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This giveaway is part of our Three Gs For The Holidays event. Visit the announcement post to get involved in other fun giveaways, get shopping ideas from our Gift Guide, and learn how you can help children in need this holiday season!

When it comes to toys, Jayden can be very picky. Hand him any toy, and chances are he’ll get bored with it very quickly, sometimes in a matter of minutes. So what we usually do is pour out all of his toys on the floor and let him choose which ones he’d like to play with. Whenever he gets bored with one toy, he’ll put it down and pick up another toy to play with. We monitor which toys he likes to play with the most, and usually have those toys handy when we’re out and about.

A couple of the toys that we’ve noticed Jayden has taken a liking to are the Squeeze N Sounds and Giggle Balls by Russ Bright Beginnings. Squeeze N Sounds and Giggle Balls are small plush toys that make sounds when squeezed. The Squeeze N Sounds are shaped like vehicles, such as trains, that make sound effects of the vehicle it resembles. Giggle Balls are round in shape, resemble animals, and giggle when squeezed. Whenever Jayden squeezes them, he always give the toy a look as if he’s wondering where in the world the sound is coming from! He loves all types of sounds and music, so these will usually keep him occupied longer than any of his other toys!

Do you think your child would enjoy a Squeeze N Sound and Giggle Ball? Enter this giveaway for a chance to win a Squeeze N Sound Train and a Giggle Ball Pig (both pictured at the top of this post)!

How To Enter

There are a total of 5 ways you can enter this giveaway, and everyone is eligible! You can enter using as many methods listed below as you’d like. Each method of entry is worth 1 entry. Here is how you can enter:

1. Leave a comment explaining why you think your child would enjoy a Squeeze N Sound and Giggle Ball.

2. Write a post on your blog about this giveaway. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by leaving a direct link to your post.

3. Put our Three Gs For The Holidays button in your blog’s sidebar. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this.

<a href="http://mommydaddyblog.com/2008/11/18/three-gs-for-the-holidays" title="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/sheeniebabie/mdbholidaygiftguidebutton.gif" border="0" alt="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" title="Win A Squeeze N Sound & Giggle Ball From Russ Bright Beginnings! mommydaddyblog.com" /></a>

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by including a direct link to your tweet (how to link directly to a tweet).

5. Subscribe to receive e-mail updates so we can keep you updated on future happenings here at Mommy Daddy Blog. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address below and click Subscribe. Be sure to let us know that you’ve done this (or if you are already subscribed to receive e-mail updates from us) in the comments using the same e-mail address you subscribed with.

This giveaway, along with all other Three Gs For The Holidays giveaways, will end on December 8th!

We’d like to help out those who are less fortunate this holiday season, so we’ll be donating some toys to Toys For Tots! But, since there’s only so much we can do, we encourage you to make a donation also. You can donate toys or cash to Toys For Tots, at your nearest Toys For Tots drop-off location. You can also donate a cash gift online via credit/debit card by visiting the Toys For Tots Online Donation page. With your help, there’s no limit to the amount of smiles we can put on childrens’ faces this year!

This giveaway is part of our Three Gs For The Holidays event. Visit the announcement post to get involved in other fun giveaways, get shopping ideas from our Gift Guide, and learn how you can help children in need this holiday season!

When it comes to socks for Jayden, he somehow seems to lose them just as fast as we can buy them. He has about 30 socks that all have long lost brothers somewhere out there in the cold and homeless. Through all of the playing and traveling, at the end of the day, he is lucky to have any socks remaining on his feet, let alone one! I don’t know where they disappear to. It’s as if some black hole for socks follows Jayden around and gobbles up his socks while our heads are turned. We keep the mismatched socks around to use for his hands to prevent him from scratching himself up while sleeping, or as extras for if he ever runs out of clean matching pairs. But by the way things are going, eventually ALL of his socks will end up as extras!

So in search for the lose-proof baby sock, we decided to give Nix All-Star Socks a try. Nix All-Star Socks are tube socks made for babies and toddlers. They are made up of spandex, for an extra stretchy feeling but also to keep them on baby’s feet, and cotton and nylon, for a soft and snuggly feeling. They come in a “one size fits all” which fits infant and toddler shoe sizes 2 to 7, or ages 3 months to 2 1/2 years. Nix Socks come in a variety of color combos to match any of your baby’s outfits. Now let’s see that sock black hole try and take these off Jayden! Bwahahaha!

So does your little one seem to have the same problem Jayden has with not being able to keep his or her socks on throughout the day? Well we have a set of TWO pairs of Nix All-Star Socks to give away to one winner! The winner will be able to choose which set of two color combos they would like to receive!

How To Enter

There are a total of 5 ways you can enter this giveaway, and everyone is eligible! You can enter using as many methods listed below as you’d like. Each method of entry is worth 1 entry. Here is how you can enter:

1. Visit NixBaby.com, then come back here and leave a comment telling me which color combo(s) are your favorite.

2. Write a post on your blog about this giveaway. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by leaving a direct link to your post.

3. Put our Three Gs For The Holidays button in your blog’s sidebar. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this.

<a href="http://mommydaddyblog.com/2008/11/18/three-gs-for-the-holidays" title="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/sheeniebabie/mdbholidaygiftguidebutton.gif" border="0" alt="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" title="Win A Set of Nix All Star Baby Socks! mommydaddyblog.com" /></a>

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by including a direct link to your tweet (how to link directly to a tweet).

5. Subscribe to receive e-mail updates so we can keep you updated on future happenings here at Mommy Daddy Blog. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address below and click Subscribe. Be sure to let us know that you’ve done this (or if you are already subscribed to receive e-mail updates from us) in the comments using the same e-mail address you subscribed with.

This giveaway, along with all other Three Gs For The Holidays giveaways, will end on December 8th!

We’d like to help out those who are less fortunate this holiday season, so we’ll be donating some toys to Toys For Tots! But, since there’s only so much we can do, we encourage you to make a donation also. You can donate toys or cash to Toys For Tots, at your nearest Toys For Tots drop-off location. You can also donate a cash gift online via credit/debit card by visiting the Toys For Tots Online Donation page. With your help, there’s no limit to the amount of smiles we can put on childrens’ faces this year!

Daddy and I eat Pop-Tarts daily. Since we rarely have time to sit down to eat meals, they are perfect for grabbing on the go. They aren’t the healthiest option for breakfast or a snack even, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Fiber One recently introduced toaster pastries which contain five times the fiber (5 grams, or 20% of the recommended daily amount) and half the fat of a regular Pop-Tart. They are a great way for busy parents (especially Dads *cough*) to get more fiber into their diets! Pop-Tarts introduced a whole grain pastry earlier this year as well, so below is a comparison of both the new Fiber One Toaster Pastries and Whole Grain Pop-Tarts.

1 single Fiber One Toaster Pastry
190 calories
4 g fat
140 mg sodium
36 g carbs
5 g fiber
16 g sugar

in comparison to

1 single Whole Grain Pop-Tart
200 calories
7 g fat
170 mg sodium
34 g carbs
3 g fiber
14 g sugar

I’ve tried both Fiber One Toaster Pastries and Whole Grain Pop-Tarts. I’ve noticed that the texture of the Fiber One Toaster Pastries are a little tough, but other than that they are mm mm good. Making them a little softer would make them perfect.

For more information visit the Fiber One website.

This giveaway is part of our Three Gs For The Holidays event. Visit the announcement post to get involved in other fun giveaways, get shopping ideas from our Gift Guide, and learn how you can help children in need this holiday season!

I have a couple of questions for those of you who are parents: Approximately how many pictures and/or videos of your children do you have saved on your computer?

Now, once you have come up with an answer for that question, answer this one: How many of those pictures or videos do you have duplicates of that are not on that same computer?

The reason I ask is because I think it’s so crazy how much technology has evolved and how computers are used for practically everything now. The other day I was thinking about how we haven’t even started on the baby books for Jayden yet, although he is now 7 months old. We have been keeping track of all of his milestones on our computers through picture files, video files, and text files. In this day and age, “virtual” baby books have become more popular than the traditional physical baby books. But one thing we have to keep in mind is that computers aren’t perfect. They can catch viruses. They can get damaged. They can get stolen. And before you have your doubts about using a computer to store all of your precious memories, the same applies for physical baby books also. They, too, can get lost, stolen, or damaged. Either way it goes, everything is gone. Everything.

So after thinking all of this through (which I actually should’ve done long ago), I decided that it was time to back up the hard drives on our computers so that in the event that something happens to one of our computers, we won’t lose everything that was on it. It’s better to be safe than sorry. So we got into contact with the generous folks over at Storage Appliance Corporation, who specialize in backup and storage devices, and they sent us a Clickfree 160GB Portable Backup Drive! And I have to say that I am in love with this thing!

After plugging in the Clickfree hard drive via USB cable, I found out exactly why it is called “Clickfree”; because you literally don’t have to click anything at all in order for it to do its job. As soon as you plug it in, it runs on its own. You don’t have to install any programs or anything. Once it starts running, it’ll begin to count down to let you know that it will start backing up all of your files. Once the backup progress begins, that’s it. Just let it do its job. The amount of time it takes to backup your files depends on how many files you have on your computer. You can just let it run in the background while you complete other tasks on the computer. And it won’t slow down your computer either. It only used 15MB of RAM while it was running for me.

Once the backup is complete, you can browse and search through the files that were backed up. And that’s it. You can unplug the hard drive until you’re ready to back up again. For each subsequent backup after the first, only new and modified files will be backed up. So unless you go on a file creating frenzy, or you don’t back up again for the next two years, the next backup should take only a few minutes. Whenever you want to access files that you have previously backed up, simply plug in the Clickfree hard drive, click on “Options”, then click on the “Restore” tab.

You can also use the Clickfree Hard Drive to store files so that they don’t eat up the hard drive space on your computer. This is perfect for those who use laptops, and/or have massive music and video collections. You can keep the Clickfree Hard Drive plugged in the USB port and you’ll always have immediate access to those files. And since the Clickfree Hard Drive is so small and compact (only 4.52″ in length, 2.9″ in width, and 0.67″ in height), it won’t clutter up your desk space.

Enter promo code cfr3314 at Clickfree.com to receive free shipping AND $15 off any Portable Backup Hard Drive!

Alright so who would like the pleasure of owning one of these bad boys? You? Great, because I have a Clickfree Portable Backup 160GB External Hard Drive to give away! Check out the details below to learn how you can win it!

How To Enter

There are a total of 5 ways you can enter this giveaway, and everyone is eligible! You can enter using as many methods listed below as you’d like. Each method of entry is worth 1 entry. Here is how you can enter:

1. Remember those two questions that I asked at the beginning of the post? Leave a comment with your answers.

2. Write a post on your blog about this giveaway. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by leaving a direct link to your post.

3. Put our Three Gs For The Holidays button in your blog’s sidebar. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this.

<a href="http://mommydaddyblog.com/2008/11/18/three-gs-for-the-holidays" title="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/sheeniebabie/mdbholidaygiftguidebutton.gif" border="0" alt="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" title="Win A Clickfree Portable Backup 160GB External Hard Drive! mommydaddyblog.com" /></a>

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by including a direct link to your tweet (how to link directly to a tweet).

5. Subscribe to receive e-mail updates so we can keep you updated on future happenings here at Mommy Daddy Blog. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address below and click Subscribe. Be sure to let us know that you’ve done this (or if you are already subscribed to receive e-mail updates from us) in the comments using the same e-mail address you subscribed with.

This giveaway, along with all other Three Gs For The Holidays giveaways, will end on December 8th!

We’d like to help out those who are less fortunate this holiday season, so we’ll be donating some toys to Toys For Tots! But, since there’s only so much we can do, we encourage you to make a donation also. You can donate toys or cash to Toys For Tots, at your nearest Toys For Tots drop-off location. You can also donate a cash gift online via credit/debit card by visiting the Toys For Tots Online Donation page. With your help, there’s no limit to the amount of smiles we can put on childrens’ faces this year!

This review is part of our Three Gs For The Holidays event. Visit the announcement post to get more holiday shopping ideas from our Gift Guide, get involved in fun giveaways, and learn how you can help children in need this holiday season!

Growing up, I’ve always wanted to share a Christmas with a fresh tree. I have never seen a Christmas movie where an artificial tree has been used. Going out to get the fresh Christmas tree has always been seen as a joyous tradition. I wanted to experience that. What movies don’t show is the extra cleanup involved. It wasn’t until I saw how much my mother’s friend’s tree “shed”, that I decided that I’d pass on the extra cleanup brought on by a fresh tree.

Wreaths Direct has allowed me to enjoy a fresh Christmas tree in the form of a wreath! They sent us a gorgeous 24 inch Evergreen wreath which has found a home on our front door. It smells so wonderful! Fresh wreaths are just enough for those who don’t want to deal with the maintenance of a fresh tree. Any pieces that fall off can be swept out the door (if your front door leads outside). It’s the piece of fresh Christmas tree I never had!

The wreath resting on our front door!

How beautiful is this wreath? You know you want one! They make such great gifts. If you are in the giving mood, feel free to browse around Wreaths Direct. The fifth generation family owned business specializes in more than just 24 inch wreaths. They offer centerpieces, and specialty wreaths in fun shapes such as candy canes, garland, and crosses. They even offer a “teeny” wreath that can fit inside a coffee mug! Oh and before you order, enter code W0834 to receive free UPS Ground shipping in the USA!

To everyone celebrating Thanksgiving today, we’d like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

This giveaway is part of our Three Gs For The Holidays event. Visit the announcement post to get involved in other fun giveaways, get shopping ideas from our Gift Guide, and learn how you can help children in need this holiday season!

Ever since we introduced shoes into Jayden’s wardrobe, we’ve taking a liking to soft soled baby shoes. Being parents on the go, we don’t have much time to fumble with shoes with an energetic baby. The soft soled baby shoes are much easier to put on. There’s no stuffing his feet in and having to beat the the bottom of the shoe to get it on. All we have to do is stretch out the elasticized ankle, slip them on, and we’re good to go! Best of all, they stay on all day! We can put him down on the floor and expect both shoes to still be secured to his little feets! One of our favorite retailers for these adorable little care-free “shews” is Shoo Shoos. Shoo Shoos offers a wide selection of soft soled baby shoes and they won’t burn a hole in your pocket. You can get a nice pair of 100% Nappa leather Shoo Shoos for $10.95 - $19.95!

Jayden playing in his Brown / Sand Classic Shoo Shoos!

Shoo Shoos is having an incredible sale; many of their shoes are marked down to $10.95! You already know where I’m sending gift givers! Use discount code “shooschat” to save 10% on orders 19.95 and above!

How would you all like to win a pair of Shoo Shoos of your choice?!

How To Enter

There are a total of 5 ways you can enter this giveaway, and everyone is eligible! You can enter using as many methods listed below as you’d like. Each method of entry is worth 1 entry. Here is how you can enter:

1. Stop by Shoo Shoos, in the comments tell me which pair of shoes you’d like to win and what size you’ll need!

2. Write a post on your blog about this giveaway. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by leaving a direct link to your post.

3. Put our Three Gs For The Holidays button in your blog’s sidebar. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this.

<a href="http://mommydaddyblog.com/2008/11/18/three-gs-for-the-holidays" title="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/sheeniebabie/mdbholidaygiftguidebutton.gif" border="0" alt="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!" title="Win A Pair Of Shoo Shoos! mommydaddyblog.com" /></a>

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by including a direct link to your tweet (how to link directly to a tweet).

5. Subscribe to receive e-mail updates so we can keep you updated on future happenings here at Mommy Daddy Blog. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address below and click Subscribe. Be sure to let us know that you’ve done this (or if you are already subscribed to receive e-mail updates from us) in the comments using the same e-mail address you subscribed with.

This giveaway, along with all other Three Gs For The Holidays giveaways, will end on December 8th!

We’d like to help out those who are less fortunate this holiday season, so we’ll be donating some toys to Toys For Tots! But, since there’s only so much we can do, we encourage you to make a donation also. You can donate toys or cash to Toys For Tots, at your nearest Toys For Tots drop-off location. You can also donate a cash gift online via credit/debit card by visiting the Toys For Tots Online Donation page. With your help, there’s no limit to the amount of smiles we can put on childrens’ faces this year!