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

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet Felicia at several blogger events including Disney Social Media Moms, Tide Fabric University and Pampers Tour. I always knew she was an incredible blogger (but you, as her readers, already knew that, right?) but what I didn't know is that she is such an amazing, kind and generous person, too. Felicia puts together great reviews of the latest products for kids and babies here on Go Graham Go and she is allowing me to share an exciting opportunity for fellow product review bloggers in this guest post.

At BlogHer 2009, a conference for female bloggers to learn more about their craft, I was fortunate enough to meet another great review blogger, Cecelia from Cool Baby Kid. We both soon realized that we had more in common than just running successful blogs. We maintained our blogs while working full time outside the home--me as a Lab Technician and Cecelia as an English Teacher--as well as each caring for our two small children. Needless to say, two women plus two blogs plus two careers plus four children equals not enough time in the day! Without blinking an eye, we began brainstorming on ways to help each other succeed in the review blogging genre when we realized creating a network that encourages collaboration rather than competition would be beneficial not only to bloggers but to the brands they promote. The Double Duty Divas were born and quickly formed a niche of the most influential mom review bloggers on the internet growing to almost 300 bloggers today!

Now, Cecelia and I want to expand and create a way to help review bloggers learn more about best practices and help brands find a way to form mutually beneficial relationships with them.... and Reviewer's Retreat was born! Reviewer’s Retreat is the first conference that is geared specifically towards the issues and challenges faced by bloggers in the product review genre, a topic that is lacking from most conference agendas. Review bloggers will converge to take part in sessions on a variety of topics including brand-blogger relations, website design, perfecting the pitch, statistics, ethics, monetization and more. In addition, bloggers will be able to put their new skills to the test by reviewing and enjoying the Great Wolf Lodge.

Sponsored by Pampers, the retreat will be held on May 15-May 17, 2011. We are very excited about our developing agenda which now includes Collen Padilla, Carleen Coulter and the opportunity to attend the Getting Gorgeous Event. Ticket sales will open to the general public on Monday, November 1st. The early bird rate will be $125 and will end on January 6, 2011. Ticket sales will be extremely limited as we would like to foster small round table discussions and ample opportunity for blogggers, brands and PR representatives to network in an intimate setting.

If you are a product review blogger, check out Reviewer's Retreat and add this unique experience to your conference list for 2011!

Bridgette is the Founder of The Not-So-Blog (Experimental Mommy) and co-founder of Double Duty Divas.  She is also a full-time working mom with two adorable daughters!  Find her on Twitter @BridgetteLA

AlexandAlexa is a designer baby clothes retailer that features unique baby gifts.  They also have a toys and books shop that offers some of my favorite brands.



They are going to be participating in Vogue's Fashion Night In (11/1) and will be running promotions and giveaways for the evening, with 10% of the sales being donated to children's charity, Kids Company!  Moms can get in on the fun as well!  Shop on the night and be automatically entered into a prize drawing to win your dream cocktail dress from Marchesa as well as a £200 voucher to spend at AlexandAlexa.com.  Enjoy free shipping if you are in the UK and half price for international delivery.

Hourly Giveaways
Follow @alexandalexa on Twitter to see what's up for grabs in hourly giveaways!  Hourly prizes include a limited edition coloring book by Yves Saint Lauren.

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If you are looking for some cute, eco friendly storage or kids table ideas check out WayBasics.com.  I love the looks of the new Charlotte Table Set!  Enjoy 15% off with this coupon code: WBGOGRAHAMGO15

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We have two wonderful cats that were perfectly content being our indoor, lovable pets for three years. Then, our oldest child became mobile and they started whining at the door, longing to escape the precarious reach of a toddler.

Our veterinarian warned us that an outdoor cat does not live as long as an indoor cat for many reasons--an outdoor cat is quickly subjected to diseases, cars, dogs, and other animals. Knowing this information kept us from letting our cats escape the confines of a child-full home. Unfortunately, those threats didn't keep Churchill and Thatcher from still crying at the doors and windows!



Then I started hearing of outside cat enclosures--confined spaces that keep your cat safe from outdoor predators while allowing her the feeling of outdoor freedom. My husband mentioned an article in the New York Times about "catios" and my interest was piqued. I thought cat runs like the ones sold on the Kritter Kommunity webstore were a little pricey for merely being outside cat enclosures. But then I was offered the chance to review the Kritter Kondo Deluxe and I can tell you that I and my cats think it is worth every penny.


When our cat run arrived I was impressed with it's compact packaging. When you open the Kondo for the first time it looks like this:


I had my two-year old daughter stand next to it so that you could get a feel for how small and portable the Kritter Kondo Deluxe looks when it is in it's carrying case.


Set up was very straightforward and easy. Unlike other outdoor cat enclosures, the Kritter Kondo Deluxe requires no building and does not have stakes that you put together. It is a one piece portable structure that makes it easy to set-up and take down. The only snag we ran into was that some of the stability clips were hard to push into their holes. With a little force from a light hammer tap, they were easily in and the cats were ready to roam in their new cat run!



With a few sniffs and paces around, however, Churchill was ready to settle in and enjoy his new outdoor cat enclosure. Since it is still so warm here in Atlanta, I imagine that Churchill and Thatcher will be getting a lot of use out of their new cat run. I already know that they're grateful the Kritter Kondo Deluxe  allows them to be away from our two grabby (yet affectionate!) girls!


The features I liked best about this outdoor cat run are that it is made of water-resistant material, it is very easy to setup, you can take it with you anywhere (!), you can use it for small dogs as well as for cats, it has a sunshade (!) and that it has doors on both ends. The dual door feature at both the front as well as the back are great because they allow you to access your pet from either side.


The Kritter Kondo Deluxe costs $154.99. A small warning--this cat enclosure is heavy so shipping is restricted to ground and is $23.89--bringing the grand total to $178.88. You can purchase it now on www.kritterkommunity.com!

After stints of living in the Midwest, Northeast, and England, the Monkey's Mama (AKA Allie) currently resides in Atlanta with her wonderful husband of 7 years, "J". Together they have two daughters.

The Monkey's Mama takes great joy in being a Christian Stay-at-Home-Mama. In her spare time, she loves to run and race competitively for her local track club, read mystery novels, and walk her cats Churchill and Thatcher outside on leashes!

You can find her on twitter @monkeysonthebed.

Ritz will offer an 8x10 enlargement for just $1 on Nov. 1 for 11 hours. The catch? The 8x10 must be a Halloween themed photo. Starting at 8 a.m. customers who upload their photographs from the prior day’s Halloween festivities will not only pay $1 for the enlargement, but will also have the opportunity to receive the photo in one day if ordered before 11 a.m., or two days if ordered after 11 a.m. for the standard shipping rate of only $1.99.  If you are a new customer you will receive 25 FREE prints with sign up.

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Who remembers this guy from Saved By the Bell (and various other shows)?  Well Mario Lopez is now a new daddy who has a new show launching on VH1 about his journey into fatherhood!  Pampers recently threw him a baby shower and a few bloggers had the chance to interview him.  Check out the interview below!  I couldn't be there due to my own precious newborn, but I thought you all might like to hear what he had to say.





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Like many of you, I am a huge fan of saving money through bargaining, couponing, and shopping strategically online and in stores. I belong to many social shopping networks where you can find great products at discounted prices. However, I had never seen or heard of a website like jasmere until they graciously extended an offer for me to review it!


Jasmere employs a savvy group of people to seek out small or lesser-known retailers that they think people (like you and me!) need to know about. Once they find these great stores, they then test the products to make sure they are as great as they seem. After everything passes jasmere's quality test, they negotiate an exclusive discount just for jasmere customers.

Every product that is featured on jasmere's website starts at a set price. As the deal continues throughout the day, the price could drop (!) as more people buy it. Talk about a novel concept that directly benefits us, the consumer!



When you decide to buy a featured product, you do not need to join jasmere to make a purchase--jasmere strives to foster a community of savvy shoppers unlike similar pretentious "members-only" shopping clubs. If you chose to not create an account, I highly recommend that you still sign up to receive jasmere's newsletter emails--Jasmere ingeniously engages their email readers by randomly placing "fine print trivia" in, you guessed it, their fine print. The key is to read their entire newsletter each day or peruse their website looking for that fine print trivia. Not only is this a fun game for us, the customers, but it also helps ensure that their spotlighted vendors are getting a fair amount of exposure when people actually read about them! Not to mention that the fine print trivia is yet another amazing example of how thoughtful, generous, and attune jasmere is to their consumers.

Jasmere has incredible customer support--you can contact them directly and a real person will answer you in record time. Their Facebook Page is definitely worth liking--every day (or weekend) a randomly chosen jasmere fan will win the daily feature! And, should you have any questions for jasmere, you can post it on their Facebook Page and you'll find lots of answers from the community and jasmere staff. It's great!

Jasmere is an refreshingly innovative group-buying site that features a wide variety of great products ranging from children's clothes to sweet snacks and designer handbags to art prints. With their collective bargaining premise, you know that you'll be getting the most bang for your buck--an offer you cannot refuse!

Allie was provided a $20 coupon code in order to review by jasmere. These are her honest opinions on the product.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

After stints of living in the Midwest, Northeast, and England, the Monkey's Mama (AKA Allie) currently resides in Atlanta with her wonderful husband of 7 years, "J". Together they have two daughters.

The Monkey's Mama takes great joy in being a Christian Stay-at-Home-Mama. In her spare time, she loves to run and race competitively for her local track club, read mystery novels, and walk her cats Churchill and Thatcher outside on leashes!

You can find her on twitter @monkeysonthebed.

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Please link to your family friendly giveaways (not your blog).  Head over to Jolly Mom for even more!



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I can't believe that it will only be a few short months and Davis will be ready to start solid foods!  Part of me is excited to see that day come for many reasons!  With Graham I tried to make as much of the baby food as possible, but I felt like I really did not know what I was doing and honestly did not have the proper equipment for storage and such when he went to his sitter's house.  That's why I am so excited to show you guys one of the additions to Infantino, Annabel Karmel!


I have been an Infantino Mom through Mom Central over the past few months because it is a company I wholeheartedly believe in.  We own several products from Infantino from over the years and I continue to go back to them for value and quality.  If you haven't visited the website lately you should check out their revamp!  The new Annabel Karmel addition is only part of it!


We were sent the Stackable Food Pots, Double Decker Meal Box, Fill & Freeze Puree Pops, and Freeze Tray for review.  I can honestly say that every item is worth the money because you are getting quality at a great price (all under $10)!


Stackable Food Pots
These gems are awesome for taking your homemade baby food on the go!  Why?  Because they are stackable!  You can easily click them together so that they aren't lost in the diaper bag (what's worse than food that has been forgotten at the bottom of a diaper bag)?  You can even pair items together if your child is going to a sitter's house.  Maybe they like to eat their bananas with their oatmeal etc.  The Stackable Food Pots are also dishwasher safe and come in fun colors!  The best part is the price: about $5.99 for 6.


Double Decker Meal Box
This is great because it grows with your child.  The Double Decker Meal Box includes 2 single serve microwaveable dishes with lids, 2 large compartment containers and two spoons/spork.  Everything fits into one nice, neat box!  Even the spoons have a place to go that is under cover.  If you only need the small containers when your child is younger or use the large compartment for a sandwich.  Again, the price is very competitive at about $8.50.


Fill & Freeze Puree Pops 
My husband even commented on the construction of these (which means a lot!).  He noticed that the sticks have three holes in them so that the puree you freeze will actually hold to the stick!  This will be important if you have a smaller child who may not understand "bite control" yet.  The Fill & Freeze Puree Pops would be a great natural idea for teething or a sweet treat.  I love that these can be used well beyond the baby years and are only $8.75.


Freeze Tray
LOVE this Freeze Tray!  It is made from flexible silicone that makes it super easy to pop the frozen food from.  You can store 9 ounces of food (1 ounce per cube).  The lid is great for keeping your frozen food fresh until you transfer it to a freezer bag or thaw it.  The Freeze Tray retails for about $9.99.

Infantino offers baby food preparation products from Annabel Karmel as well!  Stay tuned for more.

I am a participant in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for Infantino and have received various Infantino products as part of my participation.
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I was just talking to one of my best friends last week about Graham and the sleeping routine.  We read him a story, say prayers, and then turn on every single glowing item in his room!  My exact words to her was that his room looks like some nuclear explosion!  If you have a young child you probably know what I am talking about.  One of those items is Graham's fish tank light.  The problem with this is that the fish are getting toasty!  I was introduced to a great option for those of you who do not want the hassle of a fish tank, but the experience, that I would recommend in a heart beat!



Wild Creations (a store I love because of its unique and educational finds) offers the Jellyfish Lampquarium that we were sent for review!  It is so life like that people who come over automatically ask, "Are those real jellyfish?".  No, they aren't real (thankfully), but they definitely act real when you press the "on" button.  The jellyfish swim and dart just like you would expect real jellyfish.  There are also five inter-changing colors that help Graham's room glow (one more glowing thing)!






What we like about the Jellyfish Lampquarium is that fact that it is a hassle free alternative to an aquarium.  Just fill it up with regular tap water, a few drops of liquid dish detergent and push the jellyfish in through a hole in the top.  You can turn the Jellyfish Lampquarium off when not being used and it will also turn itself off after a while of use (not exactly sure on the timing).  After about a week of use it is suggested to add fresh water.

The Jellyfish Lampquarium retails for $39.99 and would make an excellent Christmas gift idea!  If you aren't the "fishy" type, check out some of the other excellent options at Wild Creations.

This product was sent free of charge.


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Have you guys seen these adorable bags from Ziploc in the stores?  I love the new quart sized treat bags.  They are perfect because you don't have to worry about fancy ties.  Just put in your treats and zip them up!  I used them for some Rice Krispies treats this weekend and they were perfect.  These would be perfect for the various fall festivals and school Halloween parties going on this week as well.




Ziploc also offers their very own Trick or Treat Bag.  Cute and keeps the candy from falling out of the plastic pumpkin!


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Who would enjoy a trip to NYC along with being in the audience at the Rachel Ray show?  I would!  Guess what?  We both have an opportunity to win with Jimmy Dean!  If the winning recipe comes from this blog I will also be heading to NYC!

Here's How:
· Pick your favorite flavor weapon! Submit two recipe ideas using one bag of  Jimmy Dean Hearty sausage Crumbles,– one must be a breakfast solution and the second one is up to you
· Entry is open from 10/25 – 11/26 and judging by Sara Lee chefs and the winner will be notified by 12/3/10


· Winning recipes will be judged based on the following criteria:


1. Appeal: Does it sound good? Will it make readers want to try the recipe?
2. Originality: Is the recipe itself new and/or creative? Does the recipe stand out?
3. Use of Crumbles: Is it an appropriate use of the product? Do they use the sausage well or in an innovative way in the recipe?
4. Simplicity and Ease: Is the recipe easy to follow? Is the prep time reasonable? Ease of prep. Are the ingredients easy to find? Is the ingredient list reasonable?
5. Clarity and accuracy: Accuracy of the recipe. Clarity in the ingredient list (i.e. if onions are listed, state whether they are red, yellow, pearl, green, white that are called for in the recipe); clarity in the production steps (i.e. if something is cut, approximately what size: roughly chopped, minced, small dice, etc.); Steps written and/or numbered in a logical sequence.

· Whoever submits the winning recipe will receive a trip to NYC to attend a taping of the Rachael Ray Show. Jimmy Dean will provide airfare and accommodations for two.  Send your info to crumblerumble@mww.com and mention that Go Graham Go sent you in order to be entered!

Official Rules from Jimmy Dean

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Here is a simple treat idea for Halloween!  Vampire Bites would be perfect for an after school snack or even a great alternative to candy for a Halloween party treat.  Most of you will already have these items on hand so it is a cheap idea.





What you will need:
2 Medium Red Delicious Apple (or any red apple) sliced into wedges
Creamy Peanut Butter (about 1/2 cup)
Slivered Almonds (about 1/2 cup)

Preparation:
Simply spread the peanut butter on one of the wedges that will create the mouth.  To the second half, press the almonds into the top (like fangs).  Put the two wedges together in order to create your Vampire mouth!


This cook book was provided free of charge by Gibbs Smith Publishing.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

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I truly enjoy baking.  Maybe it is because I really love to eat what I make.  I also love to make creative treats for parties or special occasions that kids will love.  That's why when I first head of Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves I thought to myself, "Why didn't I think of that?"!




Roundabouts are cupcake sleeves that allow you to turn ordinary cupcakes into amazing ideas for parties that everyone is going to love.  They were created by a stay at home mom who was inspired by her daughter's birthday.

We were sent a variety for Halloween to try out.  These are such great ideas for simplifying decorating!  The Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves are extremely sturdy and the adhesive holds very well.  So well that it was difficult for me to adjust them if I put them on crooked.  My one tip would be to put the sleeves on before frosting and decorating.




Roundabousts come in packs of 12 and retail for $8.99.  There are so many to choose from!  You will be sure to find the perfect sleeve for your child's birthday party, Christmas parties, and more.

This product was provided free of charge by Roundabouts. 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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When you mention cereal for breakfast what automatically comes to mind for you?  One of the first things that pops up for me is how much sugar and is Graham getting what he needs?  Graham is only three, so he hasn't really had a lot of opportunities to eat a ton of cereal and it is something that is slowly becoming a part of our morning routines.  Why?  Because it is easy, cheap, and actually less sugar than you would think!  Kellogg's cereals have been a part of my life since I can remember and they will continue to be welcomed in our house.  Two of my favorites are Frosted Flakes (their Grrreat) and Rice Krispies!





I have been honored to be a part of the Kellogg's Mom Breakfast Club and have been able to have some great conversations about breakfast and what other moms are doing.  I was asked to host a breakfast for several of my friends so that we could talk about what our morning routines were and how we sneak in healthy eating (especially in the morning).  We had a wonderful time being able to get together and it was nice to hear everyone's questions and suggestions.

For breakfast we had an assortment of Kellogg's breakfast cereals, fresh fruit, and a delicious Blackberry Lemon Coffee Cake made with Rice Krispies!  I also included a few yummy Orange Rice Krispies treat pumpkins that the kids got to take home.





After we all talked a while and started on breakfast, we joined a conference call with the Kellogg's Dietitian.  She was extremely knowledgeable and answered all of our questions in such a down to earth manner.  The first thing she asked us was if we knew what percentage of sugar children receive in their morning cereal for the day.  I had a very smart group of gals who immediately knew the answer was only 5%!  We all had been looking at cereal boxes, reading labels before the breakfast...it paid off!

I invited my mom to join us and it was great to have her side of the story (waking up at 5am to cook for the family).  I obviously think she did a great job feeding us and it was wonderful to hear her say that she threw cereal into the mix a few times a week for us as well (Sorry mom, I'm not waking up at 5am to start breakfast)!  One question that came up from the moms was about the difference in sugars.  It was asked if Kellogg's would be looking into naturally sweetening cereals with things like fruit juices.  Of course, certain Kellogg's brand cereals do not do this, but the Kashi brand (from Kellogg's) does use evaporated cane juice to sweeten cereals. Another concern was about the lack of protein found in cereal.  The dietitian acknowledge that this was definitely a concern amongst several moms.  We all discussed the fact that we generally serve something else alongside of cereal and add our protein in that way (ex: offer a banana with peanut butter).  My question came out of concern for my own son who is allergic to red dye.  I wondered why dyes were being added to the cereals.  The answer makes sense.  As for all food, dyes are added to make them more appealing.  The good news is there are still several varieties that Graham enjoys that do not have any red dye included.





Everyone present acknowledged that breakfast was the most important meal of the day.  We all agreed that anyone who starts the day off with breakfast is going to be fueled and ready for what's to come as well as maintain a healthier body weight.  Several of us also agreed that mornings were usually crazy and convenience foods were easier.  It was reassuring to hear that if we add cereal into our routines a few times a week that our children were going to have a convenient food that was inexpensive, not heavily processed, and packed with nutrients.

If you are looking for more detailed information on why you should Love Your Cereal, please visit the Love Your Cereal website for more facts and helpful information.


This is a paid campaign through The Motherhood and Kellogg’s These are my honest opinions. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

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