Wordless Wednesday: All Dressed Up

Arn't my little gentlemen cute?

 And still a bit goofy!

Teaching Tuesdays: Building Fine Motor Skills

Fine Motor skills are an important part of every child's development. These skills assist in every day activities such as printing, dressing, eating, and more. 
Fine motor skills are also referred to as Manual Dexterity, and is the coordination of small muscle movements  usually in coordination with the eyes. 

These are skills that most parents don't even think about, they just come along. But what do you do if they don't?
What happens when your child is ready for school entry, and still can't button or zip a jacket? Or has trouble with the "pincer grasp?"
I have been faced with this dilema 3 times. Little P and Little S both have struggles with their fine motor development, and now Little C is following in their footsteps. When Little P was starting Kindergarten, he detested coloring so much he would scribble the page and then yell "done!"
I learned from that, and began looking up activities when Little S started showing the same delays.
I have learned some ways to help your Preschooler develop these crucial skills:

• Play Doh. There are so many things to do with Play Doh. Roll it into balls, use tooth picks to make designs, make "spaghetti" and other play food, the options are endless! The best part is you can make your own, or get it at the dollar store. 
• Coloring. Try to find pictures that interest your child. Coloring on an easel is especially good at strengthening the hand muscles. 
• Scissor activities. If need be, you can find spring loaded scissors. This can make it easier for children with weaker hand muscles.
• Connect the dots
• Lace up books
• String beads on a pipe cleaner or sting. You can make a necklace or bracelet for someone special to keep it exciting!
• Tweezers can be used in many ways, use them to pick up beads, cotton balls,  or play the classic Operation board game
• Use eye droppers to "pick up" water. Use food coloring to make different colors of water, and experiment with the mixtures
• Puzzles
• Playing with Legos

The most important thing is to find what interests your child, and stay consistant. If something is hard, most children will try to quit. The reward is great, and all good things are worth working for. 

Mission Giveaway: Woolzies

There are somethings that we all have to do, and laundry is one of them. I am always happy to find products that help save money, and keep chemicals away from my family. I am happy to bring you this week's Mission Giveaway sponsor does both!

About Our Sponsor

Soft By Nature, the company that produces Woolzies dryer balls, is a small family owned company located in the picturesque Hudson Valley region of New York State. Being very "green" and eco-conscious, they were looking to find a viable natural alternative to the dangerous chemical laden dryer sheets and liquids. They discovered how well pure wool balls worked in the dryer and decided to try and make the product available to as many people as possible.

You can purchase Woolzies on Amazon or on their web site at www.woolzies.com

Check out this video to learn more about how Woolzies can save you time and money!

The Prizes

Our winner will receive two sets of Woolzies Dryer Balls. They will also be able to choose another person to receive one set of Woolzies Dryer Balls.

Keep: TWO sets of Woolzies

Share: ONE set of Woolzies

How to Enter

The Giveaway will open up on 4/30 12:01 am EST and Close on 5/3 at 11:59 pm EST.

Complete the mandatory entries on the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out and Enter our Other Giveaways

Side note...It's not mandatory to enter all the giveaways at each blog. Those are just great bonus giveaways for you to enter.

Mission Giveaway started with Madame Deals and her $100 story where with $100 several people received the help they needed. We are on a mission to help people help each other! We have gathered a group of bloggers that want to make a difference. Together we are Mission Giveaway!

To ask about becoming a sponsor, please contact Amee or Dawn at madamedealsmedia@yahoo.com for details. Take a look at our Media Kit to see what Mission Giveaway has to offer.

Are you a blogger that would like to participate in Mission Giveaway? Find out how you can join us.

Find our official Terms and Conditions on the Madame Deals Media page.

Pin To Win Mother's Day Giveaway

Moms. We all have one, and lots of us are one. Mom's work so hard, we deserve a day off! Well, we want to give someone $100 Amazon Gift Card to celebrate!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is just around the corner. Let's celebrate mom! We've got a great Pinterest contest full of not only great Mother's Day gift ideas but a prize Mom is sure to LOVE!

#CelebrateMom

I’ve joined together with some great bloggers to bring you this fun Pinterest Contest. We’ve got some great Mother's Day themed posts to share with you.

Prize – $100 Amazon Gift Card

Mom will love $100 to spend on Amazon. Surprise her on Mother's Day with this great gift....OR win it for yourself! You deserve it!

How to Enter

Step 1: Click here and Follow All of Our Hosts

Step 2: Create a board on Pinterest and name it #CelebrateMom


Step 3: Visit our Contest Pinboard and re-pin at least 3 of your favorites from this board.

Step 4: Add your own additional favorite Mother's Day Themed pins (make sure to label ALL pins with the hashtag #CelebrateMom).

Step 5: When your board is done, CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY.

Giveaway starts 4/28 12:01 am EST. All entries must be entered no later than 5/11/13 at 11:59 pm EST to be eligible to WIN. Contest is open to US and Canada residents Only. The winning board will be picked via Random.org and winner will be emailed. Winner must reply to confirm within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn. Please make sure to check your emails!

New to Pinterest? No worries…here’s some Pinterest Contest visual instructions that may help.

Good Luck! We can’t wait to see your #CelebrateMom Pinboards!

Thanks to all of our co-hosts:

A Spectacled Owl| Me And My Handful| Slop Swap| Saving You Dinero| My UnEntitled Life| iSaveA2Z| Moms Saving Money| A Thrifty Geek| Family, Love and Other Stuff| Blogging Mom of 4 | Heavenly Savings|

Let's Revolt!

I am about to start a new journey, one that has my in knots! After 5 children, a thyroid condition, and a history of inactivity, I am planning to change my life. I want to loose the weight that has kept me down for so long.
I know that weight loss is not easy, and I know it takes work. If there was an easy fix, that worked and lasted, the whole world would be skinny!
I found out about Revolt Fitness from an other blogging friend, and will be starting the program on Monday.

What is Revolt?

Revolt is a online personal trainer,  meal plan, work out plan, videos, and supports to help you reach your goals, and get where you want to be.
I will go more in depth as I start this week. This week is Detox week for me, cleaning my body of all the sugars and garbage we normally eat. This will help my body prepare for the trasformation.

I hope you all will follow me on this journey! 

Kids Crafts For Mother's Day

I am not a crafty person, I admit it. But with 5 children, I need to make more of an effort to start crafts. They love it, it's great for their fine motor skills, and I boosts their self confidence. So I figured with Mother's Day right around the corner, now is a good time to start.

I know that Mom's are supposed to get Mother's day off, but let's face it. If you have small children, it's kind of hard to take the day off. And how can your little one go and buy you a gift right? Well, we can help them make a gift for Grandma, and the better they get at it, the better chance they will make you one next year! Or, if you are really lucky, they will pester Dad to help them.

This year, I want my kids to make a Mother's Day gift for their Oma, my husband's mom. So we are making tissue paper flowers. This is an easy craft perfect for school aged children.

What You Need

• tissue paper
• pipe cleaners
• scissors
• green construction paper
• glue

Assembly

Fold the tissue paper stack in an accordion style, like you would if you were making a paper fan.  

Next, cut the ends of the tissue paper rounding them off. This gives your flowers the petals. 

Take your pipe cleaner and wrap the end around the middle of your stack of tissues. Secure it tightly.
Now you can open your folds of paper. Depending on the age of your child, you might need to help them a bit, but this is a great dexterity exercise for young ones, and that helps the fine motor skills! Even if they say they can't encourage them to try. This step worked best with my 9 year old. 

Take your green construction paper and cut out leaves.  We omitted the leaves because I am using a vase.
Glue your leaves onto the pipe cleaner stems, and viola! A tissue flower.

    I placed all the flowers in a dollar store vase, and now we have a perfect gift for Mother's Day!

Thrifty Thursdays: Make your own Cloth Baby Wipes

I posted this on a different blog, and thought this fits right in with my Thrift Thursdays!
Not only are cloth wipes handy if you cloth diaper, but even if you disposable diaper. Commercial wipes leave your babies skin wet because of the alcohol. This can lead to yeast infections, and irate the skin. My doctor suggested I use cloth wipes years before I even considered cloth diapering. It is easier than you think!

First, decide on what type of wipe you plan to use. The simplest is baby wash cloths, most of us moms have a bunch and never use them all. You can also buy flannel at any fabric store, cut into squares and sew the edges down.

If you want something a little nicer, or different material, there are always people on Diaper Swappers and Etsy that sell pre-made cloth wipes. That's where I got mine. I use a wipe made from flannel and sherpa.

If you want your wipe to "pop up" like a disposable wipe, you need an old wipes container. Lay 2 wipes down on a flat surface, overlapping as below.

Next fold one side over.

Repeat the prosses until you have a stack of wipes to fill your wipes container. 

Now just feed the top wipe through the opening and you are done!

Then you have 2 options, wet or dry storage. Both have pros to them. If you are unsure how quick you will go through a batch, and have concerns with the wipes sitting wet, you can store them dry. When it is time to change your baby, just wet the wipe with tap water, or spray the wipe with a pre-made solution, and you are good to go!

For wet storage, you can use a home made wipes solution, or buy a pre-made one. I make my own, after all, we are trying to save money, right?

All you need are a few ingredients:

• Water
• Baby Wash
• Tea Tree Oil
• Lavender Oil (Optional)
• Olive Oil or Coconut Oil (Optional) 

I am currently out of Lavender Oil, so I am making it with out.

It is good to note, the combination of Lavender and Tea Tree Oil combats yeast infections.

I keep an old Baby Wash bottle to mix in. Add water, 2 squirts of baby wash, 7-10 drops of each oil, and 1/2 tsp of olive oil. Mix well and pour over your folded wipes. When I use Coconut oil, I use hot water, and mix the Coconut oil before adding. The oil melts easily, so it mixes in with solution. Coconut oil has more anti-fungal properties, so it is a great choice!

The solution will keep well over a week. The Tea Tree Oil keeps it fresh, and prevents bacteria growth. If you have extra troubles with yeast, be sure to add the Lavender Oil to the solution.

I have been using this solution for 5 years and have never had a problem with repelling on my diapers. The oils are so diluted, and applied onto the wipes, they don't transfer to the diapers them selves in the wash. 

Canon EOS Rebel Giveaway

I love photography. There is something about freezing a moment in time. Even though some see just a picture I see it all. The emotions, the memories, the smells, it can all come back from looking at a picture.
Like anything, having the right tools, makes the difference. Well, here is your chance to have the right tool to capture it all!

Welcome to the Photo Ready Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media

Please take a moment to say hello to our sponsor: Giveaway Booster

Have a giveaway? Great! Now, how do you get the word out about your giveaway? Of course you want to reach more than just your audience right?!

Giveaway Booster was created to help you reach a larger audience to promote your giveaways. Give your giveaway a BOOST through email, blogs, and all forms of social media!

Giveaway Booster offers several services:

Promote Your Giveaway - Submit your giveaway, sweepstakes or contests and they will promote them! You can even have your giveaway promoted on several sites!
List Your Giveaway Event - Bloggers do you need more bloggers to help you promote an event you are planning? List your giveaway for other bloggers to sign up.
Join Giveaway Events - Are you a blogger looking to join all these great events? Sign-up to offer your readers these great giveaways and grow your social media in the process.
Fans Enter Giveaways - Do you love to enter giveaways? Enter to win!!

Now let's talk about the fabulous prize package which includes:

Canon EOS REBEL T4i 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 3-inch Touchscreen and Full HD Movie Mode (Body) - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II SLR Zoom Lens - Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens - Telephoto & Wide Angle Lens Set - 3 pc Filter Kit: UV/ Polarizing filter/Fluorescent correction & Case - 32 Gigabyte SDHC Secure Digital Memory Card - Secure Digital USB Card Reader - Universal Memory Card Wallet - Pack of LCD Screen Protectors - Additional LP-E8 Rechargeable Lithium-ion Replacement Battery Pack - Well Protective SLR Camera Gadget Bag w/Pockets & Strap - Full Size 59" Tripod W/Case - Focus DVD Guide to Digital SLR Cameras - Focus Digital Grey Card Set for color correction - Focus 5pc Deluxe Lens Care & Cleaning Kit - HDMI cable

Special thank you to our lovely co-hosts {make sure to stop by and say hello}: Thinking Outside The Sandbox, Tiny Tidbits of an NC Diva, What's Up Reviews and Giveaways, 3 Boys and a Dog, Panlasang Pinoy Filipino Recipes, Mom to Bed by 8, Baby Costcutters and Powered By Mom.

One lucky winner will receive the Canon EOS REBEL T4i Prize Package {detailed above}!

Giveaway ends May 14th at 11:59pm, open worldwide residents, ages 18+. Residents outside of the US will receive a $750 Amazon GC instead. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Me And My Handful is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Baby's Firsts with Natrel Baboo

Baby's first smile, first laugh, first steps. The firsts are always exciting moments you will never forget. Even after 5 children, I still get excited with each first. I remember each first like it was yesterday, even little P's first smile, 9 years ago. 

There is something about a baby's first that everyone can relate to. Everyone know the first milestones Mom's look forward to. The first smile, first laughter, first roll, first crawl, and first steps. We all document it differently. Some in a baby book, or scrap book. Some with a digital album. It is so easy to share baby's firsts with every one we care about.

When Little S smiled, no one believed me, he was only 3 weeks old. I spent the next few days desperately trying to get a picture. It was well worth worth it! Now I can look at my tiny little guy and remember the joy I felt looking down at him. There really is nothing like it in this world.

When Little C smiled 4 years later, it was the same feeling. You rush to get a camera, and try to duplicate the moment. Some times I think they know how bad you want it, and hold back, laughing at you!


The firsts I get most excited about with Little C are a bit different. Since she is disabled, we have yet to get to the first steps, and I am focussing on some practical milestones. The biggest to me is the self feeding. I was able to nurse Little C for 19 months, and was happy to continue, but some factors were leading us to wean. At first, we would not get her to take a bottle, or any cups! She wouldn't take anything, it was maddening. We tried cow's milk, and she wanted no part of it. In desperation, I even tried chocolate milk, hoping for a sweet tooth. No luck. It took so much work to get her to take a sip on her own. The first time I had her pick up a cup, and drink, I was ready to cry! Sometimes we take some milestones for granted. Like drinking from a cup. I never thought I would feel such relief and pride as I did the first time she picked up her cup. When she began eating cookies and snacks, I felt the same joy. I wanted to cry.

One thing that really helped us, was Natrel Baboo. Little C loves their milk. Such a relief to me! No more sugar in the milk! Good nutrition is important to me, and our transition to a cup needed to be a healthy one. Natrel Baboo is a dairy product made with fresh milk specially designed to ensure a smooth transition from breast milk or infant formula to regular milk for toddlers aged 12-24 months. Packed with nutrients like vitamin D, calcium, Omega 3, it is formulated with all the nutritional needs for your toddler. Plus, it is shelf stable, perfect to take on the go!

Visit Natrel on Facebook for a free sample. I am so thankful to have found a product that is healthy for my daughter, and that tastes great. Give it a try!

Disclosure: I am part of the Natrel Baboo Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Krill Oil Giveaway

I am a firm believer that or health habits make or break us. We live in a world that is not what it used to be. Now, our foods are processed so much, while it does protect us in some ways, it depletes the food of vital nutrients. With all of our modern conveniences, we are not as active as we used to be, and this will effect the rest of our lives.

There is something we can do to take better control of our health. We can control what we put into our bodies, both with food choices, and supplement choices. I never used to take supplements, and when I had my daughter, I was so weak and tired, even 6 months post later. I began taking a quality multi vitamin, and omega 3's. The difference was quick, and drastic. I was my old self again!

Not all supplements are created equally. It is important to make sure you take a quality supplement if you expect to see results. That is why I was intrigued to find out about Krill Oil. What is special about Krill Oil? Everest Nutrition offers an explanation:

Everest Nutrition’s Krill Oil is extracted from Krill living deep within the waters surrounding the Antarctic. Krill are very small, shrimp like crustaceans found in open seas throughout the world. Research from the scientific and medical communities confirms the incredible effects this oil can have in promoting heart and joint health, lowered cholesterol, improved moods and comfort during menstruation.

So why take Krill Oil?

Some of the health benefits are:

• Protects your heart
• Assists in lowering cholesterol
• Alleviates PMS symptoms
• Anti aging
• boosts overall health and more!

There are so many noted benifits to taking a Krill Oil supplement, and now you have a chance to win some to try your self! one lucky winner will win a bottle of Krill Oil to try for themselves. Just fill out the form below. Good Luck!

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. This information is not to be construed as medical advice.  Consult a physician before using using any vitamins or supplements.

Choosing Made Simple

This post brought to you by Royal Building Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

Your home is the most important purchase you will make. We spend years with in it's walls, invest in it, and any choices we make, we are going to live with for a long time. When I bought my house, it was a mess! I knew that I needed to make some changes right away, and more as time went on. We started with painting the living room. Picking the color stressed me so much more than I thought it would. What if I made the wrong choice? What if it clashes with my furniture? The stress was unbearable! I still question some of my choices. Could I have picked a better combination? I am stuck now. Painting might seem like a cheap fix, but it is a lot of work when you have 5 kids!

Now, the exterior is calling to me. We have wood siding right now, and it looks awful. It is so important to make a good first impression, and I want my home to make a good one. So the stress begins again! So many options, what do I do? 

Thankfully, Royal Building Products is making it easy this time! I know I want vinyl siding, and they have a Virtual Remodeler. Forget the days of taking your paint swatches back home to see it against the surface. With the Virtual Remodeler you can upload a picture of your house, and see how the changes you want will look! Choose different siding types, colors, trim, and more! It was easier than I expected, and I had some fun with it too! I am usually so afraid of bold color combinations, but this takes that fear away. I was even able to get me husband excited about it. He right away wanted to get a picture uploaded to see what we can do to spruce up our home. 

Now that I have found the Virtual Remodeler, my exterior remodel plans are moving forward, and I am excited! 

Take some time and visit Royal Building Products to try their Virtual Remodeler. It's a great tool for any home owner!

Hairy Scary Spider Review

I love reading. Reading to my children is an added pleasure that words can't describe. Now, I have 2 children that can read on their own, and 2 more just learning. There is nothing like seeing your little one begin to read on their own. I am always on the look out for books for my children, after all, how can they love reading when they run out of books?

I was sent a copy of Hairy Scary Spider by Paula McBride to review. Honestly, I was not sure what to expect from the title. Hairy Scary Spider is a children's ebook written from the prospective of the spider.

Your child gets to join this not so scary spider as he swings, hides, and spins his webs. The cute illustrations bring this little spider to life, and make a scary insect, not so scary after all. My Little S is my fearful one. So much so, that he didn't even want to have this book read to him. Even he was taken in by this cute little spider.

I fully believe that a child can overcome any fear with a bit of help. This is exactly what I needed to help Little S realize that even a Hairy Scary Spider is not the monster he made him out to be.







Buy It:
Hairy Scary Spider is available for Kindle  and is a great addition to you child's library.
Visit Hairy Scary Spider on Fabcebook

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy for free to review, all opinions are my own.

$100 Comment Starter Giveaway

We all could use a few extra dollars, right? These days every cent counts!

Welcome to the Comment Starter Giveaway!

Organized by: Baby Costcutters and Mom to Bed by 8

This giveaway is special!!! There are no pages to "like" or "follow". As bloggers we like to have conversations with our readers....this is just a way to get the conversation started.

One lucky reader will receive their choice of $100 via paypal or a $100 Amazon eGift Code!

Giveaway ends April 25th at 11:59pm, open to worldwide, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Me And My Handful is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Please contact tina@babycostcutters.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

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Lovable Labels New Party Packs

Planning a party for your little one soon? We just had our Little C's 2nd birthday last month, and there is always so much to do! Going through the check list is always the final thing. Decorations? Check. Cake? Check. Guests invited? Check. Loot bags? Uh oh.

I always forget about the loot bags! Now I run to the store, and franticly find things to throw in, and of course it's always candy, and cheap toys that break as soon as you use them.
I know when my kids come home from a party with lots of candy, I am just THRILLED (insert sarcasm here) with the sugar and cheap toys, the tears when the toy breaks, and the fights over it when there isn't enough to go around. Well, no more!

Now Lovable Labels has come out with Party Packs! Sold in groups of 6, each Party Pack is made with quality labels custom made for each of your guests in 1 of 20 designs. This makes it easy to match your parties theme!

Each Party pack includes:

6 Sticker Labels
2 Shoe Labels
8 Press n' Stick Clothing DOTS™
1 Mini-Metal Tag 

Lovable Labels are Dishwasher and Microwave safe, UV resistant, and waterproof! For only $30, that makes it only $5 each! Not bad!

Extra bonus: You can use coupon side ChelseaLB2 for 10% off! That makes it only $4.50 each! 
Check out Lovable labels and see all they have to offer. You won't be disappointed!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on these or make a purchase, we may receive compensation, and we thank you! 

Mission Giveaway: Little Pim

Have you ever tried learning a new language? It is hard! I want my children to learn more than just one language, they say that once you learn more, it gets easier and easier. The earlier you start teaching language, the easier it is to learn.

About Our Sponsor

Little Pim is a foreign language learning company that introduces children between the ages of 0 and 5 to a foreign language using DVDs, music CDs, flash cards, and books. Little Pim is the brainchild of Julia Pimsleur Levine, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and mother. Julia was inspired by her own bilingual childhood; she learned French fluently by age six and is the daughter of Dr. Paul Pimsleur, who created the Pimsleur Method, the popular language learning program for adults. Little Pim uses the Entertainment Immersion Method®, which integrates the latest scientific research regarding kids’ language learning and brain development. Each of the Little Pim educational DVDs has a unique, child-friendly theme, such as eating, playtime and feelings. The method teaches 360 words and phrases, providing the essential building blocks for language learning. A child only needs 500 words to be considered “conversational” in a language. Babies, toddlers and kids respond enthusiastically to Little Pim’s format, which combines animated and live-action videos.

The Prizes

  Our winner will get to choose between the Little Pim French 3 DVD Set ($60 Value) or the Little Pim Spanish 3 DVD set ($60 value). Each set will include: 3 DVDs (eating and drinking, wake up smiling, playtime), a 9" velvety soft plush Little Pim panda and a fun, see-through Little Pim tote bag. Together, the three DVDs will introduce your kids to 180 words and phrases. Using Little Pim’s unique Entertainment Immersion Method, Little Pim will captivate your child by turning everyday activities into fun adventures. The DVDs combine animation and real kids, teaching simple words and phrases for everyday activities. Winner Keeps: Language set of choice (French or Spanish) Winner Shares: Language Set of Choice (The remaining prize pack)

How to Enter

The Giveaway will open up on 4/16 12:01 am EST and Close on 4/19 at 11:59 pm EST.

Complete the mandatory entries on the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out and Enter our Other Giveaways

Side note...It's not mandatory to enter all the giveaways at each blog. Those are just great bonus giveaways for you to enter. Mission Giveaway started with Madame Deals and her $100 story where with $100 several people received the help they needed. We are on a mission to help people help each other! We have gathered a group of bloggers that want to make a difference. Together we are Mission Giveaway! To ask about becoming a sponsor, please contact Amee or Dawn at madamedealsmedia@yahoo.com for details. Take a look at our Media Kit to see what Mission Giveaway has to offer. Are you a blogger that would like to participate in Mission Giveaway? Find out how you can join us. Find our official Terms and Conditions on the Madame Deals Media page.

Stokke Tripp Trapp Giveaway

Hosted by: My Four Littles, Everything Mommyhood, and Four Littles Media

Sponsored by: Stokke

Special Thanks to Our AWESOME Cohosts

Boys Oh Boys, The Coupon Crazy Mom, Simply Southern Couponers, and Fun With Four

This giveaway is part of the Bloom Into Baby Event.

Be sure to check out all of the current Bloom Into Baby giveaways in the linky below the Giveaway Tools Form.

  Stokke brings you the most innovative baby and children's products around. 
The Tripp Trapp is no different. Check out the Stokke Tripp Trapp Review on My Four Littles.

A good high chair is worth investing in, especially one that grows with your child. If you have never checked out the Stokke Tripp Trapp, You are missing out!

One lucky reader will win a Stokke Tripp Trapp (RV $250).

This giveaway is open to the United States only.

This giveaway will begin 12:00am EST April 15th and end 11:59pm EST April 29th.

All entries will be verified.

Good luck and thank you for entering!

Entry-Form

  Don't stop now!   Enter some more Bloom Into Baby Giveaways!

  Disclosure: This giveaway is not associated with, affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or any other social media platform in any way. Social media outlets are in no way responsible for sponsor prize fulfillment. The sponsor alone is responsible for fulfilling the aforementioned prize. This blog did not receive compensation for posting this giveaway. Your information will not be shared with anyone without your explicit consent.
This giveaway event is hosted by Amanda from My Four Littles and Four Littles Media. You can contact Amanda at contactus@myfourlittles.com with any questions, concerns, or to see your company featured on a Four Littles Media event.

Pintastic Pintrest Party

Don't you just love Pintrest? So many great recipes, money savers, tips and more! I know I could spend hours looking at all the different pins, and I am not alone. Maybe we should start a support group, but instead of trying to kick the habit, we share our favourites! Well, that's what we are doing here!

Welcome to our Weekly Pintastic Pinning Party!!

Each week we'll be hosting a Pinning Party for you to link up your favorite pins, find new pins to re-pin and to find some new pinners to follow.

Sounds like a Pintastic Good Time right?! So Find some Pinspiration This Week!!

Each week the Pintastic Pinning Party will start on Sunday evening. You may link up on Blogging Mom of 4 or any of our weekly hosts. Each week we will be changing hosts to give you all fresh new Pintastic Pinning content for your viewing pleasure!

Here's our Featured Pin from last Week:

Solstice Lantern DIY from Crafting Connections


Link up below and you may be our featured Pin of the week!

We'd love it if you followed our Pintastic Hosts for the week who are helping to provide pinspiration:

Coupons with Q Smart Savvy Living A Thrifty Diva Surviving Mommy Hood Color Me Crystal Slop Swap Me And My Handful Sweet Pennies from Heaven Blogging Mom of 4 Madame Deals

There are no official rules for our Pinning Party but here are some suggestions:

• Link up your pins directly from your Pinterest Account and add the name of the PIN (not your name or your blog name)


• Hop around and visit some of the pins of others who have linked up. I'm sure you'll find lots of great Pintastic Pins.


• Follow others who have linked up.


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101 years ago....

101 years ago, the world changed as the biggest moving object built to that point, sank to the bottom of the cold, unforgiving, unbiased ocean floor. I have a slight obsession with the Titanic. Not because of the movie, or the tragedy, but with the ship itself. The Titanic was unlike any ship build, and it's luxury, innovation, and spender was unbelievable. The cruise ships today are not build to the same standard, and it is unimaginable to see the luxury that was the Titanic. Even the third class cabins were better than it's competition.

Everyone has heard about the Titanic, but many people still believe many myths, and that is a real tragedy. Don't get me wrong, it's not the same as the loss of life, but if a convicted murderer is found to be wrongly convicted, we consider that to be a tragedy. So should blame in the wrong place in the loss of 1500 souls. Some of these myths make me a bit crazy! Like I said, I am a Titanic Buff. I watch every special, read every book I can, and go to any exhibit I am able to. Recently, I was able to visit the Titanic Experience in Orlando, and even got a chance to talk to someone who has dove down to the wreck site.

Myth 1: The Titanic was arrogant, just ramming into icebergs
Actually, the Titanic was following the eras normals. Captains often hurried through the iceberg areas to get through them as quick as possible. Under normal seasonal conditions, look outs would have seen any icebergs with enough time to move. The night 101 years ago was a flat calm, near freezing. This created a mirage, raising the horizon, and with no waves, and pitch black sky, the look outs didn't stand a chance. It was a rare set of events that doomed the ship. Sure, we can say "if they were going slower" or "if this" and "if that." The world is full of ifs. We make decisions based on our normals. The normals of 1912 are what influenced the decisions made that night, We can't make decisions based on future knowledge, and neither could the people on the Titanic.

Myth 2: It was not right to carry the minimum requirement of life boats.
Actually, in the early 1900's, the Atlantic Ocean was filled with ships. The life boats were normally used as a ferry between ships in the case of an emergency. It is also important to note that only 50 crew members were trained to launch life boats. More life boat with out crew to lower them, would not have saved any lives.

Myth 3: The ship was just not built as well as they thought.
Actually, through out history, ships that were sinking would cap size, causing a whole new problem for passengers trapped on the ship. The Titanic sank quickly, but stayed up right as long as possible. If the ship had capsized, the tragedy would have been greater, with a larger loss of life.

Myth 4: This is a big misconception- The builders claimed Titanic was "Unsinkable"
Actually, the builders and owners never stated that the ship was unsinkable, but that it was "virtually unsinkable." While it is a small difference, when taken in context, it changes things. The "virtually unsinkable" statement was in reference to the technologies available at the time as they were applied to the ship. This was referring to the double bottom, and water tight compartments. To the fact that it was as unsinkable as they could make it, not a claim that "God himself could not sink this ship" as movies would have us believe.

After 101 years, many movies have changed our perception of that cold April night.  We always tell our children not to believe everything they see on TV, and yet, we can find our selves doing the very same thing. We remember the heroes as the movies portray them.  This is not always the case. Most of the time the movies take some facts, and fictionalize them to create entertainment.

While I was at the Titanic experience, I leant more than I expected. I leaned about heroes I had never heard of. This year, I am remembering the victims of this tragedy by learning about the heroes the movies leave out. Like John Harper, a Baptist preacher who gave up his life jacket, and gave his life to share the gospel. I just ordered a book about it "Titanic's Last Hero" and I can't wait to read it. Not every hero is in the movies. Some are the ones who gave their lives so others can live, and some are the ones who built a ship that was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that stayed above water as long as possible, to save as many lives as possible.