Family — Page 23

How I Taught My Baby to Sign – Deal on Kit to Help YOU Learn too!

Baby Signs Potty Training Kit For Half Off!

We’ve been using the Baby Signing Time videos since Abby was about 4 months old – {I was super lucky to find a huge boxed set on Zulily and got them at a great price} – and I am completely amazed at how much she has learned. She’s 15 months now, and knows about 30 signs already. That means she can tell us if she is hungry, thirsty, tired, or wants to play. She tells us when she wants her shoes or coat, knows how to ask for her bear or her dolly, and can sign mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa. It’s really kind of incredible – I didn’t realize it was possible for her to learn such a big signing vocabulary – and to really know what the words mean too! When she runs out of snacks, she can sign “More Crackers Please.” Best investment I ever made was buying the video set.

Great Deal Today –

This set is from a different company than we’ve been using, but I hear great things about them too. Baby Signs put together this full Potty Training Kit, with everything that you need to encourage baby to learn to use the potty, making training easy and fun. I’m so excited to get this for Abby! Even if your little one hasn’t been doing any signing yet, trust me, you will be absolutely amazed at how quickly they pick it up and start using it. And it’s so wonderful for your baby to be able to communicate what they want, and really helps cut down on their frustration and tantrums.

What’s included in the kit:

Parent Guide– This straightforward guide from trusted child development experts will help you confidently lead your baby to potty success.
All Aboard the Potty Train DVD– With its catchy tunes, delightful animation and real kids, this exciting DVD will teach your baby five potty-time signs and reinforce each step of the potty routine.
All Aboard the Potty Train Lift-the-Flap Book– Your baby will love discovering the potty-time signs hidden under each flap in this fun and interactive board book featuring the DiaperDoodles”.
Job Well Done! Stickers– These colorful reward stickers feature fun images and positive messages such as “Good Job” and “I’m on the Potty Train!”
All Aboard the Potty Train Conductor’s Whistle– Whether to signal it’s time to go potty or to “sound the trumpet of success,” this fun-to-blow whistle will put a smile on your baby’s face when it’s potty time. (For adult use only. Whistle poses a choking hazard for very young children.)

Limited Time Deal:

This awesome deal on the DVD Kit is only valid until November 4th!

Buy Baby Signs Potty Training Kit for HALF OFF today!

I’m going to put together a video soon, to show you Abby doing her Baby Signing Time flash cards, so you can see that little one’s really can pick up signs at a really fast pace! Signing helps build vocabulary skills at a super young age, helps baby to communicate better, and can help them start talking earlier. Plus, honestly – I think it’s so much fun! I’ve picked up so many signs, and it’s become a habit to sign things like Please and Thank You. I really think that YOUR family will love it too!

How to Keep Kids Toys from Taking Over!

Busy Mom Solution: Toyconomy!

I’ve got a full house around here – My brother and my two nephews are living with me through the summer. That means that Abby will share the Master Bedroom with me for a while longer, until there’s space to put together her “big girl” room. Toddlers get bored with things really quickly, but I just don’t have a room to store a ton of toys. Plus, I hate spending money on new ones, not knowing if they’ll truly engage her and hold her attention, or get tossed back into the toy box and ignored within a week. If you totally know what I mean, then you will LOVE this new Busy Mom Solution – TOYconomy allows you to pick new toys to rent every single month, so that your little ones always have something new and fun to explore – but you don’t have to find space to store a ton of stuff. Perfect, right? So when I got the opportunity to try out this service for a review, I was pretty excited to see how it all works. It sounded like the perfect problem solver for my busy life.

How it Works:

First, decide whether you want to do a one-time shipment, or sign up as a TOYmember, for added benefits. You can learn more here – {How TOYconomy Works} Then, browse their huge selection of super fun toys, and add your favorites to your cart. They’ll deliver the toys right to your door – along with an amazing Scout Storage Tote for all TOYmembers. {I am in LOVE with this tote!} When it’s time to ship the toys back, you simple pack ’em back up in the same box, stick the shipping label on it, and schedule a pick-up! You keep the toys as long as you’d like, and sending them back is totally free – and so easy!

Abby LOVES her new TOYconomy toys!! This little wiggle dance is her stamp of approval….

Questions you might be asking:

Since these toys have been played with already, are they clean? Well, you can see in the picture above, they look like new when they arrive! They use hospital-grade cleaners to ensure that everything is totally safe and ready for your kiddo’s! This company is run by moms – and they understand how important this is. This was the biggest hesitation that I heard when I shared the Toyconomy info with my Mommy Group – but when I showed them the toys, every single mom was impressed by what perfect condition they were in.
What if my child LOVES a toy, and I don’t want to send it back? Simple – you can purchase it and keep it! Find details in the FAQ’s. You can also earn TOYbucks from trading in toys that your kiddo’s don’t play with anymore, and use those bucks towards rentals or purchases, making this an even better value. It’s such a great risk-free way to try new toys on a regular basis – and only buy the ones you know they’ll continue to enjoy.
What if a toys gets damaged, or we lose a piece? Well, this happened to us! The cute {but very bad!} puppy you see here is Abby’s best buddy in the world. She shares her toys with him all of the time – so he thought that running off with a puzzle piece was ok! I caught him with it, all chewed up – looking guilty as can be, lol. But – when you have TOYsurance, there are no worries! It’s only a super small fee to add it to each order, and if you have an accident like we did, you are totally covered. Read more in the FAQ’s.
Do they have a good selection? Um, YES! I didn’t choose our toys, we were just sent a package with an assortment to review. But Abby LOVED them all. I wouldn’t have thought that she was big enough to really enjoy the wooden puzzles, but she spent hours fitting those pieces in and out. I went online to learn more, and sign up for a paid subscription – and I was really impressed with what a wide variety of toys are available. They do a great job of choosing toys that are not just fun, but have value too – lots of cool educational choices. You’ll love it. And it’s easy to search – by type, age group, and more.

Spend Less, Play More!

Check out the amazing selection, and pick some cool new toys for your family – visit TOYconomy.com today!

Have you used Toyconomy?

If you’ve used Toyconomy, let me know what you thought of it – what was your favorite toy? Were you as impressed as I was with the condition of the toys? Did you have any problems? I love to hear from you guys!

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary shipment from Toyconomy to review and share with you. All opinions, photos, video, and overuse of exclamation marks is totally my own!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 31, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 14 Comments

New Feature: Weekend Window Shopping! {Best of Today’s Deals!}

Weekend Window Shopping – Start your holiday gift shopping now!

Welcome to a new weekly feature – “Weekend Window Shopping!” I’ll bring you the best of all the daily deal sites in ONE post, easy peasy. Then you can shop the hottest products, at the lowest prices – in you pajama’s. Love it, right? These deal sites are a great way to start stocking up on Christmas gifts at a super low price! And always check to see if you can combine them with Cash Back on sites like Ebates, Inbox Dollars, or MyPoints too, for more savings. So let’s get started….

Weekend Window Shopping –

Totsy KidKraft Sale!

Ohmyheck, do I looove me some KidKraft toys!!! I’m really wanting to get the red play kitchen – but we don’t have room for it yet. And this play table is uh-MAY-zing! I got this for the boys last year, and it is the coolest thing ever. The top flips over to solid wood, so you can use it as a coffee table too – it is really high quality. Find this sale on Totsy today! All KidKraft toys are around 50% off – some more, and you can save over $100 on some of the big sets! SHOP TOTSY TODAY!!

Zulily – Plan Toys 60% off!

Another great sale to help you stock up on some really great quality, well-built toys for the kids for Christmas – check out the Plan Toys selection in the Zulily sale event today! “A green company with commitments to safety and child development, PlanToys proves that eco-friendly, socially responsible toys can be made with superior quality. Their goal is to create toys that inspire imaginations while promoting physical and intellectual development.” I love these toys, they really do last. SHOP ZULILY TODAY!

HomeSav ME – Modern Elements Sale!

Ok seriously, how cool are these?? There are around 20-30 styles to choose from, all very modern and super unique. They’re an eco-friendly spin on a fireplace – read more: Their fireplaces use bio-ethanol, a clean, renewable and environmentally friendly fuel. The combustion of ethanol results in a clean emission of heat, steam and a negligible amount of carbon dioxide, so there is no smoke.” SHOP HOMESAV TODAY!!

Open Sky – Tom Colicchio Sale!

I so love Open Sky… I find some of the most interesting products here that I never would’ve found on my own. You choose your favorite designers, chefs, and celebrities to follow, and get deep discounts on their picks each week! Today Tom Colicchio has this Crown Maple Syrup Trio at a great price – perfect for breakfast when you have holiday guests, right? This is the same syrup they use in their famous restaurants. Very cool. SHOP OPEN SKY TODAY!

Get Shopping!

Get some great deals at all of these sites, and check out the details on each one – you can earn credits for sharing YOUR favorite deals with your friends! Everyone loves a deal, right? Have a great weekend!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 29, 2011 Filed Under: Shopping, Deals and Coupon Codes | No Comments

HomeSav – Creative Containers for Kitchen Storage 40-60% off!

Another Awesome HomeSav Sale today –

Check out the Zevro Kitchen Collection! There are a ton of really cool gadgets, unique organizers, and creative containers – for all of your kitchen storage needs! My favorite is this super cool cereal dispenser – which is 40% off today! How fun would this make breakfast time, right? Plus, in our house, we use cereal as a snack – I can usually get cereal for less than a buck a box with coupons, so it’s a super inexpensive snack. Plus – even something like lucky charms is healthier than candy or chips! Or, imagine how fun this would be for snacks at a holiday party, or kiddo’s birthday party too, right? Love it.

Check out the other deals at HomeSav today too –

Some gorgeous Turkish Glassware, some super yummy Gourmet dessert and dip mixes {I can’t wait for mine to arrive!} and some super cool pieces from Smart Storage Solutions to organize the rest of your home!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 28, 2011 Filed Under: Deals and Coupon Codes, Shopping | No Comments

What do You Want on YOUR Tombstone this Halloween?

TOMBSTONE pizza – the “Official Pizza of Halloween!”

Who else is super excited for Halloween? I love holidays, and this year I am more excited about Halloween then ever, since it’s the first one that Abby will get to go Trick or Treating! {Did you see the costume I got her?? Stinkin’ adorable.} Since the kiddo’s will be out in the cold, and will be eating a ton of candy later that night, we always have a big group dinner before heading out on our candy quest. And – Tombstone pizza is the perfect choice! We’ve done pizza dinner many times – But I don’t know why I never thought of Tombstone… I mean, what pizza could be better than the goulishly named Tombstone pizza, right? Love it.

Fun Facts that I didn’t know – and I bet you didn’t either:

Only fitting for the “Official Pizza of Halloween,” TOMBSTONE pizza was brought to life in 1962, at a bar called the Tombstone Tap that was located across from a graveyard in Medford, WI.
It all started when Tombstone Tap owner, Joe Simek, broke his leg dancing the “Peppermint Twist.” While recuperating, Joe experimented with various pizza recipes in the kitchen in the back of the Tombstone Tap. The tasty pizzas he made were an instant success, creating the TOMBSTONE pizza brand.

You’re just a little bit smarter now after learning this. You’re welcome :)

Get a FREE Halloween Party Kit!

Since Tombstone is the “Official Pizza of Halloween,” it’s only fitting that they’re giving you a FREE Halloween Party Kit to help you set a spooky mood during your families Halloween dinner – and any other spooky parties you’ll be hosting!! Check them out on the Tombstone Facebook page, and click on the Halloween Party Kit tab on their profile. You’ll find a TON of super fun stuff! Here are a few of my favorites:

The Spiderweb Munch in the recipes – it’s similar to the Spiderweb Nachos I made a couple weeks ago, but with my fave dessert combo – Chocolate and Peanut Butter!
The Scary Surprises in the Tombstone Tips section – I love the idea of leaving spooky plastic spiders in the chip bowls!!
Pumpkin Bowling in the games section – stand up a bunch of empty two liters for pins, and have the kids use a round mini-pumpkin as the bowling ball! So fun – I’m totally going to do this!

You’ll also find spooky music to download, a really cool app to “spookify” your photos, spooky posters to print out, tips to entertain on a budget, and more!

What are YOUR Halloween plans?

How do you celebrate with your family? Do you guys have a big dinner before heading out on the candy quest too? Make sure to grab some Tombstone pizzas for a simple and spooky Halloween meal! And ask your family – what do you want on YOUR Tombstone this Halloween??

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Tombstone Pizza and received coupons and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 26, 2011 Filed Under: Uncategorized | No Comments

Busy Mom Solution: Moonpig.com Saves the {Special} Day!

Introducing another great Busy Mom Solution: Moonpig.com!!

This is the problem –

You’re on your way to work, and suddenly remember that this weekend is {insert important person here – grandmas, husbands, best friends, etc} birthday!!! Ohmyheck – when are you going to have time to go pick up a card? Ugh. This happens to me all the time. Plus, I hate making a last-minute dash to a card store and having to rush and pick out some random over-priced card because I’m in too much of a hurry to pick a good one, and the baby is tearing up the tissue paper display while the boys play sword fighting with wrapping paper rolls. Anyone else have this problem??

The solution –

Set up an account at Moonpig.com!! Moonpig lets you choose your favorite cards, personalize them with names, photos, and messages – then mails REAL paper cards directly to the recipient!! How cool is that??

Watch this super fun video to see it all in action –

So cool, right??

I made a few of these cards last night – and am a big fan now! Here are a few things that I totally love:

Personalizing with photos is super easy – even when you need to make “faces” – you know, where you cut out the shape of your head to add to a character in a funny pic?? Simple and the results come out great.
I love that you can personalize the inside of the card too! You can add messages to both sides of the inner part of the card – with your choice of fonts, colors, and signature. Super fun.
There is a HUGE selection! You can find something for every single person – super funny cards, classic designs, really fun stuff for kids, professional cards for work, and some incredibly cool invitations!
The price is totally reasonable! Each card will run you about $3 – $4 bucks – which is even cheaper than many of the cards you’ll find at Hallmark or the Grocery store, right? And these are way cooler – since you get to totally personalize them.

What are you waiting for??

Head over to Moonpig.com today, set up an account, upload your address book and calendar – and have one less thing to worry about!!! This is a great option to start setting up all of your holiday cards too – you could make a few personalized cards per day, set dates for them to be sent – and know that this year, all of your cards will get to people in time!

Did I just remind you that the holidays are on the way??

Yep, it’s true – the Christmas season is right around the corner. Here are a few posts to help you get ready – Santa’s Coming! 10 tips to help you prepare for the Holidays, an amazing Christmas Giveaway you can enter, and some great ways to stock up on FREE Christmas gifts – Kids Books, Pluto Ornament and Free Disney Movies, and some Cool Personalized Gifts too! Make it a holly jolly time of year by prepping now, so you can just sit back and relax this December!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 26, 2011 Filed Under: Holidays, Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

{Act Fast!!} Crib Bedding only $14.99! Webkinz Set – Save $130!!

HUGE Savings on Crib Bedding!

I am such a big fan of Graveyard Mall! Since I’ve found them, I’ve bought their amazing “Mystery Boxes” every time they’re available, and have found a few other awesome deals too – like the one that they have running today! It’s a 3 piece, super adorable Circo crib bedding set featuring sweet ABC and 123 icons to engage baby’s active mind! This three-piece set includes a brightly colored fitted sheet, quilt and the bumper too. It’s 100% cotton and machine washable – which is a MUST with baby bedding!

The best part??

This Baby Crib Bedding Set is only $14.99!!! How crazy of a deal is that?? Huuuge savings.

More Deals!

There are loads more great deals for kids and babies right now too – Get a set of 11 Webkinz Plush for only $29.99, when the regular price to buy all 11 would be over $160 bucks!! Wow, right? Or, get a set of 5 of the larger sized Lubies – regular price is $99.99 – but you pay only $29.99!!

Holiday Shopping

There are seriously SO many great deals at Graveyard Mall – it’s a great place to start some early Christmas shopping…. The holidays will be here before you know it. How great would it feel to have all of your shopping done by the end of November, so you can just relax and enjoy the season? Wonderful. So check out these deals, and the rest of the cool stuff on this site, and find some great gifts for YOUR family!

Love my fantastic frugal finds? Please give me a vote today to help me get to Round 2 – one step closer to a job as a coupon blogger with Cheap Sally! I’m #6 in Washington – and only have until this weekend to get to the top 5!! I’d love your support! You guys rock!!