From Dates to Diapers, and beyond!

Several of my "real life" friends have blogs, so today I am going to introduce you to some of them. I hope that you will visit them and encourage them this week!

Ali, from My God Given Mission Field, is a dear friend. I feel like I have somewhat lost touch with her over the last couple of months... We have both been so busy. She home-schools her four adorable children, has a wonderful husband, and is super sweet. She is also very talented, and has designed several blog templates, including mine here, as well as the one for my previous blog home, Organized Chaos. She is a wonderful woman of God, and I urge you to get to know her!

Heidi is an old friend, from way back... We met in our college days, and she and Ray went on a mission trip together to India back in 2000. (I was supposed to go, but got pregnant with our twins - God had different plans!) She writes at A Journey of Four, where she talks about her cuter-than-cute little ones, and living a life pleasing to the Lord. She just recently went to Columbia and worked at several homes, showing Christ's love.

Jessica, and her husband, Mike, just welcomed a brand new little guy in to the world... Christian Drew was born on Wednesday! Jessica writes about family life at The Phillips Family. Jessica and Mike were also part of our college group, way back, and we have been lucky to stay in touch, albeit ever so infrequently!

Jenn is a friend from Ray's hometown... She is mommy to two beautiful little girls and a brand new son! At Day by Day you will see lots of fun pictures, cute anecdotes, and witness the evidence of a "Christian family, trying to raise our children in the fear and knowledge of God, day by day".

Adventures in Abshireland showcases a family of five who "live daily in His grace." It is their desire to live lives that bring glory to God. Aaron and Liz are also good friends from where Ray grew up, and I am happy to have just discovered their place in the blogosphere. Liz is a fun and outgoing person, who loves to post lots of pictures of her little ones!

Now, please go visit my friends, and make sure they know that I sent you to see them. I don't always tell them how much they mean to me, so maybe this will prove it to them!

Our family loves pasta! Rotini, fettucini, macaroni, spaghetti... Just about any noodle can be made in to a scrumptious meal, and our family will eat it!

We just had the opportunity to try RONZONI Healthy Harvest® Whole Wheat Rotini... It is so fun for me to cook foods for my family that are not only delicious, but healthy, too. Of course, the Rotini noodles, served with marinara sauce for the kiddos, were a huge hit!

RONZONI has recently fortified all RONZONI Healthy Harvest® products so they are an excellent source of omega-3. Healthy Harvest is also low in fat, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free. In fact, one serving includes 70% of the daily whole grains requirement!

Even my brother-in-law and nephew wanted to try these whole grain noodles... Here's what my sister, Sara, had to say:

My husband loves pasta, so when my sister gave us some Ronzoni's Whole Wheat Blend Pasta, I was excited to try it out. I have yet to make it for him, but I did cook some up for my 1 and 1/2 year old son, and he gobbled it all up! I even gave it to him plain! I know that I will be cooking it up a lot in our meals. Guess what? As an added plus, the Ronzoni pasta is loaded with all kinds of nutrients, including natural whole grains, and flaxseed! This is great since my family tries to be conscious about going with natural foods and having healthy nutrition.

It's been a while since I chatted about the happenings in our household. Here's a glimpse of what has been going on --

The twins had a horrible allergy attack over last weekend, and now they have pneumonia! They are so miserable... They have horrible coughing fits, won't eat, can't sleep, and hate to sit still! Regular breathing treatments, lots of fluid intake, rest, and tons of vitamins should do the trick.

I finally got a new laptop! Our PC kinda died, and I was stuck begging Ray to leave me his laptop every day. It wasn't workin' out very well, so he bought me one last weekend, and it just arrived today!

The Johnson & Johnson Baby Camp is just around the corner. I am so excited about meeting some of my blogging buddies, and just having some much needed time away. My sister-in-law offered to take Noah, so Ray will be a bit more inclined to do some fun things with the older kiddos while I'm away... They should have fun!

I would love to hear about what's going on with all of my family and friends, that I know are reading. I haven't had much time to get around to visit all of my virtual friends, either, but hopefully I can catch up with most of you (in both worlds) over the next few days!

XOXOXO and many blessings!!

cross posted at Organized Chaos

Not only do my kiddos love seeing their name at every meal, on their Olive Kids personalized placements, but they carry them around with them, and have even taken them along on car trips! The designs are so fun and, since each of them are so different, they love the variety of colors and designs.

Olive Kids has quite a range of items that can be personalized for your kiddos... From clocks and pillows to wall art, and even name tags. They also have a plethora of bedding sets from which to choose. As long as you are looking for something adorable to fill your children's rooms, you will find exactly what you are looking for at Olive Kids... No TV characters, just fun, colorful kids bedding for boys and girls at a great price!

Olive Kids is offering Free Shipping on all orders over $175. (This promotion ends May 1, 2008 and is available only to orders shipped within the continental US - excluding Alaska.) And, you never have to pay sales tax at Olive Kids... Now, if thats not a great incentive to check them out, I don't know what is!

Because of the article that was printed in my local paper, back before Christmas, I met one of the sweetest moms one could ever meet! Her name is Amanda, and she has two adorable children. Oh, and she makes the most incredible cloth diapers, accessories, and even infant and children's clothing!

After I told her that I wanted to give cloth diapers a try, she offered to make some especially for little Noah. (They are so adorable!) I tried them out, on a few different days, and I must say that I could certainly get used to this cloth diapering thing....

If nothing else, it certainly has been a learning experience... I've discovered that I need a whole lot more than two fitted diapers, three all-in-ones, and four hemp inserts!! I've discovered that "when Noah wears cloth diapers, he looks like he has a big butt"!! And, I've discovered that I would have to do a whole lot more laundry, if I decided to use cloth diapers full-time!


Do you use cloth diapers? Do you have any tips for this cloth-diapering wanna-be?

How about trying Amanda's cloth diapers? Go visit her at Mandi's Menagerie... Did I mention that she makes clothes, too?

Guess what? I have a brand new fitted newborn (small) diaper and snappy cover, from Amanda, for one lucky cloth diaperin' Mama to win!

Here's what you have to do to enter:

Visit Mandi's Menagerie, and browse around... There is so much to see! Then come back and leave a comment here, by midnight April 6th, mentioning your favorite item in her shop. A winner will be chosen, at random, notified, and announced here on Monday, April 7th. (Please make sure you leave me an email address or blog address, otherwise your entry will be deleted!)

And, if you would like an extra entry, you can spread the word by linking to this giveaway and to Mandi's Menagerie. Make sure you sign the Mr. Linky (only if you decide to help spread the word) with the exact link to your post to receive the second entry.

Good luck!

Latest News -- My hubby was quoted in our local paper!
Local residents weigh in on home school ruling

From HSLDA -- (yesterday)

HSLDA is pleased to announce that all the major California-based homeschool organizations have come together in order to better serve California homeschool families.

The following organizations, California Homeschool Network, Christian Home Educators Association of California, Private and Home Educators of California and HomeSchool Association of California, represent the major California-based organizations working on a statewide basis to support private homeschooling. They, together with the Home School Legal Defense Association, which also works in California to support private homeschooling and which has members in California, jointly issue the following statement:

1. We are united in the goal of protecting the right of parents to teach their children privately at home without additional governmental interference.

2. We believe that children deserve to learn in the environment that best meets their individual needs. We support the right of parents to direct their children’s education including, if they desire, teaching their children privately at home apart from any public school program and without a teaching credential.

3. We believe that the opinion rendered by the Second District Court of Appeals in the case titled In re Rachel L on February 28, 2008 is excessively broad in its scope and incorrectly states the law as applied to home education in California.

4. We believe that the interpretation of California law, as understood by our organizations and by the California Department of Education prior to the issuance of this decision, is correct, that the interests of both the State of California in ensuring that children are educated adequately and of parents in directing their children’s education are well met by this prior interpretation of law, and that no change in California law regarding the teaching of children privately at home is needed.

Do you ever arrive at a lunch date, or playdate, only to get the kiddos unloaded and notice that there is hair and fuzz all over your jacket or pants? Well, Lint-on-the-Go packets are perfect for slipping in to your bag or purse, for quick and easy lint, hair, and fuzz removal.

These handy little sheets are a breeze to use, and work just like those lint rollers - Just wipe your jacket and off you go... Clean and well put together.

Go check them out... Everyone else is!

Make sure you check out Alex Casey Baby... They have such a wide variety of items from which to choose! I just posted the discount code, so it's time to shop!

I also wanted to let you know that Kristin, at An Ordinary Life, is hosting a dekoposh giveaway... Run over and enter to win a Got Text? shirt!

Have you joined the Mega Launch Party, over at Mommies United? If not, then what are you waiting for?

We are having sooo much fun. Here's a glimpse of what you are missing:

A fashion-forward designer mom is the genius behind Cuddlebee. When she just couldn't find any fashionable baby accessories to match her style, she decided to create her own! The business seemed to grow overnight, and now you can find Cuddlebee in a number of fantastic, high-end boutiques…And, you can even see a few celebrity babies sporting their duds around Hollywood!

Cuddlebee's items are made of unique fabrics, luxurious silks, and a touch of yesterday’s flair, and are handmade creations, made in New England from the best and softest materials. Their mission is to create products that make mommies and babies happy!

I received the fun dot bib and burp set (shown), and was so impressed with the quality and design... And, I must say, it looks adorable on my little guy! This would be a great addition to your baby's meal time, or anytime!

I am a self-proclaimed blanket hog. Cuddly baby blankets, homemade and handknit blankets, soft blankets, warm blankets - If it's a blanket, I have to have it! So, when Alex Casey Baby sent me their Green and Chocolate blanket, I flipped! Believe it or not though, I decided to spread the love with my sister, Sara, who shares my obsession.

Here's what she had to say about this adorable blanket...

I don't believe that any baby (or mommy) can have too many blankets! I always have plenty on hand, all around my house. My sister gave me this adorable reversible blanket that I was extremely happy to add to my collection. It's one of the few that I now have that is not only practical, but oh-so adorable. Not only does my son use it, but I love to cuddle up with him and have this blanket comfortably cover both of us. There are few blankets as cute as this chocolate brown and green - the color combination really pops! I love it!

Who is the new Mom in the 'hood? In The Motherhood is introducing Jenny McCarthy this round!

I never really ate Kellogg's Pop-Tarts growing up. My parents could never really afford such frivolity in food. So, needless to say that I never really thought to buy them for my kiddos... Until I craved them somethin' fierce when I was pregnant with Noah! There was nothing that sounded better than that warm piece of goodness, fresh out of the toaster!

Well, when I was given the opportunity to try the new whole Grain Pop-Tarts, I jumped on it... I hadn't bought a box since I was pregnant, and the fact that they were made with Whole Wheat appealed to me, especially if I was going to share with my kiddos!

I'm sure you will not be surprised that they were a big hit with everyone! All the kiddos seamed to like the Brown Sugar Cinnamon, but I devoured the Strawberry. When they were gone, I heard several shouts, begging me to buy more...

They are on my grocery list!

That's right, my kiddos rock out, with their new Baby Jamz Jammin' Microphone, and their Nursery Rhymes Volume 1 CD.

This fun new Microphone and CD were created by Matthew and Solange Knowles (Beyonce's father and sis). Together they have all of the classic nursery rhymes, including Mary Had a Little Lamb, BINGO, Skip to My Lou and Old MacDonald, set to fast tempos and fun beats.

There is an entire line, the first infant and toddler line of it's kind, inspired by the hip-hop/rhythm genre. It's called Baby Jamz and it is sold exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Thanks to Team Mom for the opportunity to try out these fun toys!

The special gift basket of products, with the whole Pink product line (wash, lotion, cream) from Johnson and Johnson, is Mary512 !!

She said… "my fave way to bond with my daughter is at night before she goes to bed she is sleepy and will rock with me in her rocker and we just talk. she is two so she is getting much better with her speech and it is such a nice way to enjoy each other. thanks for the great giveaway! hope i win!"

We are having a Tea Party over at Mommies United, so I thought that I would share the recipe for my new favorite cookies! So, grab your favorite tea cup, sip some tea with me, and enjoy some virtual cookies!

I wasn't out and about in the blogosphere much yesterday, so I am just now noticing all of the buzz surrounding the "no children allowed" policy at Johnson and Johnson's Camp Baby. Quite frankly, I am amazed at the amount of negative response from top mommy bloggers! Even while I have my own nursing baby (and as you all know, five other kiddos, to boot), I completely understand why this policy was put in place... This time is meant as a retreat for moms to network, mingle and have fun. As much as I love having my babies with me everywhere, I am looking forward to this short time away!

I can, however, understand the frustration that some moms share, about not having adequate details or J&J not doing their homework. I was not once asked if I had a nursing baby, and nowhere on the invitation does it say that the kiddos were not invited. (I will say that the invitation was pretty clear about this event being a "retreat" for Mommies.) Fortunately, I asked about it before making my travel plans, and was not surprised by this policy later, like some moms seem to have been.

I will give J&J props for handling this situation with so much tact, given the negativity stirred up by many. The camp organizer sent out a very nice email, and I have seen many comments from her in various posts regarding the situation. Here is an excerpt from her email:

I wanted to personally reach out to you in response to what happened yesterday in the mommy blogosphere. What a learning process it has been for all of us....

because this is an event created for education and networking, we felt, that you could not take full advantage of the agenda, while caring for your children. This was probably the hardest call we made and certainly have learned a lot through this process. In the future, we will be much more overt about these decisions but we tried to communicate this as questions arose....

Please know you can always reach out to us. We are listening, and learning and continue to value your community's opinions and insights.

GirlMogul is a multi-media company dedicated to encouraging girls to dream big.

The History
When Founder, Andrea Stein was clothes shopping for her niece and then her own baby girl she was horrified - ok, maybe just a little upset. She found there were way too many princess t-shirts and not enough shirts featuring strong and resourceful girls. With that in mind, she created the GirlMogul series, featuring four girls who dream big. The GirlMogul series shows that girls can grow up to be anything they want – a CEO, a Rocket Scientist, even Leader of the Free World. With a multicultural palette and a range of Girls – there is sure to be something that speaks to your girl.

What is a GirlMogul?
Just what makes a GirlMogul? GirlMogul is an attitude, a way of approaching life that says you can be and do what you want. It defies convention and stereotyping and is inspiring and encouraging. GirlMoguls come in all ages, shapes and sizes. It’s an approach to living that encourages big and little dreams, to forging your own path. It’s a commitment to being smart, independent, to having fun, to helping others, to dreaming and to building and growing those dreams. A GirlMogul may be historical. She may be contemporary. She may be well-known - she may be an everyday hero. She may be young or old. A GirlMogul is what’s inside you – what makes you, you, what inspires you.

Check out their line of apparel, wall art, journals, stickers and books. They are sure to have something for the GirlMogul in you!

We celebrated Outback's birthday tonight! Oh, you didn't know? Outback Steakhouse, and the famous (and quite tasty) Bloomin' Onion, are 20 years old this month!

With almost 800 restaurants across the country and 950 locations worldwide, Outback Steakhouse continues to be the "consumer's choice," outselling the competition in the steak category year after year. To celebrate their birthday, Outback has created a number of special menu items that will only be available through the end of April. And, of course the best way to celebrate is with the Bloomin' Onion!

Speaking of the Bloomin' Onion... Did you know that the Bloomin Onion was the first item on the menu at Outback? Here are a few other things about the Bloomin' Onion that you may not have known:

• During the first night of business, in March 1988, Outback Steakhouse in Tampa, FL, sold only two Bloomin' Onions. Since then, Outback has sold more than 133.5 million of it's original Aussie appetizer, with 15 million being sold each year!
• Co-founder and renowned restaurateur, Tim Gannon, created the Bloomin' Onion concept more than 20 years ago, inspired by Japanese cookbooks which featured vegetables cut and prepared in intricate designs.
• Each onion used is 16 ounces big and 4 1/2 inches wide, before it is cut.
• Outback uses 17 different spices to flavor the onion and an additional 37 spices in the dipping sauce.
• Due to it's worldwide popularity, the ingredients have remained the same since it's inception.
  

Even the kiddos love this tasty treat!


Every family needs a good carnivore!


Outback - Just another place to add to the list of various places where Josh has fallen asleep!

This week I would like to introduce you to Angie, from Seven Clown Circus. I'll let her tell you about herself...

I am a stay at home mom of 5 children. My number 4 and 5 children are 2 year old identical twins that have kept me hopping since I found out about them when I was pregnant. I try really hard to balance life and my children and the opportunities that being a mom provides.

My twins were monoamniotic, which means they shared a placenta and an amniotic sac. It's caused by a late splitting egg.....any later and they would be conjoined. The dangerous part is that they share blood supply AND living space, so their cords could become tangled and compressed causing fetal death. So, at viability I left my 3 children and husband and went inpatient for continuous fetal monitoring before their premature birth via C-Section. I was in the hospital for 10 weeks!

I LOVE to blog and do volunteer work. I love to write and have actually been paid to do it! I even have an article slated to be published this year. I'm the room mom for my kindergartners class, I teach my oldest daughters Sunday School class, and I spend hours each week supporting and getting information to the rare parents of monoamniotic twins as a moderator on www.monoamniotic.org.

Please visit Angie, where you can read more about the Seven Clowns and their family adventures!

With the help of the Random Number Picker, I have chosen the winner of the To The Moon and Back Nest Egg from Blessed Nest. Congratulations to Bree who said… I love the To The Moon and Back slipcover!!

For all of you who did not win, remember that the ladies at Blessed Nest are offering all of my readers a 10% discount!! Just enter FDTD when checking out.

The Mega Launch Party over at Mommies United has officially begun!! This is another party that you will not want to miss!! Much like the Ultimate Blog Party at 5 Minutes for Mom, you will have a chance to win lots of great items from our fabulous sponsors.

Just the other day, when I was giving Noah a bath, I was so wishing I had already received my Bath Bib. I was soaking wet and Noah almost slipped out of my hands as I was fumbling with the towel! I've given my fair share of baths, but it really doesn't get easier!

Then my Bath Bib arrived and boy, what a change... I put it on just before I placed Noah in the tub (yes, just like a bib!), I didn't have to worry about dropping Noah OR the towel, and he was warm and dry in no time!

The Bath Bib comes in four adorable colors, and Personalized Embroidered Bath Bibs are also available with your baby's own name!

I'm going to New Jersey next month!

That's right... JOHNSON'S Camp Baby for Mommy Bloggers is in a few short weeks, and they are flying me out to attend. Johnson and Johnson considers me