Posts Tagged ‘travel’

Apple & Bee {GIVEAWAY}

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Our Summer has been go go go!  Today seems to be our only day to sit home and hope it rains so I don’t feel guilty for keeping the kids inside.  From the pool to the parks to play dates to running errands, it’s never ending and the days are way too short!  All that means is this mama is one very unorganized lady!  And not just when it comes to cleaning the house {or myself for that matter…who needs a shower when I’m in the pool everyday!}…my numerous bags are so filled to the brim with receipts and snacks and sunscreen I’m scared to see what has fallen to the bottom of them all!  My one and only staple bag right now is my “bag inside the bag”, my Apple & Bee bowling bag that gets tossed in the pool bag or in the car or in my extra large tote for days where hours are spent away from home!  Without this bag {which contains my necessities including deodorant, a hair brush, hair tie, sunscreen for me, gum, feminine products, and so much more} I would feel so alone in the world of swim diapers, goggles, Happy Meals, and sandy shovels!

A cosmetic bag to truly adore!  No need to carry another purse with me when I’m already carrying everything under the sun for my kids {they seem to need so much more during the Summer days than they do during the Winter…bottled water, swim clothes for water sports on demand, not much room for what mom needs to survive in the heat!}  Now I simply throw my Apple & Bee toiletry bag in the pool bag and I’m good for days!  I’ve actually never had a toiletry bag before, I have some variations but nothing as gorgeous as this bag or as easy to stock and carry-along!

Bags for you and the kids, a one stop shop for school bags or overnight bags, clutches like the above for nights out {Made from organic cotton and lined with the softest bamboo silk BTW, super chic} or eco-friendly shopping bags {and so much more including baby accessories!}.  All made from unique designs and high quality materials, my bowling bag is sure to last me as long as I need it {all my life}!

{For Back To School, the messenger style bags are all the rage…the above from Apple & Bee would make any pre-k or k child thrilled and excited to attend their first day!}

FOR US SHOPPERS, shop here!!

GIVEAWAY:  A bowling bag for one of you fabulous gals!  Let me know which one you would love!  Contest ends in one week, good luck to all!

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NEW GIVEAWAY RULES – Please note that we will only accept a maximum of 3 entries per person, as outlined below.

To be eligible to win, you must:
1) Comment from above
Extra Entries {please leave a comment for each one}:
2) Follow Apple & Bee on Twitter

Although the following are not part of the entry rules, we would love it if you did the following {but PLEASE do not leave a comment for these and see top of page for links}:
A) Subscribe to BabyElan {daily}
B) Become our Fan on Facebook {check out the new BabyElan {SHOP}Facebook page}
C) Follow us on Twitter

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CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER, BROOKE!

Neat Solutions {AAB sponsor}

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

So many clever little products, all under one roof! Neat Solutions for children offers mealtime sanity products for travel and home, for messy babies and toddlers. Their most recent partnership is with Pampers and their disposable bib, which we’re proud to say is another one of the fabulous products resting in our All About Baby Charlotte goodie bags {event is only days away, our excitement is reaching an all time high!}

As you browse the aisles of Target and Babies R Us, you’ve seen the products enclosed in this post and I’m sure you’ve purchased a few for yourself or for quick gifts! For those of you that have not seen the “topper” products {table, potty, and floor}, or the neat-ware, or disposable bibs or changing table covers…here’s a few demonstrations you’re sure to enjoy!

Planning on venturing out of the house anytime soon with the kiddos, hopefully you have one or more of the Neat Solutions products in your diaper bag!  Potty training, check out the potty topper, a must have for the little ones that continuously have to touch every potty OR are germ freaks like we are!  Neat Solutions makes life using disposable products so much easier at fabulous, affordable prices!  Thanks again to their team for the Pampers Disposable Bibs, an amazing addition to our fantastic goodie bags!

MD Moms {AAB Sponsor}

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Our All About Baby event here in Charlotte, NC is less than 2 weeks away so that means you’ll be seeing a lot of our sponsors over the next week or so as we thank them for their generous donations and introduce them to you one at a time.  MD Moms is one of the fab sponsors who’s donations included travel size products for our goodie bags AND a gift set to giveaway to one lucky attendee.  For those of you not familiar with MD Moms, take a look!

When a pediatrician develops a product for you and your children, you’re all ears right?!  They are certified, talented, and licensed in what they do so the recommendations they give to us as parents are always taken seriously.  MD Moms line of baby silk personal care products were developed by TWO certified pediatricians…that makes this collection DOUBLE the worth!  Please take a moment to scroll through and learn about each individual ingredient that goes into this line of hypoallergenic, gentle, effective and great-smelling skin care products.  From Aloe to Vitamin B5, Avocado to Chamomile, all the ingredients put forth in every bottle or wipe is pure and high quality, everything you could ask for when using something on your child’s skin.  No wonder the collection is called “baby silk”!

Whether you are looking for an all around body wash or sun protection or perhaps a silky powder {which my little Aidan LOVES, he’s a little powder boy and enjoys his bum being splashed with powder at least twice a day} or better yet, how about a soother for cradle cap!  MD Moms has the most gentle bath and body products for your precious babes.  Trust in them {no animal testing, Made in the USA, chemical free, and of course “pediatrician recommended!”}  Thanks again MD Moms for your contributions to All About Baby Charlotte!

2010 BabyPlanet Strollers {GIVEAWAY @ AAB}

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Our Grand Prize giveaway item at our July 18th All About Baby event here in Charlotte, NC is none other than a brand new BabyPlanet Sahara timi & leslie stroller!  It’s gorgeous, it’s compact, it’s going to be the talk of the town!  Before our event {BTW, we started a Facebook page for AAB too, check out all our amazing sponsors} and for those of you not local to us, we wanted to introduce you to all the new designs from the 2010 BabyPlanet Stroller collection; there’s 7 and they are all stunning!

Above is the Sahara timi & leslie I mentioned that we’re giving away on July 18th right in the Belly Elan shop for AAB.  I had the ultimate pleasure of receiving this giveaway item at my house to look over and put together for our winner.  Yes, I actually said that putting this stroller together was a “pleasure”.  I’ve had, I don’t know how many strollers over my 9 years of parenting and it’s always been pure torture putting plenty of them together.  This BabyPlanet stroller went together in minutes, the boys even helped, and it’s so easy to open and close…and of course looks so darn stylish and fresh!  Two fav features that stand out, for how compact the stroller is {which is NOT a bad thing, compact is good…bulky is bad}, the storage space underneath is awesome and LARGE.  AND, the beautiful stroller liner is reversible, that’s both unique and ever so convenient since kids are messy and have a fun habit of destroying stroller liners with stains and gum and leaky diapers and lollipops.  And sometimes, mommy or daddy just need a style change…simple flip the liner over and it’s like you have a whole new stroller!

There are 4 timi & leslie inspired BabyPlanet strollers including the Felicity above.  From the BabyPlanet website, here’s some brilliant features:

PVC-FREE Rain Cover
Reversible, washable seat pad
Lightweight aluminum frame
Ultra-Compact fold
Comfort-Padded 90% reclining seat
5 point harness with comfort covers
Peek-A-Boo canopy window
Adjustable leg support
Angled Ergo-Grip handles
7″ All Terrain wheels
Front wheel swivel locks
Auto fold lock
Oversized storage basket
1 month and up
Children up to 50lbs; 60lbs max weight
Recycling Program

The other new collection from BabyPlanet is the Endangered Species line like the Monarch Butterfly below {3 total in this line}.   “At Baby Planet we take our role of preserving and protecting the planet for future generations very seriously.  Although there are so many avenues through which conservation efforts can be championed, we have chosen to do our part through raising awareness of animals in peril around the world. With this in mind, we have developed the newest line of our signature Endangered Species strollers to focus on and draw attention to the plight of three animals which are threatened by extinction. Unfortunately, Monarch Butterflies are suffering the consequences of the destruction of their roosting grounds by logging operation, and the chemical destruction of the milkweed plant on which the female lays her eggs.” BabyPlanet makes an annual contribution to organizations fighting to preserve and protect endangered animals.  Feel good about your purchase with them.

In the market for a stylish stroller, look no further!  Want to check out the BabyPlanet Sahara, if you are in the Charlotte area, check out the details for All About Baby on July 18th and come for your chance to win!  Our thanks again goes out to the BabyPlanet team!

Sandy Feet Casting Kit {GIVEAWAY}

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

“Hittin’ The Beach” anytime soon?  Did you pay attention to the “Sandy Feet” picture we had listed in our new Weekly Picks Montage last week for those of you heading off to the beaches all Summer?  If you are looking for a keepsake activity to do with the little ones on your next sandy vacation, this bucket of fun is for you!!  The finished product is a treasured cast of your child’s foot to hang in their room, on the Christmas Tree, or give as a gift to their grandparents, Godparents, or place in their hope chest for presentation to the child as they graduate high school {that’s what we are doing with most keepsakes and pictures for our children, sending them off to college with a hope chest filled with their childhood memories!}  Turn an ordinary day at the beach into a memory to last your whole family a lifetime!

If you are having a Summer “Beach” themed birthday party for your little ones, think of getting the Sandy Feet Casting Kit as your party favors!  The buckets come in an array of colors and would truly turn any party {actually, beach or not} into a hit!  Parents will be talking about these casting kits wherever they go!

You know how much fun playing in the sand and swimming in the waves is for you and your family, capture the moment in a unique way outside of pictures and video!  There’s only so many bags of sea shells you can take home with you, and if you are a little foot lover like I am {in a good way, not a sick way of course…I LOVE to take pics of little feet in the sand, it’s such a precious image} this is the perfect activity to be had under the warm sun!  And it’s super simple, older children can do it themselves!  Each bucket makes 2 small foot casts; you step, mix, pour…simply as that!  Choose to write their name or the date or whatever you like on the cast as well and create a hole for string so you have a hanging keepsake…like I said before, this would be a brilliant ornament addition to your family Christmas Tree!  Do one each Summer and watch your children grow!  Check out the simple video here {a child and a parent working together as a team, bonding and making memories, that’s what vacation is all about!!}

Find a retailer near you or at one of your favorite online shops and make sure to pack this bucket right along with your beach toys and water goggles!  OR, we have a red bucket Sandy Feet Casting Kit to GIVEAWAY to one lucky winner!!!  It could be you!!  Head on over to the Spots and Ladybugs website and let us know what is the other clever product they offer and you’ll be entered to win your own casting kit for your upcoming trip to the lake or ocean!  Contest is open to US residents only and ends in one week, good luck to all!!

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NEW GIVEAWAY RULES – Please note that we will only accept a maximum of 3 entries per person, as outlined below.

To be eligible to win, you must:
1) Comment from above

Extra Entries {please leave a comment for each one}:
2) “Like” Sandy Feet Casting Kit on Facebook

3)  Follow them on Twitter

Although the following are not part of the entry rules, we would love it if you did the following {but PLEASE do not leave a comment for these and see top of page for links}:
A) Subscribe to BabyElan {daily}
B) Become our Fan on Facebook
C) Follow us on Twitter

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