Otherhood

Important Blog News

2010-05-27T06:22:00.000-04:00

I wanted to let everyone know that I will be stepping down from maintaining the Otherhood Blog. The decision did not come lightly but after much thought it was the right thing to do. I have a few things on my plate right now and something had to give, unfortunately it was this.

Colleen will still be running the blog and I am confident that things won't skip a beat during my transition. I have been so proud of how much our blog has grown in the last year and half and I want to say a special thank you to Colleen for taking on this adventure with me. It has been wonderful and life changing for me!

I also would like to extend a big thank you to Brandi and Trina for making our blog such a wonderful resource for women and mothers. Both of you are amazing writers and I have enjoyed {and will continue to enjoy} reading your articles.

So where am I going?

Don't worry you can still find me around the blogosphere {I am a little obsessed with blogging}! If you don't already know I have my own personal blog, Life Without Pink, where I share stories about my family, area blogging events I attend, a few occasional giveaways {big ones ladies!} and blogging tips that I am learning along the way.

I am the new Director of Social Media for Babyssentials and will be helping them build their on-line community. We have a team of wonderful mom bloggers discussing everything from parenting, pregnancy, health and fitness, recipes, family fun ideas and green living. I am one of the mom bloggers on this community and my blog title there is "Family Fun". Stop by and join us in the discussions.

I am also the new contributor for Today's Mama {New Jersey} for the section "Out and About" where I will share lots of fun events, activities and adventures for New Jersey.

Where else can you find me:

lifewithoutpink@verizon.net
Twitter @lifewithoutpink
Twitter @babyssentials
www.facebook.com/lifewithoutpink
www.facebook.com/babyssentials

I have a few more reviews to post and then I will be leaving. I will make sure to say a one last good bye to everyone.

Thanks again for all of your support and love!

Steampotville by Steve Ouch {Review}

2010-05-25T09:03:00.000-04:00

Steampotville is a brand new book written, illustrated and published by Steve Ouch. It sparks your imagination and keeps you intrigued as you learn and discover something new every time.

I was definitely curious as soon as I read the premise of the book, "Life is pleasant for the animals of SteamPotVille....All is well, until everything changes in one discombobulated night! The bees are peeping and the birds are buzzing. A hippo is balancing on a beam and the animals are floating away with hot air balloons! What is happening in this topsy-turvy town?
When we received this book, the boys and I sat down to read it. Big A's eyes lite up and we literally sat and talked about every page for a few minutes each. There is so much detail and the art is simply amazing. Every page draws you in and we had a fun time playing I-Spy.
There is so much to love about this book. The swirling photos, costumed animals and vibrant colors caught both my boys' eyes. Ouch does a wonderful job of creating a dreamlike town where nothing is as it seems.

My favorite part is the last page where he displays a portrait gallery of the many animals that you can find throughout the book.

The final caption reads, "Name the resident and the sound it makes. If you don't know, make it up!" I love when children's books really encourage them to use their imagination and explore the unknown.

I highly recommend this book and give it five stars!

Visit http://steampotville.com for more details!

You can also order your own copy from Amazon.com for only $13.99!

Thank you very much Steve Ouch for allowing us to review this wonderfully creative and brilliant book!

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by Steve Ouch and Steampotville. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Baby Diner Review & FREE Baby Diners for Everyone

2010-05-23T08:40:00.000-04:00

If you have children I am sure this looks familiar right? Little B isn't that bad but he is a messy eater, I mean really what child isn't?

Baby Diner is a brand new product that helps alleviate the mess and clean-up after your toddler is done eating.

There is a little bit of assembly but super easy to do. I mean I put it together and I am not the handy type {just ask my hubby}.

Then all you do is suction cup it to your table by pushing down firmly. There is another suction cup that will hold the plate or bowl in place.

I tried tugging on Little B's plate and it didn't budge. Now meal time is less messy which means that mama is very happy!

Are you ready for a surprise???

Baby Diner is giving EVERYONE a complimentary Baby Diner by click here. Order one for yourself or as a gift. Please note that shipping and handling are not included.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by Baby Diner. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Kushyfoot for the Busy Mama

2010-05-17T09:53:00.002-04:00

Moms are busy, plain and simple. Whether you work or stay-at-home chances are you don't sit down much during the day.

My boys keep me busy {or should I say running} all day long. By the end of the day, my feet ache so bad.

Have you heard of Kushyfoot?

They are inspired by the feel-good art of Refloxology - their tights and hosiery dress your feet for every occasion and pamper them with a massage in every step.

Well I had the opportunity to try out a few of their products and here are my thoughts:

Flats To Go

The idea behind them is to give your feet a much needed relief after a busy day on the go. They come in a handy little plastic carry bag and can easily fit into any purse or diaper bag.

When I go to visit friends during the day for a play date often times I will take my shoes off once inside to get comfy and not to mention I have this weird thing about shoes on in the house. But I still like something on my feet whether it is socks or slippers.

Now I carry the Flats To Go in my bag and slip them on when my shoes come off. It still does feel like you are walking barefoot but they feel comfortable and I love the fact that they are very portable!

Yoga Socks They are fingerless socks for your feet. I have to admit when I first put them on they felt a little weird. Since I don't do yoga {something I always wished I had tried} I found them perfect to take along to get a pedicure!

My mom and I recently enjoyed pedicures for Mother's Day and since it was colder that day I put on my yoga socks before they painted my toes. It worked perfectly!

Super Low Foot Cover

Awe I remember how much my feet use to hurt after a long day at work. The Super Low Foot Cover gives you extra cushion and padding in your heals and is low enough so it won't peek out. They are perfect for hot summer days when you can't even fathom putting on pantyhose. They will keep your feet from rubbing against the side of the shoes or prevent your feet from getting sweaty and slippery.

Quarter Socks

With two boys we are constantly going outside and taking walks. These socks are perfect! They provide lots of cushion to your heal and are very comfortable. I wear them all of the time!

Kushyfoot has a full line of products including tights and men's socks. Please visit them at www.kushyfoot.com.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by Kushyfoot. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Sugar Free Ring Pop {Review}

2010-05-13T08:50:00.008-04:00

Remember Ring Pops when you were a child? We all had them and loved them!

Big A {my 4 year old} is in a huge lollipop stage. Every time we go through the bank drive-thru he cries for one. Sometimes I give in and other times {which is most} I tell him they are out of lollipops or forgot to give us one. May sound mean but if I gave in every time that's all he EVER want!

I worry about the sugar in take so I was very happy when I got to sample Sugar Free Ring Pops!

Only 30 calories, no fat and won't cause cavities!

They come in fun filled flavors such as blueberry, watermelon and strawberry.

I have always been scared to let my children eat hard candy or lollipops because they are one of the leading causes of chocking.

Since the Pop is attached to the ring I feel better that the chances are far less that it will detach and slide down their throat. I have always told Big A {since I haven't given Little B these types of candies yet} to lick lollipops and NEVER put the whole thing in his mouth. I am pretty impressed that he still just licks any type of lollipop I give him and doesn't shove it in his mouth.

As a mom we always have to taste test foods we give our kids {or at least its a good excuse to try something new} and I was impressed at the flavor of the pops, pretty yummy!

Sugar Free Ring Pop is perfect for:

Kids Sports Events
Kids Parties
Occasional Treats
Rewards
Trips (Ring Pops last a long time!)
Engagement Parties & Wedding favors

Look for Sugar Free Ring Pop at Wal-Mart stores nation wide.

Visit the official website for fun Ring Pop games and stop over at their Ring Pop Facebook fan page!

So tell us, what was your favorite candy as a child?

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by Sugar Free Ring Pop. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Organically Grown {Review}

2010-05-10T15:21:00.006-04:00

Since having children I am much more conscious of what I feed them, put onto their skin and even dress them in. I was super shocked to read about all of the pesticides and chemicals that are found in our clothing.

Did you know that about 25% of the world's insecticides are used in the production of conventional, non-organic cotton? Shocking right?

Its bad enough we have to watch what we eat but now we have to be conscious of the type of clothing we wear. Even though I do want the best for my boys, I have to admit that it isn't always in my budget.

But thanks to Organically Grown, parents can buy affordable, safe clothing for their children without breaking the bank.

Directly from their site:

Driven by our positive spirit, and heartfelt commitment to a healthy planet, we founded the Organically Grown Group. We were raised to believe that we could make a difference, and affect real change in the world. As a young and innovative company, we believe in your right to affordable, safe, stylish, high-quality organic products from apparel and home décor, to personal care items.

Organically Grown has begun to play an active role in the organic revolution. Our apparel is made from organic cotton, which is grown by safe, pesticide-free methods from plants that are not genetically modified. We support the organic farming community and organizations worldwide that are committed to a green, sustainable environment. There is a direct connection between what we wear and the effect it has on the earth.

My thoughts:

Organically Grown sent me their "Nature Boy" toddler 2 pieces set for Little B to review. Its 100% certified organic cotton 2 piece set: Short sleeve T-shirt with "Nature Boy" applique and shorts with side pockets.

I was pleasantly surprised at how soft the fabric was and love the fact that there are no zippers or buttons to bother my little guy. Even though the outfit is slightly big on him, I know he will get a lot of use out of it. The outfit is machine washable, practical and my little guy looks super cute in it.

You can purchase these 2 pieces outfits at Organically Grown from $28 - $30!

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by Organically Grown. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Yummy Berry Smoothie

2010-05-06T10:42:00.000-04:00

I am at a cross road with two fussy eaters. Lunch is my hardest time of the day because they are hungry but refuse everything I give them.

Recently, I tried Trina's, from O'Boy! Organic, Mixed Berry Smoothie and I couldn't believe how delicious it was! My 4 yr old wouldn't try it {no surprise there} but my 18 month old drank a full glass!

I modified it slightly since I didn't have Kefir in stock.

Here's what I added:

1 cup of frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup of organic vanilla yogart
1/2 cup of orange carrot juice
4 tablespoons of flaxseed
Few cubes of ice

Put all of the ingredients into the blender and mix! That's it.

How good does that look!?

I have to say this was the first time I tried orange carrot juice and it was super delicious and gave the smoothie such a great taste. Plus it is a great way to sneak in some extra veggies!

Perfect Travel Accessories For The Busy Woman

2010-05-04T22:48:00.007-04:00

Whether you are going on a road trip, heading off to a business meeting or a mom on the go, woman's lives are very hectic. Most of us try to keep a stash of emergency items in our purse or car but they are not always effective and rarely pretty.

Cleverly-conceived and small, neatly packaged MYTAGALONGS ease every corner of the busy woman's life. Women can be chic and organized while on the go and they are perfect for the fashion diva, germaphobe, athlete and world traveler.

Here are a few must have items for the on-the-go woman:

The MYTAGALONGS purse hooker easily latches onto any surface keeping your purse or bag safe, clean and close at hand. I can't tell you how many restaurants I have gone to where the table and floor were sticky and dirty. This elegant accessory is perfect to use in order to keep the germs off your bag and away from your clothes.
Their tampoon tubes are sturdy and super cute! This product makes it very discreet carrying your feminine products especially when you need to visit a public restroom. They even make a cute holder for lip gloss or pens.

Have you ever been in the situation where you were heading out to a function right from work or were on the go all day and not feeling so fresh. Wouldn't life be easier if you had an extra pair of panties handy? Well now you can with their 5 pack of Wear Once Panties. Be prepared when unexpected accidents occur. They are perfect to take along on a trip, long day out, work or the gym.

MYTAGALONGS deliver chic and affordable products that simplify everyday life. Most items are under $20 making it very affordable to be prepared!

He is getting so big

2010-04-28T17:03:00.004-04:00

I can't believe my baby is 6 months today. Time goes by so quickly and we often tend to loose sight of these milestones so I thought I would take a minute and introduce you to Sam. He is so sweet and happy. He loves his brother who can make him laugh out loud. He loves to watch kids and already has a little temper if he feels he is being ignored. He is rolling over and sitting up all by himself. And I love him with all my heart!

He is a perfect little baby and I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a wonderful baby.

FITMOM Review

2010-04-25T20:20:00.005-04:00

When my girlfriends and I get together, one of the topics that always come up is how to get back in shape after having kids. Looking after the children is a full-time job let alone taking care of the house, grocery shopping and not to mention working outside the house.

Going to the gym for most moms is unrealistic. Not only can cost be a factor but finding the time each week to physically go to the gym just seems impossible.

If you are looking to get back into shape in the comforts of your own home, then you need to check out FITMOM Fitness. They offer prenatal and postnatal exercise programs for moms who are wanting to stay in shape during pregnancy and re-gain their fit appearance after pregnancy.

I was so lucky to be given a copy of the the Prenatal & Postnatal Workout tapes to try. No I am not pregnant {and don't plan to be} so I gave that one to one of my close girlfriends that is expecting.

Designed by Andrea, a certified trainer, yoga instructor, doula and motivational speaker, these videos promise to have a workout option that will suit your pre/postnatal exercise needs and inspire you to stay motivated.

What I love about these videos are they involve minimal equipment, are approximately 40 minutes and the steps are easy to pick up. The wonderful aspect about the postnatal videos is the ability to involve your babies. This not only gives you some fun, quality time with your little ones but also helps make the workout more intense.

Even though my littlest guy is 18 months, I tried using him as my weights. Let's just say I was sweating and felt muscles I never knew existed. He absolutely loved it and kept giggling and laughing. It was going pretty good until my 4 year old cried because he wanted me to hold him and work-out - OUCH!

I thought these videos definitely reached some problem areas for me and it was a lot of fun to incorporate the kids into the work-out. I have been doing the videos about twice a week and I can tell already that my energy level is up and strength is getting a little better.

I would highly recommend checking out these videos. They retail from $16 - $18 so definitely affordable for any budget.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by FITMOM Fitness. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Hurray for Yes!

2010-04-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

So for all you readers who don't have the pleasure of living in the Garden State - New Jersey - I thought I would give a brief update on the state of affairs as it relates to education. We are in a major deficit and our Governor has drastically slashed the budget for our schools which has had major impact on the planning of services for the next school year.

Yesterday we had to go vote for property tax increases. Some districts had a proposed increased of only $61 per year and some had an increase upwards of $400. The benefits of voting YES for the increase includes NOT cutting programs such as enrichment, sports, music, art as well as guaranteeing our children have adequate sized classrooms with enough teachers to go around.

I am lucky, my district was one of very few throughout the State that actually had the increase pass. I will now have the privilege of sending my four year old son to pre-school in September and not have to pay a fortune for private school. It is a sad day for most of the townships in this State and we can only hope that the school districts have resourceful Superintendents that can make a dollar stretch to save the teachers, programs, and our education system! Our children deserve a good education. What else could possibly be more important?

Madelaine Chocolate Duets

2010-04-18T12:10:00.002-04:00

You all know my love for chocolate, it is one of my guilty pleasures. I recently tested a new line launched by Madelaine Chocolate Company called Duets. The Duets marry two distinct fillings into one delicious truffle. I LOVED the chocolate truffle filled with peanut butter and Carmel. My three year old loved them all. I tried to hide them so I could have my daily indulgence but they didn't last more than two days in my house.

The truffle itself is smooth and creamy and the double filling adds something different that your taste buds will thoroughly enjoy. Duets are officially on your grocery store shelves. Check them out for yourself to see what you have been missing. If you love chocolate as much as I do you will definitely been in for a treat!

Walk for a Great Cause

2010-04-14T16:00:00.006-04:00

Our dear friends lost their precious little boy, Brian, over a year ago in a tragic drowning. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him. Brian's parents had to make the decision to harvest his organs and I know they are glad they made that decision because there are several people whose lives were spared by this generous decision.

Our friends decided to honor their son's legacy by participating in the 15th Annual Dash for Organ and Tissue Donor Walk. The event is this Sunday, April 18th at the Art Museum in Philadelphia. If you can make it and want to help spread awareness on this issue please check out the site for more information.

JumpStart Review & Giveaway

2010-04-12T09:17:00.004-04:00

I was recently contacted by JumpStart to try out their new 3D virtual world. It is a colorful collection of games, adventures, and quests geared for preschool and elementary school kids. But don't let the fun colors and characters fool you. It also teaches math, reading, and critical thinking skills that are wrapped up into a fun adventure for your child.

Kids start the adventure by designing their own "Jumpee" {avatar}. They pick out everything from their eyes, hair, clothes to creating a silly name for their character.

Then the real adventure begins as their Jumpee can run, jump, swim and slide their way around the magically world. There are different levels your child can explore based on their age.

3 - 5 yr olds - StoryLand

Kindergarten to 2nd Grade; Adventure Land & MarineLand

3rd to 5th Grade; FutureLand

Our Review

My son doesn't quite have a long attention span so I wasn't sure how long this would last. He usually wants me to sit right next to him while he plays any type of game, so I was really hoping this would be something that he could learn to play on his own.

After we created our very cool Jumpee we started to explore the huge world of JumpStart. It didn't take my son long to work the mouse and make his cute little guy run to the different areas on the board.

We spent a lot of time in StoryLand since the games were geared for his level. He play games that taught colors, numbers and shapes. One of the games he enjoyed playing was a matching duck game where he had to match letters and numbers. He played this game for a long time and I loved the fact that he was learning in the process.

He also enjoyed playing in the paint room where he got to pick different images to paint, design and color. He was so excited he would squeal every time he created a new piece of art. He actually played this game for over a hour and I finally had to tell him we needed to turn off the computer for a bit {which he wasn't happy about}.

JumpStart also offers a blog for parents that offers exciting updates, sneak peeks of upcoming releases, helpful learning tips, crafty projects, and exciting science experiments!

It is a great way to spend some quality time with your children and engage in an educational yet fun experience!

Win It!
JumpStart is kindly giving one of our readers a 3-month subscription to their 3-D virtual world!

Mandatory Entry:
Click here and comment with your favorite character. Also, you need to become a follower of Otherhood to qualify.

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This giveaway will end Wednesday, April 21st at 11:59 PM EST. If your email is not included on your profile please leave it in your comment so we know how to contact you. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to our initial email. If not we will choose another winner. Us entries only, please.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by JumpStart. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Motrin vs. Tylenol

2010-04-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

So my 5 month old son has been sick for a few days. He has a wicked cough, an ear infection and a ever running nose. I was swamped at work so my husband had the pleasure of taking him to the doctor. His diagnosis was an ear infection and was given a prescription for amoxocillin. The Pediatrician that treated my son told my husband that he should only give the baby Tylenol IF he has a fever of 103 or higher.

I was shocked over this news and thought the doctor was a quack! My son was in extreme discomfort, he winced every time he coughed, which was almost every 10 minutes. I clearly could not let him suffer so I gave him a small dose of Infants Tylenol. He was able to get some reprieve and slept soundly through the night.

I have always preferred Motrin for a fever but read a few articles that Tylenol is the preferred medication for infants because there were more studies done on this drug in the infant population. I guess Motrin is a newer drug so therefore there is less information on the effectiveness and side effects associated with its use.

I was wondering what your thoughts are. Do you prefer one drug over the other and do you treat your little ones occasionally when they have a fever or are in obvious pain?

Tone your Tush For The Summer!

2010-04-07T21:25:00.001-04:00

Rising temperatures mean only one thing: summer will be here in no time! No more hiding flaws under wool slacks and sweatpants; soon it will be time to dress in shorts, capris and bathing suits.

As summer approaches, the question is, “How can I tone my butt to look good in those cute little outfits?” Well, help is on the way by following three simple exercises that will get your rear in gear this season.

The Squat

Squats are one of the most versatile exercises, making them a great lower body exercise. Not only does it work the gluteus maximus, but they also tone the quadriceps and hamstrings.
There are many variations of the squat. A good one is to start with your legs shoulder-width apart, and have a kitchen chair behind you. While placing your weight back onto your heels, sit down into the chair just until the glutes touch the chair, then raise up to a standing position. This variation teaches you to sit back onto your heels instead of pushing on the knees. Do 2 sets of 10-12 times each.

Step Ups

Step Ups are not only great for the glutes, but they are also great for raising your heart rate. Using a high bench at the park or your stairs at home, place one foot on a step, then place all of your weight onto that foot, and raise your body up onto the step, then lower again. You can alternate feet or stay on one foot for 10 repetitions, then switch to the other. Work up to 2 sets of 12.

Lunges

Like squats, lunges are a great way to tone and target all of the muscles of the lower body. However, it is an exercise some tend to avoid, as they can be rough on the knees. The wrong way has the front knee lunging over the front toe, thus transferring the bulk of the force directly up into the knee joint. Instead, more emphasis needs to be placed on keeping the weight on the front foot’s heel and squeezing the glute to minimize force on the knee. Lowering the knee toward the floor while keeping the knee at a 90-degree angle will eliminate too much stress on the knees. Work up to 2 sets of 12.

By following these simple lower body exercises, along with a cardiovascular workout and sensible diet, you will be on your way to sporting a “toned tush” the upcoming sizzling summer days!

Starting the day off the right way...

2010-04-06T09:35:00.024-04:00

Since my boys decided to be anti veggie eaters, I decided to sneak them in anyway possible. They have always been great breakfast, lunch and snack eaters and dinner has been the biggest challenge for us. We have many nights (more so with #2) that he will leave the table without eating a single bite. Not sure if it's because he is just DONE with the day and ready for bed, testing me, testing me or testing me...I think it's a combo of all 4 :) I took the hint and started making meals for them earlier in the day. Meals that were healthy and yummy packed with nutritional things because they are more apt to eat breakfast and lunch then dinner. This recipe is one of my favorites, it's easy and I freeze what we don't eat. It makes other mornings more tolerable when we are busy trying to get out the door. I can get breakfast on the table in 5 minutes and know that they are starting the day off the right way.

Healthy French Toast

10 slices of Ezekiel Sprouted Raisin Cinnamon Bread
3 eggs (I use free range brown eggs)
1 cup of Sweet Potato Puree ( Winter Squash works well too)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
4 TB of flax seed meal

Mix all ingredients together until blended well. Dip bread in the egg mixture and make sure you cover both sides well. Do that until all slices of bread have been dipped and then let sit for 5 minutes to soak up all the egg mixture.

Heat griddle until hot (medium heat) and then either spray with Pam or oil and place pieces of bread and cook until golden brown then turn over and cook the other side.

When finished you can top with honey, peanut butter, pear puree, all natural maple syrup or fruit preserve. Serve with your favorite fruit.

When finished freeze leftovers to make morning a little bit less stressful because the work is already done, all you need to do is re-heat!

For more great recipes and tips please visit me on
facebook
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Check out my sites at

www.oboyorganic.com
www.oboyorganic.blogspot.com

Fun Finger Foods for Any Child

2010-04-05T14:12:00.001-04:00

I am always looking for easy and appealing sneaks for my kids. Most of the time they hate sitting at the table and I find throughout the day by having little finger foods available for them to eat, they are much more likely to nibble through out the day.

So here are a few that I have tried with my kids;

Fig newtons, broken into small pieces
Oyster crackers
Sliced avocado
Small Jell-O cubed
Veggie burger, in bite size pieces
Cut-up mini pizzas
Graham cracker pieces with cream cheese and fruit spread
Cubed bananas rolled in Rice Krispies
Cut up fruit
Slices of cheese
Steamed veggies and ranch dressing
Bite-size pieces of cheese quesadilla with sour cream
Small meatballs with applesauce for dipping
Hard boiled eggs
Bran muffins
Pita and hummus
Whole-wheat mini pancakes
Banana bites {cooked in pancake mix}
Bagel with cream cheese
Homemade mini pizzas
Toasted sweet potato sticks
Cooked chickpeas or black beans

Now its your turn. Share with us finger food or snack ideas that you give your children throughout the day.

Welcome Baby Estella

2010-04-02T07:00:00.003-04:00

My brother welcomed his first child early Monday morning. Her name is Estella Mae and she is perfect. I have two boys and I silently, ok vocally, wished for a baby girl so I couldn't be more thrilled about this little angel's arrival.

I am so excited to watch her grow and to see my brother and his amazing wife experience the precious gift of raising her. Family is God's gift to us and I don't take that lightly. I want the world to know I will wholeheartedly contribute to helping her grow into a beautiful person, inside and out.

To my brother and his wife, Maggie, I love you both and wish you nothing but all the happiness in the world.

Nook Sleep Systems

2010-03-31T10:03:00.002-04:00

This is the Cadillac of infant mattresses. The Nook Mattress is 100% organic and made from eucalyptus fibers which is suppose to draw moisture away allowing your baby to have a continuous night sleep. The mattress has pivots and pleats create better air circulation and keeps the air closer to the baby. If you are in the market for a baby mattress I would check this one out. Just be ready to drop a lot of money!

Light to the World {Review & Giveaway}

2010-03-29T08:22:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to SeriouslyAHomemaker!!

We have been in our new home now for 5 months. We are still working on painting the rooms and I have started to look for unique pieces to add to the walls. I absolutely love trying to find one of a kind photos especially ones that have been taken by independent artists.

So when Megan, a photographer and owner of Lights to the World an Etsy shop, contacted me to do a review of one of her pieces, I was completely thrilled!

Megan is dedicated in selling prints of LDS temples for prices that people can actually afford. She was always disappointed when she would go into LDS stores and see temple photographs that were marked at $500 a piece because they're beautiful, but who has that kind of spare change?

And reasonable she is! Her pieces range from $8 - $50 depending on the size of the piece. Check out some of her beautiful photos:

And the piece that I chose:

I am so excited about my piece of artwork! I will be hanging it in my downstairs bathroom after we finish painting it a wine color. I already had it framed and it looks gorgeous!

Now for the good news!

Buy It!
Megan is giving Otherhood readers a 10% discount on their entire order! Please leave a comment in the "notes to seller" section that you found her shop through Otherhood.

Win It!
One lucky reader will win a 8 x 10 print - your choice!

Mandatory Entry:
Please visit Light to the World and comment back here on the print that you would select if you won.

Extra Entries {1 entry per each}:
1 separate entry for each of the following you do:

Follow us on Twitter @otherhoodllc
Tweet this giveaway by coping and pasting the following; Win a beautiful 8 x 10 temple print from an independent artist @Otherhood http://bit.ly/bjXVrf Please RT {1 entry per daily tweet}
Become a fan of Otherhood on Facebook
Follow or Subscribe to our blog
Add our button to your blog
Follow or Subscribe to Life Without Pink

This giveaway will end Monday April 12th at 11:59 PM EST. If your email is not included on your profile please leave it in your comment so we know how to contact you. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to our initial email. If not we will choose another winner. Us entries only, please.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by Light to the World. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to the site's PR/Advertising page for more information.

Fasten their Seatbelt!

2010-03-26T07:00:00.003-04:00

If someone invented a seat belt for the kitchen chair I think it would be a hit! I can never get my three year old to stay still, let alone stay in his chair, during dinner. I have tried every trick up my sleeve and have even resulted to good old bribery, which works to no avail. At this point, I have succumbed to the reality that a nice peaceful family dinner is not a evening ritual in my house. We eat haphazardly anywhere we can. Half the time I find myself eating my dinner over the kitchen sink while I wash bottles or get things ready for the next day.

I would love some insight on how you ladies do it??? All I want is to instill family time as an ordinary routine in our life together. If I don't encourage this now I know as my boys get older they will never appreciate family dinner time. This is a time where we can come together to talk about our day and share good news or trials and tribulations that we encounter during our day.

The Men CAN do it!

2010-03-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

No matter what they tell you, the men CAN take care of the kids. I just returned from a three day work excursion to beautiful Arizona. I was a mess. I worried that the baby would get thrown off schedule and that my three year old wouldn't bathe for three days. Well they all survived and I actually enjoyed myself.

I think we underestimate our mates ability to care for our kids at the same capacity we do. We think we do it better, but the truth is, we just do it differently. As long as the kids feel loved and their needs are met then I think we succeed as parents.

I also think it is a good thing to leave our partner in charge of the kids every once in a while. It not only REALLY makes them appreciate all we do, it gives them a unique opportunity to show the kids that dad is as capable as mom. And, it offers a great bonding opportunity for them as well.

In the end I think leaving my kids was harder on me then it was on them. I guess I might have to do it every now and then. It is a nice change to sleep in a bed alone and wake up and enjoy a cup of coffee in a quiet peaceful hotel room!

How Does She? Fabulous Blog Find

2010-03-22T09:41:00.000-04:00

I am completely in LOVE with this blog. Like head over heals in LOVE!

Their site is dedicated to spotlighting creative women that share ideas from birthday party decor, crafts, cooking, baking, sewing, home decor, organization, budgeting ideas and the list goes on and on.

I recently went on to get ideas for my son's birthday party next month and I couldn't believe some of the awesome ideas they featured.

My favorite; A Birthday Board

Make sure you check out their blog....you will be amazed!

Abrakadoodle & Chick-fil-A Team Up

2010-03-22T09:10:00.002-04:00

Abrakadoodle and Chick-fil-A are teaming up to bring families together for food, fun and art!

Join them for an exciting 6 week "Little Doodlers" session where children will create masterpieces as unique as they are. Each week an art project will go home ready for display in an "Abrakadoodle Framedoodle"!

Details:
For ages 2 - 5 {children under 3 need adult assistance}.

When: March 23, 30, April 6, 13, 20 & 27
Time: 9:30am - 10:30am
Where: Chick-fil-A - 58 Centerton Road {near Wegman's} Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
Fee: $60.00

To register please visit: www.abrakadoodle.com/nj01