Baby Crib Station is a great resource for finding cribs in all styles and colors. I love it when they don't look babyish at all and look like a really beautiful piece of furniture, like this one:
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Fun Finds... 3 in 1 Cribs
Baby Crib Station is a great resource for finding cribs in all styles and colors. I love it when they don't look babyish at all and look like a really beautiful piece of furniture, like this one:
Fun Finds... Duckle Dance Capezio and Wisharoo Park Package Giveaway!!!
Here's what the gift package for the winner includes:
*One pair Capezio Daisy Ballet Shoes. Retail value: $18
*One pair Capezio Junior Tyette Tap Shoes. Retail value: $25
*One Wisharoo Park 2-Disc 13 Episode DVD set. Retail value: $19.99
*Six Wisharoo Park Wish Star finger puppets. Retail value: $19.98
*One Capezio Logo Drawstring Backpack. Retail value: $8.50
*One Limited Edition Do the Duckle Commemorative T-Shirt. Retail value: $12.99

After your kids become familiar with the video, they can follow along with the steps or create and perform their very own dance moves to the Duckle Dance (using either the ballet or tap music on the website.) If you'd like a chance to win dance scholarships and special prizes provided by Capezio and Wisharoo Park, you can videotape them and enter your child's performance in the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes!
Entering is really easy. I plan on having my girls learn the dance and entering myself! You simply upload the video to your Facebook or YouTube account, and then visit the Duckle Dance website where you can submit the Facebook or YouTube video link as part of the easy entry process. It's worth noting that dance ability will not have any effect on who wins this contest. It's all about fun, and little dancers of any age or ability are encouraged to enter. The prize winners will be chosen by random drawing.

Check out the Duckle Dance!!!
Wisharoo Park is dedicated to promoting positive self-image and self-esteem in preschool age children. It was originally introduced by airing as a children’s TV series on PBS stations across the country and is now rolling out as a dynamic multimedia program which includes the interactive website WisharooPark.com, DVDs and more!
Unique among preschool programs, Wisharoo Park is designed to help children age 3 – 6 recognize and appreciate their individuality. With its groundbreaking technology-based curriculum, Wisharoo Park helps children discover and understand their personal strengths and put them on the road to developing greater self-esteem. The Wisharoopark.com enchanting online community stars a whimsical cast of loveable animated, puppet and human characters who are featured in games, videos, music and more! Each week exciting new activities and content are added that are sure to keep parents and their kids coming back again and again.
Wisharoo Park is proud to partner with Capezio. Dedicated to the art of dance since 1887, Capezio revolutionized the dance world with dancewear and footwear products for every dancer from beginner to professional. Capezio operates retail stores carrying the full lines of all Capezio/Ballet Maker Inc. brands in New York City and several major cities nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.capeziodance.com/.
Now here are the instructions about how to enter to win the Gift Package valued at over $100!
{You don't have to enter your children in the video sweepstakes to enter my giveaway, although you do get a whole bunch of bonus entries if you do!}
*Become a follower of my blog! Just join my Google Connect followers on the right sidebar, and leave me a comment letting me know that you follow me!
Get extra entries when you:
1. Send a tweet out encouraging your followers to enter the sweepstakes and include a link to the Duckle Dance.
2. Post information about the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes on your personal or blog Facebook page, and tell your friends to enter!
3. Send out an email to your friends and/or RSS list asking them to enter the sweepstakes and include the link to the Duckle Dance.
4. Visit and like Wisharoo Park's Facebook page here. When you like their Facebook page you can download 3 free songs (a $2.97 value!)
5. Receive TEN extra entries into this giveaway if you enter a video into the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes Presented by Capezio and Wisharoo Park!!!
*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway is open to the US and Canada, and will close on September 1'st. September 1'st is also the last day to enter the video sweepstakes. Good luck!!!
Monday, August 8, 2011
4 Years Old!
{Yes, she's been 4 since May, but I realized I never did an official blog post about it. I also still need to blog about the girls' pony birthday party. Watch for that soon too!}
Some days I never thought we'd make it through the 3's alive... but we did! 3 was about a million times worse than 2, at least for Kirsten. And now, 4 is SO much better! Here are a bunch of fun facts about my cute little 4 year-old:
*She LOVES to dance! Her ballet/tap class is pretty much her favorite thing ever. She wants to wear her leotard and skirt all around the house every day so she can dance, and she was completely adorable in her dance recital in June {yep, also need to blog about that}.

*Her other favorite thing in the world is swimming! Kirsten would go swimming every single day if I let her. She also loves to wear her swimsuit around the house. She's still afraid to put her face in the water, but she adores splashing around and playing in the water.

*Her imagination is also starting to take off. She loves to pretend she's an animal or something else. The other day she put two balls under a blanket, sat on it, and told us it was her nest and she's laying her eggs. When Natalie got close to her "babies", she acted like she was pecking her. It was hilarious!

*I crack up often at all the random, funny "Kirstenisms" that she says. Example. . .
Kirsten: "Can you tie this balloon around me so that I can fly?"
Me: "I don't think it will really make you fly."
Kirsten: "It's okay, I can pretend!"
Then I tied the balloon around her, and she was really disappointed when she jumped off the couch and didn't fly.
*Kirsten is such a great big sister to baby Brooke! Ever since she was born, Kirsten has just been enamored with her. She loves to hold her, play with her, and make her laugh!
*She alternates between playing and having a great time with Natalie, to fighting and crying and stealing toys from each other. Another Kirstenism. . .
Me: "Natalie smells like. . . Febreze???"
Kirsten: "I sprayed her!"
*She loves to get out and explore! She's not a girl who's content to sit at home and quietly read books or color. Not at ALL. She loves to play outside, run around playgrounds, go down slides, explore new things.
*Ohhhhh, the drama! Everything just always has to be a big deal, and she's always been a very sensitive child. If other kids are too loud, she cries. If another kid starts crying, she cries. She's getting better, but still very sensitive. She's slow to warm up to new situations and new people. When she's waiting for something (like a snack) and hasn't gotten it yet, she'll sigh and say, "I'll never get a snack!"
*She's much more polite now than she was at 3. She often says please and thank you without being reminded.
*Another Kirstenism:
"I want to be a princess. But I don't have a princess face. . . I just have a Kirsten face."
Some of her favorites. . .
*Color: Yellow! It changes pretty often but has been yellow for quite awhile now.
*Food: She loves tacos, cheese, burgers and fries, hot dogs, popsicles, ice cream, and chicken enchiladas. She's very picky and would rather snack all day than eat meals.
*Beverage: She's a juice fiend. She's nuts over juice and also chocolate milk. It's tough to get her to drink water, she acts like I'm trying to poison her! So I do half-juice, half-water and often buy the V8 Fusion juices that include fruits and veggies.
*Animal: She's a dog person. Just was born that way! I'll never forget when she held the adorable Cavlier King Charles puppy at the mall at Christmastime and asked, "Can we take her home with us?" I was ready to say of course! {Stephen said no}
*TV Shows: She loves Little Bear, Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, and So You Think You Can Dance.
*Movies: {She loves movies, and enjoys seeing them in the theater too} Tangled, Toy Story 3, Tinkerbell movies, Aladdin, Rio, Cinderella, Enchanted, Mama Mia, Little Mermaid, and Up. Naps are a long gone thing of the past, so she usually just has "quiet time" although it's not very quiet, and watches a movie.
*It's probably rare to have a 4 year-old who doesn't insist on wearing certain outfits and refuse to wear other things, but Kirsten doesn't! Other than wanting to wear her leotard and swimsuit a lot, she never complains about the clothes or shoes I pick out for her. She does love rocking the sunglasses whenever we're outside!
*She has a thing for dandelions, and making wishes. Her wishes are pretty funny. One day she said, "I wish I could have some cake!" Then another day it was, "I wish I could get married soon... when I'm bigger!" That one was my favorite. :)
*Kirsten loves her sisters (well, especially Brooke), her friends, grandma and grandpa, and all the special people in her life. She prays for them all and gets very sad when she goes a long time without seeing them. Our friend Chance is another one of her favorite people.
Kirsten: "I think I will get married."
Me: "Kirsten, who do you want to marry?"
Kirsten: "Daddy!"
Me: "Then who will I marry?"
Kirsten: "You can marry Chance!"
Problem solved. :)
Me: "Wow, I have a huge bug bite on my arm!"
Kirsten: "Maybe I bit you when I was a bug."
Haha!!! She also says other funny things, like "When I was a grandma I used to sew" and "When grandma was a little girl I used to her push her on the swings."
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Adorable Etsy Shop Alert. . . Applegator Designs Giveaway!!!!

My little girls have a whole lot of cute outfits, and I can honestly say that this is one of my very favorites. Applegator Designs treats every piece they design as an individual work of art, and it shows! Every tiny little detail of this outfit is just impeccable, and almost too adorable to wear! I love everything about it, from the fabric to the monogramming on the front to the rick-rack trim to the fun ruffles. Just look at the back of this outfit!

Applegator Designs loves to make custom sunsuits and outfits for little girls of all ages! Her talent is incredible and each outfit is truly one of a kind and SO special. I love the way she mixes contemporary fabrics with vintage designs!

Here's how to enter to win this gift certificate:
*Become a follower of my blog! Or let me know if you already follow me. Either way, leave me a comment and tell me you're a follower! (Just click 'Google Friends Connect' on my sidebar!)
Get extra entries (up to 9!) when you:
1. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
2. Look around Applegator Designs and tell me which design is your absolute favorite.
3. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status, and be sure to link to this post!
4. Tweet about this giveaway and link to me.
5. Become a fan of the Applegator Designs Facebook page here.
6. "Heart" the Applegator Designs Etsy shop.
7. Mention this giveaway on your blog and link to me!
8. Grab my button off my sidebar and display it somewhere on your blog.
9. Leave a new comment on any of my other recent blog posts (doesn't matter which one, I just love to read your comments!), and let me know you did.
*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway is open worldwide, and will close on August 18'th. Good luck!!!
Fabulous Finds. . . Rubbermaid Glass with Easy-Find Lids Giveaway!
I now want to replace ALL my flimsy, mismatched tupperware with Rubbermaid Glass with Easy-Find Lids! I received an awesome 8-piece set to review (the same set one of my readers will win!!!) and I completely love them!
*The Easy Find Lids system helps keep your cabinets organized by having the lids snap to the bottom of the container and to each other to make finding the right lid quick and easy. No more messy cabinets! Seriously!

*I love their versatility! You can take them from the fridge to the microwave and then straight to the table, and not use multiple containers that you later have to wash. They're made with tempered glass that is oven safe up to 425°F (lids are not oven safe). The lids and containers are microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe.
*The glass bases are designed to stack neatly, which saves space and prevents them from getting stuck together.

*The quality of these are really the best I've seen for food storage containers. The glass is heavy duty and the lids are sturdy and don't bend at all in the microwave or dishwasher.

Deal Alert: Go here to print a coupon for $1.50 off 1 glass food storage container!!!
The winner of this giveaway will win an 8-piece food storage set of Rubbermaid glass with easy-find lids!
Here's how to enter to win this awesome set:
*Become a follower of my blog! Or let me know if you already follow me. Either way, leave me a comment and tell me you're a follower! (Just click 'Google Friends Connect' on my sidebar!)
Get extra entries (up to 9!) when you:
1. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
2. Tell me your favorite feature about Rubbermaid glass.
3. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status, and be sure to link to this post!
4. Tweet about this giveaway and link to me.
5. Become a fan of the Rubbermaid Facebook page.
6. Follow Rubbermaid on Twitter.
7. Mention this giveaway on your blog and link to me!
8. Grab my button off my sidebar and display it somewhere on your blog.
9. Leave a new comment on any of my other recent blog posts (doesn't matter which one, I just love to read your comments!), and let me know you did.
*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway is open to the US and Canada, and will close on August 18'th. Good luck!!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Fun Finds. . . Rio Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack Giveaway!
This movie is GREAT!!! I took my 4 year-old, Kirsten, to see this in the theater in 3D and both of us loved it! It's such a great family movie, because it really does appeal to both kids and adults. The movie was funny, touching, and visually gorgeous. I loved all the scenery. . . it will absolutely make you want to go visit Rio!



Get extra entries (up to 7!) when you:
1. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
2. Leave a comment letting me know whether you've seen the movie and what you thought of it!
3. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status, and be sure to link to this post!
4. Tweet about this giveaway and link to me.
5. Mention this giveaway on your blog and link to me!
6. Grab my button off my sidebar and display it somewhere on your blog.
7. Leave a new comment on any of my other recent blog posts (doesn't matter which one, I just love to read your comments!), and let me know you did.
*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway is open to the US and Canada, and will close on August 18'th. Good luck!!!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Blog Hop Giveaway Winners!
Those two giveaway hops were lots of fun! And now we have some winners!!!
*Winner of the Paper Pot from Uncommon Goods is. . . #80!
Nan said... Shared on FB
*Winner of the custom tutu from Social Salutations Etsy shop is. . . #70!
DealiriousMama said... follow your blog via gfc as Roxanne
*Winner of the $25 gift certificate to Dayspring Dresses Etsy shop is. . . #193!
Stacey said... I already "like" Dayspring Dresses on Facebook!
*Winner of the Tea Collection $50 gift certificate is. . . #106!
A Helicopter Mom said... Mentioned this giveaway on Facebook
*Winner of the $25 gift certificate to PoshLily Etsy shop is. . . #133!
Tabathia said... heart posh lily on etsy
Thank you SO much to everyone who entered! My Christmas in July giveaway hop got 354 entries! Sweet!!!
All of my winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to respond, or I will have to choose new winners.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Happy 9 Months, Baby!
I don't know her 9 month stats from the doctor yet, but here are a few details about Brooke at 9 months old:
*As everyone who knows her will tell you, Brooke is such a happy, easygoing sweetheart ALL the time! We definitely needed her personality in our family!
These photos are all from her 7 month photo shoot at Picture People. I apologize for the quality, since we received the prints and had to scan them into the computer. The colors are not nearly as good when they're scanned. And my favorite photo from the shoot, the one that we framed and put on the fireplace mantle, is too large to scan. So I can't even show the blog world my favorite photo!!! Guess these other cute ones will have to suffice...
She loves to be down on the floor exploring everything and finding new toys. She gets up on her hands and knees, rocks back and forth on them, scoots and rolls around the room, and wants so badly to crawl! Soon!

*I don't know her weight or length, but she still fits into size 2 diapers! However, she's long just like all my kids are, so she outgrows her clothes in length pretty quickly. She wears 6-12 month clothes still for now.
*One of her favorite new tricks is shaking her head. She'll shake her head really hard so her hair flips all over her face, and then laugh. She thinks it's the funniest thing ever, and so do her sisters!
*She really likes to connect with people. She makes great eye contact with everyone, and she loves it when people smile and interact with her. She's never had stranger anxiety yet and is happy with anybody holding her and playing with her. (Hoping that continues!)

*She loves car rides! She's usually very quiet in the car and likes to look out the windows. I'll be sad when she outgrows her infant seat, because she actually enjoys being in it.
*She also loves bath time, and she kicks and splashes violently in her little tub and completely soaks the bathroom floor and whoever is bathing her!


*She's a good little eater! She still eats only baby food, but she seems to like all varieties we've given her except for one. . . peas. None of my babies have ever liked peas! They eat green beans though.
*She's such a sweet and wonderful baby! It makes me really sad to think of a day in the future when I won't have a baby Brooke to smile at me and laugh. I would just love to freeze her at this age forever if I could! No growing up!!!

Sunday, July 24, 2011
Christmas in July Giveaway Blog Hop. . . Tea Collection $50 gift certificate!
125 blogsare participating, and there are a whole ton of prizes and great stuff up for grabs! This giveaway hop runs from July 25-31'st.


Tea Collection is offering my winner a $50 gift certificate to be used on anything in their beautiful online shop!!!

I received some Tea Collection girl's clothes from their new fall line to review, and they are gorgeous!!! I completely love the quality. The fabric is so soft and comfortable for my kids to wear. And the designs are just adorable! Modern and fun, unique and inspiring!

My very favorite piece that I received was this Bird of Paradise dress for my 4 year-old daughter. The fabric was inspired by the exotic Bird of Paradise flower that blooms all over Mexico, and I'm in love with it! I had never tried the Tea Collection children's clothing before this, and now I wish I could outfit my kids in their styles from head to toe!

The Tea Collection designs distinctive apparel inspired by beauty they discover in their travels around the world. (Just what a travel addict like me loves! I've got to check out their women's collection next!) Their new Fall 2011 line is inspired by Modern Mexico. I really have never seen another collection like it for children, and that's why I love it so much. I'm always drawn to children's fashions that are unique and have a wonderful personality to them.

You can buy Tea Collection clothing for all ages of kids, from newborn up to size 12! Their baby clothing is just the cutest, perfect for photographs, special occasions, or to wear every day.

Here's how to enter to win this $50 gift certificate from Tea Collection:
Get extra entries (up to 5) when you:
1. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
2. Look around the Tea Collection website and tell me what you'd love to spend the $50 on if you win!
3. "Like" Tea Collection on Facebook here.
4. Follow Tea Collection on Twitter over here.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
5. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status, and be sure to link to this post!
*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway will close on July 31'st at 11:59 pm and is open worldwide. Good luck!!!
My Disclaimer: This is a MamaBuzz Media Review. The product was provided by Tea Company for this review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
*Be sure to check out all the fantastic prizes offered by the other Christmas in July blogs!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Fireworks!!!
4'th of July itself was SO beautiful we took the ferry from Edmonds over to Kingston.
{Yep, that's from my camera! Took it of the passing ferry going the opposite direction!}
It was Natalie and Brooke's first ferry ride! They loved it!
{Kirsten had her own 4'th of July in California with grandma and grandpa}
{This photo doesn't even look real, it's so pretty! But it's real!}
Kingston is the perfect little half-day trip from my house!
We ate crepes outside from a cute little crepe place, got some ice cream, and watched the Kingston 4'th of July parade!
{Yep, this is all right by where I live! Seattle's pretty underrated, isn't it? I certainly think so!}
We spent the evening at a BBQ with friends, good food, and tons of fireworks!

It's pretty new to me, shooting off fireworks right there next to all the houses, since I grew up in California where that's illegal. Our friends had HUGE fireworks that shot up right over us and around us! Pretty amazing! Natalie had been talking about fireworks for several days and was really excited, but I thought she might be scared to be so close to them. Nope. . . she LOVED them!