John Grout's Relaxing Sounds of Nature CD

The Rain on My Face...

With my past experiences with anxiety and all the different medications I have tried to calm and relazx me in stressful situations, I have found that nothing can compare to the power of an amazing CD full of nature sounds. I have tried my hand with a number of different environmental CD’s but none have stuck with me like John Grout’s Relaxing Sounds of Nature.

Now, how different can one nature cd be from the next you ask? Well, we all are wired to respond to sounds and situations differently, so explaining why this one would great for everyone is difficult. But I can assure you that the first 3 tracks are the best! I actually have them memorized, with each hooting owl and raindrop like the lyrics to a song. It is comforting to know what’s coming up next. And if I close my eyes and meditate on it, I imagine myself sitting in that rainforest or on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, experiencing all of those noises first hand. Feeling the rain on my face, the breeze blowing by, and the waves at my feet.

If you are in need of some relaxation and releasing some tension, then I think this CD just might be you’re all natural answer. No medications, no therapy, no stress. It is all around relaxation. And come on, leading the life of SuperMom, SuperWife, and all around SuperWOMAN, can be tough. Give yourself a break!

Little Stork ~ The Essential Delivery Bag

I’ve Got It in the Bag!

Now if you know me, I am a list-maker. I attempt to be as strictly organized as possible. Now ever since having my son almost 2 years ago, that obsessive-compulsiveness part of me has sort of been thrown to the wayside, but in preparation of the birth of our second ( a daughter, Lily), I have taken it back and am using it to my advantage.

You see, I am almost 36 weeks pregnant, so it’s nearing time and the inevitable “Hospital Bag Packing Ritual” of mine has begun in full force. But not without the help this time of Little Stork, a fun company that has taken all the guess work out of what you need to make your hospital stay during labor, delivery, and post-partum a breeze.

I got my hands on the Essential Bag [$115], but let me tell you, that is plenty for me! They also carry the Original, Deluxe, and Mother of All versions, all with a little more than the previous bag, so you would just need to check them out to see which one would satisfy all of your needs.
In the Essential Bag, there were 5 smaller bags, all for a different part of the process. The Birth Experience Bag has everything necessary to keep you calm and cool during labor; like ponytail holders, a headband, socks, camera, notepad, and more. Then there are Mom and Dad bags, all with the necessary toiletries for each parent. Then a small bag with an ever so cute hat for the baby (pink for girls, blur for boys, or green as a neutral), and then a small bag with breastpads and nipple cream (if you so choose to breastfeed).

Of course, I had to add some things of my own, like a few outfits for me, the take-home outfit for Lily, my video camera, and a few other small things, but with the amazingly large size of the bag, IT ALL FIT!!! And I quite the over preparer!

It’s nice to know that someone out there combined all the pertinent items needed for an expecting mother, so we can spend more time resting and relaxing for the big day. Now, as long as we remember to grab the bag on our way out the door, then we’ll be set!

Welch's Aquajuice

A healthy alternative to your regular fruit juice

“Juice” was one of my son’s first words. And even now, after he has been talking for a few months, it is still one of my favorite words for him to say. He just sounds so cute saying it and the way his little mouth looks when he does is priceless!

So when we got a chance to try out Welch’s new juice, Aquajuice, not only was I thrilled to give him something new, but to give him something that is so good for him was even better. With no added sugars or artificial flavors, no high fructose corn syrup and it containing an entire serving of fruits for him, I can feel good knowing I am giving him a high quality drink that actually tastes good! I even tried it myself and was surprised at how refreshing it tasted. It wasn’t thick or syrupy; it didn’t taste sugary at all. I can see why they call it Aquajuice, because that is exactly what it tastes like!

Since we were sent the Apple Aquajuice to test out, and Jonah has a high sensitivity to apples, I ran right out to our local grocer and picked up the Fruit Punch flavor as well. They were both super yummy, I loved them and Jonah loved his new “juice” so much that we have since bought a few more bottles. I saw that they also make a Kiwi-Strawberry flavor that I bet is really good too!

And with the price of a bottle of Aquajuice being comparable to that of any other bottle of juice in the juice aisle, it’s not like we only get it on occasion or when we are splurging on special stuff. I have found myself buying it right along with my other groceries each and every time we go shopping.

WIN IT!
Wanna win a bottle of Welch’s Aquajuice for yourself and your family? Welch's wants to make sure one of my lucky Sharing My Instincts readers gets their hands on a complimentary bottle, too!

All you need to do it email me at sharingmyinstincts AT comcast DOT net with the answer to the following question:

*How many calories are in 1 serving of Welch’s Aquajuice?

Extra Credit:
*Tweet about this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this contest. Send me a separate email with a link to your tweet as verification as well as @ me at my twitter name @sharingmyinstincts.
*Add @sharingmyinstincts as a friend on twitter. Be sure to email me a separate email with your twitter name for verification.
*Add the Sharing My Instincts button to the sidebar of your website. Send me a separate email with a link to your website as verification.
*Blog about this contest, be sure to link back to this post! Send me a separate email with a link to your post, as verification.

That's FIVE chances to win! Good Luck!!!

The fine print:

*Contest ends Tuesday February 3, 2009 at 11:59pm CDT.

*Contest open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike.

*Winner will be chosen at random by a random number generator and with have 48 hours from initial congratulatory email to respond. If original winner does not respond, and alternate winner will be chosen.

*Don't worry, by entering my giveaway I won't keep your info for any future use!

Rachael Ray ~ Rachael's Rescue & Nutrish

Most of you know I am an avid animal lover. And since my heart has always belonged to the all animals that walk, crawl, swim, fly, squirm, slither, hop, and slide their way’s through life, it would seem exactly appropriate that I would absolutely adore Rachael Ray’s newest venture, Rachael’s Rescue.

Rachael Ray wanted to use her fame and popularity for the good of all those animals, so she created a line of Dog food and treats called Nutrish. And along with this new line of nutritious and delicious line of food, based off of the pallet of her beloved pooch, Isaboo, Rachael donates a portion of the proceeds of their sales to a number of very worthy animal rescue organizations, such as the ever popular North Shore Animal League, the ASPCA, and Bad Rap. Be sure to check out all of their websites, to see what they are all about.

Nutrish comes in two different flavors of food and 4 different flavors of treats. You are sure to find one that your pooch will devour. And you can trust that Rachael had a hand in the make-up of these products, because the first ingredient in each of them is real meat, not a nasty by-product or knock off of the real deal.

Not only can you learn all about Rachael’s Rescue and Nutrish on her website, but you can read the often updated Pet Lovers Blog and even find some snazzy recipes to whip up in the kitchen for your four legged friend.

Nutrish can be found at a variety of locations across the country and internet, so check THIS out to find someplace near you.

Balance Water for Children

Water for the Wee Ones

I am always on the lookout for healthy alternatives for my son, and Balance Water from Australia has impressed me enough to want to tell you all about it!
Balance Water for Children [6 - 13.5 fl oz (400 ml) bottles @ $7.49-$7.99] is an unflavored, homeopathic bottled water that is designed specifically for kids and their needs. With 4 essential Australian flower essences to help calm, focus, and concentrate it is more than just your basic bottle of water. The 4 essences are Black-Eyed Susan (for focus, concentration, and channeling of energy), Crowea (to help center and calm), Bush Fuchsia (balances the brain between creativity and analyzing) , and Paw-Paw (helps with feeling overwhelmed) and I must say, I noticed a bit of calm come over Jonah after he drank some of the Balance Water. Now, I don’t know if it really worked or not, and I know a lot of people will be skeptical of the actual effectiveness of the water, but my thought is, it doesn’t hurt to try.

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical of homeopathic remedies prior to using them regularly with my son, and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. But I am far more inclined to try out a homeopathic remedy before jumping to a more chemical-based alternative. So my honest opinion behind Balance Water is that if I can provide my son with a drink that he will actually DRINK, and even if only “sometimes” it helps him in the areas listed above, I am going to give him that alternative because a more natural alternative is far safer than a chemical based one.

Aside from Balance Water for Children, they also have a few other waters to choose from.

Water for the Mind ~ provides help with focus, concentration, and has a centering effect on the body
Water for Women ~ provides the same help as Water for the Mind, with additional flower essences to help control mood swings, menstrual cramps, and fertility
Water for Traveling ~ provides help against fatigue, jet lag, and stress

Balance Water can be found at select stores and is soon to be carried at Babies R Us & Toys R Us stores across the U.S.

The Jimmies ~ Make Your Own Someday

Toe-tappin, Hip-Shakin', Head-Boppin' for the Whole Family

My kid is a music fanatic. I’m not real sure if we did something to make him love music the way he does, or if he got the genes from us (we were both active in music all throughout all of our school years, even through college), or if he is really just that cool (I think it’s the latter), but when he hears the beat to pretty much any kind of music, he dances like he is Kevin Bacon in Footloose.

So when I received the CD Make Your Own Someday [$15] by the ultra-awesome kid’s rock band, The Jimmies I knew he would love it before I even opened the package. I’ll tell ya, the BEST part of this album is that it’s not your typical kiddie songs. The songs are catchy and don’t make you want to gouge your eyes out when your kid wants to hear the same song over and over and over. I seriously find myself singing along and having, almost as much as Jonah! Even long after the CD has stopped, I still can’t get some of the rhythms and melodies out of my head.

If you are in the market for an upbeat, fun, and funky CD for your little ones, and Wheels on the Bus or Old McDonald just aren’t cutting it anymore, head on over to The Jimmies website and pick yourself up a copy of the album, Make Your Own Someday. And while you are there, browse their super awesome website, where you will find fun video’s, songs, pictures, and more. You can even snag yourself a Jimmies t-shirt for your little groupie! Now, rock on!

Baby Lists: What to Do and What to Get to Prepare for Baby

Lost of Lists, for the List Maker in You

I have never officially been diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, but I swear, I have to have at least an inkling of it running in my veins. I obsess over many things, yet have the memory of a goldfish. So lists are a vital part of our coexistence as a family in this house. We have a list of housework on the refrigerator, and a list specifically for when Jonah last took a medication or had his temperature taken. We have lists for groceries and daily tasks. And it works well around here. That visual reminder does wonders over trying to remember everything, because I am bound to forget something at any given time. It’s so true.
So you can imagine my excitement when I received the book Baby Lists: What to Do and What to Get to Prepare for Baby [$15] by Elaine Farber. And even though this is my second pregnancy, it doesn’t mean I don’t need a few reminders on what to do and when to do it. Plus, I plan on doing things a little bit differently this time around, and the information found within the pages of this book are helping me make wiser choices than I did the first time around.
For example, I did not breastfeed my son. I was uneducated and uninformed on the facts of breastfeeding, but ever since I did my research, I always knew how important it was going to be to breastfeed my next. In this book I found a list of products that are useful for breastfeeding mothers, as well as a thorough section of the recommended birth plan that applies specifically to my breastfeeding beliefs. Another list I really liked was in Chapter 25, the Master Shopping List. It takes all of the important products from the preceding chapters, wraps them into one nice and condensed list, so you can go straight from Newborn Necessities (like how many onesies, sleepers, and bibs you may need) all the way through Feeding, Baby Gear, and Toys and more. Seriously, I feel as though if I were to follow these lists, I wouldn’t forget a thing for my new baby girl!
Honestly, this book is a must-have guide for any mom, primarily those new mom’s, who feel as though “if only this baby came with an owner’s manual”. Elaine didn’t seem to forget a thing within these a pages.
If you are expecting or know of a fresh, new mama who is…this book would be the perfect gift, whether given/used DURING pregnancy, or even shortly after.
Baby Lists: What to Do and What to Get to Prepare for Baby by Elaine Farber is available at most major book retailers such as Border and Barnes & Noble as well as a number of online websites.