Silly Frilly Kids

Once Lucy decided that she wanted to have a mermaid party, I started searching Etsy for fun mermaid things.  I came across Silly Frilly Kids and these adorable princess hair clips!

These are very well made, with plenty of attention to detail.  The ribbon covering the alligator clip even has little sea shells on it.  Lucy has very fine hair, but the clip has a grippy strip inside and stayed in perfectly.

I wasn't sure if the clips were going to be too big for my little girls, but they are just right.  The clips don't overwhelm their heads, but are big enough to see the intricate detail on them.  All of the ribbon edges are sealed so that they won't fray.  I'm absolutely amazed at how well these are put together and how much work must go into them!

Kerrie, mom behind Silly Frilly Kids, was kind enough to send Lucy an Ariel clip and Julia a Tinkerbell.  They are both thrilled with their clips!  

These would make super cute stocking stuffers or toppers for a birthday gift!  Check out the shop to see all of the other great designs.  I'm sure we'll be collecting more of these.  Thanks, Silly Frilly Kids!

Would you like to win one?  Kerrie is offering an Alice clip as a giveaway!  To enter, check out her Etsy shop and let me know what your favorite clip is.  For extra entries, like One Little Word She Knew on Facebook, email subscribe, and /or follow my blog.  Leave a comment for each entry (total of 4 possible), being sure to include your email address.  The giveaway will close on July 14th at midnight.  :) 

*Giveaway closed.  Congratulations Vanessa!*

Muffin Tin Monday - Dinosaurs

Here is a fun lunch we had the other day:

peanut butter and honey dinosaur, grapes (rocks), cashews (dino food), and veggie crisps (sticks)

The dinosaur was made with a sandwich cutter that I picked up at the grocery store.  I love easy ways like this to make food fun!  Speaking of fun - did you enter the giveaway for the super cool pineapple tray?  There are a few other giveaways running and more to come this week.  Click the purple Prizey button on the right at any time to see what is current.  Happy Monday!

Birthday Cake (with a Giveaway)

Lucy is five!  Happy Birthday sweet girl!

On Wednesday we spent the day together and then had a small family party at our house in the evening.  Lucy had originally picked out a princess cake, but when the kit arrived she decided that she wanted the mermaid pictured on the box.  I'm definitely not an expert at cake decorating, but it didn't look too hard.  Growing up, my mom always figured out how to make whatever shape cake we requested.  I would browse her cake idea book for weeks before my birthday trying to decide on the perfect cake.  The birthday girl gets to pick, so a mermaid cake it was.  Wilton even sent us the Wonder Mold Kit for review.

I started right away in the morning, baking the cake so that it would have time to cool and I could frost it before dinner.  I had purchased an organic cake mix at the store, but once I started mixing it up I wasn't sure if it was going to work.  The mix seemed like it didn't make quite enough batter, and then it didn't cook right.  The top of the cake was hardening, but the middle was still liquid.  The cake was an absolute disaster!  I sent Ross to the store for another cake mix and told him I wanted Betty Crocker this time.

I lowered the oven rack, and left the cake in to bake longer.  (I somehow missed that part in the directions.)  Much better.  The bottom was a bit lumpy, but frosting covered it up just fine.

I should have asked Ross to actually go find Betty Crocker and have her come decorate the cake for me.  At this point it was close to dinner time, guests were here, and the cake hadn't even cooled completely.  The mermaid's tail started sliding down as I was working on it, so I had to make it extra long.  I couldn't find the right frosting tips in my cake decorating box for the seashells.

This was not the best cake I've ever decorated, but Lucy was happy with it.  Julia's birthday is in six weeks, so I'll have another try at the cake soon.  She's already picked out the one she wants.  The cake mold was actually pretty easy to use, despite all of my disasters.  The rod in the middle helps conduct heat through the cake so that it cooks evenly.  It all comes apart so that it can be easily washed.  I'm sure we'll be having princess cakes many times in the coming years.

Do you have a little girl who would love a princess or mermaid cake?  Wilton is offering one of you a Wonder Mold Kit!  To enter the giveaway leave a comment letting me know a favorite birthday cake that you had growing up.  Be sure to leave your email address or have it enabled on your blogger profile.  For an extra entry, like One Little Word She Knew on Facebook.  I'll close the giveaway on July 11 at midnight.  Thanks for stopping by!

Giveaway now closed.  Congrats Ben!

Princess Says Goodnight Book Review

You already know that my girls are obsessed with books.  and princesses.  What better than a book about princesses?  Princess Says Goodnight by Naomi Howland is a fun book about a little girl who is going to bed and pretends to be a princess the whole way.  She "practices her curtsies while dancing down the hall".  After her bubble bath she "has a special fluffy towel for each one of her toes."

Lucy noticed in one of the first pictures that the girl looks like a princess in the mirror, but not in person.  We discussed the idea that she is pretending and using her imagination.  Julia, however, was convinced that the girl really was a princess.  Lucy thought it was great that the parents went along with it all and didn't say she was silly.

The pictures are cute and the princess is smiling, obviously enjoying her bedtime pampering.  We've been having struggles with my girls not wanting to go to bed so I hoped this book would encourage them.  Maybe we'll have to act it out once just for fun?  If there are any princesses in your home, definitely check out this fun book!

Browse Inside this book Get this for your site

Living Without the Microwave

Its been one month since I banished our microwave to the basement and decided not to use it any more.  There were a few moments when I actually said out loud "Why on earth did I do this to myself?".  In reality though it only took a bit of extra thought to figure out how to heat things up.  My husband thought I was a little crazy, but he has gone along with it and hasn't complained.  I asked him last night if he missed the microwave and he said that he did not.  I honestly do not miss it either and I'm rather surprised about that!

My tea kettle, toaster oven, and skillet have served me well.  We eat a lot of leftovers, but heating them has not been as hard as I thought it might be.  Here is some of what we do:

casseroles - warm in the toaster oven in a small dish (this can take a while, so plan ahead)

leftover Chinese food - heat in a skillet on the stove with a bit of extra water or oil (doesn't take long at all)

leftover spaghetti - mix sauce and noodles and bake in toaster oven

leftover noodles (the girls like noodles with butter and parmesan cheese) - boil water, dip noodles in the water for just a minute or two and then pull them out

soup - warm in a pan on the stove

heating water - use the tea kettle

leftover fajitas - heat chicken mixture in a skillet; to warm the tortilla put it over top of the pan while the mixture heats up

I have been surprised at how quickly the food heats up.  It tastes better, like real food instead of rubbery and its evenly heated.  The extra counter space is nice too.  I've had space to keep my grain mill out and have used it to try a few new things that I'll share with you soon.  Sadly though, my counter doesn't look as clean as in that photo anymore.

linked to Kichen Tip Tuesday

Muffin Tin Monday - with a Giveaway

We got to try out these super cool Nibble Trays for Muffin Tin Monday.  Dr Sears has teamed up with Zak Designs to create a line of mealtime products for kids.  I absolutely love Dr Sears' books and have talked about The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood in the past.  One thing he mentions is letting your children graze on healthy snacks.  Filling up a cute tray like this and having it available when the munchies hit is a great way to make eating fun and healthy.  The tray has a lid, so you can chop up fruits and veggies and have them in the fridge all ready to go.  The green part can actually be detached and frozen to keep dips cool.

I love that the tray comes with some ideas for making meals fun and feeding your kids healthy foods.  You can also find tips, recipes, and even a forum on the Zak Designs website.  The Nibble Tray is PVC, BPA, and phthalate free.

We filled our trays on Saturday after a trip to the farmer's market.  Strawberries, cherries, peas, cheese, carrots, crackers, and ranch dip made a perfect lunch!  Lucy ate all of hers (with some coaxing), and Julia refused a couple of things (of course).  My girls are always asking for snacks, so I'm going to try filling this up tomorrow morning and just letting them pull it out all day when they are hungry between meals.  Maybe seeing those peas multiple times a day would convince them to try one?

Want one?  Zak Designs is giving one away to one of my readers!  You can enter the giveaway a few different ways, leave a comment for each entry.  Be sure your email address is included or available on your profile.

- leave a comment letting me know your little one's favorite healthy snack
- be a follower of my blog
- like One Little Word She Knew on Facebook
- email subscribe to my blog
- blog about the giveaway and leave me a link to your post
- update your Facebook status with a link to this post

Remember, leave a comment for each entry.  I'll close this in two weeks on July 6th at midnight.  Thanks for stopping by; enjoy your Monday!

Zak Designs was kind enough to send two Nibble Trays for my girls to review.  They give these an honest two thumbs up!  The Giveaway is now closed - congrats to Bar7Ranch!

Best Nursing Pads Ever!

I have tried many different nursing pads:

Cotton washable pads = a joke.  Ha.  Nice try being green, not in this area I guess.  I soaked through them in 5 minutes and had to change my bra, my shirt, and the baby.

I ended up using Avent disposable nursing pads and went through boxes and boxes of them.  They bunched up over a day and kind of stuck to me and were not nice, but I didn't leak through them.  Other disposable nursing pads weren't any better and many of them were too big for me.  Some crinkled and made me feel like I was wearing a disposable diaper in my shirt.

Towards the end of my nursing days with Julia I found LANA wool pads.  I think I actually breathed a sigh of relief putting them on.  They were so soft and I wore them constantly.  Until I had Esther and started leaking through them.

I may have found perfection in Knickernappies stay dry nursing pads.  I've been using them with great success since Esther was born.  They are soft fleece on the inside and waterproof PUL on the outside.  The inner layer is hemp, which is antimicrobial and super absorbent.  These are not bulky at all.  I'm thrilled to have a reusable, soft, stay dry nursing pad that I love!

I get mine from Abbys Lane (look here for more retailers).  At $3.25 a pair, with free shipping and 5% off for joining the yahoo group, you can buy one of each color.  :)  If its your first order from Abby's Lane, tell them I sent you (christy.vw@gmail.com).

I received one pair of nursing pads for the review.  I already loved them before that though.  ;)

Coming Soon...

Its been a bit quiet here lately.  I've been busy with everyday life, but do have some fun things planned.  Here are a few sneak peaks:

- Esther is almost ready to have her first taste of solid foods!  Where did the time go?  She is grabbing at our food and seems very interested in trying it.  I'm holding off until 6 months, but that is coming up soon.  I have a couple fun reviews and giveaways planned for the big event.  ;)

- Blog Design!  I am going to have a custom design up in the next few months.  Yay, no more plain blogger-blue.

- CSN stores has asked me to do another review.  They sell everything from sectional sofas to toddler beds and more.  My girls still love the water table from them that I reviewed earlier this spring.  Look for another fun review soon!

- We haven't done Muffin Tin Monday for a couple of weeks but I'll be back Monday with a fun review and giveaway.

We are enjoying summer, birthdays, and fun around here.  As always, if you have any questions or thoughts about something feel free to email me or chat on the Facebook page. 

Getting To Know Me

Some of you already know too much about me, like how many cookies I ate when pregnant and how messy my house gets on a regular basis.  ;)  Just in case that isn't enough, here is more about me.  Tammy posted something like this on her blog recently and I decided to play along.  Here are her questions to me and my answers:


1. What is something you used to always do, but now with 3 little ones, you rarely do any more?



Sleep.  Ross and I used to sleep in all the time, now I have a sweet little Julia who wakes up every morning at 7 am happy and ready to play.  Lucy never slept well as a baby and kept me up all hours of the night, I can't remember the last time I got to sleep in or even sleep all night!

2. You had a baby about the time I did this year... do you feel like you're back to "normal" yet and accustomed to life with another child in the home? :)


Yes, congratulations on your sweet little guy too!  I don't know, I can't remember what normal is like anymore, lol.  Esther is such a sweet easy going baby that she's been a fun addition to our household.  It is a bit of a struggle to keep a routine and stay on top of the dishes, laundry, and all of that, but I think everyone is transitioning pretty well.  I told Ross the other day that I think we all smile a hundred times more since having Esther in our home.  She is always smiling and of course that makes us all want to smile and talk to her all the time.

3. Do you have a favorite baby sling/carrier?


Not really.  I want to, I've tried them all, but carrying my babies in arms usually ends up working best.  I like a ring sling for the newborn stage and love wearing them upright in that.  After a couple months I use a Mei Tai, ring sling, Ergo, etc, but my babies prefer to be facing out and able to see the world so I just end up carrying them around.  

4. What's a favorite easy healthy breakfast at your house?


Baked oatmeal is a favorite!  I'll have to post the recipe soon.  :)  Lucy and Julia would eat a bagel with cream cheese every morning if I let them.  I've been meaning to try homemade bagels again, I've had a few disasters trying to make them though.

5. What's something special you and your husband do to strengthen your relationship? :)


Oh boy, tough question!  In thinking about this, I don't think we do anything special, but we do a lot of little things that help us connect.  Ross will call me on his way home from work and that is our time to chat about the day and catch up with each other a bit before he gets home and is bombarded by little girls.  If he has time he will email, call, or text me during the day.  Even if we don't have time and money to get out for a date we try to sit down and talk periodically.  I guess it boils down to keeping lines of communication open even when things are busy.  It can be hard because by the time the girls are in bed we're exhausted!


Thanks Tammy!  I enjoyed reading the questions and answers on her blog and getting to know her a bit better.

If you want to play along:

1 - Leave a comment with your blog URL, saying you want to be interviewed.
2 - I will respond; I'll ask you five questions.
3 - You'll update your blog with my five questions, and your five answers.
4 - You'll include this explanation.
5 - You'll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.

Sing Song Yoga DVD

Sing Song Yoga is the coolest ever yoga DVD for kids.  I did a review of Sing Song Yoga back in January - we absolutely love it!   Check out their website to see a sample video clip, and read my review here.

Sing Song Yoga donates 10% of their online sales to a different charity each month.  For June, they are giving to our local La Leche League group.  If you're interested in purchasing, June would be a great time to do so!

Rocky Mountain Diapers Review and Giveaway

        

Esther was five months old yesterday!  She has chubby little legs and is outgrowing her small Fuzzi Bunz.  Julia is finally potty trained, so I am down to one baby in cloth again.  I've been rearranging the cloth diapers and trying out a couple new things.  Here Esther is wearing a Rocky Mountain pocket diaper.  These are a one size pocket diaper with a unique adjustment system.  The leg elastic has snaps that adjust when you need to change sizes.  The inside of the diaper doesn't show any snaps or anything:

When you reach inside the wing area you find the elastic with snaps:

Just unsnap the elastic and pull it tighter or looser as needed:

From the outside you can see the snap:

These are similar to the Fuzzi Bunz One Size, but those button through the elastic.  I like that everything is neatly hidden away with this diaper, the Fuzzi Bunz One Size elastic pops out of the pocket when washed and has to be tucked in each time.  The FB does come with replacement elastic though, and this diaper elastic wouldn't be as easy to replace.  

After having the velcro on some of my diapers wear out, I am a big fan of snaps.  This one seems to have a good range of snaps and has room for Esther to grow.  I LOVE the color and wearing colored pocket diapers under dresses is so much fun in the summer!  There is even a new Chocolate color that is super cute, is it bad if I want one in every color they make?  ;)  This is a great pocket diaper that will get lots of use at our house.  

Would you like to win one?  Just leave a comment letting me know your favorite color Rocky Mountain cloth diaper.  (The one I have to give away is blue with yellow inside.)  I'll choose a winner on June 24th at midnight.  For an extra entry you can like One Little Word She Knew on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know you did that.  Thanks for stopping by!

I received a diaper for the purpose of review.  Opinions expressed are my own and are honest.

Giveaway now closed.  Congrats #16!

Safe Popsicle Molds

My girls love homemade popsicles on a hot summer day! *I* love homemade popsicles because I can control what goes into them. All I have to do is put some organic vanilla yogurt or juice in a popsicle mold and my girls think its a super special treat.  In my never ending quest to rid my kitchen of BPA and unknown plastics, I set out to find a safe popsicle mold.  Although the ones I had were not the common BPA suspect (clear hard plastic), they also were not labeled with a number of any kind and I had no way of telling what type plastic they were made of.

Kinderville makes a silicone BPA-free popsicle mold that is cute and fun.  We received a set for review and have been enjoying lots of popsicles ever since.  My girls had to get used to the idea of pushing up the popsicle, but these actually work pretty well at containing drips.  To use the mold, you hold it upright, fill it, and then fit the cap on.  It can be a little bit tricky to find a good place in the freezer to stand these up.  Whatever you do, don't slip it through the slots in the shelf rack because it will expand and get stuck there and then you'll be standing in front of the freezer having a big fight with your popsicle mold and shelf.  Yeah, don't do that.

I rinse the molds as soon as we are done with them and they clean up easily that way.  A nice feature is that if your child doesn't finish the popsicle you can just pop the lid back on and return it to the freezer.  We will definitely be getting lots of use out of these this summer.  If you'd like to try these yourself, you can use the code FREE40 for free shipping with the purchase of $40 or more at the Kinderville store.  While you're there, check out the other great products available.  Thanks Kinderville!  

NUK Mommy Shower

NUK USA LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER “MOMMY SHOWER” SWEEPSTAKES

Leading Baby Care Company Celebrates Moms with an

Exclusive Prize-Filled Event

NUK is sweeping mom right off her feet with their online Mommy Shower Sweepstakes. The event includes six weekly, themed Facebook discussion boards and tweets where moms can share their favorite “rest and relaxation” tips. Moms have the chance to win the grand prize, as well as six weekly prizes.

The grand-prize – an impressive $5,000 SpaFinder Gift Card – is perfect for a mom-themed SpaWeekend getaway for three.

The first three weekly winners have already been chosen, but upcoming drawing dates are:

• June 9: Relax: $50 Yankee Candle Gift Card
• June 16: Pamper: $50 Massage Envy Gift Card
• June 23: Indulge: $50 Godiva Chocolate Gift Card
• June 25: Grand Prize: $5,000 SpaFinder Gift Card

To enter to win the grand prize or one of the five remaining weekly prizes, simply visit www.nuk-usa.com and fill out the registration form. 

Yay for Mommy prizes!  While you're on Facebook be sure and "like" One Little Word She Knew also.  I share quick links, updates, giveaways, and more.  :)

One Little Word She Knew

We're on Facebook!  I'll post links to articles, quick updates, giveaway announcements and more.  Feel free to post comments or questions on the wall.  I have lots more fun things lined up - giveaways, reviews, and even a new blog design in the works.  Stay tuned!

If you didn't notice, I added a giveaway to the Strider Review post.  Thanks for reading.

Mommy Necklaces

I love, love, love my Mommy Necklaces! A Mommy Necklace is a safe necklace for mom to wear and baby to play with. They are made with a special breakaway clasp so that if baby tugs hard enough, it will simply pop apart rather than breaking and spilling beads everywhere. The beads are tested for lead and phthalates, and sourced in the USA.

Mommy Necklaces were originally invented as nursing necklaces, something for baby to fiddle with while nursing. This keeps baby nursing longer and helps stop pinching and fiddling - Esther loves to play with my necklaces while she nurses. Even if I'm just carrying her around, she usually has a tight hold of it. Lately I've been wearing my Mommy Necklaces every day to avoid being scratched (and of course to look cute and stylish!).

Luckily they have lots of styles and designs to choose from. Check out their website to see the options. I love that the necklaces look great with a t-shirt and jeans or can be a stylish accessory to a fancy dress. On their Facebook page, they frequently have giveaways, sales, and even exclusive designs. Raelynn (the mom behind Mommy Necklaces) is a good friend of mine, she has amazing customer service and does a wonderful job with her business. I'm always impressed with the new designs she comes up with and how much heart she pours into her work.

If you'd like to order a Mommy Necklace you can use the code "ChristyVW" for 10% off. This code is good for first time buyers only, and is a personal referral code so please don't share it elsewhere. If you're local, I have a few 15% off coupons I can give you, just let me know if you'd like one.

Disclaimer - I did not receive anything for this review. I just love Mommy Necklaces and wanted to share! If you use the discount code, I will receive a small amount of reward points.