Pull-Ups and Potty Training – do the Potty Dance!

I am just in the middle of training my daughter on how to use the potty.  She is starting to figure it out, but it still takes time.  I will be very glad when this is all over, as this is my last child to train!  No more diapers!  What parent does not want that? 

Well Pull-Ups have found a way to help you and your child with this “process”.  Sometimes it seems it will never end.  But it does eventually.  Pull-Ups have found a way to make it fun for you and your kid.  You can do the “Potty Dance”. 

There are some celebrities who have decided to do this with their children, Jessica Holmes and Traci Melchor from eTalk who enjoy doing the potty dance.  You can watch them here: 

Jessica Holmes doing the dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNIwIt197SQ as well as this new link to Traci Melchor from eTalk doing the Potty Dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHpFU0nJPpU  These are great videos to watch!

Some moms like to give incentives such as stickers or candies when their children go to the potty.  I have also found that for boys if you add a few cheerios to the toilet you can get them to "aim at the cheerios” and it helps to learn.  It will come eventually when they are ready.  Keep saying “I know you can do it” and “Good Job”  when they go and keep positive!!  Good luck in your training efforts!  It will come!

We also had the opportunity to have a Huggies Pull-Ups Potty Dance Party courtesy of Mom Central and Huggies!  We  had a bunch of kids over and celebrated dancing the “potty dance” with a CD and dance mat.  The kids had a great time dancing, and it was fun to watch them!!  They wanted to keep dancing and listen to the CD over and over.  They also got to bring home their own DVD about potty training, which is great!  Then we also had juice and some treats.  They loved the decorations!  I was going to post pictures of the party, but unfortunately we had technical issues and were not able to.  But it was a great time and we thank Mom Central and Huggies for allowing us to be a part of it! 

*** This blog campaign was possible thanks to Mom Central and Huggies Pull-Ups!  I received a gift card as a courtesy of doing the party.**

Iams Healthy Inside, Healthy Outside Contest

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 3

Congratulations to Mark.  You are the winner of this contest!  You will have 48 hours to contact me with your information or a new winner will be chosen!

I have a dog who is going to be a year old this May.  We found him when he was just a puppy and was so cute.  He has grown a lot since then, but as a pet owner you want the best for your pet including what they eat.

Iams has now introduced prebiotic pet food formulas called ProActive Health, formulated to help maintain your pet’s gastrointestinal health. These are available for both dogs and cats. Incorporating Iams ProActive Health into a four-legged family member’s diet helps promote the growth of good bacteria to encourage healthy digestion, nutrient absorption and the maintenance of a strong immune system.

I have decided to give my dog a trial of this food and see how his immune system handles it and if he likes it etc..  You can also transition your dog to try this kind of dog food if you think it is right for you.  If you are not sure about what types of food to try for your dog, please go to www.iams.ca and you can find very useful information about prebiotics and the types of food they have. 

Once I have given my dog the Iams, I will post how the trial is going and how he likes it.

Update:  We have given my dog the IAMS slowly and he has done the transition very well.  He liked it from the beginning and he has tolerated it great.  It is better for him healthwise than what we were originally feeding him, so I think I will stick to this brand from now on.  I urge you to try it!

But now for the good part!  If you have a dog and would like to try this Iams Proactive Health for your dog, then courtesy of Mom Central and Rocket XL we are having a contest.  The winner will receive a coupon for a 17.5 lb bag of Iams Proactive Health (approximately $20 retail value) to one of our readers.  The contest will run from April 12 to May 14, 2010 and is open to Canadian Residents.  All I ask is that you please leave a comment on my blog to be entered to win.  If you would like extra entries, please do one of the following (and please comment below saying you did): 

1. Follow this blog and/or subscribe.

2.  Follow me on twitter @freeshopper. 

3.  Tweet about the giveaway once each day.

4.  Post about this contest on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did with the link.

**I wrote this review while participating in the Iams Blog Tour by Mom Central on behalf of Iams. I received a voucher for a bag of Iams ProActive Health to facilitate this review and a $20 gift card as a thank you for my participation.

Win a Saskatchewan Vacation

http://www.greatsouthwest.ca/index.html

Enter to win one of five trips.  Enter once.  Ends March 31, 2010.  Here are the prize packages:

GREAT SOUTHWEST PRIZE PACKAGES

Prize Packages • Entry Form • Contest Rules

Big Muddy Package

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan/Douglas E.Walker 

• A two night stay in a Supreme Terrace Guest Room at Temple Gardens Mineral Spa, Moose Jaw, SK (valid any day of the week). Total value of $420.00.
• Big Muddy Tour and accommodations for 4 people from Coronach Tourism.  Value approximately $250.00.
• One "Curious Wonder" limited edition print, and a $20.00 Gift Certificate for the Yvette Moore Gallery. Total value of $100.00.
• One Gift Certificate from Thunder Creek Trading Post & Rock Shop. Total value of $25.00.
• Lunch for two at Cafe Paris in Gravelbourg, SK. Total value of $25.00.

Combined Value: $820.00

Cypress Hills Package

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan/Douglas E.Walker 

• Three day Park Entry Pass, two nights electrical camping, and one day Family Leisure Pool Pass at Cypress Hills Provincial Park. Total value of $70.00
• One "Curious Wonder" limited edition print, and a $20.00 Gift Certificate for the Yvette Moore Gallery. Total value of $100.00.
• "The Fruits of our Labours" cookbook and T-shirt from Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association. Total value of $30.00.
• Family Day Pass to Fort Walsh National Historic Site. Total value of $22.00.

Combined Value: $222.00

Grasslands Package

Photo: Parks Canada/Nigel Finney 

• Two nights accommodation for two and two Breakfast Baskets for two at The Crossing Resort. Total value of $180.00.
• One Grasslands National Park Field Guide, and one Black-footed Ferret T-shirt from Prairie Wind & Silver Sage. Total value of $65.00.
• One "Curious Wonder" limited edition print, and a $20.00 Gift Certificate for the Yvette Moore Gallery. Total value of $100.00.

Combined Value: $345.00

Photo: Dean Francis 

Great Sandhills Package

• Two Tourism Saskatchewan long-sleeved shirts and a copy of "Saskatchewan Scenic Secrets" by Robin and Arlene Karpan from Tourism Saskatchewan. Total value of $170.00.
• Two 18 hole rounds of golf and one power cart rental at River Ridge Golf Club. Total value of $100.00.
• One "Curious Wonder" limited edition print, and a $20.00 Gift Certificate for the Yvette Moore Gallery. Total value of $100.00.
• Two Great Sandhills Coffee Mugs from Dean and Fran Francis at Sagebrush Studios. Total Value of $40.00.
• One Gift Certificate from Spruce Creek Antiques. Total Value of $25.00.

Combined Value: $435.00

Lake Diefenbaker Package

Photo: Cam Barlow 

• Two night Condo Rental for four in a one bedroom unit at Sarah’s Cove Condo Rentals, Elbow, SK. Total value of $285.00.
• Two Festival Passes to the Long Day's Night Music Festival in Swift Current June 17, 18 & 19, 2010. Total value of $120.00.
• One "Curious Wonder" limited edition print, and a $20.00 Gift Certificate for the Yvette Moore Gallery. Total value of $100.00.
• Three day Provincial Park Entry Permit and two nights camping at Douglas Provincial Park. Total value of $61.00

Combined Value: $566.00

Need a Reno-Cation? – Contest Closed

We Have a Winner!  The Winner is  Oceanside! Congratulations!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 105

I know I sure need one.  A reno-cation, if you do not know what that is, is a renovation to your home, as well as a vacation so you can relax when it is all over.  That is definitely what I could use.  My home needs to have a few rooms painted like the living room and bathroom, plus I need to learn how to organize things better with shelving or storage units etc..  Maybe some nice pictures or artwork for my walls.  There are endless possibilities.  Then after all that hard work, I can dream of flying out to Hawaii or some other tropical paradise so that I could relax and have fun.  Wouldn’t it be nice? 

Now if it sounds like you need a reno-cation, then Royale has the promotion for you.  They are giving away $25,000 worth of prizes.  Here are some details for the grand prize they are giving away: 

- The Grand prize includes $13,000 to spend on a home renovation in any way the winner chooses AND an 11-day, $7,000 Royal Caribbean cruise for two on the “Jewel of the Seas.”
- An additional $5,000 in prizes will be given away to secondary winners in the form of 15 weekly prize packs from the Royale Luxury Bath Collection that include a personal heated towel rack, new luxurious towels, and premium Royale robes.

http://www.royalepromotions.ca/renocation/Default.aspx?utm_source=MomCentral&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=various&utm_campaign=Renocation2010

If you play the game on their website, you can enter two times each time instead of just one each time you enter.  So more chances to win. 

Sounds nice doesn’t it?  But that’s not all.  In addition to entering that contest, Mom Central Canada (www.momcentral.com) has kindly agreed to let me host a blog campaign and contest for them.  I will be giving away a $50.00 Cara restaurant gift card, accepted at Swiss Chalet, Montana’s, Milestones, Kelsey’s, and  Harvey’s, as well as a $50.00 Home Hardware gift card.  So that indeed is a nice prize as well ($100 value).  The contest will run from March 15, 2010 to April 27, 2010.  Open to Canadian entries only.  Please leave a comment to enter the contest and tell me “What is your ultimate reno-cation”?

For extra entries:

1.  Please follow me @freeshopper on twitter and leave a separate comment for that. 

2.  Re-tweet the contest for me.

3.  Follow my blog and/or subscribe to my blog and leave me a separate comment. 

4.  Post about this contest on your blog and leave me the link in a separate comment.

Similac Advance

http://www.pharmacommunications.ca/swactankcoupon/tankcouponprogram.php?partner=symengwb

Here is a coupon for $5.00 off Similac Advance Baby formula for those who have babies who need it.  Rarely do you find a coupon that is this good and for something so beneficial.  I came across this while reading a news article online.  Make sure your printer is ready to go, as you will only be able to access the coupon once. 

HydraSense nasal aspirator

I remember when my son was a wee little baby and got a cold.  He must have been only a couple months old, maybe less.  He was so small and couldn’t breathe that well.  We took him to the doctor and the doctors gave him some meds.  He could barely breathe with his nose being all stuffed up.  He ended up being fine, but as first time parents we all worry.  They never had such things as nasal aspirators then. 

Since babies are unable to blow their nose and can develop as many as eight colds a year, our friends at HydraSense® have designed a new product that provides quick and effective relief from your baby’s nasal congestion and helps avoid excessive crying and poor sleeping.
The HydraSense® Nasal Aspirator and its filters were developed with pediatricians, and are brought to you by HydraSense® , the leading brand in saline solutions for the whole family. The HydraSense® Nasal Aspirator is a gentle and safe way to relieve your baby’s nasal congestion quickly and effectively. It helps to maintain clear breathing and to facilitate eating and sleeping. Its soft nasal tip is specifically designed for babies’ delicate noses and its transparent design allows for you to see the amount and type of mucus that is being removed. HydraSense® Nasal Aspirator has a protective single-use filter that traps excess mucus, providing hygienic aspiration. The tip and base of the aspirator are easily removable for effective cleaning after each use. Unlike squeezable nasal aspirators, the HydraSense® Nasal Aspirator allows you to control the strength of the suction with your aspiration.

For best results, and to liquefy mucus prior to aspiration, use HydraSense® Easydose® or HydraSense®Ultra-Gentle Mist with Comfort Tip, a nasal solution composed of isotonic, undiluted, sterile, 100% natural-source desalinated seawater. HydraSense® contains more than 70 trace elements and minerals naturally occurring in seawater and is preservative free. 

Click on the link to see a great, easy to follow video on how to use the HydraSense® Nasal Aspirator http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE-yk6wvCKE

If you think this is the right product for your child, please visit www.hydrasense.ca/en/babynasal.aspx today.  You can sign up for the Dolphin club and download their exclusive coupon.  Once logged into your account, you can enter the code MC2010 under the online coupons tab, in order to get an $8.00 off coupon to be used towards the purchase of the HydraSense® Nasal Aspirator (Coupon itself expires December 31, 2010).

***Note, I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central and received a Mom Central gift pack to thank me for taking the time to participate. For more information, please visit www.momcentral.com

Win a trip for 2 to Maui

http://www.more.ca/contest/724

I would love to go to Hawaii one day.  Imagine yourself at the beach sipping tropical drinks, enjoying the hot sun etc . . . .  Anyways, you can enter once only until April 19, 2010.  It is a trip for 2.