Happy New Years!

Every Year I make a New Years Resolution, I end up like most other people, and half way through February, end up breaking it. Last year, I skipped it entirely, knowing that I would never follow through and being more preoccupied with the upcoming birth of Chunk, it didn't seem important. This year I plan to make some, and hopefully follow through with them. 

It Never fails that each year on New Years we are sick! We manage to make it through the Year without getting sick at all, and then we all four get sick on after Christmas. I Suppose that is a small price to pay to be healthy the rest of the year! I have been busy lately with two sick little guys, and trying to get my house back in order from Christmas. So one of my resolutions will be to get organized, I haven't been doing well about posting the Giveaways on time, or announcing winners. Most of it is due to birthday parties, holidays and sickness, but even so I am going to become better organized with this whole deal.

My Hubby has lost a bunch of weight since his company did a health fair at his job back in September. He has started working out and eating better, and I want to board the "diet train", but I know how he is - Competitive! So another resolution is I am going to try losing weight on the down low. I am not a competitive person, and get discouraged easily, so I think doing it without announcing it, will be easier. Hopefully I can report some good results soon!

I spend every waking moment with my children, and I would never change that. I am going to try doing some more activities with them, being more active also. Chunk has been smaller and it has made it difficult, but with him being a little bigger now it will be easier to do some things! My last resolution is to plan more outdoor activities, indoor too! Spank will start Pre-K in the Fall, and I want to enjoy all this time to its FULLEST!

Do you make any Resolutions for the New Year? What Are they?

Hope you all have a Happy and Safe New Year!

Stars & Spikes Harry Potter Beanie Review & Giveaway

Stars & Spikes Review & Giveaway

If you are a Harry Potter lover like me, then you MUST check out Stars & Spikes etsy shop.
They have everything there from Beanies to armwarmers & scarves! Laura from Stars & Spikes makes them in non-potter colors too, but why on earth would you want that!? (I am kidding!) 

I love the Beanies, and plan on ordering Spank a Gryffindor one, but I may wait and order one larger for next year. Our weather hasn't been warm enough here for beanies or even jackets. 

 

I want this slouch hat for me! I may have to include this in my order for Spank's Beanie.

 

Slytherin not your House? She can make it in any house colors you'd like, just ask her!

 

If scarves and hats aren't your cup of tea, how about some awesome arm warmers? These are so cute!

Want something but don't see it? Just ask her, she can probably whip it up for ya! She can also do different colors or different sized stripes if that is what you'd fancy. 

Be sure to add Stars & Spikes on facebook, she is always posting great new items, and new sales & promos.

Buy It:

To buy any of these items, or talk to Laura about a custom item you can visit her ETSY or contact her on Stars & Spikes FACEBOOK page.

She has offered a special coupon code for 10% off to my readers, valid until 12/31, so hurry! 

To use it enter: HappeeBash2011

Win It:

One lucky reader will win a Harry Potter Beanie from Stars & Spikes Etsy shop, pictured above. You choose what House Colors! To enter just follow the directions on the rafflecopter form. Must be 18+, US only, giveaway will end 12/28.

Icaughtsanta.com review & giveaway( 2 more codes)

Icaughtsanta.com Review & Giveaway

Santa Claus is Coming! Actually, he has already visited our house according to this wonderful photo we had made! I was offered the opportunity to review this wonderful website, and I cannot say enough about how great it is, especially for those parent's with Little ones or even those bigger ones who are skeptical.

Catch a Character is a unique website that helps visitors create memorable keepsake photos. They have more than just Santa, there is also Cupid, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy! It is a very simple process, three steps actually. You Upload your holiday picture, add your character and click to print. You can also share it on your favorite social network or Email it to family & friends.

They have multiple images of Santa to select for your photo, so no matter what type of photo you have you can include The Jolly man in any photo!

I cannot wait to show this Spank on Christmas Day, after he realizes Santa has come and that we caught him I can only imagine the excitement!

My Image wasn't the greatest, since my camera is still broken, and I'm left with my Phone as my only way of taking photos. It was blurry, but It turned out pretty good, and to a 4 year old he won't be focused on if it's blurry when Santa is in his house!

Be sure to visit them on Facebook for great deals and promos!

Buy it:

Icaughtsanta.com, Capture, Create, Share. They have also given readers a 25% off code-SAVE25, be sure to take advantage of this great code and create a magical keepsake for your family to cherish for years to come.

Win it:

2 more Lucky readers will win a Icaughtsanta.com code to create their own photo for themselves!

To enter follow the Rafflecopter instructions below.

Click "read more" to enter.

Wylie Clothworks Cloth Diaper Review

Although, I live in Georgia, I was born and raised in Michigan. I am always hearing from family and friends about how hard the northern states are being hit with unemployment and the economy is worse in Michigan than most others. So I try to buy Michigan made products whenever I find them to help out my fellow Michiganders.
So when I heard about Wylie Clothworks, and saw that they were in Michigan, I was all about purchasing some new diapers for Chunk from her! I was sold 100% when I saw she had a MSU diaper!
 
Now My Thoughts:

What Diaper: I reviewed two Wylie Clothworks One size pocket diapers (The Grinch & Michigan State University Fabrics) with two of her Bamboo over microfiber inserts.

The Fit: I liked the fit on this diaper okay, I wasn't crazy about the side snaps. I understand that is probably the only way to get the cute printed fabric on it, but my little man is a squirmer, so it makes it quite difficult to get it on correctly or tight enough. I have learned to save these as AM diapers, or right after nap changes, cause he is still a bit groggy and usually a bit more still. Other than that, the fit is great! Leg room is wonderful, and I think he will be able to fit into this one for a while!

Print: Of Course you already know, I love the print! She has a wonderful assortment here for both Boys and Girls! She also has many other great cloth diaper accessories in these prints as well.

Leaks: We have had a couple leaks in this diaper, It is only the Grinch one though. I'm not exactly sure why either. I should tell you though, that one was when we were at my sister's college Graduation, and couldn't get up for an extended amount of time. He was wiggling around alot in our laps, so this all could be a contributing factor to this leak, haha. The other time was a nap, and it is still a regular in our stash.

Cost:  Wylie Clothworks Diapers are wonderfully priced, especially for being handmade. She Does custom orders as well, but I believe she has stopped taking them for a while, until after the holiday rush. Her diapers without an insert run anywhere from 12.00-23.00, it varies with each print and product. She also has diaper covers, and custom trainers for the older ones.

On the scale of 1-5:

Fit: 3/5

Print: 5/5

Leaks:3/5

Cost: 5/5

Overall: 4/5

I would recommend Wylie Clothworks diaper to anyone using One size or Pockets, they are adorable and work great!

Buy It:

You Can visit https://www.facebook.com/wylieclothworksdiapers?sk=info

to contact Megan or just for more information. You can also email her for special orders or questions at wylieclothworks@yahoo.com.

Megan is an Awesome person to work with, she communicates with you every step of the way, she works quickly, especially considering the amount of orders she gets! Great customer service! I was also sent some Cloth wipes to try out! We are brand new to using cloth wipes, but I have been wanting to switch for a while now. Its definitely a harder step than switching to cloth, but we are sticking to it! Be sure to check out Wylie Clothworks other great eco-friendly items!

Happee Birthdae Bash: Kim's Crocheted Creations

I'm sure most of you saw the Review & Giveaway of Kim's Crocheted Creation's I posted a couple of weeks ago. If not, be sure to check it out to see all the wonderful items she has made, and to learn about her and her business. She creates the most beautiful and detailed crocheted items, everything from blankets to hats. 

She even had a Harry Potter wand that she was nice enough to send us to review for Spank's Birthday. Let me tell yhttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8520555132306969982&postID=4471101405921428302ou he loved it! It is even soft enough for Chunk to play with as well. She has made a Harry Potter Inspired wand & scarf set, and has it for sale in one of her albums. This would be the perfect gift for any little or big witch or wizard in your life! 

Buy it:
You can purchase the wand & scarf or any great items at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kims-Crocheted-Creations/281054958585322
 or by Emailing her directly at diamond_lady25@hotmail.com.

She accepts cash, check, money order, or pay pal (at the same e-mail address) shipping in the U.S. will be $5, canada is $10.

Win it:
One lucky reader will win a Wand, just like the one Spank received.
To enter just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form.

Skoy Cloth Review & Giveaway

As most of you know my Family is making the attempt to go green in any way possible. We've switched Chunk to cloth diapers a while back, and recently to cloth wipes(which is a bit more of a challenge). So Cleaning seems like the next step to making a major change, considering I use so many paper towels wiping up things daily, and I have never been a sponge user. The thought of all that bacteria makes me cringe. We use dishtowels instead, but I'm ashamed to admit majority of what is used, is paper towel. 

Enter Skoy Cloth to save me from paper towel over-usage. Skoy cloth is a Earth Friendly, multi-use cleaning cloth, that is 100% biodegradable, for once it has seen its better days! I love that using ONE Skoy cloth is equivalent to using 15 rolls of paper towels, how wonderful is that? 

I love my Skoy Cloth, it came at the perfect time. We've been doing so much deep cleaning with birthday & holiday events, as well as company coming into town, that I was thrilled when this package arrived and I found 4 new Skoy Cloths laying inside. I set right to work with them, the kitchen is the largest room, so I have designated two loyal cloths to that room, while the other two have been assigned to the bathrooms and living room. I loved that it had two different textures, which helped with scrubbing some stuck on stuff off. When I was done, I just tossed them into the washer and then dryer. I'm sure I didn't have to wash them right away, but I'm a bit of a crazy person when it comes to washing things right after I've cleaned with them, so i just threw them in with my other clothes. 

Skoy Cloth also participates in Fundraising! I love this idea, I would be 100 times more likely to buy an eco-friendly product for a fund-raiser than another candle that will collect dust or even worse, wrapping paper. You can go HERE to find out more information on Skoy Cloth's Fundraising program.

Some Interesting facts about Skoy cloth:
*Skoy cloth can be cleaned in your dish washer OR your washer and dryer. 

*Another way you can clean your Skoy cloth is to microwave it wet for 1-2 minutes, but wait until its a bit cooler before grabbing to use. (Also, make sure it is wet when microwaving!)

*Skoy Cloth are made from all natural products, natural cotton and wood-pulp cellulose, they are also Non-toxic, chlorine-free and the designs are made from water based colors and inks. 

*Skoy Cloth can be used with your favorite eco-friendly cleaners, or just water. Chlorine use is NOT recommended though. 

*Skoy Cloth dries quickly, so it is not a breeding ground for bacteria, like most sponges! 

Also, Be sure to check out Skoy Cloth on your favorite network!
Facebook

Twitter

Buy it:
You can purchase a 4 pk.of Skoy Cloth on Amazon through Skoy, and its eligible for Super Saver Shipping. You can also purchase Skoy Cloth directly on their website.

Win It:
One lucky reader will get a chance to win a 4 pk of Skoy Cloth to try for themselves!
To enter simply follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter.

Congrats to the WINNERS!!

WINNERS

The following Giveaways and ended and winners have been notified & have 48 hours to reply until another winner is chosen!

Congrats to our Winners:
Splash of Color 4 U, Custom painting- Tiana

Smockaroos Christmas Longall- Trista Zollars

Kim's Crocheted Creations Snowflake Scarf- Joan Penfold
Bunnzoo Cloth Diaper-Shannon Stubbs

Not a Winner this time? There will be more reviews & Giveaways coming soon, so check back to try again!

PeekaDid & Kidzies Review

PeekaDid & Kidzie's 

"Meet PeekaDid -Splendipity's hip, eclectic brother. A new line of unique, eye catching apparel for Boys!"

Amanda from Kidzie's did the Artwork for the PeekaDid collection, to match the PeekaDid apparel. There are so many adorable designs! 

I was sent a couple of Kidzie's Huggerz from the PeekaDid collection, as well as a Koin Keepers and a personalized Kling-ease. 

I received the Big Spender Koin Keeperz from Amanda, and Spank was quick to swipe it (it was his anyway). His excuse? "I need this for my Chuck E. Cheese tokens." As if there were any other purpose for it. I love that it has the cute artwork on the front, and clips right onto your bag, or in Spank's case, his pants.

I did get to keep the personalized Kling-ease, a removable, repositionable, residue-free & waterproof cling. It comes in 3 sizes! You can choose from an initial, or personalize it, even adding pictures! I plan on ordering Spank one for his Innotab, so he will be able to keep track of it. I put mine on my Iphone, It is repositionable, cause It wasn't straight and I had to fix it. No residue, and stuck back on perfectly!

What is a Huggerz you ask? According to Kidzie's- "Sweatless Technology offers a chic way to keep your kid's drink safer from the elements. Easily Identify cup, minimize furniture rings, and make it fun!"
The Huggerz that I received were the Monster Huggerz and the Owl Huggerz, which were perfect for my little guys, cause Spank is my little monster and Chunk's infant theme has been owl's!  They also have a lot of cute girl designs!

I used the Huggerz on Spanks sippy cup, which is a Playtex sipster and it fit wonderfully. Chunk has had a hard time with sippy's so we are still trying a variety of brands and styles with him, but it has fit all the full sized sippys we've tried, Obviously not the ones with the handles. I will also say that since we started putting this on his cups on Friday, he has actually started using his cup(other than a projectile). So I will say "HOORAY FOR KIDZIES!"
Now, I need to go get the Onesie to match Chunk's Huggerz from PeekaDid, and a couple others. They are too cute! 

Want to purchase one of these great items or something else from Kidzies? They are offering 40% off to my readers. Just use the code "review" at checkout.  Any of these items would make great stocking stuffers, or gifts for the little boy or girl in your life! Hurry, it only lasts until January 13th.

Interested in getting a matching onesie? Visit www.splendipityinc.com and click on the Shop PeekaDid tab! 

Splendipity Snuzzle me Review

Splendipity Snuzzle Me

One of my Husband's biggest complaints is when we leave the house we have to carry around two separate covers for germs, because typically one won't fit both. He also hates the bulkiness of the ones we have! So when we tried out the Snuzzle me by Splendipity he was happy that it had 7 different uses in one portable little tote.

You heard me correctly! The Snuzzle Me is a 7-in-1 cover that can be used as a infant car seat cover, car seat shade, swing cover, high chair cover, nursing shawl, shopping cart cover, and a stroller cover. How neat is that? Since Chunk has outgrown his infant gear, and isn't nursing anymore, I sadly only got to use this for a high chair and shopping cart, but I loved it. I will be keeping it, in case we have more babies!

Splendipity is a a small Eco-friendly business, with Modern Organic Mom invented products. They use safe materials and products, and their facilities are no waste, they use every last inch to provide the most cost-effective product. They also donate a portion of their proceeds to organizations such as SIDS, Keep a Child Alive, Operation Smile, as well as others. Also, When you check out, they give you the option of where you'd like your portion of your sale to be donated! How wonderful is that?

The thing I loved the most about it was the feel, It is the softest material, so cozy! It kept its softness in the washer too! I also loved that the wash cycle was so simple, It didn't have straps getting stuck, and wasn't really bulky like his other covers.

I was also sent a Burp cloth and it was the same soft material! The Snuzzle Me & burp cloth are made out of 100% organic ultra-soft cotton. I chose the peapod(green)color, they also have it in honeysuckle(a pinkish color) and regatta(blue.

I would recommend this to anyone with a baby on the way, or a parent tired of carrying multiple covers! It would also be good as one to leave with the grandparents, as it isn't bulky at all!

Want to buy a Snuzzle Me, burp cloths, or other great baby items? Check out Splendipity online at www.splendipityinc.com, or on facebook-http://www.facebook.com/splendipity

Also, Look for My review of PeekaDid, the newest collection from Splendipity for BOYS! 

Icaughtsanta.com review & giveaway

Icaughtsanta.com Review & Giveaway 

Santa Claus is Coming! Actually, he has already visited our house according to this wonderful photo we had made! I was offered the opportunity to review this wonderful website, and I cannot say enough about how great it is, especially for those parent's with Little ones or even those bigger ones who are skeptical.
Catch a Character is a unique website that helps visitors create memorable keepsake photos. They have more than just Santa, there is also Cupid, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy! It is a very simple process, three steps actually. You Upload your holiday picture, add your character and click to print. You can also share it on your favorite social network or Email it to family & friends. 

They have multiple images of Santa to select for your photo, so no matter what type of photo you have you can include The Jolly man in any photo!
I cannot wait to show this Spank on Christmas Day, after he realizes Santa has come and that we caught him I can only imagine the excitement! 

My Image wasn't the greatest, since my camera is still broken, and I'm left with my Phone as my only way of taking photos. It was blurry, but It turned out pretty good, and to a 4 year old he won't be focused on if it's blurry when Santa is in his house!
Be sure to visit them on Facebook for great deals and promos!

Buy it: 

 Icaughtsanta.com, Capture, Create, Share. They have also given readers a 25% off code-SAVE25, be sure to take advantage of this great code and create a magical keepsake for your family to cherish for years to come.

 Win it: 

5 Lucky readers will win a Icaughtsanta.com code to create their own photo for themselves!

To enter follow the rafflecopter form below. Giveaway open worldwide. It will end on 12/19 at 12:00am EST. Winner will be notified and have 48 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be chosen.

My little sister is an RN

My little sister is Graduating college this weekend, It is crazy she is done already. It feels like it flew by, I am sure she doesn't feel that way! She is now a RN, and so proud of it! As she should be, I am proud of her! It hasn't been an easy road, she has been sick a lot and missed nearly a whole semester and still graduated on time! All while staying on top of things being President of her sorority and keeping a full time job, and clinicals. I am exhausted after just typing it! Well, I just wanted to brag about my little sister and say how proud of her I am! She knows it too, I call her everytime the boys has a bump or hiccup!

WINNERS

We Have WINNERS! 

Congrats to Jessica Snook- The winner of the Kudzoom Gift card.

Also,Congrats to DnBuster's Place- The winner of the Qwik Shower wipes.

Didn't Win this time? Take another shot at one of my other great giveaways posted on the right sidebar.

Wickless Wonders Scentsy review

Wickless Wonders Scentsy
Review

I have heard so many wonderful things about Scentsy, I had to try it out for myself. When I contacted Jenny from Wickless Wonders, and she agreed to send me some Scentsy products to try out, I was overly excited! I knew I had been wanting to try the Warmer, but when she mentioned the Scentsy buddy, I thought that would be something Chunk would love. Well, Jenny being the Nice lady that she is, sent me both to try, and We LOVE them!
My husband Is a HUGE fan of plug in air freshners, I, on the other hand, am not. They always leak, the decent smells are always sold out, and we end up replacing them so frequently that it seems like a waste of money. Plus how ugly are those bulky things? I chose the Boleyn design warmer, and my scents were Sugar cookie, baked apple pie and skinny dipping(hubbys favorite) 

I love that it is safe enough to leave down where it can be seen, and not have to worry about the boys getting hurt.   

I've only used two of my bricks each and I cannot express how much I Love that they are reusable!

 

 Chunk loves his Scentsy Buddy, Spank loves it just as much! I am thinking I may have to get another one of these. Spank is always commenting on how it "smells so goooood!" It does, I cannot argue with him on that one. I chose the Vanilla creme scent pak for his Roarbert buddy.

 

It is really simple to insert and change the pak, I like that the compartment zips instead of velcro, alot of his toys velcro closed and they never stay shut. 

A Scentsy Buddy would make a wonderful gift for any little or big kid on your shopping list. You can visit Jenny's Online scentsy store-http://jennymontes.scentsy.us/

If you have any questions you can contact her directly at Wickless_wonder@live.com

Be sure to add her on facebook Wickless Wonders, she is always posting new items and sales. One special that is ongoing sales, there is always a warmer and scent of the month that is 10% off.

Be sure to get your Holiday shopping done, I know anyone would love Scentsy.

Mixbook Review

 Mixbook Review

Each Year my Family has a Holiday Party on Christmas Eve, where we all get together and have wonderful treats and delicious food. Its an event I look forward to all year long! When I was offered the opportunity to pick a design and print some Holiday party Invitations from Mixbook, I knew this would be a great event to use them for.

I chose the Polka Dotted Holiday design, I loved the fun colors in them. We have mailed them out, and received compliments on how cute they are. They have many other designs on their website. They are simple to design, just enter your information and click to purchase, thats it! They will print them, then ship to your address with envelopes and you can address them and send them out! So simple to create.


Be sure to connect with them to get your Cards for any event ordered!
http://www.facebook.com/mixbook 

http://www.twitter.com/mixbook 

http://www.mixbook.com/cards/holiday-party-invitations

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Day 5 of Ho Ho Holiday gift event: Splash of Color 4 U

 Day 5: Ho Ho Holiday Gift Event

 Splash of Color 4 U

My Husband is one of the hardest people to buy for, he always goes out and gets everything he gives as gift suggestions and leaves you with no ideas. Well I cannot wait to give him this amazing Painting that was painted by Splash of Color 4 U.

Hubby is a HUGE Atlanta Braves fan, and loves South Park(*cringe*) so I knew I had to get Elva from Splash of Color 4 U to paint this awesome picture I found for him for his Man Cave. Did she ever! I would say I was shocked at how amazing the painting was, but after looking at her Murals she has done, I knew it would be Awesome! She is wonderful, and I am more than sure she can do anything you request! 

How amazing is this Up mural she painted?

She has also donated a custom painting for one lucky reader to win!
Please keep in mind may take 8-10 days for delivery, as she is swamped in holiday orders, but for a one of a kind work of art, the wait is worth it!

www.splashofcolor4u.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Splash-Of-Color-4-U-Art-in-El-PasoTX/128271343855236 http://www.etsy.com/people/unleasheddoggie?ref=pr_profile

Buy It:
Want to see Other works of Art by Splash of Color 4 U, or request a custom piece? You can do that on their facebook, or their website. You can also visit their etsy page, to order some great paintings! 

Win It:
Want to win a custom painting from Splash of Color 4 U? Just follow the directions below on the rafflecopter form.

Ho Ho Holiday Gift Event Day 4: Smockaroos Review & Giveaway

Day 4: Ho Ho Holiday Gift Event

Smockaroos

I absolutely adore Smocked clothing, For little girls and boys alike! Like any article of clothing for boys its gets harder to find cute designs for them. However, it wasn't the case with Smockaroos, she has cute smocked outfit for boys as well as girls!

I chose the Green Christmas long all for Chunk and I was more than pleased with them. The sizing runs a little small, but it worked well for Chunk, it was just a little too long(all his clothes are lately). I love the smocking design on Chunk's outfit, Its so cute and festive for the Holidays! (Ignore his drool marks, he is teething.)

They also have some adorable girl's outfits, and are reasonably priced! How cute is the plaid Santa 2 pc. for your little girl? 

They are pretty quick about Shipping as well, I received mine a few short days after speaking with them.
Be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook wall, as they are always having promotions and specials going on!
Also, Every Tuesday & Thursday at 8:30 they have auctions on their Facebook page, don't miss out on your chance to score one of their adorable outfits at a great price! 

 

 Buy It:
You can purchase the Green Christmas Longall or another adorable smocked outfit from Smockaroos on their website or their Facebook Page.

Win It:
One Lucky Reader will win a Green Christmas Longall(sizes 3m-4t ONLY)
To enter just follow directions on rafflecopter below.
Giveaway will end 12/17/2011 and a winner will be emailed, winner will then have 48 hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen. 
participants must be 18+ and Us only.