Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Here are the winners for the sunglasses via random.org:


Girl's Sunglasses:
Learning2CouponFL said...
I like Mint Ice style best but the Cotton Candy ones are a very close second.

Thanks for the giveaway!

Boy's Sunglasses:
Joel & Lila said...
The thing I like best about them is that they are made w/rubber and seem great for children of all ages, plus their syles are adorable!


Please e-mail me your shipping info and I will get them in the mail to you ASAP!
You have 3 days to contact me to claim your prize!
(snedfam@gmail.com)

Sunday, March 29, 2009

ETA: This deal is dead

I think a pack and play is a must. Rowan slept in the bassinet of his for 4 months before we moved him to his crib, plus it's great for him to sleep in now when we travel. I saw this fabulous deal on slick deals and had to pass along. These are hard to find this good of a deal on. If you invest in a pack and play, I promise you will use it and it will LAST. Plus, this is an Eddie Bauer, so the quality will be great. Not sure how long these will last at this price, so if you are interested, I'd jump on it!
Sears has this great pack and play for 60% off. It is originally $129.99, on sale for $55.99

The specs:
For first-time prenatal moms, the Eddie Bauer Complete Care Play Yard provides all the necessities needed to care for your baby. Its elevated changing station with diaper organizer allows parents to stand comfortably while changing diapers. The play yard also includes an advanced electronics unit with two speed vibration, five melodies, five soothing sounds and a night light.

Full-bassinet provides plenty of space for baby
Wind-up mobile with 3 soft toys to entertain
Parent assist organizer provides convenient access to changing necessities
Lightweight aluminum tubing for easy portability
Roll down shade offers extra sun protection
Carry bag with storage pocket & roll-along feature for added ease
Wheels on one end allow for easy portability
Sets up in les than one minute
Extra security latch on floor; Meets ASTM voluntary safety standards

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Our family has been hit hard this season with colds and although technically we are starting into spring, we are sick at our house AGAIN.  Actually, my hubby and boys are sick with colds again, and I just got over a sinus infection last week.  YUCK! We make sure to run the humidifier, especially in Rowan's room since he has had breathing issues, but also have another product we use often - Pedicare's Gentle Vapors - Vapor Plug.


Pros:  This is a small, waterless vaporizer that plugs into the wall.  It comes with small vapor pads that you slide into the vaporizer, in the middle of the product.  The bottom part of the vaporizer is a night light which is convenient if you use one in your child's room. The night light part has a sensor and only turns on when the overhead light goes off. The top part has a vent that lets out the vapors which quickly fill the room.  
I really like that this is a soothing product, great for congestion and colds, but doesn't medicate.  It contains a blend of menthol, eucalyptus, camphor, lavender, and chamomile.  Here's a bit of a breakdown as to what they are and their benefit:
Menthol:  Derived from peppermint oil and is known to help soothe sinus and throat irritation.

Eucalyptus: Comes from the Eucalyptus plant and is known to help soothe sore throats, and relieve nose and chest congestion.

Camphor: This herb comes from a Camphor tree and helps stimulate cold receptors in the mucous membranes, which in turn helps to soothe the nose.

Lavender:  Known for it's calming and soothing abilities

Chamomile: This herb, like lavender helps to calm and soothe.

I notice a big difference in both of the boys breathing and coughing when I plug this vaporizer in at night if they have a cold.  If I even walk in the room, I notice I can breathe better and the calming effect it has.  
The small pads that you put in the product last up to 8 hours, which is great for night time, and the plug rotates around to accomodate other things you may have plugged into the outlet.  

Cons:  The nightlight is quite bright, brighter than the other night lights we usually keep in the boy's rooms.  It hasn't been a problem for us, but I could see it being one for a child who may be a light sleeper.  It also can become overpowering if you use this in a small room.  Rowan is in a tiny room right now, and I almost need to keep the door open when we use these because the smell almost seems to be too much.  The pads last 8 hours, but in a bit larger room, it seems like they don't last as long.  You can buy refills for this product, but if you use these often, the price adds up fast as it is about $5-6 for a 5 pack refill.  We only use them when the boys have colds so the cost of it isn't too big of a deal.  

The Bottom Line:  Good compact waterless vaporizer for colds.

Price:  $7-9 for vaporizer, Around $5-6 for a 5 pack refill

Where to Buy:  Walgreens, CVS, Target

Rating:  Great

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Bolt DVD for $7

Bolt is out on DVD and is definitely a great movie.  Ever since we rented it, Chandler has been asking to watch it again.  You can get your own copy for only $7.00! 


Target has Bolt for $15.99 through the 28th.  There is a $5 printable manufacturer's coupon here.
You can also submit a $4 rebate when you buy the dvd and Ronzoni pasta here.
And if you need batteries, you can also buy 2 packs of Rayovac batteries and get a $5 rebate as well here.

Also at Target this week, if you buy Lilo & Stitch, along with Bolt, you get $10 off, making each dvd $6.50.
We're hopefully headed out to get our dvd's today!
(I saw this deal on the Slick Saver Blog.)

Monday, March 23, 2009


I've been looking for some shoes for Rowan lately.  After watching him trip repeatedly in his little church shoes a few weeks ago, I took them off to see why he was tripping so badly.  They were shoes that Chandler wore when he was little as well, and I'm sure he tripped in them lots too, but as a first time mom I guess I thought that was normal the first few months of walking.  I pulled the shoes off, and couldn't believe I'd never noticed how hard the sole was.  They don't have any give and had hardly any padding.  They sure are cute though.  When I stumbled upon See Kai Run, I was immediately excited to learn that they had a nice flexible sole.  And that's only the beginning.


Pros:  This company was inspired by a mom, who, like me and many other moms wanted to find shoes for her little Kai that had a flexible sole and were comfortable.  I love mom inspired companies.  You know that someone behind the scenes has been there and really knows the market.  Plus, it means that much more thought and effort goes into the product.
We got a pair of the Grayson Sandals, size 5 for Rowan.  I was immediately pleased the moment I pulled them out of the box.  The leather is a sheepskin leather and is extremely soft.  Because they are a genuine leather, it means that they will wear well.  Unlike a pair of shiny black shoes I just bought Chandler.  They are NOT leather and already have some ugly scuffs on them.  The insole and leather of this shoe are also leather, making it very soft and comfortable.  
The very next thing I did was test the sole.  They are extremely flexible and have a great amount of traction on the bottom.  I'm a big fan of the soft soled leather shoes, but many of them aren't too feasible for outside play.  These are great for outside play and offer the flexibility and comfort a little walker would need.  
One thing I notice when talking to a lot of moms is that they have to buy "wide" sized shoes for their babies and toddlers.  This is hard sometimes as it really narrows down the selection.  See Kai Run has taken this into consideration with their wide width they have on their shoes.  Rowan doesn't have wide feet, but the shoes still stay on perfectly and give him some extra room.  
After putting these shoes to the test, I am officially a See Kai Run fan.  We went out to the playground and had no tripping!  Rowan seems to
really like his shoes, and I love that they are incredibly cute.  Plus the shoe that he orders goes up to a size 9, meaning your older child can enjoy the flexible well made shoes.  (Chandler is almost 3 1/2 and is wearing a size 9 if that gives you an idea of the age group.)
The whole See Kai Run  line is incredibly fashionable and trendy.  Comfort plus style, what more could you ask for?
Lastly, I can definitely tell these shoes will last.  I will put them away after Rowan has outgrown them.  Maybe there will be another little boy in our future a few years down the road. :)

Cons:  I am in love with these shoes and don't see any cons with the shoes, I'd just like to see more retailers carry them in their stores.   If you are interested in a store carrying them in your area, they have a form you can fill out.

The Bottom Line:  Flexible, well made children's shoes with fun trendy styles.

Price:  $24-38 depending on style and sale.

Where to Buy:  See Kai Run 

Rating:  EXCELLENT!

See Kai Run has generously offered to give away a pair of shoes to one of my readers! 
Here's how to enter and earn entries:

Visit See Kai Run and tell me what pair & size you would like if you win (Shoes must be from the Smaller or See Kai Run line)  - 1 entry

Become a follower on this blog or let me know you already are one - 1 entry

Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway - 1 entry  (See twitter icon on right hand sidebar.)

Sign up for See Kai Run E-mail Alerts (Sign up at the bottom of the home page) - 3 entries

Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only.  Last day to enter is April 1st, winner to be announced April 2nd!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Me Time Giveaway Winner

Here is the winning comment:

Tequilamama said...
I HAVE THREE KIDS--ME TIME IS NONEXISTENT! *whimper* I miss me.

E-mail me at snedfam@gmail.com so I can get your shipping info! Thanks

Friday, March 20, 2009

Show a little love

My friend Trisha from Sweet N Sassy Girls is one of 15 finalists for an Electrolux washer and dryer, valued at $6000.  She needs your help and your votes.  Currently she is doing a giveaway for super cute apron and 4500 EC credits.  I'd love to see her win this.  Here is the link to her giveaway!  Thanks everyone


Thursday, March 19, 2009

Kid Emergencies

Has your child ever gotten a fever, rash, been poisoned, or had some sort of allergic reaction? If you are like me, a lot of times you will google something to learn more about it. As many of you know, I work in an ER. Even though I haven't worked there long, I have taken a few calls of worried parents who aren't sure if they should bring their child in. They tell us the symptoms and unfortunately we can't offer medical advice over the phone for liability reasons. It is a dead end for the person calling. They have to decide if they are concerned enough to bring their child in to be evaluated. 


Kid Emergencies is a free site that was developed by a pediatrician, Dr. Marty Belson.
I love this site because it is a one stop source for any question a concerned parent might have when something goes wrong with their child. It can help you make that informed decision as to whether or not you should take your child in to be seen by a dr.
The site has listed the most common emergencies. When you click on a specific category, it offers statistics and information, signs and symptoms, what you should do, and how a doctor would evaluate the situation.
And if all that isn't awesome enough, you can even contact Dr. Marty and ask him your questions. You can also read about questions from other readers.

My other favorite features about the site:
1. There is an Emergency Checklist you can post on your fridge. On it you can write your contact information, times when you should call your pediatrician, poison control, or 911. It also tells you about ER visits and gives tips and advice as to what to expect and what you can do for a smooth visit.
2. They have a link for all Poison Control numbers! This is perfect, especially if you don't have access to a phone book. Last week, we were at the daycare of our local rec center, where I do a trade and work in the daycare for a free membership. It was warm enough that they let all of the kids out on the playground. A few minutes later, I noticed something in Rowan's (my 14 month old) mouth. It looked like ice. Upon further investigation, we found out it was ice melt. It had snowed a few days prior and someone was very careless with the ice melt. He started gagging like he was going to vomit and I started to panic. We had to find a phone book and then proceed to look up the Poison Control number. It seemed like forever before we got to speak to someone even though it was only about 5 minutes. We were told if he had swallowed more than a tablespoon to immediately take him to the ER. If not, we should watch him to see if he started vomiting and really push the fluids on him. I didn't think he had swallowed much, so we just watched him. He ended up being ok, but it seemed like an eternity trying to find a phone book and then looking up the number. This site is a quick resource where you can have all Poison Control numbers within 30 seconds, or even print out a copy for your reference. I know I am going to be printing out the Emergency Checklist, where I will write our local Poison Control number.

One last thing that is pretty cool about the site: It is free of advertisements and Dr. Belson doesn't profit from it.  It is refreshing to find a site like this, when it seems like you are bombarded by advertisements on any site you visit.
A little bit about Dr. Belson:
"Dr. Martin Belson ("Dr. Marty") is a board certified pediatrician and pediatric emergency physician, board certified medical toxicologist and the former president of the Greater Atlanta Pediatric Society. His most important job is raising his daughters, Brooke and Anna." (taken from kidemergencies.com)

All in all, I am so impressed with this site.  I'm definitely going to bookmark it for future reference!
Click here to visit kid emergencies.


Monday, March 16, 2009

Summer is rapidly approaching and it's a great time to buy products for summer! I stumbled across this great company called Eyes Cream Shades. They sell cute and stylish sunglasses for babies and kids.


Pros: I've bought sunglasses for Chandler every summer. They always break, have the lenses fall out of them, or just aren't that great of protection for his eyes.

Eyes Cream Shades are shatterproof which I think is just awesome. The toddler glasses even have rubber frames for increased durability. Let's face it, kids aren't exactly gentle with their belongings, so this feature is great. Their glasses are made with a polycarbonate lens which is the safest and only recommended for children.
Long term sun exposure to the eyes can cause multiple problems such as cataracts and skin cancer around the eyes to name a few. Eyes cream shades has this problem covered as their glasses provide 100% UVA and UVB protection - perfect for protecting those little eyes. Another big perk - the offer a lifetime guarantee on their glasses. How awesome is that?

The day we got these glasses in the mail, Chandler just had to wear them. He put them on, and they fit snugly on his face. We went to play outside and was excited to wear them. He kept saying, "cool glasses!" One time while on the playground, he decided to throw his hat and glasses on the ground. After throwing them multiple times, we've really learned
just how durable they are. He even wants to wear them when it's dark outside. Pretty cute. I love that Chandler thinks they are cool stylish glasses, and I know they are safe and completely protecting his eyes.

The company is really quick with shipments and even sends you some cute ice cream bowls with your order, which is a fun touch.

Cons: No cons here!

The Bottom Line: Great quality kid's sunglasses, durable with awesome protection.

Price: $34.99 + shipping


Rating: Excellent


Eyes Cream Shades sent me two extra pair of glasses to give away! One is a girl's style, the other for a boy.

Here's how to enter:

1) Visit Eyes Cream Shades and leave a comment here with your favorite style - 1 entry

2)  Your favorite feature about these glasses?   - 1 entry

3) Post this giveaway on your blog - 1 entry

4) Follow me on twitter and tweet about it - 1 entry

5) Become a follower of this blog (You automatically get this entry if you are already a follower, just let me know you follow.) - 1 entry


Giveaway will close on March 30th, and winners will be announced on the 31st.

Contest Open to US residents only

Giveaway

I'm closing the Me Time giveaway on Friday. Make sure to enter!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

As I mentioned in the baby proofing post, babies are naturally curious.  Once mobile, they will get into anything and everything.  The Safety 1st Cabinet Flex Locks were one of the first things that we tried when baby proofing.


Pros:  These can be used on cabinets that have knobs on them.  It's simple enough to put on, you just put each loop over the knobs and then pull down on the zip to tighten them.  These really are baby proof, Chandler could never and has still never figured out how they work.  This is because you have to push the button in the middle while pushing the one on the side that you want to loosen.  These are also very durable.  We have had a couple for a few years and have never had to replace them.

Cons:  I like the idea behind this product, but they are difficult to  loosen.  You have to have two hands to do it and even then it feels like you are fighting with the product. (Sometimes I would get frustrated and feel like I needed more than 2 hands?  I thought these were supposed just be baby proof and not adult proof too?) I hated trying to loosen and tighten these every time I got into a cabinet.  I finally decided to leave the loops that go around the cabinet a little looser.  I could just pull on side off, get into the cupboard and then push it back on.  Chandler still couldn't get it off.  Although I figured out a way around how hard they are to zip, you shouldn't have to do that with a good product.  There are other products out there that have the same concept but are easier to use.   These are also only good to use on cabinets that have two knobs.  In our house we recently moved in to, we don't have knobs on our kitchen cabinets, so these won't work at all.

The Bottom Line:  A baby proofing product that seems to do it's job, but I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Price:  $2-4

Where to Buy:  Carefree Store Online, Walmart

Rating:  OK

Monday, March 9, 2009

Dwell Line at Target

Found a fabulous deal on slickdeals for crib bedding at Target! Their dwell line is up to 75% off.

They have 3 piece girl sets for $13.74 which includes a comforter, sheet, and bumper pad. (Makes me want a little girl!)
Arabesque Collection (pictured to the right)
Farm Girl Collection

There's also a boy's bedding set from the dwell line, but it is only 50% off and is $27.49
School Book

And a cute boy's blanket from the dwell line, marked down to $1.99
Cars

Shipping is a little high, about $10-12, but I think it's definitely worth it for the girl's line!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Cheap Huggies

Walgreens is having a great sale on Huggies next week , 3/8-3/14. Jumbo packs of diapers are $10 each.  You can also go to coupons.com or coupon bug and print out $5 coupons for each jumbo pack.  You can only print 2 per printer, but if you have access to another printer, you can print more.  If not, print 2 of the $5 ones and then there is also a $3 coupon.  You will also get $10 in register rewards, which is $10 off your next $10 purchase when you buy $25 worth.  There is also a $3 coupon in the WAG's coloring book which you can purchase at Walgreens.  

So if you can get 3 of the $5 coupons and the coloring book coupon, you will pay $2 for 3 jumbo packs.  Awesome deal on diapers!  (Deal was found at slick deals.  See original post here.)

Monday, March 2, 2009

Me Time

It seems like my life has been a LITTLE more than hectic lately! And I've been a blog slacker.  I really do have good excuses :)  First of all, it's called two little boys who I chase all day long.  Secondly, I decided to go back to work.  I'm sure some of you are feeling the stress of the economy.  I know we are. Although my husband's job seems safe now, we are wanting to start building our savings as much as possible.  I was extended a job last week to work in an Emergency Room as a Health Unit Coordinator, aka Ward Clerk.  It is 2 nights a week which will give us some extra money and peace of mind.  This is a little bit of a change.  I've worked as a Health Unit Coordinator before, but it was on a mom baby unit.  Hmmm....newborn babies to emergency situations? This should be an interesting change working in an ER.    So if it seems that I am a little loopy sometimes, you can assume that I might be operating on little to no sleep.  I started orientation today and boy am I tired!  I could use a nice bubble bath right now and a box of chocolates.  I definitely need a little bit of "me" time.  Speaking of bubble baths and chocolates, I think it's about time for a giveaway for all you mamas!  I'm sure many of  you spend your days chasing and taking care of your kiddos on top of everything else.  Kudos to all of you and your hard work!  So I want to know what you do to relax, and what you would do topamper yourself if you could do anything?  

Leave a comment and I'll be sure to send the winner something nice.  Maybe bubble bath and chocolates? ;)
PS - If you are a follower or become one, you get an extra entry!!
This giveaway will end 11:59 MST on March 20th.
Winner will be announced on March 21st!