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Muchables Heart Teething Necklace Giveaway

munchables-giveaway-necklace

 

This giveaway is sponsored by Munchables and hosted by Mommy By Nurture

One winner will receive their choice of heart pendant from Munchables, an exclusive style only to them! Retail value is $15.99. Winner can choose from all available color choices in stock when giveaway has ended. To read what Mommy By Nurture thought of this exclusive shaped teething necklace, please READ FULL REVIEW HERE.

Terms of service: One person may enter per household, Open to the USA and Canada age 18+. Void where prohibited. One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries. Winner has 48hrs from time of contact email to reply or another winner must be chosen. Product will ship from sponsor and normally ships within 2-6 weeks. You may come back daily to get additional entries for the Daily Secret Word or Tweets. Refer your friends for even more entries. Good luck!

Disclosure: This website was not compensated for this post. My website/blog is not responsible for fulfillment of this prize. Prizes will be shipped by each individual sponsor listed. This giveaway and post are not affiliated, endorsed, or sponsored by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or any other social media platforms. If you have any questions, or would like to see your product featured on Mommy By Nurture, in the next product review or giveaway, please contact Nichole at Mommy By Nurture

Sheer Cover Make-Up Review

Sheer Cover Make-Up Review

If you know me then you know I’m not a big make-up person. So, you may be asking why I would be doing a make-up review. Well, there are a few reasons.

I mainly don’t like to wear make-up because I don’t like to look and feel like I have it on, especially in the summer. Nothing is grosser then wiping off sweaty foundation. Yuck! Also, as a mother of two, I don’t have time to stand in front of a mirror for a long time to get that perfect, even, “natural” look. I have used plenty of over the counter products, only to let them collect dust and then eventually find a new home in my trash.

So, when I heard of the Sheer Cover line, I was excited to try it out. Concealer, foundation, and bronzer…lets get started. But first, don’t forget your Perfector Primer. This lotion has a silky feel which glided onto my face smoothly without leaving it feeling heavy. It provided the perfect base for the other products to follow.

makeup

At first glance, the conceal and brighten trio really caught my eye. I had never seen a duo concealer and a brightener. I could see the difference when I used the three together. The circles under my eyes were not as noticeable. The best part was the concealer didn’t look caked on or fake. Score one.

Next, it was on to the mineral foundation. Once again, an extremely light powdery  consistency made me feel like I had no make-up on at all. At the same time, the foundation did its job to even out my skin and make it look smoother. Score two.

Topping off the look with the sun-kissed bronzing materials brought a nice, natural glow to my face. All three products complimented each other to achieve a healthy look. Score three.

I also had the chance to try out the lengthening mascara and lash extending fibers. While I’m not one for eye make-up, this mascara was also light and natural. At night, it also came off easily and did not irritate my eyes like so many other products do. Score four.

Perhaps the best part about all of these products is that the entire application from start to finish was done in about ten minutes! This is a major score for any mother, whether you work outside or inside the home.

If you would like to try this awesome product line, enter this contest for your chance to win free foundation for one year!

*This is a sponsored post. I was given free Sheer Cover products to complete this review. The Mommy Rundown is not hosting the contest.

 

Can Kids Learn at Any School?

Can Kids Learn at Any School?

As my daughter and so many of my friends’ kids get ready to enter “big kid” school, A.K.A. Kindergarten, I’m finding that schools are a common topic of conversation. Do we send them to public or private school? Is one town better than another? Do we pack up and move to another district that is known to have better schools? Ugh. There are so many questions. For every question, there are a handful of different answers that don’t make the decision any easier. As in any discussion everyone has an opinion and not everyone agrees. I kinda miss the days when our discussions revolved around “90210”. But we’re growing up and so are our kids.

When the subject comes around, I always say a child can be in the “best” school district and still be a bad student. They can have every resource available to them, but if there is not the drive to learn and the reinforcement at home, I do not believe they will succeed. With that said, you can have a child in an average or below average school excel because he or she wants to learn and has parents who support the cause. I’ve had many people tell me that is not the case.

I’ve done my research and have found that many schools are designated as “great” because of their test scores. Well, we all know not everyone does well on tests. I think that is an unfair assessment of a school and its students. I think you need to take other things into consideration such as the quality of the teachers, student involvement, parent involvement, and activities.

As with anything that deals with children, I believe everything starts at home. With that said I think parents need to make it their job to help their kids with schoolwork at home. Learning shouldn’t stop just because a child gets off the bus.

My daughter starts Kindergarten in two weeks. She will be going to the public school in our district. Is it the best school in the district according to test scores and the “Great Schools” rating online? No. Is it still a good school? I have to say yes because I have talked to several parents whose children went there and those who still have children enrolled and I have not heard one bad word. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but when I mention the school, the first response I’ve gotten has always been a positive one. The principal and teachers also left a great first impression during orientation. I also like the uniform policy as well as the security that is in place. Those are the factors we based our decision on.

So, if you ask me if a child can learn at any school, I will have to say “yes” as long as they have the drive to learn and the support at home. What do you think?

 

 

 

Dealing with Mean Girls

We’ve all been there. Either you’ve been the target of a mean girl or you’ve been a mean girl yourself. It’s okay to admit it if you were a mean girl. I can honestly tell you I wasn’t one, but I certainly was one of their favorite targets. It doesn’t help when you have a mullet and purple-framed glasses…just saying.

As the mother of two girls, I knew dealing with mean girls was going to be part of the gig. I just didn’t realize it was going to happen so soon. My daughters are only five and almost three.

We were at a birthday party recently where a seven-year-old who was invited decided to play a game called “monster babies”. Apparently you choose which kids are the “monster babies” and you run away from them and don’t play with them. Great frickin game.  As you can probably guess, my girls along with a couple of others were the “monster babies”. That meant they were locked out of a couple of rooms while the non-monster babies yelled at them and played together.

I quickly realized what was happening and resisted the urge to deck the little ring leader. Instead I sat back to watch how my girls reacted. At first they played along, but only for a minute or so. Soon, my older daughter realized the real deal and called for her sister to come over so the two of them could play together…alone.

I was very proud that they didn’t run over to me and whine that no one was playing with them…not even the little girl who invited them to the party. She was too busy playing “monster babies”. My girls just did their own thing and had their own fun.

This dumb game went on for much of the party. As I was walking to the bathroom I saw them leave another little girl out. Tired of biting my tongue all afternoon, I told the little mastermind the other kids were not “monster babies”. I told her that was mean and that was a mean game she was playing. She just looked at me as she continued to play.

I know she didn’t care what I told her, but I felt better saying something. It’s funny because the rest of the parents thought it was a cute and funny game. No one said anything. Yeah, not so much for me.

I always tell my girls to include everyone, especially when there are some kids who may not know each other. I’ve had plenty of parties at my house with all kinds of kids. I can’t think of one time when some were purposely left out in the name of “fun”. Some people may think I overreacted because “kids will be kids”. I can tell you, you will never catch a game of “monster babies” in my house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peppa Pig Book & DVD Giveaway

Sassy Mom, 2 Spoiled Bratz and Entertainment One are teaming up to bring you this awesome giveaway for Peppa Pig The Balloon Ride DVD & Peppa Pig Class Trip Book! 

    If you have young children who love Peppa Pig be sure to enter this giveaway!

     This giveaway is in no way endorsed, associated or affiliated with Facebook, Twitter
    or any other Social Media Networking sites. This giveaway is valid in the Continental
    United States and entrant must be 18+ years of age to enter. 
    The bloggers promoting and hosting this giveaway is not responsible for prize fulfillment. G.H. Creators will be in charge of that.  

    Mom, I Want to be Rich

    Mom, I Want to be Rich

    “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question we often ask kids. There’s always all kinds of answers…doctor, fireman, police officer…etc. Of course there are always some fun and quirky answers.

    What would you do if your kid told you he or she just wanted to be rich? Well, that was the number one answer coming out of a survey in Britain. Famous came in number two. While we smile and giggle at these “aspirations”, I have to admit I think it’s sad.

    Images of rich and famous people are obviously influencing our kids. Are we not teaching them to have real “dream” jobs that involve education and hard work?

    Seventy-five percent of kids surveyed also said that money could buy happiness. If that were the case there would be a lot more happy people out there. We all know that’s not the case.

    Other real jobs like doctor and veterinarian did make the list, just a little further down. The big kicker is that some kids say they don’t want to work at all! That was number ten.

    I remember getting my first job at sixteen, making peanuts, but thinking I was “rich” because I now had my own money. There was a sense of accomplishment for doing a job and getting rewarded for it. I’m afraid those days are long gone.

    Ditching the Diaper Bag

    Carrying a diaper bag is just one of those things that go along with being a mom. Babies and kids are little but they sure require a lot of stuff just to take a ride to the grocery store. No matter how nicely you pack the bag, it becomes a hot mess in a matter of minutes!  It is the place where crumbs and baby wipes mix together, sticking to your lip gloss that you couldn’t find in months. Things go in and yet never come out. There just isn’t much more to say except for the fact that it is gross.

    As time goes on, you wonder how you ever functioned without a bag that wasn’t half the size of your body. You also wonder when on God’s green earth you will be able to ditch the bag and feel like a real woman again. It’s amazing how much you really miss carrying a semi-normal sized bag. Then comes the day when you only need to throw in a pack of wipes and some fruit snacks.

    No more diapers.

    No more bottles.

    No more binkies.

    No more formula.

    No more musical keys.

    No more diaper cream.

    You are free!!!! IMG_4048

    This day came for me a couple of months ago. After nearly five years of carrying a diaper bag, I realized I didn’t need it anymore. My youngest daughter was potty trained. Both girls ate grown-up food. They could carry their own toys in some handy dandy backpacks. I no longer needed to be a walking nursery! Praise the Lord!

    To say the feeling was liberating would be an understatement. I was so happy to get rid of that thing! As far as diaper bags go, mine wasn’t so bad, but it was still such a hassle. I much rather carry a larger sized pocket book and not look like Babies R Us!

    Has anyone else ditched the diaper bag and felt the same way?

    CA Restaurant Bans Noisy Kids

    CA Restaurant Bans Noisy Kids

    If your kids are noisy, don’t visit one California restaurant. It has banned kids! Forget strollers, high chairs, or booster seats…you won’t find them here. There’s a sign right in front just so there’s no confusion!

    As a parent of two children, I know how hard it is to keep kids quiet and entertained while eating out. It’s really a game of chance…sometimes they’re good, other times, not so much. But, I also think you need to teach kids how to act out in public, not shun them. With that said, I personally wouldn’t take them to a four-star restaurant. If I’m paying that much money for a meal, I want to be able to thoroughly enjoy it!

    What do you think about all of this?

    It’s Not Your Happy Birthday

    It’s Not Your Happy Birthday

    When you have more than one child you know sibling rivalry and jealousy play a big part in growing up. Being an only child, this whole dynamic is a learning process for me, but I’m quickly getting the hang of it. Child “A” gets doll, child “B” sees doll and wants doll. Child “A” does not want to give up doll so child “B” rips it out of her hands and across the floor. End Act 1, Scene 1. As you know, the rest of the show plays out the same way.

    Well, now that my children are getting old enough to express wants and so-called “needs”, I’m noticing jealousy roots its green, ugly head in a big way around birthdays. This week my oldest daughter turns five. God bless her little heart she’s been talking about her birthday since around Christmas. It’s safe to say she is very, very excited. With that said, my two-year-old is hopping on the Happy Birthday train. The only problem is she’s not the conductor for this ride, and she’s quickly realizing that.

    As we shop for decorations and talk about her sister’s party, little sis chimes in with “and my Happy Birthday”. She proceeds to tell me she’s going to have a Sofia…no Dora…no “Go”(that’s what she calls “Frozen” because of the song)…when it is her birthday… in three months. When my older daughter talks about presents, you can hear an “and me” echo in the background. Lord help me!

    Don’t get me wrong, I feel bad for my younger daughter. But, girlfriend, it’s not your Happy Birthday! I’m trying to tell her when its her special day she will get special things, until then take a chill pill. It’s not like we’re going to ignore her on that day. But she’s not going to get her own cake, presents, etc. It may sound insensitive, but I don’t want her to get into the habit of thinking it is her birthday every time it is her sister’s. That’s called Christmas.

    My older daughter has agreed to let her little sister help her blow out her candles and open some presents because that’s just the type of person she is. Hopefully tiny tyke will understand that she has the supporting role in this Happy Birthday film, not the lead.

    I’m hoping this birthday thing is just another phase, but something is telling me it’s not. Perhaps having twins wouldn’t have been so bad. At least then it really is both of their birthdays!

    Do any of you deal with this issue? How do you deal with it?

     

    Best & Worst Places to Raise Children

    As a parent, we all want the best for our children. Many of us move to certain places so that we can give our kids the best neighborhoods and the best schools we can afford.  There are many other factors we may take into account as well. So what are the best places to raise children?

    According to a new report out by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Iowa all ranked at the top. New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada were among the worst. Check out where your state ranked. Do you agree?

     

    Annie E. Casey Foundation