Go Graham Go: Parenting | Recipes | DIY | Brand Ambassador | Product Reviews | NC Mom Blog

I always have to share when there is FREE SHIPPING at Lands' End! This one expires April 7, 2009 so hurry!

When you talk about spring, if you are a pet owner, you immediately think of the spring shedding season! Did you know that 163 million homes across America have pets! That's a lot of fur flying during the peak of shedding season!

The FURminator is unlike any other brush or tool I have used in the past! I have a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and he sheds like crazy! The deShedding tool reduces shedding up to 90% in long and short-haired dogs and cats. Professional groomers and even vets use this fabulous tool!

The FURminator deShedding tool is made from stainless steel that works without cutting or damaging the topcoat (which makes it a more pleasant experience for your pet as well as leaves their coat nice and shiny). The tool works by removing the undercoat and loose hair.

Here are some of the benefits:
*Reduces the amount of airborne allergens like dander
*Reduces hairballs
*Prevents matting
*Reduces shedding up to 90%
*Provides a healthy, shiny topcoat by releasing pets' natural oils

After using this on my dog, Ojo, we started to see noticeable results right away. There was so much hair in our yard it looked like another complete dog! We even used this on my mother's Corgi who is brushed daily and we were able to remove a lot of hair. It was the same news with the cats as well! Here is a short video of Ojo being brushed with the FURminator deSheddig tool.





This is the last brush you will ever by for your pets! You will not need anything else! FURminator also has a long line of other products for your pet, from shampoos and solutions to treats and supplements, they've got your pet covered! Ojo loves the deShedding Treats and I have used the shampoo before with great results!

The FURminator deShedding tool retails for $34.95 (small), $49.95 (medium), $59.95 (large). They even have one for Horses ($69.95)! Pick one up at your local PetSmart or PETCO!

Can you believe that in April of last year one teen managed to rack up over 6,000 text messages in one month? Working as a high school counselor I see the struggle between parents and kids with their cell phones far too often. They are constantly having them taken away during school because teachers catch them trying to text under the desk or they are talking on them in the hallway. It has become such an issue that TwitterMoms are talking about it.

I'm not trying to pretend that cell phones are going away, and I am not proposing that they should go away, but there are some tips that parents can use to hopefully help make the cell phone experience more pleasant for all!


*Find a phone plan that allows you to pre-pay or pay as you go (something like Kajeet)

*Talk together as a family about when it is or isn't appropriate to use the cell phone (no cell phone after 9pm, no cell phone until your homework is completed, etc.)

*Make your child responsible for helping out with the bill. This doesn't necessarily mean that they have to pay the entire bill, but make them responsible in some way (paying for the texting, pay for half, Do things around the house in exchange for the phone bill, etc).

*TAKE IT AWAY if they are failing in school or not following through with rules you set! Let them have it back when they show progress!

*Have them go over the bill with you when it comes in. Teens need to see things in order to know that they are "real". Make them a part of the cell phone bill process! This is a valuable learning tool for the future anyway!

If you are looking for a cell phone plan that has your Teens and your wallets best interest in mind, check out the Kajeet. Kajeet offers pay as you go and they even have settings that can be helpful such as: WalletManager that sets aside money to teach responsibility, Set text message limits with TimeManager, Block calls and texts you don't want with ContactManager (this is an excellent feature as I see a TON of teens who need this daily), Set up automatic check-ins or find your kids phone with GPS Locator, enjoy flexible inexpensive rates (plans start at $4.99).

This product was provided free of charge by Kajeet. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

I'm sorry this Make Something Monday is up late. I haven't been feeling all that great!


Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 1 chopped tomato(es)
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 can Green Chiles
• 1 package Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
• 1 cup Medium Salsa
• 1 can Refried Beans
• 2 cups Shredded 4-Cheese Mexican Cheese
• 1/2 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 2 Chicken Breasts

Preparation:

1. Cook the chicken breasts. Chop them into small pieces.


2. In one bowl, mix refried beans, garlic and 1/2 cup salsa. Set aside.


3. In second bowl, mix black beans, chicken, green chiles, cilantro, tomato and 1/2 cup salsa.


4. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spray with cooking spray and line the bottom with tortillas. Spread a layer of the refried bean mixture, sprinkle with cheese and top with tortillas. Cover tortillas with a layer of the beans/chicken mixture and sprinkle with more cheese. Continue layers until the final layer of tortillas is covered with refried beans and cheese.


5. Bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes until heated through.

I got this recipe from the Funny Spoon! Love that site! Remember, if you are participating in Make Something Monday to leave a link to Go Graham Go and Jolly Mom. There is a clickable link you can grab from my sidebar as well!

My husband and I have been talking a lot lately about how Graham seems to be moving into more of the pre-school programs now. It is kind of sad to think that our "baby" days are behind us! We try not to watch a lot of television at home, but when we do, it is normally on Noggin and there are a select few programs that Graham likes to watch. One of those is Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!

For those of you who have not seen Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! it really is a great program that encourages learning as well as character values. Wubbzy, Walden, and Widget are the three main characters featured in the programs. Wubbzy is of course the fun loving guy, Widget is the fix-it-up gal, and Walden is the intellectual. I love that they use a female for the fix-it-up character as well! Each program features a problem and then a solution that normally involves a character trait or a wonderful life lesson.

The brand new DVD that Mom Central so graciously gave us the opportunity to review is called Pirate Treasure. This movie features 5 regular and 2 bonus episodes. The characters all set off to find buried pirate treasure, and of course, learn a more valuable lesson in the end about how having fun and life is much more important than money or "stuff". I love how these lessons all come across in a very clear way! They even feature fun songs! Pirate Treasure came was released March 24th! This is a definite gem especially for those road trips!

Check out www.wubbzy.com for some fun activities, games, crafts, recipes and more!

It was a cold day last week and Graham is in love with "Chi Chi" or chicken from McDonald's so we found ourselves at the McDonald's play land. I was soon talking to another mother about shoes and what we were willing to spend on what.

I have found it is pretty much consistent with all moms that we are looking for great shoes for our toddlers and children. Their feet do a lot of growing in such a short amount of time. It is important to find a shoe that will flex with their feet. Pedoodles is a fabulous shoe company that not only boasts adorable shoes with flexible soles, but they are also Eco-friendly! This is an added bonus to an already wonderful shoe! They have shoes from newborn all the way up to age 4.

In 2008 Pedoodles started creating their PedFlex soles from recycle materials. They also have started packaging their shoes in recycled gift boxes! If you aren't already sold on the style and flexibility, their Eco-conscious mind set puts the icing on the cake!

Graham had the opportunity to try out the Tidal Wave sandals! Besides how cute they are, I love the flexible soles that truly provide substantial protection as well as movement! There are no laces to tie and the foot bed is flat which helps simulate barefoot walking. The Tidal Waves are created from Eco-friendly premium leather remnants which are saftey tested! I love that these shoes work either as casual or dress! With great versatility and excellent fit, these shoes would be an excellent investment for your little one! I believe in putting a little extra money towards the health of my growing child's foot!

The Tidal Wave retails for $36.00.

<a href="http://www.gograhamgo.com"><img src="http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww61/gograhamgoads/springbashreal.gif" border="0" alt="Spring Bash"></a>

Just in time for spring, Go Graham Go and Jolly Mom are bringing you some of the hottest finds! Make sure to join us starting tomorrow for fabulous prizes! Also, today is the last day to snag the Spring Bash button to earn 2 extra entries on all giveaways! Get the details on the Extra Entries!

FREEBIES

One A Day Multivitamin Drink Mix --- $1.49
Use $1 Off Coupon from 3/22
Mail in Rebate for $1.49
MONEY MAKER!

Reynolds Wrap --- $.89 Coupon + Coupon from 2/08 Newspaper

Printer Cartridge Refill --- Mail in Rebate

Walitin Allergy Relief --- Mail in Rebate

Chapstick 100% Natural or True Shimmer --- Register Rewards

BOGOs

Colgate Wave Toothbrush --- Coupons in 3/29 Newspaper too!
Colgate Cavity Protection Toothpaste --- Coupons in 3/29 Newspaper too!

EASTER DEALS

Easter Grass 3/$1 Coupon
Mini Easter Water Ball (cute basket idea) $.79 Coupon
Select Easter Chocolate $.99
Easter Egg Shaped Deviled Egg Holder and other items $.99

For more Walgreens Deals check out Money Saving Mom, Deal Seeking Mom, and The Centsible Sawyer!

Transaction #1

Paas Egg decorating kit --- $1.99 (2 day sale)
Earn: $1.99 ECBs
Easter M&M’s --- 2/$3 (2 day sale)
Total OOP: $4.99
ECBs Earned: $1.99

Transaction #2

Glade Sense & Spray 0.43 oz or Plug-Ins Lasting Impressions 1.42 oz. --- $5.99 (Not Easter, but a GREAT deal with the coupon and ECB)
Earn: $1 ECB
Use $4 Coupon from 3/29 Newspaper
Easter Singles Candy --- 2/$1.50 (yum.. we love Cadbury Eggs!)
Peeps --- $.96
Total OOP: 4.45
ECBs Earned: $1

See more CVS deals at Keeping The Kingdom First, The Centsible Sawyer, Deal Seeking Mom, and Money Saving Mom!

Regardless of the economic situation, getting your child started on the path to saving is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. Saving money is a process, and if taught and encouraged at a young age, can be fun and lead to a life of financial security, even in today's environment.

There is a new website dedicated to bringing you some valuable tools you will need to help you instill the value of learning to save early on in your kids! Make More Cents has a wide assortment of tools such as: piggy banks, coin sorters, books and so much more!
It’s easier than you think to get started; here are some tips:

• Begin having conversations about saving as soon as children learn to count. Once children start asking you to buy things, they are ready to learn about being responsible for money.
• Give your child a bank and get them started. Begin to share your own point-of-view and values about managing money with your children.
• Enable children to begin to understand basic money management concepts by giving them allowances. Kids who receive regular allowances are able to start making choices about what they can save, spend and share.
• Give money gifts or allowances in small bills or coins, so that a portion of it can be saved.
• When the bank is full, open a savings account for your child. Many banks have saving clubs that offer special incentives and "freebies" for children who open a savings account.

Your children will receive a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction by reaching their saving goals. An additional benefit will be the education about “life choices” your children will receive as they make decisions about what to save, spend or share.



The Moneywise Kids Games is comprised of two simple, fast paced games to improve valuable math skills that kids will use all their lives: making change and budgeting money. Moneywise Kids was developed by Karen Godfrey of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Karen knew that games are great motivators. But she soon found that not every game is the right game.

So, Karen created Moneywise Kids, a simple but captivating money math game. Young children have no trouble following the rules. Both players get to "win" (no more tears!) Karen's students actually beg to play the game -- the ultimate measure of a good game.

Features:

• Develop basic math skills: counting bills, exchanging bills, make correct change, addition, subtraction and budgeting.
  
• Game pieces include two game boards, facsimiles of U.S. money, 16 Moneywise Markers and two dice.
  
• Includes tips that parents and teachers can use to connect Moneywise play with the real world.
  
• Recommended Age: 7 and Up, 2 Players. Contains small parts. CHOKING HAZARD – Not for children under 3 years.

This giveaway has ended! Congratulations to Ellen C.!

I love new and unique places where you can find gifts that will last a lifetime! Now that I have Graham I can see the importance of giving a gift that is special! Everyone gets the sleepers, the onesies, the bottles and those are definitely needed...but it was the personalized gifts that I still have and remember the most!

C.U.T.E.* Baby Gifts (Colorful Unique Thoughtful Educational) specializes in creating a child's name out of special characters that represent each letter! As kids grow older, they will be able to associate the special characters with the letters in their name! They will also make sure your piece of art-work is one of a kind! They will register the parents names to make sure there are no duplicates. C.U.T.E.* Baby Gifts also makes sure that even if the same name is created, they are different by color or character. For instance, let's say I ordered one for Graham and then someone else ordered one for their little boy named Graham. C.U.T.E* Baby Gifts may make my Graham's "G" out of a Giraffe and the other Graham's "G" out of a Gorilla (these are random examples that I came up with myself). The bottom line is, your piece of art work will truly be one-of-a-kind!

These beautiful pieces are also extremely affordable! An original retails for $35. All posters carry a $5 shipping and handling fee. You will receive an 11" x 14" drawing suitable for framing!

Our family loves to have family night with games. It is nice when you can find them on sale! Well, check out these great coupons for some fun family games!

Right now you can go to coupons.com and print off the following coupons:

$10 off the LeapFrog System
$5 off Leapster Learning Games
$5 off Elefun Game
$5 off Hasbro Guess Who? Extra Game (I loved this game when I was little)
$5 off Hasbro Sorry Sliders Game
$5 off Hasbro Twister Hopscotch Game
$5 off Hasbro Gator Golf Game
$10 off Tag Reading System

The rumor has it that next week Target will have some of their Leapster Games for $15 and with the coupon you would be getting the games for $10!



The Elefun game would only be $12.99 at Target with the coupon! That's the deal I think we will go for this week!

I found the most adorable store located in Australia through the Family Review Network! Bright Star Kids has everything from wall graphics to labels to bag tags! Bright Star Kids designs and manufactures all of the Wall Graphics on their premises in Australia. Every single product that they produce is made from the best quality removable vinyl that is available. They have a wide variety of designs and styles to choose from as well!

We had the chance to try out the Train Spotting Wall Graphics! At first I was a little nervous about what these graphics would to to my walls or that they would be permanently affixed! I was so thrilled to find out that they are simple to put up and they come off with ease! Because they are made from vinyl, they seem to be highly durable as well! It was fun to create our own little railroad scene on Graham's wall! If we found that we wanted to change the look, we simply peeled the piece off and re-applied it with no trouble! We had the entire railroad up in about 10 minutes. There is no lifting and the colors are extremely vibrant! The wall that you see in the photos is probably about 8 feet wide.


These wall graphics would be the perfect idea for sprucing up a kids room on a budget! They have graphics for girls rooms, boys rooms, and nurseries. The packages run from about $26-$52 and there is a $10 flat rate shipping charge. When you think about it, this is a lot cheaper than buying a of pictures and frames! The bargain is that most of these wall graphics could take up an entire wall if you wanted them to!

Bright Star Kids send all orders from Australia within 2 working days of receiving your order. Most US customers find that their parcels arrive in around 2 - 3 weeks, but if you live in a more remote area this could take a bit longer. The Wall Graphics come in a protective large cardboard envelope, so if you're not home when your mail person tries to deliver it, they will leave a note and you will have to collect it from your local mailing office.

I'll be the first to tell you that I do not know a lot about how security systems work on the computer. My husband takes care of all of this. I do know that I have a dear friend who had her identity stolen because of a virus that was installed on her computer! I also know that when kids get on the computer they can do some weird thins without know it and you need a good system to protect your computer! So, when TrustWare contacted me I had to pass along the information.

From the TrustWare website:

BufferZone Pro transparently neutralizes threats, including viruses, spyware, and other types of malicious software, by redirecting their disk, registry and other modifications on your PC to an isolated Virtual Zone (the “buffer zone”). Any modification requested by a program running in the Virtual Zone is performed within the boundaries of the isolated area and does not effect your PC’s actual configuration, data or files.

Our software prevents malicious code from silently installing on your system; BufferZone Pro keeps all files, drivers and system resources invisible, protecting them from attacks and preventing them from being exploited in a malicious way.

Protect Yourself Against Information And Identity Theft

Because BufferZone Pro separates files and applications, Trojan horses containing key loggers and other malicious code are not able to access sensitive areas of your PC (such as your “My Documents” and similar folders) to try and steal your passwords or violate your privacy.

There are a ton of online boutiques and children's clothing stores out there. I have really never been one for name brand clothing so Trendy Brandy Kids was all new to me! I know that a lot of us do not have the luxury of buying some of these "high end" clothes, but for special occasions, I have found a pretty cool boutique!

Trendy Brandy Kids has children's fashion such as: Jottum, Me Too, Marese, Tatiri, Catimini, Jean Bourget, and Alphabet . In the Trendy Brandy Kids Boutique you can see children's clothes from France, Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands.

The on-line Trendy Brandy Kids Boutique offers some collections for spring/summer 2009 from leading manufacturers of children's clothes and accessories. If you are looking for something for a special occasion this would be a wonderful place to visit!

Follow Trendy Brandy Kids of Twitter to receive new updates!


This giveaway has ended! Congratulations to Mel!

I just found out about the coolest website for kids! I would have LOVED this when I was little! It is called Shidonni and it is AMAZING! This free website allows your child to draw their favorite character or animal and then bring it to life! Shidonni animates your child's drawing! Best of all... it is FREE! There are certain features you can pay extra for.



Once your child has created their creature, they can then let it interact with other users creatures. You can even draw food for your animal and feed it! There is a place to create background and to play games with your Shidonni creation!

I created my own and played on the website for about an hour! I know that if I still find it entertaining at my age, kids are going to flip over this! How cool is it to see something you actually drew literally come to life! It is like you are a professional cartoonist!

"The site empowers kids to create their own worlds and play with them in a safe, fun environment. By providing kids with drawing tools rather than "ready made" elements, Shidonni promotes imagination, creativity and computer skills in kids ages 4 and up. "

This giveaway has ended! Congratulations to Kelly F!

Kids labels, they are everywhere! I must say, they are a necessity if you take your child anywhere (church, day care, preschool, mother's morning out, etc.). You pay good money for your sippy cups, kids shoes, jackets, and snack cups...DON'T LOOSE THEM!

We learned the hard way that even in a church nursery things will be misplaced or sent home with the wrong child! We started labeling Graham's things from the very beginning. Despite our best efforts, there were still some things that went missing. Well, now there is a label company that has given their labels a brain! That's right! Oliver's Labels is "how kids' stuff finds its way home" with its own ID number!

By using Found-It, Oliver's Labels FREE online lost-and-found, your hard earned money will make it back home! Here's how it works: When someone finds an item with the Oliver's Label attached they are prompted to go to oliverslabels.com/found. There they will find instructions to enter the code found on the label. Oliver's Labels then matches you to the code and sends you a notification email! Oliver's Labels acts as an intermediary between you and the finder so you never have to share any of your personal information!

Oliver's Labels are also very versatile! They offer the Original Label, Stick-eez Clothing labels (no ironing or sewing required), mini labels (for smaller items like toothbrushes or spoons), Iron-on Clothing Labels, Large Bag Tags, Shoe Labels, and Mini Bag Tags. There are several cute designs to choose from as well as Allergy Designs (No Dairy, No Eggs, etc). There are even labels for adults!

These labels are also durable! Oliver's Labels are made from high-performance, waterproof, weather-proof and scuff-proof materials that have been tested to be long lasting in a huge range of environments. The sticky labels are so durable that they can be used on items that go in the dishwasher, microwave, fridge, freezer and outdoors. The colorful iron-on clothing labels can be easily thrown in the washing machine and dryer and the bag tags are meant to withstand harsh outdoor conditions.

Having Graham has made me so much more conscious of the products I am using around the house. It has been my goal to find affordable, green, organic products as much as possible! EcoStore USA "offers more than 100 products, each one meeting the most stringent environmental and sustainability standards. The guiding principle of every formulation is and will always be that the end product must not only be good for the user, but good for the planet." (EcoStore USA).

EcoStore features household cleaning products that are safe and natural. There are also fabulous hair care and bath and body products! There are even products for your pets!

We were able to try out some of the Baby products offered! The Baby Sleepy Time Bath is by far better than any of the sleepy time washes I have purchased in the chain stores. You can tell just by the aroma that this stuff is the real deal! Like they say, "No Nasty Chemicals"! By adding a cap full of the Sleepy Time Bath to your child's or your bath the beautiful fragrance of all natural lavender takes over the room!

The Baby Moisturizer works excellent on Graham's extra dry skin. Because they use plant based ingredients such as Jojoba, Olive Oils, and Shea Butter, baby's skin stays soft and smooth all day long! Not to mention, Graham has a tendency to like to lick lotions, so I feel better about knowing what ingredients are actually in it!

EcoStore USA also has a blog you should check out!

One of those battles that you just don't want to fight is the battle of wearing the bib! Graham did a pretty good job of wearing his when he didn't know any better, but once he got older, the Bib was a thing of the past! Not to mention, his bibs were not always the best at keeping him clean!

The Family Review Network introduced me to DaBib and I love it! The great part is that it has a Scrunch Collar that keeps liquids from getting under the bib and also makes for a more comfortable fit! The face of the bib is made from micro fiber terry that soaks up liquids quickly and has a waterproof backing to keep clothes safe! The DaBib also has a hidden pouch that folds forward to catch the crumbs!

Another bonus is that this bib is large enough to fit a toddler! It still covers Graham nicely and he will be 2 soon!