Babies

I recently talked about some of our new favorite educational and fun iPad apps for Ryan. They’re from Super Duper Publications and help Ryan tell stories, think about timelines and cause & effect, and teach him to recognize words in the process. We recently got to try out some learning games from Super Duper! For 27 years the awesomeness of Super Duper Publications was only available to teachers, therapists, and special needs professionals. Now, they’re being made available to us and I’m thankful because they are really amazing products. My mom used to teach elementary school and when she saw these games, she got really excited. She knew all about them and the “core curriculum.” Vocabulary Chipper Chat has 12 different categories to help kids understand and use new vocabulary and language skills. This is great for multiple kids, daycares, classrooms, etc because there are 5 sets of each of the 12 category game boards (so you can play with 5 kids at once). Here are the categories: analogies associations attributes categories compare and contrast context clues figurative language functions homonyms homophones synonyms and antonyms verbs There are 360 cards (30 for each of the 12 categories) with prompts and activities. I got Ryan excited initially for this game because of the magnetic wand and chips! That alone has been a learning tool–counting, adding, and subtracting, so far! The game is for grades K-5 and Ryan is only 3.5 years old, but we have fun playing. Of course there are parts that are harder for him and sometimes we don’t even try to use the category card and just pick prompts and activities to do. So you pick a card and complete the prompt… you roll the die and you get to place that number of chips on your large category card. The incentive??? Is a GREAT ONE. The winner gets to use the magnetic wand to pick up all the chips. It’s almost hard to get through a session before Ryan is dying to use the wand, haha. Just for Laughs is a really cute game. It’s supposed to help children understand the multiple meanings of jokes. I can imagine it’s hard for little ones to understand what’s “funny” and why. I know I have to explain my jokes to Ryan sometimes–or maybe I’m just a terrible joke teller, lol. There are 100 joke cards that include a photo, which is awesome for Ryan that can’t read yet. On the back of each joke card, there are 4 lessons that explain why the joke is funny. The deck has 40 jokes with multiple meaning words, 30 with multiple meaning phrases, and 30 with multiple meaning sentences. You can earn “smile” chips as you play This game just always cracks me up because Ryan will do a really loud (fake) laugh and it’s hilarious. It’s for grades 3 and up and maybe by starting Ryan early, he’ll become a future comedian Ryan would NOT let me take a photo of his funny face, lol. Super Duper Publications submitted 6 games, including these two, to The National Parenting Center for review. They ALL received rave reviews and the Spring 2013 Seal of Approval! They are: Just for Laughs, Ring Bling, Super Duper StoryMaker, “WH” question cards app, Vocabulary Chipper Chat, and Which One Doesn’t Belong? GIVEAWAY: one lucky reader will win their choice of one of these 6 award winning games from Super Duper Publications! Open to US and Canada. Please use the form below to enter–good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway The post Super Duper learning games (giveaway) appeared first on Baby Dickey | Chicago, IL Mom Blogger.

Jack Osbourne was spotted with girlfriend Lisa Stelly and their daughter Pearl, out and about on Father's Day in LA. Little Pearl rides in a 4Moms Origami stroller, no color kit. Still one of my favorite strollers!

Cool vintage 1950s baby nursery ideas. Tips for decorating rooms with vintage cars in 50s themes.

Brent, The way in which you have committed to the dream of our family leaves me breathless. It leaves me struggling for words as I sit here, with hands shaking, tears on my cheeks, trying to capture the gratitude that fills my heart. There are a million different ways in which a man can provide for his family, but I can not imagine how our life would have been, had you not so proudly taken the path that you have. Thank you for being my greatest champion and my safe place to land. Thank you for not just caring for our children, but  for filling the days of their childhood with wildly imaginative adventures and for passionately nurturing their discovery of the beauty in this world. What you do everyday, for all of us, is immeasurable. Our life is joyful and you are the source. Happy Father’s Day! We love you, Melissa and Everly and Arlo.

Untitled, a photo by pyjammy on Flickr. Not only are the boys getting into Star Wars, but we all went to the pub yesterday and they watched Daddy play darts. The post Happiest Daddy in the world appeared first on pyjammy's triplets.

So now that my maternity leave is almost over (only two weeks left… Please excuse me while I hyperventilate for a moment…) I feel like I’m FINALLY getting the hang of going out with both kids by myself. I’m managing to get them in and out of cars efficiently and effectively, and not forgetting pertinent things I need. But it never fails, when I’m out at least one person always likes to say “you look like you’ve got your hands full!” Is that their way of saying I look like I’m about to lose my mind? Because I really feel like I’ve got a handle of things. For one, this time around I’m definitely not over-packing the diaper bag. I make sure I have a couple diapers and wipes, a few snacks for the big girl, and we’re good. I’ve got milk and a cell phone permanently attached so we can survive long enough to call for help in case of an emergency. Oh, and I also always have some sort of carrier on when I leave. It’s usually either my Sugar Sweet Baby wrap, or my new Ergo. I can’t imagine managing both kids without having Big T in a carrier. It wasn’t too long after having him that I got brave enough to travel with my mini brood. I kinda took a “rip the band-aid off” approach when it came to giving it a try. I thought ‘Where can I take them that has the possibility to be somewhat chaotic, yet safe, and where no one will judge me?’ Walmart! Perfect! I went in to get nursing pads and came out with a random assortment of desserts. Lil’ J almost had a minor meltdown but I was able to fend it off, and Big T only considered fussing for a moment. I pretty much made it out unscathed. Since then I’ve gotten a bit cocky and gone on extensive shopping trips, restaurants, and even swimming pools with both of them. Aside from my carriers there’s a couple things I have that make the trip easier, for one, my new diaper bag. … With my daughter I wanted something cute, bright and trendy. I had an over-sized purse I used as a diaper bag. This time I solely wanted something practical. So when Lassig offered me to try out one of their diaper bags I passed up the gorgeous purse-styles for the practical and casual (but equally pretty) backpack style. I wasn’t sure what I’d think about it once it arrived, but it’s honestly a fabulous quality, designer bag. I get compliments on it all the time. And it’s not just a backpack you throw stuff in. It has compartments for bottles (and it’s insulated to keep it warm/cool), a wet section for other snacks or dirty diapers, zippers on the inside, outside, a matching changing pad, and one of my personal favorite features: Hooks and Velcro straps to easy access keys or whatever else you want to connect to them. They run for about $135, which is a bit steep for a diaper bag, but not at all for a designer bag that’s as nice as this, and will for sure hold up a long time. Something I’m always sure to throw in there? Easy snacks. Usually something like dried fruit, or crackers, raisins, nuts or carrots. Pre-packaged things are easiest so I can literally throw them in the bag and go. This week I got a sample from *NatureBox filled with goodies like whole wheat raspberry fig bars, lemon waffle crisps, guacamole chips, lemon pistachios, and BBQ kettle kernels. My daughter and I immediately tasted each of the bags and they were all pretty good. The fig bars were gone almost instantly, and the rest I keep in my diaper bag so we have easy snacks on the go that are better than the alternative kind I’d be tempted to buy while out like potato chips or sugar. They don’t have artificial sweeteners, or colors and they come in nice resealable recyclable bags. My favorite part about it though is the fact that it’s a different assortment delivered to your door every month (and it’s $19.95 +free shipping). It forces us to try some

We are excited to be part of the Milky! Momma Giveaway to help nursing moms everywhere feel confident about their supply!Hosted by: Oh Snap! Giveaways & Reviews / Sponsored by: NeedNeed is a brand founded by the famous TV stars and new moms, Tia and Tamera Mowry. This product was created out of the passion for new moms who want all natural, quality products for themselves and their babies. NEED products are never tested on animals - and are 100% vegan - created by nature not chemicals. Watch the Youtube video below to learn more about their story!Once Tia experienced a low volume of breast milk after only three months of breastfeeding, she teamed up with her sister to develop not only a solution for her lactating problem, but to also create a product that was equally healthy. After tons of research, the Sister Team created Milky! - a tasty, healthy and affordable herbal tea supplement that increases breast milk production.Milky! contains all organic ingredients and some of the highest quality herbs from around the world, including Fenugreek Seed, Ginger Root and Chamomile Flower Extract. All of their products are taken through rigorous quality control testing to ensure that the product is at it's highest quality before being sold to the general public. Each Milky! comes in a 2.5 oz bottle which makes it very easy to grab it when you're on the go. Each box contains 12 bottles and you can purchase up to a 90 day supply, in which you will receive a nice discount.So does Milky! work? Yes! Just check out some of the reviews off of the NEED Fan Page, from moms across the globe:Phyllis LaPelusa Neshimka ~ I love love love Milky !!!! Tastes awesome compared to other products .... Well done ladies thank you !Takisha Henry ~ I LOVE MILKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wasn't making milk at all! Not even a drop. I was so upset that I couldn't make milk for my daughter. I tried mothers milk tea, I took fenugreek pills NOTHING WORKED!!! After the first bottle of MILKY! I made milk within 6 hours I couldn't believe it. I only had a six day supply I ordered more today. honestly best product I have ever tried I didn't expect such amazing results I am so thankful that you guys made this.Dinesha Grant ~ Milky is so yummy! I didn't expect it to taste so good.Shahidah J Kane ~ I love it. I have to stock up.But it doesn't end there - Need is definitely on the move!!! They are currently in the process of launching other products geared towards mommies, babies and healthy living. To learn more, you can visit their website at www.needbrands.com. If you're a new mom who is having problems lactating or simply just want to promote faster let-down, Milky! will be a great option for you! Simply drink one bottle twice a day and you'll see results in no time! Because we love Milky! SO MUCH and of course the gorgeous dynamic duo, we have partnered with Needto offer a special discount and sponsored giveaway!! Whoo Hoo! Here are the details... We're giving away (1) 12 pack box of Milky! to a lucky winner!!ADDED BONUS: If you order 2 boxes of Milky!, you can get a 10% discount ~ just use the code OHSNAP when checking out! This discount will be expiring soon... to purchase Milky! online, you can just click here.Want to enter the giveaway? Just use the rafflecopter form below - Good Luck!a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: Oh Snap! Giveaways and Reviews was not compensated for this post, however, it may contain affiliate links. All opinions that are provided are true and unbiased. The blogs participating in this promotion are not responsible for the shipping of the prize. Our promotions are no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other Social Media Network. Shipment of prize will be sent to the winner by the listed sponsor upon email confirmation, unless otherwise noted. If you have any additional questions, would like to view more giveaways and/or would like for us to sponsor a giveaway for you, please contact

Hello Design Dazzle readers! This is Dawn from Not Just A Mommy, and I’m excited to be back for Summer Camp. Last year I shared a fun strawberries and lemonade playdate at the park and today I’m sharing another playdate idea, A Day At The Beach. If you have the pleasure of your own pool or live near a beach or splash pad,  this is a great table to share snacks and treats for your guests.  With a little cleverness, a trip to Dollar Tree and free printables you can just about recreate this look. If you have a covered spot, nothing beats a gang of beach balls to hang over your table. You can find both the beach balls and banner at Dollar Tree, although my small ones are from Oriental Trading. Do you know what else I found at Dollar Tree? The inflatable surfboards…I was a little giddy when I did. They make a fun addition to any summer themed party. I covered my table in brown burlap, but kraft paper makes a great substitute. I love to use it when I can and a 50′ roll can be found at any office supply store inexpensively.  But since you are already wandering around Dollar Tree, grab a roll or two of mailing paper or kraft wrapping paper. If it has a pattern on one side, just flip it over. Pick up a few dessert sized red plates to create these fun crab plates. I used Martha Stewart’s lobster template for the pincers and modified them for the legs. She also has a seagull and sun template so feel free to mix and match. I love these beach ball cookies on a stick, also from Dollar Tree, laid on a bed of brown sugar to mimic sand. One of my favorite party tricks is renaming food to match the theme. Using The Celebration Shoppe’s Deep Blue Sea printables, vanilla wafers become surfboards…. …licorice becomes pool noodles… …slices of white cheese become shark teeth, whale crackers and gummi rings are inner tubes.  My local store always carries gummi sharks in bulk, but apparently they were out. So instead of changing the sign, I just did shark teeth instead.  And yes, found the goldfish whales at Dollar Tree. And my last, fabulous Dollar Tree find, soda-pop bubble bottles.  They fit perfectly in a 3″ pretzel rod bag that I trimmed down a bit and added a thank you tag, also from the collection.  It is a perfect send-off after a day of fun. If you liked the printables you saw, the entire collection is available for purchase, complete with banner, napkin rings, cupcake goodies and more.  But as a special treat for Design Dazzle readers, Kim is offering the printables I used for FREE! The food cards and 2″ thank you tags are only available as a free download for a limited time so follow the link and get them now. I hope you are inspired for your own day at the beach; it doesn’t cost a lot of money to make an event special! If you are looking for more party inspiration, visit me at my blog where I share all things entertaining, event planning, crafts + lifestyle! Feel free to stalk me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. We are hosting Summer Camp Mon- Fri June 3rd to July 3rd (weekends will be for our regular posts). We are featuring awesome “Camp Counselors” (blogging friends) who have created super fun ideas and activities to help you SURVIVE summer with the kids. Click on the Summer Camp banner to be taken to our Summer Camp series. The post Summer Camp: Day at the Beach Playdate appeared first on Design Dazzle.

Hello, Design Dazzle readers! My name is Angelina and I can be found happily blogging over at JoJo and Eloise. I love all things Crafty, kids and Fun. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Toni at the SNAP Conference. And let me say she is as SWEET as they come. So of course when she asked me to be a part of her Kids Summer Camp series, I couldn’t say no. Which of course I would have been SERIOUSLY crazy if I did!! She has got one AWESOME blog here. Well, Summer is in FULL swing and all the outdoor activities have begun. In our home there doesn’t seem to be a day that goes by that something is not being Created. I LOVE the fact that my kids, LOVE being a part of the creative process of my blog. Often times I will go to them and ask for ideas. I can always count on there being a BIRD project! They LOVE birds. Drawing, coloring, painting and watching Birds. So this idea of making our own Diy Window View Birdhouse was born. We had some extra paper mache boxes laying around as well as these suction cups. You can find them at any local craft store. We took the suction cup and used that as are template for the HOLE to the birdhouse. We traced it and cut it out. My daughter took over from here. She got her Mod Podge out, Foam Brush and began to cover the entire OUTSIDE of the Box. DO NOT!!! Paint the INSIDE where your Little Birdies will be LIVING She did a total of 3 coats and let each coat dry individually. Once it was fully dry. She got her LOW temp glue gun and some Flowers. (WITH PARENTS SUPERVISION) She then began placing Dabs of glue onto her box and placed her flowers accordingly. She enjoyed decorating her little birds house. She LOVED her finished product. She made sure to keep the Center Hole uncovered, so that the Birds would want to come in. I then pierced two holes. ONE on TOP and ONE on the BOTTOM. For the Suction cups to hang. Now it was time to find where we were going to hang our house. We found a spot that offered just the perfect amount of Shade and Protection from the elements. She is looking forward to having a New Home Owner.. That she can keep an eye on, from inside the house. This is a wonderful project that kids can do and also give away as gifts. I hope you enjoyed our little tutorial and will consider making a Window View Birdhouse, of your very own. Happy Camping!! We are hosting Summer Camp Mon- Fri June 3rd to July 3rd (weekends will be for our regular posts). We are featuring awesome “Camp Counselors” (blogging friends) who have created super fun ideas and activities to help you SURVIVE summer with the kids. Click on the Summer Camp banner to be taken to our Summer Camp series. The post Summer Camp: D.I.Y. Window View Birdhouse appeared first on Design Dazzle.

I'd like to wish all of our readers a very happy Father's Day! I hope all you wonderful dads have a great time with your special ones.