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?

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.

If you’ve been eying the  fun aprons available at Flirty Aprons,  now is the perfect time to buy and get them 30% off with discount code 30Coupon! But  hurry, this code expires midnight on Sunday, February 28th!

Right now you can find Up (Single Disc Widescreen) on sale on Amazon for only $9.49. That is 68% off! And you can get  the Up (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live) [Blu-ray] version for only $19.99, 57% off. Both qualify for free super saver shipping with an order of $25 or more.

If you haven’t yet seen this movie you simply must. It has become a fast favorite in our house for both our boys and us as well. It is great for all ages and a truly unique story. My three year old recites scenes from the movie daily and I laugh every time he quotes Alpha in a high pitched voice. Squirrel!!

Hurry though, you never know how long the price will last!

General Mills committed recently to further reducing sugar in their cereals which are advertised to children under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving.  This is in addition to other measures already taken including providing whole grain and increasing key nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.

I’ve always been a cereal lover so it came to no surprise to me that at least one of my boys would have that same love of a big ‘ole bowl of cereal goodness.  My youngest can’t get enough of it! I have however been noticing the high sugar content in many cereals and try to only buy those which aren’t loaded with sugar such as Berry Kix and the many varieties of Cheerios. I’m very happy to hear that General Mills understands the importance of limiting sugar in young children.

I think most people realize that having a healthy breakfast in the morning is very important but did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also provide vital vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients.

Other cereal benefits:

• Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.
• Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.
• More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

Please visit Cereal Health and Wellness to learn more and be sure to print out a General Mills $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals.

Disclosure: I was provided with free product from General Mills through MyBlogSpark for taking the time to share this information with my readers.

Many companies are stepping up and doing what they can to help Haiti earthquake victims but none I’ve seen so far is as unique as the incentive Hana Salon CEO Stephen Voudouris is offering.  Purchase any Hana appliance through February 4th and receive a blank check from Stephen for $25 to donate to whomever you see fit. How cool is that? This can finally be your excuse to purchase a fabulous flat iron and give to your favorite charity at the same time. For more information and to purchase Hana appliances please visit Misikko.com.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are like me you probably bought into all the hype that name brand formulas are nutritionally better for your child than store brand formulas. Mead Johnson, the makers of Enfamil, strategically marketed their brand to make us believe that was the case. But a lawsuit brought on by PBM Products, a leading maker of store brand formulas (Wal-Mart, Target, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, etc.) sought to bring this false advertising to light. On November 10th, a Virginia court awarded PBM Products, Inc with $13.5 million in damages. This makes this case one of the largest damages awards ever for false advertising.  

PBM Products had sued Mead Johnson two other times in which they admitted that they had made false claims about their products. In this case Mead Johnson had a used a picture to suggest that not using Enfamil Lipil would result in poor eye and brain development because Enfamil Lipil contained DHA and ARA.  They had also stated that other brands had cut down in nutrition. Did you know PBM store-branded infant formulas have the same nutrients at the same levels as Enfamil, including DHA and ARA?

PBM store brand formulas cost up to 50% less than Enfamil Lipil and allow parents to save up to $600 per year on formula purchases.

I’m thankful right now that I breastfed for most of my boy’s first years but I did supplement with formula at times after six months old and used formula exclusively towards the end of their first year. And yes, I did use Enfamil Lipil. I used it because of all the so called “savings” I thought I was getting with their formula checks. Now I realize the formula checks were absolutely worthless anyway and a waste of my time.

I hope this information helps someone else avoid the extra costs that are completely unnecessary. Babies are expensive enough without spending extra on formula.

Save up to 60% off on Chooka and Western Chief women and kids raingear.

Prices start at $20.

Sale begins on Wednesday, January 20th at noon EST at ideeli.

Details: We can all use a little pick-me-up on a rainy day, and Chooka and Western Chief bring that welcome ray of sunshine right to your feet! Born from the idea that utility can be beautiful, Chooka and Western Chief seamlessly meld fashion and function in candy-colored rain boots. From bright shades with polka dots to tattoos and leopard prints, the featured boots accent any outfit and prove that comfort can be sustained even in the worst weather situations. Chooka and Western Chief boots remind us that, above all, fashion is fun: now that’s a rain check we’ll gladly take!

Just take a look at some of the items that will be in the sale.

Included are these bad ass Chooka rain boots for women.  Not sure if I could pull these off but I’d sure love to try!

These Chooka boots for kids are just too cute!

And here are some adorable raingear options from Western Chief!

Getting wet never looked so fashionable. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to ideeli and drool over check out all the sales. Happy shopping everyone!

Disclosure: ideeli is an invitation only shopping website. By clicking on the ideeli link and making a purchase you will be giving me shopping credit and generously supporting my own ideeli shopping lust. For that I thank you, immensely.

Ufadili is currently having their BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR!

Receive 50% OFF ALL ITEMS by entering “50OFF” at checkout. Keep in mind that inventory is limited so don’t wait!

I can attest that the quality we’ve experienced from Ufadili is top notch (see my review) and 30% of profits go charity so you can feel good while you shop!

Frigidaire has teamed up with Jennifer Garner  to help children in poverty in the US. Their new Spin & Win game gives you the opportunity to win gift cards for spending family time  whether it’s starting a craft project, playing dress up or reading books. The grand prize is a brand new Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer, with time-saving features that give you more time for the important things in life.  A grand prize will be given away every month and their is a prize winner every day!

Every time you play, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children, as part of their $250,000 commitment to support Save the Children’s CHANGE program, dedicated to providing nutritious snacks and promoting healthier lifestyles for children living in poverty in the United States.

Go to www.MakeTimeForChange.com and spin for your chance to win and support a great cause! If you do win, please come back and tell me so I can congratulate you!

NO PURCHASE OR DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. The Spin & Win Promotion consists of the Washer/Dryer Sweepstakes and the Child-Time Prize Sweepstakes. Every day you spin and register or log in, you are automatically entered in the Child-Time Prize Sweepstakes for the chance to win the prize randomly selected and the Washer/Dryer Sweepstakes for the chance to win a Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer. Promotion begins at 12:01 AM ET 1/18/10, ends 11:59 PM ET 4/26/10. Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous U.S. & D.C., 21 or older. Void in AK, HI & where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules, available here. Sponsor: Electrolux Home Products, Inc., the maker of Frigidaire brand appliances. Frigidaire will donate $1 for every day you take a spin and register or log in with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $15,000.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of HealthyTuna.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

I remember when I found out I  was pregnant with my first child four years ago. Excited, but totally clueless, I got my hands on multiple pregnancy books to find out all the dos and don’ts while pregnant. Some were very obvious like alcohol and tobacco and some completely took me by surprised like alpha sprouts, sushi and certain types of  fish. Being a seafood lover I was a bit bummed knowing I wouldn’t be able to have these foods for another 9 months.

Keep in mind that seafood is the only naturally rich source of the special omega-3 fatty acid called DHA.  DHA gives your baby the best possible brain and eye development and helps with better mental health in adults. I did eat seafood during pregnancy and tried to get two – three servings per week using varying kinds of fish!

Another reason to love seafood while you are pregnant: A new study found that moms-to-be who ate no seafood were nearly 50 percent more likely to have symptoms of depression than those who ate seafood at least three times per week.

Stay away from high mercury content fish like shark, mackerel, swordfish and tilefish but don’t completely remove seafood from your diet. Educate yourself on what is healthy for both you and your baby.

To read more about this study and learn more about the benefits of seafood visit healthy tuna.

To celebrate the release of Extraordinary Measures starring Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford, a wonderful opportunity has been presented for any charity to get the word out about their cause . The Inspirational Quilt project allows you to upload a video about your inspirational story and a chance to receive $10,000 for your cause whether it is big or small. The movie’s tagline, “Don’t Hope For a Miracle. Make One,” is inspired by the film’s real-life subject, John Crowley, a father who defied conventional wisdom and great odds, and risked his family’s future to pursue a cure for his children’s life- threatening disease.

Entering is easy!

• Go to the Inspirational Quilt and click on Upload Your Story
• Once your video is uploaded, you will be entered into the sweepstakes for a chance to designate the charity of your choice to receive $10,000.
• Tell your friends to vote to increase your chances of winning.

Some fantastic videos have been uploaded to the Inspirational Quilt and are already in the running for the $10,000 charity donation- including the story of Alexandra “Alex” Scott, a young cancer patient who, facing a grim diagnosis, insisted on setting up a lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer before succumbing to the disease at age eight. Her stand evolved into a national lemonade stand initiative and foundation which has since raised over $25 million for the cause.

Even if you don’t have your own inspirational story to share, I hope you will take a moment and vote for some of the amazing stories that need to be heard!

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Participants must be legal residents of 1 of the 50 US states or D.C., at least 18 years old or age of majority in state of residence or older at date of entry. Entries accepted until January 26, 2010. Void where prohibited by law. For complete details see <Official Rules>.

If you were on my blog in the past few days you may have noticed some changes happening. If you visit now you might not notice much of anything different.  I was attempting to get fresh look with a new wordpress theme and thought I found the perfect one for me. Unfortunately I had many issues with the theme. What should have been standard was crashing and hacking it so it would display how I wanted was way beyond my limited wordpress knowledge. Because it was a free theme there was no support and the “tutorial” was so bare it was almost worthless. (Sarcastic thanks to Woo Themes.) I could find similar complaints from other users but no solutions. After spending countless hours on it I have given up.

I’m dying for a new look for this blog but I need to find the right one and it must be one that isn’t impossible to make changes to the format. If you have any suggestions for what you like about certain themes/sites or feedback on what you think works and doesn’t work with my current theme, feel free to share. Sometimes it is hard to see it from the reader’s perspective.

Thank you for understanding and hopefully I’ll get a new theme up and running this month that is more unique and more user friendly!

Amazon currently has a great sale right now on See Kai Run shoes, many which also qualify for super saver shipping. Get them while the selection is still good! We love our See Kai Run shoes!

Take a moment to think about your expenses – especially this time of year. Do you feel overwhelmed? The answer is probably “yes” … especially if you have little ones. Ok, now breathe. How do you handle the expenses? Perhaps you set a budget. Maybe you clip coupons. Have you thought about turning to the internet? Hitting the web is a great way to save money on nearly everything. Think of this – when was the last time you bought eyeglasses? If it was over two years ago – it’s time for a new appointment and a new prescription.

Did you know you can save hundreds by buying prescription glasses online? Seriously! Even cute, designer or house frames are cheaper on the net. Why spend $400 on glasses if you don’t need to. Do you have little monster hands in the house? You may want to look for a back-up pair while you are at it. At a retail store, this could cost you between $600-$800 for two pairs of glasses. If you turn to the internet, you can find them for less than $100 for both pairs!

If you are internet savvy, then you already know that coupon sites are a dime a dozen. If you are looking for eyeglass frames, coupon and loyalty sites are a great source for finding great discounts on your glasses! Doing a search for “eyeglasses” may not turn up much but if you look under the Health and Beauty categories, you will likely find some great deals to make your next purchase of eyeglasses even cheaper!

Do your research! Some companies offer low prices but their products are less than good quality! Other companies have rough return policies. Always read the fine print and you won’t be dissatisfied. In this economic crunch, you shouldn’t forget to take care of you – but you also don’t need to break the piggy bank just to make sure you have good.

This post was brought to you by Glasses USA, offering you affordable prescription eyeglasses online.

Check out Amazon for some amazing deals on toys, up to 60% off (or more!). For example, this Crayola Underseas Adventures set retails for $19.99 and is currently only $4.99 and has received 5 out of 5 stars!

And how can you resist this adorable DVDiscoveries Animal Planet Baby Animals Game marked down from $19.99 to $4.99 and 5 out of 5 star rating?

I also spotted this Kid K’Nex Sesame Street Cookie Monster & Hooper’s Store Building Set normally $32.99 for only $9.99 and got 4 out of 5 stars.

All of these ship free with a $25 purchase. So what are you waiting for? Go browse this Amazon sale now!

Rosie Hippo specializes in high quality, unique toys from around the world and is currently supporting a wonderful charity called Room to Grow which strives to enrich the lives of children born into poverty. For every order over $100, Rosie Hippo is donating a toy to this great cause.

Rosie Hippo is also offering my fabulous readers a 20% discount code by entering BABYLOVING20 at checkout.  Expires 12/31/09.

KLUTZ is currently having a BIG HOLIDAY SALE – 25% off your entire order (no minimum!)

The coupon code is HOLIDAY25 and expires on 12/16/09. Onetime use per email address and can not be combined with any other offers. Good only at Klutz.com

You’ll definitely want to check this out. My local Target had a large Klutz display two weeks ago that has since sold out of a vast majority of the items. All I saw a was a whole lot of empty spaces in the Klutz section so make it easier on yourself and order them online through this sale!

In celebration of the holiday, SproutBaby will be hosting a special sale, the Twelve Days of Twitter!  Each day, SproutBaby will tweet a 40% discount URL on one of the hundreds of eco-friendly items available on Sproutbaby.com. Every seventh person to purchase this item will be awarded a free gift!

Simply follow @sproutbabyclub on twitter and purchase using the special URL!

Be sure to check out The Land of Nod for some fabulous gift ideas and don’t miss their big Holiday Sale! Just click on the image above  to see the selection including this gorgeous sled!

Happy bargain hunting everyone!