Thursday, May 13, 2010
So, I told you a while back that I signed up at Proctor & Gamble’s website to receive samples of their products. I chose several products including Pamper’s Cruisers to try on for size.
You’ve heard me talk (a couple of times!) about my undying love for Parent’s Choice diapers. However, three free diapers is THREE FREE DIAPERS and I wanted to see what all the hype was about.
Well, we used all three diapers today. And…THEY STINK! They have ridiculous pictures covering the entire diaper, which I hate. I hate being able to see cartoon faces through her shorts, and I saw Bert and Ernie ALL DAY LONG. No, no, no.
Set aside the aesthetic issues with the diapers. Whatever gel-like absorbency aid they put in these things (perhaps the dry max feature) makes your baby look like they have a huge load in their diaper – even when it’s dry! NO GOOD. I was checking her fanny all day long thinking I had left her in a wet diaper too long.
The diaper feels extremely heavy after it gets damp after one wetting. Surely, that must feel uncomfortable on your toddler’s bum, too.
Something that I hadn’t seen before, however, was an extension tab that unfolds from the front of the diaper. The tab lines up with the sticky tab from the back of the diaper, allowing you to line your baby’s diaper up correctly even if they are squirming and wiggling all around.
Although the tabs were helpful, I would never purchase Pamper’s Cruisers under ANY circumstance. They are more costly than their store-brand equivalents, and they were nothing but an ugly, cartoon-covered hassle!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Butt Out!
Note: This blog is a re-post from March that I thought you might find helpful!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Since I became a Mom 16 months ago, I’ve had several friends ask me if I had any helpful hints or secrets to offer up. The biggest secret that I am constantly having to restrain myself from telling people in a given store on a given day is…BUY CHEAP DIAPERS!
I have tried a LOT of styles and brands. When we were expecting, both my husband and I were Public School teachers. My school hosted a baby shower for me, and his school hosted a diaper pounding for him. Diaper pounding is just an old-fashioned way of saying that everyone participating brings the expectant parent diapers or wipes. If you are ever offered a shower, ASK FOR A DIAPER POUNDING! They are awesome! We didn’t buy a single diaper for 8 weeks and we lasted even longer than that with the wipes.
So, having said all of that, we have tried a lot of different kinds of diapers! The diapers that held the most “matter” without leaking, and stayed in place, were the Parent’s Choice at Wal-Mart. They are also significantly less expensive than their name-brand equivalents. The Up & Up brand of diapers at Target are also superior to any other diapers we have found. However, I have an issue with big, silly prints on the diapers as if my kid even cares about what her diaper has on it. Winny the Pooh?! Seriously? My kid can’t even see her butt, so the only person who gets “enjoyment” out of the pictures on her booty is me, and I don’t like seeing Eeyore poking out beneath a sheer onesie! The Parent’s Choice brand diapers have a small, gender-neutral pattern around the top of the diaper that does not seem to show through clothing. The Up & Up brand diapers have GIANT blue and green dots on the whole diaper. These dots DO show through her clothes, making Parent’s Choice my all-time favorite diaper when she was 6 pounds and now that she is 25 pounds.
Don’t let people pressure you into buying the newest, most fabulous product on the market. Stick with the Parent’s Choice or Up & Up diapers!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Since I became a Mom 16 months ago, I’ve had several friends ask me if I had any helpful hints or secrets to offer up. The biggest secret that I am constantly having to restrain myself from telling people in a given store on a given day is…BUY CHEAP DIAPERS!
I have tried a LOT of styles and brands. When we were expecting, both my husband and I were Public School teachers. My school hosted a baby shower for me, and his school hosted a diaper pounding for him. Diaper pounding is just an old-fashioned way of saying that everyone participating brings the expectant parent diapers or wipes. If you are ever offered a shower, ASK FOR A DIAPER POUNDING! They are awesome! We didn’t buy a single diaper for 8 weeks and we lasted even longer than that with the wipes.
So, having said all of that, we have tried a lot of different kinds of diapers! The diapers that held the most “matter” without leaking, and stayed in place, were the Parent’s Choice at Wal-Mart. They are also significantly less expensive than their name-brand equivalents. The Up & Up brand of diapers at Target are also superior to any other diapers we have found. However, I have an issue with big, silly prints on the diapers as if my kid even cares about what her diaper has on it. Winny the Pooh?! Seriously? My kid can’t even see her butt, so the only person who gets “enjoyment” out of the pictures on her booty is me, and I don’t like seeing Eeyore poking out beneath a sheer onesie! The Parent’s Choice brand diapers have a small, gender-neutral pattern around the top of the diaper that does not seem to show through clothing. The Up & Up brand diapers have GIANT blue and green dots on the whole diaper. These dots DO show through her clothes, making Parent’s Choice my all-time favorite diaper when she was 6 pounds and now that she is 25 pounds.
Don’t let people pressure you into buying the newest, most fabulous product on the market. Stick with the Parent’s Choice or Up & Up diapers!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Say Cheese!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
I am so INCREDIBLY happy with the outcome of our photography session on Saturday!
As is par for the course, my 16-month-old daughter, Emily, decided to be a HUGE PILL for our photo session, and would not cooperate no matter what we bribed her with!
She was fussing, hollering, and carrying on the entire time. True to form, Lisa Felthous of Lisa Felthous Photography was amazingly patient and pulled stuff out of her rear in order to get Emily to look nice for our pictures.
It will be SO hard to choose from the 80-or-so pictures in our slideshow.
To view her work, visit LisaFelthousPhotography.com, click "client viewing" and our password is Emily.
If you are interested in portaiture for any occasion, please consider Lisa Felthous Photography. We do our best to patronize local small businesses, and we encourage you to do the same!
I am so INCREDIBLY happy with the outcome of our photography session on Saturday!
As is par for the course, my 16-month-old daughter, Emily, decided to be a HUGE PILL for our photo session, and would not cooperate no matter what we bribed her with!
She was fussing, hollering, and carrying on the entire time. True to form, Lisa Felthous of Lisa Felthous Photography was amazingly patient and pulled stuff out of her rear in order to get Emily to look nice for our pictures.
It will be SO hard to choose from the 80-or-so pictures in our slideshow.
To view her work, visit LisaFelthousPhotography.com, click "client viewing" and our password is Emily.
If you are interested in portaiture for any occasion, please consider Lisa Felthous Photography. We do our best to patronize local small businesses, and we encourage you to do the same!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Shopping Extravaganza
Sunday, May 9, 2010
So, I’ve been waiting for this weekend for a while now. We have been spending the last 5-6 weeks eating all of the groceries in our kitchen to the best of our ability. I’ve been purchasing only foods and dry goods that we needed to finish off everything in our arsenal. When I looked in the pantry on Friday, I saw rice, Triscuits, and cereal. In the fridge – milk, condiments, grapes, and celery. The freezer: dinner rolls, popsicles, and some banana baby food. Now, don’t call CPS…I did all of this on purpose.
Before you freak – see my blog entitled “Stretching Your Meal Options” from April 1st.
Before I got to the end of the groceries and meal options, I knew that my shopping ventures would be expensive because we were out of everything: mustard, ranch, paper towel, canned goods, chicken breast, EVERYTHING. You name it, we were out of it! So I started by buttering up my husband. “Babe, we’re going to need to do the BIG PUSH this weekend and it’s gonna be ugly.” This way, he was prepared to go with me, help me, and make the whole nightmare that much easier.
However, you KNOW that when you shop with your husband, you often buy stuff that isn’t on the list; it’s just how it goes. They don’t usually do the shopping, so they see things that you never buy, and they want them! I, personally, will take the help and spend a few extra dollars.
Having said all of this, we went to four different stores in two days to complete our list. We started at Aldi – our brand new, discount grocery store to save as much money as we possibly could, and scratch as much off the list as possible. I had a detailed list, but I certainly picked things up as I saw them. After Aldi, we hit up Big Lots to get the majority of the list taken care of. They do not have a cold or frozen section, and I knew I’d need to visit Target or Wal-Mart thirdly.
Big Lots was important for one reason, mostly: Insanely low prices on sandwich bags in all sizes. A nice bonus was the canned goods, crackers, pretzels and chips, and dry goods like pasta and rice all at extremely discounted prices.
Target was third on my list – produce (only the items that I was unable to purchase at Aldi), lunch meat, and Stauffer’s Whales – found in the $1 section which beats the HECK out of the prices on Goldfish.
Wal-Mart was last, and we wanted to kill ourselves momentarily, as we were TIRED OF SHOPPING! Paper towel, frozen chicken breasts, store-brand allergy medicine, and canned tuna fish. DONE!
Now, we have purchased everything that we need except a FEW things that we only purchase in bulk at Sam’s…Purina Dog Food, Splenda, Coffee, lean ground beef, and bacon.
Stay with me – I know you’re exhausted! We were tired and cranky by the end.
Let’s break it down…
1. Aldi: $78.16
2. Big Lots: $51.39
3. Target: $36.54
4. Wal-Mart: $35.71
TOTAL: $201.80
By taking some time…and a great deal of patients…to travel to four different stores in order to complete my list and save the most money possible, I was able to stuff our pantry, freezer, and refrigerator FULL TO THE BRIM with groceries that will last us about six weeks. Of course I will be going to the store for fresh dairy, produce, and the few items that I still need from Sam’s, but I believe I truly saved a great deal of money by doing it this way.
Give my new technique a try one time, and see how much money you are saving. The savings is significant and it is such a good feeling to empty your pantry as much as possible, and then fill it, starting the whole process over again!
Happy Mother’s Day!!
So, I’ve been waiting for this weekend for a while now. We have been spending the last 5-6 weeks eating all of the groceries in our kitchen to the best of our ability. I’ve been purchasing only foods and dry goods that we needed to finish off everything in our arsenal. When I looked in the pantry on Friday, I saw rice, Triscuits, and cereal. In the fridge – milk, condiments, grapes, and celery. The freezer: dinner rolls, popsicles, and some banana baby food. Now, don’t call CPS…I did all of this on purpose.
Before you freak – see my blog entitled “Stretching Your Meal Options” from April 1st.
Before I got to the end of the groceries and meal options, I knew that my shopping ventures would be expensive because we were out of everything: mustard, ranch, paper towel, canned goods, chicken breast, EVERYTHING. You name it, we were out of it! So I started by buttering up my husband. “Babe, we’re going to need to do the BIG PUSH this weekend and it’s gonna be ugly.” This way, he was prepared to go with me, help me, and make the whole nightmare that much easier.
However, you KNOW that when you shop with your husband, you often buy stuff that isn’t on the list; it’s just how it goes. They don’t usually do the shopping, so they see things that you never buy, and they want them! I, personally, will take the help and spend a few extra dollars.
Having said all of this, we went to four different stores in two days to complete our list. We started at Aldi – our brand new, discount grocery store to save as much money as we possibly could, and scratch as much off the list as possible. I had a detailed list, but I certainly picked things up as I saw them. After Aldi, we hit up Big Lots to get the majority of the list taken care of. They do not have a cold or frozen section, and I knew I’d need to visit Target or Wal-Mart thirdly.
Big Lots was important for one reason, mostly: Insanely low prices on sandwich bags in all sizes. A nice bonus was the canned goods, crackers, pretzels and chips, and dry goods like pasta and rice all at extremely discounted prices.
Target was third on my list – produce (only the items that I was unable to purchase at Aldi), lunch meat, and Stauffer’s Whales – found in the $1 section which beats the HECK out of the prices on Goldfish.
Wal-Mart was last, and we wanted to kill ourselves momentarily, as we were TIRED OF SHOPPING! Paper towel, frozen chicken breasts, store-brand allergy medicine, and canned tuna fish. DONE!
Now, we have purchased everything that we need except a FEW things that we only purchase in bulk at Sam’s…Purina Dog Food, Splenda, Coffee, lean ground beef, and bacon.
Stay with me – I know you’re exhausted! We were tired and cranky by the end.
Let’s break it down…
1. Aldi: $78.16
2. Big Lots: $51.39
3. Target: $36.54
4. Wal-Mart: $35.71
TOTAL: $201.80
By taking some time…and a great deal of patients…to travel to four different stores in order to complete my list and save the most money possible, I was able to stuff our pantry, freezer, and refrigerator FULL TO THE BRIM with groceries that will last us about six weeks. Of course I will be going to the store for fresh dairy, produce, and the few items that I still need from Sam’s, but I believe I truly saved a great deal of money by doing it this way.
Give my new technique a try one time, and see how much money you are saving. The savings is significant and it is such a good feeling to empty your pantry as much as possible, and then fill it, starting the whole process over again!
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Candid Camera!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Okay, so I’m super duper excited for tomorrow! We will be having our first EVER professional photographs taken as a family! This is only the third time we have had professional photographs taken in the history of our relationship! (Except our wedding, of course!)
Lisa Felthous, of Lisa Felthous Photography will be photographing us in Las Colinas, Texas tomorrow morning. Visit her WEBSITE, her work is absolutely beautiful.
My Mom, Michelle, and I have been working on a dress and coordinating shirt for Emily and I to wear tomorrow. We picked our fabric a few weeks ago and she finished the sewing portion last night! They turned out beautifully – visit her BLOG to see how we did it!
I am so excited to have some family photographs to display in our home. Visit Lisa Felthous Photography for pricing information and to view her beautiful work. From weddings to senior portraits to expectant parents, she has done it all! Check her out!
Okay, so I’m super duper excited for tomorrow! We will be having our first EVER professional photographs taken as a family! This is only the third time we have had professional photographs taken in the history of our relationship! (Except our wedding, of course!)
Lisa Felthous, of Lisa Felthous Photography will be photographing us in Las Colinas, Texas tomorrow morning. Visit her WEBSITE, her work is absolutely beautiful.
My Mom, Michelle, and I have been working on a dress and coordinating shirt for Emily and I to wear tomorrow. We picked our fabric a few weeks ago and she finished the sewing portion last night! They turned out beautifully – visit her BLOG to see how we did it!
I am so excited to have some family photographs to display in our home. Visit Lisa Felthous Photography for pricing information and to view her beautiful work. From weddings to senior portraits to expectant parents, she has done it all! Check her out!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Click it!
Wednesday, April 5, 2010
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Have you checked out Michelle's List yet?! HELLO?? Where have you been!?
Get on it!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Have you checked out Michelle's List yet?! HELLO?? Where have you been!?
Get on it!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
A Real Bruiser!
May 4, 2010
Sorry I’ve been away for so long! This weekend was a real doozie!
My husband went out-of-town Saturday morning for a short visit to New Mexico with family. He was scheduled to return Sunday evening. Saturday afternoon was filled with fun shopping and lunch with Emily and my sister, Jourdan. My sister and her husband spent Saturday night at our house along with their black lab, Toby.
Because Toby was asleep in the guest room and our two chocolate labs, Libby and DJ were asleep in our room, I decided to close the bedroom door to keep the dogs from romping around and waking the baby during the night. To make a VERY long ordeal short, our room was very dark and I tripped over one of the dogs at 4am, turning my knee into a black and blue baseball. Accompanied with a sexy black eye, (I hit the playpen on the way down) I was looking really good by 7am when Emily woke up.
Around 10:00am, the swelling was continually increasing, and would not go down no matter what I did.
Jourdan and I decided it was time to take a little trip to the Emergency Room – the first of my adult life. We do not have an ER in Wylie where we live, so we prepared to make the 30 minute drive to Medical Center of Plano. Then, I remembered that there was a brand new medical center about 15 minutes away in Richardson.
Richardson Regional Medical Center, here we come!
Why am I telling you all of this stuff? Because our experience at Richardson Regional was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! We arrived and checked in at 10:30, were admitted to a room at 10:35, and we were seen immediately. I was the only patient in the ER, and nurses were FIGHTING each other to take my blood pressure or my temperature.
Talk about service! I was x-rayed in my room immediately after being evaluated. The x-rays were reviewed about 10 minutes later and my x-rays were normal. I was given an injection for pain, fitted with crutches and my knee was wrapped by one of the nurses. They were incredibly caring, gentle, and speedy with their procedures. We were getting back in the car at 11:30 – only ONE HOUR in the Emergency Room!
I was so impressed with the quality of care, and the overall appearance of the medical center. There was not ONE SPECK of dust or dirt on anything, anywhere! It is a relatively new facility, and appears to be very well taken care of.
If you have access to Richardson Regional Medical Center, located at President George Bush Tollway (Hwy 190) and Renner Road, I highly recommend that you choose their facility over any other. We will continue to keep them in mind should we need emergency care in the future.
Sorry I’ve been away for so long! This weekend was a real doozie!
My husband went out-of-town Saturday morning for a short visit to New Mexico with family. He was scheduled to return Sunday evening. Saturday afternoon was filled with fun shopping and lunch with Emily and my sister, Jourdan. My sister and her husband spent Saturday night at our house along with their black lab, Toby.
Because Toby was asleep in the guest room and our two chocolate labs, Libby and DJ were asleep in our room, I decided to close the bedroom door to keep the dogs from romping around and waking the baby during the night. To make a VERY long ordeal short, our room was very dark and I tripped over one of the dogs at 4am, turning my knee into a black and blue baseball. Accompanied with a sexy black eye, (I hit the playpen on the way down) I was looking really good by 7am when Emily woke up.
Around 10:00am, the swelling was continually increasing, and would not go down no matter what I did.
Jourdan and I decided it was time to take a little trip to the Emergency Room – the first of my adult life. We do not have an ER in Wylie where we live, so we prepared to make the 30 minute drive to Medical Center of Plano. Then, I remembered that there was a brand new medical center about 15 minutes away in Richardson.
Richardson Regional Medical Center, here we come!
Why am I telling you all of this stuff? Because our experience at Richardson Regional was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! We arrived and checked in at 10:30, were admitted to a room at 10:35, and we were seen immediately. I was the only patient in the ER, and nurses were FIGHTING each other to take my blood pressure or my temperature.
Talk about service! I was x-rayed in my room immediately after being evaluated. The x-rays were reviewed about 10 minutes later and my x-rays were normal. I was given an injection for pain, fitted with crutches and my knee was wrapped by one of the nurses. They were incredibly caring, gentle, and speedy with their procedures. We were getting back in the car at 11:30 – only ONE HOUR in the Emergency Room!
I was so impressed with the quality of care, and the overall appearance of the medical center. There was not ONE SPECK of dust or dirt on anything, anywhere! It is a relatively new facility, and appears to be very well taken care of.
If you have access to Richardson Regional Medical Center, located at President George Bush Tollway (Hwy 190) and Renner Road, I highly recommend that you choose their facility over any other. We will continue to keep them in mind should we need emergency care in the future.
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