Green Party Goods Cupcake Stands (with Giveaway)

by Kate on July 24th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  All Things Birthday, Giveaways, Party Planning, Reviews

Green Party Goods make celebrating “green” easy with a huge assortment of planet friendly party products. To make the cut, each of GreenPartyGoods’ products must meet at least one of these criteria: recycled, re-useable, biodegradable, sustainable, or organic.

About Green Party Goods

GreenPartyGoods knows that parents and other celebrators, given the convenience of shopping for eco-friendly products that are stylish and sensible, will embrace this option.
We have also maintained our commitment to the environment through our packaging materials, when possible. Boxes are from recycled board, protective chips are biodegradable, tissue paper and labels are from recycled paper. And the cellophane bags and ribbon are biodegradable.

Cupcake Stand

The “Mini Cupcake Stand” in Zebra from Green Party Goods was a great addition to the Dinosaur Party we hosted a couple weeks ago. Eventhough this is the “Mini” version of cupcake stands – it holds an impressive 40 cupcakes and is a very good size. (The Polka Dot version holds 50 cupcakes.) The Cupcake Stand arrives flat and is very simple to assemble – it only takes a few moments. The Cupcake Stand was a big hit at the Dinosaur Party – all the moms complimented it. As you can see, there is plenty of height between the layers to accommodate a cupcake with lots of icing and a topper. Although it’s made from recycled corrugated cardboard, the finish is very smooth and it doesn’t feel like dry cardboard. It’s easy to take apart for storage so you can save it and resuse it again and again.

The Mini Cupcake Stand comes in Zebra or Polka Dots pattern. To really make the Cupcake Stand the star of the dessert table, you can attach ribbons around the edges of the stand resulting in a more finished look.

More Green Party Goods

I love the coordinating party Zebra party items and think the hot pink and zebra combination is perfect for a sassy girls’ birthday party.

Green Party Goods also has a good selection of original party favors that won’t break the bank.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The Mini Cupcake stand is a good looking and practical way to display cupcakes at your next party. The Zebra and Polka Dot patterns are fun and can easily coordinate with another party theme, particularly if you embellish it with ribbon to match your color scheme. And, of course, there’s the feel good factor that comes with buying a product made of recycled materials.

Or Not to Buy… I’d love to see more patterns in the Mini Cupcake Stand – but you can also buy plain non-patterned stands to match your party.

Shop! Get in on the Cupcake Craze with the Mini Cupcake Stands are $27.00 and available at www.greenpartygoods.com. Check out the eco-friendly party favors,  decorations and green gifts.

Win! The Mini Cupcake Stand of Your Choice from Green Party Goods!

How to Enter: Visit Green Party Goods and leave a comment with something else you’d like to use at your next party.

Giveaway ends August 6. Open to US residents only.

Disclosure: Thanks to Green Party Goods for providing a sample for the purpose of this review. Others may have a different experience.

New Recommendations on Caffeine During Pregnancy

by Monica on July 23rd, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Life, Parenting

New Recommendations on Caffeine During PregnancyI have always been a coffee drinker.  When I was teaching and had to be at school by 7 am, that morning cup of joe on the way to work was a ritual I looked forward to, and kept me going! When I finally got pregnant I immediately tried to switch to decaf for that morning cup hoping it would trick me and pep me up for school, but it didn’t work.  Well, that didn’t last long because at about 8 weeks pregnant, I just had no desire to drink coffee – decaf or not. Frankly, I was thankful because I wasn’t looking forward to having to make the decision to stop drinking it. My OB at the time (3 years ago) said that moderate coffee drinking was ok during pregnancy, so I could continue my one cup a day.  However, like many first time moms, I was so nervous about every little thing that could affect the baby, and decided if I ever got past the nausea, I wouldn’t drink coffee while pregnant.  Once I started nursing, my desire to drink coffee came back, but I was still nervous, so I did drink decaf for the 14 months I nursed my baby boy.

ACOG on Caffeine While Pregnant

It looks like my OB must have been up on her research, as the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recently modified its position on caffeine consumption for pregnant women.  They now say that moderate caffeine consumption doesn’t  appear to cause miscarriage or preterm birth. They define “moderate” as one reasonable (think “tall” not “grande” or “venti,” ladies!) cup of coffee, or one soda a day.   One study showed no increased risk of miscarriage or premature birth at low, medium or high levels of caffeine intake. Another study showed a higher risk of miscarriage only with more than 200 milligrams a day.

With my second pregnancy, I  couldn’t stomach the smell of coffee, so again the decision was made for me.  I am still not sure what I would do if I got pregnant again, but it is nice to know that there has been research to prove that a little is ok.  I tend to believe in moderation with anything, so it does make sense.  I just hope women really pay attention to the “moderate” in the new guidelines, as I fear many misinterpret news such as this.

What are your thoughts pertaining to the new recommendations on caffeine consumption during pregnancy?

{Image via Starbucks – who else?}

Simple & Sweet Personalized Notes by Paper Nook Review + Giveaway

by Kate on July 23rd, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  All Things Birthday, Birthday Gifts, Giveaways, Party Planning, Reviews

The personalized note cards by Paper Nook are both a TSM top planning pick and top present pick. These notes are great to have on hand for all of those thank you notes you need to send after the big birthday party. They are also a thoughtful gift for an older child who is learning to write, as it will encourage him or her to write their own thank yous… or at least attempt to sign his or her name!

A bit about Paper Nook

Paper Nook specializes in stylish personalized stationery, perfect for writing thank you notes to friends and family. You’ll find stationery for yourself as well as lots of great gift ideas for family, friends, bridesmaids, and teacher gifts.

Kids Personalized Stationary Review

Tacy, owner of Paper Nook, very generously sent personalized stationary for each of my girls. Right out of the package I was impressed with the bold colors and simple & sweet designs of both sets. Each set at Paper Nook contains 8 personalized vertical folded note cards measuring 4.25″ x 5.5,  printed on smooth soft-white 80 lb. card stock. Beautifully coordinated envelopes are also included.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Each set of personalized stationary is $10.50, which is a total steal for these classy, well-designed notes. With lots of colors and designs to choose from, it’s easy to find something that suits the birthday boy or girl.

Or Not to Buy… Really, I can’t find a reason not to buy these sweet notes. They’re priced right, beautifully designed, and ship within 1 to 3 days of order.

Shop! You can purchase all of Paper Nook’s simple & sweet designs on Etsy!

Win! Your choice of personalized stationary from Paper Nook!

How to enter: Visit Paper Nook and tell us which design you would choose if you won.

Disclosure: Giveaway ends August 6. Open to US mailing addresses only. Thanks to Paper Nook for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review and the giveaway prize. Opinions here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product.

ZZZTime by SootheTIME: Products to Help Baby Sleep Safe Review

by Kate on July 22nd, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Baby, Reviews

If you are the mom of an infant who is not yet sleeping through the night, you know that every night you optimistically wonder, “Will tonight be the night?” Also, you probably wonder if you are providing baby with the proper tools to sleep soundly, and safely. ZZZtime by SootheTIME has come up with a few products to help moms rest assured that baby is in the right position for a healthy, safe night’s sleep.

About ZZZtime

Soothetime creates products that help parents adopt health, convenient routines.  The ZZZTime collection ensures that baby is snug and secure and ready for a good night sleep. When a baby sleeps well, everyone in the household sleeps well.

Snoozeworthy Products

The three products I received to review were the Snooze Wrap Plus, the Snooze Sack, and the Snooze Sheet.  I was really excited to try these products, as my baby was a big fan of being swaddled for her first few months. Here is a little background on each item.

Snooze Wrap Plus

  • Designed to ensure proper positioning and head support
  • Transitions from a snug fit to a loose fit as baby grows
  • Cradle support pad adds extra support for holding and lifting the baby
  • Greater support for mom and baby during breastfeeding

Snooze Sack

  • Wearable blanket available in two stages, from infant to older more active babies
  • Both ensure baby stays covered and cozy for more restful sleep
  • Features Comfort Vents that provide airflow
  • Bottom up zipper allowing easy access for diaper changing

Snooze Sheet

  • To be used with the Snooze Wrap Plus or Stage 1 Snooze Sack
  • Help to keep baby positioned correctly for developmentally appropriate sleep
  • Open sleep stabilizers on the Snooze Wrap Plus or Stage 1 Snooze Sack and place baby on the soft fabric center to secure him in the “back to sleep” position


My Experience

I have to admit this was a hard couple of products for us to review.   Mainly because my baby is ready to just get to sleep at bedtime, and doesn’t want to be messed with, so putting her in any sort of swaddle or clothes is a battle.  And forget trying to get a happy picture (for the review) of her at this time of night! Though I was really excited to try them, because, as I said before, my baby girl was a big swaddler at first. However, about 3 days before these products arrived, she changed her mind! She was not at all into swaddling anymore.

So, when they arrived, I decided to try the Snooze Wrap Plus, as sort of a last ditch effort to get her back into the swaddling, and continue sleeping through the night. At first, I thought that it wasn’t going to be a success. The Snooze Wrap seemed to take a little bit of effort to get her into.  It is designed really well, but it takes a bit of time to get all the hook and loop tabs going to the right place. And when you have a tired, crying baby, it just seems like a lot of steps to get all put together. Once I got past that initial assembly, and laid baby down on the Snooze Sheet, she was ready to calm down and drift off to sleep. She had literally just started sleeping through the night, so of course I wanted that to continue, which it did using these two products. Which, in my book, means they are a success!

When I tried the Snooze Wrap Plus, baby was just about 3 months old. The reccommended age is 0-3 months. I would say that this really does hold true, as even though she still fit into it just fine, she was starting to get too strong and fidgety at night and just would bust herself out every night.  I wish I had this from day 1 though, as I think she would have loved to snuggle in as a newborn.   I also think the support for the head would be a great thing for a mother nursing for the first time.

Next, we decided to try the Snooze Sack.  This was much more developmentally appropriate for my little one. She was ready to have a bit more freedom, yet still needed to stay on her back.  The sleep stabilizers helped her do just that.  They simply attach to the snooze sheet by hook and loop closure, just lay baby down on the sheet, and she isn’t going anywhere. This was perfect for my little one, as she had been rolling to her side to sleep, but I wasn’t comfortable yet letting her sleep this way, as she was (and is) so tiny.  I also really liked that there were little mesh vents on the side of the Snooze Sack to allow for air flow. With how hot it has been this summer, that has been a key feature for nighttime.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… All of the ZZZTime products are great for aiding in a proper night’s sleep for baby, which in turn means more zzz’s for mommy as well.  I love that you can go to sleep knowing your baby will be securely snuggled on her back.  I will for sure be continuing to use the Snooze Sack, particularly once we have some cooler weather again.

Or Not to Buy… I think that you really need to use a product like this from day one, not even waiting until baby is a month or two old, as they develop little sleep habits so fast. By using it from the beginning, you will ensure baby develops the “right” habits.  I also found the Snooze Wrap Plus to be a little cumbersome to put on. My baby got really fussy as I would secure all the different velcro closures. She was fine once secured, but the little fit while getting her all bundled made it hard for me to get a picture for you here!

Shop! All of the ZZTime products are sold exclusively at Babies R Us.  The Snooze Wrap Plus retails for $19.99, the Snooze Sack for $19.99, and the Snooze Sheet for $15.99.  All three are available in a variety of colors. We like this for an affordable and useful baby shower gift.

Disclosure: Thanks to SootheTime for providing the sample products for this review. Opinions here are my own.

Summer Learning & Back to School Prep with Mead Writing Fundamentals (+ Giveaway)

by Kate on July 22nd, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Giveaways, Reviews

Mead Early Learning Writing Fundamentals products were developed to help preschool and early elementary school age kids handwriting skills.

About Mead Writing Fundamentals

Developed in conjunction with a pediatric occupational therapist who specializes in handwriting, the line is divided into four stages based on age and developmental skills. It begins with cutting activities, dot-to-dot projects and coloring exercises that begin eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. Subsequent products/stages then focus on formal handwriting instruction, including letter formation through tracing and writing practice on paper with raised lines.

Stages for Early Learning

The Writing Fundamentals product selection is very impressive and organized in a manner that makes it really easy to find the best products for your child. There are 4 stages of learning based on ability level that build on one another to develop the necessary skills.

  • Stage 1: Fine Motor Development (pre-K and up)
  • Stage 2: Letter Formation (Pre-K through 2nd grade)
  • Stage 3: Primary Writing (Kindergarten through 3rd grade)
  • Stage 4: Writing Fluency (First Grade and Up)

I’ve mentioned before that my 3.5 year old son doesn’t have the best fine motor skills and drawing and letter writing definitely needs work. When I browsed the Writing Fundamentals collection, I knew I wanted products from Stage 1 and Stage 2 for them to be appropriate for him developmentally.

Our Experience

We received the Shape Builders, Dry Erase Activity Board, Write-On Write-Off Capital Letters, Capital Letter Stories and 4-in-1 Learn to Letter with Guidelines. Now, my little guy doesn’t like to do lessons, or activities where he knows I’m trying to teach him something so I was nervous to see how he reacted to the Writing Fundamental products. We started with the Shape Builders to “learn important concepts like sequencing and how to follow directions.” It was also good practice for learning how to hold a pencil correctly and really draw basic shapes. He loved the book so much he did the whole thing in two nights. Not perfectly, by any stretch of the imagination, but he enjoyed it and he was learning skills without realizing it.

Another winner is the Dry Erase Activity Board, which is actually several dry erase boards spiral bound together. The single board outlines activities to encourage everything from drawing shapes to writing a paragraph on lines. The quality of the board is great and it actually erases very easily. In the photo below, my son is working on the Capital Letter page of the Activity Board.

All the products are designed to help parents “teach” children, which is hugely helpful to me because I was not meant to be a teacher. For example, there are numbered color coded instruction guiding children from the very basic drawing of a straight line to the steps to write a capital letter E. It makes it much easier for me to direct my son and encourage him because the products are all consistent.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I’ve been making an effort to help my son with his letter writing skills, and these products are perfect for that. I like that every product is consistent in the way it encourages children to draw and write. It makes it easier on my son and it makes it easier for my to instruct him. It’s really a well-rounded collection of instructional products that build on one another.

Or Not to Buy… For a kid whose on the earlier side of the skill spectrum, there is a lot for my son to learn. And he knows it. He gets easily discouraged and doesn’t like to do things when he thinks he’s learning. For that reason, the shapes and drawing products to develop fine motor skills are better for him.

Shop! Learn more about Mead’s Writing Fundamentals and purchase online at Mead Early Learning. Products are also available in Target, Staples and WalMart stores nationwide. Prices range from $3.49 to $7.99.

Win! Your Choice of 5 – 7 Mead Writing Fundamentals Products to Help Your Keep Up Skills for Back to School.

Choose products from the following Writing Fundamentals Products: Path Quest, Snip It, Shape Builders Learn to Draw, Dry Erase Activity Board, Capital Letter Stories, Write-On, Wipe-Off Lowercase Letters, 4-in-1 Learn to Letter, Idea Builders, Primary Journal, and Write-on, Wipe-off Cursive Letters.

How to Enter: Check out the Mead Writing Fundamental product detail sheet and leave a comment telling me what product you like best and why.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

Giveaway ends July 30 – open to US residents.

Disclosure: Thanks to Mead for providing sample products for the purpose of this review and for the giveaway prize. Others may have a different experience. Opinions are my own.

Thursday Giveaway Linky

by Kate on July 21st, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Giveaway Linky, Weekly Features

Happy Thursday! Thanks for coming by to link up and check out great giveaways. Before you take off, check out these giveaways ending soon at The Shopping Mama.

Cotton Candy Maker * $75 to The Vintage Pearl * One-Night Stay in Hotel from Hotels.com ($350 value)

Make sure you stop by Baby Loving Mama to link up there, too!

Dinosaur Train InterAction Toys – A Must for Dinosaur Train Fans!

by Kate on July 21st, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  All Things Birthday, Birthday Gifts, Reviews, Toys

It’s no secret that my son is a huge fan of Dinosaur Train. He loves the PBS Show and knows more about dinosaurs at the age of 3 than I do at 32. We often “play” Dinosaur Train and pretend to be the characters but now he has some real Dinosaur Train toys that bring the dinosaurs to life. Because they talk. To each other. Seriously.

We have a lot of toys – too many, in fact – but no other toy has ever evoked a reaction from the entire family like the Dinosaur Train InterAction figures did. My husband, son and I sat around with our mouths wide open, muttering “That is so cool!” over and over, as we played with Buddy the T-Rex and Morris Stegosaurus. Because they talk. To each other. Seriously.

I dare you to watch this video of the Dinosaur Train InterAction Toys talking to each other and not think it’s cool.

About the InterAction Figures

Action and InterAction collide for the ultimate dinosaur play experience! Packed with one-of-a kind dinosaur features, these fully articulated action figure friends of Roar ‘N React Boris include a minimum of 40 real dinosaur sounds, facts and character phrases. With their multiple activation touch points, each InterAction Figure has a special dinosaur feature, such as stomping or chomping. In addition, the InterAction Figures have built-in technology that allows them to recognize and interact with the other InterAction Figures in the Learning Curve Dinosaur Train line.

Our Experience

I think my son’s complete adoration of his toys can best be summed up by telling you a little story. My kids have been in swim lessons for several week and my son was having a very difficult time. He was pretty much miserable and he made everyone in the pool miserable because he would scream every time it was his turn to try and swim. So, at last week’s lesson (a couple days after we received Buddy and Morris), I bribed him with the Dinosaur Train toys. I told him if he didn’t try and if he cried he wouldn’t get to play with his dinos for the rest of the day. You know what, he was a total rock star in lessons and has been ever since. In fact, this week he swam a real freestyle stroke across the width of the pool by himself. So I can now credit the dinosaurs with teaching my son to swim.

We all love the Dinosaur Train InterAction toys and I have no doubt when they hit stores in August we will definitely buy more. I have my eye on Tank because I think he’s the cutest little dino on the show and my son wants Tiny. The toys embody their personalities developed on the show and are sure to be a hit with fans of the show.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I highly recommend the Dinosaur Train InterAction figures for your little dinosaur fan. I was very pleasantly surprised by the price tag, and think you will be, too: Buddy is $15 and Morris is $20. The toys easily made the cut and are in the Birthday Present Shopping Guide.

Or Not to Buy… My only concern about the toys is not in the quality of the product, but the idea. If the toys do all the talking and interacting, where does your child’s imagination fit in?

Shop! The Dinosaur Train InterAction Toys by Learning Curve are in Toys R Us stores nationwide and available for pre-order on Amazon (to ship August 1). Tiny and Buddy are $14.99, Tank, Morris and Ned are $19.99 and Roar ‘n React Boris Stegosaurus is $37.99.


Disclosure: Thank you to Learning Curve for providing samples for the purpose of this review. Others may have a different experience. Opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links which help support The Shopping Mama.

Take the Eucerin Skin FIRST Pledge (and Win!)

by Kate on July 21st, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Blogging, Giveaways

We exercise to keep our body strong.
We eat responsibly for the good of our heart.
But our skin? Too often we treat it like a shell.
We like to make it feel nice.
We want it to look beautiful but rarely to we care for it with the seriousness of that we treat our overall health.
We invite you to join us and put the health of your skin FIRST.

I’m really excited to be working with Eucerin on the Skin FIRST campaign to raise awareness about skin health. I recently sat in on a conference call and was really impressed by the Eucerin’s message and dedication to SkinFIRST. The idea is that when we prioritize the health of our skin, overall health, inner and outer beauty and confidence will follow.

I know I’m guilty of not putting my skin first. I don’t let my kids play outside without lathering them with sunblock. Me? I put on a moisturizer with SPF and call it good. But really? That’s NOT good. I need to put sunscreen on to protect all of my skin not just the part I want to look “pretty” every day.

The first step in changing my habits and treating giving my skin priority is taking the Eucerin Skin FIRST Pledge and committing to true skin health. Eucerin has partnered with Healthy Women, the nation’s leading independent health information source for women, and will make a donation to the organization for every person who takes the Skin FIRST Pledge.

Win! Eucerin Gift Bag to Help you Put Your Skin FIRST!

Goody Bag includes a beach towel, sun hat, Eucerin Everyday Protection Lotion in 15 and 30, and a reusable water bottle.

How to Enter: Take the Eucerin Skin FIRST Pledge.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

Giveaway ends August 4 – open to US residents.

Disclosure: Thanks to Eucerin for providing me with a goody bag and one for the giveaway prizes. Others may have a different experience. Opinions are my own.
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