An American-made Holiday Challenge…Are you up to the Challenge?

Okay, I am the first to admit it; buying American can be difficult sometimes. And not just because it is hard to find American-made products… it can be especially challenging to stick with “made in the USA” when you have a 4-year-old who is very much into the “Princesses” and Little Ponies.  But every time I break down and buy a princess costume or a cheap plastic toy, I end up regretting it.  Not only because the junky toys end up all over my house (that's a whole different post on clutter and over-buying), but because every time she has it in her hands I have the creepy feeling that I want her to go and wash them.  And if her baby brother gets ahold of it…of course it goes right in his mouth, and I end up having to make it “disappear”.  What a waste! 

We are on a tight budget, and sometimes the American-made products can be a little more expensive than their imported counterparts.  But often there is such a huge difference in quality and safety!  I have so much more peace of mind when the kids are playing with toys that I know are safe.  Plus, when is the last time you heard a talking wood toy?  I love the quiet, imaginative play that occurs when the kids are engaged with toys that don’t blink or talk to them, or tell them how to play.  So much more development is going on when they are using their imaginations to create or role play.  Realistically, I know that I will end up purchasing some imported items this Christmas…really, foreign trade is a good thing! However, I saw some numbers that put it into perspective for me:  Last year the United States had $296 billion in imports from China, but only $69 billion in exports to China, according to the US-China Business Council at www.uschina.org.    So, wherever I can make the choice to buy American, I am going to make the effort.  Because it is not only about my own children; it is actually much bigger than that.  It is about supporting the companies, the workers and our nation as well.  Will you take the Challenge with me? 

Beginning today and continuing for several weeks, I will be highlighting some wonderful American-made Holiday gift ideas from American manufacturers, to give you the power of choice!  Many of these products are available on our retail website, All-American Baby, but I also plan to share some products that you might be able to find right on the shelves of your local stores!  Plus look for some great American-made Toy Giveaways in the coming weeks as well! Taking this American-made Holiday Challenge means that you will simply make the effort to buy more American-made products for holiday gifts.  It doesn’t mean you are boycotting imported goods!  So let’s make the effort, make the choice, and take the American-made Holiday Challenge!

Coming Soon!

I am happy to announce our All American Christmas Event with some exciting upcoming Reviews, Giveaways, and an all-inclusive Holiday Gift Guide…with ALL American-made products!  There are many holiday shopping guides out there, but ours is unique in the fact that everything is Made in the USA!  We have some great product reviews and giveaways planned to help you get ready for the holidays with safe, high quality, American-made toys and accessories.  We will be spotlighting some of the many toys available on our retail website, but also sharing our insider tips on how to buy American-made in your local stores and (yes, elsewhere!) on the internet.  If you are tired of poor quality products of questionable safety cluttering your child’s play area, then this is the place to be in November.  Please check back often as we add products and links.

If you have an American-made product that you are interested in having included in our Holiday Gift Guide, or would like us to do a review or host a giveaway for you, please contact me.  Open to Made in the USA products only.

Friday Blog Hops!

Here are some fun blog hops...meet new friends, learn new things!  See you there!

Thank you to our American Veterans

Today is Veteran’s Day. A day of remembrance and appreciation for those who have risked their lives so that we can live freely. Please take a moment to reflect on the freedoms that you enjoy, and explain to your children why it is an important holiday. Simply saying “Thank you” to a veteran or to current military personnel is a great activity you can do with your kids to help them understand the importance of the day.

http://www.letssaythanks.com/

One simple way to say a simple thank you to military personnel stationed overseas is through the Let’s Say Thanks website. According to the website, the mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.

All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are then printed on the Xerox iGen3® Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by military support organization Give2TheTroops®.



http://www.kidsthankavet.com/

Another way to help your children understand Veteran’s Day is to visit the Kids Thank a Vet website. This site has great information for kids on veterans, and how you can say a simple thank you to a veteran in your community or even in your family!  They even have some tips for kids on how to say an appropriate thank you to a veteran.  There are also some great activity pages and other resources.  You can even start a Kids Thank a Vet chapter in your community!

Please take a few minutes today to say your thanks, and at the same time help your children learn about the men and women who worked, and those who are still working, to make our country a safe place.

Welcome Wednesday

I am blog hopping today! It is a great way to meet new people, learn new things, as well as increase your own followers! Join me at the link below!

Wordless Wednesday - Moments Like These...

Bamboo Velour for Baby - Review and GIVEAWAY!

I am very excited to share a whole line of wonderful American-made Baby products from Baby U R Precious, in Organic Bamboo Velour! If you are not familiar with bamboo fabric, organic Bamboo Fabric is healthy for baby: it is naturally anti-microbial, it retains its anti-bacterial nature after each wash, it is ideal for sensitive skin and allergies, it remains silky smooth, is an easy care fabric and is comfortable on baby’s skin, plus its extra absorbent!

This Bamboo line includes Baby Blankets, Mini Blankets, Oversized Blankets, Organic Burp Cloths, Organic Bibs, Organic, Washcloths, Baby Hooded Bath Towels, and Organic Hooded Toddler Towels. There are a variety of bright (and yummy!) colors to choose from, including Icy Blue, Strawberry Crème, Luscious Lime, Lemon Zest, Hot Chocolate and Oatmeal.
Created by a mother/daughter team, Baby U R Precious began with a passion to sew and create. Lynda has been sewing most of her life so it was natural to sew burp cloths for her daughter Erin and her new baby granddaughter. Mother and daughter were both inspired to join together in the entrepreneurial project, and “Baby U R Precious” a.k.a.“BURP” was born in March, 2008. BURP’s bamboo baby products are lovingly made in the USA.

I can personally recommend BURP's products, as I was generously supplied with a set of washcloths and a bib for review. The washcloths are so soft and so absorbent! And so comforting to know they are made in the USA. The bib is the perfect size for my toddler, and although it won’t make him a neater eater, at least his clothes might survive mealtime now! He loves the softness of the bib, nothing scratchy on his neck and no bulky bib to get in the way of eating. These products are machine washable and still come out looking great!

We are so excited to be able to offer these American-made products to you on our All-American Baby retail website. We have also partnered with Baby U R Precious to host a GIVEAWAY! One randomly-chosen winner will receive a super soft, extra absorbent, Made in the USA Bamboo Baby Blanket in your color choice FREE from Baby U R Precious.
To Enter our GIVEAWAY, please visit our website (http://www.all-americanbaby.net/) and return with a comment on one item that you LOVE! A winner will be randomly selected from the entries. Once you have entered with your comment, you can also have additional entries by "Liking" us on Facebook, “Liking” Baby U R Precious on Facebook, and you can receive TWO extra entries by following our blog! Blog about this giveaway with a link back to All-American Baby Blog, and leave the URL to your blog post in the comment for an additional entry. Be sure to leave an additional comment for each entry to get credit! And please leave a way to contact you! Contest ends November 15, 2010.
Please note that all comments are moderated, so your comment will not appear until it has been approved.

Disclosure: This blog is used to promote American-made children's products, and our retail website All-American Baby. Many of the products reviewed here are available for purchase from our online store, http://www.all-americanbaby.net/. I am always on the look-out for only the best products to offer to parents looking for American-made items. I will only promote high quality, safe products that are made in the USA, whether in my store or in my blog. Baby U R Precious is providing the gift for the winner of this giveaway. All views and opinions with regard to the products or manufacturer itself are my own and were not influenced, nor reviewed, by the manufacturer prior to posting. Offer Valid US only!