La De Daa Designs Header and Button Giveaway – Ended

I had the nightmare task of changing my blog over to word press and fight my way through all those tasks.  When I changed over I first picked a theme I absolutely hated.  I was then directed towards a different theme but I was still not happy with it, thankfully my friend Stef from La De Daa Designs stepped up and helped me more then she will ever know.  She changed all the colors in the theme, added the elements I requested and a couple nights stayed up until after 3 am (est) to help me get settled nad be happy with my blog which means the world to me, she stopped and took the time to help me when others ignored my plea for help.

Not only is she amazing at the word press elements but she is an amazing designer.  She has made me a few buttons over the last bit including my current Jabbering Jessi button, the mini-cation button and more.  I am always impressed with her work and so excited that she asked me to do this giveaway with you.  I encourage you to go to La De Daa Designs and check out her work for yourself, you will be amazed I promise you.  She offers banners, buttons, blinkies, twitter backs, social icons and so much more all available in a variety of packages and prices that are easy on the pocket book.

I know I know stop Jabbering and get to the giveaway already.  Ok here we go with the details.

~WIN IT~
La De Daa Designs is giving one lucky reader a button and header of their own that’s a $53.00 value (custom graphics not included).

~TO ENTER~
Link me to the blog you would use this header/button on.

~BONUS ENTRIES~
Please make sure to leave seperate entries for each thing, if it says you get 5 entries please leave 5 comments.

Mini-Cation Post #12 – Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark

Wow where to start, this one is probably going to be a long one but oh so fun.  Crooked creek is probably one of my favorite parts of the whole Great Wolf Lodge trip.  Lay back in a tube and just relax while the water flows you around the lazy river, perfect for when the babies want some down time and Maddisyn actually fell asleep while we were just floating around it was perfect.

Thunder Bay is the outdoor portion of the water park but is not open until Memorial Day weekend so i was not able to try that out or take any pictures of it.  Want to relax in the hot tubs?  Perfect you can choose one of two in Manitoba Tubs.  There is one for people age 21 and over so you can relax without a bunch of kids running around or one for the whole family to enjoy which I know my kids certainly did enjoy.  Big foot pass is a fun area where the kids can jump, or climb with the assistance of an overhead net from one side of the pool to the other on giant lilly pads, my kids loved that part.  Plus there was a floating snake in the same pool that they could climb all over and while in the same pool a small wall separated basketball nets where you could have some water fun with your kids or they could interact with other kids, this part of the pool is called Chinook Cove and is 4.5 feet deep.

The water slides are probably my kids favorite part of this all and there are slides for kids of all sizes.  The little ones can play in Whooping Hollow on the kiddie slides where kids under 48″ only are allowed to use the slides (adult supervised of course).  Maddisyn loved climbing up the stairs and sliding back down to her dad and I who were waiting at the bottom for her.  Alberta Falls is a four story high water slide that goes in and out of the building while you ride on a tube, super fun.  There are three water slide options in this area, one you can ride with up to three people and there are specific tubes.  The other side you carry your own tube up and you can ride either single or double down here.  I seen people bringing kids younger then Maddisyn down but I don’t think that she would like the water in her face so it would not work out for her.

The last area I have been saving is Fort Mackenzie. Fort Mackenzie is a four-story interactive tree house water fort offering 12 levels of super-soaking fun for the family. Younger kids can climb with their parents to reach the slides at the top. The older ones will love making their way over suspension bridges and cargo nets to spray stations and soaker buckets. (Watch out below!) The grand daddy of soaker buckets is the 1,000-gallon tipper that sits atop Fort Mackenzie. Every few minutes, the warning bell clangs, and the bucket begins to tip its contents over the roof and onto the giggling group below.

Here is a video i took of the bucket dump as well as a ton of photos I took that I wanted to share, just click on the thumbnail to open the picture and view it full size.

The last thing I want to talk about here is the most important thing.  We have been to Great Wolf Lodge before and this never ceases to amaze me no matter how many times i see it.  The lifeguards and their reaction time is awesome.  They test the lifeguards occasionally by floating a doll named Timmy into the different pools at different times without letting the lifeguards know they are there, they then watch to see how long it takes the lifeguard to react and get Timmy out of the water.  The one lifeguard I saw do it was amazingly fast how quickly he saw Timmy and we were in a pool full of people and Timmy happened to float underneath Lees tube at the time.  Lee then got to witness this again a little bit later and this time the lifeguard dove in jacket and all on to save Timmy.  I then got to see them jump in after a little boy who lost his footing and took in a bit too much water.  I have never had to use them but am extremely thankful for the lifeguards there and how fast they can react.  Kudos Great Wolf Lodge for ensuring your lifeguards are well trained and on the ball with everything.

Mini-Cation Post #11 – Snap Me Swimwear

I think the most fitting way to start this post off is to let the creator of Snap Me Swimwear tell you why she made it.
“Let me tell you about a typical Saturday during the summer with my family. We have a 2 year old daughter that loves the beach, so we go as often as possible. We all get up in the morning, make breakfast, and then pack a ton of things that we need to bring. Before we know it, an hour has gone by. We get in the car and realize we forgot something. Another 5 minutes and we are finally on our way! It only takes us 10 minutes to get to the beach, and go figure, there is NO PLACE TO PARK!

Now it’s time to unload the car and drag all of my daughter’s toys, her bag, the umbrella, chairs, cooler, etc. onto the beach. We set up our little area and finally it’s time to sit down and relax. As fate would have it….SHE HAS A DIRTY DIAPER!!!
While I am trying to get her suit off she squirms and sand sticks to her. The suit is wet and I struggle trying to get it back on. So, I sat there and thought there has to be a better way?

Not only is SnapMe Swimwear good for diaper changing, but when you daughter shows signs that she wants to be a big girl and start to potty train you can easily pull off the snaps in no time!

Also, I am sure moms agree with me there is nothing more disgusting than a public restroom at the beach…ugh! You can use the SnapMe Suits for your older girl (sizes up to 4T) so she doesn’t have to drop her bathing suit on that nasty floor ever again!”

Now who can’t relate to that?  I know I certainly can, it never seems to fail as soon as Maddisyn is in her swimsuit and we are at the beach or in this case the pool at Great Wolf Lodge for the day she has a dirty swim diaper and there we go, trying to get it her wet suit off, changing her diaper and then listening to her scream about how cold her swimsuit is as we are putting it back on.  With Snap Me Swimwear you simply undo the crotch snaps much like a diaper shirt, change the diaper, do up the snaps and in no time at all she was back on her way playing, no screaming, no crying, no begging or fits and Maddisyn wasn’t upset about the diaper change either.

We got the pink flower swimsuit to try out with Maddisyn and she looks so cute in it and honestly without telling people no one knew that it was a special swimsuit, I think they should make them like this for me so when i have to pee I don’t have to take my suit off either.  Maddys suit is 84% polyester 16% spandex and has 30 UV protection with two rows of snaps and an adjustment neck strap that was fairly easy to get on and off.  I am going to be buying Maddisyn one more of these because when we go on vacation I like to take two swimsuits so she can wear one while the other dries, and at a mere $27.99-$29.99 I think it is well worth the money.

Mini-Cation Post #10 – Lands End Swimwear Giveaway – ENDED

What vacation wouldn’t be complete without swimwear.  I know that swimwear is a touchy subject for some women, me included.  So when we started planning this mini-cation event and I went to grab my age old swimsuit and found I could almost see through it I was so upset, where was I going to find something that fit me as well, hid the parts I needed it to AND looked good on me.  So I started the swimsuit hunt.  First I asked around to other friends to see where they got their suits from, then I started to browse those places and fell in love with Lands End and all they had to offer in the great colors.

I chose the Womans All-Over Control Slender Tunic swimsuit in the color Black.  Now I was super nervous about ordering a swimsuit online because I couldn’t try it on for fit but it fits perfectly.  It does not make me bulge or feel yucky looking when I am wearing it, I feel it actually smooths me out a bit and just give me an all over sense of comfort and style.  It is known on the Lands End site as the little black swimsuit and is more then meets the eye.  It is said to be especially flattering for rectangle shape bodies, I think I am a little rectangle so I have to agree with this statement.  It has a slimming slendertex fabric, boy cut legs, soft bra cup and the fabric provides up to 50 SPF sun protection.  You can get it in regular torso, short torso, plus size or short torso plus.  This swimsuit retails for 109.50 and while that may seem a bit pricey I think you need to spend a little bit more on a swimsuit to make yourself feel and look good.  56% Lycra® spandex/44% nylon. Hand wash. Made in USA or imported.

I love how cute it is with the ruched look and a swim-dress feel to it, my butt always felt covered because of the cut and never left me feeling exposed.  I thought the back would be uncomfortable because of the clasp high up on the back of the neck but it was great, it held my boobs up and never left me sagging.  All in all I give this swimsuit two thumbs up.  But don’t take my word for it I suggest you get one for yourself.

*Note there are no pictures of me wearing this swimsuit in this review but the waterpark post will be going up tomorrow and will have a picture of this swimsuit in it.

~WIN IT~
Lands End is going to give one lucky winner a swimsuit of their own choosing.

~TO ENTER~
Go to Lands End and tell me which swimsuit you would choose.

~BONUS ENTRIES~
Please make sure to leave seperate entries for each thing, if it says you get 5 entries please leave 5 comments.

Protect a Bed Winner

Many years ago, I took a friend of mine to visit family 4 hours away. That evening we decided to hit the night clubs with my older sister. I was still tired from the trip, actually I was exhausted and knew I was not going to make it through the night without a nap. I asked my sister and friend to keep an eye on me and I layed down on a bench at the club and took a nap for about 20 minutes. They couldn’t believe I could sleep with all that noise, but sleep I did and I woke up refreshed and we partied till late in the night .

Passion for Beauty Earring Giveaway

I got the chance to work with Passion for Beauty through Mom Made That Reviews and I am very happy I did.  I am a picky jewelery person and rarely can I find earrings that I find are comfortable, not too heavy, large or too dangley.  I was putting a ton of faith in Passion for Beauty by giving them a general idea of what I wanted and the color.  When I received the package with my hand crafted earrings I was a little apprehensive when opening the package that they would be too big and I was worried about having to write this review.  I worried for nothing, the earrings are perfect.  Three small beads a diamond, square and circle so dainty, so pink and clear that they almost seem like they are not there.  My ears do not hurt when I wear them and I can wear them for hours forgetting they are there at all at times.  They are so dainty Maddisyn keeps asking to wear them and I think I might let her over Easter if she asks again because I think they are light enough to not even hurt her ears.  The quality of these is exceptional and

Passion for Beauty ships all items ready to give or store in pretty little boxes, mine came in a gold box which Maddisyn promptly claimed as hers.  They have earrings, necklaces and bracelets in their store, all handmade and super unique, I found at least four other pieces in there I am totally loving and will be adding to my hint list above my work station.  Check out this necklace, it is on my for sure want list I think it is so funky and just my style.

The approximate retail price for the pink dangle earrings I received is $13.00 and Passion For Beauty currently has a sale going on for some specially marked items if you buy two you get the third item of lesser or equal value for free.

~WIN IT~
Passion for Beauty is giving one of my readers the chance to have your very own pair of earrings of choice valued up to $15.00.

~TO ENTER~
Go to Passion for Beauty and tell me which earrings you would choose if you won.

~BONUS ENTRIES~
Please make sure to leave seperate entries for each thing, if it says you get 5 entries please leave 5 comments.

Summer is coming

wanna know how I know?  My kids are refusing to sleep in their beds, ok seriously my second born will not sleep in his bed no matter what I try to do to get him to he wants to sleep on the floor claiming to be too hot in his bed.  Kids Beds are not the easiest thing to buy because I am picky on the style I want for their bedroom furniture so I ended up paying a ton of money for each bed and for it to go unused really sucks.  Another way I know that summer is coming is that my kids have their bikes out already, yup that’s right it is March and we should still have a ton of snow but instead the nasty white invasion is gone for another year and the kids are out riding bikes and playing with their friends.  Maddisyn has shown a definite interest in bikes this year which is super cute but our trike is super old and  Maddisyn just can’t seem to keep her tiny feet on the tiny peddles.  I was lucky enough to have been contacted by CSN stores right around the time that we were looking for a new bike and so we chose to review the Dora the Explorer Tough Tricycle which we are now anxiously awaiting to come in.

Let me share a few quick facts from the website about this bike.  First and foremost it is made by Fisher-Price and that is a name I for sure trust for quality and durability.  The Tough Tricycle is made for kids aged 2 and up, has a comfort-ride seat and big chunky peddles.  Now I of course have not formed my own opinion as of yet because I have not found it but I think this will be a huge hit for Maddisyn, I cannot wait to share the actual results and pictures of Maddisyn riding the bike with you.

Potluck was great

Well we have been home for a while but since I have been busy trying to bang out all my need to do sponsor posts it has taken me a bit of time to post this.

Lee’s grandmother looked amazing and I had the change to invite her over for supper on Friday for Holdens birthday.  Back when she first went into the hospital we talked about her being well enough to come to my house and having breakfast for supper.  Now that she is well enough that is exactly what we will be doing, we will be having pancakes, eggs, french toast casserole, hashbrowns, bacon and sausages.  Then Lee’s family will be over for cake and ice cream and to help us celebrate Holden turning the big 01.

While there we had good food, good company and great conversation.  We talked about our house and how the renovations and such were coming and our plans for the house for this summer.  Lee’s family is very hands on and would be more then willing to help us if we asked which is good because this summer we have a lot to do to the house.  We need to get in some replacement windows because ours are all super old and single pane and let the heat out like nobodys business, we need to get some vinyl replacement windows but the one front window alone is going to cost us about 1000 so that is going to have to wait a bit.  We are also in the process now of tearing out the carpet and refinishing the old hardwood, all the rooms have been easy to do right up until Holdens it has this disgusting cardboard underlay stuff GLUED to his floor making it for a huge job that we have to do, I took a pic to post so you know how gross it looks now, I will post an after picture once we are done.  Once we are done all the floors and it warms up a little bit more we will be re shingling the roof, thankfully we already got all the shingles and tar paper for that we just need to get up on the roof and get it done.  Then once we get the windows all installed we will need to put up new insulated vinyl siding so that all our windows and roofing are not done in vain and the house will hopefully be warmer and cheaper to heat next winter.

Sorry I got off track on this post lol I just love Lee’s family and their willingness to work and help which we will certainly need.  The food was amazing, I made a great macaroni salad and we had creamed cauliflower, a hashbrown casserole, turkey, ham, rolls, layered salad and coleslaw.  It was all so yummy and a great feast, I love these family get togethers because we are all very good cooks and put us all together and well it equals pounds on the waist lol.  Then for dessert we had cake, ice cream and jello.  Mouth watering yet?  I know mine was when i smelled all the delicious food I wish I would have remembered to take pictures to share with you but not to worry I will take pics of our breakfast next week as well as Holden eating his first birthday cake and a ton more of all the awesome stuff we were sent by sponsors to share with you, some really amazing toys and such that any babe would love.

Mini-Cation Post #9 – Dittany Baby

I wear my babies as you all know, when we were going to Great Wolf Lodge I was concerned about the water and handling both Maddisyn and Holden so that Lee and I weren’t both tied to the babies and one of us could go and play with the older boys.  So I did my research and found that not many companies make water or H2O slings anymore which really bummed me out because I was in a panic.  Then I found Dittany Baby and fell in love with their H2O water sling.  Another big problem I had was with sizing because I am a bigger momma I do need slings to fit a plus size momma, Dittany Baby slings will fit all the way up to 3x and can also do a custom sizing for a small fee ($2.00).

I set up with Dittany Baby to work with them but then the rep I was working with went on maternity leave and so my request had to be shuffled to another person.  It took a bit to get coordinated with them and my trip was fast approaching, then the worst of worst happened the vacation was only days away and I was so upset that I would not be getting my sling.  Dittany Baby was not going to have that happen though, they are amazing to work with and I would recommend them 100 times over for how fast they were.  I did not receive the sling at home in time for my trip BUT they over-nighted it to me at Great Wolf Lodge and I had it there by Saturday morning now THAT is amazing customer service and well worth the knuckle squeezing moments of worry that I was not going to receive it in time I love my sling.

So the sling arrived on Saturday morning and I took it out of the package and was in love right away.  It is adorable with the guitar on it, goes perfect with my little man/rock star.  The sling fit me perfect when wearing either Maddisyn or Holden and Holden loved me wearing him in it because he was able to play in the water with us and I was able to keep a hand or two on Maddisyn when needed.  The quality of the H2O water sling is superb, I have had many baby carriers/slings and I have to say this is one of my favorites and I can’t wait for it to warm up more here so that I can use my sling more.   The H2O sling is super soft and is like a mesh type material that allowed the water to be right up against Holdens skin and since he loves to play in the water I knew that something like that would be the only way it would work right for us.  Now being in a hotel the biggest concern I had was drying time, I couldn’t just take it and toss it in my dryer and let it dry up it had to try fast and man this one did, it dries almost the second we get out of the water (and get wet Holden out of the sling of course).

A+ to Dittany Baby on their amazing customer service, prompt response, willing to ship fast and making an amazing product.  The H2O water sling comes in 6 different patterns all very cute and very hard to choose from.  The price on them is $72.00 $56.00 and is right in line with other slings/carriers of this quality.  It comes in 9 different sizes from XXS up to 3X and as I said earlier you can have it custom made for an additional $2.00.  To see what size you would need you can check out the size chart on each page to ensure proper fit when you receive it.

EDITED TO CHANGE SOMETHING: DITTANY BABY EMAILED ME AND WANTED ME TO ADJUST THE PRICE IN THIS POST, THE COST OF THE SLING WAS DROPPED FROM 72 TO 56 DOLLARS.

NUK Learner Cup Winner

http://twitter.com/cneiding/status/10503627458 tweet

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