Friday Follow and extra entries!

Thanks for visiting and Happy Friday Follow! Whether you're a new or current, leave me a comment and let me know. I'd love to come follow you and visit all of your sites as well! :)

Just by joining up in Friday Follow I'll give you FIVE extra entries into the $40 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores!  Just post five separate comments that say "Friday Follow #1" "Friday Follow #2" etc.

Follow Friday is a great way to meet new friends, gain new followers and find other wonderful blogs out there. You can learn more by visiting the 3 great sites who host it: One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!

I also want to thank Trendy Treehouse and The Girl Creative for their blog hops!

Happy Birthday...

...to me!!!

Is it tacky to wish myself a happy birthday?  Well, if so it's too late now lol

SOOOOOOooooo....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!

 Unfortunately, no, this wasn't my birthday cake.  I didn't get a birthday cake because I didn't feel like making one (the life of a mommy right? ;))  This cake was actually from Austin's 2009 cake competition. I can't locate the bakery's info but will add it if anyone knows! 

Twitter Hop Thursday (April 29th)

Welcome to Twitter Hop Thursday, hosted by Simply Stacie, The King's Court IV, Little Yaya's and Blessed, Review Retreat and Moms Wear Your Tees! Would you like more Twitter followers and be introduced to more neat blogs and businesses out there? Come and join us!!

1. Add your Twitter to the MckLinky (you only have to add it to one and it will appear on all).

2. Click on the Twitter for the five hostesses and follow each of them on Twitter. We will follow you back.

3. Follow as many people on Twitter as you like, but make sure to leave comments with links so they'll know where to follow you!

Spread the word and add this MckLinky to your blog! Write your own post or copy and paste this one. Below the MckLinky box, you'll see "Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click here for instructions and code...." Have fun Twitter-Hopping along!

Wordless Wednesday

 How did this:

 Turn into this:

in just a few months....

Extra Entry Opportunity!!

If you want FIVE additional entries for the $40 CSN Gift Certificate subscribe to my blog via e-mail located on the right sidebar.

I'm sorry it wasn't on the original post, but I just added e-mail subscriptions to the blog.

If you do this, make sure you go to the original giveaway post and post FIVE separate comments there stating that you are now subscribed via e-mail so they will be counted!

So tired and my *ahem* fabulous birthday present...

Don't you hate those nights when everyone in the house is sound asleep but you are WIDE awake?  Please tell me I'm not alone in having nights like that...

Last night was one of those nights.  It was MISERABLE! I should have gotten up and done something productive, but our house isn't really big enough to do much of anything without waking someone up.

It's not a fun feeling to look at the clock and see:

12:30am

1:30am

2:30am

3:30am

(Insert baby crying here)

4:30am

FINALLY I got to sleep and my sweet wonderful husband went into work a little late so I could sleep in a bit this morning.

I have things I need to be doing now (while Lil Bit is napping) but I'm sooo tired I'm just not motivated to get anything done.

Anyway!!  Moving on, my dad called around 10am and said he was on his way down and should be stopping by around noon.  WHAT?!?  A little more notice than that would have been nice, but that's ok.  I'm glad he came down to visit and play with Lil Bit for a while.

One of his main reasons for visiting was to bring me "my" birthday present (it's on Thursday!  Woohoo!).

Wanna see??

Tada!!  For me??  Why thank you! ;)

OK, so "my" birthday present turned out to be for my husband. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY grateful!  It's a great lawn mower and it should make things a lot easier for hubby, but I was kind of hoping for something a little less...well lawn mower-ish.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts right? ;)

$40 CSN Gift Certificate Giveaway!!! CLOSED

A little background...

I'm not sure how many of my followers know this, but before I became a wife and mommy I was (and still am technically) a professional Interior Designer.  I loved just about everything that my job entailed, but by far my favorite thing by far was selecting lighting, fixtures, finishes and those special touches that really made a space.

One thing that I loved using was specialty lighting.  The right track lighting can really accent a space and change it from dull to fabulous!  I'm not talking about just your standard gallery style track lighting (which is perfectly fine and has it's place), I'm talking about beautiful pendant lighting like this:

 Ambiance One Light Stargazer Pendant in Starlight Blue

Ambiance One Light Pendant in Fireball

. 

Spencer Mini Pendant

Now for what you've been waiting for...

The Giveaway!!!!

I was approached by CSN Stores to select a review item for myself or have the opportunity to giveaway a $40 gift certificate to one of my followers. Guess what? I chose the gift certificate for one of you because I'm nice like that ;)

Ever since their launch in 2002, CSN Stores have created a place where people can easily find what they need with over 200 stores to shop from! They're known from their huge selection of quality products, superior service, variety, and low prices.

Are you excited yet?  Wanna know how to win??

Mandatory Entry:

Publicly follow me and then head over to CSN Lighting and tell me one product that you would love to have.

Extra Entries: (only valid after the required entry has been completed)

1. Follow me on Twitter and leave your name. (3)

2. Blog about this giveaway (linking to this post and csnlighting.com) and leave me FIVE comments with the URL to that post. (5)

3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave the permalink (3) You may use this if you like:

$40 CSN Gift Certificate #Giveaway from @jessiessie Enter here! http://bit.ly/9FS1aF Ends May 11

(You may also tweet once a day for an extra entry every day)

4. Follow CSN Stores on Twitter (3)

5. Become a Fan of CSN Stores on Facebook (3)

9. Share about this giveaway on Facebook Share (3)

10. Check out my other blog posts for other entry opportunities hidden around ;)

Please be sure to leave me a *separate* comment for each entry you complete above including with each, your e-mail address so that I can easily and accurately contact the winner!!

This giveaway will end May 11th at 9pm EST and is open to the US and Canada!

*There may be shipping charges or in the case of Canadian readers, international fees, for certain products.*

**The gift certificate for this giveaway was provided at no cost by CSN Stores. No product was received and this was not a paid post. My honest opinions have been given, however others experiences and opinions may differ from my own**

Poor laptop

So I made a dumb decision the last time the last time I had to buy a cable for my laptop. I bought a CHEAP one from eBay. Big mistake! I started having problems immediately...as in within a few weeks but the seller (of course) was not helpful in the least. Fortunately the cable lasted about a year, but it is now officially dead. It literally fell apart tonight. Thankfully, I had already ordered a new one (from Amazon this time Original HP DV1000 DV5000 DV6000 AC ADAPTER CHARGER) but I selected the cheapest shipping so who knows when it will get here.

Since I don't and won't have access to my computer for a while I'm so glad I have my phone!! Thankfully we do have a few other computers at the house (we're kind of nerdy like that) but I won't have access to all of my pictures and my bookmarks which makes me sad.

I really hope I will be able to post a giveaway this week for my fantastic followers so if you took the time to read this post, simply leave a comment for 5 additional entries!

Fitted Diaper Suggestions?

I'm pretty sure that there are other cloth diapering mommies out there that read/follow my blog so I'm talking to you ladies specifically. 

I really need some suggestions on fitted diapers.  When our son was little we used BumGenius bamboo fitteds all the time.  I mean ALL the time!  I had a lot of x-small, small and mediums, but hadn't gotten around to buying any large yet.  By the time I realized that they had discontinued them I couldn't find them anywhere.  I was SOO disappointed!  They were super soft and amazingly absorbent!

So now what?  I really would love to find some bamboo fitteds out there that are just as soft and absorbent as the BumGenius. 

Here's what I'm looking for ideally, but if you've found something that you LOVE please let me know!

-  I prefer snaps since David has figured out how to take off his velcro diapers, but with a fitted it's not as much of a big deal, I'll just make sure to put a cover with snaps over it ;)
-  One piece enclosed.  I don't mind if it takes longer to dry, I just don't want to have to put something together or have weird inserts flapping around to get twisted, fall out or get grabbed and thrown around while I'm trying to diaper a squirmy little boy who wants to play.
-  SOFT!  I have a few fitteds that started out great but after a few washes they became stiff and just don't seem comfortable at all anymore.
-  Won't break the bank. I don't want to spend over $15-$17 for a fitted.  Anything higher just seems like it's too much to pay for something less than an AIO or pocket with insert included.

Am I asking too much?  Was BumGenius the ONLY company that made a fitted like that?

Thanks so much in advance for any suggestions you have!!

Happy Belated Earth Day!

I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow I missed posting on Earth Day!  The 40th anniversary at that!  So here is a picture taken on Earth Day of my little guy watching our friend, the big fat bumblebee, that loves to hang around our picnic table outside.

Friday Followers: A Celebration of Followers - April 23

Welcome to the April 23 Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here’s how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:

• Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.
• Grab the Friday Follow button and include on your Friday Follow blog post.
• Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
• Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
• Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from Friday Follow.
• Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.

This list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

As hostesses, we realize the time required to participate in Friday Follow. Due to the overwhelming number of entries each week, we understand everyone, including ourselves, may not be able to follow every blog. To keep it fun, follow what you can at your own pace. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your continued participation!

Friday Follower of the Week!
Congratulations to Mommy Living the Life of Riley  of the Week! Each week we will randomly draw from all the links, one Friday Follower for the next week’s Friday Follow, and the chosen blog will be placed in the highly coveted number 4 position on the blog hop. We love your participation and want to give back to you! You could be next!

Wordless Wednesday - Cheese!

Cafe Press Free Eco Tote (pay only $1.25 for shipping)

In honor of Earth Day this week, Cafe Press is offering each of you a FREE Eco Tote. All you pay is $1.25 per bag to cover shipping costs. Believe it or not, this eco tote is made from 3 plastic recycled bottles spun into 100% polyester. How cool is that?! Not only are you helping to be a little more green and lessen the need for plastic bags while shopping for groceries, but the bag is super cute as well. I ordered mine last week and it arrived in about 2 days! Take a look:

Retail value of the bags are $10.00 but for a limited time you can pick these up for FREE while paying only $1.25 for shipping. This is only available for a limited time, so don't wait too long to place your order.
PLACE YOUR ORDER HERE!


____________________________________________________

In addition to the super cool and FREE Eco Tote, CafePress and iVillage have partnered together for a contest to celebrate all things green with their "Picture Your World - Earth Day Photo Contest."

For the photo contest, all you have to do is enter your photo, tell them what inspires you to go eco, and you could win an Eco Vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands!

For additional information or to enter the contest, CLICK HERE.

Oilo Modern Nursery Decor, Baby Bedding and Home Furnishings Giveaway

MomStart is having a FANTASTIC giveaway right now for a crib set valued at $399!!

Oilo Infant Bedding
Two sets made their debut in Oilo’s infant bedding collection:
Wheels features clean, circular mod designs.   Made from 100 percent fine woven cotton.  The bedding set includes a zippered side bumper cover (foam filled for standing durability), tailored skirt and fitted cotton percale crib sheet.  Wheels will be available in Cobalt. 
Recommended Retail Three-Piece Crib Set (bumper, tailored skirt and crib sheet): $399
Recommended Retail for individual Wheels Motif crib set items:
Wheels Crib Bumper: $249
Wheels Crib Sheet: $49
Wheels Crib Skirt: $159
Available Colors: Cobalt

Modern Berries blends style and softness for a chic, sophisticated look for baby’s room.
Made from 100 percent fine woven cotton.  The bedding set includes a zippered side cover bumper cover (foam filled for standing durability), tailored skirt and fitted cotton percale crib sheet.  Modern Berries will be available in Spring Green and Tree Trunk Brown (note: Tree Trunk Brown will debut Spring 2010).
Recommended Retail Three-Piece Crib Set (bumper, tailored skirt and crib sheet): $399
Recommended Retail for individual Modern Berries Motif crib set items:
Modern Berries Crib Bumper: $249
Modern Berries Crib Sheet: $49
Modern Berries Crib Skirt: $159


Individual items in each bedding set are also available for purchase separately.
Two additional bedding set offerings, Raindrops (Aqua) and Cobblestone (Taupe) can also be found at Oilo.

Friday Follow: A Celebration of Followers - April 16

Welcome to the April 16 Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!  We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs.  It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here's how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:

• * Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops. 
• * Grab the Friday Follow button and include on your Friday Follow blog post.
• * Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
• * Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you'd like
• * Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow
• * Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow

The list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

Boogie Wipes

I recently won a giveaway for Boogie Wipes from Anna over at Monkey Tales.  I am SO impressed with the speed that the wipes got here and the quantity that arrived!  I guess I didn't read closely enough when I entered so I was just expecting one 30 count package to try out (the giveaway was actually for two), but when I opened the box I found this:

 
TWO 30 count packages, SIX individually wrapped wipes, and two $1 off coupons!  I know it's probably silly to be excited about something like extra coupons and samples, but it's the little things in life that make me happy ;)

Thanks so much to Anna at Monkey Tales and to the fabulous people at Boogie Wipes!

Throwing a Birthday Party with Meri Meri Giveaway

Throwing a Birthday Party with Meri Meri Giveaway

Mom Start is hosting a fantastic giveaway! I LOVE Meri Meri products and would LOVE to win this party set for my little boy's first birthday coming up in less than two months....I can't believe it...He'll be a year old soon. So hard to believe!

So go enter! Or don't...give me a better chance ;)

Wordless Wednesday

Knickernappies Giveaway Days! Week #6 -Win a Custom KN Diaper of your choice! (Ends 04-16-10)

I am so excited! Knickernappies is giving away a Custom Made Knickernappies Diaper! You choose the outer, inner, snap color and whether you want a sized diaper or one-size! Could it get any better?I bet you're thinking, "Custom Knickernappies!? I must be dreaming!" LOL Well you're not, and this is your chance to get one totally free!

Giveaway on the KAM Snaps Blog...3 Winners!

The KAMsnaps.com blog is currently hosting a 3 winner giveaway for a mixed set of 200 engraved Ooga Booga snaps! They are super cute and even have bumGenius color schemes for you mamas who may be wanting to convert your bG 3.0(like I'm in the process of doing lol) They are perfect for any diaper sewing project, velcro to snaps conversion, adding snaps to crafts or inserts...the sky is the limit!


You can also go shopping at KAMsnaps.com for snaps, pliers and other notions for all your creative needs.

Friday Follow

Welcome to another Friday Follow! I love to get new followers and finding new blogs to read. So follow me, leave a comment and I'll follow you back!

Sponsored By:

Wee Little Changes

First of all let me just say that I LOVE Wee Little Changes!!!

April is fantastic, she quickly and thoroughly answers any questions that you might have. They also offer free shipping! That is a HUGE plus for me. So often I don't purchase from online stores because shipping is so ridiculous for one small item.

Check out the store HERE and blog HERE. I wrote a review of Rockin' Green that they posted just yesterday, so if you go to the blog you'll see me and David :-D

Wordless Wednesday

Uninvited Bathtime Guest

I decided to take a bath tonight. It sounded like a good idea since my husband was rocking the little bit to sleep and I really wanted to relax and read a bit. I went in, checked the tub for creepy crawlies (a daddy long-legs found his way in a few weeks ago) and started the water. Once the tub was almost full I got in. Apparently I didn't check around the tub well enough...I went to grab the bath pillow and a scorpion (yes, a SCORPION!!!!) dropped down in the tub!!!


NEVER have I jumped out of a tub so fast! The jets were on so I quickly turned them off, put on my robe and grabbed the container we use to rinse David's hair during his baths. Once the water stopped swirling I was able to scoop the scorpion up. I watched him squirm around in the container for a few seconds to make sure he couldn't get out, then took it into the family room where Josh was rocking David to tell/show Josh what happened. He said he was surprised I didn't scream. I'm pretty sure the only reason I didn't scream was because I knew he and David were just on the other side of the wall and I didn't want to wake David if he had fallen asleep.

Once I had told Josh and shown him the dead/dying creepy crawly I went back into the bathroom and took pictures of the thing. I'm weird like that.

Josh came in to get a better look after he put David in his crib then flushed the scorpion down the toilet.

I took a shower.

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone had a wonderful blessed day!

Babywearing

I love babywearing. I know it's gotten a bad rap recently, but that's not what I consider true babywearing. My baby boy is past the teeny tiny infant stage right now anyway so I generally wear him on my hip in a Slingling and I love it, but I'm ready to branch out and try something new. We also have a front carrier and I just don't like it at all personally. I guess I should give it another shot, but I feel like I can't do anything with it on and I can do whatever I want with the sling. I've tried Moby wraps before and I do like them and would love to have one, but it's an awful lot of fabric to deal with and I don't want to spend $40+ for just a straight piece of fabric ;) I guess I've been spoiled by my fitted sling that I just put over my head and it's ready to go.

What made me start thinking about branching out is the Ellaroo Mei Hip carrier in Mango Mahogany. It's so pretty and looks super comfy. Have any of you tried this type of carrier? I've never seen one like it so I'm really curious about what people think!