Here in North-Eastern Ohio, we're still experiencing the wrath of Old Man Winter. Okay, well, for people who have lived here for many years, this winter hasn't been too bad. Since we just moved here from Virginia, where snow is not a common occurrence, we feel like we're in a Winter Wonderland! But regardless of what the temperatures read, spring time is rapidly approaching. To me, this means a lot of different things. I will get to plant a vegetable garden in my very own yard and hope I don't accidentally kill all of my crops, we will set up the kids' play equipment for some outdoor play, and I will finally be able to relax on my deck after a long day. It also means that it's time to start thinking about spring wardrobes and shoes for the family. The kids already have a ton of clothing for spring and summer, but shoes were a completely different story. Their sneakers have been either outgrown or have gotten worn out. And let's face it: I cannot take them to the park in May wearing snow boots. That's why I was so excited to get the opportunity to review the new spring line-up from Umi Children's Shoes. I have always loved this company, but this is my first time formally reviewing them. I have always loved the quality of their shoes, as well as the fun, kid-friendly styles. Haven't heard of Umi Children's Shoes? Let me tell you all about them. Prepare to fall in love!
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I know I don't post photos of myself often, mainly because I am super-duper self-conscious. But for this review, it's necessary. So friends, this is me... First thing in the morning, and even before I brushed my hair. Scary, huh? At least my skin looks good! No, I don't have flawless skin...(I wish!) It's decent, but I have annoying dark circles from lack of sleep, and they make me look very, very tired. They kind of showed up when I was pregnant with Sophie, and have stuck around afterwards. Having 2 toddlers and a teen probably doesn't help. So why does my skin look somewhat alright in this photo, even first thing in the morning? Well, I have one product to thank...Yes, just one. I am sure you've heard of the new L'Oreal Magic BB Cream, right? Recently, I got the opportunity to try it for myself, and all I can say is WOW! This stuff really is magical! Blog with Mom and Adventures of 8 have teamed up with a wonderful online meeting place for pregnancy and mommies of babies and toddlers called BellyHood! We are looking for 50 other family-friendly pregnancy or baby/toddler niched blogs to help us give away a $200.00 Diapers.com Gift Card! Each Blogger will receive a FREE Twitter Link for posting and promoting the free giveaway opp and event. And in my opinion, this is an amazing prize! I have 2 toddlers, and I know how expensive diapers and baby supplies can be. Whether you use cloth or disposables, Diapers.com has you covered. And $200 goes a LONG way! If YOU are a family-friendly pregnancy or baby/toddler-niched blogCLICK HERE to go sign up NOW to apply for thisFREE Giveaway Opportunity!My toddlers are both absolutely obsessed with monkeys...So much, in fact, that we have about a zillion monkey toys and Xander's room has a gigantic wall mural with playful monkeys hanging on a tree.
So naturally, they also adore Curious George. (Who doesn't, right?!) So when I learned that there will be a new full-length feature, "Curious George Swings Into Spring", I knew we just HAD to get this DVD! I was pregnant for almost 2 years straight. (Poor me, right?) It's actually kind of funny, because we tried for years to get pregnant, and during that period experienced 3 devastating miscarriages. We were told that because I have PCOS, conceiving a child and carrying a pregnancy to term could be a challenge. I was heartbroken, to say the least. So we started looking into the gift of adoption. Then, after getting approved by a wonderful adoption agency, we found out that we were expecting. We were so excited, although nervous because this was considered high risk, and I was very ill and on bed-rest the entire time. On New Year's Eve in 2009, our now 3 year old spit-fire, Sophia Suzanne was born. Then, when she was only 3 months old, we received the shock of a lifetime when we found out we were pregnant AGAIN, with our now 2 year old son, Xander. So yes, this meant back-to-back pregnancies, as well as back-to-back cesareans. While it wasn't the most pleasant of experiences for me in many ways, I wouldn't trade the end result for anything in the world. My kids are amazing, and I am so grateful to have been blessed with them. My teen son, Kyle, is pretty happy too, as he was sick and tired of being an only child. One of the things I hated most about pregnancy, other than the 24/7 sickness-I refuse to call it morning sickness- that lasted the entire duration of both pregnancies, was the need to take gigantic horse-pills, AKA prenatal vitamins. I actually had to switch my vitamins several times because a few of the ones prescribed were too harsh on my stomach and just made my all-too-regular nausea worse. My soon to be 13 year old son, Kyle, is an interesting and inquisitive kid. He has a ton of interests, from the paranormal and aliens to art and music, and then of course there is his fascination with the ancient world and the mysteries found in archaeological relics. However, for some reason, he has never developed the passion for reading that his Mama has. I have always loved to read, and probably have thousands of books. Kyle, on the other hand, acts as though reading is a chore and often will complain about having to read books for school. He's in 7th grade, so his required reading doesn't contain loads of pictures or illustrations anymore. So when I heard about the book "The Hidden Chamber in the Great Sphynx" by Linda A. Cadose, I was hopeful that I had discovered a book that Kyle would actually want to read. (It does happen, on rare occasions!) This book is very well-written in a way that resonates with teens and older kids, and it is jam-packed with historical fact, without seeming like a stuffy text-book. And the story it contains is right up my son's alley, since it includes many of his interests. In the book, American archeologist Dr. Cliff Post and his friend Egyptian archeologist Dr. Abdul Saad discover a hidden chamber in the right paw of the Great Sphinx. This secret chamber contains an ancient and powerful "super-computer", left behind my ancient aliens. (LOVE the addition of extraterrestrials here!) When word of this amazing discovery gets out, a group of terrorists want to get their hands on this super-computer....What happens next? Well, you'll just have to pick up this fast-paced, entertaining read to find out... Welcome to the iPad Mini Giveaway Event hosted by Life With Two Boys and co-hosted by Mom to Bed by 8 and A Little Bit of Everything! Thanks to our super awesome sponsor, Preply, one lucky winner is going to receive an iPad Mini with Wi-Fi 16GB - White & Silver (ARV $329). They showcase awesome tutors who each have something special to offer - Ivy League education, years of experience, test prep expertise. You name it, you got it. The days of searching far and wide for a great tutor are over. Give it a shot. Visit Preply.com. Connect with Preply on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Preply offers exclusive content for fans of their Facebook page. Be sure to visit their website to hire a tutor or to contact them with any questions. Now on to the giveaway! This giveaway is only open to US residents only, ages 18+. Giveaway ends on March 7th at 11:59 pm EST. Please enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck! I have to admit, there is a good reason I don't post a ton of cute, Pinterest-worthy crafts. It's because I am not crafty...At all...In any capacity whatsoever. My stick figures are even sad looking, and my kids could probably do better at them than I can. So I leave my creativity for the kitchen, because I love to cook. However, one of my goals is to branch out and try new things. After all, I am the proud mama of 2 toddlers, and they will eventually grow tired of finger-painting, coloring, and playing with Play-Doh. I know that one day they're going to expect a bit more out of their artistically-challenged mother, and I want to be capable of doing something...Okay, anything...that results in a cute keepsake of some kind. A friend of mine, Tara, is super-crafty, and I am constantly in awe of her hand-made creations. She has an etsy shop, Tara's Stamp Pad, and she specializes in greeting cards, tags, and other stamped treasures that are sure to delight. These are so adorable, and a lot better than anything you'll find in the greeting card aisle. (Sorry, Hallmark, but it's true!) Tara's creations have a lot more personality and whimsy, and they're all made by hand with love. She even does fantastic custom designs to suit any style or occasion. So when we think of Valentine's Day, we think of love...And sappy, commercialized cards, gifts, and jewelry. This year, Valentine's Day is extra special because lately, I have had an abundance of amazing blessings in my life. Sure, some of these things have nothing to do with romantic love, but I'd still like to share.
Recently, I came into contact with my sister and some of my brothers. I know this doesn't mean much to many of you, because you were probably raised with your siblings. Well I have a good number of siblings I have never met. Oddly enough, we all look eerily alike, even though we have different mothers...I guess my biological father had some super-strong genes! I have a beautiful sister who is the proud mama of 3 kids, and I couldn't be happier to be talking to her. I am also talking to 2 of my much younger brothers, one of whom is a new Daddy! He and I have been texting and talking quite a bit, and he doesn't feel like he's a complete stranger at all. I also have another brother who is almost 16 that I am talking to, and he's an athlete and is moving back to Ohio this weekend! What does this have to do with Valentine's Day? Well, not much, I suppose. But I am just so excited. In Virginia, we had no close, tight-knit family to speak of. There were never really Holidays with family, and the kids didn't get the chance to grow up surrounded by a large and loving family. We were kind of on our own in many ways. (And family is so important to me.) Now that we've moved to Ohio, I am surrounded by SO much family now, and it's gotten me feeling all sappy. I have parents now who want to be involved, grandparents, and now a bunch of brothers and a sister...A sister! I have never had a sister, so this is just so amazing. I have to admit, my husband and I already had our Valentine's Day date, since he has to work today. (Boo!) So I will just be preparing an amazing dinner and enjoying a quiet evening here at home with my hubby and the kids. It just doesn't get much better than that! How is your Valentine's Day going? What are your plans? |
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
June 2023
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