2008_07_01_posts : Classy Mommy Blog

Giveaway: Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer!

I'm obsessed with this Exergen Temporal Artery thermometer! I first got one for my daughter when she was about 6 months old and I've now begun to use it on Kyle who is almost 8 months. I'm a worry wart kidn of Mom who is a bit of a hypochrondriac in the sense I fear my little ones getting sick - as do many Parents. So I'm always wanting to take Kyle's temperature since he seems to run a fever virtually every other day with all of this teething.

Adding any level of discomfort to an already sick kid is no fun. So I find this easy to use and super accurate (say the experts!) thermometer takes the temp in just a a few seconds with a quick scan of the forehead. So simple. We are huge fans! I urge you to run out and buy one this week if you don't already own one. Or enter to win a free Exergen Thermometer here!

Classy Mommy is giving away 1 Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer valued at $39.99. All you have to do to win is..... leave a comment on this post by August 11th, 2008.

Note: Include your email address if you do not have visible contact information in your profile. I won't use your email address for anything or share it with anyone - but if you don't leave it I can't contact you as a winner! Lately this has been happening again and again, and I have to pick another winner....

Wordless Wednesday: World's Smallest Baby Pool

Kyle spent his days at the beach in this $2.99 ultra quick inflatable pool which looks like it is intended for a doll.... then again he is only 7 months old so it fit him perfectly and helped us avoid or at least rinse his body - he is a natural born sand digger and unfortunately sand eater, grabbing it all by the fistfuls and shoveling it into his mouth. I'd highly recommend a little pool for the beach for any kids 18 months and under - especially as it makes it sooo easy to rinse!

Raving about my Sit N Stand Plus with Free Shipping

And this is pretty hilarious. Watch us review my stroller. And then see my review in fast forward double the time! And then in slow motion. It looks like the chariots of fire. These edits had us in tears laughing so hard. Maybe it is only funny to me?

Parents love to debate the pros and cons in the double stroller market - and rightfully so as I gotta tell you nothing is as simple as strolling around with only 1 baby. Those were the days! But thanks to my Sit n Stand Plus I can honestly say I finally feel liberated and am able to adequately and simply venture out with both kids by myself. Unbelievable value for this traditional sit n stand that also includes a full seat and 2 extra large sun canopies. And I love the whole free shipping option with Wal-Mart's site to store. The only way to go when ordering a stroller! $159.96 at Wal-Mart - Free Shipping with Site to Store!

Vacation Vacation Vacation

And what a wonderful trip it's been. Wish I could have posted daily on the joys and horrors of our week long adventure to the Jersey Shore as I really could have used the therapy. Alas, spilling my entire water bottle all over my keyboard on Day 2 ended any and all aspirations of blogging. Totally fried my keyboard - wish I could blame my 2 year old but it was all me! Good news is that I'm up almost up and running again 8 days later with a new laptop and hopefully (fingers crossed) all my old files.

There is some mysterious magical quality to a trip to the Jersey shore for us Philly folks. Out of towners can't quite feel the charm so I imagine it must just be how the shore invokes memories of our own childhood just like the smell of Coppertone takes your senses to sunny days spent on the beach. Working on converting my husband to a true lover of the shore- and I think I'm 85% there......

The cliff notes version of our trip was mostly all ups:

gorgeous sunny weather - that wasn't too hot, tons of ice cream, daily donuts and sticky buns from Mallon's, morning runs everyday, sandcastles, running around the beach splashing in the waves like Fairies to the delight of 2 year old Mackenzie, living it up on the kiddie rides at the Ocean City Boardwalk, Mike winning the Sea Isle 5K run on the beach, and tons of quality family time - especially due to the "blessing" of my crashed laptop which left us without our addiction to email, twitter, or surfing the web.

And the cliff notes version of the downs: (only 2 downs! hooray!)

standard family snafu's including our 1 and only "DATE NIGHT" being canceled after Mackenzie accidentally choked/inhaled a bit of her spaghetti which resulted in 90 mins of gagging off and on and being adamant something was in her nose. we didn't know if she got food up her nose for real or truly was sick since the incessant gagging went on for so long. all of which she'd intermittently be asking for sticky buns while we were trying to get her to puke over the toilet. truly. low and behold she was thankfully fine after eventually slipping out an entire piece of spaghetti. guess it was stuck somewhere in her nose and throat region and was tickling her throat causing her to gag until she finally ejected it. mackenzie will never be allowed to eat spaghetti again until she is at least like 6 years old.

and we topped off the trip in total parenting style. on our way home from the beach saturday night the kids slept almost the entire trip. all seemed well with the world. a calm ride. adult conversation. the end of a fabulous week. \ but we were debating the possibility of us traveling to Florida in November to visit family and see Disney World given how traveling with 2 little ones really does require a lot of work - effort- energy-packing- even when all goes 100% smoothly! sure enough just as we were about to turn into our development Kenzie told us her tummy hurt. she sometimes gets car sick so I knew just what was about to happen. we opened the windows as we were literally 1/2 mile from home. then she started to cry and whine and i knew she was going to be sick. suggested to Mike to stop the car as we were now only 1 block from home in our community. he said we'd make it. driving down the hill to our house she totally tossed her cookies. 3 times. all over everything and of course the car seat. which if anyone has ever experienced knows it is a total nightmare. disgusting and practically impossible to remove the smell. uggh! of course upon us evacuating her from the car and giving her a fresh bath she was 100% fine again and seemed to be completely unphased by the incident claiming she spit up just like Kyle who is 7 months old. Ahh not quite like that you know? although I gotta say the timing was ideal and entirely preferable to occur in the last 2 mins of a roadtrip with kids.

So yeah we loved the vacay. But traveling with 2 little ones 2 and under is high on the drama!

Classy Mommy Swag: Win a $200 SAK handbag!

The Sak sure is lucky to have Miley Cyrus as a fan. She seems to be carrying the sak Silverlake Convertible Satchel here, there, and everywhere! I like how Miley is flashing her signature PEACE sign, which is also a signature for the SAK! Peace, love and Harmony!

Moms and teens will surely now be coveting this fantabulous handbag like other Tinseltown stars Joss Stone, Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Alicia Keyes.

And guess what? Classy Mommy is giving away this white patent version of the sak Silverlake Convertible Satchel valued at $199.00 to 1 lucky Classy Mommy Reader. All you have to do to win is..... leave a

comment on this post by July 28th, 2008. For extra entries: become a fan of Classy Mommy on Facebook and/or follow me on Twitter here. Good Luck!

Note: Include your email address if you do not have visible contact information in your profile. I won't use your email address for anything or share it with anyone - but if you don't leave it I can't contact you as a winner! Lately this has been happening again and again, and I have to pick another winner....

Weekly Mommy Blogger Round Up

Check it out! Tips on staying cool in the summer while pregnant. A chance to win a$200 shopping spree. And my favorite.... ever wonder how kids are so good at texting and chatting online? Learn the secret language of acronyms that our kids have seemed to master!

Boston Mamas: Cool Pregnancy Check out these tips to beat the heat and stay cool during pregnancy.

MomFinds: Win a $200 Shopping Spree at TheFineArtofFamily.com Because all special memories deserve a special place, we’re offering a $200 gift certificate to TheFineArtofFamily.com, a site chock full of gorgeous lockets and image case jewelry.

Moms Buzz: Online Lingo Your Children Use - Learn Them Too! Have you ever wondered how come children of all ages are so good at text-messaging or chatting? The answer is that they employ a secret language of acronyms to communicate: an online lingo. Learn them and be a cool parent too!

One Chic Mama: BoobyTag Forget which side you last nursed on? Let BoobyTag be your little reminder.

Katie Couric's Mommy Blogger Statistics

Katie Couric, of CBS evening news, gave a shout out to all Mommy Bloggers last week with this essential and cute clip which gives a real rundown on Mommy blogging statistics and numbers . If you haven't seen it - you've got to take a peek to see why our market segment is truly influential - and advertisers are knocking on our doors! She shows her gorgeous shoes too - and gives a real special shout out to the SV Moms Blog group and their fantastic cross country Road Trip sponsored by Chevy for 5 special Moms heading from D.C. to San Francisco for the BlogHer 2008 conference. I so wish I was going to be there today! There's always next year....

Wordless Wednesday: A Jungle Walk

Gotta add words to this one again. Otherwise you really might think I actually journeyed to the Jungle! Thanks to my friend Sarah, now also addicted to blogging at These Are Days, for hosting this amazing playgroup, giving me a last minute invite, and letting me use her babysitter to watch Kyle so Kenzie and I could partake in the adventure. Sarah went all out with this playdate - creating a "Jungle Walk" in her woods. We started out the walk by reading a quick story about Dora and Diego getting backpack swiped by Swiper while they were on their way to a playdate with Baby Jaguar..... thus we had to journey into the Jungle to rescue backpack. Along the way we ran into inflatable jungle animals where each child could grab a prize - think Oriental Trading Company - with jungle stickers, tatoos, bubbles, fake bugs, plastic jungle tote bags, and more. And the walk ended with a visit from Dora herself! Over 19 Moms with oodles of kids attended. If I've ever met a Momfluential - it is Sarah! Thanks again for this super special day.

Calling all Pokémon Fans! Win the Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai DVD

This one is for all your Pokémon fans out there...... Pokémon is offering fans three free giveaways of Pokémon’s DVD release of the film POKÉMON: THE RISE OF DARKRAI which became available on May 27th in the US.

On Saturday, July 19th, Pokémon is hosting a regional Qualifier Tournament in New York City rewarding the most skilled players with a Nintendo Wii package worth over $450 and with a shot of traveling to Orlando in August for the First Annual Video Game Showdown with a grand prize that includes a 6 day vacation package for four to either New York, Honolulu, or Tokyo! For more details, Check out http://showdown.pokemon.com/qualifiers”

Classy Mommy is giving away 3 copies of this DVD. To enter, just leave a comment on this post with your email address. (Remember - if you don't give an email address in your profile or post we can't contact you!) Contest runs from July 15th to July 19th. Good luck!

You'll never get locked out with Schlage's Keyless locks!

Go Keyless with Schlage Locks and you'll never worry about getting locked out of your house again! Schlage packages together both convenience and top of the line dead bolt safety to make you feel secure and enable you to share access with your home to those who need it when you can't be around.

Think emergency Air Conditioner fix which just happened to me this weekend - or your bugman, cleaning service, or trusted babysitter. Not to mention teenagers that might come home from school only to find they left their keychain in their locker! They've got brass, bronze and nickel to match your style.

We just got an aged bronze to review and I'm nagging my husband to install it. However, I need to call my inner handy man and step up to the plate as all you need is a screw driver to install it!

I can't tell you how many times we've lost electricity - just when I happen to take the car keys that don't have the house keys attached. I find myself running to the neighbors praying they've got my spare key and are home! And the idea of this programmable key pad lock seems far more secure to me than a garage door opener tied to a key pad code. I understand that once people start using these keyless locks - they'll never go back to a normal front door key and lock system. Thanks Schlage.

Win a Trendy Ribbon Belt from Chesapeake Ribbons

Swag Time! Classy Mommy has been a huge fan for almost 2 years of the hair bows & ribbon belts found at Chesapeake Ribbons. And I've loved watching this independent Mommy owned biz grow and expand with clever and trendy products for kiddies, Moms, and even Dads!

I've been coveting this hip ribbon belt for Mackenzie - skull and cross bones in shaded pink! Love the preppy whale belt for the little boys too! She's got a range of ribbons to fit everyone's style - from classic to city slicker hip.

Shop now through 10/31/08 and you'll get 20% off any order by entering special20 at checkout!

Win the ribbon belt of your choice & receive a $15 Gift Certificate to be used online. Just leave a comment on this post with your choice of ribbon belt from Chesapeake Ribbons and email address by July 26th, 2008. Open to US Residents only.

Classy Mommy Giveaway: 25 Pairs of $49.95 AirDrives for Kids Earphones!

Yes this is for real! All you have to do to enter is complete this super duper quick 10 question survey about listening habits and the good stuff like that. Ultra easy.

And AirDrives are Kid Safe and approved for ALL DAY LISTENING! With our little ones now part of the iPod generation, it seems safe listening headphones are a necessity.

Enter to win by completing this survey here. Open to Classy Mommy Readers. The survey will close by Friday July 18th, 2008. So do it right now!

Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber Makes Cleaning a Little More Fun!

I hate to clean. Love the clean look, but I'm not one of those Moms who find cleaning therapeutic. But I've got to say the new Action Scrubber by Scrubbing Bubbles is pretty cool - and actually almost fun since I can avoid dirty nasty rags and still get a clean shower! You can reuse the foaming durable handle - and just re-apply brand new disposable cleaning pads - which are of course full of scrubbing bubbles magic cleaning agents! The starter kit even comes with a reusable storage tub so you don't need to worry about wondering where the heck you're going to keep the handle! Easy. Gotta say I do love SC Johnson's products! I'm a Windex girl all the way too.

Here's a coupon link to save $2.75 on your starter Action Scrubber scrubbing bubbles kit!

Weekly Mommyblogger Round up!

Stay in the know! Check out these fabulous post from top Mommy Bloggers and Parenting sites across the web.....Happy reading! And you might even win a Diaper Bag!

Boston Mamas: Marvelous Messy Party Celebrate messy with this unbelievably fun and beautifully creative party plan.

Car & Caboodle: Moms Who Love Their Minivans Read the love/hate relationship moms have with the minivan in Part 3 of our Minivan War series.

Coochicoos: Drain Pipe for a Kid's Room There's a certain charm and beauty in a room created from a drain pipe. Kids would love this!

MomFinds: Win a Dante Beatrix DB Haul Tote Win the one bag you’ll need to tote everything around this summer--whether you use it for day trips with baby, beach outings or overnight stays at Grandma’s.

Moms Buzz: Flats vs. High heels: How to fit properly When you do not try your flats properly, you may end up with a more uncomfortable shoe than your high heels. Get the tips on how to fit properly flats and high heels, and more tips on flats vs. high heels proper fitting.

One Chic Mama: Celebrate the Journey The Nine-Month Necklace marks each stage of pregnancy and is a lovely keepsake to pass down to your children. Register to win one for yourself!

Celebrity Moms Give Back: Kimberly Williams Paisley talks with Classy Mommy

Classy Mommy talks with star and mommy, Kimberly Williams Paisley about giving back. Ever since her days as the beloved star in the movie, The Father of the Bride, I've been a fan of this inspiring and clever actress who is now also a Mommy.

Classy Mommy: I find having children inspires many Moms to better themselves as we all want to be role models for our kids and make the world a better place for them to grow up in. Since having a child, how has your perspective on giving back changed?

My heart has expanded since having a child. I feel more connected to the community, because I am part of something bigger than myself. I am part of a large group of parents who are absolutely in love with their kids and want the best for them. And I think that makes me more generous and less selfish.

Classy Mommy: What are some of your favorite causes? And why are they important to you?
I love St Jude's hospital. That place is a working miracle, every day. I love helping out smaller charities for orphan diseases like XP and Ataxia (http://www.xps.org/ and http://www.team25.com/). These people (mostly kids) don't get federal funding for their problems and don't get much help through research either. My heart goes out to them. I'm also on the board of a new organization called Inspiring Kids that is a start-up non-profit aimed at getting young kids involved with environmental stewardship and student philanthropy. It is a very young organization, and it is fun to be involved from the beginning. Lastly, I just wrote a book called Henry and the Hidden Veggie Garden. I hope this book will inspire kids to eat more veggies!

Classy Mommy: Why is this particular cause special to you?
I hate to see kids being held back--whether it be through sickness or poverty or lack of education or lack of nutrition--from their highest potential. There are so many possibilities in a child, and I want to see every kid be all that they are capable of being. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a happy, healthy child.

Classy Mommy: How can others get involved?
Donate to the websites! And feed your children veggies. Buy my book at http://www.loveyourveggiesgrants.org/, because all the proceeds go to Books From the Heart, which is another great organization aimed at giving kids living in poverty the tools they need to read, succeed and make a difference.

Classy Mommy: How do you hope to instill core values about giving back to your children?
I hope to teach Huck about giving back at an early age. We'll teach him by our example, and when he saves money, we'll teach him to ear mark a portion of it for charity. I hope he'll learn how good it feels to give something valuable away to someone else who needs it.

Hitting NYC to meet TNT's "The Closer" - Kyra Sedgewick

Our trip to NYC went fabulous. Musings of a Housewife and I talked non-stop on our train ride from Philly and luckily us suburban mommies made it to NYC with no snafus. (here is a video of us on the train!) We loved the premiere of "The Closer" which hits on July 14th - you soooo should watch it. Just getting out of the burbs and hitting an event in NYC was thrilling for Jo-Lynne and I. Got to meet lots of fabulous Mommy bloggers and Mom Entrepreneurs - like Jen Singer, Nina, the founder of one of Classy Mommy's favorite products, the Mom Agenda, and Beth Feldmen, founder of RoleMommy.com and organizer of this premiere for Moms. I even got to do a quick interview for Mom Logic so we'll see if I end up making it on the air although I got kinda nervous and think I flubbed it up.

Saw my first ever chocolate fountain too. Swiped a strawberry through and it was divine! I am obsessed with dark chocolate so the aroma of this fountain was incredible in the showroom. Didn't know these things really existed!

Even cooler was seeing Kyra Sedgewick for a quick 15 min Q&A. Total She truly was in and out of our event in a flash. Total Movie Star. Totally glam. Ultra skinny like you can't believe in person. Also thought she was totally "real", honest and likeable as far as the Q&A with us Mamas went. Talked about her marriage being fabulous (20+ years to Kevin Bacon almost unheard of in Hollywood circles) and when asked Why? she felt she truly was just LUCKY and that they had similar parenting styles and that she of course still if fortunate enough to totally LUST after her husband (if only we were all married to Kevin Bacon huh?) Even takled about the pressures of being thin and losing babyweight and she said she totally breastfed which helped enormously. (I can personally relate to that as I attribute breastfeeding to losing my baby weight) And she was honest in saying that in the past she too was terribly caught up in the Hollywood pressures of being thin and that she had a stage where she was an obsessive exerciser.

I took some Flip Videos of her during the Q&A but it looks like it is hard to hear her (it was totally normal in person!). So I'm not sure how they'll sound to you - they aren't great! Here is one on Kyra talking about being a working Mom (only 1 minute and 2 seconds!)

And all our obsessing over outfits was for naught. Really people were anything and everything and we fit in just fine in the above outfits we put together after various trips dragging our kids to the outlets and malls. And of course I ended up wearing something I already owned with the exception of a new purse, aqua beads and earrings.

Huge thank you to Beth from Rolemommy.com for including us in your special event. We loved it and were thrilled to travel up from Philly to the Big Apple.

Testing out the Flip Video Camera with Musings of a Housewife

Wordless Wednesday: Big Crawler

Kyle has been crawling like a mad man now for almost 7 weeks. He is now unstoppable. Going under and over everything at very high speeds. Particularly considering he is still doing some fast moving version of a very coordinataed arm and leg army crawl! I'm in for it!

Dessert with Kyra Sedgewick!

Sorry for being a bit secretive yesterday, but Jo-Lynne and I were waiting for an official OK to dish on our upcoming NYC event. So here it is! A private screening of TNT's "The Closer" which will air all new on July 14th. Drinks and Dessert are to follow supposedly with a Q&A with star Kyra Sedgewick (also wife of Kevin Bacon!)

So what would you ask if her? Let us know and we'll see what we can find out for everyone.

This truly is the equivalent of a night at the Oscars for me - an ordinary East Coast Suburban stay at home Mom with 2 kids both 2 & under. It is just unbelievable and I'm sure we will be both be a little starstruck. Sometimes I feel like I hardly get more than 3 miles from my house as my only trips are to the YMCA, Target, local mall, or Valley Forge Park for a run! So getting out of my house and town for a change of scenery is going to be a total treat. I can't wait to see the show, hopefully eat some tasty desserts with Kyra, and chat non-stop on the train with my new blogging buddy Jo-Lynne - who actually lives in my town! We've got to stop emailing and coordinate in real life -I'll probably end up seeing her at the mall or outlets today as we both make one last hurrah to find the perfect accessories for our outing in the Big Apple tomorrow night!

Beaches Resort: Save up to 45% and get 2 nights free!

Oh wow. I want to book this trip now. Like right now. Like yesterday!

I'm dying to book a family vacation for Mike, Kenzie and Kyle and I this fall as Kyle will be almost 1 year old. We took Mackenzie to the Cayman Islands right after her 1st birthday as we finally felt comfortable enough to really "travel" with her - and we were antzy to get out of the country for some fun in the sun. You know after you have kids the adventures of old become a bit more challenging - forgetting the additional cost and gear you need to bring - you're now responsible for kiddies too.....

I think the family style Beaches Resorts in either Turks and Caicos or Jamaica will be a grand slam of fun, convenience, and value for our family of 4.

The fun factor scores ultra high on this vacation. Especially now that I'll have a 3 year old in tow. The Beaches Resorts Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street® is all part of the package. Think story time with Elmo, baking with Cookie Monster, dancing with Zoe, exploring with Grover, making music with Bert & Ernie along with Sesame Street stage shows, character parades and character breakfasts (for a nominal charge).

The convenience is that these resorts are really designed for families in mind so I know I'll be able to get what I need when we need it! Plus the pricess are all inclusives so literally the food and the fun is all part of the price that we'll pay. And since we'll be dining at the resort we won't need to worry about transportation to get to a dinner reseravation. They've even got supervised kids camps for all ages (from newborns to tweens and teens - Crayola Art Camps and an Xbox 360® Game Garage for the older ones!) so I'd love to take advantage of a few hours at least a few days for Mike and I go snorkeling, play tennis, etc. as clearly our 3 year old and 1 year old can't quite participate in these activities yet!

And as for value....besides being an all-inclusive and being able to select the kind of room to fit our budget and needs - the WonderFALL Celebration at Beaches Resorts is a deal. Seriously, I've been looking around at tons of resorts and when I combine all the fun and convenient factors along with the all inclusive aspect and the SALES on right now - this looks like the trip we should book. If you book now for a stay during the off-peak season months of September and October - not only do you get to enjoy everything Beaches offers year-round but you can SAVE up to 45% off** published rates and get 2 Nights Free** (on stays of 7 nights or more).

Okay - I'm in. Just need to convince my husband to agree........ I'll keep you posted!

Classy Mommy Giveaway: Win a $60 Tutu!

Who can resist a tutu? We love the tutu collection at Lily Cait so much we've teamed up with their owner to offer a giveaway to our readers. Win a a Prima Ballerina Fleur Tutu $60.00 in blue & white.

You can read our review here. To enter for your chance to win, leave a comment on this post on by July 13th, 2008. And I'll give you a bonus entry if you join the Classy Mommy Facebook group and become on Fan. You can find our page here.

The Red Carpet is Calling!

Okay, well the red carpet is not exactly calling me - but I think this Wednesday I'll get as close as I'll ever get to a red carpet event. As a Mom living in the suburbs of Philly, an invite to attend a VIP screening of a hot TNT show in NYC is practically equivalent to being invited to the Oscars.

Serendipity brought me the invite, but I've got to thank my new blogging buddy - Musings of a Housewife - who just happens to live in my town (thank you Serendipity again for that one!) for agreeing to venture out of the 'burbs to the Big Apple with me. Would have done it alone, but kind of freaked out about the return train travel and parking lot walking late at night. So, if it weren't for her, I wouldn't even be going!

We don't really know what to expect but supposedly we'll be able to share dessert and drinks with a movie star after the screening. We are so excited and can't wait to share the gossip, rundown, and details with everyone on our blogs.

Right now we're both desperate to find outfits. I mean I am so desperate. What does one wear when you are going to have dessert with a movie star?

Do you ever feel like you are trapped in some kind of Mom Time Warp - and all of your clothes - even if the actually still fit - are all too long, too short, too bright, too big, or just too 5 years ago? Even went shopping with both kids last week to no avail. The time warp is holding me so tight that even when I try to shop for something new nothing seems to fit!

DH doesn't see why it's a big deal at all...( guys don't get it huh?) However, he is probably right.

As if anyone will even glance at 2 Mommies from Philly when a movie star is in the midst.....

Pampers Mommy Blogger Event

Pampers, a product of P&G, is hosting an all expense paid Mommy blogger event at the end of July. My blogging buddy Stephanie from Metropolitan Mama is invited and I couldn't be more thrilled for her. You can read all about it here. And yeah, sure I wish I was invited, but the next best thing for me will be hearing all about Stephanie's adventures. I only wish Steph and I would be meeting in real life (she is from Arizona and I'm outside Philly - someday!) If you have feedback on Pampers - definitely leave her a comment and she can share it during her trip.

I think it is totally fabulous how more and more companies are reaching out to Mommy Bloggers to better connect with their customer base. And the really beautiful thing about this is that I believe blogging has given a voice to a powerful segment of the population - Moms - who previously didn't really have a platform to be heard.

Mommy bloggers share so much on their websites -thoughts, feeling, opinions, and product recommendations. Moms are putting their gut out there on the line and the organization of events by brands like Pampers and J&J show we are being heard! Graco even offered to join us and treat us to dinner for our casual local Philly Mommy Blogger meet up. I love it. Besides being able to purge all your feelings on both the struggles and joys of parenting - blogging opens Moms up to a virtual community and sisterhood across the country - where only having one thing in common - being a Mom - enables you to belong.

Being a new Mom can be isolating and especially confusing given the wealth of products on the market for children and varying parenting styles & tricks out there to help you get your kids to sleep through the night, deal with the terrors of teething, or diffuse a 2 year old tantrum. Connecting online with so many virtual friends has made my journey as a Mom more complete. So thanks to all my new & old blogging friends! And if you haven't started a blog yet - think about it!

Wordless Wednesday: Camels and a Warthog!

Last week, I took Kenzie and Kyle to the Philadelphia Zoo for the very first time. Decided to invest in the Annual Zoo membership which really is a deal as long as you go more than 1x and especially if you hope to bring guests! So, I brought along my parents to share in the good times and assist me in the adventure. Reinforcements are always a bonus!

The highlight of the trip was a 100 yard camel ride that Mackenzie and her Poppy were able to enjoy. And forgetting all the amazing and awesome close ups we had with Zebras, Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Kenzie was most impressed with this statue of a Wart Hog.... Yes a Wart Hog......Days before we visited the zoo I asked her what she was most excited to see.

She replied "A Wart Hog Mommy. Just like from my Africa Puzzle. You already know Wart Hogs are my favorite animal."

So she has been telling me this for some time.....I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Although we haven't even done the Africa puzzle for months, clearly the wart hog is still her favorite beast of the jungle. Luckily we found this statue - it was as good as the real thing to her!

Tot-to-Go Baby Sling

I've always thought of myself as a coordinated person. That is, until I attempted to put my 6-month old son, Colin, in a baby sling. Tot-to-Go sent Classy Mommy a beautifully constructed sling in a really nice, super soft fabric. I do not blame the sling for my lack of coordination, as there is nothing complex about it! If you are a baby-wearing fan, this would be a great option for you. I normally use a front carrier for my son, but I find that it's a bit bulky to travel with. What I really like about a sling is that it is so easy to fold up and take with you for those times where you're not sure if you'll need to carry your baby or use a stroller. (example: The Phillies game I just went to) Tot-to Go carries slings in 4 solid colors and 5 beautiful patterns. I'm a fan of the disco dot sorbet pattern, but I'll have to hold off on getting that one until a) I have a daughter and b) I gain some coordination! $59.99

Summertime Fun

5 different shows in one video! Barney teaches your kids about the wind and the sun, Bob the Builder builds a campsite, and Thomas tries to find the end of the rainbow. There is also an episode of Angelina the Ballerina and Fireman Sam. This newly released video will be great for kids who can't make up their minds as to what they want to watch, great for siblings who can't agree on what to watch, and great for parents who don't want to sit through an hour of Barney! $10

More work from the Artist in Training....

After taking photos of Mackenzie's doodles a few weeks ago, she is constantly requesting I snap pics of her renderings. How can I say " No, that scribble isn't camera worthy" although as you can imagine not every drawing would normally make you stop in your tracks to pull out a camera. Being the encouraging parents, we find ourselves clicking away again and again. Last thing we want to do is crush her beautiful imagination although now I fear we are creating a little 2 year old artist with an ego........