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

Because a brand new year is right around the corner, I thought it was worth revisiting this article I posted last November.  The New Year is the perfect time to reflect upon what drives us and what we are going to do with it!

No, seriously. What IS your passion?

Yesterday I was reminded of several things in the most strangest of ways. I was reminded of the reasons why we do what we do, or why we decided to do what it is that we are doing.

You know what I mean.

You know. That dream you started to dream a few years ago before you grew up. That little spark of hope that flickered in your mind and felt so right. Where did it go? What happens to that passion? Who gets to decide what is achievable for you? Did you let someone else decide?

In front of me there is a picture of a little girl. A happy little girl with a flowery dress, a hat, smiling, eating a snack, with crutches to her side. I can remember that day and I can remember those shoes (they were my favorite). My knee was only fractured. Not broken. My dreams were HUGE! I can remember.

I was going to save the world one hurt and broken person at a time as well as take up a career singing my heart out on Broadway. Little by little those lofty dreams began to break down as "reality" set in. Little by little pieces of dreams were fractured by different life experiences, people, and situations. Nothing major. Just small stuff.

What I know now is that no matter who or what comes your way and no matter how childish those dreams may seem you should dream them. It's funny how things generally seem to come right back around to you. I believe that each one of us has a gift that we need to use. I also believe that those gifts can clearly be seen in your childhood when you aren't worried so much about whose looking or how silly it might sound.

It's just right and you know it in your gut.

So, whoever or whatever has fractured any part of your passion or dream I urge you to revisit it. Will you be singing on Broadway or saving the world? Who knows? Who gets to decide? Go with it with all you've got and remember the very wise words I've heard and still hear from my wonderful mother, "You never know until... YOU try."



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

We have always been fans of Kidorable.  They offer so many unique clothing and accessory items for kids that have received attention from many celebrities and moms around the country.  We were able to review the Frog rain jacket, boots, and umbrella last year and Graham still talks about his Frog boots!



I realize that Christmas is over, but gift buying is still going on!  Now is the time people are returning the gifts they received that they were less than impressed with.  Believe it or not, there are still people shopping for Christmas and mailing out gifts as well.  Kidorable decided to put together a fun Holiday Gift Buying Quiz that is fun, educational and free.  I was impressed with the thought that went into the questions, you may be stumped and surprised to find out the answers!



We were sent the Space Hero Rain Boots for review and Graham has been wearing them like crazy lately!  They are sold as rain boots, but we have been using them as snow boots these past few weeks.  Not only are they super cute, but they have a drawstring at the top that allows you to cinch their pants inside to keep them even more warm and dry.  Of course, if you use these as snow boots you will need to layer on the socks because these are meant for rain only.  Graham has received many compliments and people always ask where they came from.



Check out the wide selection of imaginative outerwear and kids accessories at Kidorable.  You are sure to find a few (or a dozen) items that your child will love!


This product was provided free of charge by Kidorable. 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. Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

I really just don't get it when I hear moms say, "my baby doesn't like to be swaddled."  What?  Now, I know that sometimes it might take some perfecting to get your baby in a comfortable position, but in the end, most babies are going to be happier and sleep longer when swaddled.  If you are anything like my husband and I, you are not an expert swaddler.  We have always relied upon the swaddling-cheats as we like to call them.  For the most part, they work great, but what happens when your baby's arms start to bust out of them?  Yikes!  They wake up!  Guess what?  There is a swaddle available that NO baby will break out of!  Let me introduce you to our new best friend: TrueWomb.



That's right.  Best friend, folks.  TrueWomb is an innovative baby swaddle that holds your baby in the fetal position comfortably.  I love the thinking that went into this swaddle.  Because babies spend so much time in the fetal position in the womb, it is only natural that they are going to want to still hold that same position.  I recommend to all new moms to at least give swaddling a try for three days because it has been my experience that it helps them sleep through the night.  Some babies may seem to be fighting the swaddling, but they may just be fighting sleep.




We have been using the TrueWomb swaddle now for about 3 weeks.  I was immediately impressed with the quality of the material used.  It is a stretch cotton that is super soft and breathable.  The fabric was designed to help prevent overheating.  The TrueWomb is extremely easy to use (and the instructions are conveniently printed on the inside of the swaddle in case you need a reference).  Just lay the swaddle out flat and center your baby.  Gently push your baby's feet up into the fetal position and pull the SwaddleTech pouch into position.  The pouch allows your baby to kick and stretch while holding the nice fetal position.  Next, adjust the ComfortWrap belt so that baby is secure.  Finally, my favorite feature, insert your baby's arms into the SecureSleeve and Velcro across as you would with a normal swaddle.  The SecureSleeve ensures that baby's arms are not going to break through the swaddle and GREATLY reduces the startle reflex.  It never failed, my past swaddles generally ended up with Davis's hands breaking free and startling himself awake.  His past swaddles also never took into consideration his legs and feet and the need for them to bend and stretch.  The TrueWomb really thought this part out well! 

In my opinion, (mom of two boys who sleep through the night with swaddling), this is the best swaddling product so far on the market that I have seen.  I say that because I don't want the price to startle you.  The TrueWomb retails for $39.99 which may seem pretty steep for a swaddle, but I believe it is worth every penny!  Sleep is priceless! Choose from 3 different colors and 4 different sizes (even preemie).

This product was provided free of charge by TrueWomb. 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. Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

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

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

If you are like us and pretty much snowed in, then you are probably spending way too much time eating and watching movies right?  I actually had to throw out the Christmas cookies just so we would stop!  If you are looking for another fun family pick to watch, you might want to check out Opposite Day.



In the new comedy, 9-year-old Sammy (Billy Unger) and his 8-year-old sister Carla (Ariel Winter) go on vacation with their grandparents when their overworked parents are unable to take them. Feeling bitter about his mom and dad (Colleen Crabtree and Pauly Shore) not being around, Sammy wishes kids ruled the world – but he soon learns to be careful what you wish for…! When a kooky experiment goes wildly wrong, making Sammy's dream a reality, the kids quickly learn that being in charge is not all child’s play!

Opposite Day is available for $14.99 on Amazon.


This product was provided free of charge. 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. Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

If you’re in my demographic, you are either pregnant or have recently been there. So are all your friends. You’re going to bi-monthly baby showers or still feeling guilty about getting your thank you notes out so late. Your best friend, co-worker or distant cousin from 3 states away is pregnant…you know breastfeeding is important but it can be tough to broach this touchy topic.



As a nurse, lactation educator and co-founder of Milkies I have some strategies for encouraging your pal to breastfeed while staying in your comfort zone: 

1. Set the example. This one is obvious but bears repeating…proudly breastfeed your baby. Gush about how easy it is to have all you need to feed your baby with you all the time. No bag of equipment needed!
2. Give a breastfeeding related shower gift. A breastfeeding book, video or a Milkies Milk-Saver all show your confidence that your pregnant peer will be a successful breastfeeder.
3. Invite your friend to your Breastfeeding Support Group or Le Leche League meeting. Let her see women breastfeeding openly and comfortably. She will hear their stories- the trials and tribulations and how they beat the “booby traps” to go on to the rewarding breastfeeding relationships with their babies.
4. Share your funny stories. Breastfeeding is important but don’t take it too seriously. Prepare her to laugh at the silly comments from strangers when nursing in public. And who hasn’t woken up in a pool of her own breast milk?
5. Be available. Check in every couple of days, look for the non-verbal cues that your friend is asking for help. If she is returning to work, you may ask if she has plans to start storing milk for Daddy to bottle feed when she is away.
6. Pregnant co-worker? Tell her you will cover for her (cash register, tables, reception) while she takes time to pump. Many moms are protected by a provision in the new health care bill if they pump at work, there are many loopholes though so check with your employer.

Have a conversation about breastfeeding- I am constantly amazed by the incorrect information masquerading as facts. Correct the misconceptions in a way that allows the dialog to continue and peers will be more likely to ask questions in the future.

We know breast milk is the gold standard in infant nutrition. It is important for new moms to get correct info from people that care about them and their sweet little babies. So take the time, be a friend and encourage breastfeeding any way you feel comfortable. It’s worth the effort!

Helen is the co-founder of Milkies, a valuable breast milk storage tool.  She is also a nurse and lactation educator.

Diapers are a costly, but necessary part of life for babies.  The sad thing is that there are so many families out there who are unable to afford diapers.  What tends to happen is that parents will leave babies in dirty diapers longer in order to make the supply they have last.  This can cause problems like staph infection as well as urinary tract infections.



TapMommies, HealthTap’s Beta community where pregnant women and new moms learn from professionals and from one another to make educated decisions about their health, has partnered with Stanford’s Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital and non-profit Help a Mother Out, to launch a New Year’s diaper drive to raise both diapers and awareness about this need.  The New Year is right around the corner and they are still a few thousand diapers short of their 10,000 diaper donation goal.  If you feel compelled to help out, there are two different ways:

Online
HealthTap has set up an online registry to make it simple to send in diaper donations http://www.diapers.com/baby-registry/68486/HealthTap-Palo-Alto

Mail  
send in diaper donations to:
HealthTap
575 High Street, Suite 310
Palo Alto, CA 94301

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

I am so thankful that I grew up in a home with a father who knew just about everything there was to know about vehicles.  I am also thankful that my husband possesses the same talent!  I have honestly never had to worry about auto insurance, car issues, maintenance, etc ever!  My dad did take the time to teach me how to change the oil in my car as well as showed me how to change a tire (luckily I have a cell phone and know how to put that to use instead.. lol)!



If you are not fortunate enough to live in a household full of Mr. or Mrs. Fix-Its, then you are going to want to know about the State Farm Auto Learning Center.  The Auto Learning Center is a free resource that is made available to everyone and provides some very valuable information.  I really need to study up and stop relying on those around me so much probably.  Things like safety features to look for when buying a vehicle or worst-case winter driving survival (perfect timing for our 10 inches of snow)!



The State Farm Auto Learning Center also features answers to common insurance questions and has a forum that is open to the public.  If you have a question you can not find on the site, just post it in the forum for someone else to help you out with.  People are even asking questions about liability in winter weather.



Want to see how "Auto Insurance Savvy" you are?  Take the "What's Your Auto Insurance IQ?" Quiz!

I was provided a prize package  by State Farm in order to thank me for posting about their new Auto Learning Resource.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info.




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

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

This Christmas we had the opportunity to do something that completely warms my heart!  You know how popular ZhuZhu Pets are right?  They seem to be on just about every child's Christmas list.  Even Graham gets a kick out of these adorable little creatures.  Through Random Acts of Zhu, we were able to give out 104 (plus some) ZhuZhu Pets to several children in a less fortunate town in Kentucky.  All in all, 100 bloggers gave out 104 ZhuZhus which totaled over 10,000 children reached!



For the past two years the church I attend and our community have been taking toys to a town in Kentucky that is stricken with poverty.  Each year they strive to give out nearly 2K toys to children in need.  This year the need was even greater because several sponsors backed out at the last minute.  Our goal was to try to gather 250 toys to take to them and we doubled that!  Several other churches in our community and beyond also joined in on the effort.  I love to think about the fact that 2K children will be wearing smiles somewhere in Kentucky tomorrow morning!

Children bring toys to the front of the church

Over 500 toys donated from our specific church with 104 ZhuZhus along for the ride!

The Sunday before the toys were transported to Kentucky (we are in NC), the children in our church brought several of the donated toys down to the front of the church to fill up wagons so that maybe others would be encouraged to join in.  It was amazing to see the piles of toys and the huge hearts of so many in our community!

Boxes of ZhuZhu Pets amongst other toys donated this year!

As we passed by CVS yesterday I noticed that ZhuZhu Pets were buy one get one free which immediately brought me back to this donation.  Even if it isn't a ZhuZhu Pet, the smallest gesture or toy could really brighten up the lives of so many around us!  What if you bought a toy for your child and gave the extra one away?  How about picking up a ham for the family down the street?  I am honored to work with amazing people who do things like this daily and was honored to be a part of the 100 amazing bloggers who also gave a little this Christmas.



There are so many simple ways to help out this Christmas.  I would love to hear about ways you and your community lends a helping hand!  It is always so encouraging to hear your stories.

This product was donated by Cepia, LLC.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info. Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

We watched this video on Wednesday during our Carol and Candle service at church.  It is really well put together and definitely puts the feelings behind what Mary, Joseph, and their friends may have been feeling in a way most of us can relate to: Facebook.  Wishing all of you a wonderful Christmas Eve!




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

You all may remember my post a few days ago about the one way we give back during Christmas.  In that post I told you about an app for the iPhone and DROID that allows you to give gift cards on the go as well as organize your rewards and gift cards called SWAGG (very convenient)!  When you hit the stores you just hold your iPhone out for the cashier to scan (so excited to use this)!



I have been loading my rewards cards like crazy because I am seriously tired of digging for them every time I check out!  I haven't used the app at a cash register yet, but I plan on doing so soon and will report back in January with my experience.  I also have on TJ Maxx Gift Card stored because I am so afraid I am going to loose it (another great thing about this app, sanity for busy moms who lose things)!



Support Cancer Research
The best part about the FREE SWAGG download is that from now until December 31st SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) for every app download.  SU2C is a non-profit that launched in 2008 to fund cancer research.  Their goal is to reach 125K downloads by the 31st.

The Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes
You also have a chance to win a fun trip!  Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a lucky pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! The prize includes:

* 2 night/3 day stay at Yarrow Hotel in Park City Utah (Jan 21 - Jan 23, 2011)
* Ground transportation to and from hotel to airport in Park City, Utah
* Dinner for two at Tao Lounge, including 2 nightclub passes
* All access to The House of SWAGG Gifting Suite
* 2 tickets to a movie premiere on Saturday, January 22nd -- movie tbd
* $4,000 value


 I was selected to be a SWAGG Brand Ambassador by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. This is a compensated program, but all of the opinions I share are my own. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.



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

If you are looking for a cool gift idea under $20 to replace some of those gifts that were not so "cool" you should check out the Light Up Teacher Clock by Avon.

Graham is right at the age where he is interested in learning to tell time and I have been looking for fun and simple ideas to help him learn.  I have found some fun worksheets and we generally look at a clock once a day just for some fun practice.  The Light Up Teacher Clock is great reinforcement and even helps differentiate between night and day.

The clock features two different alarms.  One for day and one for the evening.  The am alarm lights up green and plays "Little Brown Jug" in a soft tone (great for Graham who doesn't like really loud alarm  noises).  You can hit the middle button to turn on the "snooze" feature.  The pm alarm is our favorite!  The entire clock begins to change colors subtly.  This alarm is great for teaching about bed time.  Graham has been very interested in keeping up with what time nap and bed time is lately.





The other great features about the Light Up Teacher clock include: diamonds to signify the quarters (12, 3, 6, and 9), as well as a digital and analog read out.  Having both read outs on the same clock helps with association. 

All in all, this is a fun idea to enhance learning to tell time.  It provides an alarm clock, night light, and learning tool all in one for under $20!

This product was provided free of charge by Avon and this is a sponsored campaign I received compensation for. These are my honest opinions on the product and may not necessarily reflect the views of Avon and its affiliates. I do not sell Avon.  I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
  Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

Luckily, I do not currently need glasses.  Unfortunately, my husband does!  Recently he has been suffering from constant headaches and we decided to bite the bullet and take him to the eye doctor.  We had no idea what we were in for when we headed to a well known business to buy glasses.

First of all, our insurance is horrible as you may remember from previous posts.  We have a 10K deductible, which means we pay every dime until we reach 10K.  So, when we headed out to have his eyes examined we forked over the full amount.  The optometrist confirmed what we thought, my husband needed glasses.  After we found out how much we would need to pay for the visit, we really couldn't afford to even purchase the glasses!  In the end, we were looking at spending close to $500 total which was more than we bargained for.  The glasses frames were so expensive!



When I first heard about GlassesUSA.com I was ready to check out anything that would save us some money to buy glasses frames.  They even offer several designer glasses at affordable prices.  To buy fashion glasses you generally need to count on spending over $150.  At GlassesUSA we found a nice set of Ray-Ban frames for only $125 (originally $190).  There was a similar set that Matthew liked at the store that was about double the price listed online.  You will also be happy to know that GlassesUSA is offering free shipping on ALL orders right now with coupon code: freeship10.  Free shipping generally sways a purchase decision for us.



Save 15% On Your Purchase
If you would like to buy glasses online (they even sale prescription sunglasses), you can use this coupon code to save 15% on your purchase at GlassesUSA: GoGrahamGo.  Make sure to try out the virtual mirror so that you can "try them on" before you purchase!

This is a sponsored post by GlassesUSA.com. These are my honest opinions.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

Busy is an understatement around here this week.  I have been so busy with work, blog, holiday gift cooking, present wrapping, last minute shopping, a three year old and a 3 month old all while trying to keep a some what orderly house.  I was so busy that I even forgot an important conference call yesterday which is just not like me (not to mention I set 2 reminder alarms on my phone)!  I commend those of you with multiple children.  I have not yet figured out all the ins and outs of it, but I'm learning new tricks every day!


One thing we have done in order to organize our lives as well as save money is to use a UPromise Bank of America Credit Card.  We pay this credit card off in full every month and it helps us earn money towards Graham's and Davis's college tuition.  I generally do not talk on a deep level about our finances on this blog, but when I was presented the opportunity to write about Bank of America through Mom Central, I wanted to share this tip with you.  If you use the card and pay it off in full every month (just subtract the balance from your check book so you stay on top of it) you can transfer the money to a 529 or many other college savings plans.

How does this help organize our lives?

I have been more than impressed with the customer service that has been made available to me through Bank of America.  I check over our statement each month and noticed a duplicate charge at one point.  I was so nervous to call thinking it would be a hassle to have it removed.  About 5 minutes later the duplicate charge was taken care of!  Great customer service saves me time when issues arise.



Mobile Banking
On top of the great customer service I have received, Bank of America also offers some wonderful tools for organization and time saving on their Personal Finance Tips page.  My personal favorite is the mobile banking!  This gives me secure access to my credit card.  There is a Bill Pay service connected to it that allows me to handle my bills even if we are on the road.  This comes in handy for trips when there is no wireless internet access!  You can even access detailed maps to ATMs and banks when you are out and about or transfer money.

Bank of America has also taken the time to put together some Holiday Time Saving Tips:
1. No more backtracking! A lesser-known “route planner” feature on MapQuest helps you save both time and money by mapping out an entire journey – with multiple stops – all in one convenient step. You can add up to 26 destinations along any route, and the tool gives you the fastest route. Since launching in July, it has saved North Americans more 3.2 million miles!
2. Road trip rules: Seasoned holiday road-travelers live by three simple rules: 1) invest in a quick pass to whiz past hour-long lines at the tolls, 2) plot out where to get the cheapest gas along the way by using a “gas prices” feature on MapQuest, and 3) pre-pack energy-boosting snacks and beverages to avoid crowded rest stops and fast-food joints.
3. Babysitting or playdate exchange: Gain kid-free time to make your way through your holiday to-do list by coordinating a playdate exchange with another family.
4. Find a holiday helper: Save time and relieve stress by finding a holiday helper to assist with household chores and last-minute errands. Don’t hesitate to ask your normal sitter, cleaning person or a neighborhood college student who is home for the holiday stretch. And don’t be afraid to delegate household chores to your own children home for winter break!
5. Make sure it's in stock: Nothing wastes more time than driving from store-to-store in search of a specific item. Do yourself a favor and call ahead or better yet check store inventory online before you leave home. Many major e-tailers offer customers the convenience of purchasing items online and then picking them up in-store…some with express pick-up lines.
6. Wrap it up: Socialize and wrap up your holiday duties by inviting your friends over to chat, nosh and yes, wrap gifts! Everyone brings a roll of wrapping paper, ribbons and other decorative elements to share with the group. Also, watch for “free gift wrapping” promotions from online merchants. Sometimes you may have to spend a certain amount to get the promotion to kick in, but it may be worth it given the time you’ll save on the backend.

Receive even more tips from Bank of America by following @BofA_Tips on Twitter!


This contest was hosted solely by Go Graham Go and fulfilled solely by Mom Central.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Bank of America and received a Bank of America preloaded gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

If you are looking for some last minute stocking stuffers or gift ideas, don't forget about Family Dollar!  They have some pretty cute items right now that are only $5!  Looking for some cute games or maybe a RC car?  You can pick those up there.



Did you hear about the Family Dollar Dream Dash?  You have to check out this amazing story of a dream come true for one little girl who wanted to help homeless.

Family Dollar Dream Dash
The Hayes family of Nashville, Tennessee grabbed as many $5 toys and gifts and other holiday items as their shopping cart could handle, in just ninety seconds, filling up on items that will be donated to the Nashville Rescue Mission. Chondrika Hayes was initially selected as one of twenty-five contest semi-finalists from more than 6,000 total contest entries by consumers nationwide. As a reason for why she deserved to win the grand prize, Hayes highlighted that she wanted to fulfill her nine year-old daughter’s holiday wish to create a winter donation drive that would benefit the homeless...and Family Dollar gave them a festive dash around the store to do just that!  Check out the video:




Products were provided free of charge by Family Dollar. 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.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!