Three for #3!!!!!

He did it! Unbelievable!!!!

Get the rest of today's Indy 500 results here. They include Dan Wheldon in second and Danica Patrick in third.

GO Helio and Sarah!

Today is the Indianapolis 500 and we are rooting for Helio and Sarah Fisher! Even though we won't be there today due to the loud cars(LA is noise sensitive) we will be cheering them on while we are boating and hopefully catching lots of fish! Next year LA will be good and ready!

I am much looking forward to my husband tomorrow! An entire day at home!!!

#01 Boatboy

Today we celebrated Boatboy's first birthday race style at the track! It was an absolutely gorgeous day to celebrate his life with friends and family!

Part of the stroller brigade to start the morning.

Who knows...One day they might all pile into a station wagon together and head to the race.

The entire Blonde family. Mr got to squeeze out of work in 15 min. intervals a few times throughout the day.

The kids table getting ready to sing "Happy Birthday"

What was left of his first cupcake ever. Think he liked it?

The birthday boy with Grandma and Nana.

Mr. Blonde started a tradition of getting a photo with LA each year during the Month of May in front of the same row of bricks with the Pagoda in the background. This year, Boatboy gets thrown into the mix too.

Happy birthday precious son! We love you so much

A huge thank you to Indy Racing League Guest Services! You know who you are and we so appreciate your willingness to host all us animals over lunchtime.

shopping Manhattan without the traffic

Of course we all want toys that are both fun and aid in development for our children. Several times I've wondered if my boys should be playing with the toys they're playing with. Especially once Boatboy (11mos) got mobile and starting playing with LA's (2.5yrs) toys on a regular basis. It's also nice to know what toys are good quality age-appropriaate gifts to get for friends.

I have found a great company called Manhattan Toy. They are committed to providing quality toys and products that enrich our children's young lives and develop their minds. Manhattan Toy believes that playing in not only fun, it's essential to a child's cognitive, emotional and social development. Their website is so user friendly! It breaks every age and toy type into categories.



Boatboy loves his new Peek-Squeak Dog. This snuggly dog has great patterns and textures. It crinkles, squeaks and rattles. It even includes a little peek-a-boo bone. The teething rings have been a favorite for Boatboy. It even attaches to our car seat.

Manhattan Toy also has very high quality standards to ensure toys are both durable and safe. Prior to manufacturing, each Manhattan Toy design is thoroughly tested to comply with the most rigorous international standards for children’s products.

Additionally, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast back in the fall of 2005, Manhattan Toys sent 60,000 dolls to displaced little girls! Love that!

Head over to Manhattan Toy and browse around. Sign up for the email newsletter while you're at it. You may not need a toy right now, but bookmark the site for a later need.

Thanks Manhattan Toy!

a BPM sponsor gets reader's choice nod

One of Blondes, Poop & Mascara sponsors, Sleepy Wrap, has been listed in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine's Reader's Choice Awards!

Go vote for Sleepy Wrap!

If you vote you will have the opportunity to enter the Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine Grand Prize drawing.

...AND as a special thank you from Sleepy Wrap...a 15% coupon code for the new Organic Sleepy Wrap. Just enter "ivoted" and it is good until May 31st when the Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine poll closes.

If you haven't ever checked out Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine you really should. Great content for Moms or Moms-to-be.

The Toot Bear

We've been through this before. You are aware that my funny bones are acutely honed in to anything having to do with poop and tooting. Even though I laugh out loud every time LA toots, I do make him say excuse me. My son toots, no joke, 15 to 20 times a day. Easily. He's been mega-gassy since he was born. I think we once held unspoken stock in Target's fake Mylicon.

Well, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. My mom, Nana, (well, let's not just blame her...Papa laughs plenty too) bought a "toot bear" well over a year ago for when LA got old enough to play with it. Of course, this is mostly for her enjoyment.


The concept of the bear is quite simple. Give someone the cute loveable teddy bear. Once they take him, push the remote and toot! Wireless flatulence on demand. Much to Mr. Blonde's liking, the toot bear resides at Papa and Nana's house.

Because of the toot bear LA likes to play his very own toot bear game at home WITHOUT the actual toot bear.

It started the other day when LA came up to me and not having been prompted in any way whatsoever asked...

"Mamma, You want to play the toot bear game with me?"

"Sure!"

"You take the fake remote (motions hand toward mine as though he handed the remote off), and push it with your thumb and I will toot."

I take the remote and pretend to push a button lunging the remote slightly forward. Then he audibly grunts and TOOTS ON COMMAND! A bit surprised, I begain laughing hysterically! So, of course he is too. And, we continued to play toot bear for a while that afternoon.

I know you are probably thinking, "Doesn't she have anything better to teach her children?" Evidently not. And, it was HIS idea anyway! :)

What a creative little "toot bear" I have. Oh, the joys of motherhood! I love it!

Wordless Wednesday

love at first wrap

Wearing your baby in a wrap is so comfy and soothing for your child. I've always thought of it as a post-utero womb sort of experience for my little guy. Not only is it a bonding experience, but it's comfortable for me as a mother too.

The good folks at Sleepy Wrap created their invention in the best way an invention can be created. Out of need. After the birth of their daughter, they really wanted to keep her close to them instead of just laying her down. They tried slings, but all seemed to put undue stress on their shoulders and backs. Wallah! Sleepy Wrap!


Why choose Sleepy Wrap over another wrap?

• gives great support for little heads and necks - especially when your baby falls asleep and when you are on a long walk and need great support
  
  
• custom fit- simply tie the wrap carrier snug against your body and no matter what body type you are, it will fit! They even having videos online to help you. Worried about your post-baby muffin top? (Good I'm not the only one.) The fabric (cotton/spandex blend) is so incredible it doesn't make it look like your oozing out.
  
  
• holds your baby high - the fabric bounces back unlike the t-shirt like material of other stretch baby wraps to keep your baby snug against your chest
  
  
• feels soft on your baby’s skin
  
  
• more snug than carrying a car seat
  
  
• grows with you and your baby - it's optimal for infants (even premies) yet you may continue to carry your baby with this wrap baby carrier as long as you are both comfortable
  
  
• evenly distributes the weight of your baby - much more supportive than carrying with your arms, on one shoulder or your hip.
  
  
• affordable- a great value seeing that your baby will probably begin to walk on his own before he outgrows the wrap.

Boatboy loves to be wrapped! He feels safe and secure and can look around. It allows me to be hands free to wrangle LA while he's running around. I wear Boatboy when I cook, walk at the zoo or children's museum, shop or any other time he is tired. He falls right to sleep...as you can see below. He is out like a light!

Buy it: Click here to pick up your very own Sleepy Wrap or purchase one as a baby shower gift. There are over 10 colors to choose from! Sleepy Wrap is offering a 10% coupon code to all Blondes, Poop & Mascara readers. Just type "BlondesPoopMascara" by June 13th to get your 10% discount.

Thanks Sleepy Wrap! I love wearing my little guy because of your amazing wrap!

Helio to lead the race; Boatboy does about-face

On Saturday, the boys and I headed to the track for the end of Pole Day. It was a great time watching the "VERY loud!" cars race around the track. LA's favorites were "the McDonald's car" (#02, Graham Rahal) "the green one" (#11, Tony Kanaan) and "the yellow one" (#67, Sarah Fisher).



So, it wasn't too loud, we hung out in the suite for about a half hour. Great times! There really is nothing like Pole Day. Those cars are so trimmed out to go as fast as possible for four laps. That's 10 miles averaging speeds of 223mph. Crazy! I'm glad Mr. Blonde just markets them and doesn't drive them.

To top the day off, my absolute favorite driver got The Pole! Go Helio! Great story here on Castroneves in the Indy Star from today's paper.



To celebrate Boatboy got to graduate to his new face-forward seat. Thank you garage sales! Five bucks! Wash it up. It's brand new. Love finding deals!

To our Momma on Mommy's Day

Today we celebrate you with a short list of things we love about you...

* we have your pretty eyes

* daily craft and school time

* your culinary expertise

* the way you dance with us

* that you teach us about Jesus with not just words but action

* your patience; especially when you're tired or when you potty-trained me (-LA)

* how you laugh over almost anything

* for keeping our clothes clean

* that you're consistent in guiding our behavoir

* for sacrificing your body to nurse and carry us in your belly

* for changing our diapers

* the way you love Dadda



(click on the montage above to enlarge)
Happy Mommy's Day!
We love you forever!
LA and Boatboy

PS - Dadda gave some money in your name to Love146 so other kids like us could be loved as well as you love us. See the card here.

A nite out with Diane Birch

After a very busy Tuesday Mr. Blonde and I headed out to a local venue to take in an emerging artist. Diane Birch. I had been listening to this soulful young artist online for a couple weeks prior to the show. I was very excited to take it in live. I love piano-playing feel-good music. (I've loved Sara Groves for many years.) Let me tell you how excited I am to share Birch's talents with you.



My hubby and I met up with my very best girly girls (Nicole of Little Miss Lexie & Emily the DesignHER Momma) to take in some new music.

Diane Birch's musical gifts began in the form of classical piano. And man, does it show! Bible Belt is her first album. From the opening track Fire Escape to the closing Magic View, Diane's voice bursts with rich soulful classical sound. The album was written entirely by Diane herself. You can hear five of her favs from the album on her website.

Not only did she put on a fabulous show, but she is touring with the superb James Morrison. It was such an incredible show. And a fabulous date night!

Thanks to One 2 One Network for allowing me to check out Diane Birch live.

Giveaway: pair of PZI jeans

Ready for an oxymoron? Post-maternity jeans that fit? Sigh. Alas, ladies...I have finally found a pair of jeans that fit!

PZI Jeans prides themselves in having no gap in the waist. Their jeans are created for women size 4-16 with an hourglass figure.

PZI has the science down. They have you measure your hips and waist and tell you your size.

You better believe I wanted to give them a shot. So for all of you ladies out there with a little curve...embrace it and love it!

Buy a pair: Head to PZI size chart and find your size then check out my new favorite pair. You can buy online or at Macys. They're also running a FREE shipping special for all U.S. orders over $100 right now.


Win a pair: PZI Jeans is graciously giving away a pair of jeans to one curvatious Blondes, Poop & Mascara reader. Head over PZI and select your favorite style. Leave me a comment telling which pair you would choose and why you need a new pair of jeans!

Extra Entries:
1. Follow my blog through Google's easy reader tool.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email (and except the confirmation email).
3. Grab my button and post it to your cyber space.
4. Blog about this contest on your blog.
5. Email this giveaway to 4 friends and copy me.

I will select a winner May 12th. Thanks for entering!

like Momma like son

Since Momma was wearing Boatboy in her SleepyWrap (stay tuned for an awesome SleepyWrap review) LA wanted to wear his new wax mold gorilla as well. He was very proud!

java for justice

Two things we enjoy very much at BPM have collided in a beautiful way. Storyville Coffee has fallen in love with International Justice Mission (we've talked about them before). Storyville has a pretty cool deal going for themselves (good honest coffee) and have decided to give 100% of their revenue away in the month of May to IJM.

We've never had Storyville's coffe. But, we like them already. And, so does IJM because they're featuring them on their homepage right now.

International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression.

Storyville Coffee's approach is simple: the best beans, artfully roasted, and rushed to your door while they are still fresh.

Pftwwheeeewwwwwooooo

Did you know that if you Google blowing dandelions almost 50,000 images report back in under a half a second? I didn't either. But, I'm glad. It's something every boy, girl, man and woman should do each spring. A classic photo. Classic action. Just...classic. Whew!

enjoying the outdoors sans bugs and burn

It is always so great to find a product that I have looked high and low for and had no luck. Two parents more motivated than I with the same qualm decided to make their vision come to life. Que the Buggy Bubble.

It is an infant car seat cover that protects your child from, rain, bugs and sun. There is absolutely nothing out there like the Buggy Bubble. It is breathable and extremely spacious even for my 11-month-old Boatboy.

This award-winning patented design has the highest safety standards . The weather protective supplementary ceiling cover is water resistant and has been tested in accordance with international UPF testing standards and laboratory certified as UPF50+, blocking over 98% of the sun's harmful rays. The Buggy Bubble is simple to use and fits universally on most infant car seat models. It folds into a circle and fits into my diaper bag with ease!

At less than $40 this makes a great shower gift. So head over to Buggy Bubble and pick one up. You will not be disappointed with their sleek and clean design.

And if you ever have a need for a "pop-up tent" you will have one on hand. My 2.5-year-old LA hides under the tent with his animals. So, if you aren't sure if it is sturdy...here is your proof!

Thanks Buggy Bubble! We are really enjoying the protection our bubble offers!

really clean and really green

I am so excited to share with you new and amazing cleaning products that are REALLY safe for you and your family. BabyGanics was founded by two compulsive clean freaks that are Dads (just like my hubby). I love it!

I am so amazed by these products for many reasons. For starters, they really work. For example the All purpose cleaner really cleans everything and leaves no streaks on any of my glass tables (we have FIVE). I have tried many "green" products and they don't clean very well. I end up using so much and then have to go get my not-so-green products loaded with chemicals to finish the job.


After trying many of the BabyGanics products I started researching the products in my cabinets to really find out why BabyGanics is any different than my other "green" products. I was quite surprised how different they really are!

There are over 70,000 synthetic chemicals in commercial production. Due to trade secret labeling laws, manufacturers are not required to list all their ingredients on product labels. You can find traces of chemicals in every organ of the body within 26 seconds of exposure. Those are some scary things to think about. It made me think why wouldn't I want to have safe products around my babies and in my home. Why have I been buying such horrible un-safe products for my family? Ignorance I suppose. No more.

Why is BabyGanics so great and different? (taken from the website...pretty incredible information)

• Natural and Organic – Although similar in concept, natural and organic have different meanings. Natural means that BabyGanics is made solely from earthly ingredients. Nothing man-made was added in any part of production. Organic refers to the product as a whole, indicating that BabyGanics helps sustain people and the planet in a holistic way.

• Free of harsh chemicals/Non-toxic – BabyGanics is 100% chemical free. There are no synthetically derived components. Non-toxic indicates that BabyGanics will not cause adverse health effects, either immediately or in the long-term.

• No pollutants – Not only is BabyGanics safe for the home, it is safe for the environment. Because of its pure composition, BabyGanics will not contribute to indoor air pollution and is not a threat to the environment when properly disposed.

• No caustic ingredients – Caustic ingredients can cause corrosion or deterioration of a material. Surprisingly and unfortunately these types of ingredients can be found in many cleaning products. BabyGanics is pure, and free of any type of caustic element.

• VOC free – VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals that can be emitted as gas from either a solid or a liquid. Cleaning products that contain VOCs can release this source of air pollution which, in turn, can have negative effects on health. BabyGanics prides itself on being completely free of all volatile organic compounds.

• No fillers or dyes – BabyGanics’ all natural ingredients leave no room for fillers or dyes. Its wholesome composition is beyond sufficient and has no need for dyes or fillers.

• Superior performance – Removing the chemicals and toxins of conventional household cleaners does not remove the ability of BabyGanics to perform its duties. As a cleaning product BabyGanics has surpassed the performance of average cleaners. When put to the test, BabyGanics capacity to clean is top quality.

• Safe for people, pets and the environment – Above all safety is the underlying motivation of BabyGanics. By cleaning your home you should not have to put your loved ones at risk, nor risk polluting the environment. Take the opportunity to switch your current household cleaners to a product that is not only effective but extremely safe as well.

I could not be more pleased with all of the products. I will without a doubt now pay $1 more than normal to better protect my family and our earth.

Go and check out these new and incredible products at BabyGanics. You can pick them up on their website. Make sure to check out their special offers page too. And, find them at many local retailers.

Thanks to Role Mommy for introducing me to BabyGanics!

Wordless Wednesday

Boating and cheeks. I love it!

dreams come true

Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful!

Click the image for a video link to Love146's latest youtube post...

bamboo isn't just for panda bears

I have found a very unique online retailer of fine children's clothing. They offer baby and toddler boys and baby and toddler girls. They pride themselves in personalized service.

I was most excited to try a Polo Tee shirt made out of 95% bamboo and 5% lycra. It is truly the softest shirt I have ever felt! It is light, stretchy and extremely soft. This is my first experience with bamboo clothing. I didn't know bamboo was used for anything other than feeding panda bears.

Boatboy is sporting his Bamboo Polo Tee by Kicky Pants. Be sure to check them out.

Flying Colors Baby is offering all Blondes, Poop & Mascara a 10% discount off of any item including sale. Just enter the code: fcb10.

If you get over there to the special offers page, they're offering up to 50% off some items, free gift wrapping AND free U.S. shipping! You can even sign up for their mailing list on the lower left corner of their homepage.

Thanks Flying Colors Baby!