Walgreens Introduces Balance Rewards

If you haven't been to Walgreens recently, you may not know about their new Balance Rewards program. Walgreens is just down the road from us, so I'm there all the time for shampoo, vitamins, moisturizer, and of course prescription medications.

While I've always liked Walgreens for their product selection and great prices, I've wondered why they didn't have some kind of loyalty club like other stores. A loyalty club isn't going to make me switch where I shop, but with the right incentives it might encourage me to shop more at a store I already like.

Apparently they were listening to my thoughts, because just recently Walgreens launched their new Balance Rewards program. This new program is so easy to use, and just by shopping for the products you already use you can earn points to redeem towards cash off coupons.

Points are awarded for purchasing certain featured items each week, and you can combine offers to earn thousands of points in a single purchase. You always earn 500 points for any prescription or immunization. Plus there are sale prices that are available only to Balance Rewards members.

For example, this week (sale ending tomorrow) I can earn 1000 points for buying two bags of select  Halloween chocolates (Mars, Hershey's or Nestle). I needed to buy Halloween candy anyway, so why not get the bonus points, too? My daughters' vitamins are also currently on sale for buy one, get one half off, plus get 1000 bonus points. On sale AND I get extra Balance Rewards points!

You can earn points on Walgreens.com or in-store. Once you reach 5000 points, you can redeem them instantly for a $5 reward - good for anything in the store - or continue saving for greater rewards.

I've already been earning lots of points without making any unnecessary purchases and I love it. I get points for my prescriptions, points for buying our everyday items, and I can even earn points for logging any walks I take using the Walk with Walgreens program.

Signing up is simple and FREE. You can sign up in the store, online, or download the mobile app and register right from your smartphone.

 There are several cool features on the app.

With Christmas shopping getting closer, I need to get the most out of every purchase I make and save every dollar I can. The Walgreens Balance Rewards program makes saving money a little easier for me, and I'm stockpiling my rewards for Black Friday shopping. If you have a Walgreens or Duane Reade near you, stop in and see just how fast you could be earning rewards!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Walgreens as part of a partnership to promote the Balance Rewards program. All thoughts and opinions stated above are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Walgreens. But my local Walgreens will tell you just how often I'm there buying that "one more thing" I need.

Cosmo Gives Seal of Approval to Cesar Treats For Dogs

No, no, not the magazine. The Cosmo I'm referring to is my dog.

It's hard to believe that it's been less than five months since we adopted our first dog, Cosmo. We adopted him at nearly five months old as a medium-sized, skinny puppy who narrowly escaped death row by only a few hours. We thought he would remain medium-sized. And since that time, our wonder pup has doubled in weight - now an 80lb, 10-month-old puppy!

Hey there, I'm Cosmo.

And yet even though it's been five months, it feels like we've had him forever. He quickly found a place in our family, blending in as if he's always been here with us. I can't imagine a day without him now. Even though I planned for him to never be on our furniture, I've relented and enjoy having my pup laying next to me with his head on my lap. He's a good companion and a lot of fun to have around.

Working from home, he's with me throughout the day, serving as my assistant and occasionally urging me to put down the computer for a short meeting concerning the state of belly rubs in this home office.

Your assistant would please like a few minutes of your time?

Beyond ear scratches and belly rubs, though, he loves his treats. He was found starving as a puppy, so naturally he's very food motivated. Being a spoiled pup, of course we want the best dog treats for him, since not only should they be tasty, but also small enough to be good motivators to use for training.

Due to his unexpected size, though, we have to be careful with his treats. The vet has determined that he may have hip issues due to bad genetics, and she's cautioned us to keep his weight down as much as possible to reduce the strain on his joints. Which means our large puppy needs to be fed like the medium-sized dog we thought he was going to be.

I recently was sent a sample of the new Cesar Cookie Crunchies treats for dogs for Cosmo to review. We received two flavors: Rotisserie Chicken and Filet Mignon. These dog biscuits are small and crunchy with a strong meaty smell that Cosmo really enjoys.

The treats are great because they're large enough that even my bigger puppy considers them a significant treat to crunch up, yet each cookie is only 10 calories so I don't feel bad giving him several. We use them as rewards for good behavior and as training rewards when teaching him commands. He's always willing to focus and listen when we hold up the treat.

 Look at that focus as he waits for the command to eat his treat.

The Cesar Cookie Crunchies have three cute shapes and have the consistency of a typical dog biscuit. If your dog is a messy eater, this could result in crumbs on the floor from crunching up the cookie, but if your dog is like Cosmo (with the motto of "no crumb of food shall go uneaten") then you have nothing to worry about and any stray crumbs will be quickly suctioned up.

My only complaint is that, as I said before, the treats have a strong odor. While Cosmo would tell you (if he could talk) that the smell is simply perfect, it's a little strong for my non-canine nose that isn't always seeking out the smell of meat. It's a minor complaint, though, and considering how fast Cosmo will snap to attention when he catches a whiff of these treats, it's easy for me to look past.

The features I love the most are the small size, making them the perfect treats for small dogs to big dogs, and that they're only 10 calories each. For a dog who needs calorie counting to keep a slim physique, it's nice to be able to give him several smaller treats instead of one big one. And anyone who has been on a diet knows that several smaller treats (even when they add up to the same as a big treat) feels like we're getting more.

Whether your dog is big or small, he'll probably love Cesar Cookie Crunchies treats for dogs. Cosmo gives them two paws up for flavor and crunch.

Full disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Cesar and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

ZeroWater Means 100% Pure Water and Zero Chemicals

When I was a kid, I hated drinking plain water. Our small town's tap water always tasted of chlorine with a slightly metallic aftertaste. My mom would push me to drink water instead of sugary drinks, but drinking our water felt like a punishment rather than a healthy choice.

It wasn't until the rise of filtered and bottled water that I found myself willing to drink plain water and even like it. As an adult, when I bought our first refrigerator, I made sure to pick one that featured a filter for our water dispenser. Convincing our kids to drink water, however, has proven to be almost as hard as it was for me. My oldest is sensitive to the slightest change in tastes, and she often says water tastes "icky" to her.

Even with filtered water, I often worry about just how filtered it really is. Does the filter really remove all chemicals, minerals, and other trace particulates? It may taste better, but is it really pure?

I recently was invited by Mom Central to try out the new ZeroWater 10-cup filter-pitcher. This pitcher is like many in that it has a filter reservoir built in to the pitcher to filter the water before it reaches your cup. But that's about where the similarities with other filter-pitchers ends.

ZeroWater's patented 5-stage water filter system is the only system certified to meet the Food & Drug Administration's standards for Purified Bottled Water. That means you can count on crisp, great tasting water every time. And if you're not sure if it's really removing all dissolved solids in your water, ZeroWater includes a laboratory-grade TDS (total dissolves solids) tester to prove just how well it works.

The pitcher is sleek in design and fits well in my side-by-side fridge. Not only can you pour a glass of water from the top of the pitcher, but there's a handy push-button spout at the bottom of the handle if you don't feel like pulling it out of the fridge. (Or have kids who have trouble lifting a full pitcher.)

Back to the lab-grade TDS tester for a minute: this thing is so much fun, and a little scary. I of course wanted to see just what kind of difference was made between water from our tap and the ZeroWater pitcher. Could it really remove all dissolved solids?

First, I tested water straight from the kitchen faucet:

283 ppm (parts per million)

Then I tried water from my built-in fridge filter. (Note: the filter needs to be replaced, so I'm not too surprised that there wasn't much of a difference.)

200 ppm - not much better!

Finally, I poured a glass of water from the ZeroWater pitcher and tested it:

Yep, it says zero. I checked it twice!

OK, I'll admit I was surprised. I was not expecting it to read zero after the other two were so high. As for the taste? Perfect. It tasted like...nothing, just as water should taste. Cool, refreshing, and no hint of aftertaste. Even my older daughter is willing to occasionally drink water now. It's a work in progress with her, folks.

(By the way, you'll find yourself using that water tester everywhere. I've even tested water at restaurants with it. I have yet to find anything under 100ppm.)

My only complaint? The pitcher takes longer than other filter-pitchers to filter the water. If its empty, I fill the reservoir, then wait about 3-5 minutes, then fill it again, place the top on and place it in the fridge. The reservoir and filter take up a lot of space in the pitcher, so I often need to refill it frequently because I like to drink a lot of water.

Overall, I really like the ZeroWater pitcher. The design is great, the water tastes fantastic, and I have peace of mind knowing that this is the purest water I can provide to my family. The included tester is both fun and informative.

You can find the ZeroWater pitcher at Amazon and several other national retailers, including Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, Home Depot, Meijer and Fry's. You can also save 30% off a 10-cup ZeroWater pitcher at the ZeroWater site with the special coupon code MC30.

ZeroWater also has a Facebook page where you can find out more information about their products.

Giveaway!

Want to try ZeroWater for yourself? I've got a ZeroWater 10-cup filter pitcher to give to TWO lucky readers!

To enter, visit the ZeroWater site and enter your zipcode to get your free TDS reading for your area. Once you get your reading from the free TDS lookup tool, come back here and leave a comment telling me what the results were. Be sure to include your email address so I have a way to contact you if you're selected as a winner. One entry per person.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will be open until Monday, April 9 at 11:59pm EDT. After that time, two winners will be randomly selected and contacted by email. Winners have 48 hours to respond or alternate winners will be selected.

Good luck!

Full disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ZeroWater and received a water pitcher to facilitate my review, two pitchers to giveaway, and extra filters to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Organize It ALL With AboutOne

It was August, a week before school started. I had waited until the last minute to fill out my daughter's required preschool admission paperwork. As I sat there writing my mother's name and phone number as the emergency contact six dozen times, I then came across a paper asking for my daughter's vaccination records.

Where did I put her shot record?

I knew it had to be somewhere in the house. I first tore through the stack of Very Important Papers that had piled up on my end table. Then through the disorganized filing cabinet, tossing aside cell phone agreements from plans we no longer have as I tried to find that piece of paper with those important dates on it. Then I moved to a box of papers in the guest room that had originally started on the end table.

Why did I do this to myself? How could I be so disorganized?

I'm guessing I'm not the only mom who has experienced moments like this. Yours may not be as extreme as mine, but it's very difficult to keep all of our important papers, dates, receipts and items we'd like to remember together in a neat, organized spot. I often feel like my home is slowly being devoured by paper and I have way too many things that I need to hold onto - just in case - but then when that just in case moment comes I can't find them.

It doesn't have to be this way. You'd think with all of the power of the Internet and the "cloud" that someone could invent a better solution. Which is why I'm thrilled to find out that someone has created that solution.

I was recently told of AboutOne, and I think it might be the miracle I was looking for. The AboutOne website and mobile app provide you with the technology to digitally store all of your information - receipts, important papers, dates, photos, kid artwork, health records, or any other important data - in one secure online account where you can easily retrieve it from any location. (We're talking bank-level security here, so you know it's safe.)

For example, have access to your auto insurance policy number and contact information from anywhere. Useful, no?

Your private timeline is as easy to manage as any of your social media accounts, and the technology makes it even easier by entering much of your information automatically and helping you to sort it into practical categories for quick access. Your entire family can have access to your account, too, meaning when you're at work and your husband needs your business travel receipts when preparing your taxes, he can pull up the information without calling you to ask.

Or you can provide your babysitter a detailed printable sheet with all necessary information on your kids and contact information:

Oh, how I've needed a babysitter report for special needs & food allergies!

Along with all that data at your fingertips, AboutOne also can sync your Google, iCal, or Outlook calendar/contact tools to make them more useful.

Birthday reminders! I'm no longer at the mercy of Facebook for birthdays!

If I somehow didn't fully explain it to you, click through this slideshow below for even more information on how AboutOne works:

You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Personally? This is like a dream come true for me. A very organized dream come true. Sign up now and be ready when version 2.0 is released soon!

Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with AboutOne. All opinions expressed are my own - my husband's opinion would be that I'm even MORE disorganized than I'm letting on here.

And no, I never found the shot records until two weeks after they were due. Our pediatrician's front office staff hates me. Trust me, sign up for AboutOne and spare yourself the evil eye at the doctor's office.  

Listerine Oral Care Challenge: The Results

See my first post for the full details of our challenge.

So here we are. We finished 3 weeks of the Listerine Oral Care Challenge, and while we didn't all come out with gold medals, I think I can confidently say that we've seen an improvement in our overall oral care!

The challenge was simple: brush, floss and use mouthwash twice a day, for the entire family. Since mouthwash often isn't recommended for Mira's age, we decided she would be exempt from mouthwash. Listerine sent us a challenge kit with everything we needed for our three weeks: new Reach toothbrushes, Reach floss, and Listerine mouthwash for adults and kids.

I had no trouble with brushing twice a day - it's a habit I've already had and one that will easily continue. Mouthwash wasn't too difficult to incorporate into my routine - most days I managed it twice a day, but there were a few days when I forgot. As for flossing...well, no gold star for me. I know I need to do it, but when I'm in a rush it always gets forgotten. I did floss a number of times, but certainly not every day.

My husband also got in his twice a day brushing, along with mouthwash. He had a cold during our challenge, so he sometimes used mouthwash more than twice a day - that minty-fresh feeling helped him feel a little better when his nose was clogged. But like me, he was a slacker on flossing. We now know what we need to work on in the year ahead.

For the kids, what I expected ended up being the complete opposite. Cordy may be the older child, but her autism often makes her hesitant to try anything new. She was happy to continue brushing her teeth as she usually does, but refused anything else. I thought she might be a little resistant to mouthwash, but I underestimated her fear of the new.

There was crying. And screaming. And refusal. And that was even before she had tasted anything. We attempted to coax her to try it several times, but the idea of putting a liquid into your mouth and then spitting it out was horrifying to her, and we eventually had to give up. I plan to try again in six months or so, and hopefully she'll reach a point where she'll try.

But Mira - the child who didn't need to use mouthwash - BEGGED us to let her try! She insisted that she could use it without swallowing it, so we let her try. She swished it around her mouth like a pro and spit it all out without any problems. And after that, she was hooked. She now uses mouthwash each day and she is incredibly proud of how well she's caring for her teeth. She's asked to start flossing soon, too. She tried all three of the kid mouthwashes, and the Listerine Smart Rinse Batman one is her favorite, although she likes that the Listerine Smart Rinse Barbie one is pink in color. (And she's using the Barbie Reach toothbrush.)

So the winner of the Listerine Oral Care Challenge in our house? The four year old! Despite having none of her adult teeth yet, she's doing a great job at making oral care habits that will hopefully last her for a lifetime, and guarantee dazzling pearly whites! She's also become the oral care coach (dictator, really) for the rest of the family: "Cordy, you really should twy moufwash." "Mommy, did you fwoss?" "Hey, I can't go to bed witfout bwushing my teef!"

I'm glad we had the opportunity to do this challenge. It helped us see the importance of caring for our teeth and gums, and showed us where we're lacking in our routine. After three weeks, my teeth definitely feel healthier and I've noticed they're not as sensitive as before.

Thank you, Listerine, for helping us establish new habits! I'd encourage everyone to take their own three week oral care challenge to find where your family can improve your brush-time habits like we did!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Listerine and received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Creating Better Smiles With The Listerine Oral Care Challenge

Confession time: my family's oral care routine isn't the best it could be. Oh sure, we all brush - I'm lucky to have two little girls who don't mind brushing their teeth - but it isn't always as often as it should be. The nighttime brushing always happens, but they often forget in the rush of the morning. My older daughter has several permanent teeth already in, but still doesn't floss or use mouthwash. I try to feel good that at least they do brush, but I know that brushing alone can miss the germs in 75% of your mouth.

I'm a faithful brusher thanks to my sensitive teeth, but only occasionally use mouthwash and hardly ever floss. My husband is faithful with the mouthwash but also never flosses. It's not that we want to neglect our mouths - but when you're busy it's easy for some steps to be left behind in the process. We only get one set of teeth, though, so we could all do better at creating good habits when it comes to caring for our teeth and gums.

Recently I was invited by Mom Central to join the Listerine Oral Care Challenge. The challenge involves committing to a twice-daily routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing for the entire family for three weeks. Listerine provided us with a kit including new toothbrushes, floss, and mouthwash for kids and adults. We also have a chart to keep track of our progress and keep the kids motivated. Chances are I'll throw in some prizes for the kids so they don't slack off, too.

Our Listerine Challenge kit

My younger daughter is still too young for mouthwash, so she'll be participating in a modified version by committing to brushing twice a day. It'll likely be tough to convince my older daughter (who has sensory issues related to autism) to go beyond brushing, but she likes the characters on the kids' mouthwash bottles, so I'm hoping she'll give it a try. If we do it together as a family, she might be more likely to copy what the adults are doing, too.

We'll be starting our challenge on December 1 and finishing just before Christmas. I'm hopeful that we can create new family habits that stick and have dazzling teeth to show off at all of our holiday parties! Check back in three weeks to see how well we did, and if you're concerned about your family's oral care routine, join in and start your own challenge!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Listerine and received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

BP: Making The Commute A Little Better

Hooray for back-to-school! While I'm thankful to send my girls off to fill their brains with knowledge and let me get some sleep during the day, I'm less excited about the daily trips for preschool drop off and the increased traffic during morning and afternoon drive times.

I recently had the opportunity to attend an informational session with BP for their Commute Better program. Locals here in Columbus might have heard some of their commercials on the radio recently featuring tips on making the daily commute a little less painful as well as the Commute Better team out at local BP stations handing out commuter essentials.

A recent survey commissioned by BP said that eighty-six percent of Columbus drivers have a specific route they follow for their daily commute, even if construction leads to traffic jams on that route. I was a little surprised by that number, thinking these people must be recent immigrants to our fine city, because I was certain that most residents live by the rule that you need to know at least three ways to get anywhere in this city, since one of those routes will surely be closed or blocked.

Personally, I'm a master at alternate routes, making last minute decisions to take a side street or hop back onto the highway to avoid any stops in traffic. My husband is just as savvy - listening to us weigh the pros and cons of which route to take based on past history of traffic patterns and current traffic reports can be very amusing.

Tip: be flexible with your commute. Listen to the traffic report before you leave the house and plan accordingly. Leaving 15 minutes earlier than normal can sometimes make a big difference as well.

I also learned that not all gasoline is created equal, and that BP includes an additive called Invigorate that can help prevent damaging build-up in your engine or scrub away any current deposits that may be threatening the health of your vehicle. (And wallet.) Keeping your engine clean can lead to better gas mileage and fewer repairs.

Other useful commuting tips include mapping out your day to reduce the amount of driving between stops, avoiding school areas as much as possible during peak times, keeping your car maintained with regular oil and air filter changes, and keeping a basket of car toys to entertain your kids and reduce distractions.

My luncheon ended with receiving an awesome car organizer filled with everything I could think of to make my commute a little bit easier.

For more information on the BP Commute Better program, check out their website. Even if you're not in Columbus, the website has plenty of tips to make the drive easier regardless of location. 

Giveaway!

BP is sharing the love with one of you as well! I've got an extra car organizer available to give away to one lucky reader.

What's in it, you might ask? Well, beyond being the perfect size to place between two booster seats, this organizer has pockets to hold everything your kids might need, including drink holders! Also included is a travel coffee mug, a tumbler, umbrella, sunglasses, air freshener, tire gauge, hand wipes, sunscreen, band-aids, tissues, a flashlight, lotion, a notepad, pens, crayons and a coloring book. Oh, and a $10 BP gift card to help with gas while you're on-the-go.

To enter: you must leave a comment below sharing your best tip for keeping kids happy in the car on a long drive. How do you avoid the sibling fighting or the endless "are we there yet?" questions? Share your tip and be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner.

Entries will be accepted until September 1, 2011 at 11:59pm (Eastern Time). One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries and contacted by email. Winner will have 3 days to confirm acceptance or a replacement winner will be chosen. US mailing addresses only.

Good luck, and stay safe out on the road!

Full disclosure: I was invited to a luncheon sponsored by BP and given a car organizer kit while there. I received no compensation for this post and giveaway, and no promise of a positive write-up was promised or expected. All opinions expressed here are my own honest opinions and, just because it's funny to say in a post about driving, your mileage may vary.

Babycakes Makes Baking Easy

I'm a lousy cook. There's no denying it. But I'm a slightly better baker. Given time, lots of counter space, and a lot of mess, I can turn out semi-decent muffins or quick breads. My daughters beg to have lots of baked goods in the house, and knowing I can make muffins has them convinced I can whip up any baked good in a flash.

Ha.

No, I'm usually a disappointment to my kids, coming up with excuse after excuse as to why I won't bake anything for them. It generally is a big mess, uses a lot of bowls and muffin tins, heats up my kitchen, and the results are rarely spectacular.

In our case, though, running to the grocery for a quick cupcake pickup can't happen either. My older daughter is sensitive to many ingredients, so I have to carefully screen the ingredients. And most store cupcakes come with brightly colored frosting that she can't have.

I was recently offered the chance to review a little machine that promised to be the answer to my prayers. The Babycakes cupcake maker heats up in five minutes, requires very little cleaning, and can bake treats in eight minutes or less.

This is the Foreman Grill of the baking world. Actually, it looks a lot like our (much used) Foreman grill, only in a pretty shade of pink.

With this device, you can use the recipes they suggest or use a boxed mix. (Go with a moist cake mix if using a prepackaged mix.) Me being lazy, I used a box mix for my first try, but have my eye on some of the delicious recipes in the included booklet.

The girls had fun mixing up the batter while I got the cupcake maker ready.

Then we added two tablespoons of batter to each cup, plugged it in, and let it do its magic!

The instruction booklet suggested it would take 5-7 minutes for the cupcakes to cook, even when starting with a cool appliance. They weren't kidding: after 5 minutes, I checked them and the cupcakes were fully cooked!

Getting them out of the cupcake maker was the most difficult part. It says to use a plastic utensil to pop the cupcakes out, but I didn't have anything that was plastic that was both thin enough and wouldn't melt from the heat. So I performed a big no-no and (gently!) used a butter knife to get the cupcakes out. Despite the nonstick surface, I still had trouble getting some of them out, leaving a few cupcakes looking mangled.

Proof that no gadget can make me perfect.

Overall, half a box of cake mix produced 20 cupcakes, all in under 20 minutes! (It normally takes me at least 20 minutes to find my muffin pan.) After they were cooled, we added frosting and let the kids have their first bites.

Success!



I like the ease of use of the Babycakes cupcake maker and I can see myself using it often in the future, especially around the holidays. It makes cupcakes lightning-quick, and clean up is easy - just wipe it off after it cools. My only complaint is that it can be tough to get the cupcakes out of the wells without damaging them; I might need to hunt for the right plastic utensil to help me out.

But most of all, I like it because I'm now a hero to my kids, able to make them cupcakes anytime they want with little chance of (fatal) error!

Full disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Babycakes and received a product sample and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Bosch Tassimo Home Brewing System: Coffeehouse Quality In Your Kitchen! (Giveaway)

In my family, both my husband and I like tea and coffee, although our tastes seem to be opposites. When I want coffee, he wants tea. When I want tea, he's into coffee. And our kids both like hot chocolate. It seems like we can never agree on what we want, but brewing up a pot for each of us seems like a real waste.

We bought a single-cup brewing machine about a year ago, and while I like it, there are some limitations. Mainly, I can't get it to make my favorite drink: a chai latte. And it can take a really, really long time to warm up. So when I was offered the chance to try out a new single-cup brewing machine that promised it would be faster and would even give me the perfect chai latte, I couldn't pass up the chance.

The Bosch Tassimo T20 Brewbot (such a cool name, no? Can't you imagine a little robot brewing your coffee for you?) is the smartest little beverage maker you can find. It can brew 40+ single-cup drinks for you in about a minute, including coffee, tea, lattes and even hot chocolate. Not only does it brew each drink, but it's smart enough to know which type of drink it's brewing and how to make it so it'll be just right.

OK, so the T20 doesn't get all of the credit. Part of the credit goes to the bar codes on each T-disc you put in the machine. The T20 has a bar code reader that scans the bar code to determine how much water to add, what temperature to brew the water, and how big the drink will be. Want a latte? Just grab a milk T-disc and use it with a coffee or chai tea T-disc to create the perfect frothy drink. Also, if you want a little more coffee than the T20 automatically prepares, you can hit the button near the end of the brew cycle to add a little more to your cup.

I've had the chance to use mine for two weeks now, and I love it. I've made coffee, tea, hot chocolate and lattes with the Tassimo, and all of them were excellent. Christmas was a breeze, because whenever anyone wanted a drink, I offered up the T-disc selection and let them make a cup of whichever drink they wanted. Everyone was impressed with how easy it was.

As for my chai latte? Perfect. It tastes just like the pricey one I buy at the coffeehouse. And is ready in my kitchen in about a minute. 

What I like about the T20

- Easy to use: Insert a disc, close the compartment, and push the button - that's it! No temperatures to set, no brew times to configure, and certainly no messy grounds to dispose of. When you're done, simply take the disc out (the grounds are still container in the disc) and throw it away. Even my kids can make a cup of hot chocolate without my help.

- So much variety: If I want tea and my husband wants coffee, we can each have what we want without brewing enough for several people. He can use the T20 to make a cup of coffee, and then I can use it for tea, with nothing to clean in-between. And with the ability to use milk discs to create lattes and cappuccinos, there are endless drink combinations you can create!

- Saves counter space: The Tassimo T20 is amazingly compact for all it can do. It fits easily on my counter without taking up too much space. It's also easy to transport - I took it to work and made drinks for myself all night from my desk, while still having plenty of desk space for work. (I could see the T20 being perfect for apartment or dorm dwellers as well!)

- Brands I like: Some of the T-disc varieties include Starbucks, Gevalia and Twinings tea, all favorite and trusted brands. The Starbucks coffee tastes just like what you'd get from the store, only at a fraction of the cost. (And without leaving the house in your pajamas.)

This is an amazing little beverage machine, and perfect for a busy family with different tastes. With the T20, everyone gets the drink they want, it's cheaper than buying it from a coffeehouse, there's no messy cleanup, and with one machine to brew so many different drinks, you conserve precious kitchen counter space.

Win a Tassimo T20!

Of course I couldn't tell you all about this brewing beauty without giving you the chance to try it as well, right? That's why I'm excited to tell you that I'm giving away a Bosch Tassimo T20 to one lucky reader!

For a chance to win, visit the Tassimo site and then leave a comment below telling me which brewed beverage you'd most like to try. In your comment, include a link to the specific product from the Tassimo site, as well as your e-mail address so I can contact you if you're selected as the winner.

Entries will be accepted until January 9, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. One entry per person, US residents only. Winner will be selected by random drawing after January 9 and will be contacted by e-mail. Winner will have 3 days to respond to the e-mail or another winner will be selected.

Good luck and happy brewing!

Full disclosure: I was given a Tassimo T20 machine and a couple of T-disc packs to facilitate this review, with no further compensation received. I've already purchased several more T-discs, and my old single-cup brewer is now collecting dust, so I think we can agree that I genuinely like it. All opinions expressed in this review are my honest thoughts. As always, your mileage may vary.

Just Eyewear Makes Buying Glasses Easy

Welcome my husband, Aaron, to Mommy's Must Haves today as he provides a review of Just Eyewear glasses!

If you had looked on the dashboard of my car anytime over the past nine months, you would have seen a pair of glasses sitting there – with one lens barely hanging on to the frame. That's because I broke my glasses immediately after losing our vision insurance, and while I needed them to drive, I couldn't afford to replace them. So, in the car they sat, able to sit gingerly on my nose as I drove, but otherwise banished from my face.

Fortunately, I was given the chance to order a pair of prescription glasses online from Just Eyewear, and now I'm able to see well all of the time again. This is a great relief to me, and I have to say that I was very pleased with the process.

The first step you'll need to ordering a pair of glasses is your prescription, and some details about the size and shape of your face. The good news is that all of this information can come looking in a mirror, having a measuring tape handy, and being able to lay your hands on another pair of glasses that fit you well in the past.

With your prescription in hand, you'll head on over to the Just Eyewear website, where they will walk you through the process of choosing frames. This starts by selecting your gender and the shape of your face. Using an old pair of eyeglasses as a guide, you can then use the custom frame fitter filter to help you select frames that have the correct lens diameter, bridge and temple measurements.

At this point you'll be presented with numerous frames to select from, in a variety of colors and materials, all perfect for your face. I was quite pleased with the selection they had, and was able to find something very similar in style to my broken pair (which I liked a lot, other then the fact that they were, you know, broken,)

After you've picked the frames, you'll then fill in your prescription information. One thing that you will need that isn't always included in your prescription is your P.D. or pupilary distance (it wasn't included in my prescription). This describes the distance between your two pupils, and is essential to getting a set of glasses that fit you. Fortunately, you can take this measurement yourself or with a friend's help, and the Just Eyewear website walks you through that process.

Once you have the prescription information in, you then get the option to add customization to the lenses, either by choosing different thickness lenses, special coatings, tinting or polarization, or even transition lenses. Finally, you'll check out and the glasses will be on their way in 5-7 business days.

My glasses took just under two weeks to arrive, and so far I'm very pleased with them. They looked exactly as represented on the screen, fit perfectly, and the prescription matched my old prescription identically. By virtue of these being a review pair, I had up to fifty dollars to spend in picking out my glasses, and while I didn't get transition lenses or prescription sunglasses, it was easy for me to pick frames and lenses that fit into that budget. Honestly, it was easy enough that I intend to order another pair of glasses that are prescription sunglasses – and I'm only too happy to pay for those out of pocket.

There are some downsides to the process, of course. First off, these aren't “designer frames,” although they are clearly modeled after them. So, if having a designer logo on the side of your frames is important to you, then you probably want to look elsewhere. Also, using Just Eyewear doesn't eliminate the need for a trip to the optometrist – you still need to have an eye exam and prescription written out for you. For those with insurance, the trip to the optometrist might cover most of the cost of the glasses, and in that case, there isn't a lot of reason to use Just Eyewear in place of the glasses you could order through your doctor.

But for someone needing a second pair of glasses, or who needs replacements between trips covered by insurance, or someone like me with no vision insurance, buying glasses online from Just Eyewear is a good choice. The glasses are high-quality, the price is inexpensive, and their website is extremely helpful in walking you through the process to ensure that you get glasses you'll be satisfied with. I certainly am satisfied with mine.

Full disclosure: My husband received a complimentary pair of glasses from Just Eyewear to facilitate this review. We received this opportunity through my status as a contributing member of the PRIZEY giveaway community, and no further compensation was received. An honest review was promised, but a positive review was neither guaranteed nor required.

Three Days To Softer Lips With Neosporin

Ohio winters are brutal on skin and hair. My skin is always dry and flaky in the winter, and my hair carries enough static to jump start a car battery. But my lips show the worst of it. They're always dry, flaky, and when the temperatures really plummet, they crack and bleed.

Mom Central offered me the chance to take the Neosporin Three-Day Challenge, trying both the Neosporin Daily Hydration Therapy lip balm, and the Overnight Renewal Therapy balm. Seeing how no amount of lip balm has ever given me totally smooth lips in the winter, I was skeptical but willing to try it.

The Neosporin Daily Hydration Therapy is to be used several times a day, and contains a SPF 20 sunscreen. It comes in a squeeze tube instead of a stick - I generally don't like squeeze tubes, but stuck it out for the purpose of the challenge. The lip goo has a slight tingly feel to it, and maybe a hint of mint. Otherwise it's pretty tasteless, which I prefer to tasting bad.

The Overnight Renewal Therapy is a small container of cream that you apply to your lips once at night. A small dab goes a very long way! It's taste and feel are similar to the daily balm, although it does feel a little thicker and creamier on the lips. It absorbs fairly quickly and in the morning my lips were much softer. I actually like this one far more than the daily therapy, and have since used it more even during the day. (Although it doesn't have any sunscreen, so be aware of that!)

The results? After three days, my lips were smoother and showed no signs of flakes. But I had to keep up the therapy - if I didn't reapply the daily balm at least 3-4 times a day, the dryness returned if I spent any amount of time in the cold, parched air. Since switching to using the overnight balm even during the day, I find I need to reapply it less and it doesn't feel as sticky on my lips.

Overall, I think Neosporin does deliver on its promise of visibly healthier lips in three days. I prefer the overnight renewal therapy to the daily hydration therapy, but your experience may vary. If you suffer from chronic dry lips, especially in the winter, the Neosporin Three-Day Challenge is worth a try. This might just be the first time I've had smooth lips in the winter, and I like the feeling.

Full disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Neosporin and received a sample of the Lip Health Overnight Renewal Therapy and the Lip Health Daily Hydration Therapy to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate to GlobalGiving.org. All opinions are my own and should not be taken as medical advice. 

A Night Light That Keeps Kids In Bed - No, Really!

Cordy has always been an early riser. There have been good times when she would sleep until 6:30 am, and not-so-good times when she would be up for the day at 4:30 am. We don't like her to be out of her room when we're not awake (safety issues, obviously), and we really don't want her waking us up at times when no sane human should be awake.

Winter is especially hard, because we can't use the old "when the sun comes up you can come out of your room" explanation. We recently tried buying her a digital clock, and teaching her to stay in bed until the clock says "6" is a great idea until she comes into your room at 4:36 am with a chipper smile on her face as she exclaims, "Mommy, there's a six on my clock!" Beyond that, teaching a five year old - or at least our five year old with autism - the intricacies of 6:00 versus 6:30 is also difficult.

But we've found a solution that works now. I was invited to try out the Good Nite Lite, a night light that also functions to teach children when it's nighttime and morning. It has a small clock in it that you can program to set a bedtime and set a time when it's OK to get out of bed.

Here's how it works: plug the Good Nite Lite into the wall, and when the internal clock reaches the time you set for bedtime, the nightlight turns on to reveal a glowing blue moon:


While bright at first, the moon dims after the first hour. The moon stays on all night, lending a soft blue glow to the room that isn't too bright to disturb. When it's time to get up in the morning - according to the time you set - the moon changes to a yellow-orange glowing sun:


The sun stays on for only two hours before it shuts off for the day to conserve energy. The beauty of this system is that you can change the times whenever you need, so if you are trying to retrain an early riser to stay in bed longer, you can reset the time in slow increments over days or weeks.

Does it work? I'm amazed and thrilled to say that it does! Cordy understands the sun and moon concept far better than telling time on a digital clock. She loves to see the moon on at night, and really does stay in her room until it switches to a sun.

A quick example: Aaron set it to switch to the sun at 6:15 am each day. He accidentally reset it to 6:45 am one night, and the next morning Cordy didn't come out of her room until 6:45. Her sister was awake and out of her room before Cordy, encouraging Cordy to join her in the hallway, and Cordy refused to come out of her room until she saw the sun on her night light. We are stunned at how easy this has been - never before has she stayed in her room so easily.

Are there any negatives? Well, programming the clock is a little complicated, but the instruction guide does provide fairly clear directions. Just remember to be quick, because if you wait 10 seconds, the time returns to the previously set time.

At this point I'm declaring the Good Nite Lite a brilliant product that I wish I knew about two years ago. I'd gladly sign a petition to make this a required item for new parents. (I'm already considering a second one for Mira - she's starting to be an early riser now, too.)

I don't think Cordy will be giving up her Good Nite Lite for a long time. And I think Aaron and I will be getting more sleep now thanks to this wonderful night light.

Full Disclosure: I was given one Good Nite Lite for review. No positive review was guaranteed or expected. All opinions are my own, and no further compensation was provided.

Juice With The Added Ingredients You WANT

I have to admit, my kids are big juice drinkers. Cordy has disliked water from the beginning, begging only for juice or milk to drink. (Hey, could be worse, right?) I'd say both girls get about 3 glasses of juice each day.

Now wait - before you remind me that 3 glasses is way too much juice per day, let me add that each glass is about 1/4 juice and 3/4 water. Sometimes even more water. So really they're getting about one serving of juice per day. But don't tell them I water it down. They've never tasted full-strength juice.

Of course, I'm very picky with juice, and only want 100% juice for them - no added ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup. Because of that, we've been big fans of Juicy Juice for years. I've trusted the product more than other brands because I don't feel like I have to check each label closely to make sure that particular flavor is 100% juice and not 10% juice or less.

Recently I was given the chance to try two new Juicy Juice products. Juicy Juice Brain Development and Juicy Juice Immunity are fruit juice beverages containing added nutrients, and are designed to benefit children during different periods of their growth and development.

Juicy Juice Brain Development is the same apple or grape juice you love, but with DHA added. You've seen DHA in other products - it's been added to baby formula, baby food, children's yogurt, etc. Juicy Juice Immunity has added Vitamin C and Zinc to help build your child's natural defenses against illness. It also has prebiotic fiber to help with digestive health. It's available in apple or berry flavors.

These two new products taste no different from the other 100% juice products made by Juicy Juice. My girls love the grape and berry flavors, and knowing that my preschooler doesn't always have the best diet (picky eater), I feel better knowing she's getting a little extra fiber and vitamins from her favorite drink.

Try it free!
I've got two coupons to give away - one for a free Juicy Juice Brain Development, and one for a free Juicy Juice Immunity! To enter, leave a comment below with your child's favorite flavor of juice. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you should you win.

Entries will be allowed until May 26, 2009 at 11:59pm EDT. Two winners will be chosen at random (random.org) - the first winner will have first pick at which product they want to try.

If you want to save more money on your juice, sign up at Juicy Juice to receive news, coupons and special offers.

VTech's Perfect Family Phone (Win One!)

I don't know who the brilliant person was who designed our house, but one thing they failed at was the placement of phone jacks. We have a grand total of two: one upstairs, one downstairs. While this is generally OK on an everyday basis, it does make it difficult to run to the phone if you happen to be on the other side of the downstairs. And should we stay in this house, can you imagine the battle for the phone with two daughters in a few years?

I was recently sent the VTech CS6129-3 cordless phone set for review. Unlike my current cordless phone, this one has a base unit with a digital answering machine, and two remote units. These two remote units don't require a phone jack - they only need an outlet for electricity. Now instead of two phones, we have three phones, giving us one additional location. I put the third phone in our kitchen, making it easier to answer the phone when making lunch or dinner without having to drop whatever I'm doing.

This phone system also has callerID, call waiting and speakerphone available. The phones can be used simultaneously, used to transfer a call from one handset to another, or be used as an intercom between the three handset locations. The transfer calls option is extremely useful - imagine answering the phone and it's someone calling for your husband, who is upstairs. Instead of yelling for him to come down, or taking the phone up to him, just transfer the call to the other handset.

I'm impressed with the clarity of calls. My old cordless sounded nearly as bad as a cell phone in a spotty area at times, but the VTech phone produces clear audio with no interference. The volume adjustment is easy to use, too. In fact, all of the different features are easy to use, with intuitive buttons and menus.

Best of all for this family, these phones are WiFi friendly - they don't interfere with the WiFi signal in your house, and they can't be heard across the baby monitor. Should someone try to listen in to your call, the phone scrambles the signal for security.

I'm thrilled with this phone, and I think it's the perfect phone for a family who needs to stay connected.

Win One!

I'm giving away a VTech CS6129-3 cordless phone set ($79.95 value) to one lucky reader! (US entrants only, sorry!) To enter, leave a comment below telling me about your current phone and what you like or don't like about it.

You can also earn additional entries in one of the following ways.

Extra entries:
1. Tweet about this contest on Twitter.
2. Subscribe to my blog (this one or A Mommy Story) or let me know you're already subscribed - only one entry here, even if you're subscribed to both.
3. Write a post on your blog linking to this contest.

For each of these additional entries, please leave a separate comment. For #1 and #3, also give me the link to your tweet or blog post.

Also be sure I have a valid e-mail address to contact you if you should win. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, February 3 at 11:59 pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random after that date and contacted via e-mail.

Good luck, and be sure to watch for my other giveaways being held this week on this blog and my other blog in participation with the Bloggy Giveaways carnival!

This contest is now closed - thanks to all who participated!

How To NOT Ruin Your Clothing

I've said many times that I'm a domestic zero, failing at many simple household tasks like cooking and cleaning. But in our household I'm the one in charge of laundry, and so every few days I must make sure to get stains out and keep our clothing clean, without shrinking anything or turning white socks pink.

I've always been nervous about bleach. Knowing it's powerful ability to whiten anything - whether it was white to begin with or not - I rarely use it because I don't know when it should be used. Must the entire load be white? If some of the t-shirts are white with a design on them, will the design be ruined?

Recently Mom Central gave me the chance to try out Clorox 2, a color-safe bleach alternative. It's been around forever I'm told, but since it had the word bleach in it, I avoided it. After being assured that it really is safe to use on colors, I gave it a try.

I can happily report that I did not ruin my clothing with Clorox 2. The colors are still just as bright as before they were washed (a big plus, since I tend to make colors fade), and stains came out easier than before. I forgot to put any stain treatment on one of Mira's shirts (dry-erase marker), and I was surprised to see it come out of the wash without a single stray black mark.

Clorox 2 comes in several scents, but I was thankful to see it came in a Free formula too - no dyes or perfumes. Due to Cordy's sensitive skin, we have to wash everything in dye-free, fragrance-free detergents.

Win it!
Want to try out Clorox 2 for yourself? I have three coupons for a free bottle of Clorox 2 (any scent) to give to three lucky readers.

To enter, leave a comment below with a story of your worst laundry disaster, and make sure I have a way to contact you should you win. You can comment anytime between now and Wednesday, December 10 at 11:59 pm. Three winners will be chosen at random.

Good luck!

Kroger Brings The Savings To You

In these tough economic times, I've been looking for savings everywhere I can. And lately I've been having great luck with our local Kroger for saving money on my groceries and more.

Every week I scan our local Kroger ad to look for the weekly deals and plan our meals accordingly. I love the Kroger Fuel Rewards program, which give you a minimum of $0.10 off of gas at any Kroger-owned gas station when you spend at least $100 at Kroger in a month. (I spend about four times that much, so the gas savings really add up!)

I've also taken advantage of the Kroger Pharmacy's $4 prescriptions twice in the past two months, since we're currently without insurance.

And I've recently started taking advantage of the Kroger.com website to help me save even more. While I'd like to be an avid coupon-cutter, the truth is I'm not so good at remembering to do it. And when I do remember, I often forget to bring the coupons I need with me to the grocery. Kroger.com provides downloadable coupons to print, and if you don't want to worry about carrying coupons, they also have partnerships with P&G's eSaver and Shortcuts, both of which let you pick the coupons you want and have them automatically added to your Kroger Plus card. When you go to the grocery, the coupon discounts are automatically added to any of the selected products you buy when you scan your card. For someone who is forgetful of little paper coupons, this is a HUGE service to me!

Win a $25 Kroger gift card!

Want to win a $25 Kroger gift card? Leave a comment on this post between now and Friday October 31 at 11:59 pm Eastern time. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you win. One winner will be chosen at random (Via Random.org) after Friday.

Kroger gift cards can be used at any Kroger Co. store, including Fred Meyer, Ralph's, and Food 4 Less.

Also, be sure to enter for a different $25 Kroger card over on my other blog as well!

(This contest is part of the Bloggy Giveaways carnival.)

Party Supplies and A Chat With Elmo

Right before Cordy's birthday party, I was contacted by the Solo Cup Company, asking if we would like to try out their new line of Sesame Street cups, bowls and plates. Specifically, I was asked if I had an upcoming party that needed supplies. I replied that Cordy was having a birthday party that weekend, and we didn't have any supplies yet. Candace then overnighted me a box of cups and bowls to use for the party.

The kids loved the cups and bowls! We used the bowls to serve ice cream and cake, meaning less was scooped off plates onto the floor or small laps. I liked that they were strong bowls and the cups held up all day long, despite several refills with ice. The cups also came with tops and straws to minimize spills. At the end of the party, we had a large bag for people to throw all of the paper products into for recycling, making clean-up a piece of...well...cake. The Sesame Street paper bowls and cups were perfect for the party.

Also, right now Solo is putting a toll-free number on each package of Sesame Street party products. Dialing that number will put your child in contact with Elmo, which if your kid likes Elmo will make you officially Coolest Mom of the Year. Sure, it's a recorded message, but will your child care? Probably not. The Solo Sesame Street website also has activities to print off, including recipes and coloring pages.

A Stylish Yet High-Tech Lock

Ok, I know door hardware doesn't exactly inspire excitement in a lot of people. Normally, I wouldn't care that much either. But that inner geek in me (who am I kidding - outer geek is more like it) loves to see a technology edge to anything. And when it works? Even better.

So that's why I agreed to review a new lock by Schlage, because an electronic keypad lock sounds like something out of a James Bond movie. And I loves me some gadgets.

When the lock arrived, I was really impressed. It's a stylish lock, with gentle curves in a satin nickel finish.

Honestly, the hardest part of installation was getting the lock out of the box. They provide very detailed instructions on how to install the lock, but nothing to figure out which pieces to unscrew in order to remove it from the styrofoam.

When I saw the first instruction was to line up and measure the deadbolt hole in the door to make sure it would fit this lock, I had nightmares of having to drill into my door with some drilling type device that I do not own. (I'm not much of a do-it-yourselfer.) Thankfully, there seems to be some kind of standard size, because the hole from the old deadbolt and the lock matched up perfectly.

The actual installation wasn't too bad. It took longer than the 30 minutes that Schlage says it will take, and it took two people, but as I've said, Bob Villa I am not. There were a few times I wasn't sure exactly what to do, and in these cases I turned to the video instructions provided on the Schlage website.

The lock comes pre-programmed with two key codes, although you can reprogram them to a code you can remember or add more codes if needed. Having at least two codes is a great idea. You can give the second code to a house-sitter, babysitter, or anyone else who needs access to your house, and then change or delete the second code when you no longer want them to have access.

I really like the keypad deadbolt so far. The greatest benefit to me is not having to fish out my keys when carrying a toddler and several bags up to the door. I also like the security of not worrying about a key that could be stolen. (They do provide a set of keys for keypad override, should you need them.) It has a useful backlight so you can see the numbers at night, and a low battery indicator to tell you when you need to change the 9V battery.

If you're looking for a new door lock, consider an electronic keypad from Schlage. I can see this lock being very useful when my daughters are older. Better for them to remember a short number sequence to get into our house than have to keep track of a set of keys.

I'm Stuck On Mabel's Labels

**Edited to add: This contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

Most parents know that the second you get more than one baby/toddler/preschooler together, stuff gets mixed together and often goes missing. More than once I've had to ask a friend, "Does this sippy cup belong to your kid or mine?" I've written Cordy's name on many items with marker, but the marker always fades after awhile.

Then I tried Mabel's Labels, and I'm in love. Have you seen these? They're personalized labels that can be used for all sorts of stuff. They have labels to use on hard items, like baby bottles, toys, and sippy cups, plus they have labels that can be ironed into clothing or stuck into shoes. Clothing labels are great for kids going to preschool or daycare - it's too easy for extra clothing to get mixed together if it falls out of a cubby or backpack.

Best of all? They don't come off. My one year old, who picks at everything, can't get these labels off of her sippy cups, and after many trips through the dishwasher, they're holding strong and still just as colorful as when I put them on.

The label colors are bright and the font is cute. When you place an order, you can choose a cute design to go with your child's name, too. Sticky labels come in two sizes to accommodate most items, and you can choose from the Standard, Princess, or Ocean color packs. We like the standard colors, but little girls who love pastels and soft pinks will love the Princess pack.

There's no question which items are ours at playdates now. The labels make it easy to spot our stuff when cleaning up, and if something gets left behind at a friend's house, they know who it belongs to. This has saved us so much money in replaced bottles and cups. I'm thinking about labeling our plastic snack bowls, too, since they seem to disappear at an alarming rate.

Also, if you're a bit of an organizer yourself, Mabel's Labels makes household labels for the kitchen, storage, crafts, or any other use.

I'm a big fan of this Canadian company, and can't say enough how durable and useful Mabel's Labels are. My older daughter loves looking at the labels on her stuff and spelling out her name, and while she can't read yet, she can recognize the butterfly and letters on her labels and know it's hers.

WIN IT! The lovely folks at Mabel's Labels have offered me a gift certificate for a Camp Pack of labels to give away to one lucky reader. This includes: 15 Sticky Labels, 40 Iron-Ons or 50 Tag-Mates (your choice), eight Shoe Labels and two Bag Tags, in your choice of color packs. Your child won't lose anything this summer with this set!

To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post telling me what baby or kid items you've lost or if you haven't ever lost an item (it must be a miracle), which items you think these labels could keep you from losing.

Participation is open to both U.S. and Canadian residents. One winner will be chosen at random (thanks to Random.org) and the deadline to enter is Tuesday, June 24 at midnight Eastern time. Good luck!

Just What Do You Do With A Baby, Anyway?

I don't know about you, but as a first time mom I was pretty boring. While pregnant, I had big dreams of doing all kinds of exciting things with my baby on my days off as we enjoyed spending time together on walks and doing crafts while we wore matching white linen dresses. OK, maybe not the dress part.

The reality was that parenting was extremely overwhelming, and whenever I found a free moment to do something with the baby, my mind drew a blank and we ended up sitting at home, me in my sweats, and her in the stained sleeper she woke up in. It was all about survival in those first hazy months.

If I had a copy of The Rookie Mom's Handbook back then, I might have picked myself up off the floor and forced myself outside more. This book, written by Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss, was an extension of the Rookie Moms website, and features "250 activities to do with (and without!) your baby." This isn't your standard book of activities, asking you to play peek-a-boo and shake a rattle over baby's head. Instead, it is a guide to help you, as well as your baby, have a fulfilling, successful first year.

They understand the difficulties many women go through in transitioning to the role of mother, and so several activities in the book are aimed at making sure that you are not forgetting about yourself during baby's first year. Each section of the book covers three months of the first year, and instead of listing what skills baby has mastered at that point, they list skills that mom has mastered, such as folding laundry with ease, reciting baby books from memory, etc. Some activities involve going places with friends, or finding ways to reconnect with your spouse - in other words, to prevent you from losing all of the "old you" in motherhood.

The ultimate goal is to make sure you get out of the house and not become a hermit because of baby. It's all too easy to fall into a boring, predictable pattern, and that's not healthy for mom or baby. Instead, get out and hit a children's museum, or a park, or the zoo, or go to a sit-down restaurant with friends. Sure, your baby may be too young to reap the full benefits of an outing, but the real benefits are for you. Going out forces you to shower, put on clothing that isn't stained or has an elastic waistband. We all need those little pushes, right?

Each section of the book has age-appropriate suggestions for what to do with your baby, and many were things I had never thought of. One idea is to take an artistic picture of your baby looking at herself in a mirror, so that baby's front and back sides are in the photo. It's easy to set up, and easy to do, and we all know babies love to look at themselves in the mirror, right?

There are also several ideas to help you maximize your time, such as planning out a schedule for the week, making dinner a night in advance, and using the internet to make shopping easier.

I've already started using some of the suggestions in this book, and I think I'll continue referring to it long after my second baby's first birthday. Because even though the book covers the first year, many of the ideas are not limited to the baby stage. Even moms of toddlers could use a date night now and then, right?

My favorite part of the book has to be the mom milestones chart in the back. We all write baby's firsts in their baby book, but how often do we stop to remember our firsts? They give prompts like "first unpregnant cocktail," "first public diaper change," and "mom's most impressive new bra size." I wish I could remember some of those details.

The Rookie Mom's Handbook is a small book that fits easily in your purse or diaper bag, and is a great resource, with a lot of humor, for helping you make the most of your baby's first year. I really enjoyed this book, and unlike some books that you read once and forget about, this one will stay off the bookshelf as a useful guide whenever I find myself feeling bored or overwhelmed. And once my youngest has moved past toddlerhood, I see myself passing this book down to another new mom, to make this transition to motherhood easier for her.

This is a great book for new moms and moms-to-be, and would make a well-appreciated shower gift. I'd like to thank Parent Bloggers for giving me the chance to review The Rookie Mom's Handbook. If you'd like to read more reviews or check out how to participate in this Friday's rookie mom blog blast, visit the launch page at the Parent Bloggers blog.