How to Move from Blogger to WordPress: Review and Giveaway

Ok, attempt #3 at posting this review! Blogger wasn't working properly the first time I wrote it and pushed "publish" so the whole post was lost..... GRRRR!!! Moving to WordPress is looking better and better....

Anyway, this is an excellent book. How to Move from Blogger to WordPress is incredibly detailed, worded for people with very little techie knowledge and even includes pcitures! I think this book would qualify as one of the "For Dummies" series. Every detail is covered.

Step-by-step, author Sharon Hujik holds your hand through the scary process of creating a domain name and moving to WordPress as well as moving your followers, redirecting traffic, etc. This 97 page e-book is absolutely invaluable to anyone considering making this move. Instead of paying the costly price of hiring a web designer or programmer, you could purchase this e-book for only $35. Plus, you can save 20% right now with the code time4wp.

This book isn't just for those considering the move to WordPress, but also for those who may have tried to make the move themselves and made a few mistakes. :)

Interested in this book but don't want to pay for it just yet? The author has graciously offered to giveaway 2 copies to my readers! You'll definitely want to enter this giveaway if you're interested in moving you blog from Blogger to WordPress.

To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me if you've already made the move to WordPress or not. How did it go for you?



2. Follow this blog or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)



3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link



4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)



5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do



6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are

That's 6 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday July 8th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Disclosure: I received this e-book, free of charge, from Sharon Hujik, for the purposes of this review. All views/opinions are my own

Manhattan Toy: PJ Tots

We totally *heart* little girl stuff around here. You know, with having two little girls around and all. :) That's why I jumped at the chance to review a sweet little doll from Manhattan Toy. A little girl can never have too many dolls, right?

How adorable is that?! She has sweet little bunny ears and everything. When it came in the mail the other day my oldest daught could barely hold in her excitement. When I handed it over she declared it "very comfy" and decided that she loves it. It even came with a cute little matching sleeping bag.

Her new residence is my 3 year old's bed. :) They are very soft and sweet. I totally love the PJ Tots toys.

Would you like to receive a sweet little doll and sleeping bag? I thought so. Manhattan Toy has offered to giveaway the same doll and sleeping bag I received.

To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me what you plan to do with your doll... what little girl are you going to make happy? :)


2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)


3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link


4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)


5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do


6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are


7. Follow @ManhattanToy on Twitter.


8. Like Manhattan Toy on Facebook.

That's 8 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday April 22nd at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Disclosure: I received a PJ Tot, free of charge, from Manhattan Toy, for the purposes of this review. All views/opinions are my own

Review and Giveaway: Betty Crocker Instant Mashed Potatoes

I LOVE mashed potatoes, especially during holiday times. Just to be honest, I usually dislike instant mashed potatoes... a lot. But my husband likes them and we have gravy to use up, so I figured I'd give Betty Crocker's Potatoes a try. I was so excited to get the package in the mail, especially because I can use the bowl, spoon and trivet for other things!

I was very surprised by how good the Roasted Garlic Instant Potatoes were. I actually almost liked them and my husband definitely really liked them. I will agree that instant mashed potatoes are a million times easier than making homemade.

I didn't care for the Creamy Butter potatoes because they were too.... instant mashed potatoe-y. Weirdly, my 18 month old adored them. I gave her a little fork and she sat and ate a ton of them. They were just the right consistency for her to scoop and get into her little mouth without them dropping off the fork. Perfect!!

For more information, visit BettyCrocker.com, and be sure to follow Betty Crocker on Twitter and “Like” the Facebook page. If you're interested in buying some for yourself, you can get a $0.55/1 coupon for Betty Crocker Instant Mashed Potatoes, which will make for a decent deal if your store doubles.

Want to win the fun prize pack they sent me? I knew you would! My Blog Spark has offered to givea one of my readers a prize pack that includes two boxes of Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes (one Roasted Garlic and one Homestyle Creamy Butter), a serving bowl, a trivet and a serving spoon! To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me how you plan to use your prize pack
   
2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are
   

That's 6 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday December 17th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Review and Giveaway: Wanchai Ferry and Macaroni Grill Dinner Kits

My husband and I love Macaroni Grill. Actually, we love it so much and it had so much significance for us, it's where he proposed to me! We love going to Macaroni Grill, but it can be a bit on the pricey side. Plus, it's often packed and with two small children, it's just not usually worth it for us to go.

That's why I love the Macaroni Grill Boxed dinner kits! You can enjoy Macaroni Grill favorites (such as Chicken Piccata and Angel Hair Pasta, Creamy Basil Parmesan Chicken & Pasta, Chicken Alfredo with Linguine, Garlic & Herb Chicken Penne, and Chicken Marsala with Linguine) at home for fraction of the price and no long waits.

These make for wonderful after the kids go to bed, stay at home date nights. They taste wonderful and my husband loves them. We made the Creamy Basil Parmesan Chicken & Pasta for lunch to celebrate our 4th anniversary this year. I wanted to do it for dinner on our anniversary and make it special, but I was sick. :( It still made for a lovely lunch sate! I wish I had pictures to share, but it was a rough week with two sick kids and a still slightly sicky mama.

Like Chinese better than Italian? Great! They have Wanchai Ferry dinner kits too! They have fun, flavorful dishes such as Cashew Chicken, Spicy Garlic Chicken, Orange Chicken, and Kung Pao Chicken.

Admittedly, these kits don't really go along with my efforts to eat healthier, but I thought it was ok to splurge a little for a special occasion!

For more information and dinner tips, visit WanchaiFerryAtHome.com and MacaroniGrillAtHome.com. You can also follow Macaroni Grill on Twitter and “Like” the Facebook page to keep up with all of the latest news on your Macaroni Grill favorites!

Want to create your own special stay at home date night? You can get a coupon for $2.25/2 dinner kits. Plus, My Blog Spark will give on of my readers the same Date Night prize pack they sent me that includes one Wanchai Ferry dry dinner kit, one Macaroni Grill dry dinner kit, and a $25 Visa gift card that you can use to create a magical date night at home. To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me how you plan to use your date night kit
   
2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are
   

That's 6 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday December 17th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

**I received a free date night kit from My Blog Spark to review and do a giveaway. All of the thoughts and opinions are mine and not influenced by a free product.**

Giveaway: Facing the Giants

I adore this movie, Facing the Giants. Seriously. My husband and I own this movie and we have an extra, brand new copy in plastic to giveaway to one of you! I'll try my best to get the giveaway going and closed and mailed in time for Christmas, but I can't make any guarantees.

To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me what you plan to do with this movie
   
2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!

That's 6 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday December 10th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Review and Giveaway: Kids'N'Pets

Kids make messes. Pets make messes. How genius that someone made a product specifically for the messes that kids and pets are so famous for. :)

Kids'N'Pets makes products designed to clean up the messes kids and pets make and safely remove odors, but without harsh chemicals and more odors. This stuff is supposed to work well for potty training accidents, pet accidents, bed wetting, vomiting, laundry, carpet, old stains, ect. You can even use it directly on a skunked dog! LOL. It's pretty multipurpose and comes in a HUGE bottle.

I received their 20 oz. bottle of Instant All-Purpose Stain & Odor Remover. I wasn't sure what to use it on, since we don't have pets and finished potty training a while ago, so I decided to try it on an old stain on our couch cover that I suspect is from a black marker.... It smelled pleasant, but it didn't get it totally out. It did fade the stain pretty well, which I thought was great since it was such an old stain. I think I'll try another dose on it soon.

You can find Kids'N'Pets at Walmart, grocery stores or on Amazon. You can use the store locator to find them. You can also get a rebate for a FREE bottle of Kids ‘N’ Pets by Liking them on Facebook.

We've been talking about Home Keeping lately... would you like Kids'N'Pets for free without messing with a rebate? Great! The company offered to give one of my readers a free prize pack which will include a 20 oz. bottle of All-Purpose Stain & Odor Remover, as well as an 8 oz. bottle of Deep Clean Carpet Cleaning Powder.


To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me what you want to use this on
2. Like Kids ‘N’ Pets on Facebook
3. Follow @KIDS_N_PETS on Twitter
4. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
5. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
6. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
7. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
8. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
9. Join in on our Keeping the Home linky and share with us how you're learning to be more content, a better homekeeper, re-purposing things you already have, etc
   

That's 9 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday October 15th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Precious Moments Baby Boutique: Review and Giveaway (Closed)

**This giveaway is now closed**

Since I've been talking about my kid's room's this week, I thought this would be the perfect time to do a giveaway for an adorable stuffed animal from the Precious Moments Baby Boutique.

I remember Precious Moments collectibles from when I was young and they were usually all porcelain and you couldn't touch them. I've never thought of them the way I do now! I never realized they had a whole website full of interesting and adorable baby items as well as collectibles for those that are older. :)

In their Precious Moments Baby Boutique they have a whole slew of adorable things including cuddly toys, bottles, DVDs, bedding, picture frames and more. This is definitely a site to check out if you have a baby shower coming up. These would all make wonderful, keepsake gifts.

The company sent me a cute little stuffed giraffe for my youngest daughter to test drive. :)

It's definitely precious. I can't say that this is her favorite toy (she already has a ratty, worn, stained lovey) but I keep it in her crib with her and she seems to like it. My older daughter, who's 3, wanted to add it to her already overflowing collection too. If I have another baby in the near future, I might try using this giraffe as the new baby's lovey.

They are also offering one of my readers the chance to win a sweet little stuffed giraffe as well! If you have a young child or have a baby shower approaching that you need a gift for, you'd definitely want to win this! :)

To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me your memories of Precious Moments
   
2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
7. Join in on our Keeping the Home linky this Friday and share with us how you're learning to be more content, a better homekeeper, re-purposing things you already have, etc
   

That's 7 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday October 1st at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Review and Giveaway: Dryel Dry Cleaning Starter Kit

I don't dry clean. Period. End of statement. I don't do it. This means I also don't buy anything that says "dry clean only" on it. That is, I didn't until this summer. I bought this adorable $1 linen skirt at a garage sale without looking at the tag. Sure enough, there was the dreaded phrase: DRY CLEAN ONLY!!!

Ack! What to do? I'm certainly not going to make a trip to the dry cleaners with two small children in tow for one skirt. I was contemplating washing it anyway but I really didn't want to ruin my $1 bargain find. :)How lucky for me I signed up to review the Dryel Dry Cleaning Starter Kit!! Using just my dryer and the Dryel Dry Cleaning system, I can now clean my skirt and any other Dry Clean only things I may now purchase!

The kit comes with a large bag that will fit 1-4 items. You add a Dryel cleaning cloth (my free sample was clean breeze scent) and put the bag n the dryer. In just 30 minutes, pull your clothes out, hang them up so any wrinkles can fall out and you're done! The bag is reusable (up to 50 loads), you just have to buy additional cleaning cloths. My kit also came with refill coupons, since I'm so cheap and all. :)

Interested in having one of your own? Yeah, I thought so. I will be giving away one Dryel Starter Kit (see the end of this post) or if you aren't lucky enough to win, Wal-mart will have Dryel Starter kits you can buy that have a "Free after mail-in rebate" offer on them.

Want to win one and skip the hassel of a rebate? To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me what you do about dry cleaning stuff
   
2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
   

That's 6 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Friday September 10th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Review and Giveaway: Boz the Bear

As I mentioned, I often struggle with how much t.v. to allow my 3 year old to watch. Thankfully, I do have some videos that make me feel a little better about giving in to her request for t.v. time. Some of my favorite videos are the Boz the Green Bear Next Door videos!

Boz is a Christian educational character created specifically for preschoolers by Exclaim Entertainment. This is important, because I often feel that a lot of Christian children's DVD's are over my daughter's head. These videos are perfect for her and she loves them!

Each video is about 45 minutes long (usually broken up into 3 "episodes") and focuses on a different topic. You can choose from titles such as "Thank You God for Bananas, Bubbles and Busy Bodies" and "Thank You God for Adventures in Imagination." You can even click the link to go and see the trailers for their videos. Each video demonstrates respect for elders, prayer, catchy song, fun learning and more.

In addition to the videos, you can also get Boz books, free teaching resources, cds, and toys. I love their website because they have a lot of information including games, computer wallpapers coloring pages, "read with Boz" and fun family activity ideas. There's even a special section just for parents to learn about Boz and what he's all about.


Ok, so enough about how much we love Boz. I'm so super excited to be able to giveaway 2 Boz DVD's to one of my readers! I have "Thank You God for Bananas, Bubbles and Busy Bodies" and "Thank You God for Friends and Helpers" to give away! To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Tell me what you'd like most about Boz
   
2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
   

That's 6 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Sunday August 22nd at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Snikiddy Snacks Giveaway

Don't forget, you can still enter the giveaway for a free sample of Snikiddy Cheddar Baked Fries until tomorrow (7/30) at 11PM!

Review and Giveaway: Snikiddy Cheddar Baked Fries

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a snacker, which is why I'm also a dieter :) My kiddos love snacks as well, so I was very eager to try Snikiddy Cheddar Baked Fries. Since my daughter gets a special treat everyday at "rest time" I allowed her first dibs on these treats the day they came in the mail. Boy was she excited!

Honestly, the first thing I noticed was that they were pretty high in calories (130), especially compared to my usual snack of 100 calories. When we opened them and started eating them I was very surprised at the amount of them in a 1 oz bag! My daughter couldn't even finish them, so I helped her. :) They definitely had a very cheddary taste to them.

You can purchase Snikiddy Sharing packs at Alice.com for $1 off and free shipping! They have lots of other flavors to and a 4.5 oz bag of Cheddar Baked Fries is only $1.79, not bad!

I think these are a great indulgence treat, especially if you like chips. These are baked and have 50% fewer calories than regular potato chips. Add in the fact that they are preservative free, all natural, gluten free, peanut free, wheat free, have no corn syrup, no trans fat and no hydrogenated oils.... not bad for a snack in today's world! They definitely aren't what I'd consider a health food, but if you're looking for a snack that'll do less damage than the usual fare, I'd recommend these. You can follow Snikiddy on both Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date and you can enter their sweepstakes on Facebook (under the sweeps tab) to win a Snikiddy gift basket or Jamis Kids' Bike.

By the way, Snikiddy Snacks is offering a free 1 oz. bag sample to one of my readers to try out as well! These would be great if you have any allergies in your family! To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Visit Snikiddy Snacks, and let me know which flavor you think you'd like best!
   
2. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
   

That's 6 chances to win! The giveaway is open from now until Fridau July 30th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Date Night Giveaway (Closed): 2 Free McDonald's Coupons

Did you notice the amazing free coupon for McDonald's in your newspaper this past Sunday? Because my husband works in a nursing home that has recycling bins he managed to round up 11 of these wonderful little treats.

Last night, my husband and I took our 2 girls to a nearby McDonald's and enjoyed two free smoothies while our girls played inside the Play-Place. True, it wasn't a kid's free date night, but it was still great to sit and talk while the girls played and we didn't have to worry about them wandering off! Plus, sis I mention it was totally free? :) I think reconnecting on a regular basis is a great way to love my husband.

To help you on your journey of loving your husband, I'm offering to giveaway 2 of these awesome date coupons (just in case you didn't get a chance to nab your own)! Wondering why I'm making it a goal of this blog to encourage you to love your husband? Check out my post over here and I hope you'll join me!

To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Leave me a comment telling me how you actively work on loving your husband (if you're not married, tell me how you plan on enjoying these!)
   
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
3. Become a follower/feed reader or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
   

That's 6 chances to win! Sorry, but I can only mail to the USA or Canada. The giveaway is open from now until Monday July 26th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Covermate: Review and Giveaway

I recently received a box of CoverMate food covers to use and review from CoverMate through MamaBuzz. I was very excited about this product and it definitely didn't let me down!

I really hate riffling through my storage containers to find the right size for the leftovers from dinner. I hate trying to find the lid that fits. That's why my husband usually tackles this part of cleanup. The new solution: just pop a CoverMate food cover over the plate and skip all the hassle! It's ready to go right into the refrigerator!

That's cut up cooked sweet potatoes for the baby, by the way! Like our Pooh-bear dinnerware? :)

This is also perfect for when my daughter won't finish her dinner and I save it for when she asks for a snack... :) They're microwavable, so it makes it easy to reheat her food without it splattering and making yet another mess for me to clean. Their shape allows them to easily fit round or square containers. You can even check out a video about them here.

These little things are super easy to wash, especially if you're a zip-lock baggie saver. I just wash mine by hand in soapy water, but they're even dishwasher safe. The manufacturer suggested turning it inside out and putting it on a clean plate and into the dishwasher. Voila! Clean and dry!

Interested in getting some for yourself? I thought so. If you hop on over to their site, you can get a free sample pack, you just pay $3.95 for shipping and handling. For some reason, their site is having a security certificate issue. I clicked through and it was fine, but it's up to you if you want to click through or not.

Want to get a pack for free and make me pay for the shipping? I now I would! Well, because I love my readers, I will do just such thing. I have one sample package of 4 medium, 4 large, 2 extra large and one small can CoverMates Stretch-to-Fit Food Covers to mail to one lucky winner! To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Leave me a comment telling what you think of saving my kid's food and making her eat it later when she asks for a snack. LoL. That's what my mom used to do. Guess we often do a lot of what our parents' did!
   
2. Leave me an encouraging comment. Sometimes I just need to hear something nice. :) Make sure it's true though, I wouldn't want anyone to lie!
   
3. Become a follower or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
7. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.

That's 7 chances to win! Sorry, but I can only ship to the USA or Canada. The giveaway is open from now until Friday May 14th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Mom Monday: Homebirth (Part Two: Details)

Here's part two of the Home Birth posts. You can read part one first if you missed it. Be sure to come back next week for the third and final part!

The next step in preparing my nest for birth, is picking a birth team. (These are the people you want with you for support and help during labor and delivery.) Of course I have my husband and midwife, and I have actually had a few different people at each birth. This time around I have a spectacular team made up, one of them which is a VBAC mama there to support me in mine! These people set the mood. I pick people I am totally comfortable with, and know who will not interfere with the labor process, yet be there for me in prayer and both physical and mental guidance. Plus run errands and keep my spirits up!

As I get closer to my due date, and things start to fall in order and get completed around the house, I start to focus on myself. I try and spend more time with the children, and getting them excited about their new sibling to be. I start loading up on my Mama's Red Raspberry Brew tea to gear up my body for birth. I also start listening to my Hynobabies every night. This really helps me relax on cue and focus.

Next I figure out a birth "plan". This isn't a layout of what I do and don't want done, as I am in my own house...my territory. I call the shots, and everyone around me is there to help me fullfill them. (Try and get that at a hospital birth!) My birth plan consists mainly of where I am thinking of birthing (bed, tub, living room, etc. Allbeit subject to change on a second's notice!), what I want cooking for after the birth, who I want notified, where I want the children if I birth during the day, and the petty things I might not remember in labor.

About 6 weeks ahead, I order my birth supplies. Every midwife wants you to have different items on hand, but most are pretty basic like towels, disposable underpads, spare sheets, etc. Here is my list of what I buy.
Like I say, a baby will come no matter if you get it all or not!

After they arrive, I place those supplies, along with the items I have gathered around the house for the birth, in a designated area. My special spot is the nursery. That way when labor strikes, I can tell everyone where to find everything and they will easily be able to make it all ready.

Around this time, I make a playlist of certain music I may want during labor, gather certain candles I might want lit, or anything else to make the environment peaceful.

I also make a little survival kit that I keep at the bottom of the baby's bassinet. This has things for me for the days after the birth when my hubby won't let me out of bed, and so I don't have to call for him everytime I want a pen. In it, I have lotion, a few books, a few special treats like my favorite chocolate, a list of movies I might want my husband to get from the library for me, etc.

At the point I am at now, with about a month to go, I am pulling out baby supplies, diapers, and clothes, getting it all cleaned and prepared. I make a meal list which you can find here, and then a few weeks ahead of my due date, I will spend 5 days cooking off and freezing around 2 weeks worth of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, and side dishes for after the baby comes. Freezing meals ahead of time makes it a life-saver for whoever is helping me after the birth, and for the days later when I have no energy or motivation to cook!

When the big day does arrive, I will hopefully have everything accomplished and set for a relaxing labor. No working hard when the pressure waves start! A quick straighten and clean around the house, make sure I and the children are clean and fed, take a nap and listen to my hypnobabies, make my laboraid, and get out the birth supplies.

Do you have an encouraging thought or post on Momhood this week? Leave your link or comment below to be entered in this week's sponsor giveaway, 2 packages of Boogie Wipes! See the review post or below for details!



Last week's Vita Tops Winner is: Team JC. I have sent you an email. Please respond within 48 hours.

**This Week's Sponsor/Giveaway**

This week, we're giving away 2 (30 count) packages of Boogie Wipes. To find out more about these awesome little creations, check out my review over here. To enter this giveaway you can do one or all of the following and leave me a comment for each:

1. What do you have to say about motherhood that could benefit and encourage other moms? Write a post about it and link up here! It will also be included in the newsletter that will go out on Tuesday so others will see your post! (This is worth 2 entries so leave 2 comments)
   
2. If you don't want to link up, leave a comment with an encouraging thought or lesson on motherhood!
3. Follow this blog
4. Fan this blog on Facebook
5. Leave me a comment saying you'd like the Mom Monday newsletter, along with your email
   
6. Put the Mom Monday button on your blog
7. Twitter about the new Mom Monday, linking back here
8. Blog about Mom Mondays, linking back here
   
9. Do you have a company or store and want to sponsor a review/giveaway? Leave me a comment!
10. If you're interested in doing a guest post for Mom Mondays, leave me a comment with the topic you want to post about!
11. You can see more ways to enter in my review
    

Come back next Monday and I'll have the new Mom Monday post up and announce the winner. I'll also send the winner an email and you'll have 48 hours to respond. :) Good luck and thanks for joining us in this journey of motherhood!

Boogie Wipes: Review and Giveaway

Seriously, with a name like "Boogie Wipes" how can you go wrong? I loved the idea of this when I read about it on another blog and was super excited when these two mom creators agreed to let me try and giveaway some Boogie Wipes!


Only another mom truly knows that wiping little noses is a tough job! Every kid is different. My oldest never liked it, but she tolerated it. My youngest screams like a banshee when she even sees me think of wiping her nose. So a product that can make it easier? Sign me up! That's why two moms, Mindee and Julie, decided to try to find an answer.


Boogie Wipes are made with saline to help dissolve that "crusty" boogies that become one with your child's face. They come in Grape, Magic Menthol, Fresh and Unscented. I really like the menthol ones. What a neat idea, wipe and help clear little airways all in one smooth move! Boogie Wipes can be found at over 40,000 retail locations, including Toys-R-Us, Babies-R-Us, Walgreens, Walmart, Target and so many more.

Interested? I thought so. Boogie Wipes are the giveaway sponsor for this week's Mom Monday post. Because of that, there's a bunch of ways to enter to win Boogie Wipes this week! You can do any or all of the follow, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Leave me a comment letting me know why you need these
   
2. Go to this week's Mom Monday post (Home Birth part 2) and read about how to get 10 more entries by participating
   
3. Fan Boogie Wipes on Facebook
   
4. Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter
   
5. Become a follower of this blog or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
6. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
7. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
8. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
   

I will combine the entries from this post and the Mom Monday post and draw a winner randomly on Sunday April 25 at 9PM. The winner will be announced in next week's Mom Monday post and contacted by email. Please respond within 48 hours or I will have to pick a new winner. Good luck!

Book Review: This Little Prayer of Mine

Title: This Little Prayer of Mine
Author: Anthony DeStefano and illustrated by Mark Elliot
Price: 12.99
Given to me to read and review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

What a sweet little book for young children! I've been reading this book with my daughter each night, before bedtime and our devotional reading. It's a wonderful way to end the day.

The book is written as a prayer said to God by a brother and sister. Wonderfully illustrated and with easy rhyming words, this book is excellent for kids on different levels. My daughter loves looking at the pictures as I read the words. I think my favorite part is that the book ends with "Please love me God, forevermore, that's all I want, amen." What a great reminder to have to heart of a child!

Are you interested in this book? Great! I have an extra copy that I'm giving away as a Mom Monday giveaway this week. Head on over to this week's Mom Monday post about Pregnancy to find out how you can enter to win!

Review and Giveaway (closed): Dancing With My Father

What a lovely book. I was recently given the book Dancing with My Father by Sally Clarkson to read and review by WaterBrook Multnomah. What a blessing this book was to me! As I posted earlier, every time I saw the name of this book, I'd start singing a familiar praise song! :)

This book was beautiful and exactly what I've needed lately. I think the cover and title say it all. This book is about remembering to find joy in your heavenly Father. About how to persue joy and peace and let the trials and troubles of this life drive us closer to God. We can receive our trials with joy, knowing that the testing of our faith refines us and makes us all the more beautiful.

I would recommend this book to any Christian woman. ANY Christian woman. It's a fabulous reminder at any age! That's why I'm so pleased to be able to give away a copy of this book to one of my readers!

To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Leave me a comment
   
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
3. Become a follower or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
7. Check out my new Mom Monday and tell me what you think! (You can enter that giveaway too!)
   

That's 7 chances to win! Sorry, but I can only ship to the USA or Canada. The giveaway is open from now until Friday March 19th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Mom Monday: A New Plan (and a Giveaway!)

<a href="http://christianfrugalmama.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2BESXrQfzJsAxWIpzLCmPXA2sRxmKzZFV8euMUs_waz8NSzE2t0zRQ5pqy-WbNj4r4iaoi-y3zpS4SNaWJlDJqaesTvTbIjCbKSGvjpEJQWVJe3c0k-4b2TRPCpZCAIxrCtClizfz6fU/s200/Lily+Button.jpg" /></a>

My goodness, is it Tuesday already? Where did Monday go?! My apologies for not posting this yesterday, but I really wanted to write it because it's pretty important to me. As of next week, March 8th, I will begin the new format for Mom Mondays. I can't even express how excited I am!

My goal with the new Mom Mondays is to post a topic every week written by myself or a guest with more knowledge on the subject. In addition, every post will also contain a product review and/or giveaway. Let me repeat, every week will contain A GIVEAWAY! I've been contacting some awesome companies that I think moms would appreciate and I'm excited at the results.

The idea is to create a place for moms to find good, reliable information from the best source there is: other moms! The topics we'll be covering are about pregnancy, birth, feeding baby solids, bathing baby, nap times, etc. We'll even talk about some hard topics like allergies, disabilities and infertility. My heart is to encourage and support moms.

I will also be putting together a newsletter each week that will be sent out on Tuesday, filled with the topic information, comments, links to anyone who links in the linky, tips left by participants and our sponsor of the week.

Here is the topic line-up for the rest of March:

• April 5th- Pregnancy related fun
  
• April 12th- Having a Frugal Baby
  
• April 19nd- Home Birth
• April 26th-Hospital or Center Birth w/ Midwife

Here's how it will work. Every week, Mom Monday will go live at 7 AM EST. It will include a linky and comments. To enter the giveaway, you will have many chances to win and participate.

1. Leave a link to your own Mom Monday post on the same topic (please link back here in your post)- this is worth 2 entries. When you link up, I will include the link in the newsletter so you get more exposure
   
2. Leave a comment with a tip/comment on the topic that will help and encourage other moms
3. Sign up for the newsletter (until I get a Google doc going, just leave me a comment and your email saying you want in)
4. Put the Mom Monday button on your blog (isn't it fun? I made it all by myself! :)
5. Become a follower of this blog
6. Fan this blog on Facebook
7. Sometimes there will be addition entries the company requests
   

In celebration of this new adventure we're about to embark on, I'm going to giveaway a $5 Amazon.com giftcard that I got from Swagbucks. To enter this giveaway just do one or all of the following and leave me a comment for each:

1. (Mandatory) What topics would you like to read on Mom Monday?
2. Is there something you'd like to guest post on? Tell me and I'll contact you about it!
3. Follow is blog
4. Fan this blog on Facebook
5. Leave me a comment saying you'd like the Mom Monday newsletter
6. Put the Mom Monday button on your blog
7. Blog about the new Mom Mondays and leave me the link
8. Twitter about the new Mom Monday, linking back here
9. Do you have a company or store and want to sponsor a review/giveaway? Leave me a comment!
   

Come back next Monday and I'll have the new Mom Monday post up and announce the $5 Amazon giftcard winner. I'll also send the winner an email and you'll have 48 hours to respond. I'm soooooo excited!! Can you tell? :) Good luck!

Book Review and Giveaway: Hear No Evil

I recently received the book Hear No Evil by Matthew Paul Turner to read and review from WalterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group and it's available for $14.99 retail price (or you could enter below to win it) and it was just released Tuesday. I must first say, what an interesting book!

This is the summary I received from the publisher:

A collection of wise, compelling, and often uproariously funny essays built around the experience of music as a transformational element in a moment of truth, Hear No Evil mines Matthew Paul Turner’s humorous memories of his evangelical youth and invites readers to groove along on his journey.

From attending forbidden contemporary Christian concerts to moving to “ Music City ” Nashville , Hear No Evil chronicles Turner’s “life soundtrack” which morphs seamlessly into the stories of people, places, and experiences that have taught the music-editor-turned-author some new things about God, forced him out of his comfort zone, and introduced him to a fresh view of grace along the way.

If you’ve ever had the opening bars of a song transport you back in time or remind you of a pivotal spiritual moment, Matthew Paul Turner’s honest—and frequently hilarious—musings will strike a chord. Straight forward and amusing, Hear No Evil is an exploration of a life of faith lived to a personal soundtrack.

Where to begin describing this book? First, I LOVE to read other people's stories. I love hearing other people's advice, lessons learned and seeing that I'm not alone. This book was about the author and how he learned music and how it shaped his life.

I personally am not a huge music lover. I will listen to it in the car on the radio and will very rarely buy a CD for my husband, but I'm not much into music myself. However, I really appreciated reading about the authors firsthand experience with music and the Christian music industry. It was certainly eye opening and thought provoking.

There were a number of things is this book I strongly disagree with doctrinally, but I don't argue with people about these things generally and just wanted to throw it out there. I'm not sure that I'd recommend this as a must read book and I was pretty disappointed towards the end, but I found it mostly amusing throughout. It wasn't exactly helpful in my Christian walk, but fun and easy to read. I did find the information about how some sects of Christianity and the music world work interesting.

Are you interested in trying this book? Great, because I have an extra copy to giveaway! To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Leave me a comment
   
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
3. Become a follower or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
   

That's 6 chances to win! Sorry, but I can only ship to the USA or Canada. The giveaway is open from now until Friday February 26th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!

Works For Me Wednesday and Giveaway: Junk Drawer

The worst, most disorganized drawer in the house is probably my kitchen "baking drawer." It somehow always ends up a mess:


Then, I have to waste precious baking time searching through a big pile of utensils. I once hurt myself trying to force a stuck utensil out of there. So when Rubbermaid's organizing blogger asked me if I'd like to receive their new Drawer Organizer 6 piece set, I quickly jumped at the opportunity!

One really neat thing about this set, is that they are all separate pieces of different sizes, but they can interlock with each other so they stay together! I actually used 4 of the pieces in one drawer and two in another. What a perfect fit!

These could be used in any drawer... make up, toys, kitchen and more. They come in different sizes so they're all good for different things (one for utensils, one for twisty ties, etc). Plus, they have a no slip feet on the bottom that keep them from sliding around in the drawer when you open it.


Oh my, what a difference these made!! Now, all my measuring cups, measuring spoons, and odds and ends are all grouped together for easy finding and using! These little organizing containers certainly worked for me! Rubbermaid also provided some tips on organizing the junk drawer and a $1/1 coupon for any Rubbermaid Kitchen Organization Product.

Because these worked so well, I'm very pleased to be able to give a set away to one of my readers!! To enter the giveaway you can do any of the following, leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Leave me a comment telling me your worst drawer in the house!
   
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link.
3. Become a follower or tell me if you already do (left side of the blog)!
4. Become a subscriber or tell me if you already do (left side)!
5. Follow me on twitter or tell me if you already do!
6. Become a fan of the Christian Frugal Mama Facebook page or let me know if you already are!
   

That's 6 chances to win! Sorry, but they can only ship to the USA or Canada. The giveaway is open from now until Friday February 26th at 11PM EST when I will randomly pick a winner. I will email the winner (so make sure you leave a way for me to email you!) and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. If they don't, I will pick a new winner. Good luck!!