Back To School Sales

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The last few weeks while I have been out shopping I have seen a lot of parents getting ready for back to school. It doesn't seem like it should be that time already but as I look at the calender it won't be too many more weeks before E and I go back to school. 

One item that should be on the back to school shopping list for a student of any age is new shoes and this year Fabous Footwear is here to help you get your back to school needs taken care of with their BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon. That's right, they are giving you a coupon for Buy One, Get One 50% and 15% off. That is an amazing deal!

But this isnot the only way to save money by shopping Famous Footwear. When you join their free rewards club you get 1 point for every $1 spent in store or online that you can then redeem for gift certificates of up to $100. Now that is big savings!

Shopping Famous Footwear is easy because they not only have a great selection of items in store but if you don't find what you need they also have an even bigger online store that you can order from and get free shipping to your local store. Shopping online is a great way to make sure you get what you want without spending a ton of time driving around. 

Make sure you print out your coupon today and get your great deals before it expires on August 18th!

Belly Buttons & Babies Review

With it being summer and my ever growing pregnant body our household has been going through an amazing amount of lotion. I was super excited when Belly Buttons & Babies send me some of their organic lotions to review.
For me they sent some Natural Lavender & Chamomile Body Cream that I am absolutely in love with. Sometimes I feel that lavender and chamomile products have much too strong of a scent but this product is not at all that way. I love using it on my growing belly because it is great at helping to stop the continual itching that seems to be happening these days. Because this is a thicker cream I also really love it for my feet that get lots of abuse during the summer when I love to run outside barefoot.
The second product they sent me is their Calming Massage Lotion For Baby. I love this lotion for everyday use. It is just the right thickness to keep your skin moist without feeling greasy which is awesome. This lotion is also made with 100% baby safe ingredients so I love knowing that it is ok to use on my kids.
If you're looking for some great organic products than Belly Buttons & Babies is a place you should stop. They have lots of great products to choose from and they sell them at very reasonable prices. I know I am impressed!

Speedy Shopping Trip

I ended up doing two quick shopping trips this week. E's boss was gone so he was working long hours to cover which is good but made our schedule a little off. I ended up shopping Target, Walgreens and Staples.

Total Spent: $32.77

Total Saved: $216.78 (87%)

Rewards Earned: $37.99

Last Minute Vacationing

This post brought to you by SAVE . All opinions are 100% mine.

I was super lucky to have a family that traveled a lot as a child. We have family spread all over the country so it was lots of fun to go on summer vacations to visit. My parents were also really good at making sure we visited at least a few of the local attractions while we were there.
One vacation I have very vivid memories of was our trip to San Antonio. If you're looking for an awesome vacation I highly recommend you consider San Antonio as your destination. It is a great place to go and I just learned about a new program, SAVE – San Antonio Vacation Experience , that you should totally check out to find lots of great deals and discounts to help you plan your trip.
Because my father is big into history, and I am my father's daughter, one of my favorite places we visited in San Antonio was the Alamo. It was super fun to see the building featured in one of our favorite movies and they had lots of interesting information to go with what we already knew. While you are thinking about the Alamo you should check out the Alamo IMAX Theatre and take a ride on the Alamo Trolley. They are both very fun things for kids, and adults, of any age.
Another fun thing your family will want to see is Ripley's Believe It or Not! & Louis Tussaud's Wax Works. They have some amazing things that you won't want to miss. If you have young children you should also check out San Antonio's Children's Museum. I remember going here as a pre-teen and loving it. They had lots of fun things including an manual elevator. You'll be amazed at what your kids can discover.
For sleeping, when you finally slow down, there are lots of great places by the riverwalk like Comfort Suits Alamo/Riverwalk. This will put you right in the middle of all these great attractions and allow you to walk or take the street car almost anywhere. You'll love your visit to San Antonio especially if you take advantage of these Limited Time Offers and follow @SAVEinSA on twitter to hear about all the current events.

Smart Snugs Diaper Review

Like most moms who cloth diaper I like my kids diapers to be cute. Recently I found a unique diaper that we are loving! It is a MultiColor diaper from SmartSnugs. Like most of our diapers this is a one-size pocket diaper. Besides the fun colors on the outside one of my very favorite things about this diaper is the dark colored inside. I can't tell you how much time I spend trying to get stains out of our white diapers. Not that it really matters on how they function but they don't look very nice. I love the dark insides because then I simply don't have to worry about staining. It looks nice no matter what.

Our SmartSnugs diaper came with two inserts. One regular insert that works wonderfully. We have had a small problem with the stitching coming undone with this insert but it hasn't hurt the absorbency any. The second insert they sent is a night time booster. This insert is two layers of bamboo and three layers of microfiber. It is an awesome insert and certainly holds a lot. We love using it overnight or sometimes even for our big boys during the day.

SmartSnugs also carries some awesome wet bags. They are one pocket wet bags that are just the right size for the diaper bag (hold 3-4 diapers). I love that they have a little handle so I can easily attach them to a stroller if needed.

I have been very pleased with both SmartSnugs products and their customer service. If you're looking for a great diaper be sure to check them out!

Imposter for Hire by Sandra Levy Ceren

I'm all about a good mystery. Yes, they do tend to keep me up all night but they also really help to pass the time when I don't feel good. As I approach the end of my pregnancy not feeling good is all too common and I was more than thrilled to read Imposter for Hire by Sandra Levy Caren.
I was very pleased with this book! I would have never guessed the story line based on the title so I'll have to tell you a little about it. The main character is a psychologist, Dr. Cory Cohen, who teams up with a private investigator, Ben, that just happens to be a little more than her friend. Their goal is to help a young mother who suffers from anorexia. Her husband is a prominent engineer and thanks to his prestigious career both him and her two children have been kidnapped.
The story begins in California where Cory and Ben work hard to help this mother through poisonings, threatening notes, and stalkers. When a clue leads them half way across the world both Cory and Bed put their other clients on hold to help solve this puzzling case. The question seems to be how far will these kidnappers go as we follow down a path of terrorists, greed, ambition and murder.
This is an excellent read you won't want to miss. Make sure you check out Imposter for Hire today!

SewEco Sandwich Wrap Review

I don't know about the rest of you pregnant women but when I am pregnant I eat all the time. It's never a lot but if I don't have some sort of a snack with me I go crazy. Keeping health snacks can be a challenge but one thing that makes it easier is not to have to worry about plastic bags. It seems that when we use plastic bags we are always running out and that makes it frustrating to try to take sandwiches and other snacks with you.
Recently I received a Food Wrap from SewEco to review and I am really enjoying using it for my snacks. I had never used a snack wrap before but I am enjoying its versatility. I have used this wrap for everything from pretzels to a taco and it works fairly well.
Cleaning is super easy. I wipe the wrap clean each night when it gets home and then wash and hang dry about once a week. So much easier than making an emergency trip to the store because we ran out of bags.

I have really enjoyed having this wrap around and I know it will get even more use with E and the kids at school this fall. In fact, if you have kids in school, or someone who takes their lunch to work I highly suggest you head over to SewEco and stock up on their awesome wraps and bags.

Birthday Boy

Win A Stash - August - Newborn Diapers

It is time to Win A Stash! 

Welcome to the first of many great events hosted by Kerrific. We are super excited to be part of this event where each month one lucky winner will win a stash of items to help make their life easier, greener, and more fun. This month we are giving away a set of 12 newborn sized diapers and a wet bag in gender neutral colors. These are pocket diapers and each comes with a newborn sized insert. The diapers are designed to fit babies 12 pounds and under. The diapers feature snaps for easy adjusting and a secure fit. There isn't a better way to start your new baby out than with a cloth diaper stash of their very own.

Make sure you stay tuned to hear about all the future Win A Stash events hosted by Kerrific.

*Giveaway is open to US & Canada only. Prize is sponsored by participating blogs.*

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Sick Child Note

I had all the good intentions of posting the last of the awesome Ready for Baby reviews and giveaways today but I woke up to sick children and it's not going to get done. To ALL my awesome readers and sponsors, I will get back on this tomorrow (provided more kids don't get sick) so watch for our super ending to take place tomorrow! Thanks for your understanding and please know that I am thinking of all of you as I clean up this mess!
A

Baby Button Review & Giveaway

Today I am here to tell you about another product I'm not sure how I lived without. That would be a nursing cover. With B I simply did without because I never went anywhere. Once C was born I had to get creative with a blanket which did ok sometimes but I was exposed more than I would have liked to be. When D was born I was gifted my first Nursing Cover and now I have to have multiple so I can always have one with me.
That may seem silly but especially as my boys get older I feel that it is important to teach them modesty and the best way to do that is by example. That is why I am super excited about my new Baby Button Nursing cover. It is not only cute but also very user friendly and I can't wait to try it out!
Probably my favorite feature of this cover is the buckle. I've never seen a cover with a buckle on the neck strap before but I think it's a wonderful idea. I can't tell you how many times I have ruined my hair or had to deal with a hat and it has made using my covers frustrating. Now I don't have to worry about any of that. Simply undo the buckle, put the strap around your neck, and do it back up. No more messy hair for me!

Baby Button has these covers in lots of fun prints so make sure you check them out. And while you're there you should stop and look at some of their other great products including bibs, blankets, burp cloths, and gift sets.



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Hipkiddo Review

Today I am super excited to tell you about one of my new favorite cloth diapers. It is the Naturally Hip by Hipkiddo. There are so many reasons I love this diaper but before I get all excited I do want to mention that this diaper does run slightly smaller than some one size diapers I have used. It still fits both my boys easily (see pictures) but I felt I should give you fair warning.
Now, on to all the reasons I love this diaper. The biggest reason is that it holds a lot! This is one of the few diapers that C does not wet out of overnight. I love it for this purpose and regularly hold it in my stash so that he can wear it when I know we're going to be out of the house for a few hours or if they are having a babysitter. It is super nice to know that I have a diaper that I can rely on.
There are two big reasons this diaper holds so much. One is because it is made of 60% bamboo, 30% cotton and 10% coolplus. I have never heard of coolplus before but now that I have used this combo I will tell you that it is awesome! The other great thing about this diaper is that the inserts are made of not 3, but 4 layers of this awesome material. They do take slightly longer to dry than a standard insert but the extra ten minutes is well worth the wait.

Hipkiddo also sent me one of their Pail Bags which I am also getting a lot of use out of. It holds about 25 diapers which makes it the perfect size to take on a day trip with my kids. I love the draw string closure as it helps keep the dirty smell inside but makes it easy to put more diapers inside too.
I can't tell you how pleased I am with these Hipkiddo diapers. They are working great for my family and I highly encourage you to try them out too!

Bee All Natural Review & Giveaway

Finding the perfect skin care products for your children can be difficult. There are lots of different options available depending on your price range, location, scent preferences, and a whole slew of other factors. To make things even more interesting it seems like each child needs their own skin care items as different items work better on different children (at least at my house). Recently we have had the chance to try some products from Bee All Natural and have found that they work well for D and I.
My favorite product was the Baby Diaper Rash Salve. We have used it on a couple of minor breakouts on D and it has worked really well. It didn't seem to have as good of an effect on C but it did help a little. We were sent the natural scent to try and I really like it for D. One of my favorite things about this salve is that it is completely cloth diaper safe. This saves us a lot of hassle as D is prone to diaper rashes and now we don't have to worry about a liner or using disposables.
For me I have been thoroughly enjoying the lip balm Bee All Natural sent us. This has been a big help with our dry weather, heat and my pregnancy. My lips are always cracking and bleeding and this lip balm helps sooth, heal, and prevent the problem.
I have come to love these products and look forward to continuing to use them. I love that they are all natural and that they are made by a mom in Michigan. For a chance to try your very own products from Bee All Natural enter using the form below. While you're here make sure to enter all the other great giveaways during our Ready for Baby event. You can find a complete list on the right side of this page.

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3-in-1 Rocker Napper Review

There are so many things I just went without for my older kids that now I am wondering how I ever lived without. Recently I was introduced to the 3-in-1 Rocker Napper and it is one of those things that I already know is going to be super useful with the new baby!

I love the Rocker Napper because it's not just a seat, or a bouncer, or a bassinet. It's all three in one. In fact, because I have all three at my house and the baby will be here just before the holiday season starts we've already talked about taking this to my mothers so we can use it during all of our holiday celebrations. Because it is a 3-in-1 item it will save us lots of space which is good because we all know how fast trunk space disappears during the holidays.

The Rocker Napper arrived disassembled but E had no problem putting it together (he did have to find a screwdriver). Now that it is together it is a great size for baby! It easily fits D, my one year old, although we are trying to teach him not to climb in as we'd hate for him to climb on the new baby.
This is one of the big reasons I love the Rocker Napper. At our house a seat/bed like this is the safe place for baby. With 3 toddlers, one who is just learning to walk, it is important to have a spot to lay baby that I can take with me as I move around the house but where they won't get stepped on or sat on by kids who aren't paying attention. It also helps by keeping the animals from jumping over the baby or stepping on the baby as they adjust to the new family member as well.

If you're looking for a great all-in-one seat for your baby I highly recommend the 3-in-1 Rocker Napper by TinyLove. You'll get a bassinet, bouncer, and chair all in one complete with mobile. You won't be disappointed.

A Long Week

After having family here last week this week wasn't an less crazy. I had three days to clean house before we went to spend a weekend with my family. There is so much I want/need to get done before the baby gets here and I know I am fast running out of time so shopping is one of the things that got skimped on this week. I didn't get nearly as much done as I would like but I still got some pretty good deals. I shopped Target, Staples, Walmart, Walgreens, and Kmart.

Total Spent: $51.28

Total Saved: $214.74 (81%)

Rewards Earned: $15.00

Upa-Lala Review & Giveaway

There are many things that most people think of as cloth diapering items that are really good for so many other jobs. One of these is a wet bag. While a wet bag may make you think of cloth diapering I am a firm believer that it is something every mom needs. If you have a child that wears a diaper, spits up, or likes to play in the sink than a wet bag should be a part of your diaper bag.

I was recently given a chance to review a wonderful medium Eco-bag from Upa-Lala. Not only is it absolutely adorable, but it is also a very sturdy and usable bag. When speaking in diaper terms it holds three pocket diapers and some wipes easily. For everyone else, I can put two full changes of toddler clothes in this bag.

The bag itself has a waterproof fabric on the inside and an adorable cotton on the outside with a sturdy zipper to hold everything in. Because we use our wetbags often, this bag has been washed many times and still looks new (minus a few wrinkles).
If you are looking for a great wetbag please be sure to enter to win a medium eco-bag of your very own using the form below and check out Upa-Lala online to find more adorable, handmade products that you will love using!

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Coming Soon!

We're super excited to announce a new series of events here at Kerrific! 

Win A Stash

These great events are beginning August 1st. Each month we are giving away a stash of cloth diapers or other items every mom should have a stash of. We decided to start at the beginning and on August 1st we will be giving away a stash of Newborn diapers. This includes 12 newborn size diapers and a wet bag. Make sure you check back, here at Kerrific and at other participating blogs, and enter to win this great prize.

We are still looking for participants for our events in September and October. We have some great stashes to giveaway including a Kawaii one-size diaper stash and a stash of  wool dryer balls plus some awesome prizes just for those participating. Make sure you sign up today using the links above because space is limited and filling fast! We can't wait to see you there!

Funky Fluff Stash and Cash Giveaway

We just signed up for a great event and we are so excited we had to share! 

The Funky Fluff Stash and Cash Giveaway is going to take place Aug 24-31.

The prize includes:

12 Funky Fluff Bamboo Diapers

12 Funky Fluff Stay Dry Diapers

1 Pail Liner

1 Wet Bag

2 Packs of Boosters

PLUS cash prize (amount to be announced on August 23rd)! Currently $160 and growing!

Sign up is $5 for two links and I can already tell this is going to be a great event!

Make sure you sign up today and let them know Kerrific sent you!

His Brother's Baby by Blanche Marriott

Being a twin has always intrigued me. When I was little some of my best friends were twins and it was interesting to me to see what they could get away with. I know there was more than one time I wished I had a partner in crime.
In Blanche Marriott's His Brother's Baby , David is a twin but isn't feeling quite so lucky about it. David is the "good" twin. He is the reliable one who runs the family business and takes care of the parents while his brother disappears for months on end when he is supposed to be traveling for business.
With his brother gone, David meets a beautiful woman, Gabriella, who mistakes him for his missing brother. When Gabriella shows up at the office a few weeks later and announces she's pregnant a frantic search begins to find the missing father. In the meantime, David vows to care for Gabriella like his own.
As Gabriella learns to care for David and he for her the search for David's twin continues. If he is found and returns home will David and Gabriella be forced to give up their new found joy?
This is an incredible book of love and mystery. At times I just wanted to shout "who cares, you love them" at some of the characters because they were so stubborn but His Brother's Baby kept me interested and laughing the entire way. You can't help but want to get to the end to find out if David and Gabriella discover their own foolishness too.