Mark Alden Johnson’s “I’m Up in a Tree” tells the story of a boy who climbs a tree only to realize after the fact that he unsure how to get down. While contemplating his options he is visited by various creatures including bees, a bird and a cat who give him  suggestions, all of which sound scary to the little boy. The boy must to decide whether to give into the peer pressure of these creatures or wait for his dad, even though he thinks he might get in trouble.

My three year old son Lucian and I really enjoyed reading this book together. The lyrical rhyming style makes it not only fun for me to read but definite grabs and keeps his attention. “I climbed up your tree, up here in the sky. I thought it’d be fun but I climbed too high! I would climb back down but I don’t know how. So I’m stuck up here in your tree for now.”

While my son just enjoys the story overall, I love the underlying message of the book.  When in a sticky situation it is better to think the situation through. Just because a peer tells you that you should do something, doesn’t mean you should. It is all about making the right choices.  Even though the child is afraid his dad will be mad, he continues to wait for him rather than follow the bad advice of the bees, bird and cat.  One detail that bothered my son however was that there were no whiskers on the illustration of the cat! (Leave it to him to notice something like that…)

MARK ALDEN JOHNSON has been a writer at heart since a very young age. Even as a kid, he would invent imaginative stories and proudly present them to his parents – and anyone else he could find. Johnson started writing children’s stories just for his kids and their friends when they were young, but after he published his first book, Little Fish Lou (Outskirts Press), he knew writing was a passion he wanted to pursue. A native of northern Nevada, Johnson attended West Nevada College, where he took a wide variety of courses. Currently, he works for a local utility company in Dayton, Nev., where he lives with his wife and three kids.

Buy it: This hardcover book is 32 pages and is intended for ages 4-8. It retails for $14.99 but can be purchased at a discount at Amazonwith free super saver shipping!

{ Giveaway }

I have one copy of I’m Up in a Tree by Mark Alden Johnson to give away to one of my readers!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me why you’d like to win and who would be the lucky recipient if you won!

Want more entries? (This really is a fun read, so yes, you do!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Visit the author’s website and tell me something you learned
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win a hardcover children’s book, I’m Up in a Tree by Mark Alden Johnson @babylovingmama http://ow.ly/1qqU4v #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Mark Alder Johnson (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/29/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a book sample for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Sergio Ruzzier, author of the children’s book, Amandina is back at it again.  His newest creation, Hey, Rabbit! is now hitting store shelves just in time for Easter! This sweet book tells the tale of Rabbit who is helping out all his friends with his amazing suitcase, delivering amazing and over the top surprises for a dog, toucan, bear, mouse, cat and crab. But what will Rabbit find for himself in his suitcase?

Written and illustrated by Ruzzier, this tale contains a repetitive Hey Rabbit! with the introduction of each character.  Telling the story more through pictures than words, Ruzzier engages children and allows even the most distracted child to stay still long enough to finish the story. My three year old son Lucian caught on quickly and was reciting, “Hey Rabbit!” along with me before we were done. He loved looking at the illustrations and describing what Rabbit pulled out of his suitcase for his friends.

Check out the Hey Rabbit! book trailer and this fun Hey Rabbit! online drawing activity which allows you to create your own masterpieces emerging from Rabbit’s suitcase.

Now for the exciting part. I have an adorable Easter basket to give away which includes a hardcover copy of Hey Rabbit!, an original signed ink and watercolor framed drawing of Rabbit from the book, a Lindt chocolate bunny and of course some Easter eggs.

Buy it: Hey Rabbit! is a great alternative to traditional Easter books as it features an adorable rabbit yet is not written around an Easter theme. Perfect for year round enjoyment, this hardcover book retails for $16.99 but can be purchased on Amazon for even less than that with free super saver shipping!

{ Giveaway }

I have the amazing basket featured above worth $295 to give away to one of my very lucky readers.

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me why you’d like to win and who would be the lucky recipient if you won!

Want more entries? (Don’t even try to deny it!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Leave a comment on a Hey Rabbit! blog post
-Become a fan of Sergio Ruzzier on Facebook
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win an Easter basket w/ Hey Rabbit! by Ruzzier, signed illustration, Lindt bunny $295! @babylovingmama http://is.gd/axXCr #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my current button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Ruzzier.com (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/28/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. and Canada residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received the book for the purposes of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Cancer sucks. It touches every single one of us in some way and has been a killer in my family. Yet I can’t even imagine what it would be like if my baby, MY BABY, had to fight this horrible disease. I am so fortunate to not have experienced this but Carina and Aaron just had their world shattered last month when they found out their 11 month old daughter Penelope has Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

My friend Rhea at mommy23monkeys is a relative and has decided to take action to help her family with this fight. Please join Rhea as she floods twitter, facebook and blogs to get the word out about Penny, her situation and this devastating cancer TODAY, March 12th. She is also putting together an online auction so be on the lookout for a post from me about where and when so you can participate. If you have something you would like to donate please contact Rhea through her blog. (It will be tax deductible!)

To find out more about Penny, please visit Penny’s blog and see what Rhea is doing to help at mommy23monkeys.

Together we can make a difference in this family’s life, won’t you help?

Every so often I come across something that I think is extra special. Something unique and different than anything else I’ve ever seen before. I got that excited feeling when I saw the work of Gregg at Modern Bird Studios. This newer company specializes in custom art pieces that go beyond the traditional. Gregg will take your photo and using a combination of graphic design and natural drawing and painting abilities to totally transform your photo to a stunning piece of art.

Narrowing down what picture to use was tough since shots taken in natural light work best for this process. I finally settled on these separate pictures of my boys since I struggled to find a good one of them together outside. Gregg’s wife Megan guided me as colors were selected (Buckeye Brown and Urban Beige) and sent me image proofs to approve before Gregg really worked his magic.  He transformed these two pictures into…

these stunning pieces of art. Aren’t they beautiful? Sigh…

Each 12″ x 12″ piece is painted on a thick oak wood composite that unlike canvas will stay in nicer condition for a longer period of time with little to no chance of warping. They have a nice weight to them and feel very sturdy, even without a frame. Gregg has even signed the back so when he becomes super famous (is there really any doubt?) my art will be worth even more! The process was very smooth, much faster than I expected (only a few days) and I can’t say enough about the fabulous customer service I received.

I love how my boys stand out on our mantel and that this art will be treasured for many years to come. I couldn’t be happier with the results!

If you aren’t looking for custom work and just want some amazing floral shots that are modern and unique, you must browse the pre-designed series. They are cheaper than custom work and still pack an amazing oh my! where did you get that? kind of punch!

Discount: Modern Bird Studios is offering Baby Loving Mama readers a 15% off discount good on any custom or pre-designed art print. Just enter “BABYLOVING” at checkout! Hurry, this offer expires April 7th, 2010.

{ Giveaway }

Modern Bird Studios would like to give one of my lucky readers their own 12″ x 12″ custom art piece worth $215!

MAIN ENTRY: Visit Modern Bird Studios and tell me a print from the gallery or pre-designed series that caught your eye!

Want more entries? (Are you kidding me? You simply must!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Tell me why you’d like to win and who or what you’d like on your art piece if you won!
-Leave a comment on a Modern Bird Studios blog post
-Follow Modern Bird Studios on twitter and tweet about the giveaway
-Become a fan of Modern Bird Studios on Facebook
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win a custom modern art piece created from a photo worth $215! @babylovingmama from @modern_bird http://is.gd/ahNKx #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my current button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Modern Bird Studios (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/31/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received two print samples for the purposes of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

You know how much I LOVED my Bravado Supreme bras while I nursed both my boys. I would have been thrilled to have gotten them with a 25% discount. Just enter discount code MB-182 at checkout. This is a fabulous deal for a fabulous product so hurry for the best selection! Offer ends Monday, March 15th.

I personally like this format best but you can list it however you like as long as you include an end date and link directly to the giveaway post.

Blog Name – Prize (end date)

I will do this each Thursday so please come back next week to link up!

Be sure to enter all my current giveaways (check out the list in my sidebar) including this Giant Cupcake Pan from Wilton

and your choice of adorable hat or headband from Sweet Bella Baby

Be sure to stop by The Shopping Mama and add your giveaways to her Thursday linky as well!

The toddler stage is a blast, even if a bit challenging at times. Here are some fabulous products for your toddler, all of which would make great Easter gifts!

You may remember two separate reviews and giveaways with these babalu products. I personally have the Felt Tales and the Camping Out Shadow Book. All would make perfect Easter or birthday gifts. If I had to choose the knock out product though, Felt Tales has my vote. Not only does it come with a ton of felt board pieces and is very portable, it is a great way to encourage imaginative play! This is a favorite in our house and with lots of different styles to choose from including from the zoo to princesses to dinosaurs, there is certain to be the perfect one for your child.

Buy it: Felt Tales retail for $19.99 and can be purchased from Amazon or directly from Babalu. The remaining items are from WJ Fantasy (owned by Babalu) and can be purchased from Amazon or directly from Babalu.

Last June my boys went absolutely bonkers for Peter Rabbit Organics fruit pouches.This was one of those products that they loved so much I bought a case after the review was over! They fought over who got to eat the last one and it seemed like the perfect special snack.

Peter Rabbit Organics 100% Pure Fruit Snacks contain a full serving of organic fruit with no added sugar or artificial ingredients. They are extremely portable, no spoon required and have an easy twist off cap that actually isn’t a choking hazard and can be resealed. There are three different varieties:Strawberry & Banana ~ Mango, Banana and Orange ~ Apple & Grape

This a healthy and delicious snack perfect for babies and children and would be a great alternative to candy in an Easter basket. The adorable Peter Rabbit logo fits wonderfully with this holiday!

Buy it: These fruit pouches can currently be purchased for around $15 for a case of 10 from Amazon or check their store locator to find the nearest location near you.

Kidorable has the cutest selection of rain gear for little one. We received the fireman set last fall (see my review) and the boots have become a favorite of both my boys to clomp around inside. They are just itching to go stomp in the puddles!

You will find a wide assortment of kid umbrellas that would make the perfect Easter gift for the rainy spring season. With 22 different  designs to choose from your only problem will be deciding on which one! Just don’t forget to consider all the matching pieces for a full set.

Buy it: Kidorable umbrellas retail for $13.50-$15.00 each and can be purchased from Kidorable.

{ Giveaway }

Win a this Toddler Easter Prize Pack consisting of your choice of any of the featured babalu toys displayed above (Felt Tales, tool set, block set or shadow book), 3 Peter Rabbits Organic Pure Fruit Snack pouches (one in each flavor) and your choice of umbrella from Kidorable.

MAIN ENTRY: You MUST do one of the following to be entered to win this prize pack.

• Visit Babalu and tell me something that you would love to buy for your little one!
• Visit Peter Rabbit Organics and tell me which flavor you are most exited to try.
• Visit Kidorable and tell me which umbrella you would choose if you won.

Want more entries? (You know you need this prize pack!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Visit the other two remaining sponsors and answer the question in the main entry section for each. (1 entry each)
-Follow  Peter Rabbit Organics or Kidorable on twitter & tweet the giveaway at least once (1 entry each for company)
-Fan Peter Rabbit Organics or Kidorable on Facebook (1 entry each)
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win a Toddler Easter Prize Pack with Babalu, Kidorable & Peter Rabbit Organics @babylovingmama http://tinyurl.com/y8avsyk #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Babalu, Peter Rabbit Organics & Kidorable (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/25/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received samples for the purpose of the original reviews for Babalu, Peter Rabbit Organics and Kidorable. I received nothing for this particular post. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

It felt so good to get out this past weekend. The weather was sunnier on Saturday but still very warm on Sunday so we decided to make a trek to our local zoo. We had a fabulous day and now spring is my favorite time to go to the zoo. No crowds or super hot temps making it hard to visit all the outside exhibits. The only downfall but was it a was a bit muddy and my boys enjoyed all the puddles a little too much. So fun! (I just love that last shot of “my boys”.)

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5 minutes for Mom, 7 Clown Circus and Jennifer Leigh Designz!

Every day is an adventure with my three year old Lucian. He is smart and curious about his world so I just never know what might pop out of his mouth.

One of our challenges has been getting him to poop consistently on the potty. Sometimes he does but many times he won’t tell us he needs to go.  He’s fully capable, he just doesn’t want to. Yesterday I caught him with that look while we were both in the dining room and I immediately asked him if he was pooping. With a sheepish grin he replied, “Yep.” Great, another round of poopy pants to clean up. Here the subsequent conversation.

Lucian: Oh, look. It is a little poop. Just a little one though mommy. Not a big mess, just a little poop.

Me: Did a poop fall out of your pants?!

Lucian: Yes, but just a really little one. It came out my leg mommy. Just a tiny poop.

His legs are open wide as he avoids squishing the poop still in his pants

I look and see that it is very tiny and looks solid so I decide to have him clean it up. We’ve been having him help with his messes so it isn’t so easy for him.

Me: Well, here is a napkin. You can clean it up but don’t squeeze it. Wait. No, don’t put it on the TABLE, Lucian ! Argh.

I reach over to clean it up.

Me: (laughing a big belly laugh) Ha! Lucian, that isn’t a poop. It is just a raisin!

Lucian: NO! It IS a poop mommy. It came out of my butt.

Me: No, honey it is a just a left over raisin from snack time.

Lucian: Nope, it is a poop.

I could have ate it to prove it but I thought that might be a bit much.

Less the an hour later I’m sitting at the dining room table with Lucian and Joe (my husband) who just got off work. I see on my laptop that I will be receiving a Dyson for review (SWEET!) and of course I have to show him all the cool features.

Lucian hears about the new vacuum and asks:

Does it suck up poop?

Ah, these are the days. I’m certain I won’t be using it to clean up poop but I’m thinking it will be fabulous for those dropped raisins!

If you’ve been following my blog for a while then you know that I’m a sucker for a cute hat. I just love them, especially crocheted ones. Unfortunately I’m unable to fully satisfy my need for hats that are so cute I can’t hardly stand it because, well, I have two little boys. That is a bit limiting, isn’t it?. But I DO have a one year old niece who is very easy to spoil with all things girly. How can I resist when Joanne from Sweet Bella Baby asks me to do a review on her products? My niece just happens to be named Bella (and she is one sweet baby!) so of course I can’t. I jumped at the chance to indulge!

Sweet Bella Baby is an Etsy shop with that will wow you with a wide assortment of flower crochet hats and headbands. All items are made of high quality silk flowers, ribbons, marabou, swarovski crystals and knitted items.

My items came packaged beautifully and ready for gift giving right out of the box.

I think the pictures below speak for themselves. My niece looked absolutely adorable in everything, although the hat was a bit big on her smaller than average head. I think she knew she looked good, don’t you?

I was very happy with the quality of both the headband, hat and the flowers attached. Given the extremely affordable price I’m even more impressed. The hat is very soft and since the flower is permanently secured to the hat, my sister doesn’t have to worry about Bella ripping it off or being annoyed by anything plastic or metal used to keep it attached. Sweet Bella Baby does offer to put the flower directly on a clip if that is your preference so the flowers can be interchangeable.

There are so many other options to choose from sizes baby to adult that you are sure to find something perfect for your little princess at Sweet Bella Baby.

Buy it: These hats range in price from $11.95 to $14.95 and headbands for $6.95. However, Sweet Bella Baby is currently offering a fantastic deal. For the month of March only you can purchase standard hats for only $10 and headbands only $5. Hurry before this offer expires!

{ Giveaway }

Sweet Bella Baby would like to one of my readers their choice of any hat or headband!

MAIN ENTRY: Visit Sweet Bella Baby and tell me what item you would pick if you won!

Want more entries? (How can you resist?) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Tell me something you’d like to see added such as a hat or flower color combination
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win an adorable Flower Crochet Hat or Headband from Sweet Bella Baby @babylovingmama http://tinyurl.com/yd6ehjt #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Sweet Bella Baby (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/23/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S., Canada, United Kingdom and Australia residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received samples for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

I have been very fortunate to work with Wilton on multiple occasions this past year. You may remember my first with the Wilton Yearbook or perhaps my fun Halloween baking review. But my very favorite so far was my review of Wilton UltraGold bakeware.  I love that my relationship with Wilton pushes me to try new things and to do more baking!

Wilton is has what you need to do anything and everything you can imagine in terms of baking.  From step by step instructions to a huge selections of baking essentials and fun gadgets, Wilton can help you achieve a scrumptious masterpiece. One of their amazing products I’ve had my eye on a while is their Dimensions Giant Cupcake Pan. And can you blame me? Cupcakes are sweet but GIANT ones are even sweeter. Who can honestly resist?

I thought a giant cupcake cake for my son Warren’s 2nd birthday would be perfect. The pan was simple to use and the cake came out great. I did need two cake mixes and had enough mix left over for about 10 cupcakes. I recommend keeping a close eye on the cake as it bakes. It was hard to know exactly how long to bake it since the instructions that came with the pan state to follow the directions on the box. The cake mix obviously doesn’t include baking times for giant cupcake pans so I conservatively estimated and kept checking it every few minutes after that.

Of course I couldn’t just keep it simple and decided I would grant the request of my husband to add a filling. I chose this strawberry cream filling recipe from Wilton. While that added step really became a labor of love it ended up working great.  The filling turned out a bit thinner than I thought would be ideal between the the top and bottom half of the cupcake so my mom (the most fabulous baker in the world) came to my rescue. Her advice was to add a little powdered sugar and it worked wonders! I cut out a hole in the center of the bottom portion of the cupcake and added some strawberry filling before replacing the  piece I cut and adding even more between the two layers.

I decorated the top with some creamy vanilla canned frosting using my Wilton Decorating Bag Kit that I purchased from my local Target.  I strongly suggest you read these fabulous decorating bag tips from Wilton if you are an inexperienced decorator like myself. I wish I would have before I started since I broke the cardinal rule and filled past the clearly marked “Do not fill past this line” warning. I did end up with frosting oozing out the end and all over my hands but it certainly didn’t show in the results.

I had planned on leaving the bottom bare but with the strawberry filling showing I thought it would look better if it appeared to have a white baking cup underneath so I frosted it as well. If I were to do it over again I would have made sure I purchased these jumbo confetti sprinkles for that something extra.

I stored it in the fridge before serving so it could firm up even more. While it may not be perfect, I am very happy with how it turned out. I had extra filling left over so I had some available in a dish for spooning over the cake after it was sliced. It was so refreshing! The filling really added something special and my husband even paid me the highest compliment ever. He asked for seconds on cake which trust me, never usually happens!

Being the novice decorator that I am, I am certainly unable to show you all the amazing things you can do with this pan. But of course Wilton can make you oooh and ahhhh with the stunning cakes below. If you want to wow them at a birthday party, this pan can certainly do that! If you are looking for something extra unique for Easter, check out this Easter Basket Cake with cookies!

Do you suddenly have a massive craving for some cake? I do just completing this post.  If you’re completely sold on this pan and you just gotta have it, you can purchase it directly from Wilton for $30.99 or check your local Michael’s or Jo-ann Fabrics and Craft Store. And if you are feeling really lucky, you just might win the Wilton Dimensions Giant Cupcake Pan!

{ Giveaway }

Wilton would like to give one of my lucky readers a Dimensions Giant Cupcake Pan and they’ll be adding some sprinkles in for good measure!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me something else in Wilton’s shop that you would also love to own!

Want more entries? (Silly question though, isn’t it?) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Browse the Wilton ideas section and tell me something that caught your eye!
-Subscribe to A Piece of Cake blog by Wilton
-Follow Wilton on twitter and tweet about the giveaway
-Become a fan of Wilton on Facebook
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win a fun Wilton Dimensions Giant Cupcake Pan & sprinkles @babylovingmama from @wiltoncakes http://ow.ly/1pUfze #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my current button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Wilton (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/23/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a Wilton Dimensions Giant Cupcake Pan for the purposes of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Moms, Find Your Inner Beauty and Outer Glow with Disney Family.com

Disney Family recognizes that many moms are short on both time and money so they provide tips and advice on easy and inexpensive ways moms can shine.  Disney Family.com recently added new beauty-related content to their site in the Makeover Mom section, including how to build a better wardrobe, how to make the most of drugstore makeup, three steps to beautiful skin, and more.  They are also hosting a Mom’s Makeover Madness Sweepstakes for a chance to win a glamorous trip to LA for you and a girlfriend!

I don’t know about you, but I’m in a serious need of a makeover myself as I sit here with no makeup, a sweatshirt and desperate for a nice long shower! Feeling the same way? Lucky for you I have a  beauty must-have kit to give away courtesy of Disney Family.com!  Included in the kit is a Disney Family.com branded makeup tote, sleep mask, mini manicure set and Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy candle. This has approximately a $60 value!

Please visit Disney Family.com for parenting advice, travel ideas, recipes and more.

{ Giveaway }

I have a Disney Family.com beauty kit as shown above to give away to one lucky reader!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me your favorite way to  pamper yourself with some quality “me time”.

Want more entries? (I know you need this!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win a Beauty Must-Have Kit with a BBW Aromatherapy Candle from Disney Family.com @babylovingmama http://bit.ly/bvC0Id #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to DisneyFamily.com Makeover Mom (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/18/10 at 11:59 pm CST. US residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 24 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Disney Family.com Travel. I was not compensated in any way to post this giveaway other than making one of my readers very happy!

I personally like this format best but you can list it however you like as long as you include an end date and link directly to the giveaway post.

Blog Name – Prize (end date)

I will do this each Thursday so please come back next week to link up!

Be sure to enter all my current giveaways (check out the list in my sidebar) including a fun gift set from Sandra Magsamen

an Adorable Baby Prize Pack featuring a Bebe au Lait Reversible Bib and Snugfits Onesie

Another Thomas & Friends adventure was just been released on DVD March 2nd from Liongsate and Hit Entertainment.Thomas & Friends: Thomas and the Runaway Kite is yet another must have DVD to add to your Thomas collection.

Using the same CGI style as the movie Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Railsand Thomas & Friends: Splish, Splash, Splosh! Thomas & Friends: Thomas & the Runaway Kite also features both narration and characters that can talk.  This DVD brings back beloved characters from both of these DVDs including Hiro, from Hero of the Rails and Driver Perkins and Charlie from Splish, Splash, Splosh.

There’s a kite on the loose and Thomas must catch it before the wind blows it from Sodor. With Gordon, Charlie and Toby by his side, Thomas learns that a helping hand keeps him right on track when it comes to rescuing kites, saving a swarm of bees, and preventing railway disasters from taking flight! Hop on board for a high-flying ride with Thomas & Friends in these all-new, never-before-seen train adventures!

The DVD includes the following episodes:

o Runaway Kite

0 Buzzy Bees

o Toby’s New Whistle

o The Biggest Present of All

Anyone who has read my previous Thomas reviews knows that my three year old son Lucian is a huge Thomas fan. Therefore, trying to get him to nail down a favorite episode was nearly impossible. He did however mention more than once that he was so happy to see Hiro again and of course he asks to watch it almost daily.

I personally enjoyed the lessons learned in Toby’s New Whistle. Toby is forced to use a new and different whistle while his old one was being fixed. He didn’t like the change and thought the whistle was much too loud.  Toby decided he wouldn’t use his whistle at all since he was too scared to even try.  Through a series of events Toby is forced to use it to help save his friends and it turns out that it would have only been possible with this new whistle. I love the lesson that change can sometimes be for the better.

Buy it: Thomas & Friends: Thomas and the Runaway Kite retails for $14.98 but can be purchased from Amazon for only $11.98 right now!

{ Giveaway }

I have a copy of Thomas & Friends: Thomas and the Runaway Kite to give to one of my readers!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me why you’d like to win and who the DVD would be for!

Want more entries? (You know you have someone who would love this!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Tell me your favorite Thomas & Friends character
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win the new Thomas & Friends: Thomas & the Runaway Kite CGI DVD @babylovingmama http://ow.ly/1pGMak #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my current button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/17/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this DVD for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Think this looks like fun? If so, you are one smart cookie. It was a blast!

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5 minutes for Mom, 7 Clown Circus and Jennifer Leigh Designz!

You may remember the books by Sandra Magsamen, My Little Monkey and Little Bear Hugs which I reviewed last fall. I just love her bright colors and whimsical style. Did you know that besides books she also creates gift items and apparel? I took my youngest home from the hospital in a precious outfit called Puppy Love by Sandra that I had purchased from JCPenney. Now Sandra has the Wishes and Kisses infant apparel line available at Wal-mart which includes these two cute options from her spring collection. They come in sizes ranging from 0 to 9 months.

Since my boys are unfortunately too old now (sigh…) for that adorable turtle set I enlisted the help of my 12 month old dainty niece to model the dress in size 6-9 months. As you can see it fit her beautifully, with the hidden diaper cover actually a bit big. While she is on the small size I would say these run a little big. I just love how  those ruffles climb up her back! At only $8.50 this dress would make a fabulous, yet affordable baby gift!

According to Sandra,

Over the last twenty one years, I have created products and ideas that celebrate the people and moments that make life a gift!

As a mother and an artist, there is nothing that makes me happier than to see my work touching lives and helping people. The partnership with Walmart has been a blessing as it offers me the perfect setting to connect and share my art with so many people. Whether it’s a teddy bear for a friend far away or near or an angel ornament that tells your friend, sister, daughter, mom or grandma how much you care, I hope these pieces fill homes and lives with warmth and love.

Her gift line also available at Walmart includes plenty of great ideas that won’t break your budget.

In case you are wondering, yes that adorable “you’re a rare bear” teddy bear above is as soft as it looks! Here is snapshot of my niece loving it up and leaning in for a kiss which I captured on video.

With items such as a inspirational keychains for $3 and assorted plaques for $5 you can send a heartfelt message without worrying about cost. I love that the quality doesn’t suggest that you got it anywhere other than an expensive gift shop.

You can these items and more at your local Walmart and Sandra Magsamen books at Walmart.com Check out JCPenney and the Sandra Magsamen website for even more fun options!

{ Giveaway }

Sandra Magsamen would like to give one of my readers their choice of any two gift items (teddy bear, keychain, mug or plaque) from the adult collection the outfit for boy or girl featured above in their choice of size (0-9 months).

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me which two gift items and outfit you would choose if you won!

Want more entries? (You know you want ‘em!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Visit Sandra Magsamen’s store and tell me something that caught your eye
-Sign up for Sandra’s blog feed (link on bottom of left sidebar)
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win a Sandra Magsamen prize pack w/baby outfit & two adult inspirational gifts! @babylovingmama http://tinyurl.com/yk3eqch #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Add my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Sandra Magsamen (3 entries)

This contest will end on 3/16/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S.  residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.