There's nothing quite as beautiful as imaginative play, and what do kids love to do more in play than imitate? Thing 1 and Thing 2 both love our doll carrier (in fact, I'm going to have to buy a second one soon, because they argue about who gets to wear it and for how long and, since Thing 2 doesn't have a huge vocabulary yet, this results in much shrieking). The LÍLLÉbaby® doll carrier lets kids nurture their stuffed animals and dolls just like Mom and Dad do for them. I'm all for encouraging a little nurturing!
Over the course of the next week, I'm going to be highlighting a little something LILLE every day. Today, to celebrate leaping past 500 Facebook fans and 1000 Twitter followers, I'm going to share a #littleLILLElove with you guys. Now through next Friday, you can enter to win a LÍLLÉbaby® doll carrier for the wee ones in your lives.
There's nothing quite as beautiful as imaginative play, and what do kids love to do more in play than imitate? Thing 1 and Thing 2 both love our doll carrier (in fact, I'm going to have to buy a second one soon, because they argue about who gets to wear it and for how long and, since Thing 2 doesn't have a huge vocabulary yet, this results in much shrieking). The LÍLLÉbaby® doll carrier lets kids nurture their stuffed animals and dolls just like Mom and Dad do for them. I'm all for encouraging a little nurturing!
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It's 3:45 am on a Saturday, and I've been up for an hour with Thing 1, who is just so excited about going to visit Grandma and Grandpa on the farm that he can hardly stand it. He just requested that I go ahead and put his suitcase in the car. And wake him back up as soon as there is daylight.
I could easily be annoyed with these pre-dawn antics, but instead, I'm oddly delighted. I love that my little boy gets excited for these trips like nothing else. This is not an expensive trip to some theme park or toy store--it costs nothing more than the gas money to get there. The glamour of the farm is playing in the dirt, building things with Grandpa, and chasing Grandma's "roombug" (Roomba) around the house. In short: imagination and family. And it's refreshing and heartwarming that a little boy who can, admittedly, get a bit wrapped up in the consumerist society we live in still finds such joy in these simple things. So, to my parents I say: Thank you for giving my son the innocent joy and wonder of the free range. And I look forward to his sister discovering the same. I'm thrilled to be helping out with Day 3 of #miniSPbdaybash, and today's prizes are pretty darn fabulous! You all know I'm a huge fan of LILLEbaby (see some high points here, and keep an eye open for a review of the new, redesigned Complete Airflow, coming soon!).
In addition to a beautiful new LILLE, this prize package includes Chompy Chic Chewelry and AppleCheeks cloth diapers. We don't need more cloth diapers (I know, I know...that's blasphemy, and I've heard great things about AppleCheeks), but I am seriously digging the babywearing accessories at Chompy Chic. Why am I just now learning that this is a thing?! Gah! Anyway, without further ado (but with a great big Happy Birthday shout out to #miniSP, enter here to win! *So Easy Being Green, Viva Veltoro, and the Under the Rainbow participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.* The baby box contains: Baby Bath & Massage Oil -- I love this stuff. It's gentle, smells amazing, and is incredibly soothing and relaxing. Sometimes I even let Thing 2 use some. Baby Hair & Body Wash -- I have literally had upwards of 3 brands of baby wash littering the edge of our bath tub. Once we tried this, the others quickly got shoved to the side. Only the best makes it to the squid. (Well, the best + Mr. TFT's unenlightened man soap.) Baby Body Lotion -- I can't begin to describe how difficult it is to find quality natural skincare products, especially lotion. Lotions can be a minefield of fragrance and other irritants, and they tend to be either too thin (read: ineffective) or thick and stifling to the skin. This lotion is a rich consistency with a pleasant smell. Best of all, it moisturizes without irritating. Keeper! Baby Barrier Cream -- I didn't immediately feel strongly about this. I didn't notice a huge difference or miraculous effects, but Thing 2 began to specifically request "goop" at diaper changes and, over time, I've noticed that she has not had serious diaper rash issues since we've started using it. That's good enough for me! Breathe Easy Chest Rub -- If I could only buy one baby product from Beautiful Earth, it would be this. I admit: I've become a bit of a Breathe Easy fan girl. Why? Because, you guys--it works. It has a pleasant and gentle spearmint-y scent, which is a nice change from the usual harsh smell of vapor rub. I've used this and shared it with a friend who had two little ones simultaneously sick with croup, and it's truly effective. Coughs are soothed, mucus is broken up...it's a beautiful thing y'all. By far my favorite product for coughs, colds, and restless nights. Bath & Massage Oil -- As wonderful as the baby version, but with an Orange and Patchouli fragrance rather than Calendula and Lavender. It's a nice little "pamper Mama" treat. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it didn't come with the handy little pump top like the baby version does. Not a deal breaker in the slightest, but it would be a nice thing to have! (The massage oil is not included in the photo above because I made the mistake of leaving it on a reachable surface and Thing 1 and Thing 2 scampered off with it. It has since disappeared into the ether...Now that I think about it, maybe I'm glad it didn't have a "convenient" pump top...) Bath Milk -- This makes a nice little addition to your bath water. I even used it in combination with the bath salt, and it left my skin feeling so soft and pampered! It's like a spa day for mommy! Really. I could *almost* forget that I was reclining in a cramped tub on a non-slip alligator tub tread, surrounded by baby toys. Bliss! Invigorate Bath Salt and Aromatic Bath Salt -- Can we talk openly about a Mama issue right now? I don't know about you all, but after birthing two children, a lot has changed. Let's just say that sitz baths have become an all-too-frequent necessity. But, instead dumping Epsom salt from the value sized cardboard carton, I can sprinkle in a bit of pleasantly fragranced Epsom with bits of dried flowers and plants. Then, instead of just soaking my hemorrhoids, I can pretend I'm floating in a relaxing spa bath (you know,with all those extra bits I mentioned in the Bath Milk section). It seems silly, but it's one of those little things that makes a big difference and helps me feel like I'm treating myself. Do be warned though that, as I mentioned above, these salts do have bits of dried flower and plants. I thought it would bother me, but it really hasn't so far. There has been no additional post-bath clean-up required. Natural Shampoo and Natural Conditioner -- These were the products I was most excited to try. I don't know about you guys, but I've found a lot of "natural" body care products to be lacking. In my experience, they tend to either have unpleasant smells or lack in the effectiveness category. The Beautiful Earth shampoo and conditioner definitely do not fall into either of those categories. I enjoy the fragrance, and they leave my hair feeling soft, clean and manageable. Do be advised that, like most natural shampoos, these will not foam much, which can take some getting used to. I do have to supplement and switch out because I have scalp issues and eczema, but these are by far the best natural shampoos that I've tried so far. Hand & Body Wash -- Like the shampoo and conditioner, I love that the body wash has a pleasant scent and works well. It also doesn't dry my skin or cause breakouts. That's really all a girl can ask of a body wash, right? Hand & Body Lotion -- In the past, I've used CeraVe cream because it's thick enough to be effective and safe for sensitive skin. But I've missed having lotions and creams that fit those requirements and also smell pretty. It sounds silly, I know, but sometimes I just want something that smells pretty (without being laden with artificial and harmful fragrances). This is it. I love the grapefruit and orange scent and the fact that it's rich enough to actually moisturize my skin and not leave it filmy or itchy. Body Butter -- Of the adult products, this is probably the only one that I'm lukewarm about, and it's probably just a matter of personal preference. It smells great and doesn't break me out, but (and I know this sounds silly, as much as I've talked about trying to find a product that's thick and creamy) I found it to be just a little too thick. It was hard to spread evenly, and I really just preferred the easy application of the regular lotion. I will say, though, that it works great if you have a small area you need some concentrated moisture for. The only other thing I didn't like was that there was no facial moisturizer. I can (and do) use the body lotion, but the skin on my body is not the same as the skin on my face, and I would love to see a special moisturizer just for my face! Now, here's your chance to pamper yourself (or your baby!) with some Beautiful Earth products of your very own! To win a Baby Box, enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway To win one of each product in the adult hair and body care line, enter here:a Rafflecopter giveaway So Easy Being Green, Viva Veltoro, and the Under the Rainbow participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations. If you follow me (and I know you all do, right?), you know that I reviewed an Elizabeth Hunter book, Shifting Dreams, not too long ago. You'll also know that I'm a lot in love with her writing style. So, when the opportunity came up to help out with the cover reveal for her third Irin Chronicles book, The Secret, I totally raised my hand in the air and jumped up and down squealing, "Me! Me! Pick me!" (Or, you know, clicked, "Comment" on Facebook...same difference, right?) Here it is, in all its beauty! Only when the darkness falls can you see the light of the stars. For thousands of years, the scribes and singers of the Irin race have existed to protect humanity and guard the gifts of the Forgiven. They have lived in the shadows. They have kept their secrets. But the Irin aren’t the only race with secrets. Ava and Malachi have found each other, but wounds as deep as theirs don’t heal overnight. While the Irin world struggles to correct the power imbalance left by the Rending of the Irina, Malachi and Ava struggle to connect their past with their present. The Fallen may scheme, but Ava has found her power and refuses to be an angel’s pawn. And while Malachi may have forgotten his history, the scribe’s relentless search for answers leads both him and his mate to the heart of the Irin power structure in Vienna, where knowledge is guarded more closely than gold and those with power will do anything to keep it. Malachi and Ava have survived the darkness, but will they ever discover its secrets? A powerful cabal of the Fallen may hold the answers, but to surrender them, it wants the Irin race to finally face their enemies. Both those coming from the outside, and those raging within. Because I love you all so very much (ok, you really only have Elizabeth Hunter to thank for this), how about a teaser? “What are you thinking?” she asked. He was thinking about Volund’s unexpected ability to invade his unconscious, but he didn’t want to bring it up. Luckily, his mind could turn to pleasant things very quickly when he was with her. “Do you really want to know?” “Yes. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.” It was true. Ava wasn’t a woman who felt the need to fill the air with chatter. He wondered if years of traveling alone had trained it out of her, or if the constant voices that had once plagued her were company enough. “I am thinking… you’re very beautiful.” He loved the slight flush she gave him when he complimented her. It made the offer of his praise all the more satisfying. “You’re the only one who’s ever said that,” she said. He was surprised, but not overly. Humans could be very superficial, and Ava’s physical features were not the most astonishing thing about her. Pretty, but not uncommonly so. Clear skin. Dark hair. Her eyes were the most arresting part of her face, but only other Irin would recognize the unusual shade of gold as anything more than light brown or amber. No, it wasn’t her physical features that were remarkable. And Malachi loved that only he saw the secret of his mate. Her beauty lay in her mind and her heart. Quiet strength and resilient humor were not things valued enough by the world. “Hmm.” She gave him a quiet smile. “You always did that,” she said. “Before. ‘Hmm.’ You’d be thinking something you didn’t want to say, but I knew it was about me when you would say, ‘Hmm.’” “I often think about you.” “That’s probably a good thing.” They were sitting across from each other in the compartment. He put his foot on the edge of the bench beside her, enclosing them. Doing his best to block out the world. Ava set down her camera and slid a hand up his pant leg, her fingers playing along his skin. “I think about you, too,” she said. “Some would say I’m obsessed.” “And you take pictures of me when I sleep. I hear the clicking in my dreams. It’s borderline stalker behavior, really.” “It’s settled then. We’re both certifiable.” To make sure you can read this installment the minute it's released, be sure to join Elizabeth Hunter's New Release Mailing List. There will also be an ARC giveaway both on the author's Facebook page and at her website. Happy reading! I'd like to introduce all you cloth diapering mamas and mamas considering cloth (and the rest of you, too, because it's a good resource for many things homemade) to Harp Diapers. Harp is a shop I wish I'd known about when we first started cloth diapering, and one that I know I'll continue to stalk even once we're done with diapers. Read on to find out why! It's always a gamble when you try a new shop, especially for handmade items. After hearing some positive reviews of Harp Diapers and falling in love with the fun, geeky fabric choices, I decided to bite the bullet and order a pair of "My Little Dalek" maxaloones for Thing 2. If you're not familiar with the concept of maxaloones, prepare to have your mind blown: they are pants made of knit fabric with adjustable leg cuffs and waistband and an extra roomy "bum circle". These features allow you to use the pants, generally speaking, from 3 months to 3 years, as well as allowing extra room for fluffy cloth bums. The first thing I noticed when I got our initial pair of maxaloones was the attention to detail and quality. You can tell immediately that the fabric is excellent quality. In fact, I'd previously won a pair of maxaloones from another vendor, and those now sit in the back of Thing 2's pants drawer because I don't like them and don't want them wandering around in the general population giving these pants a bad name. The fabric quality is the main reason for this. Whereas the pants from Harp tend to stay put, the other pair are at half mast within 10 minutes of putting them on. Not pleasant for Thing 2 OR for Mama, who has to chase her around pulling up her britches. Before Thing 2 even saw the pants, Thing 1 insisted on trying them on. (You can see, below, how the pants fit both the baby and the preschooler.) That, of course, led to him wanting his very own pair. After testing the first pair for several months, I finally ordered Thing 2 a pair in the Tardis fabric he chose, and they are currently his favorite pair of pants. In fact, for the first month or so, I almost had to wash them daily...that's a good thing, right? Some of my current favorite genres are Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy. I love a good mystery, a strong female protagonist, and a little romance. A while back, I discovered Elizabeth Hunter through the first book in her Irin Chronicles series, The Scribe. I instantly fell in love with her writing style, stalk....er followed her on Facebook, and began to search out more of her work. When the opportunity to review Shifting Dreams, the first installment in her Cambio Springs series, presented itself, I jumped. And I'm so very glad I did. Let me start by saying that it took me entirely too long to review this book. Generally, I can finish a book on my Kindle in a day or two (depending on my children, my workload, and my schedule), but this was my first audio book review. Those of you with kids know how hard it can be to "listen" to anything actively while at home with kids. My life is a constant stream of requests for snacks, butt wiping, booger clearing, and playtime, so turning on an audio book was much more difficult than anticipated. Just something to keep in mind as you decide in which format you'd like to purchase this book (because trust me, you WILL want to purchase it!). If your life looks anything like mine, I highly recommend the e-reader version. ;-) "As foreign as the canyon had felt only minutes before, Cambio Springs was just a little town. Half populated by ordinary people and half populated by people who turned into animals and ate murderers for sport. And those were the respectable ones." Cambio Springs is a small desert town full of big secrets--and home to a shifter community that values tradition and loyalty. The shifters of Cambio Springs guard their secrets closely, so when outsider Caleb Gilbert arrives to take over as Chief of Police, balances are shifted and change comes to town. Jena Crowe already has her hands full with a never-ending workload at her diner and two young boys, for one of whom a first shift is imminent. The arrival of the handsome new Chief of Police throws a wrench in the normalcy of her busy life, and she's not quite sure what to do about it. When conflict arises and brings death to Cambio Springs, Caleb and Jena must face the threat--and their growing attraction for one another--together, before all is lost. One of the things I loved about this book was, for all that it's a fantasy novel, the characters are believable and familiar. Jena behaves exactly as you'd expect from a busy, single mom with secrets and children to protect. The mom in me recognizes the mother in her, and it made it that much easier to lose myself in the world of the novel. I could easily identify with Jena Crowe, although I do not (to the best of my knowledge) possess the ability to shift into a bird. "I'm a very modern man. In touch with my feelings and all that shit." "You fit, Jena Crow", he whispered. "Like the right pair of shoes." I had no trouble losing myself in the world of Cambio Springs. Shifting Dreams is the perfect balance of fantasy, mystery and romance, with no single aspect overwhelming the others. I appreciated the believable development of the fantastical elements, and recognized the Native American lore and cultural references. There were multiple believable suspects, and the "whodunit" aspect of the novel was nicely handled. I also loved that the relationship between Jena and Caleb developed at a nice pace, and sex scenes were handled tastefully (they were hot, but without crude anatomical terms, and they didn't overwhelm the plot). It was also refreshing to see Hunter handle Jena and Caleb's relationship with some realism. "Her lips were cracked from the dry hospital air. His face was rough with stubble, but it was perfect." The only negative I have about the story itself was the ending. Chapter 30 was beautiful. The character dynamics were flawless, the story was wonderfully concluded, and I was left with warm fuzzies. And then Chapter 31 was thrown in. I understand that it was written to introduce us to the storyline for the characters in the next Cambio Springs installment, but I think, as amazing as Chapter 30 was, it would have been better to end on that note and roll the character/storyline foundation for the next book in the beginning of the next book. That being said, I can't wait to read Alex and Ted's story in Desert Bound! PERFORMANCE: As much as I loved the story in Shifting Dreams , I did not love the narration of the audio book. The whole narration was, in general, very terse and stern, and the narrator's voice seemed a little old for an early 30 something protagonist. I often felt like I was listening to my mother, which made the steamy scenes a little awkward. It was actually distracting enough to keep me from enjoying the story at some points, because all I could think about was how the narrator's voice didn't fit the characters. I did think the narrator, Liisa Ivary, did a nice job with Ali's quiet, gentle voice, as well as Bear's innocent energetic kid voice. In fact, in Chapter 29, when Bear says, "Mom", I literally got chills. It was incredibly well done. Although I didn't love the narration, I think it's clear that it didn't detract enough for me to not absolutely love this amazingly crafted story. 5 thumbs up! (Don't ask how that's possible. I'm a mom...) *I received this product for review from the Influenster VoxBox program, but all opinions are my own.* As you all might know, I've been steadily attempting to reduce toxins in our household foods and products, and eating more healthful and homemade foods is a big part of this effort. However, since I received this product for free, I figured I'd give it a shot. Plus, Reese's cups have long been a favorite candy of mine, so I anticipated much yumminess in my culinary future. Since I have two kiddos with dairy allergies, I immediately checked the label. Aside from the fact that it contains milk, the first thing I noticed was the first ingredient: sugar. Now, I didn't expect this stuff to be healthy, but sugar as the FIRST ingredient? Hmm... Because of the sugar content, the first pairing I tried was Reese's Spreads and Pretzels (and coffee, because coffee keeps me vertical and chasing after these kids all day...). It was alright. I wasn't swept away by a flavor sensation, and I was a little disappointed that it didn't taste much like a peanut butter cup (in fact, I couldn't really taste peanut butter at all), but I also didn't dislike it. Next, so that my kids could try it too, I put some in a homemade brownie mix and baked it long enough and hot enough to break down the milk proteins. Unfortunately, it didn't taste much different than the brownie recipe without the Reese's Spreads. Maybe a bit sweeter? Mr. TFT suggested putting some on top, as a kind of frosting, which sounded like a decent suggestion. The kids couldn't try it, but we did. The first bite was ok, but then it just got too sweet. One night, I was craving something chocolatey and sweet, but the only thing in the house was the jar of Reese's Spreads. I dug through the cabinets and decided to try a s'mores variation. The result was actually quite yummy. I've since made them a couple of times. Just put the Reese's Spreads on graham cracker, top with marshmallow, pop in the microwave for about 10 seconds, smush and enjoy. Ultimately, considering the fact that my kids can't really eat it, the ingredients aren't healthy in the least, and I really only found one way that I liked to eat it, I give #ReesesSpreads an enthusiastic "Meh." It would have probably been an outright thumbs down, but the s'mores were pretty yummy. I also realize that, because we actively reduce sugar consumption around here, I may be a bit more sensitive to it than others. I don't know about you, but I hate stories where characters are cliches and dialogue is stale and far from believable. So, when I discovered Zoe York, I *may* have squealed a bit with delight. My first Zoe York book, Love in a Small Town, was a fun, easy read. There was mystery, there was conflict, there was romance, there was self-discovery, and yes, there was sex. The first book in the Pine Harbour series, Love in a Small Town is the story of Rafe and Olivia Minelli. Rafe is a police officer and army reservist, Olivia is his small-town diner waitress ex-wife, and the sparks are definitely still flying after their divorce. When Olivia has to decide between an exciting new job or a fresh start away from Pine Harbour, she must also choose whether to protect her heart or give it to Rafe...again. "And even though she wanted to grab a butter knife and gouge his heart out, first she wanted one more look at his magnificent ass." I also found the resolution to be ultimately satisfying, in that no one character's sense of self was subsumed by another. The only complaint I had was the use of certain...crude anatomical terms. It wasn't overwhelming in any sense, and there was one scene in which their use was fitting, but in other places, I would have liked to have seen other descriptors used so as not to break the flow and emotion of the scene. Admittedly, this could just be a personal preference. Book Two in the Pine Harbour series, Love in a Snow Storm, is by far my favorite. Jake Foster is a contractor and reservist and Rafe Minelli's best friend. Dani Minelli is a paramedic and Rafe's little sister. Jake has been in love with Dani since she was in high school but, at 8 years her senior, he thought he was too old to act on his feelings. Dani has been trying to get Jake's attention since she returned to Pine Harbour from school, and it looks like she might finally have it. But will they be able to overcome their fears and insecurities to make love work? In addition to the obvious love story trope of best friend and baby sister, there are also threads of death, betrayal, and the conundrum of secret love in a small town community that give a nice depth to this book. I think what I liked most about this book was how damn likeable and explosive the protagonists were. Jake is a sexy and serious small-town man who knows his way around a tool box and "made flipping through grocery flyers dead sexy", and Dani is a spunky spitfire with a soft side. When the two collide, amazing things happen. And, again, the situations and characters' responses are entirely believable--like this realization from Dani: "It was evil. It wasn't mature or responsible. And fuck it all, she was game." Is the Pine Harbour series Literature (with a capital L)? Nope. Am I pretentious enough to pretend that I only consume high brow novels? Ha! You've seen my bosses, right? Yeah. Sometimes, a little escape to a place like Pine Harbour is JUST want the Mama ordered! |
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