Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

You Know You Want To: Moving from Blogger to WordPress (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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I always get a particular sort of joy out of writing reviews of products that feel oh-so-very timely. Today I’m showcasing an e-book that is designed to help those of us who use Blogger as a blogging platform move ourselves over to WordPress.

If you use Blogger, then you know why this is so timely. We had a MAJOR outage this week, and found ourselves unable to write, edit or publish ANYTHING on our sites, and our readers were unable to comment. Bloggers live and breathe on the comments they receive, and in my particular niche of product reviews and giveaways, when my readers can’t leave comments, they can’t win, and my sponsors are left feeling as though nobody was interested in their product. Everyone loses, basically.

I’ve known for at least a year now that I’ve needed to make the switch. I’ve read countless posts about how great it is to have so much control over your blog, and to not be at the mercy of Google, facing the potential of losing your blog at a moment’s notice, as so many of us experienced a few days ago. Additionally, WordPress is perceived on the internet as a professional platform, for those who see their blogs as more than simply a hobby.

So, I’ve known that I SHOULD move for a really long time. But I haven’t done so, for two primary reason.

  1. I can’t really afford to pay someone to move me. The prices I have found have just been beyond my budget, and to be honest with you, the people who don’t charge very much make me uncomfortable….what if they screw it up and then can’t really help me fix it?! Sometimes you get what you pay for, and I’ve just been really nervous about “going cheap” when it comes to my blog.
  2. Option 2 is to do it yourself. The reason I signed up for Blogger in the first place is because it is designed for people who know absolutely NOTHING about web design. While I’ve learned a few HTML tricks in my time as a blogger, I still know almost nothing about web design. The amount of time I would have to spend in chat rooms and various forums, painstakingly making my way through the process and screwing up an infinite number of times is just too much to bear.

So here I am, still with a “.blogspot” address and still with Blogger. Sigh…

And then I heard about an ebook written by a self-taught web designer who has moved over 100 blogs over to WordPress from Blogger. The book is appropriately titled, How to Move from Blogger to WordPress by Sharon Hujik. It is a GEM, people. This is a step-by-step guide, with plenty of pictures, and in plain English (all tech-speak is clearly explained!).

When I first got the book to review, my plan was to hand it over to my husband to read and handle for me. But as I kept reading, I realized that Sharon wrote this book for me, and people just like me…the ones who are scared out of their minds to do this on their own. She holds your hand the whole way through, and breaks every step down for you, from getting your blog self-hosted all the way to the coolest bells and whistles that you’ll want to add to WordPress once you are rolling.

The book is 94 pages long. I’m telling you that so that you can understand how detailed Sharon is in this book. She’s not trying to fool anyone into thinking that making the switch takes just 2 minutes. It can be more complicated than that, for sure. But she does show you exactly how to do everything you need to do, with no missed steps or assumptions made along the way.

The book is $35, and if I had not received a copy for review, I’d definitely be ready to spend the money on this, now. Additionally, there’s a coupon out right now to take 20% off the price (use code time4wp at checkout). This is far less than the quotes I’ve had to get it moved for me, and will save me hours and hours of time piecing it together on my own (which in all honesty, would just never happen). So really this book is saving my blog from being taken hostage by Google again in the future. I’ll be taking the leap in the next month, and I feel SO equipped with the knowledge and tools I will need to do this. Plus, when things mess up with my blog in the future (as they do, from time to time), I’m going to be so much more savvy about diagnosing the problem and finding the solution! And yeah, I’m going to feel sort of like a rock star when I MOVE MYSELF from Blogger to WordPress. Thank you, Sharon!

Win it!: Want to join me in leaving the dark side? Here’s your chance to win a copy of How to Move from Blogger to WordPress! The contest will run until May 25th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me why you want to make the switch from Blogger to WordPress!

Additional entries:

  1. Sponsor love: Follow Sharon on Twitter
  2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

The Last Nail File You’ll Ever Own! (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Recently a reader of mine reached out to me to tell me a bit more about a product that she thought might be of interest to busy moms out there who need products to really go the distance for them.

She introduced me to a website called FilesNStyles, and they are the exclusive distributor of the original glass nail files. Have you ever seen a glass nail file? They are beautiful, but they are so much more than that! Here are some reasons to consider trying a glass nail file:

1. The file surface is made to last a lifetime! Just imagine buying one more nail file and being done with that purchase for the rest of your life!

2. Glass nail files support healthy growth of nails.

3. These files can be cleaned easily and then used by another person. This makes them significantly more hygienic than other options.

4. Glass files work well on both natural and artificial nails, so if you get acrylic nails from time to time, your file is still ready to work for you!

5. They are really lovely! They come in a variety of colors, and many of them have Swarovski crystals on them.

I have been enjoying my nail file very much. I keep my nails very short, and to tell you the truth, didn’t have a nail file for a while, at all (I lost mine!). Once I got this in the mail and started using it, I remembered how great it is to have smooth nails that are shaped beautifully. And I love knowing that as long as I don’t lose this one, there’s no need for me to ever buy another file. I always appreciate a product that is meant to last a lifetime.

Right now, almost all of the glass nail files are on sale for very reasonable prices! In addition, you can score an extra 10% off your purchase by using the discount code SPNBLOG10! That makes for a very reasonable price for the last nail file you’ll ever buy. Stock up on these, as they make wonderful gifts!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win 1 glass nail file of your choice! Woo hoo! The contest will run until May 24th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit on entrant per household, please.

REMEMBER, TO QUALIFY FOR A GIVEAWAY ON MY SITE, YOU MUST FOLLOW PUBLICLY VIA GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT. YOU CAN SIGN UP THROUGH THE LINK ON MY SIDEBAR.

Mandatory entry: Tell me which nail file you will select if you win, and choose wisely, as the winner will get what s/he puts for the response here!

My answer: If I could get another one (though I don’t need one!) I would pick the clover file.

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like FilesNStyles on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Re-Post: Filling out Surveys: The Good, The Bad and the Genuinely Fun

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*Apologies to my email subscribers…I know you are seeing this twice. Blogger deleted the entire post, and I had to completely re-post it. So sorry to be crowding your inbox!

One of the things I’ve been experimenting with to generate some side income is joining various survey groups. I’ve carefully selected the groups I have joined based on the feedback that members have to offer. I’ve only picked the places that people say actually pay (remember, there are LOTS of scams out there) and that offer a decent number of survey opportunities.

Wanna know how it is going? Not so great. I used to be a member of Pinecone, the group that paid the best, but I stopped working with them for about a year, and I guess forfeited my membership. I’ve tried to sign back up twice but their quota of people in my demographic is always full. Most of the other sites I work with I struggle to qualify for their studies, which you only learn after filling out their screeners. Honestly, over the last few months I’ve spent hours and hours trying to qualify for surveys and getting rejected. I have been able to fill out several, as well, but I have very little, financially to show for it. For many of the sites, you have to earn at least $20 to cash out, and trust me when I say that it takes FOREVER to get to that point.

I have judged this method of making extra money to be, overall, not worth the time invested. I think I’m earning less than minimum wage doing it. Also, filling out the vast majority of those surveys was BORING. Like, poke my eyes out boring. Bleh.

But recently an online friend introduced me to Crowdtap, and I have to say, I’m having a lot of fun as a member of this site. Crowdtap connects you with brands by getting your feedback with questions that are fun to answer, straightforward and fast. You can answer as many or as few questions as you want at a time, and the more you answer, the more points you build. Points help unlock higher levels in Crowdtap, which help you gain access to the really fun stuff, like paid discussion groups, product reviews, etc. (I say “etc.” because I’m only at level 3…I don’t know what awaits me at the higher levels!). There are opportunities to interact with other people and share your thoughts. It is SO much more fun than any other survey site I’ve joined (and I’ve joined a lot of them in my day). Also, as you earn points and cash, so does the charity you select! Crowdtap gives back when it gives to you. That rocks!

Right now they are offering all new members $1 just for signing up. In my book, $1 for 30 seconds of work is pretty decent pay. But I bet you’ll stick around and answer some questions, and then unlock a few levels. They make it so much fun that you don’t want to leave. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

No Skill Needed for Frisbee Fun: Aerobie Sprint Flying Ring (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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There are many things I’m reasonably good at in life, I’d say. I can make a “to do” list for anyone, not just myself (ask my husband about how I try to plan his days for him if he doesn’t plan them for himself…honestly, how does he function without a list???). I am a good mother, and feel confident about most of my parenting choices (after consulting with Aunt Google, that is). And I’m very good at making sure the cogs keep turning for our household by keeping all the bills paid and by setting financial goals for ourselves.

And there are things I’m not so good at, such as dealing with our taxes (blech!), driving (I’m a scaredy cat and will avoid highways whenever humanly possible), getting anything other than my child to grow (I over water EVERYTHING) and throwing a Frisbee.

Today we are going to take a crack at the easiest thing on that list to improve: Frisbee throwing. Why? Because honestly, it is the most fun one, and there are times when we need to buckle down and be serious (something I’m actually quite good at) and there are times when we need to just have fun (admittedly, something I’m not good at…especially if it isn’t on my to do list!).

There’s a very cool company that’s been around since 1984 called Aerobie (pronounced AIR-uh-bee). It uses principles of aero-science to create various sport toys. I had the opportunity to test out the Aerobie Sprint Flying Ring, which is a type of Frisbee. For someone who stinks at sports, pretty much altogether, this is one product that really boosts my confidence. It is literally designed for success. I’m not saying that it is impossible to have a bad throw withe the Sprint Ring, but it isn’t very easy. It goes very far and is very accurate, even for the unskilled thrower, like myself!

I can understand the possible critique that the challenge is gone when you have a product like this that will fly beautifully even without a skilled toss. But my counter-argument to that idea is this: the Aerobie Sprint Flying Ring can successfully get people like me, people who know they stink at Frisbee, off the couch and playing, and perhaps even more importantly, getting my heart rate up for a little while and having some fun. By taking the question of skill and the frustration with the lack thereof off the table, I’m much more receptive to just getting out there and running around a bit! I have no secret goal of being a competitive athlete in this sport, so I’ll take all the help I can get so that I can just play the game and have some fun.

In the same way that this product encourages me to get a bit of exercise through play, it can do the same for kids, as well as for families together. Little ones can confidently play with older siblings or even with their parents with this toy. It truly is fun for all ages. I have to say, I love it!

Buy it!: The Aerobie Sprint Ring can be purchased at many different retailers all over the country (some of which have online stores, too!). Click here for a complete list.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win your own Aerobie Sprint Flying Ring! The contest will run until May 23rd at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

REMEMBER, YOU MUST FOLLOW THIS BLOG PUBLICLY VIA GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GIVEAWAY.

Mandatory entry:
Tell me why you want to win this product!

Additional entries:
Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary product through The Family Review Network in exchange for my honest opinion, which I have provided.

Super Cute Kids Invitations for the Rest of Us: SanLori (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Sponsored by Tomoson.com

There is no shortage of super cute invitations on the market today. I’d venture to say it’s a pretty saturated market, actually. With enough advanced notice you can get party invitations for your children that rival what you might have seen on an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. If you don’t want to spend quite that much, you can still get something that is professional, personalized and just as good of quality as a wedding invitation.

But here’s the problem: you need to PLAN, and usually at least 2 months in advance to account for printing time and then getting the invites in the mail so that your guests have reasonable notice (unless, of course, you want to pay those rush fees). I’m all for planning (three cheers for “to do” lists!). But I’m also aware the life happens, and you get busy, distracted or things just come up so that you need to make adjustments to exactly how your planned celebrations might need to be executed. Maybe you have to change themes because you didn’t consider the fact that beach party decor might be tough to find in November. Or maybe you have to change the location because your guest list suddenly doubles when you remember to invite all the kids in Sunday school. Or maybe you have to cancel the venue you had reserved due to some unexpected house repairs that come up and move the party to your house. All of these things can very easily happen. And of course, you could just wait until the last minute to make any of the plans as some people are inclined to do (honestly, how do you sleep at night?!) 😉

Whatever the situation, Fiddle-de-de Kids Invites and Thank Your Cards by SanLori have got you covered. They come in a wide variety of themes and are all fill-in-the-blank, which makes planning so much easier for you!

I chose the You Who! invites and matching thank you cards. They are totally precious and while you could have a theme with these (owls, forest animals, animals in general), you can also NOT have a theme, which is a big plus for me, the totally non-crafty and not-at-all creative mama. Whatever happened to just having some cake and ice cream and playing some games and laughing and playing? That’s the kind of kid’s birthday party I throw. No theme required (although I do enjoy reading about all those cute theme ideas, so crafty mamas, keep blogging away about them!).

I want to encourage you to check out SanLori for every occasion you have that requires party invitations. From baby showers to birthdays, they’ve got you covered!


Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will snag 3 packages of Invitations and Thank You Cards (for a total of 24 each) to help you plan your next party! The contest will run until May 22nd at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

IN ORDER TO WIN A GIVEAWAY ON THIS SITE, YOU MUST PUBLICLY FOLLOW VIA GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY FOLLOWING, YOU CAN SIGN UP VIA THE GFC BUTTON ON THE SIDEBAR.

Mandatory entry: SanLori wants to be friends on Facebook, so please like them and come back here to tell me you did for your mandatory entry.

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Follow SanLori on Twitter
2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need via RSS or email

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas a Minneapolis SEO and Web Design firm. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Get Twisted: Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels

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I first learned of Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels while reading Good Enough is the New Perfect. Kim was featured in the book, and she really sounded like a sensible woman who worked very hard to get where she is, and who had a partner who backed her up 100%. I was very intrigued to learn more about this dynamic duo. And yeah, their pretzels sounded delicious, too!

Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels come in packs of 2 or 4, and they have the following awesome qualities:

  • all natural
  • made from premium ingredients
  • microwavable
  • good source of whole grains
  • twisted by hand
  • made from scratch
  • no preservatives
  • no trans fats
  • no hydrogenated oils

And here are their flavors (get ready for your mouth to start watering!):

  • Traditional Bavarian
  • Sourdough Parmesan
  • Apple Cinnamon
  • Cheddar Jalapeno
  • Chocolate Crumb
  • Cinnamon Roll
  • Cream Cheese
  • Egg and Cheese
  • Grilled Cheese (my personal favorite!)
  • Pizza Pretzel
  • Spinach Feta

Hungry yet? I thought so! One of the things that really impressed me about these pretzels is that they are quite delicious even when cooked in the microwave. I often find that products like this are very compromised if you don’t cook them in a toaster oven. While I think these do taste better that way, as well, I still found the microwaved version to be very yummy, which means these make excellent snacks for when you are in a hurry.

I found these pretzels to be an excellent stand-alone meal (Tim and I would each eat a savory pretzel and then share a sweet pretzel for dessert). They also are a terrific companion to other food (try them along with a nice big salad or a cup of soup!). And I also found that they are delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner, which makes them a very versatile option to have on hand. They go right in your freezer and will be ready whenever you are, or you can pop them in your fridge as long as you eat them within a few days.

In addition to the fact that the founders sound awesome and the pretzels taste divine, there’s one more reason I’m a big fan of Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels: they really and truly give back. They have created “Pretzels with a Purpose,” and it has 4 initiatives:

1. Pretzel “Dough” — This is very similar to the boxtop program that is very popular. Participating schools can collect the UPCs from Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzel items, and each UPC will get them $1.00. Wow! Most similar programs donate .10-.20, so this is incredible.

2. Pretzels for Peace – The company supports organizes that teach children to embrace diversity and work to promote peace in communities.

3. Pretzel Power – High school students are brought into the baker and have the opportunity to job shadow several different positions within the business in exchange for high school credit. The hope is that Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels will encourage entrepreneurship.

4. Green with a Twist – Every April, in celebration of Earth Day, this company will plant one tree for every online order that is placed. They have been doing this since 2008.

So as you can see, this is a company that has not only a passion for making truly great pretzels (and they are great!) but also a heart for making the community a better place. This is the kind of business that I want to support with my dollars, for sure.

And hopefully you do, too! You can do that by checking out where Kim & Scott’s pretzels are sold, and pick some up to try! You won’t be disappointed!

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Celebrate Democracy, Practice Philanthropy: Blue State Red State Coffee

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If I am able to support a worthy cause when making a purchase that I was going to make anyway, I always get excited. Today I’m super pumped to tell all your coffee lovers out there how you can do just that!

The company is called Blue State Red State, and it gives, get this, 33% of its profits to various philanthropic and advocacy groups! Yes, you read that correctly! Right now they just offer coffee (and it is seriously good, I might add) but they have other products coming out later.

From their site, “The ideais simple – buy things you use every day, but instead of us keeping all of the profits, 33% of our profits will go toward making America better. And you direct your donation when you check out, so with every purchase, you express yourself. We will be supporting charities and advocacy groups across our brands because we think people should expect more from the companies they buy from. It’s not enough to have a quality product anymore. We think it’s just as important to be a good corporate citizen, give customers a voice, and share our success. Blue State or Red State – it doesn’t matter – the point is to get more involved and do some good through your purchases!”

You can purchase Blue State Blue Coffee which will support Democratic causes, Red State Coffee which will support Republican causes, or Blue State Red State Coffee which will support nonprofit organizations (by definition, these are non-partisan). Two 12 oz bags of freshly ground coffee are available for $19.98.

I’m totally in love with the concept behind this business. What a way to show some pride in America, and a commitment to making it a better place in which to live! The coffee that is being sold is also fair trade, organic and shade grown.

I want to strongly encourage all of you who drink coffee to consider making a purchase with Blue State Red State, and enjoy knowing that a good chunk of your purchase price went toward a wonderful cause that you support!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary sample of this product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Pampers Little Miracle Mission ($50 Visa Gift Card GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Today I want to talk about the joy that can come from giving to others. The South has recently been afflicted with one of the worst storms we have ever encountered in our known history. EVER.

The day of the storms, my family took cover 3 separate times as we heard information that multiple tornadoes were on the ground in our area. MULTIPLE. And this turned out to be over 300 in the entire storm area that crossed Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.

The devastation is widespread. Hundreds of people lost their lives. And thousands of people who knew those individuals lost people they love, which is heartbreaking. And beyond that, thousand of people lost everything they own. EVERYTHING.

Just try to imagine for a moment suddenly having nothing but the clothes on your back, and having to start over. It’s difficult to wrap your head around, I think. But this is the reality for so many people throughout the South. It is the reality that faces anyone when they lose their homes in fires, which happens all over the country every single day. It is the reality of a woman who decides to leave an abusive relationship, and this also happens every day. The needs of this world are very great; really overwhelming when you stop to think about. But please don’t get overwhelmed by the need and decide that there’s nothing you can do that will make a difference!

Today I’m partnering with Pampers who has launched Little Miracle Mission. The campaign kicked off at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York by providing gift baskets to families with babies in the NICU. These parents are beyond stressed out, and having people reach out to them and show they care really means a lot. Please check out the Pampers Facebook page for more information on this fantastic campaign aimed at celebrating little miracles and reaching out to the families who support them in their time of need, whatever it may be.

Pampers sent me a $50 Visa gift card to spend on a little miracle in my own community, in whatever way I saw fit. I agreed to do this campaign just days before the tornadoes came through, and I knew as soon as it happened that I would want to find a family with a baby who had been impacted. I was made aware of a family who completely lost their home to the tornadoes and who had a 15 month old baby boy. My heart was particularly touched since this family had a son so close in age to my daughter. I tried to imagine not having diapers or snacks or….ANYTHING that I needed to keep my daughter healthy and happy, and it really broke my heart.

I took my gift card, along with some coupons I had, to a few drugstores and came back with this:

Yes, I would have loved to have bought the family some cloth diapers, but honestly, this is really not the time to push my own diapering preferences on someone. Diapers is what the parents especially needed, so I used coupons to buy them as much as possible. I also bought them wipes and diaper rash cream, and then realized that they probably don’t have any baby shampoo, so got some of that, as well (again, I wish I could have bought more eco-friendly options, but I don’t know how much help this family will get, so I decided that I needed to stretch my dollars as far as possible). Finally, I saw those two cute stuffed animals marked 75% off, so I snagged them so that the little boy could have a few buddies.

Overall, I got quite a bit for $50! But I didn’t feel satisfied with it. So I raided my linen closet (where all our toiletries are kept) and found unused deodorants, razors, soap and toilet paper to add to the gift basket. Later that day, while I was reading to Darah, I thought of this family…they don’t even have books to read to their child, now. So I pulled a few from Darah’s shelf to give. She won’t miss them, and they will make a big difference to a family with nothing.

While I originally didn’t think I had much to offer those in need, simply because I personally don’t have much money to give, I quickly realized that I was wrong. When I think about having nothing, and when I think about that through the eyes of a mother, I suddenly saw many things in my own home that could be put to better use elsewhere. I felt so blessed to be able to give.

Win it!: So now it is your turn to celebrate a little miracle in your own community! Pampers wants to offer one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a $50 Visa Gift Card, with the idea that you will pay-it-forward and extend some kindness to a family who is expecting a baby or who currently cares for one. I’ll randomly select one winner on May 19th at 11:59pm EST using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

REMEMBER, YOU MUST BE A PUBLIC FOLLOWER OF THIS BLOG VIA GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT (FOUND ON THE SIDEBAR) TO QUALIFY FOR ANY GIVEAWAYS

Mandatory entry: Simply tell me your idea for how you will use the money to make a positive difference in the life of a baby or babies in your community. Please be specific with your ideas! Comments that are really vague such as, “I’ll give it to someone” won’t count! Let’s all inspire each other right now with our ideas!

Additional entries:

1. Sponsor love: “Like” Pampers on Facebook

2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by email or RSS

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

Here’s a great video to get your inspired!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary gift card so that I could give to a family in need. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Harnessing the Power of Sea Buckthorn Berries: Sibu Beauty

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For the past 3 weeks, I have been putting something interesting on my face: sea buckthorn berries.

Huh?! Yeah, that’s what I said, too! I’d never heard of such a thing in my life before recently. There’s a reason for that: they are only grown in the Himalayas! This is and of itself, is interesting, but doesn’t mean that this is something really good for your skin. But here’s what science says about this special ingredient:

“Sea buckthorn is designed to provide advanced restorative skin care from within by addressing both internal and external aging factors. This ancient berry has a written history focusing on the aging issues of healthy and beauty of more than 28 centuries. such uses include treating and soothing damaged skin, healing wounds from ancient battles and part of a special nutrition program for Russian cosmonauts. Over 190 bioactive nutrients have been found in this fruit of the Himalayas. It contains Omega 7, which is very unique, and significant amounts are found in only two known plant sources: macadamia nuts and sea buckthorn berries. It helps neutralize free radicals and aids the production of collagen, a body function that begins to diminish with age. Studies have shown improvements in membrane function, skin and tissue hydration and enhanced elasticity.”

I have been using the Repair & Protect Sea Buckthorn Facial Cream from the company Sibu Beauty. I have been very impressed so far! I find it to be not at all greasy. I can apply my makeup just a few minutes after putting it on. But it goes the distance, leaving my very dry skin feeling hydrated all day long. Since I’m no spring chicken, anymore, I also like that this product has Omega & to help boost collagen production. Also, it smells wonderful (great citrus scent)!

This company is dedicated not only to providing products that work tremendously well to fight aging and promote healthy skin, but they are also a company committed to sustainability and fair trade practices. They work very hard to ensure that their harvesters and other workers are paid fair wages and use environmentally safe processing techniques, as well as healthy, safe working conditions. It seems to me that their goal is to have not only a positive impact on the beauty industry, but also on the areas in which their business resides. Love that!

Sibu Beauty gets two thumbs up from me for making products that really work and incorporating business practices that seek a greater good.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.