Sunshine and Sippy Cups — Page 92 — Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!

What Matters Most When Diaper Shopping…

“No one likes change but babies in diapers.” – Barbara Johnson… Are you still in the diaper stage? Then you know how darn difficult it can be during those years. Not just the crazy mishaps of changing one of those messy masterpieces – but also, trying to figure out which brand, style, fit, size, version is the right one to keep your little one dry, and finding it at a great price. Oh yeah – and throw in some concern for the environment too, and you’ve got yourself a serious set of decision making that most overwhelmed and over-tired new moms can’t handle….

How does Stork Nest help new moms save on diapers?

First of all – let me tell you how I first met the peeps from Stork Nest. I was introducted to them by another blogger in one of my networks. At the time, I didn’t know the name Stork Nest – I just knew them as a great group who was super interested in learning more about what moms value when shopping for diapers. They wanted to know what type of packaging was most appealing, what features and benefits actually mattered – and what silly marketing tricks felt like needless gimmicks, so that they could avoid them. I really felt like the questions were insightful and smart, and that they were building a smart company. So when I learned more about what they were doing, I was SUPER excited to help support their new site!

Who is Stork Nest?

Starting January 1st, Stork Nest will launch to the public – featuring unique diaper, training, and youth pant brands at the best prices you’ll find around. They’ll have the highest quality, some awesome eco-friendly options, and since they cut out the middle-man by producing their own diapers – you will seriously get the best value. Their EcoBundles Diapers will feature the same amazing softness and absorbency that you rely on in a diaper – while being more ecofriendly and budget-friendly for busy moms. Sounds awesome, right?

Let’s Party! Celebrate the launch of their new diaper site!

Do you have an amazingly adorable baby? {Of course you do!} Then join the celebration with Stork Nest – enter your little cutie in their Facebook photo contest. When Stork Nest launches on January 1^st, 2013, they’ll announce which two of America’s Cutest Babies will win a year’s worth of free diapers, a photo shoot, and get to be featured on the new EcoBundles Diaper packaging. As an added bonus, the parents get to keep the professional pictures of their baby! Priceless, right? And everyone who enters their baby into the EcoBundles Cutest Baby Photo Contest will receive a Buy One Get One Free coupon to use on StorkNest.com once they officially launch in early 2013! Sweet bonus.

What Matters Most When Diaper Shopping? sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/11/what-m… I’m excited for the new site & #giveaway from @storknest!

— Meagan Paullin (@SunandSipCups) December 1, 2012

Party with us too!

I mean, what type of celebration doesn’t have an awesome party to join? The Stork Nest Twitter Party is coming up on December 4^th, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET. You can RSVP to be eligible for crazy-awesome prizes here: Stork Nest Twitter Party. There will be loads of cool stuff to win, other amazing moms to chat with, and great tips and advice to be shared. I hope to see you there!

Learn more: Check out Stork Nest on Facebook, on Twitter at @theStorkNest, and Pinterest.

Forget Reality TV Stars – Find Out Who the Real Heroes Are #theREALawards

“The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all.” – Leo Rosten... Giving back is so incredibly important to me. If you’ve been following my site for very long, I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about it before – I grew up in pretty sever poverty, but my mom was an amazingly resourceful woman, and found a way to make the absolute bare-bones lifestyle we lived seem magical and full. Growing up, I realized how poor we had been, and how happy we had been able to be even without all of the things that “everyone else” had. This helped me appreciate things more, and work hard for what I wanted. It also made me more compassionate than many other people my age – I was always the one helping to organize fundraisers, rally coworkers to raise money for good causes, or buy a coffee for the person in line behind me.

And now as a mother – my heart has grown even larger. I realize how incredibly hard it is for so many other moms across the world – how the problems I face in my life are so small compared to things like starvation, lack of medical care, and minimal access to things like clean water or education. I do my best to give back in every way that I can, and am always in awe of those people who have found a way to spend their lives making a BIG difference….

Save the Children and Frontline Health Workers Coalition Launch The REAL Awards to Honor Health Workers Around the World

This awards program absolutely touches my heart. In the US, we put way too much emphasis on the importance of celebrities – athletes, actors, musicians, reality stars. Yes, many of them have amazing talent, and are deserving of attention and fame. A beautifully written song sung with true emotion can touch people in a very real, raw way, and can sometimes change lives. Watching an athlete who has trained for years, and performs in a way that very few people ever can – that can be incredibly inspiring. But what about the true heros in the world? Those people who live or travel to work in rough conditions, to help save lives, and make a real difference in our world? I’m talking about health workers.

“Frontline health workers are often community health workers and midwives who provide access to healthcare locally or in the home, although they can also include local pharmacists, nurses and doctors. In the developing world, where well-equipped doctors and hospitals are scarce, frontline health workers are the first and often only point of contact to the health care system for millions of people.” – SavetheChildren.org.

SOME PEOPLE ENLIGHTEN US. SOME PEOPLE ENTERTAIN US. SOME PEOPLE SAVE OUR LIVES.

I’d love for you to join me in supporting this amazing awards program – The Real Awards. Let’s celebrate the accomplishments of frontline health workers across the world, and applaud the real difference that they are making in the lives of other mothers and their families in every country. Let’s show them that they are appreciated. Let’s help The Real Awards grow into something as big as the other awards that get so much attention – the Acadamy Awards, the Oscars, or the Golden Globes. Don’t these amazing people doing awesome things and changing lives deserve just as much attention? If you agree – be sure to spread the word with a tweet, and click the links below to learn more. Thank you for helping the world be just a little bit better and brighter….

Visit the Real Awards website: Vote for your choices here, Click to Take Action, and Celebrate amazing people.
Follow the Real Awards on Twitter and Facebook – for awesome updates, and to show support.
Check out Mom Bloggers for Social Good – This is how I heard about the Real Awards. If you’re a mom blogger who like to join us in spreading the word about amazing people doing amazing things – Join Here.

Forget Reality TV Stars – I’m Supporting the Real Heroes in the World. Join Me – sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/11/forget… #theREALawards #GlobalTeamof200

— Meagan Paullin (@SunandSipCups) December 1, 2012

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

{Disclaimer: Photo credit: SabianMaggy. I learned about this cause through Mom Bloggers for Social Good – an amazing group of women using their social media power to do great things and promote amazing organizations. I received no compensation, and all thoughts shared are my own.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on November 30, 2012 Filed Under: Uncategorized | No Comments

Could your baby have a deadly heart defect and not even know it?

Today is Newborn Heart Defect Screening Awareness Day… I’ve told you guys before about Abby’s birth – she was almost 3 weeks early, and had an incredibly rough delivery. That first day, we weren’t sure that she would make it through the night – but luckily, she pulled through, and quickly grew into a happy, healthy baby girl. But some kids aren’t quite as lucky…

Each year, thousands of babies go home from the hospital with undetected congenital heart defects, sometimes leading to future problems.

Learn how you can help – whether it’s keeping your own baby safe, or helping to spread the word to friends and family. About one in 100 babies are born with a congenital heart defect, but early screening can save lives.

Why should I get my baby screened?

Well, as I mentioned, one out of every hundred new babies born each day are born with a defect in their heart. Congenital heart defect {CHD} is the most common birth defect in the US, but sometimes these defects can go undetected into adulthood. I know this first hand – My youngest brother, Brian, was born healthy as could be. As a toddler, he was a chunky but active little guy – no problems whatsoever. At about 6 years old, we switched to a new family doctor, one who would see both of my parents and all of us kids – my mom liked the idea of a doctor who knew all of us, and one that we could grow up with, and still continue to see as we got older. He was the first one to detect a very faint sound when listening to Brian’s heart, something that was probably fine – but he was a really thorough kind of guy, and sent us for further testing.

Those first tests came back normal.

We saw another doctor for a second opinion, who said there was nothing wrong, and to forget about it all. But my mom really trusted our new family doctor, and her mother’s intuition – so she agreed to his advice to have just a couple more tests done. It turns out, my little brother had been born with a defective aortic valve in his heart. It wasn’t causing him too many problems yet, but it was incredibly dangerous. The specialist that we saw said that it was the type of thing that is usually missed by doctors, and leads to a sudden death in a child – either as a baby, an energetic toddler or thriving kiddo, or even as a high school athlete who dies suddenly during a game. Scary stuff to hear as a big sister – Now as a mom, I can’t imagine how frightening this type of news would be.

One little girl that wasn’t as lucky as my brother was is Cora Mae McCormick

After she was born and later passed away in 2009, a new tradition was born as well. Her parents asked for people to wear pink on the 30th of every month and to do an act of good in Cora’s name. So to honor Newborn Heart Defect Awareness Day, pick out your favorite pink shirt, dress or socks or accessories – Together, we’ll wear pink for not only Cora, but for all of the babies born with undetected congenital heart defects.

Do a random act of kindness in their honor that day.

And there’s more you can do. Sign the Pledge to ask your baby’s doctor about screening for congenital heart defects. Share the pledge with other new mommas-to-be. And spread the word about this important screening test using the tweet button below – this test is done in the first 24 hours after a baby arrives, is painless and quick, and you can even hold your baby while they do it – so no separation anxiety for new moms. Learn more about the pulse oximetry test for newborn heart screening.

Could your baby have a deadly heart defect and not even know? Learn more: Newborn Heart Defect Screening – sunshineandsippycups.com/?p=11435 #PulseOxAwar

— Meagan Paullin (@SunandSipCups) December 1, 2012

Let’s Chat: Did you know that this test isn’t standard at many hospitals, in many states? Have you ever heard of it, or had a child in your life with heart defects? Share your stories and your thoughts in the comments below…

Posted by Meagan Paullin on November 30, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | No Comments

Christmas is Less than a Month Away – Save on Holiday Cards Today!

Tiny Prints is keeping the Cyber Monday deals rockin’! They’re giving you 25% Off all through the weekend. So you still have time to get a great deal on the best personalized holiday cards, Christmas cards, Hanukkah cards, holiday party invitations,custom photo gifts, and everything else on their site. Awesomesauce, right?

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on November 30, 2012 Filed Under: Shopping, Deals and Coupon Codes | No Comments

What iCarly Taught Me About Kid-Friendly Veggie Recipes…

Kid approved, family ready recipes that make healthy veggies bright and fun… I’m lucky. The kiddos in my house are pretty good fruit and veggie eaters. They help me and grandma grow a big garden out back, so they feel like those tomatoes, carrots, peppers, squash, and strawberries {along with the other abundance of goodies we have!} are their produce. That ownership really helps to encourage them to eat ’em up at meals and snacks. But even kiddos that love good foods benefit from a little fun at meal times, right? If you’re looking for some super fun ways to make veggies “new” again, you have GOT to check out the awesome ideas on the Birds Eye Kids Website.

Kid-Friendly Veggie Recipe Inspiration from iCarly

The reason that the BirdsEye.com website caught my attention at first, is a super fun recipe called the Yakimaniac Veggie Martians. I mean, it’s a super cool creative idea, but that’s not what made it jump out at me. It’s because I’m from a city named Yakima, and the only time I’ve ever heard someone use the term “Yakimaniac” is in reference to people who live here! I knew it somehow how had to be connected… And sure enough, it is. These Martian-ized dinnertime plates let kids add personality to their meal with edible glitter, pretzel antennas, and veggie faces – and they were first featured on the super popular iCarly. And if you’ve watched much iCarly, you know that it’s set in Seattle, and one of the character’s grandpa is from a city called Yakima. Which is where this awesome recipe comes in! Very cool, right? {Every time I travel out of state, and people here where I’m from – if they’re a mom, they mention iCarly right away, lol. Most didn’t know it was a real city!}

Our Kid-Friendly Veggie Smoothies

After showing the kids the awesome Yakimaniac martians named after our hometown, I browsed through some of the other creative ideas – like Veggie Cupcakes and Green Monster Pizza, I decided to try out the Veggie Smoothie recipe, since we are HUGE fans of smoothies here in my house. {It is the easiest way to get a ton of healthy stuff into your kids daily diet!} It’s made with Birds Eye Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots – all pre-sliced and frozen, meaning no prep. Mix ’em up in a cool gadget like the Magic Bullet, or whatever blender you have on hand, and you’ve got a super tasty smoothie packed with healthy vitamins. The bright-orange color totally got the kids excited – and the addition of the orange juice, honey, and fruit make is super sweet and yummy.

This was kid-tested in my house – two very picky little boys {6 and 9} and a toddler who has no other opinion than absolute love or complete hate. Verdict? 3 sets of thumbs up!

Try it here. It’s easy as can be to create – and might inspire some other cool veggie combo smoothies too. I’m thinking that carrots with apple sauce and juice, with a dash of cinnamon, might make a really interesting festive drink. And frozen blueberries, frozen broccoli cuts, and cranberry juice combine to make a pretty awesome smoothie – seriously. I’m not always a big veggie fan, so I rely on soups simmered in the crock pot, and cool fruit-veggie combo smoothies to ensure I get a big variety in my diet.

Kid-Friendly Veggie Smoothies

Ingredients

1 bag (12 oz.) Steamfresh® Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots, cooked according to package directions, cooled
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 large ripe banana
3 Tablespoons honey or brown sugar
1-1/2 cups ice cubes

Instructions

This is as easy peasy as you can get!
Toss all ingredients into your blender.
Mix 'em up until smooth.
Pour into glasses, and enjoy!
Serves 4 people.

https://sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/11/how-icarly-led-me-to-new-kid-friendly-veggie-recipes/

For more awesome inspiration to help encourage healthy eating, and to simplify meal times in your house – be sure to follow Birds Eye Facebook and Birds Eye Twitter Page, for new promotions and product updates!

Let’s Chat: What are your favorite healthy kid-friendly recipes? Which one of the Birds Eye Kids site are you most excited to try?

{Disclaimer: Photo credit one: Khawkins04. I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Birds Eye. I received product coupons to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on November 30, 2012 Filed Under: Food | 2 Comments

Help Kids Bounce their Wiggles Out with the iBounce!

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” – Irish Proverb… If a lot of laughing and some good sleep are the keys to a good life, then I have an amazing new piece of gear that can help you get your toddler to do both. With no arguments. Amazing, right?

The iBounce by JumpSport – Hop-A-Long with Rompidy Roo!

What is the iBounce? It’s an award-winning children’s trampoline that includes a super cool tablet mount that fits, iPad, Kindle, Kindle Fire, Samsung and most other tablets. Why do you need a tablet mount? Because there are some super fun videos that kids can watch while they bounce, featuring Rompidy Roo, a baby kangaroo who has just as much bouncy energy as your toddler does! Rompidy Roo leads kids through cool activities and adventures, so they really shake all of those wiggles out. Want to see a little peek at the videos?

Did the iBounce Kids Trampoline live up to my expectations?

When I first heard about the iBounce, I was super excited to try it out. We used to have one of those little round trampolines, and Abby loved to get on it and try to bounce, but at 2 years old, doesn’t have the coordination to be able to do it safely. The fact that this one had the handlebars totally sold me! What a super smart idea. I was so hoping it would live up to my excitement. And it sure as heck did! There has not been a day that has gone by in the past couple weeks that we haven’t used it! Want to see it in action, and learn a little more about why we love it, and the cool features? {Including one suggestion that could make it even more awesome?} Check it out:

Let little ones bounce their wiggles out!

As you can see, Abby gets some SERIOUS bouncing on here!! She gets so excited – If you watch the video, you’ll hear her yelling things like, “Looka meeee!!! I’m jumping!!!!” She likes wearing her butterfly outfit when bouncing, so she can “fly” – which cracks me up. In that first clip you see her at the end yell, “Juuuuuuuuuuump!!!” Yep, she likes it. And can you imagine how much easier it is to get her to take a nap after a 15 minute session jumping with Rompidy Roo? Here are a few other awesome features:

The Tablet Mount: When I made this video, we didn’t have a tablet yet – but we still use the iBounce daily, Abby just watches the DVD’s on the TV. But I ordered a new Kindle Fire that should be here soon, and I can’t wait to be able to hook it up and let her watch her own videos while we have something else on the television.
Easy Assembly: This was actually really easy to put together. I’m not usually good at that type of stuff, and was able to complete it all by myself, without huge frustrations or throwing things, lol. And it’s SUPER sturdy.That was a big worry of mine, but even with my limited skills, this is very secure.
Health Benefits: This has SO many benefits for your little one! It’s just plain fun – but it also helps develop balance, coordination, and physical fitness. Plus, as they watch the videos with Rompidy Roo, they practice skills like counting too.

The only thing that I can possibly think of to make this better is if there was a way to make the handlebar section easier to remove and replace. That would make it easier to store this when not needed. We keep it out in the living room, {You can see in the video that we just put up our Christmas decor! It goes up as soon as we put the turkey and trimmings away after Thanksgiving dinner! Annual tradition with my mom and I} and store it in the spare bedroom when company comes. But honestly – this gets used so often, I can’t imagine we’d ever need to put it away for long!

Visit JumpSport.com today to learn more about their products, and watch for special deals on the iBounce sets – that include the trampoline, tablet mount, and DVD’s too!

You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter – to stay updated on cool new products and promotions! And see more of their cool products on their YouTube channel too!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on November 29, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 4 Comments

Tiny Prints Deals: Cyber Week Continues!

Great news…if you missed the Tiny Prints Cyber Monday/Tuesday 30% Sitewide Sale, they are extending for another two days! You can still get a great deal on the best custom holiday cards, Christmas cards, Hanukkah cards, holiday party invitations, custom photo gifts…everything on their site is on sale for two more days, today and tomorrow, November 29.

Just use the promo code CB12 when you checkout to get this awesome deal.

If you have used Tiny Prints before, you know how great their products are. If you have not, you are missing out on the best custom cards, invitations, and gifts. Their site is super easy to use and you can personalize everything by writing your own text, uploading pictures, and making everything uniquely you! And that’s what a good gift is all about, right? Something that shows you put some thought into it, reminds the recipient of good times you’ve shared, and is fun to create and give! You’ll get all of that by putting together some awesome gifts at Tiny Prints.