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Mom Loves Mamapedia.com - Try it yourself & win a VADO camera!

*Thank you to New Baby for donating this VADO camera from Creative Labs to our fun event. Please check out New Baby and consider adding your own vlog!





Last weekend we had the opportunity to meet a wonderful new parenting advice search engine, Mamapedia, and now we'd like you to try the site out for yourself with our new contest, "What Can I Learn Today?" 

One grand prize winner will win a VADO digital video camera!

To Enter:

1. Visit Mamapedia and ask any parenting question.
2. Choose how you want to enter - or choose all three for more chances to win:

• Comment to this post with your question and the answer you found
• Blog about Mamapedia on your own site sharing the question you asked and the answer you found
• Vlog about Mamapedia and your question/answer at New Baby.

3. Fill out this secure form to let us know that you entered.

It's that easy! Then join us for another SiteWarming Party on Twitter Saturday, May 23rd from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m eastern time to find out who won! There will also be several great door prizes.

Good luck!

*This contest is open to all U. S. residents 18 years or older and ends May 23rd at 9:00 p.m. eastern.

*This contest courtesy of Momfluence - Rocking the Cradle and Shaping the World.

Mom Loves Story Time Felts

It's fun to look back to our childhoods. Look at the toys we played with, the games, the activities, the adventures. We didn't sit on our parents lap at the computer. We didn't watch TV more than MAYBE an hour a day. We read, we ran around outside. We MADE toys out of bits of things we found around the house and a imagination. We didn't need everything fancy, talking, lights flashing, music, LOUD, like today's children do. 

I have been striving to find all the simple, enjoyable, educational, imaginative, fun toys I can for Elijah. He is a very smart baby, whose favorite activity is to sit with you and read. He will sit on your lap and stare at the pages for hours. Laughing at the pictures, rubbing his hand across the pages as if he can touch the objects. He loves the bright colors. He loves the expressive words. He loves the rhymes. He loves the poems. Elijah loves just listening to the words.

I was very fortunate to have met the most wonderful woman, who knows A LOT about story time and how to make it enjoyable for your children. Lois told me all about her company, Story Time Felts, and was sweet enough to even send us a Nursery Rhyme Felt Board Toggle Book. Elijah loves it!

"Story Time Felts  offers the very finest in felt board stories and visual aids for learning and open-ended play.  Strict attention is paid to the quality as well as the educational value of each product. We carry an extensive line of educational felt board story sets and non-denominational religious felts as well as dress-up dolls,including custom photo dress-up dolls, felt activity books, finger plays, puppets, and audio story and song Cd's and more for preschool through school aged children."

They are all made in the U.S.A.,  beautifully and brightly colored, and come with unlimited possibilities! The felt is even washable -- which is a big plus! Not even drool filled, sticky fingers, Elijah could harm the colorfast felt images! He loves the feel of the felts on his fingers. He loves to help mommy move them around the story boards. I have no doubt in my mind by 9 months he will be moving them around without my help. He already tries now. Lois also recommending putting Velcro on the back of the pieces for finger puppet play. Elijah laughs and laughs when he sees the little characters pop up and hears me do the different voices while moving my fingers around. 

"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!"

How true is that? How many times a day are you telling your children -"turn off that TV... get off that computer... put down that video game" - These felts not only help the children turn of the technology and use their imaginations, they help to remind YOU how important it is to turn off and to play with your children. I am loving laying on the bed with Elijah and coming up with story after story using the characters. Even with the nursery rhyme set... Did you ever hear of the time that Humpty Dumpty DIDN'T FALL. He in fact SAVED the kingdom by having such a spectacular view from up there! -- I am having so much fun coming up with these stories myself!

These would be a great present for any children in your life, teachers, your church's Sunday school class or playgroup. They would be a great present for birthdays! You don't have to stand in an Toy isle at Target and wonder which toy the other guests bought, which toys does the kid already have, which toys are appropriate, how much do you want to spend. Story Time Felt is inexpensive, one of a kind, and guaranteed to be a hit.

If you would like to place an order with Story Time Felt , please do so using her name, Lois Graham, when prompted for your Consultant's name.

For more information please visit Lois' Story Time Felt page. She would love to help you with orders, educational home and catalog parties - to earn free felt,  joining her sales team, teacher workshops, vendor events and more. Her contact information is availible there or you can follow Lois on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/LoisGraham

More posts to come on Elijah & playing with Story Time Felt as he grows and can plays along.

Mom Loves Music - Yanni Voices song widget & Ballas Hough Band review /Free MP3

Have you heard Yanni Voices? If not click the widget above to listen! Let me know what you think! And feel free to post this widget on your own site!



I am loving the Ballas Houghs Band more and more. Click the above widget to get your own copy of their hit - "Longing For." One of my favorite songs by them! If you hadn't seen my review on FSUTSD, here's another chance! Enjoy!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first put the Ballas Houghs Band in, but I liked the sound right away. The more I listened, the more I liked it. It's a really easy to listen to sound, one of those albums you can put in and listen straight through and enjoy. I actually listed to it 3 times through on itunes before I even realized I had even listened to it once. The songs sound similar enough to all flow together really well, but different enough to stand on their own. Its pop and dance and would be a great album to play during a party, while cleaning, or just dancing with your family/children/friends. It's also an enhanced CD with links to their sites!

Longing For, Do It For You and Break Through are my favorite songs from the album, but honestly in my opinion there is not one song that is bad. I recommend this CD to anyone who likes pop music like Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, it even sort of reminds me of Savage Garden. Even if you don't like any of them, give it a chance, you may be surprised!

This CD confirms, not only are Mark Ballas and Derek Hough amazing professional dancers (winning in seasons 6 & 7) but they are also amazing singers.

Thanks for reading!

Mom Loves Gift Guides ~ Momfluence Loves Mother's Day

Featured Products

Chic and Carry Wristlet - Make mom’s quick trips out with baby much easier with this great product.

Miessence Organics Mothers Day Set - Every mom deserves to be pampered once in awhile, and these organic body products allow her to do just that.

Sara Lee Simply Sweets Pies - Sara Lee’s Simply Sweets line gives you a delicious way to treat Mom this Mother’s Day with a fast, easy and delicious dessert.



Children Should Come With Warning Labels - Patti McKenna offers a humorous take on motherhood, giving mom a chance to laugh, cry, and identify with her tales.



Roundhouse Designs Desktop Mobile - Roundhouse Designs origami mobiles and wall art are handcrafted creations that make a unique Mothers Day gift.



Roundhouse Designs Jewelry - Roundhouse offers a wonderful selection of handmade jewelry, with styles that are perfect for every mother on your list this Mother’s Day.



Heart of A Mother - Heart of a Mother is a gift book filled with touching tributes to Mothers and Grandmothers, inspirational short stories, poems, proverbs and quotations.

Protect-A-Bed - Protect-a-Bed waterproof mattress covers provide protection from allergens, dust mites, and bedbugs, helping to extend the life of your mattress and mom to sleep a little sweeter.



Ultimate Woman Vitamins- Make sure that mom is getting everything she needs to stay healthy and active with the Vitamin Shoppe's Ultimate Woman vitamins.

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More Great Gift Ideas

April Cornell Shoulder Bag

BabyPlus System

Not Just Any Old Day Keyrings

Menu For The Week Subscription

For My Mother Reflection Journal

Vintage Body Spa

No Throw

Me Time Sportswear

Peek-A-Boobs

Kind Notes

Aventine Hill Bath Products

Treadlight Eco Snack Kit

Name Your Tune CDs

Things Remembered Charm Stories

Diaper Clutch

Pedometer

Lia Sophia Riverside Necklace

Lia Sophia Beaujolais Necklace

Lia Sophia Mandalay Bay Necklace

Lia Sophia Athena Necklace

Lia Sophia Love Dust Set

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More Great Gift Guides

The Mom Maven

MomECentric

All reviews listed in the Momfluence gift guide were product provided.
Featured positions were purchased by sponsors.

Member gift guides are not affiliated with Momfluence.
This Post brought to you by Momfluence: rocking the cradle and shaping the world.

Mom Loves Sitewarming Parties! - Mamapedia

It's 2:00 a.m. and your three month old is crying...a lot. You're a first time mother, and while you've got a ton of questions, you called your mom at 2:00 in the morning last night about that crazy looking diaper, so you'd really like to get through this one on your own.

But where can you turn?

http://www.blogger.com/Mamapedia is a new site that takes the wisdom of thousands and thousands of moms and makes is searchable! You can head to the computer with that screaming infant in your arms and type,

"Why does my baby cry so much at night?"

And this is what you'll find - an article about a mom who asked a question titled "http://www.blogger.com/Sleepless" and the responses of forty-four moms. You can read those forty-four answers while bouncing your baby, and with a little luck by the time you are through your infant will be fast asleep and you will feel better as well.

To launch this new mom resource, the Momfluence network and Resourceful Mommy are throwing a party. Join us on Twitter this Friday, May 8th, from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. eastern time along with mom experts in a variety of parenting areas: multiples, kid crafting, health and safety, potty training, home schooling and more!

During the party, details about a "What Can I Learn Today?" contest will be revealed...along with the incredible grand prize.

Join us by RSVP'ing here!

This event brought to you by Momfluence: rocking the cradle and shaping the world.