I’ve written before of my insecurities surrounding unplanned and unmarried pregnancies. I’ve been though two as a teenager and while people were not rude to my face or may not have thought anything but “Oh her belly is so cute!” I felt like I was always being watched and judged by my appearance.  I still do, but being nearly 23, married, graduated from collage, and much more stable in life I feel more confident in who I am and proud of my growing belly.  Still, I know I look like a teenager to most people in real life due to my small height and a hint of my insecurities still lingers. I feel like I need to wear a wedding ring to “justify” my growing belly and my 3 year old toddler to strangers who are always looking as we pass by.

However, as pregnancy progresses, so does weight gain. Especially in this hot 90-100 degree heat. I held onto my real wedding ring set as long as I could, but during my 6th month of pregnancy I couldn’t tolerate the itchy-too-tight feeling any longer.  So, I went on a search for a fake and reasonably priced ring in a larger size to hold me over the rest of the pregnancy and until my fingers can resume their normal size.  On my search I stumbled on Fantasy Jewelry Box and found just what I was looking for.

They had so many options to choose from for what I needed among their gorgeous wedding sets and engagement rings.  I seriously spent days looking at the pages over and asking options of my friends!  I originally was going to get a wedding set that looks very similar to my real rings, but my thought was, “If I’m getting a new ring for a few months, why not have fun with it?”  I decided to get something that looked different than what I always wear and enjoy something new. I figure this new ring is kinda like my maternity clothes, it’s fun to try something else on but I’m sure it will be nice to be reunited with my real clothes in a few months along with my real rings.  Unlike maternity clothes however, I also thought that if I chose a ring for during pregnancy, I could pick one that I could wear on my left hand later (maybe with a size adjuster though). I am normally a 4.5 size finger (I know, I’m small!) and I ordered a 5 so it’s not a drastically huge difference in size but enough room to accommodate weight gain and heat swelling, and won’t be too big for later on.

My biggest factor in deciding which to pick? The size of the stone. Since I am such a small framed person, my fingers included, I didn’t want the ring to take over my hand.  I aimed for a ring 1 carat or less and thankfully, there is a “Small Carat Ring” selection to help minimize the searching. I found their different categories really helpful in finding what I was looking for. I also loved that they included several pictures of the ring, including one on a model’s hand so that I could visualize the purchase more. We all know that things look different on! Out of all the websites I looked at for lower cost sterling silver rings, theirs was the only one that had that extra picture and it was a huge help in my decision. I liked that the website is very detailed in exactly what you are looking it, from the carat size (both center stone and total), band material, stone cut, etc. And if you aren’t sure what all that means they have a Jewelry Learning Center to help. Therefore, you know exactly what you are getting when you order!

So what did I end up with? I chose the Asa’s Antique Style CZ Engagement Ring. This ring actually has a 1.5 center stone, but I have had a green amethyst ring in the past that was very similar and I knew the style/size would be fitting for me. However, Fantasy Jewelry Box is more than just beautiful wedding style rings, they also carry birthstones, earrings, necklaces, broaches, bracelets, and even some men’s items. So, I also got a long beaded necklace since they are my newest jewelry love. They can spice up any boring outfit (maternity or not)! I decided on the Angelina’s 56 Inch Faux Pearl and Silver Bead Necklace Set. Yes, 56 inches in really long but I love that you can double it over and create several different necklace styles with it. Plus, the pearl and silver goes with just about anything. I love both so much, I wore my new ring and necklace to my maternity photo session last week (look for more photos on the main blog soon!).

As for quality? If you take good care of them as they suggest they should last, just like real white gold and diamonds. I have personally worn my ring, all day every day (taking them off for the pool/beach/heavy cleaning) for almost a month and it still looks brand new. My ring looks real without paying the real price and I have gotten many compliments.

So, if you are like me looking for a “ring filler” while your fingers swell during pregnancy or just looking for quality beautiful jewelry for any reason, I definitely recommend Fantasy Jewelry Box. Not just for the beautiful items, but the super fast shipping, great customer service, cute pink box packaging, and they are always having sales and promotions to bring the cost down even more. Signing up for their newsletter following them on Twitter or Facebook is a great way to get started saving and seeing what is new!

Like what you see? Win a $35 gift from Fantasy Jewelry Box right here!

The Rules: One person will win $35 towards one item from their website.  Simply comment on this post telling me what you would pick out from Fantasy Jewelry Box. For a bonus entry, sign up for their newsletter and make an additional comment telling me you signed up. Comments will close at midnight, Thursday August 26th (that’s one week!) and the winner will be announced on this review blog Friday August 27the as well as emailed.

Note: I contacted Fantasy Jewelry Box for a review/giveaway. In turn for a review and to promote their business, I received the ring and necklace set complimentary and they will be supplying the giveaway as well. However, I only post reviews on items I love and strive to write an honest balanced review if there are any flaws.

If you didn’t realize yet, I’ve got another bun in the oven. Even though I’ve been through 3 other pregnancies and generally know what to expect, I find myself devouring all the information I can about pregnancy and baby development.  You would think I would have them memorized by now, right? Well, practically. And in truth, a lot of the typical well known books do get old after a while, with dry medical terms that scare you while they supply their information. They also some times lack real life experience and personality, resembling a boring text book.

Enter the new pregnancy book: The Hot Mom to Be Handbook by Jessica Denay. While this book does not have fetal development each month, instead it focuses on what other pregnancy books lack: real daily life, encouragement, and humor. The book isn’t all about physically looking great while pregnant as the definition of “Hot Mom” but turns inward as well. I absolutely love the opening introduction:  “A Hot Mom is a woman who is confident and empowered. It doesn’t matter what age you are what shape or size; EVERY mom can be a Hot Mom! It’s a choice. An attitude and a way of being. It’s knowing that you are not the best mom unless you are the best YOU.” I love that it focuses on real life daily issues, from choosing a doctor that isn’t a “McDreamy” to protect your marriage, starting a baby blog, finding a maternity bathing suit, the importance of good nutrition, dealing with unwanted advice, having “gadgetitis” for baby things, etc.

Besides the practical and relatable advice provided in a fun way, I love that this book has great quotes, stories from other “Hot Moms”, facts, and check lists interjected through out. She also includes lists with fantastic resources for every type of momma, like ones on a budget or eco-minded, as well as a place to journal and answer questions at the end of each chapter to capture thoughts.  This book truly has it all for any type of mom preparing for a baby, taking into account all types of lifestyles during pregnancy and each woman’s vision of birth and parenting. She even talks about cloth diapering and hypnobirthing!

And best of all, the down to earth humor Jessica interjects in every single sentence and title keeps this book so much fun even in serious topics like “post-party depression.” I could not put this book down and could not stop laugh-out-louding  while reading this book. I would stop often to share a fun fact or funny too-common-in-our-house situation with my husband.  In short: this book is much more fun and practical to read than the typical pregnancy book. It has something for everyone, whether you were waiting for the perfect day to pee on the stick or the positive line shocked you and you aren’t so excited about this new change in life. I love that she deals with so many aspects of life that get washed over in other pregnancy resources, dealing with real feelings or situations and telling it like it is.

This book is definitely a must have for any mom-to-be, whether it’s their first time “baking” in the womb or a seasoned baby baker!

You can find this book on Amazon and more from “Hot Moms” at The Hot Moms Club online.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of HarperCollins and received a copy of The Hot Mom to Be Handbook to facilitate my review. Mom Central also sent me a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

I’ve written before how I love sending out Christmas cards each year and how websites like Tiny Prints makes it easy for me.  But, I also love some coordination while I’m at it.  Tiny Prints offered address labels to match the Christmas cards I picked out a few weeks ago, but Picture It Postage helped my cards go above and beyond.

It literally took me less than a minute to create the postage.  I just found a red tree I liked using google images, saved it, and uploaded it onto to Picture It Postage’s front page, chose a coordinating green, and ordered.  You can use regular photos of your family, your dog or whatever as well, but since our cards had our photos already I just wanted something Christmasy.  I tend to use Picture It Postage for Christmas cards (we used them last year as well) but they’d be excellent for any occasion from everyday use to birthdays or weddings.

It adds a great touch, doesn’t?  I just need to make an family update letter to accompany the cards and address the envelopes!

Picture It Postage is offering you readers a discount as well:

Coupon Code: Sale
Discount: $4 off 1 pack (20 stamps), $8 off 2 packs (40 stamps),  $10 off 3 packs (60 stamps)
Expires: Dec 31, 2009

I love trying new bath products, especially organic ones since it gives the promise of cleaning without the nasty chemicals found in typical products.  We received the Conditioning Shampoo and Wash as well as the Calming Bubble Bath from Fresh Organic Baby to try and we are loving them! Thanks to organic oils like lavender or grapefuit seed extract, Savannah has been smelling fresh and clean without the chemicals. I love that the Shampoo and Wash is one product, making my life easier (especially to travel with) and creates less clutter in our bathroom. Both products are also truly tear-free, the last Organic product we used did burn her eyes and made her fearful of getting her hair washed and rinsed. Switching to Fresh Organics has solved that problem and we haven’t had a crying fit in the bath tub since.

Switching to organic in general in the past year has also helped a lot with Savannah’s sensitivity to bath products but in our months of using other organic products I’ve never seen bubbles like this!  The Calming Bubble Bath is not only, well, calming with lavender but also a tub full of fun.  It creates a huge amount of bubbles with just a tiny bit of product, Savannah has a blast making little bubble beards with it

And like I mentioned before, no chemicals! No Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulfates, Parabens, DEA, TEA & MEA, Petroleum or Mineral Oils, Phthalates, Artificial Colors, Artificial Fragrances, Nut Oils, Gluten, Soy or Dairy. That’s comforting as a Mom, knowing that I’m not adding crap to her little body that could add up to being harmful in the future.  Want to know why these chemicals should be avoided? They’ve got answers for that on their website. I love that their website even has a glossary for what is in their products, clearly displaying what is really in them without hiding  the bad stuff under “fragrance” like other products I know.

Also, compared to other organic kids products the packaging is much better, meaning, the lids actually shut closed so things don’t leak, or doesn’t take forever trying to open the lid, and the product comes out easily. The down side is the Calming Bubble Bath comes out a little too quickly since it’s a runnier consistency, so I have to make sure to go slow and only use a tiny bit.  And, the bottles are 100% recyclable (I love that they actually print that on their bottles so people know, some times it’s hard to tell with a squeeze tub type of package if it can be recycled).

Unfortunately, Fresh Organics is mainly only available online but it’s worth the extra shipping in my opinion to get  quality (chemical free!) products. They have other items as well like Lotion, Bottom Balm, a travel pack that includes one of everything to try, and even bath products for Mom and Dad too.

However, you can also win the Conditioning Shampoo and Wash as well as the Calming Bubble Bath right here!  I’m giving away both to one reader to try themselves these great kids products.  What do you need to do? Simply comment on this post. That’s it, I’m not even requiring to answer a question!  Comment by Sunday November 28th, and the winner will be announced Monday November 30th.

This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Fresh Organic Baby, who provided the products for review & giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Okay, by now yall should know we love us some Veggie Tales. This is the third movie we’ve received and once again, it’s a hit.  Not just because it’s the same characters, silly songs, and wholesome godly message that we like, but also because my daughter thinks Santa Clause is one of the coolest people in the world.

Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving is a Christmas movie that helps kids know who St. Nicholas (aka Santa Clause) really was about: “‘Tis better to give than receive!”  The story tells how gift giving came about for Christmas time and encourages kids (and parents!) to reconsider their priorities during the holidays. Is it to consume more and more stuff, or to give and help others?

Also, I was thrilled to learn that Matthew West recorded a song with Amy Grant for this DVD!  I grew up with Amy Grant always on when we decorated our Christmas tree or driving through the neighborhoods looking at lights, and Matthew West is a fantastic music artist as well. Their song is a great one that also reflects the gift giving message, even in it’s title: “Give This Christmas Away.” Love it!

And as if Veggie Tales doesn’t do enough good in people’s lives, they’ve partnered with Operational Christmas Child to spread the gift giving and meaning of Christmas to other not-as-fortunate countries.  We’ve participated several times growing up and it definitely a great cause to be apart of.

Like I said, another great movie from Veggie Tales with another great message. At two years old Savannah is filled with the “I want, I want, I wants” and this movie will help us introduce a different and truer meaning of Christmas. The Veggie Tales website also has this cool gift giving guide for parents that shows little ways (and inexpensive!) that can make a big difference in not just our kid’s lives but others around us.

A sneak peak can be see here, and right now the movie is on sale on Amazon.com right now for $9.99 if you want to give it as a gift to some one this Christmas!

“This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Big Idea, Inc., who provided the product for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.”

Can you believe it’s already November already? The holidays are quickly approaching and like I said last year, sending out Holiday cards is one of my favorite ways to kick of the holiday season.  This year, we’re again using Tiny Prints for our cards (this was our card last year). I simply love this company, and not just because we have a business/blog relationship, but also because of the awesome customer support and the quality stylish cards for any reason throughout the year. I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with them!

They have a lot going on right now to benefit you guys and lots of new products! One being a Talent contest where the winners will be one of the faces on their sample cards, Tiny Prints products, and a $1,000! (You bet we entered that one).  They’ve added new products from photobooks (a a code for 25% off is available for that) to beautiful wall art, pop-up cards, and even cards that benefit charities. The options are endless and all gorgeous!

Don’t have time to sort through all the card options and family pictures to make your own card? Try their Personal Shopper Service (free until November 15th).  I also noticed while designing our card that now Tiny Prints has a feature that lets you upload pictures straight from Flickr, Piscasa, and Smug Mug if you have an account with them. I use Flickr and that feature made life much easier since that is where I edit most of my pictures anyway.  It took just a few minutes to create this card because I already had pictures in mind (ones that involved us not having to attempt a family picture!) and I knew I wanted two photos so that narrowed down my selection a lot:

Looking forward for them to arrive in a few weeks and sending out our greetings

What’s your favorite way to kick of the holiday season?

Remember Prima Princessa?  She’s back again!  I was thrilled to find the new Nutcracker DVD unexpectedly in my mail box one day, as was Savannah.  I grew up with the Nutcracker, watched several performances, and it by far is one of my favorite ballets.  So, it was neat to be able to now share that story with her without having to brave taking a 2.5 year old to an uptown theater.  She loved the first Prima Princessa DVD that told the story of Swan Lake and introduced basic ballet steps (see that review here).  It introduced a love of dancing for her, and we since have started dance classes to help learn and have even more fun.

Just as with Swan Lake, this DVD is broken down into different segments alternating between the Nutcracker performance and learning ballet steps.  Once again, this movie gets Savannah up and moving and interacting, which I love. The extras include the different beginning arm positions that they cleverly describe looks like a flower blooming.  Savannah absolutely loves these movies, and we enjoy them as adults as well. These movies are top favorites at our house

A clip of the new video can be found on their website and can be purchased through Amazon. It would make a perfect Christmas gift!

Thank you to Prima Princessa team for sending me a complimentary DVD to review!

One of the scary-nerve-wracking parts of being a parent is knowing that accidents happen. Despite what precautions we might take keeping medicine out of reach, despite making sure she wears a helmet while on her bike, or making sure he doesn’t eat the peanuts he’s allergic to, things happen. The even scary part is that we as parents are supposed to know what to do when things happen. I mean, I don’t know about you but if I know something major has happened, I tend to freak out a little bit!  Thankfully, we have not had anything serious happen that needed the attention of 911 or a trip to the ER, but I did have to call Poison Control twice.  Like I said, things happen, but the important thing is to know what to do.

Enter this amazing know-it-all book: “If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay” by Lara Zibners, MD. Dr. Zibners is an emergency room pediatrician that has taken her experience in the field and put it in a usable book format.  She realized that 50% of ER trips were not needed, so she wrote this book to help parents know when medical service is needed and when we can do something about it at home. I love this book.  It covers everything you can think of from baby vomit and poops to broken bones and even when they shove things up their nose, and it’s all written in a humorous way. Each chapter is divided by body parts and situations like “The Plumbing,” “The Noggin and Nervous System,” or “Allergies, Bites, and Stings” and there is a content page that makes specific issues easy to find in a hurry.   Dr. Zibner addresses each issue  with descriptive details, measures that can be done at home, when to call the doctor, and reminders, of course, to remain calm.

I love that she also includes little knowledgeable tidbits throughout the book like “Is it sprained or broken?” and even has a chapter on prevention.  She obviously has the knowledge and experience, but breaks the material down in such a way that even a mom under stress can understand what action to take and even can cause a chuckle or two with her choice of words. It’s fun book to read even if you aren’t experiencing a possible emergency.

Absolutely, this is definitely a must have book for any parent, parent-to-be, or even a babysitter!

P.S. If you head over to Amazon you can get an inside look at the contents and check out Dr. Zibners’ website for more information.

A mountain of laundry is one the beasts of daily life, isn’t it?  I know I’m not alone, right?  But, we know it has to be done so we do it. Day after day. It gets done. It might not get put away instantly, but we have clean clothes!

Being a young student Mom, I also value saving money. So, while it is a necessity to get those  baskets of laundry done, I do not like to spend a fortune in the process.  I also have to be aware of my family’s needs to better fit Savannah’s sensitive baby skin, as well as my own sudden allergy to scents.  We’ve used All Free and Clear for the past two years to meet those needs: Save money, no extra “stuff” added (id. perfume, dyes, etc.), and  clean clothes.  It’s hypoallergenic and still promises to fight stains for me (which, we use a little extra help on top as well)

Recently though, I began purchasing the bulk size in hopes of saving even more money (it does! It has lasted well over 2 months for us).  But boy, that jug is heavy and takes up space in our laundry area.  However, now All has a new “small and mighty” container that washes the same amount of loads (96!) but at 3 times the concentrate which entails smaller packaging to save you space, your arm muscles as you tote it home from the store, and less room in your recycle bin when you’re done.

All also has four other detergents at the big 3x level: Stainlifter, Wild & Fresh, Relax, and Fresh Rain HE.  Something for everyone’s laundry needs!

Now for the good part to pass savings onto you: TWO Giveaways!

First Prize: A coupon for any free All Small and Mighty 3x Concentrate and a Hayden Harnett Bag (worth $198!).

The HH bag is a large tote style that has lots of room for women on the go, including lots of pockets and zippers for organization. It also can be folded half it’s size to make a smaller purse. Includes a laundry bag as well.

Second Prize: A coupon for any free All Small and Mighty 3x Concentrate.

The Rules: Comment on this post before Friday July 3rd. Winner will be chosen at random and announced on July 4th!

So, if yall didn’t hear yet…I found out I am pregnant again a few weeks ago!  Which, is why this most recent review (and giveaway for you!) had perfect timing. While I am not due until December, I absolutely will be breastfeeding this baby as well.  My breastfeeding relationship with Savannah was a much treasured time, so much so that I was sad to see it end at 10 months and I just could not make anymore.  See, I started going back to college when Savannah was 6 months old, but in doing so it was hard to maintain my supply. Let me just say, pumping in bath rooms between classes was not fun (but I will be doing it again, I’m sure!) and it often left me forgetting I had my pump in my backpack and it quickly got moldy (I NEVER fed her the milk, don’t worry. It was “pump and dump” to keep my supply going and keep me from busting). Obviously, once our breastfeeding relationship was over I could not keep that pump. I knew it would not be safe for future baby feeding use, so I tossed it.

I knew I would have to buy another one for this baby, and I’m so glad Mom Central provided this opportunity to review the new Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Dual Auto-Cycling Breast Pump. While I obviously can’t try it out just yet, I can tell you how excited I am about this product and my initial impression. Firstly, I was impressed with how compact and light the bag is. I don’t know about you, but when I think about dual electric pumps I think big bulky bags that I’ve seen busy Mom’s carrying around. This? Is about the same size as my purse, and definitely lighter than my purse The dual bag has two openings, one side is insulated to store your breast milk (it even comes with ice packs!) and the other holds all the pumping supplies you need.

Even though I can’t use it yet, I did open my box up to test how easy it is to put together. I’ve never used an electric pump before so I was not quite sure how that would differ from my manual one, but it wasn’t much different. And, even if you don’t have experience with pumps it is still easy!  The directions are very clearly explained and it is not too many parts to put together. The only issue I had was my own fault; I looked over a step about putting the horn piece to the pump unit, and I got it stuck! So, just make sure you read everything carefully (and boil before your first official use, of course) and it’ll be simple.

The pump itself has many features that I love as well. Such as, it comes with a nipple adapter to make it smaller and fit properly if needed, it has several speeds to assure comfort, and you can either plug it in or use batteries. I also love that this is a dual pump. From my experience, it is MUCH easier to have a successful pump from both sides if you pump at the same time because the “let down” happens at the same time.  I’m so excited to have two now!  And an added health bonus?  All the plastic pieces, including the bottles, are BPA free. Which means, a healthier baby and ease of mind for mommy.

You can win it!

I will be giving away a Comfort Select Performance Dual Auto-Cycling Breast Pump (sealed and unopened) as well as two boxs of Disposable Nursing Pads (one with Lanolin).

The Rules

1. You must be pregnant or breastfeeding currently.

2. Sorry, but this is only open to entries in the USA.

3. Simply leave a comment on this post telling me why you need this product ie. you are pregnant, or nursing, and will be going back to work, just need a pump to store milk for babysitters or Daddies to use, whatever! And/or tell me why you love breastfeeding  or why you plan to breastfeed.

4. Comments will close Thursday, April 30th and the winner will be announced Friday, May 1st!

5. For extra bonus tickets: twitter, blog, facebook, myspace, whatever, about this giveaway and comment with the link(s).

Also! There is more than one place to win this item! One place I know of is over at Mom Central where they have three to giveaway, and go double (triple, quadruple) your chances and look out for other blogs participating in this blog tour.