Today’s Scavenger Hunt will lead you to a very special little girl…play TODAY to win!

It’s Scavenger Hunt time again!  If you would like to score a $20 Gift Coupon to Zoolu! and you have 3 minutes to spare – this is hands-down the easiest way to be “zapped” by Zoolu!  Play today for a chance to see which organization (and inspirational little girl) Zoolu! has partnered with – she has warmed our hearts and will certainly warm your heart as well!

A little background for Zoolu! Scavenger Hunt newbies :-)

Why a Scavenger Hunt you might ask? First and foremost, we are always looking for fun ways to interact with our fans. Secondly, Zoolu! is working on improving our ranking with Google – and these will help greatly! Apparently, if a shopper searches for a term and then clicks on our listing and stays on our site for a while, Google will see that as a great match for that search term. The more “great matches” we log in their eyes, the higher up we will move in their listings – which is a big deal for any online store today!

So…not only are you receiving a great chance to win a $20 Gift Coupon, but you will also be helping us improve our Google ranking along the way – it’s a win-win situation!!!

HOW TO PLAY:

1) Enter Baby Boutique in Google’s Search box.

2) Search for Zoolu!’s listing (I’ve found us anywhere from page 8 to page 15 – but it varies for everyone!)

3) Click on that link to be brought to our site and look for the clues on each page. Each clue will be marked with *** both before and after. The clue on our Home Page reads: ***Click HERE to begin***

4) The last clue will provide you with a special word (both the clues and the special word will change daily). E-mail that word and well as which number Google page you found us on at ZooluCares@shopzoolu.com and you will be entered to be zapped. (For example, my latest search for Baby Boutique on Google found Zoolu! on page 8. If I followed the clues and was given “lucky” as my special word, I would e-mail “I found you on page 8 and the special word of the day is lucky” to the e-mail address above.)

5) Check back on our Facebook page every day you participate to see if you were the lucky Scavenger Hunt winner :-)

HELPFUL TIPS:

~ Zoolu! is currently listed only with the title Baby Boutique – so please look both for that title and for our address: www.shopzoolu.com to ensure that you don’t miss us in the search. If you simply look for “Zoolu!” in the title, you will never find us :-(

~ Google lists sites that you have already visited in purple (vs. blue) – so that should help you scan the listings more quickly – just look for the purple links!

~ Google wants people to stay on a site for roughly 3 minutes to be registered as a good fit. If the Scavenger Hunt takes you less time than that (hopefully it will) – just be sure to keep your browser open to our page for a little bit longer to meet that minimum requirement.

RULES:

~ Your e-mail must include both the Google page you found us on and the special word of the day to be eligible for the “zap”!

~ Even if you have already won…feel free to participate again! Not only do the clues change every week…but the winner is selected at random, so you are still eligible to be “zapped” again!

Melissa & Doug Review

I have always admired talented people, especially the ones that love kids, not that I don’t (I have a bunch of them) but I don’t think of myself as a kid person. They are the ones that get down on the floor and PLAY, they lose track of time, they truly have fun pretending they are a horse, a doctor, a princess etc. That’s just not me. Believe me, I try, but I am always thinking that there is something that I need to be doing so I spend that quality time trying to get my little angels to play on their own. I have found a solution in toys from Melissa and Doug. Because we are very busy, have a lot of kids and are constantly on the move, we like toys that are fun and engaging, educational and sometimes more important, something they can do on their own, whatever age they may be.

We currently own many Melissa and Doug floor puzzles, which are durable and doable for both our littlest and oldest (like the human body floor puzzle)…depending on the puzzle. AND, they keep my 4 year old busy on the kitchen floor (check out the giant fire truck puzzle), while I make dinner because she can do it herself and is thrilled that she doesn’t need mom’s help. We have been so impressed with these puzzles that we give them as birthday gifts.

We are also huge fans of Melissa and Doug’s travel games. We have worn out our Flip to Win Bingo, that we keep in a seat pocket in the car. There are no pens to lose, no mess to be made. It has been durable, doable and fun! Again, this is something that keeps all age groups in the car happy and I don’t need to schlep pens and paper for fun, it’s already in the car. As they get a bit older, there is the license plate game, as well as hang man, which we plan to purchase for our summer road trip for our 6 and 8 year old.

I cringe when I see my kids dragging out the arts and crafts. Just say “paint” and my blood pressure starts to go up. I like the idea of all the crafts, but four kids can pack a punch in the mess department, if you know what I mean. As a solution, we have taken to stamping. Melissa and Doug have fabulous stamping kits that are big enough for little hands to hold and use to make a picture they are proud of, with a mom that stays sane during the process.

We have never once been disappointed with anything we have purchased from Melissa and Doug. It’s become my personal ‘go to’ brand for gifts and what I recommend to new parents looking for great toys. One last confession, I don’t send Melissa and Doug products to anyone who ever sent us loud or messy toys. Instead, I get revenge with even louder toys.

Cookie Monster

I was definitely the cookie monster that kept stealing from the jar this weekend! I made these Alton Brown’s delicious chocolate chip cookies! To make them festive for Easter, I baked them in my mini muffin pan and topped with peanut butter M&M eggs!

Alton Brown’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat (I cheated and microwaved). Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl (I just used a regular hand mixer). Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Again, I didn’t do the baking sheets. I used my mini muffin pan and baked for about 10 minutes.

Thanks, Alton Brown!  

Oh my…where has this week gone! Scavenger Hunt time again!!!

This week has gone really quickly for me…so fast that I didn’t realize it was already Scavenger Hunt Thursday again – wahoo!!!  Here’s to Zoolu!’s virtual Scavenger Hunt and all the fun Easter Egg Hunts that will be taking place this weekend!  (Winner will be announced Saturday morning!)

A little background for Zoolu! Scavenger Hunt newbies :-)

Why a Scavenger Hunt you might ask? First and foremost, we are always looking for fun ways to interact with our fans. Secondly, Zoolu! is working on improving our ranking with Google – and these will help greatly! Apparently, if a shopper searches for a term and then clicks on our listing and stays on our site for a while, Google will see that as a great match for that search term. The more “great matches” we log in their eyes, the higher up we will move in their listings – which is a big deal for any online store today!

So…not only are you receiving a great chance to win a $20 Gift Coupon, but you will also be helping us improve our Google ranking along the way – it’s a win-win situation!!!

HOW TO PLAY:

1) Enter Baby Boutique in Google’s Search box.

2) Search for Zoolu!’s listing (I’ve found us anywhere from page 8 to page 15 – but it varies for everyone!)

3) Click on that link to be brought to our site and look for the clues on each page. Each clue will be marked with *** both before and after. The clue on our Home Page reads: ***Click HERE to begin***

4) The last clue will provide you with a special word (both the clues and the special word will change daily). E-mail that word and well as which number Google page you found us on at ZooluCares@shopzoolu.com and you will be entered to be zapped. (For example, my latest search for Baby Boutique on Google found Zoolu! on page 8. If I followed the clues and was given “lucky” as my special word, I would e-mail “I found you on page 8 and the special word of the day is lucky” to the e-mail address above.)

5) Check back on our Facebook page every day you participate to see if you were the lucky Scavenger Hunt winner :-)

HELPFUL TIPS:

~ Zoolu! is currently listed only with the title Baby Boutique – so please look both for that title and for our address: www.shopzoolu.com to ensure that you don’t miss us in the search. If you simply look for “Zoolu!” in the title, you will never find us :-(

~ Google lists sites that you have already visited in purple (vs. blue) – so that should help you scan the listings more quickly – just look for the purple links!

~ Google wants people to stay on a site for roughly 3 minutes to be registered as a good fit. If the Scavenger Hunt takes you less time than that (hopefully it will) – just be sure to keep your browser open to our page for a little bit longer to meet that minimum requirement.

RULES:

~ Your e-mail must include both the Google page you found us on and the special word of the day to be eligible for the “zap”!

~ Even if you have already won…feel free to participate again! Not only do the clues change every week…but the winner is selected at random, so you are still eligible to be “zapped” again!

JJ Cole Blanket…we have a winner!

Drumroll please! The winner of the JJ Cole Travel Blanket is Jason! Congratulations! I’m excited you’ll get to use this for the 4th of July. I hope the loud fireworks don’t scare your son! It will be my little one’s first time experiencing this too. I will keep my crossables crossed that they both enjoy it as much as I do. Jason, please send an email to megan@shopzoolu.com with your mailing information.

Jason said...
This blanket would be great for many days at the park, by the pool, and watching my son's first fireworks! I can't wait!!

APRIL 19, 2011 11:10 AM 

If you’ve been thinking about purchasing one of these, stop by your favorite Baby Boutique and get one! I know I’ve gone on and on about how much we heart our blanket, so I won’t say anything else except click HERE and HERE to read my review.

A while ago we asked what you would like for a future giveaway. MANY of you said a gift certificate. We haven’t done one yet, BUT if you “like” Zoolu! on facebook, you will eventually (hopefully) get ZAPPED with a $20 gift coupon. Also, don’t forget to read the newsletters that are sent via email. In every newsletter there is a Zip scratcher at the bottom. You can use this code on a future order AND you can even share it with friends. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so right HERE. On the left side of the screen towards the bottom you will see “Stay Informed”. Fill out your info and you’ll receive approximately 2 newsletters a month. We promise we try to not clog up your inbox. We just really want you to love Zoolu!

PHEW! That was a lot of information. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

GIVEAWAY Reminder…JJ Cole Blanket

Just reminding everyone to sign up HERE for the JJ Cole Travel Blanket. All you have to do is leave a comment. How easy is that?! If you have commented on our Facebook Fan page, please remember you need to leave a comment on the actual blog. We won’t be including the Facebook comments. So sign up today because we will be announcing the winner TOMORROW! WOOHOO!

The medicine bottle says for children under two to consult their pediatrician…..

My son is not 2 years old yet, but he weighs 30 pounds. The medicine bottle says for children under two to consult their pediatrician. Are the medication guidelines more based on weight or my child’s age?

It seems that almost every medication on the market for children states: "Children under 2: Consult with your pediatrician." One common question I hear often is, what is the difference between the infant preparations of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) vs. the children preparations for the same medication? Is it ok to give a one year old who weighs 24 pounds the children version?

For your standard fever reducer medications, the doses are weight based, so it is ok to use the children's version for infants and toddlers under 2. One caveat I would add is that it is crucial to pay attention to the dosing recommendations for weight on the bottle. It is extremely important to not use the directions of the children's preparations for the infant medications, as that could lead to a very large medication overdose. The infants preparations are extremely concentrated, due to the fact that most small infants aren't accustomed to drinking anything other than milk.

I generally recommend switching to the "children" preparations when the child is 22 lbs (10 kg), because at that point the child can take 5 mL (or one teaspoon) of the children's ibuprofen or tylenol. Even though the dose of each medication is different, the volume of medication is the same for either medicine. In my opinion, this was genius in manufacturing, and designed to reduce medication errors.

To clarify, the appropriate dose for a 12 month, 22 lb child would be 5 mL of children's acetaminophen (160 mg) or 5 mL of children's ibuprofen (100mg). Again, it is extremely important to not use these dosing recommendations with the infant drops, because that would lead to 5 times the correct dose being given.

It is not wrong at all to use the infant drops for a 12 month, 22 lb baby - again, as long as the dosing recommendations on the bottle are followed, the child will receive the right amount of medicine. I recommend changing to the children's preparation simply because you'll get more medication for your money. Those infant drops run out fast when you need to use 2 full dropperfuls for each dose!

If this confused you even more, feel free to comment with your question and I'll reply ASAP!

Recipe Monday (some brainless meals)

I’d be embarrassed if someone opened up my refrigerator or my pantry. There is NOTHING. How can a pantry be messy when you have no food? It’s a mystery to me! What I do know is that I need to go to the grocery store ASAP! I plan on going tomorrow so tonight’s meal is simple taco chicken. It’s easy peasy! The other recipes below are fairly brainless too.

Anyone else have other easy recipes to share?? Has anyone heard of e-mealz? If you have and use it, do you like it? I'm curious....

Taco Chicken

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• salsa (maybe 1 cup?)
• 1 can cheese soup
• 1 can refried black beans
• a little bit of water
• Throw it in the crock pot for 6 hours and you have yourself a simple and delicious meal!

Cheesy Biscuits

• 2 cups Bisquick
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheese

You can customize these biscuits which is great. Add some garlic or basil maybe. Someone said that a little dry ranch dressing mix tastes yummy too.

Try brushing some melted butter and garlic powder on the biscuits when they’re fresh out of the oven. Can you say YUM?!

Bake 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Ranch Pork Chops

• 1/2 a dry ranch dressing packet
• 1/2 a cup of breadcrumbs.
• Oh, and a couple pork chops

Coat the pork chops with the mixture and bake for about 20 min in a 350 degree oven.

GIVEAWAY: JJ Cole Blanket!

Hey Zoolu! fans! Did the hint I gave on Monday help you out at all? Today’s giveaway is the JJ Cole Travel Blanket. Zoolu! carries three wonderful colors. I actually just bought the gray/red blanket for my friends baby shower.

Recently, I reviewed this blanket here so if you read it you know how much we love our blanket. It’s so versatile….use it in the home for playtime or out at the park for a picnic. You too will LOVE your JJ Cole Blanket!

GIVEAWAY:

WIN! A Gray/Green JJ Cole 5x5 Travel Blanket. JJ Cole's blanket is great for the whole family at any occasion. It is perfect for the park, the beach, and even sporting events as a stadium blanket. Its durable outer fabric is ideal for any surface and the inner lining quickly wipes clean.

- 5 ft x 5 ft when opened
- water-resistant material perfect for any outing
- stylish and compact when folded
- sturdy sewn-in insert makes folding easy
- detachable strap

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment below letting us know what Spring/Summer event you look forward to using this at! Don’t forget to include your name too!

GIVEAWAY ENDS: Thursday, April 21st

Scavenger Hunt Thursday…Can you believe it is Thursday already?!?

It’s that time again!  Zoolu!’s weekly Scavenger Hunt is in full swing -- wahoo!!!  Trust us, there is no easier way to win a $20 Gift Coupon to Zoolu! (and help us move up the ranks in Google as well)!  Play today for your chance to win!  

A little background for Zoolu! Scavenger Hunt newbies :-)

Why a Scavenger Hunt you might ask? First and foremost, we are always looking for fun ways to interact with our fans. Secondly, Zoolu! is working on improving our ranking with Google – and these will help greatly! Apparently, if a shopper searches for a term and then clicks on our listing and stays on our site for a while, Google will see that as a great match for that search term. The more “great matches” we log in their eyes, the higher up we will move in their listings – which is a big deal for any online store today!

So…not only are you receiving a great chance to win a $20 Gift Coupon, but you will also be helping us improve our Google ranking along the way – it’s a win-win situation!!!

HOW TO PLAY:

1) Enter Baby Boutique in Google’s Search box.

2) Search for Zoolu!’s listing (I’ve found us anywhere from page 8 to page 15 – but it varies for everyone!)

3) Click on that link to be brought to our site and look for the clues on each page. Each clue will be marked with *** both before and after. The clue on our Home Page reads: ***Click HERE to begin***

4) The last clue will provide you with a special word (both the clues and the special word will change daily). E-mail that word and well as which number Google page you found us on at ZooluCares@shopzoolu.com and you will be entered to be zapped. (For example, my latest search for Baby Boutique on Google found Zoolu! on page 8. If I followed the clues and was given “lucky” as my special word, I would e-mail “I found you on page 8 and the special word of the day is lucky” to the e-mail address above.)

5) Check back on our Facebook page every day you participate to see if you were the lucky Scavenger Hunt winner :-)

HELPFUL TIPS:

~ Zoolu! is currently listed only with the title Baby Boutique – so please look both for that title and for our address: www.shopzoolu.com to ensure that you don’t miss us in the search. If you simply look for “Zoolu!” in the title, you will never find us :-(

~ Google lists sites that you have already visited in purple (vs. blue) – so that should help you scan the listings more quickly – just look for the purple links!

~ Google wants people to stay on a site for roughly 3 minutes to be registered as a good fit. If the Scavenger Hunt takes you less time than that (hopefully it will) – just be sure to keep your browser open to our page for a little bit longer to meet that minimum requirement.

RULES:

~ Your e-mail must include both the Google page you found us on and the special word of the day to be eligible for the “zap”!

~ Even if you have already won…feel free to participate again! Not only do the clues change every week…but the winner is selected at random, so you are still eligible to be “zapped” again!

"So Dr. Kawan. . . I heard something on the news about car seats. Please tell me I don't have to keep my toddler rear-facing until he's two!"

As we’re sure of all of you have heard, the AAP is now recommending that children sit rear-facing in a car seat until the age of 2.  Looking at my son, who will turn 2 next month, that recommendation seems downright CRAZY!  Granted, my son is on the bigger side, but I do not see how he could possibly have continued to sit backwards for this past year.  Aside from his size, he is no longer a baby – he is my little boy – and enjoys watching the surroundings go by and interacting as a “big boy” on our many adventures. 

Whenever I struggle with a new guideline/recommendation, I always go directly to my friend, Dr. Meg Kawan.  Not only will she give me the research-based answer (as provided by the AAP), but she will also provide me with her own opinions on the topic.  Given that she has two young boys and a parenting style that is VERY similar to mine, her opinions have played a very prevalent role in the decisions my husband and I have made over the past few years – and she has yet to let us down once!  Needless to say, when the media went crazy with these new developments, Meg was the first one I ran to!     

Dr. Kawan’s Response:

Since the American Academy of Pediatrics issued their updated recommendation on child passenger safety last month,  word has disseminated quickly through the media (and parenting circles) that children under the age of 2 should ride in rear-facing seats.  Most of the parents I have discussed this new recommendation with are less than thrilled (to put it mildly).  As a mom of a two and four year old, I can definitely relate to the disappointment.  It certainly is a lot easier to get toddlers in and out of their seats when they are forward-facing, and without question, it is easier to keep them entertained during the car ride.  So why the big change? 

The AAP made their recommendation after very carefully reviewing the data on motor vehicle injuries in children, and the evidence was truly dramatic that children who are restrained in rear-facing car seats are significantly less likely to sustain a serious head injury.  It is worth mentioning that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children, so we are not talking about a rare or isolated problem.  Among 12-23 month olds involved in motor vehicle accidents, those restrained in forward-facing seats were more than five times more likely to sustain a serious injury, compared with the toddlers in rear-facing seats.  Sweden recommends that all children travel in rear-facing seats until the age of four, and their data demonstrates a 90% reduction in serious injuries in children placed rear-facing car seats. 

"Do I have to get a new car seat?" is another question I hear often, and I am happy to report that the answer to that question is no, in most situations.  The AAP does recommend that children stay rear-facing until the age of two, or until they have reached the weight limit for their rear facing car seat.  The good news is that most of the car seats sold in the US are convertible seats, that can be used rear or forward facing.

Once I had learned of the overwhelming safety evidence, and upcoming change in AAP policy, it was an easy decision to keep my child rear-facing until he turned two.  He never knew what he missed, and pretty soon, as this recommendation takes hold among families, two will be the new normal in turning car seats around. 

After reading her answer, I agree that the risk far outweighs the inconvenience…but, between you and me, the jury is still out on what my husband and I will decide to do for Baby #3.  What will you do?  Will you keep your child rear-facing based on the latest recommendations by the AAP?

Recipe Monday!

It’s that time again…I feel like Mondays roll around waaaaaay too quickly these days! When you’re done reading these recipes, you should probably start thinking about GIVEAWAY time! WOOHOO! I’ll give you a hit (it’s at the bottom).

Pasta with Asparagus

• 1 lb thin asparagus, cut into 2" pieces (tough ends trimmed)
• 6 oz uncooked pasta such as Ronzoni Smart Taste or Dreamfields
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large pot boil 4 cups water with salt. When boiling, add asparagus and cook 3-5 minutes, until tender crisp. Drain asparagus in colander reserving 1 cup liquid before draining.

Fill pot with salted water, cover and boil for pasta. When water boils cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.

Meanwhile, in a pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden, add asparagus, salt and pepper and sauté about 1-2 minutes, tossing with oil and garlic.

In a small bowl combine egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup reserved asparagus liquid, salt and pepper. Mix well. After pasta is drained return to pot and mix with egg mixture. Cook on medium-low about 2 minutes, until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta. Toss in asparagus and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If pasta seems too dry add more reserved liquid a tablespoon at a time.

Serve with additional grated cheese.

Eggplant Parmasan

• 1 eggplant
• 1 lb mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 can marinara sauce
• Oil for frying
• 3 Tbsp water

Beat eggs, water and set aside.
Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
Skin eggplant and slice thinly. Dip thinly sliced eggplant into egg mixture and then into bread crumb mixture. Place into hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on newspaper with paper towel on top.
Pour small amount of marinara sauce on bottom of 9x13 baking dish.
Place 6 slices of cooked eggplant on bottom of pan. Drizzle marinara sauce over eggplant. Place grated mozzarella on each slice. Continue pattern for 2 more layers. Sprinkle parmesan cheese lightly over top when finished.
Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Linguine with Clams

• Linguine Noodles (A handful for you, a handful for another, and a handful for the pot!)
• 1 bag sliced mushrooms
• 3 green onions
• 2-3 cans of clams(3 is good for 4 people)
• Bottle of clam juice
• 1 package of Knor garlic & herb seasoning
• Salt, pepper and garlic seasoning to taste
• Parmesan and parsley

While preparing the sauce, cook and drain linguine noodles.
Sauté onions and mushrooms, add the Knor seasoning and the cans of clams (including juice).
Add bottle of clam juice or olive oil if you prefer more liquid. Cook at least 15-20 minutes and place over the noodles. Top with fresh parmesan and parsley!

GIVEAWAY HINT……this item is perfect for Summer outings….or inside play. Stay-tuned because we will reveal the giveaway later this week!

It’s Scavenger Hunt Thursday Once Again…play for your chance to win a $20 Gift Coupon to Zoolu!

Are you ready to play? Let’s get to it -- join the fun today for your chance to be “zapped” with a $20 Gift Coupon to Zoolu! – it’s easy, quick and fun too! (Please remember to stay on the site for at least 3 minutes. If you finish early, simply leave your browser open for the remainder of the time. We have already moved up nearly 4 pages (on average) – so many thanks to all of you for playing along!!!)

A little background for Zoolu! Scavenger Hunt newbies :-)

Why a Scavenger Hunt you might ask? First and foremost, we are always looking for fun ways to interact with our fans. Secondly, Zoolu! is working on improving our ranking with Google – and these will help greatly! Apparently, if a shopper searches for a term and then clicks on our listing and stays on our site for a while, Google will see that as a great match for that search term. The more “great matches” we log in their eyes, the higher up we will move in their listings – which is a big deal for any online store today!

So…not only are you receiving a great chance to win a $20 Gift Coupon, but you will also be helping us improve our Google ranking along the way – it’s a win-win situation!!!

HOW TO PLAY:

1) Enter Baby Boutique in Google’s Search box.

2) Search for Zoolu!’s listing (I’ve found us anywhere from page 8 to page 15 – but it varies for everyone!)

3) Click on that link to be brought to our site and look for the clues on each page. Each clue will be marked with *** both before and after. The clue on our Home Page reads: ***Click HERE to begin***

4) The last clue will provide you with a special word (both the clues and the special word will change daily). E-mail that word and well as which number Google page you found us on at ZooluCares@shopzoolu.com and you will be entered to be zapped. (For example, my latest search for Baby Boutique on Google found Zoolu! on page 8. If I followed the clues and was given “lucky” as my special word, I would e-mail “I found you on page 8 and the special word of the day is lucky” to the e-mail address above.)

5) Check back on our Facebook page every day you participate to see if you were the lucky Scavenger Hunt winner :-)

HELPFUL TIPS:

~ Zoolu! is currently listed only with the title Baby Boutique – so please look both for that title and for our address: www.shopzoolu.com to ensure that you don’t miss us in the search. If you simply look for “Zoolu!” in the title, you will never find us :-(

~ Google lists sites that you have already visited in purple (vs. blue) – so that should help you scan the listings more quickly – just look for the purple links!

~ Google wants people to stay on a site for roughly 3 minutes to be registered as a good fit. If the Scavenger Hunt takes you less time than that (hopefully it will) – just be sure to keep your browser open to our page for a little bit longer to meet that minimum requirement.

RULES:

~ Your e-mail must include both the Google page you found us on and the special word of the day to be eligible for the “zap”!

~ Even if you have already won…feel free to participate again! Not only do the clues change every week…but the winner is selected at random, so you are still eligible to be “zapped” again!

“Would You Rather” Wednesday…lose an hour of sleep a night or have a cold shower every day?

Alright Zoolu! fans…it’s Would You Rather Wednesday again!  This week we want to know (and in my opinion, this is a tough one!) – would you rather lose an hour of sleep every night or take a cold shower each morning for the next year?!?  Have a great Hump Day everyone!!!

The most frequently asked question during pregnancy…

How will I know when it is “GO” time?!?! As a childbirth educator, I am inevitably asked this question in nearly every class I teach. Moms-to-be don’t want to show up to the hospital too early and be told to go home…but we also don’t want to wait too long and be running to the delivery room minutes before the baby is born. Unfortunately, with each labor being different, there exists no textbook answer for this timeless question. However, I do have some tips to help you determine when it is best for you to head to the hospital for “GO” time.

The easiest starting point is to time your contractions. Contractions should be 5 minutes apart for 1 hour (10 minutes apart for an hour for 2nd/3rd/4th, etc. deliveries) ***To time contractions, note the start time for two contractions and subtract the difference (if the first is at 12:00pm and the second is at 12:04pm – your contractions are 4 minutes apart).***

Most books stop there…encouraging you to go to the hospital when your contractions reach this point. I agree with the above as a good “gage” for when labor is knocking at your door, however, I also encourage my Moms-to-be to check off three more requirements: During each contraction, you should not be able to walk, talk or joke. The best way to test this is to call your Mom, sister or a good friend. If, while talking, you have to stop walking and talking to focus on your contraction (not the conversation), get in your car and go to the hospital. You will not only stop walking/talking, but your eyes will be big (think deer in the headlights look on your face) and your breathing will become very focused and noticeable to those around you. If you are able to sort of talk/walk/joke while having a contraction – hop in the shower, go for a walk, put your feet up, eat a good meal – you’re getting close, but you are not quite there!

With that said, I firmly believe that it is better to be safe than sorry. If you are stressing too much about when to go, you are better off getting to the hospital early and waiting it out there. Being sent home, or laboring for an extended period at the hospital, may not be ideal, however, it is preferable to being extremely worried/stressed and passing those stress hormones along to the baby! Happy Laboring Zoolu! fans!

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Do you have any pregnancy, labor/delivery, or postpartum questions to ask Megan? If so, either post them here or e-mail her at megan@shopzoolu.com – she LOVES answering your questions, so send them on over!!!

Recipe Monday :) nom nom nom

It’s that time again for a delicious Menu Recipe Monday! In case you’re wondering….this recipe I posted last week was so good!!! My husband is not a fan of salads for dinner, but he said he really liked this. Yay! It will be a staple salad this summer, for sure.

Crispy Lemon Chicken and Potatoes (I don’t remember where this recipe is from. If you know, please let me know because I will definitely give credit!

• 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, trimmed (you can use chicken breasts, just won’t be as crispy)
• 2 lemons
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 ½ pounds potatoes (Yukon gold or red bliss)
• A few twigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

TO MAKE 4-6 SERVINGS

Preheat your oven to 450º.

Cut the chicken thighs in half lengthwise, pat them dry, drop them in a bowl and grate the garlic and the rind of 2 lemons over them, then toss with the brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Put the bowl into the fridge and marinate for 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile slice the potatoes into thin slices, lightly toss with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and put into an oiled, medium sized baking pan. Put the potatoes into the oven to roast for about 15 minutes.

While the potatoes are roasting, take your chicken out of the fridge and drain off any moisture. With paper towels, pat the chicken dry (this prevents the chicken from splattering quite as much and really helps it brown much nicer). Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, drizzle in a bit of olive oil to cover the bottom. Sauté the chicken until the skin is golden and crispy (hint, don’t move the chicken pieces around a lot). You will probably have to do this in 2 batches. Do not crowd chicken, crowds make it pale and sweaty (just like some of us).

Put the flour into a small bowl, mix with a bit of the chicken stock until a smooth paste forms, stir in the mustard and remaining stock.

Take the potatoes out of the oven, pour the chicken stock mixture into the pan with the potatoes. Pile the chicken on top, sprinkle on the chopped thyme. Slice one lemon and tuck among the chicken and potatoes, squeeze the juice of the other lemon all over the chicken. Pop back into the oven for 20 minutes until the sauce is furiously bubbling and has thickened. Taste for seasonings!