Give your Bedroom a Spring Cleaning

Cleaning up for Springtime
Guest Post by Leesa Content Team

Springtime is finally here and I think we all know what that means. Spring cleaning! If you’re anything like me, you have a long list of things to do around the house, but the best place to start is the bedroom. Believe me, if your sleep space is organized and clean, it’ll put you in the spring mood and motivate you to clean the rest of your home! Here are a few tips to help you conquer spring cleaning and redecorating your bedroom.

Out with the old and in with the new

One great way to get your bedroom ready for spring is to get rid of  things you don’t need anymore. That includes clothes, shoes, jewelry, old furniture, desk supplies, etc. If you haven’t touched it in months (with exclusion to seasonal items) it’s time for it to go. Clearing out some clutter will help make you feel lighter and your room feel more open.

Time for a change

Springtime is the perfect time to change out those flannel sheets, heavy blankets, and old mattresses. It’s always a good idea to change up your bedding this time of year with something lighter in both color and weight. If you’re interested in some new bedding and sheets check out Parachute for some great options. But if you’re going as far as changing your whole mattress, check out Leesa for Awesome mattresses online.

Wash your pillows

Most people forget this step, but washing your pillows is super important this time of year. If your type of pillow allows, throw them in the wash once with soap and another with just a water spin cycle, just to make sure all the soap is out. Then throw them in the dryer with a few tennis balls to help keep them the fibers from clumping. This helps get all those indoor allergens and dust mites out.

Flower decor

April showers bring May flowers, but that doesn’t mean they need to stay outside. Flowers and other greenery are a great way to spruce up your room decor for spring. Whether they are real, fake, in a picture, or even on your bedding, they will definitely put you in the spring mood!

Switch out your curtains & open the windows

In the winter, most people keep their blinds shut and their windows closed, but since the sun is out, why not open the windows? Letting some fresh air in is always beneficial and changing out your curtains for something lighter and sheer is helpful to keep the sun coming in. Also, make sure you have some blinds for when you want to block out the sun and get some sleep in the morning.

These are just a few ways you can help change things up for this time of year, but there are so many other things you can do.

What ways do you revamp your bedroom for spring?

How to Take Prenatal Vitamins When You Can't Swallow Pills and a Premama Prenatal Supplement Review! #DrinkPremama #IC #ad

This post was sponsored by Premama as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

When I was young I couldn't swallow pills. And I also have always wanted to have children. I don't remember exactly when I realized that those things didn't work together, but I am pretty sure it involved a movie or commercial talking about how gigantic prenatal vitamins were. I was shocked, in order to have a healthy baby I would have to swallow huge pills?  I couldn't even swallow a tictac. What was I going to do? Fortunately I did learn to swallow pills. But for those who share in the conundrum of wanting to take prenatal vitamins but not being able to take pills there are now great alternatives!

Premama is a multivitamin supplement line that offers complete maternity wellness in drinkable and chewable forms!

Premama's drink mix line includes Fertility Reproductive Support, Essentials Prenatal Vitamins, Essentials + DHA Prenatal Vitamins, and Lactation Support. The Fertility and Essentials drink mixes are unflavored so you can mix them into any cold flavored drink you enjoy (do not heat or warm the drink mixes). They can be mixed into juice, cider, ice tea, smoothies, etc. The Essentials + DHA mix is citrus flavored and the Lactation mix is mixed berry flavored. They can be mixed into a flavored drink or into water. The drink mixes are gluten free, vegetarian or vegan, and non-gmo. Their folic acid levels are similar to prescription prenatal vitamins and as good as or better than other OTC brands (Premama is OTC). They also have Omega-3 fatty acids and non-constipation causing iron that are usually only found in prescription prenatals. These products are formulated to help before, during, and after pregnancy. If you are trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or nursing a baby they have a product for you!

Premama's also has Digestive Aid Prenatal Fiber & Probiotic Chews. They are vanilla caramel flavored, vegetarian, and naturally flavored. They are formulated to help ease constipation and bloating, and support a healthy immune system. I really wanted to try the chews because they look so yummy, but the contain soy and I am intolerant to soy :(.

My Experience

I tried the Essentials and Lactation drink mixes. I tried Essentials mixed in Apple Cider and I couldn't even tell it was there. I was amazed! I am enjoying drinking these every day. I tried Lactation with water to see how it tastes by itself because it is berry flavor. If you are used to supplement drinks it is pretty good, and it is not chalky! If you don't like supplement drinks it would be good mixed in with juice, ice tea, or smoothies. It would be really amazing in smoothies! I will be saving the rest of the Lactation mixes for after I deliver in 4-6 weeks :).


I got my Premama products at Meijers, they are in the vitamin section. I found them with the other prenatal supplements. The Meijer I went to had a great selection! Oh and they are on sale at Meijer through September 25! Go in right now and get $3-5 off depending on the product. Get it on sale now!

Find Premama at a store near you using their store locator.

You can also get a free sample of Lactation or Fertility through September 29th on their facebook giveaway! Enter to win by completing two social media actions.

Premama Facebook Sampling

You can find more info on any of these links:

• Premama Website: http://www.drinkpremama.com
• Premama Store Locator: www.drinkpremama.com/find
• Premama Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/drinkpremama
• Premama Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/drinkpremama
• Premama Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/drinkpremama

Diaper Wars Wipes Edition: WaterWipes Review #WaterWipes #IC #ad

“This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.”

As many of you know I am pretty picky about diapers. I have an entire series comparing different diaper brands. However, as picky as I am about diapers I've never been that picky about baby wipes. When I had my first I just found the sensitive skin wipes that were the cheapest and have stuck with that brand for almost 4 years.

The last couple years I have been trying to increase the health of my family. One of the things that I have done is working on eliminating as many man made and toxic chemicals as possible. I have been using homemade laundry soap and tooth powder. I make the majority of our food from scratch. And we recently switched to cloth diapers for the children. I will admit that the main reason for switching to cloth diapers was the cost factor. With 3 in diapers, the cost of disposables was killing our budget. But I also appreciate the environmental and health conscious side of cloth diapering.

One thing I had never considered a health thing before was baby wipes. To be honest I never even considered the fact that wipes had ingredients. I have always bought the sensitive skin ones and made sure that they were perfume free and alcohol free. So if they are free of things then they must have something in them; but I never wondered what was in them.

When I finally looked at the ingredients I found a long string of unpronounceable words. I never imagined that there would be so many ingredients in wipes. I have thought about using washcloths and water, but even with using cloth diapers, cloth wipes seem inconvenient. I use a diaper sprayer for the poopy diapers but I don't want to spray down bunches of wipes. I may get there someday, but I'm just not there yet. That's where WaterWipes comes in.

WaterWipes are baby wipes that are completely unique. What makes them unique is that WaterWipes  only have 2 ingredients (besides the wipes themselves :)): 99.9% purified water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract. You get the naturalness (yes, I just made up that word :)) of washcloths and water but the convenience of a container of wipes.


Pros:

• Only 2 ingredients! 
• Man made and toxic chemical free!
• They are very durable. I asked my 4 yr old to try to rip them and they didn't come apart.

• They stay moist well. Because the top opener is a sticker (see below in the cons about that) it is not easy to leave sitting open (which is a weakness of mine :() so the wipes don't get dried out as quick. I read in some reviews that the water might settle to the bottom sometimes but if that happens and you find your top wipes to be dry all you have to do is turn the package over and squeeze it a little bit to allow the water to redistribute.
• They are very soft and smooth.
• They clean poop off well. Trust me, with 3 kids in diapers I get plenty of chances to test that. And these do the job well.
• Good for cleaning faces and hands. I admit I have used other brands of wipes on my babies faces and hands when I needed to. I have been uncomfortable with it because of the ingredients but didn't have another option. Now I have another option!
• The wipes are not connected. I know some people don't like this, but I don't mind it. 
• Available in stores. WaterWipes can be found in many stores, including Meijers, and online. Check out their store locator to find where they are available near you. I recommend calling your local store to make sure they are in stock before going. 

Cons:

• The package does not have an easy open top. It is a plastic sticker that you peel back and replace. It is completely able to be sealed but not quite as convenient as the hard plastic openings that I am used to. Also my husband had a hard time figuring out how to open them. Since we have used the same brand for the last 4 years he didn't know that were other opening styles available. If I hadn't been watching he would have ripped open the package which is  not good because putting the wipes in a different container will eliminate the sterile environment.

• They cost more than other brands.
• They don't last as long as other brands. Because they don't have any man made chemicals in them they don't have any preservatives. Unopened packs can last as long as 15 months, but once the package is opened they recommend using them up within 1 month. There are only 60 wipes per package so using them up within a month is not a problem for me, but if you do not use very many wipes it may be a consideration for you.

Conclusion

These are good wipes. I like them as wipes. I like the ingredients. The price isn't my favorite. But these are great wipes!

If you want to know more about WaterWipes you can check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest pages. And again you can check them out at Meijers or find out where else to buy them on their store locator page.

Hotline to God Story Stix: Review of a great Children's Toy #sponspred

I received the products in this review for free in exchange for writing a review. All opinions are 100% my own. The products were supplied by Hotline to God. I signed up for the review through Buzz Plant's BuzzBlogger program.


When I received the package from Hotline to God we were having a crazy day getting ready for Little Man 2's first birthday party. I didn't have time to deal with it so I put it up on a shelf and forgot about it. I remembered it the other day when it was raining all day and I needed something to occupy the little men so I wouldn't go crazy. When I pulled them out and let the kids play with them I wished I wouldn't have waited so long.

The kids loved them! Little Man 2 was the first one who got to explore them because he woke up from his nap earlier than Little Man 1. He couldn't figure out how to push the buttons so I pushed them for him. You should have seen the huge smile when it was talking to him. Then he put it up to his ear like a phone (he has seen Little Man 1 talk on various objects like a phone). He gestured and smiled just like he was listening to someone on the phone. Whenever it stopped talking to him he handed it back to me and I started it again. I wish I could post the pictures I got of him listening and smiling, they are super cute. But Mr. Random and I agreed when I started this blog that I would not post pictures of any of our faces. You can see a few pictures below of my kids cute arms etc and their new favorite toys.

When Little Man 1 woke up he loved them too. He pushed the buttons over and over. He also loved the Serenity Prayer key chain. He really loves key chains right now. He will loop them around his fingers and carry them around. This key chain recites the serenity prayer when you push a button. SO now I hear the serenity prayer a lot :)

Hotline to God sent us 4 Story Stixs, 1 Key Chain, and 1 Phone to God. I haven't gotten batteries into the phone yet, but I have no doubt the boys will love that too. They both love pretending to talk on the phone. The story sticks are interesting. Each of them tells 1 bible story: Jesus, Noah, David & Goliath, and Adam & Eve. The stories are broken down into 6 parts, each button tells a sentence or two of the story. If you press each of the buttons in order you will hear the entire story. But they also set it up so each button makes sense on its own. They were well designed. The only thing I would change is the option to turn down the volume. The website says they are recommended for ages 3 and over, but my 2 (almost 3) year old  and 1 year old love them.

If you are looking for a good toy or present for a children these would be great!

Diaper Wars 8 the New! Huggies Little Snugglers #MC #sponsored

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Huggies and Target. I received samples and a promotional item to facilitate my review.

Let me apologize in advance, my shift button is not working well so capitalizing is twice as hard as usual. So if there are any words incorrectly capitalized I am sorry. This is what happens when little hands pry off your keyboard keys and putting them back on just doesn't fix it right.

I reviewed Huggies Little Snugglers diapers before and I was impressed with them, so when I was offered the opportunity to review the New! Huggies Little Snugglers diapers I jumped at the chance. These are some of my favorite diapers and if i could afford to I would use them all the time. As it is, I do use them when i have a newborn because I feel they are gentler on newborn skin.

Part of the review was that I had to go in store to Target and buy the diapers there (with a gift card provided by the sponsors). This was no hardship for me because I love Target! I buy all my diapers there anyways so this was nothing new. Target is always easy to navigate and find what I am looking for, and the staff is always friendly and accommodating. I also love their selection!

Target also has an excellent baby registry. I have registered there with both my boys. You can register online or in store (if you register online make sure you go in store to get the free gift bag, there are some really good coupons and freebies in there!). And right now if you create a Target baby registry and register for Huggies Little Snugglers diapers and Natural Care Wipes you can enter to win a year supply of free diapers! You can sign up for the sweepstakes on the Huggies Register Your Wish website.

Huggies Little Snugglers

Positives

Softness
The New! Huggies Little Snugglers are incredibly soft! I think these may be the softest of all the diapers I have tried. If you have read my previous reviews then you know that softness is very important to me. I don't like putting something on my child that I would never put against my skin. And hard scratchy diapers are not something I am willing to use. The softer the better in my opinion (as long as it doesn't reduce the use-ability). So this is a huge positive for me with Little Snugglers. I have no compunctions against using these on my son and i would have no problem using them on a newborn (I use store brand diapers most of the time, but i do go for the higher quality, softer diapers for my newborns). These diapers really feel like they would be a soft hug for newborns.

Absorbancy

The Huggies Little Snugglers are absorbant. They have a new GentleAbsorb* Liner  with hundreds of tiny absorbant pillows to help draw the mess away from the skin and keep them dry. Little Man 2 has not had any hugely wet diapers yet, but so far we have had no leaks. Even when he sleeps in them all night. And they seem to be helping with his rash a little (he has had a really bad rash for several days and using these in addition to diaper rash cream seems to be helping). So they are great skin care for your little one.

Wetness Indicator

Huggies Little Snugglers does have a very nice wetness indicator. The way that it works is that there is a yellow line on the outside of the diaper extending from the front to the back. When the diaper is wet the line will turn blue. It is easy to read and shows up even if there is only a little wetness. That is pretty important in the first few weeks when you don't really know what you are doing and have a hard time telling if your baby has peed and you are supposed to be recording how many times they have peed every day. I definitely recommend these diapers for the first month or so with your first child.

Rewards Program

Huggies has a rewards program. You earn points by entering codes from diapers and wipes, and other Huggies products, and inviting friends (by the way send me your email address if you want an invitation, you get 10 points for signing up through an invitation). Apparently you can also get points for reading articles and writing reviews but I'm not sure how that works because I haven't done it. As far as the rewards go you can get shutterfly products like photo books and photo prints, magazine subscriptions, and things for your children.

Deals

I see coupons for Huggies all the time. Usually for $1-3 off. On amazon right now there is a coupon for $2 and $4 off Little Snugglers. 

Fit
These diaper are very stretchy! They have a unique SnugFit* waistband in the back that stretches to provide a gentle secure fit. They have a flexible pocketed back waistband to help keep in the mess. They also have an umbilical cord cut out for newborns. I didn't need this feature, but I know it is great when you have a newborn. The stretchiness works well to make the diapers fit. The only area I'm not sure about is around the legs. I got size 2 because that is the size that my son wears in other diapers. But Little Snugglers runs a little bit smaller than the other diapers so it is possible a size 3 would have fit better in the leg. One problem with diapers running smaller is that your child grows out of each size a little faster, and the smaller sizes are slightly cheaper so staying in the smaller size saves you a little money. But this is not a deal breaker for me.

The stretchy back waistband

The pocket in the back waistband. It really does work to keep in the mess!

The stretchy sides.

Availability
You can find New! Huggies Little Snugglers in most grocery stores and mass retailers.


Neutral

Blowout Rate

Little Man 2 has been pooping a Lot lately. So I got a chance to test this out. He had one blowout. It came out around the leg, so it could have been our fault. Mr. Random put the diaper on so I didn't see how it fit around the leg.  And I don't really blame Huggies because Little Man 2 has been going through a blowout phase, and is having blowouts in any diapers I put him in. What I did like about these diapers is the pocketed waistband in the back (see picture below) because it stopped the blowout from going all the way up his back.

Negatives

Price
Prices are for size 1 diapers for equal comparison.
Walmart - Box of 216 diapers for $47.17 = $0.22/diaper
Amazon- Box of 198 diapers for $46.86 (with subscribe and save, free shipping) = $0.24/diaper
Target - Box of 216 diapers for $47.19 = $0.22/diaper

*Prices reflect the price at the time I checked, they will vary. I am not responsible for difference between these prices and current prices.


Conclusion
These diapers are great! The only downside is the price. But I am willing to pay the higher price for diapers for newborns. And of course when I find a great sale or coupon I would jump at the chance to get these diapers. They are great diapers and the changes are only for the better!


I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Huggies and Target. I received samples and a promotional item to facilitate my review.

The Grimmtastic Girls Book Blast and $50 giveaway!

Disclosure: I got to put an entry in the giveaway (make sure that you read to the bottom to be entered to win!) and I was entered in a separate giveaway for blog tour participants. I also got the chance to have new readers come visit my blog (welcome new readers! please feel free to stay and browse a while!). None of the links in this post are affiliate links for me. If you are a blogger and would like the opportunity to participate in future blog tours and blog blasts sign up at Mother, Daughter, & Son Book Reviews.

About the Books: The Grimmtastic Girls

Book #1

Title: Grimmtastic Girls #1: Cinderella Stays Late
Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Pages: 192
Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 
Summary: The authors of the hit Goddess Girls series put a fun and girly twist on another super-popular theme: fairy tales! Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia... A Grimmtastic girl named Cinderella is starting her first week at Grimm Academy on the wrong foot. Cinda's totally evil stepsisters are out to make her life miserable. The Steps tease Cinda, give her terrible advice about life at the academy, and even make her look bad in front of her new friends, Red, Snow, and Rapunzel! But when Cinda overhears the Steps plotting a villainous deed that could ruin Prince Awesome's ball, Cinda, her new friends, and a pair of magical glass slippers have to stop them--before the last stroke of midnight!    

Book #2

Title: Grimmtastic Girls #2: Red Riding Hood Gets Lost
Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Pages: 192
Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 
Summary: Red Riding Hood might have a terrible sense of direction, but her grimmtastic friends are always there to help! Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia... Red Riding Hood is thrilled to try out for the school play. Acting is her dream, and she's great at it--too bad she has stage fright! After a grimmiserable audition, Red decides to focus on helping her friends Cinda, Snow, and Rapunzel save Grimm Academy from the E.V.I.L. Society. But when Red gets lost in Neverwood forest and runs into Wolfgang, who might be part of E.V.I.L., she needs her magic basket and a grimmazingly dramatic performance to figure out what's going on!    

About the Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams

Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated more than 130 children's books, including Little Red Writing (illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet) and Zero the Hero. She lives in NC and is online at www.joanholub.com

Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

   


Suzanne Williams is the author of nearly 50 books for children, including the award-winning picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg). She lives near Seattle, WA and is online at www.suzanne-williams.com

Author Blog | Goodreads

Co-authors Joan and Suzanne have written the Goddess Girls, Heroes in Training, and Grimmtastic Girls series. Though they live in different states and hardly ever get to see each other, they spend lots of time together in Grimmlandia.

Facebook (Grimmtastic Girls) | Facebook (Goddess Girls Books)

Online Author Visits

 

$50 Book Blast Giveaway

Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: April 23, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors, Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Copyright © 2014 Mother Daughter Book Reviews, All rights reserved.

Good Night Animal World Book Review and $25 giveaway!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for free in return for posting my review. I also got to put an entry in the giveaway (make sure that you read to the bottom to be entered to win!) and I was entered in a separate giveaway for blog tour participants. I also got the chance to have new readers come visit my blog (welcome new readers! please feel free to stay and browse a while!). None of the links in this post are affiliate links for me. If you are a blogger and would like the opportunity to participate in future blog tours and blog blasts sign up at Mother, Daughter, & Son Book Reviews.

About the Book

Title: Good Night, Animal World: A Kids Yoga Bedtime Story
Author: Giselle Shardlow
Illustrator: Emily Gedzyk
Publication Date: September 20, 2013
Publisher: Company: Kids Yoga Stories LLC
Pages: 32
Recommended Ages: 2.5 to 6 years
Summary: Say good night to the animals of the world! Calm your mind and body before bedtime by taking a journey around the world with this kids yoga storybook. Join six Kids Yoga Stories characters as you perch like a bald eagle, crouch like a tiger, and curl up like a sloth. The book includes a list of Kids Yoga Poses and a Parent Guide with tips on creating a successful bedtime experience. Learn something new, explore movement, and unwind together before bedtime!
   

My Review

I asked to be included in this tour because this book sounded interesting to me. And it is super cute! The story is about saying goodnight to a bunch of different animals across the world, but the really fun part is the yoga poses that go with each part of the story. The yoga poses have something to do with the animal (although sometimes that something is a bit of a stretch :) ) and you do them with your child as you are going through the book. I haven't been able to get Little Man to do them with me yet, but I will keep working on him :). I love the idea of doing yoga with my children! Oh and in case you are wondering how a yoga book is a good night book. The poses work their way from more active poses like the kangaroo hop (get those wiggles out!) to the resting pose. At the end of the story they would be laying down in bed. So this would be a great story to read together right before bed. At the end of the story there is a map showing where the animals are from around the world, so it would also be great for talking about geography and the variety of animals found in different places. Then there is a parents section with a list of the poses, animals, countries, a picture of the pose, and some tips for reading and doing the book together with your child. Overall this book is a great resource and I really enjoy it.

The Buzz 

"This book has been so amazing for my 2.5 year old daughter! The illustrations are adorable! She is always so rambunctious at bedtime and this lets her get out some of that excess energy. She loves the book so much that this has been one we read every night. It helps my daughter fall asleep faster which means more time for mom in the evenings." ~ 5 Star Review, cwalt047, Amazon

"Another GREAT book!! I used this book for my kids yoga classes for ages 2-5 years old. After a very active yoga class, we read this book and did the yoga poses before the resting portion of the class. My little yogis loved the pictures and saying Good Night to all of the animals one by one. I played a calming song with some animal noises in the background and we were then able to quiet our minds and bodies for the pose of rest. I think this will become a regular pre-resting story for my classes with this age group. My 5 year old son loves to read this book again and again too! Keep the great books coming!" ~ 5 Star Review, Stacy Daniels - Kids Yoga Teacher, Amazon

"What a delightful book to get young children reading and moving in a wind-down, calming story about saying goodnight to the animals of the world. I am a k-12 Reading Certified teacher who blogs about parenting at The Educator's Spin On It. I am big fan of literacy activities that combine movement and geography in a loving parent / child interaction experience and Good night, Animal World does just that. This book would be a great addition to your book shelf." ~ 5 Star Review, Amanda at The Educators' Spin On It, Amazon

 
Coupon

There is a coupon code available for the Book Tour which will provide a discount of 20% off the current sale prices on all of the Kids Yoga Stories books. Here is the link to the website:

http://www.kidsyogastories.com/

To apply the coupon code, you simply enter "marchtour" before you checkout and you will receive 20% off the cart value. The coupon expires on 04/01/14. Note that the 20% off will be on top of the current sale prices.

About the Author: Giselle Shardlow 


Giselle Shardlow is the author of Kids Yoga Stories. Her yoga-inspired children’s books get children moving, learning, and having fun. Giselle draws from her experiences as a teacher, traveler, yogi, and mom to write the stories found at www.kidsyogastories.com or on Amazon (amazon.com/author/giselleshardlow) worldwide.      

Book Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Google+

 
Good Night, Animal World Blog Tour Schedule (2014)

March 10

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)

My Devotional Thoughts (Review)

Books Direct (Author Interview & Review)

Amanda's Books and More (Review)

K&A's Children's Book Reviews (Review)

March 11

Brooke Blogs (Review)

Doodles, Doodles Everywhere (Review)

Reading List (Review)

Coffee & Books & Art (Review)

March 12

When I Grow Up I Wanna Write a Kids Book (Review)

Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)

Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review)

Alwaysjoart (Review)

March 13

Baby Bookworms in Black Words - White Pages (Guest Post)

Christy's Cozy Corners (Review)

Christy's Houseful of Chaos (Review)

Hazel Nutt's Toddler Talk (Review)

March 14

For the Love of Books (Review)

Books, Babies and Bows (Review)

Sweet Day's LifeBook (Review)

March 15

Stitch Says (Review)

WS Momma Readers Nook (Review)

Edventures With Kids (Review)

The Reading Room (Book Spotlight)

March 16

Deal Sharing Aunt (Review)

Lakshmi Gosyne (Review)

Growing Intentional Families Together (Review)

March 17

BeachBoundBooks (Author Interview)

Adalinc To Life (Review)

A Year of Jubilee Reviews (Review)

No Doubt Learning (Review)

March 18

Generation iKid (Review)

Domestic Randomness (Review)

Identity Discovery (Review)

Storytime Books (Review)

March 19

Victoria Simcox's Blog (Author Interview)

Mommynificent (Review)

Desperate Homeschoolers (Review)

March 20

Looney's Literacy (Review)

Dawn's Disaster (Review)

Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys (Review)

Hershey Wishes and Kisses (Review)

When Did I Become My Mom (Review)

March 21

Lobo's Follies (Guest Post)

Grandbooking (Review)

Picture Books & Pirouettes (Review)

Say What? Savannah Mae Kids (Review)

March 22

Nana Three and Counting (Review)

Once Upon a Time (Review)

Learning and Growing the Piwi Way (Review)

March 23

The Owl's Skull (Review)

The Squishable Baby (Review)

A Leisure Moment (Review)

Living as We (Review)

 
* $25 Blog Tour Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: April 8, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Giselle Shardlow and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Copyright © 2014 Mother Daughter Book Reviews, All rights reserved.

Fox Talk Blog Tour - Book Review and $25 Giveaway!

I received a copy of the book Fox Talk and an entry in the giveaway in return for this review. I am also entered in another giveaway for the bloggers. All opinions are 100% mine.

My Review

When I saw the summary of this book on the book tour sign up i was instantly interested. I have always had a fascination with animals and I think foxes are especially cute. Plus I have recently been wondering about how animals communicate with humans. We have two cats and my family had dogs in the past and Mr. Random and I are considering raising other animals so I was curious how these animals were different from wild animals. How do they know what we are telling them and what are they trying to tell us? This book has some answers for some of those questions. It was very interesting to read. It was also an easy read, I  finished it quickly despite 10 million interruptions from kiddos. It is written for children, and I think it would be great for them, but I also enjoyed it. The layouts were fun and easy to follow the information was easy to understand. The pictures went well with the material. We are planning to homeschool our children and I think this will make an excellent addition to their science curriculum. All in all a great book!


Here is the info bout the book from the marketers. Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom!

About the Book

Title: Fox Talk

Author: L.E. Carmichael, PhD

Book Designer: Michael Penman

Illustrator: Jody Bronson

Photography: Brian Dust

Publication Date: August 8, 2013

Publisher: Ashby-BP Publishing

Pages: 62

Recommended Age: 8+

 

Summary

When you talk to a dog, does the dog talk back? Many people think so. But for a long time, scientists didn't know how our furry friends learned to communicate with people. Luckily, Russian scientist Dmitri Belyaev had a plan. If he could tame wild red foxes, he could learn how dogs first came from wolves. By studying the way these foxes changed during domestication, the mystery of communication would be solved at a last. More than 50 years after the experiment began, Belyaev's foxes have become so tame, you can have one as a pet! Packed with eye-popping photos and first-hand research, FOX TALK reveals the story of these amazing animals... and everything they've taught us about wolves, dogs, and communication.

Early Buzz About the Book

"Fox Talk is an educational non-fiction title exploring the domestication of dogs by studying fox behaviour and communication. The information is presented with beautiful photographs, illustrations, bubbles/boxes of brief information, and descriptions of the research findings using age-appropriate language. I think this would be an excellent resource in elementary schools or for homeschoolers in particular and I highly recommend it." ~ 5-Star Review, Mother Daughter Book Reviews

 

Purchase

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Chapter/Indigo (Canada)

 

About The Author: L.E. Carmichael

L.E. Carmichael[/caption] Lindsey Carmichael never outgrew that stage of childhood when nothing's more fun than amazing your friends (and correcting your teachers!) with your stockpile of weird and wonderful facts. Her sense of wonder came in handy during her career as a scientist, and in 2006, she received the Governor General's Medal for her PhD thesis, Ecological Genetics of Northern Wolves and Arctic Foxes. Lindsey finds talking about science more fun than doing it, however, and now writes for kids, teens, and occasionally adults (a sense of wonder is essential for this, too). Lindsey publishes under the name L E Carmichael, and her work has appeared in Dig, Highlights for Children, Kiki, and Canadian Tales of the Fantastic. Her published science books cover everything from animal migration to hybrid cars. When not digging up obscure or wacky details for her next nonfiction project, Lindsey's probably working on her young adult fantasy novel.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

 

Fox Talk Blog Tour Schedule (2014)

January 27

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch)

Books Direct (Author Interview)

January 28

Victoria Simcox's Blog (Guest Post)

Once Upon a Time (Review)

January 29

Baby Bookworms in Black Words - White Pages (Review)

Giveaway Breaking News for Indonesia (Book Spotlight)

January 30

Generation iKid (Guest Post)

BeachBoundBooks (Review)

January 31

Bound 4 Escape (Review)

No Doubt Learning (Review)

February 1

Cherry Mischievous (Guest Post)

We are the DinoFamily (Review)

February 2

Deal Sharing Aunt (Review)

February 3

Stitch Says (Author Interview)

February 4

Maude's Web (Review)

February 5

Musings by Jay Faulkner (Guest Post)

Brooke Blogs (Review)

February 6

Books, Books The Magical Fruit (Review)

February 7

Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review)

Bailey's Book Blog (Author Interview)

Mel's Shelves (Review)

February 8

On the Go With Zeppi (Book Spotlight)

February 10

The Squishable Baby (Review)

Hershey Wishes and Kisses (Review)

February 11

Christy's Houseful of Chaos (Review & Author Interview)

Lakshmi Gosyne (Book Excerpt)

February 12

Christy's Cozy Corners (Review)

Dawn's Disaster (Review & Guest Post)

February 13

Manic Mama of 2 (Review)

The Adventures of Lovable Lobo (Author Interview)

February 14

Domestic Randomness (Review)

The Dragyn's Lair (Review)

February 15

Crystal's Tiny Treasures (Review)

February 16

Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)

 

* Blog Tour Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card (or PayPal cash) + a Skype visit to a school or library of the winner's choice ($250 value).
Contest runs: January 27th to February 21, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Worldwide
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. The winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the publisher, Ashby-BP Publishing and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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When Baby Becomes Big Sibling - an ebook review and giveaway! - sponsored

Disclosure: I received a free copy of When Baby Becomes Big Sibling in return for this review. Great news I was also provided a copy to giveaway too! Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been following Paula Rollo from Beauty for Imperfection and Blogging on the Side for a while now. It all started when she won a month sponsorship and I got the privilege of reviewing her blog Beauty for Imperfection. When she started Blogging on the Side with some other bloggers I loved that blog too. Paula is one of the most inspiring bloggers that I have read. She is so encouraging that every time I visit her blog or get a post in my email I feel better.

When Paula announced that she had published her first ebook I knew I had to read it. Especially since the book was about integrating a new baby into a family with a toddler. I just went through that 5 months ago and I think one of the reasons our transition has been so smooth (relatively :)) is because of the great advice I read on Paula's blog in posts like Preparing Big Brother for a New Baby, and 8 Ways to Help a Toddler adjust to the New Baby.

When Baby Becomes Big Sibling did not let me down. It was as inspiring and encouraging as I expected it to be. Filled with practical advice and lots of humor this book is a great read for anyone who is about to have their second child (or third, or fourth, or tenth), or anyone considering having more children, or even anyone who has had more than one child. I found myself nodding my head a lot thinking she described my experience perfectly. And it was an easy read. I finished it in about an hour (partly because I couldn't put it down :)). I am very glad that I got a chance to read this book, I will probably reread it multiple times for encouragement and ideas, especially if we are blessed to add another member to our family.

Here are a few quotes from the book:

And Paula was gracious enough to provide a copy of When Baby Becomes Big Sibling for one of you lucky readers to win! This copy is PDF only. It is not a kindle copy. If you want a kindle copy you will have to go here to buy one. If you would like the chance to win a PDF copy enter through the rafflecopter below!

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Disclosure: I received a free copy of When Baby Becomes Big Sibling in return for this review. The giveaway copy was provided for free too. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. All opinions are 100% mine.



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Diane Cantrell Book Blast - 2 great books and a $100 giveaway! sponsoredish

I was provided an entry in the giveaway in return for posting this.

It's time for another book blast! Check out these two super cool books I have for you. And dont forget to read all the way to the end because there is also a $100 giveaway (amazon gift card or paypal cash)! Check it out!

About the Books

Title: Riley's Lost Tooth
Author: Diane Cantrell
Illustrator: Heather Castles
Publication Date: February 16, 2010
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group
Number of pages: 24
Recommended age: 4+
Summary: Oh no! One of Sunday's very favorite humans, Riley, has lost her tooth! But where did it go? How did she lose it? Why does no one besides Sunday seem to care? It isn't long before the tooth fairy steps in and tries to teach the pups all about growing up. Join Sunday and her two puppy-pals, Precious and Mr. Lee, as they try to hunt down . . . Riley s lost tooth!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Author Website

   

Book Trailer for Riley's Lost Tooth

Title: Good-bye Baby Max
Author: Diane Cantrell
Illustrator: Heather Castles
Publication Date: February, 2008
Publisher: Bridgeway Books
Number of pages: 32
Recommended age: 4+
Summary: Mrs. B's class excitedly awaits the birth of three baby chicks. When Max is unable to crack open his shell, the children's loving teacher assists them in expressing their feelings of loss and planning a special good-bye.  

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Author Website

 

The Buzz

Riley's Lost Tooth: "The book is well written and the illustrations are beautiful. The book will definitely appeal to all children (including children at heart like this reviewer) and their parents / grandparents / elder siblings and other care givers. The book is strongly recommended as a good gift that is educational and also entertaining." ~ 5 Star Review, S.V. Swamy, Amazon

Good-bye Baby Max: "This book is amazing! I have given it as several gifts to my friends with children. It is very well written and the illustrations are fun and colorful. This book it a great tool to help parents and teachers talk to children about loss of a pet and a loved one in general. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!" ~ 5 Star Review, Dawn N., Amazon

Good-bye Baby Max: "This colorful, hardcover children’s title Good-bye, Baby Max (Bridgeway Books, Texas, 2007) by Diane Cantrell & Heather Castles is special in its purpose of teaching an invaluable lesson: that of properly saying the final farewell to a loved one who is no more ... Diane Cantrell has created a very purposeful book for children-one that is at once a story, a poem, and a healthy course of helping children get over grief. The book’s illustrations by Heather Castles are very appealing to a child’s imagination. There is a good deal here in Good-bye, Baby Max to learn for children ages 4 to 8 years and the 32-pages book is a must read for all kids of this age category." ~ Ernest Dempsey, Book Corner

Good-bye Baby Max: "I bought this book to help my nieces and nephews deal with the loss of a beloved pet. The storyline and illustrations were used as a springboard to discuss their own loss. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has young children and is looking for a way to help them cope with a loss in their lives." ~ 5 Star Review, Jeanne B., Amazon

Good-bye Baby Max: "[Good-bye, Baby Max] is a tender story about death, a tough topic for young children. Kindergarteners eagerly await spring and the hatching of the class' three chick eggs. But one chick, Max, dies. What ensues is a gentle exploration of grief and its many expressions -- from tears to songs to artwork. At the end, the surviving chicks' peeps encourage the children to embrace the living without forgetting the dead." ~ Michele Siuda Jacques, Detroit Free Press

 

About the Author: Diane Cantrell

Diane Cantrell began her career in education teaching Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Transitional First Grade. She also worked as a counselor providing assistance to parenting teens in a local school district. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Diane has provided therapy for adults, families, and children in agencies and private practice settings. As part of her private practice, she offers parent training to her clients and to parents in local schools. Diane is presently writing and publishing children’s books as well as provides counseling services to adults and children in her private practice, Life Designs Counseling. Diane’s time at Fort Sam Houston I.S.D. provided inspiration for Good-bye, Baby Max. The book, which is based on a true story, describes how Ms. B helps her kindergarten class cope with the loss of a classroom pet. At the time Diane wrote the book she was working with many children who were experiencing a great deal of loss in their lives. Her hope in writing Good-bye, Baby Max was that the story would help parents, children, and other caring professionals begin talking about losses rather than responding to their losses from a state of fear. Her second book, Riley’s Lost Tooth, was written for her granddaughter, Riley as a Valentine’s Day present. Mr. Lee, and Sunday are main characters in the book as is Precious, who died before the book was written. When Diane is not involved in writing or listening to people’s stories, she enjoys being with her husband, Rich, and their two dogs, Sunday and Mr. Lee. Diane and Rich live in San Antonio, Texas.

Website | Twitter

 

* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $100 Amazon Gift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)
Contest runs: January 20th to February 19th, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Diane Cantrell and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Copyright © 2014 Mother Daughter Book Reviews, All rights reserved.