Nicki, The Eval Gal

Take a second for a second

2012-02-11T10:52:00.002-05:00

Have you ever had a time stop moment? I have noticed that I have them for a few different reasons. Sometimes it is panic over nothing at all, I just go into a panic over what-ifs. Sometimes it is something good, like my one of my sons just smile at me. But more recently it is over an actual horrible event.

I am writing this about 2 hours after my 3 month old son, Daniel, had a mild seizure. It only lasted 10-15 seconds, but I will tell you it seemed like 5 hours. And the waiting around for his doctor to call me back just seemed like 7 years! When I was talking to the doctor, I realized how bad time stopped. I started over emphasizing everything that happened. My husband had to keep checking me and saying, no that was only a few seconds, and no, that was only like this. I have to remember to stop and take every second as it is...just a second.

I also seem to have this every time Daniel has a breathing episode. Time just stops. I have started to actually write down everything to the second on what is happening. I need to or else I would never really know what is going on!

Time stopped when they told me Daniel had RDS. And that one lasted for a while. I was in shock. I just sat there...I couldn't move, I couldn't speak. When the doctor told me he was sorry and if I had any questions, I didn't even realize he was still talking.

Time stopped when Luke was in the hospital at 7 months old after falling off a bed onto a cement floor and they told me that he probably has severe brain damage from the fall and they needed to do a CAT scan stat. Time stopped again while he was in the CAT scan and it looked like he was in a coffin. Time stopped again when they gave us the WONDERFUL news that it was just a severe concussion (obviously wonderful from what they said it probably was) and a broken leg.

Time stopped when my husband called me and told me that he was just in a fatality accident where 5 people died. Time stopped again when I got the wonderful news that my husband, thank God, checked out perfectly fine.

Time stopped when my mother called me and told me my grandfather has passed on.

But time also stops when Lucas and Daniel laugh, or Lucas gives Daniel a kiss. Those first steps! The time they rolled over for the first time. And when they were born!!! Oh goodness! I remember right after Lucas was born and looking out the window and wondering how the heck people could be still driving around like nothing miraculous just happened. Oh all the wonderful memories that I also have with my wonderful children.

So, I guess what I am learning through all this is take time for face value. A second is just that, a second. A second can go by so fast. I mean, heck, I just spent about 5 minutes typing this up. That is 300 seconds. Cherish the great and try to take the bad seconds as they come. Life keeps going, nothing stops for your bad, or even in that matter, your good second.

Learning something new...

2012-02-10T10:37:00.001-05:00

When was the last time you tried to learn something new? Did you think it was horribly hard? Well, I decided that I wanted to learn how to crochet, and guess what, it was EASY! I thought it was going to be the hardest thing ever, but it was not. Now, I wouldn't say that I would be calling myself an expert or anything right now, but at least I got over the fear of trying and just went with it! With two kids, I was scared that there was no way that I would EVER have the time to pick up yet another hobby. Well, with all the work that is included in being a stay at home mom, I am sure the rest of you can understand.

I love being able to sew and now crochet now though. Before I felt like my life was not my life anymore. I was all about my two children, keeping the house clean, and making sure the hubby is happy. I was happy, but still I was unfulfilled. NOW that I have something for myself...I feel like a brand new person! I am very happy that I decided to give myself this time. What do you do to keep yourself having a little bit of mommy time? Or do you not give yourself mommy time?

Weird how this post quickly went from trying to tell you all that it is never to late to start something new, to making sure that you get mommy time. I guess that is what was in the back of my head the whole time. Soooo, learn something new this week AND have some mommy time with it! Then come back here and tell me what you learned! :-D

Crazy Leggies Giveaway

2012-02-08T19:50:00.000-05:00

So, I decided that I would do a nice giveaway from my shop for my fans while I take time off from writing reviews and giveaways. So, I am going to keep it simple, but also going to make it a little larger for your patience :-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Super Skivvies Review and Giveaway

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today I am going to review the training pants called Super Skivvies. I have to admit, I was very excited to get this training pant in that I forgot to take a picture before I started prepping. Whoops! But I do have pictures of what mine looked like after washing it three times, and let me tell you, there isn't any difference.

See, the only real difference is that it looks a bit wrinkled.

So, anyways, this training pant is NOT waterproof. It is designed to get wet to teach out children easier so that they can feel the wetness. It does have a little soaker pad that you can put in it though.

This soaker pad is optional. You could have them be training pants with the soaker, or underpants without them.

My house is just loving these training pants. I think it makes my son feel more like big boy with these on. He goes in the potty a lot more when he uses these. They are easy for him to pull up and down also. But what I really love about them is that because they have the soaker pad, the pee doesn't just come right threw and all over my floor. My son still can not say much more than "no" so it gives me some time to catch accidents. All in all, I give these training pants an A+ and I think they are something that every training child should have!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Daddies, Babysitters, and Day Cares OH MY!

2012-01-20T11:17:00.001-05:00

So, I decided to ask a few friends and family about cloth diapers. And what I found out was very interesting. I figured that everyone would like the same kinds of easy diapers...but that was totally NOT true!!! Here is what I have so far:

One of my friend's husband and mom prefer pocket style diapers with velcro.
Another one of my friend's family prefer AIO with snaps.
Yet another friend's family prefers AIO with velcro.
And my family is ALL over the board! My grandmother said she likes the GroVia's. My hubby and step mom like the gDiapers. Church day care, MIL, and Nanny like the pocket diapers prestuffed.

So, what did I figure out from this??? Everyone has their own special diaper! There doesn't seem to be a "daddy" approved diaper or anything like that. I always believed that it would be pockets or AIOs across the board! Just thought I would share this information with everyone. So I guess my advice would be ask before you pack!

Cloth Diapering a Newborn

2012-01-20T08:55:00.002-05:00

So, a lot of you know that I had my second child about 3 months ago (it will be 3 months in 3 days). I have been using cloth since the day that we got out of the hospital and I have a lot of news to share now! First off, I want to tell everyone how much I LOVE using cloth on my little one! Cloth is actually so much better than disposable diapering with a new one. Let me tell you why:

No midnight rushes to the store for a pack of disposables. We all know how many diapers a newborn goes through and this ends up happening a lot with a little one! I remember being SO tired and having to drive down to the store to get a pack of diapers because I just used my last one on Luke. Now, the farthest I have to go is to my basement! Ah, the bliss!
No leaks!!!! I have not had one leak at all with my son! Not even with his poop! I remember having to change Luke's outfit all the time because of leaks...now I just have to change Daniel's outfit once a day! SO much better and less clothes laundry too!
No more stink! I don't have a whole bunch of dirty poopy diapers sitting around stinking up my house anymore! I used to hate that! Thank goodness for a good smelling house!

So, what's the downfall? PRICE!!!!! Newborn diapers are actually VERY expensive. I spend the time we were TTCing and the time I was pregnant to look all over for sales and used diapers. This is probably the best idea I had! Try to remember to do the same for your children. Also, if I really wanted do, I could still be using Daniel's newborn diapers on him but it was time to PL Luke, so I moved Daniel up to one sized and sold the newborn for trainers! Eventually I will blog about PLing too...just need some time haha. In the meantime...here are some beautiful pictures:

Picklenose Creations Review and Giveaway

2012-01-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Picklenose Creations provided me with a beautiful AIO to try out. Here is some information on her diapers taken directly off her Etsy page:

A layer of soft suedecloth next to baby wicks moisture away into the five ultra-absorbent soaker layers, keeping baby feeling dry. The soaker has two layers of ultra thick absorbent microfiber terry with a double-core layer of REVOLUTIONARY Zorb. It soaks up 20 times it's weight in liquid in less than 2 seconds. Zorb is a fabric made from tangled cellulose fibers from bamboo/cotton/viscose and poly micro fiber. These non-allergenic fibers are quick drying, durable and easy to sanitize. The last soaker layer is organic cotton sherpa. This holds on to the moisture and helps prevent compression leaks.

The outside waterproof layer is soft polyester knit laminated with 1 mil breathable hospital grade polyurethane laminate (PUL). Originally developed to withstand hospital sterilization, PUL is machine washable and dryable at high temperatures. The thin laminate film lets water vapor escape and keeps baby cool and comfortable.

This diaper is super trim fitting because it uses highly absorbent layers that eliminate bulk. Two layers of Zorb are equal to:
8 layers of flannel
6 layers of French terry
5 layers of cotton fleece
4 layers of sherpa.

My diapers are designed to fit below the belly button eliminating gaps and diaper droop. Snaps adjust the rise, leg opening and the waist for a great fit. The leg openings are high cut and allow for freedom of movement. Great for chubby toddler legs on the go. Waist and legs are trimmed with diaper grade elastic to last thru several children. Industrial style poly resin snaps are guaranteed not to come off for 18 months.

The diaper I received is super cute!!! It has monkeys all over it. I don't know how Amy (the owner of this store) knew about monkeys being such a thing in this house, but she must have had some major telepathy going or something!!! Anyways, this diaper was a huge hit with the whole family (yes, even daddy loved it)!

I tried this out on my 2 month old when he was just teetering around 10 lbs. This diaper fit perfectly! I could honestly say that this diaper probably would have fit around 7 or 8 pounds (perfect for your newborn!!!). This diaper is also SUPER absorbent. We used it overnight with no issues at all! Oh, how I love diapers that work overnight! I have been using this diaper in rotation now for about 2 weeks and I have not had one leak with this diaper. I have to say, will definitely be upset when this diaper no longer fits! And of course, we have a shirt that works perfectly with it!

There was a small downside to this diaper, however. When I went to try it on my 2 1/2 year old (which by the way he is now 34 lbs) it did not fit. This actually happens all the time with my big boy. He is just so dang tall and wide that I just can't seem to find many one sized diapers that fit him well. My quest for that will continue, however this is an amazing diaper for my little one!!! :-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BABY by danish review

2011-12-26T21:32:00.002-05:00

I would like to introduce you to a new brand of wet bags. First I will give you some product details:

Thick cotton duck exterior fabric.
Extremely durable barrier cloth lining. The waterproof lining does not contain DEHP, Phlalates, or BPA Plasticizers. FDA approved food safe
Waterproof lining seams are heat bonded (no chemicals or solvents used) to create a 100% waterproof seal.
Top quality water-resistant YKK zippers.
Resin snap handle for hanging.
Manufactured in the U.S.A.

Now that you can see just how amazing these things seem just by reading the product details, I would like to introduce you to BABY by danish.

These wet bags are ridiculously cute!!!! They have many different designs available. I, personally, am in love. I used this bag a few times now for all day outings and this was enough of a wet bag for both of my kids for a whole day out!!! Can you believe that!?!?!? It easily holds 5-6 diapers and if you squish them in, I am sure they can hold even more (I have gotten 10 in there before!). When I don't have a whole day outing, I use this in my room for an overnight bag for my 2 month old. Because it has a handle that unsnaps and resnaps easily (see picture below), I can just hang it on my dresser and have it there for the night time diapers instead of having to run downstairs to put the diaper in the pail. Then when I get up in the morning, it's not stinky in my room because (of course) I fell asleep with a dirty diaper on my floor again....like I always do without a wet bag in my room (whoops!). Another great thing with this wet bag is that you can fold it up and use the snap handle as a way to keep it folded up when it is not in use. Makes it fit in the diaper bag easier and keeps things neat and tidy when it is not in use (even though mine is usually folded up for half a day at the longest...yes, I love it that much).

I HIGHLY recommend this bag to all that cloth diaper. But not only those who cloth diaper can use it. It would also be great for pool outings and many other things where you may have wet cloths (ops, leaky diaper) or anything to through in it. Check them out at BABY at danish's website and get yours today!!!! It is WELL worth spending the few dollars to get it!!!!!!

Econobum Giveaway

2011-12-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

So, this is a self sponsored giveaway for an Econobum with ribbit trim and one prefold. I just figured I would add even more fluff into the month :-) So here ya go!!!

Fuzzi Bunz Giveaway sponsored by Kelly Wels

2011-12-19T00:01:00.001-05:00

Please make sure that you read my review for Kelly Wels book, Changing Diapers, on the previous post. You will need to have read it to be able to enter this giveaway because you have to tell me something you learned :-)

Changing Diapers by Kelly Wels Review

2011-12-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

When I received an email about reviewing this book, I was SO excited. I have been wanting this book for a while now just to read and have on hand in case anyone had any questions. I was provided an online copy, but you better believe that I am ordering it in a hard copy to have in my home.

This is a wonderful addition to any cloth diapering family. I know many cloth diapering mamas try to help spread the cloth diapering love. In order to do that, you have to know a lot of information. Wouldn't it be nice to sent a friend home with a book to read that is written in plain English and makes cloth diapering sound fun and exciting after your mini cloth diapering class? I have done the mini cloth diapering class a few times for friends. I just pull out one of everything and change my kid with them and then let them change my kid with all of them to see how easy it is. I never thought to tell them everything in this book. So, needless to say, I am totally purchasing it now!

The book is broken down so that it is SO easy to follow. It starts with reasons to start cloth diapering, which is extremely detailed on the whole disposable vs. cloth debate. Then it goes over all the different types of cloth diapers with pictures and a how to use part. The third chapter is all about how to pick the right cloth diaper for you (which is something that is REALLY hard to do and can be a huge, costly mistake). Then it goes through how to cloth diaper from newborn-potty training, how to try to get day cares to join in on the cloth diapering, a little bit on multiples and special needs babies, how to fix leaking problems (even at night!) and diaper rashes, dads and cloth diapering (stories on how some dads feel about cloth diapering), how to wash cloth diapers, and even a bit on cloth diapering accessories! :-)

If you ask me, there is nothing this book left out! Not only that, it would save a lot of needed time for the new mamas thinking about cloth diapering. No more having to research everything online and coming up with 20 million opinions on how many diapers do you need. Kelly does a great job giving it to you straight without putting any personal preferences in it, which I think is great! Also, I thought it would take me FOREVER to read this book because it has a lot of pages to it, however this was a pretty fast and easy read. I read the whole thing in a day and a half...which is saying something with my two kids!!!

So, to sum it all up, I am going to quote Kelly because I believe this is so true:

"The cloth diaper choice is yours to make. If you're going to be a cloth diapering mama, you need to know the facts. And you're holding in your hands the most comprehensive, easy-to-read, how-to book on the subject of cloth diapering" (pg7).

Howler Monkey Bums Review and Giveaway

2011-12-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

Howler Monkey Bums is an Etsy shop owned by the wonderful Callie. This mama was a great mama to work with. She wonderful in keeping in contact with me to let me know the status of the review diaper. She also has really fast shipping! Her diapers are so cute and work wonderfully.

The diaper that I am reviewing is an AI2 OS diaper. Her soakers are a snake style soaker made out of Zorb II which is amazing in absorbency. If you have ever used Zorb before, you know that they can soak up an amazing amount of liquid. It is also lined with cotton velour which keeps your baby dry!

I was almost immediately hooked on this diaper when it came in the mail that I couldn't wait to try it out. I tried it out on my two year old first. This diaper fit him perfectly, which is still a little bit hard to find a great fit with OS diapers because he is just so tall! He is a whopping 38 inches tall at 28 months old! Yeah, try to find a diaper to fit haha. Not only that, he is skinny for his height...weighing in at only 30 lbs. So, for a diaper to fit him perfectly is bliss because I think we have a while until potty learning time (we are trying, just going a lot slower than I would have thought). Anyways, my son was able to wear this diaper for a total of 4 hours before I changed it, and I think it could have easily lasted longer! I was very impressed with this!

Now, to try on the whole other spectrum on my newbie. My one month old is 8 lbs 6 oz and this diaper fit great for my little one. When I spoke with Callie, she said that most people were finding that this diaper was not fitting until around 10 lbs...but I think these pictures will show you differently. This diaper was amazing on my little man! I have to admit, that it was a bit bulky on him BUT this would be GREAT for overnight! I used it and changed my son at about 2 hours (I still change him about every 2 hours right now, except at night) and the bottom two layers were still completely dry! When I folded up the snake style insert to fit into the diaper with my little one, there was four layers in the pee zone (front area). So, for the 2 hours and not even getting into the bottom two layers, it would last the perfect 4 hours (if not longer) that I change him at night!

1,000 Followers Flip Giveaway

2011-12-10T13:14:00.001-05:00

When the blog reaches 1,000 GFC followers this giveaway will close. You could win a Flip Sweet cover with a stay dry insert with a velcro closure! Make sure you spread the word! :-D

Mabu Baby Review and Giveaway

2011-12-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

Mabu Baby is the new cloth diaper that will be shortly (or is already) coming to many Wal Marts across the US. I think that this is a great thing and will help more people get their foot into the door on cloth diapering. This system is actually very neat also because it is another hybrid diaper choice and with only three major ones in the market right now, I think this is wonderful. This is not the only thing that Mabu makes though. They also sent me an Odor Gator and also two Duzis to review (their bacteria fighting cloth).

I am going to start by reviewing the Duzi. I was a bit apprehensive about these cloths when I first opened them up because they were just so stiff. I then read on the back that you have to rinse out the vegetable starch stiffener to get them to be soft and absorbent. I was amazed after I got the vegetable starch out of them (which only takes just a few seconds). These really do work as wonderfully as the package says they would. What is also great is that it rinses 99.99% free of bacteria under warm tap water! That means no more stinky cloths laying around and you don't have to be spreading that bacteria around anymore!! It just goes away! That makes me a happy mama!!!!

Next I will review the Odor Gator. This thing was also a welcomed enjoyment. All you do is put it into a stinky confined area. I put it in my diaper pail and it completely works! It takes all the odor out of the air so that when I opened the pail it didn't stink like crazy! It works by deodorizing the odors and breaks them down to salt and water. Then to refresh the pack you just put it out in the sunlight and then either shake the pack or wipe it with a cloth.

Mabu also sent me their Mabu Baby eco-diaper system starter kit. This starter kit comes with two diaper outers, two snap-in pad holders, two washable pads, two disposable pads, and five liners! That is a lot if you ask me. The diapers come already put together for you, so you don't have to figure out how to make them work, it is all set up for you. But basically they work kind of like a gDiaper. The outside shell is waterproof, however, which actually makes me feel a bit more confident using these over the gDiaper. Then there is the snap-in pad holder that has three snaps in the front and three in the back to hold it into place. Then you put the washable pad or the disposable pad in the holder. Then, if you would like to use a liner, you put the liner on top of that to catch the poops. The liner is flushable too! Here are some pictures to kind of show you the different aspects of this diaper.

The inside with a washable pad

Showing the three snaps on the front and how they just snap into the outer part of the diaper

A liner

A disposable pad

I was so excited to try this diaper out that I started with the disposable pad so that I could prewash the cloth inserts. When I put on the diaper I was so happy with how well this disposable pad soaked up the mess! The pee didn't even get through to the snap-in pad holder so that I could reuse it. By the time I was done using the second disposable pad, my cloth inserts were ready to go! These were so soft (actually so was the disposable pads, unlike a disposable diaper) and VERY absorbent. I was actually on diaper number two this time because my son had a poopy in the other disposable pad which was well contained in the diaper, just got all over the snap-in pad holder. After using the first cloth insert, I realized that I could just change that out also and reuse the diaper again. I love being able to do that with diapers because it dramatically decreases the laundry and also the total cost of the diapers. The fit was pretty great too on my little one! I have to say, I am pretty darn impressed with this diapering system.

I have to also admit that I really like these liners! I have not used any kind of liners with either of my children except washable ones because I thought they felt like a drier sheet and they irritated my big son's skin. But these ones are actually incredibly soft and easy on his bottom. I am SO happy that they sent me an extra box of 48 of them because I will definitely be using these for both children!

Mabu Baby also sent me a size two diaper. Now, Daniel is wearing the size one diapers...so I figured I would just try on the size two diaper on my 2 1/2 year old. He is right around 30 pounds right now and this size two diaper fit him great! To quote hubby: "They don't look like a turtle butt diaper!" That is his way of saying that they are trim lol. He said that I better give my props to Mabu Baby about the fit of the diaper on our children. So, not only are they Nicki approved, but they are also hubby approved!

Fuzzi Bunz Elite Review and GC Giveaway Sponsored by The Green Baby Store

2011-12-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

I would like to tell you a bit about this wonderful sponsor before I tell you about this diaper. Please note that the sponsor, The Green Baby Store does not make these diapers, they are a carrier of the diapers. This store carries many different diapers. You can find almost all the most popular items in this shop. Not only that, you get amazing customer service. When I contacted The Green Baby Store I got a response back MUCH faster than I hear from a lot of other shops. Not only that, the owner, Melissa, was extremely nice and helpful. And to top everything off, my package was at my door about two days after I ordered!!! Super fast shipping, great owner, and awesome customer service....what more could you really ask for in a store!?!?!?

So, on to the Fuzzi Bunz Elite...I decided that I was going to try a bunch of one sizes on both of my children to really see the span on many OS diapers. Well, this was one of the first on my list that I wanted to try anyways, so when I was setting up things with Melissa, I was happy to know that I would be able to review one of these diapers. I was so happy with the color of the diaper. I got a Spearmint diaper to try on the boys. I decided to try it out on Daniel first. At the time of reviewing this diaper, Daniel is only 8 pounds and 6 ounces, so according to the packaging he would just be fitting into many one sized diapers. I was very thrilled when this fit him perfectly. I used the smaller insert with this diaper and I think it wasn't any more bulky than a newborn cloth diaper usually is. Not only that, it lasted with no leaks, on my son for 4 hours, which for a newborn is GREAT!

Then I tried it on Lucas, who at the time is 30 pounds, so just normally out growing most one size diapers. But this diaper fit him perfectly too. None the less, it even lasted through nap time with both inserts!!! I was very thrilled with this. Maybe one day I will get some guts and try it for overnight! lol.

Please note that this is only set at two (for the legs) in the picture and does have a larger rise, I just prefer lower rises

I have to admit, the only part about this diaper that I did not like was the hidden elastic that you have to pull through and button. This took a while to get a good fit on both of my boys. I started at the guideline and then worked from there for both of them because every baby is shaped differently and sometimes you have to mess with it a bit to get the right fit. I have to say though, with this being the only thing that I didn't like, I would not mind owning more of these diapers!

Also, use coupon code CLOTHREVIEWS for 10% off (excludes bumgenius, econobum and flip) that will be valid December 5th-December 31st, 2011 valid for my wonderful followers :-).

Jillicious Charms and Accessories Review and Giveaway

2011-11-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

I am going to be reviewing Jillicious charms and accessories today. They had supplied an adorable set of Hello Kitty hair clips for me to review.

My niece had a wonderful time modeling for the review. We both think that the clips, while carring the popular Hello Kitty figure, are a rare and charming item to have.

While going to dance class, where she is all over the place, these clips did not fall out, nor did her hair get any more unrulely than it already is. That in itself is a challenge because of the texture of her hair.. My niece has used the clips for a bit now, and they seem to be durable. She can beat up her stuff fairly well. This is a nice item for a stocking stuffer for Christmas, or could even be something other than candy to put in an Easter basket! I think as parents we are always looking for smaller items for little treats for our children and Jillicious Charms and Accessories carries these items at her store for relatively cheep too!!!

Pine Branch Designs Review and Giveaway

2011-11-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today I am going to do a review on Pine Branch Designs soap dishes. These cedar dishes seemed simple at first. I realized how amazing they were after using one. Personally, I can not stand when my soap turns to soup in a dish due to moisture. I know that there are people out there who know what I am talking about. Well, this creative soap dish eliminates that problem completely. With two male figures at my house, to remove some of the mess from happening is a great accomplishment.

This soap dish makes for a wonderful stocking stuffer. For those of us who enjoy using items that are hand made and friendlier to the environment, this is a must have product. Much better than other products that I have used.

The designer of these soap dishes is a woman named Cindy. She is definately enthusiactic about her products and her business. She not only sells stuff, but puts a little of herself into the products. With the package of the item I am reviewing, she sent me this small portion of wood, nicely cut and sanded. in her neat handwriting all it said was "enjoy". That placed a smile on my face. How sweet, there is so little of that extra touch in business today.

Well, enough of me talking about how awesome I believe that her products are, check out her site and see the variety of items that are offered at Pine Branch Designs. Please note that with this giveaway there will be THREE winners, so your chances of winning is even greater with this giveaway!!! :-D

*This review was written by Donna*

Bum Covered Diapers Review and Giveaway

2011-11-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

As we covered before, what could be more newborn essential than cloth diapers? Well, Bum Covered Diapers graciously sent me a newborn fitted diaper to review for the Virtual Baby Shower.

I was so excited about this diaper because I got to build it myself! On Bum Covered Diapers' website they have an option to build your own fitted diaper. You get to pick the print on the outside, what you would like as the soaker pad, and the fabric that would be touching your child's skin. I chose to have microfiber as the soaker and to have the lining be microfleece. This is what the outside of my diaper looked like when I got it:

I LOVE the microfleece that they use as the lining! This stuff is so super soft! Well, so is the flannel that they use. I couldn't wait to use this diaper because it is just so cute and SO soft!!!!! This diaper is a bit more on the bulky side on a newborn, but that goes without saying that almost every cloth diaper you put on a newborn would be pretty bulky. However, I was able to use this diaper during the day without a cover, which cuts down on the amount of fabric on the baby and increases the breathability of the diaper. I also used this diaper overnight with a cover and it lasted for the 4 hours that my son can sleep at a time. I was very happy with this diaper and I really recommend these fitted diapers! Especially seeing that you get to customize it exactly how you would like it!!!

Types of Diapers and How to Use

2011-11-13T19:30:00.000-05:00

Please note that these are not the BEST videos ever, but I attempted...as you can tell at the end, I really need a tripod lol. Anyways, hope this is helpful to some of you!!! I am also going to list some of the major brands (please not that they will not contain EVERY single diaper in that category) that carry each thing except for the OS diapers :-)

OS (One size) diapers: Diaper used is a Flip

Hybrid: Diapers used is Flip and then gDiaper

-GroVia

-Flips

-gDiaper

-Best Bottoms

AI2: Diaper used is a Fino Baby from Hyena Cart

-SoftBums

-AppleCheeks

-AMP Diapers

-IttiBitti

AIO and Pocket: Diapers used are QTBuns from Etsy and CCBums from Hyena Cart or Facebook

All in one diapers:

-BumGenius (Elementals and soon to come Freetime)

-Rumparooz (Lil Joey newborn diapers)

-GroVia

-Swaddlebees

-Bottom Bumpers

Pocket diapers:

-Fuzzi Bunz

-BumGenius

-Thirsties

-Happy Heinies

-Kawaii

-Tots Bots

-BabyKicks

-Katydid

-Knickernappies

-Rumparooz

-DryBees

-Tweedlebugz

Fitted, Prefold, Flat, Snappi, and Cover: Diapers used are Wee Expressions from Etsy and an Econobum

Fitted diapers:

-Thirsties

-Kissaluvs

-BabyKicks

-Eco Posh

-Happy Heinies

-Sustainablebabyish

-Mother-ease

-Tiny Tush

-IttiBitti

-Bummis

Prefold:

-Chinese prefold

-Indian prefold

-Econobums

Cover:

-Econobums

-Thirsties

-Bummis

-Mother-ease

-Prorap

-Imse Vimse

-Rumparooz

-Kissaluvs

-Blueberry

Diaper Lingo

2011-11-13T11:31:00.001-05:00

Are you confused yet? I know I was!!! Here is a short break down of diaper lingo!

Pocket diaper: Basically, a diaper that does not need a cover. You will need to put something absorbent in this (usually an insert is provided). Easy diaper to use, just like a disposable with two extra steps. The extra steps are washing and stuffing (putting the insert into the diaper).
AIO: Stands for All In One. This is going to be just like a disposable diaper with one extra step, washing. Everything that is needed to diaper your child is in this diaper. The waterproof outer layer and the absorbent part of the diaper.
AI2: Stands for All In Two. This diaper usually has a waterproof outer layer with a snap in or lay in insert. Can use the waterproof outer layer usually 3-4 times before having to change that part of the diaper.
Hybrid: This is usually an All In Two style diaper with a disposable insert option. Great for the on the go mom.
Prefold: The old school diapers with pins that you have to fold. These need a cover because they are not leak proof by any means. You may fold it the old school way (with pins or a snappi--see below) or you could also fold it into thirds (or tri-fold it) and lie it in the cover.
Snappi: This is used instead of diaper pins to make using prefolds, flats, and some fitted diapers easier to use.
Fitted: Diapers that go under a cover. Usually has velcro or snaps on it. Some of them do need pins or a snappi also. These are usually great for overnight but are NOT leak proof so they will need a cover.
Flats: Basically just a square piece of fabric. Will be a bit harder to use until you get used to folding them, but the cheapest option to cloth diaper. Not leak proof and will need a cover and will also need diaper pins or a snappi.
Cover: This is what goes over non-leak proof diapers to make them leak proof.
Soaker: Just an insert with a different name :-)
OS: Stands for One Sized. Usually fits most kids from 8 or 14 pounds to about 30 or 35 pounds.
Sized: Obviously, sized diapers for small, medium, large and sometimes extra large. FuzziBunz (a type of pocket diaper) also calls this a "perfect size" diaper

If you have any other "diaper lingo" that you would like decoded for you, please let me know!!!

Detergents for Cloth Diapers

2011-11-13T11:15:00.001-05:00

What kind of detergent to use to wash you cloth diapers can be a bit confusing. Also, there are a lot of detergents that are recommended by some, but not recommended by others and so on that makes it even more confusing. Well, this is going to be just my personal opinion and experiences, but this may be able to help some of you with detergent questions. Please note that all of my experiences are with NORMAL water, not hard or soft water.

The first thing you should always do before using any kind of detergent is know what kind of water you have. Don't know how to know? Well, there are a few ways to figure it out easily!

Simply call your water company and ask :-)
Leave a cup of warm water out over night to evaporate. If there is white residue, most likely you have HARD water.
If you take a shower and it is hard to get the soap off of you, most likely you have SOFT water.
Make a cup of tea in a glass mug. Using a microwave, bring the water to a boil in the mug, place the tea bag in the hot water and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Remove the bag. If the tea is clear your ater is on the SOFT side. If there is a film on the top of the tea or it is cloudy, your water is on the HARD side. This is the most accurate test besides calling your water company.

Now that you know what kind of water you have, you can determine what detergent to use (or how much detergent to use). Please note that with HARD water, you want to use LESS detergent and with SOFT water you want to use MORE detergent than recommended. Not much more or less, just a bit more or less.

GroVia Tiny Bubbles: Great for normal water. I used it once with well water (super hard water) and it didn't work too well.
Rockin' Green: Great if you use EXACTLY the amount they say to use and also use the right formula for your water. Get any of that messed up and you will have a big problem on your hands!!!
Purex Free and Clear: DO NOT USE THIS!!!!! Can you say build up!?!? That is all this detergent will give you!!! Stay away!!!
All Free and Clear and Tide Free and Clear: Okay to use. Remember to use only 1/2 the recommended detergent for your diapers and rinse two extra times after your wash cycle to avoid build up.
EcoSprout: By far the best I have ever used. Worked with the well water and with my normal water. This is by far the most recommended by me.

Please remember that these detergents are just my recommendations from my personal experiences of finding a good detergent for my cloth diapers. Many other people have their own recommendations, but I highly suggest trying EcoSprout out because, like I said, they are by far the best I have used so far!

Fuzzy Venus Review and Giveaway

2011-11-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

Well, what can be more of a mommy essential after having a baby than a postpartum cloth pad??? I don't think there is anything better to get! I used the ones from the hospital while I was there. When I came home, I was more than excited to try out the cloth pads that I had purchased and this one that I received for a review.

I have to say that the cloth pads work SO much better than the disposables do. And this one from Fuzzy Venus is definitely top notch! I was able to wear this all night long and have NO leaks or anything! I was so nervous about what to do at night time, and now I am not anymore. If there is any cloth pads that you want to get for postpartum, this is DEFINITELY the top one on my list. So, make sure you get at least one or two for overnights. I have reviewed her cloth pads before (obviously the regular pads) and loved those just as much. All of her cloth pads are so soft and easy to use that they are my first "go to" pad. Way to go Fuzzy Venus for making me happy with yet another one of your awesome products!!!

Couture Fluff Review and Giveaway

2011-11-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

What could be more newborn essential then newborn diapers??? Well, nothing really lol. Couture Fluff provided me with a winged infant prefold to try out. This winged prefold is made with 3 layers of bamboo terry and is absolutely amazing. It is super trim fitting, which is a major problem that I have noticed with newborn diapers. Not only that, but it is also very absorbent and works very well. I was super surprised by how soft this diaper was also.

This diaper is a bit larger than other newborn diapers are, but that just makes it even more useful because it can be used for longer. Because it is a prefold, you can just fold it up a little bit to make it fit a smaller baby.

Couture Fluff also provided me with two of her wipes to try out. These too were so soft!!! They are literally the softest wipes I have ever tried!!! They are made of cotton velour and sherpa (one layer of each on a wipe). These wipes worked wonderfully and because they are so soft I had no problems using them on my newborn son. It made me feel better that he was getting a nice soft touch to his bottom.

Couture Fluff graciously offered a giveaway of a OS fitted or AI2 diaper for one special winner!!!

Empire Tank Review and Giveaway

2011-11-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

This is the most interesting baby essential and mommy essential I have ever found....and I am in love with this. This Empire Tank is a wonderful nursing tank that you pair with a nursing bra and a tee on top. This covers up your stomach while nursing to give you a more modest way to nurse than just exposing everything, which I am sure I am not the only mama who likes to be more modest. Here is a picture from AR Mommy on how this works:

This nursing top can come in either black or white and in many different sizes to fit the many different sized mamas out there. This is one of the first things I grab now hen I know I am going to be having company and I am sure it will go the same way when I can start getting out of the house with the baby!!!

Amy B Embroidery Review and Giveaway

2011-11-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

Another baby necessity would have to be bibs and burp cloths of course! Well, isn't it even better to get bibs and burp cloths that are personally embroidered for your child? Well, that is what you get when you shop at this Etsy shop. Not only that, you get the most beautiful embroidered products I have ever seen. I received a wonderful bib and burp cloth from this owner. Want to see? They are the most detailed and wonderful looking things I have EVER seen!

Are they not amazing!?!? And they work so awesome too! The bib is just a little too big for him now, but that means that it will work amazingly when he grows into it! And the burp cloth was able to soak up even the biggest spit up he had. I was taking the picture of these at the hospital and I got some amazing comments on these. The nurse was amazed by these! My mother in law thinks that they are just the best things ever. And I have to say that their comments basically sums up everything!

Teething Bling Review and Giveaway

2011-11-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

Teething Bling is our third review and giveaway for the "virtual baby shower." Well, you may be saying to yourself, "Why is Teething Bling a newborn necessity?" Well, if you ever nursed, you know why lol. When you are nursing your little baby newborn, what does he/she like to do? Well, grab of course. Those little fingers want something to hold onto. This necklace works perfect for that. And what could be better then buying a nursing necklace and then a teething necklace? Getting one that could be used for both! And that is what is so awesome about this necklace. My son obviously has not teethed on it yet, but he could if he wanted to. I love that it hangs right there in the grabbing area for him right now though. I LOVE that I do not have 10 million scratches all over my chest!!!!!! (Okay, 10 million might have been a stretch...but you know what I mean)

On the back of the package it says:
"Teething Bling by SmartMom was inspired by babies who like to tug on our jewelry. Stylish and beautiful, Teething Bling was designed for little ones to handle and chew. Made from the same material as many teething toys, Teething Bling looks great on Moms, Grandmas and Aunts but is safe for curious babies.

"Teething Bling is made from fine quality materials. As with any adult jewelry, unsupervised handling by children is not recommended. Our products are made from a silicone that is phthalate and lead free, non-toxic, dishwasher-safe and federally approved."

Wait a minute, did that just say "dishwasher-safe!?!?!" Why, yes...yes it did! Whew, one more chore off the mommy to do list!!!! I love things that are dishwasher-safe...it makes a busy mommy happy happy happy!!!!!!

So, we are adding Teething Bling to the newborn necessity list!!! CHECK!!!

Milky Baby Review and Giveaway

2011-11-03T00:01:00.000-04:00

Here is review and giveaway number two for our "virtual baby shower." Milky Baby provided me with a review and giveaway of a nursing cover, which is a MAJOR necessity for your new baby.

You can find nursing covers everywhere, but let me tell you, this nursing cover is different than any other nursing cover I have ever seen. This one is more like an apron and has a lot more fabric to cover up your child and belly completely. I love this nursing cover. It is amazing for if you are standing up nursing the baby. I know that was my major problem when I was nursing Lucas. If you are out and about, it is kind of hard to just find somewhere to plop yourself down at to nurse the baby (of course we have not been out and about yet...but we will get there hehe). Well, when you stand up with this nursing cover, it comes down to about mid-thigh without the baby under it. So, basically, it is great. I can even use it to give myself some extra coverage when nursing with my Sleepy Wrap on because it can just flow right over the Sleepy Wrap also!

This is seriously the best nursing cover I have ever used (and I tried a lot with Luke and just opted for a blanket even though it was hot and sweaty). Would you like a chance to win this nursing cover? Here is a picture of it:

Good luck!!!

Mommy's Bliss Gripe Water Review and Giveaway

2011-11-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

This is going to be the first review and giveaway of many things for the "virtual baby shower" which is all things newborn! As we all know, getting ready for a newborn can be challenging, so I put together this event to help sort out if it is a necessity or not. And I completely believe that this Gripe Water is a necessity!

On the box it says, "Mommy's Bliss Gripe Water is a safe and effective all natural herbal supplement used to ease gas and stomach discomfort often associated with colic, hiccups and teething." It also states that it is,

"All natural"
"Organic fennel &ginger"
"Fast acting-works in minutes"
"No refrigeration needed"
"100% vegetarian &vegan"

Well, if that didn't tell you enough, let me tell you about the hiccups. I figured that it would just ease the discomfort with the hiccups like the package said. BUT oh, was I wrong!!! I tested this on my 2 year old son and my newborn when they had the hiccups and almost instantly the hiccups were gone!!! I was amazed! I was also amazed to find out that not only is this children and baby friendly, but it is also parent friendly too. Meaning, it can work with your discomforts also!

This is a wonderful go to product to have around your house for a newborn, toddler, or even just mommy and daddy! I highly recommend this product to, well, everyone! Would you like the chance to win one? Well, here ya go!

GroVia Review and Giveaway Sponsored by Bums N Beyond

2011-10-31T10:08:00.002-04:00

GroVia, now that is a name that everyone has been hearing about I am sure! GroVia just seems to be growing larger and larger every day! They make so many different products that you could use just GroVia all the time. GroVia makes (deep breath):

Newborn AIOs
OS AIOs
Trainers (coming soon)
OS AI2 shell (in snaps and hook and loop)
Organic cotton soaker pads
Stay dry soaker pads (coming soon)
Organic cotton boosters
Stay dry boosters
BioSoakers
BioDiaper
Cloth Wipes
Magic Stick (cd safe diaper rash ointment)
Bio Liners
Wetbags
Pail liners
Tiny Bubbles (cd safe laundry detergent)
And a few limited edition items

Whew! See why I had to take a deep breath for that one!?!?!? I have tried a lot of these products, but would probably spend about 20 years telling you about all of them, so I am just going to give a brief review of all the things that I have used.

First, let's start out with the OS AIOs. I have to say that I really do enjoy these, but opted for the AI2s personally because of the drying time on the AIOs. I just could not wait that long for diapers to dry especially seeing that my back area is in the shade almost all day long (which I am sure made it harder for my AIOs to dry). But they have some WONDERFUL absorbency and a great fit!

Next, let's talk about the OS AI2s that they have. This is the diaper that Bums N Beyond sent me to review. Bums N Beyond is a wonderful newer shop online. They are located in Los Angeles, California. How I wish I could move out to California. It seems like everything amazing is located there lol. Anyways, back on topic. Bums N Beyond offers carriers and wraps, Oh Katy, GroVia, Ju-Ju-Bee, Best Bottom, AppleCheeks, BumGenius, Fuzzi Bunz....and MORE! You should really check them out. The owner is EXTREMELY friendly and seems to always try to provide the best customer service that she can provide!

So, on with the AI2 review. These are my number one diaper. Not joking...I am IN LOVE with this diaper. I have tried them with prefolds, the soaker pads, fitted diapers, and the biosoakers...and I love this AI2 cover above anything else. When fitted with one of their soaker pads, it is just amazing absorbency! Add in just one organic cotton booster pad and you have the BEST overnight diaper there is! Not only that, I am amazed by the trimness of this diaper!!! Even with a prefold shoved in there it just seems to make it all just go away!!!

The BioSoakers are what I use a lot for car trips and for extended trips out side of the house. They work wonders. I took a trip all the way to New York to visit family using these without a single leak. If you need extra absorbency(nap or so on) you can just rip a little hole in one of the BioSoaker liners and stick that on top of another one. It is still super trim and easy to use!

So far I have covered the OS AIOs, OS AI2s, Organic cotton soaker pads, organic cotton boosters, and the BioSoaker. Next we will talk about the last two things that I have tried, the Magic Stick and Tiny Bubbles.

The Magic Stick is a wonderful mess-free cloth diaper safe ointment. I love the way it smells and just rolls right onto my son's skin. There is no need to get it all over your fingers or anything else. Just remember that if you use this, you will need a separate stick for each child that you have as you do not want to cross contaminate any germs that one might have.

Tiny Bubbles is GroVia's wonderful detergent. This detergent works pretty good. The only thing is that it does not have any scents (which is actually pretty good for my sensitive baby). I like using the trial packs for when I take a trip some where instead of having to bring a whole thing of laundry detergent with me.

Wow, sorry so long, but I had a lot to say about GroVia and their products, along with Bums N Beyond for providing this wonderful review and giveaway for you all!

Bums N Beyond Current Specials!!!
Buy 6 GroVia shells and get the 7th one free (free ones can only be either ice or cosmo color) Plus you get free shipping with this order!!! No code needed!!!

New Boba 3G is currently 10% off plus free shipping!!!!

Buy and 6 of Best Bottom Diapers, GroVia, Oh Katy, bumGenius, or AppleCheeks get a free 1 size diaper in either blue or pink and a free wet bag and free shipping!!! You may mix and match and no code is needed!

Save $5.00 OFF $35.00, Use Code: OCT5

Save $10.00 OFF 100.00, Use Code: OCT10

Save $35.00 OFF $235.00, Use Code: OCT35

Pros and Cons of Cloth Diapering a Newborn

2011-10-30T09:41:00.002-04:00

Alright, I have been at cloth diapering a newborn for a few days now and I thought I would let you know the pros and cons of cloth diapering. I used only disposables with my first son and disposables while we were in the hospital but decided to start cloth diapering as soon as we got home. Here is what I have found.

Pros

Obviously the environment factor and the money factor
Cloth diapers seem to be more absorbent then the disposables and also seem to hold the messes in better
Cloth diapers are way cuter lol
Better for baby and better for mommy. Let me explain this one a bit better though. As some of you know, my first son (Lucas) is allergic to disposable diapers. In the hospital I brought this up to the new baby's (Daniel) doctor. The doctor then checked Daniel's bottom and sure enough, he believes that Daniel is also allergic to the disposable diapers. He had a diaper rash at one day old...poor thing. They said it definitely was not me leaving him in a wet diaper very long (I went through so many bags of diapers there because I didn't want him getting a rash). So...better for mommy too.

Cons

Laundry out my butt!!!! When you are trying to recover, the last thing you really want is more laundry, especially seeing that we do not have a washer and drier right now. However, this is not THAT big of a deal to me...I would rather see my children happy.
Hard to snap diaper to fit good because they are so squirmy for diaper changes at this age.
If you have a boy and have him circumcised you need to remember to use liners. Using the liners is kind of hard when they are so squirmy. The liner moves around when you are trying to get the diaper snapped so you have to kind of reach in there to make sure it is at least catching where the pee pee area is.
Harder to tell when your son is wet. Obviously this is easy to fix by keeping track of diaper changes. Maybe cloth diapers should come with a simple line that changes colors too? lol. But because they do not pee all that much when they do go, it is a bit harder to know just by touching the diaper.

I hope this list helps you decide which way to go with your newborn. Me, I will stick with my cloth diapers any day over the disposables. Even though there seems to be more cons than pros, you have to weigh what is more important and to me it is my son's health and then the Earth's health...and maybe my pocket also lol.

Newborn Reviews

2011-10-28T16:17:00.001-04:00

As I think you all know, there will be a big event coming up that has a bunch of newborn reviews and giveaways. Unfortunately there were a few products that I never got a giveaway for, so I figured that I would still write up a little bit of a review on them just to help you mamas out that are still trying to figure out what you would like to get for your newborn. Please note that these reviews were in no way sponsored by anyone, they are all products that I have purchased myself. As always, my honest opinion is given! :-) So, here we go....

Lil' Joey's Newborn AIO
These diapers are great for on the go diapers. They require that you do not have to bring two different things to change your baby because they are an AIO and just like a disposable. I have to say though that I am not completely happy with them. The absorbency is so so. I would not trust this diaper for longer periods of time. It is great for during the day and, like I already said, when you are out and about. But you really need to keep an eye on these diapers. Because they have the stay dry they are a little bit harder to realize that your baby has wet them, so just keep a good track of when you last changed your baby and you will be all set. The drying time on them are not too awful bad, especially for an AIO. They are also a bit more on the pricey side. Also, even though these are made for newborns, please do not forget about their umbilical cord. Even though it has a snap down option for the umbilical cord, when your child is in a more sitting up position (car seat, bouncy seat, etc) it does tend to cover up the umbilical cord still. So you need to make sure you check that also after your child is in those things. This diaper is less bulky than say a prefold or a fitted diaper, however don't expect it to be like a disposable that fits perfectly under clothes. No matter what diaper you choose to use with your newborn, remember that there will be extra bulk. All together, I would recommend getting just a few of these for outings, but I would not recommend building a huge stash of them because of price and the fact that, like I said, I would not trust them for longer periods of time.

Gro-Via Newborn AIO
These diapers are another great diaper for on the go because of them being an AIO. These diapers, however, are much more absorbent than the Lil' Joey's are. They are also a bit larger so they will last a little bit longer. These diapers are a bit more on the pricey side also and do have a long dry time. However, if you were to build a stash of all the same diapers, I would recommend to build a stash with these. Remember though that you will be paying a bit more than you would for prefolds and covers, but I really think it would be worth it. I purchased 6 of these for my son's stash and actually wish I had a few more. Out of all the diaper choices, these are my favorite.

Prefolds
What more can I say besides this is definitely the cheapest option and probably the easiest ones because prefolds are just so easy to care for. However, I am not a big fan. If you want to talk bulky, OMG prefolds are bulky!!! Now, I am talking about Chinese Prefolds...during the Virtual Baby Shower I will be reviewing another kind of prefold made of bamboo and those are TRIM TRIM TRIM...but these are not. I would recommend getting some of them to cut down on cost, but if you are an on the go mom, I would make sure to have a few AIO's in my stash so that you can at least get clothes to fit okay.

Arm's Reach Co Sleeper
Everyone, if you are planning on co sleeping, you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this. I think this was our biggest, but BEST purchase that we made with this child. I love having my son right there and tucked in next to me. Not only that, it makes for easier nights and easier nursing. I could see how this would be an even more "must have" if the mom had to have a c-section. You don't even have to get out of bed to get your baby...just kind of roll with it. This keeps your child right next to you without the normal worries of co-sleeping. All in all, I would NEVER go without this product again! So much better than a bassinet or a crib!!!

Beeswax Crayon Review and Giveaway Sponsored by Green Apple Supply

2011-10-27T16:18:00.000-04:00

Today I am reviewing a set of 12 Beeswax Crayons supplied by Green Apply Supply. My son LOVES to color. I don't know if this is every child's dream, but I swear my son may be an artist one day. When I got these in the mail, he could not wait to get into them. He sat there for about a half an hour (he has a pretty good attention span for a two year old!) making his creations. I have to say that these crayons seem to write much better than many other crayons do. What I love about them is that they are triangular in shape which makes it so they can learn the proper grip also.

Now to tell you a bit about our sponsor. The Green Apply Supply is a wonderful online store where you can get many different eco-friendly products and for relatively cheap also. This would be the PERFECT back to school shopping center. I know when my children start going to school this is where I will be doing most of my shopping. It makes it so much easier than having to fight a million other moms out at Wal-Mart, plus you get the added benefit of everything being eco-friendly!!

On their website, this is what they have to say in their "about us" tab:

As parents, we want the best for our kids. And as global citizens, we are all faced with the responsibility to care for our planet, and each other. What began as an endeavor to feed our family natural, organic foods has grown into a much larger enterprise. We began to learn about potential dangers to our children, and the planet, in our cleaning supplies, household goods, office supplies…everywhere. The worsening state of our environment, climate change, and increasing levels of toxins showing up in children’s bloodwork combined to create a great passion for exposing our family to only the cleanest, most wholesome products. We were lucky to be able to provide only the best for our family, but we believe that every family should have access to the finest.
When we inquired as to why individuals were choosing traditional products rather than opting for eco-friendly versions, we were typically given one of two answers:
1. Green products are too expensive.
2. There are too many choices, and some are not effective.
By utilizing economies of scale, wholesale purchasing power, and personal product experience, we endeavor to make it easier for anyone to purchase Earth-friendly products. We are keeping overhead low and this is a non-profit effort. Products are sold as close to cost as we can, while still keeping the lights on. Why? Because we think it’s the right thing to do.

Stephanie & Robert ToborFounders

I found this company to have very fast shipping and they were also a very friendly place to work with. I appreciate how patient they have been while I was working on this and having a baby at the same time. They seem to have amazing customer service and I have always heard back from them in a very timely manner, so that shows me that they are on top of everything! Seems to be an A+ place to shop!

BrainStrong Review and Giveaway

2011-10-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

First of all, let me tell you a little bit about the BrainStrong products that are offered. Please note that all this information was sent to me and are not my own words, I just feel that it is important to know all aspects of this product to understand it.

BrainStrong Adult: Contains 900 mg of life'sDHA, the only source of DHA clinically shown to improve memory in adults over 55, plus L-theanine and green tea extract to naturally support mental sharpness and energy. ($29.99 month's supply)
BrainStrong Toddler: The first DHA supplement for toddlers made in a powder form so it can be mixed into such toddler favorites as milk, yogurt, pudding, oatmeal, mashed potatoes or macaroni cheese. Contains 100 mg of DHA omega-3. ($16.99 month's supply)
BrainStrong Kids: Great-tasting gummy supplement containing 100 mg of DHA (more DHA than any other over-the-counter kids supplement) plus other vitamins to help keep your child's brain functioning at its best. ($12.99 month's supply)
BrainStrong Prenatal: Prenatal multivitamin and supplement. Contains the most omega-3 DHA (350 mg) and folic acid (800 mcg) available without a prescription. ($19.99 month's supply).

What are the health benefits: DHA is one of the good fats found throughout the body. It's a structural fat that goes straight to the tissues such as those in the brain, to keep them functioning to the best of their ability. Just as calcium is essential for building strong bones, DHA ensures that the cells in the brain, retina, heart and other parts of the nervous system develop and function properly from infancy through adulthood.

Here is the great thing about this! It is all vegetarian also! So anyone with a vegetarian family can also use this product and not feel upset about using it. When I gave this to my son, it was very easy to get him to take the whole amount needed. I gave it to him in a cup of milk and he didn't even seem to notice it was there. I know there is a lot of things that are hard to give him because, well, he is a toddler and likes everything the way it is already. The instructions tell you to give one packet a day and each toddler formula comes in pre-packaged servings with 30 packages included in a box. The pre-packaged servings make it much easier because you are not sitting there trying to measure everything out and making it even more obvious to your toddler that you are messing with their milk or food. You can also now pick up BrainStrong at your local drug, food and mass retailers nationwide, including CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreens and Wal-Mart making this a product to easily get your hands on!

Mulit Healing Balm Review and Giveaway

2011-10-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

I was so excited to try this healing balm as soon as I got it in the mail. As a lot of you know, I have been battling eczema with my son for a long time. Things help it but nothing really seems to get rid of it except a steroid cream given by his doctor. Now, I don't know about you, but I HATE using steroids on my son. Even though my husband says it isn't that bad...I just hate it. So, I decided to give this healing balm a test. My son was itching really bad at his eczema and I put this on it. It seemed like instant relief for him. He immediately stopped itching. I will not say that it completely took the eczema away (I would probably have to use a product for over a month with how bad it is) but it definitely relieves the itchiness of having this condition.

I then decided to try this for myself. It says that it can help with muscle pain, so I decided to try it on my lower back. I have to admit that it did relieve the pain! It is awesome that one balm can help more than one person in the family. Some other things that it should help are acne, dermatitis, stings, thrush, cold sores, inflammation, anti septic, cracked heals, booboos, small cuts and grazes, minor infection, cradle cap, mosquito bites, rashes, psoriasis, anti bacterial, scratches, minor burns, dry hands and bruises. That is A LOT of uses just for one product! Definitely something you would want in your medicine cabinet!

Here are some words from the makers of this product:

As a mother of four children, creator, Jodee Reid understands that all kids hurt themselves and as a parent we worry about how to treat minor skin injuries and prevent them from becoming bigger issues.From bruises to skinned knees and grazes Moms and Dads know that keeping the area clean and speedy healing is important.Multi Healing Balm cleans, heals and protects broken skin with its antiseptic and anti inflammatory properties.Made with New Zealand's native essential oils; Manuka and Kanuka which were used in traditional Maori medicine to 'heal' and known for their anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties makes Multi Healing Balm a perfect first defense against normal childhood skin injury.Quick and easy to apply in a 50ml tube Multi Healing Balm can be conveniently kept on hand in the home, car, purse or diaper bag - available when and where you need it.Multi Healing Balm can be used in so many instances including for diaper rash, itchy skin (mosquito bites, chicken pox, and minor eczema), bruising, minor cuts and scrapes and more.Multi Healing Balm is owned and operated by New Zealander Jodee Reid, a qualified esthetician, savvy business women and mother of four. One of her children is Matisse Reid who captured the hearts of New Zealand's public due to a rare medical condition that meant she required a rare multiple organ transplant in the United States. Jodee and her family now reside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where her daughter continues to receive treatment.Despite the challenge of caring for an ill child, Jodee is a passionate and driven business woman who has established a loyal customer base and range or products including the BabyBaby range that they are continually developing to meet the demands of consumers.

Nicole Lee Review

2011-09-28T18:09:00.000-04:00

Nicole Lee makes some lovely purses. I was able to get my hands on one to review. I am one of those mamas that just seems like she can never find the right bag. Everything is too small because the last thing I want to do is carry a purse and a diaper bag. Well, this bag solved the problem completely. Not only can I use it as a diaper bag, but I can use it as a purse, a beach bag, a pool bag, an overnight bag, and the rest are probably endless! Once my second son comes, I am sure that I will be able to use this bag as a diaper bag for BOTH of my children. How nice would that be!?!?

This bag comes is a few different beautiful colors. The color I chose was blue (I was planning on having this bag double as a diaper bag and figured blue for boys). This bag has some serious space in it and also has some wonderful compartments to make life even easier. There is a front pocket that goes on for days! When I use this purse as a diaper bag/purse, this is where I keep my stuff. So, I can fit my wallet, change purse, sunglasses, phone, and if I am wearing makeup at the time, a little bit of that also.

In the main part of the purse is where I use it as a diaper bag. There is different compartments in the back which really helps me keep everything organized. I like everything to be VERY organized all the time...I am kind of OCD about that. In a normal diaper bag, I usually back 3-4 cloth diapers, wipes, cream, and wipe solution in a little spray bottle. Well, even with all that in there I still had room. So I decided to use it as an overnight bag for Luke to go stay with his grandma. This means that there were 10 cloth diapers, 2 changes of cloths, pajamas, wipes, cream, wipe solution, and his glow worm all in the bag! That is how amazing this bag is!

You can go check out all the other amazing Nicole Lee bags by going to their website. They have many adorable things for sale there and come highly recommended by me for size, convenience, style, durability, and organization.

Here is a wonderful video that they did to introduce the purse that I was able to review:

Peeled Snacks Review and Giveaway

2011-09-28T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today I am going to tell you about Peeled Snacks. Peeled Snacks make a variety of different fruit snacks for you and your child to enjoy. And I have to tell you, we all enjoyed them in our home. We got to try 7 different fruit packets, pine-4-Pineapple, Apple-2-the-core, Banan-a-peel, Cheery-go-round, much-aho-about-Mango, and Apricot-a-lot. My son just could not get enough of these yummy snacks. His favorites were, well, all of them. He just wanted everything and any of them. My husbands favorite was the pineapple one. I loved the cherry and apple ones.

These are all organic fruits with nothing added at all! On the back of the packages it says: "Our goal at Peeled Snacks is simple: to make you feel good about snacking. We strive to bring you the highest quality organic and natural ingredients from sustainable farms. Our snacks provide a great source of vitamins, minerals, and a full serving of real fruit with no sugar added." How awesome does that sound!?!? We love healthy snacks ESPECIALLY with no sugar added.

I have to say that there was NO flavor lost in these fruit snacks, if anything, the flavor of the fruit is enhanced. I didn't know that you could even do that.

What could possibly make this even better? The fact that Peeled Snacks are now also available at Starbucks in the US and Canada!!!! How awesome is that!?!?! A nice healthy snack right there with your coffee!!!!

Would you like to win some Peeled Snacks? Well, here is your chance!!! And I am off to go finish my apple packet I bought at Starbucks this morning :-)

GroVia Newborn Diaper Giveaway

2011-09-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

I do not have a review for the GroVia Newborn Diaper yet, because I am still waiting on my baby to test it out...but that doesn't mean that I can't have my own self sponsored giveaway for a newborn diaper :-)

I really love the looks of their newborn diapers though! They are a bit larger than the Lil Joey's (which makes me feel much better with me having larger babies). I will have a full review of this diaper as soon as the baby is born. Just wanted to start with some newborn festivities :-)

I will be giving away a GroVia Newborn Diaper in Ice. Here is a stock photo of the diaper:

AND THE FUZZYVENUS WINNER IS...

2011-09-06T20:28:00.003-04:00

4GIVEN1!!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!! I will email you now and you will have 48 hours to contact me back with the information I ask for to claim your prize. If the winner does not get back to me within that time frame, I will have to choose another winner. Thank you all for participating and good luck on future giveaways! :-)

Random Integer Generator

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Timestamp: 2011-09-07 00:27:18 UTC

Lil Roo's Review and Giveaway

2011-08-31T10:37:00.000-04:00

Lil Roo's has provided me with a Sleepy Wrap to review. Lil Roo's is a wonderful shop located in Michigan. She sells a lot of different kinds of wraps including the Sleepy Wrap, ABC carriers, Boba, and more! She has great prices and a wonderful selection. She is extremely fast at shipping also. I received my wrap within 4 days! Not only all that, but Lil Roo's often has many clearance items and sales on her facebook page that are WONDERFUL deals...they make me want to buy every carrier there is!

I have to say that I am loving this Sleepy Wrap! Unfortunately, I have not been getting too much use out of it because of my huge tummy....but hubby has been! And when a wrap is hubby usable, then you know it must be pretty okay! Haha. It takes him probably a whole 2 minutes to get it on and get Luke in it. I was trying to get pictures of him setting it up...but he started going way to fast. Here you can see hubs getting ready to pull the front piece up over Luke's back. But the whole process is really simple. All you have to do is start by putting the label right at your waist line. Then you cross the two straps on your back and pull them over your shoulders. You tuck those pieces under the label part that you put around your waist line. Then you cross them at your chest level. You then bring it around your back and can either tie it there or bring it around and tie it in the front or on the side...where ever you would prefer to tie it. Then you pick up your baby/toddler and put one leg through the strap closest to your body and spread the fabric over the toosh. Then you put the other leg through the other strap and pull that down to about knee level. Then just bring up the label panel and bam, you are wearing your baby. Sleepy Wrap has a few great videos on their webpage that you can view if you are still confused on how to get your baby in the Sleepy Wrap.

Luke loves being worn all around the house and even when we are out. He is one of those cuddle bug toddlers, so this Sleepy Wrap works great for him. He gets a snug fit against mommy or daddy but with enough room to be able to play with daddy's face:

Or maybe choke daddy? LOL. He loves to be able to look at you straight in the face when he is being warn and the spandex in this wrap gives him the ability to do so while still getting the wonderfully snug baby wearing experience and the security of the wrap being able to hold him. Also with the large fabric pieces being spread across the entire shoulder (as seen above) really distributes his weight so that we don't feel like we are carrying around an extra 30 pounds!

Also, as you can see in this picture, it is secure enough for daddy to feel like he can really be hands free. All together, this carrier is my favorite so far.

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*

Disclaimer: Nicki received this Sleepy Wrap free of charge to review for the blog. Please note that although this item was received free, all opinions are of my own.

AND THE HANNAH'S TOYBOX WINNER IS....

2011-08-30T22:36:00.003-04:00

4given1!!! CONGRATS!!! You have been contacted via email already and have 48 hours to contact me back. If I am not contacted within the 48 hours, I will have to choose a new winner. Thank you everyone for participating and don't forget to enter the FuzzyVenus giveaway below! Also, there will be a Sleepy Wrap review and giveaway sponsored by Lil Roo's starting at midnight tonight!!!!

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Timestamp: 2011-08-31 02:31:46 UTC

FuzzyVenus Review and Giveaway

2011-08-23T21:01:00.000-04:00

FuzzyVenus is a wonderful WAHM who has been expanding her business for quite a while now. This mama makes many wonderful things in her Etsy shop! You MUST check it out! :-D

Today I am reviewing her bottom salve and also her lip balm.

The bottom salve was absolutely amazing! This did not have the strong scent that a lot of the bottom salves have that are cloth diaper friendly. It also comes in a very convenient tin case that you can just through in a diaper bag and go with it. Not only that, it really works wonders. My son seems to have a red bottom a lot in the mornings from sitting in the pee all night. If I put a little on him before bedtime it completely takes away the red bottom problem that we have. Also, it seems to have a nice soothing property to it. It also worked well on my son's eczema. It seems to help take it away and keep it away after I got it under control. It is always wonderful to have a son with sensitive skin to test these things out :-)

I got to try the lip balm. She sent me a peppermint scented lip balm. I loved the smell. It was not overbearing but yet it is strong enough for you to smell it from your lips. I really enjoyed being able to smell that instead of the poopy diaper when Lucas had one a little bit after trying out the lip balm haha. It also makes such a perfect layer of protection on your lips. I really enjoyed this lip balm.

Giveaway Info
You could win one of each of these items also!!!

Mandatory Entry: Visit FuzzyVenus on Etsy and tell me what your favorite item is

2. Like FuzzyVenus on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow me via GFC and write your name below

5. Share this review/giveaway and post the link below

This giveaway ends on September 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*

Disclaimer: Nicki received this lip balm and healing salve free of charge to review for the blog. Please note that although this item was received free, all opinions are of my own.

AND THE ROCKIN' GREEN WINNER IS....

2011-08-16T20:45:00.000-04:00

AMANDA!!! CONGRATS!!! I will be emailing you in just a moment. Please remember that you have 48 hours to email me back to be able to claim your prize. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck in future giveaways. Please see below for a Pail Liner giveaway from Hannah's Toybox!!!!

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Timestamp: 2011-08-17 00:43:57 UTC

Hannah's Toybox Review and Giveaway

2011-08-16T20:00:00.008-04:00

Hannah's Toybox on Etsy has some wonderful products. I was able to do a review of a pail liner.

I have to admit that I was very happy with the pail liner the second I opened it up. Not only is it adorable with the ribbon handles, but it can be used a few different ways and has a couple of things different than other pail liners.

One of the differences is the ribbon handles. I have never had a pail liner before have handles on it to make it even easier to carry to and from the laundry room. As many of you already know, I do not have my own washer and drier hook up, so I have to travel across town to do my diapers. This pail liner made it easier to do that task.

Another difference is that all of the elastic is hidden. Most of the pail liners I have even seen, there is some elastic hanging out. This makes you use the elastic to carry the wet bag, which hurts my hands! I don't know about you, but elastic isn't the funnest thing to try to hang onto!

Another difference, and my favorite difference, is that it has a thicker elastic. In my opinion this makes the pail liner easier to use and also makes it seem like it would last much longer than the thinner elastic pail liners.

There are a few ways to be able to use this also. This pail liner can be used as a hanging pail liner by using the ribbons to hang it with. You can also use it in a regular diaper pail. This also fits into a Diaper Genie and the Diaper Dekor Plus diaper pail. Here are some pictures of one being used with the Diaper Dekor Plus from Hannah's Etsy page:

I have to say that this is my favorite pail liner I have ever used! I have had no problems with the outside getting wet or anything!

Giveaway Info:

You can win a pail liner in your choice of color

Mandatory Entries: You must follow me via GFC publicly AND ALSO Life With My Littles (each worth 1 entry)

2. Visit Hannah's Toybox and tell me what your favorite product is

3. Like Hannah's Toybox on Facebook

4. Like me on Facebook

5. Like Life With My Littles on Facebook

6. Share this review/giveaway and post the link below

7. Follow Life With My Littles on Twitter

AND FOR A SPECIAL ENTRY:

Enter Life With My Littles giveaway for an Itti Bitti Tutto and come back here and tell me that you did (4 Entries-make sure you leave them in separate comments)

This giveaway ends on EXTENDED UNTIL August 30, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT DUE TO GFC ISSUES. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*

Disclaimer: Nicki received this pail liner free of charge to review for the blog. Please note that although this item was received free, all opinions are of my own.

Flip Flop Wines Review

2011-08-14T22:45:00.000-04:00

Flip Flop Wines sent me and my husband three bottles of wine for free. Hubby were excited to try them out but due to my husband working so much, he has not been able to even be able to open them up. The kinds that they sent were Pinor Noir, Pinot Grigio, and Resling. The thing that is amazing about these wines is that on the back of the wines it tells you what it taste like, the foods it would go well with, and how to serve and store it. This is great for someone who does not know too much about wines but is having a dinner party or something and wanted to spice up dinner with a glass of wine.

The first one hubby tried was the Pinot Grigio. When we opened up this one it just smelled amazing! The first thing hubby said was that it was smooth! He said that it had a very nice medium flavor and he really liked it! On the back of this bottle it says that it is a "Light-bodied, refreshing Pinot Grigio with tropical citrus, ripe pear and a zesty, clean finish. Balanced crisp acidity pairs well with bruschetta, spaghetti carbonara or eggplant parmesan. Serve chilled now or store away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year after purchase."

The second one that hubby tried was the Riesling. On the back of this bottle it says that it is a "Medium-bodied, complex Riesling with peach, apricot and melon which leads to a satisfying, smooth finish. Tropical notes and sweet aromas pair well with tofu stir-fry, shredded pork tacos and sake sashimi. Serve chilled now or store away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year after purchase." This one had a much stronger smell to it, but it did not taste stronger. It was even smoother than the Pinot Grigio and was probably the favorite out of the three. The melon taste is strong enough to taste the melon in it, but not over baring. This was one YUMMY wine!

The last one that hubby tasted was the Pinor Noir. To be honest, he was not completely excited to try this one because he is not much of a red wine fan. I will tell the truth and say that he was not as happy with this, but again, like I said, he is not much of a red wine fan. He admitted that it was the smoothest red wine that he has ever tasted. So, I had to have a sip of this one, because I am much more of a red wine fan. Don't worry...I promise it was just a sip! I actually enjoyed it. It was a LOT smoother than most red wines. The cherry is pretty predominate in this. I really enjoyed this wine! On the back of this bottle it says that it is a "Medium-bodied, structured Pinot Noir with bright cherry, sweet spice and a supple, velvety finish. Cola aromas and hints of vanilla pair with grilled mahi mahi, bacon-wrapped shrimp or chocolate chip cookies. Serve at room temperature now or store away from direct sunlight for up to 2 years after purchase."

I can't wait until after the baby is born...I know what wine I will be drinking!!! I am a BIG wine fan! So, Flip Flop definitely has my seal of approval just from the taste of the Pinor Noir! Hubby also said that Flip Flop rocks! He is not as much of a wine fan as me, but he really really loved the Riesling! He said it was odd because he is usually a Pinot Grigio fan, not a Riesling one. Don't get me wrong, he liked the Pinot Grigio also, but his favorite was definitely the Riesling.

If you would like to order some for yourself, check them out here: http://www.flipflopwines.com/. They can ship it to almost everywhere in the US (some states do not allow alcohol to be shipped) and they are also carried in some stores! Look for them next time you are out getting your wine!

Rockin' Green Review and Giveaway

2011-08-09T21:35:00.004-04:00

Rockin' Green is a very popular detergent for cloth diapers. I got the opportunity to try this laundry detergent out for myself. They sent me 3 sample sizes to try out with my diapers. I have to say that their different scents are awesome! They are not too strong and they are not too weak either.

I was able to do a soak with this detergent also and I have to say that it definitely got my diapers a deep down clean. I also did a soak with the outside of a chair that we have for Lucas. I tried washing it a few times with Tide and have been unable to get the deep clean that this chair needed. I decided to take the outside fabric off and put it in a soak and I couldn't believe my eyes when I pulled it out of the washer after the soak and the wash. I thought that maybe the marks were just hidden because it was wet and they would resurface after I dried the chair, but that did not happen. I am very happy that now my son has a clean chair to sit in haha.

This detergent obviously worked very well with normal wash routines also. My diapers had no stink issues or anything with this detergent. I also had no build up problems with it either.

You have to admit that any detergent that does not test on animals is also a major plus too!!!!!

Overall, this detergent does work wonderfully!

Giveaway Info

You could win a 45/90 bag of Rockin' Green detergent in your choice of scent!!!

Mandatory Entry: Check out Rockin' Green and tell me what scent you would choose

2. Like Rockin' Green on Facebook

3. Follow Rockin' Green on Twitter

4. Like me on Facebook

5. Be a GFC follower and write your GFC name below

6. Follow me via email (on the top of the right column)

7. Share this review/giveaway and put where you shared it below

This giveaway ends on August 16, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*

AND THE WINNERS FOR DUSTIEBOTTOMS ARE....

2011-08-09T21:14:00.001-04:00

RACHAEL wins the first place prize of three cloth mama pads!!!

Random Integer Generator

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Timestamp: 2011-08-10 01:08:14 UTC

RAQUEL wins the second place prize of one cloth mama pad!!!

Random Integer Generator

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Timestamp: 2011-08-10 01:12:21 UTC

Congrats winners!!! I am emailing you now and you have 48 hours to respond back. If the winners do not claim their prizes within 48 hours then new winner(s) will be chosen. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck on future giveaways!

Dustie Bottoms Review and Giveaway

2011-07-26T03:37:00.007-04:00

For my first review and giveaway ever, I am going to be reviewing Dustie Bottoms cloth menstrual pads. Dustie wrote to me the first time that we spoke: "Hi! I'm Dustie, the owner, operator and creator behind DustieBottoms. I'm a WAHM to five wonderful kiddos. I started DustieBottoms out by making diapers and children's accessories, and soon realized there are so many other avenues of being eco-concious. I started making cloth pads because my best friend and my youngest daughter both had reactions to the disposable ones. My friend, she developed TSS. My daughter can't come into contact with the adhesives in the disposables. I quickly realized that cloth pads are FUN, and functional, and soooo much better for our health in the same way cloth that cloth diapers are better for our children's health and the health of our environment. I became a convert myself when I found myself unprepared for my first postpartum cycle lol." Just to give you a little background on how these came to be :-)

The pads that Dustie sent me were an overnight and a regular pad. These pads have the cutest pattern to them ever.

The pads are also super soft, so much better than any kind of disposable pad that I have ever used. These pads make me feel much better about having to wear a pad at all.

The other wonderful thing about these pads is that they fold up into the little squares. Even though these menstrual pads are a little bit larger, they are still able to be folded up. I really like that because it makes it a bit more discrete.

The normal pad has very good absorbency. I was able to use this pad all day on a light day. I love when I don;t have to make 20 trips to the bathroom in one day haha. These are made out of a cotton velour outer that touches the skin and also bamboo and hemp fleece.

The overnight pad was definitely absorbent enough for a pleasant overnight experience. There were absolutely no leaks and the pad stayed in place through the night. Soft and comfortable makes for a good nights sleep without worry. The overnight pad is made just like the normal pad however it also has Zorb 2 in it for extra absorbency.

Giveaway Info:

You can win two regular pads and a long pad AND
A SECOND WINNER will win one regular pad!!!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Dustie Bottoms (look though here facebook photos) and let me know what your favorite item is that she has

2. Like Dustie Bottoms on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Become a GFC follower and write your GFC name below

5. Share this review/giveaway and post the link below on where you shared it
6. Follow me via email (on right hand side under pages) and write your email address below so I can confirm

This giveaway ends on EXTENDED UNTIL August 9, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY DONNA*

AND THE GO GREEN WINNER IS....

2011-07-25T16:57:00.001-04:00

ONE SOCK MISSING!!! Congrats! You did not leave an email address to get in touch with you, so I will need you to email me at xxcoco86xx2003@yahoo.com within 48 hours to claim your prize. In the event that I do not get emailed by then I will have to pull a new winner. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck on future giveaways!

Random Integer Generator

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Timestamp: 2011-07-25 20:55:25 UTC

AND THE INTELLIGENDER WINNER IS....

2011-07-13T11:49:00.002-04:00

DAILYMOM!!! Congrats!!! I will be emailing you shortly and you will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim your prize. Thank you for everyone who participated and good luck on future giveaways!!!

Random Integer Generator

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Timestamp: 2011-07-13 15:47:55 UTC

Go Green Diaper Review and Giveaway

2011-07-11T00:01:00.012-04:00

Go Green Diaper sent me a Champ minky diaper to review. I was very happy with this diaper to say the least. There are a few things about this diaper that seem to be very unique. Also, for the low price of these diapers, you get a very good product, which is usually not something that you see.

First of all this diaper is so super soft and cute. This is our first cow print diaper. I never really liked the design on the computer, but I have to admit that when I got it in front of me and on my son, I actually REALLY like this print.

This diaper also has leg gussets which are amazing for holding in the mess. My son has used this diaper a few times now and these leg gussets really do help a lot with keeping everything in.

Another think I really liked about this diaper is that it has a double opening which means that I do not have to take the messy insert out after Luke uses the diaper. That is one thing that I never really enjoyed to do with pocket diapers. The even better thing about this is that it has a flap over the openings to help keep the insert in while it is in use. Also, the pockets are very large for easy stuffing.

Front pocket

Back Pocket

This diaper also has four rise settings: newborn, small, medium, and large. This helps make an even better fit on your little one.

I also love that the diaper has crossover snaps. Not only does it have the crossover, but The Champ also has three snaps instead of just two which makes the diaper stay where it is supposed to stay much better!

All in all, I really like this diaper. I think that it has a wonderful fit and works great for day use. For night use it needs extra inserts or a prefold stuffed in the pocket. But they are so cheap too! With this diaper you DEFINITELY get more than what you pay for!

Giveaway Information

You can win a Champ diaper too!

Mandatory Entry: Go to Go Green Diapers and tell me what your favorite diaper is

2. Like Go Green Diapers on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow the blog and write your GFC name below

5. Share this review/giveaway and post the link below

This giveaway ends on July 24, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*

Intelligender Review and Giveaway

2011-07-06T10:10:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of Intelligender yet? If you have,awesome for you! If not,where have you been? Just kidding. Honestly,I had not heard of them until recently when I ran across a review/giveaway on another blog. It was a giveaway for their Intelligender gender prediction test,which I won! I had the privilage to review this product and think it is absolutely amazing! You get to use the test as early as 10 weeks into your pregnancy to provide you early indication of your baby's gender!

The directions were easy to follow,too.Only 6 steps to follow,which I've listed here:

1.Collect your first morning urine in the cup provided.

2.Remove the sticky tab from the top of test jar and discard sticker.

3.Using the syringe provided,pull 20 mL's of urine into syringe.Gently insert urine into exposed hole on top of the jar.

4.Swirl rapidly for 10 seconds in circular motion.Do not shake.

5.Place test on flat white surface and don't disturb for the next 5 minutes.

6.Without picking up or disturbing test jar,read test at eye level at the 5 minute mark and match color to boy or girl color chart on test jar. The test is over at 5 minutes;any further color change is irrelevent.

That's it!! By the way,if you're an "active" person,you know what I mean, lol, you will have to refrain yourself for 48 hours in order to take this test! Sorry! My results were.......

BOY!!! I can't wait to find out with the dr. if this is correct! I'm 13 weeks now,so only a few more weeks and I will get to find out !I will let you know,too. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Thank you Intelligender for the product to review! It was fun!

Here is Nicki's video review:

And here are our babies:

Lauren's baby bump

Nicki's baby bump

The baby bumps both look about the same to me too!!!!

Giveaway info:

You can win an Intelligender test too!!!

Mandatory Entry: Go to Intelligender and tell me something you learned from their site.

2. Like Intelligender on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow the blog via GFC and write your follower name below

5. Share this review/giveaway and provide a link below

This giveaway ends on July 12, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY LAUREN AND VIDEO REVIEWED BY NICKI*

THE ZOEYS ATTIC WINNER IS....

2011-07-05T16:27:00.000-04:00

NEWMAMA2010!!! CONGRATS! I am emailing you now and you will have 48 hours to email me back to claim your prize. If it is not claimed within that time period, I will have to draw a new winner. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck on future giveaways!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-07-05 20:24:30 UTC

AND THE BLOG BASH WINNER IS....

2011-06-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

Raquel!!! Today is your lucky day! I am emailing you now and you will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim your prize. If it is not claimed in that 48 hours I will have to choose another winner. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck on future giveaways!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-06-27 14:42:22 UTC

Zoey's Attic Review and Giveaway

2011-06-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

Zoey's Attic-Pecking Order has many different kinds of personalized tee-shirts. Erin, the owner of this shop, is one kind person. She has very nice customer service and has great contact with her customers. I had a wonderful experience working with her.

All of the shirts that she has are absolutely adorable. I got to review a maternity shirt and a Grandpa tee for celebration of Father's Day. These shirts fit so perfectly and were exactly as described. I don't think that I could have asked for better shirts! The writing on it is so perfectly done that you can't tell that she didn't just buy it from a store like that. I was very pleased with my maternity shirt. When I brought the Grandpa tee to my father, he was also very happy with it! I can't wait for the many days in my shirt as I am sure my father is with his shirt! Here are some pictures just to prove how amazing these shirts are!

Giveaway Information:

You can win a $35 gift certificate to Zoey's Attic

Mandatory Entry: Visit Zoey's Attic and tell me one thing you would use your $35 for if you won

2. Like Pecking Order on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow the blog and write your GFC name below

5. Share this review/giveaway and post the link below where you shared it

This giveaway ends on July 3, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*

Blog Bash 2011!!!

2011-06-21T23:55:00.004-04:00

Welcome to Blog Bash 2011!

For this event only one lucky winner will win everything that is listed below! This is at LEAST a $100 value on every blog also! WOW! I can't wait to start entering!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, remember to leave your email address in the comments for this one so I can email you after a winner is chosen :-)

This is only a five day event. So, you better hurry up and get all of your entries in as soon as possible. For more entry opportunities visit all of the sponsors' spotlights.

PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES:

First up in the package we have a Wee Expressions fitted diaper in your choice of a size small, medium, or large!!! Approximate value of $12!

Second up in the package we have a Sample Pack of EcoSprout detergent which includes a sample size of each scent they have. Also, they are donating a stick of their Bottom Balm+ A $21 value!

We also have in the package a set of 6 8x8 terry/flannel wipes and a jar of large soap bits (for making cloth wipe solution) in your choice of scent from Wee Essentials. Approximate value of $18!

Next up is a set of 3 headbands from LuLu Lids in sizes 3-6 months, 6-12 months, and 1-3 years! She is also putting in a sock monkey cup cozy! A $20 value!

And the fourth prize is an embroidered pocket diaper and insert from jolimini. She will cover shipping up to $10! Approximate value of $45!

All together a prize package worth: $116!!!

ENTRIES:

Please leave each entry in a separate comment with your email address. Please also remember the extra entry opportunities that are in each spotlight! And remember to post your extra entries here!

Mandatory Entry: Follow me via GFC

2. Share this Blog Bash link on your facebook or twitter (provide link in comment)

3. Like me on Facebook

This giveaway ends June 27th 2011 at 03:00 AM EDT. I will email a winner after one is chosen using Random.org. The winner will then have 48 hours to contact me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back in that time frame then I will have to draw a new winner. Good luck!

Blog Bash Linky

2011-06-21T23:52:00.000-04:00

Here is a list of all of the other blogs that are participating in Blog Bash. For more chances to win, check out these blogs who will all have at least one package being given away with the prize value being at at least $100 per package! :-)

Joli Mini Spotlight and Extra Entries

2011-06-20T20:00:00.000-04:00

Joli Mini is another WAHM that makes many different diapers. Her specialty is embroidered diapers. And let me tell you she has some amazingly cute ones. My favorite one is this one:

(Photo taken directly from Joli Mini's Etsy)

She has many other things also including blankets and other PUL diapers.

This mama has added to the package one of her wonderful embroidered diapers with an insert! A $47 value!

Extra Entries:

1. Like joli mini on Facebook

2. Visit joli mini and tell me what your favorite item she makes

3. Tell me what your embroidery is that she makes

You can put all entries in a single comment if you would like. Please keep track of all of your extra entries because when the Blog Bash post comes up you will need to add them on to that post in SEPARATE comments this time, but all you will have to add is: "Joli EE 1" "Joli EE 2" "Joli EE 3". If you have any questions feel free to ask on Facebook :-)

LuLu's Lids Spotlight and Extra Entries

2011-06-19T20:00:00.002-04:00

Alright, I will admit that I can not get my son to sit still long enough to get a decent picture of him in the hat that we have purchased from LuLu's Lid's before. Now that we have that admitted, we can go onto bigger and better things lol. I LOVED my hat from LuLu's Lids. This wonderful WAHM made me a beautiful monkey hat for my son. I wish he would wear it better because it is the CUTEST thing in the world and I am planning on having her make one for my new son coming up here soon because I must have one! She hand crochets all of these herself, which is even MORE amazing!!! Here is a picture of that hat that she made me. Please note that it is not completely finished in the picture, she also had to add the tassels on.

LuLu's Lids is providing three headbands for the Blog Bash package in sizes 3-6 months, 6-12 months and

1-3 years. Here is a picture of one of LuLu's Lids' headbands:

(Please note that both of these pictures were taken from her facebook page)

She is also including a cozy cup into the package.

Extra Entries:

1. Like LuLu Lids on Facebook

2. Tell me what your favorite item is that LuLu Lids makes (they are on her facebook)

3. Tell me something that you learned from this spotlight

EE 2" "LuLu's Lids EE 3". If you have any questions feel free to ask on Facebook :-)

Wee Essentials Spotlight and Extra Entries

2011-06-18T19:43:00.000-04:00

Wee Essentials is another wonderful WAHM from Etsy. She sells many different products such as soap bits, mama pads, cloth wipes and MANY MANY more things!

Wee Essentials sponsored my location for The Great Cloth Diaper Change and sent out some samples of her soap bits. I was able to get one of the samples (we only had 2 left!!!). I have to tell you, while we were waiting for my event, my living room smelled WONDERFUL!!! I loved the warm feeling it gave me every time I walked into the room! So, anyways....the soap bits can be mixed with water to form a wonderful cloth wipe solution. I tried it and it works SO great!!! Not only that, the smell stays and every time I used the wipes it wasn't such a horrible thing anymore lol.

Wee Essentials has kindly added a set of 6 8x8 terry/flannel wipes and a jar of large soap bits to the package!

(This picture was taken directly from Wee Essential's Etsy page)

Extra Entries:

1. Like Wee Essentials on Facebook

2. Go to Wee Essentials and tell me what scent you would love the most of their soap bits

3. Tell me something you learned from this Spotlight

You can put all entries in a single comment if you would like. Please keep track of all of your extra entries because when the Blog Bash post comes up you will need to add them on to that post in SEPARATE comments this time, but all you will have to add is: "Wee Essentials EE 1" "Wee Essentials EE 2" "Wee Essentials EE 3". If you have any questions feel free to ask on Facebook :-)

EcoSprout Spotlight and Extra Entries

2011-06-17T18:51:00.000-04:00

Eco Sprout is a wonderful WAHD made detergent. I love this detergent. I think it works amazing, smells wonderful, and also keeps away all the stink issues that anyone may have. Not only that, it is amazing to use to soak your diapers in and get them REALLY squeaky clean!!!

This is taken from my previous review on Eco Sprout: "I also did a soak with this detergent. Well, two soaks (because I have that many diapers lol)...and boy was that nasty! The water was so brown and yuckie...ew...that's the only way I know how to describe it. But, I loved it so much that I had to buy another batch of it. I have to admit that this is the very first time I have ever committed to a laundry detergent. It is the first full size bag I have ever bought, no joke. I have been living off of samples that I purchased and stuff in hopes of finding one that I liked."

Eco Sprout also just recently put out a new Bottom Balm. Eco Sprout sent me a sample size of this and I have to say that it works AMAZING. I swear that Jared was reading my mind when he though that in the package because my son had a diaper rash at the same time. I put this on my son and it started working after only one application of it! Amazing...you don't even get that with some prescription diaper rash creams there are (yes, I have had to try a few of them before because of my son's super SUPER sensitive skin...hence why sometimes we need disposables...YUCK...hence the switch to mostly hybrid diapers). Anyways, enough on that tangent...what I was trying to get at is that this stuff really rocks!!!

(This picture is taken direction from Eco Sprout's online shop)

Eco Sprout has put into the package a sample pack of detergent (which includes 8 sample size detergents in every scent they have currently) and a Bottom Balm+!!!

Extra Entries

1. Like EcoSprout on Facebook

2. Go to EcoSprout and tell me what scent detergent you would LOVE to try

3. Tell me something that you learned from this spotlight

You can put all entries in a single comment if you would like. Please keep track of all of your extra entries because when the Blog Bash post comes up you will need to add them on to that post in SEPARATE comments this time, but all you will have to add is: "Eco Sprout EE 1" "Eco Sprout EE 2" "Eco Sprout EE 3". If you have any questions feel free to ask on Facebook :-)

Wee Expressions Spotlight and Extra Entries

2011-06-16T20:26:00.001-04:00

Today I am going to be Spotlighting Wee Expressions who is contributing to the Blog Bash 2011 package. Wee Expressions is a wonderful WAHM who does some amazing work. I have been a big customer of hers and have also reviewed a few of her products (and Sabrina reviewed one too). Here is a recap of some of the things that Wee Expressions offers her customers and mine (and Sabrina's for the nursing pads) thoughts of these products.

First up we have the fitted diapers. This was actually one of my first reviews and giveaways. I loved this fitted diaper the second I put it on my son. It is soft, fits amazing, wonderful patterns, great price, and VERY absorbent. Here are a few pictures of the fit:

This is the extra large on my son when he was about 30 lbs.

This is the newborn size on a 10 lbs girl.

I have also had the opportunity to review her fabulous mama pads! These pads were SO easy to use and SO absorbent and SO soft!!! I loved these. There was one time where I was in a hurry and wore the overnight pad for a total of 10 hours! And it still was not leaking! Crazy!!!!

Panty Liner

Overnight/heavy

Regular

Sabrina also got the joy of trying her nursing pads which she also loved. So basically, Wee Expressions seems to have something for everyone!

Wee Expressions added a fitted diaper of your choice in size, S, M, or L and also your fabric choice.

Extra Entries:

1. Like Wee Expressions on Facebook (Put your facebook name below)

2. Tell me your favorite fabric that Wee Expressions has (they are on her facebook)

3. Tell me something you learned from this spotlight

You can put all entries in a single comment if you would like. Please keep track of all of your extra entries because when the Blog Bash post comes up you will need to add them on to that post in SEPARATE comments this time, but all you will have to add is: "Wee Expressions EE 1" "Wee Expressions EE 2" "Wee Expressions EE 3". If you have any questions feel free to ask on Facebook :-)

Cloth by Kim Review and giveaway

2011-06-15T22:33:00.001-04:00

Cloth by Kim is a small wahm business with a HUGE heart. Kim is a wahm to 4 beautiful children, 2 boys and 2 girls ranging in age from 1 to 8. Kim got her start when her sister wanted to use cloth diapers but couldn’t afford them. A friend of Kim’s offered to show her how to make them for 1/3 of the cost and Kim gave it a shot. At first she didn’t like it however after she perfected her own pattern she was hooked. Since then Kim has expanded and also makes cloth wipes, mama cloth, wet bags, changing pads, trainers and fleece liners just to name a few.

Kim has to be one of the busiest wahm’s that I have ever talked to, she home schools her kids on top of running her business so sometimes she is cutting fabric and teaching math! Sometimes her husband even press snaps while she sews turning things into the ‘family’ business, which she just loves. Kim and her husband are currently trying to adopt through their states system however she has several friends that are trying to adopt internationally and that can be very costly so Kim donated half of her profits to funding adoptions. Isn’t that wonderful? That alone makes you want to buy a whole stash huh?

Kim was kind enough to send me a one sized pocket diaper and a wipe to review. The adorable wipe is 8x8 double-sided flannel (she also has flannel/terry available) with boyish stripes on one side and the cutest trains print on the opposite side. The wipe size is perfect for cleaning up the biggest messes and the flannel is quite thirsty as it holds a lot. The unique blue colored diaper Kim sent has been a staple in our stash since we received it. One of my favorite parts is the suede cloth interior, which is a tan color (can you say great stain hider?! LOL!) and is super smooth and soft. I really like the generously sized back pocket opening and hidden snaps for closure. The gentle leg elastic is very flexible on my little ones chunky thighs but can contain messes without leaks. The rise settings are made to fit even a very small baby. The diaper comes with 2 thick microfiber inserts (mine were blue!) that snap together for easy placement when you want to use both together. Even with both inserts the diaper was still very trim. The front shot of the diaper on my little one looks a little tight but I assure you the diaper fit great and left no marks at all.

Giveaway Info

Kim has generously offered one reader a $5 credit to her store! Kim’s diapers are so affordable at the low price of $12 with inserts and $8.50 without inserts, how can you beat that? Or if you want to try Kim’s adorable wipes or a wet bag you can choose anything! The possibilities are endless!

Mandatory Entry: To qualify for this giveaway please become a Facebook fan of Cloth by Kim.

2. Look through Kim's HC and tell me what you would like to use your $5 towards

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow the blog and write your GFC name below

5. Share this review and giveaway and provide the link below

This giveaway ends on June 22, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY SABRINA*

WINNER IS:

April!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-06-23 01:23:07 UTC

AND THE GIGGLE LIFE WINNER IS....

2011-06-15T19:45:00.000-04:00

BOBBY!!!!! CONGRATS!!!! I will be contacting you now about your win and you will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim your prize. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck on future reviews and giveaways!!!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-06-15 23:44:01 UTC

Giggle Life Review and Giveaway

2011-06-09T12:32:00.001-04:00

Giggle Life is a relatively new company. They have two different diaper options on their website, the one I am doing today are with the two large microfiber inserts. They are not joking about them being large either. They are super thick and fluffy. The inside of the pocket diaper is lovely and so super soft. My first thought of this diaper was that it was going to be an amazing pocket diaper. I had a lot of trust in this diaper right away and threw both inserts into the pocket and decided to try it overnight. I was pretty sure that it would last my heavy wetter...and I was completely right! This diaper lasted up to his huge amounts of pee that he must store all day to let go of at night! I was SO thrilled because there are not too many diapers that stand up to my son. Not even overnight disposables work with him! So now I have 3 overnight diapers!!! YAY!!!!

Needless to say, the diaper worked amazing during the day also. I just used one of the inserts for during the day and I swear these diapers must have super microfiber or something because they are just fabulous!

Even my son loves this diaper. It is one that he actually loves to get put on because it is just so soft. This diaper barely stays clean for a day because we just love it so much. And they are super cheap too! They are only $11.99 for one of them!

Picture of my son wearing this pocket diaper is coming soon...the diaper is dirty right now and I am sure you all would not want me putting a dirty diaper on my son haha. But trust me...the fit is amazing also!!!!

Giveaway info:

You can win a blue Ultra Soft Pocket Diaper also!!!

Mandatory Entry: Go to Giggle Life and check out their diapers. Come back here and tell me what your favorite diaper and color was that you found on their site

2. Like Giggle Life on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow the blog and write your GFC name below

5. Share this review and giveaway and post the link below

This giveaway ends on June 15, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*

AND THE GIGGLE JUNCTION WINNER IS...

2011-06-08T19:55:00.002-04:00

TARA!!! CONGRATS!!! Julia will email you as soon as she gets the chance about your winnings. After she emails you, you will have 48 hours to contact her back to claim your prize. Thank you for participating everyone and good luck on future giveaways!!!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-06-08 23:52:54 UTC

Giggle Junction Review and Giveaway

2011-06-02T00:01:00.017-04:00

Here’s another fun review! Let me start with saying I love Giggle Junction! The I Spy Bags are so much fun!! We received the Pirate Girl I Spy bag for review. I’m sure they had no idea about my girls’ love for pirates when they chose this particular bag to send us. Needless to say it was a huge hit. I now take this thing everywhere! It’s always with us. Handy for waiting in line, waiting at the Dr.’s office. Grocery Shopping, any time you need to keep your LO occupied quietly.

What is an I Spy Bag you say? Well they are so much fun! The bags are 7x7 inches square. They are filled with non toxic plastic pellets, along with 30 miniature items to “spy”. They are then secured inside and turned and top stitched for extra strength. There’s an awesome embroidered decoration and a little spy window for finding the items.

Isn’t she just so cute!

I had no idea how cute they would be in person. Another thing I like is how soft they are! They are made of flannel. It makes you want to touch and pick them up and play with them! I’m a tactile person though. When I go through the curtain section, or the towel section at any store, I’m always the person rubbing the fabric between my fingers. I do the same with this little cutie! Here is a picture of the back: As you can see way cute coordinating fabric! Love how colorful they are!

I have tried this on kids of all ages, and adults! Everyone has had fun searching for the items, believe it or not adults have usually played with it the longest! One big perk about this company is the fact that they have actually taken the time to take pictures of the items, instead of listing them by name. That way pre-readers can take advantage of the fun too! Here’s a picture of the attached card:

I had pictures that I took, but I had to use ones off their website. Mine were not loading right. Boo! Okay, anyway moving along, I really enjoy having one of these around. They are very handy for quiet play and help encourage development of fine motor skills too, which I love. We don’t allow a lot of computer games, video games, or television at our house and it’s always nice to have something else creative and colorful for the kids to enjoy. I totally recommend picking one of these up!

Guess what!! They are letting a lucky reader win one!! Winners choice! You can choose any bag from their Etsy shop! Yeah those are always fun! Don’t forget to show them some love from us!

Giveaway Info:

You can win your choice of bag on Etsy

Mandatory Entry: Go to Giggle Junction and tell me what your favorite bag is

2. Like Giggle Junction on Facebook

3. Like me on facebook

4. Follow the blog and write your GFC name below

5. Share this review and giveaway and place the link below

This giveaway ends on June 8, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY JULIA*

AND THE MANDY AND RANDY WINNER IS....

2011-06-01T20:32:00.002-04:00

MOONGLOW!!! Congrats!!! Julia will be contacting you shortly via email. You will have 48 hours to reply back to claim your prize. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck on future giveaways!!! :-)

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-06-02 00:31:03 UTC

Mandy and Randy Review and Giveaway

2011-05-26T00:01:00.003-04:00

You have no idea how excited I was to find this company, and to share it with all of you! I found MandyandRandy.com by accident while looking for something else and I fell in love with their products! The quality is amazing and I have not met nicer people in my life! Mandy is so awesome, and guess what? She uses cloth diapers!! How cool is that!? Who would have guessed that I would stumble upon this awesome green teething/toy gear and that the owner of the company would use cloth diapers!

Okay, now to the fun part! I am in love with everything about this company from how they began to why they do what they do. Here is an excerpt from their About Us page:

“Under a moonlit sky in Flowery Branch, Georgia over a backyard BBQ, Mandy & Randy was founded through a love for children and family. The recent recall of one of our young Emerson’s toys, and headline news of other toxic foreign toys, had turned the conversation to the concern for the future health of our children. Internet searches revealed alternative options to mass produced synthetic toys, paving the way for our inspiration of creating 100% natural wooden toys. Randy, a long time wood worker, said “I think I can make him a safe toy”. And he did. In fact, he made better teethers, rattles and rolling toys for Emerson to play with than any we have ever seen on the market, and thus, eight original Mandy & Randy toys were born.”

For my review I explained to them that I couldn’t decide between a teething toy or a rattle. The rattles are made with dried corn on the inside! I could only imagine how cool that sounded, But with my LO teething right now, I know that we would probably use the teether more than the rattle. Well, they are so awesome they sent me both!! I reviewed not only the “Tye the Turtle” Teether but also the “Peace of Wood” Rattle. How cool are the names too!! The first thing I fell in love with was the packaging!

How cute is that! Wait till I show you what’s inside!

Well it gets better when you open the box and look inside! Here is what I saw!

Isn’t that just so cute!! I love the Tags and everything!

This is the “Peace of Wood” Rattle. It is made of all natural Maple Wood and finished with a 100 % pure Beeswax Polish so you don’t have to worry about your little one getting any kind of yucky chemicals in their mouth. On the tag it also tells you how to care for it which I loved. They don’t leave you hanging at all!

When I received these toys and really got to touch and feel the quality for myself I was even more in awe of the craftsmanship. You can clearly see through the pictures the quality of the work, but until you see it in real life, you are just missing out! These toys are clearly made with love and attention to detail. They are so smooth, and soft. (Yes I know I’m talking about wood, but it’s true!) They are also very light feeling, not as heavy as I would have thought. The sound the rattle makes is the best part! Of course it’s hard to describe sounds, but it does sound like pieces of dried corn rattling around in there! It’s so cool! Most rattles bug the heck out of me, they are just too loud, or irritating for me. I don’t know why, I’m not into a lot of kids toys that make the same sounds over and over and over again. They begin to grate on my nerves after a very short while. This rattle is of course the exception. It’s actually a pleasant sound. I find myself wanting to pick it up and shake it just to hear the sound. When the kids do it, I’m not screaming “Okay that’s enough, thank you!” which is unusual. At first I didn’t even realize this about the rattle, one of my kids pointed it out to me, and I was like “Hey you’re right, I’m not screaming at you every time you play with it.” So I think the kids like it for that reason too.

Another thing I love about this toy is how durable it is. It has been thrown down from various heights and hasn’t cracked or even dented yet. We took it grocery shopping and it was thrown from the buggy. LO has been in the Moby Wrap and it was thrown from there. It’s been thrown from the car seat onto the pavement. It’s been dropped a lot since we got it, and it still looks brand new. I have no idea why heirloom toys like this haven’t been on my radar until now. Duh!! I could have saved tons of money if I would have had this attitude about quality , before my fourth child came along. I’ve always been the one to want to buy cheap toys, just in case they break I won’t be out a lot of money. This review has made me realize, if you invest in good quality toys in the long run you will save money and still have something to pass down to your grandchildren. I think that is awesome! I’m going to be looking for more toys like this in the future for sure.

The other toy I reviewed was “Tye the Turtle” Teether.

Aren’t these little guys so cute! You’ll love the reason why there’s two in this box too!

Again, same as the “Peace of Wood” this toy came with care instructions on the tag and in super cute Eco friendly packaging. It is also made of Maple Wood and finished with the 100% Beeswax Polish. This has been the most popular with my 9 month old. She pretty much always has it in her hand and/or mouth. It’s the perfect size for teething. It was hard looking at the pictures on the web, although they are great I couldn’t get a feel for how thick they were. While they are thick enough to be sturdy, they aren’t too thick that a baby couldn’t get their mouth around it. I also love the fact that it can fit around my wrist like a bracelet, so I can always have it handy while grocery shopping. Whenever the baby starts trying to chew on the buggy I can quickly give her “Tye” instead. I’m sure they don’t recommend everyone putting it on their wrist in case it gets stuck on there, but I found it works for me. These toys are just so cute you want to stare at them all the time. Whenever you pass by them in a room you always take a second look and think, “That thing is so cool!” If you want an Eco-friendly, safe, long lasting, quality toy I definitely recommend checking out MandyandRandy.com. You won’t regret doing business with them, they are so awesome!

Mandy and Randy have also offered 15% off code!! Enter "nickisdiapers" during checkout!

Giveaway Info:

Now for the fun part! Remember the picture above where there are two teethers? One is for y’all!! You get a chance to win it! You get a chance to feel the same as me about these toys!! Mandy and Randy were so generous by donating a “Tye the Turtle” teether toy for one of our followers!!

Mandatory Entry: Go to Mandy and Randy and tell me what you love from their shop

2. Like Mandy and Randy on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow the blog and place your GFC name below

5. Share this review and giveaway and place the link below

This giveaway ends on June 1, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY JULIA*

AND THE MARIE'S COTTAGE WINNER IS....

2011-05-25T20:11:00.001-04:00

DAILYMOM! CONGRATS!!! I will be emailing you now and when you get the email, you will need to reply within 48 hours to claim your prize. After that time frame I will have to choose a new winner if you have not replied to my email. Thank you all for participating and good luck on future giveaways!

Random Integer Generator

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Timestamp: 2011-05-26 00:06:44 UTC

AND THE NEW BUG ON A RUG WINNER IS....

2011-05-24T17:21:00.000-04:00

AMANDA! Congrats girl. I am emailing you now and you will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim your prize. If it is not claimed in that 48 hours, I will have to draw a new winner. Thank you! :-)

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Timestamp: 2011-05-24 21:20:07 UTC

Marie's Cottage Review and Giveaway

2011-05-19T10:30:00.000-04:00

Marie's Cottage sells cleaning products and room sprays. She has four different lovely scents to choose from which include Lavender Orange, Rosemary Mint, Eucalyptus mint, and Harvest Cinnamon Orange. They all sound so yummy smelling. I did a review on the Lavender Orange All Purpose Cleaner and Room Spray. I have to say it is one of the most lovely scents I have smelled in a long time.

These come wrapped up all cute and everything. I loved being able to open them because it was like opening my own little present for no reason! :-) I also liked that you had to put the spray part on yourself when you got it. This seemed to keep the smell nice and fresh and also there was no breakage during shipping this way.

The All Purpose Cleaner worked fabulously. I was able to clean up even the hardest messes with this stuff. Not only that, it doesn't make me feel like I am choking in fumes!!!!

The Room Spray was a perfect companion to the All Purpose Cleaner. I used it to give my kitchen, bathroom, and even our bedrooms the "just cleaned" smell. Not only that, but because of the lavender in it, it seemed to help all of us be able to fall asleep a bit better.

Giveaway Info

You can win an all purpose cleaner and room spray in the scent of your choice.

Mandatory Entry: Check out Marie's Cottage and tell me your favorite item she sells

2. Like Cottage Homestead on facebook

3. Like me on facebook

4. Follow the blog and write your GFC name below

5. Follow the Cottage Homestead blog and write your GFC name below

6. Share this review and giveaway and place the link below

This giveaway ends on May 25, 2011 at 7:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

AND THE BUG ON A RUG WINNER IS.....

2011-05-18T21:37:00.000-04:00

SARAH G!!!!! CONGRATS!!!! You did not leave an email address, so I will need you to email me within 48 hours to claim your prize.

If you did not win, do not worry...Bug on a Rug has decided to make you all winners with a 15% off coupon code!!!! With her already low priced diapers, you can now get them for even cheaper by using the code "Nicki15"!!!! How generous of her!!!!

Thank you all for participating and good luck on future giveaways!!!!!

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Timestamp: 2011-05-19 01:32:57 UTC

Bug on a Rug Review and Giveaway

2011-05-18T20:58:00.001-04:00

Today I am reviewing a fitted diaper from Bug on a Rug, but first I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit more about Bug on a Rug. This mama sells much more than just fitted diapers. She also makes hooded towels, swim diapers, AIO, diaper covers, leg warmers, trainers, superhero capes and fleece shortie soakers! This is a well rounded shop where you can get a lot of everything!!! Not only that, right now she is running a special where if you buy 5 diapers or trainers you get one free!!!!! What a great deal! She also has a deal that if you buy a diaper, you can get a pair of matching leg warmers for only $5! I think I am falling more in love with this shop as it keeps going! PLUS everything in her shop is so decently priced there is no way you could go wrong!

Picture credit from Bug on a Rug's Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=207104849316967&set=a.189870284373757.49595.189771807716938&type=1&theater

Now that I told you a bit about the store, let's talk about the fitted that she sent me to review. She sent me a wonderful Sesame Street fitted diaper. I love this diaper for many reasons. Well, first of all it is adorable. I don't see very many Sesame Street diapers out there and I would love to see more of them. My son loves Sesame Street and pointed at the diaper where there was Cookie Monster and said "COOOOOKIEEE!" I asked him if he wanted to put it on and he laid right down to get his diaper changed! It was too cute and funny at the same time. My son usually throws a big fit about getting his diaper changed, so this was a welcomed relief for me!

I also love this diaper because it has snaps. I am in love with snaps. My son has a bad habit of taking anything off that has the velcro on it, so again, another relief. Not only that, these snaps are interesting and fit with the diaper. She put on multicolored snaps in star shapes!!! I have never seen anything but round snaps before this and I LOVE the star shaped snaps!!!! It makes it stand out a lot from other diapers and definitely makes this diaper even more of an individual.

Another reason I love this diaper is because of how well it works. This diaper is just amazing at absorbency. It is perfect for a nap or for running around the house without a cover. He was able to stay in the diaper for about 4 hours before the diaper started to get wet on the outside (yes, I normally change my son much more often than this, but I like to put diapers to the real test when I am testing them for you mamas). He even went outside and played for a while in it without a cover!

Yet, another reason that I love this diaper is the fit. This diaper has an amazing fit to it. It is nice and snug without being too snug and it also has a large enough rise for my HUGE son. It is nice to find a diaper that fits him so perfectly with room to grow with him already being at 35 lbs!

The last reason why I really love this diaper is because it is really soft. It is soft on both the outside and the inside. So, if Luke is not wearing a cover he gets softness all over...on his bottom and on his legs. He seemed (obviously lol) to really love this diaper too. So, I guess it gets four thumbs up, two from me and two from Luke (if he could point his thumbs up lol).

Giveaway Info

You could win a fitted diaper also!!!!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Bug on a Rug and tell me what your favorite item is in her shop

2. Like Bug on a Rug on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Share this review and giveaway and put the link below

5. Follow the blog and put your GFC name below

his giveaway ends on May 18, 2011 at 9:30 PM EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

AND THE RE-PAC WINNER IS....

2011-05-17T10:48:00.002-04:00

CALI!!!! CONGRATS!!! I have already emailed you and you have 48 hours to email me back to claim your prize. If I am not emailed back within that time frame, I will have to choose a new winner. Thank you everyone for participating and good luck on future giveaways!!!

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Timestamp: 2011-05-17 14:44:39 UTC

AND THE WINNER FOR WOOLIE BUBS IS.....

2011-05-11T19:55:00.000-04:00

Amanda Herman!!!! CONGRATS!!!! I will contact you via email and you will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim your prize. If I am not contacted back within that time frame, I will have to draw a new winner. Thank you all for participating and good luck on future giveaways!!!!

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Timestamp: 2011-05-11 23:54:12 UTC

RePac Review and Giveaway

2011-05-10T10:18:00.000-04:00

RePac makes some of the cutest snack bags I have ever seen in different sizes and everything. I think these snack bags were fabulous. My husband tested them out for work. He used the big bag for his sandwich, the medium bag for his fruit (which happens to be an orange that he brings), and the small bag for his walnuts. He said they were very easy to use. Not only that, because he munches on the walnuts throughout the day, he really loved the zipper instead of trying to have to press together a plastic bag. He said that it was much more convenient. Well, that night, when I was cleaning out his lunch box, I found that half an orange was still in the bag. I was looking all over for a puddle of juice in there from it leaking, but it didn't leak!

So, now for what RePac has to say about their product. Please note that this is not my words, but I find it to be completely true.

"We make Eco-friendly everything bags locally here in California! From sunglasses to sandwiches and toiletries, our bags are made to store your everyday items."
"Our bags are made to be money saving and waste reducing by eliminating or reducing your need for plastic bags."
"Our bags are Mold, Mildew, Water, Stain, & Leak Resistant and have a Lifetime Guarantee!"
"Our bags are easy to clean and fast drying! Can be placed in the dishwasher or washing machine, or simply handwash by the sink. Whatever fits into your lifestyle."
"All our bags are made o hold even juicy foods or watery items and the zipper keeps food fresh!"
"And all our bags are made 100% in the USA and are certified free of lead, BPA or Phthalates as all our bags are 100% plastic free. 100% nylon liner and 100% polyester outside."

So, as you see, RePac seems to have all the convince of using disposable plastic bags, however they are reusable and affordable!

Giveaway Info:

You could win this set of RePac bags!

Mandatory Entry: Visit RePac and tell me what your favorite bag is

2. Like RePac on Facebook

3. Like me on Facebook

4. Follow the blog and place your GFC name below

5. Share this review and giveaway and place the link below

This giveaway ends on May 16, 2011 at 7:30 EDT. At that time I will choose a winner via random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to email me back to claim their prize. If the winner does not contact me back within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

*THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY NICKI*