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FOR THE MOM-TO-BE: BellaBand

December 8, 2008 By 63 Comments

btn home bellaband 300x215 FOR THE MOM TO BE: BellaBandIf you are currently pregnant or if you have ever been pregnant, then you know that it’s hard to keep your pants from falling down toward the middle/end of your pregnancy. That belly just pushes your pants down as you walk and you find yourself adjusting those pants and pulling them up all throughout the day. Am I right…or am I right?

Enter, BellaBand – an innovative (and attractive) solution to this all-too-common dilemma.

picture 11 129x150 FOR THE MOM TO BE: BellaBandThe BellaBand is a stretchy spandex/nylon piece of fabric that you wear over your belly to help keep your pants up and your bottom hidden from bypassers’ view. They also provide subtle support for your belly and are quite comfortable. Plus, they look cute – everyone will think you’re simply following the “layering” fashion trend.

The BellaBand is also useful during your first trimester and post-pregnancy because it allows you to wear your pants unzipped…without anyone knowing about it. Pretty sneaky, but quite handy if you ask me.

Currently available in eight colors, the BellaBand retails for between $20-$30 and is available at a variety of maternity shops across the U.S.

WIN IT! One winner will receive a BellaBand in the size/style of her choice. To enter, leave a comment on this post prior to Monday, December 15 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY: Link to my site! Anywhere! You can add one of my buttons to your blog, add me to your blogroll, add my site to your Facebook page, you choose…Then, come back here and leave a second comment with a link to where you linked to me.

***For a complete listing of all of the reviews and giveaways in my “Super Stocking Stuffers” series, click here.***

*UPDATE* The winner is #13 Anne. Congratulations!

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FOR HIM: Bass Pro Shops

December 7, 2008 By 280 Comments

bps wood 150x95 FOR HIM: Bass Pro ShopsIf you have an outdoorsman in your life, then Bass Pro Shops should really be your go-to shop for Christmas and other gift-giving occasions. These “destination outdoor retail shops” are HUGE playgrounds for anyone who enjoys hunting, fishing, boating, camping, and/or RVing. Stop in and you’ll get “stuck” for hours – you can even stay and eat lunch at the built-in restaurant!

Bass Pro Shops also has an incredible online store for your shopping pleasure if the nearest BPS is a drive from where you live…or if you prefer to shop in your pajamas at midnight.

You can check out all kinds of gift ideas – by price range, hobby, or recipient – on the Gift Ideas page. It’s really almost hard to go wrong at Bass Pro.

887 607 00 150x150 FOR HIM: Bass Pro ShopsBut, if you want a specific recommendation, consider the Gerber Big Rock Drop Point Serrated Edge Knife ($34.99). It’s a single fixed blade with a soft grip handle, and it comes with an attractive nylon sheath. My husband says it’s a gift any guy will appreciate because it’s a heavy-duty knife from a trusted brand…and it’s reasonably priced too.

Or, if you’re the undecided type, you can always select a Bass Pro Shops gift card and let him choose what ends up under his tree. That’s sure to be a winning option – again, you can’t go wrong. There’s so much to choose from (that’s a major understatement)!

WIN IT! One winner will receive a $100 gift card to Bass Pro Shops! To enter, browse the Bass Pro Shops website and leave a comment on this post stating (1) what you would buy with the card, (2) what you like about the website/store, and/OR (3) what you would improve about the website/store…prior to Monday, December 15 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY: Link to my site! Anywhere! You can add one of my buttons to your blog, add me to your blogroll, add my site to your Facebook page, you choose…Then, come back here and leave a second comment with a link to where you linked to me.

***For a complete listing of all of the reviews and giveaways in my “Super Stocking Stuffers” series, click here.***

*UPDATE* The winner is #215 Michelle H. Congratulations!

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FOR KIDS: Where’s Waldo? The Complete Collection

December 7, 2008 By 179 Comments

0763641677 238x300 FOR KIDS: Wheres Waldo? The Complete CollectionIf you were a child in the late 80′s and/or anytime throughout the 90′s, then you will undoubtedly remember “Where’s Waldo?” – the bestselling books by Martin Handford, originally published in 1987. Surely you remember…straining your eyes, searching for that skinny, somewhat nerdy man, clad in a red-and-white striped shirt and blue jeans.

If you never were exposed to the Waldo phenomenon, let me introduce you. Essentially, “Where’s Waldo?” is a wordless book series full of “busily” illustrated pictures that show scenes from around the city (the beach, the train station, etc.) and around the world. Waldo is on every page, but I can assure you this activity book is not for the impatient. That little guy is hard to find!!!

Candlewick Press just released Where’s Waldo? The Complete Collection (08/2008, $45), a set that features all six oversize paperback books in a handy slipcover case.

Recommended for children in the 5-12 age range, the books are sure to provide hours of (non-electronic) entertainment for your child/tween. These books are perfect for traveling, waiting (in lines, at doctor’s offices, etc.), and/or just for around the house.

NOTE: This item is WAY too big for a stocking stuffer, but I couldn’t resist posting it here since I’m not publishing a traditional gift guide this year. This series would make a great gift from grandparents, parents, etc.

WIN IT! One winner will receive Where’s Waldo? The Complete Collection (Candlewick Press, 2008, $45). To enter, leave a comment on this post prior to Monday, December 15 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY: Link to my site! Anywhere! You can add one of my buttons to your blog, add me to your blogroll, add my site to your Facebook page, you choose…Then, come back here and leave a second comment with a link to where you linked to me.

***For a complete listing of all of the reviews and giveaways in my “Super Stocking Stuffers” series, click here.***

*UPDATE* The winner is #63 Katelyn Schroeder. Congratulations!

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FOR KIDS: Tooth Tunes toothbrushes

December 7, 2008 By 116 Comments

776642fbe0c2 main4001 149x300 FOR KIDS: Tooth Tunes toothbrushes“Hakuna Matata!
What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata!
Ain’t no passing craze
It means no worries
For the rest of your days”

That’s what our 2-year-old daughter hears every night after bathtime when she brushes her teeth…thanks to Tooth Tunes Junior, a toothbrush specially designed with young brushers in mind. The brush plays music for one minute to encourage a longer brushing routine and also incorporates in phrases to motivate kids to “keep going.” Our only critique is that the brush is a little bulky for her small mouth, but that’s a minor complaint. We’re just glad that our daughter enjoys brushing her teeth (after all, healthier teeth will equal less pain for her and more $$$ savings for us in the future…).

The “older sibling” of Tooth Tunes Junior – Turbo Tooth Tunes – is quite similar, but with more “grown up” song choices (…choose from artists like the Jonas Brothers and Ashley Tisdale) and a 2-minute tune time.

At $9.99 each, this is an excellent stuffer for toddlers all the way up to tweens.

WIN IT! Three winners will each receive a Tooth Tunes prize pack with one Turbo Tooth Tunes brush and one Tooth Tunes Junior brush. To enter, leave a comment on this post stating which songs you would choose and/OR what song(s) you WISH Tooth Tunes offered prior to Monday, December 15 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY: Link to my site! Anywhere! You can add one of my buttons to your blog, add me to your blogroll, add my site to your Facebook page, you choose…Then, come back here and leave a second comment with a link to where you linked to me.

***For a complete listing of all of the reviews and giveaways in my “Super Stocking Stuffers” series, click here.***

*UPDATE* The winners are #35 Estelle, #21 Sara, and #94 Kathy Swenson. Congratulations!

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FOR BABY: ProGrade Complete Family Thermometer by Safety 1st

December 6, 2008 By 127 Comments

logo 150x56 FOR BABY: ProGrade Complete Family Thermometer by Safety 1stWith a wee one in the house, it’s important to have an accurate, fast thermometer for those nights when fevers creep up.

We’ve had an inexpensive stick version for over five years and, although it works, it takes FOR-EVAH to get a reading. As you know, babies don’t always stay still and toddlers get antsy quickly so I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to review the ProGrade Complete Family Thermometer by Safety 1st, which boasts a 5-second reading time. We tried it last night and it really did read our temps in 5 seconds!

2867 1 FOR BABY: ProGrade Complete Family Thermometer by Safety 1stThe thermometer comes with three different attachments so that you can take temperatures orally, rectally, or under-the-arm (…why they included a rectal tip, I really don’t know! That practice should be relegated to strange practices of the past…who does that?!?). It also features a nice large digital display screen, a “Clean Me” alert, and automatic shut-off.

Stick this in baby’s stocking and the parents of said-baby will thank you. Products that are practical are often the very best.

WIN IT! One winner will receive a ProGrade Complete Family Thermometer by Safety 1st ($39.99). To enter, leave a comment on this post prior to Monday, December 15 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY: Link to my site! Anywhere! You can add one of my buttons to your blog, add me to your blogroll, add my site to your Facebook page, you choose…Then, come back here and leave a second comment with a link to where you linked to me.

***For a complete listing of all of the reviews and giveaways in my “Super Stocking Stuffers” series, click here.***

*UPDATE* The winner is #66 Nancy J. Congratulations!

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FOR BABY: Safe View Mirror by Munchkin

December 6, 2008 By 15 Comments

42 mirror 2 lg FOR BABY: Safe View Mirror by MunchkinRear-facing car seats are so not my favorite invention. I appreciate them for safety reasons, of course. But in the practical sense, they’re pure misery for moms.

When my daughter was a newborn, I remember feeling helpless so many times in the car. If she was crying, it made my heart break and I hated that I couldn’t see her little face. If she was silent, that was almost worst because then I worried about her like crazy. 

I think I would have liked to receive this little bit of “peace of mind” in my stocking that first Christmas – the Safe View Mirror by Munchkin. It’s compact and unobtrusive, but also offers 360-degree rotation. I haven’t tried this product personally, but – at $4.99 – it seems like a fantastic product to slam dunk into any baby’s stocking.

***For a complete listing of all of the reviews and giveaways in my “Super Stocking Stuffers” series, click here.***

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FOR THE NEW MOM: On the Day You Were Born Necklace

December 6, 2008 By 110 Comments

yhst 90617575130024 2027 97174 150x61 FOR THE NEW MOM: On the Day You Were Born NecklaceI will always remember my eldest daughter’s birth with a certain fullness of heart. It was a momentous day, a magical day…a day that changed my life forever.

She took her first breath outside of the womb and I was forever transformed. My entrance into motherhood was pure metamorphosis. So much about who I was…what I cared about, how I thought about things, the way I viewed the world…was altered because of her beautiful face, her innocence, and her fragile strength.

yhst 90617575130024 2029 4908674 150x147 FOR THE NEW MOM: On the Day You Were Born NecklaceI love wearing my On the Day You Were Born necklace ($38) from Becoming Jewelry because it reminds me of the splendor of that day – of the horrific pain that wrought such overwhelming love.

New moms will love the delicate silver charms engraved with their child’s initials and his/her date of birth. It’s a lovely way to keep her child close to her heart…in a quite literal sense.

Becoming Jewelry also offers other personalized necklaces, charm necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and children’s jewelry so feel free to shop around for all of the women in your life.

WIN IT! One winner will receive an On the Day You Were Born necklace. To enter, leave a comment on this post prior to Monday, December 15 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY: Link to my site! Anywhere! You can add one of my buttons to your blog, add me to your blogroll, add my site to your Facebook page, you choose…Then, come back here and leave a second comment with a link to where you linked to me.

***For a complete listing of all of the reviews and giveaways in my “Super Stocking Stuffers” series, click here.***

*UPDATE* The winner is #58 Allison. Congratulations!

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