Living And Lifestyles | 3 Boys And A Dog

Baby Shower Ideas for Boys

May 23, 2013 by Kelli Miller 2 Comments

It’s a Boy! If you are planning a baby shower for someone who is having a boy, there are many different themes that you can use. Always keep in mind the hobbies and passions of the mother when coming up with a theme. For example, maybe if the mother has a passion for reading, you ask all of the guests to bring a new book for the baby in lieu of a card.

It is always nice to tie in the theme of a baby shower to the theme of the nursery. That way some of the decorations used can possibly be taken home and used in the nursery. If an animal theme, stuffed animals placed on the tables can easily be incorporated into the nursery decor. If airplane themed nursery, some over-sized airplane decals will look great on the nursery walls.

Mustaches are HUGE these days. Host a "little man" shower filled with chocolate mustaches and bow tie garland.

The baby blue robin’s egg is a popular theme for a baby shower for a boy. Some of the decorations can be little nests. Other baby animals are popular for baby showers, such as baby ducks, which could be made into a bath-time themed party. Find some cute Rubber Ducky Centerpieces that are easy to make.

Lions and tigers and bears – oh my! If you like the animal theme, how about a jungle theme? Great idea for the boys. Some of the decorations can be little stuffed animals of monkeys, elephants, zebras and more, that the mother to be can take home and add to the nursery.

A nautical themed shower is a popular one for a boy. Decorate with lots of sailing and anchors. You can serve doughnuts as life preservers among your other party food.

One fun way to decide the theme of a baby shower is if you already know the name of the baby. If Jonah, you can have a whale theme. If the boy’s name will be Noah, Noah’s Ark is always such a cute theme. A great idea for a baby shower even when the baby’s name is not Noah.

Sports themed showers are popular for boys. Especially if it is a shower in which the men are invited or are planning a party close to a large sports event like the super bowl. A baseball themed party can include decorations like foam fingers and banners. The cake can be in the shape of a ball diamond and you can serve hot dogs, peanuts and cracker jacks for fun foods. Also, golf themed baby showers can be lots of fun, especially if the mother or father loves the game. Have white cake balls instead of a cake. Planters will with grass make easy, cute centerpieces.

So if you are in charge of a baby shower in the near future for a boy, take your time and pick out the right theme. And you can use this Baby Shower Planning Guide to help you through the process. And check out these 10 tips to host a baby shower on a budget.

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Filed Under: Crafts and Hobbies, Parenting Tagged With: baby shower ideas for boys, baby shower tips, boy baby shower

Giveaway: Doc McStuffins: Time For Your Check Up

May 15, 2013 by JacquiO 32 Comments

What’s the one thing you remembered when you were little? Was it playing with a certain toy? Or was it having fun and using your imagination? What do you do with that big box? That’s the number one thing that I loved about Doc McStuffins; it encourages imagination!

About Doc McStuffins Time For Checkup:

“It tells the story of a nurturing six-year-old girl who heals stuffed animals and broken toys out of her backyard playhouse clinic. Assisting Doc at the clinic are her trusty team of lovable stuffed animals including: Stuffy, an overly proud dragon; Lambie, her cuddly best friend lamb; Hallie, a jolly and caring hippo nurse; and Chilly, a snowman who spends a lot of time getting check-ups at the clinic. Whether it’s a case of loose stitching, low batteries or a blow-up toy who has sprung a leak, Doc and her pals are always there to lend a helping hand, while imparting to young viewers the importance of taking care of oneself and others.”

Episodes:

1 – Gulpy, Gulpy Gators! / One Note Wonder

2 – Tea Party Tantrum / Blast Off!

3 – Arcade Escapade / Starry, Starry Night

4 – Bronto Boo-Boos / Brontosaurus Breath

5 – Doctoring The Doc / Hot Pursuit

My Thoughts:

My kids(especially the girls) were on cloud 9 getting the Doc McStuffins package. Not only did it contain the DVD but also a party pack! The party pack included a lot of fun activities for them to do to go along with their favorite show Doc McStuffins! I had a lot of house work today to get prepared for the weekend. So I thought it was a perfect time for me to pop out the DVD. Both my 21 month old and 4 year were glued to the couch the whole time! Not a peep was made from them. I would have to say my daughter’s favorite episode was the Tea Party Tantrum/Blast off!. She just kept asking me, “Mommy can we do a tea party!” My youngest loved Star Blazer Zero! She kept saying blast off over and over again! As I mom I loved the secret meanings behind this DVD! It teaches them about friendships and healthy habits, but in a way that it’s fun for them!

After the movie was over and my chores were done I broke out the activity kit!! Boy was Zoey pretty excited!! The kit came with several coloring sheets, things to build a play house, Stuffy the dragon, two telescopes, blanket, glow in the dark stars, and some activity work sheets. Zoey’s favorite part was the color sheets and building a play house. Carly’s was Stuffy. She kept pointing at Stuffy then pointing to the t.v. I think she was a little confused how he got in his hands!! If nothing else, it leaves her some room to use her imagination!

One lucky 3 Boys and a Dog reader will win their very own Doc McStuffins Time For Your Check Up DVD!

REQUIRED: Visit the Disney Junior, look around, then come back and tell me something you liked, learned, or want!

BONUS #1: Follow @Disney and @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to click the tweet button above. You may tweet once daily

BONUS #2: Like Disney and 3 Boys and a Dog on FaceBook then share this post by clicking the FaceBook share button at the bottom of this post.

BONUS #3: Follow me on Pinterest and pin this giveaway using the big picture above. Put your pin link in the comments.

Other bonus entries:

#1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)
#2. Sign up for my NEW Weekly Newsletter.
#3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.
#4. Put my button on your blog.
#5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.
#6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on May 25th

OPEN TO: USA and Canada

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Doc McStuffins: Time for Your Check Up! on DVD in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Just for Kids, Movies, BluRay, DVD, Review and Giveaways Tagged With: Children, dvd, giveaway, review

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Opens June 21st

May 15, 2013 by Kelli Miller 5 Comments

My family and I are headed to Orlando again this summer and we are super excited! Keep your eyes on the travel blog for more information, excusive theme park coverage, and fun pictures!

Leading up to our trip, we have been soaking up everything we can and from what I have read, it looks like we will be able to Attend Monster University at Disney World this summer!! Yeah, we are just a bit excited… wouldn’t you be?

At MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, it takes a lot to fuel a day of scaring and nothing scares up successful days more than a breakfast with milk. A glass of milk – with 8 grams of high-quality protein in each 8 oz serving – can help power your monster days!

Connect with the Milk Mustache community for tips, tools and activities including tasty morning recipes for all the little “monsters” in your family.

· Facebook: /MilkMustache
· Twitter: @MilkMustache
· Instagram: @MilkMustache
· Pinterest: /MyMilkMustache
· Website: TheBreakfastProject.com.

Mike Wazowski’s (voice of Billy Crystal) lifelong dreams of becoming a Scarer are derailed during his first semester at Monsters University when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), and their out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program.

“Like” MONSTERS UNIVERSITY on Facebook: http://facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity
"Follow" Disney/Pixar on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyPixar
Visit the website: http://www.Disney.com/MonstersU

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY releases in theaters on June 21st!

Be sure to check out the deals site for some fun Monsters University printable activities!

There are also some Monsters, Inc printable activities over there!

DISCLAIMER – All information and videos or pictures provided by Disney. I received no compensation!*

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Filed Under: Movies, BluRay, DVD Tagged With: Disney World, Monsters University

GIVEAWAY: Portable DVD Player, 50 Movies, and Popcorn! (Value $700)

May 1, 2013 by Kelli Miller 1 Comment

Creating time for you and your family to enjoy life together is one of the most important things you can accomplish. And nothing helps you do this more than watching a great Movie together. Sharing a bucket of popcorn and candy or snacking on some veggies and dip help make the moment more special to all. Thanks to some great sponsors, this prize package will help you kick back from life’s everyday challenges and tasks.

Watch a terrific Family or Children’s Movie on DVD in the relaxation of your own home or for your Children to view on a portable DVD player while traveling in your car.

Though I can’t win this since I am participating, this would be AMAZING for our trip to Disney this Summer! It is a 9.5 hour drive with 4 kids and two dogs… yes, seriously! We do not have a portable DVD player and I am thinking Audiovox is a company I should be reaching out to

Brought to you by:

Holiday Contest and Sweeps Blog

Along With These Amazing Blogs

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Crystal and Company

One Person will Win a Prize Package (Valued at $700.00) Consisting of:

Audiovox 9" Swivel Screen Portable
DVD Player along with 50 New Family
and Children DVD Movies!
The Popcorn Factory Assorted Snack Tin

UP and Madea’s Big Happy Family along with Color Crew are part of this HUGE 47 DVD Family and Children’s Package

This DVD Collection includes 47 NEW DVD’s that will entertain your entire family from 3 months old to 99 years. With Movies like "The Hunger Games" "Madea’s Family Reunion" along with a 13 DVD Set of "Grounded for Life" Television Series. Your Toddler can learn Art, Colors, Music and much more.

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Along with a Audiovox 9" Swivel Base Portable DVD Player

Watch your favorite movies on the go with the Audiovox 9" Swivel Portable DVD Player with Mount Kit! The 9" TFT display rotates 270 degrees for comfortable viewing anywhere. The Internal rechargeable battery allows you to enjoy two full hours of playback time. Plus this portable DVD has a 16:9 aspect ratio so you have a full screen viewing experience.

Of course, you can’t watch a good movie without Popcorn,

So the kind people at The Popcorn Factory have also co-sponsored this giveaway and contributed their Munchies Snack Assortment Tin.

Visit the Popcorn Factories website to order their amazing popcorn and assorted snacks.

Tin of Popcorn & Munchies

Munchies Popcorn Tins come filled with your choice of either our Double Cheese Popcorn or our popular 3-flavor Combo (Butter, Cheese, and Caramel).

Snack Assortment Tin comes filled with four flavors of our premium Gourmet Popcorn (Cheese, White Cheddar, S’mores, and Jalapeño), Mini Pretzels, Soft-baked Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Honey Roast Peanuts, Gummy Bears, Foil-wrapped Sour Hard Candies, and Red Licorice Twists.

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Audiovox Products

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Mill Creek Entertainment

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The company has redefined the DVD value marketplace with instant genre libraries featuring anywhere from 10 to 250 movies, or 20 to 300 television episodes. Visit their website today to check out their amazing selection and great prices here Visit Mill Creek Home Entertainment

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Lionsgate is the leading independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. It’s prestigious and prolific library of nearly 12,000 motion pictures titles and television episodes is a stable source of recurring revenue and is a foundation for the growth of the Company’s core business. The Lionsgate name brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in market places around the globe. Visit their website to view a assortment of great movies Visit Lionsgate Home Entertainment

The Popcorn Factory

For more than 30 years, The Popcorn Factory has been the "popcorn authority" with our impressive collection of crowd-pleasing gifts and great-tasting snacks. We start with the finest corn grown right here in the USA and transform each kernel into premium popcorn using 100% corn oil and infusions of the very tastiest flavors. The Popcorn Factory pops over 1 million pounds of popcorn per year, and all of our popcorn is Kosher OU-D. VISIT THE POPCORN FACTORY

Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo based Sony Corporation. SPE’s Global operations encompass motion picture productions, acquisition, television production, and distribution; television networks and digital content. Sony Pictures

This giveaway is valid in the Continental United States Only! Entrants must be 18+ years old to enter. This giveaway will end on 6-1-2013 at 12:00 am

Holiday Contest and Sweeps did not receive any compensation for conducting this giveaway. Audiovox and The Popcorn Factory will be responsible for awarding and shipping their items direct to the winner. Holiday Contest and Sweeps will be responsible for the awarding and shipping of the DVD Package to the winner. Once a winner is determined through rafflecopter and verified they will be notified via the email they provided when entering. They will be given 48 hours to reply, if no reply is received in that time frame another winner will be selected.

This giveaway is in no way associated, endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with Facebook.

Best of Luck Everyone!

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Filed Under: Giveaways, Movies, BluRay, DVD Tagged With: dvd, Movie, popcorn, portable dvd, spring fling, summer rains, Vacation

GIVEAWAY: OraMD The Mouth Doctor

April 25, 2013 by Tabitha

Did you know that April is National Oral Health Care month? Well it is! So it seems only fitting that I would be reviewing OraMD, an all-natural liquid toothpaste, mouth rinse and breath freshener in one tiny little bottle.

Poor oral health can affect a person’s quality of life. Oral pain, missing teeth or oral infections can influence the way a person speaks, eats and socializes. These oral health problems can reduce a person’s quality of life by affecting their physical, mental and social well-being.
- from the Canadian Dental Association

I have always brushed my teeth at least once a day (yes I know I should be doing it more) and sometimes more depending on the circumstances of each day. I try to floss regularly and now (read, the last year or so) I have been able to finally get to a dentist. I knew my first visit was going to be bad, I figured my teeth were a wreck, but I was pleasantly surprised that after 10+ years of not being able to afford to go to a dentist, I only had six cavities. And only one of those was really bad. I’d say that’s not too bad, considering I was 33 when I found that out. Since then my families oral care has become top priority. I already only buy all natural, fluoride free toothpaste for the kids and I’m a bit OCD when the kids brush their teeth, making sure they do a really good job.

OraMD® is all natural, 100% pure, essential oils of almond, spearmint and peppermint. There are hundreds of varieties of these oils from all over the world and they all have different properties. This scientific formulation is designed to eliminate bacteria and pathogens that are the cause of gum disease, gingivitis, bleeding gums, canker sores, and bad breath. This is a truly great product!

When my full size sample bottle of OraMD arrived I was very excited to start using it. It warns that it may be very strong at first but not to worry you’ll get used to it after a while. For my first use I used 3 drops, and boy oh boy, is it strong! But I noticed a difference right away! My teeth just felt cleaner and my mouth felt fresher. I’ve been using it now for about two weeks and I love it! I haven’t specifically noticed a difference in my breath quality, but for sure I have noticed a difference in how clean my teeth get overall. And bonus, I am now brushing twice a day and flossing nightly. So if nothing else OraMD has gotten me into a better oral care routine and I couldn’t be happier about that!

Some features and benefits of OraMD are:

OraMD is a 100% pure liquid toothpaste, mouthwash and breath freshener
Contains only all-natural 100% pure ingredients – oils of peppermint, spearmint and almond
Combining the 1) bacteria fighting properties of OraMD’s ingredients, 2) the OraMD 4 Step Oral Hygiene Program, and 3) the information in Dr. Tom McGuire’s book, Healthy Teeth Healthy Body, gives you the best knockout punch to fight oral care issues such as:
- Gum disease
- Swollen Gums
- Bad Breath
- Receding gums
- Gingivitis
- Bleeding gums
- Periodontis
- Dry Mouth
- Plaque and Tartar buildup
- Cavaties
- Gum infection
- Decay
- And other oral car issues

Ingredients help create and maintain a clean and healthy environment in your mouth (gum conditions have been linked to numerous other conditions)
Has interdental access, so it gets in between your teeth and those hard-to-clean areas
Leaves a fresh and clean feeling unlike anything you’ve ever experienced
Ingredients polish teeth and make them feel as smooth as glass
Safe and effective for everyone ages 3 and up
May taste a little stout the first 3-7 uses
Safe for braces, veneers, bonds, crowns, fillings and dentures
Also available in Extra Strength, a more advanced formula

Each bottle contains approximately 400 drops, which means the bottle should last you one month(4 weeks), if you follow the 4 step oral hygiene program. OraMD will not whiten your teeth and it is safe and recommended for children 3 and up with no allergies to peppermint, spearmint and nuts. (Start with one drop diluted with 5 drops of water) Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and don’t swallow it.

The 4 Step program:

Brush twice a day in the morning and evenin using 2-5 drops of OraMD on a toothbrush and brush normally.

Floss every evening before brushing – more frequently as needed.
Get any food particles out from between teeth.

Use OraMD as mouthwash twice a day: morning and evening. Just put 2-5 drops into an ounce of water, swish and gargle. This is important to kill the bacteria in the entire mouth including the back of the tongue.

Mid-morning, mid-afternoon and as needed: put 2-5 drops on the tip of the tongue to coat the gum line and teeth to kill bacteria and keep breath fresh.

I can talk about how good this product is until I am blue in the face but you really have to give it a try yourself. OraMD offers a 100% money back guarantee so really what do you have to lose?

A one month supply is $22.97, but they also have bundle deals where it works out to $14.14 per bottle! Plus, the manufacturer is willing to offer my readers one FREE bottle. They said they would love to have our readers try out OraMD and agreed to send one bottle FREE if our readers would pay a minimal shipping and handling charge. They also agreed to include 2 eye-opening reports called 1) “The 6 Hidden Dangers In Toothpaste” and 2) “Why The FDA Requires A Warning Label On Your Toothpaste.” That’s a total value of over $40.00. Click here to get your FREE bottle and FREE reports now.

Three lucky 3 Boys and A Dog readers are going to win a bottle of OraMD! (ARV $23)

REQUIRED COMMENT: Go to OraMD and tell me something else you learned or liked.

BONUS #1: Follow @OraMD and @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY.

BONUS #2: Like OraMD, Trusted Health Products and 3 Boys and a Dog on FaceBook then share this post by clicking the FaceBook share button at the bottom of this post.

Other bonus entries:

#1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)
#2. Sign up for my NEW Weekly Newsletter.
#3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.
#4. Put my button on your blog.
#5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.
#6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight EST on May 9th, 2013

OPEN TO: USA and Canada

*DISCLAIMER: I was sent the above reviewed item by OraMD to help facilitate my review. Any opinions stated are strictly my own.*