The Flightless Goose Book {Review} and a Thank You for the Donation!

The Flightless Goose by Eric D. Goodman is such a perfect tale for every parent to read their children.  It is a simple story but with lots of heart.  Gilbert, the goose, suffered a terrible accident (he was hit by a car) and was unable to fly South for the winter.  Because he was different due to his injury his friends soon start to make fun of him.

Gilbert develops other abilities that help him and because of it he becomes a hero to his friends.  This book is filled with beautiful artwork and is a perfect way to talk to your kids about being different.  This is a book that struck home with me as I read it with Savvy for I know that the {beautiful} scar she has on her belly will one day become a topic of discussion with her little friends since they do not have one.  My hope is to raise her knowing that so many of us like Gilbert suffer injuries but we overcome them and become stronger because of them. 

If you want to pick up a copy to read to your child this is a good time to do so for the Writers Lair Books Bookshop is having a "Buy One, Get One Free or Better" sale!  Just use the promotional code - BlackFriday during checkout.  I am not sure when the promotional code will end but it is clearly marked on the site.  The book retails for $15.95 and is one that I think you will keep in your child's library and then pass it on to another child.



I have {Delightful} news to share!  A second copy of this beautiful book was sent so that it can be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale as a part of Mami on a McMission!  Can you think of a more appropriate audience for this book?  My heart smiles knowing that a little one will choose this book and will hopefully relate to the story and the strength within him/herself just like the strength that Gilbert finds.


Disclaimer:  This book was received for the purpose of a review.  The book was free of charge.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions expressed are my own.

PowerCapes!

Does your little one want to be a Super Hero this Halloween? If so, please consider PowerCapes...

I am an affiliate with PowerCapes.  What does that mean?  When a blogger becomes an affiliate with a company any referrals that are sent to them with the link placed on the blog site earns them $.  In my case, I am delighted to share with you that any purchases of a Power Cape using my affiliate link will earn me credit for future capes.  I have made arrangements so that I will not be earn any $ but instead if a purchase is made using my link I will receive credit.  When I have enough credit earned they will send me a Power Cape to place in the Welcome Wagon!

If you want to purchase a cape to be sent to me for the Welcome Wagon please go HERE.  If you simply want to purchase a cape for your special little one please use THIS LINK so that I may earn credits.  Thank You for your Kindness!

Eric Carle Sketch and Tell Review and a {HUGE} Thank you to Canson for supporting Mami on a McMission!

I just wanted to give a {Huge} Thank You to the wonderful people at Canson!  We received a wonderful Sketch and Tell Book by Eric Carle.  The Eric Carle who has written some of the most wonderful children's books.  Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? is the first book the Savvy fell in love with...she could "recite" it to you when she was just a year old....needless to say we have a love for Eric Carle books in our home....and as a scrapbooker I have a love for Canson products so the combination is just delightful!

Savvy loved drawing in her Eric Carle Sketch and Tell book but since she doesn't know how to write yet this became a nice project for the both of us...she explained what her "Picasso" was and Mami wrote a description for her.  The books are small and super easy for travel...as a Mami who spent a lot of time in hospitals I think this is a great companion for children who are hospitalized.  It allows them to create through art and express their feelings and to narrate them as well...just think this is so critical for children who go through so much when they are sick and sometimes struggle with how to express their feelings.

You know what else?  This amazing company sent some wonderful goodies for Mami on a McMission (M.O.M.)!  Yes, I am beyond delighted to have received some beautiful scrapbooks and Eric Carle sketch books and other wonderful items to share with the children who will walk through the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale through M.O.M. 

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When Savvy didn't have the words to express herself she did have art...this gift means a great deal ... Thank You...Thank You for Caring!

Savannah at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia last year.

Disclaimer:  The Eric Carle Sketch and Tell was sent for the purpose of the review.  No other form of compensation was received.  The items sent for Mami on a McMission were sent as a donation for our families mission and we are truly grateful!  Compensation was not received for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Sunday Sharing: We should be {Frugal} with our Money but Never with our Hearts, Our Love or our Compassion for Others

This week on Sunday Sharing I wanted to take a moment to give a {{Heartfelt}} thank you to The Village of Moms.  I was asked to share our story....the story of a Warrior Princess and the Gift she has been blessed with.  I am grateful to have been asked to share our story and to continue to advocate for {Organ Donation}.


Although I have never met our donor angel's family...and may never meet them...I made a promise to them.  A promise to honor their Gift.  I want to Thank each of you who took the time to read our story at the Village of Moms and who came to visit our site.

I would love to invite you to visit Mami on a McMission and to help our family reach the goal of donating a Welcome Wagon filled with new toys to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale on December 29, 2010.

I have never been able to sit down and write about our Gift without shedding tears...not once.  I can not express to you how deeply meaningful the Gift of organ donation is to a family....I will never be able to express my gratitude to our donor angel's family.  I gave birth to Savvy...I gave her life on December 5, 2006...and the family I love that I have never met gave life to her on December 29, 2007.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Please...from a Mami who watched her innocent baby fight for her life...from one that prayed to God to take her last breath so that Savvy could have one more...from one who made plans to donate her child's organs if she did not beat her terrible disease...please I beg you...when you are fighting for your loved ones life .. {begging} is the least you will do...I {Beg} you to consider organ donation...

Leave of Legacy of Life.

If you need to put a face...a familia to this story...simply {CLICK HERE} and watch the PBS show I videotaped this past May.

Grab'Em Snacks Gourmet Plantain {Review}

If I were to be left on a deserted island with access to water and two food items for the rest of my life I would choose plantains and mangos.  I have attempted to explain to my husband that plantains are the {perfect} food.  You can bake them, you can fry them, you can use them when they are ripe or green and the flavor will be completely different!  Yup...I {LOVE} plantains.  So it would be really unfair for me to tell you  how much I like the plantain chips from Grab'Em Snacks...I mean I am biased and have been known to call plantains (along with chocoloate) Gods perfect foods.  So, I asked Grab'Em Snacks if they would send along an assortment for me to review at my hubby's birthday fiesta...I knew we would have people from different backgrounds at the party and knowing the invited guest...they would be opinionated :)

When Grab'Em Snacks learned that the fiesta would be to help gather toys for Mami on a McMission...they said, Si!

We were provided a box of each of the 7 flavors of the gourmet plantain chips which included Sea Salt Goodness, Fire-Me-Up Red Chili, Perfectly Peppered Black Pepper, Chili Garlicious, Ragin' Cajun, Jalapeño Heat and Cinful Cinnamon.

Overall, the plantain chips were a huge success with my favorite being Sea Salt Goodness, Savvy's favorite being Cinful Cinnamon (YUP! They are DAIRY FREE and thus Savvy safe!) but the big debate was over Jalapeño Heat.  This was the flavor that divided our guests..this was a love it or a leave it flavor but it all came down to the spicy flavor .. some of my guest LOVE spicy foods and thus this was their {favorite} while others thought it was too spicy.

Without a doubt though the consensus was that these are fabulous snack for a fiesta or any other time and my guests would certainly purchase them....and if you want to try them out yourself simply visit Grab'Em Snacks!

Dislcosure: These products were provided free of charge for the purpose of the review.  Any opinion expressed is my own.  Your opinion may be different.  No other form of compensation was received.

Wild Bunch Zhu Zhu Pets {Review}

What mayhem was going on last Saturday at my house?  There were plastic straws on the floor...kids giggling and ultimately a lot of fun chaos but then you should expect nothing less if you invite Wild Bunch Zhu Zhu Pets to your party.  I got some quick video of them causing the mayhem but those sneaky little things went and deleted the video PROVING once and for all it was them ... the video may have been accidentally deleted by me but my gut says .. the Wild Bunch was behind the destruction of evidence!

These little Wild Bunch Zhu Zhu pets are beyond adorable and a ton of fun for the kids!  And some {Big Kids} that will remain nameless so they may show up at work tomorrow with their secret kept!

Thanks to MomSelect we had the pleasure of reviewing the Wild Bunch Zhu Zhu pets at my hubby's birthday party and they were a hit!  "The Wild Bunch" which includes Sweetie the Pink Bunny, Rocco the Raccoon, ZuZu the Hedgehog, and Stinker the Skunk are famous for being mischievous...sounds like the perfect partners for some little ones I know!  It took about half a second before they were out of the box and scurrying around the floor. I am sure these little guys are going to be super popular especially during the holidays...you can find this little one called "Sweetie" at Toys R Us for $9.99  but online they are currently sold out!

I was delighted to be chosen to receive a Wild Bunch Zhu Zhu party package to review and since we were sent 11 Wild little guys the ones that were not open will be placed in the "Welcome Wagon" as to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale through Mami on a McMission!  I can just imagine a nurse doing rounds and having to jump out of the way cause one of these little guys is causing mayhem and bringing smiles at a local hospital!

Disclosure: Thank You to MomSelect for providing us the opportunity to have these little guys show up at our house. The Wild Bunch Zhu Zhu pets were sent free of charge for the purpose of the review.  All opinions expressed are my own.  Your opinion may be different.  No other form of compensation was received.

Storkie.com {Review} - A Blogmania Sponsor

I have ordered some beautiful invites in the past but I have never had a site with a video tutorial that literally walks me through how to customize my invitations!  That is what you can expect from Storkie.com.

This site has all types of invitations from hip baby shower invites ranging from traditional to custom photo invitations.  Don't forget the birth announcements because they can do thos for you too!

Now, if you don't have a baby shower to plan you may want to look at the super cute birthday invites.  They have a variety to pick from as well as Thank You cards.
I was able to customize some beautiful invitations with Storkie.com to invite my friends and family to join us on December 29th at the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale to help serve dinner and donate the "Welcome Wagon".

I can tell you that the invites were beautiful but what was super impressive was the customer service.  I received a phone call when an item that I had placed on the invitation did not line up correctly...it would have been easy to print and mail them for I had approved it online but instead they made sure that the invites were exactly what I intended them to be.  I chose the "Heavenly baby" card to send out...it seemed fitting since the "Welcome Wagon" will be donated in honor of our daughter, Savannah, and our donor angel.  A sample of the invite is above.  The other beautiful thing we received were pre-addressed envelopes...a beautiful touch to the invite.

I am delighted to announce that Storkie Express Inc. is a {Blogmania} Sponsor and even more delighted to share that they created beautiful custom invites for Mami on a McMission's donation day.

Storkie.com will be giving the {Blogmania} winner 20 invitations, return address printing and free ground shipping!

Disclosure: I received the invitations free of charge for the purpose of the review.  The opinions expressed are my own.  No other form of compensation was received. 

BunnyPrints.com {Review}....a Blogmania Sponsor!

My husband is having a birthday next month and it is super special to us!  His birthday will mark a year anniversary for my daughter.  A year of not having one hospitalization!!  She has been to the ER this year and of course had her labs drawn but not one night was spent hospitalized....this time last year she picked up a virus and was doing really bad...she was fighting for her life {again}.

My princess finally came home but it took a while for her to get better...

 So, you can imagine the joy in our hearts to know that she has been doing so well for so long...2 years ago she had a liver transplant.  Last year she got so ill...so very ill...and today...she is on the sofa next to me thrilled to be snacking on pretzels and watching Sesame Street.  This is the ULTIMATE Birthday Gift any parent can ask for.
Our family has a mission and we want to donate a "Welcome Wagon" to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale - you can read about it HERE. 

I wish I had a better picture to share because frankly my picture does not do the invitation justice.  I had to put a piece of paper over our address but if you go to Bunnyprints.com you can see the image of the invite so much better and then you can check out the other super cute cards they have to offer.

I have to tell you how wonderful Bunnyprints.com is....they created these invites for my husband's birthday party.  I know you can't read the bottom of the invite based on the picture but it says, "In lieu of a birthday gift for Robert we ask that you bring a new toy to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale through our families mission.  You may learn more about our mission at http://MamiOnaMcMission.blogspot.com/"

I can tell you that the invites at Bunnyprints.com are adorable and the "company" has a huge heart.  I am delighted to be working with them as a Blogmania sponsor!  Yes, you will be able to enter to win a prize package from Bunnyprints during Blogmania and thrilled to have their support on Mami on a McMission!

Thank you Bunnyprints.com!


Disclosure: The invitations were provided for free for the purpose of the review.  No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed are my own.

Live Simply Children's Health Journal Review and Giveaway!

A winner has been chosen and notified.  This giveaway is Closed.  Congrats Jillian!

I feel super lucky to work with companies and provide reviews and giveaways for the readers of my blog...but sometimes I come across a product that I wish I could share with everyone {All} over not just my blog!  The Live Simply Children's Health Journal is just one of those products.  I know it is a {journal}...a pretty journal...so what is the big deal?

This is the journal every new parent should be given at their baby shower.  This is the journal that will help so many people out on a day in and day out basis when you are lacking sleep and running to the pediatrician for a check up....I mean...at times admit it...we forget to shower during those early days of awe and panic...okay...well...I {Forgot} to Shower.

If you have followed my blog then you know that my daughter was born sick.  This was something we were not prepared for.  We had no idea the amount of doctors and blood draws she would have to go through in such a short amount of time.  I truly wish I had a journal like the Live Simply Children's Health Journal when she was born.  I kept a journal of my own.  I made it from a notebook and had to keep track but what I never managed to do with my journal is keep it in an organized manner that I was happy with.  I kept copies of the list of her medications (up to 19 four times a day at one point) and would walk into the ER and give every nurse and resident a copy that even looked at my daughter.  I did not want anyone to misunderstand a {very tired} Mami nor misspell anything...I would have loved to have had these neatly placed in the pocket in my journal as the Live Simply Children's Health Journal provides.  I would have loved to have had an organized space for business cards that we received from the drs......I {Know} and I am {GRATEFUL} that not everyone has the medical experiences that we have had with our daughter but I would Still RECOMMEND the Live Simply Children's Health Journal100 % for any new parent.

If you know a parent whose child is in the hospital or who has a chronic illness...don't buy them chocolates as a gift when you visit them...Buy them the Live Simply Children's Health Journal and get it to them..Trust Me...It will be so appreciated!

The journal retails for $19.95.

On a personal note:
I am delighted to share with you that Live Simply Health Journals is supporting my efforts with Mami on a McMission.  A journal was sent along to be placed in the "Welcome Wagon"... so that a parent with a new baby may benefit from this journal.  Thank You For Caring!

*****GIVEAWAY*****  

One lucky Florida Frugal Family reader will be able to win their own Live Simply Children's Health Journal.  The winner does have to live in the U.S. (no p.o. boxes). This giveaway will end at midnight (EST) on July 30, 2010.

To Enter (Mandatory):

Become a Florida Frugal Family Google Follower and leave a comment (or if you are already one please say so) .

Extra Entries:

• Visit the Live Simply Health Journals site and tell me something about this product that I did not share in my review.
• Become a Mami on a McMission Follower

• Follow Florida Frugal Family on Twitter
• If you "Like" Live Simply Health Journals on Facebook
• If you "Like" Florida Frugal Family on Facebook
• After adding me to your Twitter - Tweet about the giveaway and leave me a comment.  You can do this once a day. 
• Subscribe to Florida Frugal Family email (Right Hand Box)
• Enter any other giveaway and let me know the name of the giveaway.
  

3 EXTRA ENTRIES (please leave 3 separate comments)

• Grab my button and place it on the sidebar of your blog (leave a comment with URL)
• Blog about the giveaway and leave me the link 

Please leave a separate comment per entry. Please leave an email address where I may contact you if you are the winner. (If I have no contact with the winner within 1 week I will choose another winner). If an entry does not follow the rules it will be deleted prior to a winner being picked.

Disclosure: This journal was provided to me for free for the purpose of the review.  A second journal was provided for Free to donate to the Mami on a McMission's "Welcome Wagon".   The review is solely based on my opinion.  No other form of compensation was received.

{Thank You} Shushybye.com for Supporting Mami on a McMission!

I did a review on my Florida Frugal Family blog on a Sushybye book which my daughter calls her "night night" book.  It is one of her favorite night time books and I can't blame her because it is really a darling book!

Here is Savannah doing her {Review}.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Shushybye company has been kind enough to send 4 CD's for the "Welcome Wagon"!  Our Heartfelt Thank You to the Shushybye company for caring about this mission!  They sent us 2 copies of the Shushybye and Goodnight The Deluxe Edition and 2 copies of the Close Your Eyes CD's  -- my fave song is:

We Love the Shushies

 

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thank you for supporting Mami on a McMission! It means a great deal to our family!  To learn about Mami on a McMission please click on the button below:

Powercapes Review and Givewaway

A Winner Has Been Picked and Notified.  This Giveaway is Closed.

Look up in the sky...it is a bird..it is a plane...no it is a Warrior Princess!

I do realize that capes are suppose to be worn on one's back but when you are 3 and you have a very {special} cape with **bling** on it then you wear it facing forward...atleast that is how my little Warrior Princess likes to wear her Powercape.

I have had the pleasure of working the Powercape company which creates Kids capes.  When I say the pleasure I truly mean it has been a pleasure.  When they learned about my little Warrior Princess they created this beautiful custom cape for her ... a cape filled with magic that she can play with and if she feels she needs a little extra strength she can wear it to get her blood draws.

When the cape arrived at our house I got a HUGE smile on my face ... the picture does not do it justice the cape is beautiful...I actually want one for myself.  Yup, I had this conversation with my hubby....

Me - I want a cape just like Savvy!

Hubby- Uhm...Where would you wear it?

Me- Uhm...Where would I not wear it?  

Hubby - I was afraid of that answer....

Me - Can't you see me walking into the grocery store with my coupons and cape...Yup...Super Frugal Florida Mami is ready to coupon!!!

Hubby - You are not getting a cape....

Ah...Marital Discourse isn't always pretty!

 I love the cape...and I love the company!  They have joined forces with me for my Mami on a McMission project!  Yup, I am an affiliate so if you purchase a cape through my link I will not receive any money...instead they will credit my account and send me a cape for the Welcome Wagon.  They also have a page HERE where anyone can simply purchase a cape for $17.99 for the Welcome Wagon....and as if this isn't enough....Powercapes is going to giveaway a Custom Cape to one of my readers!!!

*****GIVEAWAY*****  

Powercapes has offered one lucky follower of Florida Frugal Family a Custom Cape of their choice!

The winner has to live in the U.S. This giveaway will end at midnight (EST) on July 9, 2010.

To Enter (Mandatory):

Become a Florida Frugal Family Google Follower and leave a comment (or if you are already one please say so) .  

Extra Entries:

• Visit the Powercapes and tell me which choice you would make if you were the winner of the giveaway.
• Become a Google Friend Connect Follower of Mami on a McMission.

• Follow Florida Frugal Family on Twitter
• If you "Like" Florida Frugal Family on Facebook
• After adding me to your Twitter - Tweet about the giveaway and leave me a comment.  You can do this once a day. 
• Subscribe to Florida Frugal Family email (Right Hand Box)
• Enter any other giveaway and let me know the name of the giveaway.
  

3 EXTRA ENTRIES (please leave 3 separate comments)

• Grab my button and place it on the sidebar of your blog (leave a comment with URL)
• Blog about the giveaway and leave me the link 
• Grab the Mami on a McMission and place it on your sidebar

Please leave a separate comment per entry. Please leave an email address where I may contact you if you are the winner. (If I have no contact with the winner within 1 week I will choose another winner). If an entry does not follow the rules it will be deleted prior to a winner being picked.

Disclosure: This product was provided to me for free for the purpose of the review.  The review is based on my opinion.  No other form of compensation was received.  As stated above I am an affiliate of Powercapes in which I will earn credit for any capes purchased through my link.  The credit will be used for the capes that will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale through Mami on a McMission.

Beyond the Rack Credit - Free toys with paid shipping

 Beyond the Rack  is offering a FREE $10 credit  - There are a lot of Melissa & Doug Toys for right around $10, making them FREE!(you do pay shippng).  This is a great one for the Mami on a McMission...if you care to send a toy.
Thanks, Saving Side by Side!

Sunday Sharing - Mami on a McMission

This week on Sunday Sharing I want to feature my family's mission...Mami on a McMission (M.O.M.) .  Please stop by the home page and become a Google Follower...please share this page with others.

Why start M.O.M. - Mami on a McMission?

Our family knows how important the Ronald McDonald Houses throughout the country are to so many.  We ourselves have been graced with the hospitality of 3 different Ronald McDonald Houses.  I actually moved into the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey for months while waiting for "The Call".  My amazing husband and I chose to have our family live apart as to make sure Savannah had the best medical attention possible.  We lovingly refer to the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey our "Vacation Home". 

The very first time we walked through the doors of a Ronald McDonald House, Savannah was 4 months old.  We walked into what we later learned was the original home, the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

When you walk into the Philly House you will encounter a large red wagon filled with new toys.  It is a heartwarming site.  I asked one of the volunteers why the wagon was at the front desk?  I was told that any child walking through the front doors can pick any toy to have...this is because the first night is always the scariest.  I remember holding my baby girl just grateful that she was 4 months old and did not know where she was other then in her Mami's arms.

We have been very blessed and we are home.  We know that we will visit our Ronald McDonald "vacation" House in New Jersey throughout our daughters life for she will always need follow up care.  We know we will be welcomed with open arms simply because that is how they welcome everyone.

We had the blessing of serving dinner at the Fort Lauderdale House with my husband's amazingly generous coworkers in the beginning of the year.  My daughter along with our friend's daughter immediately started to play with a 3 year old little girl who had just come to the House the same day.  I was so happy to know that the memories of the first night in the House for this child's parents would include the huge laughter that these three little ones shared...oh and THEY laughed and ran..it was great!  This little girl was due to lose her eye to a cancer she had been diagnosed with just 2 weeks prior...another little Warrior Princess.  As we left, I asked the father of this little princess if she had any toys with her and he said, "At home but not here.  We just grabbed her medical records, some clothes and ran".  I knew this truth, for when you are faced with a medical crisis involving your child you simply go into auto pilot to save your child's life.  I KNEW at this moment that I would make it our families mission to welcome each child walking through the doors at this House with a toy...for these children are just that...children.


On December 29, 2010 we will donate a "Welcome Wagon" to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale, Florida filled with new toys.  We shall do this in honor of our Warrior Princess in her Donor Angel.


We are NOT a non-profit nor an organization.  We are not affiliated with the Ronald McDonald House charities except as recipients of their kindness.  We are not affiliated with McDonald's (except for Savvy's love of Happy Meals).  We are a family who wants to pay it forward.  We are a family who knows the grief of having a child who is sick and fighting for their lives.  We are a family who have been the recipient of the kindness of many nameless and faceless strangers.  We are a grateful family.

We will also strive to provide Lisa's Love Birthday Bags

The bags will contain wrapping paper (the square packages that fold flat), streamers, party hats, a birthday card, a card explaining they may choose a toy for their birthday child, tape, and party "favors".