Tiny Talk and the Adventures of Plastic Mommy

Keeping our little busy bodies occupied can sometimes prove to be a challenge, and what is even more challenging is making sure that we remember to stimulate their little minds so that they are learning while they play. I love that my toddler enjoys Sesame Street every bit as much as I did, that is one program that will be around forever! Did you know that Sesame Street now has a website? It is a great learning resource for your toddler and guaranteed to be loads of fun! This site is packed with activities such as games, video, stories and tons more! The best thing is knowing Sesame Streets reputation you can feel assured that all of these activities are aimed at developing your child's fundamental skills. What are you waiting for? Visit now!

Another great website for moms is MommyReview. This site provides great information on safety, new products, activities and more, so grab a cup of coffee or tea, kick off your shoes and browse around the site! Until next time...Have a wonderful Thursday!

7:04 PM
Categories: family life, school aged children, Toddlers. Author: Tiny Talk

Congrats to Jodi of Michigan on winning the Humpday Give Away Espresso Maker! Please contact us ASAP to claim your prize! We wanted to take the time out to thank over 200 wonderful people who entered the Giveaway. Your input on our website was invaluable and we hope that you will visit our website again soon as in the next couple of weeks we will be implementing many of the changes you suggested. Without you there is no us so we will work hard to create for you the best shopping experience possible. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Now....how about another give away? I know many of you mommies out there were thinking an espresso maker is nice but what about the tea drinkers? Poof.....Your wish is my command!

7:28 AM
Categories: Contest and Give Aways, pamper yourself. Author: Tiny Talk

6:09 PM
Categories: recipes, Toddlers. Author: Tiny Talk

As busy moms one of the things that can really make your day challenging is spending lots of time correcting and issuing discipline to exploring (putting it politely) toddlers. It makes our day so much easier when our little ones display those positive behaviors we love most. Well, your toddler is not perfect and who wants them to be? It's those exploring times that give you the opportunity to teach, correct and bond with your toddler while building character. However, in between character building we have to wash dishes, do laundry, cook dinner and the list goes on....So how do we get our toddler to practice regular good behavior? The power is in the praise!

Praise your toddler to reinforce positive behavior- Here are some tips:

Teach good manners and praise your toddler each time they use them(ie: What a polite little man mommy has!)

Give more time to praise than correction- Be concise but firm with correction so your toddler is aware that this is behavior you are not happy with. When praise is due spend double the time giving compliments and hugs and kisses. Toddlers thrive off of attention and whichever action gets the most attention will be the action he/she chooses to repeat.

Speak in a very proud energetic tone when giving praise. Toddlers feed of of your energy. When they realize how happy they have made you they will seek to continue this particular action creating valuable lasting habits.

What are your suggestions for reinforcing positive behavior?

6:47 AM
Categories: family life, Toddlers. Author: Tiny Talk

Suit up and dance through fall's rainy days, splash in every puddle--share all the new wonders of the fall season with your little ones. This Dino Rain Coat will keep your cutie looking great at budget stretcher prices.In the spirit of the season, here are some fun fall activities to try.


Pick Apples (or Pumpkins...)

Head to your local nursery, apple orchard, or farmers market and pick out your own little piece of fall's bounty. Don't forget to bring the camera to snap some adorable pictures of your angel(s) wrestling pumpkins or climbing haybales.


Make Your Own Fall Story Book

Buy cheap notebooks at the dollar store and decorate the covers with construction paper and common household trash like pieces of popsicle sticks. This idea can be great for several age ranges, as older children can write about their fall experiences and what they are learning, while younger children can go for a more multi-media approach and tell their stories with pictures and collages. Go for a walk around your neighborhood and collect interesting leaves and sandwich them between heavy books or other flat, hefty objects. When dry, the leaves can be glued as is in your journals or used for leaf rubbings. Take a leaf and place it on a table or desk. Cover it with a blank piece of paper. Use pencils, oil pastels, charcoal,or crayons and lightly rub over the top of the paper with the leaf underneath until the impression of the leaf shows, and voile`, you'll have your own leaf in any color you wish.

Go Indoor Camping!
Grab some thick sheets or blankets, drape over a few tall chairs, secure the ends with clothespins, and get ready to go camping in your new "tent." Don't forget your sleeping bags and other essential camping gear. With a flashlight or electric lantern, you and your little ones can curl up and tell tall fall tales. And what would camping be without S'mores?



Here's a quick and easy recipe for microwave S'mores:

• 20 whole graham crackers cut or broken in halves
• 20 marshmallows
• 1 jar premade chocolate frosting or one recipe chocolate frosting
  

After layering the ingredients, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds, watching carefully.

12:02 AM
Categories: cooking, dessert, recipes, the Budget Stretcher, Toddlers. Author: AJae

Now I know your thinking....why in the world is she posting Toddler Times Thursday on Saturday? Well as it was intended to get you this article on Thursday, i fell ill and was unable to, but guess what this is our blog, we promised a Toddler Times Thursday and that's what you're gonna get!(On Saturday!)

The topic for this Thursday is ......

5 Great Ways to Save At Least 100.00 per month!

As the economy seems to drag it is getting harder and harder to save money. The government continues to stress that we are not in a recession, but recession or not, food prices are sky high and gas prices are uncertain. This is all the more reason we need to make a conscious effort to have an emergency savings if at all possible. Here are a few tips to help you save at least 100.00 per month.

Clip Coupons- Now wait just a minute, I know you like many people have a hard time keeping up with news papers with sales, let alone clipping them right? Try this website: http://www.coupons.com/ where you can put in your zip code and print out coupons in your area! Hey when you’re ready to go shopping they will be waiting for you.

Electricity Check- Electricity can be one of our biggest expenses. Running your air in the summer and heat in the winter can make your feel like you will never get a break. Changing a few of your habits can save you as 30 or more per month on your electric bill. For example changing your incandescent bulbs to florescent will save energy because they use less wattage, saving you money monthly. A great website to check out for energy savings is http://www.ase.org/

Do your own hair- I know seems like a hard thing to do, but making the effort to learn to do your own hair can save you anywhere from 40.00-120.00 per month. Wow sounds worth it to me!

Downgrade to basic cable- We all enjoy having luxuries, but choosing to find programs you enjoy on basic channels or even better….making time to read a great book, can save you anywhere from 10-25 per month.

Think before you buy- There are many places to shop online that will give you the same value for less money. If you have toddler that grow in and out of there clothes in two minutes, try online upscale resale stores like http://www.littlehandsboutique.com/ that provide quality name brand clothes at thrift store prices. http://www.ebay.com/ is also a great place to find deals. There are millions of people trying to get rid of clothes they never got to wear for a fraction of what they purchased it for. You can also find used furniture and appliances on line. Try http://www.dealcatcher.com/ to find more deals to stretch your budget.

Remember all of these are great ways to save money, but it is only effective if you actually put away the money you saved from making these changes. Good Luck!

6:52 PM
Categories: Author: Tiny Talk

Today starts Tiny Talks new Humpday Giveaways, which will take place each and every wednesday! This wednesday we wanted to do something special for all our espresso drinking mommies out there! Today's Giveaway is a great Krups Espresso Maker and includes a can of Espresso Mocha! The retail value is $65.00. We know sometimes it can get crazy raising toddlers and it seems it and can be all about the kids...these next few giveaways will be directed at the mommies!

Rules:

In order to enter this giveaway just visit our site ,and come back and leave a comment telling us what you like or dislike about our store( your comment wont affect your entry...we promise. It is important to us to know how to make our site better for you!)Once you leave a comment, that's it your entered!

This GiveAway ends next Wednesday Sept 10th. Good Luck!

9:04 AM
Categories: Contest and Give Aways. Author: Tiny Talk

Cori WestPhal! Thanks everyone for participating! Dont feel bad if you are not the winner because tomorrow there will be a brand new exciting giveaway so stay turned!

7:22 AM
Categories: Contest and Give Aways. Author: Tiny Talk

Welcome to Tempting Tuesday, our day to provide you with great recipies to tempt the tummy of your pickly little eater! We will strive to provide you with recipies that do not have 1 million ingredients and will require a sitter for you to make. Fast and easy is our motto! So here try this next recipie and snack idea for your little one next time you are struggling with what to make for lunch/dinner.

Chilli Cheese Cornchip Dogs

Ingredients:
· 2 cans (approximately 16 ounces each) chili with beans
· 1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
· 2 tablespoons instant minced onion or 1/4 cup fresh grated onion
· 1 pound hot dogs, about 10
· 10 hot dog buns, split and toasted
· coarsely crushed corn chips
Preparation:
In a large saucepan, combine chili, cheese soup, and onion. Add hot dogs; heat to boiling then simmer for 5 minutes.
Place a hot dog on each toasted bun then top with chili cheese sauce and sprinkle with crushed corn chips.Makes 10 chili cheese hot dog sandwiches.

Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas
Ingredients:
· 6 ripe bananas
· 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preparation:
Peel bananas; cut in half crosswise. Insert a wooden stick into flat end of each banana half. Lay bananas on a shallow pan; freeze for about 3 hours. Melt chocolate chops over hot water. With a spatula, quickly spread melted chocolate over each banana, coating well. Chocolate will become firm right away. Wrap each banana in foil; store in freezer. Serve when ready!

Hope you enjoyed these great recipes....More to come next Tempting Tuesday!

6:22 AM
Categories: recipes. Author: Tiny Talk

As summer is winding down and the kids are finally back in school, it's time to play seasonal weather limbo. Don't put away those flip-flops yet...and be ready with a snuggly vest or sweater for those chilly, rainy days.

Here at Little Hands, we've got some fun giveaways and in-between the seasons deals to keep your family outfitted in any weather. You'll find deeply discounted summer gear during our Summer Blowout Sale(ending this week) for those Indian summer days, and great new finds like the two below:

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or this Children's Place Ski Vest for $8.99-perfect for those days with a nip to the wind.



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And don't forget to test your luck on our fabulous last minute Back-to-School Giveaway.

Today is the last day to enter!

1:13 AM
Categories: the Budget Stretcher. Author: AJae

Are you struggling to get it all done? Quality time with your toddler, cleaning , cooking, errands and more? It 's enough to to make you shave off your eyebrows!(okay, maybe that's just me) But it can make you feel a little bit out of control to say the least. The key to getting it all done and feeling great about your day is to put a routine in place for your little one that also works well with your schedule of task for the day. Click here to read more about putting together a routine for your todder. Once you have a routine down for your little one it is easier to gel your task into this routine. Being able to meet the needs of your toddler as well as your own can be trying, but it can be done!

8:06 PM
Categories: family life. Author: Tiny Talk

We are so excited at Little Hands Boutique...September is going to be a great month! It will be full of awesome giveaways, great toddler stories and advice, recipes and crafts, as well as fitness and pampering for mom. We love being informal but we want our readers to have a sense of what they can expect as well. So with that being said, Here's the new line up.

Mayhem Mondays- Kick the Monday blues with great organizing tips that will make life with a toddler just a little easier. Mondays will also feature The Budget Stretcher, which will give you heads up on great deals that you don't want to miss at LittleHandsBoutique.

Tempting Tuesdays- Great Kid Approved Recipes to tempt your toddlers tummy! (We will also throw in a craft idea as well!)

Wednesdays Humpday GiveAway- Awesome Giveaways. Each giveaway will begin on Wednesday and end on the following Wednesday. Winners will be given 3 days to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.

Toddler Times Thursday- Great stories and advice on raising toddlers, including news about great toddler products, learning activities, and kid fashion.

Fitness Fridays- Fridays are just for moms: Fitness Friday is not just to get you physically fit, it is to get you physically,financially, emotionally and spiritually fit: Included will be great articles on getting fit and great talk about nutrition, healthy skin and hair, and last but not least great ideas on pampering and nurturing the diva in you!

Hopefully you are just as excited as we are, leave us a comment about what you'd like to see as we make changes, we'd love to know how you feel.

Truly

Yvonne and Tenisha(Owners of LittleHandsBoutique.com)

6:24 PM
Categories: Author: Tiny Talk

Congrats to Retonya Hill, winner of the Mommy and Me Giveaway! Stay tuned to Tiny Talk as next week starts our Newest Giveaway and the end of our Last Minute Back to School Giveaway. This contest ends Sept 2nd so there is still time to enter....Next time it could be you!

9:29 AM
Categories: Contest and Give Aways. Author: Tiny Talk

We know that school is in for kids in most parts of the world, but for the select few mommies who have yet to purchase school supplies or may know someone who is in need, please enter our Last Minute Back to School GiveAway. Included are two book bags(Barbie and Cars theme) and the supplies that you see in the picture. Don't forget school supplies always need to be replenished so save your budget by being prepared when what you purchased runs low.....Hey it's free!

To enter just subscribe to our feed and leave a comment. That's it. Your entered!

Contest ends Sept 2nd. Winners will be notified by email and have 1 week to claim their prize or another winner will be choosen. Good Luck

3:38 PM
Categories: Contest and Give Aways. Author: Tiny Talk

This fall, if your budget pinched so tight that pennies are squealing for mercy, you've probably been searching for an inventive solution to your kids' clothing needs. Here at Little Hands, we understand the dilemma that growing kids create. We were founded by two mommies who were tired of sacrificing quality for cheap "bargains" that often wore out months before a penny-strapped budget would allow replacements to be purchased. This week, Little Hands Boutique is pleased to kick off a new weekly tradition-the Budget Stretcher (a.k.a 'not-your-average-sales-circular').

Here are a few of the great deals we found this week:

A new (complete with original tags) Ecko Unlimited Jogging set for 10.99:

This adorable set from Buster Brown will keep your little princess looking cute-as-a button...for only 6.99.

Get your little one ready for cooler temperatures in this like-new RocaWear coat with a fur trimmed hood for 9.99.




Well, ladies, that's all for this week's Budget Stretcher, but don't forget to check out the foolproof way to discover our latest finds. Subscribe to updates through a feed reader or via email and never miss out on any of our fabulous deals (or life tales from us plastic mommies!) again.

8:58 AM
Categories: kid's clothing, Little Hands News, the Budget Stretcher, Toddlers. Author: AJae

8:40 PM
Categories: pamper yourself. Author: Tiny Talk

Family time is important to me, but it just seems the older my children get the more they think everything I say and do is "friendly". Now for all you moms that are not quite as hip as me(yeah right), friendly in teenage language(at least in the southern parts)means square. I pretty much just ignor all the smart remarks and force them to spend time with me, my husband and our two year old(we are the outcast).

I've been wanting to do a collage for my two year old's room with pictures of our family and decided this was the weekend to do it. You cant imagine the moans, groans,random Oh my goodness's!, I cant believe this!, This is so lame!, This is just plain friendly! and my favorite"Just shoot me now!"... Yep I just ignored them and explained that we were gonna help Kayla(my 2 year old) cut out picture of the family and together figure out what words or phrases we want to go under the pictures. Blank stares from everyone, but my smiling Kayla.

Anyway everyone starts painfully cutting out pictures, but while looking at old pictures they could'nt resist laughing and making smart remarks about each and every photo. They begin to ask questions about pictures and then I got to tell stories that otherwise they would have never been interested in hearing. By the time we finally finished we had laughed ourselves silly and they reluctantly admitted they had fun, although they did say they would never admit it if asked again....WHATEVER!

So for all you parents that hesitate to do things that seem a bit "friendly" with your growing family...hey try it..you never know! As far as I am concerned Family Time still rules!

4:56 PM
Categories: family life, school aged children, Teens, Toddlers. Author: Tiny Talk

This post may not be as exciting to you as it is to me, however sometimes when you are a stay at home mom, you have to find the excitement where you can. So, while shopping at linen and things the other day, I came across a product called Greening the Cleaning and because I am on a new endeavor to participate in saving the environment I decided to try it. For some reason I couldn't wait to go home and clean my face bowl with it, I know..... sounds a little pathetic right, be that as it may, I rushed home and cleaned my face bowls in my master bath with it and behold to my surprise the bowls started gleaming! It even gave off a fresh clean scent! I was sold. Why am I telling you this? I shared this story not to bore you to death, but to encourage you to venture out and try some products that are environmentally safe. I am as brand loyal as they come and would have never thought anything else would clean my bowls the same, but what do you know, I'm evolving!
Do you use some environmentally responsible products that you can share? I cant wait to refill my shelves with great products! Let's all work together to make a difference.

11:39 AM
Categories: cleaning tips, environmentally safe cleaning, green living. Author: Tiny Talk

If you've ever visited LittleHandsBoutique Toddler Times(Mom Corner)you know we highly suggest when the going gets tough, it's time for a spa night...Well recently i had one of those days where either you find a way to relieve the stress or you call your local paddy to see if they have a wagon available. Well as appealing as the latter sounds(no cleaning, cooking, people bring you your meals...hmmm....), I chose to do a spa night. Sometimes mommies you gotta take time for you. Treat yourself like the queen you are.

The second picture shows you what my tub looked like Before(hey the thought of cleaning it out made me wonder if I really wanted to do a spa night...but I pushed on..lol) The first picture is what it looked after. Ahh....those were the best 30 minutes of this week( of course after 30 minutes I was summoned by my daughter who woke up crying)

Hey you have to enjoy it while you can!

Spa Night should include:

Your favorite bath salts or bubble bath.
Soft music
Fresh Fruit(I always have grapes and strawberries)
Candles(No Spa Night is complete without them)
I also add rose petals for a hint of royalty

Spa Night Tip:

Free your mind- for this short time forget that the house still needs cleaning, grocery shopping needs to be done, and that the little one's potty training seems to be going all wrong....this is about you. Allow yourself to be refreshed and replenished..take care of you!

3:35 PM
Categories: pamper yourself. Author: Tiny Talk

I don't know about you, but my life as mom and entrepreneur can get very hectic. Sometimes we forget to make time for things that we know are important. I have been contemplating how to contribute positively to our environmental issues for a while. I guess I was looking to contribute in a big way, not realizing that every little thing I do to help adds up to something big. Our children deserve to live in a great healthy environment. We can all do our part by taking small steps that wont add more stress to our already hectic lives. Here are 5 simple tips to taking Baby Steps to Going Green:

1)Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and few degrees higher in the summer- save money on heating and cooling as well!

2)Install Florescent light bulbs when incandescent bulbs burn out. They are more expensive to purchase, but last much much longer and use less energy saving you money on your energy bill. After replacing my bulbs with florescent bulbs, the very next month I experienced a significant decrease in my energy bill(like $50.00 whoohoo!)

3) Wash clothes in cold water when at all possible. 85% of the energy used to machine was clothes goes toward heating the water.

4)Take shorter showers. If you're like me you love taking long showers, but I guess I could cut it by a minute or two :-)... This will save money on heating and water bills.

5)Skip bottled water- Purchase filters to purify your water, this cuts down on the large amount of container waste. I must admit that this one was a hard one for me. I have cut down, but I have been known to still purchase a bottle here and there...Baby Steps Moms.....Baby Steps.


For more Green Tips visit us daily on myspace. www.myspace.com/littlehandsboutique1

6:35 PM
Categories: green living, saving money. Author: Tiny Talk