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Frugal Novice

Do the {Sandwich} Shuffle! {Giveaway}

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We are HUGE Jason’s Deli fans in our family, and eat there 3-4 times a month. The boys love the kids’ meals, the muffins, and of course the ice cream. We love the food and the organic ingredients (and the fact that the boys eat well there), and how friendly everyone is at our local location.

When I heard about an opportunity to help promote their Sandwich Shuffle competition, I couldn’t pass that up. This is a fun contest where you design your own sandwich at SandwichShuffle.com and then enter to win. Win what, you ask?

Pretty good reason to play, right? Each week four $100 gift cards will be awarded to the contestants that have submitted their entry. There will also be a $5,000 grand prize winner (the sandwich that receives the most votes), a $2,000 prize & a $1,000 prize.

It’s really easy (and fun) to enter. Just build your dream sandwich, then share with friends and family and get them to vote for your creation!

I included Herbed Foccacia bread, meatballs, pepperoni, asiago & provolone cheeses, Roma tomatoes, and basil pesto on my sandwich – it sounds like something Brian would choose.

I was sent some fun t-shirts and some gift cards to help promote this contest – LOVE these shirts! I shared some of them to spread the word about the contest with friends at work:

Aren’t they fun? And guess what…

Three lucky readers will each win a prize – two winners will get one t-shirt each, and one winner will get $25 in gift cards to Jason’s Deli!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Wednesday, July 11. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

Note: I received t-shirts and gift cards from Jason’s Deli, some of which I used and some which were given away. All opinions are honest and are my own.

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Make Bath Time Extra Fun with Munchkin!

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If you’ve seen the movie “What to Expect When You’re Expecting then you might remember this guy that made a cameo appearance:

Pretty cute, huh? Well, we had this Munchkin tub for the boys and I can tell you it’s not just cute – it is amazing for baths with little ones! J went through a phase where he seemed terrified of the big bathtub, and every bath was a struggle. Then we discovered this duck bath, and our problems were solved. It’s soft, it’s cute, and it feels more secure for babies, letting them have fun in the bath. Since it’s inflatable, it’s also easy to deflate and bring along with you on trips. Another great feature of this tub is that there’s a White Hot sensor in the bottom, letting you easily identify if the water is too hot or not.

We don’t still have our duck tub anymore, so I was thrilled to receive one for review – I am sure this baby will love it as much as the boys did! You can find this tub in many local stores (we got our last one at Target) and online at retailers like Amazon. It’s really affordable at $14.99 and it’s durable, too, so it’s a great value for the cost.

Along with the tub we also got two other Munchkin bath products. Their rubber ducks are so fun and are the perfect add-on to a shower gift, in my opinion! They come in a ton of different styles – here are just a few:

I love our little football player – so cute, right?

And just like the duck bath, these are more than just cute additions to bath time – they also have a heat sensor underneath, letting you test the temperature of any bath water before your baby gets in.

We also received the Wonder Waterway, which is a set of three stackable toys that work great together or apart.

 

When the toys are linked together, it creates a fun waterway that kids will really love! These are great shapes for little hands, too, making them a good option for when your little one first starts playing with toys in the tub.

If you’re looking for a good baby gift, I think a basket of bath products and toys from Munchkin, and some cute wash cloths would make an adorable gift basket! Be sure and check out their products in stores and online. Visit Munchkin.com for more information on all they have to offer, and you can also keep up with them on Facebook and Twitter.

Note: I received Munchkin products to facilitate this review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own. 

Connect With Your Baby Through Music With Ritmo {Giveaway}

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For generations, parents have tried to find ways to connect with their children before they’re born. From feeling the baby move, to reading them stories, to playing music, it’s nice to find a way to bond a little. Of course, playing music for the baby can be easier said than done. It used to involve holding headphones up to your stomach, with little pinpoints of sound. Now, though, Ritmo has revolutionized the way parents-to-be play music for their babies.

They offer the Ritmo & the Ritmo Advanced – I’ll be writing about the Advanced version later this week, but today we’ll take a look at the basic Ritmo belt and all it has to offer. When I first heard about this, I was so curious – I hadn’t heard of anything like it! It’s a belt with four speakers built in, spreading the sound more evenly across moms’ stomachs and making it an arguably more pleasant experience for babies.

The Ritmo plays music directly from your smartphone or MP3 player with a 3.5 mm audio headphone jack.  It’s easy to use, comfortable, and compact when you store it, making it easy to bring along with you when you travel.

We tried out the Ritmo Advanced system, so I’ll write more about our opinions and experiences on Thursday (be sure and check in on that post – I’ll have another giveaway to accompany it)!

One lucky reader will win a Ritmo Audio Belt (ARV $79.99)!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Tuesday, July 10. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

Note: I received a Ritmo Advanced system to facilitate my review, and Ritmo by Nuvo is providing prizes for two giveaways. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

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Tommee Tippee Electric Steam Sterilizer

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We used bottles with both of the boys, and plan to use bottles this time around too. And if you’ve used bottles, you know how often you end up washing them. A lot. But if you’re like me, just washing them well isn’t enough – you want to sterilize them, too, to protect your baby’s delicate immune system.

A while back I wrote about how much we loved Tommee Tippee sippy cups for the boys. They’re still holding strong as our favorites with no leaking, by the way! Before then, I hadn’t heard of this UK-based brand, but now I’m a HUGE fan of their products – AND they’re available at Target, which makes it even better!

We received some bottles and the Electric Steam Sterilizer to review (check back next week for a post about the bottles). I love the idea of a countertop device that works quickly and efficiently, so I was eager to check this out.

The first thing I noticed about this is that it’s pretty fail-proof to use. You can see the control panel there (a.k.a. the single, can’t-miss-it button). You just pour in 2.7 oz of water (which is marked with a handy line on the Tommee Tippee bottles), load the device, put the lid on, and go!

The bottles load on the bottom level of the rack. The top level holds nipples and lids, and is removable if you don’t need both levels or are sterilizing something a bit taller.

This sterilizer is easy to maintain, too – every few weeks you just wipe it down and run a cycle through with vinegar to descale it from water build-up. I know we’ll get a ton of use out of this! You can find the Tommee Tippee Electric Steam Sterilizer at your local Target store or on Target’s website – plus, right now you can get free shipping on items over $50! This retails for $69.99 which seems to be on par with pricing for other electric sterilizers.

With the boys, we used microwave sterilizers, which can be great (Tommee Tippee makes a microwave sterilizer, too) but if you go somewhere without a microwave it can be a challenge. This electric sterilizer is compact and would be really easy to take along with you on a trip, which is another added benefit.

Don’t forget to check out the baby aisle at Target on your next trip and see all of the Tommee Tippee products available! And keep an eye out for my post on their bottles coming up soon.

Note: I received an electric sterilizer and bottles from Tommee Tippee to facilitate my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and my own.

Educational FUN for Your Baby! {Giveaway}

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I love educational products. When they’re done well, like the Teach My Baby kit, they infuse learning into fun and make it a win-win situation for everyone.

Teach My Baby is the multi award-winning all-in-one learning kit for babies 6-18 months. The kit is divided into four sections to teach your baby.

First Words:

First Numbers:

Self:

Sound & Touch:

And it’s all packaged in a convenient carrying case.

The organization lover in me adores how well packaged this is, with different sections enclosed in their own velcro-tabbed, clear pouch. As you can see above, there are a lot of components included in this kit, and none of them require batteries or a TV to use.  The kit includes:

  • 12 One Piece Puzzles
  • 6 Two Piece Puzzles
  • 6 Touch and Feel Flashcards
  • 6 Mirrored Flashcards
  • 6 Mirrored Nesting Blocks
  • 5 Finger Puppets
  • 4 Board Books
  • 1 Double-Sided Storyboard
  • Teaching Guide
  • Storage case

I was really impressed with each section of the kit. Everything is well-crafted and sturdy, and I can definitely see how babies would be engaged with these items. The kit encourages learning with modern, multicultural teaching tools that encourage repetition. This would be a great shower gift, too!  Priced at $49.99 it seems like a good value for the money with all the pieces included and the thoughtful way in which they all integrate to work together.

One lucky reader will win a “Teach My” kit of their choice (ARV $49.99)!  This contest is open to all U.S. & Canadian residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Tuesday, July 10. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

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Keep Baby’s Skin Soft With Exederm Moisturizer {Giveaway}

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One of the sweetest things about a baby is their soft skin. Of course, once they’re born and exposed to the elements it can be easy for them to get dry skin, especially in colder climates. That’s why parents typically have lotion on hand – but many of the lotions on the market for infants can have additives that aren’t so great.

Exederm moisturizer is perfect for ultra sensitive skin on babies – it has:

  • No Fragrance
  • No Color or Dyes
  • No Parabens
  • No Lanolin
  • No SLS or SLES
  • No Propylene Glycol
  • No Formaldehyde
  • No Phthalates

So you can feel really good about using it on any sensitive skin, whether it’s yours or your baby’s. Exederm products are available on their site or on Amazon. Oh, and did I also mention you could WIN some?

One lucky reader will win a tub of Exederm moisturizer.  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Monday, July 9. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.
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Handmade & Adorable: Yarnaholics {Giveaway}

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Who doesn’t love handmade items? They’re unique, they’re carefully crafted, and you end up with exactly what you’re looking for. Of course, you might be like me – I love the look of handmade, but I don’t have the skills or time to knit or crochet something amazing.

Thankfully, there are those talented people out there! A few of them teamed up to create the fabulous Etsy shop Yarnaholics, where you can find all sorts of amazing and oh-s0-adorable items. I put together a little collage of some of my favorites, and these are just a few of the pieces they offer:

They’ve got items for women too, not just babies – but of course, I’ve got baby stuff on the brain right now! We got a chance to review one of their items, and we decided we loved the bluebird hat:

Isn’t it cute how the little strings hanging down are the bird’s feet? Of course, just seeing it on my kitchen table doesn’t do it justice – take a look at it on one of their adorable models:

I know it’s blue and not traditionally “girly” but I think this will be sooo cute for photos! I think I’m going to order the hippo hats for the boys to have this fall/winter, too. So much more fun than a boring cap, don’t you think?

Of course, I’d highly recommend purchasing items from Yarnaholics – it’s great to support artists, and their prices are incredibly reasonable (just $15.00 for the bluebird hat!) – but guess what? You also have the chance to win something! One lucky reader will win one item from the Yarnaholics Etsy shop!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Monday, July 9. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

Note: I received a hat from Yarnaholics to facilitate this review, and an item is being provided for the giveaway. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and are my own.

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ChildMinder Smart Clip System

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We’ve all seen the tragic stories of parents who have been distracted, or out of routine, or sleep-deprived, and have somehow or another forgotten their baby in the car. In the summer, with extreme temperatures around much of the country, forgetting even for a matter of minutes can be dangerous.

The ChildMinder Smart Clip system was created to help prevent this problem from happening. It replaces the chest clip that comes with your car seat and turns it into a monitoring system of sorts to make sure you do not inadvertently leave your baby in the car.

According to their site, the ChildMinder:

  • performs a self-test upon each use to insure its proper functioning.
  • reminds the parent/caregiver with an alarm six seconds after the parent/caregiver has moved more than 15 feet from the child in the child safety seat.
  • serves to remind the parent/caregiver of the child’s presence even when the parent/caregiver has inadvertently forgotten the key ring until the smart clip is deactivated.
  • installation takes less than three minutes. Simply replace your child’s safety seat chest clip with the ChildMinder system’s smart clip and place the key ring alarm unit on your automotive key ring.
  • will not compromise the integrity of your existing child safety seat.

We don’t have an infant car seat for the baby yet, but I tested the clip by having the two pieces together (simulating the baby strapped in a car seat) and moving the key fob a reasonable distance away. The alarm sounded, and was very noticeable.

I think parents need to be responsible and aware when their child is with them, but often you hear that parents who do forget their babies are typically responsible, upstanding people who made a tragic misstep. The ChildMinder Smart Clip is a way to add another layer of protection. At $69.95, it’s slightly pricey but is a small price to pay for peace of mind. My only question with the device would be how the clip holds up in crash tests. It seems just as sturdy and secure as the regular clips, but the paranoid mom in me would like to see statistics. Overall, though, I think this is a great safety item for parents to add to their arsenal.

Note: I received a ChildMinder Smart Clip system to facilitate my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. Some information shared was provided from the ChildMinder site. All opinions are honest and my own.

Summer Fun 101 With Banana Boat

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I’m extremely fair-skinned and have always been prone to sunburns, so sunscreen has always been an important element to me for outdoor activities. The boys seem to have inherited Brian’s skin tone more than mine – they’re more apt to tan than burn. But still, it’s important to us to keep our whole family’s skin safe when we’re having fun outside this summer.

Banana Boat, a long-respected name in sunscreen, ahs recently released their new Natural Reflect brand. These products are 100% naturally-sourced mineral sunscreens active with Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide – and they’re paraben-free. But not only are they natural, they’re also effective. They underwent extensive testing in seven real-life conditions – sun, pool water, ocean water, wind, sweat, sand, and 100 degree heat – to ensure sun protection.

Banana Boat is very focused on safe summer fun, and they’re running a 101 Days of Summer Play campaign. As part of this, we got to host an outdoor party and share Banana Boat with our friends! We decided to have a picnic at the park, and the Texas weather even cooperated with us – it was a mild 90-degree evening, rather than the 104 temps we had the previous weekend.

All the drinks – had to have plenty to stay cool!

Our friends’ daughter scoped out where she wanted to play first.

C enjoyed talking to his shadow… or the playground… or both. Regardless, he had a lot to say!

Banana Boat tote bag, filled with supplies.

Amanda and Rea had a conversation. :)

Baby Finley hangs out – literally – with her mom Kara!

Amanda and her family with their Banana Boat goodie bags, which included a full-size tube of sunscreen and a Banana Boat frisbee, along with a $1.00 off coupon.

Rea and her frisbee, which was almost as big as she is!

Visit Banana Boat’s Facebook page to take the 101 Days of Summer Play Pledge. For each pledge Banana Boat will donate one bottle of Natural Reflect lotion to The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp – a non-profit Summer camp and year round center serving children coping with cancer and other serious illnesses. Banana Boat has also teamed up with natural living expert Sara Snow. Head over to their Facebook page for her weekly activity suggestion, weekly prizes and a grand prize trip via their photo contest. And of course, don’t forget to visit the Banana Boat site for more information on all of their products.

Banana Boat wants you to have a chance to get in on all the summer fun, so I’m getting to host a giveaway for a Banana Boat goodie bag right here! This will end Saturday, June 23!

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I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Banana Boat® Sun Care and received a party kit to facilitate my review, party kits to give to my guests, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Lamaze Toys – Flip Flop Fred & Makai the Monkey

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I recently posted about some great Lamaze toys that were featured in the movie “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, but of course those were just a few of the many toys Lamaze has to offer for infants. Two more that are fun additions to your baby’s collection are Flip Flop Fred and Makai the Monkey.

Flip Flop Fred retails for $7.99. He is a turtle and is nice and small, making him easy to bring along with you when you’re out and about. Some features of Fred include:

  • Peek-a-boo play
  • High contrast patterns stimulate vision
  • Crinkle awakens auditory awareness
  • Colorful ribbons engage baby’s touch
  • Includes a loop- attach a link for on-the-go play

Makai the Monkey (ARV $14.99)  is bigger and is a stuffed monkey with extra features, including:

  • Crinkle peek-a-boo banana
  • Bungee tail
  • Squeaker belly
  • Colorful ribbons and jingle
Both of these toys have all sorts of textures and patterns that are engaging for babies. The more I see about Lamaze toys, the more I love them and am glad to be building a collection for the baby to play with! For more Lamaze toys, be sure and check out Amazon.com – be forewarned, though – you’ll have a hard time picking just a few!
Note: I received these Lamaze toys to facilitate my post. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. Any opinions are honest and are my own.

Spiffies ToothWipes {Giveaway!}

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When your baby gets his or her first tooth, it’s a BIG deal. You take photos of it, and you’re amazed that your baby has already reached this milestone. At least, that’s how it was for us! I remember trying to take a photo of J’s first teeth (he had two bottom teeth come in together) to show off to all the grandparents. :)

Once the boys started getting their teeth we had to think about oral hygiene, and it was not easy brushing the boys’ teeth with those little “newborn” toothbrushes. This time around I’m glad to know about Spiffies ToothWipes, which make it easy to keep little ones’ teeth clean.

Use Spiffies to clean your baby’s teeth, tongue and gums and also help keep the bacteria away. Another perk is that your baby will begin to be comfortable with having their mouth regularly cleaned.  Spiffies are individually packaged towelettes that have been soaked in a great tasting xylitol solution, a natural ingredient that prevents cavities. They can be used to clean baby’s gums and first teeth without using a toothbrush. Spiffies come in grape and apple flavors.
One lucky reader will win their own Spiffies!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Saturday, July 7. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.

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New & Improved Huggies {Giveaway!}

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I talk a lot about must-haves for your baby, and there are definitely products that I feel like make life so much easier with a newborn. But diapers are one of those things I think everyone can agree are an absolute necessity! Everyone has different preferences but there are always some brands that rise above others – and Huggies is a brand that parents have depended on for years. We got sent some Snug & Dry diapers and One & Done wipes, which we’ll save for the baby’s arrival. For now, though, I thought I’d share some of the improvements Huggies has recently made to these products (and keep an eye out at the end for a giveaway)!

Huggies Snug & Dry diapers feature improved Leak Lock to give parents a peace of mind and keep little ones protected from leaks between diaper changes. They pull in wetness and lock it away faster. They also feature a wider absorbent pad, improved leg guards and the SnugFit waistband to give a secure fit. All of these features help keep wetness confined and make messes easier to clean up.

The diapers are available in 6 sizes, from size 1 (up to 14 pounds) to size 6 (over 35 pounds) and retail at a suggested price of $9.99 for a Jumbo pack and $19.99 for a Big pack.

The One & Done wipes are available in fragrance-free and scented, and are thicker so you can be more effective with just one wipe. They also have improved texture to help with clean up. The wipes are available in tubs, resealable refills, soft packs or travel packs. They retail for a suggested price of $2.20 for a soft pack and $3.19 for a tub.

Note: I received diapers and wipes from Huggies, and they are providing the prize for the giveaway. All information shared in this post was provided from Huggies. I was not compensated monetarily for this post, and any opinions included are my own.

One lucky reader will win one Jumbo pack of diapers and one soft pack of wipes!  This contest is open to all U.S. residents aged 18+. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day (midnight Central) Friday, July 6. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Official Rules.
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