30.6.11

2nd Round of Summer Block Party Winners

I am so sorry! I just realized I never officially announced the Summer Block Winners for the 2nd round! Here are all the lucky winners, who have already been contacted and verified!




Lila Rose winner... Jena
Jena said... 31

Gourmet gift baskets winner... Keely
Keely said... 189

Certain Dri Winner... Mel
Mel said... 27

Thomas Train Mega Bloks Winner... Lisa
Tylerpants said... 187


Oh So Ready Designs... Alissa
captainliss40 said...


Magic Cabin $50 Gift Card... Brittney
Brittney said..

Eversave $25  credit... Gina
Gina @ the Crave to Save said...


Voda Swimwear Winner... Judy
Judy said... 

Backyard Safari Outfitters... Stephanie
skgaff said...

Cars 2 pack... Keely
Keely said...

Congrats to All of the Winners! Thanks for showing up for the Summer Block Party and making it such a great success!


Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers Review & Giveaway

I love using cloth diapers, but when on the road, like this week, I go for a more practical approach to diapering... disposables. Before you let out a gasp, let me just explain myself! lol! We use Seventh Generation Free & Clear Disposable Diapers if/when any disposables are used in our home. Why? For many reasons, including the fact that they do not include chlorine processing, fragrances, latex and petroleum based lotions. This means these diapers are much better for sensitive skin and, for my son, this is a major plus. He breaks out with pretty much any other disposable diapers we've tried.

Seventh Generation Free and Clear Baby Diapers, Stage 4, 30 Count (Pack of 4)My mom asked me why the diapers are brown and I had to explain to her that Seventh Generation makes certain no chlorine is used in the diaper (including the wood pulp used) and that no chlorine will ever be released into the environment. They do color the diapers brown, but with earth-friendly pigments. They take great initiative to make sure their products are eco-friendly and have even redesigned the diaper with a lighter-weight core with a higher absorbency, which means less diapers will enter the landfill! In addition, Seventh Generation has rediced the size of the plastic packaging used and the Seventh Generation Free & Clean diaper packaging can now be recycled at your local supermarkets that accept plastic bag recycling!
My Thoughts

I am very picky about the products used for my children, many of which are all-natural and organic. My youngest, a preemie with very sensitive skin, has shown reactions to many diapers, wipes, lotions, etc. Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers are the only diapers that have not caused a rash! Besides the color, we've noticed no difference in their absorption and functioning abilities. They work great and have never leaked.
We are on vacation this week and I was so excited to bring along my new pack of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers. We certainly put them to the test with long drives (10 hrs), days on the beach, and our exploration around the area. Liam was never uncomfortable and they worked perfectly!

For families who prefer to use environmentally-friendly products, you can use Seventh Generation with the guarantee and assurance that they do what they can to reduce our carbon footprints, remain eco-conscious, and to still offer quality products. I've used many Seventh Generation products over the past few years and I've always been satisfied with them, including their chlorine-free baby wipes!

Buy It
Ready to give Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers a try? Click HERE to find out where they are available nearest you! Don't forget to snag your $2 coupon before purchasing!!
You can also purchase Seventh Generation Diapers on Amazon.com

Win It
One Lucky Children Teaching Mama Reader Will Win Their Own Pack of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers To Try (your choice of size)

How To Enter
Leave a comment below telling me why you prefer to use eco-conscious baby products!
**Remember to include your email address if it is NOT visible in your profile so I will know how to contact you! The initial entry is mandatory! Be sure to answer that question before earning extra entries listed below! Each bullet is worth one extra entry unless specified. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry you earn and include your email address is at least one entry.

 

Additional Entries
  • "Like" Seventh Generation on Facebook
  • "Follow" Seventh Generation on Twitter
  • Follow Children Teaching Mama via GFC (leave user name in comment)
  • "Like CTM on Facebook (leave fb name in comment)
  • "Follow" CTM on Twitter (leave twitter handle)
  • Subscribe to CTM via email
  • Grab the CTM button & Place on your blog/webpage (please leave url in comment)
  • Tweet (up to 2x daily) by clicking the Tweet button below: (leave url to tweet):

 Plenty of opportunities to increase your chance of winning! This Giveaway is open to US Residents and Ends Wednesday, July 25th at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be drawn by random.org. An announcement will be made on the blog and the winner will also be contacted by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.
A special thanks to MyBlogSpark and Seventh Generation who sent out the diapers for review and are hosting the giveaway package and coupon! No other compensation was given and all opinions written are 100% mine and only mine.

Rafflecopter Coming To Children Teaching Mama!

Have you heard about Rafflecopter yet or entered any giveaways using it? We are going to run a test trial with it here on the blog. If you have any issues at all, please let me know. I want to know any thoughts, issues, and/or suggestions you may have regarding Rafflecopter.

My own experiences with it so far have been positive, so I'm hoping we won't have any major issues. Some minor issues may occur, such as links not working properly, but those can be fixed relatively easily as long as someone alerts me. :)

As soon as I get home I'll be listing more of my reviews and giveaways, along with the Rafflecopter form.

New Page Set-Up For The Blog Info

So, now that I am using Rafflecopter more often, I will start inserting page breaks in my posts. All you have to do is click on the Click Here To Read More link and you can see the entire post and enter the giveaways. I have to do this from now on because Rafflecopter messes up when there are several on a blog page. Long story! So, be sure to click to see everything. I'll be updating my blog to make the page breaks much more apparent.

Sparklin’ Kindle Giveaway Announcement (Begins at Midnight Tonight!)


Hi, everyone! I'll be picking all of the winners for the Summer Block Party today and posting them later tonight, so be sure to check back! I know it's been a little slow around here this week, but that will all change this tonight because the Sparklin' Kindle Giveaway begins at midnight!

What's the Sparklin' Kindle Giveaway? I am participating with 13 other bloggers to give y'all a chance to win your very own Kindle worth $139! You can fill out all the entries on my blog and then hop over to the next. Fill out as many of the entries as you like to increase your chances! Each blog has 4 entries, so you won't be spending an entire day on it. LOL!

We are using Rafflecopter for this, so we are hoping it goes well. If you notice any issues at all, let me know and I'll try to fix them asap. I will be out of town next week.. and without an internet connection (gasp!), so responses will be a bit slower than usual since I'll have to go to a cafe' to check email!
Good luck with the giveaway!

28.6.11

TheraBreath TheraBrite Plus Deluxe All-Natural Whitening Kit Review


TheraBreath products, by Dr. Katz, specialize in helping not only get rid of bad breath, but to also keep gums and teeth healthy. We've all encountered bad breath and never want to be that person, right? Looking around the website, it's plain to see TheraBreath is serious about teaching others the importance to a good oral routine, which is easily done with their wide variety of products. They are also serious about their commitment to our planet, with products that are all-natural, vegan, and never tested on animals.

I was sent the TheraBrite Plus Deluxe Whitening Kit to review and couldn't wait to give it a try. Since becoming a Mama, I have admittedly, added much more coffee to my weekly routine. My teeth have definitely suffered and are not as white as they once were. The first time I had my teeth whitened, the process was about $250 and that was 10 years ago! Now it costs about $350 to get teeth professionally whitened.

The TheraBrite Whitening Kits promises results within 5 days of following the suggested whitening routine. The kit I received came with 3 moldable mouth trays, which you heat to form-fit your teeth. This step was very easy to do and, in a matter of minutes I had the same quality trays I once paid over $100 for. Then, I used the TheraBrite Plus Toothpaste before filling the trays with the whitening solution. The solution was contained in syringes and all I had to do was put little dots of the gel around the tray before sticking it in my mouth. It really doesn't get easier than that. Then, after leaving the trays in for at least 1 hour (but up to 4-8hrs) you take them out and rinse out your mouth with the TheraBrite Plus Oral Rinse, which is included in the kit.

The TheraBrite Plus Deluxe Whitening Kit comes with: 3 moldable Thermoplastic mouth trays, 3 whitening syringes (3ml each), plastic case, small brush, TheraBrite PLUS toothpaste, TheraBrite PLUS Oral Rinse, 6 Rolls of Zox

My Thoughts
Thera Brite Plus Ultra Whitening Oral Rinse 16 fl oz (473 ml)I was very pleased with the TheraBrite Plus Deluxe Whitening Kit for many reasons. First was that the ingredients are all-natural, which is very important to our family. I had no idea all-natural whitening kits even existed! Second was the price at only $73! You really can't beat it, especially with their 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of their products.

TheraBrite PLUS ToothpasteThe first time I filled the moldable trays, I went a little overboard with the gel. This caused the formula to get all over my gums and was not very comfortable, as it can irritate the mouth. FYI, it may irritate the gums, but not half as badly as the other whitening products I've used containing glycerin. That stuff made my gums bleed, but not TheraBrite! It also doesn't taste bad and the TheraBrite oral rinse tastes like cinnamon. I love it! Since the first time, I've learned that it really doesn't take much gel each time and that means the product really lasts a long time. In five days, I didn't even go through an entire syringe!

So, does it work? Yes, it does! Even after the first time I used the whitening kit, I could see spots on my teeth where it was beginning to work. Five days later, my teeth were noticeably whiter, brighter and my breath was fresh pretty much all day. I loved this product and would absolutely recommend it to anyone who is thinking about getting their teeth whitened. Save some money and look at the whitening kits available by TheraBreath. The smaller kit is available on Amazon.com for only $42.86.

Check out the other TheraBrite products available on Amazon.com and through the TheraBrite shop!

Be sure to Like TheraBreath on Facebook to keep up with the news, sales, and promos!

What A Home Needs= Security & Satellite TV

My family is very important to me and, of course, I want to keep them safe. I remember a time when I'd always leave our doors unlocked and windows open, even when we weren't home! I would never do that now, especially with the higher crime rates. We are moving very soon and the need for security has become even more important. Home security fulton dale gives the peace of mind needed at night, when home along, and when away from home. With several plans to meet your needs and budget, they are there for you and your family when needed the most.

Reviewing our budget and prices, we realized that our cable company was ridiculously expensive compared to Direct TV. Sometimes our current channels are blurry and dark, but not when you have HD channels. That's why, when we move, we will be switching over. I was seriously shocked at their low prices and amount of channels available for their packages. My husband is especially excited about all of the sports channels.

Plum District Deal: &14 for &40 Gift Code for Bumkins Cloth Diapers & Accessories!


I saw this deal and had to post because I love cloth diaper deals. :) Right now on Plum District (one of my fav daily deals websites), you can get a $40 gift code to Bumkins for $14. The price is actually $19, but, when you sign up for Plum District, you get a $5 code off your first purchase, making it only $14! That's a great deal, especially because Bumkins cloth diapers are very reasonably priced. Never tried them, but they have some very cute prints!
Click HERE to get your gift code! The Bumkins deal is listed under Nationwide Deals and should appear on the list of daily deals.

27.6.11

Blog Bash Winner!!

Thanks for everyone who stopped by my blog for Blog Bash! We all had such a great time and winners will be announced on all blogs within the next few days. I'm still crossing my fingers to win something...anything! lol!

Okay, I know you are dying to know who won, so here it is...

The Winner Is...

#555
Audra (SnowflakeDay)

SnowflakeDay (Audra) said...
Liked Cloud Kids on Facebook as Audra Lynn W.

22.6.11

Blog Bash 2011 Official Prize Package Giveaway

Blog Bash is now OFFICIALLY OVER! Thanks for the wonderful turnout. The Winner Will Be Announced Tomorrow Morning (Monday!)  
Good Lucky to All Who Entered!


''

Blog Bash has officially begun! Let the fun begin, too!

Here's how it works:
There are 150 blogs participating and each blog has at least 1 prize package worth at least $100! Many have several packages and over $1000 worth of prizes to be won! After you enter my giveaway, hop over to the next blog. Below my entries, you will find a master linky list to all of the participating blogs, so just click on the next blog and go all the way down the list. It's a great way to keep up with where you've been and where to go next.
Photobucket
My Blog Bash theme is an All-Natural Baby Party! My sponsors all feature handmade, eco-friendly, and/or organic products for the entire family!

Here's my official Blog Bash Sponsors & Prize Package:


A one-stop eco-friendly shop for all of your home needs. From clothing to baby food and decor to composters, this is the place to go to reduce your carbon footprint!

Giveaway Prize:
$30 Gift Card from EcoMom.com


2. LetsGoGreen.Biz
LetsGoGreen.biz has a wide variety of useful home products to make living green much easier! Lughtbulbs, clothes hangers, plates, detergent and more are what you'll find here!

Giveaway Prize: 
$20 gift card


Organic skincare and hair products created especially for children made with natural ingredients and essential oils!

Giveaway Prize: 
3 Items Of Winner's Choice (Up to a $50 value)

 
4. Karen's Clothesline
Karen's creations are made by hand with a grandmother's love! Dresses, tooth fairy pillows, and more! Her dresses are a hit in Athens, GA and you are sure to love them, too.

Giveaway Prize: 
$20 Gift Card

5. Cloud Kids Cloth Diapers & More
Unique cloth diapers, wipes, covers, hair clips and more all created by a talented stay at home mom. Her items are often made with recycled materials to create a one of a kind item for you! 

Giveaway Prize: 
One Custom Created Cloth Diaper! ($20 Value)


6. It Works (slim, tighten, and firm in your own home!)








The Ultimate All-Natural Body Applicator that reduces the appearance of cellulite in only 45 minutes! By infusing your skin with the botanically based formula, your skin becomes hydrated, firmer, and smoother. Results last 2-6 months!!
Giveaway Prize:
(1) Facial Applicator (an all-natural facelift!)
(1) Neck/Chin Applicator (tighten & tone)
(1) Ultimate Applicator (takes off inches in minutes around waist)
($50 Value)

**Total Package Value: $190**

Ready To Enter To Win? 

Mandatory Entry
 Follow Children Teaching Mama Via GFC & Leave Your GFC Name In A Comment Below!
**Remember to include your email address if it is NOT visible in your profile so I will know how to contact you! Be sure to answer the Mandatory Entry Question before earning extra entries listed below! Each bullet is worth one extra entry unless specified. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry you earn and include your email address is at least one entry.
Additional Entries
  • "Like" Children Teaching Mama on Facebook  (you can go to the page manually or just click below)

  • "Follow" Children Teaching Mama on Twitter!
  • "Like" Karen's Clothesline on Facebook! (if you already completed the early entries, give yourself another entry for this one! a freebie for you! :)
  • "Follow" EcoMom on Twitter
  • Tweet (up to 2x daily) by clicking the Tweet button below: (leave url to tweet):

 Want More Entry Options? Click On The Links To Our Spotlight Sponsors For More Entries!

You Still Here? 
Well, Below is the Blog Bash Master Linky To All 150 of the Participating Blogs. Just Click Down The List To Visit Each Blog & Have Fun! Good Luck!!


21.6.11

EasyCanvasPrints.com Review

canvas pictures

Around Easter, I took the kids to get their pictures professional taken. We received a great deal for a small picture package, but then the salesperson was trying to get us to buy other prints once they came in. In the highest tier, we could purchase many photos along with a beautiful canvas print... and had to pay $800 to get it. I was shocked! I really wanted to canvas print, but even alone it was $250!! I'm sorry, but there is just no way families on a budget can afford something like that. Soon afterward, I found out about Easy Canvas Prints, an online retailer specializing in canvas prints.

I couldn't wait to finally have a canvas print of the boys and, what's even better, the prices are amazingly low! The same size canvas print (16x20) that would have cost me over $250 was only $67! I had a chance to see exactly how Easy Canvas Prints worked. I started by uploading my picture and was then able to edit my photo. There were many great options for editing, including colors (black & white, sepia, etc.), adjusting the picture to fit the print, etc. I also had a choice of how thick I wanted the wrap around the outer edges to be (.75'' or 1.5'') and what I wanted to show up on the sides. The sides could be a reflection of the print, a continuation or a plain color.

I first submitted a cute picture of the boys and was so surprised when I quickly received an email telling me that the picture was not optimal for the canvas print. The picture was not a very good quality and, with the size of the print I chose, it would look really pixelized. I was so thankful and happy that, instead of sending me a bad quality canvas print, they actually took the time to review my order and let me know I should pick another picture. That is good customer service for you!

I then sent in a picture of my boys with the Easter Bunny and it worked perfectly. The order was completed and shipped within a matter of days, too. I was shocked at how quickly everything was processed and shipped to me. The canvas print was very well packaged with bubble wrap and I couldn't wait to see it. My first thought was, wow, 16x20 is a lot bigger than I expected! This is a huge print and looks amazing. The quality is top rate and I it came ready to hang with the sawtooth hangers already attached to the back of the print.

I've already shown my canvas print to several people and they have all commented on how great it looks. Then, when I tell them the great prices on Easy Canvas Prints, they can't believe it! You'll definitely get great customer service, fast shipping, safe packaging, and a grade A product.

Blog Bash Sponsor: It Works! Find The Skinny YOU In Minutes! Review & Blog Bash Extra Entries



 I first came across The Skinny You selling It Works! products during a giveaway for an Ultimate Applicator. All of the ladies were fighting to win it, but I had no idea what "It" was and what "It" did! I had to learn more about them asap.

About It Works!
It Works! is a company specializing in high quality all-natural supplements, exclusive anti-aging solutions, and the very popular Ultimate Applicator Cosmetic System. They work to bring the consumer life-changing products with their principled approach to business practices and product development. Their second passion is to change lives financially. Mark and the It Works team collaborated with business experts across the United States to create a rewarding multi-level marketing plan that would give real people the ability to gain financial freedom.

About The Ultimate Applicator 

Expect "ultimate" results with this amazing 45-minute body Applicator! The Ultimate Body Applicator is a non-woven cloth wrap that has been infused with a powerful, botanically-based formula to deliver maximum tightening, toning, and firming results when applied to the skin. Ultimate Body Applicator continuously hydrates for firmer, smoother, more youthful-looking skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite and skin slackening. See results in 45 minutes. 

My Thoughts

When I hear about products claiming to help you lose weight in days, I think, "Yeah, Right!", so you can bet I was skeptical when hearing I could lose inches off of my waist in only 45 minutes. There's just no way, right? WRONG! There's a reason why so many people love the Ultimate Applicator... because It WORKS!

I lost all of my baby weight (finally) last year and am at 115 pounds, but I still have loose, stretched out skin around my belly from Josiah the 9lb baby! I also have some love handles around my sides that weren't there before. I wasn't sure what would happen, so I put on the applicator and waited impatiently. You are supposed to leave it on at at least 45 minutes, but can wear it for much longer, which is what I did. I wore it for about 5 hours and couldn't wait to measure. I had lost .5 inches around my waist and, after a few more hours, I checked again and it had gone to 1 inch!! 2 days later I checked again and I had lost a total of 2 inches. Incredible!

As if this product weren't already amazing enough, it's ingredients are all-natural, which is why it does what it does. It's really pretty much healing your skin at the core and the effects last for 2-6 months! I'm really excited because the stretch marks around my belly button don't look half as visible and ugly. They skin is definitely tightened, softer, and just looks healthier. Now I know why people love these products.

 In addition to the Ultimate Applicator, It Works! also has Chin & Neck Applicators and Facial Applicators, which tighten skin in those areas, give a more youthful chin contour and to revitalize skin. I really can't wait to give these a try, too. No doubt in my mind they work just as well.

Buy It
Try out an Ultimate Applicator 4-Pack for only $49.00!

Win It
The Skinny You is one of my Blog Bash sponsors and this giveaway prize is part of the awesome all-natural giveaway prize package for Blog Bash! One Lucky CTM reader will win:
(1) Facial Applicator (an all-natural facelift!)
(1) Neck/Chin Applicator (tighten & tone)
(1) Ultimate Applicator (takes off inches in minutes around waist)
($50 Value)

Extra Entries
These entries will be added in with the Blog Bash Official Giveaway Entries! Please be sure to include your email address in at least one of the comments so I know how to get in touch with the winner. 

Now that you are finished with these 3 extra entries, hop back over to the Blog Bash Official Giveaway Post to complete even more entries. If you've already finished those, go back to take a look at the official Blog Bash linky (at the very bottom of the post), which will link you up to all of the other participating Blog Bash blogs! Good luck and have fun!!

Blog Bash Sponsor: Cloud Kids Review & Extra Blog Bash Entries

We are huge supporters of cloth diapering and I love trying new ones, especially those created by other Moms! Who better to make a cloth diaper than Moms who know exactly what is needed to keep our babies dry and feeling good? As soon as I came across Cloud Kids on Etsy last year, I knew I had to review her cloth diapers. They were so adorable with their appliques!

About Cloud Kids

Created by a stay at home mom to 2 wonderful kids, the owner of Cloud Kids began making diapers when her son was just a few months old and, 4 years later, she is still making them. What does she make? Diaper covers- wool, fleeze, and PUL, Fitteds, and All-In-Ones, doll diapers, Cloth Wipes, Hair Clips, Handmade Appliques, and more! She loves making reusable items and upcycling materials. She also loves finding thrift store t-shirts and fabrics to create her one-of-a-kind items! Check back often because there is always something new popping up.

Need something in sizes not listed or have something special in mind? Just message your questions and she'll see what can be done!


My Thoughts

I was so excited to finally receive my custom diaper. I hadn't seen it at all, so it was a complete surprise as to what it looked like. :) I love surprises and I LOVE this diaper. It's adorable with it's choo-choo applique. The outside of the diaper is white and the inside is pumpkin orange. I love that you can see a little of the orange showing on the outside, which matches perfectly with the applique.

The diaper is an AIO made with PUL, fleece, and a knit liner. I've had this cloth diaper since November and we still use it. I love showing this one off, it's very absorbent, and super soft. It's great for daytime use and especially great at nighttime. When I've used this at night, I've very rarely had a leak, and that's only when Liam slept an unusually long period of time.

I really can't say enough about this creative diaper. Cloud Kids custom cloth diapers are made with love and you can tell much time was spent on making them perfect and special. As much as I like WAHM cloth diapers, this one really takes the cake. I highly recommend Cloud Kids for any cloth diapering parents or parents-to-be!

Win It
Cloud Kids is Part of the Blog Bash Giveaway Prize Package! One Lucky CTM Reader Will Win A Custom Cloud Kids AIO Cloth Diaper
These entries will be added to the Blog Bash Main Entries Page as extra entries. Please be sure to include your email address in at least one comment so I can contact you. There are no mandatory entries for the extra entries, so do one or all! It doesn't matter. Each counts for 1 extra entry!

 Extra Entries For Blog Bash Giveaway

  • Visit the Cloud Kids Etsy Shop & Leave A Comment Below Telling Me Your Favorite Item!
  • Heart Cloud Kids on Etsy!
  • "Like" Cloud Kids on Facebook
  • Leave A Message on Facebook Telling Cloud Kids Thanks For the Awesome Giveaway Prize!
  • Make A Purchase from Cloud Kids During Blog Bash (June 22-26th)
Plenty of opportunities to increase your chance of winning the Blog Bash Package at Children Teaching Mama! These extra entries are open open to US & Canadian Residents and Ends Tuesday, June 26th at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be drawn by random.org. An announcement will be made on the blog and the winner will also be contacted by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.