Saturday, July 31, 2010

Green Sprout Cloth Trainers Giveaway

Kylee is pretty much potty trained during the day.  If she's distracted by playing I have to remind her (and occassionally take her kicking and screaming to the bathroom) to go to the potty.  But otherwise, she's pretty good about it.  She'll even go sometimes by herself without me needing to be in there with her.  I'm always very proud when she disappears and I go to find her and she's sitting on the potty.

I still put her in diapers to take a nap and a night.  We're not ready for that milestone quite yet.  Especially since Kylee still sleeps in a crib.  I also am not so brave yet to take her out in public with just her underwear on.  I have this fear of her having a huge accident in a place that isn't so easy to clean.  I'd hate for her to be the kid that ruins the fun for everyone.  But I also hate having to put her in pull ups because she gets that comfort of a diaper and will sometimes get lazy and just pee in it.  So I wanted to find something that would contain a tiny accident or minor leaking but not act as a diaper.

Allow me to introduce you to Green Sprouts cloth trainers!



We received the girly print retro cars to review.  Rena (the owner of Green Sprouts) was so awesome to work with!  She answered any questions I had, asked for suggestions, and shipped these trainers to us so fast!  It was great! 

Green Sprouts cloth trainers are made of cotton interlock with a full layer of organic bamboo velour in the wetzone.  There is also an additional layer of bamboo fleece sewn into the wetzone.  The elastic arond the waist and legs is very soft and doesn't leave any red marks.  We received the size 2T-3T but additional sizes are available.  You can also find additional prints at GreenSproutBaby.com

So what do I love about these trainers?  Well first of all.. the print is SUPER cute and perfect for my car loving daughter!  These trainers have been washed 4 times and show no fading.  They haven't really shrunk in size either.  I love that the elastic isn't super tight so my 20 month old daughter can pull them up and down on her own with no issues.  It's also really great that if she does have a small accident these trainers contain it with no problem.  I used a medicine dropper and determined these trainers can hold about 12-15mL of fluid before leaking. They will also help slow down any major accidents.  I have no complaints about our Green Sprouts cloth trainers.  They're very reasonable in price at $9 per pair and are made with quality that assures me they'll still be going when it comes to potty training any future children.

So awesome readers that you are... how would you like to win a pair of Green Sprouts trainers?
Rena has offered a pair of trainers in your choice of size and print to one lucky person!

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me what print and what size you would choose if you won.
(This is mandatory people.. you don't do it.. there's no chance of you winning.)

Additional entries:
1. < Heart > the Green Sprouts shop.  Leave your Etsy name in your comment (1 entry)
2.  Follow Green Sprout Baby on Twitter --Leave Twitter name in comment (1 entry)
3.  Follow me on Twitter -- Leave Twitter name in comment (1 entry)
4.  Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect ( 2 entries)
5.  Add my button to your blog.  Leave a link to where I can find it.  (2 entries)
6.  Give a potty training piece of advice or share a funny potty training story (1 entry)
7.  Tweet about this giveaway.  Include @GreenSproutBaby and @Mommacrissy  in your tweet.  Include link to your tweet in your comment.  2 tweets per day and at least 3 hours apart. (1 entry per tweet)



Giveaway ends Sunday, August 15th at 10:00PM .(CST). I will use random.org to determine the winner and notify the winner via email. The winner will also also be announced on this blog. You will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.


Monday, July 26, 2010

Boogie Wipes Winner

#11

pawsnhooves said...
http://twitter.com/pawsnhooves/status/18763711148


July 17, 2010 7:48 AM


All that tweeting paid off!  You have 48 hours to respond to my email before I have to draw a new winner!  Congratulations!! 

  Thank you to Boogie Wipes for sponsoring this giveaway!!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Many Stages of "What's that?"

Kylee talks.
Often.
A lot.
I love it.
Sometimes.. I hate it.

When she first started talking it was OH SO DARN CUTE!  Every new word she said we would clap, cheer, oooh, and ahhh over.  (And still do)

But.. there's one thing I could have lived without her learning..

"WHAT'S THAT?"

It's cute to hear her say it. The first time. Even the second time. But after roughly hearing it 7,892 times in a day. My ears hold up the white flag and surrender.  Please. Please make it stop.

The phrase "What's that" has gone through many stages during it's first learning.

"Wu za" .. is how it came out first.  It was so cute. Especially since it was only being said 2 or 3 times a day.

"Whu zat" .. even cuter!  And still not said all that often so I'm still loving hearing it!

"Weez dat" ... HILARIOUS to hear.. but now it's being said about 1200 times a day. Starting to lose the cuteness factor.

Now ladies (and possible gentlemen..) we have...

                      "WHA IS ZAT?" said almost a good 10,000 times every 2-3 hours.

Heaven help me.  She points. Asks. I tell her. She points again like her hearing went out and she didn't receive the message of what said thing was.  Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.  And don't you DARE pretend you didn't hear her because she only gets louder and more in your face.

And suddenly things she's pretty much always known what are have lost their name in her mind.  Really Kylee.. you don't know who you are? Do I have to tell you that it's "you, Kylee" to 81 pictures in an album?  Do I have to tell you that your baby dolls are your baby dolls and your kitty cats are your kitty cats? You know this girl.  Why must you torture your mama? 

So.. you.. you evil "What's That Stage" I say to you.. GO AWAY!  Or at least tone is down a helluva lot tiny bit.  Please?

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Wherefore Art Thou?

Summer days.. it's you I'm talking to!
Where have you gone?

I am refusing to believe that August is less than two weeks away!  How is that even possible?

It has been such a hot summer.  Skin-melting-hotter-than-hot kind of weather.  Our yard has taken such a beating.  We've gotten a shit-ton    our fair share of rain and then some.  We've had flooding all around us and I swear you combine that and the crazy humid temperatures we've been having and it's no wonder the mosquitos have been out in packs.  Tim.. bless his heart.. loves sitting outside at night and having a few cold beers.  I do too. But NOT in the summer! I have no desire to become any insects source of a blood transfusion. Get back to me when the temps drop and those damn things leave!

When it's possible to go outside and not melt into a puddle before you get out of the driveway, we have!  We've enjoyed time at the pool and splash station, the park, the library party, the lake, a couple of parades and festivals, and going for ice cream!  Nothing super adventurous has gone on.  But.. I think that's what I've liked about this summer.  It has been so relaxing and chill.  Exactly what we needed!

So.. while I'm sad to see the summer days go soon...  I've got arms wide open to welcome slightly cooler temperatures and bug free zones!  I'm not looking forward to the snow and freezing temperatures again. So.. maybe.. Autumn can stick around for a while. A VERY long while...

   Hey, a girl can dream, right?!

What has your family been doing this summer??


Oh.. and feel free to enter my Boogie Wipes giveaway.  It ends on Sunday. Or something like that.

And I've got a review and giveaway coming up for some awesome cloth trainers!  WooT WooT for potty training!!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Boogie Wipes to the Rescue!

I'm sure once Kylee is old enough to care she's going to LOVE that I'm telling you guys that she is a ... NOSE PICKER! Yes. My precious, beautiful, intelligent, and funny daughter picks her nose.  Mostly it is to get a reaction from someone, but we've also caught her "mining for gold" when she doesn't think anyone is watching. Y-U-C-K.  (But I still love her.. booger finger and all...)

SO... when I came across Boogie Wipes I knew they sounded perfect for us.  Remove the boogies.. be gentle on the nose.  I'm all for that!  So what exactly are Boogie Wipes? Glad you asked.



"Boogie Wipes are made with saline to dissolve boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold, allergies or otherwise booger-filled kid moments. Extra soft, alcohol, phthalate and paraben free, Boogie Wipes are available in Great Grape, Fresh Scent, Magic Menthol and Simply Unscented. Recommended by pediatricians as a gentle, effective alternative to a dry tissue."

(Boogie Wipes description and picture are from the Boogie Wipes website.)

We were sent all of the scents to try out.  I can say right off the bat that no one in this house is a fan of the Magic Menthol.  Luckily my sister was a fan so I sent them home with her to use on her little guy.  However, the other three scents were awesome.  Kylee usually runs away when I go to wipe anything on her face.  After using the grape wipe on her though I no longer have to wrestle her down to clean her face.  She will actually take a Boogie Wipe from me and wipe her own nose first.  Now if that isn't a boogie-cleaning-win, I don't know what is!

What's even MORE awesome is the fact that Boogie Wipes are sold in over 40,000 locations!  Run out? Never fear.. I'm sure there's a location not too far from you (assuming you don't live on top of a mountain or something..) and you can get your Boogie refill on!  I'm also a huge fan of the Boogies on the Run.  These are individually wrapped Boogie Wipes which are GREAT to stick in your purse, a lunch box, backpacks, etc.  I stuck a couple in our swimming bag the other day when we went to the pool.  They're great!

I will NEVER go back to using tissues now after trying Boogie Wipes.  I'm sure Kylee and her nose will appreciate this decision.  SO.. are you also tired of chasing runny noses? Tired of dry, red, chapped skin?  Then try this gentle alternative to dry tissues.  I guarantee you'll be impressed!  (OH, and Boogie Wipes aren't JUST for kids...)

Lucky readers.. I extend to you another giveaway!  ONE lucky reader is going to receive (2) packs of 30-count wipes!  (And before I tell you how to enter.. you should head over to Boogie Wipes and join the Boogie Bunch because it's the cool thing to do!)

Mandatory Entry: "Like" Boogie Wipes on Facebook. Leave your name in your comment. (If you fail to complete this step all of your other entries will be deleted.)

Additional Entries:

1.  Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter  ( 1 entry)
2.  Follow me on Twitter (1 entry)
3.  Tell me one of the nearest Boogie Wipes retailer locations to you! (1 entry)
4.  Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect (2 entries)
5.  Add my button to your blog. Leave a link to where I can find it. (1 entry)
6.  Tweet about this giveaway. Include @Mommacrissy @BoogieMoms and #giveaway in your tweet! Leave the link to your tweet in your comment. You are allowed 2 tweets per day and they must be at least 3 hours apart! (1 entry per tweet)





Giveaway ends Sunday, July 25th at 10:00PM .(CST). I will use random.org to determine the winner and notify the winner via email. The winner will also also be announced on this blog. You will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Monkeysnuggles Winner

# 38 

Joanna said...  Follow Monkey Snuggles blog.

July 5, 2010 10:02 PM

Congratulations, you have 48 hours to respond to my email before I draw a new winner!


Thanks to everyone who entered!  Stay tuned for the Boogie Wipes giveaway!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

(Red)(White)(BOOM!)

Yes.. it IS July 10th.  Yes.. I am just now getting around to putting up my 4th of July post.  Not that I have to explain myself but.. I haven't been able to use my computer for a few days. WHY? Because.. my sister decided that my computer needed a few hellacious trojan viruses.  I mean really.. only the cool people have them.  I couldn't even get past the Windows welcome screen.  How wonderful is that? It's not. It sucked. I contemplated death to my sister a couple of times.. I won't lie.  Because, you see, I am a lover of all things photography.  BUT.. I'm terrible when it comes to organizing, editing, etc.  I'm also horrible when it comes to backing them up.  Which means  bajillions  thousands of my photographs were in jeopardy of becoming.. "extinct" !!  Luckily my aunt knows someone who knows someone.. well anyways, this someone gave my aunt instructions (from Portugal!) on how to fix my computer.  And.. VOILA! Here I am again.  Anyways...

Saturday night we went to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings because my friend works there AND I love their wings.  After dinner we went to the park for a bit and then home to cover ourselves in bug repellent, grab some drinks and snacks, and head to a neighborhood park area.  They were having a huge fireworks show.  The parking was crazy when we got there and after driving around for about 10 minutes we found a good spot and started the hike to the park which took less than 10 minutes.  The show was really great.  I was worried Kylee would hate it.  (As she tends to hate lots of loud noises and puts her hands over her ears)  But.. she was armed with her apple juice, Dora fruit snacks, and she really enjoyed the show and kept saying "pretty".  Back home and she went straight to bed about 10:15ish. 

Now as mother nature frequently loves to do.. she decided to rain on our actual 4th of July.  Literally.  All morning it rained and poured and rained some more.  So that parade we were going to go to? Didn't happen.  Instead.. Tim went to work (which he was scheduled to do anyways) and Kylee and I went to WalMart.  Kylee got a new toy to play with (a moving, meowing, purring cat) and I picked up some paint and accessories to give our bathroom a little makeover.  So we came home and Kylee played with her kitty, ate fruit snacks, and watched Barney.  I started in on the bathroom.  (And finished in about 2 hours since our bathroom is not that big at all..)

Nap ensued.

Then when Kylee woke up we decided to pack it up and head to dinner.  After driving around and realizing the two places we really wanted to eat at were closed (*sigh*) we decided to eat at IHOP.  I mean really.. if you don't love breakfast for dinner.. I don't know if we can be friends.  So we grubbed on pancakes, hash browns, eggs, fruit, etc. and then rolled our bodies home.  We sat out in our neighbor's driveway and watched everyone who had come to the top of our circle shoot off fireworks.  The highlight of Kylee's night was getting to feed the neighbor's dog a grilled hot dog.  She LOVES dogs and she kept saying "nom nom nom" with each bite Body (the dog) took. It was SO cute.  Finally about 11:15 she started getting really tired and went straight to bed.  It was a really relaxing weekend and I enjoyed all the family time.  Getting Kylee back on her sleeping schedule took a couple of days but it was totally worth it!  I hope you and your family had a wonderful time celebrating the independence of our country and managed to give thanks to the soldiers who are away from their loved ones fighting for our freedom. 


Tuesday, July 6, 2010

CSN Review: One Rockin' Tent!

As promised.. here in my CSN review!

CSN stores carry so many items.. millions of items.  It's insanely awesome!  I had a hard time choosing what I was going to get.  Finally I decided on the super awesome Pacific Play Tent.  I knew it would go perfectly in Kylee's new play room.  I was absolutely right too.

So.. here are some specifics on the Pacific Play Tents Super Duper 4 Kids play tent! (Taken from the CSN website)


"Open the doors and bring in the whole gang! This play tent is so large that 2 moms and 3 kids have room enough to play inside. Designed especially large for added play value, the fun can happen all year round as it can be used inside or out. This giant tent is made to be "kid tough" with a waterproof floor and a patented "G-3" shock corded fiberglass PU coated pole system. The Velcro front door closure and 2 tunnel ports (tunnels NOT included) make access into and out of the tent a breeze. A full mesh top has been added to allow extra ventilation, as well as to increase visibility for parents. The Super Duper 4 Kid Play Tent is a fabulous addition to any toy collection! "


What I really love about this tent:
* It's VERY easy to set up
* Soap and water are all you need to clean it off
* The mesh top make it easy for light to get in the tent  (for when it's being used as a reading area), air to get in the tent (when it's being used for indoor camping), and children to get in and out of the tent (my 19 month old can easily zip up and down the zippered side)
* It has ports for tunnels to be added on (hello, additional fun!)
* It's colorful and catches the eye of the young and old
* For the price.. you get a LOT of space! 
* The floor of the tent is durable, washable, and waterproof!!



So far we have used this tent as a reading "corner", a picnic site, a nap oasis, a hiding spot, a dance floor, and a place to cuddle and sing songs.  It's been the perfect addition to the play room!  The description on CSN says this tent can be used outdoors.  Just because you can't completely  seal the openings into the tent (the zipper side and the tunnel ports) I don't think we'd ever take it outside.  I have no desire to rescue my child when the ants and other insects try to take over her tent. (Clearly because they would be totally jealous of the awesomeness of it...right?!)


All in all.. I HIGHLY recommend this tent!!  So buy one.  For your kid(s).. or yourself..

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Monkeysnuggles Review & Giveaway

My name is Christina and I am a Monkeysnuggles-aholic. It's been a couple months since my last purchase.  (And I've got a craaaaaaving!) 

Why would someone EVER be addicted to something as silly as a diaper? Well.. I'll tell you..  Monkeysnuggles are some of the best made and cutest diapers out there!  I've been a Monkeysnuggles customer for like a year now and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.  When I first jumped on this awesome bandwagon it was in the days of Monkeysnuggles just being on etsy. But since then Renee has branched out to a her own .com.  Yep! She sure did!

One of the things I love the most about this company is the customer service.  I know if I have a question it's going to get answered and as quickly as possible.  Renee is one of the nicest and most helpful people I've ever worked with.  I really dig that because people with crappy customer service are the ones who lose me as a customer.  I'm glad to know I'll be taken care of when it comes to buying from Monkeysnuggles.

Love pocket diapers? Fitteds? Wool longies? Shorties? Skirties?  How about cloth wipes? Wetbags? Awesome and absorbent inserts?   You won't be disappointed if you buy from Monkeysnuggles.

My diaper of choice is the pocket diaper.  I never caught the "fitted bug".. so I've never actually tried out her fitteds or wool but I know MANY cloth mamas who love them!  Now.. back to the pocket diapers.  Monkeysnuggles diapers come in very cute and fun prints and they are SO trim!  Kylee can actually wear jeans over these!  I was very skeptical when I first saw the inserts.  They're SO thin and I was expecting leaks.  Boy was I wrong.  Monkeysnuggles inserts are  made with 3 layers of bamboo fleece which is why they are so trim.  It's also why they are so absorbent. 

Renee sent me a very cute lavender colored pocket diaper with a inner brown lining.  I had to wait until the next day to start putting it to the test because I had just done diaper laundry in the morning right before the diaper was delivered.  But once it was washed I put it right on Kylee's bum.  I'm still amazed at how soft it is.  I'm also impressed at how trim it is for an OS diaper.  Kylee was in the diaper for almost 3 1/2 hours and did not have one single issue with leaking. 


She still has LOTS of room to grow in this diaper.


She can perform all her sweet dance moves with no problem!


Bending and squatting present no problem.


It makes her chunky thighs look OH so cute! (Without leaving any red marks--which I hate!)


It matches with this cute shirt/vest combo PERFECTLY! (I love things matching)



It's the perfect diaper for us and I love that we were able to add it to our stash!

Kylee has napped in this diaper for almost 4 hours and had no issues at all.  We had an unfortunate accident with some V8 Splash being spilled all over this diaper AND Kylee going outside and sitting in her pool with this diaper on.  Still holding up GREAT!  And I'm a firm believer that real men wear lavender.  So even if our next baby (no, I'm not pregnant) is a boy.. this diaper is still going to get lots and lots of love! 

SO.. if you're looking for top quality diapers and fantastic customer service.. I can't speak highly enough about Monkeysnuggles.  I promise you will NOT be disappointed.  (Especially since right now lots of pocket diapers and wool accessories are on sale!!)

So what are you being offered today??  Well lovely readers..

Through August 15th if you use the code Juneblog10 you will receive 10% off your entire order! Score!!

Or.. if you're REALLY lucky.. you'll win this giveaway here and be sent a super secret code to get $20 to use at http://www.monkeysnuggles.com/ OR the etsy shop !  Sounds amazing, right?  So how do you go about winning this giveaway?

Mandatory Entry:  "Like" Monkeysnuggles on Facebook (Leave your name in your comment) AND tell me what you think you would use your $20 towards.  (If you fail to complete this step all of your other entries will be deleted.)

Additional entries:

1.  Follow the Monkeysnuggles blog publicly via Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
2.  Follow Monkeysnuggles on Twitter.  Include your Twitter name in comment. (1 entry)
3.  Make a Monkeysnuggles purchase.  Email me some sort of proof of purchase. (5 entries)
4.  Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect (2 entries)
5.  Follow me on Twitter.  Include your Twitter name in comment. (1 entry)
6.  Add my button to your blog. Leave a link to where I can find it. (2 entries)
7.  Tweet about this giveaway. Include @Mommacrissy @Monkeysnuggles and #clothdiapers in your tweet!  Leave the link to your tweet in your comment.  You are allowed 2 tweets per day and they must be at least 3 hours apart!  (1 entry per tweet)

*Make sure I have a way to contact you.  Be signed in or leave your email address in each comment.*

 Giveaway ends Sunday, July 11th at 10:00PM .(CST). I will use random.org to determine the winner and notify the winner via email. The winner will also also be announced on this blog. You will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.




                                                                  GOOD LUCK!