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BabyHuman Play and Learn Spoon

March 31, 2009 By 2 Comments

Thanks to the Family Review Network I was able to review the Baby Human Play and Learn spoon.

To do my review I wanted to show you the video of him using it. He actually learned how to hold a spoon thanks to this spoon. He also started to understand the motion of carrying the spoon to his mouth. So he was able to learn from it.

I found it to be more of a chew toy for him than a spoon. He did learn, but I don’t like messes and it was way to easy for him to turn it and spill the food all over him. He did much better with the Gerber spoons that have the thick handles on them.

The Play and Learn spoon has made a very good chew toy though. I like letting both of my kids play with them. Even my two year old likes to play pretend with it and chew on it.

Filed Under: family review network, review Tagged With: , ,

Sasquatch Sighting – Creates Jerky Craving

March 31, 2009 By 2 Comments

 

IMG_5252 We live pretty close to Sasquatch territory. They could even be found in our back yard, but I don’t like to think about that very often. I have enough nightmares from watching Signs. There has been word of a sighting recently. I just don’t know what to do. I get nervous whenever my dog starts growling in the middle of the night.

My dog is a great guard dog but I’m not sure how well he would stand up to a Sasquatch.

 

IMG_5254 Jerky.com has become one of my new sponsors and they are selling Sasquatch Jerky. I can’t wait until they send me a sample. They recently sent me a sample of pineapple jerky and we loved it. Check out their bargain price of the Jerky.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Dentyne Blog Smog – Be careful

March 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Dentyne, thank you for sharing this. LOL

Be careful this could be you very soon, or already! BLOG SMOG

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Wordless Wednesday Angles

March 31, 2009 By 12 Comments

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Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday

Becoming a Mom Overcoming Adversity

March 31, 2009 By 4 Comments

 

Today the mommy story is from Toni. Toni is the owner of  The Mud Bug. Toni writes product reviews, hosts giveaways and participates in weekly meme’s. She also works with me recruiting other bloggers to help drive Bloggers Give. So watch out she may be coming to your blog soon.

I have Crohn’s disease. In Feb 2007 I had two bowel resections because of an obstructed bowel and heavy infection r/t the Crohn’s. I was 39 years old and my hubby was 43 years old. It was then we decided we weren’t having anymore children. I needed to take medication that could be potentially dangerous to a fetus. We got rid of everything baby related (and I mean everything).

Four months later I was at work and had been feeling very sick to my stomach. I thought I was getting the flu but then realized I was late. I was in shock. Mind you we were only doing natural birth control methods as my body doesn’t like anything artificial. At that time, I worked the midnight shift. When I left work I went right to the drug store and bought a pregnancy test. I came home and went straight to take a test. No Hi to my hubby, lol. I took the test and it was positive. I was pregnant. I was in shock. I was worried. I was flabbergasted. I walked into the other room and all I could do was hold the test in front of my hubby’s face. He looked at it and then looked at me. All he said was ‘What’s this’? He knew but was shocked as well.

We now had to buy everything for this precious little baby that we just gave away. I had to do all kinds of tests to assure he was fine – fetal heart testing, amniocentesis, etc. I also had a history of pre-term labor and had to do weekly ultrasounds until I was 36 weeks along. At 26 weeks, sure enough, I went into pre-term labor. It was bed rest for me till I gave birth. I also had to do home monitoring and had to wear a infusion device that infused terbutaline 24/7 to keep away contractions. My cervix had also thinned.

Long story short, I made it to 38 weeks. I had a c-section due to a hernia I ended up with from my bowel resections. At that time I also had them tie my tubes. After giving birth, I ended up having a flare up of my Crohn’s because I couldn’t take my medicine for 8 months. I would have loved one more but needed to make sure I was here for my kids. My body couldn’t handle another pregnancy.

Once FMLA was finished I did end up losing my position at my job and there was not another one available. Bottom line – my little guy is a happy, healthy baby body. He did have pyloric stenosis and needed surgery at 2 weeks old but he is perfect now. Would I change anything…No way!

Filed Under: stories, Uncategorized

Save 10 % on a Natural Mat

March 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

In the spirit of being green and spreading some green cheer. I have another discount to share with you. Learning how to become organic and change your ways takes time. It also seems to be an expensive way to go so lets share in discounts and secrets. I’ll spill as I find them.

Mention MSMN at Goores to receive 10% off of your purchase of any Natural Mat order. Apparently you will want to purchase a natural mat or mattress because they are 100% organic, 100% hypoallergenic and they offer better sleep. I have no experience with them, but other bloggers and Movie Stars seem to like them.

Non-allergenic and anti-dust mite – More and more babies are suffering from allergies and asthma. Our natural rubber Latex is 100% non-allergenic and our unique lambs wool is bathed in a mixture made from essential oils of lemon,  lavender and eucalyptus which renders it anti-dust mite.

Our Natural Latex is 100% hypoallergenic and offers complete protection from house dust mites. Every Natural Mat  has a removable pure cotton outer cover that can be machine washed at 60 degrees C (dust mites are killed at 57 degrees) which offers further allergy protection.

They are naturally Fire Retardant, handmade in England, 100% renewable and they have eco packaging. You know, this is something that bugs me about companies that are “green”. How green can you be if your packaging isn’t eco. I mean, we throw so much packaging away, it’s such a waste. So that’s one green biggy for Natural Mat.

They sell three different types:

Latex Mat

Organic Crib Mattress The Latex MatNatural Mat’s most hypo-allergenic mattress, Latex Mat features completely natural latex tapped straight from the rubber tree. The latex forms a springy core and is sandwiched between layers of organic coir for extra support. This is then wrapped in

the company’s unique lambswool which is bathed in a mixture made from extracts of lavender, lemon and eucalyptus making it completely anti dust-mite as well as maintaining the excellent thermal insulating properties of wool. The mattress is covered in an unbleached cotton herringbone cover, which is removable and machine washable.

Latex Mat is offered in both a crib mattress and twin mattress sizing.

Mohair Mat

Organic Crib Mattress The Mohair MatMohair Mat is Natural Mat’s most luxurious baby mattress and offers a firmer, more supportive base. Horsetail hair (the longest and most durable natural fiber in the world) forms the core of the Mohair Mat and is sandwiched between two layers of organic coir for extra support. Silky mohair fleece wraps around the outside acting as a luxurious thermal insulator. The mattress is covered in an unbleached cotton herringbone cover, which is removable and machine washable.

Coco Mat

Natural Mat’s most breathable and organic mattress. The Coco Mat is filled Organic Crib Mattress - The Coco Matwith coir from the only certified organic coir plantation in the world. Coir is made from coconut fibers, which are coated in natural latex to make a supportive and breathable fibrous layer. The coir is wrapped in the company’s unique lambswool which is bathed in a mixture made from the extracts of lavender, lemon and eucalyptus making it completely anti dust-mite as well as maintaining the excellent thermal insulating properties of wool. The mattress is covered in an unbleached cotton herringbone cover, which is removable and machine washable.

They also sell linen and mattress protectors.

Filed Under: natural Tagged With: ,

Save 10% on Organic Sheets and Bedding

March 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Blue Ocean 133AYou can purchase organic sheets made by picci at Goores for 10 percent off using the code “mspic”. Picci has elegant soft colors to add an excellent touch to any nursery. The bedding is made in Florence, Italy where beautiful fabrics are chosen. The designs range from contemporary to classic.  I do find that the sheets are a little bit pricey but they are really exquisite. However, the price of the basket that you see on the right is 194 and that is a great price. It is the Picci Blue Ocean Carry Basket. At the retail store I used to work at we called them Moses baskets, and we sold them for that price or more. So for a basket with sheets it’s a great price.

Blue Ocean and Green Forest (NEW) offer a chic, playful mod look for baby’s room. Blue Ocean features a blue circular design and Green Forest, a green circular design in degrade color tones. Made from 100% Egyptian cotton, these sets offer a Moses Basket with two coordinating comforters, one in ivory soft chenille and the other in a printed fabric

Crystal 27A.tifAs far as bargains go, 10% off must make the value even better. I never tried co-sleeping or having my child in the same room with us, but I hear it’s very popular. It does make breastfeeding in the middle of the night a whole lot easier. The bassinet that you see is from picci’s Crystal line.

    • Crystal , the quintessential bedding set for the ultimate in refined style for baby’s room. Offering a transitional classic or contemporary look in a soothing color combination of white and taupe, Crystal features adorable rocking horse and boy and girl appliqués. The coordinating bassinet includes an elegant crystal like embellishment.

Crystal 15A.tif I pictured this last picture because my daughter is about to be here. We are about to take off the front of her crib and I am very nervous about this. I mean, is she ready? Is she really getting older and more mature. My daughter is growing up and is almost ready for a big girl bed, but before we do that I’m going to keep her crib with just the side off. Ohhhh. I guess that will be a story to tell. The bedding pictured is also from the Crystal line.

Filed Under: natural, organic, picci Tagged With:

If Mama Ain’t Happy Giveaway

March 30, 2009 By 31 Comments

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Today I am introducing Lucy Adams:

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If Mama Don’t Laugh, It Ain’t Funny, tells the tale of every mom, every wife, every husband, every family. Lucy Adams, the author, relates to readers of all ages with stories about love, life, and all the little lessons in between, making her audience feel as if they have plopped themselves down in a rocking chair on her front porch while all the mayhem of the Adams family swirls around them. The stories found on the pages of If Mama not only reveal a woman’s drive to live every moment of every day fully, embracing both the grand and the mundane, the painful and the nearly perfect, with equal verve, but also her ability to laugh at her own frailties and foibles.

Lucy’s many roles as mother (of three boys and a girl), wife, daughter, educator, friend, neighbor, team mom, and carpool queen keep Lucy busy. Inspiration streams from the daily sprint around the metaphorical hamster wheel: burning meals, trying to look cool in a minivan, funeralizing deceased hermit crabs, eating pet watermelons, observing the oddities of Southern culture, dodging road rage in the grocery store, and then doing it all over again the next day.

In addition to authoring If Mama Don’t Laugh, It Ain’t Funny, Lucy writes a weekly humor column, which currently appears in three newspapers – The McDuffie Mirror, Tennessee Star Journal, and Columbia County News-Times. Lucy maintains contact with her readers through her blog, web site, www.IfMama.com, and regular e-newsletter.

Before the life she lives at present, Lucy worked as an over-educated stay-at-home mom,

who still couldn’t out-think her kids, with a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science in Psychology from Augusta State University.

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In her spare time, between the endless chaotic moments that fill her days with angst and joy, Lucy washes clothes and breathes.

Pour a glass of wine, run a hot bath, and grab a copy of If Mama Don’t Laugh, It Ain’t Funny, a collection of hilarious memoir-style stories ranging from endearing tales of three-legged pigs to hair raising accounts of unpredictable cockroaches to sentimental moments between mother and child. Before you know it, you’ll be giggling until your bathwater sloshes over the sides of the tub and stuff comes out of your nose.

Here is a story not in her book

Create the Ripples, Consume the Calm

I have a chivalrous husband. He runs my bath water. He pumps gas for me. He makes my coffee in the morning. He helps me with technical stuff, like the clock in my car.

“Is that the right time?” he asked me today, when he sat in my passenger seat.

“No, it’s fast,” I affirmed.

“I thought I fixed that for you,” he said, thumping the face of it.

“You did,” I reassured him. “But it keeps skipping ahead. It was only two minutes fast. Now it’s five or six minutes fast.”

“That doesn’t drive you crazy?” He couldn’t understand how I could tolerate the inconsistency between my watch, the stove, and my dashboard.

“No, I like when I think I’m running late for work and I get there and find out I’m early.” I smiled broadly while remembering that feeling. It’s like a massage therapist squeezing my neck tightly, then slowly letting go to relieve the tension; only it’s a lot cheaper.

He didn’t get it. “That seems like a lot of avoidable stress.”

But I wouldn’t know what serenity is if I didn’t chuck a pebble into my placid pond now and then. I create the ripples so I can consume the calm. It’s an addiction.

 

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You Can Win:

A copy of her book and this hat seen in the picture.

Enter

by visiting www.IfMama.com and telling me something you learned.

 

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Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: , ,

Meal Plan Monday

March 30, 2009 By 1 Comment

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This week, I guess I can’t take the week off two weeks in a row, so I should make some kind of plan.

Monday
Hot Dogs and green beans

Tuesday
Chicken Curry Coos Coos

Wed
Left Overs

Thursday
Grilled Cheese

Friday
Pizza

Looks like I’m taking the week off again even though I put some thought into it. We have a lot of bread we need to eat. ;-)

Filed Under: Meal plan

The Seattle Green Festival

March 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

 

This was a lot of fun and I am so glad I had the opportunity to go. We were able to sample some really great products and get some great bargain. I purchased clothing for my children and I will be posting pictures and reviews later. They are absolutely adorable. We also received some samples and made a lot of contacts. I didn’t want to bore my daughter by sitting through any of the lectures, but I’m sure they were very informative.

Everyone was so kind and it seemed to be very organized.

There were a few Hippy booths. My sister likes to call them Hippies. They were dressed like hippies and their products were very brightly colored. Although, they weren’t tie died and that’s what I think of when I think hippie. My sister’s definition of hippy, healthy, nutty, crazy, healthy. It’s a very broad term for her. I could always tell when we were close to a food booth because it was very difficult to move and my daughter would clutch my hand a bit harder.

We sampled chocolate and learned that there is a factory in Seattle we can tour. I’m going to have to make sure my moms know about it so we can schedule a visit.

Most of the booths we looked at were organic clothing, or products made in Africa, or other foreign countries. It was refreshing to come across some booths that their entire product line was made in the USA. Although, I will tell you, I have nothing against companies that are foreign. You know, Subaru is a Japanese company, and they get parts made here in the USA. My dad works at a plant that makes parts to ship to Japan. So please don’t be against all companies made in other countries.

My daughter made some friends, well, if you notice I think she actually got scared at the end of the video. But she was brave to walk away from mom. I look forward to posting all of the material I have gathered, I’m just too tired to organize any of it right now.

Please Enjoy!

Filed Under: going green, review Tagged With:
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