Easy Lunchbox System Giveaway

We are a family of "brown baggers." Who can afford not to be in this economy? Every night I pack our lunches for the next day to save time in the morning. I use just cheap "throw away" tupperware and lots of sandwich bags.The Easy Lunch Box System is an economical and "earth friendly" way  to pack healthy lunches for all members of our family.

The Easy Lunch Box System includes a lunch box (available in 5 colors) and a set of four compartmentalized storage containers. The Easy Lunch box is made out of non-vinyl products. They are roomy enough to hold the Easy Lunch box storage container, ice pack, drink and a few snack. I also like that they have a grommet on the handle that makes personalizing each bag easier...also looks better than writing our names on them in permanent marker.The Easy Lunch box storage containers come in a four pack with four different colored lids. They are made out of non-toxic, food-safe, polypropylene (PP or plastic #5), BPA-free lunch boxes, and phthalate-free. They are freezable, microwave and dishwasher safe. These storage containers make organizing meals easier and with less containers.

I truly love my Easy Lunch box. Although, I've had some issues with the containers. The lids to my containers don't seem to fit securely. The lids come off easily and have caused spillage in the lunch box. I'm not putting liquid foods in them and they were washed on the top shelf of the dishwasher. Perhaps they would have worked better if they were hand washed. The two side compartments seem small to me for adult servings but work great if your just packing some sliced fruit or granola. All in all the Easy Lunch box System is easy to use, affordable, and helps save time and money. Here are some healthy lunch ideas they had listed on their website below:

Buy It: The Easy Lunch Box containers (4 pack) is available of $13.95 and the lunch box can be purchased for $7.95.

Win It: Easy Lunch Boxes is giving away their complete Easy Lunch Box System to one of my followers! Just leave me a comment and tell me what you do to help save time and money when it comes to meal preparation.

Enter To Win:

• blog about this giveaway with a link back here
• subscribe to my blog
• follow this blog
• fave this blog on Technorati
• Stumble this blog
• Follow Mahayla's Mommy on Facebook
  
• email three (3) friends about this blog and cc to randsmountney@yahoo.com
• add my button to your sidebar 
• Follow the Easy Lunch Boxes Blog
• Follow Easy Lunch Boxes on Facebook or Twitter 
• Make a purchase from Easy Lunch Boxes for 5 additional entries

Please leave a separate comment for all that you do to ensure you get all possible entries! Remember to include your email address on your comment! Contest ends 4/10/2010 at 10pm EST

Sorry, Open to residents of the US and Canada Only

Contest Closed. Congratulations to CC (comment #91) for winning the Easy Lunchbox System Giveaway!  

Disclaimer: This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Easy Lunch Boxes.com who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Moody Mama's Giveaway

When I was pregnant, I found it difficult to find fashionable maternity clothes. It is almost an oxymoron. I mostly wore my scrub pants and a plain tee maternity shirt. Not very attractive but comfortable and cheap. Moody Mamas offers hip fashionable maternity clothes for the "pregnant movie star" in all of us. Moody Mamas has an extensive collection of maternity tops, dresses, bottoms, and nursing attire at department store prices ( prices range from $40 - $120) You can shop Moody Mamas online or at other retails such as Target and Nordstroms.

Fierce Mamas designs by Christian Siriano (former winner of Project Runway) is an exclusive higher end colletction also available from Moody Mamas. Fierce Mamas designs are about twice as expensive as Moody Mamas with prices ranging in the mid-100's to high $200's. A bit too pricey for my wallet but maybe not yours. I guess you can invest the money if you know your going to have more than one pregnancy and will reuse the clothes.

I would definitely make sure that you check out their "Steals and Deals" section where you can find some fabulous deals on both Moody Mamas and Fierce Mamas. From what I can tell you could save between 30-60% off which is great way to get the higher end Fierce Mamas designs.

Buy It: Visit Moody Mamas to make a purchase. You can shop online or visit a Target or Nordstroms near you.

Win It: Moody Mamas is offering one of my readers $50 in Moody Mamas Merchandise! (to be determined by Moody Mamas). Visit their site and comment on which Moody Mamas outfit you'd like to own.

Enter To Win: 

• blog about this giveaway with a link back here
• subscribe to my blog
• follow this blog
• fave this blog on Technorati
• Stumble this blog
• Follow Mahayla's Mommy on Facebook
  
• email three (3) friends about this blog and cc to randsmountney@yahoo.com
• add my button to your sidebar 
• Make a purchase from Moody Mamas for 5 additional entries

Please leave a separate comment for all that you do to ensure you get all possible entries! Remember to include your email address on your comment! Contest ends 3/27/2010 at 10pm EST

Sorry, Open to US Residents Only

Disclaimer: This was not a paid post nor did I receive any free products for review. Honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Moody Mamas who supplied the product for the giveaway.

Contest Closed. Congratulations to HotSnotty2 (Comment # 68) for winning the Moody Mamas giveaway!

20% off at Skin MD Naturals

Skin MD Naturals is offering 20% off to my readers. Just enter the discount code FOCUS at checkout. Offer is valid for 30 days from this post.

Discount Code for Momzelle.com

I'm a breastfeeding mother and one of the hardest obstacles I've had is being able to breastfeed discretely in public. Momzelle specializes in breastfeeding apparel. Momzelle offers stylish and attractive nursing shirts that have universal openings that ensure discretion and comfort while you breastfeed. All of their styles are long through the body, formfitting, and made of silky soft cotton and spandex.

Momzelle has issued a discount code for my all of readers. Enter discount code Mahayla for $5 off your order!

Pillow Pets Easter Giveaway

If you missed out on the last Pillow Pets Giveaway here's your chance to get in on the action. Pillow Pets is again offering one my readers the opportunity to win a Pillow Pet for Easter! If chosen as the winner you can choose between the bunny, duck or lamb Pillow Pets which would be great basket stuffers for Easter. I've re-posted my previous review below.

The next time your child asks you for a new pet you can say, "YES"! No more worrying about getting a pet that you'll ultimately end up taking care of because the children lose interest, are too busy, or whatever new excuse they come up with this week. Pillow Pets are great because it's not just a pillow... its a pet! These award winning (iParenting Media Award & The 2009 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Product ) Pillow Pets come in 28 different animal friend choices; so whether your child likes unicorns, monkeys, or dolphins there is bound to be a Pillow Pet that is made just for them. Pillow Pets are made out of super soft chenille fabric and open up to make a full size pillow.

Pillow Pets are affordable ($19.95) so they make a great gift for any occasion. They are sized right to be great travel companions as well and since they double as a pillow you will save on space while traveling. I know being the mother of two that we have to pack the house whenever we travel. Since the Pillow Pet can double as a toy and a pillow that is one less thing I have to pack! The Pillow Pet is secured with easy to use Velcro and when open the Velcro has a cloth cover to keep hair, fuzz, and other debris from sticking to the Velcro.I put a few of my favorites below.

Buy It: Available online at Pillow Pets for $19.95 plus shipping and handling. They offer 20% off each additional Pillow Pet that you purchase so you can buy all your favorites.

Win It: Pillow Pets is offering one of my readers a free Pillow Pet (Duck, Lamb, or Bunny). Visit Pillow Pets and leave me a comment to which one you'd want in your Easter Basket.

Enter To Win:

• blog about this giveaway with a link back here
• subscribe to my blog
• follow this blog
• fave this blog on Technorati
• Stumble this blog
• Follow Mahayla's Mommy on Facebook
  
• email three (3) friends about this blog and cc to randsmountney@yahoo.com
• add my button to your sidebar 
• Make a purchase from Pillow Pets for 5 additional entries

Please leave a separate comment for all that you do to ensure you get all possible entries! Remember to include your email address on your comment! Contest ends 3/26/2010 at 10pm EST

Sorry, Open to US Residents only. 

Disclaimer: This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Pillow Pets who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Contest Closed. Congratulations to Kim (Comment # 11) for winning the Pillow Pets Easter Giveaway!

Win A Free Pair of Prescription Glasses From GlassesUSA

I’ve worn glasses since I was in the 3^rd grade. One could say that I have a love hate relationship with them.  Buying new glasses has always been as exciting as going to the dentist for me. Do you know how hard it is to pick out frames when you are too blind to see the frames on your face? Very frustrating. I usually depend on my husband’s opinion on whether or not a frame looks good or not, unfortunately our tastes aren’t always the same.   My vision is too poor for contacts, so unless I want to shell out nearly $7000 for custom Lasik then eyeglasses it is. 

So when GlassesUSA contacted me to review their prescription glasses I jumped at the opportunity. I do have to admit that it is hard to shop for glasses online when you can’t physically put them on but it does take off some of the pressure of buying. GlassesUSA has a huge variety of frames to choose from. I honestly had a hard time picking just one pair. The good news is that since the frames are so reasonably priced that you can buy more than more pair! The ordering process was easy and all I had to do is get my prescription from my Optometrist. You can either provide the script online, fax it, or email it. They provide all of the same "extras" that other optical shops. You can purchase additional options such as light and thin lenses, AR coating, or anti-scratch coating which range in cost from $4.95 to $110 extra.

I got the “Storm Blue” drill mount rimless frames which were $49.95 including lenses (plus S & H which is free for orders over $99.) My order arrived in a little over a week. They included a cleaning cloth and hard shell case. It also came with a coupon for 15% off my next purchase and a coupon for a friend for 10% off. I'm really impressed with these prescription eyeglasses. They are made out of light weight and flexible metal so they are easy on the nose and durable. I did find that one of the difficulties of purchasing frames online is that they don't come adjusted to fit. I had to take mine to an optical shop to have them fitted properly and have the arms cut down to fit. My optical shop did this for free. 

 GlassesUSA is one of the leading online eye glasses websites and since they own their optical lab they can pass the saving onto their customers. A complete pair of eyeglasses start from around $18, free shipping for orders of $99, and come with a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. GlassesUSA ensures that their lenses exceed FDA requirements and must undergo and pass their "5-Stripe" process prior to shipment. GlassesUSA uses the best products and technologies to manufacture and process the lenses backed by their "money back guarantee".

Buy It: Visit GlassesUSA and find the eyeglasses that are right for you. Prices for a complete set of single vision lenses with frames start around $18.

Win It: GlassesUSA is offering one my readers a free pair of single vision lenses and frames of their choice for free!

Enter To Win:

• blog about this giveaway with a link back here
• subscribe to my blog
• follow this blog
• fave this blog on Technorati
• Stumble this blog
• Follow Mahayla's Mommy on Facebook
  
• email three (3) friends about this blog and cc to randsmountney@yahoo.com
• add my button to your sidebar 
• Follow GlassesUSA on Facebook or Twitter 
• Follow GlassesUSA blog
• Subscribe to GlassesUSA newsletter (Plus you get a $5 off instant coupon)
• Make a purchase from GlassesUSA for 5 additional entries

 Please leave a separate comment for all that you do to ensure you get all possible entries! Remember to include your email address on your comment! Contest ends 3/26/2010 at 10pm EST

Sorry, Open to US Residents only. 

Disclaimer: This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to GlassesUSA who supplied the product for the review and giveaway.

Contest Closed. Congratulations to Ardy (Comment #69) for winning the GlassesUSA giveaway!

Rest In Peace Layla Grace

God has called his angel, Layla, back to heaven. Layla Grace passed away on 3/9/10 in the arms of her parents. My thought and prayers go out to the Marsh Family. I know that there are no words that could possibly make losing your beautiful baby any easier. Take comfort in knowing that she is at her higher powers side dancing around in her tutu and feeling no more pain. I will continue the good fight in your honor Layla. May our higher power continue to work his magic through my hands as I work daily with these beautiful angels.

To my followers and blogger friends; keep Layla's family in your thoughts and prayers. Help spread Layla's story and awareness for Neuroblastoma. Layla's family still needs helps covering medical expenses. If you'd like to help you can donate through PayPal or make a deposit at Wells Fargo Bank to the Layla Grace Marsh donation account. Little Diva's Tutus is also continuing to make the "Layla Grace Tutu" and proceeds from its sale goes directly to the Marsh Family.

So Easy Toddler Food Cookbook Review

 

 "I don't like it." We've all heard it before. Children can be a challenge when it comes to ensuring a balanced nutrition. I know I have had to be creative at times to get Mahayla to eat anything other than a turkey sandwich or pancakes everyday. Mahayla really is not a picky eater for her age. However, she does have a selective aversion to green foods. She will only eat spinach or broccoli if it is well disguised and only the "flat" green beans. I usually chop up the spinach and broccoli to where its unrecognizable and add it to brown rice. 

Previously I reviewed the So Easy Baby Food making kit from Fresh Baby and loved the product. It was a fast, healthy, and cheap way to make baby food. Now Fresh Baby has written a cookbook for the next step in the food making evolution...So Easy Toddler Food Cookbook.

 

The So Easy Toddler  Food Cookbook has some wonderful recipes that are toddler friendly. Mahayla loves the Banana Strawberry Smoothie, the breakfast burrito, and the broccoli and rice casserole. I love the fact that they have included in the cookbook tips on developing healthy eating habits and how to deal with picky eaters. The So Easy Toddler Food Cookbook also references the "Ten Times Rule for Toddlers" which I had never heard of previously. The "Ten Times Rule" is based on a study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics that concluded that the average toddler might need to see a new food on their plate 10 times before they will try it. All the recipes include pictures of the finished dish along with the nutritional facts for each.

All in all, the So Easy Toddler Food Cookbook is easy to use, comes with helpful tips, and some delicious kid friendly recipes. I was a little disappointed that there weren't more recipes (35 total). The paperback book is thin and is less than 50 pages. The So Easy Toddler Food Cookbook is reasonably priced at $8.95 and is available in both English and Spanish publications. 

Buy It: The So Easy Toddler Food Cookbook is available for sale at Fresh Baby for $8.95 (plus s&h). Also make sure to check out their other great products.

Disclaimer: This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Fresh Baby who supplied the product for the review.

3 Day Sale on all Baby Star Totes

One of my favorite children's rock n' roll apparel sites is having a sale! Baby Star has a 3 day sale going on for their Baby Star Totes! These stylish and modern diaper bags are great for both mom or dad. This rockin diaper bag has room for everything you need, even a lap top. It features a wide zipper pocket on one side and two open pockets on the other side that can hold a wipe case, bottle or cell phone. It also includes a BPA free wipe case. As always all Baby Star products are safe for baby and the environment.

Right now all Baby Star totes are on sale for $29.99 (ends at midnight on 3/3/10). Don't forget to enter to win a Baby Star tote on their site as well! 

Super Deals on Diapers and Wipes at Walgreens

Walgreens has a deal this week if you buy (3) Huggies products you get $5 in Register Rewards towards your next purchase. Also they have Aveeno Baby products marked down 20% plus get $3 in Register Rewards when you purchase two. I split my transactions to maximize the savings (Just make sure you have a patient cashier:)

Transaction #1:
(2) Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo ($4.79 each)=$9.58

Used (2) $2.00 off mfg coupon

Total= $5.58 plus tax and got $3 RR

Transaction #2
(2) Huggies 216 count wipes ($5.99 each)

Used (1) 75 cents off mfg coupon

Used (1) 50 cents off mfg coupon = 10.73

(1)Huggies Jumbo pack diapers ($8.99 each)

Used $2.00 off mfg coupon= 6.99

Total=$17.72 plus tax

Used $3 RR from transaction 1

Final Total $14.72 plus tax and got back $5 RR

Transaction #3

(2) Aveeno Essential Moisture Baby Shampoo ($4.79 each) $9.58

Used (2) $1.00 off mfg coupon

Used $5 RR from transaction 2

Total= $2.58 plus tax and got back $3 RR

Transaction #4

(1)Aveeno Daily Moisture Lotion ($4.79)

Used (1) $2.00 off mfg coupon

(1)Aveeno Soothing Relief Cream ($4.79)

Used (1) $1 off mfg coupon

Used $3 RR from Transaction 3

Total= $3.58 plus tax and got back $3 RR

Transaction #5

(1)Huggies Jumbo pack diapers (8.99)

Used $2 off mfg coupon

(1)A&D diaper ointment (3.99)

Used $1 off mfg coupon

Used $3 RR from Transaction 4

Total= 6.98 plus tax

Grand total= $33.44 plus tax

Then I went across to CVS because I had $10 ECR and bought another 2 packs of 216 count Huggies wipes (5.99) and paid $2.72 OOP)

So all in all I spent around $35 for 2 packs of Jumbo Huggies Diaper, 4 packs of 216 count Huggies Wipes, 1 bottle of A&D, and 6 bottles of Aveeno baby products for a savings of over 50%!

As a bonus the Walgreens register printed out 2 $5 off Enfamil Formula coupons (I don't use formula) but still high value coupons to pass along to someone else!

Bloggers and Followers: Layla Grace needs our HELP!

Several months back I did a a review and giveaway for Little Divas Tutus. At that time I asked everyone to please buy the "Hannah's Lady Bug Tutu". Proceeds from that purchase went to a good cause plus she would make an identical tutu and send it to St. Jude's Children's Hospital for another child to enjoy. Again Melissa (owner of Little Divas Tutus) is asking for help...not for her but for a precious angel, Layla Grace.

Layla Grace is 2 years old and has Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that affects the sympathic nervous system. Layla has been courageously fighting this battle but has now entered Hospice. Sadly, the doctors have told her parents that she only has weeks to live.  Click here to read more about Layla. It's heart breaking.  All of you know how passionate I am about this. I work as an Adult and Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse Coordinator and have taken several of these Neuroblastoma children to transplant.  I see this picture everyday and it doesn't get any easier.

Layla's parents have mounting medical bills and need our help. Melissa with Little Divas Tutus is again raising money to help this family. Little Divas Tutus has a beautiful tutu (designed by Layla's mommy) set as a fundraiser for Layla. Melissa sends half of the proceeds directly to Layla's family. To date she has sent them nearly $1000! This is wonderful but I personally know how expensive cancer treatment is even if you have the best insurance in the world.

 

I'm asking that my blogger friends and followers either blog about this fundraiser or purchase the fundraiser tutu. You get to have a beautiful tutu for your child and help out a family that desperately needs and appreciates the help.