Wordless Sunday!

8:11 AM Posted by Bits from a Brit

A Day at the Beach!


Mammalicious Finds

6:59 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit

We love to support other Mommy Bloggers so please go and check out all the great giveaways and reviews over at http://www.mammaliciousfinds.blogspot.com/

Design Her Gals - Gal to Gal Foundation

9:07 AM Posted by Bits from a Brit


PLEASE HELP TO SUPPORT THIS GREAT CAUSE AND VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.GALTOGALWALK.ORG TO SIGN UP FOR THE VIRTUAL WALK.

THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR SPONSORS FOR THE WALK AND TO DONATE TO THE CELEBRITY GIFT BASKETS. IF YOU HAVE A PRODUCT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE IN THE 100 GIFT BASKETS THAT WILL BE HANDED OUT PLEASE CONTACT US.


PRESS RELEASE:


DESIGN-HER GALS™ TO KICK OFF 2ND ANNUAL
VIRTUAL WALK TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR STAGE IV BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

KRISTIN CHENOWETH, MARG HELGENBERGER, MOLLY SIMS, DAYNA DEVON, LISA RINNA, LEE WOODRUFF, STACY MORRISON & MORE TO SERVE AS GAL TO GAL AMBASSADORS IN
NATIONWIDE VIRTUAL WALK


Bend, OR – The hugely successfully Design-her Gals website, designhergals.com launches its 2nd annual interactive virtual walk to benefit the Gal to Gal Foundation, the non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Stage IV breast cancer patients and their families. Design-her Gals hopes to create a viral outpouring of support during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month with a goal of registering 1 million walkers in 31 days. Pre-registration for The Gal to Gal Walk will begin September 24, with official walk dates of October 1 - October 31, 2007.

This unique approach to philanthropy has attracted strategic partners such as Franklin Covey and Fodor’s who have pledged to mobilize their communities to join the walk. In addition, dozens of celebrity ambassadors such as Kristin Chenoweth, Marg Helgenberger, Dayna Devon, Lisa Rinna, Denise Richards, Molly Sims, Jean Chatzky, Julie Morgenstern, Redbook editor in chief, Stacy Morrison and Broadway star Diedre Goodwin and among many others, will lend their support and participate in the virtual walk.

Supporters will participate in The Gal to Gal Walk by creating their virtual likeness online and then watching themselves take a virtual walk across America. The walk will commence in the Virtual World of Harvard Square in Boston, MA, and concludes on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, visiting 29 cities along the way. The landscape walkers travel through will change on a daily basis, giving people a reason to return to see where they are walking that day. New walkers will be joining all the time – sharing their stories and building momentum as more people participate in this innovative fundraising effort.

“We are honored to have these notable individuals and companies enhance the virtual walk experience, which will join women from all walks of life. This initiative will help benefit a group of individuals who are facing the most difficult battle of their lives,” commented Jeanne Fitzmaurice, founder of Design-her Gals and Gal to Gal Foundation. Fitzmaurice was selected by Yoplait and Susan G. Komen as a 2007 Yoplait Champion. “As we strive to raise awareness and funds for Stage IV breast cancer patients and their families, our goal is to bring dignity and comfort to those who need it most.”

Gal to Gal Foundation President, Dorit Shapiro, added, “My goal is to honor their memories as well as the memories of all the women who have lost their battles to this tough enemy so that women and families living with stage IV breast cancer are never forgotten and receive the support they need and deserve. I hope you will join me in supporting this wonderful organization until there comes a day when we are not needed because we have found a cure and no one must face living with this diagnosis.”

Visitors will register for the Gal to Gal Walk at http://www.galtogalwalk.org/ for a $5 donation. After designing their character, they will be added to the walk landscape where they can also invite their friends and family to join them. Supporters will receive a virtual goody bag with items donated by the Foundation’s strategic partners. Walkers may also purchase merchandise featuring their character on http://www.designhergals.com/ to support The Foundation. In its first year, the Gal to Gal virtual walk attracted thousands of supporters and raised more than $120,000 for patients and families battling Stage IV breast cancer.

ABOUT GAL TO GAL FOUNDATION
Gal to Gal Foundation honors the courage of those diagnosed with Stage IV, and forges a global community of caring, intelligent individuals who want to make a positive difference in the lives of others. In many cases, Gal to Gal Foundation is a voice for those who may lose the fight but whose courage can inspire us all.
Jeanne Fitzmaurice, founder of Design-her Gals, was personally affected by this disease when two women close to her lost their battle to Stage IV breast cancer. Jeanne discovered that although many wonderful organizations support breast cancer research, prevention and treatment for earlier stages, minimal dollars are dedicated to Stage IV needs. The reality is, until breast cancer is extinguished in all forms, there will be those who do not respond to the treatments that are currently available.

Dorit Shapiro is currently the President of the Gal to Gal Foundation. Formerly a freelance technical writer, Dorit is a mother of two who was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 2006.

Gal to Gal Foundation currently dedicates its funds to Making Memories, an organization that exclusively grants wishes for Stage IV patients and their families. The Gal to Gal Walk will allow the Foundation to also sponsor a new global web site designed for those affiliated with or needing access to Stage IV resources.

Design-her Gals is spreading this compelling message through national media and celebrity attention and through the viral support of their community that has already grown to nearly 250,000. This initiative will increase awareness of those diagnosed in Stage IV breast cancer, and play a role in supporting hundreds of thousands of patients each year struggling to live out their lives with dignity.

Raising the Bar Premiere

8:53 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit


TNT's new drama series Raising the Bar premieres September 1st 10/9c.

This is a powerful new legal drama from Emmy winning producer Steven Bochco. It stars, among others, Mark-Paul Gosselaar who I remember as Zack from Saved by the Bell. I got the chance to check out the Premiere early and loved it. Now I have another TV Show to watch this fall, thankfully I have a DVR so being a Mom and Wife doesn't mean I will miss all the action!

Follow this link to see a sneak peek of the show - www.tnt.tv/series/raisingthebar/

Check it out Labor Day on TNT, I know we will!

Wordless Wednesday on a Sunday!

11:01 AM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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!!

So for our "Wordless Wednesday" Post here's a few pics of my little Angel in her new Playhouse!

Quote of the Day

8:38 AM Posted by Bits from a Brit


“a woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. ” eleanor roosevelt

We Extended our Party!

10:11 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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

2:54 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit

SnackerTracker is a wonderful nutritional guide designed to help parents and children learn how to eat healthy. It is a large magnet that sticks on your refrigerator, you and your child cross the items of the chart when they eat the right foods. We even have a pocket size SnackerTracker and Nutritional Guide that is great for on the go.

I have tried using this with my daughter, and although she is still too you to understand the concept of eating right, it helps me check that she is eating the right portions and getting everything she needs for a healthy diet. I think this is a great product and as my daughter grows I am sure it will help her to stay on the right track to living a healthier lifestyle.
Visit: www.snackertracker.com to order yours!


From Their Site:

At SnackerTracker we are dedicated to educating children and their parents about the benefits of eating right and exercising. That's why we created the only nutritional tracking system specifically designed with kids in mind. It starts at age 2 when critical eating habits are being formed.

The SnackerTracker Nutritional Tracking System comes with a SnackerTracker magnet that sticks to your refrigerator, the SnackerTracker Nutritional Guide that provides parents with detailed information about the nutritional needs of children at each stage of development and a dry erase marker that sticks to the refrigerator for easy tracking.

The SnackerTracker enables kids to track their food and exercise choices daily, while the Nutritional Guide takes the guess work out of nutrition for parents.

We believe that the path to healthy living starts at home and we are committed to creating educational tools that enhance, empower and educate the whole family.

ROCKABYE BABY!

7:14 AM Posted by Bits from a Brit


This is cherub rock for a new generation!

These CD's are awesome! They are even approved by my hubby who is a self confessed rock freak! My Daughter is already into heavy rock music and likes to head bang when she's in her Daddy's truck! This CD is something we can both agree on - I like the more mellow classical music for my little angel, but Daddy likes rock, the heavier the better. They have such a great selection of CD's, from Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, to The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys and Bob Marley. One I will definitely be ordering for my pumpkin is Lullaby Renditions of Tool!
Rockabye Baby CD's transform timeless rock songs into beautiful instrumental lullabies. Delicate instruments such as the glockenspiel, vibraphone, mellotron, harp and bells create a soothing atmosphere of sound. These charming recordings are sophisticated enough for everyone to enjoy, yet gentle enough for you to share with your little angel.

Go take a look at: http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/ I know we will be frequent visitors!


Between You & Me Journals

7:30 AM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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.

Visit their Website at http://www.sanddunebooks.com/




.. ABOUT THE COMPANY ..

Sand Dune Publishing LLC is an independent publishing company with the very simple mission of developing writing tools that help strengthen personal relationships through self-expression and sharing.
To that end, The Between Me and You™ series was released.

There's no other journal like it. The presentation is simple, contemporary and non-mushy. The books are divided into 6 chapters, each concerning a different phase of life or relationship. Asked in a comfortable, conversational tone and many times with a sense of humor, the questions are specific enough to elicit some wonderful personal information yet general enough so that anyone will find them relevant to his or her own relationship.

A great feature of the Between Me and You™ series thanks to the spiral-bound presentation is that you can simply tear out the pages that might not be relevant to your particular needs. You can even add your own personal questions or even photos on the blank pages that are provided in back. Give one to be filled out and returned by someone special. Or fill one out for that very special person in your life. They're also perfect for parents who'd like to record their own memories to hand down to their children. The result is a unique, handwritten journal that will be cherished for a lifetime. Several additional versions relevant to our many relationships are planned and will be released in the near future.

Clicktoy - The Meadow

7:08 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit


Clicktoy was created by a Dad who wanted a fun & interactive game for his own children. He created this game with beautiful 3D illustrations, music, sounds and activities. This is fun and easy Windows PC interactive software for children ages 1 and up.

Thanks to the ClickSafe technology you can feel safe knowing that your kids can play within a contained computer environment, without the risk of accidentally encountering anything else on the computer.

The Meadow is the first PC game for toddlers that safely transforms the computer into a safe, fun and easy toy. Toddlers can press any key to navigate this virtual pop-up book populated with familiar animals in their natural habitat. Clicktoy is interactive animated wholesome story time for families.
Clicktoy Interactive Inc., based in Vancouver, Canada, is run by parents who specially develop, produce and publish toddler-appropriate software using the latest in graphics and real-time animation technology - safely turning the personal computer into a toy.
Check out the Free Trial at http://www.clicktoy.com/

Puppy Plays

2:37 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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

8:25 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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!

10:21 AM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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!

7:50 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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!

3:33 PM Posted by Bits from a Brit

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!