Adorable Etsy Shop: The Fuzzy Monkey Felted Bowl Giveaway!!!

One of my favorite trends that I've recently seen around Etsyland is felting. I'm pretty amazed by the process and I have no idea how such beautiful items were created using knitting techniques! If I could only be so talented!

Check out these gorgeous fall harvest-inspired felted bowls from The Fuzzy Monkey! I was so excited to receive one to review, and I'm excited to offer one of my readers any cute bowl of your choice from her shop!

These bowls have such a beautiful texture to them! Mine looks completely adorable on my entryway table (except for when I have to rescue it from my 3 year-old, who keeps taking it off, putting it on her head, and insisting that it's a hat!) You can use these bowls to hold anything you want! A ring holder in your bedroom, a cute place to stash paper clips on your office desk, fill it up with potpourri, or use it on its own to be purely decorative. It's up to you!

If you're the winner, you can choose a fall or Halloween-themed bowl or one of the other cute bowls from the shop. There are TONS of options and all of them are totally adorable!

The Fuzzy Monkey makes these bowls out of 100% wool, and the little felt designs embroidered on them are made out of eco felt. I had never heard of eco felt before, but it's actually felt made from recycled plastic bottles. Very cool! The bowls range in price from $17 to $20 and come in cute little boxes, ready to give as fun gifts if you want!

So here's how to enter to win your own little felted bowl:
*Check out The Fuzzy Monkey and leave me a comment on this post, telling me which bowl is your favorite!

Get extra entries (up to 8!!!) when you:
1. Follow my blog!
2. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
3. Talk about this giveaway on your Facebook status and 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. 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.
7. Display my button on your blog. You can find it on my sidebar.
8. Add The Fuzzy Monkey to your favorite shops on Etsy.

*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 October 10'th. Good luck!!!

My disclaimer: I received a bowl in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, and all opinions are mine!

Costumes4Less $40 Gift Certificate Giveaway!!!

I found another great site to order Halloween costumes from! Costumes4Less has costumes for every age, size, and theme. It was really difficult to choose a costume from their website to review (SO many choices!), but I finally settled on this one because it's actually reversible! Not only is it totally cute (I'd put black leggings and a long-sleeved black shirt under it so it would be practical too), it's just great that you can dress up as a ladybug one night and then flip the same costume around and be a bumblebee for a second Halloween party! At $35, it's such a great bargain for two costumes in one!

Some things I like about the Costumes4Less website are:
*Tons of sales and discounted prices. They will also match any competitor's prices! If you find the same costume at a lower price, they'll actually pay you 110% of the difference!
*It's really easy to see when the costume will arrive at your house, and shipping starts at $6.95 for your entire order.
*You can also buy Halloween party supplies when you buy your costumes (they have a huge selection) and only pay for shipping once.
*They sell super cute pet costumes. Makes me wish I had a dog to dress up!

I'm obviously way too pregnant to wear my cute costume this year, but the quality seems to be really nice! Maybe next year we'll be a whole bug family and I can dress my kids up in these adorable costumes:

Gosh, I love Halloween!

Costumes4Less is generously offering a $40 gift certificate to their online store to one of my readers!!!

So here's how to enter to win this awesome gift certificate:
*Visit Costumes4Less and leave me a comment on this post telling me which costume (or costumes!) you'll use it on if you're the winner!

Get extra entries (up to 8!!!) when you:
1. Follow my blog!
2. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
3. Talk about this giveaway on your Facebook status and 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. 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.
7. Display my button on your blog. You can find it on my sidebar.
8. Leave another comment, and tell me how far in advance you plan your Halloween costumes. Do you dress up? Or just dress your kids up?

*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 October 9'th. Good luck!

My disclaimer: I received a gift certificate in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, and all opinions are mine!

The BEST Pumpkin Bread Recipe!

Happy first day of fall!!! My very favorite season!!!

The perfect way to celebrate the beginning of fall (and to make your house smell as divine as can be!) is to make some of this. . .

Here's my recipe for the BEST Pumpkin Bread!!!
(SO moist and delicious, and it makes 2 loaves!)

Ingredients:
*1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
*5 eggs
*1 16-oz can of pumpkin
*2 cups flour
*1 cup sugar
*1 cup brown sugar
*1 tsp salt
*1 tsp cinnamon
*1 tsp nutmeg
*1 tsp baking soda
*2 pkg. instant vanilla pudding (dry)
*Chocolate chips or nuts (this is optional. . . I like mine without either one!)

Directions:
Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix oil, eggs, and pumpkin in mixing bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix until blended. Stir in pudding mix and chocolate chips or nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. (It might take longer than an hour. It always takes 15 minutes or so longer in my oven. Insert a toothpick in the middle and make sure it's done, or the insides will be all gooey.)

Enjoy the delicious aroma filling up your house while it's baking! I love eating this pumpkin bread for breakfast, dessert, anytime really, and my kids love it too!

Happy Fall!!!
(I might post some of my other favorite fall recipes on this blog too, if enough readers are interested! Let me know!)

BabyLegs and Peachy Keen Giveaway!!!

I have been a long-time fan of BabyLegs, ever since my first baby was really small. (Want proof? Check out this blog post I did back on October 9'th, 2007, here!!!)

I loved putting BabyLegs leg warmers on Kirsten!

And gosh, I can't believe she was ever that little!

Here's why they're so awesome:
*They keep little baby legs warm in the fall and winter, and babies can't pull them off like they do with socks!
*Diaper changes are super easy, with nothing to pull down!
*They look completely adorable under dresses.
*You will get a lot of wear out of them! They fit infants from hip to ankle, 4 year-olds from the ankle to just above the knee, and teens and adults can even use them on their arms.
*SOOOOO many adorable and stylish designs for boys, girls, and all holidays and occasions are available!

(Yes, Kirsten did have that much hair at just a few months old. It was always a conversation-starter!)

The hardest part about buying BabyLegs is choosing which pairs you want. The cute designs are endless! I was sent this pair to review from one of their newest lines, and I totally love the little ruffle and bow detail:

I also got to try out their girl tights for the first time. The quality is just as wonderful as what I would expect from BabyLegs, and the designs are just the cutest!

Also new to me are the baby socks, and I'm loving the adorable colors and how well they stay on Natalie's feet!

The BabyLegs prize for one lucky reader is. . .
A BabyLegs Surprise Giveaway Grab Bag!!!
It will include an assortment of leggings, tights, and socks and it's perfect for either a boy or a girl to win! Look for details at the bottom of this post about how to enter!

Deal Alert: When you're ordering BabyLegs, you can get 20% off using the online code 'VeaterFamily'

Another reader will win our prize #2. . .
ANY item of your choice from the Peachy Keen Etsy shop!!!

Peachy Keen makes beautiful, high-quality hair accessories, tutus, baby hats, and baby shoes and sells them in her shop. I love the way the flowers look on my little girls!

Here's Natalie sporting the fun yellow flower. . .

And Kirsten didn't want to take off this gorgeous, large pink flower at the end of the day!

If I won this prize I'd have a really hard time choosing between this stunning Halloween tutu (seriously, it's only $18 and it comes with a free interchangeable flower clip and headband too! Killer deal!). . .

Or these too-sweet-for-words baby leopard-print shoes.
$10 for these shoes! I think my new little baby will need to have some of these, and I'm not usually a big fan of little baby shoes either!

Peachy Keen's prices are so great, and most of her flower clips come with free interchangeable headbands too! I love this fall flower!

So here's how to enter to win either a BabyLegs Surprise Grab Bag or any item of your choice from the Peachy Keen Etsy shop:
*Leave me a comment on this post, and tell me whether you spend more money on fashion and accessories for your kids or for yourself. Which do you have more fun shopping for? :)

Get extra entries (up to 14!!!) when you:
1. Follow my blog!
2. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
3. Talk about this giveaway on your Facebook status and 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. 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.
7. Display my button on your blog. You can find it on my sidebar.
8. Visit BabyLegs and tell me which design or collection on their site you love the most!
9. Go here to become a BabyLegs Facebook fan, so you'll always keep up with their sales and promotions.
10. Go here to become a BabyLegs Twitter follower!
11. Join the BabyLegs Forum over here.
12. Look around the Peachy Keen shop and tell me which item you'll want if you're the winner!
13. Add Peachy Keen to your Etsy favorites. ("Heart" her shop).
14. Go here and become a Peachy Keen Facebook fan!

*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 October 7'th. Good luck winning these adorable prizes!!!

My disclaimer: I received free products in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, and all opinions are mine!

Fabulous Finds: My Favorite Cleaning Products!

If you've never tried Mrs. Meyers Clean Day cleaning products, you MUST!!! They are so amazing!!! They're aromatherapeutic cleaning products that smell awesome, are made with all-natural essential oils, and work just as well as all the nasty-smelling cleaning products out there. And you can buy them at tons of retailers like Target and Fred Meyer too. I'm SUCH a huge fan!

All of the wide array of products come in scents like Lemon Verbena, Lavender, and Geranium. They all smell incredible, but my favorite is (surprisingly) the Basil scent. I don't think I would have picked it off the shelf, but its blend of basil, apricot leaves, eucalyptus, and parsley smells so fresh and crisp and has me totally hooked.

Every single product I've tried works so great and makes my house smell sooooo good! Here are the ones I get the most use out of:

*Countertop Spray (perfect for cleaning the kitchen counters every day!)
*All-purpose cleaner (works for pretty much anything)
*Surface Scrub (my favorite for cleaning out my stainless steel sink)
*Liquid dish soap (of course, for dishes)

Next I really want to try the Surface Wipes, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Shower Spray, and Laundry Detergent.

Seriously, go buy some today and try them out! There's just nothing like cleaning products that smell like aromatherapeutic air fresheners!

My disclaimer: I received some free products in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, and I'm so glad I got to try these! Now I'm a fan for life!

Fabulous Finds: Wholesale Costume Club!

It's always so easy to find adorable, fun Halloween costumes for my kids. What's not so easy? Finding nice womens costumes that aren't just "Sexy witch", "sexy cat", "sexy Rainbow Bright." Seriously, most women do not want to dress sexy for Halloween!!! I've discovered that when it comes to costumes for me, forget the costume stores and head straight online. A really great option I discovered is Wholesale Costume Club.

Here's why I like them:
*Their variety of costumes is MASSIVE, and you can search by theme for women, men, teen, children, or infant/toddler. They really do have costumes for everyone and in every size!
*You can pay an optional membership fee of $5 (good for an entire year, and they won't auto-renew it or charge you anything else during the year). Paying this fee will usually give you enough of a savings on costumes to make it worth it, even if you only order one costume.
*Shipping rates are really reasonable (starting at $5.99) and your costume will arrive fast! I got mine within one week of ordering it!

I chose to review this beautiful Elite Enchanting Princess Costume! This costume is SO high-quality, and I'm really excited to wear it. . . next year, when I'm not massively pregnant. :) This year, I think my choices are limited to dressing up as a pumpkin or a beach ball.

They also include costumes in all price ranges. They have some totally cute ones for less than $30, like this 50's poodle skirt costume. Love it!

Gosh, shopping for Halloween is so much fun!
What are you going to be for Halloween this year? Where do you like to get your costumes from?

My disclaimer: I received a costume in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, and all the opinions are my own!

A Petting Farm and a Water Park!

A few more of our summer adventures headed your way. . .

I just ADORE getting cute pictures of my kids petting farm animals! I took them to the Forest Park Petting Farm one day and they had so much fun. Neither of them were scared at all of the animals!

Natalie loved the little calf!

Kirsten enjoyed the calf too. She kept picking up pieces of straw and trying to feed her.

They also got a big kick out of the goats!

Kirsten really is a farm girl at heart. As for me. . . I'd much rather just go pet the animals a few times a year. As much as I love animals, I'd hate to be a farmer!

Another summer adventure was going as a family to the Wild Waves water park. My kids were definitely too young for this place. Kirsten couldn't go on any slides, and she was even too young for the lazy river. Natalie had some fun in the wave pool, but the only thing Kirsten liked that entire afternoon was riding the merry-go-round. We won't be trying that adventure again for a couple years at least!

The only place Kirsten could safely ride an inner tube (according to the water park's rules) was on the grass! At least she did have some fun playing with her friends Allana and Sarina.

Whew, catching up on summer adventures! And I still have all the pictures to do from Utah and California! Blogging sure is a time-consuming project. But gosh, I wish it had been around sooner! I kept a really diligent journal as a teenager, until I went to college at BYU and got way too busy. It would be awesome to have all my BYU experiences recorded on a blog. I have hardly anything written down from my BYU days, unless you count all the homework and papers! Bummer, huh?

Back To School For Moms and Gals Super-Giveaway!!!

This back to school giveaway isn't for the kids! It's chock-full of stuff that moms and girls everywhere will want to have, and I'm so excited to offer it here on my blog! Get your fingers ready for lots of entries, because you'll definitely want to win one of these prizes. . .

#1- A Vintage-Style Sailor Dress from Get Go Retro! In your size of choice (small, medium, or large!) This dress has a $50 value!
If you're looking for a glamorous Halloween costume or you just love the pin-up, Hollywood style from the 40's and 50's, Get Go Retro is absolutely perfect! This family-owned company offers a huge variety of high-quality apparel, swimwear, and accessories inspired by the gorgeous retro style that everyone seems to love. It's so fun clicking through the pages. . . I see so many costumes and dresses I'd just love to own!

#2- An assorted surprise gift basket of a whole BUNCH of goodies from Mayfair Lane! Worth $75!!! We won't know for sure what goes in the gift basket, but trust me when I say all their stuff is super cute and useful!

Here's what I totally love about their revolutionary Happeez products:
*The material on the back of their products grips onto slick surfaces including stainless steel fridges, and leaves no residue! I have a stainless steel fridge, and it really bugged me that I couldn't put any magnets on it or hang anything on my fridge. I got a trio of clippers (shown in the picture above), and I love them! I can clip any papers onto them and they don't fall off my fridge! They really stay stuck!
*The designs are SO stylish! I love the whiteboards that also stick onto slick surfaces and come with a dry-erase pen and eraser that stick on as well.
*They offer a wide variety of products, all with the same gripping material. . . clippers, whiteboards, planners, notepads, photo frames, and list pads!

These products will be perfect for organizing all the back-to-school chaos, and I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do!

#3- A $10 gift certificate to the Sunny Days Boutique Etsy shop (with free shipping on anything you buy with it!)

These handmade accessories and hair flowers are just beautiful! I love the high quality fabrics she uses (satin and organza, oh my!) to make these unique flowers. At $10 each, I could use one in every color!

I think this Bridal Ivory Rose Fascinator is especially perfect for a special occasion!

#4- A Sampler Pack from Brittanie's Thyme, including these luxurious products:
*Organic Almond Oatmeal Facial Scrub
*French Green Clay with Organic White Tea
*Organic Facial Steam to provide a deep pore cleanse

All of these products make you feel like you're in a high-end spa when you use them! Brittanie's Thyme is devoted to making high-quality, all natural and organic beauty products. Everything is vegan, and they don't use any fillers, artificial preservatives, artificial fragrances, or dyes in their products.

#5- A Raw Chocolate Face Pack from Raw Gaia!
If you're at all like me, anything with the word chocolate in it that you can put on your face or body. . . mmmm, yes! The scent is just so yummy, and makes me want to eat this stuff up!
The Raw Chocolate Face Pack contains only four pure ingredients, carefully chosen for their nourishing qualities for your face. . . raw chocolate powder (which has the highest known source of antioxidants in the world!), red clay, organic turmeric, and organic amla fruit powder.
I tried this face pack out for myself, and it left my skin feeling SO soft and smooth afterward! The only downside? It left me craving some serious chocolate. :)

Raw Gaia has a HUGE variety of products that are all hand-made using only organic, cold-pressed, vegan, all-natural, cruelty-free and chemical-free ingredients. Through a special low-temperature process, these products retain all the life energy, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids in the ingredients. No doubt. . . this is stuff you can feel really good about putting on your skin!

#6- A List Caddy List and Coupon Holder!
This compact little device may not look like much, but it's incredibly useful! You just stick it in your purse, then pull it out at the grocery store where it clips right onto the shopping cart handle for a hands-free place to put your shopping list and coupons! I love having my shopping list right in front of my eyes at the grocery store without having to hold onto it. Genius, huh?
The List Caddy also has a magnet on the back, so you can put it on your fridge and then just toss it in your purse when you're ready to go shopping. It can also stand alone on your counter and hold recipes up while you're cooking or baking! The winner gets one in their color of choice.

#7- A Brugo Mug!
This is not your everyday mug. . . it's uniquely designed to keep every sip of your drink in the perfect temperature zone! I'm not a coffee drinker, but if you are this mug would be the perfect thing for you to take to work every morning or use at home.
The Brugo Mug is insulated and spill-proof. When you tip the mug, your beverage enters the patented Temperature Control Chamber. It's instantly adjusted to the perfect temperature (read: no more burning your tongue!) while the rest of your drink stays hottest and most aromatic. Pretty cool! I've found that it also keeps cold drinks cold for a really long time!

Here's how to enter to win all of this amazing stuff:

*Leave a comment on this post, telling me which prize you'd be most excited to win and why!

Get extra entries (up to 24 this time!!!) when you:
1. Follow my blog!
2. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
3. Visit the Get Go Retro website and tell me which dress or design you love the most.
4. Go here and sign up for Get Go Retro's free newsletter.
5. Become a Get Go Retro Twitter follower here.
6. Visit the Mayfair Lane website and tell me which products you think look the coolest!
7. Go here to become a Facebook fan of Mayfair Lane.
8. Go here and become a Twitter follower of Mayfair Lane.
9. Click here and join the Mayfair Lane email list.
10. Add Sunny Days Boutique to your favorites on Etsy.
11. Tell me what you'd spend your gift certificate on from Sunny Days Boutique.
12. Go here and become a Facebook fan of Sunny Days Boutique.
13. Look around the Brittanie's Thyme website and tell me what you like best.
14. Go here and become a Brittanie's Thyme Facebook fan.
15. Check out the Raw Gaia website and tell me which product sounds the best.
16. Click here and sign up for Raw Gaia's special offers and product updates.
17. Tell me why you'd love to own a List Caddy.
18. Click around the Brugo Mug website and tell me what you think is the neatest thing about this product.
19. Go here and become a Brugo Mug Facebook fan!
20. Talk about this giveaway on your Facebook status and link to this post!
21. Tweet about this giveaway and link to me.
22. Mention this giveaway on your blog and link to me!
23. Grab my button off my sidebar and display it somewhere on your blog.
24. 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 will close on September 27'th. Good luck!!!

My Disclaimer: I received some free products in exchange for writing honest reviews. All opinions are totally mine and I was not compensated!

Fun Finds: Toys!

I can't believe it's the start of the holiday season! Can't WAIT, it's my very favorite time of year! And if you're looking ahead for Christmas gifts (aren't we all!), here are a few unique and fun toys to consider:

*Rody! Ever since I saw one of these at a specialty toy store, I was a little bit enamored with it. I just find it super adorable! The Rody horse is made of strong, durable latex-free vinyl and inflates with a hand pump. Then kids get to sit on it and jump and hop around, and it helps them to develop balance and coordination. I chose to review it from CSNstores.com, where it's at the lowest price I've ever seen it. . . $40 with free shipping!

Kirsten already loves the Rody so much she won't let Natalie get near it. That's the only problem with the Rody. . . I'm sure we'll have to get another one someday so that each child can have their own! This would make a perfect Christmas gift.

Remember those paper things you used to make as a kid that you'd open and shut with your hands and they'd tell you your fortune or answer questions? Cahootie toys are created to bring them back into style! I love this idea! Cahooties come in tons of different themes, and each one is made of really durable laminated paper. Each one also comes with 40 removable and interchangeable stickers, with lots of different questions and fortunes.

Kirsten is too young to understand the concept of this game, but she thought it was really fun and got a kick out of putting her hands into it! I love all the different interchangeable stickers, and looking at it really took me back to my elementary school days when I used to play the similar games with my friends at recess. This would be such a fun gift for an older kid or teen!

This other toy I found is just so stinkin' cute. . . Squinkies!

These are TINY (yes, I do mean incredibly tiny! Watch out if you have babies around the house, for sure!) toys that come in little gumballs, and you can buy different playsets for them like a gumball machine and have them come rolling out to reveal the cute surprise inside. You can collect all the different playsets and Squinkies. Gosh, I would have had hours of fun with these as a kid!

We got a package to review like this one, and Kirsten was supposed to be taking a nap when she found it, unwrapped it, and opened up all the little bubbles to find the creatures inside. She was pretty excited about them, even though she's on the young side and doesn't really play with them for long yet.
Now I want to get one of the gumball machines too!

My disclaimer: I received products from these companies in exchange for honest reviews. I was not compensated, and the opinions are all mine!