Super Cyber Sale!

Stop by Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique now through Saturday and save, save, save! Check out sales throughout the store and receive an extra 10% off your entire order using the code HOLIDAY at checkout.

Many Blessings This Thanksgiving

Let The Marathon Begin!

The cooking marathon, that is :)

On the schedule for today:

1. Clean, cut, and cook the greens (with smoked turkey...yummmm!)
2. Prep and prepare the fried corn
3. Make the deviled eggs
4. Make cornbread for the stuffing
5. Bake Lemon Pound Cake
6. Inject the turkey with secret marinade (wink) and put on the rub

Then tomorrow:

1. Prepare & bake macaroni & cheese
2. Make cornbread stuffing
3. Bake sweet potatoes
4. Fry the turkey (yep, fried turkey...sweet & juicy!)

Whew! Ok, the list is done...now on with the festivities!

Goody Goody Gift Sets!

Gift sets a plenty with more added daily! Check them out HERE.

Celebrate the Holidays With Sid the Science Kid!

Like all good, responsible mommies, I try to limit the amount of tube-time for my munchkins in order to provide a range of learning experiences and creative play. However, I must admit that this mama loves Sid the Science Kid!

A while back we invested in 2 DVDs (in large part for those long road trips when a little distraction is both helpful and necessary!). Change Happens & The Bug Club are chock full of great information for kids at their level presented in a medium that is both educational and entertaining. Great for ages 3-ish to 7, I would highly recommend giving them a preview as you plan your holiday shopping list this year. I've got my eye on Inside and Out & The Ruler of Thumb for my 4 and 5 year olds...great for stocking stuffers! And better yet, Amazon.com is offering many of these titles at a great buy (no, this is not a promo for Amazon, I just happen to find some really great deals there)! If you're looking for some quality educational eye candy this holiday season, these babies from Jim Henson (of Muppets fame) are worth a looky!

Photo courtesy of PBSkids.com

Phenomenal Christmas Giveaway!

Be sure to check out our friends at A Giveaway Everyday for your chance to win over $800 worth of Holiday goodies to fill your tree this Christmas!

Get Your Shop On!

Start your Holiday Shopping now with yummy, all-natural bath treats from Ellia C. Naturals! Let us play Santa for you and deliver some decadent desserts for the skin to someone you love. Keep watching for some delicious gift sets in the next few days!

So Happy Over Happy Haven!

Take a gander at my latest neck candy from Happy Haven...isn't it B-eautiful?! You may remember Becky's lovely designs from the feature I did last month on her contest to raise Breast Cancer Awareness. This little lovely is called Autumn Tree and I have truly fallen (hee-hee) for this piece! It arrived tucked in a too cute gift tin with a silver ball chain. I've worn it both with the silver chain and with a chocolate brown satin ribbon (for a casually chic spin) and love that I can dress it up or down. Be sure to check out Becky's shop HERE...you're sure to find some goodies for your Holiday gift giving (and some for yourself!).

Pictures courtesy of Happy Haven.

Autumn Harvest is Back!

It's Baaaack! Our super hot seller, Autumn Harvest, is fully cured and back on the shelves. Come indulge in this delicious treat for the skin HERE.

Technological Breakdown!

Loads of Holiday goodies to add for Ellia C. Naturals and no working picture card reader...now tell me, how is that supposed to be productive?! Time to pull out the old laptop and see if I can revive that card reader...wish me luck!

Revitalize & Refresh!

There's nothing like some quality alone time with my hubby to put a pep in my step. Last night was fabulous! I was allowed to eat as leisurely as I pleased (no need to scarf my dinner down at the last minute after feeding the kiddos for fear it would have frostbite!), enjoyed adult conversation (that occasionally turned toward the munchkins, but overall we did very well!), looked into each others' eyes without catching a glimpse of flying children in our peripheral vision, and snuggled closely next to one another without a little one or two wedged in between...ahhhh the joy!

For those who know me (and those who do not yet), my children are my world and I adore them, but I wouldn't have them without my husband (whom I also love to death). Last night served as a pleasant reminder that in the midst of raising a family, it's equally important for parents to give each other the quality time we deserve together.

Date Night for Mommy!

With 4 little munchkins, I must admit that my alone time with my hubby is somewhat on the limited side. I suppose we really need to make more of an effort to find a little more time in the day "just for us". But I'm thrilled to report that tonight we get to have an impromptu, very last minute Date Night! All of the pieces fell into place beautifully despite starting the arrangements at 10:30 this morning for 6:00 this evening...sitter with a playmate (thanks cousin!), timing, having a clean house (when does that happen!), and all 4 little ones finally on the upswing of the cold epidemic that swept through our home the past 2 weeks. And better yet, it was all Dear Hubby's idea...what a way to start the weekend!

Photo compliments of Walt Disney Productions

Funky Felt Hairclips!

Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique is now a proud distributor of these adorable handcrafted felt hair clips by Babble Blossom. Stop by and check out these funky felt finds HERE.

When & Where Holiday Cards

Our friend, Mandy, over at When & Where Invites just informed me that she has completed her holiday collection for this year and it is too cute! You may remember Mandy from a feature and giveaway I hosted for When & Where earlier this year (see the article HERE). She makes it so easy to get fabulous stationary at a really affordable price. Simply choose your design (or email her to custom create one of your own!) and send an email with the images you would like to use. Within 48 hours, Mandy will send a proof for your approval. Once approved, you receive a high resolution file that you can print at any photo finisher or from home all for only $12! Print as many as you like, the price for the file is still the same. Don't feel like printing your own? No problem, Mandy can also print them for you and send them in the mail. Can't beat that!

For Your Smiling Pleasure

Compliments of the Evian Roller Babies...Enjoy!

Holiday Card Giveaway!

Our friends at Jamie's Precious Peas are hosting a fabulous giveaway for 30 holiday cards from Marmalade Ink. With so many super stylish designs to choose from, you're sure to find something perfect for this season! Giveaway ends November 17th, so don't delay!

How To Tell A Cold From H1N1 (Swine Flu)

Given the continuing saga of the spread of the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) and the unrelenting runny noses and hacking coughs of 3 of my 4 little ones, I thought it was about time to get myself a handy reference for differentiating H1N1 from the common cold. After an exhausting search and comparison of numerous respected medical sources, I was able to compile the following chart as a personal reference. Granted, there are still many similarities between your garden variety seasonal flu and H1N1, but being able to rule in or out the common cold still goes a long way to preserving my peace of mind.

**This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the need for medical advice from a qualified practitioner. If you are experiencing any health related symptoms, seek consultation from your preferred medical provider.

Symptom	Cold	H1N1 Flu
Fever	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is usually present in 80% or more of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3-to-4 days is generally associated with the flu.
Coughing	A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.	A non-productive, non-mucus producing cough is usually present with the flu. It is sometimes referred to as dry cough.
Aches	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.
Chills	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	60% of people who have the flu experience chills.
Tiredness	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.
Sneezing	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.	Sneezing is not common with the flu.
Sudden Symptoms	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	The flu has a rapid onset within 3-to-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.	Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
Chest Discomfort	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

The Sweet, Sweet Smell Revealed!

Da, da, da, da...and here is the fruit of yesterday's labor! What do you think? Perhaps not as refined as some, but I really like the deconstructed layers. I think they give an earthy quality to such a refined scent. Now for a name...

I could go with something as simple as "Orange Blossom" because it smells just as heavenly, but I'm looking for something with a little zip. Any suggestions? Made from a custom blend of essential oils, including neroil and soft citrus notes, this baby is a soft floral that is prominent but not overpowering. I would love to hear what some of my lovely bloggy friends have in mind for my latest creation, so please, fire away!

Ahhhh, The Sweet Smell...

...of orange blossoms! With 3 of 4 munchkins currently fighting off sniffly noses, my mind can't help but wander to thoughts of this sweet citrus fruit (I'm practically bathing them in it in order to get as much Vit C into their little bodies as possible!). This, in turn, leads to thoughts of one of my favorite scents of all time...orange blossom. I've been wanting to play with this heavenly scent in my soaping for some time now, but given how expensive neroli essential oil is, I must plead "chicken" to this point. I just couldn't stomach the possibility of botching a batch (we all know how the merciless Soap Fairy can rear her ugly head from time to time!) and wasting such a prized commodity. Well, no more! This morning I made a trial batch of this sweetly floral wonder...I can't wait to cut into it tomorrow morning and check the "fruits" of my labor (tee, hee)!

Happy Monday :)