Welcome to my Sweet and Simple blog. I am a mama to 5 crazy kids, ages 2 years to 14! When I'm not picking up toys and cleaning....I am cooking, crafting, and writing reviews! This blog is PR Friendly!

Monday, December 31, 2012

Blogger opp: American Girl Doll Giveaway (2dolls~2winners)

Blogger Opportunity

1/20 to  2/19

Come and be part of this awesome giveaway

I love this giveaway, my daughter has 3 American Girl dolls and she loves them.  Even now that she is older she keeps them as collectible items.

That's why I thought this would be a great giveaway 

We will have 2 winners.



One winner will get:
Doll + Starter Collection.  Winner gets to choose skin color, hair color and eye color.
Value $120



Second winner will get:
One American Girl Doll with the box.
Winner gets to choose which doll they want.
Value $105


Winner will need to choose their prizes from American Girl Doll, this way I will be sure to pick one that is on stock for delivery, if it is sold out I will try to get what ever they choose directly from the American Girl Store here in NY 
(I love that Store)



Any payments made for hosting, page hosting, links, etc.  Will be use for shipping charges and for futures giveaways. 




Requirements to join


* Free Facebook or Twitter with posting announcement Here or pay the $5 fee.


*Additional links $1.00 each (optional)
* Host a page $5 fee (Optional)
*Be one of the Host $10.00 (Optional) -Host does not pay any other fee As I host you will get: -Name with link of your blog as a host on the post -Mandatory entry links on the rafflecopter (up to 4 links) -Host a page

* Agree to post the giveaway html on the date the event begins and promote at least 3x a week

Please send any payments as donation


Paypal melisurveys1978@gmail.com



Blogger Opp: $200 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!




Let's start the New Year giving  a great prize.

$200 Visa Card giveaways!

Feb. 2 to 14

A gift card will be send by mail.

This is a FREE sign up with announcement, with pay options.

Many of you have worked with me before and know I sponsor most of my giveaways.  I always have help from great hosts :)



Requirements to join

* Free Facebook or Twitter with posting promotional  announcement Here or pay the $5 fee waiver.

We will have 2 RC on this giveaway, one will have the hosts and the follow pages. Second RC will have all free facebook links. 


*Additional links $1.00 each (optional) 

* Host a page $5 fee (Optional)


*Be one of the Host $10.00 (Optional) -Host does not pay additional fee for links but needs to post the announcement or will need to pay $5.00 waiver


       As a host you will get:
        -Name with link of your blog as a host on the post
        - 3 Mandatory entry links on the rafflecopter
-1 Facebook link on the rafflecopter (not at mandatory entry)
        -Host a page



* Agree to post the giveaway html on the date the event begins and promote at least 3 times a week



Please send any payments as Gift via Paypal to melisurveys1978@gmail.com.  If you use any other option, Paypal will charge me a fee!

If you have any questions please email me at nysavingspecials@gmal.com



Sign up Here!!




Blogger Opp: Your Dream Stroller Giveaway

(The picture is only an example)



Blogger free Sign up

This giveaway will be from 


February 1 to February 28, 2013


One lucky winner will win a stroller from any brand they like, it can be with car seat included or just the stroller.

The winner will pick up the stroller from Toysrus.com and will be sent directly from their website.

The stroller can be up to $300 including shipping charges.  

If the winner picks up a stroller with a lower value, the winner will not get the remaining value of the prize.  


The prize can't be changed from any other prize than the stroller.


Any payment from host, host page extra links, etc. will be use for future giveaways.  




Requirements to join


* Free Facebook or Twitter with posting  announcement Here or pay the $5 fee waiver.


*Additional links $1.00 each (optional)

* Host a page $5 fee (Optional)

*Be one of the Host $10.00 (Optional) -Host does not pay additional fee for links but need to post the announcement or will need to pay $5.00 waiver

       As I host you will get:
        -Name with link of your blog as a host on the post
        -Mandatory entry links on the rafflecopter (up to 4 links)
        -Host a page


* Agree to post the giveaway html on the date the event begins and promote at least 3x a week



Please send any payments as gift via Paypal to melisurveys1978@gmail.com









MoBoleez Nursing Bonnet Review & Giveaway! US 1/12/13

Have you heard of MoBoleez?
MoBoleez is a very clever solution to nursing "cover-ups". I am all about breastfeeding and I am not scared or embarrassed to FEED my baby in public...but sadly, a lot of mamas are. There are lots of different options for staying covered up, so that your breasts aren't out for people to see. I have always used a cover-up, basically a blanket that is held on by a strap around my neck, covering baby and my breasts as well. It gets hot in there and I have always wondered if there was a different option.

I recently found a company called MoBoleez. MoBoleez is a bonnet that goes on baby's head and has a wide brim to cover a large area (the breast area).

I was sent a "Bad to the Bone" MoBoleez to review. The hat is made of a soft material...even softer than I expected. I thought the brim would be stiff, so it would stay up when nursing, but it isn't. The bonnet stays put on my baby girls head and covers a wide area, but the brim kinda flops down~still covering the breast area~kinda like a small blanket. It works great with a nursing shirt that opens up for discreet nursing however, if you have to lift up your shirt to nurse, the bonnet may not be the best option. I only own a couple nursing shirts so the majority of my shirts need to be pulled up or down to nurse. In the case that I am wearing  non-nursing shirt, I would prefer to use my cover up so my tummy doesn't end up exposed.

I really love the idea of a nursing hat. It is really unique, less bulky in the baby bag and more comfortable for mama and baby. Pair the nursing bonnet with a nursing shirt and you're set!

The hat is machine washable, but is recommended to be air dried. It is made of 95% cotton and 5% spandex jersey knit. It's got a nice stretch to it which gives it that "stay put" fit. On top of the nursing hat feature, it is also a cute sun hat that can be worn for just that.

*PURCHASE*
MoBoleez are available for purchase at MoBoleez.com The hats come in two different sizes (0-6months and 6-12months), 5 different patterns and sell for $29 each.

"LIKE" MoBoleez on facebook!

*GIVEAWAY*
Who would love to win a MoBoleez nursing bonnet!?!
Enter using the rafflecopter form below. Only the mandatory entry is required. All other entries are optional. Giveaway is opened to US only. Thanks for entering and good luck!

**Disclosure~ The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

What you need to conceive in 2013: Fertility Facts for a New Age


Do your resolutions for 2013 include getting pregnant? If so, we hope that all goes smoothly and your path to conception is a short one. Unfortunately, however, the current reality is that at least one in six couples struggle with infertility, according to the World Health Organization. The reproductive landscape has changed dramatically over the years for a variety of reasons, including increased exposure to environmental toxins and couples waiting longer in life to conceive. While many of these couples are automatically put on the track toward invasive and expensive infertility treatment, the fact is that many couples are able to conceive naturally, on their own, with the benefit of natural fertility supplementation and ovulation prediction tools. After all, it stands to reason that we would exhaust our natural options before resorting to medical interventions that come at a cost, both physically and financially.

Our environment impacts our fertility...

The food we eat, the products we use and even the air we breathe is vastly different from what it was just 50 years ago, and unfortunately, our prolonged exposure to these harmful chemicals has directly impacted our fertility rates. One example: a study from the National Institute of Health found that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may decrease a couples’ fertility by as much as 29 percent. Another alarming trend is the decline in male sperm count by roughly 2-3 percent each year. According to a study in the British Medical Journal, average sperm count has decreased by 50 percent since 1938.

The harmful toxins and harsh chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis build up in our tissues over time and negatively impact our reproductive health. Our bodies work hard to remove these dangerous compounds, but our natural detoxification systems are rarely able to eliminate all of these toxins. Of course, the first line of defense would be to avoid these harmful chemicals as much as possible by eating non-processed (ideally organic) food, drinking filtered water and using only non-toxic products in the home. In addition to making these healthy lifestyle changes, couples may benefit from taking a detoxification supplement specifically designed to help eliminate toxins in trying-to-conceive men and women. FertileDetox is one natural detoxification supplement. Fairhaven Health's FertileDetox is doctor-designed to help prepare the body for conception by promoting the efficient elimination of environmental toxins.

Our age impacts our fertility...

With increased focus on education and career paths, women are waiting longer in life to conceive their first child than they did just a few decades ago. It's an undeniable fact that the older one gets, the more difficult it is to conceive. What many couples fail to recognize, however, is that this goes for men as well as women.

When men age, testosterone levels decrease, and consequently, so does their fertility. While men are able to produce sperm throughout their lives, the quality may deteriorate significantly over time. A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility showed significant declines for men aged 30 to 50 in volume, motility (movement) and morphology (shape). Fortunately there are a number of natural supplements available with ingredients that are scientifically validated to improve sperm parameters. FertilAid for Men is one such fertility supplement which was shown in a double-blind placebo controlled study to increase the total number of motile sperm a man produces.

It’s no secret women are born with a finite number of eggs, the number and quality of which deteriorate over time. But, it is actually the decline in egg quality that impacts a woman’s ability to conceive more than the number of eggs left in her reserve. As egg quality diminishes, it becomes more difficult for sperm to complete fertilization, implantation is less likely to be successful and miscarriages are more common. While there is nothing a woman can do to increase her ovarian reserve, it is possible to improve her egg quality. Ingredients such as myo-inositol, folic acid, and melatonin have been clinically demonstrated to do just that. OvaBoost is a natural, doctor-developed supplement designed to promote egg quality and ovarian function. It includes myo-inositol, folic acid, and melatonin (along with several other ingredients beneficial for egg quality), and is especially recommended for women over 30 and those who have been diagnosed with PCOS or have been told that their egg quality is poor.

But we were told IVF was our only option...

While assisted reproductive technologies (IVF for example) may be necessary for some couples to conceive, far too many couples are being led down this arduous path prematurely.

“Many couples struggling to conceive may be able to do so naturally before resorting to costly and stressful procedures such as IVF or IUI,” said Dr. Amos Grunebaum, an OB/GYN and the director of obstetrics for one of the country’s top university medical centers. Dr. Grunebaum is a strong proponent of fertility education and suggests all couples follow some simple steps before resorting to expensive and invasive treatment options.

1. Pinpoint the fertile window: A woman can only get pregnant during the 4-5 days leading up to, and including the day of ovulation. Identifying this ‘fertile window’ is key to improving conception odds. A variety of tools and methods are available to help predict the ovulation date including basal body temperature charting, ovulation predictor kits, and electronic fertility monitors.

2. Restore hormonal balance: Many women struggling to conceive have irregular cycles, which can make it particularly challenging to achieve pregnancy. Cycle irregularity is most often the result of a hormonal imbalance that can impact the frequency of ovulation and/or menstruation. Before resorting to prescription medications (along with their attendant side effects), you might explore some proven natural methods of restoring hormonal balance such as the herb chasteberry (vitex agnus-castus), which has been shown to help promote cycle regularity. Vitex can be purchased separately at your local health food store or as part of a comprehensive fertility supplement such as FertilAid for Women.

3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Transform your diet and stay away from junk food and incorporate more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean sources of protein (all shown to help improve reproductive health). Exercise regularly and shed those extra pounds. Optimal Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 25, anything above that may decrease your conception odds and increase potential pregnancy complications. Quit those bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol which can negatively impact fertility and work towards creating a stress free environment as chronic stress can suppress reproductive hormones.

About Fairhaven Health

Fairhaven Health is a leading provider of natural, doctor-designed products to promote fertility, pregnancy, and nursing health. They offer ovulation prediction tools, natural fertility supplements, prenatal vitamins and breastfeeding support products, all of which are manufactured in U.S. GMP-certified and FDA regulated facilities.

Disclaimer: This information was provided courtesy of Fairhaven Health.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Convertible Woombie *Review & Giveaway* US 1/11/13

I have been blessed with another product from Woombie to review. I reviewed the Mox Mittens last year and we love them! We are using them this year too to keep out kiddos hands warm. If you'd like to know more about them, feel free to read my review.
 I received a Convertible Woombie baby swaddle in the adorable Cupcake print. I started using the woombie as soon as I got home from the hospital. I love the pink color and the soft material. The material is a tiny bit stretchy, just enough for baby to move a little. It mimics the womb. My baby girl loves to be swaddled and loves her woombie. She sleeps so peacefully when she is snuggled in it.

The woombie I received is a size Newborn~ for 5-13 lbs. She is currently 11 lbs and the woombie still fits her. I would say, it is true to size. See size chart below for other sizes and info. The Preemie size is not available for the convertible style.


The woombie has become part of our night time routine. I give baby Janetsy a bath, rub some lavender scented lotion on her body, feed and burp her, then snuggle her into her woombie. One of my favorite features is the zipper. I can zip upwards to change her diaper without having to unzip the entire woombie. It makes diaper changes at night a breeze and she usually sleeps through it! She seems to sleep a lot better as a matter of fact. If she is not swaddled, she wakes every two hours. Being snuggled in the woombie helps her sleep up to 4 hours at a time...which is great for mama!
 Since Janetsy turned about 5 weeks, she prefers to be swaddled arms free. I love that once baby is ready to have her arms free, the woombie converts instead of having to buy another swaddler. The closure is a set of tiny buttons that are easy to snap and unsnap yet stay put when needed.

I would definitely recommend the Woombie Convertible to other moms. It would make a great gift for a baby shower too!

*PURCHASE*
You can purchase the Convertible Woombie for $28 at Woombie.com.

**CONNECT**
LIKE The Woombie Baby Swaddle on facebook to receive a special fan only code!


***GIVEAWAY***
The lovely people at Woombie have offered another woombie for a giveaway. Winner is able to choose size and gender.
Enter using the rafflecopter form below. Only the mandatory entry is required. All other entries are totally optional. Thanks for entering and good luck!
**Disclosure~ The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purex Baby Detergent *review & giveaway* (3 winners!!) US

I know how important it is to use gentle detergent with my new babies. I have always used free & clear detergent for the first few months of my babies lives.
Little babies can make big stains! This picture is proof!
I feel bad putting this pic up of my princess but I thought it would make a great "before" pic.
 Thank goodness I received a bottle of Purex Baby Detergent for review. I actually got the bottle in the mail no more than 2 hours before this happened!!
I was excited to try out Purex Baby detergent. I am a pretty picky woman when it comes to the scents I choose for my detergent. I fell in love with this detergent immediately when I took my first whiff! Such a clean, sweet baby smell...I love it! I like a little scent left behind too, once the clothes are washed and dried. Purex Baby detergent gets rid of some pretty bad stains...another reason to love Purex.

Now...on to the stain that could have been there had I not used Purex. I did rinse the baby outfit with cold water as well as pour some Purex Baby detergent directly onto the spot before tossing into the washer. Look how clean the outfit came out! You can't even tell that poo was ever there! (*see pic below)

I am very pleased with the detergent! I have actually used it on the whole family's clothes a couple times, as well as our towels. I have always been a fan of Purex, even before I tried the baby detergent.

*CONNECT*
Be sure to LIKE Purex on facebook to keep up with their new products and also for coupons (they currently have a B1G1 free coupon promotion on their facebook page!)

*GIVEAWAY*
How would you like to win a coupon for a FULL SIZED bottle of Purex Baby Detergent!?! Well, good news...I have three coupons for a giveaway! There will be three winners~each winner will receive one coupon! Sound good? Enter using the rafflecopter form below!

**Disclosure~ The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Happy New Year** $25 Amazon GC #GIVEAWAY from me to YOU! US Ends 1/1/13


I haven't been around much lately and have not had many giveaways for my readers...I'm sorry. I have been focusing on my precious new baby girl and of course the holidays. We also moved into a new house (again)!!

Anyways...how would you like to win a $25 AMAZON gift card...?...a New Years present from me to you. I won this in a giveaway and it has been sitting around for over a month...I think it's time to give it to someone else who will use it!! lol

Only one mandatory entry and that is to follow my blog. All other entries are optional. Enter using the rafflecopter form below. This giveaway ends at 12:01 am on New Years (1/1/13)!

I will either email the Amazon GC code to the winner, or I can ship it via mail. Winners choice.

Thanks for following my blog and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Ozeri 12" Green Earth Wok *review*

I love to cook! I like to make meals in large quantities because we are quite a large family and on top of that, we often have friends over for dinner.

I had the opportunity to review a 12" Green Earth Wok from Ozeri. How awesome, I finally own a wok! I could not wait to make chinese rice, one of my husbands favorite meals. I had always made this in a big pot and I had to cook some of the ingredients in separate pans because I liked to saute' the veggies in a pan. I used a few pans to cook this meal before I got my wok. With the wok, cooking my chinese rice is a breeze. And when I say a breeze, I mean I cook each and every ingredient in that same pan. First, I cook my chicken, fully. Then I remove the chicken and cook my bacon. I drain the bacon grease and remove the bacon and toss in my shrimp. Once the shrimp are cooked, I remove them and I scramble my eggs. When they are done, I remove them and saute' my veggies. Lastly, I fry my already cooked rice and then add all ingredients together. WaLah!

I am extremely impressed with the wok...it is awesome!!! Nothing sticks to it, even without the use of butter and cooking spray. It heats quickly and cooks evenly. I love how large it is and most of all, how easy it is to clean. I use this AT LEAST once a week and it has maintained its new look and still works as good as it did when I used it for the first time. I can tell this is a product made to last.

Product Features:
  • Utilizes an ultra-safe ceramic coating derived from nature which is 100% PTFE and PFOA free.
  • Delivers unprecedented non-stick performance without releasing harmful fumes or toxins at high temperatures.
  • Features a scratch-resistant 100 percent ceramic coating as found in nature (no heavy metals or chemicals) that is super easy to clean.
  • Made out of durable heavy-gauge pure aluminum with no heavy metals or harmful chemicals.
  • Boasts a comfortable heat resistant Bakelight handle, and a magnetized induction stove safe base for rapid heat transfer.
*PURCHASE* 
Searching for a last minute Christmas gift for a lady in your life? I think this would make a wonderful gift! The 12" Grean Earth Wok by Ozeri can be purchased for $38.95 at Amazon.

**CONNECT**
Be sure to "like" Ozeri on facebook to find out about the latest products and deals!

**Disclosure~ The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Monday, December 17, 2012

My Baby's Heartbeat Bear Review


I received a My Baby's Heartbeat Bear for review. This special bear is unique as it contains YOUR BABY'S HEARTBEAT, not yours.

The My Baby's Heartbeat Bear kit includes a small plastic heart that is the heartbeat recorder. It is super easy to use. You take the heart to your obgyn appointment and as your doctor listens to your baby's heartbeat, you record it onto the heart. There are two settings on the heart, record and play. To record, you need to make sure is set to "record". Squeeze the heart, you will see a red light (keep squeezing until you are done recording~ you can record up to 15 seconds). If you are happy with the recording, you set the switch to "play". **It is recommended to tape the switch to stay in play mode~ if it is changed to record mode, your baby's heartbeat will be erased from the heart. If you are not happy, you can just record again by using the same method.

I had fun doing the recording. I have an awesome doctor who is very patient and he helped me get a good recording. He thought it was pretty neat too. I had to record twice because I wasn't happy with the first one. The heartbeat was too low and I couldn't hear it that well. Make sure to hold the heart as close as possible to the sound of the heartbeat. If you do that, I am sure you will be happy with the outcome. Remember the heart goes into the bear so it has to be loud enough to be heard through the stuffing of the bear. Mine cam eout perfect. You can easily hear it, but it is not too loud.
My daughters love the bear, it is so special to them and they still like to listen to the baby's heartbeat, even though their sister has been born. The bear is super soft and cuddly too!

The My Baby's Heartbeat Bear would make a wonderful baby shower gift!

*PURCHASE*
These adorable heartbeat bears (and other animals~check them out) can be purchased for $35 at MyBabysHeartBeatBear.com
*CONNECT*
Be sure to "like" My Baby's Heartbeat Bear on facebook to stay up to date with new items and giveaway promotions!

Disclosure: I received a My Baby's Heartbeat Bear for free, in order to construct a review. No compensation was made. All opinions are mine.

Happy Holidays Blog App from Warner Bros. PLUS a BluRay DVD GIVEAWAY! ends 12/19

How many of you have actually finished your Holiday shopping?? I know many people wait til the last minute. Warner Bros. is here to help with your last minute shopping! That's why they have created this blog app that features classics and new movies on Blu-Ray.
Here's why you will love the Warner Bros. Happy Holidays Blog App
 • Holiday Movie Challenge! Are you a true cinephile? Then take the WB Holiday Movie Challenge! Keep your movie skills sharp with this awesome quiz! Ready. Set. Go!
 • Decode-A-Scene Game! Time is running out! Can you figure out what movie scene is slowly being decoded in front of your eyes? The sooner you figure it out the more points you earn! • Holiday Survival Guide! Throw an epic holiday party this season! We have some awesome tips to make you look like a total holiday master!
 • Get Social! Tweet with the #WBHoliday hashtag to get your audience exited for the awesome holiday titles Warner Bros. has this season.
*GIVEAWAY*
Thanks to Warner Bros., I am hosting a giveaway for a copy of Peanuts Deluxe Holiday Collection, Classic Christmas Favorites or Dr. Seuss’s Deluxe Holiday Collection on Blu-ray for one lucky reader! (Prize will be chosen randomly from the above Blu-ray titles!) **This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only (no P.O. boxes please.) Giveaway ends Dec 19 at 12:01 am. Enter via the rafflecopter form below. Thanks for entering and GOOD LUCK!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this post. Warner Bros. is supplying the prize to the winner. All opinions stated in this post are my own.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

$100 Amazon GC #Giveaway!

With Christmas right around the corner...it is the perfect time to start shopping! I have 4 little ones and I like to shop around and get the best deals. I shop on amazon for household cleaning supplies regularly, so why not shop on Amazon for Christmas gifts too! One thing that is on my 7 year old daughters Christmas list is an American doll. Unfortunately I wont be able to buy her one because we simply can't afford it but the good news is, I found a super cute replica on Amazon!
Less than half the price, this doll is pretty much the exact same thing~ same size, etc. We will most likely get her this doll for Christmas. It's only $39.99 on Amazon!
Good news for all of my readers! Here is a giveaway for a $100 Amazon gift card! Enter using the rafflecopter form below! GOOD LUCK!!
Giveaway brought to you by MRO Stop HMI. Visit the giveaway page here.