Summer Must Haves for Baby

There are always great new products out there for your babies and toddlers. Today I'd like to share some products I've recently been introduced to that I thought those of you expecting babies this summer might want to know about.

For Memories:

There is nothing more special then a new little one and there are some great tools out there to help you remember their first days. I highly suggest a baby footprint kit and a baby birthday chronicle. These are both simple ways to save memories that you can hang on the wall or put in a scrapbook that your children will love looking at as they get older.

For Safety:

We always want our homes to be the very safest they can be for our children which is why I suggest every parent invests in U Shaped Edge Guards for all needed surfaces (coffee and end tables are the worst culprits at my house).

For the car a Baby Car Mirror can be a big comfort to both mom and baby. I have the benefit of having older kids that can play with and check on the little ones during our long car trips but if you don't have that advantage then this is a tool you probably won't want to travel without.

For Health:

At our house we also like to use a waterproof crib mattress pad. This is partially a safety thing as it does make sure that our mattresses stay in usable condition but it is also a health thing as this helps us to make sure that baby's bed is always clean and that if baby does get sick I can disinfect properly.

Another of our favorite health things are Amber Teething Necklaces. They work for my kids and myself and if you haven't tried them and are struggling with teething or other pain I highly suggest trying them. You might be surprised at how well they work.

For Feeding:

If you have twins you'll for sure want to check out the Twin Z Pillow. My good friend had the chance to try one out with her little ones and loved it! Hopefully however this is one product I never have the chance to try myself.

If you're nursing then a good hands free pumping bra is a must. I know that this made a huge difference for me. I went from trying to hold everything in place and work on homework or blogging at the same time to being able to comfortably do both without dropping anything. Yes, some of you know exactly what I'm talking about.

For Diapers:

There are a ton of different kinds of diapers out there but recently we were introduced to buttons diapers and they work really well. Although they are not our preferred pocket style buttons diapers did their job and the cute color selection is hard to resist.

For Play Time: 

Have you seen Zubels Yet? If not, you're missing out! They make adorable cotton rattles and more that any baby would love! I know our little one took to hers right away and loves to snuggle and play with it. As a bonus - the rattle is fairly quiet and I can get away taking it places that I wouldn't think of taking some of her other toys.

For Cuteness:

Every baby needs some cuteness in their closet and here we recommend checking out these adorable rock star bodysuits. They have lots of fun colors and styles with phrases and graphics to match every parent's style.

Pacifier clips are another fun way to add style. You can pick boy, girl or gender neutral for any gift giving occasion and most moms are thrilled. It seems you can never have enough of these little buggers and the cuter the better.

Another fun accessory is a bandanna bib. Again, these come in lots of colors but having some of the basics is a great way to accessorize your little one and keep them looking adorable!

Happy Shopping!

Continuing the Lights in the Sky

One of my very favorite things about Independence Day is the fireworks. I love seeing the bright stars in the sky but there is just something about all the amazing colors and brightness of a good fireworks display that makes an evening even more special. The downfall is that fireworks are dangerous so we've found some safe ways to bring lights in bright colors to our nights as a family without the danger factor.

Glow sticks are always a fun and easy way to bring some light to a dark night. They are great for everything from capture the flag to glow stick cannons and make great ways for kids to help with the lighting of the night.

Rim lights are another fun way to put some color into the dark. We really like these on bikes for the kids as they make it really fun for them to see and our dogs love to chase them in the yard at night.

If you really need a light that will show you the way then this ultra bright 2-in-1 LED flashlight is the way to go. We took it camping with us last weekend and it was amazing how much light this little thing would put off as it hing in the middle of our tent so the kids could get ready for bed. This is going to be a must have for every camping trip now for sure.

Many kids also need light during the dark hours when they are inside. Most families solve this with a nightlight and at our house we use this one. It's a personalized night light that looks white when it's turned off but when it is lit it turns into a 3D masterpiece. I just love our little light and highly recommend this for any mom who wants something out of the ordinary.

Three Silver Doves by Deborah Garner + Giveaway

NEW BOOK RELEASE....

When New York reporter Paige MacKenzie heads to Tres Palomas, New Mexico, the resort of Agua Encantada seems a perfect destination to combine work with pleasure. A quick article on the healing mineral springs and a few leisurely soaking sessions in the resort’s soothing waters promises well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Paige is immediately intrigued with a local artist's one-of-a-kind jewelry designs, as well as weekly gatherings to hear legends from an elderly storyteller. But when identical jewelry shows up on another guest and the storyteller goes missing, Paige's R&R is soon redefined as restlessness and risk. Curious and persistent by nature, Paige is convinced there's a connection. Enlisting the help of a flirtatious resort worker seems like a good idea until it begins to test her loyalty to her favorite cowboy, Jake Norris. Will an unexpected overnight trip to Tierra Roja Casino lead her to the answers she seeks, or are darker secrets lurking along the way?

I have really loved this book! You'll want to make sure you add it to your summer reading list. It's a perfect book to take with you on vacation or spend a vacation day at home reading.

eBook available from...
Amazon.com

Paperback also available from...
Amazon.com    Barnes and Noble

About the author

Deborah Garner is an accomplished travel writer with a passion for back roads and secret hideaways. Born and raised in California, she studied in France before returning to the U.S. to attend UCLA. After stints in graduate school and teaching, she attempted to clone herself for decades by founding and running a dance and performing arts center, designing and manufacturing clothing and accessories, and tackling both spreadsheets and display racks for corporate retail management. Her passions include photography, hiking and animal rescue. She speaks five languages, some substantially better than others. She now divides her time between California and Wyoming, dragging one human and two canines along whenever possible.

Find the author on the following sites...

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Google+   Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

Follow the book tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

Win a $25 Amazon.com Giftcard or Paypal Cash
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 19th July at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Support the Ones You Love with Duracell

Being a family can be a hard thing. I know, we like to pretend that it's all fun and games but there are lots of hard things that happen too. Every family deals with hard things like sickness, injury, arguments, and so much more. Some families get to experience things that the rest of the world can only imagine. Things like death, disability, and deployment are challenges that most will never see but that doesn't mean that we can't help those families that do face these extra difficulties.

Recently Duracell has donated $100,000 to USO’s Comfort Crew for Military Kids. In honor of all of the families who stand beside our troops, Duracell wants to power more comforting moments for loved ones in these families. This donation was inspired by the young daughter of a military family from California. She was able to have the comfort of her father’s voice during his deployment through a battery-powered recordable teddy bear. They were so moved by this family, that they made a film inspired by their story. You can watch this beautiful film here:

I just love this inspiring story and love what an idea like this can do to bring a family close together. It doesn't matter if your family is dealing with deployment, long distance living, or a hospitalization that prevents family members from seeing each other, a gift like this bear powered by Duracell batteries is the perfect gift and reminder of those that you love. I encourage you to continue the conversation by sharing the film and find out how you can donate to the cause through the USO at http://www.uso.org/donate.

This review was made possible by iConnect and Duracell. 

I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions are 100% mine.
You can learn more about Duracell on Facebook or Twitter.

Summer Reading for Early Elementary

If you've been following my blog for any amount of time you've probably figured out that I love to read. Thankfully, I have a slew of children who also consider reading time the highlight of their days. Recently we've been given the opportunity to try out some new books for them to read and since they have been such a hit here I figured I would share a little about these fabulous titles with you.

The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake by Robin Newman:

This is a cute book with a fun story built for beginning readers. It's written in a format with lots of jokes to keep things light and plenty of clues to keep the reader's mind working. I also loved the illustrations. The animals are all given great personalities that are sure to bring a smile to your face.

As a special note, you'll also want to remember that this book comes with a downloadable curriculum guide including problem solving, logic, and storytelling making this book perfect for classroom use.

Best Joke Book For Kids by Peter MacDonald

If you're looking for a great road trip book then this is it. At 6 & 7 my boys are just getting old enough to really understand jokes. This book has been great for them to read to each other and it's terribly funny for me to watch them read and be laughing together. Note that this is probably not the best book for quiet time because of the laughter but if you're looking for a good, clean joke book for anyone ages children through adult then this is a great option!

"Knock Knock!
Who's There?
Dewey.
Dewey who?
Dewey have to keep telling silly jokes?"

Morning Magic by Giles Smith

This is an adorable story about getting dressed for school. The poor little witch hasn't learned her spells yet and everything is against her. The story sounded just like how my mornings go with stubborn drawers, mismatched socks, and missing hats. The way she solves the problems are fun and because the book it written in rhyme it's a very fun read aloud book. The pictures are also a hoot. Great job to Milena Salieri the illustrator. You'll want to check out this one for sure!

Baby's Brilliant + $150 Giveaway

With the kids home for the summer that means that mom has extra kids to take to all of our lovely appointments - and more appointments since it's easier to take the kids for things like dental and vision checks. That also means that while we're at said appointments I have the lovely job of keeping everyone entertained which can be a challenge at best.

Recently I was told about the Baby's Brilliant app and although it's not yet available on Android so I haven't had the chance to try it yet, I am excited about the idea. A simple app built for children with educational books, movies and music that are available in several languages. Next time you're waiting in an office you should check it out!

Today in conjunction with Baby's Brilliant we are excited to be offering two $150 Visa Gift Cards to two amazing readers. To enter, simply use the form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Cleaning Made Easier

We all know that summer is about having fun. That means that although my house needs some cleaning I like to keep it as simple and light as possible so I can spend more time enjoying my family. Today I want to share a few items that are worth investing in to help make your summer cleaning easier.


One of the first things I would invest in is a good mattress protector like the UltraGaurd. This Waterproof Mattress Protector has helped both my beds and my children stay cleaner. This may seem silly but my kids are always coming home with sand, dirt, grass, and who knows what else on them and it is much easier to wash a mattress protector then it is to clean a mattress (or six like we have at my house). A mattress protector is also a must have for the potty training years and is a great suggestion for pregnant mamas (take that advice from someone who's water broke in the middle of the night).

Another item that is a ton of fun to try to keep clean during the summer are towels. It seems like they are always the things that catch the most stink in the laundry and there is just nothing worse then going to dry off after a shower or wash dishes with a smelly towel. ICK! Thankfully I know have some Smelly Towel Cleaner that seems to be helping. It's easy to use - just add a capful to each load of laundry - and it does the maintenance to help your washing machine and your laundry stay clean and fresh all year long.

Another item at my house that seems to always be dirty is the carpet. We're currently in the process of replacing our dining room carpet (bad idea if you're thinking of putting carpet there) with hardwood which is going to be amazing but more on that later. Almost all of the remainder of our house has carpet flooring which means I have gotten really good at getting stains up. One thing I've learned is that there isn't much you can do without a good Carpet Cleaner. With a good cleaner you'll be able to tackle everything from pets to grease that may get on your carpet or upholstery this summer.

The final thing I want to suggest today for your summer cleaning needs is the Bamboo Air. These amazing products come in different sizes and naturally clean your air without any help from you. My favorite thing is that they absorb odors - that's right, absorb not cover up - and that means that my house is smelling summer fresh more often. Even things like burnt popcorn quickly become things of the past thanks to this handy tool. Trust me, you'll love it as much as I do! Happy cleaning!