Zazzle Review!

*Note to readers: my blogger account seems to be acting up, I will try to figure out why and post pics of everything asap!*

I'm a huge fan of creative and personalized shirts, bags, magnets, and pretty much everything else you could think of. That's one of the reasons I LOVE Zazzle. This is the perfect place to find a gift for anyone on your list, not only during the holidays, but all year round. You can choose to create your own one-of-a-kind item or choose from thousands of already designed products. If you try your hand at creating and find you really like it, you can even sell your creations! Click here to learn more about selling through Zazzle.

I had the fun chance to review more items again this year from Zazzle, and I was just as impressed as always. I had been on the lookout for a long time for big and little sister shirts for Izzy and the baby to wear, but hadn't had any luck in finding them. Good thing I checked Zazzle because they had exactly what I was looking for! When we celebrate the arrival of our newest addition, the girls will get to wear adorable matching shirts. If you are on the lookout for similar shirts, click here to check them out!

No matter what you are looking for, Zazzle is sure to have some great possibilities. Two of their newest products are the iPhone and iPad cases, which are so completely amazing that it makes me so jealous of people who have them! I want an iPhone or iPad just so I can use the cases, haha! Another product that I really like is their personalized calendar, it would make a great gift for grandparents, with all the pictures of their adorable grandkids! And when all else fails, gift certificates to Zazzle do just the trick! No matter what the occasion, Zazzle is the perfect place to find whatever it is that you need!

Think Geek Review and Giveaway!

Many of you may remember the Think Geek review and giveaway I did last fall, and guess what, we're doing another one this year! For those of you who may not have ever heard of Think Geek, you have seriously been missing out! This company has seriously become one of my hubby's favorite places to get gifts from, and whenever anyone asks him for gift ideas, he directs them to their website. They feature products that are sure to be a hit for anyone on your list who is passionate about technology, and this site isn't just for computer programmers or video game lovers! The fun, creative products range from clothing, home and office items, books, electronics, childrens toys, and much more!

My hubby had the pleasure of helping me review a bunch of great new products from Think Geek, and boy did we have fun! The first item we reviewed was the Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt ($29.99), which has got to be one of the most fun products you could ever give this holiday season! You can literally play the electric guitar on the shirt, and it plays all the major chords. It is battery powered and can even be washed in the washing machine. This shirt is a MUST for the person on your list who plays guitar, or is a fan of Guitar Hero or Rockband video games. It even comes in child sizes!

We also got to review the Coffee Cup Power Inverter ($29.99), which is something everyone should own! Not only does this product offer you the chance to charge your phone or other gadgets without a car charger, it also would come in handy in case of any emergency situation. You can plug in 2 things to the AC plugs, and there is also a USB port! My favorite way to use this handy device that fits into any standard cup holder is my heating pad during long car rides! This is a great gift for the person who you have no idea what to get, but also the perfect item for yourself.

Another item we were able to review was the Portable Photo Studio ($49.99). I think this was our favorite product, because my husband has his bachelor's degree in studio art, so of course he loves photography. The studio comes with a photo lightbox, 2 table-top photo lights, a mini tripod, and a zippered carrying case. This product is a great gift idea for anyone who sells things on eBay, etsy, or any other website. The portability is also a great feature, and would also be a great gift for any photography student in your life.

This next item is seriously cool. The Universal Gadget Wrist Charger ($34.99) is the perfect gift idea for any busy person on the go. I love this item because if you are anything like me, sometimes you get so busy you forget to charge the important gadgets you use regularly. It seems like everytime I want to use my iPod, it's never charged enough. Well, with this battery-powered gadget, the problem is solved! It even comes with any necessary adaptors to charge whatever item you need to. If you have a little or not so little guy who loves his Nintendo DS, this would be the perfect thing to help him extend the life of his game system.

I am completely in love with the next item I get to tell you about. The Staple Free Stapler ($5.99) is a great product, and it uses no staples whatsoever, which means you don't have to worry about little hands getting hurt if they accidentally get a hold of it! My daughter and I had a lot of fun making paper chains with it, and she loved getting to use the "stapler". I loved that I didn't have to worry about her getting hurt with it. If you have this product, you also never have to worry about running out of staples!

The last item we got to try out was the Tiny USB Car Power Adaptor ($7.99). This handy gadget plugs right in to your cigarette lighter and is super handy for those days when you run out the door but forget to charge your other gadgets before leaving. This makes the perfect stocking stuffer for pretty much anyone, and while you're at it, get one for yourself as well!

So, have you fallen in love with Think Geek yet? One of you lucky readers is going to be extra in love because the team at Think Geek has generously offered one of you a $100 gift certificate!

Mandatory Entry (please leave me your email address in this entry): Leave me a comment telling me which Think Geek item you want the most!

Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment with each entry):
2 Entries- Become a Follower of The Mommy Homemaker
1 Entry- Become an email subscriber of The Mommy Homemaker
2 Entries- Grab my new button and let me know where to find it
1 Entry per day for following me on twitter
1 Entry for every person you tell about this giveaway
1 Entry per day for linking your facebook status to this giveaway

This giveaway will end on January 3, 2011 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

What Doesn't Kill You...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger... well, at least I really hope so! The past few weeks have been nuts! There I was thinking I would get a bit of break once my finals were over, but boy was I wrong! On top of the pre-term labor issues we've been having, we had to rush IzzyBug to the children's hospital last week. The normally 2-hour drive ended up taking over 4!

The morning started out fine, we left at 5:30 am, were making good time, and decided to stop for breakfast. When we got back on the road, not only had the weather decided to go nuts out of no where, we had a flat tire. My dad went with us since my husband couldn't leave work that day, so thank God I wasn't alone! My dad changed the tire and we got back on the road. Traffic was moving extremely slow, and cars were off the road everywhere we looked. By the time we got near the hospital we were already extremely late, and the directions we had been given were completely wrong. But, after arriving over 2 hours late, they decided to still see us (I think the huge prego belly helped our case!). We saw a dermatologist, who thinks that Izzy is most likely having an extreme reaction to the ingredients in anti-bacterial soaps, lotions, etc. So, we have to try new ointments, new medications, and start using all new soaps, and hopefully she will get better. If not, we will have to travel again for her to have patch testing. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE say a prayer if you don't mind, that she gets better and doesn't have to go through that. We will just have to play things by ear, hope I don't go into labor early, and wait to see if the course of treatment helps her. The poor thing has been through it all in terms of health issues, so I hope she gets better soon!

Now, onto bloggy type things. Stay tuned tonight, because I will finally be getting caught up on all of the last minute holiday gift ideas that I have for you!

Wow...

Wow... has it been a crazy week or two. Sorry to just drop off the face of the earth last week! As it turns out, I have been having some pre-term labor symptoms, including contractions, so it was bit crazy last week. I'm only 29 weeks, so it is WAY too soon for baby to arrive! On top of that, this week is finals week at school, and I'm pretty sure the stress of that is what egged on the contractions. As of last night at midnight, my papers have been submitted and all I have left is a final exam. I've been going on about 3 or 4 hours of sleep per night (I know, really not good with the contractions and baby stuff!), and not able to drink the coffee that I'm used to at this time of the school year. Please rest assured I will be back up and running by the weekend, because I will be a free woman! And if you are the praying type, I would be SO appreciative of any prayers you could send my way, as we're hoping we can keep baby in the oven cooking for a little longer before she tries to enter the world! Have a great week guys!

We're home!

Hey everybody, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We were out of town for almost a week and I didn't quite have the internet access I thought I would have. I'm going to get some unpacking done and then will be back tomorrow for the fun Mary Kay giveaway post!

And now a guest post!

Hi! I'm Marina's younger sister Andrea. I'm a college student and one my biggest passions is fashion and the whole beauty world. Since college life doesn't exactly give me the freedom to spend unlimited amounts of money, I try to find simple, easy, and cheaper way to still look fantastic. Marina wanted me to share some tips with you on how to not break the bank when it comes to looking your best.

One of the greatest tools I've found for saving money is online shopping. That might be a bit unexpected with shipping and everything but you can find some great deals on awesome stuff. First off, NEVER buy anything online without searching for coupon codes. You know those annoying little emails that every store seems to send out about 50 times a week? Well people post the codes online so with a little use of Google, you can generally find 10-20% off codes or even free shipping! It's a great tool that not everyone knows about, so before you make that order, make sure you look for some codes. Also make sure you browse online stores frequently, especially the sale section. Most of the time, the good deals go fast.

One of my favorite ways to be fashionable on a smaller budget is with the website Hautelook.com. They have 48 hour sales on all types of clothing for the whole family, beauty products, things for the home and more. Most of the items are anywhere from 20-75% off! The trick is to check it daily because the best sales go fast. Here's a link where you can sign up for the site if you'd like to check it out.

Another great tool that I've discovered is the beauty and fashion community on YouTube. There are tons of beauty gurus that frequently post videos on all kinds of beauty and fashion topics. You can learn a lot too from them, like a certain way to curl your hair or apply makeup. It's great because it's free and there's a lot of knowledge to be learned. I've even stopped buying fashion and beauty magazines because it's so much easier to learn from a video instead of reading an article. My favorite makeup artist to watch is Lisa Eldridge. She does the covers of Vogue, Glamour, etc. and has some really great tips on doing your makeup. Here's a link to her YouTube channel.
Overall, you don't have to spend money on looking great. You just have to be wise about how you spend it. There's a lot of great information and savings out there, you just have to know where to find it. I try to share these tricks I discover with everyone on my blog, so come check me out!

www.prettyandpenniless.blogspot.com


Have a fantastic Thanksgiving and Holiday season!
Andrea :)

You're making me blush!

Today's "Fall into Beauty" post is again brought to you by Mary Kay! I had the chance to review one of the Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Colors (basically the same idea as the mineral eye colors, but as a cheek color) and like the other mineral products, I really love the cheek colors. They also snap into place in the Mary Kay Compact. One thing I've grown to love about the mineral cheek colors is that you can make them as subtle or as bold as you'd like. I personally prefer a more subtle look when it comes to blushes and bronzers, so it's nice that I can easily control my look by using more or less of the mineral color.

The mineral cheek colors retail for $10 and there are many different shades to choose from, making it easy to find something that compliments your skin tone. I also want to point out that if you go to the Mary Kay website there is a fun section called "Beauty on a Budget" where you can browse through 90 different products that retail for $10 or less! Especially in our rough economy, and as penny-pinching mommies, that is something that is very important to us. You will also find some great gift and stocking stuffer ideas for the Holidays as well! See you for tomorrow's "Fall into Beauty" post!

Eeek!

Tonight's "Fall into Beauty" post has been postponed until tomorrow due to the fact that we had a bit of a pregnancy-related scare today! Everything checked out okay and it was a false alarm, but unfortunately I did not quite have the time to finish up today's post amidst the craziness of the day. It will come tomorrow, I promise!

It's all about the eyes!

Ok ladies, today's post is like the title suggests, all about the eyes! My favorite makeup products have always been those for the eyes, so I was very excited when I got to review more of the Mary Kay Mineral Eye Colors!

I have personally been a fan of the mineral eye colors ever since I reviewed them for the first time last fall. For one thing, I can't believe how long the eye color stays put on my eyelids after it's applied. I have tried many eye shadows on the market (that cost more than the Mary Kay ones) that simply do not have the staying power that these do. They also last for a very long time once you start using them, making them a bit more cost effective than other brands that seem to get worn down after only a few applications.

Another aspect that I LOVE LOVE LOVE (did I mention I love them?) is that the color choices are amazing! There are so many colors to choose from, and it really has made me a bit more adventurous in trying new looks. It's really fun to experiment with different color combinations, and there are endless possibilities.

Lastly, my favorite feature of the mineral eye colors is how they work with the Mary Kay Compacts. The mineral eye colors snap right into place and are held in place magnetically, so you don't have to worry about them falling out and breaking. The compact has worked wonders in scaling back the size of my makeup bag, especially when traveling. It's really simple to just pop the colors into place, add some of my other products into it, and throw it in my bag.

Retailing at just $6.50 per eye shadow, these mineral eye colors won't break the bank, and you can add a new one every once in a while to help change up your look. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post to hear about another fun Mary Kay product, and then on Saturday you can look forward to the finale post which will feature the unveiling of the awesome prize package you can win if you enter the giveaway!

The Blessing of Dirty Dishes!

For the last few weeks, our dishwasher has been acting up. Nothing comes out clean, and it's been a bit frustrating. Our new dishwasher is going to take 2-3 weeks to arrive. My first thought was to grumble about hand washing dishes in our tiny sink, but then I realized that it is a blessing to have dirty dishes. Dirty dishes means we have plenty of food to eat, and running water to wash them with, things that many people around the world do not have. I am not disappointed about the dishwasher now. Thank you God for dirty dishes. Having to wash our dishes by hand will give me ample time to thank God for all of the blessings that we have, especially during this time of year. Dirty dishes really are a blessing. What are you thankful for?

CSN stores!

One of my favorite new stores online is CSN. They have anything and everything you could ever desire! Lately, I've especially been interested in their suitcase and luggage selections. We travel a lot, and with the holidays coming up we could definitely use some new luggage to cart all of our gear around in.

My daughter has been begging for her own set of luggage (God only knows what she would try to pack in it... probably her entire room!). This Disney Princess suitcase would be perfect for her, since she loves anything with princesses!

As for my hubby, I know he would LOVE this Samsonite hard shell luggage, because it's extra sturdy, perfect for him to lug around and not have to worry about damaging!

And last but not least, my favorite pick for new luggage for myself would definitely be this luggage set from International Traveller! The bright pink color would make the suitcases super easy to spot in baggage claim at the airport!


No matter what luggage choices you make from CSN in gearing up for the Holiday travel rush, you are sure to find so much of a selection that everyone in your family will be happy!

Hey Mommy, this is what you look like!

So in honor of this week's beauty theme, I thought I'd take a moment to remind all of you (and myself) that we need to be extra mindful about how we talk about beauty and makeup in front of our children, especially our daughters. My daughter is only 3 and she is already obsessed with everything hair and makeup! You'd think that I spend all day in front of the mirror, but truth be told, I'm lucky if I get 5 minutes in front of the mirror in the morning!

The other day my daughter had to get 2 shots in her leg, and she was a bit sore and cranky from them, so when she asked if I would FINALLY let her play with my makeup, I gave in and let her experiment with some of my old makeup products. When she was done applying her makeup, she looked at me and said, "Hey Mommy, this is what you look like"! Judging by the picture, hopefully none of you will believe that I ever leave the house looking like my makeup was applied in the dark, but what she said really struck me. Even though I rarely have time to put a "whole face" on of makeup, she thinks I put tons and tons on, and already at such a young age, my daughter sees the "value" in makeup. It really reminded me that I need to be very careful about how I talk about myself and makeup in front of my daughter, because I would hate to think that she ever got the idea that she is anything but the beautiful makeup-less little girl that she is. I want her to understand to that beauty comes from within, and though makeup is a very fun thing to put on, at the end of the day, it's not what makes us beautiful.

The Sweet Smell of Mommy!

Let's face it, as moms we deal with messes all day long. With the diaper changes, sippy cup spills, spagetti sauce splatters, and laundry disasters, we don't exactly deal with the most delightful things everyday. Sometimes we're lucky if we even get to shower before noon! Moms deserve a special little something to cheer up their days, not that we don't love what we do everyday, but sometimes we forget that we need to take the time to pamper or take care of ourselves along with everyone else.

One easy way that we can perk ourselves up each day is by adding something special to our beauty routine (let's face it, we don't always have the time, so quick and easy things are best). Spritzing yourself with a sweet smelling fragrance is one fast way to cheer yourself up each day, giving you a little bit of added confidence and flair, especially amidst the messes of mommyhood. I had the fun experience of reviewing one of the new fragrances from Mary Kay, and let me tell you, I wish this blog had smell-o-vision or something so you could smell how amazing the new Thinking of You fragrance is! Mary Kay describes the scent by saying, "The message in this bottle is all about relationships and celebrating them with a gift that turns a moment into a memory. This feel-good fruity floriental fragrance also features a keepsake heart charm that can be removed and added to jewelry and unique packaging that allows you to handwrite a note inside."

When the fragrance first arrived, I was very impressed with the chic packaging. It comes sealed up in a pretty little box, all tied up with a bow. The fold out box features a special place where you can write a personalized message to the person receiving it as a gift. I really like the colors of the packaging, the blue and brown design is a nice choice compared to some perfumes that are on the girlier side. The light, breezy scent is so easy to wear, and it isn't overpowering like many other perfumes I've tried. I'm a bit sensitive to some perfumes, I think I'm a little allergic to them sometimes, but this one was perfect everytime I tried it.

The new Thinking of You fragrance is sure to be a hit not only as a gift for yourself, but also a gift for a special friend, mother, grandmother, or anyone else on your holiday shopping list this year. It also works great as a "just because" gift! No matter who you give this gift to this year, they are going to LOVE it.

Check back later in the week to try your hand at winning your own bottle of Thinking of You ! It will be featured in a great prize package with some other amazing products from Mary Kay!

It's "Fall into Beauty" Week!

Special Announcement... It's "Fall into Beauty" week here at TMH! I am so excited to be bringing you all tips, tricks, and some fun reviews and giveaways from Mary Kay! As busy moms, I know it can be difficult to find time to take care of ourselves, especially when it comes to make-up and pampering. That's why I hope you stop by everyday this week to learn all about some new Mary Kay products, some tips and tricks, and a special guest post by my very own sister (and fellow blogger)! She blogs about anything and everything beauty related, and you should definitely check her blog out, it's called Pretty and Penniless! She's a college student, so funds for beauty products and services are limited, which I know that as moms who usually like to pinch pennies, we can appreciate her advice! Check back each day for the next week to see what each new day brings!

Holiday Cards from Shutterfly

I have a confession to make. It snowed about 3 flakes of snow last week, and when I saw those tiny little flakes, out came the Christmas music! I know it's super early to start listening to Christmas music, but it's never too early to start planning your family's Christmas cards!

I am super excited to be ordering our Christmas cards from Shutterfly this year. I've ordered photo prints from them before, and I've always been extremely satisfied, not only with the quality and inexpensive cost, but also with the speedy delivery!

There are so many great choices for you to choose from this year, including Photo cards, Religious cards, and even beautiful Christmas invitation cards!

With so many choices, I'm not sure which one I'll decide on, but I do know that I want something super festive, since Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year! Some of my favorites are the Nativity Blessing card, the Top Ten Moments card, and the Hip and Happy Holiday card!

No matter which holiday card you choose this year, if you choose Shutterfly, it's sure to be a hit!
***Bloggers, click here to learn how you can receive 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly!***

Decisions Decisions

Any mom out there can testify to this: balance is KEY when it comes to your family. If the balance between family, work, activities, etc. is out of balance, everything in your family's life becomes chaotic. This is how I've been feeling lately, and I like to have balance, especially because I'm just a little bit of a perfectionist. I realize that there are certain things in life that I can't control, no matter how much I may want to, and sometimes you just have to let certain things go.

This week I made a difficult decision to withdraw from one of my master's degree classes. It was just too much to go to school for my master's full-time, while taking care of my family, and going through a difficult pregnancy. So, I cut back on classes, freeing up a bit of my time to get back to focusing more on my family. And they LOVE it! I do, too. IzzyBug LOVES having a little more mommy time, and my hubby likes that he can actually have some of my attention now!

I learned the hard way (like I sometimes have to do) that sometimes you have to learn when to say no to something that isn't the best for your family. I'm still working towards my master's, but at a bit slower of a pace. Because when the balance of everything got out of whack, everyone was suffering. So, I'm glad to say, I'm feeling a bit less stressed, and looking forward to blogging more, especially with all the fun stuff I have coming up!

Fun Ideas for Christmas Cards!

It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas cards! Heck, when I was a little kid, I can remember there being summertime Christmas card photo shoots, all courtesy of my holiday-obsessed mother. Now that I'm a mom, I totally get into the fun of planning our yearly photo cards. That's why I am so excited to share a few of my ideas for some fun photo card ideas, which can be made into a reality at PurpleTrail, a fabulous online spot where you can design many different personalized holiday cards! You can also make invitations, announcements, and pretty much anything your creative little heart could ever desire!

I just wanted to give you all some ideas for your holiday photo cards this year. I think sometimes we can get stuck doing the same ol' thing for our cards, and this is unfortunate, because lots of times, a lot of the people we send holiday cards to don't always get to see our families often. That's why it's a good idea to do something fun that really showcases what your family has been up to all year. That way it's way more fun for you to plan and for the people receiving your holiday cards, because they get something that's truly you!

My top 5 ideas for fun and creative personalized holiday photo cards are:
1. Just say no to the matching outfit perfectly posed photo. Be who you are, and if that means showing some silly personalities, do it!
2. Don't do the cliche Christmas tree background, unless you find a way to make it fun and creative.
3. Showcase a favorite family activity, something you all enjoy doing together. If your family loves to ski, do a favorite photo from your ski vacation. Loved your summer vacation to the beach? Use a photo where your family is basking in the warm sun, a nice thought especially during the cold winter months that are coming up!
4. Experiment with different photo touches, black and white images are often the best at really showing your family at its best!
5. Just have fun with it! Don't do anything too posed or serious, and personalize your photo cards in any way you can, be it through a personalized message or a fun graphics to your cards! The possibilities really are endless! Check out the design center to really get your creative juices flowing!

Disclaimer: This post was written as part of PurpleTrail's blog giveaway contest, making me eligible to win a giftcode. Contest details can be found by clicking here.

I love baby kicks!

I've been feeling little flutters and tiny movements for a couple weeks now, as of yesterday, I started feeling the big kicks! It totally brought me back to when I was pregnant with Izzy. I love feeling the kicks, it really reminds me of why I'm so sick, and that it's completely worth it!

On a side note, I'm working on getting some reviews and giveaways ready to post. Do you guys want to see more baby stuff, more toddler stuff, or more home stuff? Maybe a mix of all of that, and more? I do my best to bring you all reviews and giveaways that I feel are relevant to your own lives, so if you have ideas of things you want to see more or less of, please let me know! Who knows... I may just have to count suggestions as extra bonus entries for giveaways!

2 days in a row!!!

Yay! I'm posting 2 days in a row, which is a start back onto the path of regular blogging! So, I've got a couple questions for you guys, if anyone is still even out there after I disappeared for so long! Have any of you guys ever used the WonderWash portable washing machine? I ordered one from Amazon.com with some accumulated swagbucks, and it's due to arrive in the next week or so. The biggest reason I ordered it was so that I have a way to wash things between trips to the laundromat. I also thought that depending on how good it works, maybe we can cloth diaper the new baby, and wash the diapers with it. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but I'd really LOVE to cloth diaper this baby, which I know is only possible if I have a realistic way of washing them. Any thoughts? I'm completely open to suggestions!

Since we last talked...

Wow, do we have some catching up to do or what!? I can't believe it's already October... and that I've been away from this blog for way too long! I've missed interacting with everybody, and especially missed my little mommy-getaway that is this blog! Not only do I have LOTS of reviews and giveaways to post, I have lots of news to post as well!

Since the last time I updated, my pregnancy has progressed quite a lot! I'm now officially 20 weeks pregnant... half way there!!! We also found out what our little babybug is... it's a girl!!! We are so excited that IzzyBug will be getting a baby sister come February! I'll have to post pics of the ultrasound and all my fun little stories about Izzy in another post later, but for now, I had to make the announcement because I'm SO excited!

Also, I finally got my picc line out of my arm! After 6 weeks of clawing at my arm I was ready to have it taken out. As it turns out, I'm extremly allergic to every medical tape that exists, and since it had to be taped into place, there was no way of getting around the itching, burning, and scratching. I still need the fluids, so I'll most likely just have to have twice weekly fluids through IVs. Oh well, at least the weather is cooling down, which has made me feel a little better! And at the end of the day, no matter how hard pregnancy is, we all know it's worth it! I'm sure I'll forget all of this when I get to see our sweet baby girl's little face!

Anyway, I'm sooooo sorry I've been so scarce the last month and a half, and I PROMISE I won't let it get that bad ever again! I felt so loved when some of you emailed me asking if everything was okay on the homefront. I didn't know if anyone noticed I was gone, but some of you did, and it gave me some encouragement to get back to the blog, no matter how busy life gets! I'm still chugging along with grad school, but between papers and reading, I will definitely be posting more often!

Hope you guys all have a great week! Talk to you soon!!!

Ready for school to start!?

Howdy everyone! Can you believe it's back-to-school time already!? If your kids haven't already started, they are probably starting soon, and we all know what that means... back to the structured and scheduled life again! I am sooo ready for a more set schedule, and starting this year, I will actually have a child in schoool! I can't believe that Izzy starts preschool this year! She is so excited!

Also, what comes with the next few weeks are some great new giveaways for you to win some fun back-to-school stuff! I had to delay getting back to the reviews and giveaways by a few weeks while I finish classwork from my summer classes, but it's all due by Friday, so I think to celebrate I'll be posting some VERY FUN new things this weekend, so come back and check it out!

Time really has flown by!

Wow, I can't believe it's already August! Back-to-school time is just around the corner, Izzy had her half-birthday and is officially closer to being 4 then 3, and I had my 1 year blog anniversary!

In the mean time, I've been working on summer classwork, and growing this baby! We've officially hit the 11 week mark, which means we're about 25% of the way there. I'm definitely looking forward to the fall, not only for some relief from all the heatwaves we've been having, but also because Izzy is so excited to start preschool! She has her Tinkerbell backpack and Hello Kitty lunchbag all ready to go. Every morning when she gets up she comes out of her room with her backback and lunchbag and asks me if her school is open yet. I can't believe my little girl is growing up so fast!

Stay tuned... later this month you will find a baby and toddler event going on right here! I can't wait for you to find out all about the great products I have in store for you!

Little Victories

Life has been a little hectic lately with the pregnancy, school, and just life in general. I always try to find the positives in life, especially when things are extra crazy.

We've hit some big milestones with Izzy in the last few weeks, and for that we are VERY grateful. She is officially wearing big girl panties, so no more pull-ups for us! This has been a long time coming, but she has stayed dry in panties for over 2 weeks now, and is now even wearing them at night! I think the idea of not being the baby of the family anymore might be sinking in a little for her. She is SO excited about becoming a big sister this winter!

Izzy has also FINALLY broken a bad habit of coming into our bed at night. She had started this habit a couple months ago during one of her bad asthma flare ups. When her asthma acts ups she has to have round the clock breathing treatments, and because of having to get up in the middle of the night, and to monitor her breathing, she would end up falling asleep in our bed. After she was better again, she would quietly creep into our room every night... this became a very tiring habit since none of us were sleeping well! However, after much help from my husband, we got Izzy to break the habit and stay in her own bed! It's very nice to have my bed back again, especially with my growing belly!

So, no matter what is going on in your life, try to remember that its the little victories that matter, and sometimes those are the things that will keep you going through the tough moments!

I can't wait until February...

This pregnancy is going exactly how it did with Izzy. I haven't been feeling well at all and the morning-noon-and-night sickness has been pretty bad. I ended up in the ER on Monday because it had been 4 days without being able to keep anything, not even water, down. They gave me some new medicines to try, and if they don't work, we'll try something else. They recommended trying a Zofran pump. Have any of you guys ever used that before? It made me a little nervous hearing about it because I would have to have a needle in my hip for the rest of the pregnancy, so that the medicine can get injected every hour or so.

That aside, we've been pretty busy around here. Summer classes are going well, leaving not a lot of time for anything else though. Izzy has learned to cherish her one on one time with mommy a lot lately! She has been so in tune with the baby in my tummy, she loves it already! She talks to the baby everyday, which is totally adorable. I'm guessing another girl this time around, but if it's a boy we'll be just as happy. If it is a boy, I think that will mean that I'm just destined for rough pregnancies. At least the end result is an adorable, lovable, totally worth the pain, little baby! I can't wait to meet our little one in February. It's so fun getting used to saying "our kids" now that we will have two around.

Last, but not least, I have some giveaways coming up, and also the baby and toddler event that will happen no matter what, I promise! Nothing will stop me from sharing the awesome things that I've got coming up for you guys!

Here we go again...

The morning sickness has officially arrived. I've been feeling a little yucky, and the crazy cravings have also already kicked in! I've gone from craving beef and broccoli to feeling like I will vomit if I even look at or smell broccoli. At least this time I have IzzyBug to look at and remember it's so worth it! I can't wait for the next few months to pass so we can see our BabyBug during the ultrasound!

So far, Adam and I have been bickering a bit about names. We're completely agreed on a girl name (which kind of makes me wonder if we're having another girl, haha). We are totally open to suggestions when it comes to boys names, since we can't agree on anything! I love Dominic, Gabriel, and Jacob, but Adam likes Daniel and Ezekiel. I might just have to put a poll up on here and get some expert mommy opinions!

Sorry for the short post tonight, I think the sofa is calling my name. So is that pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer... I think I may stop there on the way to the sofa... don't judge me, I'm pregnant, haha! :-)

Check This Out!

I was recently given the opportunity to write a guest post for Evenflo, one of the top baby product companies out there. Of course I was honored and said yes! They are featuring different savvy parenting tips, and I chose to write about my suggestions for fun ways to keep your child hydrated during the summertime heat. You will have to check out Evenflo's great microsite by clicking here. This awesome site is all to spread the word about their new Momentum 65 with e3 Side Impact technology. So check it out, there are great new tips coming everyday!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day! I hope you all were able to enjoy the day with your families! I promised a special announcement tomorrow, but I can't wait! In honor of Father's Day I just wanted to let you know about something special happening in our family... Izzy's daddy is going to become Daddy 2.0! We are expecting a little sibling for Izzy, who is very excited! She asks everyday if today is the day the baby will come! So, in honor of that special news, I will be featuring lots of baby item reviews and giveaways in the future!

So Glad It's Friday!

Wow, I'm so glad it's Friday! Little IzzyBug has decided that she will now be waking up at 6:30 am every morning, so this week has been a little rough! The sun beats into her window, through the blinds and the drapes, so bad that it wakes her up really early! I think I am going to have to look around for the special drapes that are meant to block out light, maybe that would help!

Anyone have any exciting Father's Day plans for the weekend? We are going to spend the day celebrating and watching the World Cup! We are rooting for Brazil on Sunday, and I can't wait to post a picture of Izzy's adorable jersey and tutu outfit! My hubby will be getting workout equipment and clothes for Father's Day, I can't wait to see his reaction! He has been exercising all the time, and putting on a lot of muscle, so I know the new clothes and equipment will come in handy for him. Part of his gift was a set of weights, and let me tell you, I looked extremely silly as I had a hard time lifting the box when I went to pick it up at the store! I must admit, I'm a bit jealous that my hubby can eat and eat and eat and not gain a pound! He's also been packing on the muscle in a short amount of time, whereas I exercise and don't notice anything! He is very motivating though! We are going to start going on family runs and walks, so the routine should help me stay focused on my goal of getting into better shape!

Last but not least, an exciting announcement is coming up on Monday... you will have to come back and see what it is!

What are you interested in seeing?

Ok, quick question for you mommies. What are some of the things that you would most like to see me review or have giveaways for? I'm gearing up for a big event on here, and already have some GREAT companies lined up. The event will feature the best baby and toddler products on the market, and I want to know what you guys think! Leave me a comment on here to let me know. Once the event starts, you will get 3 extra entries into the giveaway of your choice for helping me brainstorm! Let's see what we can all come up with!

Some things that are already on the schedule for the event are a bassinet, a carseat, baby feeding items, clothes, and much more!

SodaStream Winner!

Congratulations to comment #23! You have won the SodaStream giveaway!

Stacy Ferguson said...
I'm a facebook fan of SodaStream.

Sunday, 06 June, 2010

I will be emailing you shortly, please respond within 48 hours.

My Character Flaw

Character flaws... everybody has one. Or two or three. Well, one of mine is that I can be indecisive at times. So I just got a blog makeover, and it's not really feeling like it's me, so next week it will be changing again, so stay tuned for another and more final change. It's going to be more "me".

Also, in other news... I will be opening an Etsy store next week or the week after, so more details will be coming with that. There will be all kinds of fun things, so stay tuned for that as well!

Lastly, I have this idea of making next week TV turn off week in our house, and would love it if some of you mommies out there would try the same. In our home, we don't watch very much TV, but especially with all the summer fun that's to be had right now, I see no reason to be inside watching TV. I'll come up with some way of making this fun and post more tomorrow. I'm super sleepy tonight! Good night mommies!

I think I'm aging...

I know what you're thinking, duh, we're all aging... but I'm talking quick aging, haha. I went to the eye doctor last week and he wrote me a contact prescription for a brand of contacts that he gives to people over 40. I'm not saying 40 is old, because it's really not, but it blew me out of the water when he said that I needed them. I felt like I was going crazy... really crazy... when I was trying to describe my symptoms, it's like my eyes are having a hard time focusing when I try to read up close, and it gives me headaches. He still can't figure out what's going on with my eyes, but in the mean time, he had me try the new contacts, and guess what... they WORK! I don't even care if that means that by the time I'm 40 I'll be wearing contacts for 80 year olds, lol. He also told me I need reading glasses, which kinda sent me over the laughter edge. I guess raising a 3 year old is not only stressful, but ages you really quickly!

Now as long as I don't find any more gray hairs we'll be good... :-)

Grad school is kicking my behind!

Ok, so I'm probably being a bit redundant with this, but, wow, grad school is kicking my behind! I don't know what I was thinking with these summer classes. But, at least there's only 9 weeks left until a break... but getting to that break is another thing!

On a brighter note, I've started a new "diet". I don't really like that word, because there are so many ridiculous fad diets out there, but for lack of a better word, that's what's going on right now. I've been journaling what I'm eating, which definitely helps. I really can't believe how much better I eat on the days where I right everything down. I've also cut out gluten products, after a lengthy process of realizing that I'm pretty sure that I am either allergic, or just highly sensitive. That was really difficult too, it's like, "Thanks God for making me 100% Italian, but letting me get sick everytime I eat pasta!"

The pasta has definitely been the hardest to give up, but I'm feeling so much better! Once in a while I'll sneak a bite or two of bread or pasta, but overall, on most days, I'm doing pretty good. And now that the gluten products are gone from my diet, I'm eating a lot more fresh fruits and veggies, which is making me feel so good! Now, the next step is just adding in all the extra exercise... we'll see how that goes... haha

SodaStream Review and Giveaway!

I think it's safe to say that summer is officially here! It seems like we were in the midst of chilly May weather and then all of a sudden were in burning hot summer weather! On summer days like we've been having it's really nice to have something to cool you off. Lately, our favorite thing way to cool off is with fun drinks we make with our amazing SodaStream machine!

Our family was so excited when we found out that we were going to get to review the SodaStream Penguin Starter Kit. Our kit came with the Penguin Sparkling Water and Soda Machine, 2 60 Liter Carbonators, and 2 glass carafes. We couldn't wait to get started! We aren't huge soda drinkers, but that's mostly because the soda you buy at the store is so unhealthy for you. With the SodaStream machine, you are able to create yummy concoctions that aren't quite as bad for you as traditional sodas. When I found out that SodaStream sodas didn't contain high-fructose corn syrup and have much less sugar than traditional sodas I jumped for joy! Finally I can enjoy a soda without so much of the guilt! This also made me happy because on the rare occasion that our daughter gets to drink any soda, I can rest assured that it's not as bad for her as traditional sodas.

Now, let me back up a bit, because I know you've got to be wondering how this works! Well, all you have to do is fill your carafe or bottle with water to the fill-line, pop it in the soda machine, press the lever to carbonate, and in less than 30 seconds you have carbonated water! Another thing about this that's great is that you get to decide how much carbonation you want, which is especially handy for kids, so they don't drink too many bubbles.

It's been so much fun coming up with yummy concoctions with our SodaStream. If you simply want carbonated water, you can do that. If you want to make sparkling lemonade, simply add some fresh lemon juice to the carbonated water. If you want to make a soda, simply add the yummy flavor of your choice to the water. We've tried most of the flavors, and I have to admit, I was very skeptical at first. I didn't really expect them to taste like the traditional name-brand sodas on the market. Boy, was I wrong! Not only do they taste very similar, but there are a few flavors that I think taste better than the other ones on the market! Some of my favorites were the Root Beer, the Diet Cola (which contains no aspertame: BIG PLUS!), and the Cranberry Raspberry. Even my husband (who drinks more soda than I do) thought the flavors were amazing! One of the really cool things about the flavors is that you can buy a Variety Pack which allows you to try lots of flavors in small quantities while you decide which ones are your favorites! Also, one of my favorite aspects of the SodaStream is that the soda doesn't go flat nearly as fast as other sodas on the market, because the caps that come with the carafes and bottles really seal the air out, which keeps it fresher longer.

With four different types of SodaStream machines, you're definitely bound to find one that fits your budget and style. Click here to see the chart that helps you choose your machine based on the features you want. I would recommend the SodaStream to any family who enjoys soda, especially because it saves so much space, it's fun for the whole family to make, and it's a healthier choice when it comes to soda. It's also a plus that it's environmentally friendly since it cuts down on waste with the reusable carafes and bottles.

I bet you're all itching to buy one of these cool SodaStream machines now, huh!? Well, you can also try your hand at winning one! One winner is going to receive the Fountain Jet Soda Lover's Start-Up Kit (worth approximately $100), which will include your color choice of the Fountain Jet Soda Maker, 1 60 Liter Carbonator, 2 Carbonating Bottles, and your choice of 2 SodaMix flavors!

Mandatory Entry (please leave me your email address in this entry): Leave me a comment telling me which flavor you would most like to try, along with what color of the Fountain Jet Soda Maker you would choose if you win.

Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment with each entry):
2 Entries- Become a Follower of The Mommy Homemaker
1 Entry- Become a facebook fan of SodaStream
1 Entry- Become an email subscriber of The Mommy Homemaker
2 Entries- Grab my new button and let me know where to find it
1 Entry per day for following me and SodaStream on Twitter and tweeting about this giveaway
1 Entry for every person you tell about this giveaway


This giveaway will end on June 12, 2010 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Eeek!

So, I was getting ready to post up tonight's giveaway and guess what... Blogger malfunctioned and instead of posting the giveaway it deleted it! Have any of you Blogger users out there ever experienced this???

Since it's already after midnight, and I'm a little cranky with Blogger, I'm going to call it a night and re-do the entire post tomorrow. Sorry guys!

Loving this weather!

Hey girls, how amazing is this weather? Well, at least for us in the midwest. I'm loving the nice weather and all the fun things that come with the arrival of summer. We have a membership to our zoo here, and I think we go at least once a week. It just never gets old seeing Izzybug be so curious about the animals! We're also gearing up for some fun summer excursions, which will be a lot of fun!

So, my question to all of you out there is this, what are some fun activities you're planning for the summer? In this tough economy, are there any budget-friendly summer vacations or roadtrips that you're taking? Leave me a comment with what you are most excited to do this summer and you'll get an extra entry into tonight's giveaway which will come from... SODA STREAM! Check back later tonight to try your hand at winning something to help cool you off on those hot summer days!

Where in the World has Marina been?

So I bet you're all wondering where in the world I have been. Well, I'd like to think you've missed me in some way, haha! I wish I could say that our family had taken three months off and backpacked across Europe, or sailed across the world, or maybe something else that would sound really impressive.

But, alas, my only excuse is that life got busy. And I mean busy. My husband was in his final semester of art school (for now, until he goes to grad school), Izzy was really sick, and I was in my first semester of grad school. I thought I had this whole balancing act down pat, but boy did I have a lot to learn these past few months! I kind of felt like we were in survival mode just trying to make it until May.

And now May is finally here...and almost over...but I'm finally back and into the swing of things. I'm going to be pretty busy again with summer grad classes, but now that my husband is finished with school, things will be a lot less hectic!

Now, onto what you all really want to know about! I've got a lot of fun things in store for us here on the blog this summer, starting with the fact that I'm getting a complete blog makeover to kick off the summer! It's going to be in a completely different color scheme than it is now, so if you land here one day and find yourselves in a sea of turqouise and pink, rest assured, you are indeed still in the right place! I'm also planning some AMAZING reviews and giveaways, and you will not want to miss them! We're talking carseats, bassinets, hair straighteners, and much more!

I'm also going to be featuring a guest blogger when it comes to all things fashion and beauty. My lovely sister Dre, who since my daughter was born has been my own personal stylist (we're talking, "No, Marina, you can't just wear sweatpants and your maternity jeans after the baby is born, it's time to buy you a pair of skinny jeans!), will be giving us a few tidbits of what the fashions are, since we all know moms don't really have time to keep up with all that!

So, as your spring winds down into summer, stay tuned to The Mommy Homemaker, because I have some exciting things planned for all of you!

Yay for Spring Break!!!

I am so excited to officially be on spring break! Even though I still have study groups and homework, at least I get a break from class! I am very excited to announce that the Spring Break Event will be coming up this month, along with some other great themed events of reviews and giveaways! I can't wait to share everything with you! In the mean time, have fun this weekend if you are in for some great weather like we are here in the midwest!

Cutesy Caddy Winner!

Hey girls, I just wanted to announce that out of 70 entries the winner of the Cutesy Caddy giveaway is...

Comment #1! (well that was an easy one to count, haha!)
Kristen said...
I would store all the barrettes and hair ties that have accumulated all over the house!
kristenlaudick at yahoo dot com

What a crazy hectic busy non-stop week!

Wow. I think 2010 is the year that God throws a lot of challenges at us to see how we cope! In the words of Mother Teresa, "I know God never gives me more than I can handle, sometimes I just wish he didn't trust me with quite so much". That is totally how I feel right now! My husband is in the midst of finishing his last semester of his undergrad work, I just started grad school (both of us full time), my husband works close to full time, and then on top of that we were all sick last week.

Wow, that really sounded like a pity party (I totally didn't mean it like that, I do have a point)! I think God is "testing" us, to convince us that we really can handle more than we think is possible. All I keep thinking about is the feeling I will get when we get to walk across that stage at graduation... it will be an amazing sense of relief! Even though I graduated in December, I will walk in the spring graduation ceremony, so it will be really cool that we will get to graduate together.

Now, on to the most stressful (and probably funny) story of the week... I sliced my ankle open while doing something really dumb! We have a cheap wooden shoe rack (well, we had one until this) that is right next to our entry way closet. There was something on the shelf in the closet that I needed to get down, and instead of getting the step stool, I figured I'd take a little jump off the shoe rack and that would do the trick. Well... instead of that, I busted through the shoe rack (which of course was just amazing for my self-esteem, haha) and a huge screw gashed through my ankle, leaving me with a gaping 3 inch slice. Long story short, I was told I needed stitches, but my extreme fear of needles kept me from doing that... I was thinking a pack or two of band-aids and some neosporin would do the trick. I mean, who cares about a three inch scar on my foot, we're talking multiple stitches with a needle here, right!? So, since I didn't get stitches I had to stay off my foot for a few days, and can now walk around a little bit as long as I'm wearing a plastic walking-boot thing, which makes me feel like I have an ogre foot, but hey, I avoided stitches!

So, what is the lesson of this story? First, if God sends you to it, God will send you through it! So we're a bit cranky, our home is a mess, I'm not entirely sure how I survived without massive quantities of caffeine and with way too much homework, and it's only Wednesday, but we're alive! And in thinking about the recent events in our world, like the earthquake in Haiti for example, just being ALIVE is a something that we can be thankful for, no matter what's going on to make our lives hectic.

Second lesson... if a nurse tells you that you need stitches... you probably do!

P.S. Reviews and giveaways will be returning to their normal schedule soon... I PROMISE! Love you ladies, have a great day!

Wordless Wednesday!

Like daddy like daughter!

Sew Fantastic Review!

I absolutely love it when I stumble upon fabulous handmade items. I just love the workmanship and care that goes into each unique item, and this is why I'm so excited to tell you all about Sew Fantastic!

Sew Fantastic is a great Etsy shop run by the very talented Terri. She offers handmade items that are both trendy and classic. She also loves custom orders, because it offers her the potential to get even more creative! One thing that I really love about Terri's shop is that she works with only the highest quality supplies, all within the comforts of her smoke-free home (which is a big deal in my book, since my daughter has asthma). Terri also writes a blog all about crafts, you will love it! Click here to check out Terri's wonderful blog where you can stay up to date with her great designs!

I was so excited about getting the chance to review the Black Damask On the Go Daily Organizer, because it's not only functional, but it's also beautiful! It even matches my blog! The Carryall Clutches are great for organizing and storing coupons, credit cards, notes, lists and much more. The possibilities really are endless! My favorite way to use my clutch is when I run errands. I can store any coupons or store ads that I need, and I can also throw some cash and miscellaneous things in and I'm ready for the day! This works great if you're still using a diaper bag, because you can keep all your "mom" stuff separate and easy to access within the bag.

Here's a detailed description of the clutch from Terri's shop: "This sew-cute carryall clutch is very well made with a sturdy oatmeal colored osnaburg, then accented with your favorite fabrics. All pockets are doubles lines, and there are no raw edges. Everything is also interfaced completely for long lasting durability."

I've definitely been really impressed by this clutch. I've been using it everyday now for over a month and it still looks brand new! The handy notebook that is included is perfect for your lists of errands, groceries, or for being able to find your pen and paper the second you need it while you're out and about! Also, the pen is such a great accent to the clutch, because it comes made to match your fabric choice! The clutch I received retails for $21, which I think it is totally worth the price, because organization makes a mom's everyday life so much easier!

You all will definitely need to check out Sew Fantastic! You simply must order a Carryall Clutch, they are so handy, I wonder how I ever found a pen and paper before having one! Also, some of Terri's new items are definitely worth looking at, especially the Crayon Wallets and Kindle Clutches!

***Terri has offered you lovely ladies 15% off your orders if you mention The Mommy Homemaker!***

Sugar Coated Cookies Review!

I have to admit, freshly baked cookies are a huge weakness of mine. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal, or SUGAR COOKIES, it doesn't matter to me! So when I found out about Sugar Coated Cookies I was so excited!

Sugar Coated Cookies is a fabulous Etsy shop that is run by the very talented Shana. Shana prides herself on her love of baking that has become such a fun business. She bakes with only the finest ingredients, and since orders are baked and decorated to order, that means your cookies will be super fresh and never frozen! Shana has many different fun designs to choose from, and if you don't see exactly what you're looking for, she is able to do custom orders so you get just want you want!

If you're anything like me, you like to see an artist at work while they are creating. It gives you a sense of what they do, and how they do it. Here are a few photos of Shana as she decorates some adorable pirate cookies! *Normally Shana wears a hair net and gloves, but for the sake of the pictures, she didn't wear them in these model shots.*



Aren't those pirates adorable?

Now, wait until you see the lovely cookies that Shana created for Izzy's birthday party! Izzy is going through quite the Tinkerbell phase, so Shana helped me decide on some cute fairy wands for the cookies. She did purple star wands for the girls and green circle wands for the boys. They were such a hit at Izzy's party, everyone wanted to know where we got them!

I was so impressed with Shana's work, because everything looked so professional! She took amazing care in packaging the cookies with layers of bubble wrap to ensure that each cookie arrived in perfect condition, and they did! There was not a scratch or a crumble on any of the cookies. Shana also added special touches to the cookies with the cellophane bags and curly ribbons that she tied them with. I can't tell you all enough how special Izzy felt as she handed out the cookie wands to her party guests!

Want to know what else? The cookies tasted even better than they looked! I have to admit that I was apprehensive at first about tasting cookies that I ordered over the internet. BUT- I was so pleasantly surprised about how great the cookies tasted that I would recommend Sugar Coated Cookies to all of you! The cookies actually tasted as if they were baked the day we tasted them, they were amazing! I'm so glad we were able to feature Shana's delicious cookies at Izzy's birthday party, and I'd highly recommend ordering them for your next party! Most of the cookies cost about $2-3, which is pretty reasonable considering how much work goes into them. You'd also have to pay at least this much at your local bakery for cookies like these!

Next time you're in need of a great party favor, or just in the mood for some yummy cookies, choose Sugar Coated Cookies and you won't be disappointed!
***Shana has graciously offered you all 10% off your orders at Sugar Coated Cookies! Just mention The Mommy Homemaker when ordering!***