hearth song - review and giveaway

I've always loved to sew and my stepmom really got me into it when I was growing up. I don't like sewing by hand so I will avoid it by all cost but hand me a machine and I can make you a mean quilt, lol. Makenna loves watching me and pressing the foot pedel on mine so I decided she needs her own sewing machine, and I found the perfect one!

Hearth Song is a website completely dedicated to making your child's day full of fun, exploration and learning. I love the huge variety of products they sell. From $2 all the way up $1,000 you can definitely find something in your budget and keep your kids entertained during these hot summer months.

Hearth Song sent us the My Little Sewing Machine and we were so excited when it came. I definitely wasn't expecting it to come with so many extras. The machine itself was a little smaller then I thought it would be but it is for little girls so I'm not sure why I thought it would be bigger.

This kit comes with an adorable carrying case, 2 yds. of fabric, ribbon, 4 buttons, thimble, measuring tape, tomato pin cushion, rickrack (that blue wavy thing), felt, 4 bobbins, 4 machine needles, 4 spools of thread, scissors, 40 straight pins and a full color project book with instuctions on how to thread the needle and bobbin!!

This really does look and act like a regular full size adult sewing machine. Easy to use presser foot lever, a bobbin compartment, tension screw, hand wheel and a foot pedel! I love how this gives Makenna the option to use the top thread spindle or just sew directly from the bobbin.

The My Little Sewing Machine even has a setting so you can use the machine to thread empty bobbins again! How cool and easy is that? There is a on/off button on the front of the machine that little hands can use without any help. The other pink button you can slightly see near my finger is to adjust the speed of the machine giving kids full control over their work.

Although adult supervision is suggested your kids will have a blast discovering in the delight of sewing their own clothes and accessories with a machine that's just their size. This tester scrap piece was created using the bobbin -->


For only $59.98 you can give your little girl hours of fun and a great creative outlet!

Win a My Little Sewing Machine for the little sewer in your house!!


(the two following mandatory entries count as one entry which = one comment please!)

• Follow Me Publicly via Google Friend Connect
• Visit Hearth Song and tell me what you'd love to have
  -------------- 

• 

  @mommaJWoww19
  You may tweet 4x a day. Wait at least 1 hour in between tweets.
  Use the RT button @ the beginning of the post
  or tweet the following:
  Sew a master piece with the My Little Sewing Machine from @hearthsongtoys & @mommaJWoww19 http://is.gd/f8d0L9 - ends: 7/13
  
  facebook.com/DDMblog
  (Use may use the following to post on your facebook wall. You may need to write my blog name and Hearth Song over again so it links to both pages. You will know it works when both names are blue)
  Head over to @Double Duty Mommy to win the My Little Sewing Machine from @HearthSong!! http://is.gd/f8d0L9
  
  And as it says, comment on any non giveaway post for endless extra entries. One entry per blog post. Just be sure to tell me what post you commented on, please :)

  

**I was sent the product(s) free of charge by the company or PR representative. It has been used solely for the purpose of this honest review. The views are strictly 100% my own. Receiving the product did not influence me to produce a positive review**
Giveaway is open to USA Residents Only. It will end and close on July 13th @ 9:00pm EST. Any entries made after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 24 hours to respond. If winner does not respond their prize is then forfeited and a new winner will be selected.

blogger fun

Did you catch my tweets about some blogger fun I had last week? On Wednesday I met up with some local bloggers at Cafe Tu Tu Tango! We had so much good food and the conversation was pretty amazing. We all agreed that we have to Meet Up on a regular basis! Cafe Tu Tu Tango is such a fun place to eat at but be ready to yell because it's soo loud in there! There is music and live entertainment so you have to scream across the table and even at the people next to you when you talk. Oh and let's not forget about the unique art all over the walls... just look at the creepy picture behind me the whole time, lol. That's TheRebelChick next to me so go say hi to her :)

And here's all of us after a fun night out

Now that the fun is over and the hubby went back to work this week after his week long vacation I really need to get back into the swing of things. I wish he could be on vacation forever since that allowed me to have a little vacation from everything as well.
I have so much blogging work that needs to get done along with video editing for some vlogs I promised to make. Around the house I have piled up laundry that I've been neglecting hard core and also I really need find some better health insurance rates for my kids.

We don’t pay that much already but we just had to find them both a new pediatrician because the regular place has changed the carriers they accept and of course it just so happens they don't accept our insurance anymore! It's so stressful and annoying but we found a pediatrician that accepts what we have but I want to switch anyway. I’m not liking the copays and benefits. Plus, Makenna’s dentist is really mean and I don’t think he should be working with children so finding a new one of those wouldn’t be too bad either.

So I'm off to do my work. Enjoy your week everyone!

ten tips for every busy mom

Now a days everyone of us can relate to the fact we may be pulled way too thin. Chores, summer activities, BBQ's, summer school, so so much to do.  Even during the summer it feels like I don't get a break so here are some of my 10 ten time saving tips to make my (and maybe your) life a bit easier.

Plan Ahead. I hate last minute plans, despise them in fact. I like to always know what I'm doing days before so I can be on time and not have to back track to different places. Driving one straight shot around town saves me time.

Help from the kids. Ok so in my case just kid right now, but as soon as Kendall is a little older I will be asking her for help too. No, I don't make my kids into little maids but they can do their fair share by picking up their own toys, making their bed, hanging up their bath towels. Makenna even takes out the dog and gets it food now a days. This helps me so much.

Cook in the A.M. I tweeted about this a couple months ago and a few people thought I was so crazy but it really does help. Prepare or even cook in the mornings or at nap time. Come dinner time you just have to reheat or finish cooking and dinner will be done in no time.

Shopping List. Sometimes I am the queen of making a list and then not following it but if you make a list and stick to it you will save so much time at the grocery store. This rule especially helps if you go to your favorite store where you already know the ins and outs of the aisles

Shop Online. Hello, I don't even think this needs an explaination. I won't buy clothes & shoes for the hubby or myself online but everything else is great for online shopping. Leave the page open and come back to it later if you need. And if you plan your days and activities in advance (family photoshoot, vacation, special dinner) you even have time to wait for it to arrive in the mail.

Bank Online. Just like before using the internet to the fulliest is the perfect way to save time. Set up all your bills to automatically come out of your bank account. With my bank I can set that up through their website or most of the time you can set that up with the utility or phone company.

Don't over schedule. I love planning family outings but making your day too full just makes me feel exhausted and more tired at the day of the night. Take time to have fun family days inside. Once the "normal" things like laundry and dishes are done then it's just nice to hang out.

"Oops Dinners" We all have those moments; moments where we planned something for dinner but we're just too tired. So to make your life easier plan little meals that will take half the time to make but still gives your family a healthy choice instead of wasting gas to make a run to McDonald's.

Organize. Organize everything. This may not be for everyone but I love to organize. If I could have bins from wall to wall in my house I would. I like everything to have a place and be in that place. This saves me time from losing something when I need it most.

The Early Bird.... I've never been a very early riser but my kids love to wake up at 7 am almost every single day. As much as I don't like to admit it, you have so much more time to get things done in the day when you get up early. It's not that hard to believe since obviously If I wake up at 7 and you wake up at 10 I have 3 hours to get things done while you're still sleeping. This may not seem like a "time saver" but at the end of the night I have more time with my family so it gives me time.

These are my 10 favorite tips to save time. What are your ideas? Please share!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

family vacation

As some of you know we were planning a family vacation this week. A first as a family even before Kendall. For reasons beyond our control we cannot go to where where we planned. Since everyone last minute cost so much we decided to stay in town and visit the theme parks and water parks instead.

Even though our family vacation still involved being in state our destination was about 2+ hours away, on the beach, no one we knew would be there so it would be a real vacation. What I've been dying to do is plan a vacation to Europe though. Who doesn't want to go to Europe once in their life time? The history, the scenery, the crystal blue waters, and so much more, it's perfect.

Recently I compiled a list of my top 10 Europian vacation spots that I'd love to visit one day. Some of these I'd take the kids to but it would be amazing if just John and I could visit these places alone. First thing's first, we'd have to catch a flight to the UK which I'm assuming it would be easier to just call a travel agency for such a huge trip like this.

Sicily, Italy Family on John's mom's side is all from Sicily so this would be like home to him. It would be awesome to see an ocean so beautiful. did you know Sicily is the largest Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea? I'd also love to visit The Island of Pantelleria which is a dormant volcano on the Phlegrarean Fields of the Strait of Sicily.

Athens, Greece. John is a HUGE lover of Greek Mythology. He talks about it all the time, loves reading about it, watching movies on it, ect. Bringing him to Athens so we can both take in all the sights would be perfect.

Venice, Italy. The Floating City. Hello?! I think I said enough :) I am dying to try some authentic Italian food that everyone tries to replicate here in the states

London, England. Ever since watching the Friend's episode where Ross got married to Emily in London I've wanted to go. The Palace, the guards, driving on the other side of the street. So cool.

Scotland. I will see the Loch Ness Monster! :D

Norway. Some of the family on my dad's side is from Norway so I'd love to see where my family comes from.

Paris, France. Fashion and accents = perfect. I've always wanted to be kissed under the Eiffel Tower so that'd be a huge plus of this vacation spot.

Rome, Italy. Vatican City, the Colosseum, and the Catacombs. Rome has so much ancient history it would take a whole vacation dedicated just to it so we could visit everything.

Barcelona, Spain. We'd definitely have to learn some Spanish since in Barcelona they mainly speak only two languages: Spanish and Catalan. I have some spanish in me and I could definitely enjoy some authentic spanish food.

Amsterdam. Besides the infamous Red Light District that would we definitely not be visiting, Amsterdam is beautiful and has some amazing things to do. I've heard there are stunning old canals that you can check out via water side only and Artis - Holland's oldest Zoo which is complete with a Butterfly Pavilion!

So that's where I would take my family! If you could go anywhere (of course let's not think about how low our bank accounts really are) right now, where would you go?

bummis swim diaper review and giveaway

Summer is upon us and if you're like my family you're always at the pool. This week is very busy for us seeing that John is on vacation. We'll be going to 2 different water parks and 2 theme parks plus swimming at the pool all the time. If you cloth diaper like me then you probably still feel the need to put your babe in something that you can continue to reuse and that's where swim diapers come in the picture. Sure, you can go waste money on disposable swim diapers but what is honest the point in those? They still fill up with water and end up looking bulky like a regular disposable.

Madison Organics has helped make our summer easier when we're at the pool and water parks. We were sent a Bummis Swimmi. DDM is a huge fan of Madison Organics because they carry just about everything and every cloth diaper brands that we all love!

Bummis is a cloth diaper company that started in the 1980's! Bummis makes several different types of diapers that will fit anyone's need. But we're here because of their adorable Bummis Swimmis! Made with an interior polyester mesh for easy clean ups and a coated nylon layer sandwiched inside that will hold in the messiest stuff a baby can throw at you.

They are all made with an adjustable hook and loop closures for a snug and comfortable fit. Thankfully Kendall doesn't try to take off her diapers but eventually I do believe the velcro could become a problem for her curious little hands.

The Swimmis are a 4 sized diaper from S-XL. I'm not a huge fan of lots of different sizes because I feel like I'm still throwing money away since I'll have to buy the next size in who knows how long (depending on how fast my child grows). I must say, the plus is that you do truly get a perfect fit when you buy within their weight range. Your baby will definitely look cute and stylish at the pool with 5 different prints (yep prints, not solids!) to choose from. We received the Bubbles and it's so darn cute!

I am in love with this reuseable swim diaper and if you're in the market for a good quality diaper that does it's job at the pool then I recommed a Bummis Swimmi!!

You can have your baby swimming in style this summer with a Bummis Swimmi too!


(the two following mandatory entries count as one entry which = one comment please!)

• Follow Me Publicly via Google Friend Connect
• Visit Madison Organics and tell me what you'd love to have
  -------------- 

• 

  @mommaJWoww19
  You may tweet 4x a day. Wait at least 1 hour in between tweets.
  Use the RT button @ the beginning of the post
  or tweet the following:
  Splash into summer with a Bummis Swimmi swim diaper from @MadisonOrganics & @mommaJWoww19 http://is.gd/dtus15 - ends: 6/30
  
  facebook.com/DDMblog
  (Use may use the following to post on your facebook wall. You may need to write my blog name and Infantino over again so it links to both pages. You will know it works when both names are blue)
  Head over to @Double Duty Mommy to win a Bummis Swimmi diaper from @MadisonOrganics!! http://is.gd/dtus15
  
  And as it says, comment on any non giveaway post for endless extra entries. One entry per blog post. Just be sure to tell me what post you commented on, please :)

  

**I was sent the product(s) free of charge by the company or PR representative. It has been used solely for the purpose of this honest review. The views are strictly 100% my own. Receiving the product did not influence me to produce a positive review**
Giveaway is open to USA residents only. It will end and close on June 30th @ 9:00pm EST. Any entries made after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 24 hours to respond. If winner does not respond their prize is then forfeited and a new winner will be selected.

kolcraft preferred position bassinet and incline sleeper - review

So as some many have seen on Twitter tonight I am having major baby fever lately. DH would kill me if I even utter the words "lets have another baby" or anything really even close to that. He has no idea though, we will get pregnant soon and luckily I'm ready for a new baby in the house.

Kolcraft sent me their brand spankin' new Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleeper recently and I was so excited when it arrived. I learned of this beauty earlier this year and I could not wait to get my paws on it.
With Kendall she has really bad reflux, throwing up every 2.5 seconds, I swear. It was horrible. We had to sleep with her on our chest at night to keep her comfortable, put pillows under neath her crib comforter so she would be propped up. We tried so much and she was always in pain.

If we had the Preferred Position Bassinet our lives could have been a little easier. Too bad Kolcraft just released it exclusively to Babies R Us this month.

So what makes this bassinet different then others? Besides having the Kolcraft name on it, so you know it's amazing of course. This is the only traditional bassinet that offers an option to help babies sleep when they suffer from colic or congestion. When your baby no longer needs it the incline sleeper attachment is easily removable. You can use the bassinet up until about 15 pounds (or 3 months) of course for safety reasons.

If baby is having trouble falling asleep and you want to give your arms a rest then this bassinet is great because it converts into a rocking bassinet. Which I figure will start to kill your arm after a while but I think it's a great feature to have on a bassinet.

It only took me about 20 minutes to put this thing together which is amazing because of all the pieces that came in the box.

Other mentionable goodies is that there is a huge basket underneath to store diapers, wipes, lotion, whatever you may need on hand without having to run to the nursery. A cute mobile with 3 little bears complete the adjustable 3 position canopy.

I have to say though, my most favoritest (yes that's a word) feature is the soft-glow light! You don't have to turn on your bed side light and wake up baby while also blinding yourself anymore to check on baby. It's only a push of a button away on the Light Vibes electronic unit which also includes 10 classical songs and lullabies, 4 nature sounds, and 3 vocal recordings with volume control!!
Oh oh oh and how can I forget there is a vibration mode also! Kendall loved having vibration turned on her bouncer, it instantly put her to sleep, so a bassinet with vibrations is amazing to me!

I am in loves with this bassinet and cannot wait to fully use it next year when we have a new baby in the house!!

Like I said, you can buy the Kolcraft Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet and Incline Sleeper at Babies-R-Us for just $139.99 and FREE SHIPPING!

**I was sent the product(s) free of charge by the company or PR representative. It has been used solely for the purpose of this honest review. The views are strictly 100% my own. Receiving the product did not influence me to produce a positive review**

my joeshopping.com experience

I LOVE shopping. No really, I love it. I will shop down to my very last penny. I didn't say it was a good thing but that's how I roll.
It's even better when I am able to find what I love and when there are tons of hot deals going on it makes it even better and I feel less guilty spending all my husbands hard earned cash!

I especially love shopping online and joeshopping.com has definitely made my life a little easier. JoeShopping is your online best friend. you can shop and socialize at the same time, read so many reviews, find coupons and price comparison shop all in your PJ's!

With Father's Day around the corner I was excited to find so many Fans Edge coupons on the site. Fans Edge is a sports shop that features all the major sports and offers collectible items and they carry jerseys from most of the teams in sports. It was perfect that I found coupons for my husband's favorite topic - sports! I also found some Musicians Friend coupons that 'm dying to use since John has expressed his interest of starting up a band again. It's not too early for a mid life crisis in your early 20's is it?! Anyway, Musicians Friend sells musical instruments and professional audio equipment, everything from guitars, drums, keyboards and amps to lighting, sheet music, videos, accessories and more so buying him a new bass and maybe an amp would be the perfect Father's Day gift.

I also found so many hot topic coupons for the things I love and that I know my kids want. So you can definitely believe I'll be shopping my little heart out... when my husband is at work haha.

I love how easy signing is to do and you can start earning Joe Points and badges right away. You earn badges by doing various activities like signing up, editing your profile or writing a review for the things you love (or not so much). The more active you are on joeshopping the more badges you receive! All your "Joe Points" can then be converted into sweepstakes entries that can be used to win so many things!

So if you're like me and you love shopping but also love saving then check out Joeshopping.com and have some fun but don't get in too much trouble from your hubby!

new makeover and a new bed.

Last year John and I redesigned our bedroom and now I'm wanting to do it again. If you read recently I am probably going to turn Kendall's bedroom into my craft room for now. Makenna wants Kendall to be in her room so she can "protect her" so until this faze leaves I'll let the girls share a room so I can have a mommy room. While I'm still getting things together for the craft room I figured why not purchase some things for my room too. We used to have a huge king size bed but it was just too much bed for us so now we have a full. A year with a full size bed is enough for me and I'm on the hunt for a new bed. I personally love platform beds. I love how modern and simple they look while still so stylish.

John likes "regular beds" but I figured I'd search for some queen size platform beds anyway. I came across this beauty and instantly saw a craft project!

I could make a headboard! Wood, batting, and fabric is all I need and maybe even big buttons if I want that quilted look.

I found South Shore beds and by the looks of it they have been getting really good reviews, great quality and an even better price. Hopefully I can convince John we need a new bed because I am tired of getting kicked at night!

On a difference note did you notice the new makeover?! I am in love with it. I also got a custom illustration so they look exactly like my daughters and I, even down to the heart tattoo I really have on my foot! *so don't steal it! lol*

zooper bolero review (rocker giveaway)

As you may know I've reviewed some great strollers in the past but I've finally found a favorite! Zooper!

Zooper is a pretty new, being introduced to America in 1999. For the past 12 years they have been competing well with better known names in the stroller business.

Recently I was sent their latest design, the Bolero stroller. The 2011 Bolero Stroller from Zooper comes standard with features that are usually only found on premium strollers. I love that the Bolero features a lightweight aluminum frame weighing only 20 lbs, canopy that combines a UV net, rain cover, and sunshade into one so there's no need to carry different parts just in case the weather decides to change on you.

When the box arrives I was so scared because it was tall and skinny. Once I pulled it out I was so excited to find that it was fully assembled I just needed to put the wheels on! Before I get into too much detail I must warn you, there are a ton of amazing features that the Bolero has to offer so forgive me if I ramble on but with over 20 stand out mentions I could go on for days.

This single stroller can be used from birth up until around 55lbs so you will definitely get your moneys worth. With a bassinet feature this is a 2-in-1 stroller and also you can attach certain carseats to this beauty.

•Cup Holder
•Single Hand Pushing
•One Hand Seat Recline



•Easy Carry Handle
•Simple Compact Fold
•Carseat Fastening Belt

•Headrest for Newborn Baby
•Reversible Bassinet
•Five-Point Safety Harness



•Baby Snack Tray

•Four Independent Wheel Suspensions

•All-Purpose Canopy Pocket

See what I mean?! There is so many "pluses" for this stroller it definitely deserves a higher price tag. One of my favorite features is the huge canopy. It large enough to come completely down the front and over the front handle bars! Kendall loves this feature too and even pulls the shade down all by herself. The canopy has a UV shade covering the front so she can still see out.

I love how compact the stroller is yet it has a ton of room.

The flat folding is perfect for smaller cars and I'm almost positive it will fit into any trunk/car. We even have had to put it in the back seat next and it fit amazingly in our Sonata!

What is Kendall's favorite thing? Using the front bad as a foot rest, lol. By the way, I have no idea what's up with this picture because Kendall does have more hair then it looks like. Not too much more but definitely more then bald like this looks, lol.

We are loving our Bolero but single strollers aren't all that Zooper makes. Nope! They make highchairs (free standing and hook on), double strollers, and rockers!

Zooper is even giving TWO of my readers a chance to win a navy Rocker valued at $80! This is a very easy to use baby rocker. One-hand opening. Flat fold for storage. 5 position backrest. Adjustable footrest. 3-Point safety belt. Suitable for children 6 months to 20 lbs. Removable and washable fabric. Optional canopy and toy bars available in matching colors. Limited Warranty (6 Months Fabrics & 1 Year Chassis) This rocker will keep baby comfortable and content whether alert or asleep.

TWO (yes 2!) WINNERS
Zooper Rocker - in Navy! - ARV - $49.99



(the two following mandatory entries count as one entry which = one comment please!)

• Follow Me Publicly via Google Friend Connect
• Visit Zooper and tell me what you'd love to own
  -------------- 
  

  

  @mommaJWoww19
  You may tweet 4x a day. Wait at least 1 hour in between tweets.
  Use the RT button @ the beginning of the post
  or tweet the following:
  #Win a rocker from @Zooper & @mommaJWoww19 http://is.gd/FJJYzC - 2 Winners!! ends: 6/24
  
  facebook.com/DDMblog
  (Use may use the following to post on your facebook wall. You may need to write my blog name and Infantino over again so it links to both pages. You will know it works when both names are blue)
  Head over to @Double Duty Mommy to win a @Zooper rocker - 2 winners!! http://is.gd/FJJYzC
  
  And as it says, comment on any non giveaway post for endless extra entries. One entry per blog post. Just be sure to tell me what post you commented on, please :)

  


**I was sent the product(s) free of charge by the company or PR representative. It has been used solely for the purpose of this honest review. The views are strictly 100% my own. Receiving the product did not influence me to produce a positive review** Giveaway is open to USA residents only. It will end and close on June 24th @ 9:00pm EST. Any entries made after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 24 hours to respond. If winner does not respond their prize is then forfeited and a new winner will be selected.



kolcraft's 65th anniversary

As a Kolcraft Mom I've had some pretty amazing opportunities and things come my way. Kolcraft has been in the same family for the entire life of the company, yep, it's never switched hands for 65 years and counting!
In honor of their anniversary Kolcraft is hosting a 6 month giveaway sweepstakes! From June-December, every 6 weeks there will be a new winner!

In 1946 Kolcraft was founded Leo Koltun when he made playard pads to become the #1 crib mattress manufacturer in America. Kolcraft has come a long way but still stick to their values to be a very family-trusted company. Soon Leo's son Sanfred took to expand the company from Chicago to Philly and L.A. while creating strollers, high chairs, infant carriers and much more. In 1990 Sanfred's son jumped on board and he has continued to live up to the Kolcraft name.

In 2011 the Wonderbug Activity Center (as you can read about in my blog post review) was debuted and then followed by the *new* Position 2-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleeper (which I will write about in a couple days so stay tuned!!).

2011 marks a great time for Kolcraft and their innovative ideas won't stop now. With Sealy, Jeep, Sesame Street and Contours as brands this company is amazing in all they do!

I love Kolcraft and definitely incorage you to buy your baby gear from Kolcraft!

To enter the Sweepstakes check out the 65th Anniversery Kolcraft page. There you can read more about the history of Kolcraft, the timeline of the company and of course enter into the sweepstakes for some amazing prizes!!