Care.com Free Weekend Special

Care.com is having a free weekend special.

Free Weekend Program Details:
Premium access to Care.com is FREE between 12:00 am PDT April 24, 2009 and 11:59 pm PDT April 26, 2009.

I joined because I need occasional child care and housekeeping assistance. It was easy to register. I just joined, so I haven't had any replies yet. You can get background checks and review references on the applicants. You can post a job or search pre-screened caregivers.

Categories Available
Child Care
Special Needs
Tutoring & Lessons
Senior Care
Pet Care
Housekeeping
Care Gigs

Hurry to Care.com to try it out.

Mexico Swine Flu Outbreak

If you haven't heard there has been a recent outbreak of swine flu in Mexico that has caused dozens of deaths. You can read about it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu

According to the CDC to prevent the flu:
1.Avoid close contact.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2.Stay home when you are sick.
If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
3.Cover your mouth and nose.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
4.Clean your hands.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
5.Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6.Practice other good health habits.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.


As you know I am very interested in preparedness. My additional recommendations are:
1. Get at least a few weeks of food and water in case of a quarantine.

2. Consider getting tamiflu to have on hand. Remember, if there would be a mass epidemic, tamiflu will likely run out.

3. Get some face masks. I would recommend N95 Particulate Respirator Masks.

4. Don't travel to Mexico. And avoid people who have been to Mexico recently.

5. Increase Vitamin C intake.

This a potentially very serious situation. Don't be caught off guard. Remember the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than World War I (WWI) at somewhere between 20 and 40 million people worldwide.

(The usual legal disclamer...This is my personal opinion and is not to be taken a medical advice. You need to talk to your physician....There, how was that lawyers?)

Frecklebox Review and Giveaway

Are you looking for a unique, personalized gift for your child? Frecklebox is the answer. I recently received 2 personalized books for my children. They are really cute, and my kids will love them. Shhh...They haven't seen them yet. I am saving them for birthdays. :)
It is easy to order online. I picked the book I wanted then entered my child's name. Some books contain more personalized info, and the website will guide you through the process.

Frecklebox sells many other things in addition to books including:
Coloring Books
Puzzles
Posters
Journal Books
Placemats
Stickers
Growth Charts
Party Favors



The nice people at Frecklebox have agreed to send one winner a personalized book of her choice.



To enter browse all the items at Frecklebox, and leave a comment telling which book you would choose if you won. Please leave your email address or make sure it is visible in your blog profile, so I can contact you if you win.


Bonus entries:
1. Follow my blog
2. Subscribe to my blog
3. Follow me @donnak4 and tweet about the contest. Then leave the link or your twitter ID.
4. Fave me on technorati and leave your ID
5. Post my button on your blog
6. Post this giveaway on your blog (you get 2 entries for this.)

Leave a separate comment for each entry. The buttons for those are on the top right. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM 5/4/09.

Baskin-Robbins 31 Cent Scoop Night

Baskin-Robbins third annual 31 Cent Scoop Night will be held on Wednesday April 29 from 5 – 10 p.m. All 2.5 oz. scoops of ice cream are only 31 cents! Treat your family or group to a scoop and a fun night out for just a few dollars.

This year, Baskin-Robbins is partnering with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)and donating $100,000 to support the National Junior Firefighter Program. Many Baskin-Robbins location will be inviting local firefighters to help scoop ice cream at the events and offer fire safety tips to kids.

Be sure to join everyone Wednesday, 4/29.

Piggy Paint Review and Giveaway

My daughter loves to paint her nails. She was happy we were allowed to try a nail polish made specifically for children called Piggy Paint.

Melanie Hurley, founder of Piggy Paint, described the beginning of her quest for a child safe nail polish. "One day while we were painting nails over a foam plate, my daughter dropped a glob of her solvent-based polish onto the plate. Shortly after, the paint began to bubble and “ate” through the plate. I looked in dismay at the hole in the plate and decided to test all of her other “kid” polishes on the foam. Within minutes, ALL of the solvent-based polishes began to bubble and eventually left big holes in the plate. From that day on, I decided that any flammable substance that could eat through foam was unacceptable for my children’s fingernails, which would inevitably end up in their mouths."

Piggy Paint is great for kids because it is:
Non-toxic

Almost Odorless

Water-based formula

Hypoallergenic

Fun, vibrant colors

Dries to a hard, durable finish

We tried the color Girls Rule which was very pretty. The scent was very mild. It was very easy to apply and went on smoothly. Then it dried quickly and made a nice mini manicure. I think any girl would be happy to receive this.

From now until May 12th readers will save an additional 20% by using the code "Donna20".

The great people at Piggy Paint have agreed to send the winner a gift pack of your choice.

To enter go to Piggy Paint and pick your favorite color. Then put it in a comment. Please leave your email or make sure it is in your blog profile, so I can contact you if you win.

Bonus entries:

1. Follow my blog

2. Subscribe to my blog

3. Follow me @donnak4 and tweet about the contest and leave a link or your twitter ID.

4. Fave me on technorati and leave your ID

5. Post my button on your blog

6. Post this giveaway on your blog (you get 2 entries for this.)

Leave a separate comment for each entry. The buttons for those are on the top right. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM 4/29/09.

The So Easy Baby Food Kit Giveaway

I was allowed to review The So Easy Baby Food Kit. We all know that fresh food is better, and this kit makes it easy to make your own baby food. With this kit the food is frozen in cubes. Then when it is time to eat, you just heat them up. The So Easy Baby Food Kit would make a great baby shower gift.

Some reasons to make your own baby food:

ORGANIC - Organic fruits and vegetables are the best choice for making baby food. They are the most natural ingredients and organic foods drastically reduce harm to the environment.

LESS WASTE - When you make your own baby food, there are no jars, labels or metal lids to dispose or to recycle.

NO FACTORY REQUIRED - Just a little energy to steam foods and run a blender is all you need to make your baby's meals!

LOCAL - Your baby's food does not need to trucked to you from a factory thousands of miles away. Instead you can simply buy organic produce from your local farm market and get started.

HEALTHY - Homemade baby food is safe & nutritious. Baby food jars are often lined with Bisphenol-A, a controversial hormone disruptor that should be avoided. In addition, homemade baby food has no preservatives, additives, or chemicals - it is pure and natural goodness



So Easy Baby Food Kit includes:

Cookbook: covers introducing solid food, includes over 40 recipes, hundreds of serving suggestions, and is all organized by age. (Hardcover, 118 pages).

Freezer trays: designed for storing baby food in pre-portioned one ounce servings to simplify meal time and reduce waste. (2 trays and 2 lids, spill-proof, stackable, dishwasher-safe).

How-to DVD: offers step-by-step instruction - from selecting the right produce - to making baby food - to serving it.

Nutrition tips card: gives you tips on the best sources of nutrients, introducing foods by age, first aid for choking, and more.

The great people at Fresh Baby have a agreed to send one reader a So Easy Baby Food Kit.
To enter go to the Fresh Baby website and subscribe to the fresh ideas newsletter, or tell me who would use it. Please leave your email or make sure it is in your blog profile, so I can contact you if you win.

Bonus entries:
1. Follow my blog
2. Subscribe to my blog
3. Follow me @donnak4 and tweet about the contest and leave a link or your twitter ID.
4. Fave me on technorati and leave your ID
5. Post my button on your blog
6. Post this giveaway on your blog (you get 2 entries for this.)

Leave a separate comment for each entry. The buttons for those are on the top right. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM 4/29/09.

Entrecard Bloggers NOT Accepting EC Paid Ads

I am fairly new to entrecard. I like it because I have found alot of great blogs, and I got more followers by putting my card on different sites. But now there is a new system of paid ads that has caused quite a stir. I want to control who advertises on my site. Also I feel that anyone who advertises on my site should get the full ad exposure. Therefore, I only accept ads bought with entrecard credits.

The author at Inspired Political Discourse made a list of blogs that don't accept EC paid ads. I found several others that posted the same thing. Most of the blogs clearly posted it, but some posted on other sites that they don't accept EC paid ads. Some didn't have an EC slot. So this is the current list I have. If you have a blog that does not accept EC paid ads that you want listed, please let me know. If your blog is listed, and you feel it belongs in a different category, leave me a comment. Or if anyone finds a blog on this list that is accepting paid ads, I will remove them.

Entrecard Bloggers NOT Accepting EC Paid Ads:

Arts/Crafts
Dogmaw Glass Blog
Joyarna Knitblog

Paul Baines

The Queen Speaks

Cheese and Chocolate

Computers and Internet
OnMyComp.com
Things About Computer
My Linux Today

Fashion

Buy Tees
Silver Sachet

Humor
Margie and Edna's Basement
Comedy Plus

Men's Interest
It's a Man's World
Blogger and a Father

Gaming
Game FreakZ

Mixed Bag
Cashmere
MtnGrl Musing
The Natural State Hawg
NewDilemma.com
Rants, Thoughts, and Other Things
The Fearless Blog
Vicissitudes of Life
Not Always Charming
Duck & Wheel with String
Life According to Christopher
The World According to Sjeltur
On the Bricks
An Electricians Notes
I Love/Hate America
All the BS
More than Sew So
Gossip Avenue
Stacy's Madness
Grampy and You
Split Rock Ranch
My Quality Day

Music
New Delema

News and Media
BadGalsRadio
Puss Reboots
Insane Baltimore

Pets
Cats Who Twitter

Photography
Digital Polaroids
Grotto Girls Photoblog
Memories of You
VanillaSeven.com
Lifes Perfect Pictures

Politics
Caledonian Comment
Inspire Political Discourse
Politics 2000
Hamroawaaz.com
The Exaggerator
Politicartoons

Real Estate
Straight Shooting Real Estate

Romance
Symphony of Love

Sports
Sports 2000

Travel
Traveling suitcase
Karen's Road

Women’s Interests/ Mothers
Donna’s World
Stay At Home Mom
The Zoo Crew
Greetje Greets You
Laane on the World
On the Horizon
Deb Down Under
Healthy Wealthy Moms
Momspective
Three Different Directions
Mummy Diaries
My Charmed Life
Fairy Blog Mother
Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife
Look What Mom Found
Sunflower Seeds
Pink Lemonade
Women Self Esteem
A Wrestling Addicted Mommy
Mom of 2
Autism Learning Felt
Look It's Megryans Mom
Hip 2 B Mom
Shannon Blogs Here

At Blog Back Time you can get a nice widget that says you don't accept paid EC ads. There are several to choose from. Just be sure to download it to your computer first.

Winners

The Winner of the DaHugs Giveaway was Dawn who said:
DawnS said...
They are all cute but I would want the dahugs yellow print!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
11 Timestamp: 2009-04-15 06:41:30 UTC

Dore's Diaries Anniversary Giveaway

You have a chance to win several different prizes at Dore's Diaries.
Giveaway Part 1 - US RESIDENTS ONLY
**First Place**
~Cosmedicine Healthy Face Regimen ($102 value)c/o Beauty Junkies Unite
~Your choice of Custom Blogspot 3 column Blog Design
($75 value) OR a Portrait Tile Pendant ($50 value) c/o Angela Vinez Design

**Second Place**
~Microfiber Camisole and Thong Set ($60 value) c/o My Adea
~Choice of 1 of 4 shirts ($35 value) c/o Y2KbyGingham
~Free Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Decor Canister coupon
($5.49 value) c/o Clorox
**Third Place**
~Baby Basket w/ Lavender Chamomile Baby Lotion 8oz, Baby Fresh Whipped Body Butter 8 oz, Baby Bum Rub Ointment, and Chamomile Glycerine Baby Soap ($46.00 value)
c/o Vital Earth Traditions
~Choice of 1 of 4 shirts ($35 value) c/o Y2KbyGingham
~Free Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Decor Canister coupon
($5.49 value) c/o Clorox

**Fourth Place**
~Savorings Serving Tray Gift Set c/o Pillsbury
~Shirt of your choice ($24 value) c/o Leave Me B
**Fifth Place**
~Savorings Wine Bag Gift Set c/o Pillsbury
~Shirt of your choice ($24 value) c/o Leave Me B

**Sixth Place**
~Pillsbury Home is Calling Gift Basket c/o Pillsbury
~Shirt of your choice ($24 value) c/o Leave Me B
**Seventh Place**
~Lure for Him and Lure for Her Gift Set ($38 value)
c/o Eden Fantasys, an awesome place for Adult Toys

**Eighth Place**
~"Gift of Beauty" ($35 value) c/o It's A Glam Thing

**Ninth Place**
~$20 Gift Certificate c/o Vital Earth Traditions

**Tenth Place**
~8 oz. Soy Candle ($15.75 value) c/o Lorain's Touch
~PureSilk Moisturizing Shave Cream Sample c/o Barbasol Pure Silk
**Eleventh Place**
~Spinlash ($15 value) c/o Spinlash
~PureSilk Moisturizing Shave Cream Sample c/o Barbasol Pure Silk

**Twelfth Place**
~Bitch Balance Butter ($9 value) c/o Vital Earth Traditions
~PureSilk Moisturizing Shave Cream Sample c/o Barbasol Pure Silk
**Thirteenth Place**
~Free Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Decor Canister coupon
($5.49 value) c/o Clorox
~2 oz. Soy Candle ($3.25 value) c/o Lorain's Touch
**Fourteenth Place**
~Free Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Decor Canister coupon
($5.49 value) c/o Clorox
~PureSilk Moisturizing Shave Cream Sample c/o Barbasol Pure Silk
**Fifteenth Place**
~Free Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Decor Canister coupon
($5.49 value) c/o Clorox


Giveaway Part 2 - OPEN TO EVERYONE!
**First Place**
~Custom Banner ($149 value) c/o Bannerwind.com
~5,000 EC credits c/o Paperkraft.net
**Second Place**
~Professional Logo ($99 value) c/o Logowind.com
~2,000 EC credits c/o Random Detoxification
~2,000 EC credits c/o Freaky Frugalite
**Third Place**
~10,000 EC credits c/o Kampanye Damai Pemilu Indonesia 2009
~1,000 EC credits c/o A Grateful Heart
~The All-New DIL Rules eBook ($14.95 value) c/o Sally Shields

**Fourth Place**
~2,000 EC credits c/o Seek No More
~1,500 EC credits c/o PolitEkon
~1,500 EC credits c/o Nesting Buddy
~By the Book: How to Take Care of MY Kids eBook ($9.95 value)
c/o Karmel Publishing
**Fifth Place**
~2,000 EC credits c/o Windmill on the Hill
~1,500 EC credits c/o Things About Computer

**Sixth Place**
~1,500 EC credits c/o A Simple Life
~1,500 EC credits c/o Mature Not Senile
~1 month 125x125 ad space on PR3
c/o Better Interpersonal Communication

**Seventh Place**
~2,000 EC credits c/o Moms... check nyo
~500 EC credits c/o Legal Cat-asthrope
~1 month 125x125 ad space on PR3 c/o Dore's Diaries
**Eight Place**
~1,000 EC credits c/o Indo Contest
~500 EC credits c/o Affiliatizer
~500 EC credits c/o Rapid Shoots
~500 EC credits c/o Scandals Prime dot COM
~250 EC credits c/o Stay at Home Mom
~1 month 125x125 ad space on PR3 c/o Symphony of Love

**Ninth Place**
~2000 EC credits c/o DB Comix
~500 EC credits c/o AllBlogContest
~1 month 125x125 ad space on PR2 c/o Free Famous Quotes

**Tenth Place**
~1500 EC credits c/o Mommy's Little Corner
~500 EC credits c/o My Kids Are My World
~1 month 125x125 ad space on PR2 c/o Gift Reviews
**Eleventh Place**
~1000 EC credits c/o East Coast Life
~500 EC credits c/o Vanilla Seven
~200 EC credits c/o Margie and Edna's Basement
~1 month 125 x 125 ad space on PR2 c/o Blog Friendly PR

**Twelfth Place**
~1000 EC credits c/o Life's a Pizza Pie
~500 EC credits c/o Make Every Day Your Lucky Day
**Thirteenth Place**
~1024 EC credits c/o The Matthias Chronicles
**Fourteenth Place**
~250 EC credits c/o Pregnant with Cancer
~250 EC credits c/o Nothing Off Limits

Click here to enter. Ends 4/22.
You must check back April 22 to see if you've won!

Giveaway Winners

I have several winners to tell you about. First I need to remind everyone that I need to be able to contact you. When you enter, you need to leave your email with your comment or make sure it is visible on your profile. There have been winners that I couldn't contact, so I had to use random.com again. The winners have been emailed. Congrats!

Little MissMatched Giveaway
Georgetta said...
I like the Zany 167, 168, 169 socks.
Here are your random numbers:71 Timestamp: 2009-04-08 01:23:47 UTC

Winners of the Spray ‘n Wash Bright & White Giveaway
1.ces69 said...
I subscribed to your blog.
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:26 Timestamp: 2009-04-08 01:13:35 UTC

2.Meredith said...
Tweet! https://twitter.com/meredycat
meredycat*lycos*com
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:137 Timestamp: 2009-04-01 01:51:20 UTC

CozyCare Cape Giveaway
Cat@3KidsandUs said...
I'm a feed subscriber.
cat at 3kidsandus dot com
Here are your random numbers:7 Timestamp: 2009-04-07 12:02:11 UTC

Giveaways on Other Blogs

Jackie at Monkey Mayhem is having several giveaways on her blog. You could win:
A Rockin Baby Sling-expires 4/12
A Piggy Paint gift pack-expires 4/17.
A Baby Butler-expires 4/17.
At The Ohana Mama you can win a Wett Giggles. Ends 4/12.
At Red Sox Mommy you can win a pair of Eleven shoes. Ends 4/12.
At Life Staring Ellie and Eve you can win Watkins Cocoa. Ends 4/12.
A diaper cake at 3Ps in a Pod. Ends 4/15.
At I Never Grew Up you can win Sweets from Fahrenheit 350. Ends 4/18.

Blog Makeover giveaway

At Momma makes Money you can win a blog makeover from Subjective Beauty. Ends 4/5.

A Bilingual Child: 5 Strategies to Jump Start Your Child’s Second Language Learning

By: Beth Butler

Remember those language learning labs in junior high school? Those labs with headsets where we were asked to listen and then repeat back to the taped voice of the instructor? That was absolutely one of the least effective methods used to teach a second language! Not to mention it was at a point in our lives when our brain was no longer capable of acquiring a new language easily. Combine those labs with workbooks and lots of verb conjugation and you have generations of students who came out of a system unable to speak a second language.

Today many of us realize the importance of raising our children to be bilingual. We ourselves have been frustrated in certain situations to not have a handle on any language other than our native English. Whether we were passed over for a job opportunity because we did not speak another language, or we missed a pay increase because we had no bilingual skills or we simply found ourselves wishing we could communicate at an ethnic restaurant all of us have most likely wished for the fluency of another language.

Many of us know that the secret to success is introducing the new language early in life. The most recent research suggests that between the ages of birth and five is the optimum time to begin the second language journey. What most of us do not know, however, is how to bring this language learning into our homes and our daily lives.

Following are five key strategies for jump starting the second language learning of your child:

1) Start the second language learning early. Did you know that the most recent research suggests starting at birth and really emphasizes the first five years of life as the most optimum time to introduce languages to a child? A study out of Texas states that five languages up until the age of five can be learned simultaneously to one child. I personally encourage playing music CDs during pregnancy and then talking to your baby from the moment of birth in two or more languages if possible. If you and your family speak only language then begin introducing a new language with bilingual music CDs and DVDs.

2) Look for a bilingual language learning series that provides you and your child with the following four components: visual cues (in the form of a DVD, board book or language cards), music fun (in the form of bilingual music CDs and/or DVDs with music incorporated throughout the informal language lessons), beginning reading (in the form of board books, language cards and/or computer software/games) and verbal exchange (in the form of DVDs that prompt occasional responses from your child, friends who speak the target language and/or computer software that allows for verbal acquisition). All four components are necessary for a well-rounded and fun language program. Always keep in mind that you should not be required to have second language experience or a teaching degree to use these products you choose during your daily routine.

3) Repeat, repeat, repeat!!! Repetition is the key for all the learning that takes place with your child. Think back to how you learned to speak English. Your parents pointed things out to you and said the word for those items again and again in English. Now, as a parent and a teacher, you can not only provide the English word, but you can also begin to introduce the new language word for that same item. Saying the words in both languages side by side provides a point of reference for the child and allows language acquisition to continue in the native language while learning a new language. This format is referred to as a bilingual format and is one of the best methods to use with young children ages birth through five.

4) Have fun and be patient! Try to never force the new language learning on your child. Gently guide your child along this second language journey. Your child may not verbalize for months in the new language. Keep in mind that the brain of your child is processing all of this information, wiring it for later language learning. Show a high level of confidence yourself. Even if you do not speak the target language well you are the best teacher for your child. Surround yourself with great tools to bring the learning to life and then remember that smiling works wonders with kids!

5) Show your child that you respect other cultures and value the ability to speak other languages. Make a point to attend multi-cultural events that bring to life the food, music, dance, arts and people of other cultures, reinforcing to your child that English is not the only language important to their future travels in our global society and that the United States is only a small part of a big and beautiful world! We are role models for our children. If you show that others are important to you and that you value what they stand for and what they represent, then your child will also show respect for those people and the things important to them. Giving your child the gift of a second language before elementary school is one of the most wonderful gifts you could ever give him. Making the language learning process easy on you as a busy parent is one of the best things you can do for yourself. The tools are out there, you just need to do a little searching for that perfect fit for you and your familia/family!

Author Resource -> Beth Butler is the creator/owner of the BOCA BETH Language Learning Series. Featured in Parenting Magazine and heard live on CNN en Espanol Radio this fun and easy-to-use program is gaining international acclaim. Visit their web site http://www.bocabeth.com/ to sample the music and movies for free, then download bilingual language cards FREE.

Yanni Voices Review

I am new to Yanni, so this is the first CD of his I have heard. The music is more classical than what I usually like (Christian contemporary, classic rock), but I enjoyed it. There are 4 excellent singers including Chloe, Leslie Mills, Nathan Pacheco, and Ender Thomas on this CD. All of the voices were great, and I was particularly moved by Ender Thomas. I would recommend it if you like classical music and/or music in other languages.

Check out Ender Thomas:

DaBib Review and Giveaway

We all know how messy kids can be when they eat. I think the worst time is when they are toddlers, and they want to feed themselves. This video is really cute:



I recently got to try a DaBib in the DaHugs style. The front is a soft, microfiber terry fabric. The back is waterproof, and it has a unique pouch to catch food. I really liked it, and I would recommend it.

They have 2 styles:

DaBib DaHugs style - Solid Blue, Pink or Yellow micro fiber terry front with a complimentary waterproof backing. You can get in a solid color or with the Signature Stripe trim and waterproof backing. All of the bibs feature the Scrunch Neck and the reversible crumb catcher.

DaBib DaGiggles style - Signature Stripe waterproof front with a winter white waterproof backing and has the Scrunch Neck and the reversible crumb catcher.

They are currently having a promotion for 20% off the entire order with coupon code MOM2009. If you order 3 or more, you get free standard shipping (continental US).

To enter, go to the DaBib site and tell me which one you would pick if you won including the color and solid or print. Please, visit the site since they were so gracious to sponsor this contest. This must be done before the other entries will count. Please, make sure your email is in your profile or leave it in your comment, so I can contact you if you win.

Bonus entries:
1. Follow my blog
2. Subscribe to my blog
3. Follow me @donnak4 and tweet about the contest and leave a link or your twitter ID.
4. Fave me on technorati
5. Post my button on your blog
6. Post this giveaway on your blog

7. Post about this giveaway on facebook

Leave a separate comment for each entry. The buttons for those are on the top right. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM 4/13/09.