I know that right now we are all busy planning for the upcoming holidays- Halloween, Thanksgiving and then of course Christmas and New Years.  It tends to be a very busy time of year.  Things can get overwhelming for me and sometimes I just feel like there is no way I’ll ever be able to get everything done.  Then after the holidays are over I always end up feeling a bit depressed- like just a big letdown.  I work so hard getting everything planned and done and then it’s all over. Last year Rich and I took a nice weekend getaway at the end of January- which really gave me something else to look forward to and helped lessen the winter blues.

So, today when I read about the Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific I knew it would be the perfect getaway to help my winter blues this year.  The 3 day super sale is going on right now and will end on October 29th and there are over 1 million hotel rooms with amazing rates in the Asia Pacific.  Book now for dates between December 2009 until April 2010- perfect for escaping the winter blues!  So now if that sounds as wonderful to you as it does to me- make sure you check out the great deals you can get!  I think I’m going to look into going to Thailand!

It’s been a long time since I have participated in Wordless Wednesday.  Today I got an email from my aunt with some really funny comics that I had never seen before.  So, I decided it was time to play along again with Wordless Wednesday and share 2 of my favorites.

I think we all know that breast milk is best for babies.  I am proud that I was able to breast feed Hailey for 17 months- and then she decided she was done breast feeding.  It wasn’t easy at the beginning but I stuck with it and am so glad that I did.

Having said that I know that breast feeding does not work for all moms.  Some are not able to make enough milk, some have to take medications that would be dangerous to the baby, some have to return to work and it just isn’t possible to breast feed.  So while I think every mom should try to breast feed I know that it isn’t for everyone.  And for those who can not breast feed- the option is formula.  But, which formula is the best one for you to use?

You shouldn’t have to spend a fortune formula and that is why you should consider store brand formula.  Moms should not feel guilty about not being able to breastfeed and in turn spend a lot of money on formula.  All formula is manufactured to meet the FDA’s standards and provides nutrients that are found in breast milk. So, before you spend a lot of money on name brand formula be sure to consider the store brand.

This giveaway is now closed and the winner has been contacted.  Congrats Kathy!

Some of Hailey’s favorite things to play with are all of her dolls, little people, princesses, and stuffed animals.  If it’s something she can take care of and love, it’s an instant hit.  If she can take the clothes of it and switch them with another toy- it’s an even bigger hit.

One of her recent favorites is her Calico Costume Critters. She has Simon the Squirrel Brother who is dressed in a chick costume complete with a beak, wings, and a fluffy tail. And Cristy the Cat Sister is dressed in a soft white bunny costume with 2 big ears and a cotton ball tail.  See how cute they are?

Check out this short video for more information on the cute little Calico Critters:

So then- how would you like to have your own set of the adorable Calico Costume Critters (ARV $23)?  Here’s what you need to do for a chance to win:

• Stop by Calico Critters and check out their site.  Come back here and leave me a comment telling me something you saw on their site.

Want some extra chances to win? Leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH thing you do- your comment will be your entry.

• Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then leave me a comment with the direct URL.
• Subscribe to my RSS feed and then leave me a comment letting me know you’re a subscriber.
• Tweet or Stumble this post and leave me a comment letting me know what you did.

This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses and will end on October 30th at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be chosen on October 31st 2009 via random.org and notified by email. Please read all of my giveaway rules here.