The Skinny on Skinny & Co.

Who doesn't love reviews. More often than not, when I am looking for a new product, I look for reviews before I buy. Here is where I help you find a great new company; Skinny & Co.

Coconut oil has become huge as we learn all the ways it can benefit our health and beauty. Skinny Coconut oil is made in small batches that are cold pressed, and they only use 100% pure raw coconuts from the jungles of Vietnam. 

I received a few products that I want to share with you today. I received five products to test out and will cover most of them here. I tried out a sugar scrub, oil pulling, body butter, facial oil, and a pure coconut oil. 

First, my favorite product. I am a sucker really for scrubs. I love how they make my skin feel, and this one is just down right awesome. When I opened the jar, I just wanted to eat it up, it smelled that good. The best part, I could! See, not only can I use this as a sugar scrub on my skin, but I could also use it in coffee or tea, or on my lips. Everything is completely natural in it, so it is totally edible. I have not tasted it yet, but I have been super tempted to.

I was in one of my best friend's wedding in September, and I got these products just in time. My legs really needed some tlc, and I started with this baby. The sugar and vanilla in this scrub send you straight to the spa. After using it, my legs did feel so nice and soft. I was in love.

This was actually the very first product I tried from this line, and it was my first time using anything with coconut oil. To be honest, I had to look up oil pulling just to know what this was for. For those who do not know, oil pulling is taking a small amount of coconut oil and swishing it in your mouth for 10-20 minutes. It can help freshen breath, whiten your teeth, and remove plaque. With those kinds of benefits, I was going to give it a try. Skinny oil pulling oil is infused with peppermint oil to really freshen your breath while pulling. I loved the peppermint in this. Truly, I only pulled once, as it was not something I was really in to. Although it is not my cup of tea, for those who do like to oil pull, I would highly recommend this product, as it was nice with the added minty feel.

Of course you cannot try out a bunch of coconut oil products without trying the good stuff, just by itself. I was so happy when one of the jars I received was their pure coconut oil. I have been wanting to try out coconut oil for some time, actually since my mom started using it when fighting her cancer. So, it has been over two years. My family is not big on the taste of coconut, so I had to be careful with how much I used at any one time. This jar stayed in my kitchen. I liked using it to help replace some of the oil I use in cooking. If I can boost my metabolism at all, I will be a fan. This oil has not been overpowering at all, and the family hasn't even noticed when I do use it. Another win. 

 

These are the last two products that I was given for review and testing. This is where I had some pause with my review. I love using the oil for how it can help my health and the scrub is nice. With these two products I would end up with a little more of an oil feel to my skin that I just was not a complete fan of. I know that others truly love these products, but they were just not necessarily my forte. There are many ways that I can use the body butter, but some I have to wait on. The body butter can be good to use after getting a bit too much sun, for now I have to wait until summer to really test that out. Also, it can be use for skin rash or baby acne, and I don't really come across those much anymore. So, I don't want my pause to make you not try out these great products. They could be awesome for many others. 

Overall, I have loved working with the company and trying out these great coconut oil products. They have been so wonderful to work with.

Now, I want to give you all a chance to try out their products as well. The great people at Skinny & Co have given me a discount code for you all to use! Just head on over to their website and you will receive 15% off any Skinny & Co. order, when you use the discount code - SKINNYCO15.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. All opinions are completely my own.

*Powerocks Magicstick {Review and Code}*

I have been very quiet on here. Life has been busy. What mom would not say that, especially around this great time of year. We all get busy and some things are left undone. A big part of life these days is technology. It seems everyone has at least a cell phone if not a cell phone, a laptop, and a tablet, or some other form of electronic device. Now, how often do you find yourself away from outlets all day, and while heavily using your phone, you are notified that you have almost no battery life left?
My phone is not very old (less than two years). It isn't top of the line, either. I have to charge my phone every night. If I need to use it for more than the occasional call or checking email, it very well could be dead before the end of the day. If I am out, I am done. At least, I was.
Now, I have a great little life saver! Enter the Powerocks Magicstick!

I was contacted by Powerocks about checking out their Magicstick and then telling you all about it. When I checked out the website a bit, I knew I had to try this! I jumped at the chance really. It sounded like something I really needed. I have a feeling some of you might be thinking the same thing. 

The Magicstick by Powerocks is a portable charger for your USB electronic devices. You charge it through USB and charge your device using the same cord. 

If you need a special cord to fit your device, that is fine. You can use basically any USB cord you need to. So, let's go through this. Here is everything that came in the box:

I love that they sent me a red stick. Love it. And it is about the size of a larger lipstick tube. Then you get a short charging cord, a travel pouch (nice touch), a reg. card, and the little booklet telling you how to work it (though really, even with slight tech abilities, you figure it out on your own). 

This is super simple to use. The end of the stick has a light telling you how charged it is. Mine was glowing green so I even got to do a little test run with my tablet to get some pics for this review.

I fell in love very quickly with this. It is nice and compact. I can actually hook this up to my cell phone and put everything in my front pocket. Only a little bit of each item actually runs above the pocket line. Perfect.

If I had to find anything that could be a con to this product, it would be that it can quite a while for the Magicstick to charge. But for this, you have to consider that one charge on the Magicstick could give you up to two full charges depending on your device.

All in all I think this is a great product. It would make a perfect last minute stocking stuffer too. Like I said, who doesn't have some kind of electronic device that travels with them everywhere? It can really be a life saver if you keep it with you. Being a USB charged item itself, charging in the car wouldn't even be that difficult to do. 

If you would like to look at these more, check out Powerocks Magicstick's website. The Magicstick I received retails for about $49.99. 

Want a better deal? Just for my readers, I got this message: "Here is a promo code for 20% to your readers for the Magicstick: Powerblog20." 

That's right! You could get 20% off your order if you use the above promo code. Better hurry though, you only have 8 days until Christmas to get these and fill everyone's stocking!

Disclaimer: I received the above product free of charge for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own. 

Cascade Platinum Pac Review

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Cascade has come out with an all new powerful dish washing detergent. Not only will it get your dishes sparkling, but it will help to keep hard water build up to a minimum in your dishwasher itself.

There have been plenty of times that I end up with some left over "stuff" on my dishes if I let them sit a little too long without pre-rinsing them. And let's face it, who really likes pre-rinsing when you are just going to put it in the dishwasher any way? That is one thing I am liking about Cascade Platinum over what I have used in the past. I have a lot less re-washing than I had before. Now, I must say, that there are still plastic items that have needed some wiping down to remove a slight film. But as you can see in the picture below, the ketchup came off the plates nicely, and my glass dishes were sparkling.

All the sparkling plates got me wondering, what makes this new Cascade Platinum so special? Luckily, though, for me, I had some fact sheets to help me learn more. ;) The new Cascade has a triple action power-pac that:
• Delivers Cascade’s ultimate clean for dishes
• Scrubs away tough 24 hour stuck-on food
• Eliminates the need to pre-wash dishes
• Provides exceptional dishware shine
• Contains the Grease Fighting Power of Dawn

Now, Dawn, I use often. But that is mostly for handwashing at my sink. Knowing that these new Cascade Platinum Pacs have Dawn in them, makes me feel better that my dishes will get nice and clean. When I make dinner for everyone, I like to know that when I put the food on the table, the plates will make the food look even better. We all eat with our eyes. That is a sentiment shared with Gail Simmons, from Top Chef, who has joined with Cascade to emphasize how much we really eat with our eyes. One thing Gail reccomends:

“The easiest recipes pop with unexpected, gourmet presentations. Drizzle bright sauces on sparkling white plates or layer desserts in crystal-clean glassware. Keep your presentation sparkling with Cascade Platinum, which keeps dishes perfect for anytime entertaining and impromptu guests. ”

You can hear more of what Gail has to say at Cascade's Facebook Page.
Now, to make this debut even better than just getting your dishwasher and dishes clean, you can win prizes! Cascade Platinum is hosting an Instagram contest. You can get full details at their main landing page here. Each week of the contest, upload your photos that match to the week's theme.
Week 1: My Platinum Plate (Entry Period: 6/3-­‐6/9) Show us your best dish styled from the sparkling plate up!
Week 2: My Platinum Bite (Entry Period: 6/10-­‐6/16) Show us your best bite and most creative use of sparkling silverware!
Week 3: My Platinum Clink (Entry: 6/17-­‐6/23) Show us how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses. Cheers!
Week 4: My Platinum Table (Entry Period: 6/24-­‐6/30) Show us your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations!
Grand Prize Winner (Entry: 6/3-­‐6/30)

Would you be prepared?

I don't know about you, but I have heard so much talk about emergency preparedness lately, it isn't even funny. Now, I am one to "always be prepared," but I also reach my limits and know some who can take things overboard. I do, however, want our family to be ready should anything happen, like a natural disaster, storms, etc. While I could go and stock up on things like beans, canned goods, and the like, I also thought that there must be an easier way. I think I may have found it in eFoods. It makes being prepared easier. eFoods Direct offers packages that can sustain a single person or a whole family for various lengths of time.

Worried about that food going bad if not used in time? 

One thing that I do not like about just stocking canned goods and dry beans is that these things do go bad. Canned goods have a shelf life, and truly it isn't all that long in the grand scheme of things. eFoods' meals have a 25 year shelf life. If you get their pre-mixed foods, they are best used in 15 years. Still, 15 years is a long time. I think that is much better than the two or three years max from canned goods or dried goods. 

How good for you can they really be?

More and more people are finding that they must live with allergies or metabolic disorders. Food limitations are a part of everyday life for so many. Also, we want to be able to eat healthy, even in an emergency. eFoods has this covered as well. 

eFoodsDirect meals are Cholesterol-Free, great source of fiber, vegetarian options, no trans-fats, no hydrogenated oils, no added MSG, not genetically modified, lactose-free, soy-free, gluten-free, oxygen-free packaging and made in the USA.

It seems that they truly have thought of so much to help families be prepared for what can be thrown at us. If you want to try this all out, you could opt to try 6 meals for free, or you could use one of their two current offers.

In remembrance of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan a year ago, we've created special family preparedness offers: www.efoodsoffer.com. Don't forget to enter the special coupon codes,Food40 and Food50, when ordering to get this memorial discount. eFoods' mission is to empower every family to have food security in the case of storms, natural disasters, or even financial crises like shrinking income or the loss of a job.

Until next time... Always Be Prepared! 




Disclaimer: I am working with this company on a review of their products. I did not receive other compensation for this post. See my disclosure statement for more information. 

Mother's Day Printables - Review and Discount

Mother's Day is just around the corner. I still can't believe we are in May already. I enjoy finding cute ways to celebrate the smaller "holidays." This year I have found some really great printables for mother's day. The great people over at Python Printable Games have come up with some great Mother's Day party games.
The packet of printables comes with 20 files. 20! You download the files right when you buy them, there is no shipping, no waiting (except for your internet connection). I loved all of the different games and trivia that came in the packet. The Mother's Day printables have a little something for everyone in the family too. There are scavenger hunts (one family oriented and the other just for mom and dad), crazy cookie recipes, coupons for mom and dad to use, trivia games galore and a lot more.
I think some of my favorite printables from this packet are the romantic coupons, the tidy up scavenger hunt, and the Mother May I? game. Really, each game in this party packet is great and will make for an awesome mother's day.
One thing I like about this packet of printables is that many of them are good for Mother's Day and beyond. You could use many of the games at almost any gathering. You don't have to limit yourself to just using these on Mother's Day.

You can follow Python Printable Games on Facebook and on Twitter.

Buy It: You can purchase the set of Mother's Day Party Games for $19.95. If you sign up for their newsletter, you will also get a 30 page game pack for FREE!

Use the code LYNIFER25 between now and the end of May and receive 25% OFF your order!

Until next time.... Happy Mother's Day!

 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.

Party Planning Checklists Review

I can't believe I am saying this, but the thought of planning BG's first birthday party has already crossed my mind. She is 8 and a half months old. Yes, that is almost 4 months away from a party, but in that time we will have Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and all that comes with those times. I don't want it to get to be January and I don't have a party planned.
Party planning takes time. One of the biggest things to take up your time when planning is food. Well, that is if you are anything like me. When our big families get together, food tends to be a focus of the gathering. That means that I make sure to have varying types of food and plenty of it. Planning for all of that food and things like venue, guests, theme, and decorations, it can be exhausting and frustrating trying to keep everything straight.
Now there is an eBook to help you with your planning. Party Planning Checklist by Theme Party Queen is a FREE eBook that helps you plan for your parties by keeping track of things like food recipes (by category and prep day), table arrangements, grocery lists, and more.
I like that I can plan for multiple main courses, appetizers, desserts, and more all in one place. I can figure out how I want the tables and where I want to put things like garbage and recycling all in one packet. It helps me find the things I may be forgetting and give details where I need to so others can help me with my prep work and set-up.
You can get your own Party Planning Checklist by liking them on Facebook or signing up for their newsletter (providing our email). This is a really nice resource for any time you need to plan a party and need a little help with your planning.

Until next time... Happy Planning!

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.

Prefense hand sanitizer Review & Giveaway! (CLOSED)

I have two very curious little kids. I do feel that being exposed to some germs can be good, but too many times we are in places where germs are just out of control. We cannot know exactly how often tables are cleaned and how well. When was the last time that play gym was cleaned? When were we last able to wash our hands?

Now I can rest a little easier since I have Prefense. Prefense is a great hand sanitizer that does not use alcohol. It is all-natural, so it won't hurt if swallowed. This makes it totally safe for kids and it lasts a long time. I have used this for LJ and my nephews when we went to a local McDonald's. I especially used it before eating when they had already been on the playground. I knew that it would last all through them eating and playing and keep them from getting whatever germs might be on the equipment. All I can say is that my little bottle of Prefense came just in time!
What do I mean by it lasts a long time? Prefense will actually work to protect against germs for over 24 hours or 10 hand washings. I love that! The reason it lasts so long is that the silica base forms a protective layer that stays in place for up to 24 hours. Some tests have shown this to last up to 60 hours (I found this tidbit on the side of my bottle).

By not using alcohol, I don't worry about it being on my son's hands. Prefense is water based which also means that it is non-flammable. Prefense protects against staph, strep, E.coli, drug resistant MRSA strains, and more.
The scent is also great. It doesn't smell like much, but there is a slight citrus-y scent to it. The foaming action helps it to stay on little wiggle worm hands until it is rubbed in.
You can buy Prefense on their website at: http://www.prefense.com/products/. It can also be purchased on Amazon. This is a nice option for those who use Amazon perks like "Free Super Saver Shipping" or "Amazon Prime." Or you can enter my Giveaway and win one of their 8 oz bottles. The 8 oz bottle has about 640 applications in there. That means if you use the one spray a day (since it lasts that long), you could be using this same bottle for almost 2 years! How awesome?! Prefense can be found on Facebook and Twitter as well.

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.

BabyBond Nursing "Cover" Review & Discount

"Cover mom, not her baby." The BabyBond Nursing Sash allow this to happen. Moms can stay modest and not show more skin than they are comfortable and baby is able to stay uncovered so mom and baby can bond more.

From the site:

BabyBond Flex™ is worn like a sash, functioning like a nursing top. Nurse from the top of your shirt. Separate the layers of fabric to achieve latch on. Double panel keeps breast covered above & below. Belly & back remain covered with your own shirt. Removable 9 x 12″ double layer terry velour burp cloth. Able to attach any cloth or wear without cloth attached. Stores in matching pouch.

Let me say, I love my BabyBond, even if I did end up asking for a size too large. :) At first it took me a few tries to get to a point where I felt comfortable using the BabyBond. I found it worked better for me (with my too large for me BabyBond) to put some safety pins in it where the next size BabyBond would sit. Once I had it to a size that worked better, I was able to start nursing my little girl almost anywhere and feel comfortable that I was not showing too much skin. I am a fairly modest mom and this helps my sweaty baby not have to be covered every time we nurse in public.

I received a Flex BabyBond to try out for this review. The difference between the original and the flex is an added removable burp cloth. The Original Bond has a built in burp cloth. The terry velour burp cloth is super soft! I am in love with the removable cloth. My little one tends to be messy when she nurses, so I can put the cloth under her chin to catch some of her dribbles and keep them off of me and the sash.
The BabyBond is easy to take everywhere with you because it comes in a super easy and convenient storage pouch. All you do is roll up the sash and tuck it in to the pouch. I put a clip on mine so that I could easily clip to whichever diaper bag I am using.







I love this product and recommend it to moms who are planning to nurse their little ones.

And now for an awesome bonus for my readers. The wonderful people at BabyBond have offered a discount of 25% off products on their site. The code for this discount is: LYNIFER.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure. This post may contain some affiliate links.

Floss Easily with BrytonPick

I don't know about you, but I don't floss much, especially when I am out of the house. Really, I hate to floss and Hubby is even worse. If I get something stuck between my teeth when we are out to dinner, I am out of luck until we get home or if I can manage to wiggle it out. Now, we have a new nifty little tool for our arsenal of products to help keep our mouths clean and healty. There is a great new product out called the BrytonPick.

I love this pick! The tips of the Brytonpick are made from thin stainless steel. They fit easily between my teeth helping me get out any little bits of stuff that gets caught in there. Each Brytonpick comes in a carry case that fits perfectly in to a credit card slot in your wallet. Then, as long as you have your wallet, you have a way to floss after each meal or snack. The stainless steel is very easy to clean and if need be, you can just wipe it clean and put it away for the next time you need it. 
It is easiest to clean your front teeth. The others can get a little tricky at times, but I was still able to use it for most of the spaces between my teeth.  
Do you have braces or invisalign? You can still use BrytonPick! I think that is awesome. It can be pretty hard (at least I figure it would be, though I have never had braces) to clean between your teeth when you have braces. Now, with BrytonPick, even those with braces can easily floss whenever they need to.

I do think this is a pretty neat little item. I always hated having to deal with floss string and now I don't have to if I don't want to. Each BrytonPick can be used for up to 30 days, so I can just keep using it all month. Good perk if you ask me. 
Brytonpick can be purchased online at amazon.com and other online retailers.





I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure. This post may also contain affiliate links.

AppleCheeks' Accessories Review

I love using cloth diapers on my little girl. It is a wonderful thing. At times though, there are some certain accessories that you may want when using cloth. Some of these include cloth wipes, wetbags, liners, and more. Applecheeks has granted your accessory wishes.

Not only does this company have awesome looking diapers (I have yet to be able to try one of these though I have wanted to do so for AGES), they also offer different items that moms may want to use with the diapers.

First up are their Storage Sacs. Let's face it, you need a place to hold your dirty diapers before they make it to the wash. Applecheeks offers two sizes. I tried out the size 1 storage sac and let me tell you, this is one awesome size 1 storage sac! When they say "our Storage Sacs come in two generous sizes," they mean it (quote taken from website). The size 1 Sac is large enough to hold a good 6-8 diapers for newborns. Actually, if I tried, I could probably get that many of like a medium diaper in there as well. I love it! The Storage Sac has two rope drawstrings with cord stops that allow the bag to close nice and tight easily. It is also really easy to open it back up when you need to. Another feature of this Storage Sac that I like over some of the other brands is that they offer a flat bottom. The corners of this bag have been sewn so that it will sit flat on the table instead of straight edges coming to hard corners. 

I love the Storage Sac and now even use it as my night time wetbag and it is perfect for longer day trips as well. 

Another accessory that I am in love with now are cloth wipes. If I am going to be using a cloth diaper, why not use a cloth wipe as well? Now I can do so and enjoy it even more with Applecheeks' bamboo wipes. These wipes are a nice 8x8 square. The fabric that they are made out of is so soft, it isn't even funny! I love using these wipes. The coverage is great and I know that they feel nice on baby's bum. If you get any of these wipes, they will quickly become your favorite wipes (as in as soon as you open the package and feel them). 

To go with wipes, most people use a solution with their cloth wipes. Again, Applecheeks has you covered. Enter their Gentle Cleansing Solution. This can be bought in a concentrate or in a ready to use spray bottle. I love the spray bottle as it is perfect for the diaper bag. Not only does this solution cleans baby's' bum, but it can also clean hands and faces and leave them smelling nice. This solution uses Tea Tree Oil and Lavender and is all natural and a disinfectant. Gotta love that!

So, one of the last accessories that I have used in the past to make my cloth diapering life a little easier is disposable liners. I have used many different brands and some are definitely better than others. I have used some that were basically really rough toilet paper (down to the roll it came on). Others have been nice and soft and still able to hold up to toddler poos. Applecheeks' flushable liners are some of the best liners I have tried to date. They are a good size so that I can fold them for my little girl, but they would easily contain a larger mess from my son if he still wore diapers. While being soft, they really do their job of holding the mess in so that it can be easily disposed of in the toilet. I was amazed when they even held back a decent amount of Baby C's BF poo. I wasn't expecting that.

I love all of the accessories from Applecheeks that I have been able to try out. Now I would just love to have one of their diapers to use with all these great accessories! :) That is for another time though. For all of the products I mentioned in this post and many more head over to the great Applecheeks website.

Until next time... Happy Diapering!

Disclaimer: I received products for the purposes of this review. I did not receive any other monetary compensation. All opinions are 100% my own. Images contained in this review are from the company's site.

LBBE - Hevea Baby Pacifier Review

When it comes to baby, I like to keep things natural and simple. There are many products, even for babies, that just don't fit those criteria. There is one such company out there that feels the same way, especially about pacifiers. That company is Hevea Baby USA. Hevea Baby makes a great 100% natural rubber pacifier.

As the picture above notes, these pacifiers are made from 100% natural rubber. They are BPA, PVC, and phalate free. That is really awesome in my book. It was shortly after my first son was born that I started hearing and learning so much more about BPA and what it can do to kids and so now I am doing all I can to keep it away from both of my kids and from the family as a whole.
So, now on to our experience. Well, we waited for at least three weeks before trying out any nipples or pacifiers other than my built in ones. :) Baby C is still trying to get used to pacifiers and such. I have tried this pacifier but she seems to not be too keen on the shape. As she gets more used to having something other than my finger or breast in her mouth, she may become more apt to take this shaped pacifier. Until then, I am trying to learn what she might like and what she does not.
I did really like the solid design of this pacifier, there are not real nooks or crannies for dirt or anything to get caught in. Yes, there are design cutouts, but they seem pretty easy to get to with a nipple brush. I do think that the design is nice and distinctive. I like it. I would love if Baby C ended up using this pacifier more often as she gets a little older.
Now, I am hoping that Baby C does not get as addicted to a pacifier as LJ did, but I do think it can be good for a baby to use one when they are young. They have been found to help reduce the risk of SIDS. I think it can also work nicely as something that calms little ones when they need it most.
I think this is a great pacifier made with good materials. You can learn more about this and other great Hevea products at Hevea Baby USA. Also, check out their facebook page!

LBBE - Wee Expressions ***Review & Giveaway!*** (closed)

I may have mentioned before that I love finding great shops on Etsy. The people you meet that are the backbone of these shops are wonderful and talented. Now, I would like to focus on one such shop that I have been a fan of for some time. That shop is Wee Expressions.

This shop can be a one stop shop for many cloth moms. The woman behind this shop offers fitted diapers, wipes, momma cloth, and more. I always love looking around at what she has to offer and see if anything new has been listed. I just wish I could buy of it! Lauren was nice enough to send me a three pack of nursing pads for me to try out. I don't have many cloth nursing pads. Really, I only had one set before hers arrived and that was a pair I threw together to see how it would turn out.

These nursing pads are great. I like cloth pads over the disposable any day. These nursing pads are super cute with all the different patterns she has available. Also, you notice the extra ring of stitching in the above picture? Well, from what I can tell, the majority of the absorbent layers are housed in this ring, it holds them together better, and it creates a slight cupping effect once you wash and dry these pads (dry in the dryer to get cup shape). I think the bias tape edge helps with the cupping as well.

The flannel that she uses is really nice and soft. I can really start to forget that I am wearing nursing pads at times, when I have these ones on. I like that. They also are not too obvious that I have nursing pads in my bra. This is a big deal for me. I hate when I feel like I am wearing them and to feel like they are showing through my shirt is a big no-no to me. I hate that and will not wear a nursing pad if I feel that it is showing through my bra and top. 

***Buy It!***

You can buy your own nursing pads from Wee Expresisons' Etsy shop for $2.85 a pair or 3/$8.00,7/$17.95.You also get free shipping on sets of 3 or more nursing pads for a limited time!

***Win it!***

One lucky reader will win a 3 pack of nursing pads in their choice of fabrics. 

Mandatory Entry:

(This must be done before any other entries count!)

Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect and go to Wee Expressions' Etsy shop and tell me your favorite product. 

Extra Entries:

• Like Lynifer's Blog on Facebook - 1 entry
• Like Wee Expressions on Facebook - 1 entry
• Follow me on twitter (@whocg23) - 1 entry
• Tweet about this giveaway - include a link to this post, @whocg23, and the tag #giveaway - 1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day - Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in your comment
• Add Wee Expressions to your favorites on Etsy
• Let me know a product you would like to see in Wee Expressions' shop
• Subscribe via a reader (left sidebar) - 1 entry
• Subscribe to my emails (left sidebar) - 2 entries - Be sure to activate your subscription!
• Follow me through Networked Blogs (left sidebar) - 1 entry 
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post! - 5 entries - Leave a link to your blog post in the comment

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. If your email is not in your profile, leave it in each comment as well. If I cannot reach you, you cannot win!

Rules: This giveaway is open to the US & Canada. Giveaway will end at midnight on March 11th. Any entries timestamped after this time will not be valid. Winner will be picked using random.org, verified, and contacted via email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.


Disclaimer:The thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and are not swayed by any monetary or product compensation. I received a sampling of products for review purposes and no other compensation was received. 

LBBE - BumCoveredDiapers.com ***Review and Giveaway!*** (closed)

Bumcovereddiapers.com is an awesome company. I have loved what they have available for ages. When we found out we were expecting Baby C, I started looking at all of the shops I love and wishing I could buy so many diapers. Bumcovereddiapers.com had a new diaper that she was working on perfecting. One of their newest diapers available are the Build-your-own Fitted Diapers.

From the site:

These fitted diapers are made exactly to your liking, with four layers of fabric and a heavy soaker pad sewn inside. We can create a custom diaper especially for your little one. You choose the color, lining material, and the soaker material! 

I love that I can now build my very own fitted diaper exactly the way that I want it to be and for an awesomely reasonable price. The outside is a super soft flannel. The inside can be flannel or microfleece material.

Prices range from $6.00-$9.00, depending on your selections.

 Melissa from BumCoveredDiapers sent me a flannel diaper with aplix for Baby C. It was made with some super cute pink flannel and a thin strip of aplix on the front of the diaper. At first I thought the aplix on the front was a little thin, but with Baby C being as tiny as she is and the belly button sticks out enough that most aplix fronts start to rub. This aplix doesn't get close enough to the edge of the diaper to rub her belly at all. That is a big plus to me! This diaper is the small and Baby C is maybe around 7 pounds now.

I love how this diaper fits her. Yes, it might be a little big in some areas, but that tells me that she will be able to wear it for some time instead of outgrowing it within a week or two. The absorbency is really nice with these diapers. With Baby C, I don't need a whole lot, but it is a perfect amount that she can end up wetting her diaper more than once and still be good to go. Also, it has held in BF poos. Yes, Baby C made sure to test this diaper to its full extent the first time it was put on her. I love this diaper and for the cost, you can't beat it.

***Buy It!***

You can Build-Your-Own diaper Here.

***Win it!***

One lucky reader will win one Build-Your-Own Diaper.

Mandatory Entry:

(This must be done before any other entries count!)

Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect and go to Bumcovereddiapers.com and tell me your favorite product. 

Extra Entries:

• Like Lynifer's Blog on Facebook - 1 entry
• Like BumCovered Diapers on Facebook - 1 entry
• Follow me on twitter (@whocg23) - 1 entry
• Tweet about this giveaway - include a link to this post, @whocg23, and the tag #giveaway - 1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day - Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in your comment
• Subscribe via a reader (left sidebar) - 1 entry
• Subscribe to my emails (left sidebar) - 2 entries - Be sure to activate your subscription!
• Follow me through Networked Blogs (left sidebar) - 1 entry 
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post! - 5 entries - Leave a link to your blog post in the comment

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. If your email is not in your profile, leave it in each comment as well. If I cannot reach you, you cannot win!

Rules: This giveaway is open to the US & Canada. Giveaway will end at midnight on March 8th. Any entries timestamped after this time will not be valid. Winner will be picked using random.org, verified, and contacted via email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.


Disclaimer:The thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and are not swayed by any monetary or product compensation. I received a sampling of products for review purposes and no other compensation was received. 

LBBE - Baby K'tan ***Review & Discount!***

One thing that I love to be able to do with my children is wear them as much as possible. With LJ this was through a sling carrier that I purchased. The main hurdle I had with that was LJ was tiny and the sling was meant from birth to toddler and he just sank in to this sling, no matter how much I tried to roll the fabric to make the sling smaller for him. I also received an infantino soft carrier as a shower gift, but again, small babies just don't work well with those.

I knew that when I had another child, I wanted to look at some of my other options for babywearing. I started my research early and there are a TON of options out there in many price ranges. I like the idea of a wrap, i.e. Moby, and the ease of slings, but they still weren't quite doing it for me. Then I found a great mix for the soft carrier world. In steps the Baby K'tan.

Here is some info from their site:

The Baby K'tan® Baby Carrier (patent pending) is a 100% natural cotton, ergonomically designed & stylish soft hybrid baby carrier. Offered in hip neutral colors, the Baby K'tan is a cross between a sling and a structured front baby carrier, offering the positions and benefits of both!
The stylish and soft nature of the Baby K’tan Baby Carrier will last as your baby grows (up to 35 pounds – one of the most durable of its kind!) providing comfort alongside simple and convenient maintenance – all in an exclusive design that can be worn in multiple wearing positions.Using the Baby K’tan infant carrier your baby can be carried upright (facing in or out), and as they get older, they can be carried on your hip.


I received my Baby K'tan the day after we came home from the hospital. Talk about good timing! I really could not wait to try it out. Since I had checked out their YouTube site before getting the carrier, I knew how to put it on with ease. The instruction manual that comes with the carrier also makes things really easy for first timers. Right away I was able to get Baby C (along with her blankets) in to the carrier. 

So far we have taken two trips out with the Baby K'tan. Our first trip was to Target and I made sure to have my K'tan in our diaper bag in case she was sick of sitting in her car seat. It of course happened and for me to be able to push the cart and hold her, I had to put her in the K'tan. It was so easy and she was more than happy to be snuggled up next to mommy and within a few minutes she was falling asleep while sucking on my finger (she loves to do that when falling asleep). A few days later we went to Walmart, and I knew that I was going to wear her from the moment we left the car. It was a nicer day in our area so I was able to go without a jacket and that made it a little easier for me. We had Baby C dressed nice and warm so that she wouldn't really even notice coming out of the car seat and warmth. I was able to get her in the K'tan in like a minute and she was out cold. Baby C slept the entire time we were at the store and I know she loved being in the Baby K'tan.

Another thing that I always love about wearing my children when I can, is that I can spread the babywearing love with others who comment on my carrier. While on our second store trip I got at least two comments directed to me and I overheard many more. The more moms see others wearing their babies and the ease with which to do it, the more they will consider wearing their babies and the benefits of that are staggering.







Really, I can't say enough good things about this carrier. I love it! I am so glad that I now have a Baby K'tan so I can carry Baby C with ease and without having straps to tie or rings to adjust. Oh, and I must take a moment to talk about the customer service within the company. I have had such a great experience working with this company. When corresponding with them, I always heard back within a day or two (that was mostly over weekends) and everything was processed very quickly. I have enjoyed every part of this review and I know that I would work with company again in a heartbeat. I highly recommend the Baby K'tan to any new or soon-to-be parent. 
You can  check out the Baby K'tan website for a ton of more information about their great products or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. 

***Buy It***

The Baby K'tan retails for between $62-$74. There are also great accessories available on the site to accompany your Baby K'tan. 

***Discount It!***

I have been given the opportunity to offer up a great discount to my readers. This code is good for 10% off purchases made on their online store. The code will be valid from 2/16/11 through 4/19/11! 

Code: Lynifer

LBBE - Babylegs ***Review and Giveaway!*** (closed)

One thing that I quickly grew to love when I started to use cloth diapers were babylegs. I loved the idea of being able to put on some great baby leg warmers to keep LJ's legs warm while keeping the diaper nice and accessible for those changes that happen oh so often.

Some of the cutest leg warmers that I have found have been Babylegs, by far. They have so many different cute patterns and products. When looking for the next pair of leg warmers for your little one, you will always have trouble picking just one. What makes this company even better is that they have so many great products, not just baby leg warmers. You can also buy newborn leg warmers, baby socks, and tights (regular and footless).

Babylegs sent me a little grab bag of their products. Paul, from Babylegs even sent a little surprise for big brother LJ when he sent out things for Baby C.
What did LJ get in the bag? Well, take a look:

LJ loves these fire engine Babylegs. As soon as he saw these leg warmers, he wanted to wear them. I love that he is willing to wear something that will help to keep him nice and warm and he loves that he gets to wear something that looks like a firetruck. LJ loves firetrucks right now and so seeing these just really made his day.
My little LJ is such a skinny mini and even under jeans and other pants I worry that he is not able to stay warm enough. When we stay home and he is in cloth, I want to make it as easy as I can to change him when he says that he needs a new "ber-ber" (diaper). Babylegs are the perfect answer to both of these situations.

Baby C has a cute pair of newborn Babylegs in the purple butterfly pattern. They are so tiny and really cute and so big on her little legs! I couldn't believe that something so tiny would end up so big on her legs, but I know that she liked them because she did not fuss nearly as much for diaper changes when she had them on. Once we start going out of the house more, I know that I will be putting these on her little legs to ensure that she stays warm during these cold winter days.

close up of the newborn Babylegs

So, now for the even better part of this post!

***Buy It!***

You can head over to Babylegs' site and check out all of their super cute babylegs, footless tights, and socks. 

***Discount***

Babylegs has been so great as to offer up a 20% discount to my readers. This code is good from 2/15-3/15.

Code:HAND

***Win it!***

One lucky reader will win a grab bag from Babylegs.

Mandatory Entry:

(This must be done before any other entries count!)

Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect and follow Babylegs on facebook.

Extra Entries:

• Like Lynifer's Blog on Facebook - 1 entry
• Like Babylegs on Twitter - 1 entry 
• Follow me on twitter (@whocg23) - 1 entry
• Tweet about this giveaway - include a link to this post, @whocg23, and the tag #giveaway - 1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day - Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in your comment
• Subscribe via a reader (left sidebar) - 1 entry
• Subscribe to my emails (left sidebar) - 2 entries - Be sure to activate your subscription!
• Follow me through Networked Blogs (left sidebar) - 1 entry 
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post! - 5 entries - Leave a link to your blog post in the comment

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. If your email is not in your profile, leave it in each comment as well. If I cannot reach you, you cannot win!

Rules: This giveaway is open to the US & Canada. Giveaway will end at midnight on March 1st. Any entries timestamped after this time will not be valid. Winner will be picked using random.org, verified, and contacted via email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.


Disclaimer:The thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and are not swayed by any monetary or product compensation. I received a sampling of products for review purposes and no other compensation was received. 

LBBE - Fleece Soaker from Zizzies and Izzies ***Review & Giveaway!*** (Closed)

I love finding some really great WAHMs on Etsy. There are so many talented women and men out there and Etsy can be a great way to find them. One such person is Shelly from Zizzies and Izzies.

I was sent a fleece soaker in the newborn size. Since we knew that we were having a little girl, I enjoyed being able to get things that were undoubtedly girlie. Shelly sent me one of her flower soakers and oh my is it cute!

 Baby C is still under 7 pounds and look how perfect this soaker fits her. It even fits nicely under her cord stump.  I was so glad when I saw the size of the soaker as I knew it would actually have a chance of fitting my newborn where most diapers in a "newborn" size are still too big. Right now she is fitting more of a preemie size in diapers and outfits. I have been able to put a small prefold that I made for her and this fits over it nicely.
I love soakers because they really help to let air through to baby's skin and that has been a big thing for us as Baby C has gotten red really fast with disposables and the weather we have been having has not helped her skin either. Even just one prefold with this soaker on top and the redness is greatly reduced. It makes me feel good that her bum is not as sore as it might have been.
I highly recommend stopping by Zizzies and Izzies to see what is available for your little one. The prices are great and she really does have a great selection of fabrics to choose from.

***Buy It!***

You can head over to Zizzies and Izzies Etsy site and purchase a 2 pack of fleece soakers for $15.00. 

She has a ton of other great products you can check out while you are there!

***Discount***

Shelly has been so great as to offer up a 15% discount to my readers. This discount code is good until the end of February. 

Code: whatmommawants

***Win it!***

One lucky reader will win a 2 pack of fleece soakers in their choice of size and color/pattern 

from Zizzies and Izzies!

Mandatory Entry:

(This must be done before any other entries count!)

Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect. Leave a comment with you GFC name.

Extra Entries:

• Like Lynifer's Blog on Facebook - 1 entry - Leave your facebook name in the comment
• Like Zizzies Britches on Facebook - 1 entry -
• Follow me on twitter (@whocg23) - 1 entry - Leave your twitter ID in the comment
• Tweet about this giveaway - include a link to this post, @whocg23, and the tag #giveaway - 1 entry per tweet - 1 tweet per day - Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in your comment
• Subscribe via a reader (left sidebar) - 1 entry - Leave a comment
• Subscribe to my emails (left sidebar) - 2 entries - Leave a comment and be sure to activate your subscription!
• Follow me through Networked Blogs (left sidebar) - 1 entry - Leave a comment
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post! - 5 entries - Leave a link to your blog post in the comment

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. If your email is not in your profile, be sure to leave it in each comment as well. If I cannot reach you, you cannot win!

Rules: This giveaway is open to the US & Canada. Giveaway will end at midnight on February 28th. Any entries timestamped after this time will not be valid. Winner will be picked using random.org, verified, and contacted via email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.

Disclaimer:The thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and are not swayed by any monetary or product compensation. I received a fleece soaker for review purposes and no other compensation was received. 

LBBE - Overstock.com ***Review and Discount***

Part of having a new baby is needing some new baby items. These can get expensive quickly. Overstock.com helps you to keep these costs down. They are an online retailer that has everything from Diamond rings to sporting goods, and so much more! I was recently able to review some of the items available at Overstock.com and given a discount code to use and give to my wonderful readers! (Code will be at the end of the post)

First, I must say, with having a second child and LJ only being 2.5 we knew we were going to need a sit-n-stand stroller of some description. It just so happen that overstock.com had one that we had been looking at! Overstock.com already had the stroller for a lower price than we have found anywhere else. Then I was able to use my discount code and save even more!

It is really easy to use Overstock.com' website. You can easily search for almost any product possible. The set-up of their category section is also really easy to navigate. I was able to quickly find their selection of sit-n-stand strollers and find the one we were looking for. I had a lot of fun looking around and doing some daydreaming of my own, too. :)

Seeing as I am going to be a stay-at-home mommy of two soon, I find myself thinking more and more of Coffee Makers. Right now I drink more tea than anything, but being able to make up a cup of decaf tea or coffee when I need a little treat would be so nice when juggling my new life to come. Heck, I find myself hankering for that some mornings already, but I don't feel like lugging out our big 12 cup maker for just a cup or two.

Of course, we have an older house and we don't have a ton of good storage spaces, so I also had to check out that section of the site. We are looking for some kind of storage unit that will fit behind our one door so we can easily store our gloves and hats and the like in reach of the coats when we are heading out the door. The biggest hurdle for us is that it can only be 12 inches deep or wide. Of course I found a unit in the storage section that would be perfect for our purpose!

Checkout is super easy as well. You have a few different options for checkout. You can use your credit card, or you can use Paypal. Not many bigger sites let you use your Paypal account. I find this really handy for those with a Paypal account, like myself (though I didn't use it). There is also an option (should you qualify) to use "Bill Me Later."

Do you know what the greatest part of Overstock.com is? Their price for shipping. They mention it in every commercial and it is all over their site, and that is because it is so awesome! What is it, you ask?
$2.95 shipping on your entire order, Always! That's it! You can spend 20 dollars on one item or hundreds on several things on their site and you still pay just $2.95 for shipping. How great is that?! I love it! I know I saved a bundle on the shipping cost alone by using Overstock.com to buy our new stroller.

So, now for the good part! 

Overstock.com has given me the opportunity to share a great discount code good for 10% off Overstock products (excluding movies, books, and electronics). This discount code never expires, however, it can only be used once per email address.
Ready for the code?

Here it is: 121745

Since this code is not good for electronics, Overstock.com also gave me a free shipping promo code for electronics: 202234


Disclosure: All the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. No monetary compensation was received for doing this post, however, I was provided with a discount code.