Ovacue fertility Monitor

The ovacue fertility monitor has been on the market for over 20 years and has been clinically proven to be 98.3% accurate. It comes with a tongue sensor that tracks the levels of electrolytes in your saliva. A week before ovulation these level reach a high point. This is known as your queue peak. The optional vaginal sensor tracks the estrogen and progesterone your body produces.

Its very easy to use. You simply place the oral sensor on your tongue and wait for the number to pop up on the screen. Now you have to be sure to use the oral sensor as soon as you wake up. So before you eat or drink anything! The vaginal sensor should be used after you've been up and moving for a few hours.

I have a progesterone deficiency and I was worried this monitor wouldnt be able to track my ovulation. Now most of the time my ovacue monitor has been right on with my OPK's. However I always get a pink box when Im not ovulating. I consider this my queue that I will ovulate soon. I actually ovulate with a purple box and I wouldnt recommend you follow the colors but the numbers. Once you learn the number pattern for ovulation you begin to see when you are most fertile. Every cycle has been different for me. So dont expect every cycle to be the same. I highly recommend you use the vaginal sensor because I think without that I would miss my fertile window. The vaginal numbers are always spot on with ovulation. I also suggest you use the free ovagraph. You can not only track your numbers but OPKs, CM and more. For the price I think this monitor is good for family planning prevention and those having trouble conceiving. The cost is very high so its something I would look into and think about before purchasing. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

"I was sent this product to review however these are my honest opinions and I was not paid for this review."

Conservingnow.com

http://www.conservingnow.com/ is a mother daughter run website. They're both very passionate about the environment and the affects plastic bags are having on the world around us. They set out to change the habits of older generations and educate younger generations. By switching to reusable bags you can make a big impact on the world around us. Did you know it takes several years for a plastic bag to degrade? Im not talking about ten or so years Im talking several hundreds of years, according to some research. I myself use reusable bags when I go grocery shopping. I  have at times forgot to bring them to the mall or large stores. The ones I have are big and bulky so its hard to drag them around. With the envirosax bags I can easily store them in my purse! 

No more dragging around those giant bags that you cant store anywhere! They come in so many beautiful prints! The particular one I picked to review was the paris bag. These bags can hold up to 44 pounds and are washable. They wont fade or fall apart either. Im happy with my envirosax bag and plan on buying more in the near future. 

If you're looking for a bigger tote style bag you should check on the ultra-sturdy cotton totes. These are known as the workhorse of reusable bags. They fit easily into your purse, double stitched and are 100% natural cotton. 

Another great thing about conservingnow.com is that 100% of the profits made goes toward classroom kits. These kits are used by teachers grades k-12 to try and educate students about plastic bags and the environment. You can also get a free static window cling for your car! 

Follow them on facebook or visit them on twitter

 

I was sent the envirosax bag to review however these are my 100% honest opinions and I was not paid to do this review! Pictures used with permission form the owners. 

Miss Molly Designs!

I came across Miss Molly designs while searching wired jewelry on etsy. I was blown away by some of the pieces I saw. Everything Molly makes seems so peaceful. You can tell each piece is made with love. Not only does she have an etsy shop she also has a blog. I love her bead table Wednesday post. Every wednesday she will share a piece she created. Molly isn't just a jewelry artist she also is a mosaic and mixed media artist!

Some of my favorite pieces are the Happiness necklace, which also won the August art spark monthly spot on Love my art!

Her bangles are breath taking!

and I love the purple heart necklace!

After talking with Molly I was sent two items. The hide and seek bracelet and a pair of beautiful earrings! The earrings were a complete surprise. I knew I would be getting the bracelet to review and then giveaway on my youtube channel but had no idea I would get to keep something from Molly! You cant imagine how excited I was! 

The front of the hide and seek bracelet has three lamp work beads wrapped in a chocolate brown wire. To seal the ends of the wire Molly has added some beautiful cranberry beads. The hide and seek bracelet reminds me of nature. Its very earthy and I love that!

The back of the bracelet has some beautiful details. You can see the two lamp work beads wrapped in the brown wire and sealed with the cranberry bead. If you look closely you will also see two detailed pieces between the lamp beads. I love this bracelet and cant wait to send it to the lucky winner!

(please don't enter here! You must look for the giveaway video on my youtube channel)

  

The earrings are just as beautiful! Its a mix of blues, green and browns. They're very light weight and dont pull on my ears. I cant wait to wear these this fall! I love the earthy colors!

 Miss Molly designs are amazing and I highly recommend you check out her website. If your looking for unique pieces this is the way to go! I can tell from the pieces I received that these are high quality and wont fall apart anytime soon! Great gifts for the jewelry lover in your family!

I was sent these products to review but these are my 100% honest opinions! Pictures used with permission from the owner. 

10 Holiday Planning tips!

Now that its October I wanted to talk to you about my holiday tips. Thanksgiving and Christmas are by far my favorite holidays! Around the end of October I start making my gift list. I try and write down three gifts for each person. Then we start saving for the sales that come around November. I price shop and never purchase unless I know thats the best deal. Every year we visit family for both holidays. Im always in charge of the appetizers. With a large family I found prepping the night before saves on time and headaches. I always double the amount of people so I know we will have enough to feed everyone. During Thanksgiving we put up our tree and start to decorate for Christmas. My son loves helping hang the ornaments and picking out the Christmas cards to send to family. I always try and purchase our holiday cards in the beginning of November so Im sure to have enough time to get them to everyone. A good way to store your holiday decorations is in color coded bins. For Christmas we use red bins and for halloween orange bins. It makes basement trips so much easier. No digging or opening bins to find the right one. I also am sure to stack my bins in order so I can get to the halloween bin without having to move the christmas bins. Remember with toddlers wrapping one or two gifts will do. They get overwhelmed very quickly. If you have more then one child and dont want to put names on the gifts try color coding for each person. That will keep older kids from guessing whats inside! We love to use a certain ribbon or wrapping paper for each person. We always purchase wrapping paper after the holidays are over. That way I get enough wrapping paper but at a discount price!  I love baking cookies, watching Christmas movies and spending time with my family. The best thing about Christmas is the cards and you can find some amazing cards at http://www.storkie.com. We have so many traditions! Making salt dough ornaments, our yearly ornament purchase and card shopping. It just wouldn't be the holidays without cards! 

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the Storkie holiday blogging program. I received compensation for my participation. All opinions are 100% mine.”

Wholesale Costumes!

Wholesale costumes is an online halloween store. They sell everything from infant to plus size. The prices are great compaired to other sites I've seen. The costume I chose to review is the Jr. Astronaut suit. It comes in a size 2T-3T. This costume fits my two year old perfectly and still has enough room to add some layers underneath to keep him warm and is long enough that he can continue to play with this next year. The material is easy to clean and is 100% polyester. Just toss it in the wash on cold and dry on low.

My son fell after taking this photo and I thought for sure I would have to soak it to get the grass stains out. To my surprise its just wiped off with warm water and mild soap. The little hat comes with it and fits great. He has room to grow into that too. The patches and zippers seem to be on the costume very well. I don't see them coming off in the wash or from my toddler tugging on them. You can also purchase the astronaut helmet! My husband and I saw an astronaut costume at a local store in orange. They were asking two times more then what the wholesale costumes site was! Im very excited to show off my little astronaut this year! I will be back next year to purchase more costumes. Im very happy with this costume and the costumer service. The shipping was fast and everything got to me saftly. Im in love with this costume and the costumer service was amazing. For more adorable and affordable toddler costumes visit the wholesales toddler section!
You can also follow them on Facebook.
The selection is great no matter what you're looking for!

I was sent this costume to review. However Im not being paid to say any of this and these are my honest opinions!

Miche Prima bag!

The Morgan shell on a prima bag

The leah shell on the prima bag

Miche has several different base bags. The one I was chose to review was the prima. I love how big this bag is! Great for Mom's with kids or just women who love those stylish big bags. For those of you looking for a smaller bag I would check out the classic. The base comes in brown or black and the shells are adorable. Miche also sells accessories like closet organizers for your shells and even straps! Thats right you can change the strap style too. The shells are always changing so if you see one you have to have grab it before it retires. The wonderful thing about Miche bags is that you can change out the shell and still keep everything in the bag! No more pulling everything out of your bag and placing it into another! Miche makes switching bags a breeze and this busy mom is thankful for that! Want to learn how to become a sales representative? Check out Miche's work at home opportunities  or check out how to host a party! Visit http://www.michebag.com/ for more information. 

To remove the shell

Pull up the shell flaps

 Grab base bag

 Pull base bag up and out

 Easy to put back on slide base bag into shell

Match shell and bag sides up

 Flip over the shell flaps and its on!

 Is that easy!!

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either. 

Maganabilities

Magnabilities  is an amazing company that sells interchangeable jewelry! Earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings! You buy your base piece and then you can change out the center. Its a brilliant idea and I love how easy it is to mix up my jewelry. They have so many different styles Im sure you can find something. These would make the best gifts. All you have to do is buy your base then buy as many center pieces are you would like. They have a ton of color and design options for the center pieces too. Not only can you use the center pieces for the necklace but they also work on the other jewelry items they sell!

Take your base

 and your center piece 

 Place on base and there you have it!

From one idea in 2008 to the launching in 2010 this company has come a long way! I can only see them excelling into greater things and I for one can't wait to see what they come up with next! Check out http://www.magnabilities.com/store/index.php for locations near you.

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either.

Charm factory European beaded bracelet

The charm factory provides inexpensive European style bracelets. These bracelets are completely customizable. However they do have beaded bracelets ready to go. These a great gifts for graduation, new moms and even birthdays. The company was nice enough to send me the bracelet in the picture above. This one is the love and believe bracelet. I love the colors and the two charms. To me its life is about loving the people around you and believe in the impossible. These bracelets come in three sizes 7.5, 8 and 9. 

For my small wrist I chose the 7.5 inch bracelet. It doesn't fit snug but drops down to the middle of my arm. Thats exactly how I like my bracelets to fit. I love how you can change out the beads to make a completely different bracelet or add beads to the pre-made ones. There's endless possibilities! 

Its very easy to add or remove beads. You simply unscrew the clasp and add your beads! It cant get much easier than that! Im in love with my bracelet and cant wait to order more beads to change up the one I already have! This is an amazing idea and Im happy to share it with you all. Go check out http://www.charmfactory.com/!!

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either. 

Playtex Lil' grippers straw cup

Playtex has been my favorite brand since day one. The lil grippers straw cup is a great training cup for children. If you're trying to get your little one used to a straw I recommend this cup. The squeezing feature allows for parents to squeeze the side helping the liquid come up the straw. However its not easy enough to squeeze that your toddler can squirt juice all over the place. I love how playtex has the twist and click leak proof guaranteed seal. My toddler isnt able to remove the lid on these cups. We have no leaks or spills with any playtex products. They are BPA free and Phthalate free and come in cute bright colors. You can find these cups at babies r us, target, walmart and even krogers. For question contact playtex they're always great about getting back to you. If you have a complaint contact them and they will try and work with you!

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either. 

Inspired by finn Teething necklace

Inspired by finn sells baltic amber products. Baltic amber has been believed to help with pain relief, chronic inflammation, restoring energy and maintaining wellness. How does it work? Baltic amber is warn directly on the skin. The warmth of your skin warms the amber and it then releases trace amounts of healing oils. To get the most out of your baltic amber make sure its directly on the skin and worn as much as possible. The teething necklaces are not to be chewed on. They are meant to be worn around the neck during the day with adult supervision and around the ankle at night with a sock over it. You also want to be sure to wear the amber as close to the pain site as possible. When picking your amber necklace the lighter the color the better the healing. You should clean your amber with lukewarm water and a soft cloth. DO NOT use soaps, oils, lotions etc on your amber. This will cause build up on the necklace. Remember to remove your amber when bathing, swimming or anytime you apply body products.

The teething necklaces are great for teething babies. Each bead had a not in them to keep any bead from coming off if broke. These necklaces are very durable and if not chewed on last awhile. I did notice a big difference in my son when wearing these necklaces. Its wasn't a big difference but I could tell it helped ease some of his pain. He was able to eat and sleep so much better. For questions on these products you can contact inspired by finn and ask what size would be best. 

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either.

CC Bum All in 2 bamboo fleece diaper

CC bums is a mommy run company that provides amazing cloths diapers. The owner takes custom orders and is happy to answer any questions you may have. The WAHM diaper I tested out was the all in 2 fleece with bamboo velour insert. Each all in two diaper has different inserts so be sure to check them out before ordering. With bamboo its important to wash and dry several times to remove any oils before use. After testing this diaper on my super soaker I can say its an amazing diaper. This diaper lasts up to 12 hours with a cover. With the outer being fleece you don't have to use a cover but I highly recommend it if you have a super soaker or find your child sleeps more then 6 hours at a time. We did experience leaks without the cover after roughly 4 hours. However with a cover this diaper is our go to night time diaper. 

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either.

Leslie's boutique wet dry bags

Leslie's boutique is a family run company. They make wet bags, wet/dry bags, pail liners, mama pads and diaper changing pads! Each product is made of high quality fabric and come in adorable colors and patterns. You can buy these products of her website or any retailer that carries the leslie line.

I've purchased the wet/dry bag and I cant tell you how much I love this bag! I can stick a few clean diapers and the front and then when they're dirty put them in the wet area. I've had no stinks or leaks with this bag. It even comes with a little patch to add oils for a fresh scent if you want. The snap handle allows be to attach this to my stroller, shopping cart or even my diaper bag. That saves so much room in the diaper bag. As most of us cloth diaper moms know they take up a lot of room! The pleated front allows more diapers to fit. With the medium 13x15 bag I can fit 4-6 pocket diapers.

Babylegs!

babylegs is a company that gives back and was created by a fellow mother. The leg warmers are very useful and I wish I could have found them sooner! They come in newborn and regular. The regulars can fit adult arms for runners and toddler legs while potty training. Leg warmers protect little knees during the crawling stage but can also be used as an added layer during winter months. My son is 2 and we still use these! These things would be great under those newborn gowns for night time changes. You can bet I will be buying some newborn sizes when we decide to have another. During fall/winter I dont leave the house without a pair of leg warmers. Easy to slip under pants or shorts when the weather changes or when you have to change a diaper your babies legs are still warm. 

Not only do they make leg warmers they also sell the cutest little socks and tights! For more about the company or for questions visit http://www.babylegs.com/ 

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either.

Comfyrump cloth diaper

Comfyrumps is a very affordable cloth diaper. These diapers are by far my favorite inexpensive diaper. They've never leaked during the day or nap time hours. The fit is amazing and I can see these working for 10-30 pounds. If I could redo my stash these would be my primary diaper. Im in love!! Comfyrumps has even started adding pattern diapers! I do recommend you purchase some extra inserts for super soakers or night time use. These aren't as bulky as some cheaper diapers. The rise is adjusted my a three row snap and the waist is adjusted by the double row snap with a added hip snap. They have a warranty and return policy just be sure to read the restrictions! The company owners are very friendly and will answer any question you may have. They also have promotions running from time to time. You can get a deal on packs of cloth diapers so be sure to check that out too!

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either. 

Kawaii ultra soft one size diaper

Kawaii is a cheap cloth diaper brand. This company has different styles from heavy wetter to minky. The particular one Im reviewing is the Ultra soft square tab one size pocket diaper. Like other pocket diapers the size is adjusted with a 3 row snap down the front. The waist and legs has a double row snap and an added hip snap. These diapers come with two inserts and they have a few different colors and prints. These diapers can be a bit bulky compared to other name brand diapers but I havent had any leaks. The only trouble I've had is the elastic on the legs started leaving marks on my son once he hit 20 pounds. We left the hip snap off and that made the diaper last until he was 23 pounds. After that we packed these away. Im a bit upset that they didn't last us longer. For a one size I was expecting them to at least fit to 30 pounds. Some of the diapers are losing snaps after a year or use. So all in all these are great for families on a budget but plan on replacing after a year of regular use or once your child hits a certain weight.

Tweedle Bug cloth diaper

The one size pocket diaper by Tweedle bug is not my favorite diaper. Now what may not work for me may work for you. This diaper is a one size pocket diaper with two openings. This allows for easy stuffing and removal of the inserts. This diaper has a 3 row snap down system to adjust the rise and double row snaps for the waist. My personal experience with this diaper has been bad. I've had leaks no matter what I tried. This diaper has only been used a few times and only when they others were in the wash. I wouldn't recommend this diaper to anyone. For the price you can find a different diaper that does more.

Ava Anderson skin care line

At the age of 14 Ava discovered the issue with chemicals in our daily products and how they effect our health. After doing some research Ava decided to start her own line. In December of 2009 the Ava anderson skin care line was launched. Ava's products are safe to use. You don't have to worry about your body absorbing nasty chemicals. Now in 2011 Ava Anderson's  non toxic company has added shampoo's, body products, cosmetic and more! Being so young and coming so far is amazing. I was fortunate enough to be able to review some of Ava's skin care line products. They all smell very fresh and natural. It reminds me of lemons! The lip scrub is by far my favorite product! It taste amazing and works wonders for dry lips! Having sensitive skin I have to be very careful what I put on it. These products work great for my skin the the summer. It cleans away my makeup and leaves my face feeling fresh. Now I will say I did notice some irritation during the winter months but I think thats because my face gets extremely dry. I still recommend these products if you have normal/oily skin. For very dry skin you may want to contact the company and see what they recommend. When I first reviewed these products they didnt have all the items they do now! I cant tell you how excited I was to see all the additions. Though these items may be pricy they are well worth it. The skin care line lasted me around 6 months before I ran out, washing day and night. I look forward to trying more of the Ava Anderson non toxic products in the future! For my review in 2010 check out my video below!

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either. 

Bad Blankie!

 

If your looking for an organic blanket I highly recommend the Bad Blankie. These blankets are made of 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton. The one side is fleece and the other is terry. These blankets are handmade if the US. The bad blankie is made with 6 stitching to ensure high quality and a longer life. They are completely machine washable. Simply place in the washer on the warm cold setting and dry on low. Bad blankies are anti-microbial which means there will be little to now bacteria reproduction. Also because its anti-microbial you wont notice is foul odors! I was amazed at how breathable these blankets really are. The material allows your skin to breath reducing night sweats. This company does have return policy and would love to answer any of your questions. 

The bad blankie comes in four different sizes

King: 108×108″

Full/queen: 81×108″

Twin: 66×90″

Baby: 29×36″

The blankets are a beautiful vanilla color. The trim for the adult blankets are blue or red and the baby blankets come in pink or blue. If you have any questions or comments about this product you can contact bad blankie. 

My family has been using the bad blankies for several months now. I cant tell you how much they have helped. My skin is softer and no more night sweats. Now my husband did notice he got cold during the winter months but my son and I were fine. These blankets can be a bit pricy but the benefits of organic products make it well worth it! The only think I wish is that they had a toddler size blanket. The twin is much to big for my 2 year old and the baby blanket we had is now too small. 

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either. 

Rockin Green Detergent

Rockin green detergent is popular with the cloth diaper community. However this detergent not only washes those cloth diapers but also works wonders on your everyday laundry! Rockin green is made safe. Its free of phosphates, dyes, enzymes, whiteners and brighteners. The scented detergents do contain natural fragrance oils but dont irritate sensitive skin. If you are worried about warranty issues with your cloth diapers go for the fragrance free option. This detergent comes in three formulas: Soft, classic and hard. I love this option! If you live in an area that contains soft water you would reach for the soft and hard rock if you live in an area with hard water. Classic is for those with normal water. To find out what water type you have you can visit Rockin green and view the map. The company can also help you pick the best formula for your household. The customer service is amazing. They answered every question I had and were very friendly. This detergent comes and many different scents. Around the holidays they come out with some really yummy ones too! You can use this detergent in both high efficiency and standard washing machines. This product is not tested on animals and is biodegradable. 

I started out using this product on my son's cloth diapers. They removed majority of the stains and residue my old detergent left behind. Followed with line drying in the sun my diapers always came out looking brand new. I did notice that when you line dry your diapers they may feel a bit crunchy. Just toss them in the dryer for a few seconds on a low heat or air dry. They will come out soft. After trying a few different scents I noticed some aren't as strong as others. I prefer to use scent free and just add in some fabric softener. My son is finally potty trained and I was left with two bags of detergent. So I started trying them on my towels and clothes. To my surprise my towels came out so much softer and smelled amazing! For stubborn stains or smelly rugs I rock a soak and then wash. This knocks all the stink out of my rugs and towels. Not only does rockin green work wonders in the wash but its great as a carpet cleaner too! I just mix some rockin green with water add to my carpet cleaner and my carpets come out soft and looking magnificent! The room smells fresh and I know the product is eco-friendly. This Mom gives rockin green 10 stars! Love it and I cant get enough!  

I was sent these products to review HOWEVER these are my honest opinions. I am not being paid for this review either.

Best sippy cups

The Munchkin sippy cups 

I recommend these for beginners. They are super cheap and I never had a leak unless he pushed it on the floor. That didnt happen until he was older so great for beginners. These lasted 9 months before they needed replaced and now that he is older he uses the hard spout cups. 

Gerber's Nuk sip and smile soft spout 

These are great! They're easy to clean and have never leaked on me. My son moved to these not long after he learned how to use a sippy cup. They're still soft so he likes these for nap time or before bed. This is what I call a stage two cups :) some babies may be able to use these right away but my son liked these after he got used to the sippy cup with the clear silicone tops.

Playtex first sipster training cups

These are another favorite! Again so easy to clean and these are great for babies comfortable with the sippy cup. They've NEVER leaked on me and he cant make them leak by pushing on the spout. They've lasted awhile now! We are going on a year and still in good shape. The company has always answered my emails with questions I've had.


Playtex insulator cups

These are my current favorite. Now that my son doesn't need a soft spout he loves these. They dont leak and the lids lock on. They keep the liquid inside pretty cold for awhile but not as long as a thermal cup would. Super easy to clean :) and I love the cute patterns these cups come in! 

Not every cup will work for every baby but try some out and dont invest in a lot until you know what works and what doesnt. I think its safe to say playtex has always been my favorite company to work with!