~Organic Palm Shortening Winner~

Thank you to all who entered the Tropical Traditions Organic Palm Shortening giveaway! The giveaway ended with 238 valid entries! 

The winner is #188: Diava Baum

Congratulations Daiva! I have sent you an e-mail to which you have 48 hours to respond before I must choose another winner.

Update: Winner has responded!

~Looking for sponsors~

I am currently looking for sponsors for the upcoming giveaway event! Giveaway events are a great way for your company to gain extra traffic to your site due to the fact that there are so many blogs participating! If you would like to sponsor in this event you can e-mail me at: mamasewsweetbaby@gmail.com

Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop

I'm at it again! :-) Joining another fun giveaway hop event! Doesn't this event look like so much fun? It is hosted by Mama Chocolate, Purposeful Homemaking, and Happy Mothering! Three fun mama blogs! Bloggers don't you want to join? ;-)

If you own a business this would be a really great way for you to gain extra traffic to your site! If you are interested in sponsoring, for this event, on my blog you can email me at: mamasewsweetbaby@gmail.com

Potty Training

On her birthday!

I really can't believe we are starting to potty train now. She just seams so small still. But nonetheless we are becoming a big girl more and more. It's time!

I really don't know where to begin with this. How do I introduce her to the 'toilet'? Anyone got any first time advice for me? 

So far I haven't got a 'baby toilet' yet. So I've just sat her on the big one and she cried at me (she was crabby that day, probably not the best day to start something new). A baby toilet would probably help too, as would training pants (maybe?). What products have you found to be useful? 

I've heard several different methods for starting out:

~My mom used to just take us in the bathroom with her when she went and asked us if we wanted to be big girls and sit down on the potty too. 

~I've heard that some people put them on the potty and then give them a treat if they go.

What method have you used that worked? I would love to hear about your experience! 

~One Stop Christmas Hop~

Welcome to the One Stop Christmas Hop Event hosted by Mama to 4 Blessings ! Be sure to hop around to all of the participating blogs before 11:59 pm est on December 6th to see all the prizes they have to offer.

As I mentioned in my Sponsor Spotlight  post Kiki's Fashion Maternity Clothes is going to be giving away a $25 gift certificate to their website during this event! :-)

Enter to win through the rafflecopter form below!

Check out my other giveaways going on now here! 

My little darling! :-)

She is starting to look more and more like a little girl and less and less like a baby! WOW! :D 

~Sponsor Spotlight~ Kiki's Fashions

For our sponsor for the One Stop Christmas Hop I'm pleased to announce Kiki's Fashion maternity clothes! They have a wide selection of cheap maternity clothes! Here are a few of the items that I had a hard time choosing from:

I thought that this Ivory lace short sleeve shirt was so elegant!

Doesn't this Brown button down coat look so cozy!!?

Pretty blue sublimation 3/4 sleeve maternity shirt! :-)

You ready to see what I choose?

I am loving this cute Brown Print Short Sleeve Maternity Shirt!

My Opinion:

I LOVE my shirt from Kiki's Fashion! A lot of times shirts will fit at the beginning of pregnancy but won't last through the whole pregnancy... usually due to the fact that they simply aren't long enough. I for one hate to wear a shirt that feels to short. Kiki's fashion makes them long!! I think that is my favorite thing about my shirt from them! :-) I've found a few times when I've wished it wasn't so long. Mostly times when I'm trying to match it with a sweatshirt/sweater. It then tends to stick out under the sweatshirt/sweater, and I've never been a big fan of that look either. But I think matched with the coat (pictured above) it would look great! ;-)

Buy it:

You can purchase anything mentioned above and more cute maternity clothes from Kiki's Fashion here!

Win it:

If you would like a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Kiki's Fashion don't forget to come back and enter the giveaway here between November 28th and December 6th! :-) 

Disclaimer: Kiki's Fashions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions are 100% my own and may vary from yours.

~Upcoming event~

I decided to participate in another Christmas hop! :-) I really enjoyed the last hop that I participated in! :D Are you all excited yet? This hop has over 70 blogs participating!

If you own a business this would be a really great way for you to gain extra traffic to your site! If you are interested in sponsoring, for this event, on my blog you can email me at: mamasewsweetbaby@gmail.com

~Mother's Day Giveaway blog hop event~

It is a perfect time to find what gifts you would like to give to your mother. Makobi Scribe is proud to present Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Carnival Event from May 10 12:01 PM EST to May 18  at 12:01 PM EST and is accepting signups now.

This event is going to be big! There are already over 130 blogs participating! Don't miss out! ;-)

If you own a business this would be a really great way for you to gain extra traffic to your site! If you are interested in sponsoring, for this event, on my blog you can email me at: mamasewsweetbaby@gmail.com

Fairhaven Health Prenatal Vitamin REVIEW and GIVEAWAY 2 winners!!

From Fairhaven Health:

"Highlights

• Recommended Use: Take 1 tablet daily. Each bottle contains 60 tablets, a 2-month supply.

• Based on a “Just Right” formula developed by leading fertility expert Dr. Amos Grunebaum, ObGyn.

• Guaranteed for ingredient labeling, quality and potency.

• Just 1 tablet a day provides the ideal balance of key vitamins - including Folic Acid.

• All-natural and safe - contains no artificial dyes or colors, flavors or preservatives.

• Small, easy-to-swallow tablets are perfect for sensitive stomachs.

• One bottle provides a two-month supply of 60 nutrient-filled tablets."

My Opinion:

Before trying these vitamins I thought that I had found the perfect vitamin. Well simply put: I was wrong. This vitamin I love far more! It is small in size and super easy to swallow. My last vitamins were horse sized and got stuck most of the time on the way down. The first time I swallowed one of these vitamins I then looked at my husband and with amazement said "It went down SO smooth!" I only have to take 1 of these small tablets a day as opposed to the 2 horsed sized tablets I was used to! That was a BIG hit for me! Even tho it's so small and you only have to take 1, your still getting the great vitamins you need! I found this tablet to have the perfect amount of every vitamin needed for expecting mothers, postpartum mothers, or any other mothers! ;-) The vitamin does have a bit of a vitamin flavor when you first put it on your tongue, but as soon as you swallow the tablet the flavor gets swallowed right along with it. 


Buy it: Visit Fairhaven Health Prenatal Vitamin to purchase your own prenatal vitamins!  Visit Fairhaven Health to find other products they carry too!


Win it: Fairhaven Health is going to give 2 (two) of Mama's Sew Sweet Baby readers 1 (one) bottle of Pregnancy Plus Prenatal Vitamin! That is a 2 months supply! 


Check out my other giveaways going on now here! 

Upcoming giveaway event blog hop! :-)

Fellow bloggers it's time to sign up to participate in the valentines giveaway blog hop event! :-) It will start February 1 and end February 14th! Sign ups close January 20th. The Prize/Prize package/s must have a minim value of $25! Giveaway blog hop events are a great way for your blog to gain extra traffic/followers! The more the merrier! ;-) 

If you own a business this would be a really great way for you to gain extra traffic to your site! If you are interested in sponsoring, for this event, on my blog you can email me at: mamasewsweetbaby@gmail.com 

Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent REVEIW and GIVEAWAY

From Household Traditions:

"Ultra concentrated!

Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent is non-toxic and environmentally safe with no harmful by-products upon decomposition. Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent does NOT contain chlorine, phosphates, fillers or fragrances. Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent rinses away completely leaving no residue on your dishes so you get a clean, safe sparkle."

I found the following to be TRUE! To which I was very happy about:

"Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent dissolves easily and won't clump as some other brands might do. Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent can be used in hard or soft water." 

This is a BIG plus to me since I get a headache from the smell of chlorine:

"Since Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent does not contain chlorine, you won't get that chlorine smell in your kitchen like other products might leave behind."

My opinion:

As you all probably already know I love to use non-toxic and environmentally safe products! But I was having a really hard time finding a good dishwasher detergent that would actually clean the glasses. My homemade detergent I love, but it made the glasses look dirty and grimy. Who would want to drink out of a glass that looks dirty? Defiantly not me or anyone I know. I started to wash the glasses, by hand before using them. UGH! Can anyone say WHAT A PAIN? So I'm pretty happy to announce that I've been using Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent for over 2 weeks and I LOVE it! At first it didn't make much of a difference. I think that was due to far to much build up from my homemade detergent. But now I am starting to notice a big difference! :D YAY no more build up on the glasses! I put them in the cupboard now and just stand there looking at them sparkle! 

Buy it:

Household Traditions Powdered Dishwasher Detergent With Enzymes - 5 lb.










Win it:
Household Traditions is giving one (1) Mama's Sew Sweet Baby reader their own Powdered Dishwasher Detergent (5 lbs)! Enter by the rafflecopter form below:

Check out my other giveaways going on now here!

Winner!!!! AND a coupon code! :D

I sure had a lot of fun participating the the Under the Christmas Tree giveaway hop! :-) A huge THANK YOU to all who entered! I wish I could have given everyone something! We had a total of 609 entries! WOW! What a great giveaway! Thank you to Gracenotes for sponsoring! 

Now time to announce the winner!! Jacqui Odell you are the winner! Congratulations!!!!!!! I have sent you an e-mail and you have 48 hours to respond! 

Update: winner has responded!

Didn't win? Check out my Tropical Traditions Palm Shortening Review and Giveaway going on now!

Wanted something from Gracenotes?

I have a coupon code for those of you who loves Gracenotes and would love to buy something from them! All you have to do is enter the code MAMASEWSWEETBABY (all caps) in the coupon box at check out, then click on "recalculate". It will be good through the end of November. Everyone who does this will get 10% off their order, no matter how much or little they purchase. So head on over and buy those pretty things you wanted to get for that special person in your life or to pamper yourself! ;-) Have fun!

A thinking/thankful post! ;-)

WARNING: This post is full of randomness: random pictures and thoughts... and the pictures and thoughts probably have nothing to do with each other! ;-) I've just been far to busy to take many actual pictures... my apologies! 

Cloth diapering thoughts: I love cloth diapering (as I've probably mentioned before!), and it was going GREAT there for awhile! I was keeping up with laundry, washing out diapers, and putting a clean 'cloth' diaper on our little lady. My husband even made me a WONDERFUL diaper sprayer. To which I am very grateful. I love cloth diapering even more with my diaper sprayer. My husband made it out of a kitchen sink sprayer! Now I don't think I could live without it! It makes it that much simpler. 

BUT, my little lady got a very BAD diaper rash. Which I'm thinking might be from her drinking goats/cows milk (I took her off dairy and put her on rice milk). How do you cloth mommy's get rid of diaper rash while still keeping your little ones in cloth? I switched her to Seventh Generations disposables and started using Burt's Bees Baby Bee diaper cream. It seams to be helping (tho still taking awhile to heal up). I tried putting some Coconut Oil on her for awhile before switching to disposables (had heard of someone doing that before and it working really well. It usally works on her, but not this time:( ). 

Update on pregnancy: April (the month we are due) has been on my mind a lot lately! I can't help but wonder who this sweet little one growing inside me is going to be! Goodness I can't wait to meet him/her. We had our first midwife appointment! And I am super excited to say that we are going to try a home birth this time!!! I didn't know I was going to be so excited to try a home birth, but I really can't wait! No really I can't wait! I'm looking forward to the labor and delivery! Well let me rephrase that... I'm looking forward to the meeting this little one and will go through anything to meet him/her! :D

I loved hearing the heart beat at our appointment! It makes my heart beat a little faster I'm sure! ;-)

Okay sorry... I just can't say this enough.... I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D

Moving on before you all loose interest in my post...

Our little lady is just as sweet as she can be! ;-) She has been talking, walking, and RUNNING! Oh I love being a mama! What a joy it is to hear/see my daughter learning so much!

Ack! Can you believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are SO close!!! Wow! This time of year really gets me thinking about what I am most thankful for! What are you most thankful for this year? 

I'm thankful for:

My Lord

My husband

My daughter

My little one on the way

All our family

Our new home

My husband's job

My dog 

My 4 1/2 acres

The list could go on and on and on and on... ;-)

Tropical Traditions Palm Shortening REVIEW and GIVEAWAY!

From Tropical Traditions website:

"What is Palm Shortening?

Palm shortening is derived from palm oil (read about Virgin Palm Oil here). In its natural state, palm oil is a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, with most of the unsaturated fat being monounsaturated fat. Palm shortening is palm oil that has some of its unsaturated fats removed, giving it a very firm texture, and high melting point. The melting point of our Organic Palm Shortening is 97 degrees F., making it very shelf stable. It is NOT hydrogenised, and contains NO trans fats! It is great for deep-fat frying and baking, and is not prone to rancidity. Since it has been separated from some of the unsaturated portion of the oil, it is colorless and odorless, and will not affect the taste of foods like Virgin Palm Oil does."

"Tropical Traditions Organic Palm Shortening comes from small scale family farms in South America. These farmers are certified by ProForest, which ensures that they meet strict social, environmental and technical criteria. With regard to environmental criteria, the assessments are carried out at the landscape and operational level at both the farms and processing facilities. These assessments cover environmental impact on the soil, water, air, biodiversity and local communities. The lands the farmers use are not lands that were deforested. The lands used to grow the palm fruit are lands previously used for agricultural purposes (cattle, rice, banana)."

My Opinion: Let me just clarify something with my readers... Crisco and I have a little problem with each other. I refuse to use it in my cooking. I half expected this shortening to at least be a bit like Crisco. BUT I must say Palm Shortening surprised me to the fullest! I LOVE it!!! Really I do! I am  amazed at how it works, tastes, and looks! I've been using it in my cooking, frying, and even some baking! I didn't know I would like a shortening this much! It is virtually tasteless, melts nicely, and when your using it for frying it does an amazing job! I've even used it a few times to replace butter!

Wanna buy? Click this link:

Special Price! - 1 Gallon Organic Palm Shortening - 112 oz.

          Wanna win? Tropical Traditions is going to give one (1) Mama's Sew Sweet Baby reader their very own 112 oz bucket of Palm Shortening! Enter by the easy rafflecopter form below:

Check out my other giveaways going on now here!

Under the Christmas Tree Giveaway!!!!! :-)

It's here! 

Welcome to the Under the Tree Giveaway Event hosted by Life With Two Boys and Mommy's Reviews and Giveaways. This is a child-themed event and the perfect opportunity for you to enter to win some gifts to put under your Christmas tree.  Be sure to hop around to all of the participating blogs before 11:59 pm on November 14th to see the awesome prizes they have to offer.

I've been super excited about the sponsor for this giveaway! I think you will be too! ;-) Our sponsor is a sweet shop of homemade girly items! Gracenotes! I love to hop over there ever so often and look to see what else is new! Here are a few of my favorite items that I would love to get one day, from their shop:

Aren't these darling 100% organic cotten reusable tea bags just as cute as they can be? They have other color hearts as well, but my favorite is the pink! ;-)

Who LOVES sugar scrub? This is their organic sugar scrub!

I love this pretty set of blue jewelry! "Rhapsody in Blue"

Anyone with a baby girl is bound to think these little booties are darling!

Are you a nursing mama? Check out their nursing covers, reusable nursing pads, and nursing gift sets

Are you ready to know what they will be giving one (1) of Mama's Sew Sweet Baby's blog follower?

Here it is:

Gracenotes' own "Pretty in Purple"

This sweet little set of "dress up pretties for little girls" comes with a necklace, bracelet, earrings, and a sweet floral hair clip! It will come in a pretty drawstring fabric/mesh bag! Valued at $22! Now wouldn't that special little girl in your life be thrilled to get this for Christmas? 

After you enter don't forget to scroll down farther and hop to the other blogs to see what they are giving away for this event! Enter by the Rafflecopter form below!

Under The Tree Giveaway Hop

I am going to be participating in the Under the Tree Giveaway hop event! It will start November 8, 2011 and will end on November 14, 2011. The prize/prize packages will be geared specifically for a child and will have a minimum value of $20. So far there are over 60 blogs participating, and there is still time to sign up if you are a fellow blogger! You won't want to miss this!

If you own a business this is a really great way for you to gain extra traffic to your site! If you are interested in sponsoring, for this event, on my blog email me at: mamasewsweetbaby at gmail dot com ! I am now excepting sponsors for the event.

Upcoming event!

Hello fellow bloggers,

 I am pretty excited about the upcoming event that will start on November 8th and go through to November 14th! I think you all will enjoy this event too! If you are interested in checking out the sponsors page visit Gracenotes !

If you are a business and would like to be included in this great event I am still excepting sponsors! Just shoot me an e-mail and what you would like to giveaway (remember this event is geared toward something for a child) and I'll add you to my post! :-) E-mail me at mamasewsweetbaby at gmail dot com