M.I.A

Soooo, I have been missing in action as far as the internet world is concerned.  I've been trying to address some areas in real life that needed desperate attention, and blogging, tweeting, and facebook were not helping.

As all of my regular readers know, I am a horrible housekeeper.  In my blog absence, I was able to actually clean up!  (Please hold while I pat myself on the back!)

I want deperately for my daughters to be neater and more organized than I am.  This is very important to me. I've struggled with how to accomplish this since I suck at organization.  Well, I asked a friend of mine whose kids do pick up after themselves how she managed to do it.  Her answer was amazingly simple, I can't believe it didn't occur to me...

She told me that she makes them pick up after themselves.

Well, duh.  As parents, aren't WE responsible for our children's actions?  I took what she said and put it in action.  Sure, sometimes Piper complains about having to pick up her room, but every night her toys and things are neatly put away where they belong.  I'm hoping this trend will continue. =)

But, I'm happy to say that I am back!  I have several reviews to share with you and, of course, more stories about the kiddos!  Here's to a fabulous weekend!

Winners!

Sorry for the delay, but it has been very busy!

The winner of the $50 Visa Gift Card was comment #120- David


The winner of the Dr. Bloom's Chewable Jewels was entry #13 - Jessica S.


The winners have been contacted by email and will have 48 hrs to respond.  Thanks for all the entries!

Wordless Wednesday: I need to get ready to go!

After watching me get ready, Piper informed me that she needed to get ready to go, too.  I tried to tell her than when it comes to makeup less is more.  She didn't listen, obviously!

Giveaway! $50 Visa Gift Card

***CLOSED***

This a quick giveaway!  My hubby needs "likes" on his Cuervo Games' team's page.  So, what better way to help him out than to enlist your help?  This one is going to end on Wednesday at 4:59 pm EST so hurry up and get your entries!

Mandatory Entry

(leave a comment with your email address)

Like Cuervonation Sensation on Facebook

Extra Entries

(leave a separate entry for each)

*Post on Facebook the following phrase:
The guys of CuervoGames: Atlanta - Cuervonation Sensation Vegas Contest need your support!  Like their page please!
(Use the @ symbol in front of the page's name so that it will appear on the team's page and I can verify your entry.  This can be done 1x a day and is worth 5 entries each time!!)


*Follow @littlechoochoos on Twitter and tweet the following up to 4x per day, leaving a separate comment for each:
I entered to win a $50 Visa Giftcard giveaway from @littlechoochoos   Ends 10/27 http://ow.ly/2YmpE 


*Follow this blog publicly via GFC

*Like Adventures in the Land of Little Choo Choos on Facebook

If you have any questions about how to enter please contact me!  Thanks everyone!


**Gift card is being provided by me!  Giveaway ends on 10/27 at 4:59 pm EST and is open to US/CAN.  Winner will be choosen via random.org and notified by email.  If the winner does not respond with 48 hrs, a new winner will be choosen.  Good luck!!!

Review and Giveaway: Poo~Pourri Jr. Little Stinker

Dirty diapers really know how to stink up a room.  And the containers that hold those dirty diapers?  They'll take your breath away!  When I put my dirty diapers in the wash, the smell burns my nose.  And even after the diaper pail is empty the smell lingers.  Filling it up with hot water and a few drops of tea tree oil gets rid of the smell, but that doesn't get done very often because I am so lazy busy.  I really want something that would easily and quickly get rid of the smell.

Poo~Pourri was founded by Suzy Batiz and her brother in law Sergio Batiz.  Together they developed a formula that uses essential oils to combat odors.  This stuff isn't designed to cover up odors, but to eliminate them.  The main product in the Poo~Pourri line is the Before-You-Go spray.  When sprayed into the toilet, Before-You-Go creates an odor blocking film on the water.  There are different varieties of Before-You-Go featuring different essential oil blends.  I would love to try the Royal Flush.  It  uses eucalyptus and spearmint, two of my favorite essential oils!


I was sent Poo~Pourri Jr. Little Stinker, a soiled diaper odor eliminator, to try out.  According to their website, Little Stinker is 

• a soiled diaper deodorizer with natural anti-bacterial essential oils such as Bergamot, Leomongrass and Grapefruit. 
• will quickly eliminate the source of odor causing bacteria in cloth and plastic diapers by spraying on soiled diaper before disposal 
• safe for cloth diapers
• uses all natural ingredients
• Non-toxic
• Biodegradable

I was skeptical that Poo~Pourri Little Stinker could actually knock out the odor coming from diaper pail, but I was willing to try it.  After dumping my diapers in the washing machine, I took a big whiff of the diaper pail.  It was pretty rough.  The ammonia smell was breath taking and not in a good way.  I spritzed one squirt of Little Stinker into the diaper pail and in the name of science took another deep breath.  The ammonia smell was gone.  So, I stuck my head into the diaper pail.  Still no ammonia smell.  All I could smell was the scent of the Little Stinker spray which reminded me of Fruit Loops cereal.  Yummy!  Since that first spray, I have used the Little Stinker spray for my wet bag that goes in my diaper bag, on heavily soiled cloth diapers, and even the training potty.  It is an awesome product that I love!  But don't think you have to use cloth diapers to need this.  Think about your Diaper Genie or Diaper Champ.  Couldn't they use some Little Stinker love?

Buy it:

You can purchase any of the available Poo~Pourri varieties from the Poo~Pourri website.  I honestly think it would make a great stocking stuffer.  I have someone in mind who would get a kick out of it (and I hope use it, too!)

Win it:

You can win your very own bottle of Little Stinker here! 

Mandatory Entry:

(Leave a comment)
Go to the Poo~Pourri Website, take a look around, 

and let me know what your favorite Poo~Pourri product is

Extra Entries:
(leave a separate comment for each, please)

*Follow this blog publicly via Google Friend Connect

*Like Adventures in the Land of Little Choo Choos on Facebook

*Follow @littlechoochoos on Twitter and tweet the following

(up to 2x per day)



I entered to win Little Stinker, a diaper odor eliminator
 from @littlechoochoos http://ow.ly/2We7d  #clothdiapers #giveaway

*Giveaway ends on 11/10/2010 at 11:59 pm EST.  Winner will be chosen via Random.org and notified by email.  If the winner does not respond in 48 hrs, a new winner will be chosen. I was given this product to review but this did not affect my review.  I was not compensated in any other way. 

Lil' Bit

My baby is growing up. *sigh*

Colbie loves to eat her solids! Her favorites change from day to day, so each meal is really a guessing game. Her go to food is definitely green beans. She will eat them up as fast as I can get them into her mouth.

She tried to pull up the other day, but she fell back and bumped her head which irritated her. I'm pretty sure that is going to keep her from trying again for a while.

She still isn't crawling. Every now and then she'll think about, but then she's like "Nah. I like it right where I'm at."

Annnddd, *drum roll please* She has TWO teeth coming in. Her left bottom tooth has barely broke the surface and the bottom right is just visible under her gums. She has been taking the whole teething thing like a champ. She hardly ever fusses and is pretty content as long as there is something to chew on in her hands.

She says "Mama" very clearly.  She also say "Dada" and will say "BaBa" while waving her little wrist.  So cute!


Now, for my favorite part!  I wrote in my last post about Colbie that I was determined to get a picture of the clamping shut of the mouth.  I did even better-  I have a video.  This baby is so precious!

Show me the Money!

Living is expensive. 

I am blessed that I am able to stay at home with my two girls, but living off of one income is hard.  That is why I am always on the look out for ways to save money or bring in a little extra cash.  With the holidays coming up, I am looking for even more ways to save money.  That is why Ebates is so freaking awesome.

Ebates is a website where tons of stores coupon codes are listed.  And as an added bonus, you can earn cash back for your purchases at those stores.  The amount you can earn from each store varies, but cash back is cash back!

I am always a bit leery of things, so if this wasn't the real deal, I would not be posting.  But this is legit.  My first PayPal deposit was only for $5.25 because I wasn't that into it.  But after that deposit, I realized how easy it is to utilize Ebates.  I go to the Ebates website and search for the store I want to purchase from.  For example, let's say I wanted to buy an item from Target.com.  I would go to Ebates and search Target.  When Target comes up, I click on shop now.  Target's website opens up in a new window and I'm lined up to earn 3% cash back on my purchase.  The cash back won't post to your account until after the product ship, but it does post.  In the last two weeks, I have earned $35 in my account and this will be deposited into my PayPal account on November 15th.

Ebates doesn't spam my email inbox either.  They only email me when cash has posted to my account.  And, when you make a purchase you still use your usual payment method.  So not only am I earning cash back from Ebates, I'm still getting my reward points from the credit card companies.  AND, I can still use coupon codes on my purchases if I have them.

So what are you waiting for?  Go sign up for an account here and see for yourself how awesome Ebates is! You will get a sign up bonus that you will receive after you make a qualifying purchase through Ebates.  I know that most of the things I am buying for the Holidays will purchased online-  and I'll take back anything I can get on those purchases!  I promise you will not regret it!

Wordless Wednesday: No Parent is Immune

Two 2 years olds + Crayons = Major gratitude for Magic Erasers

artwork on the wall
(My usual camera is broken- sorry for poor quality pics)

Weekend Update

Friday was a typical Friday.  Piper and I hung out watching movies while Colbie napped.  A movie titled The Amateurs was just starting when the I turned the power on the T.V., and Piper told me she wanted to watch it (which is totally random for her- she typically tries to force me into watching hour after hour of Team Umizoomi.)  I figured it was about a minor league baseball team from some odd reason, so I kept it on.  I soon realized that there was absolutely no baseball talk in sight and decided to press the info button. Hmmm, "Citizens of a small town, under the influence of a man in the midst of a mid-life crisis, come together to make an adult film."  I don't think that is appropriate for a two and a half year old, do you?  Needless to say, I quickly changed the channel.  Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken was on, and since I knew that movie would be okay, we watched it.  Piper enjoyed seeing the horses, and I enjoyed looking at the guy from Sixteen Candles. 


Saturday, Matt, Colbie, and myself met with Matt's parents and Piper at the State fair.  Only, Piper doesn't call it the fair.  She calls it the carnival, which is hilarious because no one around here does.  Grandaddy and KK told us that when they pulled up to the *ahem* carnival, that Piper was in the backseat exclaiming "That so cool!  That so fun! Awesome! Cool!  Fun!"  How cute is that?


At the fair carnival, we checked out all the animals.  We saw all kinds of typical farm animals, including cows and horses.  Piper was more interested in looking at the horse's food that the actual horse, but I did pet a couple of them.  There was a pig race which Piper loved (we recently had the opportunity to chase an escaped pig... Piper thought that was the coolest thing ever even though we got in "trouble" for terrorizing the poor thing) and after the pig race, she was able to ride on a pony.  We saw a circus and even went to a Petting Zoo. 


Ah, the Petting Zoo..


I feel sorry for these animals.  I can only imagine how much life would suck if you were part of a petting zoo.  Anyway, the Petting Zoo was free, but you had to pay for cups of food to feed the animals.  We didn't  purchase one and that pretty much blacklisted us as far as the animals were concerned. 


This Petting Zoo had lots of animals, including a giraffe.  Piper, who was riding on Matt's shoulders, wanted to see the giraffe, but because neither she nor Matt had any goodies to offer, it was ignoring them.  So Matt held out his hand in a fist to make the giraffe think that he had something in it.  This worked and the giraffe stuck as much of its muzzle through the fence as he could only to realize that Matt's hand was empty.  If giraffes can give a dirty look, this one definitely shot one at Matt.  I was able to pick up a carrot off of the ground in front of the giraffe to give to Piper to feed him.   Piper or Matt, I can't remember which one, held out the carrot for the giraffe to grab through the fence.  The giraffe, however, came over the top of the fence and knocked Piper  in the head with its head!  Piper, surprisingly, did not start freaking out.  She thought that the giraffe was giving her a sugar on her forehead so she saw no reason to be alarmed.  After the giraffe tried to take Piper out, he turned his back on Piper and Matt.  When we rounded the corner where he could see us again, he turned back around.  I guess he was really mad at Matt for trying to pull a fast one on him.  I actually caught the entire incidence on video, but somehow managed to erase the entire disc before we left the petting zoo.  


Piper also rode a few of the kiddie rides while we were at the carnival.  I was surprised that she love them as much as she did.  The biggest downer the whole day was that Piper wasn't tall enough (34" ins) to jump in a teeny bounce house that was at the fair.  This really upset her because she is able to get inside the huge bounce houses where we live. As we were leaving the fair, Piper pointed out the Ferris Wheel.  Someone asked her if it was fun, and she said "No!  It is dangerous!"  Maybe Miss Accident Prone is realizing she needs to avoid situations where serious injuries can occur.


Sunday, Piper and Matt carved a pumpkin.  After they finished carving it, I roasted the seeds.  It was my first time and I think they turned out pretty good.  But, neither Matt nor I know how you are suppose to actually eat pumpkin seeds.  Are you suppose to shell them or just put the whole thing in your mouth?  We just ate the whole seed.... no harm done, right?

1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back

I am beginning to get completely frustrated with this whole "potty training" nonsense.  Piper was doing really well.  We were having minimal accidents, even in the car.  But, this whole week has been a potty training nightmare.

She has not used her potty at all.  Instead, she has used the floor, her clothes, or furniture.  It has gotten beyond ridiculous.  And to make the situation worse, she smiles when I ask her is if she just tee-tee'd on the floor.  What the heck is up with that?

In addition to the many "accidents", she tells me no when I ask her if she has to go.  She also screams and cries when I tell her that I am going to take her to the potty.

I am honestly tempted to go back to diapering her full time.  But, she is two and a half years old!  And, she has proven to me that she can use the potty when she wants to.  Do I give up and revisit potty training at a later date?  Or, do I persevere and keep trying to succeed?  I need help--  I really, really do.

I am trying to not show Piper how aggravated I am becoming.  So, you get to hear about it instead!

Does anyone have any tried and true advice??

Review and Giveaway: Dr. Bloom's Chewable Jewels

Colbie is beginning to cut her first tooth so she is in major chew mode lately.  Add that to the fact that she already tries to get her hands on anything within reach and any jewelry that I have on is in jeopardy.  Thankfully, I was sent a necklace and bracelet combo set from Dr. Bloom's Chewable Jewels line.

Colbie loves both the necklace and the bracelet.  When I have the necklace on and I am carrying her, she inevitably grabs it and puts it into her mouth.  It keeps her content for long stretches of time, too.  There have even been a couple of times when letting her chew on the necklace is the only thing I can do to make her happy.

Colbie gnawing on the Chewable Jewels bracelet
(Please excuse my retro shirt)

As a parent, knowing that these jewelry pieces were designed by a dentist gives me peace of mind when Colbie is chomping away on the pendant and bracelet. I know that she is not damaging her precious little tooth buds.  And, I don't have to worry about any small beads, glitter, or any other foreign objects being swallowed.  ( And you know how I feel about the swallowing of foreign objects thanks to Piper)

According to their website, Dr. Bloom's Chewable Jewels are:


Dentist Created and Endorsed
FDA approved materials
Phthalate Free
Lead Free
BPA, PVC, Latex Free
Waterproof
Dishwasher Safe
Fashionable


Chewable Jewels are available in three necklace shapes: Circle, Rectangle, and Hexagon.   The pendants come on latex free cording that stretches, but you can easily swap it out for a necklace that you already have if you want.  There is a variety of pendant colors to choose from, too, so you will have no problem finding one that suits your style.  Dr. Bloom's Chewable Jewels also offers Hexagon key rings which are perfect to attach to strollers, diaper bags, and anywhere else you may need to keep baby occupied for a while.

The only negative that I found is that Colbie,who has a very sensitive gag reflex, gags herself occasionally on the rectangle shape.  If the pendant was either the hexagon or circle shape this problem would be eliminated.  Other than that, I love, love, LOVE this product and recommend any new mom to check them out.

Buy it:
You can purchase your own Chewable Jewel at Dr. Bloom's website.  The combo set like the one I received is $19.90

Chewable Jewels has generously offered readers of Adventures in the Land of Little Choo Choos a discount code good for 15% off.  Use coupon code 2010L checkout.  This code is good until the end of 2010!

Win it:
One lucky winner will win their own Chewable Jewel =)

Mandatory Entry:

Head over to Chewable Jewel and tell me what your favorite piece is.

Bonus Entries:

Follow this blog via Google Friend connect

Like Chewable Jewels on Facebook and tell them Little Choo Choos sent you

Follow Chewable Jewels on Twitter

Follow Little Choo Choos on Twitter

This contest is open to US and Canada residents only and will end on October 30, 2010, at 11:59 PM.  Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hrs to respond.  If no response, a new winner will be chosen.  I was given this product to review but was not compensated in any other way.

And the winners are...

The winners of their own copy of Tracy Anderson's 30-day Method are:

#66
SalanderServant said... 66
Follow you, tweeted here. http://twitter.com/Fatally_Flayed/status/26038157794

#25
AStarrA said... 25
http://twitter.com/AStarrAMama/status/24881144763



The winner of the CSNstores.com $35 GC is:

#47

Tamara B. said... 47
I Like CSN Stores on Facebook


Thanks for all the entries!

Drama and Trauma

Adventure*

 1.     a : an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown

         risks

         

          b : the encountering of risks

  

2.      an exciting or remarkable experience

3.      an enterprise involving financial risk

When a person thinks of adventure, I seriously doubt that anything having to do with kids comes to mind.  More than likely they envision kayaking down the Colorado river or backpacking up Mount Fiji.  They may wonder how an innocent child could possibly bring anything but joy ( or house arrest) to their parents.  But adventure?  How do children equal adventure?   Oh, I can tell you how and I am only 29 months into this whole parenting gig.

Piper has already proven in her short life that she is going to keep me on my toes.  Right after turning one, she was cruising along the couch and fell backwards.  She hit her head on the coffee table and immediately started puking.  This lead to her having a CAT Scan in the emergency room.  In addition to this CAT Scan she has had an X-Ray of her entire right leg taken, chipped a tooth, and lost a toe nail.  And today?  Well, today she swallowed a battery.

We cleaned out our storage building and all kinds of goodies have been within her toddler's reach.  I think she found the battery on our dining room table because that is where the book light is still laying without its battery.  We were in the kitchen and I noticed that Piper had the battery in her hand.  I asked her what she had and told her to give it to me.  Her response was to put the battery in her mouth.  When she did this I exclaimed "Piper, don't put that in your mouth.  Give it to me!"  She said something that I don't remember which lead me to realize that her mouth was empty.  I said "Piper!  Give me the battery!  Please tell me you did not just swallow it!"  Her hands flew to her throat and a look of panic crossed her face.  After freaking out on her just a little, I called Matt.

When I told Matt, he told me, like most men would, that it probably wasn't a big deal and that it would pass on its own.  It wouldn't have mattered what he said, though, because I always call the doctor's office. When the nurse got on the phone and asked for my child's birth date, she laughed when I answered.  They are familiar with her to say the least.  The nurse told me to take her to the Emergency Room immediately because the battery mixed with her stomach acid was a very bad thing. 

At the emergency room I started crying as I explained why we were there.  They very quickly whisked us to triage and there we waited.  Once we got back there, it was like it was no big deal.  Piper, of course, was feeling fine so she was running around.  A friend of mine that works in Radiology came in to do the X-Ray of Piper's torso.  Piper thinks the idea of seeing her bones is awesome so she laid very still during the process.

Piper's X-Ray showing the battery in her stomach

When the Physician's assistant came in 30 minutes after Piper's X-Ray had been taken, we had already been at the hospital for an hour and a half.  He began to explain to me that objects like this will usually pass on their own and that they may want to take another X-Ray in a week to make sure that it was no longer in her body.  The old, non parent Lauren would have jumped at the opportunity to get the heck out of there.  But the mom in me told him that Piper's doctor had told us that the acid in her stomach could eat at the battery causing battery acid to leak out.  Mr. P.A. at this point told me that he would talk to the ER doctor, and that GI would have to get involved and Endo, and blah, blah, blah.  I honestly believe that he felt like I was an overprotective parent wasting valuable resources.  

(on a side note-  Piper has been watching this Mickey Mouse cartoon where Pluto turns red and she tells me "Look mom!  Pluto spicy!"  Mr. P.A. had red undertones in his skin and the whole time he was talking Piper kept whispering to me "Mommy, is he spicy?")

Twenty minutes or more passes and suddenly Mr. P.A. is rushing at me telling me that this is very serious and that we have to get Piper to lay on her left side immediately and not let her move.  He explains that the Endocrinologist needs the battery to stay at the top of her stomach and not enter into her intestines.  I assume that this is because it will be easier to get out if it is in her tummy.  Because Piper is a little firecracker, we are forced to wrap her up papoose style so she will lay still on her side. 

She and I are wheeled down the hall to another room.  An anesthesiologist is called in because my baby is going to have to go under general anesthesia so they can get the battery out.  This scares me.  This scares me a lot.  The anesthesiologist has everything ready and tells me to slide off the bed, leave the room, and don't look back.

In the waiting room, my best friend (who also works at the hospital) finds me in the hall, alone and freaking out.   But, she always makes everything better and was able to calm me down.    As an added bonus, she tells me that she will be Piper's nurse when she comes out of her procedure.  The procedure takes about 15 minutes to complete and then Piper is wheeled passed me to Recovery.  (By now, Matt has arrived and he and I follow our daughter down the hall)

I have no idea what that white lump is, but this is the inside of my daughter's stomach.  How many other parent's do you know that have this for their scrapbooks?

Seeing your child after they have been put to sleep is a very pitiful sight.  They had already removed the tube from down her throat and other unpleasantries, but she still look so frail!

Piper in Recovery. I'm holding the tube that is blowing oxygen in her face

They gave me the battery and it had already started to corrode.  So let this be a warning to all parents out there that a battery is not just another case of swallowing a foreign object.  The doctor told me after he got it out that if the battery had settled into a spot on her intestines it could have burned a whole through them!  Very serious stuff.

Piper did great and is fine.  The truth is that I was surprised at how well she behaved throughout the entire ordeal.  She thought the fact that she was able to eat two Popsicles in a row was pretty cool.  Her least favorite part was the not the I.V. in her arm, but the sensor on her thumb measuring her heart rate.  She thought her thumb was missing, poor baby!

In our rush to leave, I remembered to bring diapers but I forgot to bring my wet bag.  I find it humorous that when I asked if they had a plastic bag to put Colbie's soiled diaper in, I was given this:

Hardy, Har Har!

Piper is the reason why the title of my blog contains the word "adventure".  These first years have already contained more drama and trauma than I ever experienced in my life before she came along!  Thank you, Piper, for making life more interesting, but please, please, please try not to seriously hurt yourself!

*Defintion found at www.merriam-webster.com/

Currently Colbie

And because I don't need to ignore my second child, here is a post updating on Colbie!

Colbie has learned how to scream.  She does it all the time now and it drives me insane.  But I can't blame her because when you are competing with a couple of two year olds for attention you have to pull out all the stops! 
Some days, like today, she gets tired of me.  She fusses and fusses.  And just to prove to her daddy how much of an exaggerator I am, she puts on her happy face as soon as he gets home.  What a little smarty.
This little rascal has mastered the art of being lazy laid back.  She won't can't crawl yet, but she has figured out how to pull the blanket towards her so that toys that were out of reach (to coerce her into crawling, I might add!) are suddenly at her fingertips.
She loves to eat solids.  She loves them so much that the only time she wants to nurse is if she is trying to go to sleep.
When Colbie sees something she likes, she expresses her excitement with her whole body.  She kicks her legs, wiggles from side to side, and fist pumps.  Okay, she may not "fist pump" exactly, but it is her 8 month old version of it.
She has reached for me once, just to show that she can do it. 
If I am holding her, and someone reaches for her she will pull back and turn her head.  A clear and definitive "don't you take me from my mama!"
When she is tired of eating, she doesn't grab at the spoon or turn her head.  She simply clamps her mouth shut.  It is the cutest expression I have ever seen.  One of these days I'll get a picture of it.

That pretty much sums Colbie up for now!



Why would I want to turn around when I can just crane my neck?



All the Things She Says pt 2

It's that time again!  I like documenting the things that come out of Piper's mouth because I know one day she won't say them any more.

*  "I not say I lub you!"  If Piper is angry and you tell her you love her, she says this.  At least she doesn't say I don't love you

*  "I not chill out!"  I tell her to chill out when she is acting crazy.

*  "I don't like that song.  I don't like that song either!  Turn it off!  I don't-- I like that song."

*  "That's my sister!  That's not your sister!"   This is what she tells me if I am doing anything to Colbie that Piper does not approve of.

*  "I smart."  (Points to her head) "My smart is up here.  My smart hurt."

*  "I did a BIG poo poo! Wanna come see it??"

*  "M is my best friend."

*  We have 3 terra cotta pumpkins on our porch.  She told me that the pumpkins were Daddy, Mommy, and Colbie.  Then she asked me "Where's Piper Pumpkin?"  And Matt didn't think we needed four pumpkins! Ha!

*  "I need to go hide!"  She says this when her Daddy gets to come home for lunch.  She insist on hiding from him.  And by hiding I mean she lays down on the couch and jumps up to yell surprise when he walks through the door.

*  To the Cat:  "Rammmpaggge! Raaammmppaagggee!  Where are youuuuu?  We color you a picture.  It is picture time!"  He's been spending a lot of time outside lately... I wonder why?

*  "Here's your munch mommy.  You want your munch?"  (lunch)

*  "Open it for me Mommy.  Ohhh, thank you!  Thank you so much!"

*  "One mommy.  One daddy.  One Colbie.  One Piper."

*  "That's so beautiful."

*  "I scared.  The thunder scare me."

*  She calls everything that fastens or anything that lays across her lap  a "seat belt."  This includes pillow, blankets, arms, and nursing bras.

*  "I wanna do it myself"

* "I want mellow cereal"  This is what she calls Lucky Charms which is actually my cereal but she forces me to share

* "I dirty.  I need a bath"  What she says when she wants to take a bath

* " I not dirty! I clean"  What she says when she does not want to take a bath

* "uh-oh sgetti oh's"

I know there is more to come!  Until next time...

I love my silly girl!

Winners!

The three winners of their own copy of Beautiful Creatures are:

hcioban said... 8
Like Beautiful Creatures on FB.


cpevey said... 17
Following you on twitter...@PeveysGirl

Chanel said... 1
I am a follower...o

Congratulations to the winner and thanks to everyone who entered!

Hello! My name is Selfish

As I am sure you already know, Similac is recalling millions of containers of formula due to a "beetle concern"  This recall has lead to debates and snide comments on both Facebook and Twitter between mothers that are breastfeeding and mothers that are formula feeding.  I am a breastfeeding mom, so this recall does not affect me. However, I have a confession to make.


I never considered breastfeeding my kids until after I became pregnant.  And to be completely honest, the whole idea of it freaked me out just a little bit.  Okay, it freaked me out a lot.  What kind of joy and satisfaction could possibly come from having a baby attached to your boob?  Even reading that breast milk was the best food source for my baby wasn't enough to convince me that I should breastfeed.  But do you want to know what did convince me to give breastfeeding a shot?  I read in one of my pregnancy books that breastfeeding would help me lose the weight that I had put on during pregnancy..

I didn't decide to breastfeed for the benefit of my baby.  I decided to breastfeed for my own benefit.  Those reasons did change as I learned more about the awesomeness that is breast milk, but my initial reason was and will always be based on my own selfishness.

As it turns out, breastfeeding my kids has brought me joy and satisfaction.  But, I also am very much aware that breastfeeding is not possible for every mother in the world.  In times like this, when there are recalls on things like formula, we as mothers need to band together.  These mothers that are using formula did not choose to feed their babies insect parts and larvae.  And when it comes to things that are being put in and on our children's bodies every precaution should be being made by companies to make sure that it safe. That, my friends, is the real issue.

Meet Me On Monday: 9/20/2010

My friend over at Diaries of a SuperMom Diva has done this a few times on her blog and I think it is an awesome way to share little tidbits about myself with you.

Each Sunday night, Never Growing Old post five random questions for us bloggers to answers. Here are the questions and my answers for this week.

1.What is your favorite all time movie?
Oh gosh!  You mean I have to pick just ONE?  I think that I am going to go with What Dreams May Come.  The first time I watched this movie, I didn't get it.  But then I watched it by myself and something clicked.  I probably cried for at least 20 minutes after the ending credits started.  And you know what?  I bet it would affect me even more now that I am married and have kids of my own. 
In addition to the story itself, I love the way colors are used in this movie.  I loved how emotions are mirrored in the colors surrounding the characters.

2. How often do you go over the speed limit?
I used to be a chronic speeder, but I have since pretty much rehabbed.  Having two kids in the car with me at all times has helped curb my need for speed.  Wait, let me take that back.  Getting rid of my 5 speed rice burner is why I've slowed down.  It isn't as much fun to drive fast in my mom mobile.

3. What really gives you the creeps?
I can not stand bugs, spiders and roaches especially.  And you can add snakes to that list, too.  When we first moved into our house, I was having a reoccurring dream where spiders were crawling all over me.  Then, in real life, I pulled the covers back to find dead spiders in my bed. Ewww.
I looked for pictures of spiders but even that gave me the heebee geebees.

4. What is your favorite snack?
I am a junk food junkie.  So, it is no surprise that my favorite snack is pretty much anything that contains chocolate.  If I had to pick just one, though, I'd have to Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies.  Yummy!

5. Would you rather be a dog named Killer or a cat named Fluffy?
I'm not a "Fluffy" kinda girl.  I have a cat and he is named after UFC fighter Rampage Jackson.  So, I would definitely rather be a dog named Killer.  But a cute, cuddly Killer.

I'd love to read your answers, too!  Join in!

Desperate Times

Sooo, Piper has been without a binky for almost 2 weeks.  And she still asks for it. Every. Single. Day.

This causes me, as her mother, to feel guilty about not giving her one.

The kid is only 2.5 years old. I thought for sure she would have forgotten about it by now.  I mean, when will binky forever be gone from her memory.  Maybe, her kicking the binky habit is equivalent to an adult quitting smoking.  I know that former smokers still crave a cigarette every now and then.

Poor thing is still hoping that one will turn up somewhere, too, and she is always looking for a substitute.  She has tried to suck on a scrapbook sticker that is in the shape of a pacifier.  When she came across a doll that had a pacifier she asked if she could put it in her mouth.  Friday, she had me call my parents so she could talk to them.  When Grandpa got on the phone she asked him if he had a binky at his house.  And do you know what he told her?  YES!  Ol' pushover.  I had to force him to throw it somewhere so that when she got to their house and asked for it he wouldn't be lying when he said he didn't know where it was.  Can you imagine how bad life would have been if she had been able to get her hands on that binky?  Bad  Grandpa!  Very Bad.

I know that eventually Piper won't think of her binky anymore.  But until then, I hope that this guilt won't tempt me to just give her the darn thing any more than it already has.

I Want This: Boba 2G Baby Carrier

I am a babywearing mama.  I love having my little one close to me, but I don't have the arm power to tote her around all the time (which is why I need to be doing this)  I have a Sleepy Wrap and it is awesome, but Colbie really loves to look around.  So, she uses her arms to push against my chest so she can see better.  It looks like it may be time to upgrade to a soft structured carrier so that I can wear her on my back when we are out.  Lucky for me (unlucky for Matt!), the makers of the Sleepy Wrap (I did tell you I love it, right?)  also make the Boba 2G baby carrier.  It has me in complete lust mode.  In December, we will be taking a long flight to Wisconsin, and between airports and such, I know that I need this!  If anyone out there wants to play Santa Clause, (Pine or Willow, please)  I won't mind!!

But, since I doubt anyone is seriously going to drop one in my lap for no reason, I am trying to win one.  And as much as I don't want the added competition, I'm posting about it anyway because I am that desperate to get the extra entries!

So, if you would love a Boba 2G Carrier (and I know you do) head over to Momma in Flip Flops 2 and enter.  It ends on September 17 at midnight Central time.  So hurry and Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday: Piper enjoying a Milkshake

A straw is for stirring, duh!

She rubbed it all over her legs like it was lotion

If you ever think your child looks thrown away think about this image

She told me she was making a picture with her "shake milk"

"I sticky!"

How a mom who doesn't do sticky cleans her kid

Review and Giveaway: Tracy Anderson 30-Day Method

 

I gave birth to my second child in January, and I will be the first to tell you that my body is less than stellar. I'm not overweight, but I am flabby. I could definitely use some toning up. But, with two kids of my own plus the addition of M during the week, I don't have time to go to a gym. I need something I can do at home on my own.

Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method is a 30 day "boot camp" to jump start your fitness routine.  In the book, Tracy gives you the tools you need to be successful.  It is up to you to decide to use them.

The book features exercises that do not require any fancy equipment. All you need for Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method are a chair, sneakers, ankle weights, and an exercise mat.  There are menus with recipes like "Choco Chestnut Pudding" and "Turkey Avocado Rollup".  There is also a DVD that comes with the book that shows the cardio exercises.

My favorite thing about this book is that Tracy doesn't sugar coat it at all.  She is very up front about the fact that the only way her method is going to work for you is if you follow it exactly.  The first few chapters are about the Method, how it was developed and Tracy's own personal struggle with trying to achieve the perfect body. She repeats, throughout these chapters that you can only be successful if you work hard.  She also believes that if you do the Method her way for 30 days, you should be able to eat food that you enjoy (in moderation, of course) without the worry that one candy bar is going to go straight to your hips.


More about the book from the website:


Did you know muscles get bored, just like people do? And did you also know that there's a 9 out of 10 chance that you're working the wrong muscles when you exercise? With TRACY ANDERSON'S 30-DAY METHOD you don't have to worry--her unique workout will help you drop the weight and shrink your body in just 30 days.

Based on ten years of scientific research and experience getting not just herself, but A-list stars and everyday people, red carpet ready, Anderson has developed a unique 30-day diet and workout routine that reshapes the body and defies genetics to tone the muscles and drop the pounds. While most people incorrectly target their major muscle groups, like the bicep or hamstring, the focus should be on the smaller accessory muscles that can create a long, lean, balanced look--instead of bulked up look. Anderson's program is composed of a groundbreaking three-tiered approach, including a mat workout and cardio routine targeting the all-important accessory muscles, and an exclusive 30-day meal plan, complete with dozens of delicious recipes.

This comprehensive kick-start program is unlike any other workout on the market and it leaves no chance for anything but terrific, fast results!

Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method is set to be released on September 20, 2010.

Win it here!

Two lucky readers will win their own copy of Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method

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Extra Entriesleave a separate comment for each
*Like Adventures in the Land of Little Choo Choos on Facebook
*Follow @littlechoochoos on Twitterand Tweet (up to 1x daily leaving perm url. I will be checking) #Fitness jumpstart #giveaway! #win Tracy Anderson's #30dayMethod  from @littlechoochoos  http://t.co/iatqgoa

 *Enter one of my other giveaways, tell me which one and what your comment number is on that giveaway
(up to 5 extra entries)
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*Add me to your public blog roll and leave the link so I can find it(3 entries)
*Vote for this blog on Top Mommy Blogs (can be done 1x per day)


Open to US and Canada residents only.  Ends on September 30, 2010, 11:59 pm EST.  Winners will be chosen via Random.org and notified by email with 48 hrs to respond.  If no response, a new winner will be chosen.  Limit one copy of this book per household, so if you have already won one from a different site, you will not be shipped any additional copies.  I received this book for free to review, but this did not affect my review in any way.  I received no other compensation. 

Giveaway: CSNStores.com Gift Certificate

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from cheap bedroom furniture to jogging strollers. When it came time for Colbie to move out of her infant carrier and into a convertible car seat, we found the best price at a CSN Store.

I am excited to be able to offer 1 lucky reader a $35 GC to use at any of the CSN stores. You can use it to buy a Halloween costume for your child, toys ( Christmas is fast approaching!), or even bedroom furniture.

Mandatory Entry

Follow this blog publicly via Google Friend Connect

and

Visit Bedroom Furniture and tell me one thing you would like to have.

(It can be anything- You are under no obligation to buy it if you win)

Extra Entries

leave a separate comment for each

*Like Adventures in the Land of Little Choo Choos on Facebook

*Follow @littlechoochoos on Twitter

and

Tweet (up to 1x daily leaving perm url. I will be checking)

#giveaway to #win a $35 GC to @CSN stores from @littlechoochoos http://t.co/3mamxnc 

*Follow @CSNStores on Twitter

*Like CSN Stores on Facebook

*Enter one of my other giveaways, tell me which one and what your comment number is on that giveaway
(up to 5 extra entries)

*Subscribe to this blog with your email. Be sure to confirm subscription

*Make a blog post linking back to this giveaway post stating why you want to win this (I need a url so I can check!)

(5 extra entries for this one! Remember to leave separate comments)

*Grab my button, putting it on your homepage, and leave a link so I can find it.

(3 entries)

*Add me to your public blog roll and leave the link so I can find it

(3 entries)

*Vote for this blog on Top Mommy Blogs (can be done 1x per day)

Giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only and will end on Sept. 30th 2010 at 11:59 pm EST.  Winner will be chosen via Random.org and  notified by email and have 48 hrs to respond.  If no response  a new winner will be chosen.   Gift Card cannot be applied to previous purchases or shipping costs. 

Oh Dora!

If you are a follower of my blog, then you may have read that we gave Piper a dancing Dora doll for doing well with her potty training.  Little did we know that Colbie would be the one who actually would do things to catch a glimpse of Dora doing her dance.
Colbie is the opposite of Piper;  where Piper is high strung passionate, Colbie is easy going.  But, her laid back nature has been a cause for concern in my mommy mind.  When I took her to her six month checkup, she still wasn't doing a mini push up when on her stomach.  And, although she had rolled over from her tummy to her back, she had only done it one time.  I mentioned this to her Dr. and she assured me that Colbie was fine.  She told me she was just lazy.
Being her mom, I took a little offense to the word "lazy" being used to describe my child.  But I now have to admit that she is, in fact, lazy.
So what does Colbie being lazy and Dora have to do with one another?  Let me show you!!

You caught me! I can do a mini push up!

I might even try to crawl... but only for Dora!

But that isn't the only thing she'll do for Dora.  She shocked me with something else, too. The little rascal!

What?  You didn't know I could sit up?

Why did she quit dancing?

"Will Work For Dora!"

I really was shocked.  Before we busted out the Dora doll, Colbie would sit up for 2 seconds.  That was it.  I set Dora down in front of her and suddenly, Colbie was a pro.  She sat up for at least 10 minutes before she started to fall back.  Oh, Colbie!  I am in no rush whatsoever, but what am I going to have to do to get you to walk? 

  Little does Mommy know I already make late night trips
to the kitchen to eat all her chocolate! Hahaha!

Review and Giveaway: Beautiful Creatures CD

My kids love music.  Colbie gets really excited and Piper loves to dance whenever they hear a song that they like.  The problem is that music meant for kids can get old really fast for the parents.  So, I am always on the search for music that both my kids and myself will enjoy.

I was given the opportunity to review a digital copy of Beautiful Creatures, an album consisting of 10 African Songs written for children.  I love that it is from South Africa because I want my kids to experience all types of music so that hopefully they will like a wider range.

More about Beautiful Creatures from their website:

"Beautiful Creatures was formed in South Africa in November 2004 by Alan Glass, Ed Jordan and Paul Choritz who felt there was a need for “Parent Friendly” children’s music. Using the best session musicians, actors and singers in the country, Beautiful Creatures prides itself on being uniquely South African with a positive global message.

The past five years has seen the Beautiful Creatures brand become a household name in South Africa, with books, clothes and toys as well as a T.V. series in development. As more and more Beautiful Creatures cds are sent overseas as gifts, the response has been overwhelming and the brand is now ready to take the world by storm! We are also now available online through Itunes, and keep in touch with twitter and facebook.

In a fast paced world where parents and children have limited quality time, Beautiful Creature’s mission is to bring families together offering a uniquely South African brand with an educational and positive message."



As soon as I turned on Beautiful Creatures, both Piper and M, started dancing.  I liked the music, too.  It didn't sound too kiddie and it had a great beat.  The lyrics are cute, fun, and informative. The CD has several songs based on animals: Imvubu the Happiest Hippo, Lucas the Lazy Lion, .Mafutha the Elephant, and Wallace the Wondrous Warthog.  It moves from upbeat songs at the beginning to slower, more mellow songs at the end.

I love all the songs, but I really love the African Lullaby.   The music is soothing and it really is a great lullaby.  I think it will make a great addition to the bedtime routine that I desperately need to put into place.;o)

There are several Beautiful Creatures albums, toys and a book available.

Buy it:

You can purchase your own copy of Beautiful Creatures from iTunes by going here for $9.90

Win it:

Beautiful Creatures is offering a digital copy of the album to 3 lucky readers.

Mandatory Entry

Follow this blog publicly on Google Friend Connect.  Leave a comment letting me know that you are a follower with your email address.

Extra Entries

You can do one, all or none.  Be sure to leave a separate comment for each you do!

*Follow @littlechoochoos on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (1x daily)

#Win a digital copy of Beautiful Creatures from @littlechoochoos and @beauticreature open worldwide http://goo.gl/b/GYJ9

*Like the Adventures in the Land of Little Choo Choos on FaceBook

*Follow Beautiful Creatures on Twitter

*Like Beautiful Creatures on Facebook

*Vote for this blog on Top Mommy Blogs


Good Luck!

This giveaway is open worldwide and will end on Sept. 22, 2010 at 11:59 pm EST.  Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to my email.  If no response, a new winner will be chosen

Review: Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Shampoo

I'm a lazy busy mom, so my hair is sometimes neglected.  Okay, who am I trying to kid here?  My hair is lucky if it gets washed more than 2 times a week.  I know that is gross, but I have a 2.5 year old and a 7 month old.  Plus, I watch a 23 month old 5 days a week.  I take it as a sign that it is going to be a very good day if I am even able to get into the shower!  So, back to the hair.  I often find myself looking at greasy hair.  And this is usually when we are about to walk out the door to go somewhere that more than likely entails running into someone I know.

I have heard about dry shampoos in the past.  I've even been tempted to buy it.  But, my husband doesn't I don't like wasting money on things that don't work, so I've been afraid to try it.  So,  I was really excited when the folks at Salon Grafix sent me a bottle of Invisible Dry Shampoo to try out.

According to the Salon Grafix website:


Salon Grafix's Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo goes on clear to clean and refresh your hair - with no color and no powdery residue. Just spray in and brush out.



•New Invisible Formula


•Neutralizes Odors


•No Powdery Residue


•Safe for All Hair Types



The day it came in the mail, I had actually washed my hair.  So, I had to wait to try it out.  I've never been more excited about not washing my hair! I waited 48 hours (which is often the case anyway) before I gave the Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Shampoo a try. 

Before:  Nice and greasy ;)             

I followed the directions listed on the bottle. After spraying it onto my roots in short burst, I let the product dry for at least one minute.  Then, I ran a brush through my hair and voila, my hair looked a lot cleaner and smelled fabulous. 

After:  It looks much better!

I am very pleased with the results.  If you ask me, Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Shampoo is well worth $7.99.

Things I love:

• It degreased my hair!
• It smells great!
• It didn't leave any powdery residue in my hair.
• This product will help lengthen the life of my hair color.

The Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Shampoo is great for touch ups between washes.   You can purchase it at retails stores such as CVS and Target nationwide.