Mohawk Home Rug Review and Rug Giveaway ($149.99 Value)

When moving into our new home, we went from carpet to hardwood. I was excited about this change, but when Liam fell and bumped his head I realized just how hard the floor really was! I needed to buy rugs for the entire house and that's what we sought out to do, but it is harder than it sounds. Some rugs were completely out of our price range while others were less expensive, but cheap quality... that is, until I found out about Mohawk Home and their rugs!

About Mohawk

Mohawk Home, the rug division of Mohawk Industries, is the largest manufacturer of area rugs, indoor and outdoor mats, and washable rugs in the United States. Because we participate in a fashion industry, Mohawk Home employs a team of design professionals specifically recruited for their expertise in textiles and floor covering innovation. With a commitment to relevance in style we are continuously creating trend setting designs and constructions as well as updating timeless classics.

While we view ourselves as an innovative, fashion-design company, we never lose focus on our mission to produce the highest quality and value-oriented products possible, while minimizing our impact on the world around us. As part of the largest flooring manufacturer in the world, we are able to control quality from raw materials to the finished product. Through sustainable manufacturing and the dedication of our associates we can ensure that the Mohawk product always delivers the best value at the best price with world-class service.

My Thoughts

I was so excited to learn about Mohawk Home and when I started looking at their rugs I realized just how beautiful they really were! I decided on the 5'x8' Bankok Rug for our living room and it ended up being perfect! From the picture, I could tell the rug was pretty, but it really didn't do the rug justice. As soon as I put the rug down in our living room, the entire mood of the room changed. The bright colors against the hardwood floors just made the room pop and gave it something extra that I absolutely love.

One thing I also love is how soft and comfortable it is. The kids and I can sit on it to watch TV or even do our craft projects!  Yes, with kids there are always accidents as much as I have tried to keep it to a minimum. However, I have always been able to clean up the spills very quickly and easily without any stains left behind.

 As you can see, we spend a great deal of time playing on the rug and, after all of these months, the rug is no worse for wear. It has held up extremely well considering all the kids in our home and the traffic from being in the living room, so I can safely say that the rug is durable and made of quality materials. We absolutely love this rug and I will definitely be purchasing more Mohawk rugs in the future.

Would you like to add a beautiful Mohawk rug to your home?

Babar: The Complete First Season on DVD Review & Giveaway

When I was a child, I remember turning on the TV and watching Babar the elephant and his many adventures with his siblings and friends. I was so excited to review the Complete First Season of Babar DVD set because I knew my children would also enjoy watching. Last week, when we went on vacation, it was one of the first items I packed and once on the road, it didn't take long for the kids to start asking about watching Babar. Of course, I happily obliged and couldn't wait to see what they thought about the series.

About Babar

First appearing in Histoire de Babar, Jean de Brunhoff’s 1931 storybook classic based on a tale that his wife Cecile had invented for their children, Babar the Elephant has, for 80 years, captivated millions around the globe. The story of the little elephant who leaves the jungle, visits a big city and returns to bring the benefits of civilization to his fellow elephants has been captured in a multitude of best-selling books (tens of million sold worldwide, and more than 1000 titles in print), motion pictures and animated series, including “Classic Babar,” which currently airs on Qubo, as well as a new hit series, “Babar and the Adventures of Badou,” which airs on Disney Junior.
 

Entertainment One invites families to discover the magical world of de Brunhoff’s elephant king with the debut DVD release of BABAR: THE CLASSIC SERIES: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON. Originally seen on HBO, these wonderfully animated stories – 13 episodes in all, perfect for the whole family and never before available together as a complete season – follow Babar, his family and friends undertaking many challenges and adventures, all while teaching the most valuable lesson of all: despite life's challenges, great things are possible if one never gets discouraged. As Babar says, “Long live happiness!”  

My Thoughts

The 9 hour drive to Myrtle Beach, SC is almost unbearable, but with the Babar Complete First Season DVD set, the kids were quite content in the backseat, watching, laughing and enjoying the episodes. They all loved Babar and have continually asked to watch these dvds again. Of course, I happily oblige. I am so happy that this classic series is still as loved today as it was in the 1930s and I love that I can share something from my childhood with my children.

What's more is that my 11 year-old nephew rode in the car with us to eat one night and the boys were watching Babar. He sat quietly watching and, as we were getting out of the car, he said to me,"You know, that Babar show is actually pretty good, even for older kids"! I agree because I enjoy watching it and am in my thirties. Plus, it has such a great message, always teaching something new in each episode. You can keep up with Babar news on the Babar Facebook Page!

Who else loves Babar like we do? Ready for your chance to win?

$100 Amazon Gift Code Giveaway Twitter Blast

 

It's time for yet another $100 Amazon Gift Code giveaway! Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Twitter blast. The winner will receive an Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open WW. It ends at 11:59pm on July 14th and then another will begin soon after. Good Luck!

Caillou Beach Play Set & Lunch Bag Giveaway US & Canada

My kids adore Caillou and have watched the show for years. It was the first show that truly caught Josiah's attention as a baby and, since then, he has become the most popular cartoon character for my boys and their first choice for watching during tv time. That's why I was so excited to receive the Caillou Beach Play Set from KimmyShop.com, my favorite Caillou toys online retailer.

About Kimmy Shop
KimmyShop.com has been a specialized children's' character merchandise e-tailer since 2001. Started by a husband and wife team, KimmyShop.com has been recognized over the years as a premier destination for hard-to-find character merchandise featuring properties such as The Backyardigans, Caillou and Scooby-Doo!

My Thoughts
It's true, Caillou toys and items are very hard to find, especially in the United States since it is a Canadian cartoon. I've had so much trouble finding toys for the kids in the past, but KimmyShop has a great variety of items available. We received the Caillou Beach Play Set and you should have seen how excited the boys were to receive it.

Just last week we went to the beach and the first thing the kids packed was their new Caillou toys. Liam loves playing in the sand, so I knew he would get a kick out of this set and boy did he! Every single day the kids went straight for the Caillou Beach Play Set and played in the sand for hours. They built castles, mountains, houses and had a blast.

  Liam, my youngest has claimed this set as his own. The other kids have their own buckets that our a little bigger since they are older, but these are perfect for small hands, especially if they love Caillou like my little ones! On that day, the wind was blowing so had that I enlisted all the kids to build a mountain around my umbrella so it would stay in the ground! They did a great job, didn't they?

Looking on KimmyShop.com I found many other great Caillou toys and items that I know my kids would love, including Max and Ruby stuffed animals. The Caillou Beach Play Set is durable and great for play on the beach or even in a sandbox. I know we'll be using this for many years to come!

So, ready for a giveaway? 

Tea Collection Review & $75 Gift Card Giveaway

There is one thing I love more than buying clothes for myself: buying cute, fashionable clothing for my kiddos! I'm picky about what I wear, but even pickier about what my kids wear. I prefer clothing that is not only fashionable, but inspiring. This is why I love Tea Collection so much! Their clothes for babies, girls, and boys are so cute and they also have clothing for women, so Mamas like me can even wear Tea Collection.

I think this quote pretty much exactly what Tea Collection stands for:

Travel opens our hearts and minds. The clothing we create at Tea transforms the foreign world into a smaller, friendlier and more familiar place. We believe that we bring a little bit of that world home to you.
Everything we create - our products, images, words and ideas - is inspired by going there and being here. And by our passion for exploring different cultures. We are awed by the unique beauty and diversity of people around the world. As we celebrate and share our discoveries, it reminds us how small the world is and how alike we all are.
- Emily Meyer, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer

My Thoughts

We worked with Tea Collection around Christmas during our Holiday Gift Guide and I couldn't wait to work with them again. For the warm, spring and summer months, we received a variety of clothes for both Liam and Josiah. My first thought was how very soft each and every piece of clothing was. Here is Liam in one of his outfits:

He is wearing the Kangin Stripe Polo shirt in the color Peacock! I absolutely love these polo shirts and also received the yellow striped Kangin Stripe Polo for Josiah.
Here is Josiah in my absolute favorite outfit we received:

He is wearing the Agung Polo Shirt paired with the Bali Ikat Ripstop Shorts. The shirt is so colorful and soft. Josiah actually asks to wear this one and tells me it is his favorite. This shirt stands out in a crowd and has gotten him so many complements!

Right now Team Collection is not only celebrating their 10th anniversary, but also having their semi-annual summer sale! You can save up to 50% on clothing right now.

To further celebrate, how about a giveaway?

Get Your Face Perfectly Clean Every Time With Clearasil PerfectaWash

My husband and I have always struggled with acne and this is why we must make a point to wash our faces at least twice a day. Sometimes with our hectic and busy family schedule, this is not always very convenient and takes us a moment to do properly. If we don't wash enough, breakouts occur. If we wash too much or use too much soap, then our faces get awfully dry. Through Mom Central, we received the new Clearasil PerfectaWash to try out and I couldn't wait!

I've used Clearasil products for over 15 years now and they have never let me down. Their face wash is my favorite, so I was excited to try the new PerfectaWash. How does it work? The Clearasil PerfectaWash takes all of the guess-work out of face-washing! This automated dispenser releases the perfect amount of cleanser when you place your hand under it. The kit we received included two new cleansers, including the SuperFruit Splash and Soothing Plant Extract! The salicylic acid cleanser works to fight acne and breakouts while not drying it out. Plus, they smell good, too. The cleanser formula is dermatologist approved and you could see results in as little as 12 hours!

We took the Clearasil PerfectaWash with us on vacation and almost everyone with us wanted to give it a try. My husband was the first to give it a try and he chose the green colored Soothing Plant Extract cleanser. He was amazed at how light the cleanser was and how it smoothed right onto his face. I tried the SuperFruit Splash and it smelled great! Both my son and nephew also gave the SuperFruit Splash a try and had nothing but good things to say. There were several things we all agreed upon about the Clearasil PerfectaWash, including that it was a light feeling cleanser, it easily washed off and the biggest surprise was that after washing our skin actually felt softer and smoother!  I absolutely love that it made my face feel so clean and soft.

One of my favorite features is the sensor, which detects your hand and dispenses the cleanser instantly. I love that I don't have to touch the dispenser every time I use it and possibly get more germs on my hands before cleaning my face. This makes for optimal face cleaning and that's a must for those of us with acne. I like to do what I can to ensure a proper face cleaning and this is the perfect way! Plus, the dispenser is super-convenient. Having it at our sink is especially helpful because it's an arm's reach away and since we brush our teeth in the morning, it's already there and works as a reminder to wash our faces! Sometimes, especially for kids, it's easy to forget these things, so with a visual reminder there to help out, they are sure to wash faces before leaving the bathroom. Also, we were easily able to transport when on vacation because there is an off switch on the back. Just switch it off, pack it up and you are good to go.

I was one of the kids who started getting acne very early and my son has already started getting it, too. I love that the Clearasil PerfectaWash offers an easy way for him to establish a face-washing routine he can keep throughout his tween and teen years. During those years it really is hard to keep to a routine, so making it easier is great incentive for your busy kids. As you can tell, the Clearasil PerfectaWash was a definite hit in our home and something we will all continue using. My husband has already said he will be buying more!

Want to give the Clearasil PerfectaWash a try?  

Right now you can get a buy one, get one free coupon on the Clearasil Facebook page!! Also be sure to enter their other great summer sweepstakes via the Clearasil Facebook page. You could win SixFlags VIP Concert Package for you and three friends! That's a value up to $21.99, so it's a great deal. It can be purchased at WalMart, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Amazon.com. Believe me, your family will love the PerfectaWash. Give it a try and let me know what you think!  

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Clearasil. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Make This Summer Fun & Memorable For The Family With Target's "Big Honkin' Summer"

We always make the most of our summer vacation with the kids by planning activities, trips to the beach and more. Just last week we actually went to Myrtle Beach and had a blast! I want to make sure all of us have a great, relaxing summer away while having fun at the same time. I remember being a kid and some days were just plain boring. I couldn't wait to get back to school just to have something to do. That's why, even if we are staying at home for the day, we still play fun games, have arts & crafts time and more.

On the way to the beach, we made 2 stops for food and one stop at Target! That is, by far, my favorite place to shop and the perfect place to purchase everything we need for the entire summer! Right now Target is celebrating Summer with their "Big Honkin' Summer" promo. You'll find great deals on all the items needed to make this summer unforgettable! We bought sandals for the beach, a new swimsuit for my husband, snacks and a few beach toys while there. I'm pretty sure I could spend hours browsing the store if my husband let me. We always shop at Target before and during our trips as well as when at home.

We received an awesome activity pack from Target for the kids and boy did they LOVE it! There was so much for them to do that I we had no idea where to even start. We received the Kid Made Modern Printed Tape Set, Kid Made Modern Board Book Kit, Toy Golf Club with Ball Set, Giant Badminton Set along with everything needed to set up a lemonade stand! You should have seen the kids' eyes light up when they opened this box of goodies! We took the Badminton Set and Golf Club Set to the beach with us and the kids couldn't wait to give it a try. For the golf set, I dug holes in the sand so the kids could try hitting them in from all different directions. For only $2.99 at Target, it was a deal and something that was so much fun. Then the kids played badminton for over an hour! Be sure to check out Target's kids catalog with a huge list of fun products, activities and more.

Ry ready to play some badminton at the beach!

For rainy days and days that are so hot it's impossible to go outdoors, the Kid Made Modern Printed Tape Set and Board Book Kit are perfect. The Printed Tape Set is definitely my favorite because I'd never seen anything like it before. Kids can make wallets, bags and other items from masking tape! Isn't that so cool? The Board Book Kit allows kids to make their very own book from start to finish. Both of these are great ways to get that imagination going and keep those minds going. The kit included everything needed to make a creative and colorful book. Even our babysitter was intrigued and made one for the boys! Here's Josiah working on his book, sure to become a best-seller one day:

The book Emily, our babysitter, made!

We haven't had a chance to do the lemonade stand stuff just yet, but the kids are dying to give have their own little business. The entire set of items, including a banner, money box, sign, juice container and ice bucket, is all you need to get started besides the lemonade! Since we live up in the mountains (aka- away from civilization), there is no one to sell lemonade to, but we are going to take it to grandma's house next weekend for some fun.

This summer has been so much fun and we still have 3 weeks to go. I know the kids have had a blast and we've made some memories that will last a lifetime. I have definitely taken a great deal of photos. The great thing is that Target now has a Facebook app called the "Summer-izer", which allows you and the kids to upload your summer photos and add the "Big Honkin' Summer" icons to them. Then, you can either share them online or print at a local Target Photo Center.

How do you plan to make this summer fun and memorable for your children? Have a great summer and enjoy every minute! School will be back in session before we know it, so we have to make the most out of your vacation!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Target and received products to facilitate my review and thank me for taking the time to participate.

Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Giveaway

Welcome to the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Giveaway Event! This amazing giveaway is brought to you by Mom Powered Media and an amazing group of bloggers!

The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe ride on toy is an American classic, it has been around for forever. Toddlers and young children love this riding toy car’s classic design and easy maneuverability. Perfect for inside play our outside! The Cozy Coupe encourages active play, imagination and the development of large motor skills.  

Features Include:
• Removable floor board• When the floor is in, little ones’ feet are protected• Take the floor out allows kids to use foot-to-floor power• Handle on back for parent-controlled push rides• Designed with a high seat back and cup holders in the rear• Moving, clicking ignition switch• Gas cap open and closes• Cozy rolls on rugged, durable tires• Front wheels spin 360 degrees• Weight limit up to 50 lbs.

Win It:  

Real Mom Reviews, Mom To Bed By 8, Powered By Mom and other participating bloggers have offered one lucky reader their own Cozy Coupe! 

This giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on July 23rd at 11:59pm EST. Children Teaching Mama is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kids Sail Free Promo For Norwegian Cruise Line

Hi, everyone! I just found out about an awesome deal and had to share it with you. This is your chance to go on a cruise via Norwegian Cruise Line and get the kids' tickets FREE. Their "Kids Sail Free" promotion is an amazing deal you have to check out.

Kids sail free this fall on Norwegian Cruise Line. Book a beautiful cruise vacation for this Fall 2012 between now and July 7th! Kids under 18 sailing as a third or fourth guest in the stateroom sail free. This is the perfect chance to save money on an amazing vacation. I have yet to take my kids on a cruise and with this promo, you can do so and save money!

Just be sure to book before July 7th. Yes, that's tomorrow, so take a look and decide on a cruise soon to take advantage of this offer!

Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Norwegian Cruise Line vacation exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place.  

How to Frame the Right Budget to give your Kids a Better Future?

Do you have a well framed plan for savings for your kid’s proper education? Are you prepared to give them the best things in life?

If not then all you got to do is get your budgeting plans right. Yes, it might sound a little awkward but if you are serious about giving the best of life to your kids within your limited income then perhaps budgeting is the only way out. You may have to compromise on many things in life but it would not be more than watching your kids’ grow with all the comforts of life. The best part of it all, you do not get into debts by doing so. So here is a checklist of how to go about framing the right budget plan:

1. Know your income sources: The primary thing is to know the different income sources you have like a stable salary, income from house rent and so on. Add up all the income to know exactly where you stand with your finances. This will help you to determine the amount can save at the end of every month after meeting your other expenses.
2. Determine your basic expenses: Note down all your expenses at one place. Now study them carefully to know how you are spending your monthly income. The areas where you are spending more or perhaps unnecessarily should be curtailed to increase your savings.
3. Curtail unnecessary expenses: If you want to determine which expenses you need to control you first need to find out the areas where you are spending more. Most of the time it is seen that you may be spending more on buying clothes or eating out at restaurants. Make note of the expense that you are incurring on such items and work on them accordingly.
4. Invest in child plans: If you want to save for your kids with a particular aim like then it would be great if you can invest the money you save each month in some child plans. There are various kinds of child plans available in the market so you need to do a bit of research to find out which plan suits your criteria primarily. If you start saving for kids through child plans from an early age it will prove fruitful when your kids reach college. You do not have to think about taking a loan to fulfill the education expenses. The child plan will take care of it.
5. Save every month: It may be a small amount that you could save every month but it is necessary that you inculcate the habit. Try and budget on your shopping bills, electricity bills, phone bills and other expenses so you can save some money at the end of each month. You can use this money to meet the emergency expenses like your kid’s birthday party expenses, gifting a toy, or paying doctors fees when they fall ill. 
6.  

Author: Jonny Pean is a financial advisor with easyfinance.com. He provides useful advices on financial issues in order to make life easier and debt free. He specializes in providing budgeting tips, solving problems regarding loans, home equity and so on.