Magic Beans 31 Days of GIVEAWAYS! *Playmobil Top Agents Prize Pack*

 

 

 

 

I loved this giveaway last year, and the prizes this year are great too! Enter every day of July to win great prizes from Magic Beans.

 

July 21 Prize:  Playmobil Top Agents Pack

Melissa & Doug Fun in the Sun GIVEAWAY!

 

If you have never heard of Melissa & Doug, you are missing out on many really great toys and educational materials. These are unique, high quality toys that encourage play and learning among children (and adults, for that matter!). Continue reading to learn about the Fun in the Sun Giveaway from Melissa & Doug and enter for your chance to win $200 worth of summer fun!

 

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Summer weather is here! Melissa & Doug has all kinds of great toys for you to help keep the kids entertained for the summer. You can get toys for all ages including classic toys, tents, sand toys, puzzles, arts & crafts, plus more!

 

Not only do you have the opportunity to win this giveaway but you can also head on over to the Melissa & Doug on Facebook fan page and then click on the Play to 250k Sweepstakes tab to enter the Play to 250,000 Fans Sweepstakes.

Each time their fan base grows by 1,000 fans, a fan will win a selection of Melissa & Doug toys. Plus, when the Facebook page reaches 250,000 fans, all fans will receive a special gift. WOW!!

If you are curious about what real moms thinks about Melissa and Doug toys, you can read these reviews:

Baby Costcutters Review

Mom to Bed by 8 Review

Powered By Mom Review

One lucky winner will receive a $200.00 eGift Code to Melissa & Doug!

 

 

Giveaway ends June 27, 2013 at 11:59pm, open to US only, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

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Disclosure: By entering this giveaway you agree to receive email communications from Melissa & Doug. I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Live Like a Mom is not responsible for prize shipment.

 

This event was organized by MomPoweredMedia please contact tina@babycostcutters.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Front Page: Angry Mom Breaks Son's Toy

Seemingly out of nowhere, my boys began fighting today over where they were going to sit on the couch. Screaming, hitting, and even banging each other with toys... this was a full-out brawl. In my effort to break up the fight, all while trying to feed the baby her milk, I wound up grabbing a truck out of one of their hands. Next thing I know, the wheel has popped right off. Then I get super angry because I do NOT like toys being broken. And I was the one who (unintentionally, I think) broke it. And they were still fighting. Grrrr.

Once everyone finally calmed down, I started feeling guilty. I mean, I was trying to save a kid from getting clobbered with a huge truck, but maybe pulling it away wasn't the best idea. Not to mention that we had just got the truck at the first yard sale my children have ever been to.

A little later during naptime (which was obviously needed), I attempted to super-glue the wheel on. Yeahhhh, I don't think it's going to stay on. So maybe this is a lesson learned for my son. Don't hit your brother with toys... or your lunatic mother will snap it in half.

 

P.S. I'm till wondering if I should replace the dang truck or not. What would you do?

 

 

UPDATE:  Some good news, the glue held the wheel on...for today at least!

The Real Beauty of Sharing

A strange thing occurred today when my two sons were playing together. My three-year-old came to me with a monster truck in his hand, and asked "Mom, whose truck is this?" Now I understand this does not sound very profound, but in my house it most definitely is.

My kids have a bajillion toys that we have been collecting since they've been born. Although they have so many toys (especially cars and trucks), they have acquired their mother's skill and/or curse for being able to remember not only whose toy it is, but also who gave it to them! They have even made statements such as "I got this train set from Santa when I was three" or "You know Lisa gave you that car at your 'fire truck' birthday." They remember everything, which is why it struck me as odd when they didn't know who this specific monster truck belonged to.

After telling my three-year-old that it was, in fact, his truck, he went back to playing with his brother. I got to thinking that maybe, just maybe, they are beginning to share and use each other's toys so often now, that they are not keeping track of ownership as much.

What's the big deal? Well I'll start by saying that I am not the kind of mother who forces her kids to share. Of course I encourage sharing and playing together, but I am very practical about it. If you don't want to share with your brother, then don't be upset if he doesn't want to share with you. For the most part they will happily hand over their toy, but there is always that new or special toy that is just off limits. Fine with me. So today, I realized that I might actually be doing something right by allowing the boys to have ownership and make decisions about their own things. It seems they understand that they don't have to let anyone else use their toys, so there's no (age-appropriate) fear of not getting those toys back. Plus, they are learning to make choices that benefit others and they feel the joy of giving all at the same time!

So back to why I had to stop and analyze this...oh yeah. Because today I caught my kids just being kids. Playing together with no arguments or fights over toys, and simply enjoying their time as brothers. And that's enough to make any mom write a dang blog post! ;)

The All NEW Build-A-Bear Workshop (and GIVEAWAY)!

This past Friday, my children and I had the privilege of attending the grand opening of a newly designed Build-A-Bear Workshop. Having never been to a Build-A-Bear Workshop before, I was unsure about what to expect. I had tried to imagine what the process of making a stuffed animal would be like and I pictured a large room where children would move along in some kind of line, selecting options for their animal. Wrong! The new design of the Build-A-Bear Workshop is NOTHING like that drab image of some assembly line that I had somehow pictured.

From the moment we walked into the workshop, we were met by smiling faces. We were greeted by several team members, including Jalissa, who were eager to point us in the right direction. Jalissa started us out in the new child-height Choose Me station, where my two boys got started picking out their new furry friend. I decided to make a bear for my six-month-old baby girl too and, of course, I had trouble deciding which animal to make for her. Jalissa recommended a baby-friendly bear with sewn eyes and allergen-free fabric, but I couldn't resist picking out a fluffy, classic brown bear. Then the fun began!



Filling their bears' hearts with special qualities.

Because the entire workshop has been redesigned to incorporate hands-on technology into every step of the bear-making process, the kids were involved the whole time. Even my three-year-old, with a short attention span, was engaged. They began by sliding 'qualities' into a stuffed heart using a touchscreen. This heart was in a way the 'life' within their bear. We then went to the Stuff Me station where the boys helped stuff their own bear and where they placed their special hearts inside their animals before Jalissa pulled the bears' seams shut. The boys got to give their new bears a wash in a virtual bathtub at the Fluff Me station and then pick out an outfit and some shoes to customize their bears.

  

Stuffing bears and inserting hearts.



Washing bears in a virtual bathtub.

We ended our adventure by naming the bears and receiving a birth certificate for each animal. It was amazing how attached we became to these stuffed animals so quickly. Both of my boys had the biggest smiles on their faces when their bear was stuffed and handed to them. I can't wait for my little girl to hug her bear because there really is a lot of love that went into it!

Putting the bears into their 'condos' for the ride home.

Here are some great features from the new Build-A-Bear Workshop:
- Find-A-Bear ID program (where a lost bear can be returned to its owner using a unique barcode placed inside the bear).
- Optional sound chips and scents can be inserted into the animals to make a more interactive friend.
- Interactive, touch-based stations for children to engage in.
- A HUGE selection of clothing and accessories to go with any mood, holiday, or interest!
- A friendly and interactive environment to make your animal friend.
- Fun for both kids and adults. A great place to have either a birthday party or a company team-building workshop!

 

Using a special lens to see inside their bears at the qualities they put into their hearts.

Browsing the sound station.

I really had a great time watching my children make their bears and I definitely recommend checking out the Build-A-Bear Workshop near you!

Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win a Gift card to Build-A-Bear Workshop!

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This giveaway is open to residents of the United States only. All entries will be verified. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook. Live Like a Mom is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Fisher-Price Play Date!

This past Sunday, I hosted a fun little play date through House Party that was completely sponsored by Fisher-Price! The party pack that they sent to me came in a gigantic box that was packed to the top with toys for pre school aged boys. I had to hide the box for a couple days until I was sure I would have enough time to unpack it without my two boys around. I needed a chance to go through everything and get organized first.

It's a good thing I did wait because there was sooo much in there! There were two main sets. The Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle set came with the Castle, the Ogre, the Dragon, the Battering Ram, and four small accessory packs. This set was huge! The castle opens up to about three feet wide and all of the larger accessories, like the Ogre, are recognized by the castle and they communicate when used near each other. The realism of these toys is great! Dungeons, secret passages, a dragon that bends down to gobble up a knight...you get it all. The kids spent a lot of time just shooting cannon balls and launching the catapult at the castle too. FYI- Be prepared to fish out all of the catapult discs from your air vents.

The other set was the Rev n' Go Stunt Garage which included the Garage, the Stunt Hauler, and six additional Rev n' Go Vehicles. Although it got a little noisy at times, the kids really liked revving the cars and watching them spin, flip, and do all sorts of tricks. They could hardly wait for their turn to power-up the garage launcher and send their cars racing down the track.

One of the best things about hosting any kind of party through HouseParty is that they provide most (or all) of the 'favors' for your guests. For my play date, HouseParty supplied goody bags filled with items for the kids and parents. Each child got to take home a coloring book, an Imaginext DVD, playing tips, and coupons!  

These toys were perfect for playing with at a play date because they encouraged imaginative play and group interaction. I only wish that more children were able to attend. There were a couple last minute cancellations (a problem that arises when parties are held on Sunday mornings, I came to find out), but the kids that did show up seemed to really make have a great time. And to my surprise, there was very little fighting over the toys!

Thanks HouseParty and Fisher-Price for providing us with some quality toys for a great afternoon of play!!!



Boxes, Bins, and Bags... Oh My!

Do you feel your home is cluttered or do you think that your family has too much stuff? Are you ready to get organized? Here is the basic method that I have developed for attacking the problem areas in my home. First, gather several of the three following items:

1. BOXES (old diaper boxes work great)
~ to pack up items that you want to store out of sight
~ to collect items for a yard sale or to donate

2. BINS (both bins with tops and plastic drawers)
~ to keep current toys in (drawers are perfect)
~ to store books for easy access
~ to hold sports/snow gear
~ to collect children's keepsakes

3. BAGS (large trash bags or old grocery bags)
~ to collect trash

Then go through your cluttered areas and ask yourself in which of the three Bs does each thing belong. Good luck!

What tips do you have for organizing clutter?