The winners of the First Impressions Layette sets are:

Kimberly Ripley and Margaret Smith.

Congratulations ladies! We will get those out to you soon.

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My eye is always caught by wall decals. As long as my husband is in school, we'll be renters. And as renters, I'm always on the lookout for a way to spice up the joint without permanent changes. We recently added the Wall Candy Arts "Nightly News" decals from All Modern Baby to Violet and Finn's room.

The decals are quite simply, peel and stick. They are removable, movable, and restickable. They include:

• 4 owls
• 4 branches
• 41 leaves
• Over 50 glow in the dark stars
• Glow in the dark moon

The kids were thrilled with the change, and actually successfully participated in the redecoration. I'm looking forward to 8:00 darkness, so we can better enjoy the glowy capabilities of the moon and stars.

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Jordan Elyse is a photographer and graphic designer who has combined her passions to create Simply Fresh Prints. She offers fresh and modern birth announcements, invitations, and thank you cards, and retouches your photographs, combining them into a personalized and enchanting result.


Jordan is offering 2 of our readers their choice of either Simply Fresh Prints' gift stickers, or return address labels. I'm partial to the squiggly sheep, but I suppose it's up to the winners.



For your entry, just visit Simply Fresh Prints, browse, and let me know your favorite design in the entry form. If you're keen on extra entries, you may tweet, facebook, blog, link, sky write, mime, Morse code. Just let me in on your extra efforts in the comments section. Best of luck!

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Madsen Cycles is giving away 2 cargo bicycles on July 15th. Get thee over there, bloggers and link up! Click the bike up there. See the pretty blue bike? Click.

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We're giving away a 6 piece First Impressions layette set from Macy's.

Six Piece Layette Set:
Available in sizes for preemies, 0-3 months, 3-6 months or 6-9 months
Includes 1 coverall, 2 bodysuits, 1 pant, 1 cap and 1 bib
Available in assorted colors and patterns: yellow, khaki and teal
100% cotton, machine washable
Sold in store and online as an everyday value, regular price $19.98 per set

Important: The size and colors (gender neutral) in the giveaway will be random. So best to get this for a new baby, or baby not yet born. Good Luck!

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As I'm a miserable follower of directions. In everything from cooking to sewing, I tend to wing it. I've made a few wing it items lately, to varying degrees of success. I adore these wing-it-pants. I made them by pinning a pair of pants that fits to the fabric and cutting around them, leaving extra room for seam allowances. I needed to leave much more belly room in these, so they'll only fit for a few weeks. Bummer, but I lived and learned. There may even be enough room for me to cut off the waistband and move it down, thus fixing the problem entirely. I'll probably wing that too.

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...was Mary M, whose question was:

"I leave one stick of butter on the counter in a closed butter dish so that it is spreadable. It only takes my family a few days to use on toast, popcorn and other foods. Is this safe?"

I will submit your questions, and post the answers ASAP. Thanks for entering!

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There are 3 months left to take advantage of Science Chicago, an assortment of exciting science events and activities for all ages. There are opportunities for Saturday excursions examining everything from fungi, to sound engineering, to cosmetics manufacturing. There are also discussions on a variety of relevant topics with scientists who are leaders in their fields. And don't miss out on the LabFest! nearest you. LabFest! is a series of science festivals held in local parks, libraries, and other locations for the rest of the summer. Each festival offers its own assortment of activities, with something for each age group. (My own personal favorite: The opportunity to use the police software FACES to make your very own suspect sketch!) I'm marking the Morton Grove LabFest! on my calendar.

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There is little more satisfying than watching your children shovel in salad grown from a seed in your garden. In an effort to be mindful of our food, and where it comes from, we have taken up a "blessing". It is intended to go:

Blessings on the blossom,
Blessings on the fruit,
Blessings on the stems and leaves,
Blessings on the root.

Here is Finn's rendition:

Untitled from Sarah Jensen on Vimeo.

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...when the Midwest Dairy Council will give you the milk for free?

In celebration of National Dairy Month, the Midwest Dairy Council has put together a prize package including a reusable shopping bag (I have 2 of them myself. They're enormous and flat bottomed, and I love them), a jump rope, recipe booklets, a magnetic fridge pad, and 10 VIP coupons good for a free gallon of Dean Foods milk. The winner will also have a submitted question answered by Registered Dietitian, Melissa Dobbins. 2 runners-up will also have the chance to have their questions answered. Fill out the form below, and best of luck. The contest will run until noon Sunday, June 21.

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It was a toss up as to whether or not Violet would be able to sit through and enjoy a full length theater production. The first act was a little rough, but we plied her with popcorn during the second, and that went much more smoothly. She doesn't talk much about her experience, though she does talk a lot about Mary Poppins, and listen to the soundtrack. In true Violet form, she seemed to be more interested in the orchestra. I still vividly remember going to see Into The Woods as a child. Though much of the humor was over my head, the experience stands out amidst an otherwise hazy memory bank. I'm stingy with my standing ovations, but Bert (Gavin Lee) made me through my cautionary applause to the wind. If you haven't been to see the US tour of Mary Poppins, take the opportunity. It is still in Chicago, running through July 12th.

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