Black Friday and Cyber Monday do not have to be just about gift giving.  Though you can score some pretty awesome deals on those days and really stretch the gift giving budget, it may also be a good time to do some major bargain shopping for non-gift items.  Need to add a few pieces of clothing to the wardrobe? Think the house could use a little sprucing up with new decor pieces? Use Black Friday and Cyber Monday to your benefit. 

With a three week old, we are still making baby purchases.  We are looking at video monitors, strollers, and baby sun tents, among other things.  We haven't purchased those specific things since he still sleeps in the same room with me and is always close enough so I haven't had a need for the monitor as of yet.  I've procrastinated on the stroller since I've been debating which type I actually want to get. I was considering a sit-n-stand for awhile, but have been leaning more toward the frame that his carrier can snap into. It costs less and seems to take up less room.  The baby sun tent we haven't had an immediate need for since he is still so little, he isn't actually "playing" yet or getting out and about much.  As for other things, we just discover what we need as we need it. Some things we still have from our first child and some things we buy as needed. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great days to pick up these "needed" items while shops are offering rock bottom deals for Christmas gift-giving.  As you prepare to do your chopping, write down a few things you may need around the house in case you find a really awesome price on it.  This will save you money down the road when you may otherwise decide to buy it, but at a higher price.

Links provided by Smarter.com. All thoughts & opinions are 100% my own.

... Well, two of our families are anyway!  2010 is bringing the arrival of two sweet babies to the Divas!  LaDonna is adding child number 6 to her household in August and I am expecting little one number 2 in November! 

After those two little arrivals this year, the Divas count will be at 30 children (5 of those are all grown up and on their own) and 10 grandchildren!! The majority of those 40? Under 8 years old! That's a lot of little ones about, LOL!  It is only in this context that I can talk about having lots of kids, because personally? I think two will be just the right number for me.

 

The Baby Bible Board Books by Crest Publications is a great way to introduce a baby or young toddler to Bible stories.  Perfect for little hands, each sturdy page has bright, bold colors with one or two lines of simple text on each two-page spread. 

 

 

Other titles available in Collection #1: Stories of Jesus are Jesus Feeds The People, Jesus Heals A Little Girl, and Jesus Stops A Storm.

Thank you to Crest Publications for sending along this Bible Board Book for my little guy.

 

   

Surf Sweets candies are made from organic and natural ingredients without artificial colors or flavors. Our naturally sweet, organic gummy candies and jelly beans are drenched in fresh fruit flavors. Each sweet treat will send you back to the beach.  

 Quick Facts About Surf Sweet Candy:

 

   

 

 

 

   

 Clicking on the front door of any home takes you inside to visit and each home has its own games and activities.  There are also things to do and look for while cruising along! 

 

 

 

“We wanted to take our Wiggles Fan Club to another level. We just needed to make sure we were going to be able to provide children with an environment that was exciting, fun, educational and safe. WiggleTime.com certainly has all of the right ingredients to provide children with a fantastic Wiggles experience” - Anthony Field (BlueWiggle).  

 

  Staying true to The Wiggles philosophy of “education through entertainment”, WiggleTime.com acts as an early childhood developmental tool for both toddlers and their parents. Each game played on WiggleTime.com contains cognitive, physical and social elements to help benefit the pre-schooler. It also doubles as an educational resource center for parents to monitor their child’s development and be kept up to date with the most recent parenting news.  

 

 

    WiggleTime.com offers an interactive environment enabling preschool children to explore, play and learn with the use of familiar Wiggles themes, destinations and characters. Enjoying Wiggle Time is as simple as jumping into the Big Red Car, buckling your seat belt, and toot-toot chugga chugging down the road to visit some of your favorite Wiggle destinations including Wigglehouse, Dorothy’s House, Wag’s Kennel, Captain Feathersword’s SS Feathersword, or Henry’s Underwater World.

 

 

  The majority of the games found on WiggleTime.com have been designed to be played in stages that progressively get more challenging as the child learns. Each time they complete a game they are rewarded with virtual toys that they not only get to keep but play with as well! In addition to games and activities, WiggleTime.com will also offer preschoolers with a series of video clips on a month-to-month basis.     

 The WiggleTime Interactive Online Play Space For Preschoolers is $5.95 for one month (one pymt), get a 6 month subscription for $5.35/month (pay monthly), or $60/year which includes a bonus 3 months (15 total months = $4/month).  There are also a couple of additional packages available to help support UNICEF and get some bonus goodies in the play space: $41.10 for 6 months and $78/year.

 

The trial membership for this review was provided by WIggleTime.com.

 

 

 

 We will be topping off our celebration with a Twitter Bash, Aug 31, 2009, 9 PM – 11 PM EST.  Throughout the Twitter Bash, we will be announcing all the giveaway winners & may even have a live giveaway or two!

 

The celebration will be going on all month long, August 1-31, 2009 and will culminate with a Twitter Bash August 31, 2009 (#ssdr).

There will be tons of prizes to win plus reviews of great products and books all throughout the month, so be sure to keep checking back.

Baby Bible Board Book

Go fish Guy's

The Lad's and Yancy music cd's

Pink Bordum Buster Bouquet

Fuji EnviroMAX Batteries

Harper Collins Book Set

SurfSweets Goody Basket

Tribute Ebook

Fruit2O

Mabel’s Labels Back To School Package

Piggy Paint

Little Lamb Design Gift Certificate

Todoodlist eBook Giveaway

Moonlight Pillow Giveaway

Green Stone of Healing Series Giveaway

Mini Wrangler by Luvloo

      

 

I was sent, courtesy of the publisher, a review copy of the book Healthy Child, Whole Child – Integrating the Best of Conventional and Alternative Medicine to Keep Your Kids Healthy - by Stuart H Ditchek, M.D. and Russell H. Greenfield, M.D. and found it to be a great reference for exploring options beyond (but not excluding) conventional pediatric care.

As parents, we want the best for our children and I personally believe that desire is strongest when it comes to their health.  We don’t like to see them hurting, we don’t want them impaired by an illness or physical condition, and we naturally want them to have the best possible chance of living the healthiest life possible.  There are times when conventional medicine falls a little short of the goal or has undesired effects even if it does work as anticipated.       

 

 

If Mama Don’t Laugh, It Ain’t Funny by Lucy Adams takes a humorous look at the everyday life of Mom.  The stories are hers, but if you’ve been a mom for more than five minutes, there’s no doubt you can relate!