Frugal Novice

KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway!!

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One of the very best parts of blogging has been meeting amazing women in the blogging community. I’m thrilled to be partnering with nine other bloggers to host an awesome giveaway for one of my very favorite kitchen items – a KitchenAid mixer.

I can’t tell you how much use mine has gotten over the years! Here’s one of my favorite recipes to make with my KitchenAid – a crispy almond meringue layer cake. SOO good, and so easy with the help of the KitchenAid Mixer. We want to hear what you’d make if you win the mixer, so comment on this post and enter via the Rafflecopter below. And be sure and check out the blogs for the other hosts, too!

Jennifer at http://jennsraq.com
Courtney J at http://joyofmommajoyner.com
Courtney L at http://courtneyssweets.com
Lauren at http://crazyaboutmybaybah.com
Melissa at http://sippycupmom.com
Samantha at http://yourgoldenticketblog.com
Kathy at http://amomsimpression.com
Audrey at http://iambarkingmad.com
Virginia at http://thatbaldchick.com

One winner will receive a Classic KitchenAid mixer, ARV $269.99! This giveaway is open to all U.S. residents age 18+.

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SIMPLE Service with Champions for Kids

Note: I am participating in campaign brought to you by Champions for Kids and The Motherhood. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Did you know that 9.8 million kids – more than ever before – get free or reduced price school breakfast on an average day, but 10.6 million eligible kids go without? Hunger has a huge effect on how a child performs at school. In fact, 9 out of 10 teachers say having a healthy breakfast is a key to academic achievement.

I know I can tell a huge difference in my kids’ behavior and attitudes when they’re hungry, so it makes me especially empathetic toward kids who aren’t starting their day off nourished. I was really excited, then, when I learned about the Champions for Kids partnering with Kellogg Company and Diamond Foods for SIMPLE Service projects. The idea is to host or organize an event to collect breakfast foods to then donate to a local organization that serves children in need.

In the stage of life my friends and I are at, we are all incredibly busy all the time. We have kids, we’re working full time, we have baseball practices to go to and Bible school classes to teach. I thought the easiest way to organize an event to help kids would be to put out a call with friends and family for donations. I wasn’t sure how much we’d raise, but I should’ve known that the amazing people in my life would do amazing things. In just a few days we raised $200! Thank you so much to Michelle, Amanda, Jennifer, Chandra, Chemese, and Charla for your donations.

I decided to partner with the Child Advocacy Center for our donation. One of my best friends works for the center (which is a part of our police department). The Child Advocacy Center is a safe place for kids to be interviewed about severe crimes that they either witnessed or were victim of. These kids have been through nightmares, and I love the idea of providing them breakfast items and snacks that can nourish them and maybe make them feel a tiny bit better in a scary time of their lives.

I had a blast shopping for the kids. I bought granola bars, cereal bars, raisins, cranberries, squeezable fruit, applesauce, juice, shelf-stable milk, cereal, crackers, and animal crackers. While I was shopping at Walmart I even saw a Champions for Kids display:

Here’s all the food we were able to provide for the center:

And here’s my friend Kristi – so proud of the great work she does with kids each and every day!

Champions for Kids has 4 easy steps for organizing your own SIMPLE Service Project at http://championsforkids.org/simple/. And, if you share your project at championsforkids.org/share by May 15, 2014, Kellogg’s will even make a matching donation of up to 1000 breakfast items through Champions for Kids to help children in need! Even if you do something just with your family, or with a small group of friends, you can make a difference in kids’ lives. I loved the experience of our service project and am inspired to do more soon!

Moms, You’re Doing OK!

Note: This post is sponsored by Johnson’s Baby Cares and the Motherhood. Johnson’s Baby Cares is the Johnson’s Baby brand charitable platform.

It’s easy to feel less than as a mom. There are always other moms out there who seem to have it more together than you do, and it’s easy to wonder what they know that you don’t.

I’ve had many instances of second-guessing myself. Is it OK that I’m working full-time? Is it OK that my babies slept in pack n’ plays in our room way longer than they probably should’ve?

Lately my issue has been housecleaning. We’ve got three kids ages 6 and under, and our house gets cluttered with toys, shoes (ok, some of those are mine), backpacks, and art projects. The clutter bothered me for a while, I’ll admit. And we are pros at the 10-minute flight-of-the-bumblebee cleanup before company comes over.

But you know what I figured out? Leaving the house cluttered also leaves more time for board games, movie night, bike rides around the neighborhood, and baking cookies together in the kitchen.

I figured out that I’m doing ok as a mom. And you know what? You are, too.

We’ve got to remember that everyone has something that’s difficult for them, and that’s okay. None of us are perfect, but our kids don’t need perfect parents. They need us.

To my friend who’s newly navigating the waters of single parenthood, you’re doing OK. To my friend who’s been a single mom to two beautiful girls for several years now, you’re doing OK. To my friend who’s had to seek out treatment for her daughter’s extreme eczema, you’re doing OK. In fact, y’all are doing better than ok. You’re all amazing and inspirations to me, and I hope you know what a wonderful job you’re doing for your kids. I’m so proud of each of you, and of all my friends that are moms.

With Mother’s Day coming soon, it’s a great time to remind every mom around us that she’s doing OK.

JOHNSON’S^®Baby CARES, the JOHNSON’S^® Baby brand’s charitable platform, is committed to ensuring that every baby has a healthy and happy start through educational and social initiatives, product donations, and financial support. In fact, they’ve got an awesome initiative going on right now – for every view of their “You’re Doing OK, Mom” video between now and Mother’s Day, JOHNSON’S^® Baby will donate $1 to Save the Children^® up to $50,000. Save the Children is an organization that gives children around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm.

You can get started right now – view the video below and help us send a message of love to a deserving mom – and share this with your friends! It’s SUCH an easy way to make a difference.

I hope you’ll also join me May 8 at 12 p.m. Central for a Twitter party honoring moms everywhere with the simple reminder that “you’re doing OK.”

Join us for this special Twitter party as we share stories acknowledging the moms in our lives who are doing OK, along with our own experiences with motherhood after becoming moms ourselves.

JOHNSON’S® Baby CARES, the JOHNSON’S® Baby brand’s charitable platform, is committed to ensuring that every baby has a healthy and happy start. To extend this promise, for every view of the “You’re Doing OK, Mom” video between May 1 and Mother’s Day, JOHNSON’S® Baby will donate $1 to Save the Children®, up to $50,000. We can’t wait to share and discuss this video during the party!

When: Thursday, May 8, at 1p ET (12p CT / 10a PT)

Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #YoureDoingOKMom hashtag to track the conversation. You can see more details and RSVP using the Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/youredoingokmom

Hashtag: #YoureDoingOKMom

Prizes: Five prizes will be awarded to randomly selected participants who correctly answer the trivia questions tweeted by @theMotherhood25. Each prize includes an assortment of JOHNSON’S® Baby products worth $50 in value. Prizes are limited to U.S. participants only, ages 18 and older.

Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Sleeper

I wish I slept this comfortably (and cutely) each night!

Mocc Ons Combine Slippers and Socks… and Cuteness!

Note: We received a pair of Mocc Ons and a pair of Plod Ons. We were not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are our own.

If you’re the parent of an infant or toddler you know how difficult (impossible, really) it can be to keep socks on those little feet! They fall off, they’re pulled off… they just don’t stay on. An issue we’ve discovered with socks, too, is that they cause baby E to slip on our hardwood floors.

Mocc Ons are a great solution to this issue – they’re moccasin style slipper socks, designed to fit babies from six months up to three years. They’re made of cotton stitched to a leather sole.

E really liked her “shoes” as she called them. They were really easy to slip on, and she immediately took off to play!

I even had her try them out on our hardwood floors and they did a great job of keeping her from slipping around. In Texas it’s a little warm for her to wear these right now but I know we’ll get a LOT of use out of them come fall and winter!

Mocc Ons are available on Amazon and other retailers in a variety of styles perfect for girls or boys. You can also keep up with the company on Facebook.

Grab a Monster of a Deal on QVC Today!

Our house is pretty much all tile and wood flooring, so needless to say I do a lot of sweeping, and it can get old really quickly. I’m kind of in love with the idea of the Monster Cordless Sweeper, because it has the potential to make house cleaning a whole lot more pleasant!

The Monster is a lightweight cordless sweeper that you charge prior to using. Just charge it overnight before you want to use it, and you’ll have plenty of power to sweep the floors in your house for up to 25 minutes.

The Monster All Surface Cordless Electric Sweeper tames debris, large and small, with an extra-thick brushroll system and an edge-cleaning side brush. The large capacity collection bin releases with ease, so you can leave your daily sweep in the dust–without having to actually touch it!

Here are some other features of the sweeper:

Extra thick brush roll
Exclusive side brush for along the wall cleaning
Touchless large removable dust cup
1-year limited manufacturer’s warranty
Picks up heavy duty mess
Ultra quiet
Works on any hard floor – and carpets too!
Lightweight and easy to use
Easy to clean brush roll

Today QVC will be offering the Monster at a featured price of just $49.92! Click here to find out more and see how you can order yours today for a great deal.

Share the Joy of Beneful with Your Four-Legged Friends! {Giveaway}

Note: Beneful provided me with product samples, and with the opportunity to host this giveaway. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Our Lab/Golden Retriever mix, Sally, is huge – especially compared to our three kids, each of whom she greatly outweighs – but she is incredibly sweet and patient, loyal and loving.

When one of the kids goes to time out, Sally is always right there to keep them company and give them plenty of kisses. Lately she and baby E have been teaming up to provide time out company!

Sally was tiny when we got her. Totally soft and snuggly, and content to lay around in our laps.

The boys wanted to name her Lightning McQueen, but we were (thankfully!) able to shift their preference over to Sally, and now we often call her Sal, or Sally O’Malley – or Woof Woof, if baby E is the one doing the talking.

She’s full of energy and is all over the place, but you’ll very rarely find her alone. She wants to be with us, and it makes sense, because she is part of our family.

With Sally being such an important part of our lives, it only makes sense that we want to give her the very best.

Beneful provides delicious and healthy food for dogs. In a recent survey by Beneful, they found that nearly half of the dog owners surveyed (46 percent) say their dogs get bored eating the same food every day and 89% agree that their dogs’ nutrition is as important to them as their own. It only makes sense, then, to choose food and treats for your dog that she can enjoy.

Beneful has a wide variety of flavors and options, with high-quality ingredients your four-legged family member will love.

Sally was really excited about the Beneful treats I gave her last night – she could hardly even wait for me to open the package:

The Stars treats are packed full of bacon and cheese, so I can imagine why she was extra eager! Being the good girl that she is, she (semi-) patiently waited.

Update: I’ve compiled an album on the Frugal Novice Facebook page of all the adorable dog photos that have been submitted! Click here to check them out, and don’t forget to send me a pic of your pup that would love to win Beneful food & treats!

I’m thrilled to be able to offer a pretty amazing giveaway thanks to Beneful – one lucky winner will receive ONE WHOLE YEAR’s supply of Beneful brand wet & dry dog food and treats! This giveaway is open to all US residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Wednesday, May 14. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules. Just enter via the Rafflecopter below!

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The Stork Provides Reproductive Aid in the Comfort of Your Own Home

Note: This post was sponsored by The Stork and The Motherhood. All opinions are honest and are my own.

When you and your spouse first start trying to conceive, you eagerly anticipate the day you’ll see the two pink lines (or + sign, or “Yes”, depending on your brand of test!) and know that you are pregnant and expecting your own bundle of joy.

Now more than ever, couples are experiencing issues with infertility that make those two pink lines an elusive vision. Approximately 1 in 6 couples (that’s about 7.3 million couples) have difficulty conceiving – and that’s just in the United States alone! I was surprised to discover the percentages of success for women in various age ranges, too:

Females age 20-25, 25% chance per month of conceiving
Females age 30-35, 15% chance per month of conceiving
Females age 35-40, 10% chance per month of conceiving
Female age 40, 5% chance per month of conceiving

With many women waiting to have children later in life, these lower rates of success can play a big factor in couples seeking out fertility help. There are many options to pick from, with the most popular being Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). IUI’s typically cost $1,000-$5,000 per cycle, and IVF costs anywhere from $12,400-$20,000 per cycle – the cost is really staggering, and it can be financially crippling to couples who must undergo multiple rounds of treatment.

Now there’s a new reproductive aid that costs much less than other treatments – The Stork. The Stork is a physician-used technique now available for use in the privacy of your home. It’s FDA-authorized via prescription, requires no drugs, injections, or surgery, and is extremely easy to use. It just costs $79 for one, or $210 for a supply of three.

What’s great about The Stork (besides its affordable cost) is that it’s incredibly easy to use, so it doesn’t add another layer of confusion and frustration to an already frustrating time. The Stork is a really simple device and they even provide a video with clear-cut instructions explaining every step of the process.

Right now The Stork requires a prescription, so just go to your provider and ask for them to supply you with one. Then you’re able to purchase The Stork from their website and have it shipped directly to your home. Soon, though, The Stork will be available over the counter on Amazon.com and at CVS in the family planning aisle. It’ll be even easier for you to access this great device and use it for help in trying to conceive.

Be sure and follow The Stork via their social media channels so you can stay up to date on all their news, including when they’re available over the counter! You can find them on Facebook,

Twitter, &

Vimeo.

EZ Leaps Makes Shoe Tying “EZ” for Kids!

Note: We received EZ Leaps to try. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are my own.

Our two sons are at about the age now where they really need to be learning to tie their shoes. As every parent knows, though, this can be a really daunting skill to learn, with children easily getting frustrated (and parents, too!).

EZ Leaps aims to make the process much easier – even fun – for kids.

Eileen Sloan is the mind behind EZ Leaps. She is a wife, mother of two adult daughters and a former elementary school teacher who witnessed first-hand the struggles children face when learning new skills. As a mother and teacher, Eileen would often seek out products to help her be a more effective educator.

EZ Leaps are special cards that allow your child to slip the laces through and hold them in place so it makes learning to tie laces much easier. The cards are colorful and have fun designs on them, so you can pick a design that best fits your child’s personality!

Here’s a little more about how EZ Leaps work:

To buy an EZ Leaps shoe tying tool, visit their site’s store here. Before you know it, your child will be tying their own shoes!

Celebrate Spring with Starbucks Spring Blend Coffee

Note: I received samples from Starbucks & Modern Mom to facilitate this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

I love spring. In Texas, things start to get brown at the end of summer from how hot and dry the weather is, so by the time winter is ending I am really ready to see some green. The weather isn’t hitting triple-digit temperatures, and we can enjoy being outside as a family.

I’ve got many great family memories of being outside together, but one of my favorites involves my grandparents up in Illinois. Every year we would make the 12-hour trek up to see my dad’s parents in their tiny little Illinois town. And every morning I would wake up (usually the latest of anyone!) and go out to their side porch to find everyone sitting around sipping coffee and chatting. Here’s a pic of grandma on her porch, waiting for everyone to come join her:

After I got married, Brian started joining us on the trips – I informed my late-sleeper husband of the morning coffee on the porch, and he began to join in on the tradition, too. When our two boys were still just toddlers, they got to visit Illinois and experience the porch tradition, too (although they preferred to wander around and collect rocks!).

You never know what memories will end up sticking out most in your mind, but sitting around on grandma’s porch together with coffee and visiting will always be something I remember fondly.

For whatever your spring traditions are, Starbucks has a Spring Blend that is a perfect complement to your celebrations and gatherings. It combines exquisite beans from Latin America and East Africa and was created to perfectly pair with buttery shortbread and early harvest berries—a love poem to the season of renewal.

Whether you’re sitting around on your porch visiting with family or are enjoying another special spring tradition, the Starbucks Spring Blend is sure to bring another pleasant note to the memories you’re creating.

#HealthyEssentials make every day Earth Day

Note: This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® 2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. All opinions are honest and are entirely my own.

Earth Day is this month, and it’s a great opportunity to talk with your kids about how we’re stewards of the resources around us; you can teach even the youngest of children about recycling – I know our boys both have learned about recycling at school and think it’s really cool when we repurpose items for crafts rather than throwing them away. Taking small steps for yourself and with your kids is an important move toward having more mindfulness overall about taking care of the Earth.

Another easy way to teach your kids about recycling is to buy products with recycled packaging, or with packaging that can be recycled. Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies includes many brands with recycling-friendly packaging, so I can feel good not only knowing I’m buying products that work well for my family, but also that are good for the Earth. In fact, you can even find great Earth Day ideas on their Healthy Essentials site, along with great coupons and opportunities to save money on quality products – it’s easy to click and “clip” coupons for all sorts of essentials you need for your family.

On the Healthy Essentials site, you can also learn more about a great way to get involved and make a difference with their Donate a Photo app. Just download the app for your smart phone, and:

For every photo you share, Johnson & Johnson donates $1 to a cause you want to help – which does things like fix up a public park, get medicine for an infant, or help kids play sports safely. You choose the cause you want to help, Johnson & Johnson makes it happen.

You can donate one photo a day, every day. With a photo a day, you’ll make a difference by raising money and awareness for causes you care about. Share with your friends and you’ll help your causes meet their goals faster.

I know I’ll be sharing photos – I take a ton as it is, and it’s such an easy way to make a difference each and every day.

I hope you’ll take part in Earth Day this year – don’t forget, you can find tips and suggestions at the Healthy Essentials site to help get you started.

Potty Training Check-In #CelebrateFirstFlush

Note: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Pull-Ups. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

E is definitely at the phase where she wants to do everything herself. So independent! We’re glad, though, because it’s really amazing seeing her learn to do new things all by herself, and it’s even more amazing to see a huge grin on her face when she’s successful with what she’s trying!

We’re still moving slowly with potty training, but she is giving us more and more signs that she is ready. She’s started telling us if she is dirty (which, incidentally, the boys didn’t do until they were 3 – this girl doesn’t like to be dirty)!

My biggest tip as we’re on this potty training journey is to start introducing the idea of potty training as early as possible. This doesn’t mean sticking your baby on the potty as soon as they can sit up, but let your child come to the restroom with you and talk to them using basic words so that “potty” becomes a part of their vocabulary and isn’t a foreign concept to them.

As they get older, even before they’re ready to actually start potty training, let your child sit on a little potty seat just their size. It gets them familiar with it and will make potty training seem less intimidating. We like to use a potty seat that can adapt to sit on the real toilet, too (it’s SO nice to just be able to flush everything away).

Let your child practice pulling on their Pull-Ups and taking them off, too. Praise them for being a “big boy!” or “big girl!” whenever they put their pull-up on or sit on the potty. We tried all sorts of bribes with the boys, but I think praise goes a long way. Every child likes to hear that their parents are proud!

We’re so thankful to have the Big Kids Academy tips to refer to for other great potty training ideas. Potty training can be a frustrating experience for everyone involved, but the more you know – and the more prepared you are – the smoother things will go. Before you know it, your little one will be diaper free! Don’t forget you can also get tips from the Pull-Ups Facebook page and Twitter page, too.

Pull-Ups has recently announced that they’re partnering with The First Years, who makes potty training systems and seats (we used their potty seats with both of the boys!). Their seats have great colors and even some fun Disney themes to help get your kiddos excited to sit on the potty. Right now if you purchase a specialty potty system from The First Years, you’ll get a FREE sample pack of Pull-Ups Training Pants, too!

So, if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed about potty training your child (we’ve totally been there), take a deep breath and go check out the Pull-Ups resources I mentioned above. You can do this, and it can be easier than you think!

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