CLOSED: REVIEW/GIVEAWAY: Burt's Bees Products ($150 Gift Basket)

I've got a great Mother's Day gift idea for you!
Lotions and Creams make great gifts for moms as they often don't have a chance to pamper themselves.

Burt's Bees creates natural personal care products from bee by-products. Even the packaging is good for the environment - most of it is made from recyclable materials. You can read more about Burt's Bees if you are interested.

I first tried Burt's Bees when I was a teenager and my mother purchased some. She LOVES Burt's Bees. So when I was offered some products from Burt's Bees to try out I said sure!

I was sent some Cocoa and Cupuacu Butters Body Lotion (right) and Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil (left) to try on myself. In general I'm not a big Pomegranate fan but I do like the smell and taste of the lip balm. It came in handy when I was in the hospital after having my baby as my lips were very dry.

The lotion smells DIVINE. I could just smell it all day long. It smells like coconut and chocolate to me although there is no coconut in it. Cupuacu must smell similar to coconut.



I also received three products from the Baby Bee line for babies! My new baby Liam tried them out.  We tried out Baby Bee Nourishing Lotion in Original and Fragrance Free (right) plus Baby Bee Diaper Ointment With Vitamin E (left.) (Note: photos not to scale - lotion is 6 oz while diaper ointment is only 2 oz)

The lotions are great for sensitive baby skin. The original is 100% natural while the Fragrance Free is 99.0% natural. I much prefer the fragrance free. It feels much smoother than other baby lotions.

The diaper ointment confused me at first. I couldn't figure out if it was to treat diaper rash or to prevent it at first. I assumed it was to treat but it was clear and runny like my barrier cream (from another company), not thick and white like the rash ointments. The tube says on the back:

"This diaper ointment nourishes and reconditions skin while creating an emollient layer to seal out wetness. Baby's skin is left healthy, moisturized and soft." 

So I guess it does both. My newborn baby was starting to get a diaper rash from pooping so often in the middle of the night and not waking up to be changed. I healed the rash just before I received my samples so I used the Burt's Bees diaper ointment before bed and in the middle of the night to protect his bum and it worked. No more rashes. It made the diaper area really easy to clean too.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - 
Winner - Suzanne. You've been sent an email but contact me if you don't get it soon.

Thanks to the company, I can offer a $150 Assorted Gift Basket of Burt's Bees Products to one lucky Canadian winner.Burt's Bees will ship the product directly to the winner. It will be an assortment of Burt's Bees Products to be determined by the company but will total $150 in retail price.

To enter the giveaway, you must FILL OUT THE FORM. Comments will NOT count towards entries but feel free to comment on the review or comment so you know you've entered this giveaway already.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Burt's Bees and then tell me one item that you'd like to try. - +1

Extra Entries: (optional) - be prepared to leave usernames for follows/likes and links for tweets/posts
1. Follow Callista's Ramblings on Google Friend Connect (GFC - see sidebar) - +1
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3. Like Callista's Ramblings on Facebook - +1
4. Subscribe to Callista's Ramblings via RSS or Email - +2
5. Post about my giveaway in a blog post -  +2
6. Post about my blog in your sidebar - +1
7. Write a review of my blog on Alexa - +5
8. Comment on any non-giveaway post - +1 each
9. Tweet the following tweet (one time only) - +2

"#Win $150 Worth of Products from Burt's Bees from @callista83 http://bit.ly/lhthna CAN ONLY - 05/12 "

Giveaway is open for entries until May 12, 2011 11:59 PM EST

FILL OUT FORM TO ENTER

Great Canadian Smile Survey + National Oral Health Month

© Flick User StevenDepolo

April may be almost over but that doesn't mean you can forget about your Oral health until next April! Make sure you see your dentist regularly. If it's been over a year, make an appointment! Some people should see the dentist more often than that!

In March, Crest and Oral-B released the findings from their second annual Great Canadian Smile Survey. Here are some excerpts:

Will a winning smile help Canadians win in the game of life? According to findings from the second annual Crest and Oral-B Great Canadian Smile Survey, released today in advance of National Oral Health Month in April, the majority of Canadians think it can. In fact, 72 per cent of Canadians feel that having an unattractive smile or poor oral hygiene is a barrier to professional success, with 5 per cent saying they’ve personally experienced discrimination because of their smile.


The smile also reigns supreme when Canadians judge attractiveness. Thirty three per cent of survey respondents state that the smile is the most important factor when considering the attractiveness of others, followed by the eyes at 30 per cent. Physical fitness ranks a distant third at 18 per cent. As well, 58 per cent of Canadians expect people to have white teeth.


Interestingly, 32 per cent of Canadians believe they follow the dentist-recommended regimen of brushing, flossing and rinsing, yet only 16 per cent reported that they actually do.

Oral Health Tips from Crest and Oral-B:

Three simple steps to a healthy-looking smile
Crest and Oral-B encourage Canadians to follow an easy three-step routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing to maintain a healthy-looking smile year-round:

1. Brush: twice a day for two minutes each time using an all-in-one toothpaste and a good toothbrush. Remember to replace brushes or brush heads every three months for best cleaning results. While 52 per cent of Canadians brush their teeth at least twice a day, 4 per cent say they haven’t used a toothbrush in the last 12 months.

2. Floss: once a day. It’s essential to help remove plaque from in-between teeth and under the gumline. Without flossing, one third of the tooth surface is left unchecked, leaving bacteria behind that can cause plaque and bad breath. More than one-third of Canadians floss at least once daily. In contrast, almost one third of Canadians haven’t flossed in the past 12 months. 

3. Rinse: twice a day for 30 seconds each time with an antigingivitis / antiplaque rinse to help eliminate additional plaque-causing bacteria. 43 per cent of Canadians make time for rinsing at least once or more a day – up 3 per cent from last year.


If you have problems with gingivitis, try these products from Crest:

Crest Pro Health Multi-Protection Mouthwash
"Get a clean, healthy-looking mouth with Crest Pro-Health Rinse.  It kills germs that can cause plaque, gingivitis and bad breath without the burning sensation of alcohol. It comes in two great flavours—Refreshing Clean Mint and Cool Wintergreen." - source

My Thoughts: I normally can't stand mouthwashes/rinses because of the extreme burning sensation and minty taste (I'm not a mint fan although I can tolerate spearmint over peppermint.) However I can USE this mouthwash. Being alcohol free means it doesn't burn your mouth and the peppermint is not too overpowering.

Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection

My Thoughts: I generally use either Crest or Colgate toothpaste but usually only use the basic kind, not any specialty toothpaste. However my teeth have been quite sensitive lately. If I eat chocolate on my left side, it hurts. Or drink cold water. I've been using the Clinical Gum protection toothpaste for only about a week but I already notice a difference. It IS Easter after all and I DO LOVE Chocolate!

* I received a sample of the mouthwash and toothpaste to try but was not compensated for this post. I shared the information because I believe oral health is important. See Disclosure Policy for more information.

Happy Easter + Pop Culture

Happy Easter Everyone! 

"Justice Legg of America"
© Flickr User JD Hancock

Our first of two Easter dinners is tonight. We already had our Passover dinner last weekend but our dinner tonight will be a mixture of Pork (something you would NEVER eat at Passover) and Kugel (made with noodles) and Matzah too!

While looking for a cute photo to put with this post, I found the following funny Easter and Pop Culture photos I want to share. Be sure to read the caption! Enjoy!!

"We Don't Like Easter on the Death Star"
© Flickr User JD Hancock

*Want to see more of JD Hancock's funny photos? You can follow him on twitter as well @JDHancock

REVIEW: Bagel Spice - Salt Free Seasoning Mix

 I bet you've never seen this product before!

Do you like Everything Bagels? I do! This is a unique seasoning mixture that simulates what you'd find on your everything bagel.

It contains: Minced Onion, Minced Garlic, White Sesame Seeds, Black Sesame Seeds, Black Caraway Seeds and Poppy Seeds but does NOT CONTAIN Preservatives, or MSG and is Kosher.

It comes in three varieties. Original contains what I mentioned above. Zesty Jalapeno has added Green Jalapeno Flakes and Sea Salt has added Mediterranean Sea Salt Flakes.

My thoughts? YUMMY but tangy! Don't use too much. I mixed it in hamburgers and they were good! It was too spicy for my girls though. I sprinkled it on cream cheese on a bagel, very good! I've used it when cooking chicken for chicken wraps too. It adds nice flavour. The only thing I can think of to make it better would be to have smaller onion flakes. 

Wondering how this item came about? Read the Bagel Spice Story.

Buy It! Unfortunately Bagel Spice is currently only available in stores in Pennsylvania but you can visit Bagel Spice to order some of your very own!

* I received a bottle of seasoning to try in exchange for my honest review.

Wordless Wednesday: My 3 Week Old Liam

Pressure to Stop Breastfeeding

Welcome to the Carnival of Breastfeeding hosted by Blacktating and The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog. The theme this month is Extended Breastfeeding. Be sure to check out the other posts in the carnival at the end of this post.


With my first child, I stopped breastfeeding at 2 1/2 months because of medication I needed to go one that was NOT safe. With my second child, I was happily able to find medication that was safer and was able to breastfeed as long as I wanted.

However my husband's family didn't breastfeed or get breastfed and so breastfeeding was a new idea to them. They had to get used to me nursing in front of them and in front of their friends if I was at there house. It was always them that were embarrassed or apologetic, not me.

They got used to it but by the time the baby got to 6 months, there were hushed questions to my husband as to how long I'd breastfeed. They never were directed at me. By 9 months, my husband told me of these questions and said he wasn't sure what to say. I told him to say that I'd be breastfeeding as long as the baby and I felt like it, at least a year as it didn't make sense to stop breastfeeding to introduce formula.

By one year, the questions kept coming, occasionally to me, and I kept getting strange looks from the family too. Needless to say it was getting annoying. Why couldn't they just be supportive? Or just leave me alone? Did I ask them how long they were going to bottle feed for?

At 12 months I decided to start weaning, with the idea to wean slowly. It ended up taking 3 months so I breastfed for 15 months. In terms of Extended Breastfeeding, this actually isn't that extended compared to the 2 or 3 year olds that are still being breastfed. However the family was making me feel like I was nursing a 7 year old.

© Flickr User chispita_666

Health Canada recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months with continued breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond. The World Health Organization (WHO) basically says the same thing. So breastfeeding up to one year is NOT really extended then but to many people, it does seem like it, which is sad.

If you are not comfortable nursing past one year, that's fine. However I think nursing mothers should try for at least a year. Why introduce formula when you are providing breast milk for your baby?

More importantly, to everyone else, whether you breastfeed or not, please keep your thoughts and comments to yourself on when you believe breastfeeding should cease. It's not your body or your child and it's not your decision or your business. Thank You.

Check out the other posts in the Carnival of Breastfeeding:

Mamapoeki from Authentic Parenting: Extended Breastfeeding?

Mama Alvina of Ahava & Amara Life Foundation: Breastfeeding Journey Continues

Elita @ Blacktating: The Last Time That Never Was

Diana Cassar-Uhl, IBCLC: Old enough to ask for it

Karianna @ Caffeinated Catholic Mama: A Song for Mama’s Milk

Judy @ Mommy News Blog: My Favorite Moments

Tamara Reese @ Please Send Parenting Books: Extended Breastfeeding

Jenny @ Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: The Highs and Lows of Nursing a Toddler

Christina @ MFOM: Natural-Term Breastfeeding

Rebekah @ Momma’s Angel: My Sleep Breakthrough

Suzi @ Attachedattheboob: Why I love nursing a toddler

Claire @ The Adventures of Lactating Girl: My Hopes for Tandem Nursing

Elisa @ blissfulE: counter cultural: extended breastfeeding

Momma Jorje: Extended Breastfeeding, So Far!

Stephanie Precourt from Adventures in Babywearing: “Continued Breastfeeding”: straight from the mouths of babes

The Accidental Natural Mama: Nurse on, Mama

Sarah @ Reproductive Rites: Gratitude for extended breastfeeding

Nikki @ On Becoming Mommy: The Little Things

Dr. Sarah @ Good Enough Mum: Breastfeeding for longer than a year: myths, facts and what the research really shows

Amy @ WIC City: (Extended) Breastfeeding as Mothering

The Artsy Mama: Why Nurse a Toddler?

Christina @ The Milk Mama: The best thing about breastfeeding

TopHat @ the bee in your bonnet: From the Mouths of Babes

Beth @ Bethstedman.com: Extended Breastfeeding: To Wean Or Not To Wean

Callista @ Callista’s Ramblings:  Pressure To Stop Breastfeeding

Amanda @ Postilius: Nursing My Toddler Keeps My Baby Close

Sheryl @ Little Snowflakes: Tandem Nursing- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Zoie @ Touchstone Z: Breastfeeding Flavors

Lauren @ Hobo Mama: Same old, same old: Extended breastfeeding

Tanya @ Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog: Six misconceptions about extended breastfeeding

Jona (Breastfeedingtwins.org): Breastfeeding older twins

Motherlove Herbal Company: Five reasons to love nursing a toddler

April 16 is National Eggs Benedict Day

I've never made Eggs Benedict nor have I even had a poached egg. I love eggs though so I will have to try them sometime. I would try them today but sadly I am out of most of the ingredients I would need and can't pick them up today.

If you are in the mood to try some, I have some recipes to share courtesy of The Motherboard's National Lifestyle Expert Maureen Petrosky that you can use today or for your Easter Brunch.

Guilt-Free Eggs Benny

Ingredients:
2 eggs; 1 light whole wheat English Muffin; 2 slices Canadian bacon; 1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt; 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard; Kosher salt and cayenne pepper, to taste; 1 tablespoon lemon zest, for garnish; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish; 1 tablespoon white vinegar, Non-fat cooking spray

© Flickr User thebittenword.com.
Photo not exactly how your food will look if you follow the recipe.

Instructions:
1. In a large pan coated with non- stick cooking spray, brown the Canadian bacon over medium heat. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

2. In a small saucepan, over very low heat, combine yogurt, dry mustard, and season with the salt and cayenne pepper, whisking continually until warm. Be careful: if you overheat, your yogurt will curdle.

3. In a pot of boiling water, add the vinegar and reduce heat to a low simmer. Crack one egg into a small bowl and very gently add it to the simmering water. Repeat this for the second egg. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the egg is completely coagulated and the yolk looks slightly opaque.

4. In the meantime, toast the whole wheat English muffin. Assemble by placing the toasted muffin on a plate. Top with a piece of the Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and then top with the yogurt sauce. Sprinkle lemon zest and chopped parsley over each egg. Enjoy.

Seafood Frenzy Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:
12 eggs; 1 to 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 6 English Muffins; unsalted butter, for spreading; 6 tablespoons Philadelphia Cream Cheese; 12 spears of asparagus, cut in half and steamed; 1 package of Knorr Hollandaise Sauce; 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced; 1 can lump crabmeat, divided into 12 portions; 12 large slices of smoked salmon; 12 cooked and completely peeled large shrimp; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 12 dill sprigs, about 2 inches long

Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, prepare the hollandaise according to the package instructions. Add the fresh lemon juice. Reserve.

2. In a large pot of boiling water add the vinegar. Turn the heat down to a low simmer. Crack the eggs one at a time, into a small bowl and add them one at a time very gently into the simmering water. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the egg is completely coagulated and the yolk looks slightly opaque. Remove from the water.

3. Meanwhile, toast the English Muffins and butter when warm. Top the butter with a smear of cream cheese. Top each with two pieces of asparagus. Top the asparagus with a scoop of crabmeat and a piece of smoked salmon. Place the poached egg on top.

4. Top each with a shrimp and drizzle with the hollandaise. Season with the salt and pepper. Garnish with the dill and the lemon zest. (Serves 6)

Have you had Eggs Benedict before? What recipe do you use?

Guest Post: Decorating When You've Got Kids

Some people believe that a beautiful home and a child (or more!) can’t exist harmoniously together.  As precious as our children are to us, we realize that they are also messy, lively, curious people and setting our treasures among them can feel like the equivalent of hanging a chandelier in a monkey cage.

© Flickr User xazzz

Because of this, many people choose to hold off on decorating, telling themselves that they’ll do it once their small children are older. Then, the kids become teenagers and between backpacks getting slammed down on tables and loud friends filing in and out of the door, the decision is made to wait on decorating a little bit longer until the kids are out of the house. The kids then grow up, they leave the house, and then they are bringing their children back to visit the grandparents.

See what I’m getting at??? If you wait until the “right” time to decorate, it will never happen! NOW is the right time, no matter what age or stage your kids are at.

When my oldest was a baby I was always being told by people who came over that I was either going to have to pack everything away, or move everything 4 feet off the floor. (A very depressing thought for someone who loves to decorate!) I’ve found however, that that isn’t true! My son is 5 now and he has broken ONE thing. Ever. And he is NOT a perfect child. He runs….he jumps….he gets really wild….but he’s grown up knowing that he can’t touch everything around him, so he doesn’t.

You may worry that by doing this you’ll just be giving yourself one more reason to be saying “No” all day long. But if you are consistent your kids will learn quickly what they can and cannot touch, and if you start decorating when they are babies you probably won’t have to say “no” much at all- they’ll be so used to seeing everything around they won’t pay much attention to it.

Some tips for choosing your decor:

• Choose fabrics for couches and pillows that are durable and easy to clean.
• Avoid glass tables if you’re going to be driven insane by lots of fingerprints. A glass coffee table is lovely but a child who’s just learning to walk will be grabbing onto it for support and leaving behind their adorable but messy-looking little prints.
• Keep things that are irreplaceable up high.  Just because we’ve only had one accident doesn’t mean I’m willing to completely throw caution to the wind and stick my great-great-grandmother’s glass apothecary jar on the coffee table. Use low tables and shelves for displaying things that don’t have a lot of sentimental value.

I love to have a beautiful home, but I don’t want my house to look like a museum. My kids are my world, and I want that to show in my decorating. Here are some ways to incorporate the kids into the decor without letting your home look like a daycare:

• Use chalkboard paint. Buy a big mirror or picture frame at a thrift store, paint the glass with chalkboard paint, and hang it within kids’ reach. Paint the fronts of dresser drawers and use chalk to label what’s inside. Or paint a wall in a playroom, kid’s room, or even a kitchen.
• Use your kid’s creations as art. Frame their best drawings using light colored frames and bright colored mats that match the picture. Create a gallery wall using drawings your kids have made. For projects that can’t be framed, take pictures and display the photos in a digital frame.
• Silhouettes are very popular and can be a life-long keepsake. Frame them, put them on pillows, or even use them along with a name to label an individual child’s shelf or cubby.
• Find pretty ways to store necessities. Use baskets to store toys and baby supplies, fill glass dispensers with hand sanitizer and store kid’s art supplies and other items in buckets or bins that compliment the rest of your house.

I hope this was encouraging for anyone who wants to decorate but has felt like it wasn’t a possibility. I believe that no matter what the age of your children, you can have a gorgeous house that’s enjoyable for your whole family.

- Brooke @ Inside-Out Design

Guest Post: Simple Projects Kids Will Love

© Flickr User tjstaab

One great thing to have the kids do is make gifts for family members. You can find scores upon scores of ideas for simple projects that will make great presents. This way the children have something new and fun to do, and they know their work will be valued. It will not just end up in a box or stuffed under a bed somewhere, but the recipient will be so pleased that the item will be proudly displayed. Here are some ideas of kid-friendly crafts for your children to work on when it is too rainy or cold to go outside. Won’t these bring a smile to Dad’s face, warm Grandma Thatcher’s heart or let Aunt Georgia know she is loved?

It’s easy to dress up a headband. Start with a plain plastic headband – any shade. Add strips of colored duct tape in your desired pattern. They can be striped horizontally in the person’s favorite colors. You could add flowers, feathers or lace. Duct tape is available in patterns too. You can choose camouflage, leopard spots and more. Think of what unique presents your headbands will make.

This is a gift your child could use and play with. Or maybe Dad would love it as a memento for his desk? Make a mini bulldozer. Start with 2 toilet paper tubes, 2 straws and thin cardboard. Cut 4 circles from cardboard - these are your wheels - and attach to a tp tube with straws. Trim straws if necessary. Cut the other tp tube in half lengthwise. This is the shovel. Attach to main body with small cardboard arms. If you want this to be more durable, use yellow duct tape from the headband project above. It will look more like a real bulldozer.

Have the kids make a pen holder flower pot to use by the phone. Wrap pens with florist tape – be sure the kids leave the tip of the ballpoint pen open – attach tissue flowers to the tops. “Plant” these pens in a small terra cotta pot with a piece of floral foam.

Personalization makes a memorable gift. When the entire gift is made with the givee in mind, well, you can’t get more personalized than that. Make a customized mini book with stickers. Start with 3X5 or 4X6 sized cardstock. Punch holes in paper before you begin so you can make a book of the pages at the end. Use pictures, stickers, markers, glitter and such to create a book about the person. This could be a mini scrapbook or a homemade rendition of a favorite book. Once the pictures are all glued and the decorating is completely dried, you can choose to laminate these pages so they will last. Use metal rings with clasps to attach the finished pages.

There are many games you can make yourself. A homemade memory game is just one idea. Buy or cut cardstock – all the same color – in 4X6 rectangles. Print 2 copies each of family pictures or colorful magazine pictures. Attach these to the back of the cards with glue. The only trick here is to make sure every card is uniform so they all look the same when they are turned cardstock side up. These can be laminated if you’d like them to last. Place your pictures face down on a table or floor and find all your matching pictures. You and your children will have memories of making and playing this game, and toys break but memories last a lifetime.

About the Author
Margo Smith grew up in the shadows of the everlasting hills, as the Rocky Mountains have sometimes been called. She earned her B.S. from Brigham Young University. She writes and social networks in hopes of having a closer global community. She writes about various topics including online degrees, hair care and the best places to travel.

Introducing Baby Liam...

Liam was born March 29 at 4:19 PM at 9lbs 1oz, 19 inches long. 

He came in a scheduled C-section. Everything went fine and we are taking it easy at home.

Guest Post: Carnival Birthday Party

By:  Kristl, http://www.TheBudgetDiet.com

The Budget Diet is a diet for your wallet…not your waistline!  You'll discover new money saving tips everyday to help you slim down your daily spending!  The Budget Diet girl Is not a financial planner or an accountant…just a mom that knows how to live the good life on a budget! 

  

Another budget birthday party idea from The Budget Diet girl!

A carnival birthday party works for most any age and can be done both indoors & out!

Here are the ingredients for success:

  

Carnival Booth Ideas:

The key to keeping this a budget birthday party is to use things you have. Take a walk around your house, and I’m sure you’ll come up with all sorts of carnival booth ideas!

Take a look at some of the booths I used for my son’s 4 year old birthday party & my daughter’s 8 year old birthday party.

Basketball Throw – if you have a basketball goal, use it!

Pie in the Face – pie tins, whipped cream & willing volunteer!

Wet Sponge Toss – just like pie in the face, but it’s a wet sponge!

Golf – if you have a putter & a golf ball…let the children try to putt into a plastic cup! This works best indoors on carpet.

Guess Your Weight – pull out your bathroom scale, the children guess their own weight & then stand on the scale.

Fortune Teller – have a friend or family member dress up like a fortune teller (scarves, lots of jewelry) & tell fortunes.

Fish Pond – keep it simple, use a toy fishing pole & attach the prize with a clothes pin!

Penny Drop – put a shot glass inside of a big glass bowl, fill it with water & the children try to drop a penny into the shot glass!

Hula Hoop

Face Painting

Concession Stand – popcorn & sodas

Carnival Prizes:

www.OrientalTrading.com is a great place to pick up inexpensive prizes! If your child is old enough…set a budget & let them choose the prizes!

Everybody’s a winner! If they don’t win the game…give them a piece of candy.

  

Carnival Tickets & Goody Bags:

Each child gets a bag with their name on it when they arrive. The dollar store & Hobby Lobby both have lots of inexpensive, colorful bags.

Each child will get enough tickets to play each game 1 time.

The bags will be used to collect their prizes, and it becomes their “instant” goody bag!

  

Carnival Cake:

A cupcake walk is great fun…think mini-cake walk!

Use sidewalk chalk to number the spaces in your driveway or if you’re indoors…set-up chairs.

Start the music, stop the music, choose a number & that person chooses their cupcake!

Continue until everyone has a cupcake!

I made all white cupcakes, & I just changed the frosting & decorations!

Carnival Helpers:

This is a great opportunity for family & friends to get involved in the birthday celebration!

Carnival Invitations:

Just a simple piece of clip art mounted on pink & green paper!

I promise, the children won't miss the expensive bounce house!

Blog Hopping on Sunday

Guest Post: Turn Your Bedroom Into a Restful Paradise

Are you having trouble getting a good night’s sleep? Turn your bedroom into a restful paradise and you’ll soon be able to snooze away.

© Flickr User Sitka Projects LLC

A surprising number of people have trouble sleeping at night. Some people have trouble falling asleep. Some people have trouble staying asleep. Still others feel like they sleep okay and yet wake up still tired every morning. If any of these problems sound all too familiar, there’s good news on the horizon. Simply by making a concentrated effort to turn your bedroom into a restful area and to create a sleep ritual that you engage in nightly, you can start getting a good night’s sleep.

The following tips will help you turn your bedroom into the restful place that you want it to be:

·  Remove all consumer electronics from the room. Televisions, laptops and cell phones have no place in the bedroom. When used before bed they heighten your energy levels and make restful sleep impossible. When they go off during the night, they wake you up and interrupt your sleep. Ban them all from the bedroom starting today.

·  Create a bedroom ritual for winding down each night. Set a bedtime and stick to it. An hour before that time, start your ritual. Do whatever calms you during this time whether that’s reading a book, taking a bath or doing some meditation. Don’t do anything at this time that boosts energy levels (like watch horror movies, play video games or engage in cardio exercise).

·  Make a rule about not being bothered after a certain time of the evening. That means that you tell your spouse you’re not discussing money or relationship issues at nighttime and you tell your kids that they aren’t to enter the bedroom unless it’s a serious emergency.

·  Add soft dim lighting to your bedroom. Harsh bright lights energize us rather than making us feel restful. You should have soft lights available in your bedroom to help you wind down at the end of the day. Lights on dimmer switches, candles on your bed stand or a task light next to the bed are all good options. Bonus tip: Paint your bedroom walls a warm color to reduce the glare off of white walls.

·   Spend money to make your bed super comfortable. Invest in a good bed with a high quality, comfortable mattress. Dress the bed up with luxurious sheets and really plush blankets. Make sure that you have enough pillows and that they’re all comfortable. The money you spend on this is well worth the investment!

·  Figure out the right temperature for your bedroom. Do you need a heating blanket or a room heater to be comfortable? Perhaps you need to crack a window or turn on a fan? Make sure that the temperature of the room is comfortable so you can get a good night’s sleep. Most people prefer a slightly cool, well-ventilated room but you should note your own particular preferences in this area.

·   Try some aromatherapy. Burning a little bit of lavender oil in your bedroom can help to relax you.

·   Keep any sleep aids handy by the bedside. If you are on medications that you take at night, put them in a drawer by your bed. If you require the use of a sleep apnea machine to sleep properly then make sure it’s set up near the bed. You don’t want to have to spend time searching for and setting these things up every night because it keys you up and makes it harder to relax into restful sleep.

·  Wake up to a soothing sound. Invest in an alarm clock that wakes you up with gentle soothing sounds rather than a blaring, jarring alarm. This helps you ease into the morning and enjoy the benefits of the sleep that you worked so hard to get!

What is the number one thing that you feel has been holding you back from getting good sleep?

This is a guest post by Kitty Vogen, a health topics writer. She has written extensively about health equipment like the CPAP mask, aids for asthma prevention and sleep aids for poor health.