Summer Camp Kids Movies 2011 (For BIG kids too!)

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for an itti bitti d'lish snap in one diaper! The drawing is Aug 11, 2011 at 12 noon CST.

For everyone in the Metro New Orleans area, I've found yet another great deal for the remainder of the Summer.

I wish I would've known about this sooner. Apparently Hollywood 9 in Kenner has been doing this since May 31. The good news is that it continues through August 5! Adults are welcome too! I just spoke to someone at Hollywood 9 who informed me that the cost is $4 per person, it begins at 10:00 am, takes place Monday through Friday, & includes a drink & a box of popcorn.

This is the movie lineup for Summer Camp Kids for the remainder of the Summer:

JULY 25- 29 MADAGASCAR-2 PG

AUGUST 1-5 KUNG FU PANDA-1 PG

itti bitti d'lish Snap In One cloth diaper Review/Giveaway! Ends 8/11/11!

And the winner is Ryan, Corrie, Max, and Jack! Congrats! I'll be in touch with you shortly, so please keep an eye on your email.

This was a first for me - first time to test a bamboo diaper, & first time to test a diaper made with minkee. I've been testing out a bitti d'lish Snap In One diaper by itti bitti for about a month now, & I love it! They were generous & sent a size small to me for review, & will send the same product (itti bitti will select the color) to one of my lucky readers. Winner picks the size! Originally this giveaway was open to residents of both the US & Canada, but I've just heard from itti bitti that they'd like me to change it to US only due to ongoing issues with the mail in Canada. It's still open to anyone over the age of 18 may enter. The giveaway will be at the bottom of my review.

For those of you unfamiliar with itti bitti diapers, they're an Australian company that began in 2005, but have spread to the US & 25 other countries. itti bitti began selling to US customers in March 2011, so they're still pretty new here. They're best known for their super trim fit, & rainbow of delicious candy colored diapers, as well as quality & performance.

My Review:

Warning - This review is jam packed full of pictures!

I was excited to receive my cute size small bitti d'lish Snap In One in a lime green. My baby was just under 12 lbs at the time, so I requested a size small. Size small fits babies from 8-16 lbs! I was so impressed with the quality of this incredibly soft diaper! I found myself rubbing the minkee outer against my face. My 13 year old daughter snatched it out of my hands & jokingly said "MINE!" She sat there purring about how soft it was & rubbing it all over her face too. I'm glad nobody was around to snap pictures of us at that moment because I'm sure we looked insane.

The picture below shows what I received.

Here is a closeup of the diaper snapped on it's smallest setting.

And unsnapped

When I opened the diaper up completely, I admit to feeling a little intimidated by the bamboo booster pads in the bitti d'lish Snap In One system. At first glance the snapping system did appear difficult. However, after washing it I found it pretty self explanatory to use! More on that later.

Here is the bitti d'lish opened up, showing one of the snap in bamboo booster pads.

And both of the snap in bamboo booster pads

And the booster unfolded

A variation on how to fold the booster. That's one of the things I LOVE about this diaper! You can control where the extra absorbency goes!

Baby girl modelling her bitti d'lish. Check out that trim fit! It reminds me of a disposable diaper in the way that it fits.

And she likes it!

Sizing Info:

Small fits 8lb to 16lb (Roughly 0-6 months)

Medium fits 14lb to 26lb (About 1-15 months)
Large fits 23lb to 37lb (Approx 6-30 months)

Diaper Contents:

A soft minkee outer, with a water proof barrier, & a suede-cloth liner. There are two bamboo boosters that snap into the shell. 

Washing:

By coincidence, I received my bag of Rockin' Green Rage against the Raspberry the very same day! I'm doing a review/giveaway for Rockin' Green soon, & couldn't wait to test both products, so grabbed my dirty diapers, read the washing tips for my d'lish, & threw my itti bitti d'lish into the wash with the Rage against the Raspberry detergent.

One of the things I love about itti bitti is the fact that they're very concerned about the environment. As a Girl Scout Leader that appeals to me very much! Reduce/Reuse/Recycle is our motto. Their washing instructions are simple, & you don't have to do anything special. However, they are kind enough to offer tips that reduce your carbon footprint & save money. I prewashed my bitti d'lish once before use, & put it on my baby for the first time the very same night.

My experience with the itti bitti d'lish:

I forgot to unsnap the d'lish before putting it through the wash, & the snaps came undone in the process. At first I was a little panicked about how to snap the bamboo boosters back. However, I was pleased to discover that the snaps are color coded to make snapping everything back in place super easy! All I had to do was match up the colors & I was ready to put the diaper on my baby's little booty. I found myself calling her "fluffy butt" as soon as the bitti d'lish was on her! I always love snuggling with my sweet girl, but I found myself cuddling & patting her little bottom the entire time I was holding her. This diaper is so incredibly soft! I know I've said that already, but I can't say it enough! The outer portion of the diaper is some sort of minkee type fabric, & ohhhhhh is it delightful. The bright green color is so cheery & a wonderful change from all of the pastel baby colors that are so common.

There is no need to use a diaper cover with this diaper because there is a built in water proof layer. Because the bamboo boosters are snap ins, this allows you to unsnap them when dirty & re-use the outer shell! In fact, I found that you can even use the fluffy shell as a diaper cover.

Pros:

1. The trim fit! Fits just like a disposable, with a low rise & narrow between the legs! There's no need for a diaper cover.

2. The super soft minkee outer in bright colors.

3. The ease of adjusting the size with snaps. No Velcro on this diaper, which is definitely a pro for me, as I'm not a Velcro fan.

4. The snap in booster system! I love, love, love the fact that I don't have to stuff a pocket. Instead I can control the amount of absorbency with the snap in boosters. I can even control where the most absorbency is placed by how I fold the booster.

5. The fact that I didn't have to take it apart for washing/drying.

6. How quickly it dried!

7. The level of absorbency for such a trim fit.

8. The fact that the boosters/soaker pads are made of all natural fibers.

9. For a fitted diaper these last a long time between sizes! I like the fact that the size small lasts until roughly 6 months. Many fitted dipes only fit a couple of months, which requires spending more money to constantly upgrade to the next size.

Cons:

1. I suppose the fact that this is a fitted diaper could be listed as a con because you do eventually need to size up. However, it provides such a customized fit that I find it difficult to call this a con.

That's it! I can't really think of any other cons. This has become one of my favorites in my stash, & I plan on buying more when I can.

The Giveaway:

Now for what you've been waiting for! itti bitti is offering one lucky reader the same product I reviewed (they'll select the color).  The winner picks their size!

IMPORTANT CORRECTION - Originally this giveaway was open to residents of both the US & Canada, but I've just heard from itti bitti that they'd like me to change it to US residents only due to ongoing issues with the mail in Canada due to the postal strike. They don't want the winner to have to wait potentially months to receive their diaper.

The giveaway ends on August 11, 2011 at 12 noon CST.

You have the opportunity to earn 8 entries! Step 1 is mandatory for entry, but the other 7 steps earn you extra entries. Please play fair & enter under one ID/email addy only. The winner will have 48 hrs to respond to my email with their contact info. Another winner will be chosen if I don't receive a response.

1. Follow me through Google Friend Connect, & comment with your name & email. Previous followers count too, but you must still comment otherwise I won't have any way of knowing.

2. Vote for me on Picket Fence & comment with your name & email addy.

3. Subscribe via email, & comment with your name & email addy. Previous subscribers count too, but you must let me know by commenting with your info.

4. Follow me on Twitter - @heartnbutterfly. Comment with your Twitter ID & info to let me know that you've done so.

5. Tweet about this giveaway, & comment with the link & your info.

6. Like itti bitti on Facebook. Comment with your name & email addy & let me know that you've done so.

7. Follow itti bitti on Twitter. Comment with your name & email addy to let me know that you've done so.

8. Visit itti bitti & tell me what your favorite color is. Don't forget to include your name & email addy.

Don't forget to enter to win Sand Gone! It's great for the beach!

 

FREE day at NOMA every Wednesday til 5:00!

Don't forget to enter my Boogie Wipes Giveaway! Today is the last day! You have until 12 noon to enter!

Wow; sometimes rainy days pay off. It's rained every single day for over a week. I've been going stir crazy, so have been searching the internet for fun things to do that are affordable & came across yet another FREE thing!

The New Orleans Museum of Art is holding a free day on EVERY Wednesday, sponsord by the Helis Foundation. It's open to all from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm. NOMA is located at:

New Orleans Museum of Art
One Collins C. Diboll Circle
City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124

Free Bowling for kids 16 & under!!!!

Don't forget to enter my Boogie Wipes Giveaway! It ends July 28 at 12 noon.

I feel like I've been hiding under a rock lately. I'm finding all of these wonderful things to do for free or at low cost during the Summer & the Summer is almost over now! I don't think I've ever posted twice in one day, but this is worth it!

Did you know that kids 16 & under can bowl for free this Summer at AMF? I sure didn't! All you have to do is visit AMF's website & register your child. You'll receive the first coupon within 24 hrs, & then you'll get a week's worth of coupons every Sunday after that.

Don't feel left out adults! AMC also has something for the whole family called Summer 17+ Pass, where 4 people (including adults) can bowl all Summer long for $27.95! Check it out here! http://freebowling.amf.com/

Attention NOLA Momma's (& surrounding areas). Have a night out on the Natchez!

Don't forget to enter my Boogie Wipes Giveaway! It ends on July 28, 2011 at 12 noon!

Something fun & interesting just came to my attention. I'm very, very, very tempted to do this! What's the problem? I've been nursing my daughter exclusively for 5 months now, & haven't had much to drink lately (alcohol obviously). The deal I'm about to tell you about comes with 3 Margaritas, & if I drank 3 Margaritas at this point I'd fall overboard never to be heard from again!!!!

The event is called Margaritas on The Mississippi, & it takes place on August 10, 2011. It's aimed at local women, so you don't have to be a Mom to participate. However, if you're a Mom like me, you just might need a special night out for a sanity break too!

Boarding time is 6:15 pm, & it takes place from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. The reservation  deadline is August 8, 2011. This is a fabulous deal, & would be a great night out with your girlfriends! For $25 you can get 3 Margaritas with a souvenir Margarita glass, the Natchez cruise, & entrance into the Magnolia Suite where you'll get fun networking & business opportunities. If you'd like, you can purchase a ticket for $45 & get a dinner thrown in also! This is a wonderful opportunity for any woman, but especially business women or women trying to get a small business off the ground. This event gives women the chance to join organizations that will allow them to get more involved with the community, & also introduces women to some of New Orleans favorite retailers.

To book your reservation, please visit http://www.neworleanssteamboat.com/2011/Margaritas/reserve.htm

Dr Strangelove showing tonight (7-15-11) at NOLA Drive In!

Don't forget my Boogie Wipes giveaway It's open to US, Canada, & Australia, & ends July 28!

NOLA Drive in is at it again. :o) Tonight's offering is Dr Strangelove. It will screen after the short film Death To The Tinman. Gates open at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm. Get there early! The new location is a lot smaller! The new spot is located at the corner of St. Claude & Elysian Fields, where the First Schwegmann's Giant Super Market was located. There will be overflow parking available in a lot that borders Elysian Fields. Pedestrians & bikers are welcome too, & will have seating in front of the vehicles.

I've read on their Facebook page that they intend to do this rain or shine! This time there is an admission fee of $5, & the usual food & drink vendors will be there.

Boogie Wipes Review & Giveaway! Ends July 28!

Congrats to kygirl! random.org selected you as my winner! Please respond to my email within 48 hrs to claim your prize.

Boogie Wipes has been kind enough to offer me the opportunity to review their wipes & do a giveaway! The giveaway is open to the US, Canada, & Australia! I have to say that I'm excited to do this review because it's such a unique product that every Mom can love & appreciate.

I learned about Boogie Wipes online a little over a month ago. It was great timing that this product review & giveaway came about when it did. My oldest daughter (who is 13) had a nasty cold that she caught from her best friend over Memorial Day weekend. It was stubborn, & just didn't want to go away. There was lots of coughing, but also a runny nose, stuffed nose, & very sore nose from constant blowing. We started out with ordinary Kleenex, moved on to Puffs Plus, & then our Boogie Wipes samples arrived in the mail! Whew; PERFECT timing! We were sent a package of 30 "Great Grape Scent", as well as a few each of "Fresh Scent", "Menthol", & "Unscented" to try out. Shortly after that, my baby caught the cold as well. There's nothing more miserable than a baby with a stuffy nose - except maybe a breastfeeding baby who can't breath.

For those of you who are as unfamiliar with Boogie Wipes as I was, let me tell you a little bit about it. They were created by 2 friends, who were also Moms. Julie Pickens & Mindee Doney were tired of their kid's sore, red, runny noses,  & after talking to other Moms they decided to do something about it. They invented the very first wipe that is intended to be used for the nose. They're made with gentle saline, & come in Grape, Fresh Scent, Menthol, or unscented. They dissolve mucous, & provide a soothing alternative to a dry tissue.

I handed the variety sample packets to my oldest daughter & told her to enjoy. :o) She said that they felt very good on her sore nose, & worked very well at removing "the crusties". Her favorite was the menthol scent while she was sick, because she said it helped her to breath somewhat. However, once her nose was unstuffed she reported that she liked the smell of the fresh scent & grape also. No sooner was my oldest daughter better, when my youngest started to get sick...

My baby has allergies & eczema. I have to be very careful about what I expose her to because she breaks out in a rash. I was a little concerned about using the Boogie Wipes on my baby's eczema prone skin, but all was fine. That surprised me since her eczema flares up with the use of products aimed at babies, such as Johnson's Baby Wash & shampoo. I was suctioning her nose out regularly to help her breath, but the constant running had little boogie crusties all around her nose. The wipes definitely helped remove them easily & gently, & they smelled nice too. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit that the grape scent actually smelled so good that I was tempted to taste it (I said tempted!).

Please check out the Save The Sleeve campaign! It's a fun & interactive way to teach kids not to wipe their noses on their sleeves (YEUCK!).

Are you a teacher or do you know one? I was a substitute teacher before I had my baby, so the Does Your Class Boogie? teacher's kit caught my eye. It's a great aid for teachers who are trying to teach their students about the spread of germs. It contains a poster with pledge guidelines, 50 boogie wipe samples, coupons, & 2 classroom canisters of Boogie Wipes.

Normally my reviews contain pros & cons, but I honestly can't say one bad thing about this product. In fact, it will be a part of my home's cold & flu stash for all (including adults) to use. I will also include this in my 13 year old's school supplies rather than the plain wipes I normally send her to school with. I recommend this product for anyone of any age!

The Giveaway

Boogie Wipes is kindly sponsoring this giveaway for 2 packs of a 30 count of fresh, grape, menthol, or unscented wipes - the combination will vary. The giveaway is open to the US, Canada, & Australia! The giveaway ends at 12 noon CT on July 28, 2011. I'm using Random.org's List Randomizer to select my winner after checking that all tasks have been completed. The winner will have 2 days to respond to my email notifying them that they've won. If they don't respond within 2 days, a new winner will be selected.

You MUST complete the 1st task to be entered, but if you'd like to be entered 7 more times please complete the other tasks as well for a total of 8 entries. Please be fair & only enter with one email address. I will check all comments personally to make sure that you've completed the tasks, & those that haven't will be deleted & disqualified. No multiple entries please.

1) Follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, & comment to this post with your name & email addy telling me you've done so. If you were following me publicly before, that counts. Please let me know.

2) Subscribe to my blog via email, & comment to this post with your name & email addy telling me you've done so. If you were subscribed before, that counts. Please let me know.

3) Vote for my blog on "We're On The Fence" by clicking on the button to the right, & then comment to this post with your name & email addy telling me you've done so.

4) Follow me on Twitter (@heartnbutterfly), & comment with your Twitter ID, as well as name, & email addy.

5) Tweet about this giveaway, & comment with a link to your Tweet, as well as your name, & email addy.

6) Follow Boogie Wipes on Facebook & then comment to this post with your name & email addy telling me you've done so.

7) Follow The Boogie Wipe Moms on Twitter & then comment to this post with your name & email addy telling me you've done so.


8) Join The Boogie Bunch for coupons, updates, & to get free samples! Comment to this post with your name & email addy telling me you've done so.

*NOTE* You must supply your name & email address in each comment, & you must comment for each step to be entered. I have no way of notifying you if you win otherwise. This giveaway ends on July 28, 2011 at 12:00 pm Central. You will be contacted by email telling you if you've won, & you will have 48 hrs from the time I send the winning notification via email to respond. If you don't respond within 48 hrs, I will select a new winner.

Amber Teething Necklaces

Don't forget to enter to win a sz small Mother-ease All In One diaper and Sandy's Liner! 

My 4 month old princess has become a slobber puss! For the past few weeks she's had her hands, fingers, & our fingers in her mouth. At first I wrote it off as a stage of development - learning by putting everything in her mouth. The only catch is that she doesn't put everything in her mouth - just her fingers/hands & ours (she literally grabs them & pulls them into her mouth!). I noticed a couple of weeks ago that she wasn't just sucking, but chewing, & chewing H-A-R-D! There was a lot of fuss in my due date group about amber teething necklaces, so decided to check it out for myself.

What is Baltic Amber?
Amber is not a stone, but petrified resin. Baltic amber originates from the resin of pine trees which  formed  40 to 50 million years ago during the Tertiary period. Genuine Baltic amber is the best-known and most appreciated variety of amber worldwide.

How does it work?

Wearing Amber necklaces is a traditional European remedy for teething babies. Amber is very popular as a natural pain reliever and can help calm a baby without pills or other drugs. The knowledge of the healing properties of amber has been known in the Baltic area for several thousands of years. The necklaces aren't for chewing on like some other remedies! Babies wear it on their skin, to diminish the pain and discomfort caused by teething. Warm amber releases healing oils that helps babies and young children to stay calm and more relaxed throughout teething. By having the baby wear the necklace everyday it helps reduce the common symptoms associated with teething such as; redness in the cheeks, swollen gums, diaper rashes and fevers. Historically they were worn by Mom while holding her baby next to her. These days they're made to be worn by baby, so care must be taken that it's short enough not to reach baby's mouth. Supervision is required to prevent choking. For instance, I don't allow my daughter to sleep in hers.

How do we know it works?

European biochemists discovered in the 1930's and 40's that succinic acid is an amino acid created naturally in every cell of the body capable of aerobic respiration, participating in the Krebs cycle . This is how the body metabolizes food into energy. Worn close to the skin, the body's heat helps release very small amounts of oil from the amber, which is then absorbed into the blood stream. Baltic amber reduces acidity in the human body in a natural way, reduces inflammation, & reduces fever.

How amber was used historically:

Amazingly, amber's chemical properties (resin) act as a natural embalming agent, with both drying and anti-microbial properties. Ancient Egyptians used pine resin as an embalming agent, and doctors in the Civil War, lacking anything else, would sometimes slap tree resin on a wound as a disinfectant and saved lives that way.

My experience:

Enough of the history! I purchased my baby's necklace from an eBay seller in Lithuania (user id is lunaleona) who had excellent reviews. I wanted to make sure that I was getting authentic Lithuanian Amber rather than glass or plastic fakes due to a recent bad experience I had with a different seller. More on that later....

lunaleona had great reviews on previous teething necklaces & also great prices! I'm a bargain hunter who also looks for quality. I selected what I thought was the prettiest necklace, & it only cost me $5.99 plus $5 shipping! In 3 short weeks it was here, & I have to say that I'm very happy with my purchase. I didn't notice an immediate change, but within the first couple of days of use I did see a change. My baby girl seemed much calmer & less fussy when wearing her necklace. She chewed on her fingers less, & when her hands were in her mouth it was to suck on them. On the 3rd day I forgot to put the necklace on her & was reminded immediately by her grabbing my index finger, shoving it in her mouth, & chomping down H-A-R-D on it! I put the necklace on & within about half an hour the painful chewing stopped, & she was just gently gumming me & herself.

I'm so impressed with this necklace that I'm thinking of purchasing an authentic necklace for my 13 year old, who suffers from migraines. I'm also considering getting one for my husband & I for various aches & pains. I would highly recommend trying one out if you haven't already! If nothing else, they're a cute piece of jewelry for any sex baby.

Warning about fake amber:

There are less than scrupulous sellers out there. Usually if you see a piece of jewelry with insects trapped inside or etchings on the "amber", they aren't authentic. Instead you're likely getting glass or plastic fakes. It can look very real to the naked eye, but you won't receive the same healing benefits. That's not to say that there aren't amber pieces with insects inside, but you'll pay much more for these amber pieces than your typical online sales/auctions are selling them for.

I recently had a bad experience with an eBay seller when my 13 year old daughter wanted an amber necklace & earring set prior to buying my baby's necklace. The auction stated that it was genuine amber, so I purchased it under the assumption that their claim was true. We learned the hard way that it was nothing but glass, when our Border Collie grabbed an earring off my desk & chewed it up. All that was left was a piece of glass on the floor & a mangled wire. It was obviously nothing more than colored glass with clear glass in the very center. So much for authentic...

Here is another pic of my happy little girl enjoying her necklace!