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

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One of Graham's new favorite shows is Chuggington.  I was recently asked to be a Chuggington Conductor so that I could share some inside information about this wonderful show that so many kids seem to be falling in love with.  We recently threw a Chuggington party to celebrate!






Of course, when I say party, I mean one fit for preschoolers (pizza, Twinkies, coloring, and lots of running).  Graham invited his friend Claire over to watch some Chuggington and have some fun!  It was adorable watching them put on their Chuggington Conductor hats and sing the Chuggington song while inhaling pizza.  We watched a DVD screener of current and brand new episodes.  The new episodes are just as intriguing to Graham as the old ones!  You can even find him saying "Oh, Bumpers" every now and then.






I attempted to create a Twinkies Chuggington Train, but failed miserably.  We still ate them, but I am not about to post the pictures of them.  My husband thought that the Twinkies shape would be perfect and I used Mini Oreos for the wheels and the head lights.  Unfortunately, the head lights all fell off and the wheels started to crumble.  I think next time I need to use frosting for extra adhesive and apply the wheels to the outside instead of inserting them in the bottom of the Twinkies.





Chuggington airs on Playhouse Disney at 10:30/9:30 central.  If you would like to throw your own Chuggington Party, check out some of the printable coloring pages at PlayHouseDisney.com. You can also play fun games online.  If that's not enough, Chuggington now has die cast toys available for pre-oder (mid June delivery)!

I was not compensated for this post.  A few of the products were provided free of charge in order to throw the Chuggington Party. These are my honest opinions.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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When I first named this website, it was because I had an extremely active toddler who loved to go!  Now that he is a little older he still loves to go, but he also loves THINGS that go!  I really do not know any preschool aged boy who doesn't love trains, trucks, airplanes, or construction equipment.  There are also several little girls I know that are infatuated with them.  This is the concept behind Shirts That Go!






Nick Morgan is the father behind these awesome shirts.  His 6 year old son was the inspiration.  I can relate to Nick because we often find ourselves looking for trains and passing by the fire station just so Graham can catch a glimpse.  Nick knew that kids really love the look of the realistic vehicles and grow beyond the cartoon like images.  It is true for us that Graham will always gravitate towards the more realistic when offered a choice.



We were sent the Diesel Train shirt as well as the Blue Fire Truck shirt for Graham.  Graham picked out the Diesel Train shirt and was excited about it the moment it arrived.  He often pretends he is a diesel train, so this was right up his alley!  I dropped off Graham at preschool the day he wore the Blue Firetruck shirt and immediately several of his class mates were asking him about his "cool shirt".  One class mate said to me, "Where did you get that?".  Luckily, the website is printed right on the back.  Not only are these shirts realistic, but each one features the particular vehicle in movement.  Nick works with an artist to achieve the perfect realistic look that kids will love.

The shirts are made from soft cotton and run a little small so you may want to order a size up.  We ordered a size 4 for Graham and it fits him with some room left over (Graham normally wears a 3T).  The price for a short-sleeved shirt is $22 and well worth it!  I think I'll be buying these for birthday presents!

*Note that Shirts That Go! has two exciting new designs brewing for the Holidays so check back often. These are a pirate ship t-shirt and an ice cream truck t-shirt! I hear they’ll be ready by the end of November!!
This product was provided free of charge by Shirts That Go. 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.

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Thank you for stopping by today!  Feel free to link up your family friendly giveaways.  Please link directly to the post and not straight to your blog.  Also, let us know what you are giving away.  Head over to Jolly Mom for even more exposure.  I hope you have a wonderful day!




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If you have been reading for a while, you may remember me talking about one of my favorite places to eat!  Cracker Barrel has been a favorite of our family for a while now for many reasons.  One in particular is the vegetable plate!  Now, I have even more reason to support them because they support the Wounded Warrior Project.



The Wounded Warrior Project provides programs and services to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and transition to civilian life.  This year Cracker Barrel has partnered with Wynonna Judd to put out several different products available in the Cracker Barrel Home Store.  For every piece of Wynonna or Wounded Warrior merchandise you purchase, Cracker Barrel will be donating a portion to the Wounded Warrior Project.  Also, from now until May 31st that donation will be doubled!



From now until June 6th you can enter to win the "Weekend with Wynonna In Music City" Sweepstakes.  There will be one grand prize winner as well as 2 first prize winners.  While you are there you can pre-order Wynonna's new album, Love Heals.

I was sent a gift basket from Cracker Barrel, a company I support and have supported for many years now.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info.


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I just had to share this with you all.  I love Livie and Luca shoes and I received an update this morning that their Bloom sandals are back in stock.  Aren't they precious?  If I had a little girl she would own a pair of these adorable sandals!

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Have you seen the NOVICA website?  I can't believe that I am just now hearing about it.  I love to find unique gift ideas and I always love to support handmade.  NOVICA is in association with National Geographic and offers artisans from around the world a place to share their talents.  You can purchase anything from home decor, earrings, bracelets, and other jewelry including sterling silver jewelry.  There is also a cute assortment of hand bags and gift ideas.



NOVICA sent over a gift code for me to use so that I could check out how the website works.  I was completely impressed with the quality of products offered and the fact that you can find something that works for just about any price range.  I found a gorgeous bracelet from an artisan in Bali that is perfect for my mother's birthday.  It actually arrived in the mail today in a beautiful package as well as a gift message from us!  I was impressed that the expedited shipping for this was only $5.95!



One of my co-workers has also purchased items from NOVICA and told me that she has been thoroughly impressed with what is offered and the service in general.  All of the artisans are free trade and extremely talented.  If you can't travel to the particular country, this is the next best thing for purchasing gifts!  NOVICA is definitely a place to check out when you are looking for something unique and special.  I can guarantee you will not be buying a repeat of something someone already has.  This is a great idea with Father's Day right around the corner as well.



A gift card was provided free of charge by NOVICA. 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.
 
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Do you have a child who refuses to brush his or her teeth?  Is it a battle every time you ask them to please brush?  There are so many different special tooth brushes and sparkly tooth pastes that you can choose from, but Melvin the Magnificent Molar is a great way to explain the ins and outs of why we need to brush.



Julia Cook and Laura Jana, MD have made this book educational but fun!  Now, every morning Graham wakes up asking if we have scummies and telling me that we both need to brush the scummies away.  Melvin the Magnificent Molar will also help encourage your child to visit the Dentist.  I know that this can be a big fear for some children, but Melvin the Magnificent Molar does a great job at describing what is involved and normalizing the experience for kids.

You can purchase the soft cover book Melvin the Magnificent Molar for $9.95 at Julia Cooks's website.  In my opinion, this book is a must have for every child's shelf!

This book was provided free of charge in order to facilitate my candid review. 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.

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Are you a Crocs fan?  My husband and I were just talking about how the Crocs we bought for Graham a few months ago have been the best $30 we have spent in a long time.  He wears them every single day and we just wash them out at night.  He plays in the mud, creek, rocks, and everywhere else little boys like to go and they still look as good as new.



If you are a big Crocs fan you have until May 31st to join in on the contest.  Just visit Crocs.com and become a fan of Crocs on Facebook.  When you are there click on "Contest".  All you have to do is upload a creative photo of yourself wearing your favorite pair of Crocs doing what you love to do best.  Write a photo caption and let Crocs know why you would like to be a Crocs Ambassador.  You could win $2,500, trips to Crocs-sponsored events, shoes, and opportunity to co-lead an exciting online community of like-minded individuals who only want the best out of life.

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This has to be one of the worst allergy seasons I have ever experienced.  Our entire family has been effected this time and it is not mild by any means!  What's worse is being pregnant and being limited to what I can take to help calm my symptoms.  I find myself using the neti pot like it is going out of style and going through boxes of kleenex.  I also keep a glass of water by the bed because I generally wake up coughing at some point in the middle of the night.  One more thing you can find beside my bed is a pack of Halls Cough Drops.



Do I love the taste of cough drops... no...I never have.  But, for me and my husband Halls always works and does the trick fast!  How many times have you found yourself in the middle of a quiet situation unable to control your coughing?  It is embarrassing and seems to get worse the more anxious you feel.  With allergy season upon us, it is probably a great idea to carry a few with you in your purse or pocket to avoid situations like these.  The Halls with Advanced Vapor Action Formula starts to work within about 10 seconds.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Halls and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.


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If you are familiar with the store Kirkland's, you know that you can find a multitude of items that are excellent for home decor and gift giving that are reasonably priced.  Our local store has been around for a long time and it is fun to head over and check out what they have.  I am huge Wizard of Oz fan and my husband actually found and purchased the entire set of Wizard of Oz porcelain dolls from Kirkland's about 10 years ago!  I have also picked up several home decor and gift items for friends (weddings, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc).



We were sent one of the Kirkland's "Sassy" Aprons.  Of course, I was sent the one that best describes me!  It is pink, and black and has the phrase, "Everyone has their price, mine is chocolate."  It is adorable and a great length as well.  These "sassy" aprons would make a wonderful secret sister, birthday or Mother's Day gift.  You can choose from the chocolate phrase or 3 more phrases that are cute and catchy.



If you are like me and have a busy life that usually involves needing to search and purchase gifts online, you will be happy to know that you can search for the perfect gift at Kirkland's and have them sent to your favorite store free!  All you have to do is create an account, reserve your merchandise, and then pick it up from the store when it arrives.  This way you can browse from the comfort of your own home without a hungry troop of kids following you around every corner!  I love the Adirondack Chair for kids for only $39.99!



This product was provided free of charge by Kirkland's. 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.


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$4 ECB wyb Old Spice or Gillette Body Wash $4 FREE Limit 2
Old Spice Body Wash or Fresh Collection Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant (of equal or lesser value), FREE wyb any Old Spice Body Wash or Fresh Collection Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant (1.7 oz+) (6/30/10) P&G 5/2/10
Gillette Body Wash B1G1F (5/31/10) P & G 5/2/10
Gillette Deodorant or Body Wash $4.00/2 (5/31/10) P & G 5/2/10

$2 ECB wyb (2) Pantene 2/$6.97 Limit 1
Pantene $1.00/2 (5/31/10) P & G 5/2/10

3 ECB wyb $10 Unilever Products Limit 1
Ragu 3/$5
Lipton $2.49
Hellmans $2.99

$5 ECB wyb (2) American Express GC Limit 2

$10 ECB wyb Dinner & a Movie $50 GC Limit 2

$3 ECB wyb $10 any L'Oreal Cosmetics Limit 1
LOreal Paris Cosmetic Product $1 (5/30/10) V 3/7/10
LOreal Paris Cosmetics $1 (6/13/10) V 3/21/10
LOreal Paris Cosmetics $1 (7/18/10) V 4/25/10

$2 ECB wyb $10 any Neutrogena Cosmetics Limit 1
psa$3.49
Any Neutrogena Cosmetics product, $3 (7-2-10) All You June

$10 ECB wyb $20 Any Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Care Limit 1
psa $5.99
Garnier Nutritioniste Cleanser or Moisturizer $1 (5/30/10) V 5/2/10
Garnier Nutritioniste Cleanser or Moisturizer $1 (6/30/10) V 3/7/10

$2 ECB wyb Olay or Olay Total Effects Body Wash $7 Limit 1
Olay Body Wash, In-Shower Body Lotion, Bar Soap or Hand & Body Lotion $1 (5/31/10) P & G 5/2/10

$5 ECB wyb $15 Nivea Body Wash, Lotion, Cream or Serum Limit 1
Nivea Body Lotion, 8.4-16.9 fl oz $1 (6/30/10) V 5/2/10
Nivea Body Wash for Women, 8.4-16.9 fl oz $1 (5/31/10) V 4/11/10
Nivea Body Wash for Women, 8.4oz-16.9oz $4 (5/31/10) V 5/2/10
Any Nivea Women's 16.9oz BW, BOGO (7-31-10) All You June

$10 ECB wyb Crest White Strips 3D Limit 1
psa $31.99
Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips $10 (5/31/10) P & G 5/2/10
Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid, 14 ct, Gentle Routine or Stain Shield Whitestrips $5 (5/31/10) P & G 5/2/1


$1 ECB wyb Crest or Oral B 3 D White TP $2.99 Limit 2
Crest Toothpaste, 4.0+ oz Liquid or Gel .75 (5/31/10) P & G 5/2/10

$5 ECB wyb Claritin $19.99 Limit 1

2 ECB wyb CVS Omeprazole $7.99 Limit 1

$5 ECB wyb (2) Thermacare $5.99 Limit 1
excludes 1 ct
ThermaCare, 2 ct+ $1 (6/30/10) V 3/28/10

$5 ECB wyb Prevacid 24 Hr 42 ct $23.99 Limit 1

$5 ECB wyb Quick Trim $29.99 Limit 1

$2 ECB wyb Depend $10.99 Limit 5

Other Sales

Kelloggs Cereals $1.66
Pepsi 2 Liter 99 cents
Mars Singles 48 cents
Pepsi 4 Pk Cans 99 cents
Bumble Bee Tuna 88 cents
Pepperidge Farm, Keebler or Nabisco 98 cents
Kleenex 97 cents


BOGO Sales
CVS Brand Vitamins
Nature Made Vitamins
Lay's Chips
Gatorade or Sobe
BOGO Sobe Printable [coupons.com]
Arm & Hammer Detergent
Nature's Bounty Large Count Vitamins psa $8.79

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On May 18th 40,000 Reese's fans joined the I Love Reese's Day campaign.  Not only that, but this marked the beginning of the "Reese's Loves You Back" promotion that is giving away up to $2 million dollars in cash prizes!  This is an instant win promotion that will be included on the packs of your favorite Reese's products.  Specially-marked Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Big Cup Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s® Pieces® Candies and Reese’s Crispy Crunchy Bars, now through December 31, may have $10, $25, or even $100 increments!  What a tasty way to win!  My favorite are the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!  Yum!



I was not paid for this post.  Reese's sent me some products to thank me. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.


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When I think about junk food, the word wholesome has no part in it!  I love chocolate!  The darker the better!  I would take a brownie any day over candy or cake.  So, when Laura's Wholesome Junk Food contacted me about her healthier alternatives, I was definitely intrigued.



I was sent the Mint Double Fudge and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bite-Lettes by Laura's Wholsome Junk Food to taste test and I was more than impressed!  My only complaint would be that I wish there were more in the tub!  The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bite-Lettes even have a hint of orange oil which makes them super addictive.  I also love anything that involves mint, so the Mint Double Fudge was a sure winner with me.  The Bite-Lettes are just what they say, big enough for a bite and super moist!  I could have eaten the entire tub by myself in one day (I am ashamed to say).  Graham also thoroughly enjoyed them.



Once I took a bite, I had to see just what was in these things that made them more wholesome than any other addictive brownie.  I was amazed to see that there was no fake sugar added at all.  All of the sweet flavor comes from the dates and other wonderful ingredients.  They are also gluten free which will make several moms and kids happy that suffer from that particular allergy. 

You can purchase Laura's Wholesome Junk Food online, at Harris-Teeter, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, or find a store near you.  Beware!  You can't eat just one!
 
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One thing that I ate a lot of when I was pregnant with Graham was applesauce.  It must have rubbed off on him because he is a huge applesauce fan himself!  I first started buying Vermont Village Organic Applesauce when Graham graduated from needing the runnier foods.  I decided it was cheaper to buy a large container than to buy those individual baby food jars.  I immediately went for Vermont Village because it was organic (apples are part of the dirty dozen that you should always try to buy organic).  I stuck with it because it was delicious and Graham devoured it.



Flash forward three years and Graham and I still love this stuff!  Little did I know that they also have several different varieties now as well.  We were sent Raspberry, Tropical Mango, Peach, Cinnamon, and Strawberry Banana to try out.  They have all been a hit and I am loving the change from plain old applesauce.  The reason this applesauce is so good is that they actually make the applesauce the old fashioned way, in small kettles.  They do not add sugar or water and it is made right here in the USA in Vermont (of course).  Vermont Village was recently named the best jarred applesauce by Real Simple Magazine as well.



You won't usually find me blogging about food unless I am truly sold on something.  If you haven't tried Vermont Village Applesauce I encourage you just to buy a small batch and try it for yourself.  You will definitely taste the difference.  Find a store near you.

This product was provided free of charge by Vermont Village Applesauce. 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.


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Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

PicPocket Books has a brand new release for your iPhone that your child is going to enjoy!  BlueBeary is a sweet tale about belonging.  BlueBeary features Beary as well as Sam and takes you on a journey that you and your child will enjoy.



BlueBeary is perfect for ages 3-7.  Like all of the PicPocket picture books, there are original illustrations as well as a narrator.  As the words are read aloud they appear in red so that you and your child can follow along.  This app also offers some fun questions at the end that will have you and your child talking about the book.

You can purchase BlueBeary in the iTunes app store!

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