Mommy's Favorite Things: March 2011



Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Little Bug Market Review & Giveaway*CLOSED*



Avery has never really been a toy player. She would rather just observe people and what they're doing. There are VERY few toys we find that she actually plays with. Her favorites? Schleich animals, HotWheels (or any wheels for that matter, she loves cars), Her MobiGo, Blocks and Little Bug Market felt cookies. 

She loves the cookie set we received for review. She plays with it every day. I guess sometimes the most simple toys keep a child busy.
They come in a cute tin with a spatula.
 Of course I saved the cute ribbon to make some Bows with!!
 6 different cookies. 2 of each color. The centers are different colors too, so none are the same.

These are the Pink Flower Tea Party Sugar Cookies.

I think they are just precious. So simple yet so perfect. Avery plays with them daily. She constantly puts them in her tin and uses the spatula to try and take them out again. She lines them up and tries to match them, she even asks to use a cookie tray and we pretend to cook and eat them. 

It's the little things in life right?

They are made of very nice felt, They're sewn nicely together and I see them lasting a long while.

Little Bug market has lots to choose from. 
Price: Pancakes above there are $12. 2 pancakes, 2 blueberries, 2 banana slices, 2 syrup and a dollop of whip cream. I think it's worth it! A set of 6 cookies like I received is $12-$14.So I think they're very reasonable. Easter is coming up too and I think those pastel's above would make a GREAT gift!!

Overall: *****

GIVEAWAYLittle Bug Market has offered one Mommy Of 1 and Counting reader the chance to win the Same Set I reviewed. So the Pink Flower Tea Party Sugar Cookies.
GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF THE U.S. ONLY


Monday, March 28, 2011

Avery



I have no idea what to do with her anymore...

Her door is weird and funky and when you close it and it locks in place it's there for good. It takes a lot to get it open. So Avery can't open it. I don't trust her with her door open at night because she's very destructive. She'll eat all the candy in the house, she'll color with permanent markers etc. So the door must be closed.

I've been putting her little potty in her room for her nap and bed. Well she dumps her pee on the floor every single nap and every single morning. I know she can hold it all night and she does. She only pees in the morning.

I've been giving her a time out every time, but obviously it's not working (this has been going on for over a week now). So I've decided to take out the little potty. At nap she'll be fine, but I don't know about at night. I don't want her getting an infection of course, but I'm sure she'll be okay.
And let's face it, I'm doing as much clean up now as I would if she wet her pants. So...

I think I'll do it this way for a couple days and then put the potty back in. As bad as it sounds, maybe it will teach her a lesson.
I wish we had a baby gate... I would put it in the hall way, and put a lock on the playroom and closet doors. So she could only go in the bathroom, of course she plays with things in there too.

I just don't get it. She's almost 4, big enough to know better. She plays with the toilet gel disc in the toilet, she plays with shampoos when she's supposed to be going potty, she dumps her pee on the floor. I mean come on... Enough is enough. She is very destructive and that's why I don't trust her out at night. I'm at my wits end. Tired of her doing these things EVERY SINGLE DAY (twice a day even) It's wearing me down.

I'm starting to get angry too. She's not listening to me, and because of the possible Asperger's going on she never has an explanation for me. When I ask her why she did something she says "I don't know why" she literally has no answer for me. I never yell, I hate yelling, but this last week I have been. It's hurting her, but she doesn't answer me and we're all confused. But I don't know what else to do.

Her room is starting to stink. The house is starting to smell like pee because of this. I seriously am LOST I have no clue what to do... Someone PLEASE help me!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Miracle Tea Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



By now most of you know I'm an avid tea drinker. I drink it morning, noon and night. I drink all kinds of tea, any flavor I will try. I L.O.V.E. TEA!!! 

I was sent 3 lovely samples from Miracle Tea and LOVED what I received. 
I hardly ever try a tea that I don't like and these were no exception. 

I received a White Clouds  flavor Green Tea, Flowery Romance herbal blend and lastly a Mad Watermelon fruit tea. 

I do not have a permanent tea filter. I NEED one though dang it. 
I opened up the watermelon. It was PURE fruit in there. AMAZING!! So I stuck a teaspoon full in some water and it worked. Once it was done steeping I used the teaspoon and dug out the fruit. It worked really well, there were no little pieces so it got all of them. I didn't lose any tea by trying to pull out the pieces and I was pleasantly happy. 

I had never tried a watermelon tea before, but I was very surprised by how much I really liked it!! It was so smooth, tasted just like watermelon and was delicious! It has Honeydew, Carrot, Apple, Strawberry, Flavoring and Beet Root in it. The funny thing, there is no Watermelon in here at all. I think the Honeydew Melon mixed with Strawberries tastes like watermelon though. Interesting!

As for the White Clouds and Flowery Romance, my method above didn't work. The pieces were too tiny. So until I get a sachet I can't drink them!! They smell wonderful though. 

The Flowery Romance has Lots of real flower blossoms along with Apple, Orange and mango as well. So it smells really sweet. Although I'm afraid to drink flowers. I'm sure they're all 'edible'
The White Clouds is Rose Petals, Papaya, Pineapple and Strawberry. YUMMY But I'm allergic to pineapple!! 

But again, it smells delicious and I'm sure it would be DIVINE as well. 

They have so many different kinds of tea to choose from!! You can get black tea, green tea, herbal blends, Fruit, oolong, Mate and Rooibos. With LOTS of flavors within those categories.

Price: 1.7oz, which I received are $4.50 each and 3.5oz are $7.50 each. These are a little bit pricey, but I think they're so worth it. 

Overall: ***** YUMMY

GIVEAWAYMiracle Tea has offered one Mommy Of 1 and Counting reader the chance to win the Same 3 items I received!! So you get the White Clouds, Flowery Romance and Mad Watermelon teas!!



Saturday, March 26, 2011

Pure Review & Giveaway*CLOSED*



Sometimes just a little snack is all you need. Sometimes it's nice to open the cabinet and see something small to grab. Take it with you to work in the morning, eat it as a snack, put in your purse for later, workout bag for the gym. However you choose to eat your snacks Pure is there for you!!

They have these great little bars that are HEALTHY for you. It's better than grabbing a handful (or 2 or 3) of chips. And it's quick. No need for the blender to make a smoothie, or a knife to cut and peel an orange. It's ready to go in it's own convenient package!

I was sent one of each flavor to try out.
Again, rotation issues!!

They're 6 flavors include Chocolate Brownie, Wild Blueberry, Cherry Cashew, Apple Cinnamon, Cranberry Orange and we also received a Trail Mix. 

I first tried the Chocolate Brownie!!! Oh Em Gee! It was delicious. It tasted just like a brownie, but Organic!! Then I tried the Cherry Cashew, I love cashews. My #1 favorite snack is to grab a handful of cashews, they're so good. So of course I also loved the Cherry Cashew. 

Jon came home and had the Trail Mix and he thought it was really good as well. He then took the last 3 to work the next morning (without me knowing... grr) but he said they all really enjoyed them. He had one and shared the other 2 with his boss'. He said they were all good. He tried the Cranberry Orange and said it was good, but definitely not his favorite. But it was still good!!


Score for Pure. They have great snacks (perfect size for a quick snack) and they are Organic. They are also very fairly priced. 

They also have a Naturals line which has some yummy flavors as well. 

Price: The Organics are $2.19 each or $21.99 for 12. I have seen these are low as $1.35 on sale at Meijer

Overall: ***** So good, satisfying and Organic!!! 

GIVEAWAY
Pure has offered one Mommy Of 1 and Counting reader the chance to win One Bar of Each Organic Flavor! So that's 6 bars!


Urban Elk Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



They have some REALLY adorable items over at Urban Elk. They are from Denmark. All of their items are made out of organic cotton. The only other thing in them is 5% spandex on the pants!

I gave them the sizes I needed a 4T and if they wanted to include something in newborn it was welcome.
They sent me a 104 (4T) in Girls Underwear
 The Design
And a 56 (newborn) in L/S Elk Eyelet Bodysuit
 Design
It is so little. You always forget just how little Newborn things are... It's so sweet. 

I would take a picture of Avery in the underwear set, but it's a little skimpy and I'm not comfortable with that. It fits her great!! She can wear it to bed in the summer. It's great as underwear and the cami under a sweater or something. It's really cute and I love it. 

The cami has adjustable straps on it. So it fits great. 

The Onesie is really cute. The Material used around the neck and down the snaps is really soft too. It's a different material, but I can't pin it. 

The Onesie is 100% Organic Cotton and the Underwear is 95% Organic Cotton and 5% spandex. So these are all natural. 

There is LOTS to choose from on Urban Elk. 
In a newborn-3yr

And many other things to choose from. They have woman's underwear, boys underwear, pajamas, dresses, pants and MORE!!! 

Price: The Underwear I got is $37.90USD and the Bodystocking is $37.05. Prices are a little high.

Overall: **** 1/2 a little pricey, but SO worth it. They are Organic Cotton!!! 

GIVEAWAY
Urban Elk has offered one Mommy Of 1 and Counting reader the chance to win 2 L/S Tee Shirts.
You'll get the L/S Big Rhino Tee and the L/S Big Giraffe Tee both in a 98 Which is equivalent to a 3T
And there will be 2 more surprises included :)
GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF THE U.S. ONLY
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Head over to   Urban Elk and let me know your favorite item. Click on Webshop! 


Friday, March 25, 2011

To Homeschool or Not To Homeschool?



I really really wanted to homeschool Avery. We started this past year, but I kind of gave up on it. She was ahead of where she should've been so I figured we'll take a year off and then start pre-k this coming year September 2011.

However, now that I think something may be wrong like Aperger's I really think she might benefit from public school. I would rather send her to private, but I think public might be best in this situation. They would have an on campus Therapist that could help her and she could really benefit from other kids. Lots of other kids and the routine that is offered with public school.

Now just a few months ago Jon and I had a HUGE argument about this. He thought it would be best to send her to public until about 2nd grade. I thought best to homeschool her. Now I'm leaning toward his side and I'm afraid to admit it. A little petty I guess.

I just don't know where I stand currently. At least I know I still have a good year to think about it. Preschool isn't necessary here. So I feel like maybe I can start homeschooling this fall and see how it goes. We would still be in a 'testing' phase if you will. So I still have time, I'm just confused.

As a mother I want what's best for my child, but I'm still not so sure that public school is best.

Jon and I need to really sit down and talk about it and see what our options are. We don't live in the BEST of communities. There are gangs that go to the high school here, but the crime is low. And the elementary here is FANTASTIC!

I'm considering sending her for a few years until we can figure out what she has and how to deal with it better. How to respond to her needs and then we'll decide what's best either home or public. Or maybe even private at that time.

Just torn and confused!!

All Things Baby Blog Bash Spotlight: Cloth By Tel



I know, I know. Avery is out of diapers. This was a thing on Facebook a LONG while back. I signed up to review and give away a Cloth By Tel diaper. Well I got it!! 

So this is my review!! I received a diaper in Light Blue (I think, there are 3 blues all close in color)
 Comes with one Microfiber insert
 Covered Back pocket
 Small setting Folded
 And stretched
 Medium Folded
 And stretched
 Large Folded
 And Stretched
 Small
 Medium
 Large
 There are lots of options for adjustment with the Cloth By Tel Pocket Diaper. 

I wish there were crossover tabs though, that is the one way to really get a OS fit on those newbies!! 

But overall I like the diaper. I washed it 3 times on hot and dried on hot, the insert just got softer. The inside of the diaper is a Micro Fleece so it pilled up a bit, but it got softer as well. 

I tried it on Avery and it fit like a glove on the largest rise setting, but of course we didn't try out the absorbency of the diaper. 

I do like this diaper a lot, it compares quite well with my other pocket diapers, but I love the $8 CAD price tag!!

Yes I said $8 CAD!! That's how much ALL of the Cloth By Tel pockets are right now including the Minkee ones!! Minkee and Pul are all just $8 CAD

Not sure on shipping though. 

There are a TON of colors and patterns to choose from Cow print, Stars, Leopard Print, Zoo animals, Hearts and solid colors too!

Price: $8 CAD!

Overall: ***** I'm sure the absorbency would be great as well, we just didn't get to try it out. 

All Things Baby Blog Bash
Cloth By Tel is giving one Reader the chance to win a Light Pink Diaper

So look for the giveaway in JUNE!!!
 *Disclaimer* I received these products directly from the company for Review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A Big Thank you goes out to Cloth By Tel for allowing me to review this product!


Healthy Options of Days Gone By Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



I love getting to try new hygiene products. They are my favorite to try out. We all know we need them, so why not have fun figuring out what you like?

I was sent a BUNCH of samples to try from Healthy Options of Days Gone By
I was sent 3 full size soaps, 2 sample soaps, Beeswax Lip Balm and a Sugar Scrub!!
In particular the Cup O Joe soap, Hint of the Woods men's soap, Vanilla Comfort soap. Sample soaps including Sweet Southern Green Tea and Hedonistic Desires. Then the Beeswax Lip Balm in Hint O Mint and of course the Raw Sugar Scrub in Vanilla Comfort. 

I was sent lots of goodies to try. The first thing I tried was the Lip Balm. The mint is just perfect, it's all natural with nothing artificial added. It was fantastic. It went on real smooth, it was oily, but not too oily. The smell was great and it really lasted. 

Next thing I tried was the scrub. Now I make my own scrubs, so it was interesting to see how it would stand up to my own. It took the cake!! This scrub was really great. The smell was nice and subtle and it left my skin smooth for 2 days!!

The soaps are all great. Jon has used the Hint of the Woods and he really likes it. Me? I've sampled them all!!! They're all really great. Some of them didn't smell that good when I opened the package, but once used and on the body they smell really great. 

Healthy Options of Days Gone By has some really great products. Besides what I've reviewed here she has a Deet Free Insect Repellent bar soap!! HOW great is that? Skip that extra step and just apply your bug repellent when you shower in the morning.  She also carries Bath Salts, Achy Muscle Salves, Just For Kids Rock Soap, Hand Cream, Diaper Cream, Motion Sickness Salve and I could go On and ON, but check out her shop yourself, you WON'T be disappointed.

Price: Her full size soaps are just $2!! AWESOME. Her Lip Balm is $2. Her sugar scrub is $7. Not bad prices at all. I'm really pleased with the items. 

Overall: ***** They're all natural, so it doesn't get much better than that. 

GIVEAWAYHealthy Options of Days Gone By has offered one Mommy Of 1 and Counting reader the chance to win an Ice Cream Dream Basket which includes 2 lip balms, a sugar scrub and 4 soaps!


ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Head over to Healthy Options of Days Gone By and let me know your favorite item. 
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Giveaway Ends April 2nd at 11:59 PM EST
 *Disclaimer* I received these products directly from the company for Review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A Big Thank you goes out to Healthy Options of Days Gone By for allowing me to review this product!