Mommy's Favorite Things: April 2013



Monday, April 29, 2013

Totally Toddler Sponsor Spotlight- Bummis



I received items from Bummis for the purpose of this review.


I have worked with Bummis before and have used other products of their's and I have had no issues with them at all. So when they contacted me again to try out the new Sun Line I was super excited to give it a try!!

They sent me the clownfish swimmi, an orange UV tee and the clownfish suncap as well!


Thursday, April 25, 2013

Home Farmer and Giveaway




I'm super excited to be working with Home Farmer this year on a garden.

We've been wanting to grow a garden for a long time, but by the time we think about it, it's way too late. This year we got a good head start though and I can't wait to see what the year brings us produce wise.
I was very lucky to be sponsored an entire garden by Home Farmer though. They sent me a TON of seed packets to get my garden started.


Sunday, April 21, 2013

WoodSnap Photos on Wood! Giveaway




I have never in my life seen anything so cool before! WoodSnap is one of those totally unique companies that everyone wish they had at least one of. They take your photos and print them onto wood and then you can hang them up in your house. There's no need for a frame and it hangs SUPER easily!! 

We received an 11x14 for review!
I chose a wedding photo to go on ours. 
It came with a coupon for 25% off and free shipping and a hanging kit.


Friday, April 19, 2013

Relaxed Paleo Diet



Dr. Oz will be discussing the Paleo diet on his show on Monday April 22nd!

That's what I'm calling it anyway :)

Have you heard of the Paleo Diet? It is the way our Paleolithic friends ate back in the day. They ate lean meats, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats. No grains or carbs were eaten back then. No corn, no beans, no peanuts/peanut butter. No rice, bread or potatoes.

I have adapted this way of eating. I was really good for 3 weeks straight. I wasn't stressing over added sugar and salts in food (like condiments), but was doing really good about eating this way and only had a couple cheats along the way (and it didn't even really taste that good). But after 3 weeks I wanted nothing more than a burger. I know it wasn't the meat I was craving since I'd been eating plenty of that, it was the bread. So we had Red Robin for dinner and I had a burger with fries. I ALMOST ordered the burger wrapped in lettuce instead, but knew I wanted that bread.

After that I decided I was going to give in when I wanted something, not to stress over cutting it all out cold turkey and go from there. It's now been 3 weeks of eating paleo and 1 week of relaxed paleo and I'm finally feeling better.

When I was 100% paleo I was hungry, had a lot of headaches and felt very tired. I was feeling worse as opposed to feeling better so I'm going to allow myself these 'cheats' (although I won't be calling them that) and I am feeling better now that I've added a FEW carbs back into my life.
I'm not super strict about it, but I've found that I'm reaching for healthier options anyway, but knowing that I CAN have something any time I want makes this less stressful and more relaxed.

So I'm eating the relaxed paleo diet!!
I have 2 Pinterest Boards dedicated to Paleo (here and here) and have made a few things off them already and they are TASTY!!

Have you considered going paleo and cutting out carbs?

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Snugg Review & Giveaway



Right after my husband had gone out and purchased an iPad Mini I was contacted by The Snugg to write a review. It was very convenient timing and worked out just perfectly. 

We received the iPad Mini case in Orange. 


The Fairy Hobmother



Have you ever heard of The Fairy Hobmother?
You're already familiar with the Tooth Fairy and in fact Fairy Godmother is a name that is thrown around quite a bit as well, but in bloggyland the Fairy Hobmother is just as famous.

The Fairy Hobmother bounces around from blog to blog spreading light and joy in the form of Amazon Gift Cards! This guy is seriously amazing!! He likes to spread joy and also that you pay his fairy overlords a visit as well. He doesn't ask anything but that in return. 

His email appearing in my inbox this morning was amazing!! I love that I've been visited by him and that he is spreading joy. He made my ENTIRE day!!!

I'm giving YOU the chance to get a surprise visit from The Fairy Hobmother as well!!! If you're a blogger leave a comment below with your blog link and he JUST MIGHT visit you and give you a gift card too!!! 
Share this post for more visits on this post please!
Thank you Fairy Hobmother!

*Disclosure. The Fairy Hobmother sponsored this post in the form of a gift card, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thanks to the Fairy Hobmother for this opportunity.


Sunday, April 14, 2013

Gearing Up for Baby Grand Prize Sponsor Spotlight- HALO SleepSack





If you've been reading here for a while, you'll know that HALO is definitely one of my favorite brands out there. I've reviewed with them many times and I've used every single product they've ever sent me and they are just a wonderful company to work with and have a relationship with. I just love HALO and will recommend them to just about anyone with little ones. 

This time around I saw they're new Spring SleepSacks and had to have one. They have so many adorable new colors/prints for Spring and they're just lovely. There was a bit of mis communication and they sent me a grey elephant as opposed to the colorful one I had wanted.
We got the Large


Saturday, April 13, 2013

Gearing Up for Baby Sponsor Spotlight- Gaia's Treasures




This is the last spotlight for a giveaway that will be directly on Mommy's Favorite Things! I have one more to write for the Grand Prize though!!!

I was super excited to work with Gaia's Treasures for this giveaway. I received one of her brand new AIO's for this purpose. I did pay a tester fee to receive this diaper though! We got the sock monkeys print!
 Smallest size


Friday, April 12, 2013

Gearing Up for Baby Sponsor Spotlight- Umi Shoes




You all know my obsession with Umi Shoes by now. I receive a pair each season for one of my children and we use these shoes until they no longer fit. They are wonderful quality and last us a long time!

This time around I received a pair for Avery. First I chose these for Emerson in a 21, but they were WAY too big
They were out of the size we needed, so instead they sent us the Tala for Avery


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Review of the Sandusky Great Wolf Lodge



As a family we have never taken a vacation. Jon and I have taken a couple and he has taken 1 without us. But as a full family we haven't. When Avery was about 2.5 we took a weekend getaway in a town about 20 miles from here, but that was as far as vacation went besides going up to my grandma's house.

We had been wanting to take a trip to Great Wolf Lodge for quite some time. It's somewhere that is fun for kids and a nice little getaway for us adults. 

So I contacted Great Wolf Lodge and I was elated when they said that they would be willing to give us a Media Rate to stay at one of their resorts. It was going to be one night, but since our nearest Great Wolf Lodge is almost 3 hours away I wanted to stay 2 nights and they gave me a deal on the second night as well. 

Without Further Ado!!


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Gearing Up for Baby Sponsor Spotlight- Moraki Cloth




Another wonderful cloth diaper company for our second sponsor spotlight. This time it's from the wonderful Moraki. They carry AIO diapers and also AI2/Pocket diapers. And then they sell inserts separate. 

I received their Hippie diaper (tie dye) and 3 different sized inserts to try out!


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Gearing Up For Baby Sponsor Spotlight- Urban Bums






This review has been a long time coming, which in a way is good because I've had a chance to try out the items for a long time now. 

Urban Bums Boutique is a lovely shop that specializes in cloth diapers. She makes Hybrid Fitted diapers which are so amazing. 
Let me show you
She sent me 2 diapers. One of which is a 'second', but really it's just as great as the 'first'
This is the first diaper. A lovely ice giraffes on cotton velour


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Vacation!



Our first vacation as a family of 4. (Besides my grandma's house)
We're going to Great Wolf Lodge.

We're leaving tomorrow and then will be back Sunday. It's the perfect way to end Spring Break and I think Avery will have tons of fun!
They have a lazy river

Kiddie area

Activity area for kids



 Slides that don't go into a pool which means I can ride them since I can't swim!

It is a little odd for me to go to a place like this since I CAN'T swim! But it seems there's enough to do here that I won't have too. More than likely Jon and Avery will do the slides and stuff while I hang in the kiddie area with Emerson and then Jon will take Emerson while I go do some slides and stuff! I think it will be a blast and I can't wait to go and just get away for a couple days. 

I will take PLENTY of pictures and will be sharing them here some time after we get back. 
Everyone have a great weekend!