We are always talking about the great value our website hosting is. Host Gator has a great control panel, is reasonably priced and we haven’t noticed any downtime with them.

Once again, they are offering a great Cyber Monday deal where you can get 50% off your website hosting (for new accounts only). It starts at midnight (CST) 11/28/11 and runs until 11:59pm CST 11/28/11. If you already have hosting with them but want to add another hosting account, the sale will apply as well.
The discount applies on your first purchase only so if you purchase month-to-month hosting, it will only apply to the first month. You will save more money by purchasing a longer time period for your first purchase.

Shared hosting is usually as low as $4.95 per month and will now be as low as $2.48 per month.

There are no coupon codes needed but be sure to get on there before midnight to make your purchase!
Don’t miss out on this great Cyber Monday deal!

Host Gator is having a one day only sale of 40% off the first invoice of any plan. So, if you purchase a one year plan, it will be 40% off for the entire year.

These plans are reasonably priced and we have had no outages. Their customer service is great and technical support is very helpful as well. We highly recommend them.


Click through this link and you will automatically receive the 40% off deal through 11:59pm CST on July 4th, 2011.

Have you ever wanted to make a cutesy sign for your home or garden but didn’t have the time or talent?  I just found out about a company local to me that makes a variety of personalized signs and decorations.  Lost Your Marbles Handpainted Expressions has an online store sharing a wide range of items you can order or you can have a custom item made as well.

I love this baby girl birth announcement sign.  And of course you can find baby boy versions as well.   There are also themed items including picture frames which would be perfect for a birthday party.

Andrea is a very talented artist and can even create a mural for your child’s bedroom if you live in our area of Florida.  I love the superhero design for boys!

Of course, if your kids are starting to get older, you can still find items on this website.  Many of the items make great gifts or you can find some great conversation starters for around your home or garden. Check out the Arrow Signs or tropical themed signs perfect for a pool deck and just in time for summer.

Visit Lost Your Marbles Handpainted Expressions for more details or to inquire about your own personalized creation!

We are located near Tampa, Florida and every year in January, they hold a pirate invasion and multiple parades.  It is called Gasparilla and draws thousands of people to our area.  In the last few years, we have participated in the Children’s parades and strolls that the have a week prior to the big invasion parade.  It is family friendly and we have a great time.

Usually I will pick up a costume at the local party stores for my daughter to wear but they tend to not have a big selection of pirate costumes there other than the usual Jack Sparrow outfit or cheap pirate princess outfit. 

I was happy to have found a costume website called Wholesale Costume Club to look for something for my daughter.  I actually had found them before Halloween but didn’t want to take any chances in getting something delivered too late to use.  They have a huge selection of girl’s costumes so I will be getting an earlier start this Halloween!  This time, I was given an opportunity to review this website and their products in return for receiving a complimentary costume.

I was happy with the big selection of pirate costumes but decided to show the choices to my daughter who picked out the Scar-let Pirate Costume.  I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the costume arrived after ordering. I would have probably had plenty of time at Halloween to get a costume as it took less than a week to arrive.

My daughter was extremely happy with this girl’s pirate costume.  It comes with a skull print dress, white underskirt, mesh arm piece, sash and boot covers.  The underskirt was scratchy feeling but since my daughter will be wearing leggings for the parade, it shouldn’t be an issue.  The dress falls above the knee as well so leggings or tights would be a good idea to wear with this outfit.  The sizing of the costume was accurate to the sizing in their chart so I am sure my daughter will wear it for play for a while.

The price of the outfit is a little less than what local party places charge for their outfits but the quality seems somewhat better than the nylon fabric they usually have on the cheaper costumes.  I don’t expect this outfit to have tears or runs like the cheaper costumes to have.  It’s a good value for this type of outfit.

If you are located in the Tampa area and are attending the Gasparilla parade or having a pirate and princess party, definitely check out Wholesale Costume Club for their costumes. They have some other cute outfits as well!

The owner of this blog is not compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

Have you started planning out your Black Friday shopping yet?

HostGator.com is having an awesome Black Friday sale.

If you order your hosting from 5am CST through 9am CST on Friday, November, 25th, you will get 80% off of your invoice price (while supplies last). So, whether you order 1 month or even 1 year, 2 year or 3 years at one time, you will get 80% off the regular pricing. 3 years of hosting could be $35.64.

The rest of November 25th will also get you savings of 50%. So, from 12am CST through 5am CST and 9am CST through 11:59pm CST, you will receive 50% off any purchases.

Set your alarm and take advantage of these extraordinary deals!

Visit HostGator.com to sign up today!

By Elizabeth Lynette Perkins

From the moment you bring your little one home from the hospital (and maybe even before), there will be no shortage of advice regarding her care. Your friends and family will offer unsolicited suggestions. Meanwhile, your book shelves will likely have at least a few baby and parenting books sitting on them. The question is, is the advice sound? Will the suggestions of others work as well with your infant as they seemingly did with their own?

The answer is maybe. Every baby is unique, and comes with his or her own temperament. Your little one will respond to some things, and not to others. During the first few months, when she is cranky or otherwise bothered, you’ll need to try different methods to comfort her. The following suggestions are merely a place to start. They may work; they may not. All are pragmatic, however, based on the experiences of moms and dads who went before you.

Don’t Be Afraid To Spoil Your Infant

A lot of new parents are hesitant to “spoil” their babies. They’ve heard or read that doing so may set the stage for behavior problems down the road. While this advice is true, it is less relevant (if it’s applicable at all) during the first few months. It is during this time that your infant needs to know you’re nearby. If she cries, pick her up and comfort her. If she is frightened, let her know she can count on you.

Turn The Monitor Off (Or At Least Down)

Baby monitors have become ubiquitous. Every mom and dad owns at least one set. With them, they are able to keep tabs on their infants’ well-being from another room in the home. But are the monitors always necessary? In truth, no. Yet most new parents keep them turned on and nearby in case a problem develops.

If your little one needs you, she will cry for you. You will hear her, even if she is in another room. On the other hand, if you and your partner are outside while your infant is sleeping indoors, a monitor will be valuable. Otherwise, set aside your concern, and turn the volume off.

Follow A Schedule, But Be Flexible

Babies tend to fall into a regular eating and sleeping schedule as they approach sixth months. Many moms and dads, however, try to implement a rigid schedule when their little ones are much younger. They feel doing so is necessary in order to smooth the transition later.

There’s no need to do this if your infant is resistant. During the first three months, let her choose her own schedule. Feed her when she’s hungry. Put her to sleep when she’s tired. Be flexible. By month six, she will follow a routine that is reasonably consistent.

Encourage Your Baby To Soothe Herself

A crying infant is almost too much for new parents to bear. Moms and dads understandably want to comfort their babies, and remove whatever is ailing them. But there is value in occasionally letting your little one soothe herself. In fact, many experts suggest this is an important lesson to teach infants because it helps them develop the tools they need to cope with stress.

There are many ways to approach this strategy. For example, you and your partner can let your little one cry for short periods that slowly lengthen over time. Or, you can gently pat her back when she cries rather than picking her up. You and your partner can also allow her to cry while making appearances every few minutes so she’ll know you’re nearby. Eventually, your baby will begin to cry for shorter periods as she learns to soothe herself.

Trust Your Instincts

Remember, nothing can take the place of your own instincts. The advice you learn from baby books and baby-focused websites will be valuable, but should only be considered a set of loose guidelines. The suggestions you receive from friends and family should be viewed from a similar perspective.

Try everything that seems reasonable. Keep what works, and discard what does not. You and your partner will make mistakes along the way. That is a given. But trust yourselves, and be willing to accept that some things can only be learned through experience.

About the Author: Find quality Maternity Clothes and Maternity Dresses from AppleSeedBoutique.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=632966&ca=Parenting

Are you pregnant? Are you or will you be breastfeeding? Visit the MommyNewsBlog to enter their contest for a $50 gift certificate for maternity or breastfeeding products.
While you are there, have a look around for breastfeeding tips, parenting info and other great information.

Visit the Maternity & Breastfeeding Goodies For YOU! page to enter the contest and to get to the site for more information.

By Elizabeth Lynette Perkins

Even parents who already have kids are surprised by the changes a new baby brings into their lives. New moms and dads, in particular, often feel unprepared. Babies can dismantle the life you know, and then reconstruct it into something that is different, but better. Few parents experience the same conversion since each baby brings a varied set of challenges, joys, and surprises. Trying to predict them is futile.

In this article, we’ll describe some of the many changes your life will go through after giving birth to your little one. Some of the surprises below will happen immediately, beginning from the first day. Others slowly take form through the months and years of your child’s development. Continue reading »

I was given an opportunity to try out the Little Looster booster stool. We are working on potty training our son and have been having some difficulty with him getting up on the big potty. We have had to stick with the little potty (and CLEANING the little potty!) or lift him onto the big potty. With two kids in the house, it’s hard to stop everything and lift him onto the big potty. Continue reading »

5 of the Best Baby Gifts For Multiples
By Beamer M Anderson

So you just found out your best friend is having triplets and you’re ready to start shopping. Your first inclination might be to start buying 3 of everything – 3 matching t-shirts, 3 matching rattles, 3 matching receiving blankets. But keep in mind that having 3 babies isn’t just 3 times as much fun – it’s also 3 times as much confusion – and work! Here are the best baby gifts for multiples that will really be appreciated.

Diapers – Of course the number one gift on the list is diapers. The average newborn uses 12 diapers per day. Multiply that by 3 and then multiply it again by 30 and you’re looking at almost 1100 diapers just in the first month. Over the course of just one year the expense will be more than $3000. New parents – especially of multiples – always appreciate the gift of diapers.

Continue reading »