Product Review: Reduce WaterWeek Kids water bottles

I have recently been looking for a new water bottle option for our kids, as in the back of my mind I have known for a long time that the cheap ones from the Target dollar bin were just gross. Between the fact that they were probably leaching BPAs and pthalates and all kinds of other nasty chemicals into their water, not to mention the fact that they weren't dishwasher safe, so even though I washed them (not as frequently as I should), they were just plain gross.  Disgusting.  Like, even if I were dehydrating I would have to stop and think whether I really wanted to drink out of them.  Mom of the year.  Due to my severe Paralysis by Analysis, I sat on this way longer than I should have.  Finally, just in time for the Feast of St. Nicholas, I decided to go with the WaterWeek Kids bottles from Reduce.  At 10 oz, they were smaller than our Target cheapies, but I was worried the taller ones would be too tippy.  I am glad I went with the smaller ones.  I ordered sets in Cosmic and Simply Sweet, and ordered two sets of push/pull lids, as those seem to be the best option for my kids at the ages of 7, 5 and 2.5.  This gave us enough bottles for each kid to have two...one from which to drink, and one in the dishwasher, thus the bottles ideally get washed (GASP!) daily.  The Simply Sweet bottles worked like a charm, the Cosmic had something really funky going on with the threads.  The lids were nearly impossible to get on and then leaked somewhat once they were on.  I spoke with their customer service, and they very kindly and promptly sent me a new set of Cosmic.  The new ones are better, but still not as smooth as the Simply Sweet ones, which I find odd.  I am glad I ordered the Simply Sweet ones, if the Cosmic were my only experience with this company I would probably be ready to hang it up.  The 10 oz has ended up being a great size.  They usually need refilled now and then throughout the day, and we always freshen them up at bedtime, but for young kids around the house, they are just right.  My kids are very taken with the bright colors and fun patterns.  I am very taken with being able to throw them in my dishwasher to de-funkify them on a regular basis.  I think they are a little overpriced, and the issues with the Cosmic set are a bit annoying.  Overall though they are a huge improvement from what we had, and I appreciate their simplicity and ease of use and cleaning (no straws, or funky tubes or seals, etc.)  The leaking they may do is minimal enough that it is not an annoyance.  If you get the push/pull lids, be sure to loosen them about 1/8th turn before drinking, or there is enough suction created that drinking is very difficult. 

Bottom line, while overpriced and not perfect, I give the Reduce WaterWeek Kids bottles four stars.  If you are going to buy them, I would recommend waiting for a sale or discount code.

Review: Brother Francis DVDs

For his Feast Day last year, Kolbe's godmother gave him a Brother Francis DVD entitled Let's Pray.  I couldn't tell you how many times Kolbe has requested and watched it (he enthusiastically refers to it as his "ball-ball DDD"); he really really likes it.  I like it too, the songs are catchy (the Our Father actually still brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it), the animation is bold yet simple, and the message is aimed perfectly at the 3-5 year old crowd, with its explanation of what prayer is and why we pray.  It also talks about how we can pray through our "doing", and tells the story of St. Therese, who did little things with great love (cue music). 

I recently contacted Herald Entertainment to inquire whether they had any DVDs available for bloggers to review and they sent me a copy of Born into the Kingdom along with a companion coloring book.  This DVD was similar in length (less than 25 minutes) and format to Let's Pray, and covered the story of Creation, original sin and its consequences, finishing up with the gift of Baptism.  While we've read the story of creation numerous times from various Children's Bibles, I don't think we've ever watched it, so I appreciated my children being able to experience the story in this way.  Plus, when we read the story of creation, I don't always follow it up by talking about Baptism, so I really like how that was all tied together for young minds who might not otherwise draw those conclusions.  I found it a little odd that they depicted Adam and Eve hiding because of fear without mentioning their nakedness, but I suppose I can understand why they did that, being television and all.  I also didn't particularly appreciate their analogy of Baptismal Grace being like going to the doctor to get a vaccine when you are sick (for various reasons...even my hubby commented on that from the other room as he listened along), but overall though the big pieces of the salvation picture: Creation, the Fall, and salvation through Christ and Baptism were woven together very well in a way that was probably a bit over my three-year-old's head, but still very age-appropriate for preschoolers and even K-2 I would think.  I particularly liked the catechesis it provided as it walked step-by-step through the Rite of Baptism.  

This DVD would make a GREAT Baptism Anniversary gift, or present for an older brother or sister in anticipation of a new sibling's arrival and/or Baptism.  Of the two DVDs we have viewed, Let's Pray is definitely my favorite, but they are both well done and I look forward to viewing more of the DVDs in this series with my young children.

I was provided with a review copy of Brother Francis: Born into the Kingdom by the publisher Herald Entertainment in exchange for my honest review.

Teethers

In my experience (or lack-thereof) as a parent, I have always thought teethers to be a funny item...meaning, my children have never actually teethed on them, they have just been a random brightly colored item that is fun to throw on the floor.  When I was Christmas shopping I somehow stumbled upon these Sili Paw teethers and thought they looked cool so decided to order them.  They are super-great.  The texture has a lot more give than any other teether I've seen, even the ones that are filled with water.  Clement spends a LOT of time actually teething on this, which is a first around this house.  I'm not sure it does any good helping those teeth through (he still doesn't have any), but it is highly entertaining and in my books that is worth gold.  I didn't get anything in exchange for this review, I simply wanted to share.  If you are looking for a teether that your child will actually use, pick up a couple of these.  I ordered ours from Kohl's, and you can currently search for Kohl's coupon codes for 30% off and free shipping on any order, so that would make these a very good deal.  Definitely worth it in my books.  They are available in boy and girl colors.  And in the interest of full disclosure, yes, my baby is riding in a laundry basket.

August 2012 mega-update

Well, it's been a while since I did a family update, so I figured it was time.  I will use headers and bullets in an attempt to avoid utter stream-of-consciousness. 

AARON

• His big project this summer has been refinishing the deck.  He's done a very good job, and been quite innovative. 
• His other big project this summer has been keeping the yard alive.  After going through fifty (yes, five-zero) pounds of grass seed last Fall after the brutal summer of 2011, he was convinced to keep on top of things a little better.  We have a sprinkler system, but it doesn't hit all the trees, and misses some of the grass and if we run it too much our water bills are hideous.  So he hand waters with the hose every night, and so far so good.  The trees are looking good (enough) and it looks like we will get away with less than ten pounds of grass seed come Fall.  
• This man.  I'd like to just take a minute to brag about him.  He is the most amazing husband to me and daddy to our children.  I really do marvel.  Daily.  God is so so good, and my wonderful husband is continual proof of that.  I am so blest, so very very blest.  He may not be perfect, but he is perfect for me.

MONICA

• I am glad to be myself again.  Those pregnancy hormones make. me. nuts.
• Enjoying the new minivan (Honda Odyssey) immensely.  I was so nervous about not driving a car anymore, but the transition to van has been great!
• I am also enjoying my new Rubbermaid Reveal mop.  Yes, I am a total nerd to even put this here, but honestly I'm just too lazy to write a review of it so I thought I'd say something here.  For those of you who are curious...I have always scrubbed either on my hands and knees or with a traditional mop.  While those two methods may be slightly more thorough, the Reveal has cut my mopping time by half, if not more (seriously), and to me this is worth it.  Soooo worth it. I  also use way less Mrs. Meyers solution than I did previously, and the pads can be washed with my towels, so it's very "green" and I don't have to keep buying extra accessories.  If you're looking for something convenient and affordable to keep your kitchen floor clean quickly and easily, this product really is worth it.  I picked mine up at Sams for around $25 and it came with three pads.
• I am adjusting to life with three littles.  They keep me on my toes and make me laugh and cry and challenge me in ways I never dreamed (or hoped) possible.  I'm learning and growing and stretching and changing in many ways.  But it's good.  It's life.  And life is good.

GEMMA

• She is really assuming the role of big sis/oldest in the family quite well.  She can be a huge helper and she is just a natural with Clem.  It's wonderful.
• Lest I lead you to believe that life with her is a dream, I will add the reality that she can be quite sassy and definitely has a strong will and mind of her own when it comes to the way she thinks things ought to be.  OH how I love her and OHHHHHH how she frustrates me.  She really challenges me to [try to] be a good parent, that's for sure, so I suppose I should be grateful for the opportunity to grow in grace, but boy it's hard.
• And along that same vein, oh my this girl is cut from the same cloth as her mama it really is scary.  One day she kept running to the kitchen getting ziploc bags.  I finally asked what she was doing...organizing the toys in the toy box.  Yep, that's my girl.
• She is getting really good at writing her letters.  We're getting ready to start Handwriting Without Tears, and I think this will be very good for her.  She is already trying to make lowercase letters, just copying them from things around the house, and hopefully this will help squelch any bad letter-formation habits before Kindergarten.
• I believe that Gemma will be our artist.  She doesn't seem incredibly athletically inclined, and she spends hours a day with crayons, scissors, markers, etc.  She is always coming up with new things (most recently homemade boats with paper, tape and straws).  I hope we are able to give her adequate opportunities and outlets for her creativity as she gets older.
• She has moved to a booster now that we have the van, and this is working well.  She can't buckle herself, but she can unbuckle herself and that is helpful.  She is also a big help sitting by the baby! 
• She weighs 37 pounds and is almost 45 inches. Yes, she's tall.

KOLBE

• Kolbe has seemed to change the most since Clem was born.  I think that always happens with your "baby".  He just seems so much bigger, and so much more grown up.  I wish I had prepared myself for this a little more.  I put him to bed one night as my baby, and when we got back home with Clem he wasn't my baby anymore.  I mourn that a bit.  But such is life. 
• He dropped his nap around the time Clem arrived.  I'm actually fairly OK with this, because getting him down for a nap had become a nightmarish battle of wills, and bedtime wasn't much better.  OK, maybe it was worse.  For the most part bedtimes have been going much better (and earlier!), although it seems like as soon as we settle into a good groove with something we seem to hit another bump in the road.  I had been laying with him while he went to sleep with great success, but lately he's starting being a bit of an ornery little stinker while I'm laying with him.  ;-D  He's doing better at staying in bed and going to sleep himself though, so I think that's the direction we're moving.  That's the eventual ideal anyways.  WHEW, maybe I should have done a separate post about sleep.
• He counts to ten and it is so hilarious.  Speaking of talking, he still continues to learn more words and communicate better with us (although I think he's pretty hard for others to understand). He is probably a bit behind the curve when it comes to the speech skills of a "typical" 2 1/2 + year old, but he continues to progress. 
• He wants to do ev.ery.thing. that Gemma does.  Which is cute, but makes it hard when it comes to things like, oh, GLUE.  He is also picking up some of her not-so-wonderful habits (like covering ears when I tell her/him something they don't want to hear) and this is frustrating.  Maddening really. 
• As much as Gemma is our artist, I think Kolbe will be our athlete.  He is still obsessed with anything "ball", and what he lacks in speech he makes up for in gross motor skills.  
• He weighs 30.5 pounds 

CLEMENT

I recently updated on Clement at a month HERE and honestly, there's not a whole lot more to say so I'll just post a cute picture.  He's a baby. He nurses, sleeps and poops.  He's having longer alert times and has a very mellow personality.  He gave me his first "meaningful" smiles at just a bit over 5 weeks. He weighs 10.5 pounds.  I just love him so much...we all do.  Seems like he's been part of the family forever, he fits right in.

Gemma 4yrs 7mos. - Kolbe 2yrs 7mos. - Clement 1 month

Review: Nair Naturally Smooth Warm Wax Hair Removal

After using Nair's Warm Wax for over half-a-year now, and having several questions about it, I figured I should just review it on the blog.  This product has been great.  I was wanting to start using it last Spring, but realized I'd have to grow my leg-hair out to sasquatch status in order for it to be effective, so opted to wait until Fall.  Good choice.  So come October (read: jeans season) I let my legs get nice and woolly (a month to six weeks or so of growth...to the point where it was realllllly driving me crazy) and then gave this product a go.  Easy-peasy...you heat it up in the microwave (not too long, remember the object is not to burn the hair off), use the wooden stick that comes with the kit to spread it down your leg, apply a paper strip (these also come with the kit) and yank it off.  If you're weird about hair-removal pain, this product may not be for you, but honestly it's not that bad.  It took me around half an hour to do the bottoms of both legs (the tops of my legs are just naturally hardly hairy at all...since you wanted to know) and the results were awesome.  Hair gone...and it stayed gone!  I guess leg hair grows in several different cycles (so I am told) so I repeated this process every 4-5 weeks throughout winter.  Razor never touched my legs all winter long (not that I'm known for shaving a whole bunch in the winter anyways, but that's beside the point...)  Here's the exciting part...when I got to March, I did what I thought was my last waxing, shaved the next day (there are always a few hairs that don't catch...even if I go over my legs with a tweezers when I'm done waxing, which I've been known to do...) and waited with much doom and gloom to start shaving regularly again.  And it didn't happen.  My leg hair has thinned out so much now that I was able to let it go for another month, and even though there were some long ones they were so sparse they didn't show (and if they did I don't want to know about it), so I waxed again in mid-April, shaved the next day, and have been good ever since.  No shaving.  Seriously.  (Besides the day-after-waxing one.)  I really think I will be able to keep this process up indefinitely, which excites me to the point of sheer giddiness.  One tub of wax and strips seems to last 3-4 waxings, or longer now that I'm not waxing as much hair off, and the cost is around $8-$9 a tub (I can't remember exactly) at Walmart.  The Amazon price (linked above) looks  pretty comparable to what you can get in store.  So whether I'm saving money on razors is probably kind of a wash...but I'm saving time and effort not having to shave every day or every other day all spring summer and fall, and at this point in my life -- and for so negligible an amount -- this mama is THRILLED!

I'm not posting a picture of this product with the review, because I don't appreciate the essentially naked woman plastered all over the cover of the box.  But a bit of permanent marker and some tape can edit that out nicely for home storage, and you're good to go.  ;-D

**I received nothing in return for this review, I simply wanted to give an honest review and recommendation of a product that worked well for me.**

Flip reviewed...again, AND Econobum

I reviewed the Flip diaper cover/system here about a year ago, but in revisiting Flip, I don't think I was using it exactly for its intended purpose, so I thought I'd review it again.  For quite some time now, Kolbe has been in a very "in between" stage in regards to potty-learning.  He poops on the toilet exclusively, and potties there with very irregular regularity.  Not enough to wear training pants yet, but enough so that putting on a prefold, snappi and cover each time he goes or tries is a bit tedious.  When he hit this point last Fall, I started using my bumGenius 3.0's and 4.0's exclusively with him namely for their ease of use.  And it's been really nice.  But after 6-8 months of fairly heavy use and washing (I have around 18, and launder every 2-3 days), I can tell that as much as I like the bG diaper, it just doesn't hold up (or absorb) like prefolds do.  At all.  Oh, they still have plenty of life in them - don't get me wrong - and I've refreshed the elastic and aplix in (almost) all of the 3.0's,  I can just tell they definitely have more of a life to them.  One thing I've done that I think will extend the life of any diaper (or cover) is started buying diapers and covers that fasten with snaps vs. aplix (velcro).  I was a tough sell on snaps, took me a long time to even try them...I was convinced they wouldn't work well.  But I tell you, I am now a firm believer.  I like 'em a lot.  But even so, I was wanting something to ease the use on my bG's a bit so I decided to revisit Flip.  I picked up another cover on sale, and as per some recommendations I read in other reviews, I grabbed a 3-pack of Econobum prefolds as well.  This has proven to be a very economical and fairly easy alternative to all-in-ones (like bG).  The Econobum prefolds are different from a regular prefold in that they are the same thickness all the way across.  Plus, they are sized smaller/differently than regular prefolds.  So all I have to do is fold one in half, lay it in the Flip cover (there is a place to tuck it under in the front and back) and put the diaper on Kolbe.  The same cover can be reused multiple times before washing.  Like I said, a little more work than an AIO, but definitely an acceptable alternative.  And I like the Flip cover over other similar covers (like the Econobum cover for instance) because it has two rows of snaps where it fastens instead of just one, which makes for a better fit IMHO.  This cover also has an adjustable rise.   If you're looking for an economical alternative to all-in-ones, I would definitely recommend the Flip/Econobum combo.  There is also a variety of inserts made by Flip, including disposable inserts.  Click here for more details.

**I did not receive anything in return for this review.**

REVIEW: Holy Heroes Rosary CD's

For his birthday, Kolbe's godmother gave him the Holy Heroes Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary CD.  We finally pulled it out last week for "R" week, as I decided it would be a good opportunity to talk about the Rosary.  I was really impressed with this CD.  The entire Rosary is led by children, with explanations at the beginning of each mystery and then a brief meditation before each Hail Mary.  This is a wonderful tool - in my opinion - for praying the Rosary with kids.  Because I have high hopes of praying a Decade of the Rosary with my children and I'll be honest, it just never happens.  Now we've started the habit that if we go somewhere in the car (which happens more days than not it seems), the first thing we do is listen to/pray a Decade of the Rosary.  Call me lazy, but having it on a CD is so much easier than trying to lead it on my own, and engage the kids in what is going on.  I was so excited about this that I decided to purchase the Sorrowful Mysteries as part of the kids' Valentines present for us to use during the upcoming Lenten Season, and will likely purchase the Glorious Mysteries as an Easter gift.  You can also purchase the entire Rosary as a set.

Click here for more information about Holy Heroes.  And if you haven't heard of their Lenten Adventure, you can check it out here.  They also have an Advent Adventure and a Summer program as well.  We've never participated actively in one of their Adventures, but I am signed up for the emails and they have great resources for families during these important Liturgical seasons.  And, it's FREE!!  So go check Holy Heroes out and support a wonderful, truly Catholic, family produced and run company.

***I received nothing in return for this review, I simply wanted to give an honest review about a Catholic product I found to be a good fit for our family.***

bumGenius refresher

I finally got around to repairing some of my bumGenius 3.0 diapers and I am very pleased with the results.  I ordered some of these refresher kits from Cotton Babies.  A very long time ago.  And they sat and sat in my sewing room.  Finally I decided to tackle the project and it didn't take long at all.  The kits came with new aplix and elastic.  I just used the aplix, as the elastic in my bG's is still in relatively good condition.  I will definitely use the elastic in the future though, for these or something else!  The directions said to use a seam ripper to remove the old aplix tabs, but that just wasn't happening.  First, I hate seam ripping.  Second, those things were on there good.  There was no way I was getting them off without destroying the diaper and I really didn't want that to happen, so I just cut the ends off and then cut as much of the aplix off of the attached part as I could (I should have taken a picture) and then just sewed the new tabs over the old part.  The laundry tabs I sewed over the old ones (per instructions).  Worked like a charm and it has really breathed some new life into my diapers (which have been used on and off for over a year-and-a-half now by both Gemma and Kolbe).  I think these kits would work well with any diaper or diaper cover that uses aplix, not just the bumGenius brand.

Review: Lafe's Natural Deodorant Spray

After reading my dear friend Erika's hilarious commentary on deodorant shopping, I thought I'd review the product I've been using for the past six months or so.  Since having children, I have begun more and more to see the value in "less is more" when it comes to personal care-type and cleaning (etc.) items that we put on, in or around our bodies.  ...My children don't need lotion after every bath, they have baby soft skin!  Wait, do I need lotion after every shower?  What's in this cleaner anyways, the smell is about to knock me off my feet?!!...  It's kind of been a snowball effect, but suffice it to say it has really got me thinking.  I've cut back (or out) a lot on things like lotions, shower gels etc., and the items we do use I try to find a more natural alternative with less chemicals and other potentially harmful ingredients.  Deodorant has been one of those items.  Last December I ordered some Lafe's Natural Deodorant Spray from Cotton Babies, my favorite cloth-diapering website (free shipping, all the time, any order no matter the size!!)  I thought I'd try it in the winter when I sweat less and then kind of go from there.  I like it.  I think I don't smell.  It's always difficult to smell yourself unless you smell reallllllly bad.  I ask Aaron, but he just laughs at me or says of course I smell.  He's no help.  So if you know me and think I smell bad, send me a private message or something to clue me in!  But anyways, it seems to do a decent job at neutralizing odors, and I don't sweat terribly profusely in the first place so the fact that it's not an antiperspirant hasn't been a huge issue.  I still keep some Secret on hand to use if I'm going somewhere nice.  You know, like once or twice a year.  But, for the most part this has been a good product to have and a purchase that I'm glad I made.  The thing I like most is that it is natural, and doesn't interrupt my body's natural process of doing things.  It seems pretty cost-effective as well.  I paid $5.99 for the bottle last December (no tax, free shipping) and still have about 1/4 bottle left.  I would recommend this product to try if you are looking for a more natural alternative to mainstream deodorant.

Review: Signing Time

Ahhh television.  The thing everyone loves to hate.  Or hates to love.  Hmmmm...  Aaron and I enjoy turning it on more evenings than not after the kids are in bed.  I justify it in that we watch pretty much exclusively things from which we learn something...learn about history, our planet, animal and plant life, things along those lines.  I know there are probably still better things we could do with our time, but it is something we enjoy doing together, and a nice way to just kind of kick back and relax after a long day.  Right or wrong, it's where we are right now.  We're still finding our way with the whole TV thing for our kids.  It is a balance I know.  Part of me wants to just throw the whole thing out completely, another part of me certainly sees some value in it.  So I don't know.  It's this big interior struggle for me.  I'm just weird like that.  We don't do the whole Disney (Pixar, etc. etc.) movie thing now and I don't know that we ever will.  I'm not going to swear them off completely, and I certainly don't judge those whose kids do watch movies, but at this point we just don't see the value in them for Gemma.  Talk to me again in several years, or when my youngest is three, and who knows where I'll be.  That's just how it's been with everything for me when it comes to parenting.  Don't judge, and never say never.  I'm still working on that, but alas...I digress.  A lot.   (I will get to the aforementioned review, promise!)

Anyways, to digress further yet, Gemma got really into Little Bear about a year ago now.  She had been enjoying the books (which were mine as a child!) for quite some time and one night while Aaron and I were searching for something on our DVR we realized that there were TV episodes of it on our OnDemand!!!  They are 25 minutes long and all very sweet.  There is no hidden agenda, and Little Bear is always sweet and polite to his friends, and respectful and loving to his parents.  His parents emanate patience, which always tickles me.  Anyways, so that was the only thing she watched for a very long time.  Until I asked (I think?) for some recommendations, and my dear friend Mary came to the rescue.  One of the series' she mentioned was Signing Time and oh I could rave and rave!!   This is such a neat series.  Each DVD is about 30 minutes long, with another 30 minutes or so of extras.  They are all hosted by Rachel (adult), Alex and Leah (children) and Hopkins (animated frog).  Leah is Rachel's real-life daughter and she was born deaf.  Signing Time was Rachel's way of not only sharing ASL (American Sign Language) with those who use it as a communication tool because they are deaf, but also for babies, toddlers and preschoolers to use prior to and along with speech.  We have done quite a bit of sign with Kolbe, as he doesn't talk much (at all) yet.  It has been fun and helpful (I own this book and it is a great resource).  Gemma talked really early so we hardly signed at all with her, but she thinks it's super-cool now.  She really enjoys these DVDs and I am amazed how quickly she picks up new signs.  I know this is due mainly to the way the videos are designed, using songs and lots of repetition.  I will admit, some of the songs (especially the theme song) really grate on me.  Like, if Gemma watches a DVD one afternoon, I may still be singing the theme song two days later.  BUT, I'll take one for the team because I really do like these DVDs that much.  There are a number of videos in the series geared towards all different ages.  While they are a bit pricey in my opinion, I have found that our library carries most of them so we have had a steady rotation coming in and out of the house which has been nice.  We own one, and honestly as long as the library keeps carrying them I don't see buying many (if any) more.  That being said though, I would highly, highly recommend these DVDs.  They are cute, fun, free of agenda (can you tell that's a big deal for me) and (at least in Gemma's opinion) highly entertaining.  Kolbe (at almost 18 months) really doesn't sit down and "watch" TV yet, but the other day Gemma was watching one while he played in the living room and I caught him standing by the TV signing along with "brush teeth" I believe.  So yes, fun and educational for all ages.  Check 'em out!!!

Review: for mamas!

I feel kind of odd reviewing these on here, but I absolutely couldn't not review them because they are such a great product!!  But, if you're not an early to middle-aged woman, you might want to just skip this post.  Trust me.  You won't care.

The product?  Happy Heiny's mama pads.  These. Are. Amazing.  I first heard about "mama pads" shortly after I began to cloth diaper but didn't give them a whole lot of thought.  For whatever reason they weren't even on the radar for me.  However, when my cycle recently returned I was intrigued enough to give these a try.  And I will never go back to disposable pads.  Ever.  You can read some other reviews if you click the product link but seriously, give these a try and you will not regret it.  I will say, it is probably much more convenient using them while cloth-diapering.  I wash them with my cloth dipes, and my diaper sprayer and wet-bags come in handy as well.  But I think you could probably make it work even if you weren't CDing...I truly believe it would be worth it.  I also have one of these bags for my purse/diaper bag which comes in handy as it has a wet and dry section.  Not only are these pads more cost effective in the long run (like cloth-diapering, there is a bit of expense up-front), but they are earth-friendly as well and super-comfortable.  Seriously.  I no longer have even one disposable pad in my house.  I would think these or a comparable product (there are several brands out there) would be fabulous for postpartum also.

So my apologies if this post weirded you out any but really, give these a try and you will see why I rave.  And I promise, we'll be back to "regularly scheduled programming" for my next post.  ;-D

Review: Retail-Me-Not

I believe I have mentioned this site before, but I wanted to again sing the praises of Retail-Me-Not.  This site has saved me lots of money on items I intend to purchase.  Before I shop (online or in a store) I quickly check Retail-Me-Not for coupons (printable) or coupon codes.  Often I come up with something, sometimes for the most random things.  Current Labels, for instance, I saved 15% (I think?) on my order, plus got free shipping, which was going to be $6.  So next time you go to order something online, give this site a quick search, you just may be pleasantly surprised.

What are your favorite coupon/coupon-code sites?  Please share in the comments section!

Review: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day

I am kind of obsessed with cleaning.  Right or wrong, good or bad (because believe me, it's all those things) I enjoy having a clean house.  Vinegar has always been a favorite go-to of mine for various cleaning projects, and it is still hands-down my number one fave for windows.  I found though, for whatever reason, that I wasn't a huge fan of how it worked on our laminate floors.  So for the past several years I've just been using warm/hot water on its own which works fine.  Well, switching gears for a moment...about eight months ago when Gemma was getting towards the end of her "potty chair career" I was looking for something a little less harsh than Lysol to spray in the chair after she did her business.  I liked the fact that Lysol disinfected.  I did not like the fact that I felt like I was breathing noxious chemicals into my lungs (and those of my babies) every time I sprayed it.  I like to be earth-friendly, and I certainly like to be people friendly when it comes to cleaning products.  I do use a few of the more harsh chemicals on some things, I just haven't found any way around it for toilets and tubs.  Don't worry, they are safely locked away in a cabinet with our Tot-Loks, another product I'd highly recommend by the way.  I do try to use more earth-friendly options for laundry and our dishwasher. So now back to my original point...an option for the potty chair.  A few friends mentioned that I might like Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, and let me tell you, "like" would be the understatement of the year.  I really, really like this product a whole lot.  It has a nice, light, clean scent, and it's not just a scent that is masking chemicals (which I have found to be the case with some of the Clorox Green Works products).  It just smells fresh and clean and very pleasant.  There are several scents available, I am partial to the lemon verbena.  This product worked great in the potty chair (which has currently just made its way back out for Kolbe to begin getting acquainted).  I have several of the spray bottles in our bathrooms, and they are very handy for the countertops (which are currently formica).  I also bought a big (32 oz.) bottle of the All Purpose cleaner and I love adding around a tablespoon of it to a gallon or so of hot water when I scrub my laminate and ceramic tile floors.  It works great, smells wonderful, and doesn't leave a residue.  I found this to be a little pricier than other common cleaning products, but I also found that I use less of it (compared to other products) so this kind of off-sets the cost.  I have had the big bottle for 6-8 months now and it's not even yet halfway gone, a little bit goes a long way.  I would highly recommend this product if you're looking for something natural/earth-friendly and effective for various every-day cleaning projects.  The wonderful scent is a great added bonus in my books. 

I received nothing for this review, I simply wanted to take the opportunity to recommend a product that I like.

Review: Banana Boat Summer Color

I will come right out and vainly, pridefully admit that I like being tan.  Especially in the spring and summer months.  It just makes me feel good.  Healthy.  Nice.  Yes, I know.  Terribly vain.  OCD even.  But now that I've outed myself...as much as I enjoy soaking up some rays on our deck in the afternoon sun, that just isn't the most practical thing in the world with two small children.  And it's so hit or miss early in the season (or in the middle of winter) with cool days and rainy weather.  Anyways, I bought a dress for Easter and really really didn't want to blind the general public with my florescent white legs on Easter Sunday (oh all right, I didn't want to look at them either), so I thought I'd give the 'ole tan-in-a-bottle a try.  I've used various brands and formulas before with marginal success.  I asked my sis-in-law (who sells Mary Kay) about their tan lotion and she (honestly, thankfully) told me that she didn't like it very well and to give Banana Boat Sunless Tan Lotion (I used the light/medium) a try. Well, I did and you know what?  It's good stuff.  Especially for a mere $6 a bottle.  I was pleased.  I had a noticeable tan within a few days (applying once a day) and it hung around for several days after that.  And looked natural.  And I still have most of the tube left for future use!  It also faded subtly, almost like a real tan does, which was an added bonus.  This will definitely become more of a staple in my "beauty supply" basket.  Give it a try, if you're looking for an easy, natural looking tan with little work, this is your product.  Make sure to wash your hands with soap after applying, and watch knees ankles, etc.  All the usual stuff.  I didn't receive anything for this review.  It is my honest opinion of the product, simply for the sake of sharing.

Review: Flip Diapers

I recently decided to purchase a Flip diaper cover and give it a try on Kolbe.  My favorite cloth diapering website, Cotton Babies, was running a special on some seconds (and honestly, any "second" I have ever bought from them - meaning there were minimal defects in the way it was sewn, not that it is used - has always been just as high-quality as their "first quality" stuff), so I figured for $10.95 I would give it a try.  I've always used covers that have aplix (velcro) closures, and was honestly very doubtful about all the good I'd heard about snaps.  I just couldn't believe you'd get a snug, good fit from them.  Well, I was wrong.  I really like this cover (which does also come in aplix FYI).  It is a one-size cover (meaning there are also snaps to adjust the rise) and fits Kolbe very well at 13 months completely unsnapped.  I don't think I'll use it with my prefolds, they're just a bit too bulky and the legs of the Flip are not double-gusseted (like my Thirsties are for example), but it works very well with my homemade fitteds, and looks super-sweet on him as well.  I would definitely recommend this cover if you are using fitteds, contours or a hybrid type diaper, probably not so much if you're using exclusively prefolds.  They also sell stay-dry inserts and other items specifically for the Flip system that seem quite affordable. 

I also purchased some of their Flips disposable inserts to try at night.  They are a bit cheaper than the disposables I've been using at night since Kolbe was around nine months (either Earth's Best or Seventh Generation) and probably a little "greener" as well.  I tried them with a bumGenius 3.0 one-size stuffed with a stay-dry doubler and he didn't leak.  In fact, the cloth doubler was hardly wet.  I'll probably go back and forth between using these and regular disposables at night.  I would definitely recommend them for a heavy night wetter though (Kolbe seems to be fairly moderate in that department).  I'm guessing (from reviews I've read) you could even use them inside a disposable if you're having leak issues overnight.  Whatever the case, they are a nifty little invention for sure.  Overall, I'd give the Flip system two thumbs up.  If you're thinking about cloth-diapering I think this would definitely be one of the more economical (and easier) ways to go.  And if you're curious about cloth diapering and the environmental impact of disposables, check out the Change 3 Things project that Cotton Babies is conducting this year.  Definitely a good way to get your feet wet if you're curious about cloth.