Joovy Room 2 Ultralight

Life with my second baby is a completely different world. With our first we had all kinds of equipment and I barely used any of it. If she was awake I was either holding her or playing with her on the floor. If she was asleep I was either holding her or she was in her crib. But now.... now life is complicated.

Now I have two children who need my attention and a very different situation in the house. While with my daughter I could put her on a play blanket while I folded the laundry... that isn't a possibility with my son. I have a toddler running around... so anytime he isn't with me he needs to be put someplace safe. This is where my Joovy Room 2 Ultralight  has become a lifesaver!

Our Room 2 Ultralight comes everywhere with us. It folds up nice and small making it easy to take it in the car when we visit friends and family. But it also has a quick fold feature that allows us to have it folded in half making it quick and easy to move it around the house and open it up quickly. This has become our favorite use for it because I take it outside with me every day. This way my daughter can run and play and I have a safe place to put my son if I need to help her get across the monkey bars and push her on the swings.

He absolutely adores being in the Room 2 Ultralight. He has lots of room to practice his rolling. And he rolls himself over to the mesh so that he can look out and see us. I can position the play yard so that the solid side provides some shade and protection from the wind for him. There is also a large pocet on that side where we can keep his pacifier, blaket, and other things we might need on hand. The bottom is nice and soft so he doesn't bang his head when we put it on the concrete. And it comes with a 100% brushed cotton sheet for easy washing (note the sheet is not on in this picture... it was being washed).

The quick fold feature is really easy and I  can do it all on my own. The picture above illustrates how simple it is to just buckle each side and it stays folded up. When folded in half it takes up only 3.5 feet of space making it very easy to store.  The picture below shows just how light and easy to carry it is.

We are so happy with this product. It has met all our needs and expectations. I love that it is so roomy that my son can continue to use it as he gets bigger and move around and play. I am pleased with how light it is and how easy it is to move it around. Having two options for how small I want to fold it out has proven to be very functional for me and my needs. The quality of the product is wonderful and I have every reason to believe that it will last for years. And since the sides are nice and high... I don't see him climbing out of it.

I would definitely recommend this product. I would also suggest that you visit Joovy's website to learn more about the Room 2 Ultralight and all of the other great products they carry. And don't forget to connect with Joovy on Facebook and Twitter for all the news about Joovy and their products.

Bow of the Month with Maddie B's Boutique

Having a little girl was a dream come true for me. I live for all things girly and love to accessorize my little princess. And now that her hair is getting longer (this took forever!) I am all about putting beautiful bows in her hair. There is no better place to find gorgeous bows then Maddie B's Boutique!

Maddie B's Boutique offers the exciting opportunity to be part of a Bow of the Month club. Each month you will receive a beautiful bow available only to members of the club. Each month has a different theme that goes along with holidays and seasons. I love the thrill of finding out what the bow will look like for that month!

Here is a collage featuring the April and May bows for Bow of the Month

The quality of the bowis unbeatable. They are gorgeous from all angles and are truly over-the-top! My daughter loves these bows and has the best time picking out which bow goes best with her outfit for the day.

Aside from Bow of the Month, Maddie B's Boutique offers an amazing variety of boutique bows, character bows, headbands and more. Be sure to check her out on Facebook and Etsy. 

Pampers "Spring Into Color" Facebook Sweepstakes

Enter Pampers "Spring Into Color" Sweepstakes

Open from April 29th until May 28th

Today marks the start of an exciting sweepstakes that will be taking place on the Pampers Facebook page for the next 30 days. From today until May 28th you will have the opportunity to try and win fantastic daily prizes that help us to celebrate the joy and wonderment that children bring into our lives... and of course, diapers and wipes! Plus, each entry will also enter you into the Grand Prize giveaway.... a $5,000 gift card!

Each week, the sweepstakes will take fans through nature's changing color wheel spectrum, celebrating babies' growth and the ways in which they color our world beautiful in so many ways, each and every day. From cameras, to educational toys to high-tech jogging strollers and a pallet of artist tools for your little ones to paint the world remarkable, there are four colorful-themed prize packets that will rotate with the "Spring Into Color" color wheel over the course of the 30 day sweeps, offering you and your family fun items to enhance your time together.

* Pampers provided me with two product coupons for sharing the news of this sweepstakes. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Parenthood

101 Heartwarming and Humorous Stories about the Joy of Raising Children

Parenting - it's a tough job, but also the best. Filled with anecdotes and advice from parents raising children of all ages, this book will uplift, inspire, and encourage you. Other parents, just like you, share their personal stories about all the joys, and the trials, of raising children. This book will tough your heart, make you laugh, and remind you why there is no better job than being a parent!

My Thoughts:

The description of this book truly captures it's essence. Parenting is the hardest, most challenging, most exhausting job I can imagine. We work 24/7 365 days a year. Holidays and weekends we are on duty. There is no such thing as sick days. But through it all... there is nothing I would rather do then be a mommy to my two children.

Sometimes the days are long and the problems seem to come one after another. Just sitting down with this book has helped me to put things into perspective. I have laughed with other parents that I have never met but immediately felt like I knew exactly what they were talking about. I have silently thanked a stranger for putting into word just how I am feeling. And I have sighed a sigh of relief when reading a story that let me know I am not alone and the tough times and issues will get better.

This book is a great collection of stories that represent parenthood. The ups and downs, the laughter and tears. And the realization that life flashes before our eyes and our children grow up way too fast.

This is a wonderful book for new parents and old. For parents preparing for a child and for parents feeling the pain of being empty nesters. And for all of us in between. 

BEARPAW Review

I am a truw shoe lover. But I am guilty of buying the same style over and over. It's hard for me to wander outside of my typical fashion zone. So with my last BEARPAW review I talked about how BEARPAW gave the great opportunity to review a pair of their fashion boots.Thise boots were something that I never would have purchased on my own . I several pair of BEARPAW boots, but nothing like them. But thanks to BEARPAW picking them out for me I was able to try something new and loved them!

You can read more about my last experience and check out the boots I received HERE.

So when I was offered the chance to check out something from their spring collection I was excited. I figured that there was a good chance I would be sent a new style I hadn't tried before... and I was right.

I received a pair of the Holly's, which are a pair of canvas slip-on's. My husband has been a fan of this style shoe so he was really excited for me to have a pair. And now that spring has sorta sprung around here... I have hopped into my Holly's and hit the road to see what I thought.

I would pick three word to describe my new BEAPAW's... comfort, ease, and style. They are comfy. With the canvas staying true to it's shape and the rubber sole providing some support and great tred. They are easy. I keep them right by the front door and can easily slip into them when I run to get the mail or head out to the park with my little ones. They are stylish. Without any extra effort and while still being comfortable they add some style to my casual outfits. They provide me with more support then flip flops but look more stylish then sneakers. They are the perfect "go anywhere" shoe. And like all my BEARPAW's... these seem built to last!

Again, this is a style I probably wouldn't have purchased on my own. But now that I have a pair I want more colors! You can check out the Holly's and all the other cool styles for summer on BEARPAW's website. You can also follow them on Facebook and twitter for all their latest news and promotions. You can also check out BEARPAWstyle.com for some great reading about lots of topics from shoes, to fashion and more.

Crayola's Big Colorful Birthday Adventure!

To celebrate their 110th birthday, the 8 original crayons are throwing a birthday bash at the new fun-omenal Crayola Experience, the world's only interactive Crayola family attraction. Right now, they're out on a colorful adeventure to spread the news, and you're invited to join the fun!

How can you join in on the fun? You can FOLLOW the crayons on their adventure, LEARN more about each color and enter to win a trip for 4 to celebrate their birthday and the Grand Opening of the all new Crayola Experience this coming May, 2013!

Visit the Crayola Facebook page and click "enter now" for your chance to be first in line when the Crayola Experience reopens.

The new Crayola Experience features four floors of new interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind attractions that will bring the magic of color and your child's creativity to life! The winner will be among the first to experience the fun, along with a three-night, all expenses paid stay. It's an experience your kids will never forget - and neither will you!

* All information was provided by Crayola for this post.

New Octonauts Toys!

My daughter is a huge fan of Disney Junior... and I have to say I'm glad. When it comes to watching tv it's something that I like to do as a family. I always like to know what my daughter is watching and spend that time cuddling with her on the couch. Sometimes it can be a little painful as a parent to watch tv with your little ones. But Disney Junior has some really great shows that are entertaining enough to keep my attention.

Octonauts is one of those great shows. While it's entertaining it's also a show with tons of good messages and learning opportunities. Basically, the Octonauts go on missions to rescue all kinds of different sea creatures, teaching kids all about caring about others and working together. All while being introduced to some really cool sea creatures!

So when I learned that they had some out with new Octonauts toys and that we were going to get the chance to check them out.... well, I was super excited... and so was my daughter.

They have a great selection of toys featuring all your favorite characters from the fabulous tv series, including Captain Barnacles, Kwazii and Peso. With Gup A and Gup B, you can have endless adventures. And the toys go in the water.... which was my daughter's favorite part! Bath time just got even better!

We are having a blast with these new toys. My daughter's imagination is running wild and she is amazing me with what she remembers from the show and comes up with some really interesting creatures to rescue in the tub. These toys will also be joining us in the kiddie pool when the weather warms up!

* We received these toys for review purposes. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influences in any way.

Daddy Tie from DaddyScrubs - Review and Giveaway

I know that for my husband the title "Daddy" is incredibly special. Ever since we learned we were pregnant with our first he would talk to my belly and say "Daddy" hoping that it would be my daughter's first word! It also means so much to me that he loves his new title and likes to tell the whole world that he is the Daddy to two amazing kids.

DaddyScrubs is the perfect place to find unique items that help your man tell the world that he holds a very important title. They have everything from Scrubs to hats to sweatshirts. But I recently had the chance to check out something so cool... a Daddy Tie.

The Daddy Ties looked really cute online. They have three different kinds to choose from.... Elegant, Word Search, and Edgy with Hearts.

After looking at all three I decided that the Edgy with Hearts seemed to be the best fit for my husband. I was so excited for it to arrive and I didn't tell him it was coming. When it got here I was so thrilled with it. It came in a fantastic box that truly made it a dressed up gift.

We were going to a Centennial Gala that weekend and I had gotten a beautiful floor length dress. So I walked into my husband's office and told him that since I had gotten a new dress I wanted him to have something special to wear. Then I handed him the box and watched his face light up. He thought it was so clever and cool! And something he could totally use.

What we both love about the tie is that it doesn't look gaudy, it looks like a normal nice tie with the sweet word "Daddy" with hearts. It's the perfect way for him to show his Daddy pride when he's out and about. I would highly recommend this as a fabulous gift for news dads and proud daddy's!

You can check DaddyScrubs out on their website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Youcan also visit their blog!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


* I received a free product for review purposed. However, all opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Mommy Moment

Everyone tells you that time goes so quickly once you have kids. That you basically blink your eyes and they are all grown up. Every day this seems more and more true. I look at other people's kids and I feel like they have been babies forever... but when I look at my own I wonder when they got to be so big.

This week  my son turned 4 months old. He is still so little and so brand new. But in a way he has grown so much. While I won't rule out the possibility of us having another baby... it seems pretty unlikely. It seems like our family may be complete. And that makes it a little bit harder this time around.

When my daughter was a baby I felt like I could really enjoy everything and not miss the stages she went through because I would always have another baby. I had it all planned in my head that there would be at least one more. Now I have that second baby and I am scared to let anything go. I don't want to pack away any clothes that are getting snug. I want to keep the small sizes on him as long as I can.

Time is flying by. And while I can honestly say that each stage they go through is better than the last... I want to hold on to every second I can. I want to hold on to my babies.