Rainbow Loom Book Giveaway

I have 2 boys ages 11 and 7. Never in my life would I ever have expected them to get hooked on the newest toy craze called rainbow loom. Both of them are obsessed with it. If you don't know what a rainbow loom is allow me to share with you. A rainbow Loom is a plastic toy loom used to weave colorful rubber bands into bracelets, charms, and other shapes. It was invented in 2010 by Cheong Choon Ng. The Rainbow Loom is a plastic pegboard measuring 2 inches by 8 inches. It has push pin type pegs over which small, colored rubber bands are looped and pulled by means of a plastic crochet hook. The resulting looped knots can be assembled on the loom into bracelets and other shapes. My boys not only make these bracelets, but they trade them at school for other bracelets that other kids have made. Not only that but they watch you tube videos of how to make the latest and greatest patterns. It sort of makes me smile and giggle at the same time. Recently I was sent a book in the mail called "Loom Magic: 25 Awesome, Never-Before-Seen Designs for an Amazing Rainbow of Projects". This book includes twenty-five new rubber band loom projects, including bracelets, sports-themed charms, key rings, pendants, and even a working slingshot. I have to say that while this book has some amazing projects, it does require the use of MULTIPLE looms. Multiple meaning like 4 looms for about ten of the projects. I don't know about you but I only have 1 loom and I am not going to be buying anymore when we can make bracelets using pencils and forks. While this book was too challenging for my 7 year old, my 11 year old made a few of the patterns and he said the pictures helped him along the way. Some of the neat patterns they have are a mustache

Barrettes

A Watch Band

And a Daisy Chain Bracelet

Loom Magic is available on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Loom-Magic-Awesome-Never-Before-Seen-Projects/dp/1629143340

Disclaimer: I received this book complimentary for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am giving away 1 copy of "Loom Magic: 25 Awesome, Never-Before-Seen Designs for an Amazing Rainbow of Projects". Enter Below:

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Harlem Globetrotters Tickets & Meet and Greet!

Are you ready for an awesome giveaway? One lucky fan from Family Review Guide will be winning the chance to catch the game on February 15, 2014 at 7 p.m. with a family four pack of VIP tickets, meet & greet passes before the game and a basket full of Wonderful Pistachios to snack on. Enter the rafflecopter entry at the end of this post. IMPORTANT DETAILS: The game will be at the Honda Center in Anaheim on February 15, 2014. The game starts at 7 p.m. and the meet & greet will start at 6 p.m. Sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios, Howard Johnson Hotels and Greyhound Lines, the Original Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating their 88th consecutive year, continuing a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry, and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages. Throughout their history, the Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 122 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans—among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents—over more than eight thrilling decades. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, and to purchase tickets and team merchandise, visit the Globetrotters’ official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com. The Globetrotters were the first organization in sports and entertainment to let fans vote on rules when the team introduced the concept last year. Since the fan response was so overwhelming, the team is doing it again – but with a major twist. The 2014 online ballot includes three never-before-seen revolutionary rules:

• Hot Hand Jersey – Both teams will have a “Hot Hand Jersey” they can pass among each other. The player who is wearing this jersey will receive double points on made baskets.
• Make or Miss – The quarter begins with only two players on the court for each team. When a team scores, a teammate may enter the game. When they miss, the player missing the shot must leave the court, leaving his or her teammates shorthanded.
• Trick Shot Challenge – Via three challenge flags per team, each coach can challenge the other team to make a trick shot. If the team makes the trick shot, they earn five points. If they miss, the other team receives five points.

With a roster showcasing stars such as Special K Daley, Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang, Hi-Lite Bruton and Dizzy Grant – plus female stars TNT Maddox, T-Time Brawner and Sweet J Ekworomadu* – the Globetrotters’ one-of-a-kind family show features mesmerizing ball handling, an assortment of trick shots, high-flying dunks and precise timing – all with an array of comedy guaranteed to entertain the young and the young at heart. After virtually every game, Globetrotter stars remain on the court for autographs and photographs with fans.# Tickets are now available at harlemglobetrotters.com and each respective arena box office. Information on group and scout tickets can also be found at harlemglobetrotters.com.

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Matilda Jane $50 GC

  Hosted By:  The Binder Ladies

Co-Hosted By: Sweet Southern Lovin,  Cookies Kitchens & Silly Seely's Reviews!

The life of a little girl is whimsical. It's majestic, it's silly, energetic, giggly and stylish.  Matilda Jane Clothing takes all of the best qualities in being a little girl, and wraps those ideals into their clothing.  It's about patterns, textures, colors and styles - then jumbling them all up to create something unique and beautiful - just like every young lady that wears them!  With new styles being created twice a year, Matilda Jane clothing gives a fresh approach to getting dressed everyday.  Think of Matilda Jane as being a classier, more modern Pippi Longstocking sort of style!

The Binder Ladies was able to review two adorable outfits from Matilda Jane!

You can read the full review over HERE.

Learn more about Matilda Jane Clothing HERE, checkout their Facebook Page HERE and follow them on Twitter HERE!

One winner will score a $50 gift certificate to Matilda Jane Clothing!

 Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win! Giveaway ends on 2/1 @ 11:59 pm PST.

This is available to U.S. residents, 18 years and older.

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*The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post, nor are they responsible for prize shipment.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond after being contacted via email.  The Binder Ladies is responsible for prize shipment.   If you have any questions, please contact thebinderladies@gmail.com

The Baby Shusher Giveaway!!

Welcome to the Baby Shusher Giveaway!!

Hosted By: Tales From A Southern Mom

Sponsored By: Babyshusher.com

This "sleep miracle" is the thing that every parent is looking for in the middle of the night when nothing is working to calm your baby down. It gives a rhythmic shushing sound in timed sessions to help calm and comfort even the hardest to settle babies. Can be used from birth and many parents take it to the hospital with them.

To see more about the Babyshusher read Tales From A Southern Mom full review here.

My son occasionally has a rough night and he always seems to be soothed by a calming little shushing. This product will be great for any mommy and baby needing a nice little rest. Good luck everyone!!

Giveaway Details:

Date: 01/16/14 thru 01/30/14

Prize: One lucky reader will win their very own Baby Shusher (ARV 35.99)

Open to US residents only. Must be 18+ to enter.

How to Enter:

Enter using the Entry Form below.

By entering you agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions listed on the Entry Form.

All winning entries will be verified. Winner will receive an email from Jennifer at talesfromasouthernmomof3@gmail.com and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck and thanks for entering.

Entry-Form

A New Beginning

I decided a few weeks ago to begin a blog that would allow me, as a new mommy, to meet and talk with other mothers on a neutral ground. I have the intentions of communicating about day to day events, venting about problems and finding solutions, reviewing the various products that I find and am personally interested in, and review and raise awareness about the safety, or lack there of, of the products and places that my itty bitty uses and goes to. My Story - I am a preschool teacher but a stay at home mommy for the time being, a student studying Child Development, and a wife to the most amazing man I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Back in June of 2012, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. He was born perfectly healthy and four hours after he was born, things went downhill. He stopped breathing for unknown reasons and was airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center's NICU. He never recovered and six days after he was born, he passed away. Needless to say, when I found out I was pregnant again, I started really thinking about the safety and effectiveness of products made for children and mothers. I am a preschool teacher, so I've been looking into products for a while, but not like this. I started looking at and researching ingredients, looking at pieces and parts of a product, and really thinking about the appropriateness of a product in regards to the age group it was made for. I told everyone from my husband to my doctors that I was going to be an anal and neurotic parent, and I've lived up to my words. That doesn't mean though that I don't to have fun with my son, I definitely want him to play and experience everything and go places. I just male sure that he has the best quality products available. I welcome all of you to take part in this blog. I want to know everyone's opinions and experiences and welcome you all to make this as merry and comfortable of an environment as possible!

Paci, Binkie, Dummie... Pacifiers!

From the moment I found out I was pregnant with our second son, my husband and I agreed that we would not use a pacifier. And then he was born. While I still held on and refused to use a pacifier on our son for fear that it would cause nipple confusion, my husband was adamant on buying at least a few "just to keep him happy!" and because pacifiers have been thought to reduce the risk of SIDS. Just like with almost everything we've bought our son, I decided to do my research. I have listed my three favorites along with useful information on each.

Right now we're using Avent Soothie Pacifiers and Chunkas seems to like these the most. Unlike other pacifiers that seem to be oddly shaped, the Soothie closely resembles a nipple, and since Chunkas is EBF, its no surprises he has responded best to these. I am a fan of these pacifiers for a number of reasons but I'll just list my favorites.

1. No BPA! BPA, or bisphenol A, is a chemical used to make some plastics and resins and "Exposure to BPA is a concern because of possible health effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children." (mayoclinic.org)
2. One single piece instead of pieces that can fall off or break. The Soothie is made of high-quality silicone, instead of the attached piece that most other pacifiers have.
3. Ease of sanitizing. The Soothie is very easy to sanitize because of the high-quality silicone and the fact that it is dishwasher safe.

MAM is one of my favorite companies for high quality baby products and they also make great pacifiers. While, of course, being BPA free, MAM makes their pacifier's nipples out of either high quality silicone or a natural, sustainably sourced latex, giving parents a choice and an option. These pacifiers also come in some pretty darn cute designs too! Newborn is pretty basic, but once your LO starts climbing that ladder, you can pick between different shields, designs, and even glow-in-the-dark pacifiers!

Lastly, Dr. Brown's PreVent Pacifiers. These pacifiers are pretty neat! The nipple has their patented Suction-Free Air Channel that helps reduce suction on the roof of your baby's mouth, is designed to help lower the pressures inside your baby's mouth by spreading while being sucked, and the stem is extremely thin and comfortable as opposed to the bulky ones. Like other paci's, these are available in three different sizes and plenty of super cute designs and colors.

These three companies are Chunkas' and my favorites and we highly recommend each one of them. There are plenty of different companies that make pacifiers and every child is different from the next, so I highly suggest each parent does their own research. I have provided what I have learned and what my child and I like, but I cannot guarantee that you and your child will feel the same. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and if you have anything you would lie to add, please feel free to do so!

Voyage to Farland Giveaway!!

I'm going to be entirely upfront - roguelikes are one of the types of games that, while I like them, I'm not very good at them. I've heard such good things about some of them, text-based ones particularly, but the controls are so crazy and equipment is a hassle and I die on the first or second floor every time. While Voyage to Farland has a lot in common with those, it's far better, has more going on, but manages to do it all while keeping the required buttons to a minimum, using intuitive menus and making equipment a breeze. Oh, and it's a graphical roguelike, so you don't control an @ symbol fighting letters, shooting *s, etc.

Heavenly Soles Giveaway!

Here it is... The Heavenly Soles Giveaway!! These boots are absolutely AMAZZZING!! Good luck everyone!!

  Hosted By:  The Binder Ladies

Co-Hosted By: Sweet Southern Lovin,  Cookies Kitchens & Silly Seely's Reviews!

Looking for the perfect pair of Winter boots?  We've found them!  Heavenly Soles Sheepskin Boots

Dee over at The Binder Ladies, got to review the Chestnut Classic Tall Sheepskin Boots and can't say enough about the comfort, support and style they offer.  You can read the full review over HERE.

Learn more about Heavenly Soles Sheepskin Shoes & Boots for men, women and babies HERE, checkout their Facebook Page HERE and follow them on Twitter HERE!

 Want to score a great deal on some Heavenly Soles?  

Score 15% off your purchase when you use our exclusive code:  TBL134  at checkout! 

One entrant will win a pair of Heavenly Soles Sheepskin Boots of their choice!

 Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win! Giveaway ends on 1/21 @ 11:59 pm PST.

This is available to U.S. residents, 18 years and older.

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*The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post, nor are they responsible for prize shipment.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond after being contacted via email. If you have any questions, please contact thebinderladies@gmail.com