2009_03_01_posts : Classy Mommy Blog

Disney Fairies & Tinkerbell Giveaway

Win it! If you've been reading Classy Mommy lately, you know that my 3 year old is gaga for everything Disney these days - especially after our recent family vacation to the Disney World, the land she always "wished" she'd someday visit. Check out my kids enthusiasm as we open up some of the latest products in the Disney Fairies line of toys to usher in spring! Literally, the baby is squealing like crazy!

We're giving away an awesome prize package valued over $50 of some of the latest Disney Fairies goodies. One lucky reader will win a Pixie Hollow 10 piece purse set, Tinkerbell Slippers, and the Disney Fairies Take Flight Play Set which comes with a little Tinkerbell doll. These toys look so much fun! We've got the light up Tinkerbell costume with Tinkerbell slippers that Kenzie just adores as she is at that stage where little girls just love to "dress up." Not to mention, playing fairies is one of our favorite games. When we're outdoors we're always pretending to sprinkle fairy dust to make the plants and flowers grow and we even try to build little houses out of leaves, sticks, and flower petals in the hopes a fairy will move in at night while we're sleeping!

Enter to win by:
1. Leaving a comment below by April 10th, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 1 winner.

2. Get a bonus entry by joining our Classy Mommy Facebook page here and leaving an additional comment here.

Aquafina Eco-Fina Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away 1 "24 Pack" of Aquafina in the new Eco-Fina Bottles along with a shoulder bag made of entirely recycled material to 1 reader. Value estimated at $25.

With April being Earth Month, I'll plan to share "green" product news, innovations and giveaways as much as possible with you all!

I know that drinking water from the faucet is the best thing we can do for the environment but, like many busy people, despite my best intentions, I know I often need to purchase bottled water when I'm out of the home. And thanks to Aquafina's re-styled bottle, at least now I'll be making less of an environmental impact.

PepsiCo’s Aquafina now has a new styled package - called the Eco-Fina Bottle™. The Eco-Fina is the Lightest Weight Bottle in the Market as this Half-Liter Package uses 50 Percent Less Plastic which will save an estimated 75 million pounds of plastic annually. That's news I can feel good about!

Enter to win by:

1. Leaving a comment below by April 10th, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 1 winner.
2. Get a bonus entry by joining our Classy Mommy Facebook page here and leaving an additional comment here.

Legal Advice for Bloggers

Mompreneur and Lawyer, Aruna Hatti, joined us on Classy Mommy Live last week to share legal advice for bloggers. She shared fabulous information on business set up and entity selection. The overall highlight of our conversation was that we all learned is that as a blogger or Mompreneur selling products that you need to seriously think about forming a simple LLC to protect yourself and your families assets in the event of a lawsuit.

Take a listen!

I signed up for a LLC a few years ago online via Biz Filings (http://www.bizfilings.com/). You can sign up online or meet with a lawyer, as Aruna recommends, so that you can be sure you are meeting all the requirements of your State and your unique business situation. Also, if you have an LLC formed you need to be sure you have an operating agreement on file for your business and that annually you need to be maintaining these records.

We'll bring Aruna back to discusss Copyright & Tradmark issues along with Disclosures, privacy policies and terms related to minors that we all need to think about including on our websites.

Thanks Aruna!

Kellogg's New Green Packaging for Cereal Boxes

Classy Mommy got a sneak peek at Kellogg's brand new packaging which gives the consumer the same amount of cereal in a package with a lot less waste. The new boxes are smaller, stackable, and use 8% less in material. Kellogg's is doing a 6 month test of this "greener" packaging for their Cereal Boxes in the Detroit, Michigan marketplace. As a Mom, the new box size really appeals to me as it will save space in my pantry and also reduce the waste I generate from the consumer products I purchase on a regular basis.

Let's hope other consumers love it too!

Spring Giveaway: Spud Bunny, Spring Play-Doh Spring and Furreal Friends Teacup Pup

Win it! We've got a fabulous prize package of toys with an Easter and Spring theme for the kiddies. We're giving away 1 Mr. Potato Head Spud Bunny, a Play-Doh Spring Character 2-pack and the FurReal Friends Teacup Pup to 1 lucky Classy Mommy winner. Value estimated at $28.

These toys are super cute for the season and just in time for Easter too.

Enter to win by:
1. Leaving a comment below by April 4th, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 1 winner.

2. Get a bonus entry by joining our Classy Mommy Facebook page here and leaving an additional comment here.

ALL YOU Magazine Free Subscription Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away a 1 year ALL YOU Magazine subscription to our readers & listeners. Last night, I chatted with Clare McHugh, editor of ALL YOU Magazine. She was fabulous and you can hear our interview here. We dish on easy savory recipes tips, couponing, and more. The big secret she shared is that the May issue of ALL YOU will have almost $78 of coupons!

ALL YOU magazine, published by Time Inc., is targeted to the value-driven woman and contains practical, affordable ideas for every area of her life. It can be purchased at newsstands at Walmart for 10% off the cover price. You can subscribe here and get 2 trial issues free.

Enter to win by:

1. Leaving a comment below by April 4th, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 1 winner.

2. Get a bonus entry by joining our Classy Mommy Facebook page here and leaving an additional comment here.

Wordless Wednesday: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique inside Cinderella's Castle at DisneyWorld was well worth every second of Mackenzie's 45 minute experience. And price wise for Disney's standards, I felt the value was fabulous if you go for their "budget" options vs the complicated cosutme and photo shoot packages. I paid $54.95 for the regular hair package which also included getting her nails and shimmering make up. And Kenzie was more than thrilled that she also got to take home 2 brand new bottles of blue & pink nail polish along with a palette of shimmering makeup with varied lip gloss colors and eye shadows, 2 hair combs, her tiara, and a studded Mickey barrette all in a shiny pink shopping bag. We loved it and will certainly book an appointment for our next visit.

Ear Check Monitor Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away an Ear Check Monitor which helps parents check for signs of an ear infection at home. Value $49.99. We've had one at home for over a year and I felt it was worth the investment for those times I'm debating on whether or not to bring my kiddos to the doctor for a potential ear infection. I've On sale here for $28.99 if you are thinking of buying one!

Enter to win by:

1. Leaving a comment below by April 4th, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 1 winner.

2. Get a bonus entry by joining our Classy Mommy Facebook page here and leaving an additional comment here.

Interview with All You Magazine Editor Tonight!

Yipee! At 8 PM EST tonight we'll chat live with Clare McHugh, editor in chief at All You Magazine about this incredible magazine to help us all save more.

We'll share convenient and genius recipe ideas from their latest issue. Think cooking with Cola! She's going to share some delicious, convenient and easy recipes to help us glam up ordinary dishes with Cola.

And we'll discuss how each issue on average has over $50 of coupons! Crazy huh? And this spring they will have an issue with over $78 of coupon offers. You can sign up to subscribe here for $19.97 for 12 issues. At $1.66 an issue it sure is a ton of coupons so I've found the magazine more than pays for itself.

Little Tikes Number Busters Deluxe Starter Set

Win it! Thanks to Little Tikes, we're giving away their Little Tikes Number Busters Deluxe Starter Set to 1 lucky winner. Ages 3 + Value $19.99

In this game survival is an every day battle where in this world of Creatures, bigger isn’t always better. In this world BRAINS wins out over brawn every time. Enter to win by:

1. Leaving a comment below by April 4th, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 1 Grand Prize winner for the Free Pampers Diapers. We will also have 4 Runner's up who can receive bodysuits which also raise money for the campaign.

2. Get a bonus entry by joining our Classy Mommy Facebook page here and then leaving an additional comment here.Time and time again, people forget to include their contact info and I am unable to contact them when they win and am forced to draw another winner. So please include your info!

Free Pampers Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away 1 coupon for a FREE Jumbo Bag of any size Pampers Diapers or Pants to help spread the word about Pampers life saving campaign. We're also giving away 4 body suits that say "One Pack = One Vaccine" too.

From February 5 through May 1, 2009, parents in the U.S. and Canada have the opportunity to help UNICEF protect moms and babies around the world against tetanus, by simply purchasing specially-marked packages of Pampers diapers and wipes.

The "One Pack = OneVaccine" campaign, is a global initiative with UNICEF to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), a preventable disease that claims the lives of approximately 128,000 infants and up to 30,000 mothers in less industrialized nations each year - that's approximately one newborn death every four minutes!

Enter to win by:
1. Leaving a comment below by April 4th, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 1 Grand Prize winner for the Free Pampers Diapers. We will also have 4 Runner's up who can receive bodysuits which also raise money for the campaign.

2. Get a bonus entry by joining our Classy Mommy Facebook page here and then leaving an additional comment here.

Time and time again, people forget to include their contact info and I am unable to contact them when they win and am forced to draw another winner. So please include your info!

Stainless Steel Sharpie Giveaway

Win it! Were giving away 5 of the brand new Stainless Steel Sharpies valued at $6.99 each. Talk about a marker with bling. Sharpie has transformed the faithful Sharpie into a high end looking marker that you can keep forever as it has re-fillable cartridges available for $1.99.

We use sharpies for all kinds of touch up jobs at home outside of the realm of regular writing. Think shading in dinged black photo frames or repairing scuff marks on your favorite pair of black boots!

Enter to win by leaving a comment below by March 31st, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. 5 Winners. Time and time again, people forget to include their contact info and I am unable to contact them when they win and am forced to draw another winner.

Thomas & Friends Live! NYC Ticket Giveway & Coupon Code

Win it! Calling all who live in or around NYC (CT, NJ,PA etc.) as we've got another family prize pack of tickets to a live show in NYC.

What: Giveaway for Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage
Where: Beacon Theatre in New York, New York
Prize: Family Four Pack of Tickets
(Average Retail Value: $50/per ticket. $200 for the entire pack.)
When: Winning tickets are for Friday, April 17 at 5pm.

Get ready as Thomas and Friends returns to the Beacon Theatre with an ALL NEW, live musical adventure: Thomas and Friends Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes to Town.
When Thomas makes a big mistake, all the engines on the Island of Sodor must work together to prepare for the exciting event under the Big Top, and, Thomas must prove he's a really useful engine once again. With thrilling adventures along the way, Percy, James, Gordon, and of course, Thomas, join with Sir Topham Hatt and the townspeople from the Island of Sodor, to welcome a colorful cast of circus performers in an engaging story that demonstrates the importance of friendship and cooperation.

For other show times or to purchase tickets with a discount, visit here.
Use coupon code VTANK to save $5 off tickets.

Enter to win by leaving a comment below by March 31st, 2009 and include your email address if it is not clearly visible on your profile page - so we may contact you if you win. Time and time again, people forget to include their contact info and I am unable to contact them when they win and am forced to draw another winner.

Wordless Wednesday: Sibling Affection

Bratz Magic Hair Grow & Cut Doll Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away one Bratz Magic Hair Grow and Cut Doll. Value $27.99.

The special Bratz™ memory hair allows you to crimp it, curl it, color it and glitter it! Magic Hair Growin’ Tool lets you add new hair to cut and style too and you can even try out the color & glitter on your own hair. This one is for kids ages 6+, so since Mackenzie is only 3 we haven't tested it out ourselves. But given her desire to play "salon" and do hair and makeup, I know she'd love to get her hands on this one when it becomes more age appropriate.

To enter, please leave a comment by March 28th, 2009 after you join our Classy Mommy Facebook Fan page here . One winner will be selected. The Bratz Magic Hair Grow & Cut Doll is is valued at $27.99. Please include your email address if it is not in your profile information so we may contact you if you win.

You can also subscribe to our feed (on the left) so you'll find out about giveaways as soon as they go live!

Bratz Kidz Snap-On Swimming Mermaid Giveaway

With 65 degree weather in Philly expected today, we're feeling like summer is just around the corner. Thanks to Bratz for offering some awesome giveaways to our readers with some of their latest toys. This Bratz Kidz Snap On Mermaid doll looks like so much fun for the season! The accessories are easy to snap on and the mermaid tail actually will "flap" in the water. We haven't tried this one out ourselves, but I know my daughter would love to play with a toy like this in the bathtub or the baby pool.

We're giving away 1 Mermaid doll valued at $19.99 to one lucky winner. To enter, please leave a comment by March 28th, 2009 after you join our Classy Mommy Facebook Fan page here . One winner will be selected. Include your email address if it is not in your profile information so we may contact you if you win.

Crisco Olive Oil Giveaway

Win it! Crisco recently launched a brand new line of Olive Oil selections. Classy packaging and 3 flavors for whatever the cooking needs you might have in your home. Extra Virgin, Pure, and Light Olive Oil. We're giving away a prize package of all 3 bottles!

To enter, please leave a comment below by March 28th, 2009. One winner will be selected. Include your email address if it is not in your profile information so we may contact you if you win.

Thanks to Huggies & Juicy Juice for my SXSW trip!

Just returned from a fantastic trip to Austin, TX where I attended the SXSW conference thanks to Huggies Little Swimmers and Juicy Juice who paid the travel expenses and conference fee for both Audrey from Mom Generations and myself. We were able to give them a plug during our Blog Talk Radio interview (and yes my name is not Carmen it is Colleen.... looks like I'm not much of a web celebrity huh?)

We loved being able to hang out with Andi from Malone Advertising for much of the weekend as she came to represent both Juicy Juice and Huggies. We love that our sponsors embraced the concept of getting to learn more about both Mom Generations & ClassyMommy.com so we could build a relationship. Plus, we were able to learn a little bit more about their brands, while Andi could also absorb our thoughts about brands working with Moms and Social Media.

Did you know that Huggies has some fabulous online coupons right now?
Think $5 off this internet printable at Coupons.com.

Also did you know you could get a Free sippy cup anytime from Juicy Juice?

Just visit their website here and fill out this form!

The best part of SXSW was truly the networking aspect of an event this huge. Besides being able to hang out with my fellow Walmart 11 Moms and the Rockfish team, I was able to meet face to face many of the PR reps I've worked with for the very first time in real life. And I was able to get to know the brands who sponsored my fellow 11 Moms and decided to send team members - like Bissell, Colgate, ConAgra, Hershey's and the team from Abbott for Zone Nutrition Bars.

Not to mention, those of us who went to the All Top & Kirtsy party had our moment of fame when we were able to get a quick photo op with Guy Kawasaki. Then when a few of us somehow managed to get into the Mashable party to represent the 11 Moms in the "Charity Smackdown" for the pledge to end hunger, we got the coveted photo op with hottie Pete Cashmore, Founder of Mashable. We even were able to convince him to wear a few 11 Mom stickers and had a pretend tug of war with a feather boa for our Charity Smackdown. For a blogger, meeting these 2 guys is comparable to meeting a Hollywood A-lister, so yes really these moments were all that and a bag of chips for sure! I promise photos of these moments will come as soon as I get my hands on them!

So, was SXSW all it was cracked up to be? Clearly! And did I enjoying flying solo? Well, the freedom and adult conversation is always both relaxing and stimulating compared to the endless nursery rhymes and dancing at home. But, alas, I must admit, I'm thrilled to be home after 3 nights away from my babies. Yes, I'm back to the reality of being a Mom. Tantrums, diapers, whining, and more. But nothing compares to seeing these little smiles in real life and snuggling up with the kiddies.

Dancing with Cinderella at Disney World

Kenzie had her moment to dance with the beloved Cinderella on our Disney vacation last week.
The evening was thrilling for a 3 year old as we met the naughty Stepsisters Anastasia & Drisella, the Wicked Stepmother, Prince Charming and Cinderella.

Leapfrog 1 Million Reading Hours Campaign & Tag Reader Giveaway

Calling all bookworms! LeapFrog has launched 1 Million Reading Hours in conjunction with the NEA’s National Reading Month, to bring attention to literacy and to encourage families to make time to read together. By pledging to set aside at least 10 minutes a day, parents can contribute to the national goal of 1 million reading hours committed. More important, they can reinforce the importance of shared reading time in their own family.

In celebration of this fantastic event, Classy Mommy is giving away one of my favorite Leapfrog products - the Tag Reader. We gave the Tag reader a rave review when it launched last year and know your kids will love it too. Our winner will get one Tag reader + 5 books for personal use, as well as an expanded-memory LeapFrog School Tag reader + 10 books to donate to their local library. (Value: The Tag reader retails for $49.99 & and each additional book is $13.99!)

To enter, please leave a comment below letting me know how much you've pledged to read in the LeapFrog 1 Million Reading Hours Campaign by March 27th, 2009. So hop on over & make a pledge and then leave a comment below to enter. Please include your email address if it is not visible - otherwise, we can't contact you if you win!

'lina bean Fleece Blanket Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away a this gorgeous "green" logan fleece blanket from Lina Bean valued at $58. And when I mean green, I mean this fleece is seriously eco-friendly so it is totally perfect for your little tots. Lina Bean's "green" fleece is made 100% from recycled plastic bottles and 0trimmed with a modern leaf print in bamboo and cotton. They are a generous size (28"x40") and ideal for the crib, car, stroller, or anywhere you happen to go.

The quality and charm of independent designers and Mom owned businesses is incomparable. We had chance to review Lina Bean's darling "bean" shaped burp clothes last summer for Kyle and we loved them. Super cute trims on a refreshing bean shaped burp made of the absorbent cloth diaper material us Mom's crave for the perfect burp cloth.

To win this fleece blanket, please leave a comment below by March 21st, 2009. Include your email address if it is not visible in the profile so we may contact you if you win. Thanks!

Rescue Pets Healthy Pup Check Up Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away this adorable Rescue Pets "Healthy Pup Check Up" to one lucky winner. You can read my review here and see how my kids revel in tending to this little critter's broken paw and curing him with his cast.

To enter to win, please leave a comment below by March 21st, 2009. Include your email address if it is not visible in your profile so we may contact you if you win.

For an additional entry, please join our Classy Mommy Facebook Fan page here and you can leave an additional comment entry telling us you joined. Good Luck!

More Hot DVD's.....

It's been a busy month with tons of new releases. Here's what we've been watching:

My kids have been enjoying the latest Wonder Pets dvd - the Wonder Pets Join the Circus. These critters even managed to keep the attention of my wild 15 month old for a record 11 minutes which is incredible.

This week we've been treating Kenzie to "mini" movie night as we've enjoyed Beverly Hills Chihuahua in 2 sittings before bedtime. And I just love the HD and sound on these Blu-Ray dvd's we've been watching. Fabulous. Super cute movie for the kids and this Mom loves the chance to sit back, relax, and watch something that is geared for the kids, but also fun for the entire family. I love that Kenzie is old enough and has the attention span for some humorous "family" movies nowadays.

And much to my husband's dismay, after Disney's release of High School Musical 3 and the High School Muiscal "remix" on Blu-Ray, I'm just shy of turning little 3 yr. old Kenzie into another High School Musical junkie. What can I say? Kids love the fanfare, the drama, and the music.

Mike and I will be watching the highly recommended "The Boy in Striped Pajamas" this weekend for a date night which I hear is totally amazing. We wanted to see it in the theater last year but babysitting never worked out so now that it is available on DVD we're anxious to see moving story.

Other Notable Mentions:
Pinocchio's 70th Anniversary Blu-Ray DVD combo is now out. Enough said! Everyone should see it and goodness knows you've got to snatch up these Disney classics before they go back in the vault never to be seen again for another decade.

Bolt releases on 3/24/09 in another Blu-Ray DVD combo from Disney. We can't wait to watch it!

Barbie Thumbelina - hits the street on 3/17 and I'll be purchasing this flick for Kenzie for her Easter Basket. (All You Magazine has $3 off coupons!) We are totally all over the Barbie movies in our household after falling in love with Barbie in the Diamond Castle.

Frances in a storybook DVD combo came out late last month. We love it! It has been so much fun to see one of our favorite storybook characters brought to life on the big screen. If you've got little girls and never read the Frances series, they are darling books with fantastic messages for your preschoolers.

Wordless Wednesday: Swimming in Florida.....

When it's freezing in Florida, you've got to make do. Luckily, it doesn't take much to please the kids. (although we'd much prefer the outdoor pool on a warm sunny day!)

Baby Jogger Stroller Summit 360 Giveaway and Coupon Code!

Win it! Joggermom.com and Classy Mommy have teamed up to giveaway this fabulous Baby Jogger Summit 360 stroller in red to one lucky Mama who loves to be on the go with her tots - think running, trail blazing, and long walks on the beach! Value $399.99

If you're a new Mom or a Mom without a Jogging Stroller, this giveaway is for you. I couldn't live without a jog stroller as I love taking long walks in the woods, running, and strolling on the beach with my BOB Ironman stroller. Not to mention, the sunshade on jogging strollers is priceless for encouraging long naps!

Trust me, a great jogging stroller is well worth the price given how much I know I've used my stroller and I know many other Moms who feel the same way.

We've also got a 5% coupon code valid from March 10th, 2009-April 10th, 2009. Enter "cmommy" at checkout to save 5% on your order at JoggerMom.com. Plus, she offers free shipping too!

To enter, please leave a comment below by March 31st, 2009 telling us why you want to win this stroller, how you use your current jogging stroller, or what you'll plan to do with this new one if you win. Include your email contact info if it is not included in your profile so we may contact you if you win!

For an additional entry, Tweet about this contest (include my contest link and @ClassyMommy in your tweet), leave the link to the tweet in an additional comment. You'll get one additional entry for your tweet.

Pinocchio 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition Blu-Ray DVD Combo Giveaway

Win it! We're giving away Walt Disney's 70th Anniversary Platinum edition of Pinocchio! This Blu-Ray & DVD combo pack will go to 1 lucky Classy Mommy reader. I'm so excited to see this classic movie again - especially as it was actually the very 1st movie my parents took me to see in the theater. (Apparently, I cried and was scared when Pinocchio began to turn into a donkey - and somehow I actually recall just that one vivid moment of my 1st movie on the big screen!)

We just returned from Disney and every night before bedtime we actually read our little copy of Pinocchio, so when I tell you Mackenzie is dying to see this story brought to life on film, I really mean it. And obviously, I'm dying to see it again too! It releases tomorrow on 3/10/09, so I'm sure we'll be reviewing it very soon!

To enter to win, please leave a comment below by March 20th, 2009. Include your email address if it is not visible in your profile so we may contact you if you win.

For an additional entry, Tweet about this contest (include my contest link and @ClassyMommy in your tweet), leave the link to the tweet in an additional comment. You get one additional entry per tweet.

Calling all Twilight Fans!

Win it! Thanks to Walmart I've got a rockin' Twilight giveaway to share with you all. Over $150 of Twilight Goodies for the grand prize winner and a runner up prize of a $25 Gift Card to buy the Twilight DVD which will release on 3/21/09 to host you own Twilight Party.

If you haven't read these books - and seen the movie, you don't know what you are missing. Run out and buy the books now or borrow them from a friend or the library. You will not be disappointed! And let me tell you I'm one obsessed Twilight fan myself. I devoured all 4 books last October - about 2000+ pages in less than 4 weeks. And now that I've finished Twilight I've had to fill the void in my life with other Young Adult Fiction of the Vampire Genre. I've since devoured the entire Blue Bloods series, City of Bones and City of Ashes, and now I'm half way through the House of Night Series. I'm not sure what my interest in vampires says about me, but I profess I'm totally compelled to continue reading all this vampire teen lit - I love the escape and entertainment and I have no plans to stop anytime soon!

And for all you Twilight Fans, my very good blogging buddy, Amy from MomAdvice will be interviewing Jacob Lautner, the actor who plays Jacob (in Twilight the movie and in the upcoming sequel, New Moon), on Blog Talk Radio this Monday, March 9th at 8pm CST. I'm so excited to hear this interview as Twilight fans know that New Moon brings about all kinds of changes for Jacob!

I only wish Stephanie Meyer would continue with her plans to write her 5th book which as many fans know was leaked last summer (after it was only partially complete) causing the author great sadness and forced her to ditch any plans to continue with it for the time being.

To enter to win, please leave a comment below by March 20th, 2009. Include your email address if it is not visible in your profile so we may contact you if you win.

For an additional entry, Tweet about this contest (include my contest link, #11momstwilight and @ClassyMommy in your tweet), leave the link to the tweet in an additional comment. You get one additional entry per tweet.

$1,500 Celebrity Bump Bag Giveaway

Yipee! Classy Mommy's good friends over at Jewels and Pinstripes are partnering with us once again to give away one of their Winter 2009 Celebrity “BUMP” Bags valued at over $1,500 to a lucky reader. These gift bags are a totally hot prize and I'm so excited to be sharing this giveaway with my readers. Celebrity Moms get all the goodies and so will one of you! You will be showered with the same gifts that Tim Allen, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Molly Ringwald, Ana Ortiz, Chad Lowe and Hank Azaria will be receiving!

The gift bag includes the following products: Tiny Prints baby announcements and coordinating stationery, Novena Maternal Skincare, Angel Dear fuzzy bunting, keepsake booties and rattles, Baby Kaed Avi-U diaper bag, Tuni & G onesie, Snuggle Me’z all in one car seat snuggler, The Peanut Shell hospital gown and baby sling, Toot Skooters pink and blue leather shoes, Beba Bean “home from the hospital” blanket and matching hat, Belly Doll maternity skirt, Mabel’s Labels, Skip Hop Pronto diapering essentials kit and matching pacifier pocket, Bump Babies baby under manufacturing process maternity tank, Cardstore.com stationery, Daniel Green mommy slippers, WubbaNub™ pacifier and Wubbie™ blankey, Moment by Moment photo book and Pregnancy Magazine.

To enter, please leave a comment by March 22nd, 2009. 1 Winner. Include your email address if it is not visible in your profile so that we may contact you if you win. Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday: Mickey's Montage

Disney World Top 10

So we just wrapped up day 3 of our trip to Disney. Here's my top ten list so far - top 5 great things and top 5 not-so-great things.

Five Great Things
1) It’s Disney. The little ones truly think it’s all their favorite movies, books, and characters coming to life. It’s great to see Kenzie starstruck when the “real” Sleeping Beauty says hi to her.
2) The fanfare. The endless parades, fireworks, and general frivolity. It really is like a 12 hour party.
3) FastPass. It’s a Godsend when used well. You can “cut” lines legally which is priceless for the impatient kiddies and exhausted parents.
4) Serendipitous Disney employees. You just kind of run into them or they pull you aside - like the street sweeper who personally walked us out of the park when we were lost, the ride operator who gave us VIP front of the line pass to Pooh’s ride, and the train operator who pulled Kenzie aside and gave her a whistle to officially start the toy trains today at Epcot.
5) For the little girls, the hundreds of other little girls that you’ll run into all decked out in their princess gear. Kenzie has made many instant friends with fellow princesses and it’s a blast to see spontaneous ballroom dances emerge from a group of 10 little girl strangers in the main lobby as live Disney music is being played.

Five Not So Great Things
1) Getting here. It’s not Disney’s fault, but even just traveling from Philly to Orlando with a 1 year old and a 3 year old is a big hassle. Door to door it was 9hrs (with no naps!) As a result, you just kind of expect/hope everything to be perfect once you get here. You feel like you kind of deserve it after all that work and the money you spend.
2) The weather. Once again, not Disney’s fault, but we weren’t expecting weather in the 30’s for Florida in March. It has been warming up by late afternoon to the low 60s, but it just hasn’t felt like Florida. The beautiful pool has been serving as one big tease.
3) No wireless access is crippling for this Mommy blogger. It’s 2009 and the flagship Disney World Resort the Grand Floridian does not have in-room wireless? Epcot is all about future technology but the reality for resort guests is stuck in the past. Come on, get with it Disney! In room wired access is $10 a day and it kinda feels like they’re nickel and diming us.
4) Lack of attention to details, considering the "flagship" resort status (and pricetag!). A bunch of small things went wrong so far. Each one is small but all together they just kind of suck. Including, a broken down monorail this morning making a 10 minute commute to Epcot (to capitalize on the hour early opening for resort guests) take an hour and a half, a handful of rude/unhelpful employees, the Disney "Magical" Express (free resort transportation from the airport) added over 2 hours to our already long trip, a video game machine ate up $5 and no employee could help, our faucet was broken, our ice bucket was half full with water from the prior guest and we inadvertently spilled it, nobody offered to take our bags at check-in, getting double billed for our internet access and a very limited kid’s menu (except breakfast).
5) The crowds. Yeah, I guess there’s no avoiding it but the crowds are a real drag. All the people and the long lines are magnified with our little ones who exercise little patience. And who can blame them. On all the Disney commercials and brochures, they’ve been taught to expect that Disney is their kingdom just waiting for their arrival, so Kenzie has a tough time understanding why she always has to wait so long. You never see any crowds in any Disney marketing material - isn’t that funny!

Overall all, I’m a sucker for the manufactured “magic” and will come back in a heartbeat. My husband, on the other hand, is a bit more jaded and would be fine with never coming back again. But if his little princess and prince want to return, I know he’ll rally.