Little Diva Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza - Toggle Bandz

Toggle Bandz 
Review and Giveaway

Are you frustrated with hairbands that are either too big to stay on or too tight for your Lil Princess to want to keep in her hair? I sure was! My youngest Diva has fine hair and headbands never seem to stay put in her hair for very long. I tried buying smaller ones but they are too tight and she always ends up yaking them off quickly.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review The Original Toggle Bandz. These headbands were created by Amanda Duke, a Stay-at-Home Military wife who was frustrated with headbands that would fall off her daughter's fine hair! What did she do? It's ingenious really! She has added an adjustable plastic toggle to her headbands that ensure a perfect fit!

 Toggle Bandz are extremely easy to use - just put them over your head and adjust to your liking! That's it! Amanda has so many colors and themes to choose from and she also welcomes custom orders so you can easily match all your outfits with a headband that finally fits!

So now the million dollar question - Does it work? YES!

I received 2 Toggle Bands to try - 1 for each of my Lil Divas. The Oldest Diva is pretty good about her headbands but she usually complains about them hurting right near her ear. She opted for the blue floral Toggle Band and when I asked how it felt - she said it was "comfy". No pain behind her ears! She happily wore it all day with out any complaints. :)

My youngest Diva is the real problem! Headbands are almost always too big for her head. She absolutely loved the pink striped design that Amanda sent and requested to put it on immediately! I was thrilled with how it fit and looked on her and she kept it on all day! It did not fall off and it never bothered her at all. I think she actually forgot she had it on! We definitely set a record for length of time wearing a headband with our new Toggle Bandz!

Toggle Bandz
definitely get 2 Lil Diva Thumbs Up!

I am so excited to announce that Amanda has generously agreed to giveway

1 Toggle Bandz to 2 Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas readers!

Win It:

**Contest ends on 2/15/11**

 TWO lucky Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas readers

(US Residents Only!) are going to receive:

(1) Toggle Bandz

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Toggle Bandz and tell me which ribbon choice you would like to win!

**This must be completed in order for any extra entries to count**

Extra Entries (Optional)
Please leave a seperate comment for each entry! 
If you are already a follower be sure to leave a comment and let me know as that will count as your entry

1. Follow Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Publicly via Google Friend Connect (2 comments - 2 entries)
2. Follow The Original Toggle Bandz Facebook (1 comment - 1 entry) & tell Amanda I sent you
3. Follow Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas on Twitter - (2 comments - 2 entries)
4. Subscribe to Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas emails (2 comments - 2 entries)
5. Blog about this giveaway and leave a link (3 comments - 3 entries)
6. Make a comment on any non-giveaway post on Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Blog and leave a link (2 comments - 2 entries) You can do this for up to 3 posts for a total of up to 6 entries (for 3 comments). Please note that comment must be dated after the start date of this post - not valid on previous comments.
7. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link - can be done once a day (1 comment - 1 entry)
   
   Tweet:  #Win an Original Toggle Bandz Hairband at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Ends 2/14 http://goo.gl/fb/EUgao  #Giveaway

Giveaway Rules:
Giveaway ends 2/15/2011 at 11:59 (PDT)

Winners will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Winner will be posted on blog & contacted via email if an email is given

Disclaimer:I received 2 Toggle Bandz for the pruposes of trying them out for this review. That being said, this review is my 100% honest opinion of this product - I  am not paid for my reviews or optinions! They are 100% mine! Please remember that your opinions and tastes might differ from mine. 

Good Luck,

Bern

Don't forget to enter my CRUNCHY N YUMMY  & PetCakes Giveaway

Check back during the week for more great giveaways during our Lil Diva Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza!

Lil Diva Party Girls

This weekend contained way too much partying for the Lil Divas! I am exhausted from the festivities, feel like I got nothing accomplished at home and the youngest Diva is now sick and stayed home from preschool today with a fever! 

On top of that, our own Lil Diva's birthday is on Thursday and her party on Saturday! Oh My! Where does the time go? So much to do this week! I am slightly panicked!

Back to our weekend:

On Friday we met up with friends at a fun bounce house place nearby called Jump Zone! My how the Lil Divas jumped, bounced, slid and ran all around! They were in bed and asleep before 8pm! That part was quite lovely for this Lil Diva Mama!

On Saturday we attended a fun birthday party at Plaster Carousel. The Lil Divas LOVE it there so this was a great treat! Here's a peek at what they made at the party -

On Sunday the Oldest Diva and I attended a birthday party at Pump It Up - yes more jumping, sliding and bounce houses! All that excitement plus the SUGAR had the Lil Diva a lil wacky! She was jumping around like a lil wild girl and loving every second of it!

This week will be busy, busy, busy but also full of great things for my Diva Cowgirl  who is turning 5! Tomorrow she begins an adorable program called PonyPalooza Club which is an introduction to horses and horse care at a nearby barn (where she is also haveing her birthday party). It is a suprise so SHHHH! I know she is going to be completely over the moon! I have had such a hard time keeping the secret! :)

Her birthday present has also arrived! Yippee! She has been begging for an American Girl Doll that looks like her & is dressed as a Cowgirl - would you expect anything less? Of course this Mama (& her Daddy - he hates when I leave him out!) had to oblige & she is here - hidden away in my closet until Thursday!

This is going to be such an amazing birthday for my Diva Cowgirl ! She deserves it - she is an amazing Lil Girl and I am both blessed and proud to be her Mama! :)

Bern

Artslam. San Antonio, TX.

San Antonio went off! Huge thx to Rob, Steve, Veronica, and Liz for the hospitality. These Artslam kids know how to throw a party...

M is for Mittens - Mm says "mmm"

Story:

The Missing Mitten Mystery by Steven Kellogg

Letter M Verbal Sound Review:

1.We reviewed how M and m says "mmm" and rubbed our bellies like we were eating delicious muffins, cupcakes, and lots of other treats the girls imagined, lol! :)

2. We brainstormed and complied a list of "m" words  (see the picture of our list below). The Lil Divas thought of all the words on their own - it took a while but they wanted to fill up the page!

Fine Motor Practice:
The Lil Divas practiced writing the letters M and m. We used a Letter Mm printable from DLTK-Kids.com
I wasn't thrilled about the steps portrayed in making the upper case M so we just did it our own way which I find much easier and flows better for the Lil Divas. My adice is to just do what is best for you and your child.

Game: Mitten Memory Match-Up

Since they had worked so hard we decided to play a Mitten Matching/Memory Game for fun!

Here is where you can find the Mitten Matching Game Printables courtesy of PreKinders.com.

I laminated the above sheets and cut them out beforehand so we would be ready to play.

A few pics of the Lil Divas playing the game!

Enjoy!

Bern

Lil Diva Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza - PETCAKES

Deliciously Cute PetCakes
Review & Giveaway

Well Made Toy Manufacturing Corporation

The Well Made Toy Manufacturing Corporation is located in Maspeth, NY.  They are a major U.S.

manufacturer offering one of the largest selections of rag dolls, stuffed and jumbo plush toys.

Well Made Toy Manufacturing Corporation is the original manufacturer

and holder of the following: Sweetie Mine ™, Dolly Mine™, Precious Mine™, Little Darlins™,

Noodle Do’s™, Animal Biggums™ and PetCakes™.

The Lil Divas and I had the priviledge of receiving 4 adorable Puppy PetCakes Toys from Series 1 to review from the generous people over at Well Made Toys .

 The Lil Divas instantly fell in love with their adorable plush puppies hidden in cupcake holders! Can you blame them? PetCakes combines two of their favorite things - cute little animals and cupcakes!

Here are the 4 adorable Puppy PetCakes Toys that we received:

Blueberry Buddy™ is a Shar Pei as sweet as the blueberry frosting on his head

Coco-Coconut™ is a fluffy poodle with a fuzzy pink frosting top

Randy Candy™ is a lovable mutt topped with tasty frosting & a cherry

Twinkle Sprinkles™ is a Beagle whose colorful pink sprinkled frosting top looks delicious

The Lil Divas have really enjoyed playing with their new PetCakes Toys! Petcakes are suggested for ages 3 and up and honestly I can see both children and adults of all ages loving these cute plush toys. They would make great birthday presents, Valentine's Day gifts, rewards or just a special treat to make someone smile.

The Lil Divas certainly enjoyed playing with their PetCakes and there were lots of hugs, smiles and giggles involved every step of the way!

Petcakes are coming out with a new series of animals in 2011 which will include a squirrel, a raccoon and a bear. I love that they will be offering such a variety of adorable plush animals. Currently, PetCakes are available for purchase online at ToysRUs.com for a suggested retail price of $13.99 each.

Win It:

**Contest ends on 2/14/11**

 ONE lucky Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas reader

(US Residents Only!) is going to receive:

(2) PetCakes (to be randomly chosen by Well Made Toys)

Mandatory Entry:

Visit PetCakes Toys and tell me which PetCake Plush you would like to win!

**This must be completed in order for any extra entries to count**

Extra Entries (Optional)Please leave a seperate comment for each entry! 
If you are already a follower be sure to leave a comment and let me know as that will count as your entry

1. Follow Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Publicly via Google Friend Connect (2 comments - 2 entries)


2. Follow PetCakes on Facebook  (1 comment - 1 entry) & tell them I sent you


3. Follow Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas on Twitter - (2 comments - 2 entries)


4. Subscribe to Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas emails (2 comments - 2 entries)


5. Blog about this giveaway and leave a link (3 comments - 3 entries)


6. Make a comment on any non-giveaway post on Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Blog and leave a link (2 comments - 2 entries) You can do this for up to 3 posts for a total of up to 6 entries (for 3 comments). Please note that comment must be dated after the start date of this post - not valid on previous comments.


7. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link - can be done once a day (1 comment - 1 entry)
   
   Tweet:  #Win Deliciously Cute PetCakes at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Ends 2/14  http://goo.gl/fb/zNTPf  #Giveaway

Giveaway Rules:
Giveaway ends 2/14/2011 at 11:59 (PDT)

Winners will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Winner will be posted on blog & contacted via email if an email is given

Disclaimer:I received 4 PetCakes Plush Toys for the pruposes of trying them out for this review. That being said, this review is my 100% honest opinion of this product - I  am not paid for my reviews or optinions! They are 100% mine! Please remember that your opinions and tastes might differ from mine. 

Good Luck,

Bern

Don't forget to enter my CRUNCHY N YUMMY Giveaway & check back during the week for more great giveaways during our Lil Diva Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza

Stop Coming, You are NOT Welcome Here!

No, I don't mean you! You are very welcome here. I am so glad you stopped by to visit my lil blog and share a moment or two of my life.

I do however have unwelcome visitors in my life. Every time one of them pops up, it unnerves me. It makes me emotional, upset and yes quite frankly a bit angry.

They seem to be coming more and more often.  Don't they get it that I DO NOT want them here! Don't they realize that as soon as I see them I get agitated and banish them from my life completely?

Why do they keep coming? The troubling part is that they seem to be multiplying. I am waging a war - and I am losing!

I am shouting from the top of my lungs - YOU ARE NOT WELCOME! I DO NOT WANT YOU HERE!

They do not seem to listen. They could care less about what I want or how I feel.

By now, you might be asking yourself - What or Whom is she talking about? What has her in such a state?

Well my friends, I am going to let you in on my dark lil secret but only because I know you will understand. I know you will commiserate with me against this enemy.

Yes, it is an enemy. I am not ready to embrace their existence. I am not ready to acknowledge them at all.

Gray Hairs!

Are you with me? Do you see why I am panicked?

Every time I wash my hair - I find a new one... or two... or three. I stop looking after that, it's just too depressing! I am too scared!

Why? Why are they here? Why are they multiplying so quickly?

I feel too young to be enduring this torture. (I will be 35 in April)

Didn't they get my memo? It clearly stated "Please do not arrive until after my 50th birthday (at minimum)!"

I mean really, I even said please! {Sigh}

I feel older just looking at them. They are sucking the young right out of me ( or is that the Lil Divas? I am not quite sure)!

Once upon a time, I colored my hair for fun! Now it will be out of necessity - I refuse to let them win! I am upset they have taken away my choice. Who gave them that right? I surely didn't!

I am off to pluck the grays right out of my head - I believe in torturing the enemy... One by One!

Bern

P.S. - Don't forget to check out my Lil Diva Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza this week! :)

Lil Diva Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza - Crunchy N Yummy Review & Giveaway

If your kids are anything like mine they LOVE Snacks. I try to limit the amount of sweets my Lil Divas eat on a regular basis but I understand their need for a sweet and yummy snack during the day. I would prefer for them to have healthy snacks that tasted great and were good for them too!

This was why I was so excited to have the opportunity to review Crunchy N Yummy freeze-dried fruits. We all know the benefits of eating fruits but my Lil Divas and I are always on the go and we need snacks that are easy to store, carry and eat on the go. Crunchy N Yummy freeze-dried snacks come in convenient pouches that I was able to carry right in my purse and required no refrigeration. They can also be stored for a long period of time without spoiling, though they did not last very long in my house because my Lil Divas really enjoyed them!

So now I assume you want the answer to the million dollar question - How does it taste? Quite simply, Crunchy N Yummy snacks are like their name suggests - both cruchy and yummy! They are available in Banana, Pineapple, Papaya, Mango and Strawberry. My Lil Divas loved the strawberry and banana and my favorite was the pineapple but they were all delicious and yes, we did happily sample them all. YUM!

The fruits are freeze-dried right at their peak flavor and sealed in air-tight containers which helps the fruit maintain their color, flavor and nutrional value. As soon as we opened the packages - we could smell the sweet fruit's scent! The Lil Divas enjoyed eating these fruits right out of the pouch, in their cereal and even in their yogurt.

For once I didn't feel badly about indulging them. Crunchy N Yummy freeze-dried fruits are certified USDA Organic and do not contain any preservatives, salt, sweetners or gluten. At only 55 to 110 calories a pouch they are also an easy and smart snacking option for calorie counters.

Here is a link to their Nutrition Info.

Crunchy N Yummy snacks are currently available for purchase online via Amazon.com and at various New York and Florida retailers. Please visit Crunchy N Yummy - Where to Buy for more details.

WIN IT (ends 2/13/2011):

 ONE lucky Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas reader
 (US Residents Only) 
is going to receive:

(5) Bags (1) of Each Crunchy N' Yummy Flavor

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Crunchy N Yummy and tell me which flavor you would like to try.

**This must be completed in order for any extra entries to count**

Extra Entries (Optional)Please leave a seperate comment for each entry! 
If you are already a follower be sure to leave a comment and let me know as that will count as your entry 

1. Follow Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Publicly via Google Friend Connect (2 comments - 2 entries)
2. Follow Crunchy N' Yummy on Facebook (1 comment - 1 entry) & tell them I sent you
3. Follow Crunchy N' Yummy on Twitter (1 comment - 1 entry)
4. Follow Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas on Twitter - (2 comments - 2 entries)
5. Subscribe to Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas emails (2 comments - 2 entries)
6. Blog about this giveaway and leave a link (3 comments - 3 entries)
7. Make a comment on any non-giveaway post on Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Blog and leave a link (2 comments - 2 entries) You can do this for up to 3 posts for a total of up to 6 entries (for 3 comments). Please note that comment must be dated after the start date of this post - not valid on previous comments.
8. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link - can be done once a day (1 comment - 1 entry)
   
   Tweet:  #Win Crunchy N Yummy Freeze Dried Snack Packs @crunchynyummy and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas http://goo.gl/fb/YIwiZ  Ends 2/13 #Giveaway

Giveaway Rules:
Giveaway ends 2/13/2011 at 11:59 (PDT)

Winners will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Winner will be posted on blog & contacted via email if an email is given

Disclaimer:I received Crunchy N Yummy freeze-dried fruit pouches for the pruposes of trying them out for this review. That being said, this review is my 100% honest opinion of this product - I  am not paid for my reviews or optinions! They are 100% mine! Please remember that your opinions and tastes might differ from mine. 

M is for Mittens - Mitten Math Match-Up

Story:

Missing Mittens (MathStart 1) by Stuart J. Murphy

The book reviews even and odd and while I didn't find it to be the most interesting story we have read it was great to utilize as a counting opportunity and we spent time counting all the mittens for each page.

Activity : Mitten Math Match-Up Game

Here are the  Mitten Number & Dot Printables from  KinderPrintables.com . I laminated them and cut them into 2 sets of cards.

How to play the game:
We displayed all the mittens with numbers on the floor and we made a pile of the mittens with the dots. The Lil Divas took turns picking a card from the dots pile. Once they had a mitten thay counted up the dots (1-12) and then matched it to the correct Numbered Mitten!

They loved the game & played over and over! Great way to practice counting & review number recognition.

Here's a Lil Diva counting up the dots on her chosen card:

Making Mitten Match-Ups:

 



Hope you have as much fun playing Mitten Match-Up w/your lil ones as we did!

Bern

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza - Ebeanstalk Site Review

Ebeanstalk.com Site Review

We have had a string of birthday parties to attend since the start of the New Year! Turning 5 is a big deal and all the kids in my Oldest Diva's Pre-K class have been celebrating in style! While we all love a good party, I dread buying gifts for the Lil Diva's classmates! I honestly never know what to buy, especially when it's a boy, lol!

This is why I was so excited when I found http://www.ebeanstalk.com/. I initially found the site over the holiday season while doing my online shopping and was instantly impressed. Why? Honestly, there are many reasons why I think Ebeanstalk.com is a cut above the rest but let me go over a few key things with you that really impressed me as both a mom and an educator.

Ebeanstalk is a wonderful toy website that allows you to search for toys by specific age groups as well as by category. Everything is so organized and easy to view and find - shopping is enjoyable again! They have a quick "Top Sellers List" of their best selling toys, A "What's New" section where you can quickly see all the latest additions to their inventory and a "Great Gift Ideas" section broken down by age.

With toys for children aged newborn thru 12 years old there is sure to be something to please every child on your shopping list. What I personally liked was the fact that they had so many wonderful developmentally appropriate learning toys! I am all for kids having fun and for kids toys=fun but I also like to know they are learning something while playing.

Ebeanstalk has carefully matched each learning toy with the appropriate stage of development. For toys in the Baby Toys thru to the  4 year old toys categories it is even broken down into 3 month increments! How great is that?! As a mom and an educator I really appreciate this and I think it definitely sets Ebeanstalk apart from other toy websites where all you see is "Recommended for ages 2 and up", etc.

They also have an instruction card which accompanies each toy that provides a description of the toy, why they love it and the primary skills the toy helps develop. Seriously, isn't that just awesome information? YES, it is!

So go ahead & check them out and see for yourself - I honestly believe you'll be pleased with what you find, I definitely was!

Here are a few more quick links to get you all going:

Toys for 1 Year Olds

Toys for 2 Year Olds

Toys for 3 Year Olds

Toys for 5 Year Olds

Happy Shopping,

Bern

Disclaimer:I was not compensated for this review, however, I will be receiving a toy for a future review. That being said, this review is my 100% honest opinion of this website - I really do think it is an awesome site, which was why I was so excited to be given the opportunity review a toy from them in the near future! Be sure to stay tuned! 

January Winter Theme - M is for Mitten (Painting)

Book:

A Mountain of Mittens by Lynn Plourde

"Don't forget your mittens!" Molly's parents warn her of this every morning but something always happens causing Molly (and many other children) to repeatedly leave their mittens behind at school! Until there are "Mittens, Mittens. My oh, my! A Mountain of Mittens piled up high!"  This book is full of hilarious antics and funny & colorful illustrations involving children and their mittens. The Lil Divas were in constant fits of giggles while I read it to them.

The colorful illustrations of the numerous designs on the mittens in this story gave me the idea for our activity!

Activity: Mitten Painting Fun

Materials:

- paint (we used washable crayola paint)

- paint brushes

-white construction or drawing paper (you can use something more durable but this worked just fine!)

Prep: Cut out a large mitten shape on white paper. I just drew it freehand and cut out a few (in case of mistakes or if they wanted to do more than 1)

Here is what mine looked like:

Then I just let the girls paint freely and this is what they came up with:

Happy Mitten Painting!

Letter M Review: Macaroni M

This is great to practice those fine motor skills! I gave the girls a large pre-written template of both Upper & Lower Case Mm.

Materials:

-large sheet of construction paper (any color)

-marker (to write the letters M & m)

- liquid glue

-macaroni

Here's the end result for easy reference:

Step 1: Trace over the letters using liquid glue

Step 2: Glue the macaroni to the letters - be sure to encourage the correct way to write the letter! It's great practice!

Enjoy!

Bern

P.S - Don't forget our Lil Diva Birthday Review & Giveaway Extravaganza begins tomorrow! Be sure to stop by all week & see what's up for grabs! :)