Rave & Review

Healthy meals in minutes with NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend Baby Food Maker

My kids love baby food.  Basically, if it’s pureed, they will eat it.  They may not gobble up spinach and squash on its own, but if it’s in baby food form, they devour it.

But, while jarred, canned, and pouched baby food certainly is convenient, when you’re working within a budget and have two kids eating baby food, or if you want to know every single thing that goes into your baby’s mouth, making your own baby food really is the way to go.  So, for the past 4 years or so I’ve been making nearly all of our baby foods.     

It used to be that making my own baby food was kind of a pain… and really messy.  This was mostly due to the fact that I needed different containers for prepping, cooking, mashing and/or blending, but also it just felt like it was always a learning curve and sometimes the food was too thick, sometimes too thin, and most of the time it was more trouble than it was worth. 

But, that was before we found all-in-one baby food makers that make feeding your children nutritious foods easier than ever.  The NUK Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend is the newest baby food maker to hit the market, and it’s now my go-to tot dinner solution.  So, now instead of fighting the kids to eat their veggies, I just serve them in pureed form and they think it’s a treat.

I’ve been a fan of Annabel Karmel for years now and have numerous of her cookbooks and baby food prep items, so I was thrilled to hear that she had partnered with NUK USA to make the Freshfoods line.  I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Cook-n-Blend Baby Food Maker as part of campaign through Moms Meet to try it out ourselves. 

And, after trying it in my kitchen with my little testers for the past two weeks, I found that using it to make our baby food solves a lot of the problems I was running into in the past.  For one, it’s really simple to use since it’s truly all-in-one.  While it is simple and easy to use, it should be noted that it does have one extra step than other all-in-one units, but this extra step is also what makes it special.  

To get started, all you need is washed and cut up fruits and veggies, and enough water to fill the reservoir on the cooking unit.  When you’re ready to cook, just remove the cooking bowl and lid from the base, add your food to the steam bowl inside the main bowl, and then return the bowl to the base.  One your food is in the steam basket, you simply turn the dial, and press the green button to start. 

When your food is done steaming and the water reservoir is empty, the Cook-n-Blend will beep to let you know it’s done, and then you just let it cool for a few minutes.  Once it’s cool enough, you simply remove the steam basket with the included spatula to separate the food from the cooking liquid, which you can either discard or save for your recipe, and then put the steamed food back in the main bowl to puree and select whether you would like it smooth or chunky and then let it do all the work for you.

But, here’s where the NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend excels at making baby food making simple and easy but still being able to retain control of the cooking and blending process.  Remember how you had cooking liquid left over after the foods steamed?  Well, now’s the time to either add those back in or discard, depending on what stage your child is at. 

You can simply pulse the knob to add extra liquids in, or you can give it extra time blending for a smoother texture, or conversely, you can only do short pulses to blend to give a chunky texture.  Since my kids are older and I like to be able to make their food to order, I love that this gives me the option to make thicker foods for them, but still be able to thin them out for when we’re babysitting or when thinner is better {think sauces and desserts}. 

And, with the large cooking bowl I sometimes make things other than baby food in the Cook-n-Blend, like smoothies, applesauce for the family, and basically anything that requires blending.  Or, if I am only making baby food, I can make up to 4 servings at once and freeze any extras for later.  Since the cooking bowl, steamer and accessories are all dishwasher safe, it’s super easy to use it and clean it without having to handwash everything or having it take over the entire dishwasher.

If you’ve been hesitating about making the switch to doing your own homemade baby food, I would highly suggest trying out the Nuk Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend.  In addition to being completely simple to use, it also gives you the most amount of options to fit your child’s age and stage, as well as being a much bigger bowl that other single-serving baby food makers. 

Trust me when I say that baby food making with the NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend is not nearly as intimidating as you might think – it’s all very intuitive, the instructions are easy to follow, and it comes with a great baby food cookbook from Annabel Karmel to get you started experimenting.  Even though it may sound like more work than buying canned or jarred foods, it’s really quite fast and easy and the NUK Cook-n-Blend really does it all for you!

A big thank you to Moms Meet for sending the NUK Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend baby food maker to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

4 strollers in one with the Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight {Review}

You know when you get something that just clicks so well that you wonder how you ever did without?  That was the exact way I felt when the Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight arrived for review.  As slim as a single stroller and more versatile than any of our other double strollers we’ve ever used, the Joovy stroller filled a need for us in a very big way.

They say the Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight stand-on tandem stroller is like two strollers in one, but I would argue it’s more like 5 strollers in one.  You can use it from birth with the car seat adaptor and you can use it for multiple kids in multiple different configurations.  Back to back, front to back, standing in back, or multiple configurations with the baby seat adaptor, the Caboose Too Ultralight is as versatile as parents need to be when caring for more than one stroller-age child. 

Seriously, just look at all the ways you can use this stroller with just a few minor adjustments and no extra seat or accessories to buy.

But, not only is it a parent pick because of all the ways it grows with your kids – throughout the day and throughout the years – it’s also a huge hit with the kiddos.  The first thing the kids said when they saw the stroller assembled was “it’s a stroller train!” {mind you, this was before they knew the name of the stroller and the Caboose reference}. 

Apparently, the fact that it reminded them of a train makes it the coolest stroller, ever.   

At first I was a bit worried neither child would want the back seat when it was in front to back mode because the back seat is harder to get in and out, doesn’t have a snack tray, and has less visibility.  But, it turns out, they both prefer that seat.  They both call dibs on the back seat or “caboose” of the stroller like one would call shotgun, and they don't honor "spot back" should the seat be vacated for more than a moment. 

But, no matter what seat they are sitting in, both kiddos adore this stroller.  So much so that when we went on a recent family vacation, the first thing they made sure I packed was the "choo choo stroller" before we left the house.  Not games, not snacks, not their special toys or blankets - they didn't want to leave until they made sure I was bringing their beloved stroller on vacation with us.  Which, of course, I was. 

During the last few weeks that we've been testing out the stroller we have taken it on two vacations and numerous mini-road trips to two different islands, to the windy Washington coast, to the local tulip festival, to the mall... twice, and around town nearly every single day.  It has seen dirt, rain, mud, sand, and it has seen the inside of a shark's mouth {above}.

While the Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight is lighter than other double strollers, it's not exactly a lightweight.  Obviously, this deluxe stroller can't be compared in size and weight to a bare bones umbrella stroller that has no bells and whistles. With a long list of comfort and safety features and multiple ways to roll, it's not surprising that it weighs more than basic stroller, but what is surprising is that even with all these features, it still only tops out at 23lbs when empty.

Of course, you can remove the back seat, the snack tray, the hood, and the handle organizer to get rid of a few more pounds, but those are some of my favorite features of the stroller, and what makes it all-day practical.  Even loaded up with all of our vacation gear, souvenirs, changes of clothing, and more, the stroller still handled like a dream and the kiddos were even able to recline in their seats when they got exhausted mid-afternoon.   

While hubby had no problem carrying it down a long flight of stairs empty while visiting the islands, I probably wouldn't have managed on my own and would have just as soon walked around instead of taking the stairs, or would have at least folded it up first. 

For a stroller with all these bells and whistles, it's pretty impressive that anyone is able to lift it, let alone down a flight of stairs.  And, the best part is that when folded, it's actually really easy to manuever and carry with you, or wheel along with you by the handle.  For this reason, it's definitely going to be the stroller we take this summer on our cross-country plane and train adventure when every pound will count but we won't want to sacrifice all-day comfort. 

Specs:
Stroller Weight: 23 lbs. / 10.43 kg.
Stroller Dimensions Folded: 10.5” H x 21.5” W x 43” D
Stroller Dimensions Assembled: 41.5” H x 21.5” W x 38” D
Rear Seat - Age - Max Weight - Max Height: 6 months+ - 45 lbs. / 20.41 kg. / 44”
Rear Bench Seat/Platform - Age - Max Weight - Max Height: 2.5 years+ - 45 lbs. / 20.41 kg. - 44”
Front Seat - Age - Max Weight - Max Height: 3 months+ - 45 lbs. / 20.41 kg. - 40”
Car Seat System - Age: Birth+

More specifically, the Joovy Caboose Too will be the stroller of choice whenever space and portability is an issue.  Whereas other double strollers just barely fit into my bare trunk, I have so much space around the Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight that I don't even know what to do with it all.  I'm ridiculously excited just thinking about all the things I can put in my trunk without having to remove the stroller completely, which will make it the perfect go-anywhere choice.  Whether we're going grocery shopping, to pick up stuff for our garden, or on a family vacation, all that extra space is going to very well appreciated.

To buy: you can buy the awesome Joovy Caboose Too Ultralight for $299 right on the Joovy website as well as check out all their other gear to take you from newborn to grade school.

A big thank you to Joovy for sending the Caboose Too Ultralight to facilitate this review and make us ultra-portable this spring and summer.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Coordinating sibling clothes for everyday from Gymboree

I’m not a fan of sibling full-on matching outfits, unless there’s a special occasion or the kiddos specifically request it.  But, since I constantly have my camera out, I do love my kids to wear coordinating outfits most days so they don’t clash with each.  Crazy, I know.   

For this reason, I’m a huge fan of Gymboree’s mix and match collections that come out each season.  I love visiting one of the many Gymboree stores near me and grabbing a few things from the boys’ side, a few things from the girls’ side, and then adding in some basics for a wardrobe that makes it easy to keep them coordinated… but not matchy matchy. 

So, of course I said yes when they offered a gift card so I could do a little spring and summer shopping for the kidlets.  And, I *might* have gone a little crazy and went way over my gift card just because I love their clothes so much.  Oh, and their hats, and their shoes, and their purses...

Of course, Gymboree also has some great matching outfits in boys and girls, toddler and baby that I love for professional portraits and holidays.  But for everyday outfits, I love to keep the kids in the same general color scheme or color accents for when I’m taking pictures without worrying that everyone matches perfectly.

Because you never know when a moment like this will happen.

Or this.

Or this.

Or, even if I just want to blow up a few pictures of the spring and summer and want one coordinating color throughout the pieces, Gymboree mix and match is perfect.  By weaving some of the new orange and navy collection into multiple outfits or sporting the pastels all through summer, I’m going to have a file full of pictures to choose from come fall that would look great as a picture wall or picture book.   

And, I already know a few of the pieces we picked up this spring at Gymboree are bound to be favorites, like the blue striped shorts that just so happen to match a favorite baby doll’s outfit, the white button up shirt just like daddy, the pink flower purse perfect for girl necessities, Breezy Blossom dress that gets worn as soon as it comes out of the dryer, the Gem Flower white sandals that go with everything, and the orange headband that gets compliments whenever we leave the house.

It’s this reason that I love how well their clothing holds up to all kids can dish out – through multiple seasons and through multiple kids.  Our family passes around Gymboree clothing and they go through all the nieces and nephews, so I love when I see my younger nieces getting compliments on the dress or shirt that my daughter adored. 

It certainly makes it easy to justify a $100+ purchase knowing that it will clothe over 6 kids, and the bonus is that it also doesn't make it so sad when they grow out of the clothes so quick.  Note: Sorry, cousins, we're not going to be passing down this headband, though.  I think that's something that's going to grow with us for a while!  What's your favorite item in the new spring lines?  Do you love them as much as my kiddos do?

A big thank you to Gymboree for sending a gift card so we could check out the new spring collections. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

#SeattleBaby Blogger Event at Northgate Mall

Were you following along on Twitter and Facebook a few weeks ago as I hosted the #SeattleBaby shower for new and expecting mom bloggers in the Seattle area?  I was so grateful so many local bloggers turned out at the event to welcome all the new little babies and thrilled that so many of you helped tweet and retweet during the party. 

Kerri from The Maven of Social Media {picture snapped by Cristi from Motherhood Unadorned} was my guest of honor and she went home with some really cool new gadgets and gifts just in time to welcome baby #3.  She got a Summer Infant Baby Touch 2 monitor that I’m super jealous of, a Britax Chaperone car seat, a Blue Celery organic baby carrier, an Philips Avent breast pump, a custom gold and silver mama’s necklace, and a tote full of items I picked up during my #SeattleBaby shopping spree at the Northgate Mall to welcome her little one.  

Of course, all the other bloggers couldn’t leave empty-handed, so they went home with swag galore as well.  And, by swag I mean armloads full of stuff that required multiple trips to the car.  Pictured below are only some of the bloggers and a portion of the swag.  True story.

A big thank you is in order for all the awesome baby companies who sent stuff for the event and helped me fill up swag bags and offered prizes.  Thanks to them and what Kerri and I like to call our “swag store”, we were able to put together 22 prizes for guests that included a Beaba bib’espresso, a Maclaren stroller {with accessories!}, Munchkin diaper pails, wooden HABA rattles, Bumkins bibs, baby and mama sets from Granola’s Natural Market in Mill Creek, Gymboree prize packs, Infantino toys and diaper clutch, Summer Infant diaper bag and accessories, Zutano gift sets, Goodness Knows snack squares, and many more.

But, a special thank you goes out to Northgate Mall in Seattle, WA.  What many of you following along on Twitter didn’t know about the event is that up until a few days before the 26th, we didn’t have a venue.  Well, technically we did, but when we found out it was going to completely deplete my bank account with catering and whatnot, I realized it wasn’t really a viable option… and thus we were venue-less not even a week before the event.

After I had a mini stress/freak out, I sent an email to the place where I always go when I’m stressed… the mall.  Specifically, I was seeing if the Northgate Mall would allow 10 Seattle bloggers to take up residence in their North wing by the children’s play area.  As it turns out, it was an awesome place for the party because it was a nice central location for all the bloggers who were coming from different directions and it had everything we needed to make it a great party – a comfortable place to sit and chat, eat, and tweet!

To show my thanks to the Simon mall, I went on a baby shopping spree for Kerri and found some really wonderful Gymboree and Crazy 8 onesies, hats, and socks {that didn’t say Daddy’s Little Slugger}, Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag clips from Nordstrom, some ABC cards from Papyrus, a handprint kit from Hallmark, and some Robeez shoes from Macy’s.

Kerri and I are hoping to make the #SeattleBaby a yearly thing, so if you’re in the area and would like to get involved, feel free to send me an email.  Also, if you’re a company who would like to make sure Seattle bloggers are talking about you, we’d love to hear from you and invite you to contact either Kerri or I for more details!

Save money with SIMPLY RIGHT Baby Care items {Free Sample Link}

Besides being asked what my favorite product is I’ve ever reviewed, I get asked one thing over and over again by readers.  That question is what my favorite money-saving tips are for families.  And, no matter how many times I get asked it, it still somewhat surprises me.

While I’m a couponer at heart and do my best to save money wherever I can, I’m far from an expert on frugal living.  But while there’s thousands of blogs devoted to just that, I think I speak to a more middle of the road reader – someone who doesn’t have time to clip millions of coupons a year or stockpile lotions for the next three decades.  You know, someone without 40 hours a week to spend on saving money.

As for me, my advice is simple.  Bring a calculator with you while shopping and know what the stuff you use costs.  Don’t be fooled by “sales” that merely mark items down to what they cost elsewhere, and do clip the coupons for the stuff you’re going to buy anyway.  

That being said, I always warn new moms that baby stuff is notoriously confusing in that diapers and wipes have no standard quantity per box/bag/container.  To make matters worse, the labels I normally rely on to give me an actual unit cost like they would on, say, packages of single-serve items are blank in the diaper section.  So, even with coupons, I would often stand there looking at wipes and diapers for far too long wondering what exactly the best deal was.

It was only after writing down all the prices I was finding in retail as well as the coupons I was able to collect that I began to get a much better picture of what a good cost per diaper or wipe was.  Once I had that number, I checked my local Sam’s Club compared their prices against the other “sales” or “deals”.  What I loved right away was that the price per diaper was clearly spelled out, making it easy to compare apples to apples, or apples to oranges, whatever the case may be.   

Once I compared these numbers I realized quickly that even sale diapers and wipes at grocery stores or baby stores are very overpriced.  Depending on what size I checked, sometimes I was looking at a 5 cent markup that Sam's Club didn't have!

When considering warehouse shopping you need to keep in mind that all the rules about how they are not cost effection for a small family do not hold true with diapers and wipes – trust me, you WILL go through the stuff!  One look at this adorable little guy and it's easy to fantasize that he's going to be potty trained by 18 months, but we all know how that goes.  He's likely got years of diapers ahead and saving money on diapers and wipes is going to be a huge savings in the long run. 

The SIMPLY RIGHT Baby Care line was created for parents like us who want a premium wipe and diaper brand without paying a huge amount each month.  In fact, Sam's Club has calculated that members could save an average of $392 a YEAR, per child in diapers and wipes by switching to the SIMPLY RIGHT brand.  That's a whole lot of extra money to stash away for a rainy day!

And, no, these aren't the awful super-thin and paper-stiff diapers you find in most stores under their own brand name.  Simply Right diapers look and feel just like the premium brands with stretchy side panels and waist band, which they call their 3-Point Soft Stretch System.  This means they fit really well and hold leaks in better, which is more than I can say for other store brand diapers. 

Their baby wipes are also some of my favorites as well with a triple thickness and strong yet soft quilted texture.  But, my favorite part is that they are hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and are formulated for delicate skin. Just look at the difference between the SIMPLY RIGHT wipes {right} compared to another store brand {left}.  Which would you rather use on your baby?

They certainly don't sound like they would cost almost $400 per year less than the premium brands, do they?  What are some fun things you would do with $392 in savings?
 
For a FREE sample of SIMPLY RIGHT diapers or wipes, visit http://simplyrightbabycare.com/sample.html today!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of SIMPLY RIGHT™ Baby Care Products.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

We Love the Kiddy Platter by Smarty Parents

When you’re talking gear for young children, all parents want the same thing: quality products that truly last.  Well, four years ago we reviewed something called a Piggy Platter here on the site and to this day it’s still one of our most frequently used items in our home.  Four years, people – that’s a whole lot of use! 

And, in the past four years we have used the Piggy Platter nearly every single day, and sometimes we use it numerous times each day for mealtime, craft time, and play time.  This isn’t to say we haven’t tried other similar products.  In fact, we’ve been given numerous other tray and table attachments throughout the years to try out.  But we always return to the trusty tray from Smarty Parents and end up donating the other brands. 

So, when Smarty Parents contacted us and let us know they had created a new and improved Kiddy Platter, you can bet we said yes.  With our little guy more and more interested in coming to the table, it was actually perfect timing as we needed a new tray in the next few months.  

Like the Piggy Platter, the Kiddy Platter is a dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and PVC-free rectangular 16" wide x 12" deep tray.  It has a raised edge on the top for handling small spills and for corralling crayons and pens and keeping messes contained.  Along the front of the Kiddy Platter tray is a 2” rubber spill guard made of pliable silicone to help bridge the gap between table and mouth.  To hold it all in place on the table is a sticky, anti-slip rubber gasket under the rim of the Platter that grips tabletops, counters, and even works well on tablecloths.

But, the Kiddy Platter has a few improvements in addition to the name change that make us love it even more.  The first thing they did away with was the small circle on the top of the tray that was on the old version, which I was thrilled about because it was easy for little ones to set things on there that would tip.  The other major improvement is that the tray is now two-sided and instead of having a specific top or bottom, the entire rim on both sides of the tray are now anti-slip and can go against the table.

My favorite improvement is with the detachable spill guard.  Instead of attaching to the underside of the tray {which was the only negative thing we had to say about the design back in 2009}, they designed a whole new spill guard that slips right over the bottom of the tray so it holds more securely.  Since it’s easier to remove and then replace, it also makes it easier to fit in the dishwasher. 

And, I really, really love it when “dishwasher safe” items actually fit in my standard dishwasher without taking up the whole rack sitting diagonally or blocking the spinning arms.  I appreciate that the Kiddy Platter fits nicely on any one of the 4 sides of the bottom rack with room to spare and still leaves room for a full load of dishes. 

This is good that it’s so easy to clean because in addition to using the Kiddy Platter for meals, we find all sorts of ways to make use of a dishwasher safe tray, including messy arts and crafts, Play-Doh, and school work.  And, speaking of multi-purpose, as much as we use the Kiddy Platter for snack, crafts and learning, we even use it for food prep.  Since it is dishwasher safe, it’s perfect for using as a big sanitary surface for decorating cookie and cakes as well as assembling sandwiches and meals. 


We also love that even the packaging is multi-purpose.  Smarty Parents cleverly included a cut-out alphabet learning insert as part of the packaging that fits right under the tray to transform it into a learning mat to trace your letters on, which is something my daughter loves as she’s just at the stage where she’s learning what letters make what sounds. 

When she’s mastered her letters, we can simply use the insert as a place for her to put pictures, stickers, and drawings under to customize her spot at the table.  Like before with the Piggy Platter, the insert simply rests under the tray and is not encased inside, which makes it easy to customize however you want without worry and alleviates the need to disassemble the tray for cleaning. 

Kiddy Platters are clear but they have colorful edges so you can give each kid their own color or you can coordinate with your décor.  I was initially disappointed they discontinued the white colored tray, as it matched best with our dining room, but we are happy with the green.  It ended up blending into the tablecloth and I barely even notice it anymore.  

The Kiddy Platter comes in four colors {above} and retails for $29.95 from the Smarty Parents site.  They even have a bulk discount for 6+ trays, which is perfect for daycares and preschool uses.  I know my daughter's co-op would love something like this!

Whether you are looking for a placemat, a craftmat, or a tray to protect your table and countertops, the Kiddy Platter is the way to go.  It works on any surface, it’s easy to clean, and it holds up to thousands of washes, scribbles, and spills.  With so many uses, you will never need to put it away!
A big thank you to Smarty Parents who sent their Kiddy Platter for review purposes.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Walgreens 24/7 Pharmacy Chat and Mobile App to Keep Your Family Happy and Healthy

My kiddos never fall ill in the morning, mid-day, or even in the afternoon when I could pop them in a car and head to the pediatrician.  No, if they are going to get sick, it will undoubtedly happen in the middle of the night while the rest of the world is sleeping.  I don’t know about you, but my math and reasoning skills don’t work during the wee hours of the night when I’m struggling with laundry, sick kids, and lack of sleep, which makes these nighttime illnesses all the more annoying. 

Was it 3 tablespoons or 3 teaspoons?  Is it feed a cold, starve a fever?  And, at what point is it a real emergency?  These are the things my husband and I all of a sudden can’t remember and we spend our time digging for that first aid book we got during our childbirth classes in a panic, re-reading medicine labels, and stressing that our little ones need better care than we can provide in our hazy state. 

Next time, though, all we will have to do is snuggle our babies and grab our cell phones to find all the answers we need.  With the new Walgreen’s 24/7 Pharmacy Chat you can talk directly with a pharmacist to get the answers you need - day or night.  You simply register on their site with your Balance Rewards card and you can access things like pharmacy orders and more, and when you're done you can print the transcript so you don't have to remember every little detail.  My 3am self thanks you in advance, Walgreens.


Not only do they have online chat, they also have an app that can help you manage your family’s prescriptions easily.  You can order prescriptions through the app by scanning your old medication, manage doses, schedule reminders and more that will ensure that everyone gets the medicine they need, when they need it.  Do you remember the days when you had to make a trip in to see your doctor to get a slip of paper with your prescription, drive to your pharmacy, and then return home?  Then remember how excited you were when doctor’s offices started faxing orders?  Their auto-fill and express refills via their app are like that, only 10x more exciting and a million times quicker when you’re sick. 

In addition to managing your pharmacy orders, you can also shop via the app, order photos {seriously! From your phone!}, browse their weekly ad, and even find emergency clinics near you.  My husband and I both have this downloaded on our phones {iPhone and Windows} so we can manage our prescriptions, so no matter who ends up doing the wellness run they will have all the information they need.

Last week, my son and I did a quick run to the corner of Happy & Healthy, AKA our local Walgreens.  While the purpose of the trip was to pick up a prescription refill, while we were there I wanted to restock our children’s medicine after our awful bout with the flu late last year, as well as get a new addition to our first aid kit, the EarCheck that my doctor recommended since my son is prone to ear infections. 

We did some shopping for items for my daughter’s snack day at school, got some wellness items to prepare for cold and flu season,  and when we were done, our prescription was there waiting for us at the back counter.  With our items all ready, our coupons clipped, and prescription, we headed to the register to purchase. 

We had a slight glitch with their Balance Rewards program when their till locked up and they weren’t able to select my name off their computer, but they hooked me up with a shiny new Balance Reward card so I don’t have to look it up each time, and we were all set.  If you don’t have one yet, you should!  It’s free to sign up online or in-store and you can earn rewards on the items you buy the most so you can at least save money during your late-night medicine run. And, now is a great time to sign up for the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club because new members get a $15 bonus! 

See our whole shopping trip and #HappyHeathy Wellness Kit here.

I headed home and updated our #HappyHealthy “wellness kit” and admired my amazing preparation skills.  I even reorganized our locking linen closet to make room for our two Crane humidifiers, checked expiration dates on old medicines, and did a general clean sweep to make sure we were stocked and ready. 

Then, because I love new toys, I had to check out the new EarCheck.  My son was nice enough to sit still long enough for me to try it on him and it turns out he loves it.  He kept saying “more scan” and then giggling.  I love that it seems very reliable {even with a low battery warning} as the ear that is prone to infection came back as “monitor” and the other one said “fluid unlikely”.  While I haven’t had a chance to test it out with an actual ear infection {knock on wood}, I feel better prepared for the next round of illness knowing I have it. 

I’m hoping Murphy’s Law doesn't prevail and that being this prepared makes us less likely to fall ill this year.  But even if that doesn’t work out, we now have one place to go when looking for supplies in the middle of the night and professional backup available 24/7 via Walgreen’s pharmacy chat.  And, we also have my secret weapon: cure-all, homemade turkey soup with heart-shaped carrots. 

Connect with Walgreens via Facebook, Twitter, and download iPhone App, or download Android App

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Walgreens #cbias #SocialFabric #HappyHealthy.  All opinions are 100% ours.

My Wonderful Walls: Forest Friends Wall Mural Stencil Kit {Review, Discount & Giveaway}

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was insistent that we finish the nursery before she arrived.  I spent hours moving around furniture, planning the décor, and finally, painting a mural in her room with my sister.  Unfortunately, my daughter arrived over 3 weeks early and we barely had time to get the mural started before my sister had to leave for Spain a few weeks later. 

When she returned from Spain 8 months later, I had a 9 month old and our creative time was very limited, so we never actually fully finished the forest mural we had intended and instead had more of a bare landscape with two large trees.  And, while it was beautiful, it always looked like it wasn’t quite finished. 

I had always pictured forest animals frolicking under the trees, birds soaring through the skies, and cattails swaying in the breeze, and was hoping to one day make that happen.  But, with two little ones under 4, I’m sure you can imagine how much time I have for painting murals, so I was thrilled to find out My Wonderful Walls was going to give me the push I needed to make my finished wall mural a reality. 

With their easy wall mural stencil kits, you can simply stick, paint, and then reuse their self-adhesive stencils over and over again to create beautiful murals quickly and easily.  Since all that’s left in our mural are the details, I knew the My Wonderful Walls was the perfect solution to finishing the room up before my daughter moves out for college in 15 years. 

After perusing all the many stencil kits, I finally decided on the Forest Friends Wall Mural Stencil Kit from My Wonderful Walls.  Not only did it have all the animals and details I had been hoping to add to our mural, it also had many more I hadn’t even thought of, but was excited to add to the room.  Just look at all these adorable animals and more that could make our mural amazing: 

After I chose the perfect stencil kit, I was really thrilled to see that they offered paint options as well so you can order literally everything you need right from the site.  As someone who has done numerous murals before, I always feel like we’re missing vital colors when it’s time to paint, so I love that you can order all the various shades and hues with one easy click and know you have everything you need ahead of time.  After taking a day to decide between the girl colors or the boy colors in my daughter’s room, we finally chose the girl paints and I placed my order.

Once the kit arrived, I couldn’t wait to get started.  The only hangup was that we are currently moving our daughter to her first “real” bed and getting her mattress off the floor, and I didn’t want all my hard work hidden behind the big four poster bed frame we are restoring, so I decided I would start on her opposite wall instead where her smaller tree is located.  Since this area is in between the door and the closet it’s a nice open spot that I know won’t get covered in furniture, so I decided this would be where many of the forest friends lived on her wall so they would be visible.  

I quickly looked over the kit instructions, selected a stencil I loved, and merely stuck it to the wall, paying close attention that all the edges were firmly pressed down so paint wouldn’t sneak underneath.  Since our walls are textured, I was worried the self-adhesive stencils wouldn’t stick that well, but was pleasantly surprised.  Once I was sure it was stuck down good, all that was left was the fun part – painting!

And, that’s where My Wonderful Walls truly thought of everything.  Everyone knows that the character of a painted animal lies almost entirely in the eyes, but in most stencils, you are left filling in all the details blindly, positioning the eyes where you think they look best and then just going for it, but with My Wonderful Walls, they even made this process as simple as possible with their special transfer paper that you merely trace onto your walls so you get the eyes exactly as they were intended.

Once you get all the details exactly as you want, you simply lift off the stencil and then you can reuse that again and again around the room, helping to make quick work of any mural.  And, again, as someone who paints murals for others, I really appreciate how much time and energy this saved me as I didn’t have to dream up each character in her forest and then research pictures online, draw it out on the wall, and then start painting – it was just as simple as sticking the adhesive and painting. 

In just a few short hours, we went from bland to magical and I had forest friends hiding around the base of our tree and playing in the meadows around the door.  Side note: this set actually comes with a tree so even if you have zero artistic ability, you can still create an amazing mural that you can be proud of.  Since I was using an existing tree and shelving system, I only needed a few animals and accessories to make it look complete, but I could have easily gone crazy and done the whole kit and it would have looked adorable.

Worried that you don’t even have enough artistic ability for stenciling or decorating a room that you can’t paint?  You will be happy to know that My Wonderful Walls has a whole line of self-adhesive vinyl wall decals you can merely peel and stick around your room.   

Whether you’re decorating a nursery or simply sprucing up a bedroom or playroom with a little color, My Wonderful Walls is the place to go for quality wall decals, stencils and wall art. You can shop by category or theme and there are great tips and videos on how to use the decals and stencil kits. When you're ready to buy, remember to use the code NGJ713 at check out for 15% off your order! 

And, a lucky Noise Girls fan will have a chance to win one of four room packages valued at up to $169.99 each during the My Wonderful Walls Giveaway Event! 



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A big thank you to the Noise Girls and to My Wonderful Walls for sending their Wall Mural Stencil Kit to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Corolle Dolls Make the Holidays Merry

The holidays will always make me think of Corolle dolls.  Some of my first Christmas memories are with Corolle, and now I’m thrilled that I have been able to continue that tradition with my daughter.  From all the nights spent wondering what doll Santa would bring when I was a little girl, to the days spent planning and wrapping leading up to the day my daughter comes running down the stairs to meet her new best friend, Corolle has become one of our greatest holiday traditions.  

Honestly, it would be hard to say which side has been more magical – the tradition of giving or the tradition of receiving Corolle dolls each Christmas.  Racing out to the fireplace with my siblings to catch the first glimpse of our presents from Santa lined up waiting for us to see my new Corolle doll was one of my favorite childhood memories, but giving my daughter that same memory has proven to be more amazing than I had even imagined.

Because of this, I spend half of the year planning how we can out-do last year, which is roughly half as long as my daughter has spent planning.  She’s been carrying the Corolle mini-catalog around in her shiny gold purse since 2010 and whenever she has a moment, I catch her making notes in the booklet beside each doll.  For roughly a thousand hours {only a slight exaggeration} over the last few months, she has been hard at work making a list the best way she knows how – by marking the dolls she’d love to play with in the booklet. 

Do not be concerned by the large "X" on the face of all the dolls, that's how she chose to mark the catalog. Luckily, she clarified by also writing the word "love".

I bet you wouldn’t be surprised to know that every single item except the boyish baby rattles was marked with her chicken scratch only she can read.  So, what is a mom to do?  Well, this year, I’ve gone all out.  Because I know how happy my daughter is going to be when she spies what we’ve got waiting for her by the fireplace, all I can think about is Christmas morning. 
I have no doubt that my daughter is going to be over the moon excited about the two dolls waiting to greet her this year.  Wait, TWO dolls? 

Yes, two dolls.  These two dolls, specifically:

While some children like trains and others like ponies, my daughter prefers dolls over anything else.  Wowing her at Christmas is really as simple as choosing a special doll and this year we couldn’t decide which would wow more, so we got them both.  They are both very different types of dolls and although they both carry the Corolle name, they bring about a very different type of play. 

When deciding on whether we would go with a baby doll or a big-girl doll, we couldn’t make up our minds.  On one hand, she loves babies and is very into taking care of them, snuggling them, singing to them, and playing house.  But, on the other hand, this past year she has started to really play act with dolls where she creates elaborate scenarios and dialogues and we thought she was ready for the next step with Corolle.

The Les Cheries Camille is that next step and the perfect introduction to dolls with hair and small accessories.  At 13” tall, Camille is petite and the perfect size for playing with us at home where we can create a miniature world for her but she’s also great for taking on trips or over to Grandma’s to play.     

Like everything Corolle, the Les Cheries dolls are simply adorable.  With long silky hair, beautiful features, and stylish accessories to delight any girl, the Les Cheries are perfect for playing and displaying.  I love each and every Les Cheries doll and know we will eventually get some friends for Camille, so I love that Corolle makes so many adorable outfits that you can mix and match with any Les Cheries doll.

And, because I intend to expand on her collection, I also like the prices on the Les Cheries.  Similar dolls cost twice as much {or more} and aren’t even of the same quality, so I love that the Les Cheries are all very affordable, ranging from $39.99 on up.  Of course, they all still have the same vanilla scent we love and the quality we expect from Corolle, but are perfect for the little girl who has grown up Corolle and is looking for the next addition to her Corolle collection.     

The Bebe Charmeur was the second doll we chose and is a classic baby doll like every little child should have.  Bigger than the Calin dolls that my daughter {and son} adore, the 14" Bebe Charmeur is the perfect snuggle partner but still an ideal size for carrying in the Corolle sling or bassinet to take with you.  As much as the Bebe Charmeur is for our daughter, she is also for our son as the two share most of their baby dolls and take turns playing together and separately. 

The Bebe Charmeur isn’t just a pretty doll, this is a classically beautiful doll that never goes out of style.  With an adorable silver star pajama set complete with a hat, sweater, bib and bottle, Bebe Charmeur is perfect for your little mommy {or, in the case of my son, my little daddy}. 

It's begining to look a lot like a Corolle Christmas.  Knowing how excited my children get to see their babies waiting for them every day of the year, I can't wait to introduce them to their newest Corolle best friends.  Just thinking of the magical Corolle Christmas we have planned makes me long for the days to speed by so we can rush to the fireplace together and meet the new babies.

Here's just some of our many {many} Corolle moments of the past year.  I can't wait to add the Corolle Bebe Charmeur and Les Cheries to our doll-loving home!

No matter what age or stage, Corolle has a doll that would be perfect for gifting this holiday season.  Whether you have a little snuggler, a little beautician, a little mommy, or a child who likes to play act with dolls, Corolle has your answer.  Check out their entire line at the Corolle site or visit their display at a retailer near you.
A big thank you to Corolle for sending the Bebe Charmeur and Les Cheries for review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

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Save A Bundle Gift Pack {Review & Giveaway}

When I talk with moms with grown kids, the number one thing I hear is that there’s so much stuff for kids now.  Instead of one baby carrier and only a handful of companies making baby stuff these days, the market is literally flooded with new items every year.  While some of the new products are amazing, some superfluous, and some a minor improvement to what our parents had, I love the fact that we now have so many choices to fit any need and any budget.

This was especially true for me when shopping for the basics that kids go through so fast – from diapers to wipes to formula.  Even though I breastfed both of my kids, there were times that I needed to supplement with formula and when I did, I was very happy to have so many formula choices available to me.  Gone are the days of having one or two varieties available at most retailers, now there is a plethora of choices available to suit your baby.  I was lucky that both kids would take any formula I offered, so for me, the biggest factor in my purchasing decision came down to cost, which meant I bought mostly store-brand formulas.

Since store brand formula is as nutritionally complete as national brands, yet costs 50% less, the choice for me was easy.  Perrigo Nutritionals store brand formulas from stores such as Walmart and Target meet or exceed FDA standards and simply provide a lower cost alternative to the big formula brands.  Whereas with the bigger brands you are paying extra for the name and their advertising budgets, with store brands you can find a lower cost solution even without coupons. 

When Perrigo Nutritionals offered to send my little nephew a baby savings gift pack, I jumped at the chance.  My sister has had a hard road breastfeeding and has supplemented with formula more and more in the recent months as her breastmilk has declined and I knew this would be perfect way to try out some of the store brands so we could see how he did with them as compared to the big name formulas.  Just as we hoped, he took to the new formula like a champ without any problems at all.

Doesn't this adorable little guy deserve the very best?  I don't know about you, but I'm smitten.

For all the many {many, many} bottles in my sister’s future, I was happy that the gift pack included a Munchkin baby bottle drying rack, a formula dispenser, and a bottle brush.  With how convenient breastfeeding is with no extra equipment required, this will at least make things easier on her as she transitions to supplementing more as needed.  She especially loves the drying rack as it makes keeping the counters clear and there finally is a place for everything. 

But, my favorite thing included in the gift pack was a copy of Sandra Gordon’s new book, Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear.  In the past few years I’ve become the money saving guru in my family and have been teaching my sister as we go how to save on stuff for her baby.  The book offers some great advice on what baby products you should save on, and what you should splurge on that you will use for years and is the perfect shopping companion for her for the next few years.

Speaking of savings, now you can save even more by signing up for baby formula coupons from StoreBrandFormula.com.  While you’re there, you should enter to win the awesome new Origami Strollers from 4moms, the world’s first power-folding, self-charging stroller.  We reviewed the mamaRoo from 4moms when my son was first born and it was one of my all-time favorite baby products. They also have a weekly prize of two cases of baby formula, so there's no reason not to head over and enter today!

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win a Save a Bundle Prize Pack that includes:

• One can of Parent’s Choice Premium
• One can of Up & Up Advantage
• One copy of Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear
• Baby bottle drying rack
• Formula dispenser
• Bottle brush

To Enter: comment below with what you would do with the bundle you'd save switching to store brand formula

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about the Store Brand Formula giveaway {bit.ly/YHMuTH} and tag Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry - Enter the Baby Formula Sweepstakes

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Follow StrBrandFormula on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Like Store Brand Formula on Facebook

2 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On December 17th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

Winner, winner! This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:  #19 Danielle N said... I would use the money to put a down payment on a house. Renting stinks!

The Perrigo Nutritionals product, information, and two gift packs have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.