Sikulu & Harambe

This is a beautiful story about kindness, courage and helping others in need. Sikulu and Harambe by the Zambezi River, an African Version of the Good Samaritan Story.

Contest Winners

Announcing our Contest Winners from last week.............. I will contact each of you by email!

Fun Felts: crystal

Busy Body Book: blueviolet

Nana Star Doll & Book: cathyworrell

If your names not on the list, don't worry......we still have lots to giveaway! Our Contests will last all month long!

Braincandy Kids - Contest!

Boogie Wipes - Contest!

Table Toppers

This is such a great idea! When we go out to eat I hate that our Angel has to eat off the table. She can't have a plate yet as she is in the habit of throwing them, so she has her food right on the restaurant table. Germs don't freak me out as much as they do some people, but this is something that did bother me! Me and my Hubby had kept thinking "What can we do to solve this?", and one day he said "Isn't there something that will stick to the table?" Then I found Table Toppers! These are disposable placemats that stick to the table, making eating out easier, more fun and most importantly more hygenic for your little ones! They stick to the table so well that my Daughter can't pull it off, but are easy to remove when you are done - a perfect amount of stick!

Neat Solutions also has more products in their line, such as the Potty Topper, Disposable Bibs, All in One Meal Kits, Portable and Disposable Floor Mats, to name just a few. They have a bunch of different designs such as Winnie the Pooh, Dora, Diego and Baby Einstein.

We love the Table Toppers and always have them on hand for our little girl.

Check out their site at http://www.tabletopper.com/ to buy some for your little angels!

Some more from their site:

We are a "family owned", "mother owned" baby business. We understand the needs of parents with young children.
Our mission is to provide peace of mind to parents on-the-go by providing unique baby essentials.
It all started in 1995 when our founder, Beth, went out to lunch with her baby and ordered some "finger food" for the first time. The chicken strips came on a plate, which quickly became a Frisbee for her son. (Sound familiar?) She tried the paper placemat...it got tossed, too. The only choice was to let him eat right off the dirty table.
She had heard about reports documenting the presence of germs on restaurant tables.
“It didn't make any sense…you spend the first six months of your child's life sterilizing baby bottles and then you feed them on a dirty table!” - Beth
Beth decided to take action and soon the Table Topper® Stay-in-Place Mat® became the only answer to a big problem facing us when we go out to eat with our children.

Family Time Fun - Contest!

There are not many things better for a family than to simply have meals together. Families, especially kids, benefit enormously from frequent positive family meals:

• Improves family communication


• Improves nutrition and eating habits


• Improves literacy development among preschoolers


• Develops a protective factor for adolescents against tobacco, alcohol, drugs and low grade point averages
  

The more meals your family has together, the more you'll enjoy these amazing benefits! And remember, keep the meals positive, lighthearted and fun.

More specifically, according to research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, children and teens who have frequent family meals:

• Are at half the risk for substance abuse compared to teens who dine with their families infrequently


• Are less likely to have friends or classmates who use illicit drugs or abuse prescription drugs


• Have lower levels of tension and stress at home
  
• Are more likely to say that their parents are proud of them


• Are likelier to say they can confide in their parents


• Are likelier to get better grades in school


• Are more likely to be emotionally content and have positive peer relationships


• Have healthier eating habits


• Are at lower risk for thoughts of suicide


• Are less likely to try marijuana or have friends who use marijuana

Fun Fit Kid

We love this child oriented Fitness Video! As some of you know I have one daughter who is 17 months old and very active! She loves this video from Fun Fit Kid - it entertains her whilst burning some of the amazing energy she has (If only Mommy had the same amount of energy!)

Hip T - Contest!

Story behind the hip-T? You bet!

After years of loving and living in our low rise jeans and layering t-shirt over t-shirt, we had to acknowledge there was a problem. Daily activities such as sitting at a restaurant or bending to tie a shoe were met with constant rear end exposure of one type or another. To make matters worse, we were tired of dealing with bulky messy layers of t-shirts in hopes of camouflaging what might make an appearance with the next bend and snap! Let's not forget, layering in itself is a great look. So, whether it was butt crack hanging out of the trunk, or using that thin sweatshirt as an additional "cover-up" accessory around the waist, something had to be done short of walking away from the investment we had made in the denim department.

It is true, the best products are the simple ones which make our lives easier and more comfortable. With that in mind, we took an old white t-shirt and cut the bottom half off. We slipped it on around the scene of the crime and layered with another t-shirt. Now it was time for the test – a good deep squat in front of the mirror. Hey – no thong exposure, no bum cleavage and no t-shirt tangle. How easy! The first hip-T was resurrected from the depths of the t-shirt drawer. hip-hip hurray!

Whether you spend your day at a desk in school, the office, or simply find yourself bending to tie a youngster’s shoe a dozen times a day, you deserve a protected rear view. We all have had wacky ways to hide the side (or rather back end) effects of our favorite jeans. Our company, g3 Originals is committed to providing ladies everywhere with an easy, comfortable and stylish way to cover their assets and clean up the rear view for everyone's viewing pleasure.

Be free - hip-T!

Ethel Gloves - Contest!

These gloves are high quality, high functionality and high style – letting fashionable moms take their hands from the garden to a dinner party, or a project around the house to the office, without worrying about dirt under their fingernails, splinters or cuts. The five unique looks - signature, expression, gala, rendezvous and jubilee - let you choose the one that best represents your individual style.

See Kai Run

This has to be one of my favorite products so far. I am very picky when it comes to what I put on my Baby's feet, when she was small she was always bare foot as I hadn't found that perfect pair that I knew would be good for her feet. Putting the wrong shoes on your kids feet can cause growth problems and their feet will shape to the form of the shoe if you don't pick the right kind. The shoes at See Kai Run are amazing! We have the Steph Boots from their new Fall line. These are high quality kids shoes and they have a great selection for all sizes.

These shoes have flexible soles that are healthy for developing feet but sturdy enough for outdoor play! The soft sheepskin leather is fabulous and Alex loves to put them on and run around the house in them (it's still too warm to wear them outside, even here in Michigan!) You must go and check out all the great new styles they have at See Kai Run. These shoes will now be must have for every season for my Daughter.

The Story of See Kai Run:

In 2002 I gave birth to a little boy named Kai. Two years later, I gave birth to a company called See Kai Run. See Kai Run was inspired by the need for comfortable shoes with flexible soles for my little Kai to wear outdoors. I wanted to create a line of shoes that was as happening as Kai - bold, hip, fun, with an urban sensibility. Something entirely different than what was offered.

In November 2004 the first shoes hit children’s boutiques and the response has been overwhelming ever since! Modern day parents have echoed what I had suspected - we crave something unique and special to reflect our children's personality as well as our own.

Twice a year, I design a new collection of 15-20 designs. Our designs are sophisticated and classic with modern twists sprinkled throughout. And most importantly, our shoes are healthy for developing feet. The soles are made of extremely flexible rubber which is great for outdoor use while allowing the foot to flex in all the right places. They're also made of butter soft leather with a breathable leather lining and padded collars for comfort. Finally, See Kai Run shoes are easy to get on and off with Velcro closures that ensure a great fit.

Like they say, "Every journey begins with the first step." Join us in celebrating those first steps!

Nana Star - Contest!

Busy Body Book - Contest!

I recently received a Busy Body Book Organizer and I must say it has made planning this Launch Party so much easier! It has kept me organized and it has made me feel more prepared in everything I do. It has sturdy plastic covers, great designs and extra note pages. It is a simple and stylish way to organize your life! I love all the products they offer, from the Original Organizer to Wall Calendars and Fridge Pads, they have something that will fit every family.

Contests!

Sandbox Threads

In our world of Mommy Bloggers and Momprenuers it is great to find a stay at home Daddy who has an at home business. Andy, father of two, started Sandbox Threads specializing in cool baby clothes, onesies and t-shirts and his designs are original & fun. He has designs for every taste and something to suit every childs personality.


We love this great selection of kids clothes over at Sandbox Threads. My Angel has the Future President T-Shirt which is perfect for her, and it washes great which is perfect for me. I think we also need to order the Girls get Dirty Too design as lately she is into everything that involves being Dirty!

So please go over to http://www.sandboxthreads.com/ and check out Andy's great designs!

Fun Felts - Contest!

These Story Time felt boards totally remind me of my childhood, think "back in the day" before video games were everywhere and not all toys were electronic. I love this site and all of their products they offer. You can turn off the TV and get back to using your imagination, while having some family fun time. We received the Three Little Kittens and absolutely love it.

We have one of these great Fun Felt Boards to giveaway! Just go to http://www.funfelt.com/ and leave us a comment naming one of the Felt Board Stories, please remember to include your email address. GOOD LUCK!
Children are natural storytellers but often their stories remain locked in their heads because they lack the ability to express themselves. Story Time Felts help parents and teachers bring back creativity and imagination to the children in their lives through beautiful felt products such as felt board story figures, activity books, dress up dolls and other educational felt items!

Experts agree that kids these days are too "plugged in," so we offer something that is High Touch, not High Tech! Imagination is rediscovered and fostered with Story Time Felts!

Wordless Sunday!

Mammalicious Finds

Design Her Gals - Gal to Gal Foundation

Raising the Bar Premiere

Wordless Wednesday on a Sunday!

Here at Bits from a Brit we decided to have our Wordless Wednesdays on a Sunday. My Sundays are time to be spent with my Family so my posts will be short and sweet to allow me that extra fun and relaxing time before we all start the work week again! And yes, in future they will be wordless!!

Quote of the Day

We Extended our Party!

Thanks to our wonderful Sponsors we will be extending our Tea Party from the original 2 weeks, to one month long! We have so many amazing things to review and giveaway, with more sponsors coming on board every day.

Please take a moment to add our button to your site to let all your friends know about all the fun and great prizes.

Thanks!

SnackerTracker

ROCKABYE BABY!

Between You & Me Journals

I just love these books from Sand Dune Publishing. The are Between You and Me Journals and they have them for different relationships. We have the Between You and Me MOM and the questions are intimate and fun, without being sappy. This is a great unique gift idea you can give to someone you love. You can even have a member of your family fill it out then give it to someone as a gift. I can't wait to give mine to my Daughter when she grows up! I looked at all the different ones they have and I want one of each of them to give out to all my family members. This is a great way to get closer to the ones you love, I can't believe someone didn't think of this earlier!

Give one to the people you care about most. Each hardcover, spiral-bound book measures 6 ½ " x 7 ¼ " and contains 35 - 45 fun-to-ask and fun-to-answer questions. You get them back with handwritten responses you'll cherish forever.

Clicktoy - The Meadow

Puppy Plays

Puppy Plays The Classics is a great DVD for Pre-School aged children. They learn the value of friends, generosity, empathy and loyalty, each episode showcases classical music from great composers such as Mozart and Wagner. The lovable Lab Puppy Ollie dreams up adventures for all his friends, the cutest of actors! These adorable Pups teach lifetime lessons to children, showing things through their eyes in a world full of puppies.

Puppy Plays, the series, have 12 more specials coming soon that further expose young children to life lessons and educational subjects such as classic fairy tales, great painters, geography, mathematics, holiday traditions and much more.

My Daughter and her "puppy", our 4 year old Lab, sat and cuddled, watching this together. It almost made me want to rush out and get another puppy! I loved that adoption of pets was something that was shown in this DVD. I am a big believer of giving homes to animals who need one, such as from animal shelters, before looking at breeders.

A great DVD that stands out from the norm!

This DVD is available at http://www.puppyplays.com/ and http://www.amazon.com/

Ju-Ju-Be Diaper Bags

You must take a look at these fabulous diaper bags by Ju-Ju-Be!

We recently tried out the JJB Line Messenger Bag which is a great functional bag, that is also extremely stylish! This is the kind of bag you need if you want you hubby to carry it for you! This is not your average diaper bag, this is a masculine bag that any Daddy would be proud to carry. It is great as a diaper bag but also doubles as a laptop case too making the bag great to use even after the kids grow. My Hubby thought it was great the moment he saw it, he couldn't believe it was a diaper bag! I think this will encourage him to take our Daughter out more often, and he now even carrys the bag for me when we are all out together!

They have more amazing styles on their website :

http://www.ju-ju-be.com/

All their bags have Smart Features.......including removable changing pad, smart pockets, waterproof exterior fabrics, machine washable air dry, insulated pockets, satin lining, metal hardware and strong magnets (no velcro here!).

Parents with Style and Bits from a Brit recommend these bags for Mommys and Daddys!

Some info about the people of Ju-Ju-Be from their site:

Ju-Ju-Be™ was started by the dynamic duo of diaper bags. See below for who they are. Why did they start up a whole new brand? Because despite the great fashion (and even some great features) of the other brands, there were still some things lacking. No one had put to use the latest in technology. No one had successfully acted on the idea that fashion and function aren't mutually exclusive. No one else had delved into the deep realm of microbes and anti-stick coatings. Everyone else says that diaper bags aren't rocket science. We think they can be. Along with being a lot of fun.Here's our team:

Kristin Hunziker was destined to be doing diaper bags. When she was a kid her mom never had to tell her to clean up....she was born organized. After a few years of being a kid, she went to Iowa State and graduated from the Apparel Merchandise, Production & Design program. The pull of baby products started early and her first job out of school was Technical Design Coordinator for Infant-Toddler Wear at ShopKo Stores. From there she went to Lands End to work in quality and product development for the Kids Team. While at Lands End she worked not only on kids stuff but luggage and accessories too. With the west coast beckoning, she packed her bags (very neatly) and went to Oakley to work as a footwear developer. After a having a lot of fun at Oakley and then ASICS, it was time to concentrate on the really fun stuff, having kids!! Now a mommy of two, Rylan (age 2) and Natalie (age 1/2 or so), she makes her diaper organization needs a reality!! OK, we'll admit...she did indulge her fashion and design senses as well as her obsessive need to organize, but who can fault her?

Joe Croft went to Stanford and graduated in Product Design. Bags are his business. His first job was working for Gregory Mountain products where he designed packs to go to the top of the world and beyond. Granted numerous patents for some fun inventions, he knows how to put technology to work. After Gregory, he spent nearly a decade at Oakley starting up and growing the apparel, accessory and footwear programs there. He now runs a consulting business, HyperDrive International, and designs, develops, sources, and produces bags. His customers are some of the largest brands in the business. Oh, yeah.... He's got some good qualifications on the baby side of life. Bear (10), Riley (7), Julia Star(5) and Griffin(2) give him daily schooling in the requirements of kids on the go. His wife, Rachelle, aka muffinfrog to her boutique EBAY friends, keeps him very in tune with cutting edge fashion.

Please check out all the great bags at

http://www.ju-ju-be.com/

Dishwashers....A Girl's Best Friend!

I recently had the chance to trial some Cascade Dishwasher Detergent against one of their competitor brands. I was actually pretty amazed about how clean my dishes came out. I am one of those picky people when it comes to this stuff, especially with my Daughter's sippy cups. There was no left over detergent in the dishwasher and no residue on the dishes, which have both become the norm in my house as we have always used "whatever's on sale". I had found myself having to rinse everything before it went in and after it came out and was starting to think "What's the point of using the Dishwasher? When I tried the Cascade everything it cleaner and clearer, it is a blue gel instead of the usual white paste which seems to rinse off so much better, you also don't need to pre-wash you dishes and my dishwasher recently ran out of Rinse Aid and they have still been coming out clean! Thanks to Cascade for making something in my home an easy job!!

Win a Spa Escape!

Check out this online sweepstakes brough to you by Prilosec, you can win a trip for two to a luxury spa for 5 days and 4 nights. You can enter daily until September 30th.

Visit http://www.heartburnescape.com/

You can also download the widget from their site making it easier to enter!

Now this is something I would love to win. I love spending time with my family but they are hard work some days and this mini getaway would be wonderfully relaxing!

This is So Much Fun!

I am having so much fun planning for our party. The response from Sponsors has been great and I having been coming home from work every day to lots of great products on my doorstep. We already have so much to giveaway and more coming in all the time. So far we have a great variety of products; from dolls, games, books and DVDs to clothing for all you Mom's out there. We have also found many amazing products and sites that we can't wait to share with you!

To all you Mommy Bloggers out there, please post our button on your site and let everyone know about all the great stuff coming up - The Party starts September 1st!

Getting Ready for Party Time!

We are having a British Tea Party!

Top Movie and TV Series Releases

Two great movies came out in June from Paramount Home Entertainment. On 6/3 CLOVERFIELD was released. This is a sci-fi thriller that is packed with action and adventure! Fabulous pick!Also, out on 6/17 TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED: Tramsform and Roll was released and is a fun movie for the kids…Boys love it. My hubby really likes it because Transformers were one of our childhood toys! So much fun! This movie is an animated, action adventure and will even tickle your funny bone a bit.


Now if you are interested in what shows from television are out and worth every penny, then check these out. The debut of Army Wives, the complete first season was released on 6/10. This show produced by Mark Gordon(Grey’s Anatomy), has become the most successful series in the history of Lifetime Television network. Army Wives is a patriotic and thought-provoking drama about five military spouses who share friendship, secrets, home and heartache. Coming to DVD on June 10, 2008 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Army Wives: The Complete First Season includes all 13 original episodes and exclusive bonus features including an un-aired storyline, deleted scenes, outtakes, cast interviews and more.I love this show! And I know you will also!
Another fantastic show that was released on 6/10 is HOME IMPROVEMENT: The Complete Eight Season. I love Tim Allen and watched this show everyday when it was on TV. Its funny, cute and just made you feel good watching it. I just bought a copy for my father for fathers day. So do miss out and get your copy of all of these great flicks.

Definitely, Maybe Movie Release