Blossom Pads Giveaway Winner!

A winner has been chosen. CONGRATULATIONS to entry #10 - Becky!

Becky has been contacted and she has responded. A BIG thank you to Blossom Pads for this awesome giveaway. And a big thank you to my readers who took the time to enter!

Didn't win this time?? It's ok - I still have some giveaways up and another one will be posted in the coming weeks!

Much love

xoxox

Road Trip

C and I decided to take a little vacation to see my parents. I have not seen my dad since December so I was itching to go up! I was so bummed when he called on Saturday to tell me that the roads were not that great ie: compact snow on the ground, slippery sections and heavy snow fall warnings. I cried the whole morning while getting ready for work.

The roads were not that bad. There was some icy sections and a lot of snow on the side of the road - we even went through a small avalanche SCARY! but it wasn't too bad.

We made it there in one piece and J was so excited to see his Grandma and Grandpa. It was SO freaking cold though. It got down to 16 below, and i must say, being a city girl - I was freezing my bum off!

We had a very relaxing time. J also got to see his Baba and Guido (Great Grandparents) which is always nice. They got him a new fire truck for his birthday and he just loved it!

I also got to visit with a friend I have not seen in almost a decade. Now that was crazy awesome. The last time I saw her I was I believe 16 - no boyfriend and no children. But it was nice to catch up.

Like I said, we had a relaxing time. I got to see my parents and J got to do something different. I love our road trips. J is such a great little traveller.

So that was out mini vacation to see my mom and dad. I can't wait to be able to go up again!

Much love

xoxo

 

Wordless Wednesday

We went to visit my parents up north. J had SO much fun playing in the snow. He didn't want to come in!



Much love
xoxo

Rockin' Green Femme Rock Review & {Giveaway} CAN/US

If you are a cloth diapering family, you may use or have used Rockin' Green detergent. I know we have!

I was very excited to be able to test out their new Femme Rock detergent with my mama cloth.

What is Femme Rock?

Cloth menstrual pads never looked so cool! This enzyme based detergent is designed to work on the toughest of stains while keeping your reusable cloth pads looking like new. This 16 oz bag will last you for several cycles, making it a great value! Phosphate Free – Scent Free – SLS Free

Rockin' Green is a trusted brand. We used it for a long time (shipping is high and it's hard to find it in stores near us) So their Femme Rock has to be good right?? Well I can say it didn't disappoint.

Now I didn't really know what to expect. How much of a difference could the Femme Rock be compared to my plain old Nellies? And to be perfectly honest- I didn't see much of a difference in the appearance of my cloth pads, after a wash.

BUT - I can say that when I rocked a soak with the Femme Rock and then washed again -Now there was a difference! I always rinse my mama cloth before it goes into the wet bag, so when it came time to wash I put them all in the washer (I wash separately from my other clothes) and did a hot wash BUT let them soak for a bit. Once the wash was done - there were no stains. They smelled fresh and looked brand new. I was very impressed.

Femme Rock comes in 16oz bags - which doesn't seem like a lot but when you really think about it - you will only use a few tablespoons a month - so it's going to last through quite a few cycles. The price isn't bad either... $11.95/16oz bag. Not to shabby!

Overall - I think Femme Rock would be an essential to any mama cloth user. It's gets out the stains, and makes everything fresh. Defiantly a must have.

If you want to purchase your own bag head on over to the Rockin' Green Website.

Wanna win a free 16oz bag of Femme Rock? Follow the Rafflecopter link below.

Thank you Rockin' Green for allowing me to review yet another wonderful product!

Bee All Natural - Diaper Rash Salve Lavender {Review}

I was given the opporuntiy to review Bee All Natural's Lavender Diaper Rash Salve. It's an organic bum bum cream that seems to work, super fast!

What's in it?

Organic Shea Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Calendula Flower Powder, Organic Chamomile Powder, Organic Plantain Leaf Powder, Tamanu Oil, Vitamin E & Organic Lavender Essential Oil.

I really love the fact that it's all organic, and natural. There's nothing better than an all natural product - it being organic is an added  bonus!

About Bee All Natural:

The Beginning...
Bee All Natural was founded in 2009 when I couldn't find the quality skincare products I was searching for. Tired of buying "natural" products that were petroleum based and filled with perfumes, I set-out to develop my own skincare that would be safe for every member of my family.

The daughter of an organic dairy farmer (www.thomasorganiccreamery.com) I already believed in the connection between diet and health. I wanted the products I chose for my family's skincare to reflect the same quality and goodness as those that I chose for their nutrition.

Working independently, I researched, tested and developed each of my products from start to completion. The ingredients are certified organic and are all "food grade" quality. I make each product from scratch and never use pre-made bases. Packaging each batch myself, I even design and print my own labels and carry each order to the post office or retail location!

I am proud of Bee All Natural and stand behind my products 100%. I won't sell a product that I don't use and believe in myself. If I can't make a product great, I just won't make it.

A Michigan native, I am a regular at the Royal Oak farmer's market where I sell dairy products at my father's booth. I live in Shelby Twp., Michigan with my husband Dave, son Trevor and step-daughter Isabel.

The review:

The salve come in a tube - which I like. It's easy to put into the diaper bag and there is no chance of it leaking all over the place. You get quite a bit for the price - 3 oz for $11.25 USD. Remember...it's organic! And right now they have a coupon code for their Facebook fans! Spend $30 and received $10 off... code: FACEBOOK

At first I wasn't too keen on the smell, but as I continued to use it, it grew on me. It's light on scent which I think is important. I dont want to slap on a perfumed infused diaper cream.' It glides on nicely and doesn't really leave a sticky/oily feeling.

I was a little nervous about trying this out as J has had reactions to coconut oil. But nope - he has not had any adverse reaction it it at all. I've been using it at night and he is a heavy and I mean a HEAVY wetter - and he wakes up and his little tush is free and clear of any rashes.

Note: I was told to use a diaper liner with this slave - I have been using fleece ones and no issues.

My overall review:

Bee All Natural Diaper Salve in Lavender is a wonderful product. It does what it should do - clears up diaper rash and keeps it at bay.

I went to their site (Which I have to say is really pretty - just saying) to see what shipping would be to Canada but it doesn't give an option. ...:::UPDATE:::.. Rachel has informed me that she does indeed ship to Canada! It's just not up on the site yet. If you are interested, please email her! So I'm a little sad that they do not ship to us. BUT if you are in the US - this is a great cream to try. I would recommend this to any new parent to try out. Or if you are just looking for an all natural organic product.

Now Bee All Natural doesn't just sell Bum creams (hehe) they have a lot of other products as well. They have Hand and Foot Salves, Lip Balms and even gift sets. So go and take a look. They have something for you!

Much love
xoxo

Wordless Wednesday - A Rainbow

David's Tea - Countess of Seville {Review}

For Christmas, C's Nana gave me a David's Tea giftcard. I was SO happy to receive this as I am a tea junkie. I love tea. All kinds of tea!

Lucky me, there is a David's Tea in the mall where I work. So one day before I had to go in, I went and spent it all. Yup - it was burning a hole in my pocket as my dad would say.

I purchased a little single cup teapot (in teal) as well as 2 - 100g tins of tea AND an additional 50g bag of tea.

The first 100g tin I bought is called 'Countess of Seville' and it is DEVINE!

Ingredients:

Organic: green tea, orange peel, cornflowers. With orange oil & bergamot oil.



"Did Earl Grey really woo the Countess if Seville with this sweet, romantic, green-tea-and-orange version of the original tea?"



The tea leaves are 'bundled' up, as I like to say. Because once you add your hot water to these - they open up! I was shocked to see what they looked like after they had time to steep!

While dry, the scent is AMAZING! The orange peel really comes through - as well as the bergamot oil. (I love bergamot!)

It says to use a 1 1/2 tsp. (Which I do) and let it steep for 3-4 minutes. Sometimes I forget that I'm making tea and it sits for 10. Either way it's delicious! The coloring of the drink itself is a light 'yellow' - it doesn't get 'dark'

It's light and flavourful yet still has the "Earl Grey" smelly/taste (if that makes any sense) - I sometimes use some organic honey to sweeten but not usually. It's great on it's great on its own. I'll have a cup in the morning and sometimes one before bed.

If you love green tea, I would defiantly recommend this. It's light, flavourful and refreshing!

Much love

xoxo

Nature's Natural Solutions Review & {Giveaway}

During the cold winter months, my hands get so dry. I am very anal about washing my hands. I probably wash them 15 or 20 times day which makes them dry and cracked. I have tried a lot of lotions, and they have either been too greasy, too smelly or they just don't cut it. So I went on a hunt for something more natural. My father in law swears that goats milk is the way to go for ultimate moisturization (is that a word??) So I typed into Google's search box "Natural goat milk lotion" and up popped Nature's Natural Solutions.  

A little but about Nature's Natural Solutions:

Nature's Natural Solutions is dedicated to bringing you the most healthy, natural and soothing goat milk skin care product's possible.

We specialize in skin care products made with FRESH goat's milk and cater to people with sensitive skin and skin problem's but of course our product's can be used by anyone.

Goat Milk is fast becoming one of the most sought after bodycare products world wide and with good reason!

Goat Milk is easily absorbed by the skin, bringing with it moisture, restorative proteins, vitamins and minerals that help keep your skin soft, supple and healthy the way nature intended.

I contacted NNS to see if I could review one of their products. They agreed! I was sent a 2oz bottle of their best selling Orange and Honey Goats Milk body lotion. As well as a Corrective Lip Balm in sensitive.

Corrective Lip Balm:

"Our "Corrective Lip Conditioner" was designed to be used with the
most sensitive* and driest lips in mind. Capable of correcting and
restoring the correct moisture balance and leaving your lips soft, supple and smooth.

Ultra creamy, buttery and smooth. Glides on and stays on! Not oily like
so many others and contains no harsh chemicals.

Ok so, I have tried a lot and I mean A LOT of different lip balms. I have so many lying around the house that never get used because they are too tacky, or oily. This balm is different from the rest. I was OH so lucky to get sick, and one way I know I am getting sick is my lips get dry and crack or peel. I started using NNS' corrective lip balm at night and when I would wake up in the morning my lips felt soft and supple.

There is no scent to the sensitive balm which I like. I'm not big on scent. I did find at the beginning that when i applied the balm, I had to slightly tug a bit and put some pressure to the stick in order to apply it. But after a few applications it glided on smoothly. It doesn't leave your lips feeling caked with product. 

I am happy to say that my lips are not peeling anymore and I keep this balm on my night table for when I go to bed! 

Goat Milk Hand and Body Lotion: 

''6 years in the making our lotion is our best selling product. Very concentrated and will leave a soft silky feel to your skin. Bursting with skin nourishing unrefined natural butters
along with some of the best oils nature has to provide like Jojoba, Sunflower and Avocado. Also enriched with some of natures best conditioning agents and anti-inflammatories to leave your skin feeling moisturized, soft and healthy.''

I can see why this is their best selling product. It is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!  NNS' Goat Milk Lotion is concentrated, so a little goes a long way! Like I said before I get really dry skin in the winter months and it's not just my hands. My elbows get dry too. I kept my bottle of Goat Milk lotion in my purse while at work and always put it by my bed at night. I use it all the time! I am going to have to get another bottle.

The scent is divine!! Orange Honey. Mmmm mm good. While it is scented, it's not overly scented. I don't feel like everyone around me can smell my hand lotion.

After a couple of weeks of using it regularly, my knuckles are soft, my elbows are not dry and my hands are so smooth. I've even used it on my face when my cheeks get dry. (Plus J really loves it)

This is by far the best Goat Milk Lotion I have ever tried. I love that it's a Canadian made product (Made in Nova Scotia) plus it's natural.

If you are looking for a Natural Goat Milk lotion, THIS is for you!!!!

Nature's Natural Solution's doesn't just make lotion and lip balm. They have a HUGE selection of goat's milk products. From Soap, to facial scrub and even an Air and Linen Refresher spray.

If you would like to purchase your own NNS products head on over to their website. There has to be something there for you! Or you can try your luck! Follow the Rafflecopter link below!

MomsCrafts4U - Mama Cloth {Review}

On to my second brand of Mama Cloth.

While snooping around on Etsy one day, I decided to type in 'Mama Cloth' to see what would pop up. I wanted to see some WAHM Mama Cloth. Boy am I glad I did!!

I stumbled upon MomsCrafts4U - A Canadian WAHM who makes some GORGEOUS looking Mama Cloth. She has some funky prints and I just HAD to try them out!

Veronica was on bored for a review, and I was thrilled to be able to test these babies out.

A little bit about MomsCrafts4U:

I am a Work-At-Home Mother of 2 & wanted a way to turn my hobby into something more, so MOMS CRAFTS 4 U is my store.

I have been a crafter for a good many years, so you can be rest assured that all of my items are QUALITY items. If you have any problems and/or questions, please contact me at momscrafts4u [!at] hotmail.com

I love to Sew, Craft and stitch to help support my family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was sent 2 - 8" pads in these beautiful prints. My first thought was "How pretty are these?" I showed my MIL and she agreed. I showed my sister... her response "Wow! I wouldn't want to ruin them!"

Such a pretty print. Reminds me of spring.

These pads are made of multiple layers of cotton and have a zorb inner and they are backed with fleece. They also snap with poly-resin snaps. The cotton top is very soft as is the fleece backing. These are super trim but are very absorbent!

I wore these on the 3 day of my cycle and they held up beautifully. I was not scared to go out of the house nor afraid of leaks. The fleece and snaps kept them in place. I could barely tell I was wearing them, since they are so trim.

Backed with super soft fleece.

 When it came to wash time, I rinsed in cold and then washed in warm and they came out like new. No stains or anything. They came out perfect.

A great feature of these pads is the number system. Veronica has made it very easy to identify the absorbency for your mama cloth.

"1" - Liner Thickness (Flannel inner layer)
"2" - Regular Thickness (ZORB inner layer)
"3" - Heavy Thickness (ZORB & PUL Inner layer)
"O" - Organic Inner Layer

How great is that??

Overall these pads were my go to after the first couple of days of my cycle. I bet the 10" heavy would be awesome for overnight use!

Veronica's prices are also great. An ultra thin liner goes for about $4.50 USD and her Postpartum/Heavy pads are $11.50 USD. Most of her 8" pads are between $6.50 and $7.50 which is pretty darn good. They come in a variety of prints and fabrics plus if you want, you can create your own customize pads. ie absorbency, print etc. All you have to do is contact her!

I highly recommend these to anyone looking for a wonderful handmade Mama Cloth. I love supporting a fellow Canadian!

Thank you Veronica for introducing me to your wonderful products!

Much love
xoxo



Please note, I was sent samples of the above mentioned product for review purposes only. All opinions are strictly my own and may differ from others. No monetary compensation was exchanged. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

Wordless Wednesday

6 months, 9 months, 25 months.



Much love
xoxox

Green Bumkin Snack Bag {Review}

A while back I won a $20.00 gift card to Green Bumkin's Etsy shop! I knew what I was going to spend it on! While Amy makes some awesome looking cloth diapers, I knew that I wanted to add to my cloth snack bag collection.

We have ditched the standard Ziplock plastic bags and have opted for cloth ones. While I still have some in the house (I use them for C to take to work) I use our cloth ones all the time!

I prefer the zippered bags over the Velcro ones ONLY because I feel they have a more secure closure. But I do have a Velcro set from another company and use them just as often.


Only 2 of the 4 bags I received. The others are in the wash


Why I like Green Bumkin:

Amy has a variety of fabric selections and she coordinates the zippers to the fabric (I love that)

She is CANADIAN!! Woo hoo for supporting a WAHM - who is Canadian (like me!)

Quality! The snack bags are made very very well. I've been using them for about a month and even after multiple washes they still look new and there are no loose threads or anything like that.

My only 'con' is the small snack bag is kinda small. If it was a tiny bit bigger it would be perfect BUT that's just me.

I use my snack bags everyday. I get compliments all the time, but I do get odd looks too... Don't ask why!

They wash well, dry fast and are great for lunches or to pack a snack in the diaper bag. I have put cheese in them, crackers, grapes etc. I even use one of the smaller snack bags as my wallet!

I really love these. They have saved us money already. Another small step towards a Greener Living!

If you would like to purchase your own Green Bumkin snack bags head on over to here Etsy store.

You can order a sandwich sized bag and a snack bag for around $12.00 CAN (Plus shipping) and you get to choose your fabrics. Great deal if you ask me!

Be sure to LIKE Amy on Facebook to get a 10% off coupon!

Much love
xoxo
 
Please note that I won a gift certificate and used that to do this review. No monetary compensation was offered or taken. All opinions are strictly my own and may differ from others. Please if you have any questions or concerns email me. Prices are subject to change at anytime.

A Work of Art

I just wanted to share a so called 'doodle' from C. Isn't it great?? He's started his own Tumblr account and is posting a doodle a day. I should add that he is reusing paper from his schooling. Hehe on the back of this picture, it's talking about water softening.!

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/bigdaddydunks

Much love
xoxo

Blossom Pads Review {Giveaway}

When I finally decided to take the plunge into mama cloth, I started to search out different brands. I was told by others to try out a few different brands and fabrics. The first 'brand' I stumbled upon was Blossom Pads.

About Blossom Pads:

I’m Charlene, full time work at home mom of six. What started out as sewing some cloth diapers for my children led me to opening up my first shop, Bellies, Babies ‘n More, offering diapers, wipes, diaper covers and other natural family products. After a while, I decided to focus on cloth menstrual pads (mama cloth) and have not looked back. I love combining beautiful fabrics to make a product that women will find pretty, comfortable, absorbent and often fun (you can’t find polka dotted pads at the grocery store, right ) We are always working on new products to offer the eco-conscious family, so check back often or join us on Facebook for regular updates.

I sent an email to Charlene to see if she would be down to team up for a review. I didn't hear back right away because she's that busy!! So I purchased an Intro to Cloth kit as well as another 8" pad and was very happy with my first Mama Cloth purchase. The next day Charlene got back to me and said she would LOVE for me to do a review. She said she would put in a couple of extra pads for me to test and review. Plus she said I could also give away an Intro to Cloth kit to one of my lucky readers!

On to the review!

Here is what I received in my package from Blossom Pads:

Review Samples

So the Intro to Cloth kit includes 1- 10" Cotton flannel pad, 1-8" Velour Pad and a Micro Velour liner. All for $10.00 plus shipping.. yes that's right $10.00 plus shipping!! I also revived another 10" Cotton Flannel Pad and an 8" Velour liner. My first thought...OH BOY! I cannot wait for Aunt Flo!

Intro to Cloth Kit

Well lucky me, she came! (If you are new to the blog - we had a miscarriage last month so this was AWESOME news!)

They seem very soft and the fact that they snap around your undies made me feel a bit better knowing they were not going to slip all over the place. HUGE fear! Having an oopsi! hehe. Plus they are so darn pretty. All are backed with Anit-Pill fleece for a breathable, moisture resistant layer.

I thought I wouldn't be able to use Mama Cloth exclusively the first time just because I thought I didn't have enough...but since I washed every night I did!

At first it felt a little odd to me. Being a tampon gal, but after about 30 minutes I got used to it. And I will agree with others and say they are very soft and comfortable to wear now. No crinkly,crunch crunch like the sposie pads. They are trim for a cloth pad. Not the trimmest in my opinion but still trim enough.

They were very absorbent. I was for sure thinking I would have at least one leak.. maybe a mishap but nope. Not one single leak. Charlene has a great feature to her pads. On the white snap it has a letter, L, M , or S. Light, Moderate/Regular and Super. Brilliant!!

I was also afraid of stains. Now I know, what you are all thinking "Uhm, well it is a pad. They are going to get stained" Yes I know this. It's like J's diapers. Inevitably they will stain but I will try my darnedest to keep em stain free. With that being said, once I changed to a new one I would rinse in cold water then toss into my small wet bag. I also bought a stain stick remover (I will review this as well) and it seemed to take the stain right out!

Like I said before I washed every night, so I would have clean pads in the morning. I just tossed in with my towels and VOILA they came out looking brand new!

I used the 8" pads during the day. I had them made with a moderate absorbency. And for nighttime I used the 10" pads which has a super absorbency. Again no leaks and I felt very protected at night. I also got to use the liners as well and I must say, SO much better than the disposable panty liners. So soft and you can't even feel them! I really loved the feeling of the Velour. So soft and gentle.

I have to give a big THUMBS UP to Blossom Pads. I think my first Mama Cloth experience went off without a hitch. I am forever converted!

If you would like to purchase your own Intro to Cloth kit or any other pads from Blossom Pads follow the link here . You can choose from a variety of fabrics and choose your absorbency as well. Be sure to use code "EMA" for 10% off your first purchase of $15.00!!

Or you can try to win an Intro to Cloth set! Just follow the Rafflecopter link below!

Just a random post

I just thought it was funny. J was looking out the window today for a good 20 minutes. He was talking to what I thought was himself. I could tell he was getting sleepy so I put him down for a nap. I then came back out to the living room to read a couple of chapters of my book and I looked over and saw one of his Dinosaurs standing on the sill looking out the window. "Ahh" I said to myself  "He was talking to him!"

It put a smile on my face.



Much love
xoxo

Wordless Wednesday

My little sickie

Sneezes, sniffles and germs OH MY!

I was wondering when the cold season was going to hit our family. Alas, it has arrived!

C woke up last week sneezing and coughing - but it seemed to go away just a few days after. Then it hit him again full force. Fever, runny nose, coughing etc etc. It was only a matter or time till J caught it and myself as well.

I woke up this morning with a slightly sore throat - I don't feel ill, but it usually takes me a few days before I'm down right sick. J on the other hand has a runny nose - and it won't stop! He sounds hoarse but isn't coughing. His temperature has slightly risen but I don't think he needs any Tylenol or anything. Then there is the sneezing. The poor boy is constantly sneezing.

I know he isn't feeling well because the first thing he did this morning was walked out of his bedroom to the couch, grabbed him pillow and blankie and sat himself there. Then rather than milk he asked for OJ.
This is the second time J has been sick in his life. The last time he got a swollen tear duct (yay for breastmilk - I cleared that up right quick!) so if it happens again..YAY for breastmilk. He gets super cuddly, which is fine by me - I don't mind extra snuggles.

I hate being sick - but i hate it even more when I see J sick. Breaks my heart.

Have a great week!

Much love
xoxo

On Hold

...:::UPDATE:::... I changed my mind! I've already started it! I will continue to post reviews and giveaways,

Just a quick update before I run off to bed.


I have put the Blog Event on hold until further notice. I may even just start some reviews and giveaways and go from there. Since a lot of the products are coming from the states, the shipping time has made it difficult to put this all together. I need adequate time to review these items and do not want to rush them. So with that being said, I will still have the event - it just wont be in 2 weeks!


Sorry guys and gals! Don't worry, I will still be hosting some great reviews and giveaway.

Much love
xoxo

Smile

I just had to share this picture of J. We've had a few days of sun here... which is awesome cause we get to go outside to play! I just love the expression on his face!

My sweet boy.

Happy Sunday

Much love

xoxo

A look back

James throughout his years... 

6 months

13 months



2 years


We got our Family Photos back! They turned out so well! I am so pleased with what Miss J captured!

Much love
xoxo





Test

Makeover..AGAIN!

Yup that's right. I am getting a complete blog makeover..again! I have asked Stacy from Vampire Craftin to create a new look and she was on board again! She does such amazing work. I cannot wait to see the end result! Let me know what you think and if you are in need of a makeover head on over and see what she can do for you!!

p.s. If you click on the blog button for her it will take you where you need to be!

Much love
xoxo

New Blog!

Do not fret, I will still have this blog as it's my other baby, but I have started a new Book review blog.

I wanted a place to write about the books I am reading. Some of them are not 'family friendly' so rather than getting nasty emails from others (which has not happened but..), this will keep everyone happy.

I will post links to reviews in my Books of 2012 page so you have easy access to them if you would like to read them.

A Mum and her Books - Here is the new link: http://amumandherbooks.blogspot.com/

Happy Friday!

Much love
xoxo

 

Wordless Wednesday - Two peas in a pod

Happy Wednesday!

Much love
xoxo