Traveling with the Yezz Stroller

Traveling with kids can be stressful enough, it doesn't help to have too many things and a difficult stroller.  This is where the Quinny Yezz stroller can come in and make things easier for you.

If you are looking for a durable version of an umbrella stroller that will last you through multiple kids and that rides much smoother and easier through more rugged terrain, you may be interested in the Yezz stroller from Quinny.  The Yezz is more balanced and a little heavier than the typical umbrella stroller so it doesn't tip over constantly (one of my pet peeves)

Craft Cuts & Sneak Peek of the Nursery

I am a huge fan of decorating with letters, especially in nurseries.  I decided that I wanted to hang an "A" and an "M" for Allie and Macsen in their room above their beds and I had a very specific style in mind.  

I looked EVERYWHERE for letters that would work, but no craft stores had anything even close to what I wanted.  Then my mom found and posted this website just for me on Pinterest.

Craft Cuts.com has just about anything you could need when it comes to decorative lettering.  They have painted and unpainted wood letters in all sizes and fonts you could need.  They also have vinyl lettering and quotes (which I know people are loving right now) and at REALLY great prices.  

I got a letter "A" and letter "M" in the unpainted baltic birch wood so that I could stain it with a dark wood color and the grain would still show through.  I got them a little thinner so I could hang them easily, and got them 16" tall.   I LOVE how they turned out:

Bedroom Reveal HERE

More pictures of the kids' NEW bedrooms below:

Macsen's Patriotic Bedroom
Allie's Polka Dot Bedroom

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Halo Sleep Sack Review

 As I am a very paranoid mother (especially with new babies) I have always worried about SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.)  To me this would be the scariest and saddest thing that could happen and my heart breaks every time I hear about it happening to a family.  Of course I wanted to take any precaution I could with this new baby, and had heard about Halo Sleep Sacks as a way of preventing it.

"With the American Academy of Pediatrics now saying “no” to crib bumpers, HALO Innovations is introducing its own Safe Sleep Crib Set™ designed to create an attractive and safe sleep environment for babies.

The five-piece HALO Safe Sleep Crib Set™ consists of a HALO SleepSack wearable blanket, SleepSack Swaddle, both in 100% cotton; two coordinating crib sheets in soft cotton jersey; and a matching crib skirt. 

“Too often parents ‘overdress’ the crib with a quilt and bumpers, both of which can pose a breathing threat for baby,” comments Bill Schmid, founder Halo Innovations.  The Halo SleepSack and SleepSack Swaddle are the only things a baby needs in the crib to stay warm and sleeping safely, and the soft jersey sheet provides a snug fit on the mattress. 

The new HALO Safe Sleep Crib Set will be available in stores mid February and comes in six patterns including pink, blue and neutral tones."

These are so cute and so much safer for babies than loose blankets.  I have also heard from multiple parents that they help their kids sleep better and longer through the night because they swaddle their baby so well. 

Belli Products Review

I was 33 weeks, exhausted, feeling frumpy and still had 1 1/2 months to go with my pregnancy.  The Belli Skin Care line I had agreed to review came at JUST the right time for me.  They came packaged in pretty tubes and smelling wonderful and I was so excited to try them out.

The first thing I did was apply a little Healthy Glow Facial Hydrator to my overly dry face.  Not only did it smell so good, but instantly my skin felt smoother, not oily, and I even thought it felt a little tighter.

I also dabbed a little Eye Brightening Cream under my eyes after a day of being tired.  I also used more the next morning and I swear I looked more awake and rested...maybe it was in my head, but maybe not :)

I used the Cleanser that night as a mask (left on my face for 5 minutes.)  It smelled SO good and also felt really great.  The next morning I also used it and felt more fresh-faced than I had in a while.  Again, maybe it was all in my head, using new products with pretty packaging, but I still felt a difference.

The last product that I tried was the Belli Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen.  I love that it smells just as good as the lotion and face wash (even though it is a sunscreen) and it is tinted too.  So far it seems to be doing a great job, although I haven't been outside a lot, so it is hard to judge.  

Now that I have used the products for 2 weeks I can say that I love them!  My skin is usually SUPER sensitive to any kind of new product and especially to lotions- I never use lotion on my face because I break out so easily from it.  But,  My skin looks great after using them daily for the past 2 weeks.  I also have to mention that I use the M2 Skin Refinish 20% along with these products and it has made all the difference in my skin.

Macsen's Crib Bedding

This last weekend was a very productive one for me.  Trey was out of town for a couple days (Thursday and Friday) so I spent them working on the kids' room and that tufted headboard I have been talking about making for years now. 

On Friday, I got a very fun package in the mail from Carousel Designs:

I received a chocolate brown pleated crib skirt for Macsen's crib!  I decided, why not set it all up and surprise Trey when he got home?

Georgia-based Carousel Designs, a contemporary and trend setting leader in the baby bedding industry was founded in 1988.   For more than 23 years, Carousel Designs has manufactured high quality baby bedding, toddler, twin and full/queen size bedding and nursery décor.  

Carousel Designs has a nursery designer tool, which is SO perfect for people like me that can't just visualize what something is going to look like before I put it together and you can make your own custom crib bedding.  

The company also offers more than 100 pre-designed ready to ship crib bedding collections and more than 300 fabrics to choose from in a range of versatile styles.  For more information visit www.babybedding.com.

The brown on this crib skirt is the color of the one I got for Macsen.  It looks SO good with his white crib and cream crib sheet!  You know how much I love contrast in decorating...

Anyway, I was totally impressed with the crib skirt.  Not only is the fabric so nice, but it was wrinkle-free when it arrived and required no ironing from me!  It also hung really nicely and hides all the junk I am going to store under the crib!  Hooray for storage space when you live in an apartment!

When Trey saw it he smiled but was mad at me for doing it all by myself 7 months pregnant :)  I think he was secretly really happy that he wasn't going to have to do it though...

I was going to post a pic of the crib, but I am waiting to have the sweet quilt my mom is making for him-it ties the room all together and I am so excited for it!

Stay tuned for the big reveal!

Wallflower Jeans Giveaway!

Remember these Wallflower Legendary Bootcut jeans that are on my list of favorite jeans of all time?  Well, I now own a second pair and they are the Wallflower Famous Flare Jeans.  I wanted to tell you about them and give you the chance to win some for yourself!

There are so many things that I love about these Wallflower Famous Flare Jeans.  First of all, the reasonable prices.  They are usually around $34 a pair to start out, but they often mark them down or have sales that get them to about $25 a pair.  However, not all of their jeans get down that low and some of them sell out too fast, so you may not want to wait if there is a pair that you have your eye on.  You can buy them on the Wallflower website here.  You can also buy them from other online sites and retailers, and you can also find them in stores like Kohl's and Macy's.

Secondly, the fabric they use is just SO comfy; just like jeans should be.  I would live in my sweats if I could, but these jeans are by far the easiest to put on in the morning when I really don't want to get dressed.  They are super soft and pretty stretchy, but still hold their shape and hold the places that you need and want them to hold in. :)  They are as close to "jegging" material as you can get without them being jeggings and still having some shape.

Thirdly, I love their fit.  The legendary bootcut were the first pair I owned and loved.  And now, the famous flares are another favorite pair of jeans I own.  I love the cute back button pockets (as you can see in the first image I posted.)  They are a little bit lower on the hip than the bootcut, in fact they are they are the lowest on the hip of any other jeans I own, but they are tight enough that you don't need a belt with them (which is a deal-breaker for me and jeans.)  They are also a little bit tighter through the thigh & knee.  I got a size 3 in the Legendary Bootcut Wallflower Jean and I loved how they fit, but I would probably go one size bigger with the Famous Flare (a size 5 or even 7.)  I like my jeans a little looser than most people probably, but I also like them to be really long and these are just the right length for most shoes, but not for really tall boots or heels. 

I am excited to wear these jeans in the spring/summer with some pretty flowy shirts and blouses.  I also think they would be super cute with boots and a leather jacket.  They are flare, but can also be worn inside my boots, which is nice when you are still walking through snow in April! :(

Wallflower is giving away a pair of these to one of you!

To enter leave a comment for each entry:

Like me on facebook (2 entries)

Follow/Subscribe to my blog (2 entries each)

Blog/Tweet/Facebook about this giveaway (5 entries each)

Thanks to Wallflower for sponsoring this giveaway!

Nomad Footwear Giveaway!

As I have been looking for some cute sandals for our trip coming up I noticed that Nomad footwear had some that I liked.  I decided on these black platform ones with a cute thick bandana print upper.  The print is done with a shiny silver thread so they are really fun and a little bit fancy.  I also loved that the upper is made from this fabric called EVA and it is super comfy.  There is nothing I hate more than having to break in flip flops and having blisters on the tops of my feet; and these definitely do NOT have to be broken in :)

 The other sandals I was debating between were these 3:

 As you can see, I am a fan of the sparkly sandals :)  But, I also liked these more modern ones:

And now you can go browse through Nomad's collection, because they are giving one of you a choice of any pair you would like (up to $55 value)!

For an entry to the giveaway, go browse their collection and come back here to tell me which ones you would choose if you won.

For extra entries:

Like Nomad on Facebook (2 entries)

Follow Nomad on Twitter (2 entries)

Follow/Subscribe to my blog (2 entries each)
Like me on facebook (2 entries)

Thanks to Nomad for sponsoring the giveaway!

TR Woodworks Etsy Shop

Some of you may have noticed the new advertisement on the side of my blog for TR Woodworks.

If you haven't already, you should go check out their Etsy shop.  They have a lot of really pretty shelves and home decor at really reasonable prices.

 You could add any one of these pieces to any place in your home to add a pop of color and spice things up a little bit.  They are also great for organization.

TR Woodworks sent me this spice rack to review:

It was really easy to install; came with really detailed step-by-step instructions.  I went from one of those huge, ugly turn table racks you get from Bed bath & Beyond that took up a square foot of counter space and now I have the cutest shelf that doesn't take up any counter space at all. I love the blue, it gives much needed color to my blah kitchen. My favorite thing is having all of the spices I use most right at my fingertips. It makes cooking a lot easier, especially for someone in a cramped apartment. 

Shirts to Make You Smile : Nacho Mama Tees

Nacho Mama Tees is one of the three sites that sell really fun and funny t-shirts that I got to review.

This is the Flux Capacitor t-shirt I got for the review for Nacho Mama Tees.  I actually got these shirts for my brother, who is both fun and funny, and I knew he would love them.  These are great gifts for the jokester of the family.

This one in particular is appreciated by Back to the Future Fans.  It is made from a light-weight cotton, as are the other 2 shirts.  The picture on the shirt is printed on it (not just a iron-on) so it will stay forever.  It is also a really great shade of blue. :)

Shirts to Make You Smile: Costume Squad

Costume Squad doesn't just sell funny t-shirts.  They also have some awesome costumes (it's never too early to get your Halloween costume, right?)

This is the Hadoken t-shirt from another video game called Streetfighter.  Of course I haven't heard of it before because I am not cool enough :)  Normally if a shirt had a picture this big on it I would worry about it wearing away and coming off soon, but since they print the logos directly on the shirts there is no need to worry.

This one is a "super soft tee" so the cotton is a little less stiff and even more comfortable.  It is also the same shape as the other two (not too boxy but not too tight either.)

Shirts to Make You Smile: Crazydog Tshirts

I have seen Crazy Dog Tshirts all over blogland lately.  They have some really cute and funny women's shirts that I loved too.

This "It's Dangerous to go Alone Take This shirt" is appreciated by Zelda fans.  I thought it was funny even without knowing which Nintendo game it came from.  Made with a lightweight cotton it is a nice-fitting shirt, not too boxy but not too skinny either.  My brother said that it was really comfortable, along with the other 2 shirts.

Spring Handbags

There are some awesome bags right now at The Sak and some really great colors for Spring.

I was so lucky to get to review this Silverlake Drawstring in Saffron:

Not only is it a great size (not too big but not too small) but it also has just enough pockets on the inside for your cell phone, lip-gloss, and a hidden pocket for girl stuff :)

You can carry it 2 ways since there are 2 shorter handles and one longer over-the-shoulder strap.

These other colors are so fun for Spring too:

Looks like a lot of these are sold out, but you can browse through some of their other bags to get some of the same pretty Spring colors (click to go to link):

Aren't they so fun?!

Disclosure: Any commenter on this post will be subject to The Sak brand e-mails and promotions.

Budget Gadgets Review and Promo

I have been needing a camera bag since forever, so when Budget Gadgets contacted me to do a review I was excited to review this camera bag:

It is the perfect size for the equipment I use the most, and has lots of pockets to keep all the little things in (like my flash cards and such.)

Budget Gadgets has offered 5% off any order  to my readers with code thehillsarelivin5off and a free keychain flashlight.  (Promotion ends May 28th and if you don't use the promo code they will send a free flashlight for orders over $20.)

Sanuk Review and Giveaway

Sanuk is a great sandals company that's all about fun and being environmentally conscious.  Here is a little bit about Sanuk and what they do:

Hi, we’re Sanük. We’ve been around since July, 1997 when Jeff Kelley started making sandals out of inner tubes and indoor-outdoor carpet. 1998 marked our first full year of operations. While we’ve progressed into semi-proper footwear company (uh-oh), Jeff’s spirit of innovation still serves as the backbone of our little brand. Today, we strive to make products that are as much about funk as they are about function. We’ve found our sandals are happiest when they tread the road less traveled – so we design ‘em accordingly.

Because “Sanük” is the Thai word for FUN, our name is also our mantra.

Our goal is to provide creatively inspired yet thoughtfully designed products for the global outdoor community…mostly because we’re part of it.

Headquartered in Southern California, we are an eclectic little family hailing from Santa Cruz, Seattle, Cardiff by the Sea, the Philippines, Colombia, Hong Kong, and even Papua New Guinea. With your support, we continue to grow and now have distribution across the United States and in over 50 countries throughout Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.

 I was lucky to get to review these fun Sidewalk Surf Shoes:

I LOVE them.  They are so fun and add personality to any pair of jeans and t-shirt combo I put on. :)

Since they really are made to wear as sandals (they are very airy and light) I love that I can wear them without socks and they are still super comfortable.  They will be the PERFECT shoe to take here when we go this Spring, and they will be awesome for taking walks this spring/summer/fall (since my flip flops don't always offer the best support or comfort.)

 Sanuk has offered one of you a choice of shoes from their site!

To enter:
Like Sanuk on facebook
Follow Sanuk on twitter
Subscribe to Sanuk's YouTube account

 1 entre for each - leave a comment of each entry.
For US residents only

Tinysoles Review and Giveaway

I contacted Tinysoles after reading a good review on them to see if I could review and do a giveaway for my readers.  They were really on top of things and responded very quickly with lots of great information for me about their business.  Here is a great explanation about them and what they do:

TinySoles is a shoe store dedicated to providing the most complete

selection of stylish, comfortable shoes for babies, infants, toddlers and

kids. We specialize in age appropriate footwear and offer the best

collection of flexible, soft sole shoes for little feet. TinySoles was

started by three mothers on a SOLE search for quality, development

appropriate footwear for our infants. Unable to find anything suitable in

our local area and frustrated with talking to "customer specialists" with

no real life experience with their products, we decided to bridge the gap

and created TinySoles.

We personally test all of our shoe brands on our own kids first and if we

don’t love them, we won’t sell them. Not only do we care about what you put

on your child’s feet, we want to provide you with a hassle-free shopping

experience with superior customer service. As parents, we know your time is

precious. Our goal is to keep your children’s feet happy, comfortable and

stylish while making shopping a pleasurable experience. We aim to be your

one-stop shoe source for baby, infant, toddler and kid shoes. We are

constantly searching for the best new products available to provide our

customers with the greatest selection of quality footwear. Our store prides

itself on being a mother-friendly and supportive workplace. When you call

to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff, you might hear the happy

sound of tiny voices in the background. Oh and did we mention our fast,

free shipping? We stock all shoes in house, which means if you can put it

in your cart it will ship the same day (if ordered by 3pm EST) and if you

order over $20 shipping is free (and that includes Hawaii, Alaska, APO/FPO

and Canada). We stand behind everything you purchase 100% and have a hassle

free return/exchange policy.

At TinySoles you will find a great selection of stylish shoes but you will

also find a ton of coordinating SOLE accessories like tights, socks, hats,

bags and even music you can stomp yer feet too. We are huge SmartWool

addicts and carry a great selection of soft and stretchy, all natural,

completely sustainable, itch free, stay cool in the sun and warm in the

snow, machine washable, super cute wool socks and accessories. We have over

100 styles of BabyLegs in stock and can definitely say they are the perfect

must have accessory for your diaper bag. In an attempt to cut down on

plastics in the environment and limit BPA exposure to our kids, we carry

the Klean Kanteen line of stainless steel sippy cups. TinySoles is also a

great place to buy Baby shower/newborn gifts from - with free shipping,

gift wrapping and a hand written card we make it easy to make a great

impression. If you’re like us and love to get a deal, then our “Daily Deal”

is for you. We offer a new deal daily Monday through Friday at an amazing

price until it’s gone.

Most importantly, all of our products at TinySoles are child tested and Mom

approved. Gone are the days of stiff shoes. At the heart of TinySoles is

the recommendation from leading pediatricians and podiatrists to keep

children in the closest thing to bare feet as possible and practical until

the age of two. This allows for proper foot growth, development of muscles

and balance naturally. That is why we offer the best selection of soft

soled shoes. We also take that theory to our rubber soled shoes, that our

children do not need heavy stiff shoes to play outside and so we have tried

and tested the best brands for flexibility, lightweight, comfort and

durability. No matter what the use, we have your tiny soles covered from

newborn to kids size 13.

So little may not have been the best adjective :)

They were so great to work with and so accommodating.  For the review, I chose these cute red Mary Jane's made by See Kai Run:

The package came SO quick and in it was a cute wrapped package and even a little sucker for Allie.  Talk about great customer service all the way to the door!

Allie LOVES these shoes.  They are so comfortable for her and VERY well made.  I can tell they will last through many kids; which is a nice thing to have when you plan on having more children. :)

Tinysoles has offered a $30 gift credit to their site to one lucky person!

To enter the giveaway, take a look at Tinysoles and leave a comment on what you love.

For extra entries:

Follow/Subscribe to my blog (1 each)

Follow/Subscribe to Tinysoles blog (1 each)

Like Tinysoles on Facebook

Share this giveaway on twitter/facebook/your blog (3 each)

Please leave a comment for each entry.

I would like to thank Tinysoles for sponsoring this and wish you all luck!

Favorite Things in the Office

I have been lucky to be able to work with CSN to do some reviews and giveaways.  I was browsing their selection recently for home office furniture and came across these:

I would love to have this desk:

Paired with this chair

Or this desk:

Paired with this chair

I really like the contrast; like in these offices:

I also love big clocks in offices like these:

...and I absolutely love this clock from CSN (left corner):

What do you love to have in your home office?