Sunday, October 17, 2010

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

Last October, Lydia was just a month old. I was so excited to take her to different Halloween events, but but obviously it was a lot more for me than for her. This year, however, she loved visiting the pumpkin patch at Bedner's Farm Fresh Market. Check out two of our cutest pictures. Did I mention that I recently purchased Photoshop?? :-)


Next weekend, we are going to a fall festival and maybe the Flamingo Road Nursery. Lots of fun fall/Halloween activities to come!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Yellow Green Farmer's Market

Living in South Florida, I am often disappointed by our lack of alternative shopping options. When you visit more metropolitan areas, there are produce stores and delis, real bakeries with fresh breads and specialty cheese stores. Most people here shop at Publix. Our only real options are still corporate - Whole Foods and Fresh Market.  But then I heard about the Yellow Green Farmer's Market. I figured it would be two small stands with a few heads of lettuce and some homemade granola. Was I wrong!! 



Yellow Farmer's Market in Hollywood, FL is the closest thing I have seen to the famous farmer's market in Seattle (I visited that 2 years ago and it was pretty amazing). Some of the items we purchased included good olive oil from Spain, whole grain ciabatta bread, Amish jalapeno cheese, burrata cheese, raw wildflower honey, garlic and chive pasta, and a whole snapper.  I used the burrata cheese and ciabatta bread to make an awesome panzanella salad. Delicious! So many of the food vendors had samples, so you can try all of their products before purchasing. There were also eco-friendly vendors like Dirty Peaches Clothing Co., boutique items for babies, fresh produce, landscapers, smoothies, spices/teas, and so much more! Oh, and live music, too.


We probably walked around for about two hours, looking, tasting, and learning. If you live in South Florida, I highly recommend visiting the Yellow Green Farmers Market. They are open Saturdays, Sundays, and Thursday evenings.


Flings Bins Review

As my readers should already know, I am co-director of Abi's Place, a nonprofit organization in South Florida for children with severe disabilities. September 25th, we hosted a Go Green Event, uniting eco-friendly vendors and nonprofits in a family-friendly, fun-filled day. It was a great event at a big county park, with so many generous donations from businesses and members of the community.


One of the best donations we received was from Flings. They sent us two cases of Flings Recycle bins. I had never used their products before, but after seeing a review on another blog, I decided to contact them. I was so excited to show off this product at our event. So many people asked where I got them because they were so cool! Basically, it's a sturdy printed plastic bag with cardboard structures to make them stand. Vendors/customers placed recyclables inside the bins which were located throughout the event pavilion. At the end of the event, we were able to condense them all and place them in a larger bin for recycling - because the entire bin is recyclable. These would be great for picnics, birthday parties, indoor events, etc. Convenient and earth-friendly!

At the end of the day, we raised over $1600 for children with disabilities. We hope to make this an annual event. Thank you, Flings, for helping to make this event a great one!

Three out of three babies agree - this was a great event!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Auctions to Benefit Abi's Place

Brooklyn's Bowtique on Facebook is hosting an awesome auction to benefit the children of Abi's Place. Up for grabs are some really great items donated by mommy businesses: hair bows, leg warmers, hats, flowers, headbands, tag blankets, an awesome monkey toy, and so much more! Please check out these auctions and place some bids. Children with disabilities will receive generous donations, smaller businesses will be supported, and most of all - You'll get some GREAT new items for your little one!! WIN-WIN-WIN.

Just "like" Brooklyn's Bowtique and check out the photo album entitled "Abi's Place Auctions." Look at the minimum bid -- and start placing your bids!

If you want to learn more about Abi's Place, visit our newly-renovated website.

Thanks so much for your support!

Nifty Knees Review and Giveaway ends 10/15

Nifty Knees contacted me to do a review and giveaway, and I quickly responded! With Fall approaching, I love to find cute new fashions for my little one to stay warm (we have a few cool days in Florida). We were sent one pair of leg warmers in bright pink and a cute floral print drool bandana. The leg warmers look great with a onesie for younger babies or with a cute dress or shorts for toddlers. The drool bandana would be perfect for a baby who is beginning to eat solids.

Nifty Knees has some great leg warmers in seasonal colors/patterns on sale for just $6. These would be awesome as part of a Halloween costume! They also carry mini leg warmers for newborns and infants, drool bandanas, custom tees, and fleece hats.

Lydia is beginning to take her first steps - Nifty Knees leg warmers are a great way to keep your baby's legs a little bit safer while he/she is learning to crawl or walk.

Funny story - The day our Nifty Knees leg warmers arrived in the mail I attended an 80s theme bachelorette party. Even mommies can wear these leg warmers as 80s accessories on their wrists or ankles!!

BUY IT! Visit Nifty Knees and use the promotional code hmreview to receive a  15% discount off your purchase. Offer is valid until December 1, 2010.

WIN IT! Win a $25 gift certificate to use online for any Nifty Knees items, including leg warmers, drool bandanas, custom tees, or fleece hats.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Nifty Knees and tell me what items you'd love to have for your little one!

For additional entries, you can do any of the following (one entry each):
1. Become a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect.
2. Like Nifty Knees on Facebook.
3. Follow Nifty Knees on Twitter.
4. Like Abi's Place (the non-profit organization where I work) on Facebook.
5. Follow my sister blog Moms on a Mission.

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to contact you. This giveaway ends on 10/15 at 11:59 pm EST. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck!

*I received this product for free, and I was not compensated for writing this review.
 
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