Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub Giveaway **CLOSED**

My first pregnancy's due date was February 2nd, otherwise known as Groundhog's Day. I often joked that he would come out, see his shadow and turn around and go back in and wait it out for 6 more weeks. As you probably know, the story of Groundhog's Day is that on February 2nd, a groundhog comes out of his burrow and if he sees his shadow, that means 6 more weeks of Winter. If he doesn't, then Spring is here.

Joan Holub has written Groundhog Weather School, a children's book, that uses this special day to teach about Groundhogs, weather and history, in a entertaining and funny way. Your kids won't even know they are learning! I actually learned a lot more about the weather than I had expected - especially since I didn't expect to learn anything at all. It is a children's book after all.

For instance, did you know that a tree's leaves can predict storms? "Leaves curl upward so their underside shows if there is moisture in the air and a strong wind is blowing." How about cows as weather predictors? "Cows don't like wind blowing in their faces, so they stand with their backsides to the wind. Winds blowing from the west usually bring good weather. So if a cow's tail is turned toward the west, it often means good weather is coming." Cool, right? I don't have any cows around but if I did, maybe they would be more reliable than my TV weather forecaster who I think flips a coin to decide if we are going to get rain or sun.

I love books that are entertaining for both kids and their parents and there are plenty of funny moments. There is the skunk who enrolls in the weather school who claims he is a foreign exchange student when asked if he is sure he is a groundhog.  The book is recommended for ages 5-8 / K-Grade 3, but I read a summarized version to Jake who is 2 and he really liked it. The illustrations by Kristin Sorra are beautiful. Covering each page completely with bright, colorful and fun pictures. Jake especially loved the pig and cow, oh, and of course the groundhogs. What a great gift to introduce and explain this special holiday which is the only holiday named after an animal! Who knew?!

BUY IT!: You can purchase Groundhog Weather School on Amazon.com (at date of posting) for $11.55

WIN IT!: One of my readers will win their own hardcover copy of Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub, illustrated by Kristin Sorra and published by Putnam.

TO ENTER: If you won, what lucky child (or adult) would you give this to? You can say yourself. Don't worry. I won't judge.

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Contest ends January 22nd at 11:59 PST and a winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. I will contact the winner on or around January 23rd and they will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US only.

**Entries are Per Person, Per Email Address, Per Household, Per IP Address and/or Per Blog. Failure to follow these rules will lead to disqualification in this contest and all future contests on this blog. In other words, no cheating please.
This post was written after receiving the product free of charge. It is the only form of "payment" that was received for writing this post and all views and opinions are mine alone. I cannot guarantee that efficacy of the product or any claims or promises the product claims.

Tasty Brand, Tastybaby is well, Tasty - Giveaway **CLOSED**

Not that I do everything that The View tells me to do but I love to try new things and they introduced me to Tasty Brand and Tastybaby products - and their 100% certified frozen organic baby food, healthy & delicious, gluten-free organic food for babies & toddlers. While foods like Gerber, Beechnut and even Earth's Best have been around forever, I really wanted to try other baby foods out there.

I will start off by saying that there aren't any stores close by me that carry the Tastybaby line. The closest is about 20 miles away. But then again, I live on a mountain and there isn't much near me. However, they are available online at Amazon.com. They are also in Super Targets, Whole Foods and Mother's Market, just to name a few, for those of you who live where there are actually stores. Luckily, I ran into a rep from the company at a baby show and I was able to review their cereal and the fruit snacks.

The cereals come in Oatmeal, Multi-Grain and Brown Rice. They are the only infant cereals formulated for different times of the day. The Oatmeal is formulated for day, the Multi-Grain is for any time of the day and the Brown Rice is for night time and promotes relaxation & builds muscle during sleep.

The baby food is frozen and they state that frozen is better than jarred because ""frozen baby food preserves the nutrients and colors of the ingredients when it is blast frozen. Jarred baby food does not retain the nutrients of the ingredients during its preparation as many are lost during the preparation process. While I did not have the opportunity to try it before getting this review written, I do plan on picking some up as soon as I am near a store that carries it or I will add it to my next order on Amazon.com.

Mommy likes: 

The cereal was more like mashed potato flakes and when mixed with rice or soy milk, was creamier than other brands that I have tried. Luke really seemed to like the texture more than our normal brand. However, just like mashed potato flakes, you need to be sure to make sure all flakes get wet or it will clump.

The organic fruit snacks were yummy! I shared a little (maybe 2-3 pieces) with Jake but I ate the rest. They come in nice little snack pouches that are only 70 calories, are made with real fruit juice and contain no high fructose corn syrup. Each piece is adorably shaped like the fruit flavor and they taste so much like the real fruit, not artificial. I just threw a few pouches into the diaper bag and I just ended up eating them. The texture is a little different than a normal gummy snack which is great since I always worry about the kids choking on the tough gummy treats.

Mommy didn't like: 

My only real complaint would be the package the cereal comes in. They come in zip top bags and I had difficulty pouring the cereal into a bowl without it ending up on the counter as well as the bowl. I ended up putting a small measuring cup with the bags and just scooped it out instead of pouring it. I did bring up the subject with Tastybaby and I understand and agree with their reasoning: "we agree that it’s hard to pour out of our bags.  However, we didn’t think consumers would wan to pay extra to have us include an extra scoop (& it definitely would not have been environmentally friendly!)"
I will definitely forgo the scoop in exchange for being more environmentally friendly. I will actually re-use the scoops that came with our formula which is even more "green." Yay me!

Should Mommy buy it?:

I am definitely a fan and can hardly wait to try out the frozen baby food. I love that it is organic and gluten-free. I am hoping that this will help my eczema-prone children as gluten has been known to exasperate the condition. What I will be doing is making a request for my local stores to carry the line.

BUY IT!: You can locate a store near you using their zip code locator.

WIN IT!: One of my readers will win 5 Free vouchers that can be redeemed for ANY Tasty Brand product (frozen organic baby food, infant cereal & fruit snacks).

TO ENTER: Using the Tastybaby zip code locator,  tell me the nearest store to you.
This is required before you may use any of the extra credit options.
Please leave your email address in your comment if it is not visible in your profile.

Extra Credit! You may do any or all of the following, just don't forget to leave a separate comment for EACH one you do:

• Follow my blog publicly
  
• Add my button to your blog
• Add me to your text blog roll (not button) 2 entries, leave 2 comments
  
• Subscribe to my blog via email
• Follow me and Tastybaby on Twitter and tweet the following: WIN 5 FREE vouchers for any @Tastybaby product at A Giveaway Addicted Mommy @kariellen http://tinyurl.com/yaykmjh Leave the link to your tweet in your comment. You can do this once a day! Just come back and leave the link each time you do.

Contest ends January 21st at 11:59 PST and a winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. I will contact the winner on or around January 22nd and they will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US only.

**Entries are Per Person, Per Email Address, Per Household, Per IP Address and/or Per Blog. Failure to follow these rules will lead to disqualification in this contest and all future contests on this blog. In other words, no cheating please.
This post was written after receiving the product free of charge. It is the only form of "payment" that was received for writing this post and all views and opinions are mine alone. I cannot guarantee that efficacy of the product or any claims or promises the product claims.

Wordless Wednesday - Funny Face

When Jake was 7 months old, he figured out he had a tongue.

Had to show it to everyone.

For more Wordless Wednesdays: 5 Minutes for Mom

Take Me Back Tuesday - Take Me Back to When I Felt Human

<center><a href="http://nateandjakeandme.blogspot.com"> <img src="http://web.me.com/mraceto/kari/tuesday/button.jpg" /> </a></center>

How do you play along?We all have tons of photos from the days before the digital camera. I figure if I just scan a few each week, eventually I will get them all safely into my computer. But you don't need a scanner to participate - Just find a photo that takes you back to another time. Every week you can come back here and share photos that "take you back." Maybe it is the bad hair we all had in the 80's or the bell-bottoms you swore were so hip in the 70's.
If you decide to participate, sign the Linky below and I promise to head on over and spread some comment love your way!

I have the flu. Nothing like feeling like you wanna die to appreciate what it feels like to feel healthy. Sorry I do not have a picture to post. Must go back to laying here and feeling miserable.

Feel free to link up though!

My Version of New Years Resolutions

This year, I have decided that instead of pretending I will (fill in the blank), I have decided to try and make a list of things that I will not do in 2010. Maybe this year will be more successful than years past & if I publish it for anyone to see, I hope it will keep me honest. Probably not, but it is worth a try.

• I will not eat a whole bag of chips, cookies, Red Vines or any other incredibly sinful food.
• I will not sit on the computer all day because my husband is home and can take care of the kids. I guess that isn't fair (at least that is what he tells me).
  
• I will not simply DVR the exercise shows and think I have accomplished something. One must actually watch them (I guess and participate?) to gain any benefit from them.
• I will not close a door, drawer or box to hide a mess or "things that have no home" since I guess it doesn't really make it go away to do that.
• I will not forget that I no longer look like I am in my 20's and freak out when I see myself in the mirror in the morning. Denial can be a scary thing.
  
• I will not forget to hug, kiss and show acts of love and appreciation to each member of my family. Even the hairy teenager who is hellbent on turning every hair on my head gray.

Here's to hoping I can at least make it through the first week of January!

Happy New Year!

FedEx "Out of Office" Blog - Tips, Solutions and Ideas!

As a product review blogger, the FedEx man and I are on a first name basis. I have come to be incredibly impressed with the way that FedEx does their job. Now they are helping us at home or "Out of the Office" on their new blog.

"We are excited to take our creative talents 'Out of the Office' and share them with you through this site. We hope you’ll find our ideas interesting and intriguing, but more importantly helpful in enhancing your events and projects at home and at work."

With topics like Parent Projects, Holiday Hints and Watercooler Wisdom, there really is something for everyone. The one post that helped me out this holiday was "Think Your Holidays are Busy? Come Check out FedEx!" In it, guest blogger, Renee Lauriano – a Pack and Ship expert from FedEx – shared some of her advice for getting through the busiest shopping and shipping time of the year. Her shipping advice is something we an use all year long, as we don't just ship packages during the holidays.
Even though the holidays are over, I found myself reading a lot of the posts regarding gift giving. My favorite was "A New Spin on the Annual Christmas Cookie Swap." I have not been to a cookie swap party for some time. I think since most of my friends have young children, we are busy doing things with and for them. However, the solution in this post was to make cookie mixes (all the ingredients in a mason jar for instance) along with the recipe. There are times when a friend or family member is having a rough time and I wish I could bake something for them but don't have the time to bake and take it to them. Nothing makes me feel better than some homemade cookies! This cookie mix in a jar idea would be perfect for those occasions!
I do wish there were more posts, but it is a new blog. I am really looking forward to seeing what they will be writing about now that the focus is no longer on gift giving and Christmas. My absolute favorite part is that all the posts are short, interesting and easy to read. I don't know about you, but sometimes I will skip blogs that have posts that look more like novels. I simply don't have the time.

"Watch the blog for topics and contests related to home organization, event planning, and time management, along with ideas for gifts and art projects. Our contributors come from a variety of backgrounds, and we understand many of life’s situations."

Hope you will stop by Out of Office and possibly find an idea or project that you can use. There are lots of comments on posts that have other ideas and solutions so be sure to read those too. Maybe you can leave a comment with your own solution or project? By the way, did you catch that there would be contests at Out of Office as well? You know I will be there!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of FedEx Office. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Think Before You Bite | Eat Cleaner Giveaway

I try to be sure to fully rinse all my fruits and vegetables before feeding them to my family. Makes sense right? However, I have often wondered if that is enough. I don't want to use soap as that will, more often than not, leave food tasting like, well, soap. I was introduced to Eat Cleaner, at a baby show, which makes all-natural, tasteless & odorless food wash. I was really interested because it seemed so simple and I had to try it out.

Eat Cleaner addresses my main question, "Is rinsing enough?" There answer is, "When was the last time you felt clean as a whistle without a good, sudsy shower?" Water is not effective in removing waxes and bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. "Eat Cleaner is the all-natural, lab-tested food cleaner that washes surface contaminants, pesticide residues, waxes and organic particles from commercially and organically grown produce. Eat Cleaner also washes processed meats, seafood and poultry. I also prevents foods from browning and can be used to clean countertops and cutting surfaces following food preparation."

Eat Cleaner sent me their Biodegradable Fresh Produce Wipes in a Reusable Pouch (6 count).  Super compact, I threw it into my purse with the plan to stop by the grocery store on my way out holiday shopping and pick up some apples (one of the top most contaminated produce items). I figured, every time I was tempted to hit a drive-thru, I would eat an apple. Of course, I would use one of the Eat Cleaner Produce Wipes first. The wipes are really soft and weren't overly wet, they reminded me of facial cleaning cloth. I wiped down a Granny Smith and expected to taste or smell something but I didn't. I did notice that they seemed shinier and they weren't wet. I am now eager to try their other products.

Along with the wipes, Eat Cleaner offers Fresh Produce Wash that you spray generously onto all food surface areas and allow to soak for approximately 1-2 minutes and/or add to clean water and gently agitate foods to release all dirt and particles, drain water and rinse thoroughly. Their Seafood and Poultry Wash is used in the same way. Below is a short clip that will help you see how wonderful a product this is! I know I was sold!

BUY IT!: EatCleaner.com. The wipes I received retail for $3.89, and both washes are $4.39 each. 100% FREE SHIPPING! Right now you can purchase the Eat Cleaner™ Food Wash & Dryer™ Kit: EC Spinner plus 4 oz. Fruit & Veggie Concentrate and vegetable scrub brush for only $22.00 - BONUS OFFER: Receive a year subscription to Martha Stewart s EVERYDAY FOOD Magazine with the purchase of the Wash & Dryer Kit. Mail-in rebate offer enclosed.

WIN IT!: 2 of my readers will win the Biodegradable Fresh Produce Wipes in the Reusable Pouch!

TO ENTER: Go to the Eat Cleaner FAQ's page and tell me something you learned or which product you would think would be used more in your house.
This is required before you may use any of the extra credit options.
Please leave your email address in your comment if it is not visible in your profile.

Extra Credit! You may do any or all of the following, just don't forget to leave a separate comment for EACH one you do:

• Follow my blog publicly
  
• Add my button to your blog
• Add me to your text blog roll (not button) 2 entries, leave 2 comments
  
• Subscribe to my blog via email
• Subscribe to the feed at The Clean Plate Club (Eat Cleaner Blog)
  
• Follow me and Eat Cleaner on Twitter and tweet the following: WIN @EatcleanerFood Fresh Produce Wipes for safer food at A Giveaway Addicted Mommy @kariellen http://tinyurl.com/yaehqj3 Leave the link to your tweet in your comment. You can do this once a day! Just come back and leave the link each time you do.

Contest ends January 19th at 11:59 PST and a winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. I will contact the winner on or around January 20th and they will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US only.

**Entries are Per Person, Per Email Address, Per Household, Per IP Address and/or Per Blog. Failure to follow these rules will lead to disqualification in this contest and all future contests on this blog. In other words, no cheating please.
This post was written after receiving the product free of charge. It is the only form of "payment" that was received for writing this post and all views and opinions are mine alone. I cannot guarantee that efficacy of the product or any claims or promises the product claims.

MAVEA Water Filtration Pitcher Giveaway

Up until a few weeks ago, I thought that there were only 2 real choices for in-home water filtration pitchers. I have used both and have been disappointed in one way or another. My biggest complaint was that the one I decided to buy for our house (having gotten such a great deal on the filters) left little black "bits" in the water. Not such a good deal after all. Pretty sad when the water you put in is more appealing than the filtered water you get out.

When I was asked to review the Mavea water filtration pitcher, I read that it had a micro-screen that reduced black particle release. I was instantly excited to see if Mavea could live up to this claim. In short, it has and then some! I haven't seen a single black particle and the water tastes better than I have had in other filtered pitchers. But that's not all! There are several features that simply make Mavea the best filtration pitcher that I have found.

I have the Elemaris with Mavea meter which holds 1.4 L filtered volume and 2.4 L total volume which is approximately 5 glasses and has a slim design which allows it to fit in fridge doors easily. I  have the black model and it looks pretty darn spiffy. The lid fits so much better than my old pitcher and has a flap on top where the water goes in. It dips down on its own when you pour the tap water in, which is really cool (doesn't take much to excite me). The unit is completely BPA-free and has a fully integrated recycling program where they will pay for you to send the filters back and reuse every piece in their commercial grade products!

The filters are easier to install (no more soaking) and the Mavea meter that tells you when to replace the filter is beyond cool! "The intelligent Mavea Meter uses a 3-way measurement that includes volume of filtered water, water quality (hardness) and time." Like other water filtration timers, it will show how much time is left until you have to replace the filter. Another plus for me is that I own a Tassimo coffee maker (review to come soon - you are gonna love it) which also takes the Mavea filters so I get great tasting water for my coffee too. It really does make a difference.

I am incredibly impressed with the Elemaris and I highly recommend it. Even if you already have one of their competitors, I think you will like this even more.

BUY IT!: You can purchase Mavea filtration pitchers at Amazon.com. The model I reviewed, the Elemaris, is currently $31.99. You can purchase filters at Bed, Bath & Beyond $7.99 and I found them at Amazon.com with a 3-Pack for $17.95.

WIN IT!: One of my readers will win their own Mavea Elemaris Water Filtration Pitcher!

TO ENTER: Visit Mavea.com and tell me which pitcher and what color would be the best fit for your home. (note: you will get the Elemaris regardless of which you state in your comment)

This is required before you may use any of the extra credit options.
Please leave your email address in your comment if it is not visible in your profile.

Extra Credit! You may do any or all of the following, just don't forget to leave a separate comment for EACH one you do:

• Follow my blog publicly
  
• Add my button to your blog
• Add me to your text blog roll (not button) 2 entries, leave 2 comments
  
• Subscribe to my blog via email
• Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: WIN a BETTER Water Filtration Pitcher || The MAVEA Elemaris at A Giveaway Addicted Mommy @kariellen http://tinyurl.com/ycdjoba Leave the link to your tweet in your comment. You can do this once a day! Just come back and leave the link each time you do.

Contest ends January 19th at 11:59 PST and a winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. I will contact the winner on or around January 20th and they will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US only.

**Entries are Per Person, Per Email Address, Per Household, Per IP Address and/or Per Blog. Failure to follow these rules will lead to disqualification in this contest and all future contests on this blog. In other words, no cheating please.
This post was written after receiving the product free of charge. It is the only form of "payment" that was received for writing this post and all views and opinions are mine alone. I cannot guarantee that efficacy of the product or any claims or promises the product claims.

I AM A WINNER! Thank You Pink & Posh!

Given my last post, I needed something to make me feel better. Taking care of a sick kid, trying to keep him and my other little boy apart all day by myself and 3 laundry loads of puke-y bedding and pajamas, left me feeling like I might just run away and join a REAL circus.

Then. I. Got. THE. Email.

(Is that not the coolest way to announce a winner?)

I won the mother-load of giveaways at PINK & POSH, called "P & P Blogoversary I Love BlogHer in New York Giveaway." What did I win? So glad you asked, because I have been wanting to tell everyone and well, the boys just stared at me blank when I told them. Maybe because I was in towel, having just taken a shower, and the towel fell off when I jumped for joy.

• Pink “I Love NY” coffee mug
• Pink “I Love NY” key chain
• Pink “NY Princess” shot glass
• Pink “I Love NY” magnet
• Black & White “I Love NY” tote bag
• Black & White Statue of Liberty postcard
• Hot Pink “Hater Blocker” Sunglasses
• White “New York City” baby onesie (size 6-12 months)
• Black women’s “New York City” T-shirt (size medium)
• $25 Gift Card to Dylan’s Candy Bar (Sponsored by By the Book, Karmel Publishing)
• One 1-day unlimited Metrocard (NYC public transportation pass)
• Born to Shop New York by Suzy Gershman
• $50 Gift Card to Jeckyll & Hyde Restaurant (Sponsored by Princess Time Toys)
• $25 Starbucks Gift Card
• Zagat NYC Restaurant Guide 2010
• Good Night New York City children’s board book
• One current issue of Time Out NY Magazine
• Assortment of NYC-theme snacks and beverages
• Strech limo ride courtesy of NY Limo Guys to pick you up from the airport and bring you to the Hilton in NYC
• One BlogHer ‘10 Full Conference Pass

What a way to start the New Year! A Gigantic THANK YOU to Nicole, Jeri, and Kristy - The Posherific ladies at Pink & Posh.
Since I have been entering this contest since early-October, I thought I might look like a huge moron if I didn't win but, I met so many great gals as you could enter as many times as you wanted, just couldn't have consecutive comments and thus was that the mercy of another person to enter before you could enter again. So a shout out to Sky, Jendi, The Only Girl, Karie and Toni.

Happy New Year to all of you! Hope you all are starting the new year with as much joy as I am.
.