12 Weeks Pregnant…

And still sick…but getting better…and bigger.  It’s been a really rough 7 weeks.  I never imagined I’d feel so bad for so long.  Jason and my parents have been amazingly understanding and have helped out a ton with our little boy.  I’m still taking the Zofran because being off of it is just not an option at this point (I’ve tried…).  Life still carries on which means I still have to function, go to work, take care of our little boy, and our household (as much as I have been able to). Again…THANK YOU to all of you who’ve emailed, written, and generally just provided support and encouragement through these rough weeks.  Looking back this will be a blip in time, but right now it seems to be lasting way too long.

On another note, I’m excited about our ultrasound this week but I doubt that we’ll be able to find out the gender of our little baby at this early stage.  I’ll keep you posted at the end of this week!

And speaking of pregnancy…I’ve been having some serious food cravings and aversions.  I am the girl who hasn’t touched white bread in years.  Now…the though of anything with the word “whole” in front of it makes me queasy.  Is it normal to suddenly be repulsed by foods I used to love?  Strange! This is definitely a pregnancy to be documented because it’s so different from my first.

By the way, this post was definitely not meant to be profound in any way.  At 10:30, I think I’m aiming for coherent!

Project Backpack

Summer is in full swing, but it’s never too early to start thinking about the upcoming school year.  My son just started preschool, part-time so we’re getting into the swing of an actual routine in preparation for next year.

If you have a budding artist in your home, you may want to check out the Project Backpack Design Contest, brought to you by Office Depot and Sharpie.  This national contest will allow you to submit pictures of your child’s Sharpie-designed backpack for a chance to win $10,000 in prizes, including the opportunity to have the child’s backpack design reproduced and sold in Office Depot stores nationwide during the 2010 back-to-school season.

Here is how to enter:

1. Go to your nearest Office Depot store to pick out the qualifying backpack (sku 789-795; blue, pink, olive or khaki) and select 2 FREE Sharpies to decorate it. Click here to find an Office Depot store near you.
2. Decorate your backpack and take a picture of it. Need inspiration? Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com
3. Fill out the online entry form and upload the image of your decorated backpack.
4. If you do not have a qualifying backpack, there is an alternative way to enter the contest. Simply download the Sharpie Backpack template, decorate it and upload your design.

You can enter the contest all summer long and entries will be accepted through September 19, 2009.

Bumbleride Indie

Even though I’m only 3 months pregnant, I can already feel myself putting on weight.  Now, of course, this is normal, however, in the back of my mind is that question of how I’m going to lose the baby weight once and for all the second time around.  I’ve been walking when I feel well (which is still rare these days) and I’ll be using the Bumbleride Indie stroller once my energy picks up again.

You may remember that I recently trialed the Bob Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller for about a month.  Well, I’m so excited to share with you my experience with the Bumbleride Indie. First, here is a little more information from the site:

Bumbleride Indie is not your Average All-Terrain Stroller. Weighing a slim 20 lbs., Indie combines the off-road ability of a multi-terrain stroller with the lean agility of an urban jogger and features a 360 degree swiveling front wheel with forward and rear facing locking positions.

The very first thing I noticed about the stroller was it’s stylish, modern design and vibrant color options.  I chose Seagrass which is absolutely gorgeous!  The pictures on the site don’t do the stroller justice.  It’s actually bigger and sturdier than it appears, which is impressive, since it only weighs 20 pounds!  It’s also the most fashionable jogging stroller I’ve yet to see.  If you’ve seen other jogging strollers, then you know that they’re usually only available in primary colors and have a sort of rugged look about them.  Not so with the Indie.  While red and black are definitely options, I prefer the off-the-beaten path colors!

If you’ve ever purchased a stroller, then you know that very often you have to purchase accessories as well.  I’m impressed with the fact that the Indie comes with a rain cover (for those of you who don’t live in Southern California), air pump, jogging strap, and cup holder.  It’s always a little disappointing when you spend a decent amount of money on a stroller and then realize that the accessories are not included.  Of course the company offers additional accessories but they’re definitely luxuries rather than necessities if you’re trying to keep the cost reasonable.

The stroller is designed for use with infants and children up to 45 pounds, which means you get a lot of use out of the stroller.  The seat adjusts accordingly and includes an infant headrest and shoulder pads for added protection.  The ride is smooth and the stroller maneuvers easily.  I like the ability to lock the front wheel when jogging and the jogging strap (we have some hilly parts around here!).

Like I mentioned earlier, I trialed the Bob Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller.  While there were many similarities, I definitely appreciate the Indie’s stylish, compact, and lightweight design.  I love the color options and the versatility of the stroller for both everyday use and fitness.  Plus, people are constantly asking me…Who makes that stroller?  : )  I like to turn heads!

The Bumbleride Indie retails for $459.99 and can be purchased directly from the site.  And…they make a double…now…if I can just upgrade!

Here is a little video I made of the Bumbleride Indie.

Scott’s Common Sense Community and a $50 Visa Card Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is kathy pease.  Congrats!

Summer is in full swing!  What are your plans?  Will you spend lazy days at the beach or pool?  Do you have a family vacation planned?  How will you spend time with your friends and family this summer?

During the month of June, Scott Common Sense is all about making the most of the time you spend with family and friends. From unique ideas on how to spend Father’s Day, to creating affordable get-togethers, Scott Common Sense is your go-to destination for tips and advice.

Win It! I’ve teamed up with Scott Common Sense to give away one $50 Visa Gift Card to put towards those backyard barbeques, along with coupons for Scott Long Lasting products. Just leave your favorite summer tip in the comments section below for your chance to win!  Comments will close on July 11, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry?

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Votre Vu Summer Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Carol.  Congrats!

Do you ever walk into a department store, a little dazed and confused as you search for just the right face cream or skin care product?  I have to admit that when it comes to skin care, I rely heavily on the well-trusted opinions of my family and close friends because a. I don’t have time to try every single brand on the market and b. I don’t have the money to try every single brand on the market.  I love the freedom of choice we have here in the U.S. but sometimes that very freedom actually paralyzes me with indecision. All that to say, I hope this skin care review helps you just a little in making decisions about what I feel is one of the hardest types of products to shop for.

Awhile back I did a giveaway for Votre Vu.  I was then contacted by the company to try a few of their products.  Having lived and traveled to many parts of the world, I have to admit that I just LOVE foreign products…particularly French products.  Votre Vu is a “privately held luxury skin care company offering the finest French-made formulations.”  I spoke to a representative of the company on the phone last week, who informed me that while there are many companies offering French skin care products which are made in the US, Votre Vu is unique in that all products are made in France.  The company offers skin care products for 4 different skin care types and the great thing is that most of the products are highly concentrated, requiring only a small amount for effectiveness.

Win It!  One of you will win Votre Vu’s Cheveux Heureux Shampoo Riche.  Simply head on over to the site and take a look around. Come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite product AND how you go about choosing skin care products.  Comments will close on July 11, 2009 at 10 PM PST. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Add the “Spring In For Summer Fun” banner to your sidebar and leave me a comment (be sure to visit the main party post for more details on extra entries)

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest. Be sure to use the hashtag #SummerEvent

Enter Tanya and Amanda’s giveaways

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site. If you have difficulty, please let me know.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

About the shampoo:  The shampoo hydrates, restores, balances and protects adding a boost in volume and shine.  The shampoo is an effective yet gentle cleanser which eliminates build up, impurities and toxins without stripping your hair’s natural oils.  It leaves your hair more manageable and soft to the touch.

House of Gems SiteWarming Party and Contest

Some of you may know that I recently joined Momfluence, which is basically a network of bloggers.  As part of this network, I often receive information that may be valuable to you, the readers.  Tomorrow (Saturday, June 27th at 9 pm EST), Resourceful Mommy will host a SiteWarming Party for House of Gems.  Here is the information, provided to me regarding the event tomorrow night:

Have you ever wanted to start your own handmade jewelry store on Etsy or Silkfair, but didn’t know where to start? Maybe you already enjoy scrapbooking and knitting and thought beading might be worth a try, but weren’t sure about the investment.

Now you can win a bracelet making kit plus $75 in product – a $100 value – by entering the “Bejeweled Giveaway” contest. Ten readers across the Momfluence network blogs will be chosen to win!

But there’s more! Those ten winners will be able to submit a picture of their completed bracelet to the House of Gems, and one will be chosen to receive a $250 gift certificate, enough product to really jump start your business.

To Enter – choose one or more ways to enter to win:
Option 1 – Subscribe to one or more of the House of Gems feeds – each feed subscription counts as a new entry! Once you’ve subscribed fill out this entry form: http://cli.gs/ND4NMe

Option 2 – Blog about the “Bejeweled Giveaway” contest on your own site then fill out this entry from: http://cli.gs/ND4NMe

Join us on Twitter Saturday, June 27th at 9:00 p.m. eastern for a #houseofgems SiteWarming party where the 10 winners will be announced!

Don’t miss your chance to win an iPhone 3GS from #houseofgems…

About the House of Gems:
House of Gems, Inc. was established to provide quality beads, pearls, findings, pendants, chains and other jewelry making accessories at wholesale prices, directly to the consumer. The people behind House of Gems have been in this business since 1992 and have an extensive network of designers, manufacturers and other direct suppliers to draw upon. Since they have their own factories,craft shops and import directly, they have the best prices on quality products. Now, with the power of e-commerce they have eliminated the ‘middle men’, bringing their quality products at low wholesale jewelry prices, directly to your doorstep.

One more teeny, tiny bit of info…you could win an iPhone!

iPhone Contest Details:
Anyone on Twitter who tweets with the hashtag #HouseofGems between Noon eastern Monday, June 22nd and noon eastern Saturday, June 27th will be entered to win an iPhone 3GS! U.S. residents 18 years and older are eligible. The winner will be announced during the #houseofgems SiteWarming party Saturday, June 27th at 9 p.m. eastern.

This contest was brought to you by Momfluence: Rocking the cradle and shaping the world.

Turning Two…

My sweet boy…my baby…you’ll always be my baby….

I can’t believe you’re almost two years old.  Wasn’t it just yesterday you were learning how to walk? And talk?  Now you’re running!  You definitely keep mommy on her toes!

Your bright brown eyes and captivating smile brighten each and every day.  Your laughter is contagious.

I love your dark curly hair….

Every day your new words amaze me.  How your language has exploded.  I love how you say Elmo (Melmo) and Car (Tar) and Spider (spar) and so many other words I need to record before they’re lost in time…  And where did you learn to put 3 and 4 words together?  You’re so smart!

You love to “race” your cars, squish play dough and draw pictures of fish.

You love to play on the slide and swing higher and higher!  You love sand and water.

You could eat blueberries (no berries) all day if I let you!  You love yogurt and ice cream and snacks (granola bars).  (I promise I feed you “real” food too!)

Every night after dinner, you tell mommy and daddy how you “need a bath” and we just giggle.  How can anyone resist that?

I love our hugs and snuggles right before bedtime.

You love to read and I love that you love to read. We can read all day if you want.

You can count to 10 (12 actually) and you recognize most letters of the alphabet.

You like to sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider and The Wheels on the Bus and so many other songs.

You love to spend time with grandma and grandpa and niko (which you say in the most adorable way).

When you tell me “I need church” it melts my heart.  Please remember that for the rest of your life!

Thank you for reminding us to pray at dinner time (mommy and daddy forget sometimes!)

I know you’re only 2, but you used the potty today like a big boy and mommy and daddy were so proud.  But don’t worry…there is no rush…

You told mommy and daddy that you loved us…and made mommy cry.

I wish I could take each and every second…moment…and capture it in time via video, photos, and journaling.  My precious baby boy…you are growing up and while it all seems so sudden, I know you can’t stay a baby forever.

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Love,

Mommy

Summer Shoes For Mom…Plus a Flojos Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Gianna.  Congrats!

Our temperate southern California weather allows me the flexibility to wear open-toed shoes practically every day.  I rarely ever wear closed-toed shoes or even socks for that matter, unless I’m going to work.  Now that summer is here, I’m excited about getting comfy with my flip-flops (which I’ll live in as long as the weather allows!).

One of my favorite sandal companies is California-based Flojos!  Shoes are one of my FAVORITE accessories (just ask my husband who is always trying to encourage me to get rid of some) so style is just as important as comfort.  Flojos offers both.  I find it pretty amazing that a company can take a shoe such as a flip flop, and turn it into so many different styles.  Here is a little more about the company:

Flojos, recognized as one of the top sandal manufacturers in the world, is a name synonymous with the active, California beach lifestyle.  Flojos (pronounced flo-hos, meaning “kick back” in Spanish) specializes in beach, fashion and sport sandals for women, men and children, with a focus on comfort, style and affordable prices.  All Flojos sandals are designed with attention to detail and comfort, with materials including top quality leather, nylon, rubber and canvas.  Most Flojos sandals are perfect for a walk on the beach, but some women’s styles are elaborately trimmed with beads and sequins—the perfect accessory for a night out on the town.

I had an opportunity to pick a style to review and wow, was that difficult.  With over 90 styles to choose from, that was my hardest decision.  I chose the Redondo style which comes in 3 colored floral prints and has a little platform heel.  The sandals are just adorable and so “me.” They have a small platform but they’re still very comfortable and easy to walk in.  The company also offers a variety of styles for men and children.  The prices are reasonably affordable (they even have a few on sale).

Win It! One of you will win a pair of Flojos.  You will have a choice of the following:  Women’s Zebra,  Kid’s Zebra, or Men’s Primo.  Simply leave me a comment with the style and color you’d choose if you won. Comments will close on July 9, 2009 at 10 PM PST. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Add the “Spring In For Summer Fun” banner to your sidebar and leave me a comment (be sure to visit the main party post for more details on extra entries)

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest. Be sure to use the hashtag #SummerEvent

Enter Tanya and Amanda’s giveaways

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site. If you have difficulty, please let me know.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

WW: First Day of Preschool

Nine Naturals

About 90% of the products I use are organic, natural, and otherwise “green.”  If there is an eco-friendly alternative to a product, I’ll opt for that one over something conventional.  Now that I’m pregnant, I’m even more vigilant about ensuring that whatever goes in or on my body is free from harmful chemicals.

I’ve tried a TON of natural shampoos, conditioners, and body washes in the last several years, in search for the “perfect” brand.  One of the things I’ve noticed about any shampoo or conditioner that does not contain chemicals like parabens or phthalates is that they often don’t “foam” the way I would like them too.  Fortunately, this was just the opposite with the shampoo I tried from Nine Naturals.

Nine Naturals is a new company (I hadn’t heard of them prior to this review) specializing in natural products for pregnant women.  They recently launched their Oh Baby! line which includes a shampoo and conditioner free from any chemicals and designed specifically for pregnant women.  Here is a little more information about the 2 products from the site:

Minty and moisturizing, Oh Baby! Shampoo and Conditioner are packed with essential plant oils, organic aloe and B5 so that moms get the extra hair hydration that they need while expecting. For an extra kick, the Oh Baby! line has natural aromatic oils that fight fatigue on sleepy mom mornings.

I digress for just a second…  My already sensitive sense of smell has been heightened by first trimester hormones and morning (all-day) sickness.  Just last week I had to tell my husband to take the shampoo I currently use and move it to another part of the house because it was triggering morning sickness!  And it just so happens that I received the shampoo and conditioner from Nine Naturals just in time to put aside my current shampoo, so I gladly took the opportunity to use it.  Mint is one of my favorite smells and both the shampoo and conditioner have this mild, calm, minty smell to them.  I know you’re not technically supposed to rub conditioner in your scalp (apologies to the stylists out there) but I did and it made my scalp tingle and feel like a giant mint which was so soothing.  The shampoo suds up really well which gives me assurance that my hair is getting clean.  The conditioner left my hair feeling soft and I didn’t have any trouble combing it (remember I have thick, curly hair!).

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with both products.  I’d love to see the company develop specific formulations for different types of hair (i.e. curly, straight, dry/damaged, etc.).  Both products only contain 9 ingredients which is less than half of the amount of ingredients in conventional shampoo and conditioners.  Nine Naturals products are free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and DEA.  Wheat proteins and vitamin B5 are added to the formula to moisturize, build hair strength, and prevent postpartum hair loss (although, with the amount of hair I have, I could probably stand to lose a few).  Both products retail for $19 and the company is currently working on a body wash.  Stay tuned!

Profuse thanks to Mom Fuse for this review opportunity!

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