Adorable Handmade Skirt @theChirpingMoms Giveaway+Tutorial

Check out this adorable skirt that the Chirping Moms handmade for Zion!

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Learn how to make this skirt and enter to win one via the Chirping Moms!

Dreaming Forward + Giveaway Party Planning with Beau-Coup.com

If you follow me on Twitter, then you know I have a serious case of "baby fever."  While I always wanted to have at least two years between each children, I didn't imagine that (even if I was pregnant this moment) they'd be three years apart.  Still, I know everything works out for a reason.  Of course it feels like everyone around me is pregnant, or just had a baby, so I've been looking for ideas for baby shower gifts.

Owl Snuggle Sack

And that has also had me dreaming up future baby shower and party ideas.  I was recently introduced to Beau-Coup.com, and I'm just in love with all of their themed party kits, baby shower favors and wide variety of other party supplies.  Their Jungle Safari themed party supplies (shown above) are just adorable and perfect for a gender-neutral party!

I've also fallen in love with this collection of Chic Paris themed party supplies and hope to use them at an upcoming ladies soiree or brunch.  There is  a huge variety of modern and chic party supplies for every occasion at Beau-Coup.com.

Are you currently planning a party or looking for a great gift idea?  Good news!  Beau-Coup.com and Baxtron{Life} have partnered to bring one lucky reader a $50 Gift Voucher to use on their site!  Enter the giveaway below!

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Check it out:New YP.com App

Find YP on Facebook and Twitter!

In case you've been wondering what ever happened to that beautiful albeit ginormous book that we all used to receive once a year, I've found it!  YP.com (or Yellow Pages) has gone Mobile - in an awesome way.  

I had the opportunity recently to test out some of the features for YP app, and I'm ready to share what I like and other thoughts I have about the app.  

Let's start with likes:  

1.  The app is extremely user-friendly.  It seemed that no matter what option I used, whether searching for a restaurant or uploading a photo, there was only flawless execution.  Everything is designed in a way that is simple to figure out, which is key when it comes to selling me on a new app.  

2.  Ratings and reviews are simple and effective.  There are two different methods of feedback you can give a business via the YP app: a rating - which is basically a quick thumbs up/thumbs down or a review which includes your own written text (made even easier with voice-to-text features on my iPhone).  

3.  Advanced search features: search by menu item and find lowest-gas price.  I love the feature to search by menu item.  I was looking for a good cheeseburger in my area - and voila I plugged that baby in and got a list of several restaurants nearby serving cheeseburgers - I could quickly check their ratings to see which was the best option.  

On that note, though I wasn't doing any driving recently that required it, I had to try out the "find lowest gas price" feature.  First, finding an actual gas station is not exactly easy in New York - the city where mass transit trumps most everyday driving, so its nice to know I can easily pull up a list of nearby stations.  Add the fact that it will show me the current rates at these locations so I can find the most affordable gas while I'm at it, and I'm sold.  Did I mention you can change the grade of the gasoline for the search as well?  Bonus!

Other thoughts:

While I really enjoyed doing the reviews and ratings of several restaurants I've been to, I would like to see the reviews, ratings and photos connect together on my review profile.  I realized after rating a few restaurants that reviews were an entirely different component.  And then also when adding a photo - I'm  not sure it was credited to me as the one who took the picture - I don't see my photos necessarily showing up alongside my reviews.

I do like that all of my reviews and ratings are stored in "My Stuff" so that I can easily go back and check to see what I thought of a place - or what I loved about it.  

Check out my review of Slightly Oliver, Antika Pizzeria or Del Frisco's on YP.Com!

Best Fish & Chips in NYC - Slightly Oliver

You can also access YP on the web - and the cool thing is that your review and ratings sync with the YP app (and vice versa).  Check out the YP App and let me know what you think!  

Thank you to YP for being a sponsor. Check out the latest YP app or YP.com to find food nearby fast! YP is your local companion for making decisions on everything from where to eat to where to find cheap gas. This post is in conjunction with my relationship with the Clever Girls Collective, and all opinions expressed here are my own. #YPcrave

A Cute+Cool GiveawayGardner and the Gang

We are obsessed quite smitten with the newly released clothing line and online boutique, Gardner and the Gang, designed by the amazingly talented Swedish graphic designer, Kristin Nystrom.

"IT’S CUTE WITH A HINT OF ATTITUDE,
JUST LIKE OUR CHILDREN." 

The garments are all 100% cotton, printed with silk screen printing.  The material is high quality, and didn't lose any of its luster, even after washing in the unforgiving industrial laundry machines of New York City.  I am super impressed by the fabric quality and texture; everything has that "favorite cotton t-shirt" feeling to it.  

Zion is totally comfortable and relaxed while wearing her Helmut Harem pant…while at the same time she looks upscale, modern and fashionable, the perfect combination of cute and cool for New York City.  My husband at first thought the harem pants might be weird, but he actually loves the way they look on Zion, as do I, they are our favorite item from the collection so far.  Did I mention she loves pockets?

via Gardner and the Gang

The initial collection is based on 4 colors and 4 models, fits boy and girls age 3 months to 2 years, and features limited edition production based on illustrations called Helmut Flamingo and Love Skull.

Gardner and the Gang has partnered with Baxtron{Life} this month to give you an exclusive chance of winning an outfit from the limited edition first production!!  One lucky winner will receive a harem pant + top of their choice!  Enter via the rafflecopter widget below! 

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Disclosure: This post is a collaboration between Gardner and the Gang and Baxtron{Life}.  It is part of a customized campaign, compensation and items from the collection were provided.  All opinions expressed here are my own.  

Chocolate Goodness GiveawayIntroducing Nestle Crunch Girl Scouts Candybars

Every year when Girl Scouts across America launch their fundraising with their deliciously satisfying boxes of cookies - I get excited.  I love their little colorful boxes of decadent cookie-goodness!  When I recently was invited to an event at Dylan's Candy Store - for the launch of the limited edition Nestle Crunch Girls Scouts Candy-bars - I was like - "WHOA! GIRL SCOUTS CANDY-BARS?" 

While I couldn't attend the event itself, I knew I had to get my hands on these limited edition treats!  Friends, let me just tell you, these little bars are MAGIC in your mouth.  They come in three different flavors - Thin Mint, Peanut Butter Creme, and my ultimate favorite - Caramel & Coconut (Samoas Anyone?!!!)

I got to thinking - why hasn't this been done before!?  And then I thought, Nestle Crunch + Girl Scouts = Genius idea.  Just in case your not sitting there on this Friday, salivating for a bite of one of these, let me just give you a closer look into each flavor:

The idea of working with the Girl Scouts brand and a licensing agreement just clicked on so many levels.  Crunch is a brand that has such a strong all-American heritage, from our red, white, and blue wrapper to the fact that it has been a sweet part of American households since the 1930s.  Of course, Girl Scouts is the quintessential all-American organization with an incredible mission, and a sweet history of being the largest girl-led business in the country with its Girl Scout Cookie sales.~Nestle Crunch

After tasting, and enjoying these I can honestly say they are incredibly yummy - the hubs and daughter couldn't agree more!  We received a box of the fun size bars on a Friday and all but 3 were gone by Monday!  

You can get your hands on Nestle Crunch Girl Scouts Candybars - for a LIMITED TIME - at major retailers this Summer.  But why wait until you happen upon them at the store…enter the giveaway below to WIN A BOX OF NESTLE CRUNCH GIRL SCOUTS CANDYBARS - delivered to your door!

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Disclosure: I was given a free box of Nestle Crunch Girl Scouts Candybars to enjoy - and I did.
My honest opinion is the only one you will find here.

Somme Institute {Boost Mask & Eye Cream}

Where'd my wrinkles go?

 Oh heya!  But luckily, I don't make this face often.  LOL!

Hey lovelies! 

Remember a few weeks ago, 

when I shared my love of the Somme Institute's MDT5 Skincare Regimen?  

You just have to compare the pictures from that post to this one!  

Look at my skin after continued daily use!  

Can you find those forehead wrinkles anywhere?

Of course, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, 

I received their Boost mask and their Eye cream to try out.  

 This stuff is delicious…it goes on silky smooth and instantly begins to warm up.  

Want to know the best part? 

It smells like pumpkin pie.  

No, seriously, like...I want to eat it off my face when I use it, thats how delicious it smells.

 After a few minutes, 

I feel as though I'm lounging at a day spa,

feeling tension and stress leave my face.  

Voila…dewey fresh skin, 

ready to "Boost" the rest of my MDT5 skincare regimen.

Overall, I'm highly impressed by the Boost mask (it even made it on my top ten favorite beauty products list)! I love the feel of it on my skin and how it amplifies the effects of the MDT5 regimen!

 How old do I look in this picture?

 My use of the Somme Institute's Eye cream has resulted in several compliments I have received over the last couple of weeks.  

I don't buy alcohol often (because I don't drink), 

so when I was picking up some wine for a brunch, 

and was asked for my ID, I was SHOCKED. 

Hello, biggest compliment ever!

 Here is a before shot.  

You can see fine lines and darkness around the inner part of my eye.

The most noticeable difference you are about to see is 

the darkened skin in the inner eye area is almost completely gone.

 This is after a few weeks of using "Eye."

With make-up on.

The Eye cream goes on super silky and a little teeny bit goes a long way.  

The bottom-line…you have got to try these!  

I received free product to review for this post, however; all of the opinions expressed are authentically my own.  

Disclosure Policy.

Zion's First Haircut & $100 Visa Giveaway {Find Great Deals on SquareSpot}

Thank you to SquareSpot for sponsoring this post! 
Visit SquareSpot to find great deals and discounts on high quality family-centric products and services.

It was finally time to take Zion in for her first hair cut.  We've put it off as much as possible because her hair has been relatively easy to handle and beautiful, crazy beautiful even.  But Easter morning confirmed the need:

Luckily, I had just signed up to try SquareSpot, an online market providing great savings and benefits for busy urban moms on a wide range of high quality goods and services in New York City.  They just so happened to have a fantastic deal for a cute little children's boutique in Brooklyn called Mini Max.

I am always looking for reasons to go to new places and experience new things in the city, and haven't been to Brooklyn in who knows how long, so I new this deal was perfect for me.  For $15 I was able to purchase a $20 gift certificate which would cover almost the entire cost of Zion's haircut.  Plus, I knew they also carried a small collection of fun eco-friendly toys and couldn't wait to have Zion pick something out on our special date.

This morning, we ventured out in the windy but warm weather…on our special date to Brooklyn for her haircut.  We enjoyed the long relaxing train ride with relatively few transfers.  Getting to Brooklyn never felt easier!  We arrived at our destination where Zion was warmly welcomed and given her choice of kid show and salon chair.  She chose a Diego video and then a yellow cab to sit in for her cut.  (Such a NYC girl already!)  I, of course, hovered and took pictures like the paparazzi, just like any first time mom would do!

There have been so many big milestones this week, all blatantly screaming at me that my little baby girl is a full on little girl now…no baby at all.  It really hasn't all hit me yet, but I am sure it is just a matter of time, in fact I can feel the "they grow up so fast" tears just waiting to be released like a torrential Spring rain.  

After Zion's haircut we took some time to pick out a couple of new toys.  First she gravitated to the tea party sets, then to the musical instruments, but in the end we took home some cute animal bath toys and a new farm puzzle.  Prices were incredibly reasonable and we both had a great time.  My expectations were far exceeded for both Mini Max, for being crazy awesome, and SquareSpot for connecting me to such a great establishment through a great offer!

Shortly after I purchased the Mini Max offer on SquareSpot, I had to go back and check out the additional deals and discounts on high quality, family-centric products and services that were being offered to make sure I didn't miss out!  They rotate new deals in and out on a weekly basis.  

source

As you know I've been working hard at losing weight and getting in shape in my weekly Meltdown series, so I simply had to purchase the Moms of Steel offer for three Fitness "Bootcamp" Stroller workouts in Central Park for the price of one!  I haven't booked my dates yet, because I am still finishing up my current program, but after such a great experience with the first offer I tried, I am sure this is going to be top notch!

One of the things I loved learning about SquareSpot was that they test each product or service so everything on the site is hand picked!  They also offer a SquareCard program that gives you discounts off hundreds of New York City services and programs!  From what I have seen so far they are constantly adding more partners to their list.  The website is super easy to use and thankfully I don't have a ton of offer emails flooding my inbox.  If you are a New York City mama I totally recommend you check them out and sign-up for an account!

Thanks to SquareSpot, one of my lovely readers is going to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!!  Will it be you?

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I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own. #CGSquareSpot #spon