Anderson Cooper and Education Funding

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Mom

As a kindergarten teacher in a public school we feel the pinch with funding everywhere we turn.  Unfortunately ,it seems like the people the current flux in eduction funding is hurting the most is our children.  I am constantly trying to find ways to supplement instruction in my classroom using the smallest monetary resources that I can.  There are great programs out there like DonorsChoose.org that help teachers out there find funding for projects they are working on in their classrooms.  But what kind of help is there for the parents of the kids who need to send in supplies, and buy clothing, and pay textbook fees for their school aged children? As public school budgets get smaller, out-of-pocket fees for public education are getting larger.

LIVE! with Regis and Kelly are expecting Anderson Cooper to stop by (filling in for Regis) this Friday morning. Anderson is covering the current flux in education funding and wants us to help him get advice, secrets, tips to families that need it most!! In anticipation of his arrival we need all you thrifty Mom’s, Dad’s Grandmas and Grandpas to put your heads together for Elementary School children across America! What are some of the ways you maintain your budget and still send your little ones fully equipped for school!? What are some training strategies, and lessons you’ve instilled about respect, honesty and safety?

Filed under: Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

Wordless Wednesday- Best Buddies

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Mom

I am not sure what is going on with these two but lately they are becoming inseparable.  Eli is constantly around BJ.  At night he will visit him in his room and just stare at the crib like he is waiting for BJ to come out and play.   When BJ is crawling around Eli will just follow him.  These two boys are becoming the best buddies.

Filed under: Wordless Wednesday | Tagged: | 23 Comments »

Kroger Cart Buster Savings Event

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Mom

Times are tight right now.  In my family we are constantly trying to find ways to save a little money.  Some of the ways we save is to buy our groceries on sales or with coupons.  I am looking for sales on our favorite products online and in the newspaper ads. Kroger is currently having a huge sale on many of our favorite products and they are offering one reader a gift card to sweeten the deal.

From now through March 14th, shop the Cart Buster Savings Event and find the hottest prices around on your favorite name-brand products in over 60 categories at the Kroger Family of Stores, which includes Kroger, Ralph´s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott´s Food & Pharmacy.

Here are just a few of the great brands participating in the event: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Hamburger Helper, Yoplait, Progresso, Totino´s, Green Giant, Cascadian Farm, Tide, Charmin, Bounty, Pampers, Pantene, Crest, Iams, Febreze, Old Spice and many more!  These are all brands that we use in our household every day. So head on over to Kroger and “Bust” your cart wide open with all the fabulous savings.

Win It:

One (1) lucky reader will win a$25 gift card from Kroger.

How To Enter:

What products would you buy with your $25 gift card. (You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

  • Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win a $25 Kroger Gift Card@AMomsImpression http://wp.me/pFQZQ-gp (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
  • Follow A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
  • Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
  • Grab my Button and post it on your blog
  • Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
This giveaway will end at midnight on March 28.

Information, gift card, and giveaway have all been provided by the Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills through MyBlogSpark

Filed under: Food/Snacks, Gift Cards, Giveaways, Household Items | Tagged: , , , | 155 Comments »

Bamboosa

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Mom

I can remember when earth friendly clothing and accessories ment hemp and scratchy and uncomfortable.  Eco-friendly clothing has come along way since the hemp days and now it is both fashionable and comfortable.  You can find earth friendly clothing made from all kinds of materials including organic cotton, bamboo, and (our old favorite) hemp.  I have purchased several items made out of bamboo and have marveled at how soft the products are.  Bamboo is also a fabric that can absorb 3-4 times as much water than cotton allowing your skin to be comfortable and not sticky in the hot weather. Bamboo is also a great material to work with because it is one of the fastest growing plants on earth, maturing in only four years compared with the 25-70 years it takes for commercial trees to mature.  Bamboo can grow up to  4 feet each day! One great American company that specializes in creating stylish, comfortable clothing made out of bamboo is Bamboosa.

I was very excited to review Bamboosa’s clothing because I have had a lot of clothing made from bamboo before and they are all super soft.  Bamboosa sent me their Priya skirt in Merlot Red for me to try out.  The Priya is the most comfortable skirt that I have ever worn.  It is made from Viscose (from organic bamboo) and Lycra and has two pockets sewed into it.  I love having pockets in my skirts to keep my keys or a small wallet in.  The skirt is very versatile allowing me to go from work, to the gym (where I change into yoga pants) and back home.  I love the red color.  It is very vibrant and hasn’t faded after several washings. The fabric is very light and airy making it a great swimsuit coverup.  It is long to golf in without wearing shorts underneath which is an added bonus.  I can see myself wearing this skirt a lot this summer! If you are looking for a more “green” wardrobe for you, your child, or your spouse please check out the product line that Bamboosa offers.  You will love their clothing!

Buy It:

You can purchase eco-friendly clothing from Bamboosa on their website here.

Win It:

One (1) lucky reader will win a Pryia Skirt of their choice from Bamboosa.

How To Enter:

To enter visit Bamboosa and tell me what product you would like to have from their website. (You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

  • Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win a Pryia Skirt from Bamboosa@AMomsImpression http://wp.me/pFQZQ-f5 (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
  • Follow A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
  • Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
  • Grab my Button and post it on your blog
  • Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
This giveaway will end at midnight on March 28. Open to US residents only. 
Good Luck!

I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Bamboosa. All opinions are 100% mine.

Filed under: Clothing, Giveaways, Mommy, Review | Tagged: , , , | 95 Comments »

Winners Giveaways Ending March 6

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Mom

Here are our newest winners picked from random.org:

Purrfectplay Natural Products for Pets (Giveaway) Jessica

Zutano Children’s Clothing ($50 Gift Card Giveaway) Lauren

Skin MD Natural (Giveaway) Gayle

Congratulations and please be sure to respond to the emails that I sent within the next 48 hours or I will redraw the prize.

Don’t forget to enter our current giveaways:

Punkaboo (Giveaway)

Simple Green Naturals (Giveaway)

Belly Charms Bracelet (Giveaway) 2 Winners

Flirty Aprons (Giveaway)

Soft Scrub Total (Giveaway)

Kids ‘N’ Caboodle Personalized Baby Shoes (Giveaway)

Thank you for visiting A Mom’s Impression!

Filed under: Winners | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Punkaboo (Giveaway)

Posted on March 7, 2010 by Mom

Here is a little glimpse into my Sunday evening routine at my house…. I get a reusable shopping bag out on our dinning room table and spread out a ton of BJ’s clothing and supplies that he will need at daycare for the week.  After determining what needs to be packed up, I take out my sharpie and make sure anything that I need to get back has his name written on the label or somewhere noticable. If  I don’t label, I won’t get BJ’s stuff back.  This process takes me about a half an hour to an hour every Sunday.  Not only is it tedious, the labeling doesn’t even look that good.  I recently received a product that will help tremendously with my daycare regimen.

Punkaboo is a cute little company that creates waterproof labels, bag tags, cards, and all-purpose labels.  These labels can go on just about anything and are fully customizable.  Jennifer from Punkaboo sent me a sheet of waterproof labels and a bag tag for labeling BJ’s possessions.  I have put these labels and just about everything you can imagine.  They are on his sippy cups, bottles, clothing labels, and shoes.  I am especially attached to BJ’s shoes (he could care less about them and tries on a constant basis to lose one of them wherever he can) and I have put the labels inside all of his shoes.  Doing this has already paid off because someone wanted to give BJ’s shoes to another boy at daycare until she saw the label inside his shoe (I am particularly found of these shoes so I was extremely grateful).  The bag tag is a great way to identify a stroller, car seat, luggage, or a diaper bag.  I know that I wish all of my kids in kindergarten had one on their backpacks!

I have had great success with the durability of Punkaboo’s labels.  I have placed them on sippy cups and BJ’s Munchie Mug that have gone through several dishwashing cycles and they look just as good as when I first applied them. I am very grateful that I no longer have to worry about losing BJ’s shoes at daycare.  I can rest easy knowing that what I send to daycare will be returned.

Deal Alert:

Receive 10% off your order at Punkaboo when using “BLOG10″ coupon code at checkout.

Buy It:

You can purchase waterproof labels, bag tags, cards, and all-purpose labels online at Punkaboo’s website here!

Win It:

One (1) lucky reader will win 1 Sheet of Small Waterproof Labels, 1 Sheet of Large Waterproof Labels and 2 Bag Tags.  Items will be personalized for up to two people.

How To Enter:

To enter visit Punkaboo and tell me what design you will choose for your prize pack if you are the lucky winner. (You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
This giveaway will end at midnight on March 21. Open to US residents only. 
Good Luck!

This product review was made possible by the Double Duty Divas.  I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Punkaboo. All opinions are 100% mine.

Filed under: Giveaways, Review | Tagged: , | 31 Comments »

Wordless Wednesday Food Fun!

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Mom

I love this picture of BJ enjoying his food.  He loves sweet potato!

Filed under: Wordless Wednesday | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Simple Green Naturals (Giveaway)

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Mom

Ever since BJ joined our family I have found myself cleaning my house way more often than what I used to when it was just me and my husband, especially now that BJ is crawling all over the floor. It is amazing all the things that I have never seen before like the dusty floorboards, or the lint bunnies under the bed.  Having a pet (a very large one at that) just compounds the mess that needs to be cleaned up.  The problem is that most household cleaners have harmful toxic chemicals in them and I don’t want my son around all of those chemicals.  Simple Green has come to the rescue with their Naturals line of products.

  • Simple Green Naturals are 100% naturally derived, with ingredients originating from nature.
  • Naturals are safer, effective products that offer:
  • 100% natural ingredient sources
  • Non-toxic formulations
  • Biodegradable formulations
  • No animal testing
  • Full ingredient disclosure
  • International scientifically accepted ingredient names
  • Naturals scents are IFRA compliant and made of 100% natural essential oils & plant extracts
  • 100% recyclable PETE plastic bottles with 25%+ post-consumer content, printed with soy inks
  • Natural Versus Naturally Derived (taken from website)

I am glad there is a safer option, but do the products work?  We were sent the entire Simple Green Natural product line to test in our house and I can say that I was impressed by how well the new formulations work.  One of my favorite products that we tested is the Simple Green Naturals Floor Care.  This one bottle is safe to use on tile, laminate,  and sealed hardwood.  We would spray down our hardwood floors with the Floor Care and run our mop over the surface.  The floors were cleaned, and I am excited to say they didn’t smell like that other floor cleaner that smells like a pine tree. I personally don’t like the strong smell of pine in my house.  The Simple Green Naturals Floor Care was very lightly scented and didn’t make my house smell like a forest.  Best of all, I can let BJ crawl all around the house and not have to worry about what chemicals he might be getting all over him.

Included in the Simple Green Naturals Product Line are:

  • Dishwashing Liquid
  • Liquid Hand Soap
  • Multi-Surface Care
  • Bathroom Cleaner
  • Glass and Surface Care
  • Floor Care
  • Carpet Care

If you are looking for a safer way to clean your house visit Simple Green Naturals for more information.

Buy It:

You can purchase Simple Green Naturals Cleaning Products on their website here.

Win It:

One lucky reader will win THE ENTIRE SIMPLE GREEN NATURALS PRODUCT LINE from Simple Green. (Open to US residents only)

How to Enter:

To enter visit Simple Green Naturals and tell me what product you would most like to try? (You must complete this entry before any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

  • What products do you use to keep your family safe?
  • Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win Simple Green Naturals entire product line@AMomsImpression http://wp.me/pFQZQ-f4 (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
  • Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
  • Grab my Button and post it on your blog
  • Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
This giveaway will end at midnight on March 21.
Good Luck!

For purposes of this review, I received the Simple Green Naturals Product line from Simple Green free of charge.  This review is my honest opinion and is not influenced by any other source.

Filed under: Cleaning, Eco-friendly, Giveaways, Household Items, Review | Tagged: , , , , | 149 Comments »

This Week On The View

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Mom

I am really excited about this weeks lineup on The View.  Teenage girls everywhere will be asking parents to record Tuesday’s episode to watch when they get home from school.

  • Tuesday, Mar 2: Robert Pattinson makes his first-ever appearance on the show with his “Remember Me” co-star, Emilie de Ravin. Mitt Romney, the 70th Governor of Massachusetts also makes his first-ever appearance.
  • Wednesday, Mar 3: This show will feature the best of “View Tube,” including backstage antics and celebrity exit interviews. Lisa Kudrow of “Who Do You Think You Are” will be joining the hosts as well.
  • Thursday, Mar 4: Celebrity guest co-host Valerie Bertinelli, former Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin from Broadway’s “The Miracle Worker,” Mia Wasikowska from Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and a musical performance from Broadway’s “Fela” will be featured on this jam-packed episode.
  • Friday, Mar 5: The View’s “Road to the Oscars” episode welcomes former Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes and “Fashion Friday” celebrates “The History of Oscar Fashions” with a two-part look back at some of the most memorable – and perhaps forgettable – Oscar hits and misses, with host and celebrity stylist Robert Verdi. Hosts of “At the Movies” Michael Phillips and Tony Scott will also be on set to unveil their 2010 Oscar predictions.
I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.

Filed under: The View | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Live! With Regis and Kelly “Beautiful Baby Search” Vote Today!

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Mom

LIVE! With Regis and Kelly is opening the voting for their annual “Beautiful Baby Search”.  The finalists have been narrowed down to 10 and we need your vote!

Vote NOW please! Monday March 1st is the one and only day to vote! You will decide the Five finalists that will compete all week for the Grand Prize, $125,000 to be used towards a 4 year college education and the winner will appear on the cover of Parenting magazine. Four runners-up will each receive $25,000 to be used towards 1 year of college education!

GO HERE TO VOTE!

Filed under: Baby, Contests | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

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