Monday, March 22, 2010

Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE {There's a Party in my City} Review


This show was way awesome! I was about 10-15 rows away from the stage. My kids had so much FUN! And of course, I did TOO!

When we arrived to the Fox Theater in St. Louis, everything went smooth until we got inside. We were scrunched so tightly, like sardines waiting for the doors to open. They weren't letting people inside until 5:00pm, when the show was supposed to start. So, finally we make it through the doors, show them our tickets, btw they had no security means what so ever. No one check my bags at all. Then we get to another room, waiting again! I went to TWO different lines before I said enough is enough, my kids were screaming and crying because they wanted to sit down. I was like just take me to my sit I am NOT waiting in another line! So, we got to our seats and then things were fine. The Fox Theater was definitely NOT big enough for a big show like Yo Gabba Gabba, it's too small. It was just as rough getting out of the building after the show.

Other than the uncomfortable conditions we started out in, the show was spectacular!









































































Friday, March 19, 2010

care4hire.com {Giveaway}


Who is care4hire.com?
Care4hire.com is an online database for families and caregivers to search babysitters, housekeepers, tutors, elder/companion care, pet sitters and other miscellaneous service. A free preview of available caregivers is available to families. Whether you need a caregiver for a few hours to a few days, you will find it at Care4hire.com. Once you are a registered member, you will be given immediate access to caregiver through email and phone.

Nannies4hire.com is one of the largest, most successful online nanny and family databases. As part of this database, you can conveniently search full-time, part-time, temporary, summer, babysitting, live-in and live-out nannies by zip code 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Please visit care4hire.com's blog for tips! {Blog}

Check out the other posts!

Has Your Love Life Stagnated Since the Kids Were Born?

Top 10 List for Hiring a Babysitter


{GIVEAWAY}
care4hire.com/nannies4hire.com is giving away
a free membership ($34.99 retail value) gives you 1 month to login and contact caregivers.

{Enter}
{Please leave a comment for each entry}
  • Leave a comment on which service you would like to use. {Mandatory}
  • Follow care4hire.com on twitter.
  • Follow me on Google.
  • Follow me on twitter.
  • Fan me on FaceBook.
  • Tweet this giveaway.
  • Blog about this giveaway. {Leave URL to your post}
**Giveaway is available to those 18+ && who reside in the USA && Canada. Giveaway end date April 2, 2010 @ 11:59PM CST. Winner will be randomly chosen using random.org.

care4hire.com {Top 10 List for Hiring a Babysitter}


Hiring a babysitter can be a confusing task. There are so many things to consider as you face the task of selecting someone to care for your children in your absence, and you want to find the perfect fit between the babysitter and your family. Here are some of the most important things for you to consider when selecting a new babysitter for your children.

1. The babysitter should be able to relate easily and bond well with your children while maintaining a clear distinction from them. Babysitters must be able to play with and enjoy your children (which can often be construed by the child as peer-level interaction) while also maintaining discipline. It is easy for a babysitter (and a parent) to feel more comfortable in one role or the other: to be most comfortable being friends with the children, or to be most comfortable supervising the children and redirecting their errant behaviors.

2. The babysitter must be able to relate with your family and administer discipline to your children in a manner that is appropriate and consistent with your family’s boundaries. If you have a prospective babysitter that uses social isolation (sending a child to his/her room, for example) as a method of behavior modification, and you are not comfortable with that method of behavior modification, then the prospective babysitter may not be a good fit for your family.

3. The babysitter should ideally have years of experience, solid references from prior employer-families, a clean background (pursuant to background checks), and completed training on babysitter basics (CPR, first aid, the Heimlich maneuver, basic nutrition and food preparation, and general personal and home hygiene). You can obtain background checks through Care4hire.com. The babysitter should not represent a risk to your children in any way; thus, in addition to the foregoing, the babysitter should be current on his/her vaccinations.

4. If you need your babysitter to drive, then your babysitter should have a valid driver’s license, a clean (or as close to clean as possible) driving record and a reliable car.

5. The babysitter should be able to develop and carry out fun, creative, and educational experiences for your child.

6. The babysitter should be willing and able to comply with your rules about what constitutes appropriate television viewing, when s/he may use his/her cellular telephone while babysitting, when s/he may use your telephone for his/her own purposes while babysitting, when s/he may have friends over while babysitting, etc.

7. The babysitter should be capable of handling small “crises” on his/her own. You and your babysitter should come to an agreement about what issues may warrant a call to you and what issues the babysitter is authorized to handle on his/her own. Your babysitter should be able to act comfortably within the boundaries you have provided.

8. The babysitter’s expectations regarding terms and conditions of employment should be close to the terms and conditions of employment that you are offering. If you wish to hire a babysitter in a smoking home, a non-smoking prospective babysitter may not be a good fit for your family. Pay rates for babysitters should be discussed up front to ensure that the prospective babysitters are willing to work for the income you offer.

9. The babysitter should not have fears or concerns about the non-negotiable aspects of the job with your family. If you have a cat, and your prospective babysitter is severely allergic to cats, the prospective babysitter may not be a good fit for your family. (Side note: some allergic reactions can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription medications or other accommodations that may be used by the allergic babysitter.) If the prospective babysitter is unable to work specific hours or days and you need your babysitter to attend to your children on those days or in those hours, then the prospective babysitter may not be a good fit for your family.

10. The babysitter should be a positive, loving influence in your household.

Other posts on this topic:

Has Your Love Life Stagnated Since the Kids Were Born?

care4hire.com {Giveaway}



Care4hire.com {Has Your Love Life Stagnated Since the Kids Were Born?}



Do you find yourself struggling to find time for yourself and husband? You know, before long work hours and three kids drained you of energy and made you more of a worker bee than a sexual being.
Or how about those romantic weekend get-aways, just the two of you? Romantic gestures from your spouse always made you feel loved and special, and your marriage blossomed with the nurturing, but now you both have neither the time nor the energy.
The nose-to-the-grindstone approach works well as you juggle work and home demands, but it shouldn’t be employed 24/7/365 . . . good mental health requires some restorative time as well. In the long term, if you push through your exhaustion with more and more productivity, your marriage and your positive outlook will suffer . . . the children will observe the difficulties, and they, in turn, will suffer as well. Therefore, it is in everyone’s best interest to give yourself the periodic downtime that you need.
Hiring a babysitter can provide you and your spouse an opportunity to spend some alone-time together, to enjoy some time free of to-do-lists and time demands. Maybe the two of you will do nothing, a blissful absence of activity, but merely sitting in the park and silently watching the world go by. You may spend time doing something relaxing that you both enjoy (perhaps an evening at the opera or taking in a game at the stadium). You might even go on a romantic weekend get-away in time for Valentine’s Day. Whatever it takes for you to recharge your batteries and reconnect as husband and wife, that is what you can do.
Hiring a babysitter so that you and your spouse can maintain your marriage and your positive perspective involves good communication between parents and babysitter, just as hiring a babysitter for any other reason requires good communication. Let the babysitter know where you will be and how you can be reached. Ensure that she knows under what circumstances you are (and are not) to be contacted. Give the babysitter an expectation of when she can expect you to return home. Provide the babysitter with emergency medical numbers, food for appropriate snacks, toys or other entertainment that may be planned for the time that she will be with your kids, etc.
Once a trustworthy babysitter is hired, and all the pertinent information has been communicated, you and your spouse can begin to recharge your batteries, breathe fresh life into your marriage, and gain a new perspective on the world. Enjoy!

Other posts on this topic:
Top 10 List for Hiring a Babysitter
care4hire.com {Giveaway}

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Sun Sauce {Review}



1.800.275.2855
Sunsauce.com

{Winner} Yo Gabba Gabba Tickets LIVE!


The winner of the Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE tickets is Amber Mersch! Congrats!

Monday, March 15, 2010

{CLOSED}Yo Gabba Gabba Live Giveaway! STL


Hi Friends!
I am so happy to be able to giveaway 3 tickets to Yo Gabba Gabba! Live There's a Party In My City! {yogabbagabbalive.com}









Date: Sunday March 21, 2010 @ 5:00PM
Where: The Fox Theater in St. Louis













To Enter please just pick your favorite number and post it in a comment on my blog under this post. Please make sure there are no duplicate numbers! Please leave an email address, so I am able to contact you if you're the winner. Winners will be chosen at random using random.org One{1} winner will receive three{3} tickets.

This giveaway is only available to those who are in the surrounding areas of St. Louis, MO. Contest is for 18+. Contest end date will be Wednesday, March 17 2010 @ 11:59PM CST!
**I am also receiving 3 free tickets for posting this giveaway! Ticket reatil is between $19 to $40.00 a seat! WOW!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Proactiv's Interview with Katy Perry!

Proactiv Solutions Review

Same Formula, NEW Technology: Micro Crystal
New Proactiv Solution has be formulated with an exclusive micro-crystal benzoyl peroxide, designed to allow the key active fighting ingredient to absorb more quickly into pores. Typical benzoyl peroxide particles on average are 25% larger than the pore and can vary in size. The new benzoyl peroxide in Proactiv is approximately 1/10 the size of the pore, and the particles are evenly sized and uniform throuout the formula.

The even particle size and overall distribution of the new micro crystal benzoyl peroxide may help prevent clumping of benzoyl crystals, which allows for better absorption into the pore and may minimize the occurance of the dryness and redness sometimes associated with benzoyl peroxcide.

Purchase:
Retail is $49.95/Proactiv Preferred Customer price is $39.95 or visit www.proactiv.com or call 1.888.819.2019


Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo Review

Quick Facts:
• New invisible formula does not leave your hair behind any powdery residue
• Effectively cleans and neutralizes odors
• 100% safe for all hair types
• Simply spray it in your hair and brush it out to give your hair a clean and refreshed look in between showers
• Absorbs oily buildup on the scalp, perfect alternative to daily showers
• Available at retail stored throughout the nation for $7.99
Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo @ www.salongrafix.com

Get to know I Green Mommy {Spotlight}




My name is Rachel McGuire, and as of 2010 (before august) I'm 39yrs old. Born in Ohio, but have lived in SE Missouri since I was 13 yrs old. Married with 3 beautiful children quickly growing into adults. My passions are my family (children), pets, Cooking, Wine, camping out in the summer building snowmen in the winter and Doing Every craft I can get my hands on in my spare time.
I have been creating green products (recycling fabrics and found items into completely new items) for well over 18 years now. I've always Given my creations away to friends, family or to whomever I felt needed it more. One day a friend told me, if I'm going to work that hard I should sell some to help fund my "obsessions" so, It was about 3 years ago that I finally decided to set up shop to see if anyone else would be interested in the items as well. At that time I had my OWN website and was creating all natural Bath and body products from scratch.
It was a year ago that I switched gears toward my other crafty passions and opened the Etsy shop. It all started because I am a Craft-a-holic (raised by a craft-a-holic). I have found that a fantastic way to de-stress is to do some sort of crafting, lately i've been sewing, but I love to crochet, paint (tole mostly), scrapbooking (traditional but mostly Digital using my Degree in Computer Graphic Arts Design). I very rarely "craft" for myself, I usually always have someone else in mind when the idea's hit me to "create", which is why my items make great gifts. My inspiration comes from my children and pets, and what I see and feel from friends & other people's creativity and energy.
I keep myself VERY busy, when I'm not playing mom, wife or Maid. I am crafting my little heart out and Blogging about it on one of my three blogs.

http://igreenmommy.blogspot.com ( the blog associated with my Green Etsy shop ) , http://amomsrantings.blogspot.com ( the blog where I talk about family parenting and my obsessions of entering giveaways, doing product reviews and Sponsoring my own Giveaways of my Etsy Green products ). and http://raeleidesigns.blogspot.com ( where I post my latest graphics creations when I am doing my Digital Scrapbooking ).

Click here for the video review!



I Green Mommy~Facial Pads Review




Check out I Green Mommy's Spotlight where you can find all of her links to her blogs and etsy shop!

Reviews

Hey everyone! Reviews are being posted today! Stay tuned!

With Love,
Kristin

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

100% Colombian Coffee "See What's Behind the Best" Contest


If there is anyone deserving of a pick-me-up, it's certainly Moms! With our demanding schedules and sometimes sleepless nights, it's no wonder that some Moms set their coffee makers to automatic brew. If you're one of the many Moms who rely on a caffeine boost to jumpstart your day, you might be familiar with an organization that consistently delivers quality java- 100% Colombian Coffee.

100% Colombian Coffee is found in numerous brands of coffee because demanding consumers the world over are aware of the importance of its origin. So next time you are shopping for coffee, look for the 100% Colombian Coffee logo - your guarantee to the "richest coffee in the world."

Coffee drinker or not, you definitely don't want to miss out on the 100% Colombian Coffee "See What's Behind the Best" sweepstakes. By visiting www.whatsbehindthebest.com, you'll have the opportunity to learn about the philosophy behind 100% Colombian Coffee and enter to win great prizes. The grand prize is $10,000!




Monday, March 01, 2010

Wisk® "Pimp My Laundry Room" Video Contest

If there is one chore that Moms are familiar with, it's laundry. For many of us, it's a daily occurrence that gives new meaning to the phrase "spin cycle!" That's why it's not surprising that laundry rooms are among the most frequented areas of the house for Mom....unfortunately, they tend to also be some of the most uninspired rooms in the home when it comes to design. Luckily, Wisk® Laundry Detergent understands and wants to help!

If your laundry room is plain and boring or a downright dungeon, you just might be in desperate need of a laundry room makeover. Wisk® Laundry Detergent is teaming up with TV's Designing Spaces to pimp-out one laundry room in dire need of a face-lift as part of the Wisk® Pimp My Laundry Room video contest.

Just enter a short video from March 1 to March 29, 2010 at www.LaundryHE.com explaining why you deserve a laundry room makeover and Wisk® could be on your doorstep with their partners-in-design, Whirlpool's DreamLaundry® Solutions team led by Bill Thomas and Emily Johnston, owner of the interior design firm EJ Interiors and founder of Materials Girls Blog. Together, they'll take your laundry room from drab to fab in no time thanks to a laundry room makeover complete with a new Whirlpool® High Efficiency (HE) washer/dryer set and a year's worth of Wisk® HE Laundry Detergent. Even better, she'll get to star in her very own episode of Designing Spaces!

The top Finalists will be featured on LaundryHE.com from April 12 - 19 and the Grand Prize Winner will be chosen by popular ballot so be sure to get your friends and family online and voting! Even better, a vote is an automatic entry to a sweepstakes for a year's supply of Wisk HE Laundry Detergent.



**I
Disclose that I am partnering with BSM Media for a Wisk contest with product giveaway.

Hi Friends FYI

Ok so I am behind on a bunch of reviews && not to mention homework. I promise promise to start getting my reviews posted ASAP!

As always thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

Kristin