Stuff my kids say!!

While reciting his new "alphabet" from school. 

Discover with Dr. Cool

The boys and I tried to have a lazy Sunday but as all moms know with children that never happens. Instead I spent the afternoon trying to find fun activities to keep them entertained. I pulled out our Dr. Cool's Glow in the Dark Slime Science Kit we recently received to review.

The Glow in the Dark Slime Science Kit contains the ingredients to make two separate batches of fun colored some. One is blue and the second green. The powder packet is simple to use and premixed. You just pour the powder in the container they include, add 1 cup of water, and stir.

 After mixing together the packets the boys spent time playing with their slime. As it started to get to thick, we added a bit more water. We also read the science discovery book included in the kit which gave fun tips and scientific tips. Then we took our slime to a dark room for even more fun!!

Once done we were able to store it for future play in the included fun container.

Both boys loved playing with slime and thought it was fun and gooey. The sensory fun and ability to talk science while playing was great. If you're looking for fun activities check out the kits Dr. Cool has to offer. They are available on Amazon with Prime shipping even!

I received this kit in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and no compensation was taken.

Borolux Casserole Dish Review

Along with the awesome pie dish I got to test out, I received Borolux's 9 by 13 baking dish to try too. Like it's counterpart I reviewed here, the rectangular baking dish is very thick and heavy compared to other brands. It definitely feels sturdy and like it will last. The borosilicate glass, which is used in test tubes and beaker construction, is shatter proof up to 650 degrees, able to microwaved in, frozen, and dishwasher safe. This product is also made in the USA!!

I love the capacity of the rectangular 9" by 13" casserole baking dish. The interior of the baking dish measures 6.5 x 10.25 x 2 inches and holds up to 3 quarts. I used it for baking and everyday meals too. I made homemade pot pie for our first test run in the dish. Being glass, it doesn't scratch easily or absorb food odors or colorings. 

When you're in the market for your next glass cookware be sure to check out Borolux's products!! They are available on Amazon with Prime shipping even. 

I received this product in order to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own and no compensation was taken. 

SaddleBaby Pack Review

Sometime last year a picture of a baby carrier that held your toddler on your shoulders came across my Facebook Newsfeed. I remember seeing it get pinned and reposted on the baby wearing boards but I never came across it in person and wasn't certain it existed past a random internet picture. 

Guess what?? It truly does exist and it's a lot of fun. The SaddleBaby is an innovative shoulder carrying design that allows the wearer to place the 2-5yr old on their shoulders safely and securely. It's not a gimmick or Chinese knock off carrier but a well thought out and soundly made safe baby wearing device.

When it arrived at my door, I was thoroughly surprised with the professional packaging and information that accompanies the SaddleBaby. I received both the SaddleBaby Original and SaddleBaby Pack to review and share.

The SaddleBaby Original is often preferred by men due to the placement of the main carrier belting, directly across the chest. I have worn it myself and it's doable but not as perfect for women as the Pack is! I'll be posting a separate post and review of the Original with fun pics highlighting my husband wearing our children.

The SaddleBaby Pack consists of a fully functional streamlines backpack with waist fasteners, Attached to that is the ergonomic saddle and removable/adjustable ankle/leg cuffs that secure your little one. The cuffs are suggested to be placed directly above the ankle of the child. Their leg length determines where the chest clip strap will be placed on the adults body.

The saddle itself is a sot but dense foam-like material. It has a grip covering on the inside to help your little one stay seated. All materials used in manufacturing have been tested and approved by the US CPSIA. I love that you can load up your SaddleBaby Pack for the day and have a toddler carrier attached and waiting too!

SaddleBaby cares abut safety and has a very thorough and descriptive manual that accompanies your carrier. It's required to read the manual and understand how to properly use the carrier before trying it out! Their website also has instructional videos!! You can see how to use the Pack here and the Original here. 

We took our SaddleBaby Pack to the zoo then later took fun pictures at home to help with this post. As you can see, if you leave the pack empty the backpack tends to ride up in the back. It's not uncomfortable even when it does and is not an issue once the backpack contains items. Carter is a fan of asking to be worn then asking to walk a few minutes later. With SaddleBaby, I could say “yes” when he asked to go up and then back down again in repetition without having to unpack and configure a carrier then store it away again once he was done. Instead I simply lifted him onto my shoulders, strapped his legs in and off we went until his next request!

Here is a wearing tip, After placing your child on the saddle take a look in a mirror or have a friend let you know how their bum is sitting. On initial wearing Carter tended to lean forward more than needed and would often not be fully utilizing the saddle as shown in this picture. That's an easy fix we mastered on subsequent uses. Just adjust the saddle so it's held closer to your neck with the webbing and buckle component that go along the backpack straps. 

Once we figured out he tended to shift in the saddle we corrected his seat before wearing!

There are only two small changes to the design of the SaddleBaby Pack I would love to see. I wish the Saddle Baby had a handle for the kiddos to hold. Just like when they are on my shoulders they love to hold my face or hair!! I also would love to see the ankle cuffs and the check strap not be connected. That way I could adjust the chest strap for comfort and the ankle cuffs as needed for my child's individual height. 

If you're looking for a carrier you toddler will find fun and cool and you'll be able to safely wear definitely check out the SaddleBaby products. You can purchase your SaddleBaby with 1yr warranty direct from the company here. 

No baby wearing session is complete without the obligatory bathroom selfie!!

We shared the baby wearing love with friends and neighbors. If you'd like to try it to (and we know each other in real life!!) just let me know!

Ms. R made herself the perfect handle and is a much better rider than my guys who like to hold my hair!!

I received the aforementioned product in order to facilitate my review. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own!

EyeSnug Review

When I was a teenager I had noticed my eyes were starting to get dry and irritated often times in the early morning after waking. After a visit to my ophthalmologist, I had a prescription eye ointment and instructions to use it every night. Fast forward many years later and I definitely slack and do not use the medication. It's thick, gooey, and messes with my vision. To compensate though I never sleep with the ceiling fan on. Hubby loves the ceiling fan but understands I can't tolerate it.

In comes the EyeSnug. It's a soft eye mask for sleeping that fits snug to your face and has two soft pockets for your eyes. There is no pressure or irritation but it's thick and soft enough to provide a good fit. It stops excessive air exchange and I was thrilled to try a test with the ceiling fan. It passed!! I'm excited to say if you have issues with dry eyes while sleeping give this a try.

In addition to working for my specific issue the mask is a very soft and silky fabric. It's lightweight and did not cause irritation, tightness, or a headache like other things I've worn during sleep have. They also worked well to block out all light. The EyeSnug is readily available on Amazon and even come with some simple earplugs and a carry case. I also love that it's eligible for Amazon Prime shipping. if your'e in the market for a sleep eye mask this is a great one!

I received this product in order to complete an honest review. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received. 

Borolux Pie Dish Review

I make most of our meals myself and love baking so I jumped at the chance to try out Borolux Borosilicate shatter proof bakeware. I started with their pie dish and was pleasantly surprised. When it arrived from Amazon, it was heavy and very thick. It felt really sturdy and I was excited to bake some brownies in it. 

In case you're wondering the brownies were quite good. 

I own regular glass baking dishes and they do not feel as thick or sturdy as these Borolux products. As for the shatter proof qualities, we'll see! They've held up well so far and each dish has been used numerous times. The decorative edges around the pie dish give it a nice classy touch that makes it feel a little like the nostalgic bakeware I'm always on the lookout for at estate sales and thrift stores. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a Borolux product next time I'm in the market for baking dishes!!

I received this product in order to facilitate an honest review.

Monday Meal Plan!!

Here is our menu for the week. Have a question on a specific meal, just ask. I like to use recipes for ideas but I usually don't look at them again and shop and cook with my own tweaks. Any links below are a great place to start for inspiration.

Monday

   Mexican spaghetti 

Tuesday

   Asian chicken salad served over rice noodles

Wednesday

   Turkey (hidden veggie) Sloppy Joes with sweet potato fries and salad

Thursday

   Asian style fish and stir fry rice

Friday

   Chicken Fajitas with refried beans and homemade tortillas

Mexican spaghetti is taco spiced ground beef served over tomato spaghetti noodles and topped with sriracha sour cream, fresh red onions, tomatoes, fresh corn, black beans cilantro, and salsa! For our asian inspired fish, I'll be baking the fish with a teriyaki glaze in bok choy. The homemade fried rice is brown rice, carrot slices, cabbage slices (or bok choy leftovers) and seasoning. Our asian chicken salad is sweet thai chile flavored with a peanut glaze. Yummy!!

Turmeric, spicing up our foods!

I was lucky enough to receive organic Turmeric to review and test out. I've heard lots of things about the benefits of curcumin but had not yet put it to the test. Curcumin is the main ingredient in turmeric and often found in dishes containing curry. It's an anti-inflammatory and touted as helpful for neurological issues including ADHD, autism, and dementia. I'm obviously not a doctor or natural medicine practitioner but we figure if there is even a chance it has some positive benefits it's worth a try. Turmeric has been used for over 4,000 years!

While it can easily be used in cooked dishes, the flavor of turmeric needs to then be taken in to consideration. In order to hide that goodness from picky kids, we went with smoothies!! I was able to dose both kiddos without major complaints. 

It mixed in well and was barely detectable once we were done. My children have since eaten smoothies numerous times with it. I love that the Organic Wise product is available on Amazon and certified organic. It ships timely and in a sealing pouch you can continue to use. It's a vibrant color and has the potent smell/taste all great Turmeric should! Give it a try if you're in the market for turmeric!! #OrganicWise

Safety Baby's Magnetic Cupboard Locks Review

I recently got the chance to try out Safety Baby's magnetic cupboard locks in exchange for an honest review. I've used such a product in the past but it required drilling into our nice cabinets which also meant adding another task to hubby's to do list. With these awesome locks I was able to install them with no tools!

#safetybaby uses 3M products to adhere the locks to the cabinets. The magnet tool included makes opening them a breeze as long as you're an adult with the tool. My little ones tried and gave up! Exactly what I wanted!! Our chemicals are safely stored and these were quickly installed. You can purchase through Amazon and even use Prime which we all know I love! The four pack is listed as ~$23 on Amazon right now whig is less than the drill version we previously purchased. 

Bitybean Baby Carrier Review

I was lucky enough to receive a Bitybean carrier to review and share with the local babywearing community. It's a soft structured carrier designed for little ones between 8# (and 3 months old) and 40#. Besides being affordable (MSRP $59.95) it's portable and compact too. The carrier that comes with a small carrying bag that it rolls up into. It can literally be stuffed in your diaper bag so it's always available. Ask me how awesome that can be!

We went to the Ohio State Fair last week and I was rushing to get inside. I never forget a baby carrier but after we walked the whole giant parking lot and were inside I realized I hadn't grabbed a carrier. Lo and behold a few minutes later I remembered that inside the diaper bag in the stroller was the Bitybean. Score 1 for it's awesome packability!!

The Bitybean has a separately available detachable hood for those times when your kiddo falls asleep while being carried. While hand washing and spot cleaning are recommended it can be machine cleaned in cold when required. Bitybean can also be used near an in shallow water. That makes it amazing for summer use at the beach or splash pad. I'm sure you're realizing it must be quite lightweight if it can be packed so compact. The carrier is made of nylon and polyester fabric. The straps are not padded but are wide and soft so they almost have a wrap like feel. It doesn't get diggy on me during normal use periods. Most important Bitybean is compliant with current US regulations and a member of the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance. These are important to me and something I check before reviewing and recommending any baby wearing item!!

It's stylish and available in fun vibrant colors too!

So now that we have the technical details out of the way let's talk about fit and function. I have mainly used the Bitybean with Oliver in the Summer of 2015. He's 5-7mo old and like all the boys in the house a sweaty hot mess in the summer. After being overwhelmed by the sounds and sights of the Fair last week, in the arm holding was just not cutting it. I quickly popped on the Bitybean and up he went. A few moments later, he was content and calm snuggled next to mom. It was asphalt everywhere and quite warm so I wasn't super thrilled about constant babywearing that day but with the lightness and airflow the Bitybean offers, it was bearable.

Getting a proper M-seat with knee to knee coverage has been great in the Bitybean. Oliver is stil young so at this time we worry about hyperextending his seat and the carrier base being too wide. The Bitybean is soft enough to fold in and get him in proper position. On Carter (3years) in the same carrier that piece that tends to fold in automatically extends and support his leg much wider. For smaller babies under 15 pounds there is an inside seat with small buckle fasteners that ensure they cannot fall to the sides.

You can see the excess seat area support that simply naturally folds in for smaller children. 

I also love the softness of the neck/headrest area. It's an almost neoprene like fabric that provides support but has a little give.

If you're in the area and would like to see the Bitybean in person, just let me know! I'll have it out and about at any baby wearing events I attend and then again for personal use in between!!