Finally!

Our precious baby girl is here! She arrived last Friday, March 27th, at 3:06p.m. Weighing in at a healthy 7lbs. 14 oz., it's hard to believe that she was the tiniest of our happy brood! It's been a busy weekend, but I'll try to post a pic or 2 later this week.

Thank you all for your well wishes...they are appreciated more than you know!

Ecostore USA Giveaway Winner

The results are in! The Winner of the EcoStore USA Giveaway is...

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:2
Timestamp: 2009-04-01 02:12:06 UTC

Congratulations Carolyn G. who won with her comment

"I would love to try the dish soap because my hands are sensitive."

No Baby Yet, So Let's Talk Going Green!

Still a mamma in waiting, so I thought I'd offer up a few simple tips on going "Green" to all of the UBP-goers and others stopping by!

Mind you, I am no expert, but I'm always on the look out for some easy changes I can make to help the environment and teach my kids the importance of doing our part to preserve the resources we have. Although buying organic groceries and some products tends to be a bit more pricey overall, there are some definite changes that all of us can make that are both good for the planet AND for the wallet! Here are a few of my favs:

1. Take stock of your beauty products and try to eliminate 3 of them...see what current items you have that can serve multiple purposes (eg. using lipstick for lips, eyes, and cheeks). You'll save money and have less packaging to throw away.

2. Use old kitchen towels or rags instead of paper towels...they squeeze in easily with other laundry loads and eliminate a HUGE source of waste.

3. Decrease your meat intake...try making a vegetarian meal once a week and/or decrease your portion sizes of meat on other nights. Most Americans consume portions significantly larger than the "palm size serving" recommended by the USDA. You'll save money and help decrease agriculture-related pollutants.

4. Get into "Grasscycling"...leave lawn clippings on the ground rather than bagging them. They are a natural fertilizer and there's no need to purchase bags.

5. Reuse wine corks by wrapping them together with wire to create a unique trivet.

6. Use a scratched CD or DVD as a safety reflector for your child's bike.

7. Cut a stained tablecloth into a set of napkins.

**Find these and other great ideas in the April issue of Woman's Day

Come Join the Party!

I am so excited to participate in this year's Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom! As a relative novice who has been feeling her way through the bloggy world over the past 6 months or so, I am always eager to meet wonderful new bloggers, especially fellow mommys like myself!

Speaking of which, let me start by being a proper hostess...My name is Jen and I am the proud mom of 3 young princes 5 yrs. and younger. I also happen to have a precious princess due any day now (my due date is Tuesday!). I am married to a fabulous Christian man, wonderful father, and my best friend, and I count myself to be extremely blessed in the life I have been given.

Prior to becoming a SAHM after the birth of my 3rd son, I had a rapidly advancing career as a physical therapist. Although I enjoyed my career in healthcare, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be at home with my wee ones during their formative years.

I am also the Owner/Creator of Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique...a creative outlet for myself and means of continuing to contribute to our family finances. My specialty is sweet essentials for moms and munchkins, with a few extra goodies thrown in along the way :) Feel free to stop by and take a look around...you never know when our next giveaway may be!!

Thank you for stopping by my little blog and I hope to see you again soon!

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations Andreah...You are the winner of the Think Pink Giveaway!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:6
Timestamp: 2009-03-21 02:02:20 UTC

Comment: I love the Gigi carseat cover. It is just so pretty and feminine. Thank you =)

**Thank you to all of the lovely ladies who participated!!

Win Your Very Own Bumbleride!

Win your very own Bumbleride Stroller and transport your wee ones in the lap of luxury! Sounds to good to be true, I know, but the fabulous makers of Bumbleride are offering their Indie Twin Model (a $659 value!) through their giveaway on Simple Reviews. Giveaway ends March 30th, so hurry on over now!!

Another Fabulous Giveaway!

Win Your Own Posh PastryTM Gift Pack:

One lucky winner will receive a Bullfrogs & Butterflies Posh Pastry Gift Pack, including 1 Cutie Cannoli TM and one Petit Four Sweetie TM. Be sure to stop by Jamie's Precious Peas, a wonderful blog on the rise, for your chance to enter.

All entries must be received by March 26, 2009.

EcoStore USA Review & Giveaway

EcoStore USA Review & Giveaway

"No Nasty Chemicals"

I've always been what I would consider a "health conscious mommy"...nursing my wee ones to at least 1 year, making all of their baby food from scratch using organic produce and meats, washing their belongings in dye-free/fragrance-free detergent, etc. But when our 3rd son was diagnosed with severe eczema and a host of food allergies, I went into high gear...air purifiers throughout the house, homemade cold processed soaps and balms, 100% cotton-only clothing, homemade household cleaners, reuseable cleaning rags vs. paper towels, etc. Mind you, we do not have a completely "Green" household, but I can definitely appreciate the concept and attempt to do my share to preserve the environment for the sake of both the environment and my family's health. Enter EcoStore USA...

A New Zealand-born company, EscoStore is now branching into the US marketplace with quality, natural products for you and your family. Their product line is extremely diverse, including Baby Care, Bath & Body, Hair, Household Products, and even Pet Care.

A Little Bit About EcoStore:

EcoStore NZ was founded more than 15 years ago by Melanie and Malcolm Rands from their home in an eco village in New Zealand. All of the families that lived in the farm based eco village shared a commitment to organic growing and healthy living, making this an ideal environment in which a young, environmentally conscious business could thrive. Each household in the village was responsible for their own waste water, which quickly highlighted the problems caused by using regular supermarket cleaning products that relied heavily on cheap, petroleum-based, synthetic ingredients.

Faced with the challenge of protecting the pristine rural waterways of the eco village, Malcolm Rands began to research and seek expert help from scientists to develop household cleaning products using plant-based ingredients that would biodegrade safely and quickly. Achieving his goal, he eliminated the need to use toxic chemicals, leaving the eco villages water pure. His goal was more than accomplished as the product line of this home-based business began to grow, and an exciting future began to unfold.

I recently had the privilege of reviewing a number of their products, including the Rosemary Orange Shampoo & Conditioner and the Baby Nappy Balm. Let me start by saying how wonderfully refreshing the Rosemary Orange scent of the hair products is...very light with a little burst of citrus to boost your senses! The shampoo rinses clean without leaving your hair feeling stripped and the conditioner feels incredibly moisturizing without leaving a slimy residue behind.

While I have been incredibly fortunate in the diaper area with all 3 of my boys, I can see from using the Baby Nappy Balm that it provides an effective moisture barrier without that gunky (yes, a technical term, I know!) build-up. The protection is clearly present, but wipes clean away with each diaper change, leaving your wee one's skin clean and fresh. To see these products and the rest of the EcoStore line-up, check out their store HERE. You can also check out a full ingredient list HERE.

The Giveaway:

The generous reps for EcoStore USA are offering up a $25 gift certificate for you to try some of their amazing products for yourself!

To Enter:

Visit EcoStore USA , come back here, and tell me what product you would like to try or what new piece of information you learned about "Going Green".

Extra Entries (please provide a separate comment for each):

1. Become a follower of this blog (or let me know if you are already following...and thank you!)

2. Blog about this giveaway with links back to Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby and EcoStore USA

3. Add my button to your sidebar

** Please leave your email address with each entry or make sure that it is accessible through your Blogger profile

Winner to be selected using http://www.random.org/ random number generator

Giveaway open to all US Residents

Deadline to Enter: March 31st

GOOD LUCK!

Be sure to stop by Natural Mommie to check out the details of her "Naturally Step Into Spring" event beginning March 21st. It will be a HUGE review and giveaway event with over $2000 in prizes!! Right now she's building a buzz for the event with a fabulous $25 Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway...don't miss out!

Gotta Love Those Backwards Dinner Fridays!

About 2 years ago, we started a modest, albeit VERY popular, family tradition....Backwards Dinner Fridays. For my eldest (who is a bit of a finicky eater), breakfast is the quintessential meal. He would eat breakfast food all day long if he could. His favorite? Pancakes and eggs with cheese! It's been that way since he was about 18 months (still holds true today at age 5!).

As a result, each and every Friday, our dinners are done "backwards" style with breakfast food as the main course and dinner fare abandoned for the evening (never fear...they still get breakfast at breakfast time...BIG bonus for them!). It also happens to be a big bonus for mommy! I don't know what it is about breakfast food, but it makes cooking a BREEZE, which is very appreciated now as I sit 38 1/2 weeks pregnant and very low on energy!

Sooooo, the next time your feeling a little low on the cooking juices or simply want a fun treat for the family, try a little "Backwards Dinner"!

GIVEAWAY!!!

One lucky winner will receive a Bullfrogs & Butterflies Mini Layette Baby Bouquet, complete with a cotton bib, cotton baby hat, 3 pair of baby socks (0-6m), and beautiful silk flowers and greenery. Packaged in a sweet pink galvenized gift pail, this little darling is the perfect way to welcome Spring!

Now for the nitty gritty...how to enter:

Stop by BULLFROGS & BUTTERFLIES and enjoy the sweetness overload. Then, come back and leave me a comment letting me know your favorite item OTHER THAN the baby bouquets (please leave your email address with your comment). Easy Peasey!!

EXTRA ENTRIES (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Follow my blog :)

2. Add my button to your blog or shop (please leave site address)

3. Blog about this giveaway and link back to this page

4. Invite a friend to follow my blog and leave a comment once they have followed (make sure they leave a comment as well!)

Giveaway ends March 20th and is open to all US Residents.

Grosgrain: Cinnamon Sticks GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Like what you see? You could win, yes, WIN an opportunity to own one of your own beautifully designed handstamped masterpieces. Don't miss out on your chance to win a $20 gift certificate to Cinnamon Sticks! Click HERE to enter.

Samples

With 3 adorable little boys 5 years and under and a little princess on the way, my Hubby and I are always trying to come up with ways to fit in some individual "special mommy time" and "special daddy time". One of the favorites right now is that the boys take turns "helping me" with my weekly errands each Saturday. Our favorite hot spots are Costco/Sams, Target, and the local market (with a couple of biz supply stops along the way as needed).

It's a great way to teach the older 2 about counting, sorting, basic math, and (very basic) economics and the baby gets to learn about vibrant colors, shapes, and name recognition. With all of this learning taking place, you can imagine the "proud mama" in me deflating just slightly when I learned today from my 3 year old that "the best thing about shopping with (you) is getting to test all of the yummy samples!". This time, he was treated to fresh strawberries, pineapple, apple cider, chocolate ice cream, brownie bites, and sweet lemon tea from the numerous stands in the various venues. Guess I can't blame him...they did have a lot of yummy nibbles today!!

Don't Forget...

....that for most of the United States, Daylight Savings begins at 2 a.m. this Sunday, March 8th (the second Sunday in March). I know, I know....already? I'm trying not to think of it as losing an hour of sleep, rather gaining an hour of productivity (you see I need to start getting myself ready now, right?)! The biggest adjustment in my household is that the sleep habits of my eldest are VERY regulated by the rising and setting of the sun...no more sleeping in until 7 a.m. for Mommy! I hope Ellia is able to find her sleep rhythm quickly once she arrives :)

Cotton Blossom Crafts

The other day I found myself surfing the web aimlessly looking for the best deals on a couple of odds and ends that I needed for both personal and business use. I am, of course, the consummate deal seeker (to my husband's dismay). While DH would rather just run into the first store he sees and buy what he needs, I will search high and low, 2 stores or 20 to find the best deal (I know, it's a sickness!). Unfortunately when doing this on the web, I constantly find myself finding fabulous buys on numerous products...NONE of which are on the same site! There goes the "savings margin"...not saving too much when you have to pay shipping on multiple sites :( However, I digress...

As I was saying, Tuesday I was looking for some odds and ends when I stumbled upon Cotton Blossom Crafts. A cute little no-fuss supply store, they don't have a huge inventory but they did seem to have 5 of the items I was looking for at great prices. And better yet, they are incredibly fast on shipping...I ordered Tuesday afternoon and received my package Thursday before lunch (which was very pleasing to me because I am also HUGE on instant gratificaton whenever I can get it!)!! I was so pleased with my experience that I just felt the need to give them a quick little shout out :) I will definitely be back for more items in the future.

A Note of Appreciation

Today I feel compelled to tell all of my followers and those just dropping by for a visit how very much I appreciate you. I appreciate the time you've taken to stop by, to leave a comment, to wish me well, to visit my store, or to just look around. I appreciate the strength and inner beauty of the women (and occasionally men!) who frequent this blog. I wish you all many blessings tonight, tomorrow, and always.

YOU ARE APPRECIATED!

Mmmmmmmmm! Happy Birthday to Me!

How yummy do these look? Well, let me be the first to give Coldstone Creamery's new ice cream cupcakes a GLOWING review!! Read on....

Mommy's birthday was Sunday amidst the 5 Year Birthday Hoopla. While I'm a huge birthday person when it comes to the kids, I really don't need all of the bells and whistles for myself...I would much prefer some coveted quiet time, a hot bath, and good hour body rub from Daddy!

Needless to say, the family celebrated by taking me to Cheesecake Factory (YUM!) followed by a healthy dose of uninterrupted "me time". Then, knowing my love of cupcakes, my Sweetie surprised my with these little yummies from Coldstone...they are soooooooo decadent! He brought home the Double Chocolate Devotion and another specialty cupcake that is not pictured here...it has a layer of red velvet cake, a layer of fresh strawberries, strawberry ice cream, whipped strawberry buttercream, chocolate heart topper, and chocolate cup "wrapper"...sooooo good! You've just gotta give these babies a try :)

(pic above compliments of Coldstone's web site).

Thanks to everyone for your well-wishes and support during the preparations for my Punkin's 5th Birthday Bash...it was a total hit!! We had a HUGE family party with tons of relatives, some of whom we haven't seen for a very long time. The kids had a wonderful time playing with all of their cousins and Jaden was thrilled with his new bike :)

Some of Jaden's other favs were his new dinosaur set, dinosaur excavation kit, and Geo Trax Station, complete with remote control trains (mind you, our house has been overrun with Thomas the Train since he was about 18 months!).

It was a very busy weekend (we happen to be a household where birthdays last the entire weekend and none of the sweet treats have any calories....Gama's rule!), but oh so worth it! Ellia must have felt the joy in the house, because she was rockin' and rollin' in my belly the entire time :) I even managed to find some time for a much needed recovery bath...ahhhhhh!

Now to get ready for the week ahead!