Money Saving Monday

For those of you local to Cincinnati, you can go to CincySavers and get half off tickets to the Krohn Conservatory Butterfly Show!

You can get 4 general admission tickets for only $12!! Now through June 20th, 2010. Butterflies of Japan, celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Butterfly Show at the Krohn Conservatory. For a complete list of events and directions log on to http://www.butterflyshow.com/ or call 513-421-5707 and be sure to attend the Butterfly Happy Hours Wednesdays from 5:30-8:30pm, admission is just $10 per person and must be 18 years of age. Samples of sake and other Japanese drinks and regional food are included in the $10 admission, must be 21 or older to enjoy sake samples. Come Jam with the bands and enjoy Happy Hour every Wednesday through June 9th with the Butterflies!

*Don't forget to check out more ways to save money on our Coupon Queen page!

Giveaway: 50% off Natures Garden Delivered!!

We are SOOO excited to announce our next giveaway! Natures Garden Delivered is offering ANYONE who is a follower of our blog 50% off!!!

If you want natural/organic food that is grown locally with the convenience of having it delivered right to your door, you want to try Natures Garden Delivered! They are a local (to The Ohio River Valley), web based farmers market owned and operated by Annalise Appel and Isaac Foust. A home delivery service providing Local and Organic fruits, vegetables and farm produced products including eggs, cheese, and bread. You decide the Box size you need (our giveaway is for 50% off the medium box which feeds 4-6 people and includes 5-6 fruits and 9-10 veggies), choose the Frequency (weekly or every other week); customize your order based on available local and organic products,  conveniently pay on-line and receive free delivery to your door. What more could a mom ask for?!
There is never a membership fee, cancelation fee, or delivery fee. You can cancel at any time! See what produce makes up this weeks box. Don't like certain fruits and veggies? No worries... You can customize your box based on what fruits and veggies you prefer. See how their service works for more information. They use sustainable practices including bio-diesel fueled delivery vehicles, overnight delivery, composting all organic waste, and recycling everything else (Go Green!).    
The best thing about this giveaway is that Natures Garden Delivered is offering 50% off their first medium box (regularly priced at $44) to ANYONE who is a follower on our blog!!! So, it is pretty easy.....

Leave us a comment stating you are a follower on our Blog!

 When you leave a comment you have to enter in your email address (no one else can see it, but we can).  We will send you an email with the coupon code that you will need to place your order to receive 50% off your first bin! 
**This offer is for our blog followers only. We ask that you do not share your coupon code with anyone else out of respect for the amazing deal Natures Garden Delivered has offered to us. Thank you for your cooperation!**

The deadline for this giveaway is a little different from what we have done in the past. You have to place your  order with Natures Garden Delivered by thursday. This way you can get your confirmation on friday and customize your box with your changes by the end of the weekend! 

COMMENTS CLOSE THURSDAY AT NOON

Are you going POTTY?!

While our boys are just nearing the 18 month stage we are not quite ready to embarq on the intense journey of potty training, BUT we are definately trying to prepare for it! Are you ever ready for this stage?? We have been looking into potty training seats and have heard rumors that some are better than others...for boys at least! Here's one example of a suggestion (thanks Tiff) great for boys because it has a higher front which helps for those unexpected bad aims! 

Fisher-Price Precious Planet Potty, Froggy Friend

We are also taking a toddler exploration class at the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center with the boys and our teacher, Mrs. J, had some of her own theories on potty training. She says:

• Start as early as possible (both of her kids were potty trained by 18 mo!) I know, crazy right?!
• Get into a routine. She recommended starting with first thing in the morning and right before bath (or whatever you choose, as long as you are consistent with the times you are doing it)
• She actually does not recommend "little pottys". She feels like you are training them on that and then have to train them on the big potty as well. She likes the little seats that fit on the big potty. One of our mamas found one at Target for as low as $10. 

These are all tips that she has collected over the years from her own children to the kids she has been teaching in the classroom. Thanks Mrs. J!!

For those of you who have done this before, what are your potty training secrets? Do you have any favorite potty chairs? We are also looking for travel potty's. We want something you can take in the car on long trips in case you can't stop at a restroom. Any ideas?

Below is info on a class that is being offered at the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center where we have been taking classes at since the boys were born! It looks like they will be talking about how to potty train from birth??!! Hmmm.....

Diaper-Free Baby!

Elimination Communication, Infant Potty Training, Natural Infant Hygiene, Potty Whispering...whatever you choose to call it, it all refers to the modern adaption of an ancient method of childcare. Babies are aware of their elimination needs from birth and communicate about those needs through various vocal and bodily signals. By taking them to appropriate elimination places during infancy, we enable them to maintain a connection with their bodily sensations and learn from an early age what to do when they experience those sensations. Typically the goal is to partially or completely avoid the use of diapers from early infancy on. Babies are free from the problems of conventional diapering: diaper rash; diaper change battles; vulnerability to urinary tract infections; potentially delayed or difficult potty training. Prompt loving attention to our babies' needs promotes strong baby-parent bonds, fulfilling natural human instincts. 

When: Saturday, June 26th @ 11:15

Where: Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center, located at 4244 Hamilton Ave., Cinti.  OH  45223.  

Cost: a $4 donation per family is kindly requested

To register, please visit www.theplaceforfamilies.com or call 513-591-2332. Space is limited. 


**If you have any parenting topics you want to discuss on the blog, please send us an email and we will post it! Need to vent or want some advice from other moms? Make a post on our Facebook Page. We really want the blog and our Facebook fan page to be a place where we can share tips and tricks to Survive Motherhood, along with sharing support to one another!**

Memorial Day Family Fun!

Get the kids involved in some good old fashion fun making their own ice cream this weekend! The weather will be hot and they're sure to love this recipe! You can even add a drop or two of food coloring to make festive colors! Milk can become homemade ice cream in five minutes by using a bag! This homemade, creamy treat is a summertime delight for kids and adults alike.

What you'll need:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup milk or half & half
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 tablespoons rock salt
• 1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
• 1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
• Ice cubes

How to make it:

Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

Tips:

A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the proportions more that that -- a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself is heavy.

By: The contributors of Kaboose.com, plus additional recipe testing and photography by Christina Stanley-Salerno


Have any good holiday themed recipes? Please share!! You can also check out our Recipes page for family friendly recipes you can use any day of the week! Don't forget to check our Family Fun page which includes links to awesome family fun websites!!

Wednesday Weekly Check-In

This is our weekly reminder that you need to do something for YOURSELF!!!! We are so busy taking care of everyone else that we forget to carve out a little ME time! Before kids, partners, & responsibilities... we were just US! Don't forget to nurture that from time to time. Need a little help?  Try these DIY facials.. you can find the ingredients in your kitchen! Whip it up, start a bath, LOCK the bathroom door and RELAX! You deserve it!

Banana Wrinkle Fighter Recipe 

(who doesn't have bananas or wrinkles once you have kids!??!!!)

Banana is wonderful as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Spread all over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash of cold. Gently pat dry.

Avocado Facial Recipe

Avocado is a naturally rich moisturizer. Mash the meat of the avocado into a creamy texture. Massage into the face and neck . Leave on for 15 minutes and gently rinse off.

Honey Mask Recipe

The best facial mask is honey. Place a cloth in warm water and apply to your face to open the pores. Smear on honey, and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then use cold water to close the pores. Use once a week.

**Courtesy of Healthy Recipes


So, please share... what have you done for yourself this week?

**Don't forget to check out our Product Spotlight page for must have products that we have found along the way to make motherhood just a little easier!**


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FYI for Moms local to Cincy:
1-2-3 Magic Book (post Courtesy of "The Nest")

Book Bums in West Chester is having a discussion/presentation based on the book 1-2-3 Magic on Wednesday night from 7:00-8:30.  I haven't read the book, but this book club is more of a presentation by an expert than a typical book club, so you can register online and pick up the book at the event.  It doesn't really matter whether you've read it.  I could really use some tips for parenting Allison, and I could use some time out of the house!  Anyone interested?

You can register online at bookbums.com.  Go to "Today @ Book Bums," click on Wednesday on the calendar, click on the "adult" tab, and then click on the book title.

This is what the owner said about the event when someone asked about it on FB:  "Sandra Korn is the facilitator, and she has a lot of expertise around children who require a little "extra" of their parents. She is a wealth of knowledge, and for this book club, she'll likely do the majority of the talking. There is a plan for the night rather than the typical "open" book club approach. I'd even say you could attend without having to have the book! If you'd like, you can register on line, and pick up your book on the night of the event. I highly recommend this evening." 

Healthy Living

Organic vs. Conventional 


There are many schools of thought on the topic of Organic. Is it healthier, better for the environment, better for our bodies... the list goes on and on. You will have to do your own research and decide for yourself!
 If you have already taken the plunge and feel like you can't always buy organic because of the price or because you simply can't find it at your local store, we hope the list below may help you! It gives a breakdown from the Environmental Working Group of the top 12 MOST pesticide- ridden produce and the 15 LEAST pesticide-ridden produce. This could help lead you to what foods it would be more beneficial to purchase organic!

The Dirty Dozen

Purchasing these 12 items organic can reduce your pesticide consumption by 80%!

1. Celery (the worst)
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Imported Grapes

The Clean 15

1. Onions

2. Avocado

3. Sweet Corn

4. Pineapples

5. Mango

6. Sweet Peas

7. Asparagus

8. Kiwi

9. Cabbage

10. Eggplant

11. Cantaloupe

12. Watermelon

13. Grapefruit

14. Sweet Potatoes

15. Honeydew Melon

You can get the full list at EWG's website. If you would like to have this info with you while you shop, you can download a Wallet Guide which includes both lists. A great site we have found that has helped us find information on organic food is Healthy Alter Ego.

Please let us know your thoughts! Don't forget to check out our Recipes blog for healthy family friendly YUMMY foods!!!!

Money Saving Monday

Go to Shop At Home  and get cash back on your orders! They even have rental cars, flights and hotels for all your vacation needs! One of our favorite parts about this website is their free samples page! You'll find a wide variety of free samples to choose from. You can browse all, or narrow your choices by category. Here are are a few samples:

	FREE AMAZON! Receive free MP3 downloads from Amazon.

	FREE ADVANCED WHITE SAMPLE! Receive a free sample of Advanced White toothpaste.(after registration)

	FREE AVEDA SAMPLE! Free travel size Aveda Foot Relief product with coupon.

Find free products like these: free grocery samples, free makeup, free pet products, free baby products and more!

Get 150,000+ free online coupon codes, printable grocery coupons, restaurant coupons and more at ShopAtHome.com! 

**Don't forget to check out our Coupon Queen page for a ton of money saving resources!!**

Congratulations to Melissa Petrigunn for winning the gift certificate to the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center! We are so excited for you and look forward to hearing about what class you'll choose to do with the gift certificate!

Melissa, please email us to claim your prize!

Recent Blog Changes

Hi Everyone! We wanted to update you on a few changes around here, as we're evolving and listening to our readers about their experiences on our blog. We LOVE hearing from you so please keep your emails and comments coming!

We have a lot of information for you and we're doing our best to organize it all so you can easily and promptly get to things without any hassle! Let's face it - as Moms we're lucky to have even 5 minutes to ourselves so we need to make the most of it!

• Each of the buttons along the sidebars of the blog will lead you to one of our other pages or blogs with additional information about that topic, such as our Recipe blog! 
• We've also added a calendar to our family fun page which shows cheap and inexpensive family fun activities local to Cincinnati. If you have something to add to it, please email us!

We've made a few changes to the comment section of our blog too. Our goal is to make it easy for you to contact us and make comments. We want to hear what you have to share with us and other readers so we can learn from your experiences!

• We have added facebook login to the comment section so you can now leave comments thru Disqus, Facebook, OpenID, Twitter and Yahoo. However, you do not have to log in to one of these accounts to leave a comment. You can easily leave a comment as guest by entering your Comment, Name, Email address and click "Post As Guest". When the new window comes up asking you to register with Disqus you want to click "Just Post As Guest" in the lower left hand corner. Of course, if you have any problems please don't hesitate to email us!

The last change you may have noticed is our "weekly" themes connected to our posts, such as "Money Saving Mondays". Each day we hope to make a post relating to the theme of the day-  we hope this will help our readers know what we'll be sharing with you each day.

 If you have anything you'd like us to share on the blog please let us know! We'd love to hear from you!

Thank Goodness It's Friday...

It's been a busy week for us, and we're SO thankful it's Friday! We've both been super busy and overwhelmed with our day to day tasks - which I think is usual for most Moms! Jennie had an unknown animal eat almost ALL her Kale in her container garden that she's been working so hard to prepare! I had my husband out of town for 4 days (it's exhausting doing it all on your own!) and both the boys seem to be a little under the weather with something starting from a runny nose....all of which makes us thankful it's FRIDAY! Weekends for us mean a little more time to spend as a family, which means we get a much needed break! It allows us a litte more fun time, seeing family and exploring new things, outside of the daily home activities.

So our question to you is why are YOU thankful it's Friday?! Do you have exciting things planned for the weekend? Or are you hoping for a quiet rejuvenating weekend?

Family Fun

We would like to dedicate Thursday's to Budget Friendly Family Fun Activities. There is nothing better than spending time with your family, but saving money while having fun makes it that much sweeter!

• What a great deal if you haven’t already purchased your Beach Waterpark Passes. The park opens this weekend and they have several deals listed on their site. The best one for a family value is when you purchase a season pass at full price ($77.99 each) and buy a second season pass for just $15!   Courtesy of Mommy Snacks!

• Fantastic Farm Fridays is free and open to the public at Parky's Farm. It offers pre-kindergarten through second graders an opportunity to plant veggies, card wool and even measure the height of a pony. Children can also take part in live animal demonstrations such as sheep shearing and goat milking and fish with the Buckeye United Fly Fishers. This ends May 28th. (Not local? Check out your local parks to find free family fun activities they offer in your area! Let us know what you find so we can pass on to others in your area!)
  
• Visit West Chester Garden Center (5623 West Chester Road, West Chester, OH 45069). They have an adorable area on the side of the building where your kids can feed all different types of animals. They have picnic tables along the fence so pack some lunch and have some fun!

• For next week: Visit the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center for FREE Story Time (tues, thurs & sat @10:30) Not local to the area? Check out your local library! Most have free story time throughout the month!

Don't forget to check out our Family Fun Page for more goodies, along with a calendar which include free or budget friendly family activities.  Enjoy! We would love to hear about your favorite places to spend time with your family!  

Wednesday Weekly Check-In

Every Woman knows that the hardest part of being a mom is trying to find time for yourself. We are constantly taking care of everyone else that we end up forgetting to take care of ourselves! We are devoting  Wednesday's to checking in with you to REMIND you to do something for YOURSELF!!

Here are a few tips to help you fit in much needed “mom” time:

1. Get up early if you have to. When you have kids, the day begins at a hurried pace. Once you hit the ground running, there is no stopping you. Waking 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time means quiet solitude to drink your coffee, read a book, meditate or listen to music.

2. Turn ordinary experiences into major events. When you take a bath, add candles, bubble bath, quiet music and/or an inflatable bath pillow. Your regular bath has now become a spa level experience. If you watch a movie, turn out the lights, pop a bag of microwave popcorn and curl up on the couch.

3. Ask your significant other for help. Kids love their mothers but time spent with dad is important too. Let them bond with dad while you go shopping for a new outfit or root around in the garden. Since the time is yours, do whatever you like.

4. Use the Boy Scout motto. Always be prepared and you can spend more time in a relaxed mode. Fix lunches the night before. Iron clothes for the next day and place backpacks by the front door so kids can grab them on their way out. The fewer things you have to do throughout the day, the calmer you will be with your family and not experience burnout.

5. Take exercise breaks. When you get a few minutes the last thing you want to do is exercise but getting a little physical activity in your day has far-reaching implications. Exercise helps you to think clearly and stretches the muscles. Also, stress will drain away as powerful endorphins are released into your system. Do jumping jacks during a television commercial or jog to the bus stop to pick up the kids.

6. Laugh at regular intervals. Keep a funny calendar cube on your desk or subscribe to a daily joke site. Laughing releases stress and can lift your spirits significantly. It also keeps the abs tight.
*Courtesty of: FlowerCityMoms.com

What have you done for yourself this week?

Healthy Living

Since the birth of our boys we have been on a journey towards healthy living. We are figuring things out along the way and hope to share info with you as we get it! Don't forget to check out our Recipes Blog for some healthy, family friendly meals.

The Live Savings Summit had a wonderful lecture from  Healthy Alter Ego with great tips on healthy living:

• Sleep is very important to your health. Not only will it decrease stress, it can shrink your waist line!! 
• If you are too stressed during the day, your body does not make enough Serotonin. If your body had low Serotonin, then it cannot make enough melationin (which is what is needed to help you sleep through the night).
• Lack of sleep also increases Cortisol levels which impedes weight loss. 
• To help sleep, no soda or caffeine after 1pm
• Can try meditating & exercise to decrease stress
• Exercise is more important than calcium for bone health
• Try exercising 30min 3-5x week
• DON'T eat carbs for breakfast. When you do, it sends a message to your body to not burn fat for 5-6 hrs!!!! The doc recommended 20-25g of protein at breakfast such as protein shake, or 3 eggs with some veggies or fruit. Surprised to find out that eggs don't cause your cholesterol to go up?!!
• Suggestion for those of you wanting to lose some pounds.... cut out ALL carbs (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes). Drink only water and green tea. Anybody up for the challenge???!!!
• Recommended organic if you can. (we will be posting price comparisons soon)
• Where can you buy local to cincy, organic, grass fed beef?  Free Soil Farms, Red Sun Farm
• Want to find places around you? Go to Food Inc and click under "Find Organic, Local Foods".
• We did a post recently on milk and this was a topic at the lecture. Since we haven't formally done a ton of research on this, we want to direct you to Is milk good for our kids? and Dairy Association. PLEASE take the time to read this. We are speechless. What are your thoughts?

Again, we are not the experts here so please refer to Healthy Alter Ego for endless amounts of resources for healthy living!

We would love to hear from you! What are your thoughts?

Money Saving Monday!

Since the birth of our boys, we have both become SAHM's. When losing an entire income, you have no choice but to make cuts where you can and save money whenever possible. Whatever your situation, surely we all agree that we want to save some money!! We hope to post weekly tips on ways we have found you can keep money in your wallet! Don't forget to check our Coupon Queen page for numerous resources that can help you save your cash!

The  Live Savings Summit on Saturday had a ton of info on SAVING MONEY! Some of what we learned:

** All Things Coupons thanks to Mommy Snacks!

• Make a Weekly Menu based on what's on sale at the store 
• Buy what's in season (What's in season for Ohio?)
• Start a Stockpile
• Cook double the recipe. Cook one and freeze the other (check out our post Batch Freeze & Once a Month Mom for more info on batch and freeze)
• Learn your store policies!
• Get the sunday paper! (you can barter prices between the Enquirer and the Journal) 
• If you need extra coupons you can do so through Clipping Services. If you use these services, try buying them by Monday so you can receive them on time. If your item is out of stock for that week by the time you get those coupons, ask for a rain check.
• Love the online printable coupons, but hate using your printer cartridge ink? Go to  Printer Cartridges to save some money.
• Check out Mommy Snacks coupon database to help you along the way
• You can use the Target $ off for new Rx at CVS. This is $ back on any new Rx!! 
• Have expired coupons? DON'T THROW THEM AWAY!!! Our Military can use expired coupons for up to 6 months!! Please click here for more info.

**All Things Fashion thanks to Cincy Chic & What I Wore Today.

• They recommend thrift shopping. One local to cincy they love is Valley Thrift store on the corner of Reading & Glendale Milford. They have 1/2 off on Mondays. (although local to cincy, check out your local thrifts store and find a favorite!)
• Dress For Success is a program dedicated to getting you gently used dress clothes for as low as $4!!! Great for interviews, work attire, or if you just have the need for a nice outfit! Check the link for all participating locations.
• Rent the Runway. This is something SOOOO exciting! Looking for a one-of-a-kind look for a special occasion? This company has designer dresses that you can rent for a night and then give back! You pick 2 sizes and they send you both. ie. A designer gown for $300 would rent for around $50!!!!
• Bag Borrow & Steal is an online company send you bags and accessories that you can rent for a week, a month, or a season! Let's face it... you are over a purse by the end of the season! It is a match made in heaven!
• Makeup Alley is an online company where you can swap never been used makeup!
• Their fav local  Trend Boutique
• Cincy Boutique Sale is twice a year in cincy when all local boutique's sell their "leftover" merchandise. By sunday you pay next to nothing but the sales tax!
• Perfection Salon is a local salon they recommended who does dry cuts which last longer...
• Limited Time Online Sale Events: you can get 70-75% off!

1. Haute Look
2. Ruelala
3. Gilt

• Before you order anything online check these 3 sites FIRST for coupons (they said you can almost always find a coupon first)

1. Retailmenot
2. Coupon Cabin
3. Coupon Code

We know this is information overload!! Just pick and choose what works for you! This will be on our Coupon Queen, along with other money saving sites. For further explanation on the above info, please check with  Mommy Snacks, Cincy Chic & What I Wore Today. They are the true experts in these areas!!!

We would love to hear your latest and greatest tip for keeping cash in your wallet! 

A Give-A-Way You Won't Want To Miss!!

For all of you who are local to Cincinnati - this give-a-way is for YOU! We are so excited to announce a very generous give-a-way from The Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center for a FREE child's series, valued at $60-$135, depending on the class you choose!

The family center is a very warm and open place for families to come together to play, learn and grow! We've been taking classes there with our boys since they were born, and it has truly helped us get out of the house, bond with other Moms, and support each other through the smiles and frustrations of being a new parent! It's given us a place to go where we've made lasting friendships and watched our newborns grow into fun, busy little boys!

Would you like to enter? Here are the details:

• Go to CFEC's website and tell us which class you'd like to take OR perhaps you're a relative/friend wanting to give this prize as a gift? 

Want to gain extra entries?

• Become a Follower on our blog or Facebook Fan Page! (1 entry)
• Spread the word to friends and family through your blog, email twitter, or Facebook Page!(1 entry) 

Please don't forget to leave us a comment telling us what you've done so we can keep track of your entries! We will choose the winner through Random.org on Sunday, May 23rd!

COMMENTS CLOSE SUNDAY AT NOON

We have a WINNER!

Congratulations to Tiffany for winning the $25 gift certificate to Uppercase Living! We are so excited for you and look forward to seeing what you'll do with the gift certificate! We will be announcing our next give-a-way tomorrow so stay tuned to find out what other great FREE products and/or services we are giving away!

Tiffany, please email us with your details to claim your prize!

Live Savings Summit Event

We have posted a few times about the Live Savings Summit which was hosted by Locals On Living, an affiliate of cincinnati.com. I went and it was AMAZING!!! This was their first event, which btw was FREE (!), and it did not disappoint! They had local entrepreneur's who were giving their tips and tricks on how to save money based on their particular expertise. Not only was it FREE, but they had wonderful food to sample from Cooking with Caitlin (which was delicious!), Subway was catered for lunch with chips and cookies, and the Elements Event Center provided drinks and chocolate! What could be better than that?!
We will be posting the money saving tips & healthy living info I learned later this week, which you don't want to miss, so stay tuned! Wanted to attend, but couldn't? Go to LOL for a recap of what you missed. Much thanks to Locals On Living for hosting such an awesome event!!!!

Pampers Dry Max

We are aware of the issues some people are having with the New Pampers Dry Max diapers. While no one we know is having any problems we would urge you to contact their hotline if you have any concerns. You can contact them directly with any product inquires or general questions through email or alternatively you can call them at 1-800-PAMPERS (726-7377).

No Squeeze Juice Box Holder

Our product spotlight of the week is the No Squeeze Juice Box Holder. (Thanks to mom, Shannon, for introducing us to this awesome product!) 

We have been giving our boys milk boxes on the go and they have already figured out that when they squeeze the box... Milk goes EVERYWHERE! This product has saved us! It fits most milk & juice boxes, and even pouch drinks! It has a no-slip grip material around the center so it is easy for them to hold and it saves washing up dirty sippy cups but of course it's also good to know that it is dishwasher safe too! Best of all, it is round so it fits in most stroller, car, & highchair cup holders! 

We hope this product will help you as much as it has helped us! We found this product at The Container Store. Don't have one near you or the time to go there? No worries! Follow the link below to get one sent right to your door! 

We would love to hear what products you can't live without at the moment! Click here for a list of our other favorite products!

Money Saving Tips

Here are a few money saving tips we found for the week!


Free Savings Summit Event

• local to cincinnati
• Saturday May 15th
• The details:   
• Admission is free to 350 -- but a canned good or any needed item is encouraged. Canned good and other donated items will go to the Freestore Foodbank. We will be posting some of the community's most needed items through the next month. 
• Savings Swag Bags will go to all 350 participants.
• Be entered to win gift baskets from each of our bloggers valued at several hundreds dollars each and other goodies!!
• Take-away tips you can immediately begin using to lower your monthly bills at the grocery store, for clothing, beauty items and also how to stay healthy and fit without breaking the bank.

Zenni Optical

• Need glasses and don't want to pay the high price?  One of our moms just bought her prescription glasses from this online store for $19 and LOVES them!  Check them out!

Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center

• Local to Cincinnati
• Free Story Time this Thursday and Saturday at 10:30
• Free mom to mom encouragement gathering this Thursday at 10:30
• Thinking of cloth diapering? The CFEC is having a free informational session this Saturday at 11:15

Free Pampers Samples

• Free diaper samples. You must sign up to become a vocal point member.

 Entertainment Books (thanks to Mommy Snacks)

• You can order it now, or order through a cash back site to get it even cheaper!
• If you order order through Ebates, you will receive 30% Cash Back. Order through Shop at Home and receive $7 cash back. Plus, if you are a new member to either site you also receive a $5 Sign-On Bonus. Take all of that extra cash into consideration and each book would be either FREE with Shop at Home  or $4 with Ebates!
• This is an awesome price since the Entertainment Book is loaded with coupons!! At this price, it’s worth picking up an additional copy for another set of coupons!

**Don't forget to check out our "Coupon Queen" tab for tons of money saving websites!!**

Please let us know if you have any tips or websites of your own to share!

Now Announcing....

Our WINNER for the free Signing Safari DVD is: JMWood!! Congratulations! Please contact us at jennieandkim@gmail.com to claim your gift!


We are pleased to announce our next give-a-way! If you haven't heard of Uppercase Living yet, let us be the first to introduce you! It is a company that creates images/phrases that you can "stick" to your walls. You might see "clings" in the stores, but let us assure you, these products look like they have been hand painted. You can put these decals on your walls, furniture, glassware and even your floors....the possibilities are endless! Whether you are looking to put chalk walls in your kids rooms, jazz up an open space in your kitchen/family room or decorate your first nursery for a baby on the way, these products are for you. The great thing about them is that you can put them ANYWHERE! We recently used a phrase on a plate for Mother's Day and decorated the plate with brownies! We got to choose the size of the letters, colors of the text and flowers which made the gift personalized in a way our Moms loved!

We must personally thank, Anne Marie, for giving us a $25 gift certificate for any product on her website!

Would you like to enter? Here are the details:

1. Give a "shout out" and spread the news to friends and family about our blog give-a-ways through email, facebook, twitter or your blog with a link to our give-a-way!

                                           AND

2. Go to Uppercase Living and tell us what your favorite product is!

Want to gain extra entries?

• Become a Follower on our blog or Facebook Fan Page!
• Become a fan on the Uppercase Living Fan Page!
• Go to Uppercase Living and email Anne Marie to be added to her newsletter!

Please don't forget to leave us a comment telling us what you've done so we can keep track of your entries! We will choose the winner through Random.org on Sunday, May 16th!

COMMENTS CLOSE SUNDAY AT NOON

Time to Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinets!

40+ Kid Medications Recalled, Including Tylenol

Big recall news: The FDA and McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, have announced a voluntary recall of more than 40 over-the-counter children's medications, including infant and children's Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl.

If you've given your child any of these meds, it's important to note that none of them have been linked to any adverse health effects (phew). However, "manufacturing deficiencies" mean some of the medicines may not meet quality standards, and may have a higher concentration of active ingredient than listed on the bottle. Find out more about the recall -- including if the bottles in your medicine cabinet are part of it, and how to get a refund.

Click here for full product recall list

Signing Safari Give-A-Way!

On one of our many adventures we decided to take our boys to a baby sign language class at the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center when they were about 6 months old. We loved the class and have been signing with the boys ever since! The sign language has changed our lives because it has allowed us to communicate with the boys before they were able to speak! We've noticed that we've had less tantrums because they can tell us what they want and we can understand them. We are so excited to announce that the Founder of Signing Safari has agreed to give away one of her beginner Signing Safari dvds! It is never to early or late to start signing with your child! Please visit Signing Safari to read more about alll the benefits of signing with your child! Feeling a little intimidated by the thought of a "second language"?! Trust us - if we can do it, so can YOU!!

The dvd we're giving away has been awarded the 2009 Preferred Choice Award and includes fun songs to help you and your child learn some beginning signs. These signs include: more, hurt, eat, sleep, no, all done, milk, i love you, drink, mommy, daddy, book, help, pacifier, ball, plus the entire alphabet!

To be entered in the drawing for the FREE Signing Safari dvd:


1. Leave us a comment on this post stating that you've become a follower on our blog.

                                                        OR

2. Already a follower? Make a post about our blog on your facebook, twitter or blog site!

                                                        OR

3.  Send an email "shout out" to your friends and/or family with our blog address and info.

**For us to track your entry, don't forget to post what you've done and where!**

We will choose a winner through random.org on Mother's Day, May 9th.

COMMENTS CLOSE SUNDAY AT NOON

What's In Our Milk?

Now that our boys are old enough for milk we started thinking about what is really in our milk. You hear people talk about artificial growth hormones, but what does that really mean? So we did a little research and this is what we found:

• Just because it is organic, doesn't mean it is of high quality.
• Store brands (such as costco, target etc.)  get their milk from factory-farms. Unless you contact stores to confirm who is supplying their private-label milk, you have no idea who they are getting it from. 
• A lot of milk is pasteurized at such high temps that it kills most of the vitamins and nutrients in the milk. Two companies we found that pasteurize at lower levels, but still safe is Snowville Creamery and Whole Foods 365. (surely there are more, but these were two we came across)
• Cows are meant to eat grass, not corn. If a company is pumping cows full of hormones, it will transfer to their milk and you and your family will eventually be drinking that milk that contains those hormones. For more info: The Farm
•  Visit Snowville Creamery for recipes on how to use their products to make your own butter, buttermilk, ricotta etc. 

We found a great website that rates brands of milk with a description of why each brand was given that rating. For more information, take a look at the following link: Cornucopia.

We would love to hear from you! Do you have any information on what's in our milk??