Baby its cold outside!

The air is getting mighty chilly here in Wisconsin! We have been hauling out the heavy coats, scarves, gloves and even our boots. This year I got a new scarf to help keep me warm-- the Arlington scarf from Affordable Scarves. They have so many scarves including "mens scarves", "head scarves, "capes and ponchos" and so much more! The Arlington scarf is actually a unisex scarf and you can get it in a wide range of colors including brown, cream, olive green, teal blue and of course my choice-- black.

This simple and classic scarf was just what I needed to be flexible enough to match with any of my coats. The acrylic material is very warm and stays nice even through washings. I love that I can have this particular scarf for many years and it will stay in style and match with just about anything. Affordable Scarves has so many options when it comes to keeping you toasty warm this winter! They have also generously offered one lucky reader the chance to win a 20.00 gift certificate to spend on their site. Here is what you have to do: like them on facebook, my blog, like me on facebook and then email me to let me know you did all this. You have until Sunday December 18th. Best of luck to you!

Moms listen up!

I got a chance to try the yummy diet and weight loss bars by Fullbar. Of course when I found out they were on their way I hopped on over to their website to check them out. I loved their principals for weight loss because the focus is on still eating what you love but smaller portions by actually paying attention to how full you are.

Basically you consume two Fullbars a day before lunch and dinner with a large glass of water, then at these meals you can still eat what you want but you end up eating less of it therefore consuming less overall calories. What makes them so fantastic is that they taste great too. When I first opened my Chocolate Peanut Butter Fullbar I was amazed at how BIG the bar was and all for only 180 calories of chocolatey, peanut butter drizzled goodness! This is my favorite flavor with my runner up being the Peanut Butter Crunch-- the crunch factor coming from peanuts mixed right into the bar-- yum.

So here is where us moms need to pay attention-- I DID notice a difference on my fullness scale after consuming these bars and tended to eat less at meals-- my S.O. noticed the same thing. I think the puffed wheat and protein both work to fill you up really leading to less calories consumed. So if you are looking for a way to stay full while still taking in less this is a good option to consider-- you don't have much to lose as they are running great promotions on their website right now.

Cross that guy off your list!

Do you ever find it hard to buy for those guys on your list? I sure do! They love tools but I don't know how to pick them, I would rather buy them clothes! So here is a great present idea for you-- Jobman Workwear has heavy duty clothing for guys doing heavy duty work. I love a few things about this site-- a lot of their high quality contruction grade clothes are fashionable which is rare-- they could be worn on and off the job, they carry a womens line of work pants-- also very rare and they have specific focuses to make for easy shopping like drywall and painting, construction workwear, waterproof gear etc.. Here is what we chose:

The Jobman Painters Fleece. This is a SHARP looking jacket. It is a crisp white with black contrasting fabrics and stitching, tons of pockets and reinforcements on the shoulders and sleeves, cuffed wrists and many other features. This jacket is intended as a painters fleece as the name states but could be used for any guy who wants a great looking jacket that will last a long time at a great price. I know this should be workwear but I will not be happy if I see any marks on this fleece! I spotted another great item on their site which is worth checking out:

I LOVE these pants- I think they look super cool! Jobman has been around for years providing high quality workwear including: workpants, safety clothing, protection garments, pants, canvas jean and construction overalls. Check them out and also visit them on facebook to see their latest products and promotions.

Sleep Better-- No prescription needed ( I like the sounds of this ) Review & Giveaway

Our house is very small or should I say cozy? Every little noise is heard in all rooms which means when Max is nappy we either don't move or tiptoe around the house. When I had the chance to review the Ultimate Sleep Sound Therapy System by Sound + Sleep I knew it was going to serve a couple of purposes in this house. Our Sound + Sleep machine is actually running right this instant on the ocean setting so Max is napping peacefully without hearing the tap, tap tap of me typing this right now! In addition to the soothing sound of ocean waves you can tune into city noises, rainfall, brook (love this one), meditation, white noise, waterfall, fireplace (another fave), meadow or even a train. While some of these don't sound very soothing you would be amazed at how well they are orchestrated and put into a lulling, smooth, constant sound to help you get to sleep and best of all-- stay asleep. Here is what the machine looks like:

Here you can also see its sleek, modern design from the top:

The Sound + Sleep website has a plethora of great sleeping information on it including my favorite section about baby sleep. They talk about the "circular sleep deprivation loop" and how to break it using caring and kind methods with your baby. I love that they promote natural sleep without using prescriptions to create a life of great sleeping habits. Our home is no stranger to white noise machines, we actually had one before this but what makes this one so much superior and unique is its vast array of various sounds, their adaptive sound difference-- the only machine to have this it adjusts to your environment and its design that fits in with the decor of my bedroom.

So you want your very own Sound + Sleep machine? Its not too late to add it to your Christmas list and right now they have some great promotions going or you can try your hand at winning one right here. Here is what you have to do: visit their site and tell me a great sleep fact, follow my blog, like me on facebook and then email me to let me know you did all this. You have until Sunday December 11th. Best of luck to you!

Happy riding!

I remember growing up and learning to ride my bike like it was yesterday. Why? It was traumatic! My dad thought that training wheels were a waste of time so he used a stick that he secured under my seat and would follow behind me as I rode. When he felt like I was going good he let go, taking the stick with him. Everytime this resulted in a crash-- don't get me wrong we still laugh about "the stick" to this day but there has to be a better way! I saw TykesBykes on the net while I was cruising looking for special christmas gift to pass onto you! I am ALL about having active children and getting them outdoors so I think classic presents like bikes are perfect gifts! TykesBykes makes "balance bikes" that teach children balancing skills which is key to riding a bike. By the bike being low to the ground, having no pedals and weighing under 10 pounds TykesBykes bikes are easy for your little ones to handle. Here is what they have to say:
"A balance bike is essentially learning 2 skills again, but this time it's balance and steering. Let's face it peadaling is the easy part and most kid's will have other pedal toys to get that concept and even when your child has lerant to ride a regular bike, they will still be having fun on a balance bike."

As a mom, I love that the balance bike is much safer. With having their feet on the ground or easily put down they will avoid a lot of tips and spills. The bike arrived to us in just a few pieces and assembly was a snap, they even walk you through step by step on their website if need be. We loved how light the frame was, how heavy duty the tires were and just the high quality in general. There are videos on their website as well if you want to see the bike in action. I also love that TykesBykes is a family run business "committed to raising happy, healthy and active children" (they also happen to love bikes). So if you are looking for the perfect gift for the little one in your life check out TykesBykes. The concept is really cool and you will help keeps kids healthy by getting them outdoors and moving all while having fun. You can also visit them on their facebook page where they put out fun stuff and also giveaway bikes! There is also free shipping if you act soon.