Music Monday & Bella Sara Review/Giveaway--CLOSED

I have LOVED this song since I was a preteen, now it is one of my 9 yr old daughter's favorites too.  There is just something about horses that appeals especially to girls.  This is a beautiful video....after you watch it skip down to read about my new Bella Sara Giveaway!

Back in November, I was first contacted about the Bella Sara FREE website for girls. I was recently contacted with an opportunity to review the new Sunflower series of cards with the added bonus of a giveaway for my readers!

Maggie LOVES the games on the website and has played it almost daily for the last several months. A few of the things I really like about this online game is that first of all it is FREE and the account never expires! You can purchase accessories to enhance your child's play experience, but playing the games is NOT dependent on it. The horse never dies or runs away, the child can forget about it for an extended period of time, then go back and play again without having lost anything. The messages are all positive, there is no snarky teen attitude and the horses themselves are beautiful and very appealing.  The seasons change and new things become available all the time to keep Maggie's interest, all without any need to purchase anything.  We also receive FREE codes in the e-mail newsletter.

You can go to the Bella Sara website to see all they have to offer and sign up for the FREE online games.

Check out the Bella Sara Online Store.  Right now they are having their Spring sale, plus I have a coupon code to share that will get you an additional 10% off.  Be sure to take a look at their pre-made Easter baskets, I was impressed with the prices and how much STUFF is included.

Promotion Code: SUNFLWRS

Savings: 10% off any purchase  Expires 3.31.10

Bella Sara Trading Cards are also available for purchase at Target for about $2.99 per pack.  Each pack includes trading cards, stickers and feature codes.


Do you know a little girl who would like these? One lucky winner will receive a Bella Sara Sunflowers card pack and a velvety mini.

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me who you would give the prize to.

Extra Entries:
Go to the Bella Sara store and come back to leave a comment about what other items you like besides the trading cards
Follow my blog publicly and leave a comment
Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment with your twitter id
Tweet about this giveaway once a day for an extra entry and leave a comment



I will pick a winner on March 31st using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hrs to get their shipping info to me or I will have to pick a new winner. If your e-mail isn't in your profile, be sure to put it in all your comments so I can contact you if you win.

Be the Match--Do Something BIG

Last year, my son Mason & I signed up to be bone marrow donors.  We don't personally know anyone who needs a bone marrow transplant, but we both agreed that it sounded like an awesome way to be able to help someone.

I receive periodic e-mails from Be the Match and was sent this video.  Check it out & consider joining the registry.

Music Monday--The Voyage

Potty Training update

Melanie will be 3 in May.  She has been dry at night most nights for over a year.  We've worked off and on toward getting out of diapers, but until recently she just wasn't ready.

About 3 weeks ago she asked for panties, so I bought her some.  Since then she has mastered pooping in the toilet.  Most days she wets her pants at least once, but overall she is doing really well.  She didn't have any accidents while we were on vacation and she has even overcome her fear of using a toilet without her little potty seat.  She does GREAT when we are out.  Our final hurdle is to get her to remember to get to the bathroom soon enough to avoid wet pants.

A Thousand Word Thursday...Our Mini Vacation to Wilderness at the Smokies

We spent Wednesday thru Friday at Wilderness at the Smokies last week. We had reserved a multi-room suite with a King size bed in a hotel that is across the street from the one where the waterpark is actually located.  When we went to check in we found out that they were upgrading us to the main hotel, but we would have a Queen size bed.  I was reluctant, but since the upgrade room also included a full kitchen we decided to take it.  As soon as we got to the room, the kids got into their swimsuits & we headed down to check out the waterpark.

Marissa & Melanie were thrilled to lay down in the shallow water & pretend to be mermaids.

Next they checked out the little kids slides....

Morgan hung out with them for a few minutes, checking out all the features of this section, then was eager to try the BIG slides.

Maggie stood under the 750 gallon bucket to get wet for the first time, then she went off with Morgan to the BIG tubes & slides

I didn't buy a waterproof camera so these are all the pictures I took in the water.  It was very damp & misty in the pool areas, I was afraid I would damage my camera.

That night we ate at the Thirsty Miner Restaurant.  It is located in the hotel, right next to the waterpark.  Wednesday, they didn't have their buffet, so we received one free kids meal for each adult meal purchased from the menu.  Two adult meals, one kids meal (plus 2 free kids meals) and 6 drinks ended up costing $45.....a bit expensive but the portions were large and the convenience of not having to leave the hotel was worth it.  I took these pictures from the window of the restaurant....

This is the wave pool on the left and the toddler area on the right

Across from the wave pool was the surf rider and the kids slides.  Marissa got to try out wake boarding on Wednesday night.  Technically she was a little too short, but she absolutely LOVED it.  I wish I had been able to get a picture.  Morgan and Maggie both tried wakeboarding and surfing.  It took until Friday before they could stand on the board for more than a second or two.

I didn't get any pictures of the BIG slides or of the indoor/outdoor hot tub.  Hubby and I spent a lot of time in the hottub.....it was HUGE. 

Thursday morning we woke up to THIS

We watched it from the window, then got in our swimsuits and went back to the waterpark for the day.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday....Melanie's First Haircut

Melanie is almost 3 and had her very first haircut last week. Her bangs had gotten way too long.

Marissa also got a trim

Maggie is letting her bangs grow out, she got a trim too.

Org Junkie's 28 Day Organizing Challenge...my wrap up

I've had a lot of fun working on my master bedroom, unfortunately I haven't finished it yet.  It has turned into a REALLY big project.  I never showed my before pictures, mainly because when I went to take them I realized my room was such a disaster I really didn't want to post pictures of it.

So, what I have I gotten done?  Well, I moved my king size bed (with the help of Morgan & Maggie) from one side of my room to the other.  We cleaned up all the accumulated JUNK from under my bed and vaccumed the carpet very thoroughly.  Next we moved the toddler bed, the coffee table, the dresser & the couch to the side where my bed had been & I moved the bookcases.



Yesterday, I built a set of bunkbeds for Marissa & Melanie....it started out as a box of wood & screws....

A few hours later, it looked like this!!!

I still have more organizing to do.  I have curtains to put on a window that currently on has blinds.  I need to purchase underbed storage containers, both to store stuff & to  take up the space so that JUNK doesn't accumulate under there.  I need to put the toddler bed out in the garage now that Marissa & Melanie have their new bunkbeds.  When all that is finally DONE, I need to start sorting through all our clothes that never get worn & figure out what I really need to keep and what can be donated to Goodwill.

Music Monday....Here Comes the SUN

It's March!!! Hopefully that means that Spring is just around the corner.