F's First Pony Tail ... And A Cow

Baby Comfy Nose Nasal Aspirator Discount Code!

If you've ever used a bulb or battery-type aspirator to clear the mucus out of your little one's nose, you've probably said to yourself: "There has to be a better way!" Well, we just found a better way and it's called the BabyComfyNose Nasal Aspirator. Here's the secret: It works so much better because it uses your own suction. Think about it: your own lungs are a strong, natural vacuum cleaner - much more powerful than a tiny bulb or battery-powered motor. And the result is just a more effective method of clearing your baby's sinuses.

 But have no fear; you won't suck boogies into your mouth because of the design of the receptacle and the tissue filter that you insert into the body of the aspirator. This is why pediatricians are recommending BabyComfyNose to moms and dads. Recently, Dr. Sears of The Doctors TV Show recommended the BabyComfyNose as the best way to clear babies' noses. Take a look at the video 'How to Use the BabyComfyNose' here www.babycomfycare.com to see how well it works. Enter USFAMILY at checkout for a 20% discount. Or get the best retail pricing at Walgreens stores and save the shipping!

Sustainable & Upcycled - The Giveaway

Welcome to the Sustainable and Upcycle Giveaway Hop hosted by The Squishable Baby and The Median Mommy.  Join us in celebrating The Squishable Baby's 1 year blog anniversary.

In order to bring the importance of change and awareness to a larger audience, this hop focuses on items which were upcycled, can be reused  and are healthy for this earth.   After you visit my giveaway, please make sure to visit the linky below and visit the other bloggers.  I am sure you will enjoy what they have to offer.  Each blogger has a minimum of a $15 prize to give away!

 

*****

Here at Kerrific we are excited to be giving away an awesome Sustainable Office prize package from Staples that includes three amazing recycled products.

First is the Sustainable Earth Stapler. It seems we are always in need of a stapler at our house and this particular stapler is serving us well. I love shopping at Staples because they have high quality items and this stapler is no exception. Not only does it preform well but it is made from 100% recycled ink and toner cartridges so I know that I can really enjoy having it in my office.

Next we have the Sustainable Earth Wirebound Notebooks. The first thing I noticed about these notebooks is that they are beautiful! I just love the heavyweight kraft covers and have plans to use these as journals after I add some fun decorations to the front. The notebooks also have two pockets in the covers which makes them perfect for all sorts of jobs at home, school and the office. Each notebook is made from 80% sugarcane waste so they are good for the environment too!

Lastly, we have the 8-Digit ECO Calculator. If you don't know yet, I have a math degree and a calculator addiction. This is my latest addition and it has been amazing. The ECO Calculator is the perfect size to keep on my desk and the angled display makes it super easy to use. I love that the calculator is solar powered so I don't have to worry about batteries (who needs them). This calculator is also made from recycled ink and toner cartridges so it's keeping our environment a little cleaner in more ways than one. 

These three items really are a great package to get any student or business started off on a green foot. You can find these, and a whole bunch more, sustainable items available at Staples. 

To help you get your start with recycled office products, Staples is giving away this amazing set of items to one Kerrific reader. To enter simply use the form below.

Entry-Form

Now that you've entered the giveaway here, make sure you hop along to all the other great blogs participating in this Sustainable & Upcycled event and enter their awesome giveaways too!

*****  

 

While you are giveaway hopping, make sure you enter the GRAND PRIZE for this event.  This wonderful prize package worth $230 includes items for baby, mommy and the entire family!  This prize package includes a custom upcycled wool soaker from Median Woolworks, a 6-pack of Woolzies Dryer Balls, a Wonderful Bambino Bamboo Fitted Diaper, 3 yummy fair trade and organic dark chocolate bars from sweetriot, A set of 2 soft and silky minky pads with a fleece backing from Pink Lemonade, Peachy Green AIO Bamboo Diaper and Nellies Laundry Soap from Caribou Baby NYC, A copy of Vinegar Fridays from Green Grandma, 1 large and 1 small wet bag by Spring Mountain Living, and wool and bamboo shorties from The Squishable Baby.

       

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE GRAND PRIZE HERE. US only.

       

****          
The Squishable Baby, The Median Mommy, and the Sustainable and Upcycle Giveaway Hop bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

Blendtec Designer Series Wild Side Blender GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to the Blendtec Designer Series WildSide Blender and Twister Jar giveaway sponsored by Blendtec and hosting by Measuring Flower!

The Prizes

One Blendtec Designer Series WildSide Blender and One Twister Jar 

$574 Value

The Blendtec Designer Series WildSide Blender is an amazing, high-quality, powerful blender featuring the following:

• Designer Series motor base
• WildSide jar
• Vented Gripper lid
• Fresh Blends recipe book
• owner's manual
• registration card

The Twister Jar is an additional jar that works with the Designer Series motor base. It's designed to mix up your thickest recipes like hummus and homemade peanut butter. It comes with:

• Twister Jar
• patented Twister lid
• Mini Gripper lid for containing thinner blends
• Spectacula spatula

Enter to Win

Giveaway Ends at 11:59 PM EST on Monday, March 24, 2014 Open to US and Canadian Residents Only

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: Kerrific and its author(s) are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Morning Laughs

It's Friday and this mama is tired. That means it must be time for a good laugh so here's some fun to finish off your week. Enjoy!

This is a Fashionista Events opportunity.

Glen Eden Resort Deal!

Spring Break vacationers who want to be off the beaten path but still close to a major ski resort look no further than Glen Eden Resort! 

Glen Eden Resort is a small resort just north of Steamboat Springs on the Elk River, in a ranching community where the cows outnumber the people. The resort has two and three bedroom accommodations, with fully equipped kitchens, living and dining areas. The main lodge hosts a restaurant and tavern, two hot tubs, and wifi. Once you walk out the door there is a wide variety of winter recreational opportunities such as snowmobiling, horseback riding, ice fishing, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. Last minute Spring Break Deals! Good until April 30th! Save 15% on two or three nights and 25% on four plus nights at Glen Eden Resort call 800-882-0854 for personalized service.

Spring Fashionista 2014 - The Big Giveaway

WAHOO! It's giveaway time for Spring Fashionista 2014. 

Are you ready?

Here at Kerrific we are giving away an amazing prize package valued at $155.

The prize package includes:

1 Flamenco Wrap Dress from Mothers En Vogue

Review Here

and

1 Sexy T-Shirt Nursing Bra from Bella Materna

Review Here

These are both amazing items that you will want to be in to win!


To enter simply fill use the form below. 

Good luck!

Entry-Form

All done? Make sure you've entered to win the grand prize! 

Covered Perfectly is providing Spring Fashionista Events Grand Prizes. For every Giveaway in the Spring Fashionista Event that you Enter, you gain one entry toward the Spring Fashionista Grand Prize. 2 Grand Prize winners will receive 12 tops, 1/month over the course of a year, valued at approx. $600/winner! Isn’t that stunning? Covered Perfectly makes flattering tops (misses and plus sizes) comprised of a full collection of super-soft MicroModal tops in a variety of colors and the cute patterns. US Shipping is FREE and they also now ship worldwide.

And then hop on over to these amazing blogs and enter all the other great giveaways! 

The SPRING Fashionista Giveaway Event is hosted by The Chief Blonde at Still Blonde After All These Years and Katy from Modly Chic. All Fashion! Only FASHION event! Largest Fashion Giveaway event on the internet with $26,000+ in prizes, 100+ participating blogs and 3/4 million entries. Each individual blog has a minimum of $125 prize!

Still Blonde after all these YEARS , Modly Chic, Spring Fashionista Events Giveaway or the Spring Fashionista Events Giveaway bloggers are not responsible for sponsors/bloggers that do not fulfill their prizes or for any product failure or harm caused thereby.

Magic Castle Bounce House Review + Giveaway!

We've been having a party lately at the Kerr house. Anyone who follows us on Facebook or Instagram has probably seen the fun! What have we been up to? We got a Magic Castle Bounce House and it is being well loved!

My favorite thing about the Bounce House? The kids will spend hours outside in it and then come in and take awesome naps so I can take a nap too. - Yes, I am that kind of mom.

The kids favorite thing about the Bounce House, well, I asked them and they couldn't tell me just one thing. But they ask for it almost every day and will spend hours in it playing with each other and with their dad.

Dad's favorite thing about the bounce house? We give him the "hard job" so his favorite thing is how fast and easy the house is to set up! It literally takes about five minutes so it's something that doesn't get unused because it isn't worth the effort like some of the kids' big toys.

Here you can see just how easy it is for the Magic Castle to go up.

And here's a little view of how much fun the kids have when they play in it.

If you're looking for a great outdoor toy for your kids then the Magic Castle Bounce House is the way to go. It's the perfect size for the backyard and is made for 1-3 kids which is perfect for most families.

I am very excited to be giving away FIVE Magic Castle Bounce Houses to FIVE lucky families! To enter simply use the form below. You'll love this great toy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coupon Cutting

Mothers En Vogue Flamenco Wrap Maternity & Nursing Dress Reivew

Guess what ... I'm finally getting a visible belly! Now this may not seem like a huge deal to some of you but if I'm not going to fit in my preferred size then, in my opinion, I better have a pregnant belly that you can tell is pregnant. I'm so glad to finally be out of that "she looks like she's gaining weight" stage and onto something that is better.

For the next few months I will be showing off my baby bump with the fun Flamenco Wrap Dress from Mothers En Vogue. I received this dress last week and couldn't help but wear it to church on Sunday. It was great! My favorite thing about Mothers En Vogue's products is the amazingly soft fabric that so many of them are made of. Not only is it soft but it also washes up amazingly well (the tunic I received last fall still looks brand new), and this is because the fabric is 95% bamboo! Serious luxury here!

There are so many other things I love about the Flamenco Wrap Dress I don't know how I will list them all. For me it is my new favorite! I love the length, just below the knee, which is perfect with my boots or flats.

The most important thing to love about this dress is that I am going to be able to use it long after baby arrives. That's right, this dress is completely nursing friendly! The dress itself has a built in undershirt that allows neckline access for nursing without showing off to the world. I am so excited to use this as it is amazingly hard to find dresses that allow for easy nursing so this is a one and only in my closet.

I'm so excited to be sharing this dress with you and I'm even more excited that Mothers En Vogue has agreed to allow me to give one lucky reader their very own Flamenco Wrap Dress during Spring Fashionista so stay tuned for an awesome giveaway starting in just a few short days! You won't want to miss out! In the meantime, make sure you head over to Mothers En Vogue and check out all the other great maternity and nursing items they have available!

Bella Materna Sexy T-Shrit Nursing Bra Review - Fashionista!

So I have to admit, with baby #5 on the way there are some things that I'm finding I really need. One of those things is some new nursing bras. Yes, I have a whole drawer full of nursing bras but after four kids they are looking a little sad and need to be retired.

Recently I have had the chance to try a NEW Sexy T-Shirt Nursing Bra from Bella Materna and I am loving it! Not only am I loving having a bra that actually fits and isn't all stretched out, but i also love the figure that this bra gives my pregnant self.

The bra is available in two color options, rose or black, and sizes 32-38 B-G. WOW! The bra does have a wire but it is a "flexy" wire and as the name suggests I have found it much more forgiving than a traditional underwire bra. The material of the Sexy T-Shirt Bra is also certified to be toxin free which is an added bonus when it comes to making clothing choices.

Not nursing but love the look of this bra? Have no fear, this Bella Materna bra can be easily converted into a regular bra. You can learn more at their website.

Ready to try out the Sexy T-Shirt Nursing Bra? It's a great choice! Plus the customer service is awesome over at Bella Materna so you'll have a great shopping experience.

Plus, stick around and be ready to enter to win a Sexy T-Shirt Nursing Bra of your very own during Spring Fashionista 2014 here at Kerrific! We're so excited to share!

Well Beginnings For Children and Babies

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Well Beginnings. 

If you're a regular reader of our blog than you know that at the Kerr house we generally use cloth diapers. There are times however, that I do use disposables on my kids. These tend to be times of high stress, like the first week we have a new baby, or when we are traveling, because many members of our family are not cloth diaper friendly. Because of this, I have learned that there are some brands of diapers I prefer over others. One of these brands is Walgreens Well Beginnings.

There are so many reasons we love using Well Beginnings diapers when disposables are in demand. The first is that there are two convenient locations to buy them near our home plus one near Grandma's. I just love how fast and easy it is to run into Walgreens and grab a package of diapers. Because we aren't using disposables every day I only buy what I need so this is an easy way to avoid a line and know that I am getting a great diaper at a great price.

Well Beginnings diapers are not only convenient for our family but they are also a trustworthy brand. Walgreens diapers offer great leak protection with their stretchable waist and sides plus they are super soft and include natural botanical, vitamin E and aloe to help keep your active baby's skin soft. Right now both of my kids in diapers wear size 4 and as you can see, they fit very well. In fact, we will be taking these on a weekend trip later this month and I love knowing they will hold up for the long car ride ahead.

If you are looking for amazing disposables for your child(ren) then make sure you check out the Well Beginnings brand. Even if you use cloth for everyday like we do it's great to know that at those times when you just need a little help that there is an option that will work for your child and help you out a little too.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Well Beginnings.

Climbing!

Sinners' Garden by William Sirls + iPad Mini Giveaway

Meet William Sirls: Once a senior vice president in a large investment firm, he was incarcerated in 2007 for wire fraud and money laundering. Life lessons involving faith, grace, and forgiveness are evident in his writing. The Sinners’ Garden is his second novel.

I had a chance to read Sinners' Garden and it was not what I expected. I actually ended up really loving this book but it kept taking turns just when I least expected it. All together this was a great book full of amazing discoveries and wonderful people. I highly recommend this one to anyone who wants a great Christen read with a lot of mystery and some crazy adventures. This is one you won't want to miss!

William is celebrating the book's release with an iPad giveaway.

  One winner will receive:

• A brand new iPad Mini
• The Sinners' Garden by William Sirls

But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 1st. Winner will be announced March 3rd on William Sirls' blog.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by William’s blog on the 3rd to see if you won.

Family Game Night

National Children's Oral Health Month with Firefly

It's National Children's Oral Health Month, in case you haven't already heard, and that means it's an extra good time to check in on your children's teeth! Here at Kerrific we are making that happen with a visit to our local dentist, something that's not nearly as horrible as my kids pretend it is, and new toothbrushes and mouthwash from Firefly.

There are so many great things about Firefly that I can't even begin to tell you about them all but I'm going to try anyway. Probably my favorite thing is their awesome toothbrushes. Since teeth brushing is an ongoing habit at our house, we've been through lots of different toothbrushes and the Firefly brushes are my favorite yet.

So why do I love the kids' Firefly Toothbrushes? The number one reason is because of their lights. That's right, I love them for the same reason my kids like them. They have buttons and lights. But it's so much more than that. These innovative toothbrushes have eliminated the need for me to keep a timer in the bathroom for oral care. That also means that I don't have to start all the kids brushing at the exact same time. Each toothbrush has a lighted timer that goes from green, to yellow, to red, to help the kids know how long to brush their teeth. They simply have to follow the lights twice, once for the top and once for the bottom. Even my two year old can do it and loves watching in the mirror.

So what else is there to love? Firefly has partnered with Oral Health America (OHA) and is donating thousands of toothbrushes to underserved children through the "Smiles Across America" program. I just love that this program serves over 400,000 children. I know when you make a difference in the life of a child you create change and I just love that Firefly has taken the time to do just that.

If you aren't yet celebrating National Children's Oral Health Month there is still time! Call and make an appointment with your dentist today. Then leave me a note and let me know how you plan to help make a change for better oral health!

Spring Cleaning With Children Task #1 - The Toy Room

It's spring cleaning time (and nesting time) at the Kerr house. The bad news, E is working or at school all the time so that means this year the household jobs are all left for me and four toddlers. The result, I've had to do some brainstorming on how to get the kids to help me, safely, get things done because at our house letting the TV babysit is not a oft used option.

So how are the kids helping? There are lots of ways so today I want to share our first, and most frequent spring cleaning job.

The first job I'm tackling this year is the toy room. Now see, normally I would leave the toy room for last (heaven knows we'll find more toys in every other room of the house) but in our current house the toy room lies in a place where I have to walk through it to get to my office so that means that this is one room that takes priority. Here are our before and after photos along with the top five Kerrific tips on helping your toddlers clean, organize, and maintain their toy room.

Before 

After 

Five Tips To Maintaining A Clean Toy Room

1. Avoid Traditional Toy Boxes - Yes, these can be perfect for some things, we have one we keep doll clothes in in F's room, but they tend to be a gathering spot. The biggest tip for keeping things clean is to organize and that is very hard to do in these catch alls.

2. Label - I created my own labels simply by finding a photo of the set of toys and then lamenting and sticking them on the buckets with an outdoor strength double sided decorating tape. This has worked awesome! Not only do the kids know exactly where things go but I also know where I should find a toy when someone makes a request. I have also found that this is a great tool during clean up time because it is easy to hand each child a bucket and tell them to find everything that goes in the bucket and put it away. Sometimes the fasted cleaner, or person who fills the most buckets, gets a special treat too.

3. Don't be afraid to put things up high - If there are toys that tend to cause a fight, or are just too little to be played with without supervision (craft items are #1 at my house) then put them up high, with a lid, and teach your children to ask when they want to play with them. Not only does this help with the mess but it also gives you something that is "special" for when your kids need something that is out of the normal. More on this when I show you the cleaning of the kids' room.

4. Plan ahead - if there is a toy that your child really likes make sure you reserve room to grow when you choose which side bucket it goes in. Our car bucket, for example, was huge when we first got it 2 years ago but now it's three quarters full. So glad I got the big one to start with.

5. Make them do it again - cleaning a toy room can be hard work, just ask my kids. Just because it's hard doesn't mean it shouldn't be done right. If you want to keep a clean toy room that you don't have to do yourself then don't be afraid to be a mean mom. No, I'm not doing anything drastic but I do require my kids pick up the toy room once a day, generally right before bed, and if they don't do it right (aka put things in the correct buckets) I dump the buckets out and make them start over. It didn't take them long to figure out it was easier to do it correctly the first time. I'm not saying it's perfect but 90% off the time even my two year old can get things where they go and I know it is easier to teach him now than it will be in a few years.

What is your best toy room tip? Give me a shout out and let me know!

Fun on Grandma's Hill

Valentine Mailbox Creation

One of the joys of having a child in school is that we have to make fun things like a Valentine mailbox for homework. Since this is B's first year with this type of a project he's having a hard time deciding what style of mailbox to make so he is asking for your help. Which mailbox do you think he should make?

Valentines Dinner

It's time to start thinking about what to cook for Valentines this year.  I know lots of people will choose to go out for dinner but, since I am still little introvert me, we'll be staying home for Valentines again this year and I will cook something special for the family.

So what do I have planned? This year I'm planning a fabulous dinner of meatloaf, baked potatoes, broccoli, and fruit salad. This is one of my family's favorite meals, that is that it's one of the few all the kids will eat, and it is one that is fairly simple to cook without a ton of preparation time.

The potatoes and broccoli are pretty simple, I'll leave that part of the meal up to you to figure out. For the fruit salad there are lots of options, our favorite is simply grapes, watermelon, and pineapple cut up and mixed together. So now lets focus on the meatloaf.

Kerr's No Fail Meatloaf:

1 lb ground beef (or other game)
1 package onion soup mix
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350* F. Make sure your meat is thawed and then put everything in a bowl. Stick your hands in and smoosh until everything is combined. Then form into a ball or loaf and put in pan. Drizzle with more ketchup. Bake for 1 hour. Serve & Enjoy!

Note: For the Valentine heart adaptation I followed the same procedure but after putting the ball of meat into the pan I squished the bottom into a point and then made the heart shaped top with my hands. Nothing scientific about it, just until it looks like a heart.