Do you buy organic? What are your pros and cons about buying organic?
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Buying Organic
Mr. hunky has been on an organic kick since May. He wants me to exclusively buy organic fruits and veggies which I always have a hard time doing. My wallet cries every time I put something organic into my cart. $5 for a thing of strawberries? $6 for blueberries? It kills me. I do it because he's the bread winner and that's what he wants but it kills me to see the $5 strawberries next to the $2 strawberries. Isn't a strawberry a strawberry? Yes, organic is obviously pesticide free, but aside from the USDA marking on the package, how do we really know that we're getting organic? It's not like you can see or taste pesticides. Maybe I should sit down and so some more research on organic produce.
Do you buy organic? What are your pros and cons about buying organic?
Do you buy organic? What are your pros and cons about buying organic?
We Won!!!
I am so excited to announced that we were one of the winners to get to test out Infantino's Fresh Squeezed system! The fresh squeeze system is a homemade baby purée maker and packaging system! I cannot wait to host our "squeeze party" and try this system!
In the spirit of Baby A's love for Mickey Mouse, our theme is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I will be making invitations pretty much identical to what I did for his first birthday and I will even recycle the banner and decor used for the party! I cannot wait! Our attendees will be Baby A (age 1), Miss Allie (age 2), Miss Deandra (age 3), Mr. Caden (age 9 months- he will be our squeeze party supervisor since technically he isn't within quite in the age limit- hehe) and Mr. Mikey (age 3)!
If you did not get the chance to read our submission on Infantino's Facebook, our party will use all fresh fruits and veggies from our produce basket from Bountiful Baskets (stay tuned for Saturdays post to learn more about Bountiful Baskets). Hoping and assuming that Infantino will have the products to us in a timely manner, the Mickey Mouse Club House Squeeze Party will be held on September 15th which means I will have a review up the evening of the 15th or by the 16th.
All of us moms and kiddos are so excited to have the chance to test out this new product! I can't wait to share my opinions on it with you!
*Update: Per email from Infantino, the squeeze system will not ship for 2-3 weeks therefore I will not have the review up until early October! Thank you for your pacience!
In the spirit of Baby A's love for Mickey Mouse, our theme is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I will be making invitations pretty much identical to what I did for his first birthday and I will even recycle the banner and decor used for the party! I cannot wait! Our attendees will be Baby A (age 1), Miss Allie (age 2), Miss Deandra (age 3), Mr. Caden (age 9 months- he will be our squeeze party supervisor since technically he isn't within quite in the age limit- hehe) and Mr. Mikey (age 3)!
If you did not get the chance to read our submission on Infantino's Facebook, our party will use all fresh fruits and veggies from our produce basket from Bountiful Baskets (stay tuned for Saturdays post to learn more about Bountiful Baskets). Hoping and assuming that Infantino will have the products to us in a timely manner, the Mickey Mouse Club House Squeeze Party will be held on September 15th which means I will have a review up the evening of the 15th or by the 16th.
All of us moms and kiddos are so excited to have the chance to test out this new product! I can't wait to share my opinions on it with you!
*Update: Per email from Infantino, the squeeze system will not ship for 2-3 weeks therefore I will not have the review up until early October! Thank you for your pacience!
My Mommy Wish List
Lately I've been lusting over things that I know that I can't have. It's fun to wish and pretend so I thought that I would share with you!
1. I wish I could be a redhead. I've been lusting over red hair for EVER!
2. I wish I could have a job and still be a stay at home mommy. I want to make money and go to a job to actually work. I have a love hate relationship with work. But if I did get a job, Baby A would need to be in the Ergo because I'm not willing to leave him :)
3. I wish I could go to school and bring Baby A. I love love love school and I would log rto go back someday but again, I would like to put Baby A on my back and then go!
4. I wish all of the coolest baby gear was free. Whoever invented money and put prices on things was a putz.
5. I wish I was a master chef. I love cooking, but I HATE trying to figure out what to cook. If I were a master chef, I feel like I would just know what to make.
6. I wish there was a clapper for baked goods. Sometimes you just need a tasty treat. Right then and there.
7. I wish I had a money tree. How fun would that be!
8. I wish our wedding was tomorrow. I can't wait to walk down the aisle in my dress and meet Mr Hunky at the end to exchange our vows.
9. I wish Mrs. Bow Jangles had a friend. I want her to have another doggy to play with but ideally I'd like to bypass the puppy stage. I love puppy's but let's we it, they're a lot of work! I'd love to get a dog but I'd be afraid to have it around Baby A since I wouldn't be the one who raised it.
10. I wish my family could have moved with me. I miss them. All of them!
Comment below with your Wish List!
1. I wish I could be a redhead. I've been lusting over red hair for EVER!
2. I wish I could have a job and still be a stay at home mommy. I want to make money and go to a job to actually work. I have a love hate relationship with work. But if I did get a job, Baby A would need to be in the Ergo because I'm not willing to leave him :)
3. I wish I could go to school and bring Baby A. I love love love school and I would log rto go back someday but again, I would like to put Baby A on my back and then go!
4. I wish all of the coolest baby gear was free. Whoever invented money and put prices on things was a putz.
5. I wish I was a master chef. I love cooking, but I HATE trying to figure out what to cook. If I were a master chef, I feel like I would just know what to make.
6. I wish there was a clapper for baked goods. Sometimes you just need a tasty treat. Right then and there.
7. I wish I had a money tree. How fun would that be!
8. I wish our wedding was tomorrow. I can't wait to walk down the aisle in my dress and meet Mr Hunky at the end to exchange our vows.
9. I wish Mrs. Bow Jangles had a friend. I want her to have another doggy to play with but ideally I'd like to bypass the puppy stage. I love puppy's but let's we it, they're a lot of work! I'd love to get a dog but I'd be afraid to have it around Baby A since I wouldn't be the one who raised it.
10. I wish my family could have moved with me. I miss them. All of them!
Comment below with your Wish List!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Caution: Emotions Running Wild
Tonight, I am an absolute emotional train wreck. Does anyone just have those hormonal episodes when you just cry?! Ever since being pregnant with Baby A, and especially after giving birth, I have been ridiculously sensitive about anything having to do with babies or weddings. I'm not joking. Tonight I cried over the Melissa and Joey summer finale (there was a wedding), I cried at the Baby Daddy summer finale (again a wedding), THEN I bawled all through the finale of Teen Mom, especially the last five minutes (for those of you who watch Trash Moms....oh I mean Teen Mom....you'll know what I'm saying! On a commercial break I checked Facebook and a friend posted the most heart wrenching news store and photo album of a newborn who was born with a rare skin disease called EB. Basically, any sort of touch (whether it be skin to skin, skin to fabric, etc) would blister his skin. It is said to be one of the most painful diseases. My heart shattered into a million pieces as I went on to read the article. It made me even more grateful than I ready am/was to have such an amazing, happy, and healthy son and how truly blessed I am.
In my opinion, moments like tonight (overly emotional, crazy, hormonal mommy nights as I refer to them) are important to have. Even if you're not a mom, nights where everything makes you cry are something you should appreciate and cherish. I'm probably sounding batty aren't I? Seriously though, after a good cry (as long as it isn't related to pain, heartbreak or grievance) always makes you step outside your body and look back into your life and really appreciate what you have going. Am I wrong? I remember nights in college where I was so past the point of breaking I would just cry for a while and feel so much better after. Crying sheds your tension, your stress, your anger, your sadness and it really makes you appreciate what is right there in front of you.
So whether it's weddings or babies, love stories or horror films, whatever gives you that really good cry...take advantage of it, just for a night. I promise you'll feel so much better afterward.
In my opinion, moments like tonight (overly emotional, crazy, hormonal mommy nights as I refer to them) are important to have. Even if you're not a mom, nights where everything makes you cry are something you should appreciate and cherish. I'm probably sounding batty aren't I? Seriously though, after a good cry (as long as it isn't related to pain, heartbreak or grievance) always makes you step outside your body and look back into your life and really appreciate what you have going. Am I wrong? I remember nights in college where I was so past the point of breaking I would just cry for a while and feel so much better after. Crying sheds your tension, your stress, your anger, your sadness and it really makes you appreciate what is right there in front of you.
So whether it's weddings or babies, love stories or horror films, whatever gives you that really good cry...take advantage of it, just for a night. I promise you'll feel so much better afterward.
Live Life As Thumper Does
Growing up, I have tried to always live my life with the wise words of Thumper in the back of my mind. For those of you who don't know, Thumper is the cute bunny from Bambi. His words have taught many children as well as adults a valuable lesson. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."
When reading my blog posts, please understand that everything I write about is from my viewpoint, with my own personal opinions and experiences. If you don't like it, then don't read it. I write because I love writing, I share recipes because I feel as though yummy things would be shared and I do product reviews and giveaways because I enjoy making people happy and having fun. I love sharing things about mY family however I feel as though the Internet doesn't need to know everything that is personal so I refer to them in code.
Mr. Hunky is my fiancé. He is coded as Mr. Hunky because he is a hunk. Plain and simple.
Baby A is obviously my son.
Mrs. Bow Jangles is my dog, and no, that's not her real name.
I do this because if you aren't someone close to me, you don't need to know every detail of my private life.
I have recieved a number of rude comments lately on my blog and I am very unhappy about it. Why take the time to read my blog if you don't like the things I say? Why take the time to comment? This is my blog and I can do, say, and write what I please. Again, if you don't enjoy my blog or disagree with what I write, I invite you to not read, unfollow or simply ignore me! I do not care!
We've always learned from a young age that it only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us. I hate to have to do this but until further notice, all blog comments will be subject to approval. If you comment (even on giveaways), they will not show up on the blog until I approve them. I apologize, but that's the way it's going to be for a while. I appreciate the understanding.
My first priority in my life is to be the best mother I can possibly be to my son. My second priority is to my fiancé. Going down the list I would say this blog is number 5 or 6 so I apologize if I do not write as frequently as some other bloggers may write, but for me, this is FUN and something to do as a creative outlet.
The point of this blog post is not to be Debbie Downer or Negative Nancy, it is to invite those who may not like me or my blog to stop reading it.
In the wise words of Thumper:
"If You Can't Say Anything Nice, Don't Say Anythng At All".
When reading my blog posts, please understand that everything I write about is from my viewpoint, with my own personal opinions and experiences. If you don't like it, then don't read it. I write because I love writing, I share recipes because I feel as though yummy things would be shared and I do product reviews and giveaways because I enjoy making people happy and having fun. I love sharing things about mY family however I feel as though the Internet doesn't need to know everything that is personal so I refer to them in code.
Mr. Hunky is my fiancé. He is coded as Mr. Hunky because he is a hunk. Plain and simple.
Baby A is obviously my son.
Mrs. Bow Jangles is my dog, and no, that's not her real name.
I do this because if you aren't someone close to me, you don't need to know every detail of my private life.
I have recieved a number of rude comments lately on my blog and I am very unhappy about it. Why take the time to read my blog if you don't like the things I say? Why take the time to comment? This is my blog and I can do, say, and write what I please. Again, if you don't enjoy my blog or disagree with what I write, I invite you to not read, unfollow or simply ignore me! I do not care!
We've always learned from a young age that it only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us. I hate to have to do this but until further notice, all blog comments will be subject to approval. If you comment (even on giveaways), they will not show up on the blog until I approve them. I apologize, but that's the way it's going to be for a while. I appreciate the understanding.
My first priority in my life is to be the best mother I can possibly be to my son. My second priority is to my fiancé. Going down the list I would say this blog is number 5 or 6 so I apologize if I do not write as frequently as some other bloggers may write, but for me, this is FUN and something to do as a creative outlet.
The point of this blog post is not to be Debbie Downer or Negative Nancy, it is to invite those who may not like me or my blog to stop reading it.
In the wise words of Thumper:
"If You Can't Say Anything Nice, Don't Say Anythng At All".
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Hamburger Soup
While browsing Pinterest a few days ago I came across a recipe for Hamburger Soup. It sounds sort of strange but I was intrigued so I took a look at the recipe and decided to try it out. This was not a crock pot recipe but I decided to turn it into one since I am lazy and it sounded like to many steps to take to make a soup! If you'd like to follow the actual website you can find it at Adventures Of a Betty Crocker Wannabe. If you'd like to follow my lazy crock pot version of it, please read on!
What You Need:
1 package of Hamburger (I apologize I didn't look at the weight, just judge by how much meat you want in it!)
1/2 Red Onion
Garlic (you be the judge)
2 Cans of Low Sodium Beef Broth
1 Can of Tomato Soup
1- 1 1/2 Cups of Frozen Corn
1 Cup of Water
Pasta! You can choose shells, wheels, bow ties,it doesn't matter!
Salt & Pepper to Taste
A Dash of Olive Oil
What You Need To Do:
Combine beef broth, tomato soup, corn and olive oil in your crock pot. Chop your red onion and mince your garlic then throw it into the crock pot! Cook on high for 4 hours. Around the 2nd hour, cook your ground beef in a skillet with olive oil. Once cooked, drain the liquid and pour the ground beef into the crock pot. Around the 3rd hour add your pasta and a cup of water! Once the pasta is cooked turn your crock pot down to low and serve when hungry!
As you can see, my recipe is a little more relaxed than the one at Adventures of a Betty Crocker Wannabe. I also added a few more things than her recipe called for but the soup turned or AMAZING and got five stars from both Baby A and Mr. Hunky!
Enjoy!
What You Need:
1 package of Hamburger (I apologize I didn't look at the weight, just judge by how much meat you want in it!)
1/2 Red Onion
Garlic (you be the judge)
2 Cans of Low Sodium Beef Broth
1 Can of Tomato Soup
1- 1 1/2 Cups of Frozen Corn
1 Cup of Water
Pasta! You can choose shells, wheels, bow ties,it doesn't matter!
Salt & Pepper to Taste
A Dash of Olive Oil
What You Need To Do:
Combine beef broth, tomato soup, corn and olive oil in your crock pot. Chop your red onion and mince your garlic then throw it into the crock pot! Cook on high for 4 hours. Around the 2nd hour, cook your ground beef in a skillet with olive oil. Once cooked, drain the liquid and pour the ground beef into the crock pot. Around the 3rd hour add your pasta and a cup of water! Once the pasta is cooked turn your crock pot down to low and serve when hungry!
As you can see, my recipe is a little more relaxed than the one at Adventures of a Betty Crocker Wannabe. I also added a few more things than her recipe called for but the soup turned or AMAZING and got five stars from both Baby A and Mr. Hunky!
Enjoy!
Catch Up With MCO
Hey Everybody! I apologize that the blog post have been sparce lately! I've been super busy around the house, with my boutique, and just with life in general! Lets play a little catch up, shall we?
First off, I apologize for not having a product review and giveaway this week. I had a product "no show" so unfortunately I have nothing to present for you this week! I would have moved up next weeks, but the wonderful shop that we will be checking out next week is on vacation! So this week is a break week! Please keep in mind that in a few short weeks we will transition from weekly giveaways into biweekly giveaways. It is a decision that I thought long and hard about but I have decided that it is what is best for my family and I. I do hope you understand.
This Love is Ours Boutique now has new inventory. I have introduced limited edition earrings and bobby pin hair flowers into the shop! The earrings I am testing the waters with, I am not sure that I will be keeping them around as a permanent piece of inventory however the bobby pin hair flowers are here to stay! I was sitting in my craft room on Sunday brainstorming what I could do with the gorgeous gerbera daisies that I had when it hit me! These flowers don't need to be put on a headband or even an earwarmer, they're gorgeous enough to be worn by themselves! In the past when I've purchased flowers for my hair, it would always drive me completely nuts to have an uncomfortable barette or clip rubbing against the side of my head, so I knew from experience that I wouldn't sell hair flowers like that. The flower is big enough and takes up enough space on your head- why add discomfort to it! Bobby pins have always been my go to hair accessory when it came to holding hair in place, so why not throw a cute flower on it! Well, thats exactly what I did!! These new hair flowers retail between $3.80-$4.20 plus shipping!
First off, I apologize for not having a product review and giveaway this week. I had a product "no show" so unfortunately I have nothing to present for you this week! I would have moved up next weeks, but the wonderful shop that we will be checking out next week is on vacation! So this week is a break week! Please keep in mind that in a few short weeks we will transition from weekly giveaways into biweekly giveaways. It is a decision that I thought long and hard about but I have decided that it is what is best for my family and I. I do hope you understand.
This Love is Ours Boutique now has new inventory. I have introduced limited edition earrings and bobby pin hair flowers into the shop! The earrings I am testing the waters with, I am not sure that I will be keeping them around as a permanent piece of inventory however the bobby pin hair flowers are here to stay! I was sitting in my craft room on Sunday brainstorming what I could do with the gorgeous gerbera daisies that I had when it hit me! These flowers don't need to be put on a headband or even an earwarmer, they're gorgeous enough to be worn by themselves! In the past when I've purchased flowers for my hair, it would always drive me completely nuts to have an uncomfortable barette or clip rubbing against the side of my head, so I knew from experience that I wouldn't sell hair flowers like that. The flower is big enough and takes up enough space on your head- why add discomfort to it! Bobby pins have always been my go to hair accessory when it came to holding hair in place, so why not throw a cute flower on it! Well, thats exactly what I did!! These new hair flowers retail between $3.80-$4.20 plus shipping!
Click HERE to check out the hair accessories at This Love is Ours Boutique
The tables have turned over here at MCO, rather than hosting a giveaway this week, I am trying to win one! The giveaway is for a new Fresh Squeezed Station made by Infantino which is basically a baby food puree and packing system that they are giving to some mom testers to check out and review for them! I desperately want this for Baby A. Since our big move a few months ago, I have been slacking in the homemade baby food department because lets face it, Plum Organic Baby Food Pouches are SO much easier to buy and give to Baby A to feed himself. Well, I'm ready to break that habit. It's past time for me to be consistantly making his purees and I need to stop making excuses. My biggest excuse is that I can't take the puree with me when we are out and about! That seriously is our biggest challenge and the reason why we love Plum so much. Well, with the Fresh Squeeze station, all that can change. The squeeze station allows you to package your puree's into a pouch that is exactly like Plum Organics. When I heard about this from Little Brim Baby's review, I about pee'd myself in excitement. The winners are chosen on the 30th and I would absolutely love if you went over and voted for me! Click HERE to go to Infantino's Facebook page, go over to their fan comments, scroll all the way down until you find the post by Alex Harrison that starts off with "Ohhhh Toooottttttlllleeesss" and LIKE it! Thats it! Then your vote counts and if I'm the winner I get to test out this product and write a review on it for you to see if you'd be interested in it too! It's that simple.
The Grandparents are coming! The Grandparents are coming! I am so estatic that in just two and a half short weeks I will get to see my parents and Mr. Hunky's parents! I am so excited for visitors I can hardly stand it!! I have so much in store for them, they won't know what hit 'em! We get to celebrate Baby A's birthday, hang out, explore the city and have lots and lots of fun!
Well for now thats all that I can think of! I'm off to go make a banner for our Mickey Mouse Club House party! Pics to come later!!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Amazing People In This World
Genuine, selfless, and caring people seem to be a hard thing to come by these days. I have been blessed to surround myself with great friends- some near, some far. I've been friends with a group of women for the last eight months and we have all grown to be very close! I am very grateful for them because I know that I can speak openly with them about any sort of topics, get opinions, and advice without any sort of judgement. We share laughs, venting sessions and a shopping obsession in this mommys group and they are all such wonderful people! This post is a public thank you to one of the moms in particular. This mom knew that I was lusting and obsessing over the Petunia Pickle Bottom Berry Chiffon Cake Carryall and knew that I wasn't about to drive 7+ hours to go to the sample sale they had yesterday. So she went for me. This kind woman drove over an hour each way to snag up a bag for me! She surprised me last night by telling me that she was about to make my day better and showed me pictures of my new bag. I was (and still am) in shock that someone would actually commit such a selfish and kind act for someone in a completely different state as them. This mom not only made my day, but she made my month- even my year. She is living proof that there are kind and unselfish people on this earth! <3 data-blogger-escaped-br="">
Thank you M <3 class="separator" data-blogger-escaped-div="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thank you M <3 class="separator" data-blogger-escaped-div="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Olivia and Joy Handbags...My New Love!
Today I went shopping at Marshall's and was like a little kid in a candy store while in the purse department. At one point, I literally had six bags on my arm, carrying them around, debating on which one would come live with me. My heart fluttered for this Olivia and Joy bag and I knew I couldn't leave it in the store! I normally am not a fan of the color red, but for some reason I was obsessing over this bag. My intentions with this purchase was for it to be my bag for when I left the house without Baby A (wait, did I ever leave the house without Baby A?). When I got home I decided to give it a whirl as a diaper bag. I was astonished to find that it fit everything that was in my Petunia Pickle Bottom Society Satchel PLUS I had room! I couldn't believe it!! It is a bottomless pit. Last night Mr. Hunky told me that I could get the ppb Carryall that I've been lusting over for the last two months but now that I've found this Olivia and Joy bag, I've forfeited the carryall which to me is fantastic considering I just saved my family about $200! I only paid $40 for this new beauty and I am so dang excited about it I could cry!!!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Finding a Doctor in a New City
I'm quickly learning that good doctors are a hard thing to come by. We moved at the end of May and I'm still trying to find a doctor for Baby A who I actually like. The first doctor that I found for him was nice, but I just wasn't sure if I really agreed with her "doctor style". Not to mention I waited almost an hour after Baby A's appointment time to be seen. Regardless, I left the appointment dissapointed. The next doctor I took Baby A to was horrendeous. And when I say horrendeous, I mean it. This doctor came in, was very unfriendly and basically looked at me and talked to me like I was stupid. He checked Baby A's ears (which was the purpose of the appointment) then proceeded to give him a little checkup- lungs, heart, diaper, etc. I was all going decent until the doctor opened up Baby A's diaper. He felt it, looked at me and said "Why is this so thick? What is this?". Are you F**king kidding me!? How can you be a doctor and not know what a cloth diaper is?????????? When it was time to put the diaper back on (it was a snap diaper) he looked at it, looked at me and said "I'll let you do it"). Really? Snaps on a diaper is to complex?? That idiot made the first doctor look like a superstar. I left that appointment livid. Needless to say, I won't be going back to that doctor.
Today I had an appointment a doctor for myself to discuss my perscriptions and transfering them to their office so that my doctor back home doesn't have to deal with my monthly refills anymore. I really enjoyed this doctor which was surprising because I am the pickiest person ever when it comes to who examines me. When the appointment was over she recommended another doctor for Baby A who she says is absolutely amazing and that she brings her kids to! FANTASTIC! My excitement died when I got home, called to make an appointment for Baby A's one year check up and they told me that she was booked until Halloween. HALLOWEEN. As in, October 31st. What the F**K!? Finding a doctor is like finding gold in this city apparently.
Here are my 3 recommendations on finding a good doctor.
1. Don't settle. If you don't like the doctor, if you get red flags, or if you just didn't connect with them- keep looking. This is your health and the health of your family that we're talking about.
2. Ask for recommendations. Ask your neighbor, ask the cashier at the grocery store, ask co-workers. The more names you get of recommendations, the more doctors you can try out to find one you enjoy!
3. Don't be afraid to not go back. Seriously, the doctor isn't even going to remember your name once you walk out of their exam room, so don't get a guilty conscience and feel bad about not going back to them. Get over it, get a doctor you like instead.
I'm following my own advice, but honestly, I'm getting very frusterated at this whole situation. I had the best doctor in the universe back at home. Baby A's doctor, was my doctor, and my moms doctor prior to that. He knows my entire family and was even there the next morning after Baby A was born to meet him. It breaks my heart knowing that we will never find a doctor out here who is as good as he is but I am determined to find one that I can connect with and relate to. Having Baby A in the best hands possible is the priority. If you're on the look for a doctor in your area just remember to follow my three recommendations and eventually you will find someone who you love! Until then, you'll be on the hunt like I am!
Today I had an appointment a doctor for myself to discuss my perscriptions and transfering them to their office so that my doctor back home doesn't have to deal with my monthly refills anymore. I really enjoyed this doctor which was surprising because I am the pickiest person ever when it comes to who examines me. When the appointment was over she recommended another doctor for Baby A who she says is absolutely amazing and that she brings her kids to! FANTASTIC! My excitement died when I got home, called to make an appointment for Baby A's one year check up and they told me that she was booked until Halloween. HALLOWEEN. As in, October 31st. What the F**K!? Finding a doctor is like finding gold in this city apparently.
Here are my 3 recommendations on finding a good doctor.
1. Don't settle. If you don't like the doctor, if you get red flags, or if you just didn't connect with them- keep looking. This is your health and the health of your family that we're talking about.
2. Ask for recommendations. Ask your neighbor, ask the cashier at the grocery store, ask co-workers. The more names you get of recommendations, the more doctors you can try out to find one you enjoy!
3. Don't be afraid to not go back. Seriously, the doctor isn't even going to remember your name once you walk out of their exam room, so don't get a guilty conscience and feel bad about not going back to them. Get over it, get a doctor you like instead.
I'm following my own advice, but honestly, I'm getting very frusterated at this whole situation. I had the best doctor in the universe back at home. Baby A's doctor, was my doctor, and my moms doctor prior to that. He knows my entire family and was even there the next morning after Baby A was born to meet him. It breaks my heart knowing that we will never find a doctor out here who is as good as he is but I am determined to find one that I can connect with and relate to. Having Baby A in the best hands possible is the priority. If you're on the look for a doctor in your area just remember to follow my three recommendations and eventually you will find someone who you love! Until then, you'll be on the hunt like I am!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Nursing Mom Giveaway!
Kissed by the Moon is an online cloth diaper retail company. Brands include GroVia, KiwiPie, FuzziBunz, BumGenius, Thirsties, Rumparooz, and SoftBums. Kissed by the Moon also carries other natural parenting and nursing products.
Your code word is cloth diapers!
---Baby Shopping Scores!
It's been a while since I've shared shopping scores with you! In all actuality, I haven't been doing to much shopping but yesterday I hit up Walmart (yes, I go there a lot- unfortunately it is the closest big store to me). I wanted to start preparing for Baby A's birthday party a little bit at a time so that when it was closer to the date, I don't have a melt down!! So I went to Walmart in search of plates, napkins, cups, and a table cloth in a color scheme that would compliment Baby A's Mickey mouse themed birthday! I was thrilled to see that they actually had Mickey Mouse party essentials!!!!! For his birthday we are planning on having appetizers and cake (cupcakes)- everything being finger foods so no utensils necessary! For less than $17 I got two sets of Mickey cupcake plates, two sets of Mickey cups, a set of red appetizer plates, a red table cloth, cupcake holders (they were perfect! Red, yellow and blue!), a "1" candle for Baby A's cupcake, and a set of invitations for Baby A's "Kid Party". It was a complete score! The only thing left for me to get (decoration wise) is balloons! I was stoked!! Next, I wandered over to the baby section and came across two piece Disney pajamas on sale for $4 each!! I grabbed four sets- one Mickey, one Cars, one Buzz, and one Elmo (okay not Disney but who doesn't love Elmo!). So for under $40 I was able to get almost everything I need for Baby A's first birthday AND four new sets of sleepers for him! Although I'm not Wlamarts biggest fan, I have been catching myself being pretty lucky on my last few excursions! If you're in need of any sleepware for your little one, head on over to Walmart!
Sweetheart Jewelry Box GIVEAWAY!!!
So Monday I reviewed the gorgeous bracelets from Sweetheart Jewelry Box. If you didn't get the oppertunity to read that post, click HERE to do so now! I absolutely adore my bracelets from Sweetheart Jewelry Box, as I said on Monday- they are now a staple piece to my wardwobe. There have only been about three days out of the last two weeks that I wasn't showing off one of my beauties.
What's better than a giveway? A YOU CHOOSE your own prize giveaway! Yes, you heard me right! Amanda over at Sweetheart Jewelry Box is letting you choose the piece of jewelry that you want to own! How awesome is that? Now I bet you're wondering what the options are? Click the links to see the listings of what you could win!
Amethyst Earrings
Ocean Blue Teardrop Necklace
Turquoise & Gold Chain Bracelet
It's going to be a hard decision for you guys! Everything is SO beautiful. Are you ready to enter? Here's what to do...
Mandatory To Enter:
(Submit as one entry)
1. Favorite Sweetheart Jewelry Box on Etsy by clicking HERE then clicking "Add shop to favorites".
2. Like MCO on Facebook by clicking HERE.
3. Leave a comment telling me that you did both, LEAVE YOUR EMAIL, and tell me which beautiful piece of jewelry you would like to win!
Additional Entries:
(Submit individually)
4. Add Amanda to your circle on Etsy by clicking HERE, then clicking "add to circle".
5. Follow my blog by logging into blogger with your email account and adding MCO to your reading list OR subscribe by email by entering your email address into the box on the left!
6. Refer a friend to "like" MCO on Facebook and have them leave a comment on our wall saying who sent them!
7. Follow MommysCraftObsession on instagram and share this giveaway on yours! (be sure to tag us @mommyscraftobsession for it to count!)
A winner will be chosen Friday August 24th at 5pm PST (or as close to it as possible) by using Random.org. The winner will be announced on this post and on Facebook!
Have fun and good luck! :)
A winner has been chosen!! Congrats to lucky number 3! Theresa Oster, you are the winner of the Sweetheart Jewelry Box Giveaway! Amanda will contact you soon to redeem your prize!
What's better than a giveway? A YOU CHOOSE your own prize giveaway! Yes, you heard me right! Amanda over at Sweetheart Jewelry Box is letting you choose the piece of jewelry that you want to own! How awesome is that? Now I bet you're wondering what the options are? Click the links to see the listings of what you could win!
Amethyst Earrings
Ocean Blue Teardrop Necklace
Turquoise & Gold Chain Bracelet
It's going to be a hard decision for you guys! Everything is SO beautiful. Are you ready to enter? Here's what to do...
Mandatory To Enter:
(Submit as one entry)
1. Favorite Sweetheart Jewelry Box on Etsy by clicking HERE then clicking "Add shop to favorites".
2. Like MCO on Facebook by clicking HERE.
3. Leave a comment telling me that you did both, LEAVE YOUR EMAIL, and tell me which beautiful piece of jewelry you would like to win!
Additional Entries:
(Submit individually)
4. Add Amanda to your circle on Etsy by clicking HERE, then clicking "add to circle".
5. Follow my blog by logging into blogger with your email account and adding MCO to your reading list OR subscribe by email by entering your email address into the box on the left!
6. Refer a friend to "like" MCO on Facebook and have them leave a comment on our wall saying who sent them!
7. Follow MommysCraftObsession on instagram and share this giveaway on yours! (be sure to tag us @mommyscraftobsession for it to count!)
A winner will be chosen Friday August 24th at 5pm PST (or as close to it as possible) by using Random.org. The winner will be announced on this post and on Facebook!
Have fun and good luck! :)
A winner has been chosen!! Congrats to lucky number 3! Theresa Oster, you are the winner of the Sweetheart Jewelry Box Giveaway! Amanda will contact you soon to redeem your prize!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Oreo Truffle Stuffed Vanilla Cupcakes with a Oreo Buttercream Frosting. OH. MY. YUM
I've recently been bitten [again] by the Pinterest bug, finding all sorts of amazing recipes and adding them to my recipe folder on my ipad. I've been looking to find something yummy to make for Baby A's first birthday and I think I've found them! When I read the title of the cupcakes, my stomach did flip flops in excitement. When it came down to actually making the cupcakes, I was surprised at how easy this recipe really was!!! I give all of the credit to Love From The Oven, without finding this link on pinterest I wouldn't have made such delish cupcakes!!!
Feel free to click on the link to Love From The Oven to use the exact recipe, otherwise, below you will find the same recipe in my words.
What You Will Need:
Oreo Truffle
1 8OZ Package of Cream Cheese
1 Roll of Oreos (I bought the family sized box, it comes with 5 rolls, each roll has approx 8 cookies)
What You Will Need To Do:
Put the cookies in a large ziploc back and close it. Using a rolling pin (you could also use a food processor to make this a little faster, I used a rolling pin) smash the oreo's down so that they are crumbs. Pour the oreo crumbs over the cream cheese and mix it together. You will have to use your hands to get the job done correctly so make sure that you take off all jewelry and wash your hands! Once that is finished, freeze the truffles for at least 20 minutes.
What You Will Need:
Cupcakes
1 Box of Cupcake Mix (I used Vanilla, you can use whatever you think will be tasty, chocolate perhaps?). Next time I will be making my cupcake mix from scratch, although these cupcakes tasted amazing, I know that they will taste even better from scratch. But as a trial run, the store bought mix was the way to go. For the mix you will need water, vegetable oil, and eggs, so make sure to grab those if you don't already have them at home.
(left) Oreo Truffles (right) Truffles in cupcake holders and batter poured over the top
What You Will Need To Do:
Follow the directions on the box silly =]
Okay seriously though, follow the directions on the box, then put cupcake sleeves(?) (holders? what are they called?) in your cupcake/muffin pan. Take truffles out of the freezer and put one truffle in the center of the cupcake holder. Pour your cake mix over the top of the truffle so that it is about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for the recommended time at the recommened degree (for me it was 15-20 minutes at 350*)
What You Will Need:
Oreo Buttercream Frosting
1 Box of Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup of Milk
1 Stick of Unsalted Butter (softened)
A Spash of Vanilla Extract
1 Roll of Crushed Oreo's (follow the directions from the truffles on how to crush)
What You Need To Do:
Using your Kitchenaide or electric mixer, combine powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Slowly add in the oreo crumbs.
(left) Buttercream (Right) Oreo Buttercream
FINALLY! Once the cupcakes are finished baking, let them cool (I speed up the process by putting them in the refridgerator). Once they are cool, frost them with your amazing buttercream! These would be great to serve at a party without telling the guests what they are- when they bite into them they'll get a tasty surprise!!
I hope you enjoyed the recipe as much as I did! Thank you again Love From The Oven for introducing me to such a yummy treat!
Feel free to click on the link to Love From The Oven to use the exact recipe, otherwise, below you will find the same recipe in my words.
What You Will Need:
Oreo Truffle
1 8OZ Package of Cream Cheese
1 Roll of Oreos (I bought the family sized box, it comes with 5 rolls, each roll has approx 8 cookies)
What You Will Need To Do:
Put the cookies in a large ziploc back and close it. Using a rolling pin (you could also use a food processor to make this a little faster, I used a rolling pin) smash the oreo's down so that they are crumbs. Pour the oreo crumbs over the cream cheese and mix it together. You will have to use your hands to get the job done correctly so make sure that you take off all jewelry and wash your hands! Once that is finished, freeze the truffles for at least 20 minutes.
What You Will Need:
Cupcakes
1 Box of Cupcake Mix (I used Vanilla, you can use whatever you think will be tasty, chocolate perhaps?). Next time I will be making my cupcake mix from scratch, although these cupcakes tasted amazing, I know that they will taste even better from scratch. But as a trial run, the store bought mix was the way to go. For the mix you will need water, vegetable oil, and eggs, so make sure to grab those if you don't already have them at home.
What You Will Need To Do:
Follow the directions on the box silly =]
Okay seriously though, follow the directions on the box, then put cupcake sleeves(?) (holders? what are they called?) in your cupcake/muffin pan. Take truffles out of the freezer and put one truffle in the center of the cupcake holder. Pour your cake mix over the top of the truffle so that it is about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for the recommended time at the recommened degree (for me it was 15-20 minutes at 350*)
What You Will Need:
Oreo Buttercream Frosting
1 Box of Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup of Milk
1 Stick of Unsalted Butter (softened)
A Spash of Vanilla Extract
1 Roll of Crushed Oreo's (follow the directions from the truffles on how to crush)
What You Need To Do:
Using your Kitchenaide or electric mixer, combine powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Slowly add in the oreo crumbs.
FINALLY! Once the cupcakes are finished baking, let them cool (I speed up the process by putting them in the refridgerator). Once they are cool, frost them with your amazing buttercream! These would be great to serve at a party without telling the guests what they are- when they bite into them they'll get a tasty surprise!!
I hope you enjoyed the recipe as much as I did! Thank you again Love From The Oven for introducing me to such a yummy treat!
Mama Drama
My life is pretty low key. Since we moved I've dove right into my role as housewife and thus far it has gone pretty smoothly. There are a few materialistic things in my life that I consider important to me, some of which being my bags, my iPad, and most of all- my kindle. I absolutely adore my kindle. I purchased it for myself while I was pregnant, knowing that it would be put to good use..and it has. I read daily, mostly before bed, I find it to be the time in my day where I can relax and unwind.
Sunday, I had a meltdown. While making the bed I took a step and heard a loud CRACK. My heart sank as I looked down at the ground and saw my kindle (why it was on the ground is still a mystery). The screen was completely distorted and there was nothing that I could do to fix it.
When I finished crying (yes, crying) I called amazon praying that there was something that they could do to help me. Low and behold- they were as unhelpful as ever. It was out of warranty so the best that they could do was offer me a discount toward a new kindle- but of course they didn't have mine available for offer. The discount was only about $10 off, it was really disappointing. I asked if they could upgrade my shipping to overnight or two day on the purchase of a new/full price one and they said no. SERIOUSLY?! So I hung up and ran to Walmart. They only had the standard kindle and the kindle touch. My kindle, has not been available in store for quite some time. (I had the kindle keyboard). I was devastated. I got in the car and went home. My next move was to call the closest Target. I was so mad when the kid on the other end of the phone told me that they had stopped carrying kindle products months ago. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! So I sat and thought for a few minutes. Do I really want to ask Mr. Hunky to spend $140 on a kindle with a keyboard and then have to wait a week for it to show up? Or do I want to go to Walmart and buy the standard kindle for literally half the cost. Option A seemed pretty selfish to me so I hopped back in the car and went to Walmart.
When the guy opened up the case that housed the Kindles, he told me that this was the last one! Thank goodness I went when I did. He also told me that there was a promotion on it so I would get a free shop card with it. Sweet! Then he told me about a warranty program that Walmart offers- now, usually I wouldn't buy into the warranty programs but since I had stepped on my last one I figured it would be a good idea to listen to the sales pitch. For $7, Walmart offers a two year warranty on any damage to the product- even accidental damage! Best of all, their warranty doesn't start until after the manufactures warranty ends! That means I now have a three year warranty!! Yeahhhhh baby!!! AND as the icing on the cake, the shop card ended up being for $30!
At the end of the day, I was (and still am) upset that I broke my beloved kindle keyboard, but it ended up working out thanks to...and I am so surprised to be saying this...Walmart.
Sunday, I had a meltdown. While making the bed I took a step and heard a loud CRACK. My heart sank as I looked down at the ground and saw my kindle (why it was on the ground is still a mystery). The screen was completely distorted and there was nothing that I could do to fix it.
When I finished crying (yes, crying) I called amazon praying that there was something that they could do to help me. Low and behold- they were as unhelpful as ever. It was out of warranty so the best that they could do was offer me a discount toward a new kindle- but of course they didn't have mine available for offer. The discount was only about $10 off, it was really disappointing. I asked if they could upgrade my shipping to overnight or two day on the purchase of a new/full price one and they said no. SERIOUSLY?! So I hung up and ran to Walmart. They only had the standard kindle and the kindle touch. My kindle, has not been available in store for quite some time. (I had the kindle keyboard). I was devastated. I got in the car and went home. My next move was to call the closest Target. I was so mad when the kid on the other end of the phone told me that they had stopped carrying kindle products months ago. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! So I sat and thought for a few minutes. Do I really want to ask Mr. Hunky to spend $140 on a kindle with a keyboard and then have to wait a week for it to show up? Or do I want to go to Walmart and buy the standard kindle for literally half the cost. Option A seemed pretty selfish to me so I hopped back in the car and went to Walmart.
When the guy opened up the case that housed the Kindles, he told me that this was the last one! Thank goodness I went when I did. He also told me that there was a promotion on it so I would get a free shop card with it. Sweet! Then he told me about a warranty program that Walmart offers- now, usually I wouldn't buy into the warranty programs but since I had stepped on my last one I figured it would be a good idea to listen to the sales pitch. For $7, Walmart offers a two year warranty on any damage to the product- even accidental damage! Best of all, their warranty doesn't start until after the manufactures warranty ends! That means I now have a three year warranty!! Yeahhhhh baby!!! AND as the icing on the cake, the shop card ended up being for $30!
At the end of the day, I was (and still am) upset that I broke my beloved kindle keyboard, but it ended up working out thanks to...and I am so surprised to be saying this...Walmart.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Featured Seller/Product Review: Sweetheart Jewelry Box
*I received wall decor for review in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions*
There's nothing I love more than bracelets to accessorize my wardrobe. I've found myself phasing out of the "arm party" thing pretty quickly and phasing back into the look of simplicity. Don't get me wrong- I love love love the look of a big fatty bracelet around my wrist, but I also am really diggin' simple and cute. One evening while scouring Etsy (as usual), I came upon Sweetheart Jewelry Box and a smile instantly formed on my face. Everything was to die for and I hoped so badly that they would want to team up with me so that I could show you just how amazing this shop is! So without further adieu- Sweetheart Jewelry Box....
Amanda, the owner and designer of this amazing shop is a recent university graduate (congrats girl!) who has always had a love and passion for making jewelry, but had to make the sacrifice of "putting it on the back burner" while she focused on her education. She has recently found her love again and is now making jewelry at full force. The pieces that she makes are simple, dainty, and pretty and she loves that it is not only a creative outlet for herself, but a way to help raise money for Breast Cancer.
Amanda was generous enough to send over two gorgeous pieces for me to reviews for all of you. The first I will be reviewing is a beautiful aqua/mint and gold bracelet. I love this bracelet not only because it's my favorite colors right now but because it's so versatile! I paired this with denim shorts and a white V neck tee shirt with my hair in a side braid and let me just tell you- it added such a beautiful amount of pizazz to my outfit. Although it was simple, I felt like a million bucks. Honestly, while wearing this bracelet, I feel so delicate and girly- it's light weight and comfortable and when the light catches the beads it is SO breathtakingly beautiful (hey, I love sparkle). This bracelet should be worn and shown off daily in my opinion! It's that amazing!
The second bracelet is a gorgeous gold chain with a small purple square stone. I LOVE this bracelet. It adds so much elegance to whatever outfit I have on! While wearing this bracelet in the grocery store, I had a woman approach me at the deli counter telling me I was a lucky woman to have someone special buy me such beautiful jewelry! I giggled to myself and told her that it was from an amazing store called Sweetheart Jewelry Box on Etsy! What's great about this bracelet is that it can be worn casually or with something dressy and still look fantastic. The purple stone reminds me of the Queen (don't ask why, for some reason in my mind I associate purple with royalty, I think thats pretty common actually?), and I love that I feel like it is something that a queen would wear! Us women are after all the queen's of the household right? I think you deserve one of these beauties too!
When I took a look at these bracelets in person, I will admit that I was a little nervous. They were very dainty and with an 11 month old- dainty can be dangerous. Nevertheless I tried them on and fell in love. It wasn't long before they caught someone else's eye and little fingers were all over them! I panicked when he grabbed (I wouldn't let him pull!) but even with the tight grasp Baby A had on it, the bracelet held up great! I feel confident telling everyone- mommas included- to go and grab one of these bracelets that I now consider staple pieces!
Dying for one of your own? Sweetheart Jewelry Box is offering an exclusive discount for MCO readers!! Use the code MOMMYSCRAFTOBSESSION at checkout for 15% off of your entire purchase!
Click HERE to go shopping!
Happy shopping readers!
*This review is 100% original and in my own words. Everything written is from my own personal view point and opinions. All photos have been taken by me unless stated otherwise. I have been provided with product to review however I have not been compensated monetarily for this review.
There's nothing I love more than bracelets to accessorize my wardrobe. I've found myself phasing out of the "arm party" thing pretty quickly and phasing back into the look of simplicity. Don't get me wrong- I love love love the look of a big fatty bracelet around my wrist, but I also am really diggin' simple and cute. One evening while scouring Etsy (as usual), I came upon Sweetheart Jewelry Box and a smile instantly formed on my face. Everything was to die for and I hoped so badly that they would want to team up with me so that I could show you just how amazing this shop is! So without further adieu- Sweetheart Jewelry Box....
Amanda, the owner and designer of this amazing shop is a recent university graduate (congrats girl!) who has always had a love and passion for making jewelry, but had to make the sacrifice of "putting it on the back burner" while she focused on her education. She has recently found her love again and is now making jewelry at full force. The pieces that she makes are simple, dainty, and pretty and she loves that it is not only a creative outlet for herself, but a way to help raise money for Breast Cancer.
Amanda was generous enough to send over two gorgeous pieces for me to reviews for all of you. The first I will be reviewing is a beautiful aqua/mint and gold bracelet. I love this bracelet not only because it's my favorite colors right now but because it's so versatile! I paired this with denim shorts and a white V neck tee shirt with my hair in a side braid and let me just tell you- it added such a beautiful amount of pizazz to my outfit. Although it was simple, I felt like a million bucks. Honestly, while wearing this bracelet, I feel so delicate and girly- it's light weight and comfortable and when the light catches the beads it is SO breathtakingly beautiful (hey, I love sparkle). This bracelet should be worn and shown off daily in my opinion! It's that amazing!
The second bracelet is a gorgeous gold chain with a small purple square stone. I LOVE this bracelet. It adds so much elegance to whatever outfit I have on! While wearing this bracelet in the grocery store, I had a woman approach me at the deli counter telling me I was a lucky woman to have someone special buy me such beautiful jewelry! I giggled to myself and told her that it was from an amazing store called Sweetheart Jewelry Box on Etsy! What's great about this bracelet is that it can be worn casually or with something dressy and still look fantastic. The purple stone reminds me of the Queen (don't ask why, for some reason in my mind I associate purple with royalty, I think thats pretty common actually?), and I love that I feel like it is something that a queen would wear! Us women are after all the queen's of the household right? I think you deserve one of these beauties too!
When I took a look at these bracelets in person, I will admit that I was a little nervous. They were very dainty and with an 11 month old- dainty can be dangerous. Nevertheless I tried them on and fell in love. It wasn't long before they caught someone else's eye and little fingers were all over them! I panicked when he grabbed (I wouldn't let him pull!) but even with the tight grasp Baby A had on it, the bracelet held up great! I feel confident telling everyone- mommas included- to go and grab one of these bracelets that I now consider staple pieces!
Dying for one of your own? Sweetheart Jewelry Box is offering an exclusive discount for MCO readers!! Use the code MOMMYSCRAFTOBSESSION at checkout for 15% off of your entire purchase!
Click HERE to go shopping!
Happy shopping readers!
*This review is 100% original and in my own words. Everything written is from my own personal view point and opinions. All photos have been taken by me unless stated otherwise. I have been provided with product to review however I have not been compensated monetarily for this review.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
What A Beautiful World
Nature is really quite an extraordinary thing- I never really stopped to realize that until we moved to Arizona. It's beautiful here! It baffles me how it can be scorching hot one hour and pouring buckets the next. The backdrop of this place is amazing, the things that the sun can do- just wow!!
Here are some photos I snapped yesterday while Mr Hunky, Baby A and I were on our way home from dinner. Don't worry, I wasn't the one driving!
Here are some photos I snapped yesterday while Mr Hunky, Baby A and I were on our way home from dinner. Don't worry, I wasn't the one driving!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Surprise Weekend Giveaway!!
Because MCO loves our readers so much, I wanted to do something fun and special for you this weekend!
I've teamed up with Eleven11andCompany to give MCO readers a Chevron Suede and Chain bracelet of your choice! This bracelet is completely customized to what you want!! You pick the color of the suede and the chain. Click HERE to browse Eleven11andCompany's online shop!
Personally, my favorite is the mint with the gold chain! What's yours? Here's how to enter!
Mandatory To Enter:
(Submit as one entry)
1. Like Eleven11andCompany on Facebook by clicking HERE.
2. Like MCO on Facebook by clicking HERE.
3. Comment below telling me you did both, LEAVE YOUR EMAIL, and tell us what color you'd choose for your bracelet!
Additional Entries:
(Must be submitted individually to be counted)
4. Follow MCO by adding our URL to your reading list through blogger or by subscribing by email.
5. Favorite Eleven11andCompany by clicking HERE then clicking "add shop to favorites".
6. Follow MommysCraftObsession on instagram.
A winner will be chosen using random.org and announced Sunday August 19th at 5PM PST and announced both on the blog and on our Facebook!!
Good luck and have fun!
Congratulations to lucky number 15- Carolyn! Carolyn, your email address has been given to Eleven11andCompany and you will be contacted shortly to redeem your prize!
*All photos used came directly from Eleven11andCompany with permission from the owner.
I've teamed up with Eleven11andCompany to give MCO readers a Chevron Suede and Chain bracelet of your choice! This bracelet is completely customized to what you want!! You pick the color of the suede and the chain. Click HERE to browse Eleven11andCompany's online shop!
Personally, my favorite is the mint with the gold chain! What's yours? Here's how to enter!
Mandatory To Enter:
(Submit as one entry)
1. Like Eleven11andCompany on Facebook by clicking HERE.
2. Like MCO on Facebook by clicking HERE.
3. Comment below telling me you did both, LEAVE YOUR EMAIL, and tell us what color you'd choose for your bracelet!
Additional Entries:
(Must be submitted individually to be counted)
4. Follow MCO by adding our URL to your reading list through blogger or by subscribing by email.
5. Favorite Eleven11andCompany by clicking HERE then clicking "add shop to favorites".
6. Follow MommysCraftObsession on instagram.
A winner will be chosen using random.org and announced Sunday August 19th at 5PM PST and announced both on the blog and on our Facebook!!
Good luck and have fun!
Congratulations to lucky number 15- Carolyn! Carolyn, your email address has been given to Eleven11andCompany and you will be contacted shortly to redeem your prize!
*All photos used came directly from Eleven11andCompany with permission from the owner.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Morning Madness
Today I woke up promptly at 7:30am which is a miracle all in itself. Usually I am trying to sleep in as late as possible praying in Baby A sleeps in as well. Waking up early I was able to put away two loads of laundry, scrub the stove (finally, that's been on my to do list for weeks) and get Baby A's bottle ready. When we woke up I put him in his bumbo chair with his bottle and I
started making my famous pancakes. Mr. Hunky was do excited (although he'd never admit it) for pancakes. Once the kitchen was clean, Baby A went down for his morning nap and Mrs. Bow Jangles and I went on a morning walk. Today's weather has been wonderful, overcast, cool and breezy. To say that I love it would be an understatement. It has been scorching hot basically everyday since we moved so its nice to feel the wind for a change. Our walk was refreshing. Taking advantage of a sleeping baby, I threw on Mr. Hunkys basketball shirt, turned on the worlds greatest movie Dirty Dancing and started to paint my nails. Let's talk about Dirty Dancing for a minute. To me, this movie is a classic. It's a movie that I can watch over and over and still love it as much as I did the first time I saw it. From the famous lines of "I carried a watermelon" and "nobody puts baby in a corner", this movie just runs you through all of your emotions before you even get to the last dance. And might I just ad that Patrick Swayze is quite the babe in this movie. :)
Thus far my day has not been overly amazing but it is only 11:00am. :))
Don't forget about our One Red Balloon Giveaway!!! It ends tonight at 8:00pm so make sure that you get entered!
started making my famous pancakes. Mr. Hunky was do excited (although he'd never admit it) for pancakes. Once the kitchen was clean, Baby A went down for his morning nap and Mrs. Bow Jangles and I went on a morning walk. Today's weather has been wonderful, overcast, cool and breezy. To say that I love it would be an understatement. It has been scorching hot basically everyday since we moved so its nice to feel the wind for a change. Our walk was refreshing. Taking advantage of a sleeping baby, I threw on Mr. Hunkys basketball shirt, turned on the worlds greatest movie Dirty Dancing and started to paint my nails. Let's talk about Dirty Dancing for a minute. To me, this movie is a classic. It's a movie that I can watch over and over and still love it as much as I did the first time I saw it. From the famous lines of "I carried a watermelon" and "nobody puts baby in a corner", this movie just runs you through all of your emotions before you even get to the last dance. And might I just ad that Patrick Swayze is quite the babe in this movie. :)
Thus far my day has not been overly amazing but it is only 11:00am. :))
Don't forget about our One Red Balloon Giveaway!!! It ends tonight at 8:00pm so make sure that you get entered!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Cloth Diapering My Way
I started cloth diapering my son when he was five months old (hes 11 months now) because that’s when I got interested in it. I was tired of buying diapers and I was tired of him getting diaper rash. Turing to my good friend who cloth diapered and asked her to help me get started. It's not a cheap to get started on cloth diapers but if you are an expectant mother who hasn’t had your shower yet I recommend having a diaper raffle and having everyone bring one cloth diaper (instead of a traditional box of diapers) and that will help you build a good "stash". In my opinion, you will want at last a stash of 18-20 diapers if not more so that you can avoid washing daily. I personally only knew one person who was cloth diapering when I started so I followed her lead and bought the same diapers she did. I started with only one and used it once a day- every day (yes, I washed it every day, such a pain!) for about a week before I decided if cloth diapering was for me. By the end of the week I was so excited about cloth diapering my son that I went full force. I purchased four diapers, and both mine and Mr. Hunky’s parents graciously bought us 6 diapers each. Within another week we had a total of 16 diapers and switched into the realm of exclusively cloth diapering. We went with BumGenius 4.0s which is a pocket diaper, which for those of you that have no clue what I’m talking about, basically means that there are two inserts that come with the diaper that you can use (regular and newborn, I always use both to double it up).
Here's our cloth diaper stash, some were in the diaper pail!
When choosing your cloth diapers it is also important to think about what type of closure that you will want for them. Cloth diapers come in snaps as well as Velcro (commonly know as aplix or “hook and loop”). In this household, we are a fan of the snaps because they insure that the baby will not be able to open the diaper on their own and because I feel as though they are more secure on the baby. Along with my stash of BumGenius 4.0’s, I've also bought a small stash of Flip diapers which are made by BumGenius. Flip Diapers are hybrid diapers so you can either use a liner or a disposable liner in them. The flip liners can be folded so that they fit the diaper whether the baby is wearing size small, medium, or large.I use them as filler diapers- for example if my son just got out of the bath and still has an hour until bed time- then I'll use a flip instead of wasting a regular 4.0 diaper.
BumGenius 4.0 Cloth Diaper
This is Baby A modeling a BumGenius 4.0 cloth diaper.
Flip Diaper Shell
Flip Diaper and Flip Liner
Flip Diaper "stuffed"
As you can see, you fold the flip liner to fit Small, Medium or Large
Flip Diaper Shell and Disposable Liner
Flip Diaper "Stuffed" with Disposable Liner
This is Baby A modeling a Flip Hybrid diaper with the flip liner inside of it.
We also have some cloth diapers called Pre-folds. Pre-folds are the old fashioned cloth diapers- essentially a burp cloth- and are used with a diaper cover (the flip covers are what I use when I do pre-folds) but it is important to keep in mind that you always want to use an additional fleece liner on top of the pre-fold because the fleece wicks away the moisture from your little one’s booty allowing them to stay dryer and not have the acidity of their pee irritate their skin. You'll notice that all cloth diapers such as the 4.0’s and the flip inserts already have a type of fleece on the inside so you will not have to purchase additional fleece liners for those. Whether you use pocket diapers, flip hybrid diapers or pre-folds, they will all feel different on your baby. For us, the pre-folds are very bulky as oppose to the 4.0s. See photos below for the variation in bulkiness.
This is a Pre-Fold Cloth Diaper Insert
Flip Diaper Shell, Pre-fold, and Fleece Insert
Flip Shell "stuffed" with the pre-fold and the fleece liner
This is Baby A modeling a Flip diaper with a prefold and fleece liner.
I have a small covered trash can that I keep in the laundry room, lined with a garbage bag (they make actual "diaper pails and diaper pail liners" but the point- at least for me- is to save money not spend it! And those things are pricy!). So when a diaper is soiled I simply toss it in my covered trash can and wash diapers when it gets full or I am close to being out in my stash.
Diaper Pail
When I am washing the diapers I spray the inside of the covered trash can with Lysol Disinfectant Spray to kill the germs and also get rid of the ammonia smell. Once the diapers are washed, I try to avoid drying them in the dryer, I prefer to dry them on a drying rack outside, but sometimes with the monsoon seasons or if I’m doing diapers late in the day, it just isn’t possible. Drying them in the sun- or "sunning" the diapers also helps get any soil stains out of the diaper and the liners.
To wash them it is extremely recommended that you use a cloth diaper detergent- there are several on the market, but they can be pricey so I choose to use a detergent that is free of all dye’s and fragrances. After some label reading at the grocery store, I chose to use All Free & Clear. They say to use cloth diaper detergent because what happens is the ammonia and soap residue builds up inside of the liners causing it to smell really bad- which is true. But I've found that its easier and cheaper for me to use All Free and Clear and just "strip" the diaper every other week or so, to avoid them getting the build up. Stripping a cloth diaper can eventually wear it down, but I feel as though I would rather strip my diaper to be sure that it is really getting clean.
Diapers in the wash and the detergent I use
When the baby poops there are two common ways to take care of it- you can either buy an attachment that hooks to the back of your toilet and spray the poop into the toilet (attachment retails for approximately $50) or you can do what I do and use a diaper liner (they're about $6 for a roll of 100). A diaper liner literally looks like a dryer sheet and sits inside of the cloth diaper so when they do poop, you just use a wet wipe to grab it and take it out. They're biodegradable and perfectly save to flush in the toilet however I just stick the whole thing in the diaper genie. I’ve been asked before why it is that I don’t use cloth wipes since I cloth diaper. For us, it is much easier at home and on the go to just pick up the diaper liner with a wet wipe and throw it away in the diaper genie than it would be to use a cloth wipe and clean the mess that way. A lot of moms do use cloth wipes and absolutely love it, but for us, it’s a lot easier to use disposable wipes.
Here'sa roll of diaper liners that we use
Here's our Diaper Genie that the poopy and dirty wipes go into
Now you may be wondering if there is anything that I don’t like about using cloth diapers. The only two things I can think of that I don't like about cloth diapering is
A) the smell of the soiled diapers in the pail- holy ammonia...but you deal with it!
B) My son has very sensitive skin and sometimes his pee and poop can be so acidic on his little booty that it can burn a little and leave his butt red. It does go away once I let him crawl around diaper less for a while.
My whole reasoning for wanting to cloth diaper my son was because I wanted to be able to do something for him that would benefit him in the long run. I had a horrible difficult time breastfeeding and had to stop when he was 2 ½ months old. To say it crushed me would be an understatement but at that point I had little to no resources as far as breastfeeding went and I stopped. Cloth diapering, I felt as though, gave me a second and I felt like it was bettering my son. I love that we’ll never have to buy another diaper for him and that these diapers will fit him until he's potty trained. I plan on using them for our second child so to me spending $400-500 on a set of diapers was well worth it. In average you'd spend that much on disposables in a year and that's just for one child. I do wash about every 2-3 days for diapers alone and last month our water bill was only $25. I only buy detergent maybe one ever month and a half if that and it's about $8 at Walmart. The liners, depending on how frequently I use them, can last me up to two months so when you add it together detergent ($8), liners ($6) and a portion of the water bill (maybe $10 or so) is still cheaper than a box of diapers and that's what I'd spend for about a month and a half to two months. I love cloth diapering so much that I plan on cloth diapering our next baby from birth in the hospital. If you were on the fence about whether or not cloth diapering would be a good switch for your family, I hope that this post helped convince you that it really is simple. Please feel free to ask any questions below, I would be happy to answer them.
Edit: We no longer use Vinegar and Dawn to strip our diapers. For quite some time we have been battling yeast diaper rashes and after hours of research I learned that Vinegar can actually help grow the yeast. Sort of like making bread if you will. Currently to strip our diapers and kill any excess bacteria we are doing the following:
1. Rinse your diapers to get the stinkies washed out a little
2. Do a regular wash with no soap
3. Rinse the diapers three times
4. Add five drops of Tea Tree Oil and wash your diapers on regular
5. Rinse diapers
Optional Step (if you have yeast in the diaper, this is a must): Add five drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract
Optional Step: Rinse diapers
6.Wash diapers with Cloth Diaper detergent
7. Rinse Diapers
8. Switch to dryer on HIGH or sun dry
If you still have yeast in the diapers you may need to repeat this procedure two-three times before putting your child back in them. Make sure that you do this to all of your diapers otherwise it will defeat the purpose. I only had to do this one time to kill all of the yeast in our diapers. Every three washes I treat the diapers by rinsing them, adding tea tree oil, rinse, wash with CD soap, rinse, dryer. Every five washes I substitution the tea tree oil for the grapefruit seed extract.
Tea tree oil is a natural antifungal and antibacterial treatment that is cloth diaper safe. This will kill any yeast that is on your diaper. Grapefruit Seed Extract is the only natural way to kill yeast SPORES. If you do not kill the spores your yeast will keep coming back.
When choosing your cloth diapers it is also important to think about what type of closure that you will want for them. Cloth diapers come in snaps as well as Velcro (commonly know as aplix or “hook and loop”). In this household, we are a fan of the snaps because they insure that the baby will not be able to open the diaper on their own and because I feel as though they are more secure on the baby. Along with my stash of BumGenius 4.0’s, I've also bought a small stash of Flip diapers which are made by BumGenius. Flip Diapers are hybrid diapers so you can either use a liner or a disposable liner in them. The flip liners can be folded so that they fit the diaper whether the baby is wearing size small, medium, or large.I use them as filler diapers- for example if my son just got out of the bath and still has an hour until bed time- then I'll use a flip instead of wasting a regular 4.0 diaper.
We also have some cloth diapers called Pre-folds. Pre-folds are the old fashioned cloth diapers- essentially a burp cloth- and are used with a diaper cover (the flip covers are what I use when I do pre-folds) but it is important to keep in mind that you always want to use an additional fleece liner on top of the pre-fold because the fleece wicks away the moisture from your little one’s booty allowing them to stay dryer and not have the acidity of their pee irritate their skin. You'll notice that all cloth diapers such as the 4.0’s and the flip inserts already have a type of fleece on the inside so you will not have to purchase additional fleece liners for those. Whether you use pocket diapers, flip hybrid diapers or pre-folds, they will all feel different on your baby. For us, the pre-folds are very bulky as oppose to the 4.0s. See photos below for the variation in bulkiness.
I have a small covered trash can that I keep in the laundry room, lined with a garbage bag (they make actual "diaper pails and diaper pail liners" but the point- at least for me- is to save money not spend it! And those things are pricy!). So when a diaper is soiled I simply toss it in my covered trash can and wash diapers when it gets full or I am close to being out in my stash.
When I am washing the diapers I spray the inside of the covered trash can with Lysol Disinfectant Spray to kill the germs and also get rid of the ammonia smell. Once the diapers are washed, I try to avoid drying them in the dryer, I prefer to dry them on a drying rack outside, but sometimes with the monsoon seasons or if I’m doing diapers late in the day, it just isn’t possible. Drying them in the sun- or "sunning" the diapers also helps get any soil stains out of the diaper and the liners.
To wash them it is extremely recommended that you use a cloth diaper detergent- there are several on the market, but they can be pricey so I choose to use a detergent that is free of all dye’s and fragrances. After some label reading at the grocery store, I chose to use All Free & Clear. They say to use cloth diaper detergent because what happens is the ammonia and soap residue builds up inside of the liners causing it to smell really bad- which is true. But I've found that its easier and cheaper for me to use All Free and Clear and just "strip" the diaper every other week or so, to avoid them getting the build up. Stripping a cloth diaper can eventually wear it down, but I feel as though I would rather strip my diaper to be sure that it is really getting clean.
When the baby poops there are two common ways to take care of it- you can either buy an attachment that hooks to the back of your toilet and spray the poop into the toilet (attachment retails for approximately $50) or you can do what I do and use a diaper liner (they're about $6 for a roll of 100). A diaper liner literally looks like a dryer sheet and sits inside of the cloth diaper so when they do poop, you just use a wet wipe to grab it and take it out. They're biodegradable and perfectly save to flush in the toilet however I just stick the whole thing in the diaper genie. I’ve been asked before why it is that I don’t use cloth wipes since I cloth diaper. For us, it is much easier at home and on the go to just pick up the diaper liner with a wet wipe and throw it away in the diaper genie than it would be to use a cloth wipe and clean the mess that way. A lot of moms do use cloth wipes and absolutely love it, but for us, it’s a lot easier to use disposable wipes.
Now you may be wondering if there is anything that I don’t like about using cloth diapers. The only two things I can think of that I don't like about cloth diapering is
A) the smell of the soiled diapers in the pail- holy ammonia...but you deal with it!
B) My son has very sensitive skin and sometimes his pee and poop can be so acidic on his little booty that it can burn a little and leave his butt red. It does go away once I let him crawl around diaper less for a while.
My whole reasoning for wanting to cloth diaper my son was because I wanted to be able to do something for him that would benefit him in the long run. I had a horrible difficult time breastfeeding and had to stop when he was 2 ½ months old. To say it crushed me would be an understatement but at that point I had little to no resources as far as breastfeeding went and I stopped. Cloth diapering, I felt as though, gave me a second and I felt like it was bettering my son. I love that we’ll never have to buy another diaper for him and that these diapers will fit him until he's potty trained. I plan on using them for our second child so to me spending $400-500 on a set of diapers was well worth it. In average you'd spend that much on disposables in a year and that's just for one child. I do wash about every 2-3 days for diapers alone and last month our water bill was only $25. I only buy detergent maybe one ever month and a half if that and it's about $8 at Walmart. The liners, depending on how frequently I use them, can last me up to two months so when you add it together detergent ($8), liners ($6) and a portion of the water bill (maybe $10 or so) is still cheaper than a box of diapers and that's what I'd spend for about a month and a half to two months. I love cloth diapering so much that I plan on cloth diapering our next baby from birth in the hospital. If you were on the fence about whether or not cloth diapering would be a good switch for your family, I hope that this post helped convince you that it really is simple. Please feel free to ask any questions below, I would be happy to answer them.
Edit: We no longer use Vinegar and Dawn to strip our diapers. For quite some time we have been battling yeast diaper rashes and after hours of research I learned that Vinegar can actually help grow the yeast. Sort of like making bread if you will. Currently to strip our diapers and kill any excess bacteria we are doing the following:
1. Rinse your diapers to get the stinkies washed out a little
2. Do a regular wash with no soap
3. Rinse the diapers three times
4. Add five drops of Tea Tree Oil and wash your diapers on regular
5. Rinse diapers
Optional Step (if you have yeast in the diaper, this is a must): Add five drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract
Optional Step: Rinse diapers
6.Wash diapers with Cloth Diaper detergent
7. Rinse Diapers
8. Switch to dryer on HIGH or sun dry
If you still have yeast in the diapers you may need to repeat this procedure two-three times before putting your child back in them. Make sure that you do this to all of your diapers otherwise it will defeat the purpose. I only had to do this one time to kill all of the yeast in our diapers. Every three washes I treat the diapers by rinsing them, adding tea tree oil, rinse, wash with CD soap, rinse, dryer. Every five washes I substitution the tea tree oil for the grapefruit seed extract.
Tea tree oil is a natural antifungal and antibacterial treatment that is cloth diaper safe. This will kill any yeast that is on your diaper. Grapefruit Seed Extract is the only natural way to kill yeast SPORES. If you do not kill the spores your yeast will keep coming back.