Polynesian Hotel Video Tour

We've arrived! The kids are pumped to be at Disney's Polynesian Resort. From the moment we pulled up curbside (greeted with leis) to the entrance of our room, the kids have been bouncing off the walls - in a good way. We can see the Seven Seas Lagoon from our room sliding doors and the Disney Castle is even viewable in the distance.

The room is really fun - I'd describe it as all "tiki-ed out". We found 3 of the 7 hidden Mickeys in the room. Here's a quick room tour:

Now we're off to Hollywood Studios for a VIP Tour. The kids have never been to Hollywood Studios before either as we never made it there last year during our family vacation so it should be very exciting!

We'll also be posting lots of videos on our new Disney page on Classy Mommy.

Disclosure: This trip is sponsored by Hanes.

Chilly in Florida

We're having a blast in Florida on our family vacation. Tomorrow morning we're off to Disney to join the Hanes Comfort Crew who is sponsoring our adventure. I promise to post lots of pics and videos daily on both the blog and ClassyMommy Facebook Page to share the fun details.

It's on the chilly side, but the kids are still enjoying the playground and time outside even if we can't go swimming. (High of 59 today and windy)

Feeling somewhat thrilled to have escaped the 25 inches of snow in Philly although I think our driveway will be a total glacier until spring as I don't know how we'll ever shovel it!

My Superhero Princess

Last week Kenzie and I had a "Mommy and Daughter" day with Allison, Kelli and all the little girls. We hit the King of Prussia Mall for the Disney Store's free "Princess Training" class. What a fun day. The kids learned the princess wave, curtsy, princess posture, and more. Everyone got a free snack and 20% off any Disney Princess item in the store. We scored a Tiana nightgown for K that she can't wait to wear in Florida.

All the girls dressed up in Princess costume with the exception of Kenzie. Her new thing is the Superhero Princess. She wonders if we'll see one next week at Disney. I suspect not.

But Mom and Dad are thrilled with how confident she was in herself wearing her choice cape while everyone else was in Princess garb. That girl of mine is one cool cat.

Frigidaire Friday: Installation Day!

Out with the old and in with the new. Last Friday was appliance install day to get me up and running as an official Frigidaire Mom. I'll be posting more pics later of all the new appliances but already there are a few things I'm thrilled about.

1. Emptying the fridge. That should have happened a long time ago! Yeah, I have a problem with keeping a lot of food in my fridge and freezer!

I love the soda racks that come built into the fridge as I've never had that feature before. It is so convenient and helps me stay organized already.

2. Take a look at my old gas cooktop. Not much to talk. Kind of chunky and not very modern looking.

I've upgraded to a slick hybrid electric and induction ceramic glass cooktop. It is sleek and beautiful on my countertop. I can't wait to share all about my new experience with induction cooking and just how to clean a ceramic cooktop. I'm still working on figuring out that one in my quest to find the best approved cleaner to rid my cooktop of the pasta water that spilled over and left a burn ring! Hopefully, I'll have a pic of it looking perfect again soon as I bought a few safe cleaners to test after my water spilling debacle.

3. The Dishwasher - Love it. It looks exactly like my stainless steel quiet Bosche but honestly I actually think after 1 week of use this Frigidaire might be even quieter. (At a price point far more reasonable too!!!!)

Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Refrigerator, electric cooktop, Washer/Dryer set, and a Dishwasher to facilitate my review.”

California Pizza Kitchen Gift Card Giveaway

Win it! In honor of California Pizza Kitchen’s new Small Cravings menu, we are giving away CPK Pizza Dough! Two lucky winners will receive $50 worth of “Pizza Dough” to use at any CPK location. Small Cravings deliver the big innovative flavors CPK is known for, but in smaller portions, inviting guests to explore the many tastes the restaurant offers. The new small plates menu includes items such as Asparagus & Arugula Salad, Sweet Corn Tamale Ravioli and Crispy Artichoke Hearts.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 16th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. (2 winners will be chosen - US residents only. )

Disclosure: I'll also be getting my own $50 CPK dough to give this new menu a test drive. For those who know my Mike, you can imagine he'll be in heaven with this giveaway. He'll be able to eat pizza just one more day of the week for dinner :)

Off to Disney World!

We're heading to Florida today to visit family and take trip to Disney World as part of Hanes Comfort Crew. The kids are beyond excited to return to Disney again and Kenzie can't wait to see what living at "The Polynesian" will be like as her new home. We've got dollar store themed Disney goodies to surprise the kids with once we land - the infamous Water Worms they are obsessed with Mickey style.

This pic is from March 2009 and is too sweet. Every evening the kids would dance in the lobby of the Grand Floridian. I doubt Kenzie will don a princess dress this year.... as she chose to pack her super hero cape instead. What a difference a year makes!

Oprah and the Black Eyed Peas

Awesome video of Oprah and the Black Eyed Peas rocking out to "I Gotta Feeling."The kids love this song - they always do their own little 2 person flash mob in our family room. Good times.

Free Redbox Rental Giveaway - 10 winners!

Here's some an awesome freebie giveaway. I love Redbox. Just the most convenient thing to rent a movie when at the grocery store, drug store, or wherever I am across town - knowing I can return it at any location. And for $1 per night I can't beat the value.

Mike and I love renting a DVD for stay-in "date nights" and we've just recently got into family movie time. With the kids 4 and 2, there are lots of fun movies that we can enjoy that the kids love too. Recently, we've seen G-Force, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie together. (Kyle loses interest after a while and starts playing, but generally Kenzie can watch a movie in one sitting nowadays!)

We're giving away 10 free movie rentals from Redbox.com to 10 lucky winners.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 16th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Baby Bunch Coupon Code and Giveaway

I've been a fan of the Baby Bunch for years -truly it is the perfect new baby and/or baby shower gift. Classy, pretty, and functional too as this adorable bouquet is made of clothing for your new arrival. Save 15% with code BUNCHGW10 expires on 3/31/10.

I finally got a chance to review a Baby Bunch in real life when the company sent me this adorable yellow bundle to review. Who wants flowers that ultimately wilt? This package is just as cute as flowers (probably cheaper too!) and instead of throwing away flowers, your recipient gets to keep a bundle of layette for their newborn. If possible, it's even cuter in person than online. I especially like the idea of giving the Baby Bunch to a Mom about to give birth to her 2nd or 3rd child since it's so different and they probably already have all the essential practical baby equipment from their 1st baby.

And, I've got a Baby Bunch valued at $59.95 to giveaway to a lucky reader.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 16th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Walmart Disney Princess Necklace Recalled

About 55,000 of these cute little Disney Princess necklaces sold exclusively at Walmart are being recalled for being too high in cadmium which could be toxic when ingested. Looks like these necklaces were packaged with Princess Tiana on them as they are a frog and crown nedcklace. You can view the full CPSC recall info here.

Sold exclusively at: Walmart retail stores nationwide from November 2009 through January 2010 for $5.

Model Numbers:

Crown Model # 4616-4187 UPC # 72783367144

Frog Model # 4616-4190 UPC # 72783367147

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take this recalled jewelry away from children. Consumers should return the recalled jewelry to any Walmart store for a full refund or a free replacement product.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact F.A.F. Inc. at (800) 949-3311 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.faf.com

Zulily.com: Private Sales with Moms in Mind

Love it. For those who love the likes of private sales sites like Gilt.com, there's a new kid in town. Last week, the Dads who originally founded BlueNile.com launched a private sales website for the Mommy set called Zulily.com. Think boutique brands, clothing, and gear all up to 70% off as Zulily will be bringing daily deals for Moms, Babies, and Kids.

I profess I'm a hard core loyal Blue Nile fan as my husband bought my gorgeous diamond engagement ring from them in 2002 at a sweet discount (back when everyone gasped at our story of him buying my rock off the Internet). So my inner bargain hunter with a penchant for more expensive and exclusive brands can't wait to see how Zulily will surprise me.

Love this latest sale lasting until 2/3 from Baby Nay. Gorgeous stuff. Too cute for Valentines day. And as I've been following the sales this past week since they launched on 1/27/10, I've seen that on some days they will introduce more than one product for sale and the sales "might" last for even a few days giving you a bit of time to consider your purchase and determine if it is the deal foryou.

We've got a special exclusive coupon code for ClassyMommy readers too. Save $10 off on your first purchase with code CLASSYMOMMY10. One promotion per customer. Promotion cannot be combined or transferred. Offer will expire 2/12/10 at midnight.

Also, if you refer a friend who makes a purchase, you'll get $10 credited to your account. Sweet huh? Enjoy!

My High Blood Pressure.... Now What?

So this past week at a routine GYN appointment, they surprisingly discovered I had high blood pressure. Yikes!

Now I'm one of those people with totally low-normal blood pressure where the nurse often thinks I'm dead it's so low. So I was pretty surprised and the Doctor was disturbed at this sudden change.

They wondered if I was excessively stressed. After my appointment she had me relax and read before re-testing my pressure to be sure it wasn't a fluke. Of course, at this point it was slightly higher (like 140/90 - when my numbers used to be at their highest of 110/70 or 100/60 which is low.) So, they told me I needed to get seen by them or my family doc in 48 hours to see if this was a random bad day or a new trend that would require investigation.

Sadly, when I went to my Family Doctor a few days later, my pressure was just as high. The doc asked me to eliminate salt as apparently it could have a huge impact on my blood pressure - as some people are salt sensitive. I'm hoping that is the case with me! That's really the only lifestyle change I can make as I'm about 5 ft 3 inches / 102 lbs and already exercise. I'm also really trying to up my fluids as I know I've gotten lazy in the winter months and have not been drinking as much water as I should to be truly healthy.

The good news is that he didn't put me on any blood pressure medicine at this point - we're just going to work on eliminating the salt. (The other thing you can remove from your diet is caffeine, however, I also do not drink coffee or tea as caffeine bothers my stomach.) I'm waiting for results on a ton of blood work & urinalysis - all the standard stuff plus a few other random things - like Lupus which we have a very strong family history. And I'm also seeing a Neurologist on Tuesday to discuss my headaches to see if they could be more serious in nature and related to the rising Blood pressure.

The only troubling part is that at first he said I could continue with light exercise (ie cut my runs to just 1 mile) but then he wanted to see how my BP responded to brisk walking in the office. After that test, he said absolutely no exercise other than walking around. My doctor didn't share what the numbers were, but said that they immediately spiked too high after a brisk walk in the hallway of the office and that there must be something underlying going on.

For now I'm on the health warpath and I'm getting plenty of rest as I ironically can't exercise. I feel less stressed a week into the journey as I've been drinking a ton of water, eliminated all table salt, ham, and chips and my at home readings are day after day looking more normal. So we'll see what turns up with my doctor appointments. Hopefully, I'll just be looking at a life without BBQ chips and everything will be totally normal.

Sweet Princess SingAlongs Birthday Party Coupon Code

Looking to have a birthday party for your little girl at home? But wondering what in the world you'll do to entertain 10-15 preschoolers? Why not hire a Princess to come entertain the kids with an activity for an hour? That's what we did for Kenzie's 4th Birthday and it was fantastic.

If you're looking to do a party, and live in the Philadelphia area, I highly recommend Sweet Princess Sing Alongs. Save 10% on all parties in March 2010 with code "ClassyMommy March in the comments field when booking

I hired Kathy, the owner, amazing singer, and Chief Princess in charge of Sweet Princess SingAlongs to entertain Kenzie and her friends as Sleeping Beauty. I discovered Kathy after attending a party where Kathy performed as Cinderella last summer. Both Kenzie and Kyle (only 18 months at the time!) were literally captivated by Cinderella's singing and story hour so I knew I had to hire her for Kenzie's 4th party - especially as I'm still keen on hosting a party at our own home while the kids are little - I just love the comfort of feeling like we're making special birthday memories at our own house vs. at a venue where we just pop in for 90 minutes of bouncing, bowling, or Chuck E. Cheesing where everyone celebrates their kids birthdays.

Kathy's voice is tremendous. Every little girl and Mom at Kenzie's party were enthralled by her singing of just about every Disney favorite. Truly, her voice is beautiful. When booking, you can choose which princess you'd like her to be - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, or Belle. Her costumes wowed the preschool set and the kids under age 5 really believed she was a Disney Princess.

Packages start at only $75 for a 15 minute appearance with Sing Along music and Picture time, increase to $135 to also include Princess prizes for each kids. We booked the package priced at $225 which also includes all of the above plus a Birthday Song and Story Hour where Sleeping Beauty read her own wonderful story to the kids - which they loved. Our princess prizes were fabulous too as every little girl got an adorable Pink or Purple shimmering crown headband - and for the little Princes, she had crowns. (For kids who were very young she had rubber duckies to hand out which was a nice touch too!)

I can't recommend Sweet Princess Sing Alongs enough if you live in the Philadelphia area - and if you live elsewhere - I'm all about hiring out entertainment and hosting parties in the home as I find it to be so much more personal and memorable.

Save Big on Game Time at Walmart

It's Game Time! I'm no big fan of football, but I love getting together with friends and munching on appetizers and snacks at Superbowl parties. And from October through January, I love the the chance to make a dinner out of appetizers like chips and guacamole during the Eagles season games on lazy Sunday afternoons.

(Seriously, guacamole is my new "it" dish and I'm reveling in the fact that I've finally whipped up something he loves thanks to my Mom's homemade recipe. )

If you're not up for cooking complicated appetizers and like to take the easy street like me with simple fun snacks and appetizers that the entire family will enjoy, then Walmart has some deals you'll want to check out. Walmart's offering fabulous sales to help families plan their own parties and snack fests for the Big Game for only $44! Check out this menu that all adds up to only $44.

One package of Oscar Mayer Meat Hot Dogs (8 ct.)

One package of Johnsonville® Bratwursts (6 ct.)

Two packages of Great Value™ Hot Dog Buns

Two bags of T.G.I. Friday’s™ Frozen Appetizers

One Hormel™ Supreme Party Tray

12” Chocolate Chunk Cookie

Two boxes of Nabisco Wheat Thins or Triscuit Crackers (8 to 10 oz. box)

What are some of you fave appetizer recipes? Tapas is my new style of cooking as the portions are just right and you can a taste of everything!

Moms can also learn delicious and creative ways to get ready for the big game, including how to plan a game time party on a budget on Walmart.com. Check out the Game Time site on Walmart.com for more info.

* Disclosure: Walmart provided me with two $50 Walmart gift cards for my participation in this program.

Free Pampers Diapers Samples - New Cruisers with Dry Max

As of January 29th, 2010, today, you can sign up to get a free sample 3 pack of Pampers Cruisers with new Dry Max technology. Sign up here at Pampers.com for your free samples to test!!! (note: I've had trouble getting through on the Pampers site this morning as I guess everyone is requesting their free samples! But this link just worked for me on their Brand Sampler page after I registered at lunchtime about 12:15 PM EST and they are still available! )

Here's the scoop on these new diapers from Pampers:

First off, Pampers has completely redesigned its Cruisers diapers making them 20 percent thinner with no sacrifice in performance. They are the brand’s 1st diaper for the best players in the world™ – babies! The new Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max helps lock wetness away up to 12 hours, making this their driest diaper ever. The new Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max officially hits shelves in March.

For the first time ever, babies will have their gold-medal moment this Olympic season by sporting their own high performance gear – Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max. To celebrate the launch of the brand’s first-ever high performance diaper, Pampers will be outfitting Team USA athletes and their families, with branded Team USA Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max as they head to Vancouver for the Olympic Winter Games.

Although these Team USA diapers are not for sale, starting February 12th parents everywhere will be able to request a free sample three-pack of Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max on Pampers.com. If the sample sent includes a diaper stamped Team USA (randomly inserted in select sample packs), their baby will win a year’s supply of Pampers diapers!

$50 American Express Gift Card from Goby.com

Win it! We're giving away a $50 American Express gift card from Goby.com for you to use on a family outing and adventure.

I just checked out Goby.com and was impressed with how quickly I could find family outings in Philly for my family and I this coming weekend. Local theater shows, events at Valley Forge National Park and more. I think my daughter would adore the Cinderella live show going on at a local theater. Goby.com is a perfect tool for busy moms as this new one-of-the-kind search engine helps you find fun new ways to spend your free time in seriously an instant.

Goby.com searches more than 300 different categories of “things to do” from zoos and aquariums to playgrounds and children’s museums. Goby poses three questions: What, Where and When. By just answering two of the three questions, you can instantly receive an easy-to-read results page that includes not only detailed information about attractions, activities, locations and events, but also an interactive map and photos from sites like Google and Flickr.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below about what activities or adventures you found on Goby.com that would be fun for your family by February 9th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

No Better Toy than a Box

Yes, my children can derive hours of pleasure from a simple box. Forget about all those other fancy toys. All they need is a little imagination and some cardboard!

Sweethearts Unveil Modern Sayings, iPhone app and a Giveaway!

Win it! Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I can't wait to try Sweethearts new iPhone app and in celebration of the cool news about Sweethearts adding in some modern sayings for how the digital set express their love, we're giving away 2 prize packages of Sweethearts to 2 lucky winners. (estimated value $10 of Sweethearts for each winner)

For the first time in 145 years, Sweethearts have completely changed – new colors, new flavors, new packaging and new sayings generated by the American public. Sweethearts have never solicited feedback from consumers for the creation of the sayings, but the top two sayings provide insight in how people communicate love in this digital era. The top two sayings were “Tweet Me” and “Text Me.” Sweethearts also launched an app for Twitter users to send personalized, virtual boxes of Sweethearts (check it out here: http://www.mysweethearts.com/).

Sweethearts also created an iPhone app that allows people to send a virtual Sweethearts box to loved ones with personalized messages on hearts. The app features an option that allows these phrases to appear in a person’s Twitter timeline. Currently, most brands are creating apps that integrate with Facebook status updates so this will be among the first brand apps to integrate with Twitter. The app will also be housed on a dedicated URL for Twitter users who aren’t on iPhones.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 1st, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Nursery Q-tips Giveaway

Win it! Wendy Bellissimo has teamed up with Q-tips to launch their adorably designed nursery Q-tip packages. Designs include bright boxes decorated with either safari or farm animal themes. On behalf of Mom Select and Q-tips, we're giving away a nursery prize package to 1 lucky reader who will receive nursery decorating tips from Wendy Bellissimo, 2 packages of nursery Q-tips and a beautiful silver elephant piggy bank.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 9th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Disclosure: Mom Select provided me with this same prize package to review free of charge.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie's Bow-Tique DVD Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away 1 copy of the MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE: MINNIE’S BOW-TIQUE DVD. My kids love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and especially adore Minnie as she does the Hot Dog Dance. I think they'll definitely like this DVD when we get a copy to review from Disney after it releases on February 9th, 2010.

This new release features four Minnie-themed stories including a never-before-seen episode and a fun Minnie magnet bow frame. ‘Minnie’s Pajama Party,’ and ‘Minnie’s Bee Story,’ include Disney’s Adventure Mode – an interactive game using the remote control with multiple play levels.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 9th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Evenflo Comfort Select Breast Pump Giveaway

Win it! Evenflo has teamed up with Classy Mommy to offer one lucky reader the Evenflo Comfort Select Breast Pump valued at $39.99 that is ideal for occasional use pumping.

As a former breastfeeding Mom, I can attest to the fact that registering for and buying a breast pump really is a necessity if you plan to breastfeed. Somehow I thought I wouldn't need a pump and ended up needing to rent one for almost 3 months after I having a€€ baby born pre-term. I finally broke down and bought my own pump when I had to go on a course of antibiotics that you inconveniently could not breast feed with - but there was no other option medically for me.

I've never tested this Evenflo pump personally as the breast pump I bought myself in 2006 was a Medela, but it sounds excellent for occasional use pumping (ie a date night, afternoon out without the baby, etc.) The features on this pump that I loved on my Medela pump include having the ability to use on the go with batteries or at home with a plug in adapter. Also this Comfort Select has an auto-cycling vacuum that mimics the baby's suckling to produce more milk faster and the price point is far more affordable than many other brand names on the market.

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 9th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Channeling our Patriot Ancestors

Here we are celebrating our Patriot - Hezekiah Harding, who defended the sea coast of Cape Cod during the Revolutionary War.

For about as long as I can remember I've yearned to know more about the ancestry of my family. Supposedly, we had tons of ancestors going all the way back to the days of the Mayflower and the American Revolution, but were lacking proof. I always wanted to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, but somehow in the last 50 years, paperwork and names were apparently lost. (We're unsure if they were lost by my Great Grandmother, my own Mom or in a fire that destroyed my Mom's sister's home years ago.)

Finally, on New Year's Day 2010, I received all the info that would qualify me to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, but more importantly understand my roots and remember all those that came before me. Not to mention, to honor their struggle so that their children could someday live this life of freedom and abundance that is second nature to our generation. Isn't all anyone wants is to be remembered?

I can thank my Aunt Kay, who is also a genealogist for this priceless gift. For years, she has tried to crack the case of the mysterious Sarah Jane Parker, born in 1850 in Philadelphia, and supposedly descended from the Pilgrims. The trail on Sarah Jane has been dry for years, but surprisingly, a bunch of addresses and info all lined up to solve the ancestry of her husband, Henry Harding - which was more than rewarding.

All the info is beyond fascinating to me. And once we got as far back as Hezekiah, we've been able to readily trace our family to the earliest settlers at Plymouth along with several great grandparents who departed for America along with the Mayflower, on the Speedwell, but were forced to turn back when the Speedwell was leaking water badly. Honestly, I think I've spent about a zillion hours profiling all these colonial settlers who landed in America in the 1620's.

So, Hezekiah this post is for you. (What a name huh?) He was born May 15th, 1745 in Truro, MA and died in Maine on May 2nd, 1825. We were able to find records of his service via his actual hand written application for a revolutionary war pension in 1820, when he could no longer work to support his wife and 15 year old grandson given his old age.

(Note: I've received a few questions about our colonial costumes. They are my Uncle Bill's - also descended from Hezekiah. Coincidentally, Uncle Bill volunteers at Valley Forge and Independence Hall every week. )

Frigidaire Friday: Spin to Win & Support Save the Children

This is the 1st of what will be many "Frigidaire Friday" posts as I'm thrilled to be a part of the Frigidaire Test Drive program as a super influencer starting next month. I'll be excited to share lots of blogs and videos about my new Frigidaire appliances. I'll be getting a major revamp in my kitchen with a new Frigidaire dishwasher, electric cooktop, refridgerator, and washer/dryer. Can't wait to get high tech in the kitchen and I'm really looking forward to switching from a gas cooktop to a hybrid electric cooktop!

Jennifer Garner has actually partnered up with Frigidaire in a new campaign to support Save the Children, called Spin & Win. Starting, January 18th, you can log on to http://www.maketimeforchange.com/ to play Spin & Win for a chance to win prizes including a new time-saving FrigidaireAffinity washer/dryer. Plus every day you take a spin, Frigidaire donates $1 to Save the Children as part of their $250,000 commitment to this worthy cause.

I've been spinning daily. If only I could spin to win to meet Jennifer Garner.... my fave movie star since long before she was famous!

Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Refrigerator, electric cooktop, Washer/Dryer set, and a Dishwasher to facilitate my review.”

Store Brand Formulas are Nutritionally Equivalent to National Brands

Big news on the formula front as a "Desperate Mead Johnson Loses $13.5M Jury Verdict Over False Claims." Basically, Mead Johnson, the makers of Enfamil (the formula I always bought for both my kids when I was not breastfeeding!) have been charged with false advertising for suggesting their product had better nutritional benefits than a generic store brand.

So Moms, if you are like me and buying the expensive stuff because you think it is better, supposedly it is not. I admit I loved Enfamil when I wasn't breastfeeding and both my best friend and I felt the powder was particularly smooth as far as mixing it up when making a bottle. However, it has been proven that Store-brand infant formulas are nutritionally equivalent to, and confer the same developmental benefits as, the more expensive national brands like Enfamil.

So what does this mean to Moms? It means they could have been saving up to $600 a year by using store brand formulas, which cost half as much as Enfamil LIPIL and other national brands.

Disclosure: I'm sharing this helpful info on behalf of a campaign for Mom Select where I will receive a $25 Target gift card. MomSelect and ClassyMommy are not suggesting that formula feeding is the best available option for infant nutrition; breast milk is best for babies. We just want moms to know that they don't have to spend money unnecessarily.

Bumkins Diaper Bag Giveaway

Win it! Bumkins has partnered with Classy Mommy to giveaway their brand new fabulous Grande Bag in the Keith Haring Graffiti Heart print. At a price point of $39.95 you can't beat the value and the black is always a basic style you can't go wrong with.

Bumkins sent me the same bag to review too. Here are my thoughts: The bag is lined with Bumkins signature material - which is so easy for Mom to wipe down and clean. Yes, this is a virtual necessity when your toting around snacks, sippys, bottles, milk cups etc. although I profess, my main diaper bag has always been a Petunia Pickle - which you can't wipe down but I was willing to sacrafice for style. (My Petunia Pickle does eventually dry out, but certainly I'm left with wet spots all the time!)

I love all the pockets in this Bumkins bag which make for easy organizing and the shoulder straps are just right for me to sling over my shoulder or also easily store under the stroller. Other diaper bags I've used often have straps that are not adjustable or are more of a carryall style so they don't fit over the shoulder. With this Bumkins bag, it's also easy to open up and grab your junk - while holding a baby or multi-tasking in any other fashion at the fast food line at the food court - since there are no fancy flaps or zippers to hassle with.

Bumkins bags are Lead Safe, PVC, BPA, Phthalate & Vinyl Free too. (And of course a changing pad is included!!!)

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 9th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

CardStore.com Coupon Code & $100 Giveaway

I'm all over this 15% off coupon code from Cardstore.com. And we've got a sweet giveaway too!

Win it! Valentine's Day is just around the corner and CardStore.com has the cutest finds along with other affordable and adorable stationary for any occasion - and of course you can splash your stationary with photos of your cutie pies!

We're giving away $100 gift card to Cardstore.com to one lucky winner. And we've got a sweet coupon code for our readers looking to buy some snazzy Valentines or whatever other adorable cards you need for birthdays, thank you notes or more.

Save 15% with code CLASSYMOMMY15 on all orders at Cardstore.com. (Expires 2/19/10)

Enter to win by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 1st, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Graco Stroller Recall for Fingertip Amputations & Lacertations

In more huge recall news, about 1.5 Million Graco strollers are recalled today after reports of children's fingertips being cut when the canopy is opened or closed.

All the info is below taken directly from the CPSC website Graco recall announcement here.

Name of Product: Graco’s Passage™, Alano™ and Spree™ Strollers and Travel Systems

Units: About 1.5 million

Manufacturer: Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.

Hazard: The hinges on the stroller’s canopy pose a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is opening or closing the canopy.

Incidents/Injuries: Graco has received seven reports of children placing their fingers in the stroller’s canopy hinge mechanism while the canopy was being opened or closed, resulting in five fingertip amputations and two fingertip lacerations.

Description: This recall involves Graco Passage™, Alano™ and Spree™ Strollers and Travel Systems with the following model numbers and specific hinge mechanisms listed below.
Model Numbers
6303MYC, 6303MYC3
7240DNB, 7240DNB27240MKL2, 7240MKL3
7F02GLM3
6320IVY, 6320LAU
7241DDH2, 7241DHO3
7F04TAY3
6330CAP, 6330THR,6330THR3
7255CLP, 7255CLP2,7255CRA2, 7255CRA3,7255CSA3, 7255GPK3,7255GRN, 7255GRN2,7255JJB3, 7255ORC2,7255WLO2, 7255WLO3
7F07EMA3
6F00QIN3, 6F00RRY3
7256CLO2, 7256SPM2,7256SPM3
7F08DSW3, 7F08LAN3
6F03GLN3
7260BAN, 7260BAN2,7260BAN3, 7260MRA2,7260MRA3, 7260PKR,7260PKR2
7G00DLS3, 7G00DLS4
6G10CSE3
7270BIA, 7270BIA2
7G01CRL3
7235GGA, 7235GGA2
7E01JON2, 7E01JON3
7G04KRA3
7236CDR2
7F00LPE3, 7F00RSH3
7G05GPR3, 7G06WSR3
7237HOL2, 7237HOL3
7F01FOR3
7G07ABB3, 7G07BAT3

Graco manufactured two different styles of hinge mechanisms for these stroller models. Only strollers or travel systems with a plastic, jointed hinge mechanism that has indented canopy positioning notches (see photo below) are included in this recall. The recalled strollers were manufactured between October 2004 and February 2008.

The model number and manufacture date are located on the lower inside portion of the rear frame, just above the rear wheels.

Sold at: AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide from October 2004 and December 2009 for between $80 and $90 for the strollers and between $150 and $200 for the travel systems.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Graco to receive a free protective cover repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at http://www.gracobaby.co/

635,000 Dorel Cribs Recalled After Baby's Death

Very scary recall! Over 600,000 Dorel Cribs have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission due to a suffocation hazard after a 6 month old baby from Iowa tragically died.

Over 20 models of Dorel Asia cribs have been recalled with BOTH drop sides and fixed front rails. Take a look at the pictures and model numbers. Over 635,000 of these cribs have been sold by Kmart, Sears, Wal-Mart and other stores between January 2005 and December 2009 for between $120 - $700. Many of these are gorgeous cribs that I would never have suspected to be involved in this type of recall.

Even more scary, this recall seems to be a trend as Dorel had crib recalls in Spring 2009 from many of their crib brands (Jardine) made specifically for Babies R Us and Toys R Us. Kenzie's crib is a Jardine - it was a convertible style so now she is in the bed from her original crib.

You can view the entire Dorel Crib recall specifics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission here.

Tide Washing Machine Cleaner Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away a 1 year's supply of Tide's Washing Machine Cleaner to one lucky reader. The idea behind this cleaner is to remove the nasty odors from your machine - especially if you have a HE unit - which often causes a bigger odor given that less water in the wash load often equals more stinky residues building up in the drum, hose or drain.

(I'm anxious to try out this brand new product as I always find I have a funky smell in my washing machine. I'm never sure if it is from the wash basin laundry room sink or my machine but it does often stink after I run a load of laundry! )

Here's how it works:

To use Tide Washing Machine Cleaner follow these easy steps:

• Place one pre-measured packet of powder into the powder dispenser of your HE machine

• Run a cycle on hot without clothing

• Repeat this process each month to ensure your machine is residue free and performing at its best.

(Tide Washing Machine Cleaner can also be used in traditional machines to rid them of any odors that some loads of laundry may leave behind.)

Enter to win by the year's supply of Tide Washing Machine Cleaner by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by February 2nd, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Tylenol Recall

60 million OTC products have been recalled. If you are looking for the Tylenol recalled lot numbers, sku's and specific products impacted by the giant Tylenol recall here is a press release with all the information that will open for you. Here is a link with all the Tylenol Recall information you need. This came direct from J&J as they sent it to me to share with readers when I was voicing concerns about being unable to access their website. Capacity will increase eventually, but many people are having difficultly logging on today.

Until then, check out all the sku's here.

This is a widespread recall for many products including all kinds of varieties of Tylenol impacting both kids and adults along with Motrin, Rolaids, Benadryl and a few other brands.

Children’s Motrin
Children’s Tylenol
Extra Strength Tylenol (including Rapid Release which I take!)
Regular Strength Tylenol
Tylenol 8 Hour
Tylenol Arthritis
Tylenol PM
Benadryl
Motrin IB
Rolaids
Simply Sleep
St. Joseph Aspirin

Consumers who purchased product from the lots included in this recall should stop using the product and contact McNeil Consumer Healthcare for instructions on a refund or replacement. For these instructions or information regarding how to return or dispose of the product, consumers should log on to the internet at www.mcneilproductrecall.com or call 1-888-222-6036 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time, and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time). Consumers who have medical concerns or questions should contact their healthcare provider. Any adverse reactions may also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch website at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

The affected product lot numbers for the recalled products can be found on the side of the bottle label.

Live Blogging at the Martha Show!!!!

Here's our group of Philly Moms for our adventure at the Martha Stewart show. The studio and set is seriously very awesome. Bright Lights. Gorgeous Kitchen, Craft Area, and Sun Room Gardening area.

Hooray! I'm at the Martha Show with about 20 bloggers from Philly and tons of other bloggy peeps. The connection is super slow so we'llsee how much I can actually blog or tweet during the show. Can't wait to find out if we'll have a mystery guest. ( Brian Williams from NBC was supposed to be attending, but he is reporting on the tragedy in Haiti. )

Here's Philly Burb Mom and I before the show!

******

They just taught us all how to clap it up here and there before Martha entered the studio. And yes, she does look beautiful in person along with her daughter Alexa Stewart. Their explaining their bloggy styles. And I think it is very cool that Martha is so tech aware and an avid blogger.Very cool.

*********

Martha "chided" Alexa for not blogging as frequently as she should. Very interesting as I get that comment all the time from people too - and I think from now on I'll give them the same answer Alexa just shared with her Mom. This was the one comment I appreciated from Alexa, otherwise, she did not seem to thrilled to be participating, although her blogging partner Jennifer Hutt was a full of life and seemed more than pleased to be chatting Martha up.

Alexa commented that it is important not "blog all the time" as you need to live a life to have something to blog about. I could not agree more!!!!! Love it.

****************

Next we all watched a cooking demo for Pad Thai - I will promise to try to make it. And we just found out we'll all go home with a Foodie packet! Can't wait.

*************************************

Excellent Tip from Martha - After icing a cake, she shared with us all that when you slice it - NEVER remove the 1st piece you slice 1st. Always cut a 2nd piece, and remove that one first. Looks like this helps keep the form of the cake looking better and prevents the crumbling and mess that I always seem to generate whenever I slice and serve anything!

We watched some crafting with the fellow who has a blog dedicated to Martha Moments. If you are a Martha fan, check out his blog! Very cute.

********* Martha rocks. Invited "Hire Me Martha" blogger to spend the day with her team to get some hands on experience. I hope this girl gets her dream job!

That's all folks. Our prize package was the adorable Pim's cookbook. Excellent but a bit complicated for a novice like me. Wish we got a bigger foodie prize package as I would have adored Martha's Cookbook since I need help with the basics.

My Love Affair with Glee

Given I'm on the low budget cable package, my life had been feeling slightly void of small guilty pleasures with the winter lapse in new episodes of my favorite hit TV shows.

Enter Glee.

After hearing all the buzz about Glee last Fall, I figured I'd give the recently released Glee Season 1 DVD "Road to Sectionals" Box Set a try. The best $24.99 I've spent in 2010.

One of the most fabulous TV shows. Ever. Seriously, I'm addicted. Each night I watch a few more episodes and fall more and more for every character with every drama that unfolds and each tune they sing.

Even my husband is secretly interested and he rarely watches anything on TV - I even caught him cruising YouTube for funny audition clips of the characters. If you're an ounce like me, I suspect this show will lift you up and leave you wanting for more. Enjoy!

My Gingerbread Babies

It's become tradition in our household to whip up a few Gingerbread Cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. It's a hectic time, but we make it a quick activity (less than an hour) as I'll use the pre-made store bought Cookie Dough. (You know that is soooo how I roll!)

Both kids got in on the action this year and Kyle was whipping up all kinds of fun with his rolling pin and spatula!

Kenzie had a blast wearing her favorite kiddie apron this year and yes she got just a little bit flour crazy in her efforts to roll out the dough. Her cookies began to trend towards the Abominable Snowman.

Kodak Digital Frame Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away one Kodak D830 Digital Frame thanks to Kodak hosting some awesome K-Zone panels at the CES show in Las Vegas this week. If you want to log on and watch these cool panels online, you can join in at home. Log in info is listed below. Entry information on the digital frame is at the end of this post.

The M-Suite (Friday, January 8 at 3:00 p.m. PST)

How momtreprenuers and stay at home moms are building successful businesses.

Speakers include: Amanda Robinson (NaturalMommies.com), Sharon Napier (founder, Partners & Napier), Susan Tousi (Kodak), Soleil Moon Frye (actress), and Stacie Haight Connerty (blogger, Thedivinemissmommy.com)

Help, My Mom Friended Me on Facebook (Friday, January 8 at 11:00 a.m. PST)

Kids eight and under will never know what life was like before Google. Learn how technology is changing their lives – and their parent’s lives in the process.

Speakers include: Pam Sherman (author and public speaker known as The Suburban Outlaw), Susan Getgood (Blogwithintegrity.com), Jill Zarin (the Real Housewives of NYC), Linda Sawyer (CEO of Deutch), Christy Matte (editor of the Family Computing Guide, About.com)

Father Knows Best (Friday, January 8 at 5:00 p.m. PST)

It’s time to hear from the dads! Hear from these tech savvy dads on how they use technology with their k

ids, and the lessons learned.

Speakers include: Michael Ferrara (TechnoDad), Jeff Hayzlett (CMO, Kodak), Fred Fishkin (technology reporter, Bloomberg Radio), Jackson Lynch (WIRED)

To view the live streaming and recorded videos, or more information, visit www.kodak.com/go/ces.

Enter to win by the Kodak Digital Frame by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by January 29th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

(Disclosure: I will receive a Kodak Digital Frame sometime soon too. )

Giveaway: Best Buy $100 Gift Card

Win it! We've got a $100 Best Buy Gift Card giveaway thanks to the "Safe & Bright Blogger Network" that Classy Mommy voluntarily joined to help promote safety at home.

The "Safe and Bright Blogger Network" is a partnership with Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a safety certification company that has been testing, verifying and inspecting products for over 115 years. You may already know them– the UL Mark can be found on all kinds of everyday products to certify that they have been tested, inspected and verified for safety. In fact, the average home has more than 128 products with the UL Mark on them.

With the tragic loss of my friend's 2 sons on Christmas Day fire, this really hits home. Here's some holiday decorating tips from UL - stay safe.

Enter to win by the $100 Best Buy Gift Card by: 1. Leave a comment on this blog post below by January 26th, 2010. Include your email address if it's not visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win.

Free JumpStart Membership

Worth sharing: A PR rep just emailed me this free offer to share with my readers. For free you can join JumpStart, the online virtual learning program, compliments of Children’s Orchard, a national franchise of children’s upscale-resale stores. The link to sign up to JumpStart for free specific to this offer is here.

Remembering Solon & Liam Bailey

A few days ago I received the news about the beyond tragic deaths of my friend Chris Bailey's two sons, Solon (12) and Liam (10) who were both killed during a tragic Christmas Day fire while at their grandparents home in Kentucky.

There are no words for a loss this unimaginable.

Chris, one of the most adventurous and socially conscious people I've ever met, was my classmate and constant teammate in business school from 2001-2003. My heart breaks for Chris and his wife, Deanna. I remember babysitting these adorable boys during business school when Solon and Liam were about the age my Kyle and Mackenzie are today.

At the time, I was in my mid twenties, engaged to be married, and parenting was a few years away. Growing up around only girls, I remember chatting with Deanna about what it was like to be a Mother surrounded by boys and that I was surprised at how lovable, affectionate, and cuddly I found her little boys Solon and Liam to be. Somehow I only imagined the wild side of boys until meeting her sons.

I still recall her advice that if someday I found myself with a baby boy I'd be surprised at just how wonderful and affectionate I would be able to make my son. When I found out what was to me the "shocking" news I was pregnant with a boy (Kyle) - I thought of Deanna and how hopefully my adventure as a "Boy Mom" would be full of not only a wild boy but a super affectionate sensitive son. She was right, as I've found Kyle to need to cuddle me far more than his sister ever did.

This wonderful family is in my constant thoughts. If you have an extra prayer, please send it to Chris and Deanna during this horrible time.

For my friends who know Chris or would like to do something the Bailey family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in honor of Solon and Liam to:

The Beauregard Foundation:

Solon and Liam Fund,

c/o Chrysalis Ventures

101 S. 5th St., Suite 1650

Louisville, KY 40202

The contributions will be used to support children's education programs around central Vermont.

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