Let's face it, having kids is NOT cheap. There's the cost of everything from diapers, formula and wipes to food, medicine, clothes and toys. According to a survey on BabyCenter.com, Moms report they pay approximately $10,000 for the upkeep of their baby in just the first year alone, that doesn't even cover the next 17 years, which will cost you about $235,000 according to a CNN.com article.

The cost of a good education for a child born in 2011, will be $47,000 according to the article... My brain can not even fathom how to save $47,000 in the next 15 years. We are a one income family and even saving Christmas money can be a bit daunting some years. That's why I'm glad I found out about a service called Grad Save! I think this will be a great help to anyone who has a need to save for their kid's college education.

Grad Save is an online registry which can be linked to any 529 plan or already established savings fund. Grad Save makes it easy for parents to share their child's profile with family and friends, so they can gift directly to the child's college education with one simple click. 

Getting started is easy as 1-2-3. Simply register with Grad Save, Make a profile, share your profile with friends and family and that's it. The contributions will be added to your Grad Save account to be used when your child needs them. You can get detailed info HERE. 

Grad Save also offers gift cards. You can give these for Christmas, Birthdays or even for accomplishments, such as straight A's. 

 Grad Save is currently running a sweepstakes where one lucky winner will receive..... (1) Grand Prize Scholarship that will be payable, at the option of the winner, either as (i) a deposit of $1,000 per year for the next 10 years into a child’s college savings fund ($10,000), or (ii) an up front payout of $4,000, which represents the present value of an investment in a college savings fund for a 1 year old with withdrawals starting at age 17 and a 6% compounded annual rate of return on such investment (This just shows you how a college savings fund grows…); provided that, if the winner is a resident of the State of Florida or the State of New York, such winner must select the upfront payment of $4,000.  IN THE CASE OF A SINGLE PAYOUT OPTION (I.E., OPTION (II) ABOVE), ACTUAL FUTURE VALUE OF SCHOLARSHIP MAY VARY BASED ON THE RETURN RATES OF YOUR PARTICULAR COLLEGE SAVINGS FUND AND/OR THE AGE OF CHILD.  

You can enter the sweepstakes HERE.

 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post and may contain affiliate links.

 

 

As a Mom, we are all so busy nowadays. Between bathing the little ones, doing laundry, washing dishes, grocery shopping, cooking, vacuuming the carpets, packing lunches, kissing boo-boo's, getting rid of monsters, explaining why the grass is green and the sky is blue and only about 1,227 other things we Moms do on a daily basis, we can sometimes forget to take that extra second to tell each child how much they mean to us.

 

 With Lunchbox Buddies, your kids will never again doubt your love, which will make them feel safe and secure in their relationship with you, which will in turn make them feel comfortable enough to come talk to you when kids try to peer pressure them into drugs, saving them from years of rehab and Psychiatrist visits... all with this one little note in their lunchbox. Ok, maybe not, but they'll definitely think it's cool, or in the case of my 17 11/12 yr old son, a bit on the creepy side... but the young ones will definitely get a kick out of these fun little notes in their lunch box. 

 

Lunchbox Buddies come in packs of 20, enough for a full month's worth of lunches, and if you're forgetful like me, a pack will probably last you a month and a half.

 

 Lunchbox Buddies are available in two collectible sets, Space Cadets and Goofballs. Priced at only $3.99 per pack, they're totally affordable, and definitely worth it, just in brownie points alone. The packs contain 20 different characters, so you'll hear none of the "I got this one Wednesday" argument. They're collectible, you can color on them for a customized look and you can pack 'em in your bag with a small pack of crayons and use them to keep the kids quiet at a restaurant. 

 

 There are tons of great uses for Lunchbox Buddies, pack 'em in the kids' backpack to give them encouragement for a test or tryouts. Who knows, you might even start a new trend at your kids' school... Extra cool points are in valuable nowadays. Lunchbox Buddies make great stocking stuffers too, just in time for Christmas!

Check out all the characters at Lunchbox Buddies' website. 

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

I love this time of year! The smell of the crisp fall air, the sound of the leaves crunching under your feet as you walk, the smell of bonfires burning in the distance. Yep, Fall is definitely in full swing and with Fall comes thoughts of Thanksgiving and Christmas, the smell of pumpkin pie and gingerbread cookies baking in the oven. Don't you just love the way certain scents can evoke memories of your childhood?!

 I remember, when I was a kid, my Mom would always use mulberry potpourri in our house (back when potpourri was still "in") and even to this day, when I smell mulberry potpourri, it reminds me of my Mom. 

Certain scents have always had a way of making me feel better. When I smell vanilla or almond, I feel relaxed and calm, like eating a warm sugar cookie fresh from the oven, while a citrusy scent like orange or lemon, feels bright and energizing. Or the way smelling my husband's cologne has a way of making me feel safe, or the way a fresh towel, washed in my favorite detergent and Downy Unstopables (Green canister) makes me feel a sense of accomplishment (having clean towels IS an accomplishment in my house, don't judge).  It's really amazing how the brain works that way. 

I love burning candles, but since I've had the little one, I am usually too afraid to burn them very long, for fear I'll forget to put them out. Yep, I am one of those crazy worrisome Moms, I worry about the smallest things, like a stray ember catching fire or a crazy burst of wind will catch the flame (I never open my windows) and catch the curtains on fire or some other crazyness, so I usually just forgo the candle all together. That's why I was so excited to get the chance to review a candle warmer from Candle Warmers Etc. 

Luckily for me (and all you other worrisome Moms out there) there is a way to get the wonderful scent of a yummy candle in your home, without the danger of a typical candle. Candle warmers have been around for a while, but the options for the styles and colors and designs has really expanded recently. It's not just the original hot plate type warmers, now there's candle warmer lamps, that are as pretty to look at as they are to smell. 

 

They feature a low wattage halogen bulb that gives the same scent effect as that of a burning candle, without the risk of an open flame. These units are UL listed, so as long as you keep the cord out of reach of children, your risks are slim. 

 There's a cute little Candle Breeze warmer, that sports a quiet fan to circulate the scent from your favorite Jamie Clair wax scent through the air.

 You can even get a little votive warmer or a wax melt warmer and a typical plate warmer. Candle Warmers Etc. has a really good program that teaches people ways to be a responsible candle user,  they call it practicing "Candle Sense"... Using candles in a safe and responsible manner. There are a ton of great resources for learning more about candle safety in this article. Did you know that, according to a recent study by the National Fire Protection Agency, residential fires (known to have been caused by candles) are twice as likely to occur in December than any other month?! Those are pretty high statistics, definitely high enough to go flameless. 

Candle Warmers Etc has a great selection of Christmas themed candle warmers. I received the beautiful blue snowflake warmer and I absolutely love it!   

It is a nice cool blue color, kind of evocative of a freshly fallen moonlit snow. This will be a  beautiful addition to your decor during the holidays and throughout the year. It has plenty of room for your favorite Jamie Clair wax scent.  For this time of year, I like an Apple Cinnamon type scent in my home, switching over to a fresh baked cookie/gingerbreadish kind of scent closer to Christmas. The cinnamon french toast scent wax melts are amazing! So rich with cinnamon and a nice warm sugary scent that balances out so well. It's very fragrant and I could smell it before I even opened the package. 

I am very pleased with my experience with Candle Warmers Etc. The product arrived in a timely manner and was very well wrapped, as to not break any of the fragile content inside. The candle warmer itself had no chips or rough spots in the ceramic and the wax melts were very fragrant and well poured, and have lasted a long time so far with at least 5 melt and re-harden then melt again cycles. You can do this process several times, 'til you notice the scent is gone, then simply pour it in the trash and start over with fresh wax cubes. The price of the warmers and wax melts, is very comparable with what you'd expect to pay in a chain store, such as Michael's, but the variety of scents is quite a bit more expansive. I had a hard time picking just one... so I got two. These warmers would make a great gift for Mom, for Christmas, I am sure she'd love it. You might even finally become her favorite, if only for the day. 

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

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With Christmas right around the corner, you're probably looking for some great gift ideas. Check out Style Lately, for some really nice gifts at really great prices.

StyleLately.com brings you all the latest trends and hottest collection of fashion jewelry and accessories for 40-70% off!

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                                         "Natural as Mud"

  If you have little girls, you know how much they want to be just like Mom with their fancy finger and toenails, but the little ones tend to put their fingers (and toes) in their mouth, which can be very dangerous with most solvent based polishes.  Piggy Paints are water based, all natural and free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone... and made in the USA... DOUBLE SCORE!!!

Piggy Paint is the brainchild of Melanie Hurley, a Mom just like the rest of us, who wanted a more natural nail polish for her girls. Piggy Paint was created after a mishap where a drop of solvent based nail polish ate a hole through the foam plate she was using to catch drips. It was then and there she knew she had to do something and Piggy paints was born.

                                                          

Piggy Paints make a great gift for Birthdays, Easter baskets, Christmas stockings, good report cards, or even "Just Because". They have over 20 different gift sets available with tons of different colors, sure to please everyone. 

  I received the Mistle Toes gift set and I love it! The colors are great for the upcoming holidays and there is NO smell at all when applying the polish. I love that, as I have a tendency to get headaches from strong or foul odors. The directions suggest drying the polish with a hairdryer on low to set it and help prevent chips. I didn't do this, but I still have had great wear from this polish. I love Piggy Paints and I think you and your little ones will too, but you don't have to take my word for it. The nice folks over at Piggy Paints have generously allowed me to give one of you lucky readers a $25 Gift Certificate. Check out the easy Rafflecopter form below to get your entries in. If you can't wait to see if you're our lucky winner, you can use the code PIGGYPAINT15 to get 15% off your order at their online store.

Good Luck!!!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

If you're looking for a neat way to spice up a boring room, or a new way to decorate a baby's room, this would be perfect. Check out this awesome review by April, over at Down South Savings.

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Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Adventures of a Midlife Mommy is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

 With winter right around the corner, our thoughts turn to Christmas, snowmen, sledding...and dry skin. Winter's harsh weather can lead to dry, cracked skin. Every year, around this time, my skni starts to change. Getting dryer and even cracking in some spots, I've tried several different lotions with no success. Most lotions that are very moisturizing, can also be very greasy, but not Udderly Smooth. Udderly Smooth is a wonderful lotion that I recently had the opportunity to try.  I love how this lotion absorbs quickly and isn't greasy or staining. The shea butter foot cream is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I slathered it on my feet and put on a nice pair of wooly socks and by the next morning, my feet felt so soft and smooth, but not slippery when I tried to walk.

Udderly Smooth is a family owned and operated company that has been in business in Salem OH, for over 30 years. Udderly Smooth was originally developed for use on dairy cows, who often suffer from udder irritation from multiple milkings. 

 

Udderly smooth comes in lots of varieties. From the original cream for dry skin to shea butter cream for feet and hand and body lotion to chamois cream for cyclers. There's sure to be a cream for all members of the family. Udderly Smooth would make a great stocking stuffer for a teen girl or Mom, or really any member of the family. I even hear Santa uses Udderly Smooth on his Hands when he's delivering presents.  

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

Check out the easy Rafflecopter below for a chance to win your very own box of goodies from Udderly Smooth.

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My (1 month shy of) eighteen year old son is an official music junkie. (He has the membership card and T shirt to prove it) He always says he will physically die without his music and I almost believe him. (He has a flare for the dramatic) He usually goes through at least 3 pair of earbuds a year, sometimes more depending on the brand I buy him. The main thing he complains about is that they always get tangled or caught in his hoodie zipper, so I found Zipbuds.

 

Zipbuds are fun and functional, tangle resistant earbuds with a great high quality sound. They are made with a unique zipper style to allow you to zip them up as to not get tangled or caught, which can result in breaking them. My son has broken more pair of earbuds than I care to count, by simply not realizing they were caught in his zipper, zipping it up and instantly the soft rubber would break. With Zipbuds, (hopefully) this won't happen again.

 Zipbuds come in 4 cool colors (Pink, grey, green and blue), and some even have an integrated microphone for use with your smartphone or i device.  Zipbuds would make an excellent stocking stuffer for any age, kids and grown ups alike will love them! I've heard, Santa even sports a pair of Zipbuds when he's delivering presents.  

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

 When I recently got the chance to try Asher's chocolates, I was very excited, to say the least. I looked at their site (for about 45 mins, drooling) at all the different, unique chocolates they had to choose from. It was a toss up between the chocolate covered potato chips, or the chocolate covered pretzels or the chocolate covered sandwich cookies (Oreos) or the almond buttercrunch or the vanilla fudge or the... Okay, I think you get the point. There are tons of awesome choices, but I finally settled on the dark chocolate sea salt caramels.

 These caramels were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! They arrived on ice so they wouldn't melt, but it had actually chilled them. I couldn't wait for them to thaw, so I ate one right out of the box as it was and OMG, it was wonderful! The sea salt that was sprinkled on top was just the right amount of salty to cut the sweet of the caramel and the dark chocolate was full of flavor! I would recommend  waiting til they are room temperature before eating them, because the caramel flows better that way, but either way, these are awesome chocolates! These would make a great addition to a Christmas stocking or in a gift basket for a special loved one. Check out all the amazing choices Asher's has to offer. I assure you, you won't be disappointed!!! It's chocolate, what's not to like?

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

Welcome to the Step into Fall Giveaway Event!

From Slatkin & Co. {available at Bath and Body Works}
-14.5oz Candle ~ Three-wick candle burns approximately 30 to 45 hours. Includes elegant lid to keep your fave fragrance fresh, while adding a touch of décor.
- Novelty Wallflower ~ Combine with Wallflowers fragrance plug, sold separately to scent any room with 24/7 with noticeable freshness for up to 8 weeks.
-Wallflower Bulb ~ America's favorite fragrance plug! A quick twist of the rotating plug lets you choose a vertical or horizontal outlet.






The Children's Place is a leading specialty retailer of children's merchandise, ages newborn to 10 years old. The Company owned and operated 995 The Children's Place stores in North America and its online store, www.childrensplace.com. As seasons change so do the styles and lines available at The Children's Place. So from sparkles to prints, neutrals to fabulous brights, they have a bit of it all. Here are just a few of our favorite looks available in-stores and online now:

Five lucky readers will receive a $50 The Children's Place Gift Card &

Five more luck readers will receive a Slatkin & Co. Prize Package including 14.5oz Candle, Novelty Wallflower and Wallflower Bulb!

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Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from yours. Adventures of a Midlife Mommy is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Help Wholly Guacamole send 100 military kids to summer camp,  by purchasing a "Wholly Heroes" T shirt. The cost is 10$ and the entire amount goes to sending a kid to summer camp. You can get more info by watching this video. You can make a difference in a kid's life and get an awesome T shirt in the process!

I've teamed up with Publix and Produce For Kids to bring you a flash giveaway for a $25 Publix gift card and some cool Produce For Kids Goodies, but it ends on Wednesday, so hurry up and get your entry in now. Check out the easy Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win. Read more about Produce For Kids  HERE, there's a ton of great meal ideas for kids, ten ways to add fruits and veggies to your kids' lunchbox and tons of great info, Check it out!

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            "Great tasting food that happens to be organic"

 As I've gotten older, I've tried to eat better and take  better care of myself. I quit smoking three years ago on New Years Eve. I try to not be quite as stagnant as I used to be, I like to go to the park and try to get a little bit of exercise.  I want to be around for my kids as long as possible, because otherwise, who will be here to aggravate them as well as I do? Seriously though, I do think that eating better is a very good example for all of us to set for our kids. If we buy and eat good foods, our kids will eat good foods, their kids will eat good foods and so on and so forth. It's a very simple concept, with great results. 

I recently had the opportunity to try some awesome products from Newman's Own Organics. Newman's Own Organics, a division of Newman's own, started in 1993, is the brainchild of Nell Newman and Peter Meehan. Newman's Own Organics offers a full line of products ranging from Candy to pet food.

I received lots of yummy products from Newman's Own Organics, including cookies, licorice, caramel cups, raisins, pretzels, mints, and more. The organic raisins were the plumpest, juicest raisins I've ever put in my mouth.

The mints are really good and they come in beautifully decorated tins.

The caramel cups were so good, I am not ashamed to say, I refused to share with my family.

I did however share the cookies, the little one loved them and I didn't mind him eating a couple here and there, knowing they were organic.

I love these products and I think you will too, but you don't have to take my word for it. The nice folks over at Newman's Own Organics have been generous enough to allow me to giveaway 4 of my favorite items from the goodie box I received. Check out the easy Rafflecopter widget below and get your entries in. Good luck!

One winner will receive a goodie box consisting of 1 dark chocolate caramel cups, 1 Newman's Own Organics raisins, 1 Newman's Own Organics ginger O's and 1 Newman's Own Organics Fig Newmans.

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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If you've ever tried to potty train a toddler, you know how frustrating it can be. It seems like every time you get a little bit ahead, then they slip backwards. It is a rough journey, but I recently found a product that will change the way you think about potty training.

The Potty patrol system is an ingenious way to potty train your child. The concept is actually very similar to the Pavlov's dog experiment. It is a learned response to an outside stimuli.... The child wears the diaper, which includes a sensor that plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" when activated by wetness. You hear an alarm followed by the song and you know to put the child on the potty. It is a learned behavior that is perfected through trial and error. Some kids will pick this up rather quickly, others might take a little bit longer, but I really think this concept will work for most kids. Especially when you couple it with a reward system. I find candy works great and with all the natural choices in candy nowadays, you won't feel guilty for giving them candy.

The starter set includes everything you need.

 

Potty Patrol Training Guide Includes all the information you’ll need to use the Potty Patrol Starter Kit!

24 Alarm Sensor Diapers Every starter kit contains 24 sensor diapers. When the blue sensor strips detect wetness, they trigger the Potty Patrol alarm to sound.
+ Potty Patrol Alarm Diaper Refill Kits are available for purchase separately and can be used with the alarm provided in this kit. Some parents will find that the starter kit is all they need, while others will make use of the refill kits.
Potty Patrol Alarm Each starter kit includes one Potty Patrol alarm. Potty Patrol has an exclusive license to patent pending technology that helps avoid false alarms.

Micah loves his potty patrol diapers. They fit just like his usual brand, they have no gaps and are not too tight on his legs. I really like the Potty patrol system and I think you will too, but you don't have to take my word for it. The great folks over at Potty Patrol have been nice enough to offer 1 boy's starter set and 1 girl's starter set to two lucky winners. (There will be two winners, each will win one of either a boy's or girl's starter set) Check out the easy rafflecopter widget below to get your entries in.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

I remember when I was a little girl, my Mom would play tea party with me. I always felt so grown up and special. She would make little tea sandwiches and cut them out with cookie cutters and serve hot tea from a cute little Teapot. We would drink from these cute, little, flowery tea cups and put our pinkies in the air. It was always a grand affair.

So, when I was given the opportunity to review a beautiful tea set from Enjoying Tea, I was super excited. I chose the Ancient Poem tea set. It is a very traditional looking Asian tea set.  

The tea set includes the following:
• 1 teapot (approximate capacity: 800 ml or 27.2 fl oz)
• 6 teacups (approximate dimension: 2 3/8" dia, 3" ht)
• 1 stainless steel filter (approximate dimension: 2 5/8" dia, 1 7/8" ht)
• Internal filter at the end of the teapot spout
• Free tea included

 

The quality of this tea set was amazing. I found no flaws in the materials. There were no burrs or rough spots in the ceramic. The top fit perfectly and there were no gaps as you might find in some commercially cast ceramic pots. Why does that even matter? It means that you won't be losing heat from a gap or defect in the ceramic which in turn, means a better cup of tea. Believe it or not, there really is an art to making a good cup of tea. 

  The tea set arrived at my door, very securely wrapped and in a timely manner. When I opened it, I was surprised to see that it was wrapped in beautiful orange satin. There was cardboard separating each cup, so it would not chip in transit. The box it arrived in, is actually nice enough to store the tea set in.

  I also received a serving of loose vanilla chai tea, to try.  I haven't used it yet, I'm waiting for a special occasion, but I can tell you it smells wonderful, even through the package. They have a huge selection of tea sets and loose and bagged teas. If you can't decide, they also have tea samplers with several different choices to try. I was very impressed with my tea set from Enjoying Tea and would highly recommend using them for all your tea needs.

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned products to facilitate my review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. My opinions are my own and yours may differ.

Publix and Produce for Kids have teamed up again this year to bring you the 2nd annual Healthy Schools, Healthy Minds campaign. 

  Now thru October 24th, you can help out your local schools by adding fresh produce to your grocery cart. During this campaign, participating fruit and veggie suppliers will make a donation, depending on the amount of fresh fruits and veggies sold, to Donorschoose.org, which will go to support local classroom projects. 

Be on the lookout for specially marked displays, featuring the Sprout channel's Noodle and Doodle and Lazy Town, in the produce section of your local Publix stores.  The more fresh fruits and veggies you buy, the bigger the donation will be. You'll be helping out local schools and getting wonderful fresh fruits and veggies all at the same time... DOUBLE SCORE!!! It doesn't have to take a lot of effort to make a difference in a kid's life and this is a great, easy way to help. 

Also, if you're a Pinterest user, check out Produce for Kids' fun, new contest. There will be 3 winners and prizes include cookware, a giftbasket full of great Sprout and Lazy Town swag and a $50 gift card to your local grocery store. Not a Pinterest user? No worries, you can still enter by submitting a photo. You can read all about it HERE. 

 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.