Tiny Prints Birth Announcements and Baby Shower Invitations {Giveaway}

May 16, 2013 By Sarah 7 Comments

Even though it was over 5 years ago and I had a serious case of pregnancy brain, I remember my baby showers for my son Mason, with remarkable clarity.  One was at a hotel banquet room, one was at my mother’s house, and one was a card and a cake handed to me by my colleagues as we were grading English Regents exams (which sounds impersonal but was actually perfect). What I don’t remember? The Baby shower invitations, nor did I use a birth announcement.

I had no idea at the time this picture was taken, at my final baby shower, that my son was going to be born in just 48 hours at 36 weeks gestation!

Baby Shower

Whichever side you’re on — needing Baby Shower Invitations, or Birth Announcements, Tiny Prints has you covered with the most unique and special designs. Tiny Prints uses premium stationary to herald your new arrival or event in style.  Tiny Prints is also one-stop shopping, since you can also choose matching address labels, thank you cards & gift tags in beautiful trendy designs.

Disclosure: Tiny Prints compensated me with a $50 gift card to try their products. All opinions, as always, are solely my own.

birth announcement tiny prints

 

Don’t miss the Tiny Prints #TinyPrintsBaby Pinning Party™ with
@ResourcefulMom on May 20th at 8 PM ET.  RSVP here.

Would you like to win your own $50 gift card to Tiny Prints? 

All you have to do is:

Visit Tiny Prints Birth Announcements http://bit.ly/TinyPrintsBirth or Tiny Prints Baby Shower Invitations http://bit.ly/TinyPrintsBabyShower and leave me a comment telling me which is your favorite stationary item!

To earn more entries, you can do either of the following:

Good Luck! I will choose a winner on 5/22/13!

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Aquaphor Baby Review & $100 Giveaway to 1800Flowers

May 15, 2013 By Sarah 42 Comments

Last weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day. I’ll be honest, before I was a mom myself I never really appreciated my mom as much as I should have. I’m sure that is common, but I sure hope that my daughter doesn’t say the things to me that I said to my mom growing up! Aquaphor Baby cares about moms, and challenged me to share the top 5 ways my mom has supported and inspired me:

1. By her complete support, even when it costs time, money, and dignity. My mom went to EVERY single orchestra concert I was in for over 10 years, even when I’m sure it was painful, boring, or excruciatingly long.

2. By sticking up for my decision to cloth diaper my kids, even when other family members and friends thought I was being hippy-dippy.

3. By being there every afternoon when I came home from school, even when I was in high school. It made a big difference to me.

4. By not freaking out when I skipped pre-calc a few times my senior year of high school. I like that she took the long view in that instance.

5. By always being on my side, even when I am being straight up ridiculous.

Aquaphor also cares about moms and babies. Aquaphor recently provided me with full-size samples of their Baby Healing Ointment and Gentle Wash & Shampoo to try out with my children.  There are two reasons why I agreed to try these Aquaphor products: because they are rated as “low risk” on the EWG’s Skin Deep Database, and because my son has extremely sensitive skin and suffers from eczema. We are always looking for creams or ointments to ease the itching and rashiness.

First we tried the Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment (Rated 1 on EWG Skin Deep – very low risk). I like that the ointment has NO fragrance, preservatives, or dyes.  It is also multipurpose — I can use it on my son’s chapped cheeks or his rashy elbows. We’re finally diaper-free in our house, but you could use it as a diaper rash cream (although if you use cloth diapers, you’ll want to use a liner). Here is my son’s arm after applying Aquaphor healing ointment. It is so soothing on his dry, scaly skin!

Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment

We also got to try out the Gentle Wash & Shampoo. It  is a soap-free, fragrance-free and tear-free formula that gently cleanses skin and hair. I know my kids aren’t babies, but I still use the 2-in-1 skin & hair products with them, simply because it is easier for me (and it is all about me, right? Right??).

Aquaphor Baby Shampoo

I like that the Gentle Wash really is gentle. It rates a 2 on the EWG’s Skin Deep Database, which means it is low-risk. When you have a child with very sensitive skin, the safety of every single ingredient becomes paramount.  In fact, sometimes, I just use  water and a washcloth on my 5 year old son, so I don’t irritate his skin with too much soap. And he’s a BOY — he NEEDS some soap!  I feel good about being able to use the Aquaphor Gentle Wash every day because I know it’s not going to be drying or irritating for him.

Aquaphor Baby Giveaway

 

Would you like to win an Aquaphor Prize Pack containing Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment, Aqupahor Gentle Wash & Shampoo and ONE (1) $100 1-800-FLOWERS gift card?

I thought so. :)

You can do any or all of the following entry methods:

I’ll draw a winner using Random.org on 5/28/13. Open to US & Canada. Winner must respond within 48 hours or another winner must be chosen.

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#Lactaid is making Dairy Fun Again with Celebrity Chef Melissa d’Arabian {Giveaway}

May 8, 2013 By Sarah 13 Comments

Lactose Intolerance TipsI’ll never forget Thanksgiving, 2004. I was enjoying some delicious, creamy mashed potatoes, when all of a sudden, it hit me like a punch in the gut. Stomach pain — and worse. I asked to be excused and couldn’t return to the table for nearly 45 minutes. I grabbed my then-boyfriend (now husband) and made a hasty exit.

The culprit? All that heavy cream and milk added to the mashed potatoes. I have had an official diagnosis of lactose intolerance since I was 18 years old, and I should have known better. But I got lax, and it ruined that holiday for us.

That’s the year I started drinking Lactaid. I had basically been trying to avoid dairy up until then, but it’s hard, especially in traditional recipes like mashed potatoes. And now, I have a child who I believe is lactose intolerant. It’s really difficult to bring my 5 year old son to birthday parties and not allow him to eat the ice cream with his cake, but I know it will make him sick.

Which is why I was SO excited to learn that Lactaid makes an ice cream. Unfortunately, it’s not available to me locally, but I have been making my own ice cream with Lactaid whole milk. Yummy — and no one is left out!

I was so excited to be invited to a webinar with Melissa d’Arabian, mom of 4, and host of 10 Dollar Dinners on the Food Network, and Michelle Harrington, Registered Dietician, sponsored by the Motherhood. Even though I am being compensated by The Motherhood, all opinions and experiences are my own.

I learned SO much about lactose intolerance AND how to navigate its challenges in this conversation with Melissa Michelle

For example, did you know:

  • Lactaid is slightly sweeter than regular milk (with the same amount of sugar) because it contains an enzyme (lactase) that breaks down lactose into two simpler sugars, glucose and galactose?
  • You can substitute Lactaid for milk in any recipe using a 1:1 substitution ratio? This is because Lactaid is 100% real dairy milk with the same nutrient profile – just with added lactase.
  • Lactaid contains half your RDA of calcium (500 mg) in one 8-oz serving?
  • Lactose is easier to digest when you eat it with other food — not on an empty stomach? (which is probably why that morning glass of milk is hard to digest)
  • Lactaid makes chocolate milk that contains NO high fructose corn syrup?
  • Lactaid makes a great selection of products like cottage cheese, all types of milk, ice cream, and eggnog! You can see the full product lineup here: http://www.LACTAID.com/products

I love that Lactaid has the same amount of sugar per serving as dairy milk, but with a sweeter taste. That makes it great for making ice cream, smoothies, and as coffee creamer! You don’t even need to add sugar.

Lactaid

Melissa was also full of great tips! Here are some of my favorites:

  • I never know what to use for ricotta cheese in my lasagna: Melissa suggested adding Lactaid cottage cheese with 1 egg in a food processor to get the same consistency of ricotta with less fat and no lactose!
  • She also mentioned that if you are lactose intolerant, you may be able to experiment with hard cheeses like Pecorino, Swiss, and Gruyere. They all contain less lactose than soft cheeses.
  • Greek yogurt is often easier to digest as well, since it has more protein and less lactose. In addition, it contains healthy probiotics.
  • It’s easy to make your own lactose-free buttermilk by adding 1 tsp vinegar to 1 cup of Lactaid milk

Picture 9

I liked Melissa from watching her on the Food Network, but after hearing her talk about her family, her menu planning philosophy (no more than 5-minutes), and how she navigates a work/family balance, I seriously want this woman to come to my house and give me private lessons.  I really respect any woman who can balance a career with being a great mom, and she seems to absolutely be doing that.

Her philosophy is so simple: When you’re working, work. When you’re at home, be at home. 

 

Love that.

If you would like to see some videos of Melissa cooking with Lactaid, you can check them out here:  food.today.com and youtube.com/LACTAID

 

Would you like to win a coupon for a FREE Lactaid product? Here’s what to do:

Simply leave me a comment telling me which Lactaid product you would most like to try!

Would you like more entries? You can do any of the following, just be sure to leave me a separate comment for each that you do.

Follow @MindfullyFrugal on Twitter

Follow @MindfullyFrugal on Pinterest

 

Winner will be drawn on May 20 using Random.org. Open worldwide. Winner must respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be drawn.

 

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Mother’s Day Giveaway | #Momsgifts

May 1, 2013 By Sarah 6 Comments

mothers day gift ideasEveryone loves their mom and always wants to find the best gift to make her feel loved and appreciated. These are the gifts I have found and would love to share with you. After you enter my giveaway head over to Makobi Scribe to see her mothers day gift ideas worth over $3000. Then enter the grand prize drawing of a $1000 worth of Karina Dresses.

 One lucky Mindfully Frugal Mom reader will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card so you can get mom whatever she wants! Enter using the form below:

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Makobi Scribe Reviews, LLC or the Mother’s Day Gift Event Bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.



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3 Ways to Conserve Water | Watersavers Giveaway for Earth Month

April 30, 2013 By Sarah 18 Comments

I am working with the International Carwash Association to share these tips for conserving water. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
Watersavers

Even though Earth Month is coming to an end, I try to stay earth-friendly throughout the year.  Watersavers and I have three tips to conserve water usage throughout the year.

1. How to Be Green and Clean Your Driving Machine – Keeping your car clean with regular washing is an important part of responsible maintenance, but washing at home with a garden hose can use more than 60 gallons of water in as little as five minutes. Furthermore, you’re putting harmful chemicals and detergents down storm sewers and that ends up polluting our rivers and streams.

You may be surprised to learn there is a greener way to keep your car sparkling: a professional car wash. A common misconception is that professional car washes waste water, when in fact the opposite is true. WaterSavers professional car washes, for example, use an average of no more than 40 gallons of fresh water per vehicle – less than the average home washing machine, which uses 41 gallons per load, according to the EPA. Professional car washes also responsibly dispose of — and in many cases recycle and re-use — the water runoff.

 

2. Go Green and Keep Your Whites White – It’s easy to take steps to conserve H2O and keep your wardrobe fresh. First, only run the clothes washer when you have a full load. Make this habit for both your clothes washer and dishwasher, and you can save up to 1,000 gallons of water a month, according to Wateruseitwisely.com.

You get extra green points if you use cold water when washing your clothes. Approximately 86 percent of the energy used by washing machines is for heating the water. Washing with cold water eliminates 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year from just one household, according to the Sierra Club.

 

3. Break Bad Bathroom Habits – Bathrooms are water hogs, accounting for about 75 percent of a home’s water usage. Adopting a green mindset in the bathroom can save major water and money. Start by switching to a low-flow showerhead, which National Geographic says saves 15 gallons of water during a 10-minute shower. Keep the occasional bath for a special treat because the average tub takes about 70 gallons to fill, so showers are much more efficient.

If you’d like to read more about Watersavers, you can check out WaterSavers on Facebook and Twitter.

Watersavers is offering one lucky Mindfully Frugal Mom reader a prize pack to help you use Water more wisely!

watersavers

TheWaterSavers prize package includes:

·         Tote Bag

·         Folding Umbrella

·         22 oz. Guzzy Water Bottle (filtering water bottle)

·         Jelly Stick Non-Slip Grip for Car Dash

·         16 oz. ThermalView Insulated Travel Tumbler

It’s easy to enter; just fill out the form below: 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Balance Bars: My favorite Quick Breakfast + Giveaway!

April 6, 2013 By Sarah 26 Comments

balance bar giveawaySince I always have a supply of snack bars on hand for those grab-n-go moments, I was really excited to receive some  Balance Bar DARK samples to try out.  Because the mornings are usually my busiest time of day, I wanted to have a Balance Bar for breakfast to see if it could hold off my hunger until lunch time. A bowl of cereal definitely doesn’t do that. If I’m rushing around with the kids, I start to get really hungry around 10 am.

The morning I had a Balance Bar for breakfast, even though we made a trip to the library, played outside, and saw friends, I was perfectly happy until lunchtime — no crazy blood sugar drops or cravings in the middle of the morning.  I think this is probably because of the decent amount of protein and fiber in each bar – 13 g and 4 g, respectively.

Also, they’re just really yummy. My favorite flavor is the Dark Chocolate Crunch, because I like that crunchy texture and think it is the most satisfying. It doesn’t taste  ”healthy” (which it is — it’s gluten-free and full of antioxidants!).

Balance Bars

Want to win your own prize package full of delicious Dark Chocolate Balance Bars, just fill out this easy form:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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