Don't Rock That Baby! by Ann Tillage - Review & Giveaway!

I had the pleasure of reading a copy of Ann Tillage's Don't Rock That Baby! The Other Advice: 46 Steps for Surviving the First Year of Motherhood.

This sweet, 60 page book is full of helpful tips (46 to be exact) perfect for the first-time mom who hasn't yet experienced sleep deprivation, childcare guilt or the joys of bonding with her little one.  It is also great for us "experienced" moms who need a refresher course on how to deal with the screaming-puking-constant diaper changing-no rest for the weak-uncontrollable sobbing, joys of parenting an infant.  Ann makes a point to sprinkle humor throughout her book, which helps one to remember that laughter really IS the best medicine in the toughest of times. (and what's tougher than parenting?)

What I found the most interesting about this read was Ann's "no rock policy."  As the title of her book states, Ann believes in NOT rocking your baby.  Controversial, yes, but I can see where she is coming from since I am still rocking my almost one year-old son to sleep, including in the middle of the night.  I had never considered (or even heard of) her method before reading this book and I am now quite fascinated in learning more.  You'll have to read the book to get the full scoop! 

Even if you don't agree with the "no rock policy" (and you should at least hear her out), this book is definitely worth purchasing and sticking in your diaper bag for quick reference, packing in your suitcase on the way to the hospital, or giving to a new mom as a baby shower gift.  You can purchase this book for the low price of $15.95 at www.dontrockthatbaby.com.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book as it was easy to read, informative and humorous.  I believe it gives us moms the hope that we CAN and WILL survive the first year of "mommyhood," no matter the obstacles.

I would like to thank Ann Tillage for giving me the opportunity to read this!  Don't forget that you can order her book at www.dontrockthatbaby.com!  Ann is also the owner of the Sharmooz Company, which create luxurious satin gifts, so please check that out as well.

Now... on to the giveaway!  Ann wants to give one lucky reader a copy of her book!  

To enter, please leave a comment, telling us one important tip you would give to a new mom. Earn an extra entry by becoming, or already being a subscriber (please note in comment).  You can subscribe here.  Giveaway will run until December 1st.  Good luck!

Going Green with Cloth Napkins

I am just a little bit green. I have not gone all the way there yet, but I would love to get there (eventually)! It would be so much easier to be green without the munchkins negating everything I try to do as soon as I try to do it. 

The one thing I HAVE gotten them to do is use cloth napkins every night for dinner. I realize that no one has that many cloth napkins, and neither did I, so I went to Wal-Mart and bought a pack of bar cloths. They come in a pack of 30 or so, they are the right size and we can wash them every day without feeling too bad. 

I am on my second pack already, and they need to be replaced again, SOON. The first pack now has a second life as cleaning rags, so each time I get new ones, they are slightly different so I know the difference between my napkins and cleaning cloths. They were cheap (I forget how cheap, but CHEAP) and I don’t even fold them. I have a low drawer dedicated to them and the youngest kiddo, who is 3, still thinks it is cool to help out with laundry, so when we do a load with them in it, he sorts out the “napkins” and puts them back into the drawer.



It takes almost no extra effort, because I am doing a gazillion loads of laundry anyway, so throwing in a few of these every time I do whites is no extra work, and I like to think I am doing a little something-something for the environment.

No-brainer Recipes: Easy Cherry Cobbler

I resurrected this old post to add to our No-brainer Recipes:

This is soooo easy and great for parties. Soooo very tasty too. Sorry for the low quality photos!

2 cans tart cherries, undrained
1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
1 c. nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour cherries in bottom of 9x13 inch pan.

Sprinkle dry cake mix over cherries and do not stir.

Pour melted butter over cake mix; sprinkle nuts on top.(optional) Do not mix.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until set.

Delicious served with ice cream.

Mom Spark's 2008 Holiday Gift Guide

Welcome to the Mom Spark's 2008 Holiday Gift Guide.  I thought it would never get completed! 

I have met some amazing business owners, creators and inventors along my journey, and I dedicate this guide to them.

I know this guide isn't perfect, please forgive me.  It was quite an undertaking putting this together, so there are bound to be mistakes.  

Please contact me with any concerns or questions at momspark@gmail.com.

Click to enter!

Add the Holiday Guide Button to Your Blog or Site!

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NOTE:  IF YOU NEED HTML CODE, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT MOMSPARK@GMAIL.COM!

Holiday Travel Tips

Traveling with kids can be challenging to say the least! But, it's important they see the grandparents, right? Our last road trip consisted of an 18 hour trip from Michigan to Florida with a 22 month old, and a broken DVD player. Let's just say I didn't get to catch up on my "People" magazines, like I had hoped to. 

Here are few tips to survive that long car or plane ride that you might me taking over the holidays:

~Make a checklist of everything you'll need, and use it!

~Try to stick to a normal routine for meal times and bedtimes.

~Take along a favorite blanket or toy to help your child feel more secure.

~If traveling by car, and your child is unhappy, stop and take a strech break.

~Bring plenty of toys, but give only one or two at a time. This will help to keep the trip more interesting!

~Allow plenty of time! Things will take longer then you expect!

~Bring lots of finger foods, and sippy cups, and if possible, pack a cooler with lunches.

And, last but not least, I highly recommend the "Snack and Play Tray", if you don't already have it. It buckles on to car seats and strollers, and provides a flat safe area for children to eat and play. There are also two side pockets, which are great for holding books, sippy cups, and snacks.

If you are venturing out of town for the holidays, I wish for you safe and "stress-free" travels!

Like this blog? Click here to vote for us!  Also vote for our "Making Peanut Butter Play Dough Video" here.

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Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

This is my absolute FAVORITE autumn dish. It is very easy to make, and yet, everyone RAVES about it and begs for the recipe. It has been a hit everywhere I've taken it, including Thanksgiving dinner last year.

You will need:

1 butternut squash
2 apples - whatever variety you like
1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed
3 Tablespoons of cold butter
1 Tablespoon of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Then, slice the squash in half, scoop and discard the seeds, peel and dice it. (If you are going to be in a rush, you can also buy the already prepared chunks in your produce section.)

Core and dice the apples, skin on.

Toss the apple and squash together in a baking dish.

Slice off little slivers of the butter and distribute around the apple and squash. (I couldn't get a good picture of this.)

Combine the remaining ingredients and sprinkle on top of apple, squash and butter.

Cover and bake for 45 - 50 minutes.

Serves 6 - 8. (Unless you invite me and then I will eat the entire thing by myself!)

When Sue's not blogging at My Party of 6, she's serving 18 meals a day and stomping out laundry one load at a time.

Like this blog? Click here to vote for us!  Also vote for our "Making Peanut Butter Play Dough Video" here.

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Last Day for our Coffee Giveaway & Video Update

Today is the last day to enter our great coffee giveaway!  Click here to enter!

meanwhile...

Thanks to you, my play dough video is now in the lead! I could still use your votes though. New submissions are coming in everyday and some are gaining ground fast!  

Remember, you can vote every day until 11/28! You can vote here:

http://www.mindbites.com/tags/the-baby-formula  

The support has been overwhelming, thank you so much for doing this. I have extended the video to include an allergy-free play dough recipe, which is great for those children who have nut, wheat, gluten or honey allergies. It begins right after the first video.(peanut butter play dough)  

Please let me know if you need any help voting. They have made it pretty easy. You do need to register first, if you haven't already, but it's super fast and easy. They do not bother you unless you want to receive emails from them. (you can choose when you register)  

Any contest winnings will go toward future video production, giveaways, charities for moms (details on that project coming soon) and more Mom Spark fun! Thank you for your support of www.MomSpark.net!

Again, thank you so much for supporting my video and my blog, http://momspark.net. I still can't get over the support and encouragement you give me everyday! Here is the link again to vote (How to Make Homemade Play Dough):

http://www.mindbites.com/tags/the-baby-formula  

Thank you thank you thank you!  

To see the new extended version, see below:

VOTE FOR THIS VIDEO HERE!!!

Amy {Mom Spark}

The New mommyRanks

If you haven't done so already, please check out the new, redesigned mommyRanks!  

Don't know what mommyRanks is?  Well, it is a great website to submit, vote and comment on online stories and articles. (like Mom Spark blog posts!)  You can search the stories by category, popularity or by day, week, month or year. In this new redesigned format, each submitted website or blog is shown as a thumbnail image in a nice, neat square frame with an easy-to-operate comment and voting button.

This website is a smart way to boost your blog traffic, network, find new blog reads and, mostly importantly, make new friends. 

Please stop by mommyRanks, register, and join in the fun!

For any questions about mommyRanks, please contact Lauren at mommyranks@gmail.com.

DIY Home Renovation Money Saving Tips

Do It Yourself. That phrase strikes either terror or excitement into most people. I’m the former and my husband is the latter. We’ve taken on a few home renovations, the most recent being our master bathroom. We ripped it down to the studs. Nothing came back. To say our budget was modest would be an understatement. But we learned a lot about how to best spend your money on a home renovation.

Start out by writing out penny for penny what you want. Shop around and look for the best deals. Visit every home improvement store around. There can be drastic differences in prices from store to store. When you come up with a budget, make sure it includes money for unforeseen ‘hiccups.’ If you don’t budget for that, you may have to give up something you really were wanting for the space. Next, think about what you can and can’t do labor wise. If you’re the type of person that likes to take on tiling, or putting texture on the wall, then go for it. But research before you start. There are some great resources online and in your library. Make sure you know what you’re doing and that you have all materials you need. If you’re the type of person who hates doing the work, you might rethink it. You can save some serious cash by doing labor yourself (or, uh, having your husband do it). That being said, there are certain things best left to professionals: carpet installation, electrical work, etc.

Also, think neutral. Going with neutrals won’t save you any money immediately. But it will save you heartache and money in two years when you think, “ I can’t look at this green wall one more day! I must repaint it this instant!” Trust me, I know. Go crazy with colorful accessories and decor. Also, don’t be afraid to splurge on one item that is really important to you. You won’t save any money buying something you don’t like, living with it for awhile and then going back and buying what you wanted in the first place. Case in point: When we redid our bathroom, we wanted a certain type of shower that was a little more expensive. But it has been so worth it. It’s easy to keep clean and looks great in the room.

I highly recommend getting some sort of rewards card if you’re going to be doing major renovation. It’s not a credit card. At Lowe’s, they just scan it and you build up points. After our bathroom remodel we got two $100 gift cards to Lowe’s.

How do you save money on home projects? Do you do labor yourself? Have you taken on any projects that went great? or horrible? Let us know!

Here are some great online DIY sites:

http://www.doityourself.com/ The ultimate everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask site

http://www.homeadditionplus.com/ Great video tutorials and calculators to figure the amount of materials for projects.

http://www.bobvila.com/ As dorky as Bob Vila is, this is a great site. It’s easy to navigate and has great how to guides and videos.

You can read more of Emily's shenanigans on The Heart of Life in Oklahoma.