby boys, baby girls or even unisex, if you’re not sure whether it’ll be a girl or a boy!

WIN IT!: The Baby Bunch wants to celebrate Easter with you, by giving away 2 lucky readers, a very cute Baby Egg Nest gift package, each. All you have to do is :

• One Mandatory Entry- check out The Baby Bunch and leave a comment telling us which nest you’ll like.
• Two Additional Entries- follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please leave us a comment including your twitter id and your tweet url.
• Five Additional Entries- blog about this giveaway and include a link.  Please leave us a comment including the blog post url.
• Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway ends 30th March 2010 and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Young children sometimes have a hard time making friends; this is especially true in military families where a lot of the time every two to three years the family relocates. Jamie and the Angel is about a little girl named Jamie – a member of a military family – who is a little different than other children. This “difference” makes her shy around them – so she finds it hard to make friends. Her “difference” is that she sees just a little more deeper into people – a “gift from God” that she isn’t sure is much of a gift. He parents tell her it’s “just her imagination” at work but Jamie knows it’s more than that.

Jamie and the Angel is a touching story about having a “gift” and accepting it as part of yourself. I thought it was a lovely story but I also believe it ended too abruptly; I would’ve loved to hear more about Jamie’s gift and if when she accepts it if she gets more social at school and makes friends.

This book is for children of any age. It opens the door to a higher relationship with God and doesn’t belittle those with special “gifts” from God. I thought that this story was incredibly positive and I like to see the connection between parapsychology and spirituality.

There is a great section after the story that is a guideline for parents. It talks about how to deal with special gifts and how to talk to your children about them. It explains that these special gifts are indeed gifts from God and that God loves everyone.

The book’s author – Carol Guy – is also the author of several books and hosts her own radio program on Blog Talk Radio called Earth Angel. Carol has many special gifts including Clairvoyance. She can be found at her website www.CarolGuy.com

If you’re interested to learn how Jamie and the Angel fared with other readers, here’s what our mommy bloggers thought of the book:

Maria’s Space : While the cover may look like a child’s book, this book is not for children only. I believe that Carol is writing for people everywhere who feel different than others. The message of the book is quite simple, “it is OK to be different.” We are told as children and we tell our children that being different is what makes them special. The little girl in the book has a rare gift where she can speak and see Divine beings. If this is not something you believe in, the book is a great resource in self acceptance on an elementary level.

Idaho Jill – I think the message of this book would appeal to any age group. We all need encouragement sometimes that being different is a good thing, and Carol Guy has brought that concept to life in her very understandable book. My daughter liked the book, and the rich illustrations. Overall, I liked the book, too, even though it had some spelling errors and was more focused on the God aspect of spirituality than I believe in. But, I do believe in the overall message that everyone is special, and was happy to have the opportunity to review and share this book.

Moomette’s Magnificents – Beautifully illustrated by Richa Kinra, Jamie and the Angel is about children who are gifted in the psychic area.  I’ve written here before that I, myself profess to have some sort of psychic ability, or Sixth Sense, if you prefer.  Although my “gift” didn’t develop until I was older, children are capable of such  intuitive insights also.

Written in an easy to understand prose, Guy tells the story of Jamie, an 8-year old girl who doesn’t understand why she feels different from her peers, until an Angel appears to help her by providing guidance. Appended at the end is a reference guide for parents.

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Our family are huge board game fans and we often host “Family Fun Nights” consisting of pizza, ice cream, and our favorite board games. When I received our copy of Mastermind to review, I knew that it would be a great fit for our next “Family Fun Night”- and I was so right!! This fun, colorful game is great for kids and adults of all ages. It was challenging enough that my husband played again and again, yet the rules are simple enough that even my five year old darling enjoyed it.

It’s the code maker vs the codebreaker in this classic board game of logic and deduction. In order to win, players must use strategy and problem solving skills to outsmart their opponent. One player is the codemaker and sets a code of colored pegs. The other player is the codebreaker and attempts to break the code with help from clues given by the codemaker.

Players take turns being codemaker and codebreaker and whoever breaks the code in the least amount of moves wins!  For 2 Players. Ages 8 to adult.

Buy It! : There are seveal Mastermind game versions available at Pressman Toy Corporation website or anywhere Pressman Toys are sold.

Win It! : The Pressman Toy Corporation has generously donated a Mastermind game to one of our lucky reader. Here’s how to enter:

• One Mandatory Entry- visit the Pressman Toy Corporation website and leave a comment letting us know which of their fabulous and fun games are your favorite (other than Mastermind).
• Two Additional Entries- follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please leave us a comment including your twitter id and your tweet url.
• Three Additional Entries- blog about this giveaway and include a link. Please leave us a comment including the blog post url.
• Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway ends 29th March 2010 and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

Good luck!!

By Dr. Michael Aziz, author of The Perfect 10 Diet

Many families are struggling these days to make ends meet, and sometimes the first thing to go when faced with a tough financial situation is what food you’re putting on the table. What many families don’t realize is that you can eat healthy without breaking the bank.

Some food is cheap for a reason; it is made from the poorest quality ingredients and with an abundance of additives to cover up the poor quality and taste. Food is medicine. So if you take your health into account, processed food or fast food is not cheap at all – it leads to poor health which leads to higher medical bills.

We all want to feed our families good food, and it doesn’t have to stretch the budget to do so. Here are some words of advice:

• Although I advise that my patients eat organic as much as possible, you don’t have to buy everything organic to avoid pesticides – some fruits such as bananas and oranges have thick skin which keep pesticides out.
• Your local produce stand or farmer’s market can be a great source for healthy bargains. For the best deals, shop often and look for reduced produce or end-of-the-day specials.
• Instead of white pasta or white rice, go for for frozen vegetables with no additives. Cruise down the frozen food aisles, and you’ll find big bags of veggies at bargain prices – sometimes as little as $1 a bag.
• Slash your produce prices even further by growing your own vegetables and fruits. Like fresh herbs? Grow your favorites in small pots by the kitchen window, and take a snip whenever you need it.
• Beans and lentils, whether canned or dried, make nutritious, hearty soups, and can be a main course with the addition of fresh vegetables or rice.
• Although brown rice takes more time to cook than white rice, the nutritional payoff is well worth it. The same goes for pasta. Pasta, whole wheat variety, is quick and easy to prepare, and can be paired with veggies, meat, or a fresh salad. Have fun adding your own embellishments (mushrooms, spices, and herbs).
• Reserve a day for cooking – plan the week and even freeze food to be used later.
• Save your vegetable trimmings to make your own vegetable stock. Not only do you save money, but vegetable stock also makes a nutritious base for casseroles and soups.
• Capitalize on one-pot dishes, which generally save prep time and money, and often make great leftovers.

Saving money on grocery bills does not have to come with sacrificing our health. For more information, including healthy recipes and shopping lists from The Perfect 10 Diet, please visit www.perfect10diet.com.

About the Author

Dr. Michael Aziz is board certified in internal medicine and the founder of Midtown Integrative Medicine on Madison Avenue. Dr. Aziz is also an attending physician at St. Vincent’s Hospital, where he teaches residents and medical students. He is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Society of Internal Medicine, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom. Dr. Aziz has been a national and international speaker in front of many distinguished organizations including the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, the leader in natural hormones replacement. He is the author of The Perfect 10 Diet.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

When I was pregnant with my now five-year-old son I read a popular pregnancy book that all my friends had read before me. Why they didn’t tell me that the book made pregnancy out to be the scariest and most unnatural thing in the universe – where whatever can go wrong will go wrong – is beyond me.

I wished that there was a book that would tell me what to expect my body to do while I was pregnant that didn’t make me want to crawl under my covers and cry. Thankfully, now there is with the Laugh And Learn About Childbirth book written by Sheri Bayles. Sheri’s Laugh and Learn DVD series is the #1 series of pregnancy classes in America – and she’s put everything from her classes into this little (and might I add portable) book!

Sheri has a free and easy style of writing. She writes like she is talking right to you (the reader). She doesn’t aim to scare you; she wants to teach you what to expect during your pregnancy but in a reassuring way. Suffice to say that my “old” pregnancy book is going in the trash. I’d much rather recommend the Laugh and Learn About Childbirth to my girlfriends!

Learn more about Sheri Bayles’ Laugh and Learn series (along with her book) at her official website.

Buy It: Find the Laugh and Learn series at the official website or online retailers such as Amazon.com!

Win It : Thanks to Laugh and Learn, we’re giving away a gift pack consisting of Sheri’s 3 part DVD Series, book and a T-Shirt.  To enter and win, just following the requirements below:

• One mandatory entry –  Visit www.laughandlearn.com and tell us one fact about Sheri Bayles, the author of this book.
• Two additional entries – Follow Laugh and Learn on twitter OR add Laugh and Learn on Facebook
• Three additional entries – Follow us on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please leave your Twitter id.
• Five additional entries - If you blog about this giveaway and link back to this post. Please leave your post url in the comment section.
• Entry is open to US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway closes on 22nd March 2010 and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

TO THE WINNERS OF

Dolcetta Designs Photo Card Creation

 Misty VanEpps #7

AND

Joanie Leeds and The Nightlights “I’m a Rock Star” CD

Candie L #18

 Robyn #5

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 18th March 2010, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED!

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Once again, congratulations to our lucky readers who have won a copy of Chicken Soup : True Love each. They are:

1. Pamela Berube
2. Steve Andrie
3. Victoria Krukowski
4. Charity Hantla
5. Diane Stokes
6. Kris Johnson

It does not matter if you’re not a teacher, because there must be a time in your life that you have been a student or former student somehow. Thus, I am sure many of you will appreciate Chicken Soup For The Soul: Teacher Tales because this title will bring back a lot of memories of that person who held a special place in your heart during those school days.

Written by a majority of teachers  (all of the 2009 State Teachers of the Year and the 2009 National Teacher of the Year), Chicken Soup For The Soul : Teacher Tales pays tribute to the noble profession – TEACHING. It is both deeply touching and heart warming to read about how each of these teachers make that extra effort to influence, encourage and inspire their students, despite the trials and tribulations of working with children of all ages, some of which may even be academically handicapped.

My favourite include the story about how a teacher thought she was going to receive a complain from a student’s parent but instead she received a visit from a very grateful Mr.Wagner who thanked her for changing his son’s perception towards school. In the parent’s own words “Our boy is a happy boy again”.

“Secrets Students Keep” is one of the more touching story from the book. The teacher’s sensitivity and ability to emphatize with her student Sam was probably one of the best thing she could do for him during that day of tragedy. And if you’re just wondering, yes, I made good use of my Kleenex

Teachers who are feeling the pressure of the job should pick up a copy of this book as it will definitely give you a sense of renewed passion and fresh vision for changing your students’ lives. This book is also a great way to say thank you to those special teachers in your lives.

Now, you’ll have a chance to own it or to give it away to that deserving someone in your life. We have six copies to be given away to our email subscribers who reside in US.  All you need to do is subscribe to our feed via email. It’s that easy, no catch!

Disclosure : Review copy as well as giveaway copies courtesy of www.chickensoup.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are solely my own.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Babies are always a reason to celebrate!!  First babies, second babies, third babies or more, every baby deserves a special day.  Among my friends and family, we throw wonderful baby showers for first babies and then we plan special “Welcome to the World” days for subsequent babies.  That gives us time to not only spoil the Mama, but also to meet and cuddle the new little blessing.  I am always looking for new and wonderful gifts to share with Mama’s and babies alike.  Although blankets and rattles are cute, I love to find something extra special to celebrate the special day.

About “The Baby Bunch”:

“The Baby Bunch” is a wonderful company that offers practical, functional baby gifts in amazingly sweet packaging. After the birth of her first son, Bryony Boxer and her husband Simon Martin created “The Baby Bunch” when many of the sweet gifts they were given were blandly packaged. The realized the need for a new concept and hence, “The Baby Bunch” was born.  Their goal was to create a gift that was attractive yet useful and included all the basic necessities for a great start in life.

Combining practicality with presentation, Baby Bunch gifts delight new moms and dads with super soft, 100% cotton baby clothes craftily rolled into blooming bouquets. Perfect newborn baby gifts, the Baby Bunch is safe for hospital delivery where ordinary flowers may not be permitted and makes an extraordinary baby shower gift basket.

Organic Baby Gifts make a perfect pick for eco-minded parents. And with our latest launch – onesies rolled to look like cupcakes and lollipops, baby gifts have never been sweeter! The best part? Baby Bunch gifts need no additional wrapping. Buy online and ship direct to enjoy these worry-free baby presents and skip the hassle of packaging.

I was recently given the opportunity to receive one of The Baby Bunch’s Baby Bouquets.  When it arrived, I was amazed at the detail that went into creating such a wonderful gift.  The bouquet arrived in a beautiful, sturdy, colorful box with a plastic see-though lid.  It needed no additional wrapping and it was ready to be given as a gift.  The bunch I received included two onesies, one hat, one t-shirt, one bib, and two pairs of socks.  All of the clothing that were included, was made of baby soft 100% cotton and sized from 0-6 months.

The Baby Bunch has something for every gift giving need, Adorable Bucket Bunches, So Sweet Lollipop Baby Gifts, Yummy Cupcake Baby Gifts and even Fun and Colorful Crayon Rompers.

 They have also created a wonderful resource available on their website, a modern day “Baby Shower Planning Guide”.  It includes information on essentials such as foods, games, invitations, as well as Kid-friendly, Co-ed, and Adoption baby showers.

Buy It! : The Baby Bunch products are award winning and have been seen in Pregnancy and Newborn magazine, Good Housekeeping, and even on the Martha Stewart show.  You can purchase any of their unique and wonderful items on their website. Here’s a special offer to all our readers – Use Code: BUNCHGW10 to get 15% discount on any of our products, excluding the cost of shipping. Code will remain active until the end of March.

Win It!: The Baby Bunch has generously donated a Medium Size Baby Bouquet worth $59.95 to one of our lucky readers. Here’s how to enter:

• One Mandatory Entry- check out The Baby Bunch and leave a comment telling us which item is your favorite.
• Two Additional Entries- follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please leave us a comment including your twitter id and your tweet url.
• Five Additional Entries- blog about this giveaway and include a link.  Please leave us a comment including the blog post url.
• Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway ends 15th March 2010 and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Good luck!!

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