four little monkeys

Thursday, April 30, 2009

New Moon Monday... er, Thursday

Yea, I really do suck, I know. But we have had such an incredible amount of garbage going on since Tuesday of last week that New Moon Monday completely slipped my mind. How could I forget, you're thinking. It baffles me too. So here we are, mid-week, and I have you a little New Moon fix. Better late than never, right?

Robert Pattinson made People's 100 Most Beautiful People Issue. Surprised? I think not!

Little Painted Polka Dots {Giveaway!) Ends 5/16

There is an arts and crafts show in Birmingham, Alabama every year that I made a point of going to when I was in the South. They had tons of handmade/homemade goodies, and one-of-a-kind presents that you hadn't seen or couldn't find anywhere else. One of my favorite things I've ever purchased from there was a birth plaque. It has my son's name, weight, time of birth, length, and birth date all beautifully hand painted. When I became pregnant with my second son and we then moved to the Midwest, I thought for sure there was no way I would find a similar gift that was as beautiful as the first one.

Then, along came an email from Little Painted Polka Dots. As I perused their collection I stopped short when I came to the baby section and saw the birth plaques I knew right away that I wanted - no needed - to order one. It is a different material, different size, and different color than the first plaque I had made, but it just as gorgeous!

It is painted on sturdy wood, with beautiful pain colors. The words are all hand painted and done with care. I am in love, and so thankful that both of my boys have these. Should we have another child I will definitely be getting another birth plaque from Little Painted Polka Dots!

If you aren't in the market for this particular items, check out their botique and find whatever tickles your fancy! From tutus and bows, to murals, to personalized jewelry, Little Painted Polka Dots is the perfect gift shop!

With the fantastic selection available Little Painted Polka Dots is giving 1 Grab Bag reader the chance to choose from one of these items:

How To Enter: Go to Little Painted Polka Dot's website and tell me your favorite product. {THIS IS MANDATORY TO ENTER AS IS INCLUDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS}

Extra Entries: Please leave in separate comments
- Blog about this giveaway
-follow me
-add me on twitter and tweet this contest: (GrabBagReviews)
-add my button to your sidebar
-post about this contest on your blog
-subscribe to Grab Bag Reviews (top left)
-"stumble" this contest
-fave me on technorati

Contest ends May 16th. Please leave your email address.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

SinuCleanse Kid's Mist {Giveaway!} Ends 5/15

I have been a Neti Pot user for years. I know that alot of people are still unaware of how to use one, or even what it is. Nasal irrigation, or nasal washing, has many health benefits and during cold and flu season is a must. When I get any form of cold the first thing I do is pull out my Neti Pot.

For the kids there is the Kid's Mist from SinuCleanse. Here is a little bit more about the SinuCleanse line.

"Nasal washing (also known as nasal irrigation or jala neti) is a personal hygiene practice that involves flooding the nasal cavity with warm saline solution (salt water). This soothing action removes excess mucus and moisturizes the nasal cavity.

The SinuCleanse® system offers an effective, all-natural way to cleanse the nose and help control sinus and nasal symptoms over time. It promotes and maintains sinonasal health by treating the root cause of the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms.

The 100% all-natural saline solution used with the SinuCleanse® system soothes on contact and provides safe and immediate sinus relief. It is completely natural and contains no harmful additives, such as preservatives, anti-caking agents, or iodine, which are commonly found in most saline solutions. Because of this, the SinuCleanse® system can be used as often as needed to manage and prevent sinus congestion.

Because SinuCleanse® in 100% all natural, with no preservatives, the SinuCleanse® system can be used as a complement to current sinus medication and even help intensify the effectiveness of sinus medication.

Both the SinuCleanse® Neti Pot and the SinuCleanse® Squeeze™ bottle can be used for adults and children as young as age 4 and 5. SinuCleanse® Kids Mist™ is the best solution for infants to children up to 12 years old who are resistant to the SinuCleanse® Neti Pot or SinuCleanse® Squeeze™ use.

For continual healthy sinuses, SinuCleanse® should be used at least once daily as part of one's personal hygiene regimen. Learn more about the health benefits of nasal cleansing with SinuCleanse®."

And how was the SinuCleanse system developed?

"Diane G. Heatley, M.D., leading sinus expert and developer of the SinuCleanse® nasal wash system, practices pediatric otolaryngology in Madison, Wisconsin, where she has served as Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine since 1993.

In 1995, a co-worker who was studying yoga introduced the neti pot nasal wash to Dr. Heatley. Intrigued, she began using it in her ear, nose and throat practice and now recommends it nearly every day to both children and adults who suffer from sinus disease.

Traditionally, neti pots are made of ceramic or glass. These tend to break, particularly when used by children whose hands are slippery with water and who drop them in unforgiving locations like the bathroom sink. To address this, Dr. Heatley helped develop the SinuCleanse® system – an unbreakable plastic version of the traditional yoga nasal washing pot, complete with prepackaged with instructions for use and dry ingredient packets to mix a safe and comfortable irrigating solution. In 1997, Dr. Heatley and Dave Gallo founded Madison, Wisconsin-based Med-Systems, Inc. where she currently serves as president."

With the new Swine Flu epedemic/pandemic that is now sweeping the planet, these are handy to keep aorund for preventative nasal washing and used as treatment once you have an illness.

A lucky reader is going to get their own Kid's Mist SinuCleanse system! This includes a 3 week supply Ultra-Fine saline mister and three .5oz pre-mixed, preservative free saline solution vials.

How To Enter: Go to the SinuCleanse website and tell me something about the line that I didn't mention here. {THIS IS MANDATORY TO ENTER AS IS INCLUDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS}

Contest ends May 15th. Please leave your email address.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

{ENDED} HydraCoach Giveaway 3 WINNERS Ends 5/14

Have you seen those commercials for the bottles water where they say kids don't run through sprinklers of high fructose corn syrup, or jump into pools full of sugar? It's so true, but not just for our kids. I think it is so easy to do better for our children than we do for ourselves, and I know more times that I would like to count I've given my children a sippy of water or milk and grabbed a diet or regular soda for myself. That is especially bad considering half of what our children do they learned from us. Bad example, eh?

So I've been on the search to find ways to help me get my water, not only for the impression I'm making on my children, but for the health of my body. Here are some interesting facts about your body and water and why you NEED to be drinking it.
LOSING WEIGHT - I knew this one would get your attention, because it definitely has mine! Not only does no calorie water serve to replace the all of those nasty carbonated and sugary beverages, but it also helps to curb your appetite. Next time you want to munch before mealtime, grab an 8oz glass of water, wait 20 minutes, and see how you feel.

WATER, WATER, IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART. THE MORE YOU DRINK THE MORE YOU... Lower your risk for heart attack. A six-year study published in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who drink more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses.

HEADACHE - Did you know that a lot of headaches are actually brought on by dehydration? If you feel physically thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Here are some other signs

Fatigue
Headache
Dry mouth
Dizziness
Weakness
Rapid heartbeat
Dry, flushed skin
Muscle cramps, and myofascial pain.

HydraCoach is the way that I make sure my body is getting the water that it needs. How does it work and what is it?

"The HydraCoach hydration monitor is a revolutionary interactive fluid measurement device that automatically calculates, monitors and provides instant feedback on fluid consumption for athletes, medical professionals and other health conscious individuals. Determined by a users weight and duration of exercise (sport version), the product will generate a personal hydration goal for the day. The monitor can be further adjusted manually in the setup mode to accommodate other known hydration factors (i.e. intensity of exercise, heat, altitude, pregnancy, etc...) to meet each user's specific hydration needs, or the recommendation of one's coach or other nutrition expert. Visit our Hydration Calculator page to generate your recommended fluid intake during exercise and for the day based on your level of exertion.

By addressing the unique and individual needs of all users, HydraCoach hydration monitors provide numerous far-reaching benefits. Understanding the ill-effects of both dehydration and over-hydration (hyponatremia), serious athletes to casual outdoor enthusiasts alike will find the monitor will help ensure "proper hydration" during exercise thereby elevating and sustaining performance levels. Health care providers are able to more closely monitor a patient’s compliance to their prescribed health program in order to help aid in recovery. Dietitians and spa technicians can design custom hydration plans to better suit their clients and more effectively track their progress. A sample list of other uses may include:

Athletes	Coaches	Trainers
Nutritionists	Doctors	Exercise Physiologists
Hiking	Backpacking	Soccer
Running	Cycling	Mountain Biking
Special Forces	Military	Elderly
Health Club	Weight Loss	Day Spa
Spinning	Boating	Adventure Racing

The HydraCoach is a dynamic tool that promotes daily hydration to virtually anyone interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This versatile device features a detachable head unit that can be used with any compatible HydraCoach system. Users can refill their containers at any time and HydraCoach will monitor the cumulative volume of fluid consumed."

It's a user friendly product that makes your life easier while also making it healthier. Even Ellen Degeneres included them on her 12 Days Of Giveaways this past Christmas!

And now I am going to give 3 readers a HydraCoach of their very own!

How To Enter: Go to HydraCoach's website and tell me which color you would like. {THIS IS MANDATORY TO ENTER AS IS INCLUDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS}

Contest ends May 14th. Please leave your email address.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Win. Winner. Winners. Winningest.

Here is our latest batch of winners. Congrats to everyone & a big thank you to all of the participants!

Radius Toothbrush Winner

Dev said... 2

: I follow.

pma_devri(at)hotmail(dot)com; Mar 27, 2009 1:21:00 PM

SnackTAXI

Tylerpants said... 113

: I am a follower; Apr 13, 2009 6:58:00 PM

Atkins

Tj and Amy said... 12

: I subscribe. amsbolda@hotmail.com; Apr 3, 2009 11:27:00 PM

CrazyDog Tee *2 WINNERS*

LT said... 69

: I am a subscriber; Apr 12, 2009 2:37:00 PM

susan said... 23: I follow on twitter and tweeted. http://twitter.com/susanlanai/status/1470888019; Apr 7, 2009 12:43:00 PM

Eden Fantasys & Grab Bag Reviews TOTM

souldolphindream said... 94

: Tickler her nipple kit is the one that I would pick!

souldolphindream@aol.com

thanks for the giveaway that made me laugh and maybe even blush a little; Apr 21, 2009 6:33:00 PM