Father's Day Event - 100+ Father's Day Giveaways & Gift Ideas!

McKinney Mommas is participating in a fantastic Father's Day Event, hosted by Makobi Scribe with "Dad-Friendly" giveaways from over 100+ blogs. 

That's at least 120 chances to WIN dad or husband a fantastic Father's Day Gift! 

Hey, I'm IN!

It seems as though most dads already have everything they want, right?  I know the last few times I asked my dad what he wanted for Father's Day, he's answered the same way: "Just a picture of you, for my desk at work." 

Photo courtesy: ArtToFrames.com

ArtToFrames.com has a vast collection of beautiful frames that would be perfect for your father or husband for Father's Day. With over 80 years of history in the framing business, they offer an 100% satisfaction guarantee.

One incredible service they provide is digital image printing with your frame order. So, there is no longer a need for you to take the time to measure, tape, adjust and re-adjust your photo once you bring your frame home.  ArtToFrames.com will do the WHOLE job for you, from photo editing to digital image printing, matting and picture framing!

I recently, was looking for some collage matted frames, to display our family photos in, since I hadn't hung any photos after moving into our new home a few months ago. I couldn't find what I was looking for at the local "big name" home stores around me. There would be one option, either with mat colors I didn't like or not enough openings for the photos I wanted grouped together. 

My search turned online, and ArtToFrames had by far, the best collection of matted multi-opening frames I could find. You can choose your frame color, as well as pick from 100 different mat colors!

2.5x3.5 & 5x7 openings - $25.23

 

8.5x11 & 7x5 openings - $35.50

 
 Take a look at the incredible selection of matted and non-matted frames available at ArtToFrames.com and save yourself the headache of ordering your photos from a separate company - let ArtToFrames do the job for you! 

Choose from these services at ArtToFrames

• Canvas printing
• Mail-in Framing (mail in your art and have it professionally framed)
• Ready made and custom made framed mirrors
• 600 multiple opening matted frames to choose from
• Digital image custom printing and framing
• Letter Art (framed photos spelling your child's name or other word)
• ............and more!

SHOP at ArtToFrames HERE 

and

ENTER TO WIN

(1) $100 Gift Certificate to ArtToFrames.com

Photo courtesy of: ArtToFrames.com

• Click Read More >>> to complete Rafflecopter Entry Form to enter!

• PLUS, don't forget to enter all the other fabulous Father's Day Giveaways hosted by Makobi Scribe from the list below!
• If you don't see the ENTRY form right away, please WAIT - it takes a minute to load! :-)

Pesky Flies and Wasps ruining your outdoor plans? Black Flag Flying Insect Trap - Review & GIVEAWAY - ends 6/22

It's not summertime yet, but here in Texas it sure feels like it already, with 90+ degree days.

Image courtesy of: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Needless to say, evenings are the best time to hang out in our backyard.  Daddy likes to grill, the little peanut likes to kick the ball around and dig in the herb garden, and with my 35 week pregnant belly, I just like to SIT and stay cool.

The most annoying thing that can seriously ruin our evenings outdoors...........FLIES!  I have no idea what started attracting them to our little patio, but a fly swatter just wasn't cutting it.

Black Flag, recently came out with a non-toxic (so important) way to attract and trap those pesky little critters that were ruining my evenings outdoors - The Black Flag Flying Insect Trap and Lure. The lures are sold separately, and are available for houseflies or a separate lure for wasps and yellow jackets.

As with any new product, I was excited to see if it really offered a solution for my problem. So, I went to task, mixing up the little packet of fly lure powder and filled the canister 1/2 way up with tap water. Simple, easy, mess-free. Now, that's what I like.

The Flying Insect Trap comes with a little stake that you can push into the ground, but since I have a little one toddling around, hanging it up on a fence post was the best option for me.

The actual insect trap wasn't an eyesore, which was great.  With the "wood paneling" exterior, it blended into our yard and fence post quite nicely.  Kinda just looks like a little bird feeder, not an obnoxious bright plastic looking trap! 

Photo courtesy of: BlackFlag.com

 The real question was, "would it work?"  Well, it didn't seem to make a difference that night, but that's okay because the instructions said it would take 2 days to fully activate. We happened to be enjoying the evening outdoors just a few days ago, grilling and playing in the yard and noticed "where are all the flies?"

I walked over to the Black Flag Flying Insect Trap, and there was my answer.  The trap had lured dozens of flies and I was able to enjoy my patio in peace!

.........and most important of all......my little peanut could play in the yard all evening without getting bit by those nasty horseflies!

Thank you, Black Flag for these TIPS for controlling insects while entertaining outdoors this season:

1.    Keep gutters clear and direct water from downspouts away from your home.

2.    Cut back bushes and tree branches around your house.

3.    Clean up all pet and animal feces promptly.

4.    Dispose of kitchen scraps and other organic waste properly.

5.    If you have fruit trees in your yard, pick up any fruit that falls on the ground.

6.    Place lids on trash and recycling bins and move them away from the house.

7.    For creepy crawlers, fill mayonnaise sized jars with used coffee grinds and water. The scent will lure bugs in, and the water will drown them so they can’t get out. 

8.   Cucumbers skins have an ingredient that repels bugs including ants, wasps, mites, moths, flies and other insects. Shred the cucumber skins and place them planters and around the perimeter of the patio. 

9.    In and around the patio plant types flowers and herbs that have natural insect repellent in their scent. Some examples:  marigolds, rosemary, basil, thyme, Thai lemon grass, catnip.

10.   Essential oils that have insect-repelling properties include eucalyptus, mint, peppermint, rosemary, lemongrass, clove, citronella and neem. In a spray bottle dilute these oils with rubbing alcohol or a carrier oil like jojoba oil, in a 1 to 10 part ratio.

Check out ALL the products available from Black Flag HERE!

or

 LIKE Black Flag on Facebook for new products & deals

ENTER TO WIN

(1) Black Flag Flying Insect Trap & (2) Lures for Houseflies & Wasps/Yellow Jackets

•  Click Read More>>> below to complete Rafflecopter Entry Form to WIN!

LOCAL - Music in the Square - Frisco, TX

Starting tomorrow, June 8th - and through the month of July - each Friday night enjoy MUSIC ON THE SQUARE - in Frisco, TX.

Bring a picnic blanket, or chairs, family and friends and enjoy the evening, listening to some great bands each Friday evening from 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm on the Simpson Plaza lawn.

This may be late for some kiddos, but if you have a bambino that will fall asleep in the stroller or on a blanket....you have instant DATE NIGHT....almost. :-)

• WHERE: FRISCO Square - Simpson Plaza lawn (in front of City Hall)

• WHEN: Each Friday evening during the months of June and July from 7:30pm - 9:30pm

• HOW MUCH: Free Admission! 

Nasher Sculpture Center and Target First Saturdays - Dallas, TX

Art, music, and participating in local cultural events are all are important parts of a child's development.  Unfortunately, depending on income, accessibility to transportation and lack of opportunity, many children in Dallas aren't exposed to fine arts on a regular basis.

Photo by: Stuart Miles

I was SO pleased to find that Target has joined with The Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas for a fantastic FREE kid-friendly art appreciation event called, "Target First Saturdays."

Each month, Target and the Nasher Sculpture Center will team up to host an open-house at the Nasher, where ALL families can enjoy FREE admission, from 10:00am - 2:00pm and learn a different "Big Idea" each month through a scavenger hunt, take home activity, hands-on craft, and more.

Some of the themes, scheduled on the first Saturday of each month this year are:

• July 2012 - IDENTITY - Activity: Future Self Portraits
• August 2012 - TECHNOLOGY - Activity: Hybrid Sculptures
• September 2012 - HISTORY - Activity: Personal Histories
• October 2012 - PERSONALITY - Activity: Personal Tote Bags
• November 2012 - NATURE - Activity: Sculpture Gardens
• December 2012 - FAMILY - Activity: Family Portraits

...and it doesn't stop there. It looks like they have scheduled as far out as March 2013 so far!

Let me take you on a tour!

My family was SO excited to be invited to take a look at "Target First Saturdays" at the Nasher this past weekend! We love museums, but just hadn't gotten ourselves down to the Nasher in the 2+ years we've lived in Dallas.

This month's theme: Art in PROCESS

Picasso - "Head of a Woman" - our first find!

The drive from McKinney on Saturday morning actually went quite quickly!  It only took about 30 minutes to get there, not too shabby!  We were able to find parking and were greeted by Nasher & Target staff waiting with a "goodie bag" for my little peanut in the lobby.  The bag included a stamped "passport" for Target First Saturdays, that she can bring back each month to get stamped and earn special prizes! 

We started with our scavenger hunt sheet, that included (4) thumbnail photos of various sculptures at the Nasher.  Our goal - find the sculptures pictured and write down the name of the piece as well as the artist. Looking around, it looked like the other kiddos there were having a FUN time, trying to figure out which sculptures were on the sheet, and writing down the names/artists. Hopefully, for many of them, this is the beginning of art appreciation for years to come!

Abakanowicz - "Bronze Crowd"

My little peanut, only 15 months old had a fantastic time looking at each of the art pieces out in the Nasher sculpture garden.  Of course we aren't supposed to touch, like in any museum, but the staff here were great about us toddling around on the grass getting up close and personal to the pieces. 

Her FAVORITE (because she could walk through it) - Serra - "My Curves Are Not Mad"

Honestly, we spent more time outside in the gardens than inside in the current exhibitions, since our little one wanted to run around.  However, there were some other fabulous activities going on throughout the day that looked like tons of fun.  Each month they have a similar schedule but offer NEW activities to keep the kids interested.  JUNE's schedule was:

• 10 am -12 pm - Children's Art Activity - Crayon Resist Drawings (and a take-home project card for making marbled paper)
• 10 am - 12:30 pm - Artist at Work Sculptor Demo
• 10:15 am, 11:15am and 12:15pm - Family Tour of the Museum
• 11:30am - Yoga in the Garden
• 12:30pm - Storytime with the Dallas Public Library
• 1:00pm - NasherKids Live! - Kabuki with Kent Williams

Keeping cool by the beautiful fountains outside in the sculpture garden!

Checking out "Night" (La Nuit) by Maillol

Don't forget to check out the Nasher Cafe by Wolfgang Puck while you're there.  We had two fantastic sandwiches, the Roasted Turkey Club and Vegetarian Bahn Mi. Our little peanut also enjoyed her NasherKids Meal (available from 11 am - 2 pm).

YES, I AM one of those annoying people who takes photos of their FOOD!

There were some great exhibitions inside as well, like the interactive piece by Ernesto Neto, called "Cuddle on the Tightrope" - a cool mess of crocheted rope that you can actually walk through. Be sure to check it out before it's gone (May 12th - September 9th 2012):

Photo by: Julius Pickenpack

At the end of the day, we felt our adventure to the Nasher Sculpture Center for "Target First Saturdays" was a HUGE success.  How can you beat a day filled with family bonding, art appreciation, inspiring creativity, and delicious food?  ANSWER: You can't!

Thank you, so much to Target First Saturdays and Nasher Sculpture Center for providing our family with a beautiful day, and for giving our little peanut a start to what we hope will be a lifetime of developing her own personal creativity and love for the fine arts!

 “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

- Pablo Picasso

Nasher Sculpture Center

2001 Flora Street

Dallas, TX 75201

(214) 242-5100

Keep that baby skin safe this summer - BuyGreen.com and UV Natural Review/Giveaway - ends 6/21

It's Child Awareness Month......so let's all get AWARE!

Sun can be harmful to our little ones skin, right? Right.  So we use sunblock, but most brands of sunblock also have tons of harsh chemical ingredients. When you have a second, take that list on the back of your sunblock bottle and enter the ingredients in a Google search, you'll be enlightened.

So what's the alternative?  We can tell our kids to sit in the shade, use hats and umbrellas.  However, kids really like to play outdoors and it's a behavior we should encourage to help them adopt a healthy and active lifestyle. No kid should be scared of the wonderful sun.

BuyGreen.com recently sent me a sample of UV Natural - Baby Sunscreen to check out.  This product uses naturally derived ingredients coupled with zinc oxide to provide a 30+ SPF guard against sunburn for babies.

Reasons to buy UV Natural Sunscreen

• No Added Fragrance
• Recently ranked #1 by the Environmental Working Group out of 800 other brands
• A little goes a long way - easy to apply and hydrates skin while protecting. 
• Not tested on animals

My daughter has pretty sensitive skin, outbreaks of eczema, rashes and the like - especially during the summer when we're using sunblock, going to the pool and having a lot of outside time.  I was happy to find that UV Natural Baby Sunscreen did not irritate her skin or cause any outbreaks of rash while preventing her skin from burning.

Be sure to apply the sunblock at least 30 minutes prior to sun exposure, this sunblock is pretty thick and since it's made from natural ingredients, is a bit on the oily side and takes longer to absorb into the skin. 

As always, check with your pediatrician before using sunblock on your child or exposing them to the sun.

BuyGreen.com has a plethora of Eco-friendly and "green" products available for purchase online.  Many products claim to be "green" or Eco-friendly but BuyGreen.com has a review process to make sure the products they carry are truly GREEN!

Check out BuyGreen.com for yourself!

• BuyGreen.com on Facebook
• BuyGreen.com on Twitter
• BuyGreen.com on Google Plus
• BuyGreen.com on YouTube
• BuyGreen.com on Pinterest
• .............and finally SHOP at BuyGreen at their website

 GIVEAWAY

Win a $25 gift certificate to BuyGreen.com!

•  To Enter: click Read More >>> and complete Rafflecopter Easy Entry form below

• Giveaway ends June 21st, 2012

Father's Day Giveaway - $100 Omaha Steaks! Ends 6/14

FATHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY

Does your husband or father LOVE steak?  You DO remember that Father's Day is coming up in a matter of weeks, right?  Planning an outdoor cookout to celebrate DAD this Father's Day?  Then this giveaway is for you!

Complete the Rafflecopter Entry Form below for your chance to win 1 of two $100 gift certificates to Omaha Steaks! This giveaway is sponsored by Bay Area Mommy and some other awesome bloggers! The prize was made possible by American Family.


While you're at it, check out this new barbeque recipe ebook from American Family.  You can download it to get 25 EXTRA entries to the giveaway. PLUS an additional 25 bonus entries for it, giving you a total of 50 entries for just downloading the helpful recipe ebook!

• This giveaway runs from June 5, 12am EST to June 14, 11:59pm EST. 

• Open to US residents only. 

• Must be 18 years or older to be eligible to win. Please read the Terms and Conditions of this giveaway at the very end of the Rafflecopter form. 

and most importantly...................................GOOD LUCK!

Get a good night's sleep with DACRON® down-alternative Fieldcrest Luxury Pillows - Review

Getting a good night's rest so SO important for mothers and fathers alike.

For me, a pillow has at least 85% of the chore in making sure my sleep is restful so I like to choose wisely when shopping for pillows.

I was given the opportunity to review a Fieldcrest Luxury pillow over the past week, and have to say I was surprised at the comfort and high-quality feel of this pillow.

The Fieldcrest Luxury pillow is filled with DACRON® Memory Fiber down alternative, so it's perfect for anyone who loves that feather down "feel", but has allergies or just can't sleep thinking about that half naked duck walking around for your pleasure!

When I first saw the Fieldcrest Luxury pillows, I was immediately reminded of the pillows that they have at nice boutique hotels, puffy and soft, retaining perfect pillow shape.  Honestly, most hotel pillows are too puffy for me, I typically like a flatter more solid pillow, being a stomach and side sleeper, so I was a bit hesitant to try these pillows.

What a surprise!  Seriously, both my husband and I have been sleeping on these Fieldcrest Luxury pillow with DACRON® Memory Fiber down-alternative for the past week and were quite pleased with the versatility.

Super soft, with a 300 thread count, 100% cotton sateen stripe cover, there was no itchy, new pillow feel here - just silky smooth comfort.  The fluffy pillows, that I thought might be TOO fluffy for this side sleeper (me), molded to my head just right and provided support, but didn't prop my neck up too much.

I'm sold.

The Fieldcrest Luxury pillow with DACRON® Memory Fiber down-alternative was created to provide an alternative to expensive natural down pillows and does just that!

Available at Target, debuting mid-June 2012...............so you don't have much longer to wait!

For more information on DACRON® fiberfill, visit http://www.invista.com/en/brands/dacron.html 

HAPPY SLEEPING!




*Disclosure: This was not a paid post. The products used to facilitate this review were given to me free of cost by the company.  However, all opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced by the complimentary product received. As I am under no obligation to post a positive review if I feel it is not warranted.