The First Years Minnie Mouse Feeding Seat

Disclaimer: I was provided with the products in this post at no cost however all words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible!

The baby is at an age where mealtime is no longer a complete challenge so long as we allow her to do everything herself. And I mean everything. She prefers sitting at the table with us rather than her high chair so when we had the chance to check out The First Years Minnie Mouse Feeding Seat we jumped on it! And I'm glad we did. 

It's the perfect solution between a high chair and sitting in an actual dining chair. The seat straps securely to the chair and it even comes with a tray, which I can see being convienient if you wanted to save space and minimize the number of products you bring into your home. I've been on a minimizing kick the last year or so and the first thing that came to mind when I saw that The First Years Minnie Mouse Feeding Seat came with a tray was: this is perfect because now you don't even need a high chair! Because not only could you use this at the table as a booster with no tray when your child is older but you could also use it as a high chair by popping the tray on. The tray is adjustable as is the safety harness so the seat can easily grow with your child. Ours gets use at mealtime time and at play time as I find this scene often:

We were also sent coordinating dish ware. I really enjoy trying different types of dishware for kids, I feel like that should be a proper job title. You know, like a food critic? Except it'd be a baby/toddler dish ware critic. Okay, now that I typed it out it admittedly sounds a bit ridiculous but humor me, please. 

These forks and spoons are a definite keeper. And the sippy cups are a winner too. There's also a bowl as well as a sectioned place which is nice if you have a picky eater that doesn't like their food touching. *Cough Cough* My littlest. 

Click here to see more!

Snacking on-the-go

Full Disclosure: The products in this post were provided to me at no cost, however all words and opinions are my own.

If your toddler is anything like mine, you stay prepped on your outings with an arsenal of goodies to tame the wild that inevitably comes during errand running. My diaper bag weighs about 4,376 pounds because I carry so much to keep her entertained, happy, and not grabbing everything within her reach. The struggles.

But not only does my little one want a snack when the time comes, she wants to do it herself. And that's just her personality. Always has been. She wants to do nearly everything herself. 

I started her on solids at around seven months old and she let me feed her for less than a week before she wanted to do it herself - so I let her because why not?! It made her happy and now she's awesome using utensils, well, relatively speaking. And she's awesome at keeping Samantha fed as well because I mean, come on, who could resist those puppy eyes. Literally. Puppy Eyes.

So when it comes to snacking on-the-go it's the same; she wants to do it herself. And after a few incidents of her spilling a box of raisins or dumping her crackers, I knew there had to be a product out there that could help. Enter; Ubbi. They have such cute products and the one that caught my eye immediately was their Tweet Snack Container. It's adorable (shaped like a bird), comes in fun colors (red, green, hot pink, robin's egg blue, and orange), and it's functional. 

The top is where the magic is; kids can get their hands in the container to reach their treats but the design prevents treats from falling out as well as kids from pulling out a massive handful at a time. 

And then there's the lid that snaps closed to keep snacks fresh. It latches well enough that it stays closed and opens easy enough that my 15 month old can flip it open when she decides it's snack time at the splash pad.

This is by far one of my favorite kid products I've used to date. We use our tweet snack containers everywhere; at home, in the car, in stores, you name it. 

They're available on Amazon or Buy Buy Baby. Check 'em out! And stay tuned because these will be included in an awesome giveaway coming up. Happy Thursday, friends!

Happy

Full Disclosure: The products in this post were provided to me at no cost. However, all words and opinions are my own.

We've been living in America for four weeks now and it's starting to feel like home around here. We still have some tweaking to do and are waiting for furniture deliveries and oh, yeah, I have one entire room that I haven't even remotely touched but slowly we're making this little place ours even if we find out we have to pick right back up and move again this time next year (it'll happen, mark my words). If only I could get Samantha to pull her weight around here.

Moving from Europe is a bit different than moving within the same country - for one, we left our washer and dryer in storage when we moved to Europe three years ago. So while the movers brought the majority of our things one day, we didn't get our storage (AKA washer and dryer) shipment until a few weeks later. So I was left without a means to do laundry. 

Most people would celebrate that, no? But not me, 1. I don't mind laundry (I know, I know, check my temp!) 2. We have 3,746 kids so I need to do laundry daily or else it piles up, literally. So when our washer and dryer showed up it was like Christmas in May! And the timing was perfect because I received a package of amazing products from Everyday Happy around that same time. I was pleasantly surprised by all the goodies they sent and when I saw their Natural Laundry Detergent I put it to immediate use. 

Remember when I recently wrote about simple steps to living a more natural life?  Well, in that post I shared with you that laundry detergent was one area we were still struggling with and unable to find a product that both me and Seth liked. Guess what? We found one! Everyday Happy's Natural Laundry Detergent is free of sulfates, perfumes, dyes, and harsh additives. Which makes it great even for cloth diapering which means I no longer have to buy a detergent for our clothing and another for Avery's diapers.

Another product we now use almost daily is the Bubble Bath. It smells soooooo amazing, and its plant-based, so those of you with kiddos with sensitive skin will love this stuff. 

And can we talk about teenagers and bathrooms really quick? Its a terrifying combo. I typically stay out of the big kids' bathrooms for the most part, I just do a quick QC (quality check) every few days to make sure I don't need to phone in the HazMat team. But let me tell you, the Liquid Hand Soap alone leaves a heavenly lingering scent when the kids use it. Now I just need to get them to toss their clothing that extra three inches to the hamper and we'll be in business.

So, the other day we were headed out with a long list of places to go and things that needed done. I was feeling like Super Mom because I was doing it all alone since hubby was out of town for work. The kitchen was spotless, I just completed a project for the house, the kids were happy, I was looking pulled together for once, and I walk out to the garage to load the car and...I realized I had no shoes on. What?! Who does that? Hot Mess Express, ya'll. The only reason I realized I forgot to put on shoes was because the change of texture in the floor as I stepped into the garage. All this to say, I need every and anything to make my life easier and I know many other parents are on the same crazy train. So streamline your do list and let Everyday Happy send you five of your favorite products of theirs every month automatically. No joke, they offer that service and the price is fantastic. Now if only I could find a service that automatically slips my shoes on my feet before I walk out the door. And another to teach Sam to unpack boxes.

Psst. Diggin' that print in the first photo? Download it here for free.

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Mealtime Help

Full Disclosure: As a Nuby Parent Blogger I receive products at no cost, however all words and opinions are my own.

So at mealtime, Sam is like a ninja - a large dog ninja that observes every member of her pack (AKA us) and decides who is likely to give her (whether willingly or due to not having perfected their utensil-using skills) the most food. That person is typically Avery because, well, she's 14 months old and has a tendency to be buck wild regardless of if she's eating or not. So Sam sits watch and waits ever so patiently for my little girlfriend to drop her bowl or plate from her highchair. But guess what, ya'll? Little Sammy is a little sadder these days and I'm a little happier because the Nuby Miracle Mat suctions to the highchair. Hallelujah Amen.

We use it every. single. day. And have ever since receiving it about a month ago and let me tell you, she rarely even tries to pull her bowls and plates off the table or highchair tray now. So I think of it as a learning tool as well, between the suction preventing her from lifting it and me reinforcing a "Keep your plate on the tray until you're done eating, please" we've been able to teach her some proper table manners. We still have a little work to do in other areas though.

Another learning tool has been Nuby's 

Clik-It™ FlipN'Sip™ Cup with 360° Weighted Straw. When kids are first learning to use sippy cups, they don't understand to tilt ones that needs sucked from, and to keep a straw cup upright, so this 360 cup is perfect because no matter the angle the cup is being held at your child will get the liquid due to the weighted straw. Confused? I didn't understand it either until I physically opened the cup and saw how it was made. And for older babes that have been drinking from sippys for a while like Avery that understand the concept, this 360 cup is still handy during situations like snuggling on mama's lap while watching TV. When she's partially laying and drinking from it the last thing on her mind is to hold it at the proper angle so again, even if she gets lazy and holds it at a less than ideal angle she'll still get liquid from it. And it doesn't leak, just ensure you here the CLICK when putting the lid on and you're all set!

So while I don't have an au pair or a personal chef I do have help at mealtime in the form of some convenient Nuby products. And since I know my fellow parents can also use a little help head on over to my Instagram to find out how you can win Nuby's Miracle Mat!

Happy weekend, friends. Xx

Fresh Wave Fresh Home

Full Disclosure: The products in the this post were provided to me at no cost, however all words and opinions are my own.

As parents we all have one thing in common - we want the very best for our kids. From making sure they have the best education to making sure they have the best home environment we strive to do it all. 

And what's better than finding products that make this parenting gig easier? Not a whole lot.

Here's what I'm working with: I have a big goofy dog, four kids, and a husband that works long hours and is gone on business for weeks and months at a time. I luckily no longer work full-time outside the home, nonetheless I keep very busy. My older three play sports, my dog gets into mischief, and my youngest can make a mess appear out of thin air so when I was sent some goodies from FreshWave I was so excited, the moment I opened the box I could tell my life just got a bit easier, and what mom doesn't want that?

The first item I used was the Fresh pod. It has odor removing gels inside so I placed it inside our kitchen trash bin. The adhesive backing made placement easy and the Fresh pod naturally gets rid of those pesky food odors in between taking out the trash. 

The Fresh Wave gel is in my laundry room. This is where the majority of the kids' shoes and sports equipment get corralled and stinky odors used to follow. The laundry room is the first room we typically enter since we tend to come in the house through the garage and now that I placed the the Fresh Wave gel in there I'm no longer met with offensive odors, just a nice clean scent.

I should mention that Fresh Wave varies from many other products in that it isn't masking odors or emitting harmful toxins into the air, Fresh Wave is all-natural with no harsh chemicals, it's truly an all-natural product. Now on to my favorite product - the Fresh Wave odor removing spray. Cue the clouds parting and the angels singing. I. Love. This. Stuff. With the kids and the dog and life in general the house could always use a little boost of freshness, so this odor removing spray is perfect. Other sprays on the market I've been hesitant to use because of the chemicals, but Fresh Wave is free of toxins so I spray the couch, the bedding, the rugs to my heart's content. 

Now here's where ya'll get really excited; Fresh Wave want to give one of you a prize pack filled with all-natural goodies that are sure to make your life easier and cleaner! 

Entering is simple, go to my Instagram page and follow the simple instructions, it will take you less than a minute to enter. Easy peasy. And check out Fresh Wave's website to see all the great products they offer, such as their candle, it's soy and smells like you did a load of spring cleaning *jazz hands*! And their Instagram to stay in the loop on their daily happenings. Happy Cleaning, guys! Now head on over to Instagram to get in on the Fresh Wave action!

Fish n' Chip…and Thompson

We have a beta hanging on the front hall wall. In a fish bowl, I should clarify that, it's not as if we have him nailed to the wall like a poor man's version of a mounted deer head. Nope. He safe. In a bowl. Chillin' on our wall. Here's a visual.

Forgive the shitty iPhone photos in this post. Anywho, Ariana wanted him, so Ariana cares for him, and Ariana named him. What's that? You would like to know our fish's name? It's Fish. His name, it's Fish. Shocker, eh?!

This weekend we added to our fish, except these bad boys don't reside on a wall, they live in a tank on Ari's armoire. We only planned to get one - another Beta, but then she wanted a buddy for her Beta and convinced me. But then the dude at the pet store told me the second fish she was getting do best in pairs, so we brought home three. 

"What are you gonna name them?" I asked her.

Ari: 'N, Chip, and Thompson.

Me: So we're gonna have Fish, N, Chip, and Thompson?

Ari: Yup!

Me: ….

That's a pic of Chip. 

'N and Thompson were hiding in the rock. At first I was curious where the hell the name Thompson came from since it had no relation to fish and chips. But after checking on them today and hearing myself ask her, "Where is Nnnnnn at? I don't see him..." I quickly wondered why I didn't inquire why N didn't even get named And or something remotely close to an actual word. Instead, homeboy got a name that makes it sound like we just got done eating some delicious chocolates or something; Nnnnnnnnnnn.

I 'm certain we aren't the only ones with pets named after noises you can make with your mouth. Or maybe we are and we are just weirder than I thought.

Trick-or-Treat

I realize Halloween is over but shit is cray around here and I never put up photos. I don't even have time to do laundry daily anymore, instead, I had just been going commando until one day, after putting a dress on I realized I had a problem...so I fixed it by doing laundry regularly again going shopping for more. So the fact that I even managed to get my children out trick-or-treating is outstanding enough in and of itself.

And there definitely wasn't loads of photo-taking happening. Especially since my little vampire was so giddy over the prospect of getting loads of candy that he kept skipping, and bouncing, and pinging all over the neighborhood.

The SIL and I were diggin' the angel/devil look. Not sure if we got our roles right though.

Jersey wasn't amused to be put in a dress, po' kitty.

And of course prior to Halloween we carved our pumpkins. Or if you're me you simply took a sharpie to that sucker and called it a day.

I'm thinking this is the last year I'm going to be able to convince E to go door-to-door with us. I think he just hangs in there for my sake, it's just so hard for me to see him becoming a young man...now excuse me while I go pull out his baby book, grab a box of tissues, and bawl my eyes out.

Xo,

Lor

My Kidlets, Jersey, and Franklin the Frog

Can we discuss my middle child right now? She is a mystery. I'm certain my parents felt the same about me when I lived in their home. Hell, I'm sure my parents feel the same about me currently. Ariana is prissy and yet she can hold her own. She is a bit of a contradiction, that kid - I've been referred to as the same so I shouldn't be surprised that she followed suit. She is a girly girl and yet she'll roll in the dirt. She'll wear a dress then play in the rain. She'll apply lipgloss then join in a Nerf gun battle. She loves animal, and critters, and a few weeks ago she began a love of tadpoles. There's a little 'pond' in our neighborhood where she collected a single tadpole - it seemed that everyday that I came home from work there was another tadpole added to the jar.

After days of feeding and changing the tadpoles' water we came home to this yesterday...

I counted 12, but they kept moving so I'm sure that count is off. It was admittedly neat to come home and see the tadpoles grow arms, then legs, then their tail lessened, and now, they're teeny tiny froggies. Super cute.

We released them the moment we saw they were officially frogs. Jersey came outside to see what we were up to also, but he was a little too interested in the frogs so Ethan wrangled Jers up for the protection of our dozen-o-frogs.

I love this photo even though Jersey's face isn't in focus.

It seemed as if each frog paused for a photo op prior to hopping away. Seriously, Ari would take one out of the jar, he/she would sit there, I'd snap the photo and as soon as I was done they'd hop away.

I caught Jersey mid-yawn. Then we put him inside so that we could release the frogs without running the risk of a cat slash frog throw-down, but not before he ate a flower off our freshly bloomed plant.

It was super cute watching random little dots (frogs) jump from the grass. It was like popcorn popping, except it was a slew of frogs jumping.



Owen favored Franklin. Yes, Franklin is one of the frogs. Yes, he named and favored one of the frogs in a matter of 10 minutes. Yes, he managed to know which one was Franklin despite half of them looking exactly like Franklin. He even yelled to the his buddy as he hopped away,  "Bye, Franklin! You were my favorite! Don't forget me! Have a good journey!!!!" 

And yes, he's wearing his Halloween costume on September 30. For the second day in a row. Let's take bets on how long that'll last - my vote is: 31 October. Wish me luck with that.

Xo, Lorri

The Adventures of Monkey and Monkey

Disclaimer: You will be hit with pure cuteness in this post. As well as some grainy iPhone photos, but what can I say, I can't always have the DSLR in my hands, besides, the cuteness still shines through the graininess. :)

We’ve got pet names for days in our house. Rarely is one of us called by our given name and if we are, well, it’s most likely goin’ down. So instead of hearing “Ethan!” Or "Seth!" you’ll here “E” or “babe.” When it comes to Owen he, alone, has a plethora of nicknames – Monkey being the one I use most. He was given the name because, like his sister, when he was little he had absolutely no fear of heights and climbed on and up every and anything. I’d refer to him as a ‘little spider monkey’ which eventually got shortened down to simply ‘Monkey’ over the years.

And now my monkey loves…well, monkeys. He loves to watch them at the zoo, he points to the adorable Paul Frank shirts with monkeys on them and he loves his very first Paul Frank monkey shirt so much that he wouldn’t let me donate it when he outgrew it so I decided to keep it. I think I may turn it into something I can incorporate into his bedroom decor somehow.

All this is to say that he has a stuffed moneky that my parents sent him for Christmas last year. He loved it when he first received it, it’s so plush and soft, but he wasn’t much of a stuffed animal kid. I mean, he’d sleep with them at night but beyond that he wasn’t interested. But beginning a few weeks ago he’s been caring for Monkey and toting him around like a proud big brother. 

Seriously, Monkey goes almost everywhere with us. And if Owen decides that Monkey will be staying home for whatever reason, he puts him to bed for a nap. 

Or on the couch with some cozy covers.

I’ve even been directed to babysit Monkey while Owen was at school. And Mr Monkey was lucky enough to get a front middle row seat when we made the move from our Destin apartment to our Crestview house a few weeks ago.

Although during one trip in the car I received some sassiness from Owen when I tried to explain that his monkey couldn't be buckled in the seat belt with him because it could prevent his seat belt from working properly. But all he could focus on was wanting his monkey safe also.

I love seeing him with his monkey. I think I like seeing the way he cares for him. And how genuinely concerned he is for Monkey’s well-being. I’ve started to take at least one candid photo a day of him and his monkey as they are just doing their thing, oblivious to me and my camera. I started sending the photos to Seth and calling them: “The Adventures of Monkey and Monkey.” And so that’s how it began, my little daily routine where I see my monkey with his monkey so often that I don’t usually notice it until I sit at the dinner table for instance and Monkey is also ready to dine. Or we're at the pool and monkey gets his own lawn chair. It’s moments like that where I can’t help but to smile and snap a picture.

And to get you all caught up with The Adventures of Monkey and Monkey, enjoy most of the photos I’ve taken of the dynamic duo so far.

Happy Tuesday, ya’ll!