Its ALL about YOU: Misikko CLOSED

Raise your hand if you have ever drooled over those really fancy flat irons, but have never spent the money on yourself? Okay, you can put your hands down, I can't really see them. LOL But, if you had your hand up check out Misikko.

They have everything hair that you could possibly need: flat irons, hair dryers, and hair and skin care products.

So, you are thinking, what does this have to do with me wanting a flat iron?

Well, Misikko has offered on lucky reader a Hana Elite Flat Iron!!



This flat iron has:
adjustable heat-140-450° F
100% Ceramic Smoothest Plates
Best Heat Distribution/Retention
Damp to Dry Safe Damp Styling
Floating Plates
Self Adjust to Textures
Plate Width of 1 inch
Travel Pouch with Heat Proof Silicone Mat & Tin Case
Salon Swivel 8ft. cord


I told you this flat iron has it all!


You want this don't you? Really, really, want this? Just follow the easy steps below.


How to Enter:
1) Visit Misikko and tell me which item you want to style your hair with.



Additional Entries: (please leave a separate entry for each)
2) Follow Misikko on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/misikko)
3) Retweet Misikko's tweet about this giveaway.
4) Subscribe to MisikkoTV, Misikko's YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/misikkotv).
5) Blog about this giveaway and link back here to http://www.whatmommiesneed.com/
6) Subscribe to my blog.
7) Favorite me in technorati.
8) Put my "Its ALL about YOU" button on your sidebar.
9) Click here and check out Fishful Thinking.

Contest ends at 11:59pmCST on May 7th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

You Must Leave a Valid E-mail Address to be eligible.

Wordless Wednesday: Getting Down with the Movers

Here is my oldest waiting to see the Imagination Movers this past weekend at Jazz Fest.

I know I am biased, but isn't he adorable? He had such a great time at his first concert. Who would your child love to see in concert?

Its ALL about YOU: Scentual Soundtracks CLOSED

Ever have one of those days when you just need to escape, even if its just a long hot bath with no one saying "MOMMY"?

Well over here at What Mommies Need, we have got what you need. The etsy shop Scentual Soundtracks has put together a relaxing trip just for you. They use only organic and all-natural ingredients, and their products are spa-quality, and made fresh to order! They offer everything from soaking salts to facial masks.

How does a nice Spa Pampering Gift Set sound?

This set include SIX luxurious items:

1 – 9 oz. Sensual Soaking Bath & Pedicure Salts
1 – 4 oz. Spice Cookie Scrub OR Coconut Supreme Sugar Scrub
1 – 4 oz. Coconut Cocoa Symphony Facial Mask
1 – 4 oz. Organic Passion After-Bath & Massage Oil
1 – 2 oz. Organic Milk & Honey Lotion
1 –.8 oz. Organic Milk & Honey Crème

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Are you ready for your spa retreat? Just follow the easy instructions below and one lucky ready will be getting pampered!

How to Enter:

1) Visit Scentual Soundtracks and tell me which item you want to relax with.

Additional Entries: (please leave a separate entry for each)

2) Subscribe to my blog
3) Follow me on twitter (whatmommiesneed) and tweet about this giveaway.
4) Favorite me in technorati.
5) Blog about this giveaway and link back here to http://www.whatmommiesneed.com/
6) Put my "Its ALL about YOU" button on your sidebar.
7) Click here and check out Fishful Thinking.

Contest ends at 11:59pmCST on May 5th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

You Must Leave a Valid E-mail Address to be eligible.

Winner: EA Games

Congratulations to:

Paula h

Here are your random numbers:

65
Timestamp: 2009-04-27 16:58:20 UTC

Please claim you prize within 72 hours.

Its ALL about You: Birth Designs CLOSED

So, for Day 1 of this giveaway, I was thinking, what does every mom hope to get,for any and every occasion?

JEWELRY!!!

Now, if the hubby slips up and buys you something stupid like a toilet brush, you can rest easy. I found the most beautiful and unique hand stamped jewelry around, just for you.

Birth Designs was founded by Bonnie Alvarez, an artist that has been in the jewelry and silversmithing industry for almost a decade. They offer ten unique fonts, 6 of which are exclusive to them.

They have graciously offered one luck reader "The Mothers Circle Necklace".

This versatile name necklace is suitable for both adults and children. Any name or word can be custom stamped onto the thick sterling circle. The accent beads can be freshwater pearls, Swarovski Crystals, or plain sterling rounds.

The necklace length is 16" with a 2" extender .The "circle" pendant is a 1mm thick cast-silver, and not thin cut sterling sheet like some. Their necklaces are hand-hewn in a studio from milled silver chain. Birth Designs hand-sawn, pierced, filed, stamped, and/or oxidized pieces have been forged with proven, classic techniques that may take a little more time, but show the heirloom quality of our work.

This would make the perfect gift for moms and grandmothers. Its classic style and clean lines allow it to be worn with anything!

Now that you know what you want, just follow the instructions below.

How to Enter:
1) Visit Birth Designs and tell me which item is your "must have".

Additional Entries: (please leave a separate entry for each)
2) Subscribe to my blog.
3) Follow me on twitter (whatmommiesneed) and tweet about this giveaway.
4) Favorite me in technorati.
5) Blog about this giveaway and link back here to http://www.whatmommiesneed.com/
6) Put my "Its ALL about YOU" button on your sidebar.
7) Click here and check out Fishful Thinking.

Contest ends at 11:59pmCST on May 4th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

You Must Leave a Valid E-mail Address to be eligible.

Review and Giveaway: Exergen CLOSED

I was looking for a new thermometer, when I came across the Exergen Temporal Scanner. I had the ear one and was having trouble using it on my 7 month old. I never felt like it was positioned correctly and was constantly doubting its accuracy.
I started to research different options and what I discovered was Exergen. Their Temporal Scanner is an infrared thermometer that measures body temperature by taking a reading from the temporal artery. This thermometer is not only a more accurate way to measure, but it is also the least invasive.



Here is a short video of me taking my 4 year old's temperature.

See how easy it was. It did take a little practice to make sure that I was positioned correctly and scanning at the right speed. It was quicker than my old ear thermometer and I could even check his temperature now when he is sleeping.


Last time I went to the pediatrician's office, I noticed that they had switched to using these, so I feel that this is the best option available.


I know it sounds to good to be true, but I can definitely say this thermometer has it all. The Temporal Scanner is available at Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Walgreens, Costco, and Baby.com.

Now for the part you all have been waiting for, Exergen has offered one lucky reader a Temporal Scanner for their very own. Please follow the rules below for your chance to win.


How to Enter:
1) Visit Exergen and tell me your favorite feature of the Temporal Scanner.


Additional Entries: (please leave a separate entry for each)
2) Join Exergen's Facebook Fan Page.
3) Subscribe to my blog.
4) Follow me on twitter (whatmommiesneed) or tweet about this giveaway.
5) Favorite me in technorati.
6) Blog about this giveaway and link back here to http://www.whatmommiesneed.com/
7) Click here and check out Fishful Thinking.

Contest ends at 11:59pmCST on May 2nd. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.
You Must Leave a Valid E-mail Address to be eligible.

Calling All Moms!!

Yes, you. If you are over worked, sleep deprived, under appreciated, or never caught up on laundry, this giveaway series is ALL about YOU!!
You heard right, I have put together a special giveaway series just for mom.
Don't worry, there are no vacuums, pots, electric toothbrushes, or exercise equipment here.
I have lined up the following sponsors:

Birth Designs Jewelry

Scentual Soundtracks

Misikko

Motorola

So grab the button from my side bar and get ready to be pampered by What Mommies Need!

Contests will begin Monday April 27th.

Wordless Wednesday: Somebody was Tired

Too bad he doesn't stay asleep the whole night!LOL

Summer is Near

There is no way around it, the kids will be out of school and ready for summer fun before we know it. But have no fear, we have your gear!

Bridgette from The Not So Blog and I, along with 8 of our favorite bloggers have put together a Giveaway Series for you. From May 18-22, we are going to have a "Gear Up for Summer Block Party".

So post the button, and get ready to gear up with the following blogs:

AK Blessings Abound
Cool Baby Kid
Life Starring Ellie and Eve
Mommy Goggles
Ohana Mama
Potamus Prefers
3 Garnets and 2 Sapphires
3 Kids and Us

Winner: Skin Free

Congratulations to:

Bev
said...
Niaouli Scrub for Blemish Prone Skin. Thanks for the contest.

Here are your random numbers:

38
Timestamp: 2009-04-22 02:16:11 UTC

Please email me within 72 hours to claim your prize.

Review: T Mobile G1 phone and Shop Savvy Application

I recently got to review the G1 phone from T Mobile, and I must say that this phone was AWESOME!! It has it all: a touch screen, QWERTY keyboard, and Easy access to Google applications.


It comes with 3G Network and Wi-Fi access. I currently own a Samsung Black Jack, and let me tell you, it does not even compare to the G1 phone. My access to the Internet was faster and much more reliable with the G1 phone. This phone came with so many applications that it is unreal. I could do everything from count my daily calories to creating a shopping list.
My favorite program was Shop Savvy, which finds you the best prices on items while you are shopping, by scanning a bar code. I like knowing that I can make sure that the price I am paying is the best price available, especially in these tough economic times.
If you are in the market for a new phone, I would definitely check out the G1 phone. I wish I had known about it before I bought my Black Jack. I am now stuck counting down to the end of my contract. :(

Review and Giveaway: EA Games CLOSED

Well, it has begun. The smack talk at my house is at an all time high. Ever since I received Trivial Pursuit by EA Games for the Playstation 2, my husband and I have taunted each other endlessly.







We played the other night and of course I beat him!! Would you expect a different outcome? And he even got the "Hurricane Katrina" question, we live in New Orleans, so that was so a gimme.LOL

The Trivial Pursuit can play up to four players and follows the traditional game's format. This game has new categories of questions, all new never before seen questions, and the innovative Facts & Friends game mode. The quick-playing Facts & Friends mode adds a whole new social dynamic to the game that keeps everyone involved by encouraging you to guess whether their opponents will answer their questions correctly.

My only complaint was that the questions were difficult to read, but my husband said that it is because our TV is sooo small.

If you are looking for a fun game to play with your family, check out Trivial Pursuit. It is rated E for everyone and is available for the following gaming systems: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2.


I also got to preview Scrabble for the PSP. The PSP is my husband's, so this was my first time playing it. I found the game easy to play and figure out. We played two players and found that it followed the original format.





This is a GREAT option if you are looking for an education game for your child to play!
Like never before, you can strengthen your vocabulary, pattern recognition, and point strategies through fun training exercises. You then can apply your new found skills in real games against your friends and family as well as our adaptable computer A.I.


Scrabble is rated E for everyone and is available for PSP, Nintendo DS, iPhone, iPod, Online.

Looking for some educational fun for your family? Well, I have a PSP Scrabble game to give away to one reader. All you have to do is follow the easy instructions below.

How to Enter:
1) Visit EA Games and tell me which game your family would love to play.

Additional Entries: (please leave a separate entry for each)
2) Subscribe to my blog.
3) Follow me on twitter (whatmommiesneed) or tweet about this giveaway.
4) Favorite me in technorati.
5) Blog about this giveaway and link back here to http://www.whatmommiesneed.com/
6) Click here to check out Fishful Thinking.

Contest ends at 11:59pmCST on April 25th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

You Must Leave a Valid E-mail Address to be eligible.

How Much is Too Much?

Ever wonder if you are overfeeding or underfeeding your little one?
I struggle with this constantly. Both my boys have never made the growth chart, they are always above the 100th percentile. Since their height and weight stay on the same path, I know they are not overweight, but how much should I be feeding them?
The older one is easier now that he can tell me when he is full, but I worry about the baby. He is 7 months old and in 12-18 month clothes, so how much should he eat?

Do you have questions about your children's nutrition? Well help is on the way!!

Dr.Saavedra, the Vice President of Medical and Scientific Affairs at Nestle Nutrition and Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has agreed to answer your questions.

Just leave me a comment with your question and I will forward them on and will post your answers.

Wordless Wednesday: Momma's Boy

Here is me and my oldest son, Wyatt, at his Easter Party last week.





I know the day is coming when he won't want to walk next to me, much less hug me in front of his friends. LOL

Review: Office Max-Peter Walsh [In] Place

I am slightly OCD, okay maybe more than a little OCD, so when this box arrived on my doorstep filled with organizational products my heart leapt with joy!!

These products are part of a new line at Office Max from Peter Walsh called In Place. The line is flexible as well as portable, which makes it so easy to use.
Some of my favorite features included:
-Durability- all the folders are made of plastic and are tear resistant
-Reusablility- the folders are labeled with either specially designed post-its or clip tabs
-Erasable Marker- the folders and clip tabs can be written on with a permanent marker that will not smudge until you want it to be erased
-Color Coding- the multiple color options make filing easy
Here a few tips that Peter gave for organizing your home.
1) Keep the things you use the most at your fingertips and file away the rest.
2) Take the last 10 minutes each day to organize your desk, so it will be ready for you the next day.
3) Address your paperwork weekly to maintain organization.
4) Purge your paperwork every 3-6 months.

This system will help you not only to organize your paperwork, but to want to keep it that way. Head on over to Office Max and check it out for yourself.

Review and Giveaway: Skin Free CLOSED

One of the hardest things as a parent is to see you child uncomfortable. So, when my son started to have patches of Eczema, we started to look for ways to prevent the outbreaks. We made sure we used products the were fragrance and colorant free, and would always moisturize him after bath.

If your child has sensitive skin or is prone to Eczema have I got good news for you!! There is a new product line called Skin Free that has all you need to keep you little one's skin healthy.

They were nice enough to send me their Eczema Relief Kit to try.

This kit includes 4 bars of Extra Moisturizing Soap and an After Shower Moisture Spritz.

This soap is generously sized and lathers extremely well. It leaves my son's skin feeling smooth and clean. They load their soap with extra virgin olive oil, which contains natural anti-inflammatory agents, anti-oxidants, and natural vitamins that aid in healing and soothing of skin. Naturally moisturizing shea and cocoa butters are added to reduce the tight, dry feeling normally experienced when using typical commercial soaps. The lack of chemical preservatives, fragrance, or colorants in this soap makes it ideal for individuals of any age, especially the very old and the very young, those with allergies, dermatitis, sensitive, or very dry skin.

The Moisture Spritz is perfect for young children. You just spray on right after bath and towel dry. Seriously, this works so much better than trying to rub lotion on a 4 year old! Its blend of oils and Vitamin E will soak deep into your skin to leave you free from dry, itching skin all day, with no greasy feeling afterward.

Skin Free also carries products for Blemish Prone Skin and Skin Renewal.

Now for the best part, Skin Free has offered one lucky reader a Spa Scrub Power Pack. This pack is the perfect way to get you skin smooth for the summer. Just follow the rules below for your chance to win.

How to Enter:

1) Visit Skin Free and tell me which product you would love to try.

Additional Entries: (please leave a separate entry for each)
2) Subscribe to my blog.
3) Follow me on twitter (whatmommiesneed) or tweet about this giveaway.
4) Favorite me in technorati.
5) Blog about this giveaway and link back here to http://www.whatmommiesneed.com/

Contest ends at 11:59pmCST on April 20th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.
You Must Leave a Valid E-mail Address to be eligible.

A Few of My Favorite Blogs

In case you ever wondered where I spend my time when I am surfing blogs, here are some of my favorite hangouts. Check out my list, and maybe you will find a few you really enjoy!!

Sweet 'n' Sassy Girls
Momdot Mom Blogs
Blessings Abound
Mommy Cracked
A Little Bit Nutty
The Shopping Mama
Good Golly Miss Blondie
Christy's Creations
Free Sample Freak
The Not-So-Blog Blog
What's That Smell?
My Charmed Life
Time Slides By
HouseholdSix
DoubleBugs
mommy23monkeys
The Story of a Princess and Her Hair
A Psych Mommy
Momma's Gone Over the Wall
3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires
A Blog of Goodies
Single Rose Designs Blog
Green Mama's Pad
What Mommies Need
Through Hazel Eyes
Miracles on Mama Street
Momstart
Mom Saving Cents
Frugal RI Mama
The Morris Bunch

I hope you enjoyed these blogs!!

Review: Sid the Science Kid

As a mother, who has bachelor of science degree in microbiology, I am thrilled that my son seems to love science. When I was asked to check out the PBS kids show "Sid the Science Kid", I knew it would be right up our alley.

Sid the Science Kid is geared for children ages 3-6 and is designed to support science learning. The program appeals to kids' instinctive quest to figure things out, using a multi-cultural cast, humor and music as key teaching tools.

We were sent the episode "The Dirt on Dirt", which is a special Earth Day themed episode. It focuses on what makes dirt so dirty, and how important it really is to the Earth. My son really enjoyed this show. He said that he liked it a whole, whole bunch.

When the show was over, I did a little Q&A with my 4 year old, and this what he had to say.

Q: What was your favorite part of the show?

Wyatt: When Gerald did the wiggly worm dance.

Q: What did you learn?

Wyatt: There are many kinds of dirt and there is stuff in the dirt that helps stuff grow.

Q: What can we do at home to help the earth?

Wyatt: Pick up trash that we find in the soil.

If you think your little one would love Sid the Science Kid, check your local listings for air time.

This episode will air on PBS kids on April 22. Check it out and see what your kid will discover.

Wordless Wednesday: Would you Drink This?

They ran out of cups at a wedding I went to last weekend, and then preceded to serve the drinks in 5oz Dixie Cups. Yes, the same ones your kids use to brush their teeth. Glad I saved my cup and could just ask for a refill!!!

Winner: Surf Sweets

Congrats to:

Tylerpants

Here are your random numbers:

117
Timestamp: 2009-04-04 02:00:35 UTC

Please claim your prize within 72 hours.

Winner: Built

Congrats to:

The Dreamer

Here are your random numbers:

27
Timestamp: 2009-04-02 03:19:13 UTC

Please contact me within 72 hours to claim your prize.

wordless wednesday: big boy haircut

Someone is sure proud of their new short summer hairdo.