BabyCenter's Big Day Out Annual Parents' Holiday

Today is the BIG day!


It's BabyCenter's BIG DAY OUT Annual Parents' Holiday, and it's time to get out and about with your kids.

If you haven't made other plans and you're looking for families to spend this day with in your community, check out the BabyCenter Meetup Groups Everywhere, and join in the family fun in one of the 570 cities celebrating the BIG DAY OUT nearest you!

Thinking of fun places to take the kids on your own? How about:

• To the park
  
• Fishing
  
• On a bike ride
  
• To the beach
  
• For ice-cream
  
• Swimming
  
• To a botanical garden

Be sure to take a photo with the BabyCenter logo enjoying your family's big day out and submit it to BabyCenter's Grand Prize Photo Contest (by June 30) for a chance to win great prizes, including a BOB stroller, Razor Scooters for the whole family, or a Wishbone bike.

 
Get out and have fun in the great outdoors today!

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The Truth Behind the Bowl & 2 General Mills Cereal Set Giveaways! (CLOSED)

Did you know cereal is lower in calories and higher in nutrition than many other breakfast options like bagels with cream cheese and pancakes?


I had no idea until recently.


It was a shock to me, because of all of the "fun" (cute and colorful) options I see on the grocery store shelves every day. I assumed they were unhealthy.


I only considered some cereals (the brown and boring looking) to be healthy and good for kids. All of the other cereals I thought were filled with sugar and empty calories.


In actuality, many of the breakfast foods we may choose other than cereal are just that in disguise.


Who knew?

"Cereal provides key nutrients that are important to overall health and cereals, including sweetened cereals, provide less than 5 percent of a child´s daily sugar intake."

Dr. Keith Ayoob Ed.D., RD.

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

It is important to know that not all cereals are equal and it is very important to read the labels.


For example, General Mills is committed to reducing sugar in all of its kids´ cereals to single-digit levels per serving, and they have over 30 nutritious cereals with 130 calories or less per serving.


That's great news!


Feeding our kids breakfast everyday doesn't have to be confusing, but we do need to pay attention to what it is we are giving them. It's all in the numbers.


Up until a few weeks ago I only felt comfortable giving Cheerios and bran or fiber cereals to my kids, because I knew they weren't filled with sugar. That went over well on some days, but not all days.


Now that I have read the labels on more cereal boxes, I have decided to incorporate some of the other options that I at one time thought were just for "fun," because they are more nutritious than some of the other breakfast options I had served in the past.


Take a look at this video and see what local moms (in the D.C. area) are saying about cereal:

As you enjoy your next bowl of cereal, take the time to read the front and side panel of the box, paying close attention to the Nutrition Facts (calories, fat, vitamins and minerals, sugar, etc.) and ingredient list (note whole grain is the first ingredient). Compare that label to some other common breakfast food options in your house. Consider what you have learned!


So now you know cereal is healthy, but what about the taste?


A recent study shows that 81% of D.C. area parents say taste is the number one thing they look for when searching for breakfast options.


I agree.


As moms, we all know our kids won't eat what they don't like!


I am trying more and more kinds of options to ensure that they are eating healthy and eating enough.


So far, I'm having a lot of success with testing out different cereals with my girls, and they are starting to request their favorites!


Check out some of the following cereal facts:

• Cereal is a great breakfast option because it is the number one dietary source of many key nutrients including iron, zinc and folic acid. Frequent cereal eaters tend to have better nutrient intakes.
• A typical breakfast contributes more than 30 percent of needed calcium, iron and B vitamins while delivering less than 20 percent of daily calories.
• In addition, ready-to-eat cereal is the top source of whole grain in kids´ diets.

For more information on cereal and nutrition, go to www.cerealbenefits.com.

Enter my "General Mills Cereal Set" Giveaways

Start June 21

End June 28

***** There will be 2 winners this week! *****

Gereal Mills cereal, bowl and spoon set

General Mills cereal and dispenser

To enter:

Leave a comment with your name and email address and your favorite breakfast of choice for you and your family.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed.

Please be sure to include an email address.

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Photo Credits: GeneralMills /MyBlogSpark/maxnrgpt.com.au

This post is sponsored by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free for the purpose of reviewing the mentioned product and/or doing this giveaway. 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.

Wordless Wednesday "Take Me Out to the Ball Game for Father's Day!"

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I Haven't Purchased Toiletries in Over a Year, Thanks to Coupons!

"OMG, Look at all this stuff. You should give me some toothpaste or SOMETHING!"

That was the first thing my niece said to me upon her arrival at my house yesterday, while rummaging through my linen closet for bandages.

That was nice to hear.

I smiled and thought to myself, "Thanks to coupons, I haven't purchased toiletries in over a year!"

I started couponing in March 2009 and realized that it's true what they say, "The best things in life are FREE!"



I will never buy another bar of soap, tube of toothpaste, stick of deodorant, bottle of mouthwash, pack of floss, or bottle of shampoo for as long as I have coupons. REALLY!

(I get coupons every Sunday)


I took my couponing to another level when I went to a Southern Savers workshop last summer in Tennessee. Many foods have also been added to my "FREE" list at times. I love the savings!

One of the most important lessons was to pay attention to the sale cycle.

I taught my mom a few things that I learned and she loves using her coupons for deals too. She's always been a savvy shopper. I have also had a few friends inquire about how I get such "great deals."

It's not even hard!

I've learned that it is worth my time to spot a deal and save more using coupons, instead of buying full price, no matter how much money I have.

The less I spend, the more I save...period!



So, when I look at the 3 (free) packages of Dove soap on my shelf (totaling 18 bars), I remember that's a total of $21.00. I used to have 2 more packages last year. It took one year to go though those two packs. The last three will last for 18 months. That's $35 saved in two years on my soap alone.

It doesn't sound like much, but it really adds up!

I don't have to buy soap!

Have you ever thought about the cost of your toiletries for the month? For the year?



Can you imagine how much you would be saving if they were all FREE?

• Soap
• Razors
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Floss
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Mouthwash
• Body Wash
• Hairspray
• Deodorant
• Lotion
• Shaving Gel
• Bandaids too!

All FREE!

It's simple. I buy my Sunday paper each week and save my coupon section (or I clip my favorite or most used products). When I see the products on sale that I use, I check the coupons I have for the deals.

I recommend for those just starting out to refer to sites like CouponMom.com to guide you. She breaks down coupons and sales at several stores and lists the free items available that week. Most of the free deals will come from the stores that at first glance seem the most expensive (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid). Once you get into the swing of things, you'll be able to spot your own deals and work out scenarios to fit your needs.

There are a lot of coupon sites and blogs online to watch for additional deals. One of my favorites is MavenofSavin.com


I even have my Hubby on board. He knows better than to step foot in the store for any products he uses. I have him covered as well and I'm positive he can't recall the last dime we spent on his booty (product stash, my friend)!

If you try couponing, you'll probably like it too!

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Special Mommy Giveaway: What to Expect When You're Expecting, Autographed by Heidi Murkoff

Pregnant with questions? I have answers!

Well, Heidi Murkoff does!

She's the author of the world’s best-selling pregnancy and parenting series, What to Expect, and when you're expecting, it's the resource for you! Heidi has developed the most sought after resource series to guide you from conception to beyond.

Some other titles in the series are:

• What to Expect Before You're Expecting
  
• What to Eat When You're Expecting
  
• What to Expect Baby-Sitter's Handbook
  
• What to Expect the First Year
  
• What to Expect the Toddler Years

When I was pregnant with my daughters, Heidi's book never left my side.

What to Expect When You're Expecting was handed down to me from my sister along with other pregnancy resources after my she had her two kids (3 years prior to me having a baby), and it's the only resource that I referred to daily during my pregnancy!

Interested in other What To Expect resources? Check them out here!

Knowing what is going on with your baby and body during your pregnancy without calling the doctor every five minutes is invaluable.

So, I want to provide a special autographed copy to one lucky mom-to-be.

To enter to WIN the autographed copy of the 4th edition of Heidi's bestselling book "What To Expect When You're Expecting", leave your name and email address to be notified below!

Congrats on your pregnancy, and good luck!

Already delivered, or half way through your pregnancy? No worries, in the comments section specify that you'd like to receive What to Expect the First Year.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free for the purpose of doing this giveaway. 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 GuidesConcerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Game Storage Design Dilemma - Can You Help Me?

Here's my design dilemma:

I have a collection of games that are sitting on top of the entertainment center that I need a place for.

While they are organized by size, they're an eyesore, in my opinion.

I don't have plans to leave them there, but I set them there this week to clean another area of our home.

I love game night, and I want to keep the games, but in our condo there isn't a place to store them (at all).

What should I do? What does your inner designer say?

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Washington, DC Ranks #1 on the 2011 Best Cities for Families in Parenting Magazine

Washington Monument

Parenting Magazine has released their 2011 Best Cities for Families list and Washington, DC is #1!

With so many museums, attractions, job opportunities, great schools, and a diverse population, it is no wonder why DC even makes the list!

The city has been undergoing some major changes and a lot of families are taking advantage of that.

The top ten Best Cities this year (according to Parenting) are:

1. Washington, District of Columbia (DC)
2. Austin, Texas
3. Boston, Massachusetts
4. St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
5. Des Moines, Iowa
6. Madison, Wisconsin
7. Honolulu, Hawaii
8. Omaha, Nebraska
9. Seattle, Washington
10. Louisville, Kentucky

Congrats to DC, and all of the other cities that made the list!

Washington D.C.'s Tidal Basin

Check out the Parenting website to see more (cities #11-100) of the 2011 Best Cities for Families by Parenting Magazine.

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Wordless Wednesday "Raising the Next Venus and Serena Williams"

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The Wait & the New Kindergarten Debate - When Should Children Start School?

This morning I read an article on Babble by ShellThings, regarding Kate Gosselin's decision to wait a year before sending her sextuplets to school.

Kate's response on Twitter was, "Trend is to hold so I did :) it's better to be older!"

ShellThings agrees.

It's funny to be sitting here writing this now, because a year ago to this day, I would have had a cow at the thought of my child being five years old, almost six and just starting kindergarten, but today I am perfectly in agreement with the other moms who are waiting (or who have to wait) to send their children to school.

Currently, Isabella (my oldest) is four and will celebrate her fifth birthday in late October. The cutoff birthdate for enrolling children into school each year in our county is mid September. She misses it by over a month.

At first it was devastating to me to even think she would have to wait a year to start school. She would be the tallest, oldest, possibly smartest kid (not so bad) in her class.

"She'll be bored in a room with babies," I thought. (silly me)

I started kindergarten right on time. My birthday is August 17. I was five on the dot. It was perfect...for me!

Whatever though!

That was my life. I was a different person than she is. I was actually ready to go.

Isabella on the other hand is a couple of months younger than the age I was and I have to remember that. Her maturity is at a different level and so are her listening and comprehension skills. I don't know if being a preemie even matters at this point, but she was born seven weeks early and was really due December 16. So, I've taken a step back over the past year from my role as her mom and have watched her as an observer.

(Moms are totally biased, we all know that. "OUR" kids are always ready for EVERYTHING!)

So, as an observer I have confirmed that my child is very intelligent, healthy, fun, loving, sweet, eager to learn and make friends. I also learned a lot of other great things, but I found areas to be worked on before I should want to send her into the school environment so early (since this year for her is considered early).

I am no longer adamant about private school just so she could start this year at four. 

She will start kindergarten at five years old...period, and I'm okay with that!

I didn't think I would be okay sending Bella to school a few weeks shy of six years old, but I am.

I also know that she won't be the only one with an early birthday. And contrary to my previous feelings, she isn't going to feel punished or left behind being in a class with kids who are a few months younger than she is.

This actually gives me the opportunity to spend the next year enjoying more moments with her, teaching her, molding her even more. We'll get to spend more time traveling together and we'll get to do whatever else floats our boat.

This precious time will be cherished. It does not last long!

And who knows, I may opt out of kindergarten as well as the first few years of public school all together. Homeschooling is always an option.

How about you, when did you start school? Does it really matter if a child is five or six in kindergarten?

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5 Great Ideas to Get Kids Started With a Healthy Breakfast Every Day & a General Mills Cereal Giveaway (CLOSED)

It's not hard for adults to run out of the house without having a healthy breakfast, vowing to eat a big lunch to make up for it.

I've done it several times. If you're as old as I am, you've probably done it at least one or twice too.

We know it's not a good way to start the day, but we manage to make it through.

It's our choice.

Kids, on the other hand can't manage skipping breakfast and shouldn't be allowed to.

Breakfast is the single most important meal of the day and studies have shown that a well balanced breakfast will set the tone for the rest of the day for each of us.

When kids don't eat breakfast, they are

"less able to learn at school, get less iron (an

important nutrient) in their diets, and are more

likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI),

which is a sign they may be overweight."

www.kidshealth.org

But what if your kid is like mine and refuses to eat breakfast sometimes?

It's one of the worst morning battles. I think it's an awful way to start "my" day.

So what can parents do to combat this morning war?

I've come up with "5 Great Ideas to Get Kids Started With a Healthy Breakfast Every Day!"

1. Make breakfast fun - I create a breakfast bar of different cereals and food items and they get to pretend they are at a buffet with a lot of selections. My kids have fun with this because they get to mix cereals and different fruit on their trays.


2. Role play on an adventure - I can think of three great children's stories that can be told to kids that you can use to take them on a role playing adventure. Goldie Locks and the Three Bears (pretend to eat porridge), Hansel and Gretel (pretend to eat sweet treats), Alice and Wonderland (pretend to have a tea party)


3. Let kids choose what they want to eat - Kids love feeling grown up. Let them tell you what they would like to eat from the options you have available for them. It's more likely that they will eat what they choose for themselves.


4. Keep them company - At the early age of 17 months, my second daughter Gabriella, started demanding me to "Sit!" at breakfast time. Her request is that I sit down with the girls while they eat and keep them company. I can honestly say that with as much as I have to do each day (dishes, vacuuming, laundry), I sometimes try to get a few things done while they're busy eating, but keeping them company is what really gets them eating.


5. Entertain them - One of my daughter Isabella's favorite things to do is compete with me the table. She never realizes that she has a head start, but she makes it her goal each day to finish her breakfast before me. I play along and she wins every time. Sometimes just by a silver dollar pancake, but she is entertained and very happy eating.

Hopefully, these ideas will work for you. They work for me most of the time and I am always pleased when I can get my children's morning started on the right track.

The day is better for ALL of us!

Get your children started with a healthy breakfast each day too.

Enter my "General Mills Cereal" Giveaway

Start June 13

End June 20

To enter:

Leave a comment with your name and email address, along with a healthy breakfast choice for kids or your favorite tip to get children eating breakfast.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed.

Please be sure to include an email address.

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Photo Credits: khalilpakistan.com, GeneralMills.com

This post is sponsored by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free for the purpose of reviewing the mentioned product and/or doing this giveaway. 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.

Baby Bash and Bling Expo at the Washington National Harbor

Recently, I attended the Baby Bash and Bling Expo, held at the Westin Washington National Harbor hotel.

The event was the brainchild of Monica Byrd, creator of Baby Bash and Bling, and was produced by Lerkia Lee-Tidball, of Savvy Soirees Event Management Company.

This extraordinary expo was everything a pregnant woman could ask for as she prepares for one of the most amazing experiences she'll ever have in life, and that is becoming a mom.

Whether expecting for the first time or on baby number three, attending an event like Baby Bash and Bling makes it all equally exciting.

The afternoon was created for "expectant moms and their girlfriends to mingle, sip bumptinis, enjoy tasty hors d'oeuvres, and participate in informational sessions."

Leigh Macdonald (left), served as the head mama & mistress of ceremonies.

There were many vendors on hand catering to expectant moms to prepare them for their big day in many ways. From bath and body spa products to clothing and jewelry, the moms-to-be had the opportunity to meet the vendors and buy or sample their products.

An ice cream bar was set up from Cold Stone Creamery, and moms-to-be were served cool treats that were delicious as they browsed merchandise and services available to them throughout their pregnancy and beyond.




Lessons in fashion were given showing the ladies how to make everyday a gorgeous day. My favorite tips were the tips on how to tie a wrap scarf around your waistline and accentuate or hide creation areas. We can all use a little lesson in that for before and after delivery!

(Did I just hear you say amen?)

There was no shortage of spoils either for the moms-in-waiting, from the photography sessions on the step and stroll, to the bags of swag filled with pregnancy guides, books, manuals, samples, and my favorite "mommyhood necessity", a portable mini bag dispenser to conceal and toss out diapers on the go. Genius!

There wasn't one woman in the room who couldn't appreciate a gift like that!

And let's not forget about the Preggie Pops. A great touch for any room filled with pregnant women.

Make up artists were on hand to give makeovers and get the moms-to-be looking their very best for the day.

A bar of cupcakes, bumptinis, and candy really hit the spot, not only visually but in taste. Everything was so delicious, it was hard not to hang out by the table all day.

The moms-to-be really enjoyed the expo and many received some excellent advice, takeaways, and door prizes.

The icing on the cupcake filled day was being entertained by Baby Bash and Bling's DJ!

I thoroughly enjoyed spending time at the expo. The vendor selection was great and there was something for every woman during all stages of pregnancy. (I noticed some moms-to-be were due within days). I would have loved to attend such a fun day during my pregnancies. 

I really have to applaud Monica and Lerkia for the amazing event they put on for expectant women and friends to kick back and enjoy the day with one thing in mind. Them!

Baby Bash and Bling was made possible and supported by the following sponsors:





Ready to get your Baby Bash and Bling on? Stay posted for updates from The Chatty Momma on the Fall expo coming up. It will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2011 in Washington, D.C.

There will be more vendors, interactive sessions, and a "Bump the Runway" fashion show just for you!

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