I deserve a gold medal....

For spending 2 hours and 45 minutes shopping with 4 children (one of which I carried in my ERGO carrier).... in WAL MART of all places.....on a VERY BUSY day with all the Memorial Day shoppers. I endured at least 5 comments of, "You've got your hands full!", One "Can you possibly have any more kids" (really? How rude is that!!! But this WAS Walmart mind you). It took me two shopping carts to get to my van and then there was the task of unloading the carts and then unloading when we got home. I am pooped!!

We are going camping tomorrow. We try and go every Memorial Day weekend. Spending two nights sleeping in a tent with my two babies, nursing in the freezing cold in the middle of the night, dealing with the weather and trying to do everything I normally do at home outdoors does not really seem fun to me. However, I married an outdoor maniac and so I will endure for my husband because I love him and because I know the rest of my family enjoys it. It's my duty! lol.

I will post about our trip when I return home. I also have quite a few giveaways for you and all sorts of fun things to help you enjoy your summer.

I hope you all have have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Be blessed,
Beth

Our Utah Trip- (WARNING- lots of pictures!)

Now that it has been nearly 2 weeks since my family's trip to Utah, I have finally gotten around to blogging about it. We left for St. George, Utah on the 12th of May. We spent over 7 hours in our van with our 4 children to get there...but it was worth it. We then spent 5 days surrounded by beautiful mountain views, gorgeous weather, and the company of family. This was a mini family reunion for my husbands parents, siblings and their spouses. Some of us haven't seen each other in as much as 5 years! Far to long.

We stayed at my sister in laws husband's parents vacation home (that's a mouth full). It was a 3 level, beautiful 4 bedroom condo on a hill overlooking St. George. Very nice! We were all afraid we might ruin something.

Our stay was mostly spent in the condo visiting. We played games, ate lots of food, watched a couple movies, etc. Our big outing was to a local indoor water park. This was my childrens first time at a water park and they had a blast. My daughter is rather dramatic so it was hilarious hearing her scream as she went down the water slide for the first time. lol. I even went down the slide a few times! The water park was a small one and for the longest time we were the only ones there. That is fine by me. :-)

Anyway, here is some pictures of our trip. I took over 300...but I won't bore you with that many. {Yes, I know that is an insane amount of pictures for only 5 days!}

View from the top balcony of the condo

My husband's youngest brother holding baby J for the first time.
He is a Marine and obviously not good with babies! :-)

My kids had so much fun with their uncle. He made them into "Tacos" and had them laughing so hard. Oh, and that is my father in law in the background admiring the views. He lives in the Pacific Northwest and so savored every minute of the sunshine.

My daughter out for a hike with her auntie.
This hill was right next to the condo.

Wildflowers my daughter picked for me on her hike.

Visiting on the patio.
The two women are my sister in laws.

My son "C" and his Grandpa at the water park

My daughter and I making a splash!
Don't you just love our expressions?

These fountains were in the pool on the kids side.

My son totally posing for the camera.

Little E was afraid of the water.
Here he is walking with his aunt.

Having fun on the lily pads!

Me and my honey!

Baby J with Grandma enjoying the views.

My sister in law loves to bake and made
the most delicious Rhubarb berry pies!
(she is married to my husband's youngest brother..the Marine)

J taking a snooze with his uncle.
(This is my husband's other brother)

Here they are awake.
Ahhhh, sweet!
(I think they kind of look alike too!)

Little E showing some love.

More love

We can't forget Daddy!

My husband and his brothers.
This is kind of funny because my husband is actually the tallest of the three,
they were standing on a slope.

Random shot of little E eating watermelon.
He LOVED it.

My sister in law (husband's sister) taking on her brothers!
She slaughtered them.

The whole gang!
(Yes, my husband and I are the only ones with children so far)

That was our trip...in a nutshell. Hope you enjoyed. ;-)

Bright Starts- Bounce Bounce Baby Entertainer Review and Giveaway!

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED*

Bright Starts offers over 100 innovative products for your baby. They have created fun filled activity centers, play gyms, swings, bouncers and toys at prices anyone can afford. Many of their products have received awards such as the iParenting Media Award, Top Toy Of The Year Award and more! If you have a baby, you are going to love Bright Starts!
Now that baby J is 6 months old he is becoming more mobile. It is nice to have a safe place for him to play while I am busy cooking or when our family sits down for dinner. I am very excited to have the opportunity to tell you all about the award winning Bounce Bounce Baby entertainer by Bright Starts!

I have been on the look out for an entertainer that would be fun for my baby and yet not take up a lot of space. The Bounce Bounce Baby is compact in size, but does not lack in activities. It is exactly what I have been searching for! You are going to love all the features this entertainer has to offer....

• Electronic Piano with lights and 6 fun melodies
• Height adjustable Bounce Pad provides fun bouncing action when baby jumps up and down
• Seat spins 360 degrees for full access to toys
• Sun toy stalk ratchets and turns with Rattle beach center
• Leaf toy stalk with water-filled teether
• Toy bars feature: Spring Ball Slider, hanging Turtle Mirror, and Caterpillar Bead Chaser
• Toy loop for attaching more of baby‘s favorite toys
• Easy to clean toy tray
• Seat pad is machine washable

Not only do I appreciate the size of this entertainer, but am also impressed by the overall quality. The Bounce Bounce Baby is sturdy and well made. I love the bright colors and options. My baby is fascinated by all the toys. He chews on everything and always has a good time.
The Bounce Bounce Baby comes with all the pieces you see here. The step by step instructions allow for quick and easy assembly. I was able to assemble this entertainer within 10-15 minutes. The only tool you need is a philips screwdriver. Couldn't be easier!

BUY IT: You can purchase the Bounce Bounce Baby entertainer from Bright Starts online store here or at one of their many retailers here.

WIN IT: Bright Starts is giving one lucky Happily Domestic winner a Bounce Bounce Baby of their own. $44.99 Value (Also available in pink)

Here is how to enter:
First Mandatory entry:
Visit Bright Starts and tell me which other products they sell that you would love to try.

*Remember to leave your email address in your comment! YOU MUST DO THIS TO WIN*

After you have completed your first entry you are eligible for additional entries. *See my giveaway instructions here for more information. * *Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry AND include your e-mail address.*

• Follow my blog publicly through Google friend connect (can be found at my right sidebar.) - current follows count too!
• Subscribe to my blog emails via Feedburner. Sign up box on my right sidebar.
• Blog about THIS giveaway between May 26th and June 7th and gain TWO entries!!! link back to my site- leave the URL where you blogged. Please leave separate comments for each entry. Example "I blogged about your Bright Starts giveaway@ #1" then "I blogged about your Bright Starts giveaway@ #2".
• Grab my Happily Domestic button! (found at right sidebar)- Leave the URL where it is posted.
• Follow HappilyDomestic on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (counts as 1 entry)- after this you may "tweet" daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit one per day. Leave your tweet status.
• Vote for me at TOP 100 MOMMY BLOGGERS, link button is found at my top left sidebar. Leave a comment saying that you voted for me. This only counts for new votes.
• Enter any of my current giveaways, leave a comment and tell me which giveaway you entered. Counts as 1 entry per giveaway entered. Please leave separate comments per giveaway you entered.
• Follow Bright Starts on Twitter. Leave a comment saying that you did this.
• Sign up for Bright Starts email updates. (can be found at the bottom left hand side of their site.)
  

Giveaway ends Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.(MST). Winner will be drawn by the random number generator at Random.org and will be notified by email. Winner will also be announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. *This giveaway is open to USA residents ONLY. Must be 18 years old or older to win.*

Thank you to Bright Starts who provided me with the product for review. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received to conduct this review and giveaway.

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED*

Wordless Wednesday- Sitting Practice

Look Mom, I'm sitting!

Whoa, this is harder then I thought.

Uh, oh!

These pictures were actually taken a couple weeks ago. He is sitting MUCH better now. He can go a couple minutes without falling over. *sigh* They grow up way to fast! Wasn't he just born yesterday?

Ecostore USA- "No Nasty Chemicals!"{Auto Dishwasher Powder & Laundry Liquid Review}

The more I learn about how harmful regular household cleaners can be, the more I want to use only natural products around my family. As Americans, I think a lot of us assume that anything we can purchase at the supermarket is "safe". Little do we know that some of our everyday cleaners and household products can be deadly!

Check out some fast facts about household products:

(From Ecostore USA site)

• According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers accidental poisonings occur in the home every 30 seconds.
• The National Safety Council has reported that more children under four die of from accidental poisoning than are killed by guns.
• A report by the EPA to Congress determined household cleaners three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution.
• Women who work from home and are more frequently exposed to household toxins and poor air quality are 50% more likely to develop cancer.
• Newborn infants have trace levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies, passed on by their mother’s exposure.

Do we really want to take these kind of risks when there is safe, affordable options for our families?

ecostore USA has created products without toxic petrochemicals, phosphates, nitrates, chlorine, ammonia, enzymes, synthetic perfumes, coloring or dyes, optical whiteners/brighteners or chemical preservatives. They offer products for cleaning every room in your home. Not only this... ecostore USA offers products for personal hygiene as well as a whole line of products just for baby! ecostore USA uses sustainable ingredients derived from plants and minerals, producing safer products that work equally as effectively as those that are chemical-based. Customers have even reported that, after using ecostore USA laundry products to wash clothes and linens, children’s eczema and dermatitis have disappeared, while allergies and asthma symptoms have decreased. This is awesome!

My Ecostore USA experience:

I was excited when ecostore USA contacted me about doing a review of their products. I have read good things about their products. I chose their Auto Dishwasher Powder and Laundry Liquid for my review items.

Auto Dishwasher Powder - Must say... I LOVE this product! I am real picky when it comes to dishwasher detergents. I usually use Cascade Complete. Our dishwasher is older and does not clean the best and I have found that Cascade does the best job. Well...that is UNTIL NOW! Normally with Cascade, I fill both detergent cups on the dishwasher and still end up with a few dishes at the end that do not get clean. With only 1 small tablespoon of ecostore's Dishwash Powder, my dishes have been spotless! Not only do they come out clean, but they also come out shiny! I must admit, I was skeptical at first that it would clean at all considering it's natural and only requires 1 tablespoon. I am thoroughly impressed. I never thought I would find a dish washer detergent, especially a nice "green" one that would kick Cascades butt! I am sold.
Laundry Liquid- All ecostore USA products are super-concentrated. This means a little goes a LONG way. You literally only use one tiny capful of this detergent to wash a whole wash load (top loader). It has a wonderful eucalyptus aroma as it contains organic eucalyptus oil. I have been using this on my family's everyday laundry as well as our cloth diapers and it cleans marvelously. I love that it can safely be used for both. I am always on the look out for detergents that clean cloth diapers well. I only use half a capful on the diapers and they come out clean and smelling great. Again...I am thoroughly impressed.

I look forward to trying more of ecostore's products now that they have my full attention! You should give them a try as well. Click here to shop.

You can connect with ecostore USA to stay updated on all their latest products, sales, etc. on Facebook, Twitter, or their blog.

Thank you to ecostore USA who provided me with the products for review. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received to conduct this review and giveaway.

Newman's Own Organics Review and Giveaway!!!

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED*

Let's face it, we all love a little snack food now and then. Wouldn't you agree that if you are going to feed your family snacks that these foods should be organic and as "healthy" as possible?

Newman's Own Organics offers a wide selection of yummy snack and treats that are made from the highest quality organic ingredients. You'll find tasty Pretzels, Chocolate Bars, Fig Newmans, Champion Chip Cookies, Chocolate Cups, Newman-O's, Pop's Corn, Alphabet Cookies , Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar, Dried Fruit , Soy Crisps, Hermits, Mints, Coffee and Royal Tea and more!

I was sent a HUGE box of goodies for my family to try out. You can imagine the excitement from my children when they saw all the cookies! I am not a baker, so this was a real treat for them.

I let my children pick something to try right away. My 9 year old son chose the original flavor Newman's O's. These are much like Oreos, except made with with ingredients you can feel good about....Organic Unbleached Wheat Flour, Organic Sugar, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, etc. There is not one thing in the ingredients that I have to question what it is or how it is going to be harmful.

The taste test: these cookies are WONDERFUL! Every bit as good as an Oreo, very flavorful. My personal favorite is the Newman's O's Hint of Mint flavor. YUM.
I gave my 2 year old some of the Arrowroot Organic Alphabet Cookies. He loved them and stuffed his face. These are similar in taste in Animal Crackers but as like the Newman's O's contain healthy ingredients such as Organic Palm Fruit Oil.

What is Organic Palm Fruit Oil?

Organic Palm Fruit Oil is a non-hydrogenated oil, free of trans-fatty acids, is lower in saturated fat than butter, has no cholesterol, and contains antioxidants, including vitamin E.

My daughter chose the Barbeque flavored Soy Crisps as her snack (she ate a cookie too!). The Soy Crisps are a great alternative to rice cakes. They are low in fat but high in protein (7 grams per serving), making them a great snack for dieters as well as the whole family! They are also Gluten Free.

We have been equally impressed with the other Newman's Own Organic foods we have tried. All the cookies have been delicious. I love the mints, they come in 4 flavors Cinnamon, Ginger, Peppermint and Wintergreen and all taste wonderful. I like that they come in 1.76 ounce tins that can fit easily in my purse. Another one of my favorites is the dried fruit. Dried fruit always makes a nice snack and is great added to recipes, mixed with yogurt, or added to trail mix.

Organic+Delicious= Newman's Own Organic Foods!

BUY IT- You can purchase Newman's Own Organic foods at many online retailers and natural food stores across the nation. Click here to find a store near you. Don't forget to print off a coupon before you head out shopping! Click here.

WIN IT- Newman's Own Organics is giving one Happily Domestic reader a CHOCOLATE LOVERS GIFT PACK!!! This includes.. the large size (3.25 oz.) chocolate bars (Milk Chocolate, Mocha Milk Chocolate, Espresso Dark Chocolate, Orange Dark Chocolate & Super Dark Chocolate), the Chocolate Cups (Milk Chocolate Carmel, Dark Chocolate Caramel, Dark Chocolate Peppermint, Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter). Three varieties of Newman-O’s and Chocolate ABC cookies. A$50 Value!

Here is how to enter:

First Mandatory entry:
Visit Newman's Own Organics and tell me an interesting fact about either the company and or products.

*Remember to leave your email address in your comment! YOU MUST DO THIS TO WIN*

After you have completed your first entry you are eligible for additional entries. *See my giveaway instructions here for more information. * *Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry AND include your e-mail address.*

• Follow my blog publicly through Google friend connect (can be found at my right sidebar.) - current follows count too!
• Subscribe to my blog emails via Feedburner. Sign up box on my right sidebar.
• Blog about THIS giveaway between May 24th and June 1st and gain TWO entries!!! link back to my site- leave the URL where you blogged. Please leave separate comments for each entry. Example "I blogged about your NOO giveaway@ #1" then "I blogged about your NOO giveaway@ #2".
• Grab my Happily Domestic button! (found at right sidebar)- Leave the URL where it is posted.
• Follow HappilyDomestic on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (counts as 1 entry)- after this you may "tweet" daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit one per day. Leave your tweet status.
• Vote for me at TOP 100 MOMMY BLOGGERS, link button is found at my top left sidebar. Leave a comment saying that you voted for me. This only counts for new votes.
• Enter any of my current giveaways, leave a comment and tell me which giveaway you entered. Counts as 1 entry per giveaway entered. Please leave separate comments per giveaway you entered.

Giveaway ends Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.(MST). Winner will be drawn by the random number generator at Random.org and will be notified by email. Winner will also be announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. *This giveaway is open to USA residents ONLY. Must be 18 years old or older to win.*

Thank you to Newman's Own Organic's who provided me with the products for review. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received to conduct this review and giveaway.

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED*

Eleven Collection Shoes WINNER!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO SKGAFF!!

They left comment #394....

skgaff said...

entered guidecraft puppet theater giveaway
glass.stephanie(at)gmail(dot)com

May 18, 2010 8:21 AM

Winner has been contacted by email and has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner will be drawn.

Step2 All-Star Sports Climber WINNER!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO SUMMER BABIES!!!

They left winning comment #237....

Summer Babies said...

I voted for you on Top Mommy Bloggers.
summerbabies@yahoo.com

May 5, 2010 8:40 PM

Winner has been contacted by email and has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner will be drawn.

Doll Cloth Diaper Pattern Link

In case you were wondering where I found the pattern to make the doll cloth diapers, you can find it here. I know a couple of you have asked about it. :-) Trust me, my sewing abilities are minimal. If I can do this, anyone can. They are SO easy! I did enlarge the pattern a bit so that they would fit more of a cabbage patch size doll and my daughter's Bitty Baby.

Let me know if you give it a try. I would love to see your doll diapers!

A Special Thank You Post From One Of My Readers

Back in February when I hosted the Great Girl Event, I held a giveaway for a 3 pack of doll cloth diapers that I had sewn. Well, the winner was Tamara Yancy from Adventures of a SAHM blog. She posted a special thank you on her blog and I was so touched by it that I wanted to share it with you all. Make sure you stop by Tamara's blog and say hi. She is a wonderful stay at home mom and would love to meet you!

Here is her post:
(used with permission)

We won!

I love following other mom bloggers. A lot of them do product reviews and give away prizes. Recently I was fortunate enough to win a really cool prize: four homemade baby doll cloth diapers from one of my blogger friends, Beth, at Happily Domestic. Her blog is so awesome, she has all sorts of ideas for SAHM's like me. I was inspired by her weekly menu posts to start doing my own again. She recently hosted The Great Girl Event and personally sewed these totally cute baby doll diapers to give away as one of the prizes!
Emma and I were really excited, here's how it played out:

"Look, Emma, a package for us!"

"Mom, what are these?"

"Mom! Open 'em!"

"What the heck, these will never fit me."

"See, that's how you do it."

"Oh, OK, I got it now"

"Please!" *see her signing it

She's an old pro now.

Thanks so much, Beth!