Getting in Shape...(Part 1)

            I am pretty much constantly trying to get motivated to get in shape. It’s not that I don’t want to lose weight. I’m just lazy and hate working out to the same video over and over at home or going the gym membership route. I like doing outdoorsy things, like hiking and swimming which, unfortunately, also depend on the weather.

            My biggest problem, though, is food. I wouldn’t say I overeat (not much, anyways), but I am really bad about eating crap. I love chips, crackers, pasta, that sort of thing. You know: Carbs, carbs, and more CARBS! And not the good kind, of course.

Clothing a (Short) Cloth Diapered Child

            I’m sure it’s plenty difficult clothing an “average” sized cloth diapered child just for having to compensate for the fluffy butt factor. However, how many of you have the same issue I do: A chubby, short, AND cloth diapered baby? It is a nightmare trying to find clothes that fit!

We Love Mei Tais Blogger Opp

 

Sponsored by Caribou Baby

 

Hosted by:

The Squishable Baby

   

~PLEASE READ THIS BLOGGER OPP IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE FILLING IN ANY FORMS~

 

We are giving away a beautiful - one of a kind - Didymos DidyTai RV $190. US and Canada18+

 

The DidyTai is a wonderful marriage between a woven wrap and a Buckle carrier. Super fast (and easy to learn) like the buckle carrier and snugly like a wrap. The DidyTai (or wrap-tai) has a criss-cross back for weight support. This is the only Mei Tai style carrier that Caribou Baby recommends for newborns because of the tremendous back support - and the ability to carry the baby legs out in a deep squat - from day 1.

The DidyTai is versatile. Its toggle base allows for a great newborn hold and allows for the mobility of an older baby.

 

Other features of the Didy Tai include:

• Reversible two-color carrier
• Anatomically correct squat-spread-position
• Special, diagonally stretchable cloth
• Lightweight and handy
• Free from any toxic materials
• Pure organic cotton
• Non-toxic dyes
• Made in Germany
• Machine washable
• Long-lasting and resistant

  Free Blogger Opp We are looking for bloggers who have Twitter AND Facebook followings larger than 1,500 - who are willing to post 3 posts (the blogger opp, the getting excited about babywearing post on November 19th and the Giveaway post on December 4th) and promote on Facebook AND Twitter at least 4X per week. If you have the above qualifications - you will receive a free Twitter and Facebook Link in the giveaway. All HTML will be provided.   Co-host pages and paid links are available.  

Co-host pages $15

4 additional links and back link to your blog

 

Paid links

$4 per link

 

Forms and Blogger Opp HTML

 

1. Fill out this form to enter the giveaway.
2. Blogger Opp Post HTML can be found here.
3. Fill out this form to report your Blogger Opp Posting links.

  A very special Thank you to the Lovely Babywearing and Natural parenting blogs that are helping to spread the news of this giveaway!  

Our Piece of Earth	According to Jenny	Zephyr Hill Blog
The Median Mommy	Life as a Wife, Mummy and Nurse	I Thought I Knew Mama
Mommy's Favorite Things	Kerrific online	Living Peacefully with Children
Hobo Mama

    IMPORTANT: It’s important that you report all of your posts (link will be in the email when I provide the HTML) and promote at least 4X per week on both Twitter and Facebook. If you do not do these things, your links will be removed.

Dollar Bins

            I love saving a buck or two…or five or ten. I’m sure you love saving money when possible too. Do you guys ever look through the dollar or clearance bins at stores? If not, you should start! You can find some neat stuff in them sometimes.

Bargain Books!

Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post. I am in no way, shape, or form associated with Books-A-Million. I just really like sharing what I believe are great deals. :)

            We made a long overdue trip to our local Books-A-Million the other day. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love going to bookstores. It’s just something about the atmosphere, I think. Problem is, I have to actually kind of keep myself from going to them more often because I almost always end up buying something. Lol (Not that books are a bad thing, it’s just that I used to be really bad about not reading half of the books I purchased. :/)

            Pretty much any type of store we visit we always have to hit up the clearance aisles/areas: Walmart, Kroger, heck, I even do it on online stores, and the bookstore is no exception! Unfortunately, most of the time there usually A) Isn’t anything we could live without, even at discount prices or B) The discounts are so shameful they shouldn’t even be included/considered clearance! However, we got lucky and found some pretty good deals on some children’s Halloween books at Books-A-Million the other day.

Enjoying Fall with Hyland's

Disclaimer: I am a Hyland’s Homeopathy Ambassador and receive various products and gift cards from Hyland’s and promotional partners at no cost to me. All views and opinions expressed on this blog post and corresponding social network mentions are my own and are not to be interpreted as medical advice.   

            Hey folks! It is that wonderful time of year when the temperatures (hopefully) start dropping, leaves turn beautiful shades of orange, red, and yellow, and the kids are finally back in school. However, with weather changing and kids being in school, fall can sometimes turn into a time of illness! You love that your children are learning to share with others, but really wish they wouldn’t share germs! Even if you don’t have school aged children, fluctuating weather from hot to cold can wreak havoc on our bodies too.

            This autumn, don’t let a cold, flu, or sinus problems keep you in bed! Hyland’s is here to help! Many of you are probably familiar with some of Hyland Homeopathic’s products, but did you know they have a whole line of products for babies, children, AND adults? I love this because that means their cold and flu medicines are specifically formulated for different ages instead of one generic one for all.

Montessori at Home: Not as Pricey as You May Think!

            Even though I still have much to learn about Montessori, there seems to be a common misconception I have seen so far: You need to buy a lot of expensive toys, furniture, supplies, etc. Now, if you are trying to do a set up in the strictest sense, then yes, you are probably going to spend a small fortune on child sized toilets, chairs, tables, stools, etc. However, if you are incorporating Montessori principles more moderately like most parents seem to, there is no need to spend an exorbitant amount of money on toys and furniture. While it is always nice to have some special purchased toys, you can find SO many fun projects to do with your children or toys/learning tools to make for them on the Internet. (I’ll list a few of the blogs I have found that have some great ideas if you’re interested below.)

            Contrary to popular belief and what a lot of major toy companies would have you believe, your children don’t need a bunch of electronic gadgets and gizmos that take all of the imagination out of playing. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not telling you to throw out all of your electronic toys. What I’m really trying to say is that you might be surprised at how entertaining and how much a child can learn from non-toy items. For example:

Glow Bug Cloth Diaper Review

            Hey cloth or cloth curious diapering folks! As you know, we are a strictly cloth diapering family now and love trying out different diapers. We recently had the opportunity to try out a Glow Bug cloth diaper, which was especially exciting since it’s the first true pocket diaper we’ve used!

            Glow BugCloth Diapers was created by two friends. Sarah and Neta first met and became friends at a prenatal yoga class while each was pregnant with their first baby. They also came to love cloth diapering their children, but weren’t thrilled about the options available at the time. They simply wanted quality made cloth diapers at affordable prices. Thus, Glow Bug Cloth Diapers was formed! You can read more about them HERE.

            As I mentioned, I recently had the opportunity to try one of Glow Bug’s pocket diapers on Myka. I was especially excited to try it out for two main reasons:

1) It is the first true pocket diaper we have tried.

2) It’s also the first snap diaper we’ve ever used. (Can you believe that?! We’ve even used PINS, but never snaps! Lol) Needless to say, I was curious to see how the fit and pocket would work for us.

GIANTmicrobes Giveaway

GIANTmicrobes Giveaway Hosted by Pea of Sweetness

Sponsored by GIANTmicrobes

 

            GIANTmicrobes® are stuffed animals that look like tiny microbes — only a million times actual size! They're humorous, educational, and fun! Each GIANTmicrobes® comes with an image and information about the real microbe it represents. They make great learning tools!

Fall Sensory Box (BLT)

            I recently came across the concept of sensory boxes and fell in love with them! I’m still finding it pretty difficult to find age appropriate activities for my newly 1 year old, so these boxes are a Godsend if you ask me! There are a plethora of ideas for different types of sensory boxes online, including fall related ones, but I decided to keep ours simple. (Mostly because my husband just went back to work after this stupid government furlough nonsense, so needless to say we don’t have a lot of extra cash at the moment. Not that you need a lot, if any, to make sensory boxes.)

            Sensory boxes are a great addition to home school/tot school theme units or just for fun! I believe sensory play is important, especially for young toddlers and babies, since that is the main way they learn about the world around them: seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, and tasting. Plus, in my opinion, sensory activities can be a lot of fun! Who doesn’t enjoy finger painting or splashing in the water with a little one?