Splish Splash!

I haven't shared this before, but I'm part fish. Yes, you read that correctly. I have always loved the water - as a child, even filling up the bathtub in my dollhouse at home was exciting to me. I used to stand for hours at the sink in my bathroom playing with bathtub toys (that was last week, until my husband made me promise to stop getting water everywhere). My daughter it seems, has also inherited my fish-like qualities and love of the water. She has never hated baths, and actually some of her first smiles came during bath time. She is drawn to puddles, lakes, pools, ponds, and even the dog's water bowl.


Thanks to Team Mom, we recently had the chance to try out some new water lovin' toys - the Aquadoodle Draw 'N Doodle and Bath Blizzard from Spin Master. Let's start with the Aquadoodle Draw 'N Doodle - hailed as the no-mess art solution for toddlers. I've got to say, it's great. I have given these as birthday gifts a couple of times now and everyone raves over them. I had never actually tried one out myself until this week, and I love it as well. You can just fill the pen with water and anywhere you write turns blue. When it dries, it turns back to white and you can start all over again. It also has these really awesome tutorials all along the outline of the map to teach kids how to draw different shapes. I also found some sponges that we had in different shapes, like a teddy bear, and when we wet those and pressed them to the mat, they showed up too. Pretty cool, right?


The Bath Blizzard is a product that I was tempted to try out myself. When you hang it on the bathtub it creates mountains of bubbles that fill the tub and provide endless giggles! It took about a week before I remembered to stop to get 4 "C" batteries to make it work. Once I did, we tested it out during bathtime one night. It really does work, and it's pretty neat. I noticed that the bubbles are bigger than the typical soap sud bubbles, but they were bubbles nevertheless, and that made Little AG happy. My only complaint is that the Bath Blizzard only comes with a strap to hang on the faucet and no suction cups. Since we have a cover over our faucet, it would be more convenient for us if it had a way to suction to it the wall instead. However, it's not a toy we are going to use during every bath time, just on occasion, so it's definitely something I can work around. Overall, it's also a pretty cool toy and it definitely made bathtime more exciting!

I really liked both of these toys from Spin Master. I will continue to give the Aquadoodle as a birthday present when I can because I like it even more now that I've had the chance to see it in action. The Bath Blizzard is really cool too, and is perfect for all water babies (or mamas!). The AquaDoodle retails for $24.99 and the Bath Blizzard retails for $19.99.

Win a Pink Dyson DC16!

I wanted to do something very special in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month here on Chic Shopper Chick. While I have never personally been touched by Breast Cancer, I am an avid supporter of finding a cure. You can support efforts by purchasing products that you normally already buy that are specially marked this month with a pink ribbon -- partial proceeds from those sales will go towards finding a cure.



Dyson has released the new handheld DC16 Root 6 in Pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, and they are committed to raising more than a million dollars to finding a cure this year. For every Pink Dyson vacuum cleaner that you buy, you will be helping to find a cure as $10 from each sale will be donated to the Foundation. These awesome vacuum cleaners are available exclusively at Target, but Dyson and Chic Shopper Chick have teamed up to give you the chance to win one here!

If you've never owned a Dyson product, you are certainly missing out. We personally own a Dyson Ball DC25 and we love it. My carpet is in need of a makeover, but since our DC25 has been around, it looks 10 times better, and that is no exaggeration. At least 2 visitors in the past month have commented on how good our carpet looks. About 2 months ago, Little AG knocked over a potted plant. I probably would have freaked out before owning the Dyson, but instead I had the sound mind to take pictures of it before I vacuumed.

Here are the pictures of it right after she knocked it over - please excuse the bags of clothing that I had by the door preparing to take to Goodwill. Next time she knocks a plant over, I'll remember to move that stuff before I take any photos.

And here are the after photos of my carpet. It took about 5 minutes and emptying the canister twice to make it look like this. I was really happy with the result.

The Dyson DC16 in Pink is just as amazing, I'm sure of it! As with all Dyson products, the DC16 doesn't lose suction, and with it's Root Cyclone Technology it separates dirt, fine dust and debris from the air to handle quick clean-up jobs. The Root Cyclone Technology gives it twice the power and suction of other handhelds and it's lithium ion battery enables it to charge three times faster too. You'll never have to buy a filter -- they are all washable and the DC16 is bagless. Are you in love yet? I am!

To enter to win your very own Pink Dyson DC16, follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Visit Dyson's Website and come back here and tell me what your favorite product is from there (besides this one!)
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and BCA month and link back here. Tell me about it in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate post.
  
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 31st, 2008.

<p></p><center><a href="http://www.chicshopperchick.com/2008/10/dyson-pink-dc16-giveaway.html"><img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/chanelpinkfashionista/Picture27.png" /></a></center><p></p>

Blog Action Day - Let's Unite to Fight Poverty

Did you know that today is Blog Action Day? Bloggers all over the world are committed to making a difference in the lives of others today and to fight poverty.


My friends Katja and Jessica along with the other Eleven Moms are raising money for Project Peanut Butter, and Katja explains it on her site:

Project Peanut Butter was founded by Professor Mark Manary, M.D., a pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatric medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. He developed Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a food that offers a 95% recovery rate for severely malnourished children. This food is peanut butter based with added dairy, vitamins and mineral and is made locally minimizing the distribution costs. The peanut butter based RUTF doesn't have to be refrigerated and can be administered at home. This food raises children's recovery rate from 30% to 90%.

This is a cause that I feel is so very worthy, so I chose to support their efforts today by skipping my latte and donating money to Project Peanut Butter via Katja's site. They are asking for anyone who is able to donate just a dollar-- every little bit helps. Plus, as Eleven Moms, WalMart is matching all of the money that they raise today. A one dollar donation from you becomes two dollars with your help, so please visit her site and donate to Project Peanut Butter today.

A $15 donation will provide one malnourished child with the full treatment, increasing their recovery chances from 30% to 90%. So if you are so inclined, sponsor an entire treatment for a child, and another child will also benefit from it because your donation will be matched.

In addition to my donation, I have also volunteered with Blog Action Day to use my language skills to help them translate French sites into English. If you can't donate, check out the Blog Action Day website to see how else you can get involved in making a difference and standing up to fight against poverty.

If you choose to donate, please leave me a comment here or send me an email to let me know and I will give you 3 extra entries into the very special contest that we have starting here this afternoon for a brand new Dyson!

Get Girly with Fancy Nancy!

When I was in France this summer I came across some children's books for Little AG that I loved. They were girly and sparkly -- perfect for my little girly girl. Called "Lilo, Trop Chou" (Lilo, too cool) it wasn't until I arrived back in the states that I realized that this book was simply a french translation of the Fancy Nancy series by Jane O'Connor. We love these books, they are fantastic. Fancy Nancy and I share a love of all things girly, and french!

Being a Fancy Nancy fan, I was excited to try out the new board game by Briarpatch. Called the Posh Bedroom game, Fancy Nancy's bedroom is in need of a makeover. Their website says "You will flip over helping Fancy Nancy transform her bedroom from plain to posh! Bring in her boas, ribbons, tiaras and other fancy accessories....the first player to complete the posh bedroom makeover,wins!"

The game is a lot of fun, though it is definitely geared for the older set (the game is aged 5+). I feel like younger kids may have a harder time catching on at first. However, once you get the hang of it, it's a blast playing with all of the fun accessories. And moms, this is one game that you might not mind having to play over and over! My favorite part is, hands down, all of the fun and girly artwork!

The Fancy Nancy Posh Bedroom game can be purchased directly from the Briarpatch website for $20.99. It would make a great gift for Christmas or for all the Fancy Nancy fans in your life!

Win it! The folks over at Briarpatch have graciously agreed to offer a copy of Fancy Nancy's Posh Bedroom Game to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader! To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below:

• Visit the Briarpatch website and come back here and tell me what your favorite item is from there (besides this one!)
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 22nd, 2008.

I forgot to give this a snappy title...

Remember how yesterday I was all, I'll be better and back to my old self tomorrow? I lied. Today, if possible, I'm the same or a bit worse. So I give. I've got stuff to do, so this cold will just have to deal with it.

I am backlogged with so much stuff to post that I'm slightly overwhelmed at the moment. However, let me start you off today by posting about this new site that recently launched - Mogul Baby. I've been reading Mrs. Mogul for as long as I've been blogging, so I was excited to see her launch this new place. There are great giveaways going on, so please go check it out!

Ick

I'm sick.

And I hate it. I don't deal well when I don't feel well, no rhyme intended. Last night I was having trouble sleeping and I was coughing and sneezing, tossing and turning. Miserable. I was trying to be quiet so that I wouldn't wake up hubby, but at the same time I was secretly hoping that he would roll over and ask if I was ok. Because I wasn't. And I wanted some sympathy.

Is that so wrong?

Anyway, he did notice that I was awake and sick, and he got up to get me some medicine and food and to help me feel better. I had been awake for two hours and I was exhausted. He was great, and I eventually drifted off to sleep about 20 minutes after taking the medicine.

So anyway, that's why I'm not around too much. All I want to do is sleep. I'll be back probably by tomorrow though -- back to my old self. See you then.

It's Easy Being Green!

While I was in NYC this weekend for the Hot Blogger Calendar Shoot, I managed to get in a little shopping (I'm sure you're totally not surprised). I did go to some stores for me, but I of course had to stop off at this little place you may have heard of -- FAO Schwarz -- to look around for a little gift for my sweet little girl!

When I was there, I found these rather awesome toys made entirely from recycled milk containers -- they are called Green Toys. They are completely BPA and Phthalate free, and they are adorable! Even the packaging is "green" and I love that! Little AG is just getting to the stage where she wants to be like mommy, so she can play for a good 30 minutes with a bowl and a whisk. Really, these toys are perfect for the age she is now, and I get the feeling they will hold up for "pretend" play for years to come.


We love the Tea Set, and it's perfect for Little AG because she can serve "tea" to all of her stuffed friends! My other favorite is definitely the cookware set -- good for boys and girls alike! What about you -- what is your favorite toy from Green Toys?

You don't have to live in NYC to enjoy these awesome toys! They are available nationwide in Toys R Us and Whole Foods stores as well as some other smaller boutiques! I think these would make a great Christmas gift, plus it gives you the opportunity to teach your kids about being responsible consumers!

PS -- Wanna win one? Green Toys is giving away one of their fantastic Tea Sets in conjunction with the release of the 2008 Holiday Gift Guide here on Chic Shopper Chick. Stay tuned for details on how you can win one during the month of November!

CSC Review and Giveaway: FHI Heat

I look forward to my visits to my awesome stylist, Meggan, every two months. She pretty much rocks my hair, and I never leave disappointed. The only thing that ever stresses me at the salon is that nagging feeling that I'll never get my hair to look like it does when I leave there -- like I'm in a shampoo commercial. Last time I was there, trying to pick up on tips on how to make my hair look good, I said -- "Do you think it's my hair dryer? I mean, is a hair dryer just a blowdryer?"

She pretty much snorted and laughed and, after making sure everyone else had heard my (obviously ludicrous) question, she bent down closely to me and said loudly (because she was blowdrying my hair, she had to be loud and close, you know?) "No. A hair dryer is certainly not JUST a hair dryer." Then she proceeded to give me the specifics on a blowdryer that put my 15 dollar choice to shame.

So, recently I had the opportunity to try out a salon-quality hair dryer from FHI Heat. It certainly puts my little Target number to shame. It is really really light, but dries my hair faster than ever (and I have a LOT of hair). It is really powerful -- it has 3 heat settings and 2 speed settings, plus it has a button for a cool blast and a button for a heat boost. It pretty much rocks. After seeing what a difference this blow dryer makes, I will never purchase a non salon-quality hair dryer again. My hair is so smooth and in such better shape than it used to be just in the month that I've been using it. Plus it's pink. How cool is that? It does retail for $195, but when you think about how often you struggle to make your hair look just like you want it to, it suddenly seems VERY worth it.

The folks at FHI Heat are so sure that you are going to love their products that they are giving one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader her very own "Technique" flat iron! This Flat Iron retails for $120 and is fantastic! Not only can you use it to make your hair sleek and smooth, you can also use it to make waves and curls! And, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it's PINK!

To enter to win, just follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Visit the FHI Heat website and tell me which of their products is your favorite.
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US and entries only, cannot ship to PO Boxes. Winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 24th, 2008.

One Mo' Winna!

I'm in a weird mood today, hence the title of this little gem.

Ok, so I put off announcing the winner of the Diapers because there were some broken rules, double commenting, etc. and originally I had decided that I was going to delete all ineligible comments and then declare a winner -- but in the end I decided that just wasn't fair to our comment #554 -- 3Kids and Us! Please respond to my email within 72 hours with your mailing address!

Sooo, congrats to you, and for the rest of you, all I can say is that I couldn't decide which way of choosing a winner would be more unfair. I've learned my lesson. I'm not a huge fan of Live contests, but I thought I would try one, and now I'm pretty sure I've decided I'm still not a fan of them.

Moving on --

I have some cooool stuff lined up for this week, so now that I am back in the swing of things watch out -- you might just win something really cool!

Winner of the Mickey Mouse Tupperware!

The Winner of the Mickey Mouse Tupperware is comment #157:

Kaylee8 who said...

"I love the Ice Prisms bowls and they would be perfect for holiday entertaining!"

Kaylee, you didn't leave an email address and I can't get you through your Blogger account, so please email me at info (at) chicshopperchick (dot) com within 72 hours to claim your prize. If you do not, I will have a repull for it!

Thanks to all who entered, and thanks to Claire, who was extremely patient with me while I was on vacation. Please head over to her Tupperware site and check it out, and sign up for her mailing list while you're there.

Save Dakota!

Animals and the plights of animals just really tug at my heart strings. It's probably the reason that we own 5 animals -- all rescues! Yes, our diabetic dog costs us a fortune each month in syringes and insulin, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Anyway, there is a fantastic family with 7 children out there who are in danger of losing their sweet family dog, Dakota, because they don't have the 1,000 they need to have the surgery for her. They have already raised some of it, but they need your help to get all the way to their goal. I can't imagine trying to raise 7 children and have the unexpected expense of 1,000 dollars come up, can you? Much less have to comfort the children if Little Dakota had to be put to sleep?

Please visit Kadi's blog, and you can donate right on her site. Even a dollar would make a difference if everyone donated. We all can spare at least that!

I donated, will you?

Jetting Blues with JetBlue

You've probably noticed that I've been neglecting you. I didn't mean to, honest. It's just that I had no idea that Disney World would be so exhausting. I mean, seriously. We would go to sleep around 1 am, and wake up around 10 or 11 with barely enough time to get out of the room before breakfast. Even then, we managed to get to the park only once before 12:30. I needed a vacation from vacation. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that they lost my luggage on a direct flight from New Orleans to Orlando. Joy.

But then, to push the neglect a bit further, I left my family and flew to NYC for the Hot Blogger Calendar Shoot! It was the first time in almost 2 years that I had been on a plane without my daughter. I didn't know what to do with myself. Ok, who am I kidding? Yes I did. I watched Baby Mama.

When I got to NYC I realized that it was a bit chilly for my flip flops and short sleeves, so I was eager to see my luggage and change shoes for the evening into a nice, closed toe little number. Alas, I had no such luck. I stood, staring at the luggage belt, watching the other families returning from Disney World joyously reclaim their luggage as I continued to wait. Maybe I missed it? Oh no, no way. My bag is Zebra print. Easily identifiable.

The belt stops moving. Two pieces of luggage are left. Neither of them mine.

Twice in one week? Man, I have sucky luggage karma.

I drag myself to JetBlue Baggage Claim, but it's closed. Like, with a gate pulled down over it. Ironically, the sign posted on the outside of the gate says they're open 24 hours. Someone from another airline spots me and walkie-talkies the JetBlue guy to tell him he has a victim customer. I fill out the report that I'm given while he tries to figure out where my luggage is. Ok, it's in Boston. Or maybe White Plains. Hmm...nope, neither one. Honestly, we don't know where it is.

At this point I am pretty much freaking out. I have the Hot Blogger Calendar photoshoot tomorrow and nothing to wear for it. I tell the guy this, he calls his supervisor. Tells her I have a photoshoot tomorrow. I'm thinking that finally someone will understand the gravity of this situation. That currently I will have to take my photos with Space Mountain hair because I have no shampoo to wash it with. That all of my clothing options are in my bag for the shoot. That I, at the very least, need to purchase a tshirt and shorts to sleep in tonight.

He hangs up the phone, looks at me, and says "I called my supervisor to ask her to approve a small amount for you to get some items for tonight and she said no." I blink. Then I smile. I get it, he's joking (I mean, he was being kinda flirty). So I say, "You're being sarcastic, right?"

"No ma'am. Trust me, I wish I was. She won't approve any amount for reimbursement."

You have got to be kidding me.

So I ask to speak to the supervisor. I wait almost an hour for her to arrive, with excuses like "she's getting a flight off and then she'll be down." She finally shows up. She tells me, in an accent that I can barely understand, that "She can only go to point A, but she can't go all the way to point B." Huh? I look at her like she has antenna growing out of her head. Then I tell her (still looking at her like she is indeed sprouting antenna) that she hasn't gone to point A at ALL! There has been no help at all. She tells me to call the 800 number and leaves.

The nice guy behind the desk basically tells me she is lying, and that she does have the power to approve it, she just won't. I call the 800 number, and after some time on hold, they tell me the same thing.

I get on twitter and send out a tweet that says "@jetblue lost my luggage. I have nothing and they refuse to give me ANYTHING. I have the hot blogger calendar shoot tomorrow and nothing!" Well, let me tell you, the twitter world went nuts! With some help from some of my dear twitter friends retweeting my plight (thank you Katja Presnal!), I get a DM from JetBlue telling me I will get help soon.

I leave the airport, figuring I should just head into the city. I end up at a McDonalds in Times Square, waiting for my sister in law to get off of work. I still haven't heard from JetBlue, though they are telling me help is imminent. After about an hour and several tearful conversations with my hubby, I decide to call LaGuardia Baggage Claim, just in case.

"Yes ma'am, we found your luggage. It's at JFK."

"Great, so when will it get to me?"

"Well, we are so busy that we can't promise that you'll even get it tomorrow."

"Do NOT send it out, I'm coming to get it."

So I hop back in a cab, and ride to JFK, almost getting killed in the process. On the way there, my phone rings. It's the JetBlue people, saying they heard my luggage was lost. I wanted to laugh. I tell her that I'm in a cab, on my way to JFK to pick it up so that I will be sure to have it for tomorrow. She offers her cell number for me to call her back next week with receipts to reimburse me for my cab ride, which is nice.

The short of it, I got my luggage, but missed dinner with all of the Hot Bloggers, which I heard was fantastic! I'll save the experience of meeting all of the HBC folks for another post, but I'll tell you that my weekend was indeed awesome.

After a long 2 days, I'm in a cab on my way to the airport to go home, and my cell phone rings. It's someone from JetBlue -- they heard I was missing some luggage and wanted to see how they could help? I'm sure they could see me rolling my eyes all the way in Salt Lake City.

Photo of me by Katja Presnal.

Feeling a little less spotty...

I have been stalking the flooring department at Home Depot and Lowe's for the past 2 months now. I stare longingly at the bamboo flooring, gorgeous hardwoods, and even the carpet selections have the ability to make me drool. All because our carpet is just shot. Finished. Done. It can't take anymore. It has been through a move, a family before us, 2 dogs, the birth of a baby turned toddler, and a husband. Frankly, my carpet is tired.

The area by my back door is the worst. I have tried pretty much everything to make it look better, but I'm pretty much out of options. The stains always come back! I'm not willing to try some of the more harsh options because, as I said above, I have a baby and animals in my house, and I just am not cool with the idea of spreading around cancer-causing chemicals for the sake of making my carpet look purty.

Thanks to Mom Central I was recently able to try out the new WD-40 Spot Shot stain remover! The company that we know and love, WD-40 has launched their new Non-Toxic Spot Shot® Instant Carpet Stain & Odor Eliminator. I tried it out with the test kit that they sent me and it worked like a charm on a chocolate stain and even on ammonia! The true test was on my carpet though, and after using the test kit I was excited about the possibilities.

It did make my carpet look better, and so far the stains haven't come back, though I'm sure they will -- it's simply the nature of a stain. The carpet is actually almost too white in the places that I used it, but frankly I'll take it over the other yucky dark stained option. I like that the Spot Shot is eco friendly, and I felt safe using it around my family (though I did wait for Little AG to go to sleep before I tried it).

Bottom line -- this is a great new stain removal option. I love that it is non-toxic and completely biodegradable (how many effective products can actually say that?) and I think you will too. You can check out the Spot Shot website for more info, or you can pick up a bottle of it next time you run to the store.

CSC Review and Giveaway: K'nex goes to Sesame Street

This contest is now CLOSED. Please see our Contests page for the latest giveaways on Chic Shopper Chick!

"Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Streeeeeettttttttt?" Oh I just used to LOVE to hear that song! I adored Sesame Street as a child, and I love that this educational program is one that is still around to educate MY daughter in the same way that I was. I loved Big Bird the most, but that was before the Elmo craze really hit. I've got to admit that even now, I love Elmo's voice. I know that it won't be long before Little AG discovers Sesame Street on TV, and it will be a show that I won't resist her watching because of it's fantastic educational component.

Oh, and I can't resist quickly sharing this photo of our local (but fantastic) meterologist who I just feels like resembles the Count. Every time he does the weather, I feel like he should say, "Tomorrow the temperature will be 79! 79! Aah! Aah!" (How great would that be?)


Ok, I'll be serious now. Well, I'll try, at least. Thanks to Team Mom, I recently got a blast from my Sesame Street past when my daughter received a Sesame Street Building Set to review! It is perfect for her because she falls at the lower end of the age range (2 to 5) and is just starting to show interest in putting things together and using more of her creative side. We were so excited to see that we had received the Elmo K'nex set -- and my daughter had a blast giggling with Elmo and this fun set. The best thing about it is that it includes three educational "Play & Learn" activity cards that are meant to be enjoyed by parent and child together. One side of the card features alternate building ideas; the other side includes fun facts and activity suggestions. Our set included 47 pieces, which would normally give me a headache, but thankfully K'nex included the storage container with the playset, which makes it easy to clean up the fun neatly when playtime is over.

The sets come in different options - there are the smaller sets for tiny builders that include 14-15 pieces each. They retail for $10.99. There is the Super Grover and Abby Cadabby set that include 30 parts and retail for $14.99. There are the 46 piece sets which include the Elmo's World Set and the Bert and Ernie Set that retail for $21.99. Lastly, there is the ultimate Sesame Street building experience -- the Cookie Monster and Hooper's Store Building Set which includes 80 pieces and retails for $31.99. All sets are being released for the first time this month -- just in time for Christmas!

I know your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews will love these great sets just as much as we do! That said, I'm excited to offer you a chance to win one of these sets for the Sesame Street lovers in your life! To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below.

• Visit the K'nex Website and let me know what you like best about these great new K'nex/Sesame Street sets.
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US and entries only, cannot ship to PO Boxes. Winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 9th, 2008.

CSC Giveaway: Mickey Mouse Popscicle Maker

This contest is now CLOSED. Please see our Contests page for the latest giveaways on Chic Shopper Chick!

In case you didn't know -- hubby, Little AG, and I leave for Disney World tomorrow for a week! (Along with a Nana, Grandma, Mimi, Pops, and Aunt, of course!) We are Disney Vacation Club owners at Saratoga Springs across from Downtown Disney, and we are taking the first of many trips to Disney with our little one and our annual passes -- and we are SO excited!

Sooo, in honor of our trip to Disney this week, we are giving away a set of awesome Mickey Mouse Popscicle makers! Enjoy a Special Dessert Treat With Mickey! You can create tasty frozen treats for Mickey Mouse lovers with this easy-to-use set. Simply fill each of the six 2 oz. (60 mL) molds with your child's favorite fruit juice, insert the flexible Mickey sticks, place molds in the tray, and freeze to create your own juice pops - a "cool" treat your kids will love!

We had a set like this when I was a kid and I loved them! Your kids will love them too! Thanks so much to Claire who volunteered to do this giveaway in conjunction with my trip months ago! To win, follow the easy peasy rules below!

• Visit Claire's Tupperware site and come back here to let me know which item, besides this one, you would most love to have!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post (a link to Claire's site and my site would be appreciated!)
• Subscribe to Claire's email list and come back here and let me know in a separate post.
  
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US and entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 4nd, 2008.

Swaddlers Sensitive Diapers (LIVE contest)

When Little AG was born, she was bathed and then, by default, placed into a comfy Pampers Swaddler Diaper. It was what the hospital used. Because they seemed to work well for her, it's what we used too (I figured the hospital had diapered more newborns than I had -- which was none, actually). When we came home, we bought the Swaddlers for her ourselves -- first in the Newborn size, then in size 1 and 2.

Swaddlers have come out with a new part of thier Swaddlers line -- called Swaddlers Sensitive. These diapers have a smart color-changing strip on the outside called a “Wetness Indicator”. It turns from yellow to blue when your baby is wet – pretty convenient for moms on the go! Swaddlers Sensitive are developed for the first five months of baby’s life and are designed to “swaddle” your baby while helping to protect their delicate and sensitive new skin. With a touch of aloe softness and Pampers’ patented Air Dry™ for ultra breathability, this new diaper takes the extra steps necessary to care for your baby during their most fragile months.

Some great features of the Swaddlers Sensitive Diapers include: the wetness indicator, an absorb-away liner to keep wetness and mess away, an umbilical cord notch (in the Newborn size), hypoallergenic, ultra breathable, and soft and stretchy sides.

Win It! Pampers has sent me 2 coupons for any size diapers or pants for your children! To win them, I'm going to do something a little fun and different!

This is a LIVE contest. The person who is comment number 554 will win both coupons for the Free Jumbo Packs of diapers. The only rules:

• You may not comment twice in a row.
• You may not post the same comment twice.
• All comments must be a complete sentence.

So go for it! The first one to 554 wins!

Pardon my dust...

Howdy friends! As Chic Shopper Chick has continued to grow, I've decided to make a few changes around here. Don't worry, it'll be for the best. I will continue to bring you all of the greatest products and finds, but there will be new things too.

I don't want to ruin the surprise, but if it's a little dusty around here for a few days, well, I'm doing my best to hurry up. Hopefully when you come back you'll see a bigger and better Chic Shopper Chick that will make you love it here (if it's possible) even more!

So, grab your hard hats and c'mon over. It'll be worth it when the dust settles!

Nankeen Tote, Tigger and Pooh, and Wallet Winners!

The winner of the fantastic Nankeen Tote Bag is comment #241 - The Vest Family, who said, "My daughter would really love the Lily tote. She is a junior in high school and instead of the backpack she uses a tote. I like the ming but if I was to win I would give it to her. So please enter us."

The winner of the My Friends Tigger and Pooh: The Hundred Acre Haunt DVD is comment #13 - Sandy who said "this would be for the kiddos here but they also have alot of visitors over so for them too...pooh is the favorite here. They watch bob, the einsteins and love the disney movies."

The winner of the Croco Fusion Flat Wallet is comment #260 - Joanna on the Lake, who said: "The item from Bright and Bold that I love the most is the Envirosax Mikado Set of bags. They are so ultra chic and perfect for going to the market, or carry my baby's necessities with me, or great for packing when you are travelling! I love all the designs, they are so bright and cheerful! I also really like the Croco Fusion Flat Wallet that is part of this giveaway! Another really cool item from Bright and Bold."

Congratulations to all of the winners! You have all been contacted via email! Please respond within 72 hours with your mailing address to claim your prize!

If you didn't win, be sure to check out our Contests Page for the latest and greatest giveaways!

CSC Review and Giveaway: Munny Journey

This contest is now CLOSED. Please see our Contests page for the latest giveaways on Chic Shopper Chick!

Did you know that if you invest $1 a day in your child that you make them a millionaire at age 65? Or, if you make a one-time $5,000 deposit for your child will also make them a millionaire by age 65, with NO ADDITIONAL deposits?

If we follow the plan outlined in the keepsake book "Munny Journey", then Little AG will have $43,115 sitting in the bank by the time she's my age. If she left it alone until age 65, she could retire with $1,354,229 from our initial $5,000 deposit, without ever having contributed anything additional to it herself. At my age, to know I would have that kind of security down the road would feel quite good, I've got to say.



As it is, hubby and I do invest in our futures, but would it be nice if each one of us also had one of these as a back up plan? Unfortunately, it's too late for hubby and I now -- babies have the element of "time" on their side. The keepsake book "Munny Journey" shows you how to help give your children the financial boost they deserve, starting from birth. We all want to do everything we can for our children -- and helping them to prepare financially for the future is no different!

Munny Journey will also take you through steps like choosing a financial advisor, and keeping tabs on your baby's stock or mutual funds. If you're stuck or confused, the Munny Journey Website has additional ideas and tools for you to use.

This would make a great baby shower gift or new baby gift -- especially if you are always looking for that "special" gift. You can purchase Munny Journey through their website for $29.95. It also comes with an Audio CD!

Win It! The folks over at Munny Journey have graciously agreed to offer a copy of Munny Journey to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader! To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below:

• Visit the Munny Journey Website, and come back here and tell me what you "number" is! Also, I would love to know why you would like to win!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US and entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 2nd, 2008.

Hi. Have you seen my SMV?

On Saturday night, hubby and Little AG picked me up from the Las Vegas Convention Center and took me to dinner before the slew of Blog World parties that were happening that night began. We headed to the Venetian to have dinner there, which was as great as it possibly could be with a 19 month old occasionally stabbing me with a fork. Also, I had somehow managed to cut my foot open the night before, so it was somewhat in pain from walking around in a set of fabulous heels all day.

We headed back to the elevators to the parking garage, and after a brief debate about if we were on level 4 or 5 (we knew it was a lower level), we decided we were definitely on level 5 so we walked out of the elevator to our fantastically sexy red mini-van. After a little walking around and attempting to set off the van-alarm, we decided that we were not, indeed, on level 5, so we trekked it back to the elevators (me still with my painful foot gash) and headed down to level 4.

When we got off the elevator at level 4, we both immediately agreed that it looked familiar. We walked halfway across the garage towards a red mini-van – only to discover that it wasn’t ours. We started in again with the method of trying to set off the alarm, to no avail.

Back to the elevators.

At this point, we’re kinda laughing, like what idiot truly doesn’t pay attention to ALL of the signs that practically scream what level you’re on when you park your car. When we got out of the van, we were so distracted discussing my day and strapping Little AG into her stroller that we just managed to not notice. We’re still confident that we were somewhere on the bottom levels, so we (painfully) drag ourselves back towards the elevators.

We try level 6. Nope.

We go back down to level 5, just in case we missed it the first time. Nuh-uh.

We go up to level 7. This time I let hubby wander through the garage alone while I wait, skeptically, by the elevator. No sexy mini-van in sight.

Hmm, how about level 8? Nope.

We dejectedly go up to level 9 just in case we were just crazy thinking that we parked on a relatively low level. No van. Level 9 was the last level. At this point, I’m wondering if someone stole our SMV. I mean, I’m a smart gal, and my hubby’s no dummy either, so how in the world did we lose this sucker?! We couldn’t have. The only logical explanation is theft.

We head back down to level 4. I have full intentions to report the theft of a red mini-van, nevermind all of the Ferraris and Corvettes that were available. Clearly this thief is all about family. Hubby, talking the calmer approach, walks all the way over to the other side of the garage and hangs his head out of the side, while trying to set off the alarm.

HE HEARS IT. It’s above us. Halle-freakin’-leujah.

We head back up to level 5. Hubby goes to “get the van” but comes back without it. Are you kidding me? It’s still above us.

We head to level 6. We get off the elevator, and hubby walks to get the van. I have been waiting by the elevator with Little AG at all of the stops, but realizing that he finally sees our SMV, I decide to book it over to where he is, practically running in relief. I’m almost to the van when he flies backwards out of the parking space, throws it into gear and zips down the lane.

Fantastic. I dart through cars, literally running with the stroller, waving my arms like a mad woman – not caring who is watching me. He passes me right up again. I shove the stroller through another set of cars, flinging my arms up in the air like I’m on a rollercoaster. No luck.

Finally, I see brake lights. He sees me! The SMV rolls slowly backwards in reverse, and then, right next to the elevators where this whole disaster began, I crawl into the van. It’s time to party.