CSN Stores - Tease and Early Black Friday Specials!!

Recently we've been looking for a piece of furniture to go in our entrance way. It's kind of a funny shaped area so it needs something long and narrow. So I've been looking at tv tables because that seemed to be what works best in the area. Of course I had to check out since they CSN Stores since they have over 200 stores to choose from! They have some fantastic tv tables! I LOVE this one:

Home Styles Bedford TV Stand

I really want something with glass cabinets so I can display some things without David getting into them ;)

Now, onto the Black Friday Deals!!!  These start TODAY!  Go check them out for some great deals on Christmas gifts or just something special for you ;)

http://www.csnbaby.com/holidaydeals

http://www.everygameroom.com/holidaydeals 

http://www.fitnessequipmentandmore.com/holidaydeals

http://www.toysandgamesonline.com/holidaydeals

Keep an eye out for a CSN Stores review coming soon!!

AMMO Winter Kids Releases Review

David is a serious little reader already.  Even though he's only 17 months old he usually prefers for Mommy or Daddy to read him a book to anything else!  It's not unusual for him to grab book after book off "his" bookshelf and bring them over to one of us to read to him.  Now he's getting to the point where he'll just sit down with a book and "read" to himself (which is my favorite, so cute!).

When we received the latest book from AMMO, ABC IS FOR CIRCUS by Patrick Hruby, David was so excited! It's full of bright colors, fun illustrations, and it's also educational!  He just sat there for a while pointing at the pictures saying "Ooooo" over and over again!

Here's a brief description from their site:

ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats, B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky board book. ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to our artist-centric line of ABC books and is sure to delight an audience of children and adults alike.


We also received the Charley Harper Nesting Blocks and I had NO idea how much David would love them!  As soon as I pulled them out of the box, he started clapping.  Then I sat on the floor and stacked them up, of course he immediately knocked them over and was VERY proud of himself!  Then he started trying to nest them back all by himself and actually did a pretty good job.  I can already tell this set of Nesting Blocks is becoming a fast favorite.

The only thing that concerns me is if he discovers the areas on the corners where the paper comes together, he loves to rip things, but hopefully he won't figure that he could probably peel the paper off the boxes fairly easily ;)

These are super cute blocks and I love that they are covered in letters, numbers and words so David can learn as he plays!

Here's a brief description from their site:
Charley Harper’s whimsical and well-loved illustrations are featured here on this classic set of nesting blocks. The alphabet and numbers 1 through 10 are expressed with Charley’s colorful animal illustrations that wrap around the surface of each of the 10 nesting blocks. When completely stacked, the blocks stand almost 3 feet tall, and when they nest, they become a compact 6 x 6 x 6 inches square. These CHARLEY HARPER NESTING BLOCKS are interactive, decorative, and a great addition to the existing line of Charley Harper books and toys for kids. Perfect for brightening any nursery room!

Please check out AMMO's website at http://www.ammobooks.com/books/kids.html

They have so many cute products and any of them would make great Christmas presents for any child!

**Disclaimer - I received this product free of charge, but this was not a paid post. My honest opinions have been given, however others experiences and opinions may differ from my own**

Hevea Star & Moon Orthodontic Pacifier Review

My son loves his pacifiers.  Right now he just uses them at night and naptime and we only use natural rubber orthodontic pacis which are kind of hard to come by.  When I saw that Hevea was coming out with these new pacis I was thrilled!!  If you know what normal natural rubber pacis look like they are kind of big, round and clunky.  They always touch my son's nose and can sometimes leave a funny little red mark.  The Hevea pacifiers are different.  They have a contoured shape that dips below the nose so no more funny little red mark!

I love the little cutouts on the pacifiers too!  They have quite a few different options.  We received the Star & Moon version, but they also have cars, crowns and flowers.  All of them are adorable!  We will definitely have to get our little girl a few with flowers!

Here's the description from the company:


This 100% natural rubber pacifier has a great star and moon design that is perfect for both boys and girls. The pacifier comes in a stylish brown and beige wrapping. Nipple shape is orthodontic.

The ONLY thing I would change about these is the availability in larger stores, but I'm sure that will come as their popularity increases!  We go through pacis very quickly and really need the convenience of being able to just run to the store and pick another one up, and I know that will double as soon as the new baby arrives!

If you are looking for a natural alternative to a standard paci I would definitely suggest checking these out! 

You can learn more about them on their website:
http://heveababyusa.com/

or Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/heveausa

**Disclaimer - I received this product free of charge, but this was not a paid post. My honest opinions have been given, however others experiences and opinions may differ from my own**

CSN Stores - Le Creuset Review

First of all, I'm so sorry I disappeared for a while.  I have been SICK!  This pregnancy has really thrown me for a loop for some reason, but things seem to be getting better.  Of course now I have some sort of virus that my son picked up from the church nursery and passed on to me, but nothing I can't deal with ;)

ANYWAY!!!!

I LOVE doing reviews for CSN Stores.  They have wonderful products and always ship super fast!  This time I got to review a set of Le Creuset Stoneware.

I chose the cherry color and got two wonderful dishes!  One is 10.5" x 7" which is perfect for a small batch of brownies or cornbread.  Really anything that would normally fit in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan fits great.  The second dish is 7"x5" and honestly I haven't used it yet, but it is just adorable!

The quality is just fantastic and it arrived MUCH sooner than I expected!  At the time the website said that it would take 4-6 weeks to arrive, which I didn't mind since that meant I could use them for Christmas, but less than a week later I got the shipping notice!  Woohoo!!  They were packaged REALLY well.  I'm talking very well padded!  Nothing was happening to those babies lol

Here are some pictures of brownies and cornbread.  They cooked so evenly I was really impressed!  Our oven tends to have issues cooking evenly, but for some reason I didn't have any problems when using this baking dish.

It's probably a little late to order these for Thanksgiving, but if you're looking for new cookware definitely check these out from CSN Stores!!  They Have lots of different colors and free shipping!!

**Disclaimer - I received this product free of charge, but this was not a paid post. My honest opinions have been given, however others experiences and opinions may differ from my own**

BumGenius 4.0 Artist Series - Review

OK so the new Artist Series from BumGenius seems to be a love it or hate it line.  Personally I LOVE them!  I'm a huge fan of geometric and abstract patterns and I really don't like typical "baby" patterns on diapers.  Weird huh?  So when these came out I was thrilled!

I ordered the JetSetter for David before reading the color description because it looks like light blue on dark blue, but the website says it's purple and blue.  I was a little worried after the color description was posted, but I'm not seeing the purple even in person.  Honestly, I think it could easily work for a boy or girl.  When I got a shipping notification almost a MONTH before I expected it, I was shocked and sooo excited!  When it arrived I was not disappointed!  It is even cuter in person than it is online!

It arrived well packaged with minimal waste, which I think is very important considering one reason a lot of people cloth diaper is to reduce waste.  I'm always shocked at diapers that arrive sealed in individual thick plastic baggies or large heavy cardboard boxes.  What's the point??  This packaging is perfect.  It gives all the information needed on a simple fold over thin cardstock wrapper.

 The fit, like all of his bumGenius diapers, was of course perfect.  I was really happy because I had never bought a one-size diaper from bumGenius.  We have quite a few of the sized AIO's because they are the Hubby's and the grandparents' favorite ;)  David even seemed to like the diaper.  Before I put it on him, he sat holding it and tracing the pattern like it was a maze.

Overall, this is one of my new favorite pocket diapers!  I can't wait to see what the other Artist Series will look like in the future!  I might just have to go through and sell some of my least favorite diapers to make room for some more of these!

**Disclaimer - No product was received and this was not a paid post. I just really like this diaper! My honest opinions have been given, however others experiences and opinions may differ from my own**

Wordless Wednesday - He stole my cupcake! ;)

Wordless Wednesday - Halloween Ooga Booga!

Inspired By Finn Winner!

Congratulations Kerri!  You are the winner!

I'll be contacting you shortly.  You have 48 hours to respond.  Thanks so much to everyone who entered!

CSN Stores - Just a little tease...

When we moved into our house a little over a year ago it was just about perfect for us and we still love it but we're about to have to make some changes.  Some little like adding a bar stool or three to the kitchen counter

and some a little bigger like completely redoing the guest room and turning it in to a "big boy" room for our son.

Fortunately with CSN stores I can easily take care of everything!  With over 200 stores it's super easy to find exactly what I'm looking for whether for the kitchen, bedroom, garage or even accessories!

Keep an eye out, I'll be doing a review soon!!

Wordless Wednesday - Baby #2

CSN Review - JoJo Designs Treasure Cove Bedding

I love CSN and I always look forward to review their products or hosting giveaways.  Currently we are in the middle of getting stuff together for David's "Big Boy" room that he will be moving in to sometime in the next few months.

I won a Guidecraft Pirate Treasure Chest Toy Box a while ago and somehow that became the focal point of his room.  When I saw the JoJo Designs Treasure Cove Pirate Kids Bedding Collection I knew that it would be perfect!!  I ordered the Twin Bedding set which comes with the Comforter, Bedskirt, Pillow Sham and a Window Valance!!  For just $89.99 that is a GREAT deal!!

The shipping was fabulous as always and arrived just a few days after I ordered it.  I already know that I will be ordering more of the pieces to the matching set and can't wait to put it all together and post pictures of the completed room!

BTW...I'm sorry if you are seeing this for a second time, the first post with all of the pictures I took disappeared.  I have no idea what happened, but hopefully I'll get it figured out soon!

Blogger issues anyone?

I have no idea what has happened.  I had a few posts saved and THOUGHT I had them set up to post but apparently I didn't.  I just now noticed that nothing had posted so I went to check and they're gone :-(  Boo!  I'm sure it was my fault and I just did something wrong, but it's very sad and somewhat annoying.  Oh well!  Hopefully tonight I can get them rewritten!

Inspired by Finn Review AND Giveaway!! Ends 10/15

Teething has been interesting with David.  He is a teething machine!  Apparently he didn't take note of any of the eruption charts in the doctors office or on the internet because once his teeth started coming in they never stopped!  At 15 months old he is just lacking two upper teeth and those nasty two year molars.

I have seen the Inspired by Finn teething necklaces for a few months and I'm not sure why I didn't order one right away.  I'm SOOO glad I finally decided to contact them!  When I got the chance to review a product and do a giveaway I jumped at the chance!

It was so hard to decide which necklace to get.  I finally decided on the Honey Round and LOVE it!  Not only is it beautiful, but it's masculine enough that it looks just fine on our little boy.  I have to admit, hubby was and still is a little skeptical about the Baltic amber necklace, but I think that's only because he's not around David all day long since he's at work.  I have noticed such a difference this week since he started wearing it!  He has two teeth coming in right now and since we got the necklace I haven't had to resort to using orajel or give him any sort of pain reliever.  He's acting just like he does when he's not teething!  It's really amazing!

(The necklace is usually tucked into his shirt so this is one of the only pictures where you can see it)

Here's some information straight from the Inspired by Finn website on the benefits of Baltic Amber:

Historically, Baltic Amber has been used in Europe as a natural and traditional remedy and curative for many ailments for centuries. Long ago it was considered one of the leading ‘medicines’ of its time. Baltic Amber is the most esteemed amber in the world, and the healing qualities of Baltic Amber make it unlike any other type of amber found in the world.

When baltic amber is worn on the skin, the skin’s warmth releases trace amounts of healing oils from the amber. These oils contain succinic acid and are absorbed into the skin.

Baltic Amber has some of the highest concentrations of Succinic Acid found in nature, and this is what makes it so special. Succinic Acid is a natural component of plant and animal tissues, and it's presence in the human body is beneficial in many ways.

There's a TON more information on their website so I highly suggest you go check it out! You should also follow them on Facebook to look for more giveaway opportunities and discounts! They have a few current incentives for Facebook "likers"

TO SAVE 20% on an order, join by clicking the "Like" button toward the top of their "Wall" tab.

TO SAVE 25%, join by clicking the "Like" button + use the "Suggest to Friends" link near the top left of the "Wall" tab to suggest this page to your Facebook friends.

The discount code is entered/applied during checkout, and the discount is given off of prices on their website - www.InspiredByFinn.com

The codes to use once you have completed the criteria above -

To save 20%: FB20
To save 25%: FB25

Giveaway

The winner will receive any in stock necklace 16 inches or smaller.

Mandatory Entry

Head over to the Inspired by Finn website and tell me one more advantage of Baltic Amber that I didn't mention

If your e-mail isn't visible in your profile please post it on EACH comment.  Thank you!

Extra Entries

• Follow me publicly via GFC (3 entries)
• Follow me on Twitter and leave your name (3 entries)
• Tweet this giveaway and leave the permalink (1 tweet per hour)  You may copy and paste the following link if you like:

RT Enter to #win an Inspired by Finn Baltic Amber Teething Necklace from @jessiessie #giveaway Ends 10/15 9pm EST http://bit.ly/cM5ofX

• "Like" Inspired by Finn on Facebook (1 entry)
• Head to their website and tell me which necklace you would choose (1 entry)
• Blog about this giveaway with a direct link back to this post.  Please post the direct link to your blog post  (5 entries)

Keep an eye out for extra entry opportunity on non-giveaway posts!

This giveaway will end on Friday, October 15, 2010 at 9pm EST.  Good luck!!

**The product in this review and the giveaway product were both provided by Inspired by Finn but this was not a paid post. My honest opinions have been given, however others experiences and opinions may differ from my own**

Sleepwear Difficulties...

Am I the only person to have this problem??  I can't find decently priced maternity sleepwear anywhere!  It's getting colder at night so I would LOVE to find a long nightgown that's full enough to accommodate a soon-to-be growing belly and cute enough so I don't look like a granny or overstuffed lumpy flannel body pillow.

So far, all I've been able to find are delivery/hospital gowns and short nursing gowns.  Now nursing gowns are great and can be used longer than just a plain old maternity gown, BUT most of them don't look like they're cut full enough to contain a fully pregnant belly without busting at the seams.  I've seen a few pants/shirts, but I'm not really a pj pant/shirt sleeper.  I'm more comfortable in an over-sized t-shirt or plain old nightgown.

I know, I know...why don't I just make my own?  Well, honestly I just don't want to.  I mean I could but I know it wouldn't turn out the way I want it to so I would just have to keep looking anyway so what's the point?

Anyone have any suggestions as to where I could find a cute cold weather appropriate maternity nightgown??  I hope someone can help me out!

Wordless Wednesday - Cool Dude

Wordless Wednesday - Toy Box

FuzziBunz Review

I was looking through some old pictures and posts today and realized that I've never posted a review about FuzziBuns OS diapers.  I am a HUGE fan!  These diapers are wonderful!  Now that David can easily rip off diapers with hook & loop closures they are one of my go to diapers and I really do wish I had more!  One of my favorites is the Big Sky color.  It is a beautiful light but vibrant blue.

I'm really not a big fan of a lot of "one size" diapers because they usually have outside snaps and are pretty bulky.  The FuzziBunz has button-adjusted waist and leg casings which make things so much easier.  Adjust them when needed and you don't have to worry about changing or resetting them until your little one grows.  They also come with replacement elastic so if it does happen to wear down (none of ours has yet) you have a backup set to swap out with.

The FuzziBunz have such a trim fit, but they are so absorbent it's really amazing!  The one size also come with an extra insert for naptime or overnight use.  If you haven't tried FuzziBunz yet, go check them out!  You'll love them!



*This was NOT a paid or sponsored post.  I bought the diaper myself and didn't receive any discounts for writing a review.  I just really like these diapers ;)*

CSN Stores and Big Boy Bed

Now that David is climbing in, on and out of everything it's about time to move him from his crib into a big boy bed.  What better place to start searching for a bed that CSN Stores!  With over 200 stores to choose from they have everything from a platform bed to a race car bed!  With such a large selection, I'm certain we'll be able to find something for our little monkey boy from CSN Stores!

 Lea Elite Expressions Platform Bookcase Bed

Nine Weeks

I’m nine weeks pregnant and I don’t usually use this word because it’s a very strong word, but I hate this stage of pregnancy. It’s not the morning sickness, the sore boobs or the weird aches and stabbing pains from a growing uterus. It’s the unknown; the fact that right now there’s no way for me to know if the baby is doing ok. It’s been two weeks since my last appointment and there’s a little over two weeks until my next one. This is the stage where you don’t look pregnant, you don’t really feel pregnant (other than the aforementioned symptoms), you probably haven’t gained any weight (although you might feel bloated), you can’t feel the baby moving around, and there’s no way of knowing that everything is still going well. I don’t mean that I’m overly worried or paranoid about the pregnancy; I’m just ready to be able to feel the baby move so I know everything is OK!

Wordless Wednesday - "You mean I'm doing it wrong AGAIN??"

Taco Soup

I just saw a post from That Crazy Lewis House on facebook asking about favorite soup recipes and it REALLY makes me long for cool weather!  I sent her this recipe for Taco Soup and thought I'd share it on here too because it's super simple and ever so yummy!


Taco Soup
1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey), brown and drain
1-15.5 ounce can navy beans, undrained
1-15.5 ounce can kidney beans, undrained
1-15.5 ounce can black beans, undrained
1-15.5 ounce can red chili beans, undrained
1-15.5 ounce can corn, undrained
1 (or 2) -14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can Rotelle tomatoes
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 cups chicken broth

Dump everything in the crock pot (bean liquid and all!). Cook on low all day. Serve with cornbread or sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Foto Friday - WOOHOO!!

Wordless Wednesday - Clapping Lessons

OK so it's a video...is that cheating? ;)

Bump 2 Baby Event

There's another Bump to Baby event with some AMAZING giveaways going on at J. leigh designz and Minnesota Mama Must Have's starting in September!

Go check out their pages to see some of the awesome prizes!  Personally, I REALLY want to win either or both of these:

The mamaRoo from 4 moms 

value~$199.99

 
DaVinci Kalani II 4-in-1 Convertible Sleigh Crib from Hayneedle
value~$250

I told you they had some awesome giveaways!  Head on over and check them out!

Free Pregnancy Planner!!

How great is this?  I just stumbled on this FREE Pregnancy Planner on the Healty Women site!  

Totally 100% free...even shipping!

So if you are pregnant, planning on becoming pregnant soon or know someone else who is pregnant and would like this go order one!

Description from the Healthy Woman site: 

If you are pregnant or planning to be the NEW HealthyWomen Pregnancy Planner is just right for you. Use its colorful, easy-to-read pages to help prepare you for each trimester and for when Baby comes home! The 48-page planner includes a 10-month calendar section to record checkups and other notes. Plus, order the Flu-Free and a Mom-to-Be card, offering easy-to-understand flu facts and prevention strategies.

Bump 2 Baby Event at Take time to smell the rose

Chari over at Take time to smell the rose is having an awesome event called Bump 2 Baby where she will have lots of giveaways, reviews and pregnancy/baby related blog posts until her newest little one makes its arrival in April!  It should be lots of fun!  Go over and check it out!