Giveaway: $100

Sleepy Wrap has agreed to award $100 to one of our readers! The rules are simple, click HERE for more info and how to enter.

Contest!! Build your own Marble Ramp!

*photo from kidmade website

This is an AWESOME idea for kids and parents to participate in together. The idea? Build the longest marble ramp using only duct tape and cardboard. You ARE allowed, however, to use things such as walls, tables and chairs to prop it up.

Go here to check it out and read how to enter (it's really easy).

You have until the end of August to complete it! Be sure to comment here and let us know if you choose to participate! We'd love to feature ALL of our readers' photos of their ramps on our blog post!

And...just in case you haven't already signed up for our $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway for Good for the Kids, you can do so here :)

Contest! Prize Package worth OVER $2000.00

Moms, own your own business? Check out this great giveaway: http://moms-united.blogspot.com/2008/07/contest-prize-package-worth-over-200000.html

Check out our $50 gift certificate giveaway, too...

Winners Of Last Week's Giveaways - ANNOUNCED!

We are so very pleased to announce the winners from last week's giveaways! They are:

The gift pack (shirt/onesie, cd, and book): Tjbrumlik

Room Makeover - heidi, bc, and momo3

Sleepy Wrap - Alaina

Each of you have been emailed. If we don't hear back from you by Wednesday, a new winner will be selected and contacted.

Thanks for coming by and we hope you visit again!

Be sure to check out our latest giveaway for a $50 gift certificate!

And, for more information about babies, toddlers, cloth diapering, babywearing and MORE, be sure to check out our categories. Or, click the header to see our latest posts! We hope to see you again!

If I had....$50 - Good for the Kids Giveaway

During one of our latest giveaways (don't worry, winners to be announced from last week's giveaways on Monday), I asked what you would like to see more of on my site. One of the overwhelming responses was ALL THINGS NATURAL AND ORGANIC. So, I thought what better way to kick it off than with yet ANOTHER giveaway AND something GREEN AND ORGANIC?

We are giving away a $50 gift certificate from Good For The Kids, a brilliant online store featuring some of the best toys EVER. From Melissa and Doug wooden toys to soft cuddlies, you can rest assured that your little one will be playing with toys that will not only be safe for them, but will also nurture their creativity and imaginations.

In order to enter, please visit Good For The Kids website and visit their website. Come back here and leave a comment, telling us what you would buy from their store if you won the $50 gift certificate (along with your name and email, please). This contest ends August 9 at 11: 59 EST, and a winner will be chosen randomly. If you are the randomly chosen winner and your comment does not include the necessary criteria (name of favorite products from Good for the Kids store, your name, your email), you will automatically be disqualified and a new winner will be chosen.

**Please note: All entrants are limited to one entry per day, but are invited to enter their name each day during the week that the contest is open (please choose a different products for each entry).

Good luck!

Sleepy Wrap Giveaway!!

We have paired together with Sleepy Wrap to offer you our HANDS DOWN favorite sling/wrap - The sleepy wrap.

For more information, you can visit www.sleepywrap.com. This wrap is awesome and keeps your child snug and can be worn in a variety of ways. To see what else we had to say about it, go HERE.

This sling is great for newborns, and can hold larger toddlers. ONE winner will receive a Sleepy Wrap in their choice of color. To enter to win, the commenter must visit www.sleepywrap.com and come back here and leave a comment, telling us the color name of the sling you'd like to receive, your name, and where you're from. Please make sure you leave your email address as well.

Good Luck!


For more great giveaways, go here.

Room Makeover - Another Giveaway!

We're doing a Mega Giveaway, here! For this one, we're giving away a virtual room makeover for your baby or toddler's room.

Here's what it includes:

- We will look over the photos that you send to us (via email) and we will suggest paint colors, decor, and all the trimmings to make this room all that it can be (we'll even tell you where we think it'd fit best!).
- You can either tell us a theme you have in mind or we can suggest one for you.
- Choose a budget, and we'll help you stay in it with our suggestions (this INCLUDES families that prefer DIY projects)
- We'll gather a list of DIY projects/ craft projects that are easy enough even for beginners.
-And, you will also be entered into some great drawings for room accessories to match your new theme!!

So, we help you find that new look for your child's room - you pay nothing, AND you get the chance to win some additional free stuff! What's not to love?

This service is valued in at over $1,000 - and we're offering it FREE to 3 lucky winners! We will draw the winners this weekend, so hurry and sign up!!

To enter, please just leave a comment with your name and your email! Your email MUST be a working one! We'll contact you if youw in and get the other information we'll need (pictures, theme, budget, etc.)

For more great giveaways, visit here.

Giveaway!

We are giving away a nice little bundle here at First Impressions for the Blog Carnival, one lucky winner will win the following prize package:



Cool Songs Collection by Yesnack.com. You can do a search on our site to listen to one of their songs. Little ones love these songs.













The book, Baby Steps by Diane Lang - great for any mom considering re-entering the workforce



















A Blink Tee shirt. This shirt is great for holding on to pacifiers! To read more about it just search "blink tee" on our website in the little search bar (look top left).






To enter to win all of these fabulous prizes, simply leave a comment with your email address and let us know what you'd like to see more of on our site! That's all! We'll be drawing the lucky winner this weekend, and posting the results on Monday! Good luck!

For more great giveaways, go here.

2 Great Giveaways!

Check out these 2 great giveaways this week :

Choose from 4 books

OR/AND

A Hotslings Organic Sling

A Room to Impress

Do you have an infant/toddler room that is in need of some sprucing up? Send us your photos to ashley (at) firstimpressionsbaby (dot) com and we'll randomly pick winners, who will receive expert advice on how to decorate and improve the functionality in the room.

To enter your photographs, please send (via email):

* 3-5 photos of the infant/toddler's room
* 1 or 2 photographs of the little ones to whom the room belongs
* their name
* their age
*their 5 most favorite things

Also, please include your name, relation to the child, and city/state (city/state won't be published without permission).



OR, do you have a beautiful nursery or toddler's room that you are incredibly proud of? Send it to us (at email above) for a chance to be showcased on our blog!

NEW GIVEAWAY: $100 Gap Gift Card and MORE!

Lilaguide.com is offering a $100 Gap Gift Card to a lucky winner each WEEK that joins their website (it takes literally only a few seconds) AND uploads a quick avatar (picture) to go on their profile. And, to liven things up, we're offering a LOAD of free prizes if you join our group called :

The Best Ever Parenting Group
Follow this link: http://www.lilaguide.com/Groups/parents.aspx

First, it will prompt you to join Lilaguide. Once you have done that, re click the link above to be taken to the group. Click "Apply to Group" (you'll automatically be allowed in) and set your email preferences (we recommend you switch email preferences to none)...and then, you're entered and ready to go!

No cost or purchase is necessary to enter to win these fabulous prizes, so why not?

Plus, I'd be incredibly grateful if you joined ;) I'm trying to get 600 members BEFORE August 1st (regardless of how active/inactive you choose to be). Thanks!

Congratulations!

Congratulations MamaWise! You won our latest drawing! I'll be contacting you soon for your address for the 2-pack CD set!

Congrats!

WINNERS!!

The two winners of the Organizational books were:

Cindi and Jodi! Thanks, ladies! (Your books are on their way!)

June Giveaway!

Last week, we had a great giveaway but very few participants! So, I'm thinking it HAD to be a fluke, right? So, we're starting it up again. If you left a comment in the other post, consider yourself automatically entered into this contest. So, come on ladies and gents, we want to hear from you!

Just leave a comment with your best organizational tip when it comes to either managing your time or organizing your stuff. (The two major areas her (Karen Ehman's) book covers) And/or tell us your biggest organizational challenge or time management fiasco.

We'll be drawing winners from the comments (which answer our questions) to receive something great! So, be sure to ALSO leave your name and email address as well (in ADDITION to your answers)!!

We'll draw TWO winners, and you'll each win a FANTABULOUS book by Karen Ehman. Contest ends Saturday...so, what are you waiting for!?

An Interview with Karen Ehman

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself - an intro, so to speak:
I have a hubby of 22 years and three sometimes argumentive but mostly charming children: Mackenzie-17, Mitchell 13 and Spencer 10. I am a stay-at-home mom who speaks and writes on the side and am a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaking team and a volunteer for Hearts at Home and organization who mission is to help moms love their lives. I love to see my daughter act on stage, watch my boys play sports, hang out with my husband discussing life and read my Bible. I love to cook and organize. I love to write handwritten notes. I hate to clean and can't sew to save my life. I hate to send emails and type as slow as a snail. I also have pitiful, partially finished scrapbooks and no real personal hobbies. In 8 years when Spencer is gone, I'll find one in my "spare time" unless, of course, I'm a Grandma by then!! :-)

2. Please tell us a little about your books and what led you to write them?
My first two Homespun Gifts from the Heart and Homespun Memories for the Heart were co-written with my best friend from college and a dear friend from church. They are designed to provide easy, doable ideas for moms who want to remember their loved ones with creative gifts or make special memories with their kids on holidays, holy days or the every days of life. My first solo book was A Life That Says Welcome and it chronicles my tale of marrying into a family of decorators, cooks and bed and breakfast owners while I myself could barely boil water! It is about 1/3 story driven and biblical hospitality info and 2/3 practical ideas on decorating, cleaning and recipe ideas. It also encourages hospitality on the road--reaching out to those with whom your life naturally intersects. My most recent book is The Complete guide to Getting and Saying Organized. It is an idea driven, practical and doable workbook type volume that walks moms through setting the bar where they want it and crafting their own plan to manage their time and organize their stuff. It definitely is NOT one size fits all!

3. What is one of your favorite "life lessons" that God has taught you thus far?
God is sometimes in the plans, often in the waiting and always in the interruptions!

4. When it comes to cleaning and organizing, I hear a lot of people who are very discouraged and tired. What would you say to them to help them along? Any tips, suggestions, or words of advice?
They need to take into account their particular lifestyle and stage of life and not try to replicate someone else's slick plan. I like to encourage women to learn strategies to take care of the have tos of life in an efficient manner so that they have more time for the want tos of life!!

5. Have a quick organizational and/or cleaning tip you'd like to divulge? Pretty please?
It sounds old fashioned but I have found it to be true--have a place for everything and everything in its place! Grandma was right! I find most women suffer from what I call the "for now" syndrome and it causes great distress in their life. You know all of those piles of "for now"....I'll place this junk mail here..for now. Or I will set this clean laundry over there....for now. Or I'll just lay this junk I don't know what to do with here....for now. Pretty soon we have piles for for now all over the house staring us in the face and making us feel defeated!!!!!!

6. Any tips especially for moms/dads with younger children in the home, regarding life, love, and happiness - and cleaning and organization, of course!?
Get the family on the same team. Your hubby and kids are not the enemy. Satan and his distractions are the enemy. Her wants us to bicker, complain, mess each other up and divide and conquer our family! Don't let him. Have a plan. Work the plan. Work together so that your home stays relatively in order and you can free up time to spend together as a family doing something you love to do!!!

7. And, how about some tips for older parents and grandparents who have trouble parting with their things, and end up feeling so tired and disgusted that they jump ship before they even start?
Enlist the help of someone who is not emotionally attached to your stuff. It is just STUFF!!!! Weeding out and organizing is good for the soul. And maybe some of your stuff can go to help someone else who will actually use it!!! I have an entire chapter on de-junking your house ridding it of items no longer needed. It is one that readers tell me was the most helpful for them. I say away with the junk!!!!


And, because we LOVE participation - we want you, our readers, in on the fun!
Just leave a comment with your best organizational tip when it comes to either managing your time or organizing your stuff. (The two major areas her book covers) And/or tell us your biggest organizational challenge or time management fiasco.

We'll be drawing winners from the comments (which answer our questions) to receive something great! So, be sure to ALSO leave your name and email address as well (in ADDITION to your answers)!!

New Group and a Favor!

Today, my post is going to be short and sweet. :) I'm asking a super quick favor of you ALL - whether you are a mom, dad, grandparents, or TTC - please go to: http://www.lilaguide.com/groups/parents
and sign up for my group. If you aren't in lilaguide's system, it'll prompt you to join first (it's free), so please take the 3 minutes to do that and then join my actual group (address above). I'm in a contest, so the more members I get before Aug. 1, the better. I'm aiming at 600! It's all free and you are under no obligation to actually post anything or do anything in the group (unless you want to) - Just join! Please?

Oh yeh. And, as always...if you join, I'll add your name to a drawing and I'll be giving away prizes.

HUGE GIVEAWAY

It's time for another giveaway, and this time, it's being held over at paperlicious.

This month, here's what is going on:

"First up... In honor of Mother's Day (May 10), we are giving away a set
of our signature Momager Calling Cards™
AND a box of custom printed Social Stationery. Oh we're not done yet.
The winner will also receive a set of 20 customized Gift Enclosure Tags
for either themselves or one child. "

So, how do you win, you ask? Easy. Go to their website (link below) and simply enter your name, email, and our blog html: http://firstimpressionsbaby.blogspot.com (you probably should just copy and paste that).

So, go now! Because we want you to win...if you win, I win too!

Click HERE to go straight to the giveaway. Good luck and thanks!

Bloggy Giveaway

Everyone knows that I can't pass up a good giveaway, so here goes:

I'm participating in the Bloggy Giveaways (www.bloggygiveaways.com)


I'm giving away a fantastic stretch bracelet and a set of personalized notecards. Want to win? --Just visit www.firstimpressionsbaby.com and tell me (in my comments, here) which item was your favorite and why. Be sure to leave me a way to contact you if you win!!

Good luck!

Happy Earth Day!! - Giveaway ONE (Shaklee)

hank you so much for responding to my Earth Day giveaway. There were so many great entries! Congratulations to the winners and they are:

Winner #1 - Lesha (LilacButterfly@earthlink.net)

Winner #2 - Suzanne (LilithSilvermane@gmail.com)

Both winners will be contacted via e-mail by Kristin Grayner so that she may get your mailing address. So be on the lookout for an e-mail from her.

For those of you that didn't win, Kristin has come up with a discounted price on a bottle of Basic H2 and the 3-pack spray bottles if you are interested. It would be $23.50, a savings of $3.50 off the retail price (which is the member price). But the overall savings would be the equivalent of 60 bottles of Fantastik Multi-Purpose Cleaner, 32 bottles of Mop & Glo and 728 bottles of Windex. If you were to use all 16 oz. of Basic H2 concentrate as a windows/mirrors cleaner it would be the equivalent of 5,824 bottles of Windex!

Contact Kristin at graynerfamily@gmail.com that you are interested in purchasing the above at the discounted price and she will send you a PayPal invoice and have it shipped directly to your home!

Also, being that it's Earth Day, she also has a special just for today, Tuesday, April 22nd. Anyone who purchases a Get Clean Starter Kit will receive a free membership. Upon receipt of order confirmation from Shaklee, she'll send a rebate for the membership amount either via check or PayPal. This is not a Shaklee sponsored event, it's her event. You can make a difference with this one purchase. You keep 108 pounds of packaging waste out of landfills, you eliminate 248 pounds of greenhouse gas and it's the equivalent of planting 10 trees! http://www.shaklee.net/kristingrayner/getclean/getstarted/index

Thanks again everyone and thank you Kristin for such a great giveaway!

Babies and Moms: Birth and Beyond Giveaway

Babies and Moms: Birth and Beyond (www.babiesandmomsradio.com), the Podcast for moms, is giving away hundreds of dollars in products in April including

PediPeds valued at $25
See Kai Run Shoes valued at $25
2 Sign Babies Board Books valued at $6 each
Squeaker Sneakers valued at $25
Robeez Shoes valued at $35
4 Zoobie Pets valued at $35 each
It is easy to win. Just listen to Babies and Moms podcasts posted during the months of April and May and follow the on-air instructions to enter to win at www.babiesandmomsradio.com or listen to Babies and Moms: Birth and Beyond in iTunes. Products given away each show.

Babies and Moms brings important information to moms of babies and toddlers from birth to three years of age each week through innovative podcasts. Babies and Moms hosts Nancy, Shelly, Stacey and Tricia interview experts in every facet of child-rearing. Additionally, the four hosts are experts in their own right. With 19 kids among the 4 hosts, they’ve seen it, done it, used it or lived it.