Sunshine and Sippy Cups — Page 155 — Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!

Crest & Oral-B Brighten Smiles with a Trip to London 2012 Olympic Games!

Keeping my families smiles bright!

I’m working on a new challenge with my family – Because you know I LOVE taking on new challenges! It’s called the Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health Clinical Plaque Control Test Drive Program – and the goal is to develop new healthy habits, and keep those awesome smiles on my families faces shining and bright.

Why this is important to me

We don’t have any health insurance right now – which of course, means no dental insurance either. That makes our brushing routines even more important, since we don’t have a dentist to go to for check-ups. I know that there are thousands of other moms out there reading this, who are trying to get by without dental insurance too – so I hope that the tips and tools in this system can help you too!

Yucky plaque – don’t come back!

For this challenge, we’re using the new Crest Pro-Health Clinical Line from Crest & Oral-B. Their site states that, “When used together, these products not only significantly reduce plaque, they’re also clinically proven to help keep plaque from coming back.” Since plaque is a big player in causing tooth decay and gum disease, this is super important! The products form a full system – toothpaste and brushes, floss and rinse – so it’s easy to know exactly what to buy, and you can rest easy knowing you’re doing the best you can to keep your family’s smiles healthy.

Getting started with the Challenge

We’re test driving all of these great products right now – and I’ll update you soon with more info on what we all thought of them. If you want to try them too, get some great money-saving coupons from Crest to help you stock up these awesome products, or check out Coupons.com for the latest toothpaste coupons too. A few tips to maximize the results you’ll see with this system:

Make sure to brush at least twice a day, for 3 minutes at a time. To help the kids brush long enough without you nagging, check out a really fun solution that works awesome in my house – the Twooth Timer.
Get the kids used to flossing early on – and make it a daily habit. This is one of the biggest areas that people neglect, and is a common hiding spot of cavities and decay.
Use a great rinse. Not only does it lead to healthier teeth and gums, but if you use one like the Crest Pro-Health Clinical Rinse, you can kill 99% of germs which leads to ridiculously fresh breath.

So – check out the great products in the Crest Pro-Health Line, make sure to grab some of the great coupons available, and…. Get ready for a chance to take those great new brushing habits on the road, if your family are the lucky winners of the Pro-Health Clinical Olympic Games Sweepstakes!!

Win a Trip to London!!

Crest and Oral-B invite you to enter the Pro-Health Clinical Olympic Games Sweepstakes for the chance to win a trip to the London 2012 Olympic Games for your family, and also enter into a weekly drawing to receive the full product line. The sweepstakes begins on March 15th and will run through May 31st. {Feelin’ lucky? Make sure to enter to win all of the other awesome prizes that I’m giving away here this month, all listed in the sidebar.} Good luck!

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Crest and Oral-B and received product samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central Consulting sent me a promotional gift to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 11, 2012 Filed Under: Contests | No Comments

Are Your Kids Old Enough for a Motorcycle?

We’re a motorcycle family…

Does that surprise you? Do you picture people who ride Harley’s to be the rough ‘n tough type? Fueled by drugs and alcohol, chased by the law and their own bad reputations? Well think again – most motorcycle riders are the law abiding type, with families and good jobs – who just love to have a little bit of fun! This is me at an event we go to every year – it’s a big celebration, full of motorcycle lovers, and totally family-friendly. Good times.

Kids and motorcycles – safety first

This is my nephew – going for a super slow, and totally safe, ride around the park with a friend of mine, who’s one of the best riders that I know. {Yes, this was just a pose for the camera – they both put helmets on to ride!} My nephews LOVE motorcycles, and are always so excited to check them all out. They’re always super impressed during the “bike games” – where the riders show off their skills in some fun challenges. And of course, being little boys – they want motorcycles too, just like their daddy has! So…. What do you do when the kids in your life want a motorcycle, but are still too young to ride their own?

The Kool Rider – Makes your bike sound like a motorcycle!

Remember when we were kids, {you know, back in the old days…. with dinosaurs…} and we would use playing cards in the spokes of our bikes to make them sound louder? Well, the Kool Rider builds on that idea – but totally takes it up a notch!! It is incredibly simple to install, and they are seriously cool. My nephews are ages 5 and 8, and the older one can be hard to impress. We put this on his bike – and one of the neighbor kids came over to the fence, and told him that it sounded almost like his dad’s motorcycle. Oh man, was that a priceless moment!

Kool Riders in Action!

Isn’t this such a fun idea? They are incredibly simple to put on – my 8 year old nephew did it all by himself. The package comes with a piece of velcro that you attach around the bike’s fork, and then there’s the body of the Kool Rider that just attaches right onto that. Kids get to customize it with their choice of stickers, then pop it on and go! They’re super durable, super fun, and super affordable at only $9.95 each. {They recommend using two Kool Riders per bike – which does TOTALLY upgrade the noise level, to the total delight of the boys in our house.} This is such an awesome way to get kids up off of the couch, and into the outdoors for some active play and exercise this summer. Love it, right?

Buy the Kool Rider today on KoolRider.com! And make sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter, to stay updated on cool new products and promotions – included a Kool Rider version for toddler and beginner bikes coming soon!

Love it? Share it!

Love @HarleyDavidson, but your kids aren’t old enough yet for a bike? Try this fun alternative – sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/04/are-yo… #HarleyWomen

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) May 22, 2012

{Disclaimer: I received two complimentary Kool Riders to try out with my family, so that I could give you some honest feedback. All pictures, opinions, and thoughts are my own. We love this – and know your family will too!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 10, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 34 Comments

Love your kids, but hate their toy clutter – Smart Storage Solutions!

Love your kids, but hate their toy clutter? Then keep reading…. Most of you know about my Master Bedroom & Playroom Makeover Challenge I’m working on…. Due to some extra family living with us for awhile, Abby is sharing the Master Bedroom with me for another year. I thought that babies had a lot of gear – but transitioning to a toddler has brought SO many more storage challenges! Toddler = Lots and lots of toys. I rearranged our space to make more of a playroom area for her and I wanted a way to store all of that toy clutter out of sight, while still making it easy for her to access to play and put away. I have found a PERFECT solution – The ClosetMaid Cubeicals 9-Cube Organizer.

5 Ways ClosetMaid solves your toy storage challenges

This ClosetMaid Cube Organizer comes in 5 different finishes, and the fabric cubes are available in single or double packs in over 20 awesome colors – which means you can totally customize this piece to match any space in your home. I love that it coordinates perfectly with our Catskill Craftsmen Black Storage Chest & Bench, and I was able to find a fabric bin that matches our storage buckets too! {Those are a fun dollar store find, that we personalized with stickers to spell Abby’s name.} Here are a few of the reasons I’m lovin’ it –

It’s well made. This organizer is made of laminate, but is so much more sturdy than a lot of other laminate pieces I’ve looked at. It’s strong, without the slightest hint of a wobble – which is incredibly important when it’s going to be used by a toddler.
It’s durable. I have a laminate desk in the same finish, that scratches SO easily. In over a month of use, there is not a single mark on the ClosetMaid organizer. The finish has a great texture to it, and holds up great with a toddlers wild playtime antics.
The bins are super helpful. This gives me a way to hide all of Abby’s toy clutter out of sight, but it’s still easy for Abby to access things when she wants them, and simple to pick things up when playtime is over.
Fun way to display. The cubes without the fabric bins in them give us a super fun way to display some of Abby’s favorite dolls and toys, and make the playroom area look super fun!
Easy to reach. The organizer is just the right height for a toddler – she can easily reach all of the cubes, to get all of her favorite toys!

So, it’s a well built piece that gives you a fun way to store toys, while keeping clutter hidden out of site – what more could you ask for, right?

“Having a two-year-old is like having a blender without a lid.” – Jerry Seinfeld

See how easy it is for little hands to pull out a bin of toys at play time? Each fabric cube is sturdy enough for storage, but also can collapse down flat if you decide not to use them. And, since they’re fabric, they can take some abuse – like when my little girl crawls inside one of them to read a book, lol. They have handles on them too – which is great if you want to bring a toy bin to another room to play. We’re thinking about making decals for the bins, like the ones on the toy buckets, to label what goes in each one – Dolls, Cars, Blocks, and Music – as she gets a little bit bigger.

ClosetMaid is a busy moms dream come true…

ClosetMaid is known for durable storage solutions at affordable prices – perfect for busy moms. They even have some cool tools on their site to help you design your own perfect spaces and places in your home – check out the uDesign tool to create your own one-of-a-kind organization designs, very cool.

Want one too? You can get the ClosetMaid 9-Cube Laminate Organizer online today, or look for it in major retailers like Target and Fred Meyer.

More Fun Ideas and Get Connected

Stay updated on cool new products and promotions by following ClosetMaid on Facebook and Twitter. And for more super fun toy storage ideas, check out my Playroom Storage inspiration board on Pinterest – and feel free to pin these ideas to your own boards too.

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary organizer product to review – all opinions, photos, and tips are 100% my own! Love this product, and I know you will too.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 10, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 6 Comments

Best New Must-Have’s for Moms & Babies: $150+ Giveaway

I have another amazing Mompact giveaway for you all this week – Filled with some of the very best products for moms and babies. This ginormous prize package includes everything you need to prepare for your delivery and hospital stay – as well as some fun products that will be really helpful once your precious little one arrives.

One Lucky Momma will win it all…

One winner will receive a prize package, delivered right to her door, with ALL of these great products included – over $150 value! Read a little bit more about the prizes, and keep them in mind for any baby showers and events you have coming up this spring – they would all be very appreciated gifts!

LaborLooks: I remember my delivery – and the icky, scratchy hospital gown that I was given, that has of course been worn a million times by other people. LaborLooks gives new moms a much more comfortable option – not to mention they’re really stylin’. I would have been much more comfortable during all of those hours of labor in a clean, fresh, totally new gown of my own! Learn more about the LaborLooks Maternity Hospital Gown, and read the other great reviews.
Push Pack: I love, love, LOVE this idea. I had no clue what to pack in my hospital bag, and kept putting it off until the last minute. Then my water broke 3 weeks early – and I was totally unprepared. What a great gift this is – it’s a reusable tote filled with pretty much everything that a new mom will need during her hospital stay. Read a great review of the Push Pack, and see all of the items that are included in this package.
Pump-A-Pair: These nursing bra straps look like such a helpful solution – If you’ve ever pumped, you know how time consuming it can be – and how tiring it is. Being able to at least have your hands free to do other tasks would help so much! Learn more about Pump-a-Pair, and order them with free shipping too!
Sticky Bellies: This is one of my very favorites – these adorable milestone stick-ons make for super fun photo shoots. You can use them while pregnant, to do monthly baby-bump photos, or use them to chronicle your new babies monthly growth. So adorable. Read more, and see a Sticky Bellies photo shoot idea.
Drool Monkey: It doesn’t take long for babies to start teething – which means a lot of drooling. Yes, a drooling baby is still pretty adorable – but that yucky rash that sometimes accompanies it is NOT adorable. One easy way to prevent that is by using the Drool Monkey – it’s organic and eco-friendly, cloth teether, rattle, burp cloth and baby blanket all in one loveable monkey. Learn more about how Drool Monkey can help prevent a drool rash on your baby.

What a great group of products, right? There’s a reason that they all feel like such super helpful, “Why didn’t I think of that??!!” type items… It’s because they’re all invented by moms!

Moms Supporting Moms… in Business

Visit Mompact.com today to find so many amazing tools, resources, and links to awesome products that solve your busy mom challenges. On Mompact, you can…

Shop at the Mompact store.

Get help with your business.

Find a mom blogger.

Register to be a Mompact consultant.

List your mom business.

Submit your mom invented product.

Whether your a busy mom looking for time-saving solutions, a mom-inventor looking for help in getting your product launched successfully, or a mom blogger looking to join a great network of supportive women – Mompact.com is a great place to learn and connect!

Enter to WIN!!

Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below to get your entries in. To enter, click the button that says, “Do it!”, and complete that task. Bam – that’s one entry! Then continue on, and do as many – or as few – tasks as you like. The more you complete, the more entries you’ll get into the drawing – and ONE LUCKY WINNER gets a big prize package with all of these products included!! {Feelin’ lucky? Enter to win all of the other prizes that I’m giving away to my fans this month, listed in the sidebar.}

Have fun & Good luck!!

[Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 10, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways, Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Child Hunger Ends Here: Join Me in Giving Back

The New Face of Child Hunger in America

You’ve heard the stories – People who used to make regular donations to their local food banks are now lining up to receive donations. Middle class families who were able to just get by are now are being squeezed by a parent’s job loss, and finding themselves unable to stay above water. It’s called food insecurity, and it means not being sure where your next meal will come from. It can be really surprising to realize that child hunger is not just something that affects the very poor – it’s reaching out into middle class communities, and hitting families who have never faced this problem before, and are unsure of how to get help.

More than 1 in 5 kids in America do not know where their next meal is coming from

Does that statistic shock you? More than 1 in 5… Think of how many children go to school with your own kids – and how many of them might be dealing with this in their own homes? Hunger exists in every community and every county, all across the country. In a nation where people throw away tons of food every day, children with hungry tummies just seems inexcusable. But there are many things that YOU can do, right now and today, to help.

Child Hunger Ends Here

ConAgra Foods, the maker family favorites like Chef Boyardee products, Marie Callender’s meals, Snack Packs, Healthy Choice, and more – is on a mission to End Child Hunger – and you can help!

Child Hunger Ends Here is ConAgra Food’s community built to raise awareness and fight child hunger in America. For every code that is entered on behalf of CHEH, ConAgra Foods donates 1 meal to Feeding America. Users will be able to enter their code directly into widget in exchange for a free download of the “Here’s Hope” song – sung by Jewel, Jay Sean & Owl City. Once the song download is complete, users can share (via Tweet or Facebook) the content with their friends.

Join Me in Helping to End Child Hunger Today!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this – Have you ever had to deal with child hunger in your own life? When I was a little girl, we went through a really rough few years when my dad lost his job, my mother was raising 4 children under age 6, and we had very little income. We made it through due to a combination of my parent’s hard work and determination – and some amazing help from people in our community. I plan to enter all of my codes in support of CHEH – And I really hope that you’ll join me and do so too! If you enter your codes, leave me a comment with how many you added – so I can see how many meals we’re able to donate by working together!!

{Disclosure: Disclosure: Compensation was provided by ConAgra Foods via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of ConAgra Foods.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 9, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | No Comments

Week 6 Results: 3 Ways Nutrisystem Has Helped Me Lose Over 10 Pounds So Far!

“The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph!” – Marvin Phillips

I can’t believe it. Seriously – I was so incredibly and amazingly surprised when I stepped on the scale for this weeks weigh-in. I’d lost 2.8 pounds in a week??? That is uh-MAY-zing!! My goal was to lose 1-2 pounds a week, for the 4 months that I’m doing the Nutrisystem diet plan. That would be a loss of around25-30 pounds. But, my long-term goal is to lose about 40-50 pounds, so I was cautiously optimistic that I could lose weight faster…. For the first month, I totally met my goal each week – and now I’m able to push it a little higher too! My starting weight was 189.2, so I’ve lost a total now of 10.2 pounds – and it wasn’t even hard at all – I swear, Nutrisystem makes this sooooo easy. Let me tell you why:

There’s structure. This is perfect for a crazy-busy mom life myself – I just don’t have time to measure portions, count calories, or figure out when and what I should eat to ensure I’m losing this old baby weight. With Nutrisystem, you get a months worth of awesome meals and desserts, so you always have perfectly portioned options to just grab and go! They even tell you exactly which fresh grocery items to add to each meal too – Smart Carbs, Power Fuels, and veggies!
Optimized Nutrition. So – maybe you do have time to measure and prep and count calories on your own. But do you know how to truly maximize your meals for optimal weight loss? Nutrisystem meals are low glycemic to burn calories quickly, protein rich to keep you feeling full, and balanced for a well rounded daily diet. I love knowing that whatever I choose to eat all day – I’m eating the best foods to fuel me for success. Seriously.
Tools for Support. There are tons of awesome online tools to help you stay on motivated and moving towards your goals. You also get a paper tracking notebook to use each day at home. There is a full support community online – people just like you, sharing their challenges and solutions, and helping you celebrate your success. There is even a team of experts on hand to answer all of your questions.

Really, what more can you ask for? This is the easiest diet I’ve ever been on – it’s totally no-brainer to put my meals together, meaning less stress on me. The food is really and truly good – I LOVE my morning breakfast scramble and chocolate shake. Heck, I can even have pizza for dinner – and every night I get to have a dessert! I am getting more and more pumped about this, the more weight that I lose…. See ya next week!!

Read more about my Nutrisystem Weight Loss journey, and follow my Weight Loss board on Pinterest too!

WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET HEALTHY ON NUTRISYSTEM?

Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting Nutrisystem.com. It’s simple to get started, the foods are actually really good, with loads of variety. Heck – you even get to have chocolate cake or ice cream each night for dessert, how great is that? Get started today – it’s the best choice you’ll make this year!

{Disclaimer: I’m receiving a complimentary membership and access to all Nutrisystem products and services, to review here for you. All photos, opinions, and results here are 100% my own personal experience – and may vary for others.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 9, 2012 Filed Under: Nutrisystem | 5 Comments

Spring Fashion Giveaway: $500 Old Navy Gift Card!!

Spring Shopping Giveaway – Win a $500 Old Navy Gift Card!!

I am SO super excited to be bringing you this giveaway – One amazingly lucky fan is going to WIN a $500 Old Navy Gift Card – Just in time to shop for fun spring fashions!! The gift card is redeemable at any Old Navy, GAP, Banana Republic, Piper Lime or Athleta – online or in store.

This giveaway is possible Thanks to these wonderful Hosts:

Nearly Nothing, This Mama Loves Her Bargains,Mom Does Reviews, Madame Deals, Hair Feathers, Mommy’s Memorandum, Mompreneur Mogul, Building Carpenters, Suburban Coupon Mom, ShopaholicMommy, Sweet Pea Savings, Utah Sweet Savings, Saving by Design, Lots 2 Save, Mommygaga, JadeLouise Designs, Mommy Blog Designs, voiceBoks, So Very Me, One Sleepy Mom, Angie’s Wraps, Meg’s a Mommy, 2 Kids and a Coupon, The Penny Hoarder, JustFindIt4U, Luisana Garcia, Insights by April, Angies Angel Help Network, American Couponers, College Help from Mom, The Shoppin Queen Linda’s Angels, Lil’ Daily Deals, couponing4you, Nifties ‘n Thrifties, Freebie Spot, Bargain Shopper Mom, Young Mom’s Deals, OC Deal Mama, Sunshine and Sippy Cups, New to Mom, SAHM’s Crazy Life, Simply Stacie, The Sassy Christian, Meg’s Moxie, Me and My SoldierMan, Orlando’s Best Deals, At Home Moma, Carries Rambles Our Kids Mom Mamacita La Cuponera, Shore Saving With Patti, The Frugal Free Gal, Powered by Mom, Military Wives Saving, Coupons For Wisconsin

Rules and Details:

The fine print: This Giveaway starts 4/9 @ 12:01am and ends 4/29 @ 12:01am. The winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter. Hosts are NOT allowed to enter this giveaway. Winning entry will be verified. US entries only. No P.O. Boxes. Winner will be publicly announced on all social formats and on all participating blogs.