Category Archives: Contests

Perry Mackin Oliver Diaper Bag | @PerryMackin Review and #Giveaway

Contests, Diaper Bags, ,

For a while after having my son, who is now 13, I carried diaper bags from the baby store or a backpack.  Yikes! It painful to vision those moments.  The more I got out with my son, I learned that just because I was a new mom I should not be using frumpy, flimsy, non-stylish diaper bags.  What was I thinking?  First of all, I didn’t realize that designer, stylish diaper bags could really be affordable. I assumed they were all $500+.  I was wrong.

For example, there’s this Perry Mackin diaper bag.  This bag, called the OLIVER BLUE, is $168 and is everything a new mom needs!

Perry Mackin diaper bag review and giveaway
Perry Mackin OLIVER Blue diaper bag

This Perry Mackin diaper bag is called the Oliver and it features:

  • a top zipper closure system makes for easy access
  • water resistant lining
  • 6 Internal elastic band pockets
  • changing pad
  • one zipper front pocket and two side pockets (great for bottle)
  • double handles with a 7″ drop
  • removable adjustable shoulder strap is 48″ when fully extended
Let’s see what fits inside the Oliver!
Perry Mackin OLIVER diaper bag
Let’s get into what I think makes this diaper bag great
  • First, there’s the side pockets.  I carry water with me everywhere I go.  The side pockets on this bag easily hold a water bottle or a baby bottle or sippy cup.
  • Then, there’s the outside zipper pocket.  This pocket is where I keep my phone, chapstick, and tissues.  You know, the important things.
  • I personally don’t have much use for the 6 inside pockets because I’m not using this bag as a diaper bag since my kids are older, but the 6 interior pockets are just right for teething toys, cell phone, a bag of snacks, and a packet of wipes just to name a few things.
  • The shoulder strap.  I LOVE the adjustable strap.  I am short so I can’t wear a bag that does not have an adjustable shoulder strap.  The shoulder strap allows the bag to hand on stroller handle bars.   Just don’t let go of the stroller! 
  • The bag is 16″ x 13″ x 5.5″ allowing my MacBook Pro to slide right in while leaving room for my wallet and a notebook. Now, you see why I love this diaper bag even though I don’t have babies anymore?
  • One more thing that I appreciate about this diaper bag is that the lining is water resistant.  No more scrubbing.. just wipe and dry.
The OLIVER diaper bag is available in blue, black, and purple.  The purple and blue are great Fall colors!

From Perry Mackin 

The attributes of design, practicality and affordability were combined with the specific needs of a diaper bag.  Perry Mackin is exactly this.  Take a look at a diaper bag designed with your own sense of chic in a high-quality, water-resistant fabric.  You’ll dress it up or down according to whim or occasion and wonder what you ever did without it.

Connect with Perry Mackin:

Win a Perry Mackin Diaper Bag!

We are giving a lucky reader the blue OLIVER diaper bag as seen in the photo above.  Pretty fabulous, isn’t it?

To enter to win, fill out the form below.

BONUS ENTRIES:

  • Leave a comment for 3 bonus entries
  • Follow us on Twitter for 2 bonus entries.
  • Like us on Facebook for 2 bonus entries.
  • Subscribe to our RSS feed for 3 bonus entries.
  • Tell us in the comments what you’ve done so we can count your bonus entries!

Entries accepted through 11:59pm EST November 10th, 2012.  This prize will ship to U.S. residents only.  No P.O. Boxes.  Ages 18+. Your email address will be added to our email newsletter list.  You may receive a bi-weekly email from us featuring new product reviews, our blog posts, and giveaways.  You can unsubscribe at any time.  We will not send you spam or sell or give your email address to anyone.

Disclosure: I received a Perry Mackin OLIVER diaper bag for review purposes. All opinions are 100% mine and were not influenced in any way. I was not required to write this post in exchange for the product.

@LeftoverCuties – ‘Places To Go’ Album Review and #Giveaway!

Contests, Giveaways, Music, , ,

If you are looking for fun and uplifting music that isn’t just for kids but will entertain the kids just the same, you’ve got to check out Leftover Cuties Places To Go album! You might have heard of them when the band’s cheerful tune “Smile Big” debuted in a Samsung Galaxy S III commercial, which you can watch here, during the Opening Ceremony on July 27th. Yes, that song!   This track highlights the band’s signature sound, showcasing ukelele, brushed drums, double bass, and trumpet.

Leftover Cuties makes playful music that harkens back to carefree times yet still sounds modern.

Leftover Cuties Places To Go album review

My daughter’s favorite song, one that I’ve sung to her at bedtime almost since the day she was born, is You Are My Sunshine.  Leftover Cuties rendition of the song has motivated me to do a better job at singing her favorite song to her at bedtime every night.   Their version of the song, featured on their album Departures, is what I call modern-retro but may be a little too sexy for a bedtime song. 😉

Go ahead, download Leftover Cuties songs on iTunes and I can almost guarantee that you and your kids will love them.  Play their songs on your next road trip, while you’re cooking dinner, or folding laundry.  Whenever.  You can count on being cheered up as soon as you play Leftover Cuties.  Your toes will start tapping, your grin will turn upside down, and you just might start dancing!

It is my opinion that Leftover Cuties creates Mom friendly music!  Moms need uplifting, fun music and Leftover Cuties provides just that for busy, on-the-go moms.

Shirli McAllen, Leftover Cuties singer, says:

“We are thrilled that our song was chosen for this unique ad and honored that it is airing during such an important time as the Olympics. “It still feels surreal.”

Leftover Cuties recently released a covers EP, Departures featuring takes on tunes by Etta James, Coldplay, Lady Gaga and more.  Take a few minutes to watch a few of Leftover Cuties’ videos on YouTube.  Their energy is fabulous!  I promised myself I wouldn’t pressure myself too much to sound like Shirli when signing You Are My Sunshine to my daughter at bedtime, but it’s so hard to not try at least. 🙂

I’ll be keeping an eye out on their tour schedule in hopes of seeing Leftover Cuties during a future visit to Atlanta, GA!

Connect with Leftover Cuties on Twitter and Facebook to learn about tour/performance dates when new songs and albums are released.

Leftover Cuties tote bag and album giveaway
Leftover Cuties Tote Bag

We are giving two lucky readers a Leftover Cuties ‘Places To Go’ CD and Tote Bag!

Entries accepted through 11:59pm EST September 25th, 2012.  Open to U.S. residents ages 18+.  No P.O. Boxes.
Shipping is not fulfilled by TheMommyInsider.com.

We’ll also be offering a chance to win over on our blog over at AtlantaMoms.com soon.

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Organize Your Family With A NeuYear Poster Size Calendar + A Giveaway!

Contests, Giveaways, New posts, Organization, , , ,
NeuYear Academic Calendar - Horizontal
NeuYear Academic Calendar - Horizontal

Do you find yourself forgetting important dates like your child’s school Meet-and-Greet or Open House? What about your 6th grader’s first band concert?  No, I’m not speaking from experience, silly.

When you have multiple family members, it can difficult to remember important school dates, doctor appointments, what day each child’s extra-curricular activities are on, when the kids are supposed to bring their report cards home, when you need to renew your car tag, your best friend’s wedding, and tons of other important things.

Think about it.  Many of the dates that we need to remember, we think of months before hand, but because traditional calendars show only a month at a time, we aren’t able to plan ahead efficiently.

For example, my husband knew that a friend of his was getting married September 1st didn’t tell me.  I’m speaking hypothetically of course. 😉 Meanwhile, I planned on having my father in town to celebrate my son’s 13th birthday August 31st-September 3rd. I had the date marked on the calendar in July but because only July shows on our traditional wall calendar, my husband didn’t see that my family was going to be in town and therefor, accepted the wedding invitation for all four of us. If in July he would have been able to see August’s important dates/notes, he would have known that my family was going to be in town and would not have RSVP’d for the four of us to go to the wedding.

With the NeuYear wall calendar, we can see literally every day of the year right in front of us.  BAM! It’s all there!

My NeuYear calendar is on my office wall, right smack dab in front of my face.  My husband and son have one as well.  I’m on it this year!

There’s something not so sexy about constantly having to remind your husband about important school events, doctor’s appointments, and other important dates.  It’s not very wifely, I say.  I’d love for my husband to say to me one day “Alicia, Sebastian’s band concert is tomorrow night” or “the lawn service is coming this Wednesday”.  Whoa! That would be so awesome.  I just feel like always having to remind someone of what’s going on is a motherly function, not a wifely function.  Do you agree?

So, help yourself and/or your significant other get on the ball and have no more excuses for forgetting school events, dr appointments, etc..

NeuYear Wall Poster Academic Year Calendar
NeuYear Wall Poster Size Academic Year Calendar - Vertical

Go get a Neu Year calendar or two, put them on your kitchen wall, bathroom wall, and office wall and everyone in your house will know what’s up today, tomorrow, next week, and next month, without having to flip a page!

Mark these important dates on your child’s NeuYear calendar:

  • Important school events
  • Sports games and practices
  • School tests (CRCT’s, etc)
  • Doctor appointments
  • Spring Break
  • Winter Break
  • School vacation days

Mark these important dates or yours and your significant other’s NeuYear calendar:

  • School events
  • Sports games and practices
  • Doctor appointments
  • School vacation days
  • Tentative or potential family vacation dates
  • Family & friend birthdays
  • Spring Break
  • Winter Break
  • When his/her and your car tags are due
  • and more!

The Neu Year calendar is poster size.  There is a vertical calendar on one side and a horizontal calendar on the other side.  So, once you get your calendar(s) take your pick.    The Academic Neu Year calendar spans 12 months, August 2012 to July 2013.

The day boxes are larger than most calendars so there is plenty of room to write in them.  You’ll want to pick up a few colored fine-tip dry erase markers before your calendar arrives.
Oh, did I mention that you can get a laminated version of the calendar, so you can write on it with a dry-erase marker?  When your next annual checkup gets pushed back, just wipe it off and mark the new date.
Or, you can buy the uncoated version and use a pencil or a pen.  It’s up to you! Decisions, decisions!
A NeuYear calendar is a product that I consider a must-have for families.  With our increasingly busy schedules, it’s nice to know that everyone is on the same page when it comes to what’s going on and when.

NeuYear is offering our readers a coupon code for 30% off!

Get 30% off your order at NeuYear.net when you use coupon code MOMMYINSIDER.  This code expires December 31st, 2012.

We are giving 5 lucky readers a NeuYear calendar!

Entries accepted through September 15, 2012. Entrants must be 18+ and live in the U.S. No PO Boxes.  The company may send winners a laminated or uncoated calendar.

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I received a NeuYear calendar for review purposes.  All opinions are 100% mine and were not influenced in any way.

SIGG Kid’s Water Bottle and Aluminum Lunch Box Giveaway! #BackToSchool with @SIGG_NA

Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Contests, New posts, School, , , ,

 

SIGG water bottles
SIGG water bottles

I haven’t been very excited about shopping this back-to-school season. It was when my daughter, who’s entering first grade this year, told me that she wants a new backpack and my son mentioned that he needs a new USB stick that I finally got interested in the idea of back-to-school shopping. Is shopping for 3-ring binders, printer paper, and colored pencils really fun? Not so much.

Something that my kids use every day and need for school is a water bottle. Much more exciting to shop for than paper and pencils right?

We have dozens of water bottles between the four of us. Our SIGG water bottles are what we call our ‘special bottles’. We each have our ‘special bottles’ that we do not share. Both of my kids have a special SIGG water bottle that they’ve used for at least two years and my husband and I have several that we’ve used for that long. I use them for road trips and when I attend conferences. I even have a couple of personalized SIGG water bottles. My son uses his SIGG water bottles on camping trips, hikes and at school, my husband uses them for every day drinking (not that kind of drinking silly), and my daughter takes her SIGG to school with her in her lunch box.

SIGG’s new Rainbox collection offers kids a colorful way to enjoy water or their favorite juice while at school. The new collection features 12 vibrant hues inspired by the rainbow. Running the spectrum from neon yellow to cool coral to royal blue, you will undoubtedly find a shade that catches your child’s eye. The sleek, loop top style bottles are manufactured and quality checked in Switzerland and are BPA and phthalate free. Like all SIGG bottles, they are completely taste and odor neutral and are 100% recyclable at the end of their long lives. The nonporous interior lining in the bottles ensures that it remains taste and odor neutral so you can have juice on Monday, milk on Tuesday and water on Wednesday and there won’t be any residual taste. How great is that?

SIGG water bottles are sturdy. My son’s SIGGs have been dropped from trees and have rolled down the street plenty of times and boy will a SIGG bottle roll far and fast! My son has put SIGG water bottles to the test and they can withstand just about anything.

Who knows, maybe getting a new SIGG water bottle will become an annual back to school tradition? I can see it now..my son will have a line of SIGG water bottles on a bookshelf in his college dorm. That’s a few years from now but hey, they’ll last that long!

SIGG Aluminum Box Maxi Metallic Purple
SIGG Aluminum Box Metallic Purple

I also love SIGG’s metallic lunch/storage boxes. Available in colors fit for boys and girls, this lunch box is perfect for a snack or a sandwich. SIGG sleek boxes are available in fun bold colors and are perfect for containing your child’s lunch or snack items or for toting school or art supplies. Offered in hues of green, blue, fuchsia and silver, these boxes ward off moisture and mold with their aluminum composition and for that reason are also odor resistant. Light, durable with a slick appearance, this a multi-functional box your child will be excited to take to school. They also make for an easy canvas for children to decorate with stickers or puffy paint so they can customize their container.

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Win a SIGG ABC water bottle and aluminum lunch/storage box!

SIGG water bottle and lunch storage box giveawayOpen to U.S. residents ages 18+ only. No P.O. Boxes.

Entries accepted through 11:59pm EST August 22nd, 2012. Read our official contest rules here.

Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

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Alicia Hagan, Editor

I am being compensated via product from SIGG, for this review. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced in any way. I really do have and love SIGG water bottles!

DaddyScrubs: A Gift of Comfort {@DaddyScrubs Review and Giveaway}

Age 0-1 year, Contests, Dad, Giveaways, , , ,

If you are looking for a fun, unique, yet practical, gift idea for the expecting, new, or veteran father in your life, check out DaddyScrubs for a host of gift ideas to celebrate the new arrival, a special Father’s day, or an upcoming birthday.

DaddyScrubs: A Gift of Comfort
DaddyScrubs: A Gift of Comfort

Make sure the man in your life has something special to wear while awaiting the arrival of the newest member of the family. With an easy fit sported by medical personnel for so long, DaddyScrubs are comfortable attire while dad does his thing: provide comfort and support to mom and baby. New daddies can don a pair in navy, green, or khaki to meet their precious newborns. V-

DaddyScrubs
DaddyScrubs blue scrubs

necked tops and drawstring pants also make these utilitarian and cozy, the perfect choice for pajamas during the long night shifts feeding and comforting a new little one. Constructed from a polyester and cotton mix, they wear well and are machine washable and dryable, and the accurate sizing (ranging between medium and double extra-large) ensures a great fit.

Likewise, I’m the Daddy© tees announce a man’s new status to the world in classic, edgy, or vintage designs. Choose from short or long sleeves in navy, white, brown, black, or gray. These t-shirts are made from 100% cotton preshrunk jersey knit for a great fit and long-lasting comfort, a wearable memento for years to come.

Beyond scrubs and t-shirts, this site carries hoodies, hats, and other gift ideas to celebrate this special time. A number of gift sets include scrubs, tees, hats, mugs, pens, stickers, or baby and parenting books. If you are looking for a practical gift for the active father, the Daddy Diaper Pack is a functional, sturdy backpack designed for the daddy-on-the-go.

Whatever the stage of fatherhood, this specialized site has a gift for the dad in your life.

More DaddyScrubs:

Want to win a set of DaddyScrubs?

Use the form below to enter to win.  Entries accepted through July 5th.  Winner will be selected randomly.  The more entries you complete the higher your chances of winning!

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Disclosure: I receive a sample of DaddyScrubs for purpose of testing and review. My opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC.  Please view our disclosure policy if you have any questions.