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

Chuggington has teamed up with NHTSA in order to provide traffic safety tips to your trainees! You can find traffic safety resources for children including games, videos, activity sheets and a traffic safety pledge, as well as tip sheets for adults.  Make sure you head over and take the traffic safety pledge with your children.  What a great way to reinforce safety habits.




New From Chuggington...

There are also fun new products from Chuggington that you can check out for the upcoming Holiday season.

Interactive Railway - $79.99

The Chuggington Interactive Railway is here and is definitely a top pick in our house!  Check out my review of the UK version (sane as US just with an accent) as well as the YouTube video.  If you have a Chuggington fan this is definitely a great one for the wish list.  The trains talk to each other and interact with the railway.  Super cool!

Wooden Railway Trains - $12.99




If you have the Chuggington Wooden Railway it would be fun to add some new friends to the mix!  We love the wooden trains because they also work with our wooden tracks from other brands.  They are chunky enough for Davis (age 1) to maneuver as well.

Chuggington Lunch Kit - Let's Ride the Rails - $7.99


These soft lunch boxes are perfect for preschool, trips to the park or even to hold your Chuggington trains and accessories!  They are available now and retail for about $7.99.  Toys R Us is selling them for under $5! Awesome idea for back to school or Christmas.

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National Honey Month is officially over after today, but it is not too late to get your honey fix with the release of WINNIE THE POOH on 10/25!  In honor of the new release, Disney has put together some fun recipes and other activities for you and your kids!  Make sure to check them out in preparation for the fun release.  I know we are excited!

This product was provided free of charge by Disney. 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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Back to school is in full swing and Nestle is teaming up with the Reading is Fundamental campaign to make a difference!  We were sent $100 worth of preschool books in order to donate to Graham's preschool.  These books are going to make a huge difference in the lives of many children over the years.  His preschool operates on centers where the children rotate through.  Graham and so many of his friends' favorite center is the reading center where these will be on display for the kids to read and be read to.  Every year Nestle employees give to the foundation which provides thousands of students with books and other literacy programs.

Nestle Happy New School Year Sweepstakes
Feel free to enter every day on the Nestle Family website for a chance to win the grand prize of $5,000 worth of back-to-school essentials plus a $2,000 NESTLÉ Literacy Grant for your school, plus daily prizes of $50 reward cards.

This giveaway has ended.  Congratulations to barbara.montyj


This product was provided free of charge by Nestle.  Please see my Terms of Use for more info. Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

I am still learning something new about my new Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer every day.  I am finding ways to make them work more efficiently for our family and for the lives that we live.  Laundry is hands down, my least favorite chore to do around the house.  Honestly, most of the time our clean laundry spends a great amount of time piled up in baskets on the bedroom floor.  Shameful but true!  Even though the new washer and dryer will not fold our laundry, it really is saving us time on washing and drying with all of the settings.



Saving on Drying Time
The Whirlpool Duet Dryer has a built in sensor that can automatically detect what type of fabrics are in the load and how dry they are getting.  This not only saves you on drying time, but it is drastically cutting down on the energy bill.  When you turn on the dryer the estimated time is calculated and counts down as your load goes.  The dryer also measures 7.4 cu which means you can dry more at once (great for my huge loads of kids clothes and bulky towels).


EcoBoost
The Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer both feature the EcoBoost button which has been a really fun new feature for us!  What is so wonderful about the EcoBoost button is that you can press this in order to save even more on your energy bill when you are washing and drying.  Whirlpool added this feature in order to take the guess work out of finding the right balance of temperature and agitation.  In the washer it decreases the temperature and increases the agitation.  It is nice to have a simple button without having to think!



Less Water = More Savings
This is what I love about the energy savings of the washer the most.  It honestly just makes you feel better to know that you are doing your small part by using a more energy efficient washing machine.  The Whirlpool Duet washing machine uses approximately 11.5 gallons of water which is phenomenal when you think about it!  Our clothes come out cleaner than ever, taking less time and using less water all at the same time.  An estimated 12, 857 gallons of water can be saved every year!  This is an estimated $3,300 savings over a lifetime in energy costs.  Every little bit counts in my opinion.

Overall, we are beyond satisfied with the new Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer pair at this point.  I am excited to share with you all our first hand experience with them as the months go on.  Please feel free to leave any questions for me about them.

I wrote this review while participating in a test-drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Whirlpool and received a complimentary Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer to facilitate my review. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.


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I'm going to go ahead and say it.  We are not as "germ-a-phobic" with baby number 2 as we were with baby number 1!  I thought that everything friends and family told me would not be true.  I thought I would spend just as much time cleaning and making sure everything was just so with Davis like I did with Graham.  The reality is that there is little to no time for the extra cleaning!  Seriously, you super moms with more than two children are overly impressive.  I'm not saying we are down right gross, but I am not wiping down toys with Clorox Anywhere twice a week like I did with Graham.  I really should be since we have had so much sickness with Davis (thrush, ear infections, etc).  I honestly am doing good to keep the dishes clean, laundry folded and house vacuumed on a daily basis, people!

With that said, we were sent the task of swabbing down Davis's nursery in order to find out what is lurking in there.  I can tell you that the results are probably going to be a bit scary.  I definitely wash my hands and change the cover on the changing table, but other than that... I really don't do a lot in the sanitizing department.  As I type that I cringe!  We swabbed down the hot spots in the nursery (top of changing table, crib rail, and toys).  I wish I could've also swab down our current diaper disposal system because I am sure it is pretty bad!  A close friend of mine went with the Diaper Genie II Elite Disposal System with her second child due to the antimicrobial protection that helps inhibit odors.  She noticed a difference right away.  I have never broken down and purchased one because we already have a disposal system (that stinks up the house if you aren't quick about changing it out).  I would definitely love to try the Diaper Genie II Elite just because all of the features sound so alluring (more on that soon... as well as a giveaway)!

Dr. Tanner, the founder and owner of Antimicrobial Test Laboratories, is going to be testing our swabs.  He is partnering with Playtex in order to help moms find simple ways to maintain a clean and germ-free nursery environment (we might need to have him over for dinner)!  Bless his heart for handling what is coming his way from this household!

Facebook Q&A on Nursery Hygiene
Check out the PlaytexBaby Facebook page to see a stream of Q&A hosted by germ expert and microbiologist, Dr. Benjamin Tanner. He answered many great questions and shared advice on nursery hygiene and maintenance.  You can also find Playtex on Twitter.

With that said, how do you think you would fair if you took the germ swab challenge?  Please feel free to show me up (it isn't hard)!  Also, be on the look out for a giveaway!

This is a compensated post sponsored by Diaper Genie and Mom It Forward. These are my own feelings and ideas on my possibly gross house!  Please see my Terms of Use for more info.


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

A few nights ago I had some friends over for a discussion on how we sneak in the veggies and other healthy foods our kids may refuse to eat.  It was a fun time of catching up, but we all also gained some new tips and tricks to take with us.  Just for fun, I created a few of my favorite sneaky dishes as well as one that was sent by Ragu.

Ragu Old World Style Traditional sauce now has 2 servings of vegetables in every 1/2 cup of sauce.  I have been a long time fan of the Organic Garden Veggie sauce because of the added vegetable bonus as well.  We make everything from pizza to noodles with that stuff!  So, what was on the menu (recipes to come)?

• Upside-down Deep Dish Pizza
• Crock Pot Veggie Lasagna
• Spinach balls
• Pizza Bites
• Salad with Fat Free Dressing

The Pizza Bites were the biggest hit as well as the Upside-down Deep Dish Pizza.  It was all delicious in my opinion.  What was even better was the discussion that followed.  Someone brought up the Super Nanny show that featured a mom who ate yogurt and fed her children pizza and frosted cookies every night.  We were quick to point out how things could get out of control if you really let them.  With that came the brilliant ideas!  Here are a few:

• Give a veggie or fruit first before anything else is added to the plate (macaroni, bread, etc).
• Make sure you are serving up appropriate portions.  A good rule of thumb is to remember that you should feed them no more than the size of their fist.
• Make them try a bite of everything at least once.  A great example are the spinach balls.  Because they are green many children will turn them down, but once they try them they will love them!
• Dip is your friend!  Use ketchup, ranch, sweet/sour sauce or yogurt to help peek their interest.

Make sure to join Ragu on Facebook to share your dinner tip ideas as well as find some delicious recipes!  So, I want to know, what are your tips, recipes, and ideas for getting your kids to eat healthy?  Please feel free to leave links below to your posts.

Ragu sent samples as well as a gift card in order for me to host this get together. These are my honest opinions. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.


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Here is one of the recipes we used at our get together a few days ago to talk about sneaking in veggies!  This one is easy and incorporates vegetables in every bite!  This recipe was sent from Ragu.

Upside-Down Deep Dish Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:
2 packages (10 oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 can refrigerated pizza dough (I used the Deep Dish or Thick Crust)
1 lb ground beef
1 jar Ragu Sauce

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown ground beef in skillet, drain.
Stir in pasta sauce and bring to a boil.
Place in 2 quart  deep dish pie pan.
Top with broccoli, then cheese.
Place pizza dough over top and press firmly to the edges.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden.  Let stand for 10 minutes.


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If you live or work near me you know that mine and Matthew's lives have been consumed by our first ever diet.  No, not the Special K diet (because that would be way easier), but the Dukan Diet.  I am so proud of my husband for loosing over 25 pounds so far!  Just by me supporting him I've lost a little over 10!  So, even though I have not taken the Special K 2 week challenge, I can tell you how good it feels to be back in my skinnier jeans.

There are already people posting on the Special K Facebook wall about how they have lost 4 pounds in just one week!  That is absolutely amazing.  The plan has been laid out for you right on the Special K website.  It looks like the steps are simple and tasty!  I don't know about you, but I love the Special K Red Berries!


Now, in honor of the Skinny Jeans Special K Challenge, one Go Graham Go reader will win a starter pack: a Kellogg’s® Special K® Starter Pack which includes – a box of Kellogg’s® Special K® Red Berries cereal (16.7 oz.); a box of Kellogg’s™ Special K™ Protein Meal Bars Chocolate Caramel (6 ct.); a box of Kellogg’s® Special K® Cracker Chips Sea Salt (4 oz.); a box of Kellogg’s® Special K® Fruit Crisps Strawberry (5 ct.); and “The Special K® Challenge & Beyond” book.



1. Post a picture of yourself in your favorite jeans to the Special K Facebook wall and leave a comment here with the link to your entry.  That's it!

This giveaway ends 9/30 at 11:59 pm EST.  The winner will be chosen using random.org and announced on this post.  US entries only please.

This product was provided free of charge by Special K. 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! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

I know, I know, we are the lucky ones who have already started to experience the fall weather.  I love where we live because of this and because of the gorgeous views of the leaves (we have some of the best in WNC).  This is also the time of year when Graham and I start cranking out the crafts.  It is great because when the weather turns cold you have to have options.  It is also a great way to incorporate learning.  Here is our first fall craft of the year, a Fall Handprint Tree!  I love this one because you really do not need much in order to accomplish it.

What You Need:
Card stock or Construction Paper
Finger paints or washable paints
Paint brush (foam works best)
Bowls for mixing and dividing colors
Old towels for wiping off hands and feet

Instructions:
Find a place in your home with a lot of space and easy to clean (kitchen floor).  Spread your supplies out and have your paint ready in separate bowls per color.  You are going to want lots of "fallish" colors (yellow, red, orange and brown).  Take the foam brush and paint the bottom of your child's foot for the tree trunk.

Place their foot on the paper without smudging.  Wipe their foot and begin with the leaves and branches (hands).  Have your child either dip their hands in the paint or paint on with the foam brush.


 Have them stamp the top of the tree trunk with their hand spread wide to create the branches.  We also used his thumb to create a little bit of grass at the bottom of the picture.

Some fun ideas while you are creating your Handprint Tree:

• Talk about what makes the leaves colors change, what you can do with them, what their favorite colors are
• Find fun books to go along with the activity (Why Do Leaves Change Colors? - $5.39)
• Sing songs about fall and the seasons.  Our favorite is The Autumn Song by Nick Deysher.

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Sonic is rolling out their Limeades for Learning campaign again, and I was delighted to partner with them to spread the word!  I love that they do this every year because teachers truly must rely on creative ways to fund classrooms with all of the budget cuts.  I know it might sound silly, but I am still using the same computer that I received when I started working!  I'm sure it is almost 10 years old at this point.  Why complain?  Well, I can't even access my email half the time because it is soooo slow!  That is really the least of most of our worries with classrooms busting at the seams and kids who have to choose if they would rather take band or an AP class this year because we don't have enough teachers.  It is a sad situation, folks.


About Sonic's Limeades for Learning

SONIC® and DonorsChoose.org are once again working to inspire creativity in public school classrooms. With your help, they've donated more than a million dollars to teacher's projects since 2009. This year, you'll once again have a chance to make sure your favorite teacher's project gets funded. All it takes is your vote.  

All of this ends on 9/30 so you need to get started today!  You can search for local favorites or even look up projects by grade level.  You can use one free daily vote or use codes you received from your purchases at Sonic to gain even more votes.  Once you are finished you can share the project you voted for with Facebook and Twitter.  I bet you are going to find so many to vote for you will work up an appetite!  My personal favorite from Sonic is the Peach Tea!

One of our favorite companies for kids t-shirts has introduced some new styles that I know your little ones are going to love!  They are really great for any fall themes you have coming up as well.  It is always nice to find boys t-shirts that are not adorned with sports!  Because we just traveled to the fair, Graham has been overly obsessed with tractors and combines.  So, I am thrilled that Shirts That Go has added these two as well as a long sleeved option.

Shirts That Go takes pride in the fact that their shirts are not cartoon-like, but realistic which is what kids are after.  We love their kids train t-shirts (diesel, steam, electric) as well as the kids fire truck t-shirts (blue or red).  Each time Graham wears these shirts we are asked where they came from.  I have even purchased them for birthday gifts for some friends of Graham's.  The new kids tractor t-shirts are definitely going on my list for gifting!  Another favorite that I have not seen in person yet are the kids garbage truck t-shirts.  If you have a little boy you will understand the fascination with garbage and recycling trucks!  Graham is always excited when he spots our garbage truck headed down the road.

Graham keeps telling us that he wants to have a tractor birthday party in the spring (although I am trying to convince him to go the angry birds route).  If the tractor theme wins, this is definitely where I am going for his birthday party shirt!  Make sure to check the sizing guides on the website as they may be a little bit different from what you would expect.  They give a great description so you can't go wrong.  If all else fails go a size up (that's my philosophy).  The other great thing about Shirts That Go is that shipping is always FREE!  Yay!


So, if you are looking for some great ideas for toddler boys t-shirts to older boys t-shirts, make sure to check them out if you haven't already.  The prices are reasonable and the service has always been quick.  Oh, and the boxes they are shipped in are adorable!

This post was sponsored 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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Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

Reading should be fun and interesting for kids or else you are not going to foster a love for it.  Here are some great choices if you are looking for some inspiring reads for ages 1-12!

The Busy Beaver - $16.95 (hardcover)


A hilarious book that helps teach the lesson of thinking things through and being careful.  Go along through Beaver's day to see what ultimately leads him to a change of heart.  The witty lines and eye catching illustrations are perfect for preschoolers.

The Call of the Cowboy - $16.95 (hardcover)

If you have a preschooler that is into cowboys or ninjas then this is the best of both worlds.  What a delightful story about how the cowboy, ninja and bear learn to be respectful of each other's personal space (and sound)!

Hocus Pocus - $16.95 (hardcover)

Have a child that is into comics?  Try Hocus Pocus, the tale of a blue bunny and a dog that can't seem to get along.  The tale ends with the magician and one certain animal gets his way.  You'll have to read in order to find out.

Kitten's Winter - $14.95 (hardcover)

This is a great choice for toddlers!  Davis loves cats and this is a short and sweet story about all that kitten experiences on a blustery winter day.  You will meet several different animals with rhyming words.

My Name is Elizabeth! - $14.95 (hardcover)

There's no mistaking what her name is... that is for sure! If you have a preschooler who struggles with being called a pet or nick name, this would be a fun read for them.  I love the illustrations and color patterns or orange, black and teal.

Hospital Critterz - $6.95 (softcover)

If you are looking for a way to introduce chapter books to your 9-12 year old, Hospital Critterz is a great way to go.  Most kids this age are still fascinated by animals as well as mysteries.  This combines both in an easy to read chapter book that will be hard to put down!

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.


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The biggest Smokey the Bear ever. Fried Oreo goodness.

The best big brother won this for him.

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