Count on It

Mami's friend (and mine!) Lyndsey or the Queen of Easy Green as she is known, is very smart.

She is an inventor. She thinks of things that can help others, then writes it down, then actually MAKES it.

Wow!

One of her many inventions are stickers called Count on It that help you remember when you put your food in the refrigerator so that you won't throw so much of it away.

Mami is always sniffing around and asking papi "do you know how long this has been in here?" or "do you think its still good to eat?"

Usually she sniffs at it for a while, then pokes at it, and does a little taste.

Most of the time, she will say "I just don't know" and it goes into the trash. She doesn't like doing it, but she would rather be safe than sorry.

Since Lyndsey sent mami her Count on It stickers we have thrown less food away.

Its so simple! You just put a sticker on the food container, and scratch off the date you put it in.

Easy.

What do you think, neat huh?

So join us in making an effort to waste less food this year.

To start off right, mami has 5 packs of stickers to giveaway.

All you have to do is:

Follow @mummypreneur (that's Lyndsey)
Leave a comment below and tell us what you do to waste less

One entry per person
Ends 13 Jan 2011

Extra entry (tweet) Win Count on It stickers with @verybusymama and @mummypreneur and waste less this year http://bit.ly/fXDO9V

Good luck and make sure to check out Lyndsey's new site which has lots of tips and advice.

Oh and Happy New Year!

Want to start the year off on the right foot? Enter to win FitFlop boots!

Little picker

Ever since I discovered I have holes in my nose, the fun hasn't stopped. I mean, I can stick my fingers in my nose any time any place.

When I'm watching TV, in bed, in the bath, in my buggy, at my Christmas concert (the songs weren't that great anyway) and for our Christmas photo at our friend's house.

Mami and papi make a weird face every time I put my finger up there and are always moving my hand away. I don't know what the big deal is. And yes, sometimes I eat what I find, there is a lot in there!

But what really makes me scream is when mami takes a tissue and wipes my nose. I mean, COME ON! She comes out of nowhere, then pinches my nose and it hurts.

I have become smart to all this and started wiping my own nose when I see her approaching. At least then I buy some time and can get away quicker.

I don't know what the big deal is. Everyone acts like they don't pick their nose, yeah right.

I really hope that one of mami's resolutions for the New Year is to loosen up. I could use a little freedom; I'm almost 2 you know.

FitFlop: These boots are made for walking

I've noticed that we have different kinds of shoes.

When its hot outside, I wear shoes but can still see my toes! And when its cold I have to wear thick socks and cover up. Now with all the snow and rain we have been wearing boots a lot more.

Papi has black boots for the snow and rain.

I've got my green wellies with bugs on them.

And mami has a warm pair of brown furry FitFlop Mukluk boots.

Yes, that's right, FitFlop make boots too. Mami was given a pair a few months ago and hasn't taken them off since. She says they are "extra bouncy" and "better looking than she expected".

I know she doesn't really like their summer shoes (she says they make her feet look fat!) but is very impressed with the stylish range of shoes and boots.

See for yourself, here's mami wearing her "super comfy boots"

Mami's FitFlop Mukluk boots

FitFlop have all sorts of boots and shoes that we didn't know about, including a kids range. And they are having a sale right now!

So with Christmas over, and the New Year coming up, why not get started on the right foot?

We have a pair of FitFlop boots to giveaway to ONE lucky winner!

Here's what you have to do:

1. Go on over to the FitFlop website and tell us what your favourite style of shoe is (lots to choose from!)
2. Answer this question: In what year was a FitFlop feature the most read article on times.co.uk?
3. Please make sure you either follow @verybusymama on twitter or follow the blog with Google Connect
4. Leave a comment below with your answers, and how best to contact you if you win
5. For one extra entry you can tweet: Starting 2011 on the right foot! I entered to win @FitFlop boots with @verybusymama and Little M http://bit.ly/gzmg7R

Please, one entry per person

If you win, you must respond within 24 hours otherwise we will have to choose another winner

UK Only
All correct answers will be entered and one name will be drawn at random
Ends Monday 10th of January

Best of luck!

Mami loves her boots and so will you!

Thank you to everyone who entered!

The correct answer is 2007

And the lucky winner is: @childcareisfun_

Please DM or Email your address before 10pm 11 January

Now I get it!

So Christmas finally arrived!

Now it all makes sense to me. The tree, the lights, the candles, the food and of course, the presents!

There was a lot going on, but the highlight of the night was getting my very own tool bench! Wow! Now I can help papi repair things around the house.

There were other gifts for me and mami and papi had some too.

But the best part of this Christmas was when mami turned on the computer and I got to SEE and TALK to abuelita, tio Tomas, tia Denise, my Great-Oma and Opa in Chile, AND my grandma Barbara, grandpa Bill and my uncles Brad and Jeff with Skype.

They all live very far away and we don't get to see them very often.

I even saw Duke, my tio's dog he's really big and I miss playing with him.

I could see how happy mami was that we got to see them all, she said that this was "a wonderful Christmas". She was a little sad earlier in the day, but that cheered her right up!

As for me, I've been busy hammering anything I can get my hands on around the house and making sure my tool bench is in order.

Hope you had a great Christmas too. Can't wait for the next one!

¡Feliz Navidad!

Con mucho cariño para ustedes en esta Navidad

From Little M and I to you with lots of love on this Christmas

¡Feliz Navidad!

Have a Glee-ful Christmas!

Is it Christmas yet? I can tell we are getting closer but I don't know how much more I have to wait. It seems I have been singing "jingle bells" for a very long time!

It's no secret mami loves Glee, and to make this Christmas even more special, papi and I got her Glee The Christmas Album.

She hasn't stopped listening to it, but instead of being annoying papi and I really really like it!

In the evenings mami will turn down the lights, turn on the tree and  put on "Deck the Rooftop" and we will march around the living room playing the spoons and banging my bucket.

Its such an upbeat and festive song, it really just makes me happy!

Then right before bed, we listen to a slower song called "O Holy Night" and then I'm off to sleep.

Other tunes include: Deck the Rooftop, Merry Christmas Darling, Baby Its Cold Outside, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Last Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, O Christmas Tree, Jingle Bells, You're a Mean One Mr Grinch, Angels We Have Heard on High.

Its like Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Santa all rolled into one!

Feliz Navidad!

Going cold turkey

Mami and papi have tried several times to take my tete or dummy away. But I aways manage to get it back or I find another one under the sofa.

Last time, they promised it was the "last one" but then another one turned up.

I think mami lost my tete yesterday.  I still can't say for sure if she did it on purpose or not, but I think not.

Papi had a little look of panic on his face when he realised it was missing and mami just said "Sorry. I must have dropped it"

Bed time was not so bad I suppose. I had my milk and I was really tired from playing at nursery all day so I just dropped off to sleep.

Mami and papi thought they had gotten away scott free, but then, I woke up very late at night wanting my tete!

And I wasn't subtle about it. Oh no! I screamed, and cried, and kicked and tried to bite my blanket, and even tried to bite mami. I threw myself on the floor and bit at the carpet.

I was desperate for my tete and mami didn't know what to do. I walked mami to the kitchen in the dark and said "tete" but she still didn't give it to me.

That's when I realised, she really must have lost it. She tried singing, dancing, watching TV, massaging my back, but nothing worked, I just wanted my tete!

I think papi got upset and said "how could you have lost it?"

Uh oh! Even in the dark I could tell that was not the thing to say to mami.

Eventually I got too tired to keep crying and I snuggled up to mami in her bed. But don't think its over though, I still want my tete, but I just had to get some sleep.

So here's a little note to mami and papi:

I don't know what game you are tyring to play, but I don't want to play anymore. Its not fun.

If you want to sleep tonight, there will be a tete somewhere in the house. Otherwise I will ask Santa for some.

I love you very much but I WANT MY TETE!

Gracias,

Shhhh! Silent Sunday

Decorating our Christmas tree!

Been hearing about Christmas for months! I know the big day is approaching but I'm not sure how many more days to go.

I can't wait to see what this is all about. I can't really remember last year, but I do remember lights. And snow. And this year looks the same.

Yesterday we put up our árbol de Navidad or Christmas tree. I helped papi undo the long string of lights and then put it on the tree.

I passed mami the shiny balls to put up and watched as the tree started to look very pretty. I had never really seen these kinds of balls before.

I wanted to play with them, so I just yanked one off. Mami and papi jumped when I pulled it.

I was a little scared too, because the tree almost fell on top of me! Close call!

Mami said not to touch. I reached out and felt the prickly leaves on my fingers, but didn't pull anything off.

We turned down the lights, listened to Christmas songs and enjoyed our shiny tree!

Today is mami's birthday, so papi and I wrapped some gifts and then  it was off to bed for me.

Hope everyone is having a good time decorating for Christmas.

And remember, look but don't touch!

If you like what you see, can you vote for me?

HOLA everyone!

This week has been very exciting for us.

First, mami is finally on vacation which means she is more relaxed (you know how stressed out she gets).

Then  I sang in my first Christmas concert at nursery which was a total hit and then, last but not least, my blog, yes, MY blog has been nominated for a Brilliance in Blogging Award in the Fresh Voice 2010 category.

Woooooooo hooooooooo! Mami and I have been doing the happy dance for days now!

We just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for the nomination and to ask very nicely, please vote for us! 

If we are lucky enough to be a winner, mami and I will do a special vlog which will include us dancing and YOU get to choose the song. PROMISE.

Asda: Something Extra Special

Mmmm, mmmmm, Christmas dinner is going to be gooooood!

Its true.

Asda sent us an Extra Special delivery last week and papi cooked up a big "practice dinner" with all the yummy food.

Extra Special is the name of the food range at Asda and let me tell you, there couldn't be a better name for it!

Mami and papi started off with some duck rolls as an appetizer (I didn't get to have any) while papi prepared the turkey.

I couldn't wait to eat because it smelled so de-li-cious! We also had roast potatoes, mixed vegetables, and cranberry sauce.

I love having dinner with mami and papi! And even though mami had a special plate for me I wanted to serve myself just like they did.

Eventually I got my way and I chose the biggest piece of turkey, EVER!

I did end up having a little bit of everything - the roast potatoes were extra good (best I've had so far) and I even ate the mixed vegetables.

I could see mami smiling with delight at this. I hope she enjoyed it, because I won't be doing that again.

Mami said the dinner was "excellent" and she was impressed with the quality of the frozen food and of course at the prices. A good sized turkey only costs £10!

All that turkey made me very sleepy so I called it an early night. But mami and papi stayed up and had the Extra Special Luxury Christmas Pudding for dessert.

By the taste of it, I really think it is going to be an extra special Christmas.

I hear there are gifts too, can't wait for that!

Do you have your Christmas menu ready? What are you having?

¡Feliz Navidad!

Mami's little singing reindeer!

For weeks I have been singing songs about jingle bells, Christmas pudding, a Christmas star and wishing you a merry Christmas.

Today, instead of practising as normal, my friends and I walked to another room and my teacher painted my nose red and I wore silly antlers. I was supposed to be some sort of animal.

A reindeer I think.

We sat in a circle in chairs and then suddenly a white curtain was pulled up and there sitting in front of me were mami and papi and lots of other parents too!

This was our concert! I got it now!

We started singing and I was in charge of shaking the maraca (adding a little latin flavour)

That's me with the antlers and striped sweater!

Then I thought, I'll let everyone else sing for a while

But I joined in and clapped along to Jingle Bells because that is my favourite song

Then I really didn't want to sing anymore

So I just picked my nose - there's always something in there!

Mami and papi looked very happy. I'm glad they liked my show!

Relax! Its Fleurs de Bach

Stress.

I see most adults have this. I don't really know what it is, but I hear the word often enough to know it exists.

Mami definitely has lots of it and when she does, she looks something like this:

I'm a pretty relaxed tot - I sleep, eat, play, drink (lots) of milk and poo. That shouldn't cause stress, right?

Well, someone realised mami has been a little bit stressed and they sent her some stuff from Les Fleurs de Bach Organic Anti-Stress Skincare Range to help her relax. Boy was she happy! (and papi too)

Mami had used Les Fleur de Bach before but didn't know about the Anti-Stress Bodyscrub, Anti-Stress Body Lotion and the Anti-Stress Treating Fragrance.

She absolutely loves the smell and because it is so smooth, it gives her a calm feeling. Even papi agreed that the smell is "not overwhelming" and "bearable". I agree. And her favourite? The bodyscrub!

Now, since so many of you grown ups have this stress issue, I am going to give one lucky winner the same set that mami has! It includes the lotion, bodyscrub and the spray (by the way, 95% of the ingredients are of natural origin)

I have a feeling you are going to like them just as much as mami does.

So get entering! Here are the rules:

Follow our blog on Google Connect

Follow @verybusymama on twitter

Like Les Fleur de Bach on their Facebook page

Leave us a comment you have done these & your contact details

For an extra entry you can tweet:

I wanna be stress free with Les Fleur de Bach and @verybusymama http://bit.ly/i0TAGL

UK Only

One entry and tweet per person

Closes 22 December 2010

Winner selected at random

And between today and the 22nd of December you can get a 10% off discount when you buy on their site via Facebook, just use the code LittleM (all together)

Good luck, and RELAX!

ABC Arbonne Baby Care

Remember mami's vlog talking about Arbonne? Well, this is about Arbonne, but this time its for us kids!

I'm not much for lotions and stuff, but when mami got the chance to try the ABC Arbonne Baby Care range, I agreed for her to try out the nappy cream, the bodywash and lotion on me. After all, I am the only toddler in the family.

I've never had senstive skin. Or so mami thought.

Recently she noticed that my skin was really dry and flaky and had some red and rash like patches. She thought  maybe the body wash we use now was doing it or the cold weather so she switched over to test out the Arbonne baby range to see if it made a difference.

And guess what? The dry patches are getting better!

So what exactly did we try?

First, mami changed my regular hair and bodywash for the Arbonne Baby Hair and Body Wash. It makes lots of bubbles and you only need just a little bit.

I'm getting bigger now so I like to help mami and wash my own hair (even though I can't get all of the soap off!) It does not have a strong smell, it doesn't make me cry and it has been really good on my dry skin.

After my baths, mami has been using the ABC Arbonne Baby Care Body Lotion. I never like the slimy feeling from lotions, but now mami puts some lotion on my hands and I rub it on my legs and arms all by myself. Easy!

Those are the parts that are the most dry on my skin and even papi noticed that my skin was smoother and that the redness and irritation is going away. Good, because I work very hard at getting it all over.

I know no one likes to talk about caca (poo) or rashes, but nappy rash happens. Fact. Sometimes its worse than other times and when it gets bad I cry when mami changes me.

I had a bit of a tummy bug and was pooing all the time. That made the rash even worse, so mami used the Arbonne Baby Care Herbal Nappy Cream. She noticed that you did not need as much as the other cream and that the rash healed a lot faster than before.

Arbonne is a special range and mami and I hare happy that it is working on me. Its hard work having to test these out you know. After all, I am the one being lathered in it! But I don't mind, that way we can tell you about new things.

Oh, and the best part - Diane has given us a Hair and Bodywash and the Body Lotion to give away to one lucky winner!

So get entering - here are the rules:

Follow @dianeellisstyle on Twitter

Follow @verybusymama on Twitter (that's mami)

Follow our blog with Google Friend Connect
Leave comment saying you have done these

For one (1) extra entry you can tweet:

No more dry baby skin! I want to win Arbonne Baby Care with @dianeellisstyle and @verybusymama http://bit.ly/hO14j0

UK Only

Closes Monday 27 December 2010

One entry per person plus one extra entry with tweet

Winner selected at random

Good luck!

Some cool reviews

How is everyone doing?? I really don't feel like sleeping and I cried so loud mami is letting me stay up a little later tonight. Yessss!

This past week mami and I have took a little break from the computer and have been keeping busy doing other stuff (and papi has been away, so its just been the two of us).

But we are back and we have some really cool stuff to tell you about this week. We've got music, books and a grooming kit!

Cbeebies: Song Time

Some of you know how much mami and I love singing and dancing. Very happy to know we are expanding our music collection. We received the new Cbeebies Song Time CD to listen to. And boy does it have a lot of songs! Fifty songs to be exact.

Some of them I don't know but they are all from the TV shows. Mami likes to turn some music on during our tidy up time and right before I go to bed.

My favourite song is Honk your Horns (Chuggington) and mami's favourite song is Time to go to sleep from In the Night Garden.

Lots to listen to and lots of fun. Add it to your collection!

50 Ideas for a Wonderful Winter

Now while mami may come up with silly games for us to play, she does run out of ideas. (A walk in the park, again?? Come on mami!!)

So when mami's friend Becky Goddard-Hill sent us her new E-Book (that means its online) called 50 Ideas for a Wonderful Winter I happily accepted it so that we can do some new stuff.

Mami was impressed with all the ideas and we have even tried some - although we may have to try again. She took all my old crayons, placed them in muffin tins and baked them! Then I had one round crayon with lots of colours!

You too can get some fresh ideas! The book only costs £1.50 and worth every penny!

Thanks Becky!

Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Health Care Kit

Each morning I watch papi comb his hair and brush his teeth. I never like mami trying to chase me around the house to brush my teeth, but when I got my very own kit, I thought "now we're talking".

Tommee Tippee sent me their Closer to Nature Health Care and Grooming Kit and it has everything a boy like me needs to keep well groomed (mami's words there).

The kit has everything parents need for us kids from the early baby days including: nail clippers, (they scare me!) comb, toothbrush, hair brush, a snot sucker (I REFUSE to let mami use that on me) and a a little white stick called a thermometer to see if I'm hot or not.

Usually mami uses it when I don't feel very well.

Great kit to have!

Hope you enjoyed reading about these, and go and check them out. I'll be back this week, got lots more to tell you.
Enjoy!

I miss you papi!!

Mami says "I'm a hand full" I don't know what that means but I think it's a good thing!

Papi has been away this week. I woke up one morning and he was gone. I think he is working far away again. He does that sometimes.

So it's just been me and mami. And she seems even more tired than usual. Not sure why, we've been having so much fun!

We go out to play and watch movies. And today I got to watch a very special movie my grandma sent me.

It's all about dogs! And I love dogs! It's called Snow Buddies. Lots of doggies playing in the snow, and you know how much I love that!

That's me watching the movie and relaxing, but we really should get blogging soon. I should catch up tomorrow, just been so busy!

And papi, if you are reading this, I miss you and can't wait to see you soon. I rearranged your sock drawer for you all by myself. Mami didn't help me at all. I hope you like it!

More snow please!

Last week daddy pulled back the curtain and I saw little pieces of white stuff falling from the sky.

I yelled out "agua, agua" (water) but it didn't look like the normal rain.

Mami and papi said "no, es nieve" or something called snow. I remember seeing these white pieces last year when we were visiting abuelita, but I wasn't walking then so I wasn't able to go out and touch it. 

So the best part about all this snow business was actaully getting to to out and play in it!  And wow! Best feeling ever!

When papi opened the door, I looked out and saw that everything was white. It had fallen from the sky and stuck to the ground!

I had on my boots and I stepped out the door. The ground made a funny crunch sound and my foot sunk in a little. I took another step very carefully, but when I felt it was okay, I took off running!

I couldn't run as fast as I normally do, but I liked the feeling underneath my feet. I went over the the bushes and touched the snow. I stood very still because it was very cold on my hands.

It was like nothing I had ever touched before.

Now I know why mami insisted I cover up my hands. After trying to pick up more snow my hands got very wet and I asked for my gloves. This snow stuff really is cold!

After that I had to go to nursery. But guess what? I think papi liked playing in the snow with me so much that he picked me up early.

I ran over to the window to see the snow again the next day, but it was all gone. Where did it go?

I really hope it snows again, it felt like magic!

Mami doesn't drink milk??

Hang on one minute! You mean to tell me adults don't drink milk? What??!!

I only just discovered this two weeks ago when Make Mine Milk, the UK version of the Got Milk campaign invited mami to a coffee morning at the London School of Coffee.

But here's the twist, I knew it was all about milk, but they told mami it was all about coffee so that she would go!

Make Mine Milk is all about getting more people drinking low fat milk (which is only less than 2% fat by the way) and to let everyone know of all the health benefits from it.

So why then am I the only one in the family drinking this stuff? Okay, so mami and papi have some milk, but only in their coffee or tea, but no where near as much as I drink. What's going on here?

Apparently adults have stopped drinking milk because they think its for babies, they don't like the taste of it and its just not "cool". Well, I'm not a baby and I'm a proud milk drinker!

This is going to have to change, even celebrities are drinking more milk! I think I'm going to tell mami that Justin Bieber drinks milk that why she will want to too!

Take it from me, milk is good for you, it tastes so yummy first thing in the morning and everyone knows it makes you big and strong. Just look at me!

So do you drink milk? No?? Well, YOU SHOULD!

Besides, when you drink milk you get a milk tash - check ours out! How cool is that?

¡Somos una familia bilingue! We are a bilingual family!

It's been a while. Actually a very long while. But as most of you know, in our home we speak English and Spanish.

Sadly our monthly Bilingual Corner posts disappeared. Sorry!! But we are going to bring them back!

To help us out, our friend Rebecca at two become four made us this really pretty badge to show that we speak more than one language and how proud we are of that.

<center><a href="http://mummysbusyworld.blogspot.com/"><img width="150" alt="We're a Bilingual Family" src="http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac230/RebaMc/bilingualbadgev2.jpg" height="150" /></a></center>

 

Mami and I are going to start up our monthy Bilingual Corner posts and invite you to submit your funny stories relating to being bilingual (or even multiligual!)

This months topic:

How do you celebrate Christmas in your language? (Does speaking another language mean different customs? Past Christmas experiences, etc)  Mami and I are going to tell you about our Chilean/German/American traditions during Christmas.

How it works:

Write about Christmas as a bilingual/multilingual family and your traditions.

Mention Little M's Bilingual Corner and link to our blog

Come back on Wednesday the 15th of December and add your link to the linky tools which will be up.

In the meantime, please take the badge and show everyone that you too are a bilingual family!

Keep warm!

¡chao!