Regina Baby Expo Ticket Giveaway for 2012!

The Regina Baby Expo is back for another year and I'm doing another ticket giveaway so don't miss out on!  I am also trying out Rafflecopter for the first time so get ready for a new format for entering giveaways on my blog. 

The Regina Baby Expo is a huge event for families.  It will feature plenty of local and national products and services for expecting parents and parents with young children up to preschool age.  There will be lots of great shopping, informative seminars, a children's play zone, a family rest lounge (that you will need after everything else) along with the concessions of course.  You can find a whole schedule of events on the Baby Expo Website.

If you like giveaways (who doesn't?!), there are also tons of door prizes up for grabs.  Some of the businesses sponsoring door prizes include Way 2 Grow, Scentsy, Hello Baby, Lil Sunshine Designs, and much more! 

As mentioned, the show has plenty to do for the kids like the Dino Bouncers and a sing & dance with Senkow Sing-a-Long.  I am excited to take my children again this year and see if they have overcome their fear of Bouncers yet.  If not, they will certainly enjoying the music portion of the show with Kerri Senkow and Kindermusik.  If you're curious about Fit 4 Two or Baby Salsa, you can check out their demonstrations on the Education stage.  Expecting mommies can listen in on the "Tips for a Better Birth" from Birth Bliss.  I took my pre-natal yoga through Birth Bliss and can assure you that it will be well worth a listen!

My favourite part of the show is checking out all the fantastic products especially the smaller businesses that I often only get to check out online.  I am looking forward to meeting Janna from Way 2 Grow and nabbing myself some more snack bags from the Sling Sisters!  You can check out the full list of exhibitors on the Baby Expo website and most have a link to their websites so you can do some pre-shopping.  

I also wanted to mention that half of all admission proceeds go toward the Hospital of Regina Foundation in support of the Rawlco Centre for Mother Baby Care, a cause that I recently helped raise money for via the Z99 Radiothon.  :-) 

Date and Location:
Sunday, April 15, 2012
11am to 4pm
Conexus Arts Centre, 200A Lakeshore Drive Regina, SK. 

Tickets: 
Admission $7 at the door
Kids 12 and under are FREE!
$5 advance tickets are available at Hello Baby and Zippity Zoom Toys or online at Kinderbuzz.com 

Now to the giveaway!
The Regina Baby Expo is going to give away four pairs of tickets to the show.  I am using a different giveaway tool called Rafflecopter for the first time so please be patient if we encounter any glitches (which would likely be my fault if they occur).  I just noticed that you may have to click on "read more" to get to the Rafflecopter entries. 

My Big Radio Interview!

This year, I had the opportunity to do a "donation interview" with Z99 to discuss the online auction I did on my Facebook page and to thank some sponsors for their generous donations. I wish I could have listed everyone that helped out but I have feeling they would have dragged me off the stage if I had!  I have to admit I was a bit nervous at first but it wasn't my first interview "on air" so I felt fairly comfortable.  I had to do some TV promotional interviews for a summer job a few years ago so maybe that helped prepare me!

Anyway, the great news I was able to announce "on air" was that the final total donated was actually $1066.11 thanks to some fantastic co-workers that donated more than $200 once all was said and done.  Really, this year's fundraising efforts were through the roof for Z99 as they raised an all time best at around $716,000.  It's amazing how a bit of momentum can get donations rolling!  I am just proud that I was able to help out!

I couldn't list all of the sponsors on the radio, but I can certainly thank them again here!  If you are reading this, thanks so much.  Each and everyone of you made this event the success it was regardless of the size of the donation.  I just love seeing how the auction photo album will come together and it looked fantastic again this year.  I hope you will consider supporting this wonderful cause again next year!

Thank you to the following...
Baby Chunky Cheeks - Regina, SK
Jenna Rae Photography - Regina, SK
Simply Knitted Together - Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Feltlikecelebrating - Christchurch, New Zealand
AlligatorSnaps - Toronto, Ontario
Audett & Evlor - Toronto, Ontario
PURSEnal Trends - Regina, SK
It all started with a BOW - Winnipeg, MB
Scentsy by Kara Friebel - Regina, SK
Yesterdays You Esthetics - Regina, SK 
Nellia's Designs - Regina, SK
Hello Gorgeous - Regina, SK
The Sling Sisters - Winnipeg, MB
Jaid Creations - Brandon, MB
Laura's Vinyl Art & Decor - Regina, SK
Kiddo Designs - Drayton, ON 
Lil Divas Bowtique - Whitby, ON
J9 Design - Regina, SK 
lia sophia Jewellery (Crystal Pearce) - Regina, SK
Way 2 Grow - Regina, SK
OnlyGreen (Pamela Munson) - Regina, SK 
Everything Mom and Baby - Toronto, ON 
Butterfly Bows - Dartmouth, NS 
Skincerity (Rita Holowenko) - Regina, SK
Cute D Tails - Newmarket, ON

The Z99 Radiothon Grand Total for 2012 is...

....   $871.11! 

I am quite thrilled with that number and so appreciative of all the fantastic sponsors that helped out this year.  It is so amazing that we have sponsors from all over Canada and even one from the US and another from New Zealand.  I hope that everyone continues to support these sponsors and "like" their FB pages so they can keep up to date with these businesses that go above and beyond!

Of course, a huge thank you goes out to all auction participants and especially all of the winning bidders who made contributions to our total donation to the Z99 Radiothon.  I am scheduled to present the grand total "on air" tomorrow at 4:15 pm if you happen to be tuning in.  The Radiothon begins tomorrow and there are some emotional stories told throughout the two-day event.  It's well worth listening to these narratives so you can truly appreciate what a wonderful cause this really is.

Here's a link to the Z99 website if you want to listen online!    Z99 Radio

Just one more thank you to these amazing sponsors who donated products and services:

Baby Chunky Cheeks - Regina, SK
Jenna Rae Photography - Regina, SK
Simply Knitted Together - Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Feltlikecelebrating - Christchurch, New Zealand
AlligatorSnaps - Toronto, Ontario
Audett & Evlor - Toronto, Ontario
PURSEnal Trends - Regina, SK
It all started with a BOW - Winnipeg, MB
Scentsy by Kara Friebel - Regina, SK
Yesterdays You Esthetics - Regina, SK 
Nellia's Designs - Regina, SK
Hello Gorgeous - Regina, SK
The Sling Sisters - Winnipeg, MB
Jaid Creations - Brandon, MB
Laura's Vinyl Art & Decor - Regina, SK
Kiddo Designs - Drayton, ON 
Lil Divas Bowtique - Whitby, ON
J9 Design - Regina, SK 
lia sophia Jewellery (Crystal Pearce) - Regina, SK
Way 2 Grow - Regina, SK
OnlyGreen (Pamela Munson) - Regina, SK 
Everything Mom and Baby - Toronto, ON 
Butterfly Bows - Dartmouth, NS 
Skincerity (Rita Holowenko) - Regina, SK  
Cute D Tails - Newmarket, ON

I hate hives!

I'm just writing this post to vent a little and perhaps find some solace in any comments or experiences you have had with hives. 

On Thursday, we picked up Connor at daycare and I rushed him to emergency.  His eye was swollen shut and he had red welts all over his body.  We quickly discovered it was hives and he was given some Benadryl and a steroid.  Things improved and I expected them to keep improving but no such luck.  If we go for more than 4 hours without more Benadryl, the hives are back in full force...not good considering we can only give it to him every 6 hours.  (He is also taking other medication as well.)

As a concerned Mom, I took him back to the hospital last night and found out this case of hives could last several more days.  Poor little guy!  He's all drugged up and the hives just keep coming back...they are adventurous things as they pop up all over his body and seem to move around.  Apparently this is normal...I have no clue as it's the first time I've really seen them up close.  I just want his body to get back to normal and hope this doesn't become a regular occurrence.

On the upside, we had awesome experiences with the nurses and doctors at Regina General and I wanted to give them a shout out for the amazing work they do especially with three year olds.  They were patient and helpful and did not trivialize my concerns at any time.  I am happy to be holding an auction on my blog to help support the NICU at the very same hospital...not the same department by any means but a service well worth supporting as a whole.

I'd love to hear some hives stories or experiences if you'd had any you could share!  I want to know how long it took to go away and if it was a one-time occurrence or became frequent.  Also, did you ever find out why they occurred? 

The Online Auction for the Z99 Radiothon is Open!

Just a reminder that the auction has begun!!   It will be open until Sunday, March 11th at 5 pm Saskatchewan Time.  Please be generous and remember that all proceeds are going to a very worthy cause...Saving Babies' Lives at the Regina General NICU.

Here's some important links you will need to get started:

Z99 Auction Information for 2012

A Sophisticated Mommy Facebook Page

Auction Photo Album 

Z99 Radiothon Website

My kids are weird and I like it!

I had to share these two videos...I am very proud in a strange sort of way.  From soulful singing to blue hair, we've got it all around here!

And washing the blue hair..

Just in time for Spring!

We bought the Kidorable rain coats last fall and I was waiting patiently for the matching boots to appear on www.mamabargains.com.  They finally showed up a few weeks ago and we received the boots last week.  I thought I'd post a photo here since I know it's always nice to see "real life" photos rather than the ones posted on the website.  I was really impressed with the quality of the Kidorable rain jackets ..and the amazing attention to detail in the designs.  The boots are similarily well made and I've been happy with both purchases especially when they were half price on a deals site. 

I have cut back significantly on my online shopping and am only really buying essentials that I can rationalize these days.  There is an empowering feeling to planned spending though.  I knew we needed the rubber boots and felt no guilt in buying them when they showed up.  Imagine that!

Of course, the kids love their boots.  Connor wore his all weekend..literally.  He even talked about wearing his rubber boots again today but it's still a bit too cold.  Based on the weather forecast of 8-10 degrees for next weekend, it won't be long before he'll be wearing them all the time.  Now, we just need to find some splash pants!  Any suggestions would be welcome. 

Since I'm busy writing tonight, I just wanted to mention how excited I am for the online auction for the Radiothon!  I've had some fantastic items donated and I am looking forward (albeit nervously) to announcing our grand total for this year's event "on air".  I have an interview on Z99 on March 15th at 4:15 pm so listen carefully if you happen to tune in! 

Z99 Radiothon Auction Information for 2012

Hi everyone!  First of all, thanks for participating in this auction and helping to raise money for such a good cause.  Last year, I learned that Facebook is definitely not Ebay so please be patient if we encounter any difficulties. Here's what you need to know!   

Time:  The auction will begin at 7 pm Saskatchewan Time on Thursday, March 8th and end on Sunday, March 11th at 5 pm SK Time.  I will be using Facebook time to determine last minute bids.  I will offer time reminders as the end of the auction approaches especially for those of you not from Saskatchewan. 

Bidding:   To place a bid, simply enter the amount you are willing to pay under the photo.  Each item has a minimum bid and you may not start lower than that bid.  Please increase bids by at least $2 so we're not quibbling over a few cents.  

Questions about items:   You can contact businesses via their contact information or ask myself if you need clarification about anything.  I listed quite a bit of information as well as websites, facebook pages, and etsy sites so you can refer to those to help you with deciding on what you'd like and how much to bid.

Shipping : Some businesses have indicated local pickup only.  If that is NOT indicated, that means the sponsors are willing to provide free shipping to the winning bidder (within Canada).  There are no additional shipping costs.  Some sponsors have also indicated they will ship to the US.

Payment: I will be accepting the payments via a PayPal donations link that I will send to winning bidders at the end of the auction.  I will contact winning bidders via Facebook messaging to confirm the amount owed.  Winning bidders will have until Tuesday, March 13th at 9 pm Saskatchewan Time to deposit the amount via PayPal or we can arrange for cash/cheque drop off locally.  I will take names and addresses for bids over $10 so the Radiothon may issue tax receipts.  If I do not receive the payment in time, I will contact the next highest bidder.  Once I receive payments, I will notify the sponsor and provide them with the winner's name and address so they can arrange shipment/pickup.

Auction protocol: As with any auction, please only bid if you intend to pay.  No bid deleting is allowed.  Once you make a bid, it must stand.

Z99 Donation Interview:  I will be doing an interview on March 15th at 4:15pm on Z99 Radio Regina and will present the total donations at that time.

Last but not least, have fun!  Let's try to raise as much money as we can for the NICU and remember that you are kind of getting a bonus item and a tax receipt for your donation so please be generous.  Also, feel free to compliment and thank sponsors shamelessly.

---

Here are the sponsors!
Baby Chunky Cheeks - Regina, SK
Jenna Rae Photography - Regina, SK
Simply Knitted Together - Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Feltlikecelebrating - Christchurch, New Zealand
AlligatorSnaps - Toronto, Ontario
Audett & Evlor - Toronto, Ontario
PURSEnal Trends - Regina, SK
It all started with a BOW - Winnipeg, MB
Scentsy by Kara Friebel - Regina, SK
Yesterdays You Esthetics - Regina, SK 
Nellia's Designs - Regina, SK
Hello Gorgeous - Regina, SK
The Sling Sisters - Winnipeg, MB
Jaid Creations - Brandon, MB
Laura's Vinyl Art & Decor - Regina, SK
Kiddo Designs - Drayton, ON 
Lil Divas Bowtique - Whitby, ON
J9 Design - Regina, SK 
lia sophia Jewellery (Crystal Pearce) - Regina, SK
Way 2 Grow - Regina, SK
OnlyGreen (Pamela Munson) - Regina, SK 
Everything Mom and Baby - Toronto, ON 
Butterfly Bows - Dartmouth, NS 
Skincerity (Rita Holowenko) - Regina, SK 
Cute D Tails - Newmarket, ON
 
Of course, the more sponsors we have, the more money we can raise for the NICU at the Regina General Hospital.  I would love to add more businesses to this list.  You can contact me via e-mail at: trudylk@hotmail.com.

Other important links:
A Sophisticated Mommy Facebook Page
Z99 Radiothon Auction Photo Album
Blog Post about the Radiothon
Z99 Website about the Radiothon  (Our event is listed now!)