Baby Animal Days at USU Botanical Gardens (Family Pass Giveaway)

This post was written by me on behalf of Utah State University and Baby Animal Days in exchange for free family admission to Baby Animal Days. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
One of my favorite family activities in Spring is attending Baby Animal Days. There is just something so sweet about seeing and holding baby animals. For the past few years we have attended Baby Animal Days at the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville, Utah, and I can't say enough about how much fun my family has there. Just look at the smile on my daughter's face last year holding a cute little chick.

31 Halloween Crafts for Kids

Halloween is such a fun time of the year for crafting with kids! I have put together a round up of 31 of my favorite Halloween Crafts, all from fabulous Kid Craft Bloggers. You will find all of the essential crafts for Halloween here including pumpkins, witches, spiders, ghosts, bats and Frankenstein!

Peacock Puppet Craft + Elmer's Early Learners Prize Pack and $25 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

This post is sponsored by Elmer's Early Learners Academy. The craft tutorial and all opinions expressed are my own. 

My older boys started back at school this past week. I sure miss them during the day but I also enjoy all the quality time I get to spend with my little preschooler. With some of our one-on-one time today we tried out some Elmer's Early Learners Products and created this Paper Bag Peacock Puppet. Then we played and giggled with them to our heart's content.      

Cooking with Ruthie Giveaway --Everyone's a Winner!

We're celebrating around here today! Whoot-whoot!

It's Cooking with Ruthie's 3rd birthday party and we're so happy you came :)

Our fabulous group of bloggers and y'all are here to get 'jiggy with it'.

The best part is... EVERYONE'S a winner!

Animal Jam Review and Giveaway

Full Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Animal Jam. Animal Jam provided me with compensation for this post, however all opinions expressed herein are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support I Heart Crafty Things!

Last year when my oldest son was in 3rd Grade he came home from school very excited one day to tell me all about a game called Animal Jam. He heard about it from his classmates and asked me if he could set up an account to play the game online. Initially I was leery because I didn't like the idea of my child having a username and password to an online gaming community at such a young age, but I decided to see what all the hype was about and checked out the game for myself.  

Shopping Kid-Free at Walmart.com + $25 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

Full Disclosure: P&G provided me with a Walmart Gift Card for myself, and is providing one as giveaway, in exchange for me purchasing household items online through Walmart.com. All opinions expressed are my own!
If you're like me, grocery shop trips with my kids are not exactly what I call fun. Between the "Can we get this and this and this?"... and "Are we done yet?" ... and the bickering and poking each other and whining... Bless their little hearts, but I just really prefer my shopping to be done alone. Since my husband works a pretty crazy rotating shift schedule for his employment, the luxury of kid-free shopping is not always an option for me.
P & G recently contacted me to try out ordering some of my favorite household items online through Walmart.com. I guess I already knew in the back of my mind this was an option, but I never realized just how convenient and luxurious it feels to be able to sit in the comfort of my own home and accomplish some of my shopping while my kids merrily play in front of me. I am kind of a changed woman now. Ha! After placing my order I couldn't believe my eyes when it showed up at my doorstep the very next day. (I'm sure this isn't typical, but I was really impressed!)

Among the items I purchased was Tide Laundry Detergent, Charmin Toilet Paper and Pampers Baby Wipes.   

I typically already buy a lot of my household items from Walmart because of their great variety and prices, and you can find that same variety and everyday low prices at Walmart.com, especially on your favorite P&G products. If you spend $50 or more your items are shipped for free to your home. The other option I love is their free ship to store. You can order items ahead of time and have them shipped to your local store for free, then pick them up while you do your grocery shopping. This is a great option if you are carting your kids to the grocery store with you.
Walmart also has a smartphone app that allows you to build up a shopping list by scanning all the products you're ready to purchase again. How fun is that!
Overall, I loved my experience shopping online through Walmart.com for household items. I loved how quick I received my items, I loved how it saved me time and in retrospect, gave me more time to play with my kids at home.
Giveaway Enter to win a $25 Walmart gift card! Just comment below and tell me what household item you would try ordering first and fill out the Rafflecopter Form below to enter. Disclosure: The Walmart Gift Card provided in this giveaway was provided by P & G. 
You must be 18 years old to enter. Prize can be shipped to US addressee only. The giveaway ends on August 11, 2014 at 12:00 am (MST).  Winner will be notified via email and has 48 hours to respond to the email with their mailing address. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be randomly chosen.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gemina: The Crooked-Neck Giraffe Book Review and Giveaway

Full Disclosure: I received a copy of Gemina: The Croocked-Neck Giraffe to review. All opinions are my own! Did you know June 21st of this year will be the first ever World Giraffe Day? June is also National Zoo and Aquarium month. It coincides perfectly with the release of Karen B. Winnick's new book Gemina: The Crooked-Neck Giraffe.

Family Pass Giveaway to Baby Animal Days at USU Botanical Center

Disclosure: This post was written on behalf of Utah State University Extension and Baby Animal Days in exchange for attending a Blogger Open House Event and free family admission to Baby Animal Days. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
Spring is here! It's that time of the year when baby animals have been born and hatched and are as cute and furry as ever! Does your family have a yearly tradition of attending Baby Animal Days? Oh my goodness, it's so much fun!

This year we are going to Baby Animal Days at the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville, Utah. It is put on as a fundraiser for the Botanical Center and the Utah State University Extension 4-H Youth Education Program. So not only is it a fun activity for families, but I love that the money earned by the event goes into an Educational Program and back into the Botanical Center.

Zaniac...Where STEM learning is Fun! (and a Giveaway)

This is a sponsored post courtesy of Zaniac and the Mom it Forward Blogger Network. All opinions expressed are my own.

Last Friday night my boys and I had the privilege (and were very excited) to be introduced to the awesomeness of Zaniac. Have you heard about this amazing place yet? Zaniac is an after school learning center for children K-8, which focuses on STEM. They currently have two locations in Utah, one in Sugar House and one in Park City.

What is STEM? 

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

Glow in the Dark Power Balls (Giveaway)

These Glow in the Dark Power Balls might possibly be the coolest invention for a kid ever. Seriously...they are cool! 

 

 

When Craftprojectideas.com asked me to try out one of their kits and I saw this one on the list, my heart pretty much skipped a beat. I knew my boys would be ALL OVER IT!! I secretly hid the kit in my craft closet without my kids knowing about it until we had an opportunity to try it out and when I put it out on the table, my boys flipped out! They were sooooo excited!

 

Luke patiently waiting for one of his Power Balls to form.

 

Let me tell you what I liked best about this kit:

 

1- The kit makes 21 balls...Yep 21! This means it's not just a one time project. We only used about half of the kit our first go around, so that means when my kids lose all of their balls in the house from bouncing them endlessly, they get to make more! Sweet!!

 

2- Not only are the colors vibrant in the kit, but there are lots to choose from. That makes the possibilities for different color combinations endless. Each ball turns out so unique and beautiful in it's own way and I love that! I helped my 2yr old make one and the colors ended up getting mixed together a lot in the ball. It still turned out fantastic! 

 

3- The kit comes with both a hexagon shaped mold and a round shaped mold. While my boys preferred the traditional round shape, I loved that the kit came with variety.

4- After reading the instructions to my boys, ages 6 and 8, and assisting them through their first ball, they were able to make the rest of their balls by themselves. That meant I could actually get the dishes done while they were still having fun in the same room.

Now what did my kids like best about the Power Balls? They unanimously said, "They glow in the dark!" We made these balls several days ago and they are still loving them and bouncing them around the house! I definitely give this kit 2 thumbs up!!

 

Do you have kids who would love making their own Power Balls? Craftprojectideas.com has generously agreed to give away one kit to one of my readers. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter Form below. There are only 2 entry possibilities, so I made it really simple.  :)

**We received our Glow in the Dark Power Balls Kit free of charge from Craftprojectideas.com, but all opinions expressed in this post are our own.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Board Dudes Giveaway

The Organized Parent recently sent me some products from Board Dudes that are perfect for helping to organize family schedules and getting kids on a routine with helping out around the house. Since the beginning of a new year is a great time to start fresh with new organization techniques, I was excited to dive in and see what these products could offer me and my family.

One of the biggest things I need to change around my house is making my children more responsible for doing chores, especially since my oldest children just turned 8 and 6. This Magnetic Dry-Erase Chore Chart from Board Dudes is a perfect compliment to me wanting my children to have more responsibility.

It comes with option of hanging it via magnetic strips or double-sided sticky foam. I personally prefer the magnets and have it right on my fridge for easy access. You can see in the picture below that you write all the chores in the left column and during the week the children can add a star to the chart when they have completed the chore. The picture below shows names written above the stars, but at the bottom of the chart you can actually color code the stars for each child, so writing the name is not necessary. 

I am a fan of the reward system at the bottom of the chart. It is a great incentive for children to be anxious for earning stars. You get to choose what reward is earned after a certain number of stars have been earned. I have found this to be a really effective chart for my family thus far. I have noticed that my kids play with the little magnetic stars too often and several of them have fallen off the fridge and are lost under the fridge somewhere. I would suggest keeping the stars in a sandwich bag in a drawer in the kitchen or something, so the kids aren't tempted to play with them during the day. It's obviously important to keep these little magnetic parts out of reach from babies and toddlers too.

 

Another useful product from Board Dudes is this Dry Erase Color Code Your Life Magnetic Monthly Calendar. The concept is to give each member in your family a different color on the calendar so you can clearly see which person goes with which appointment. 

While I love the concept, it is designed for only up to 4 family members, with the black being the "entire family" schedule color. Since I have 5 people in my family, I would have been a lot happier with more colors. However, given that my toddler isn't really scheduled for things too often, it still works for my family at the time being.

 

I like how they added the small cork section to pin on reminders or invitations. It seems like we always have small pieces of paper that need a temporary home, so this little cork section is very convenient. It also comes with a couple small magnets and mounting hardware. It measures 16" x 20" so it's pretty big. It could pose as an eye soar in a family room or kitchen, so it is probably best suited for an office room. I am still trying to figure out where to put it in my home so I haven't officially used it yet.

 

For the winner of this giveaway, I also have a package of Magnetic Clips from Board Dudes. They are perfect for hanging photos or documents, or for organizing your magnetic board, refrigerator, file cabinet, or any metal surface. They come in a package of 6 and each has a different message or symbol.

 

THE GIVEAWAY
The Organized Parent has provided me with (1) Magnetic Dry Erase Rewards Chore Chart by Board Dudes, (1) Color Code Your Life by Board Dudes and (1) Magnetic Clips by Board Dudes to give away to one lucky I Heart Crafty Things reader. ($27.85 retail value).

Follow the Rafflecopter prompt below to Enter. Good Luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

**The Organized Parent provided me with the products mentioned in this post free of charge in exchange for reviewing their products, but all opinions are my own.

Organized Kitchen Fun Giveaway

I have a fun giveaway for you sponsored by The Organized Parent to help motivate you to get your kitchen organized. My favorite thing about The Organized Parent is how they carry such unique products. I'm excited to share some of the fun items they sent me this month.

 

I originally fell in love with Kikkerland products back in July when I tried out their functional list pads and talking animal clips. This time around I was able to use their Safe Kitchen Timer and Bear Bag Clips.

 

The black and stainless steal design of the Safe Timer is meant to look like a safe dial. It is magnetic and sticks right to your fridge which makes a fun little accent. My kids can't help but play with it constantly and my husband even commented how cool it looks. While I am impressed with it's design, it's buzz is not loud by any means, so you'll have to stay at a close distance from your kitchen if you have it set for something important. I have found it really useful for getting my kids motivated to read for their full 20 minutes each night for homework since they get to turn it around and listen attentively for it to buzz.

 

 

Their little bag clips are not only fun, but are used almost on a daily basis at our house. You can use them to close just about anything, and with having 3 kids and having snack time every day, they are almost a necessity.

 

 

I have a toddler who loves to get her hands on things like bag clips. They become a toy to her and she will walk around the house clipping anything she can with them. I have to say that in the past she has broken several different kinds that I've owned, but she has yet to break one of these. I've been really impressed with how sturdy they are. They definitely get my thumb of approval.

 

 

I was also able to try out an "All out of" Pad by Knock Knock. I have shared over and over again before of how much of a list girl I am so I get really excited about products like these. When I get my grocery list ready every week I inevitably always forget something. Or then there is the instances where I get everything on my list but items aren't in a great order so I end up walking all over the store several times, instead of just going through each section once and grabbing what I need.

This All Out Of Pad helps to solve those two problems. Since it comes with a heavy magnet on the back, you can attach it right to the front or side of your fridge so you can conveniently mark items off the instance you are out of them, instead of having to try to remember them later when you are making a grocery list. It also has items broken down into categories so you won't overlook items on your list that are out of order. I like that they have blank entries for each category since all of the items listed on the pad are general things. I really like the idea that this pad could possibly save me multiple trips to the grocery store.

 

The last item I was able to try are these Raval Page Flags by Girl of All Work. They have stepped up the traditional page flags by creating a stylish way to bookmark important pages in books, magazines and documents. They have several varieties with fun designs on them, but I received the Chefs Set that are specifically for bookmarking different kinds of recipes.

 

At first I wondered if this was an item I would really use. They look fun and all, but are they really useful? Then this past week I was doing homework with my Kindergartner which required us to look through a magazine. There were several different recipes in the magazine that I looked at and wanted to remember, but I didn't want to rip the entire page out of the magazine. I remembered these fun tags I had and they came in so useful for marking the pages for me to return to later. I don't feel like this is an item I would use on a regular basis, but they are still a fun, unique item to have around. Their other designs not specific to recipes would probably be used more on a regular basis.

 

DISCOUNT CODE
The Organized Parent is offering all of my readers a 15% off discount off all of the brands mentioned in this post during the month of December. To use this offer, use the following promotion codes at checkout: OP106 for Kikkerland products, OP128 for Knock Knock Products and OP105 for Girl of All Work Products.

 

THE GIVEAWAY

The Organized Parent has provided me with (1) Safe Kitchen Time by Kikkerland, (1) Bag Clips set of 6 by Kikkerland, (1) All Out Of Pad by Knock Knock and (1) Raval Page Flags by Girl of All Week to give away to one lucky I Heart Crafty Things reader. ($27.85 retail value).

Follow the Rafflecopter prompt below to Enter. Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

**The Organized Parent provided me with all of the products reviewed in this post free of charge for the sole purpose of reviewing their products, but all opinions are my own.

Kindle Fire Giveaway

 

'Twas the month before Christmas
And all throughout blog land
Were patterns and recipes,
Ornaments and cake stands.

Your favorite bloggers
Were busy as could be
Making projects and tutorials
For all to see.

Then we got an idea
For something to do
To make the holidays brighter
For one of you

All year round
You bring us such joy
Why not give one reader
A special Christmas "toy?"

We thought and we thought
Till our brains were quite tired
Then it came to us,
"A Kindle Fire!"

We all joined together,
Now today is the day
So get in your entries
For this special giveaway!

Amy @ One Artsy Mama

a Rafflecopter giveaway Giveaway ends December 14 at midnight EST.
Please follow the guidelines.
Thanks for stopping by and good luck!
 

This giveaway is sponsored by the following {fabulous} blogs; be sure to show them some love!

Kangaroom Kids Weekly Clothing Organizer Giveaway

 

I have wanted one of these Days of the Week Organizers ever since I knew they existed. Every morning I go through the same routine of getting out my kids clothes when I wake them up and I always think how much easier it would be to just have it already done in advance. You have to admit you've wanted one too, right?!

 

They are designed to be hung from any size closet rod and have five different compartments for outfits for every day of the school week, or you could use it to organize after school activities and sports uniforms. Included with the organizer is pre-printed days of the week labels, activity labels, and blank activity labels so each unit can me customized to fit your needs. 

 

Before I took my organizer out of the package I have to admit I was worried that I wouldn't be able to fit it into the current scenario in my boys' closet. Since they share a room, they have a pretty full closet. In order to keep their room open and clutter free, we keep their big toy bin and a small bookshelf in their closet, along with all of their shirts on hangers and their laundry basket. When I opened up the organizer I realized it was the perfect length to fit directly above the the laundry basket and it worked in my boy's closet like a charm. The dimensions of the organizer are: 12" W x 11" L x 33" H and it is made out of sturdy material.

 

Now I know the organizer is designed to be used for only one child, but I am using it for two. What I do is put my boys' jeans, underwear and socks in each compartment and then my boys pick what shirt they want to wear for the day and take it off the hanger in the closet themselves. Since Andy wakes up first, his clothes are on the top and Luke's are on the bottom. It is a system that is working great for us.

 

DISCOUNT CODE

The Organized Parent is offering all of my readers free shipping on your entire order if you purchase a Joey & Jane Days of the Week Organizer by Kangaroom, through  December 15, 2012. Just click on the link below and use the code OP108 to receive your free shipping.

 

 

 THE GIVEAWAY

The Organized Parent has provided me with (1) Joey & Jane Days of the Week Organizer by Kangaroom (Green color) to give away to one lucky I Heart Crafty Things reader. ($29.95 retail value).

Follow the Rafflecopter prompt below to Enter. Good Luck!!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

**The Organized Parent provided me with one free Joey & Jane Days of the Week Organizer by Kangaroom for the purposes of reviewing their product, but all opinions are my own!