Hey Thanks!

I just wanted to send a Thank you to Hannah over at 

 for featuring me in her Tuesday "Blogs Worth Blogging About"

You can check her out  here

I wanted to share the love, and link you readers up to another awesome blog

Her blog features

• great reviews
• fun giveaways ( check out this baby salve giveaway)
• yummy recipes
• adorable pictures of her little ones ( one of my fav blog features)

So check her out  at

Ergo Review!

I got an ERGO baby carrier!! 

Thats right folks, my wish was granted by my Mama and my Best friend

Its AMAZING, I regret to say that the beautiful wrap and ring sling that I made myself haven't left their hangers.

But I'm sure they understand, probably glad for the vacation.

TheERGO baby carrier arrived less then a week from the time that my mom sent it to me, I live in Northern California, the carrier was sent from Washington, but still, this is very quick shipping.

I instantly got to the car and opened the box, which it says is made from recycled materials. I really liked how there was not excess unnecessary packaging. Inside was the carrier, an instruction book, and a envelope with business cards. I read the instruction book, and the instructions were simple and explained with pictures.

I had a trip to the grocery store to make so I used my ergo, it was easy to figure out, and quick to put on, simple to adjust. And OH MAN was in comfy! Annabella seemed very comfortable, and I really like the size of the pocket on the front,  plenty of room for my wallet (which is the long style), cell phone, lip balm, hand cream, and I could fit a lot more in there.

So far, I have used both the back and front carry positions, I have a weird back with a little bit of a twisty  curve to it (thank goodness for my Yoga teacher), so I'm not in any hurry to try the hip position. Annabella seems very comfortable in both positions, I like how easy it is to know that she's in the right position, and it doesn't slip like my wrap tended to do. I love how it feels like a backpack. No straps digging into my shoulders.

I mostly used the back carry while we were camping, This carry is easy to get into, I like that it is easy to get on and that I don't have to fidget with anything or have the baby wobble on my back, its easy to make sure her feet are in the right spot and then slide the other arm strap on, it feels very secure. I never was able to master a back carry while wearing Annabella  because she would always be scared on my back, with the ERGO baby carrier its easy.

The biggest benifit of this carrier is that Daddy will wear it. We love going to outdoor events. Especially concerts, at events like these I like keeping Annabella close for a few reasons

• safety
• to make sure her earplugs stay in
• to make sure that I can hear her
• they don't always allow strollers in venues
• its hard to maneuver a stroller through a crowd of people

We have yet to be to a concert, but I can tell already that it won't be a problem keeping Annabella close.

I am really looking forward to getting a  fanny pack  for the Ergo. I think that it will be nice and I will be able to keep everything that I need in there for longer day trips

Overall, I love it, but I'm sure you can tell that already
Get your own 

This review was written by me I was not given any compensation for this review, the carrier was a gift from my mother and best friend . This review is my honest opinion.

Camping!

This weekend we went on Annabella's first camping trip!

The Ribs I made for the first night were AMAZING, even better then the last ones

I got lots of complements including a few 'best ribs I ever had' 

So I've decided to start making my own BBQ sauce, not that I have any idea how to make it, but I would love to do one of those Food Network Challenges with ribs. I'm pretty sure I could win, if I could only come up with the best sauce.

Back to Camping

We discovered a few of these guys, must be time to molt shells

A few hours later I saw him again, good job buddy!

Annabella loved looking at all the trees and wildlife

We saw lots of butterflies

Camping in the redwoods is such a neat experience, Everything is so big!

This was Annabella's first time trying out her Graco Pack 'n Play Playard  for anything besides sleeping. She didn't seem to mind it too much.

I got my ERGO carrier just in time for the weekend and it was  LIFESAVER. I used the back carry position a lot, it freed up my hands to do whatever, and yes, Ryan used it too! It was so nice to have  a break!

Annabella loved looking at the campfire

Annabella was an angel all weekend, she seemed to really enjoy being with all her friends and family. I can't wait to take our next trip

Annabella is pretty excited too

Soapnuts Giveaway Winners!

Well I am back from a lovely camping trip

And we have some winners!

First we have number #13

dark phoenix said...

ive heard they r great for laundry and i am always wanting to try new green things!

Second Winner is #8

Shanna7313 said...

I am following you, and I'd try soap nuts on cloth diapers!

Finally Last but not least

#12

Soul Flower said...

I would like to use them for laundry!! Could I be lucky number 12???

Congrats to the winners! I will be e-mailing you! 

Remember to enter the extreme 18x giveaway

we will have winners soon!

bingo bango bango

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MTGDncw5fo&feature=related

Giveaway results Monday

We have decided to take a spur of the moment camping trip

HOORAY!

I have spent most of today making

• baby back ribs
• pasta salad
• graham crackers
• rosemary garlic potatoes

We are leaving tomorrow morning

So the results for the soapnuts giveaway will be posted Monday morning or as soon as I get back

I'll still only be taking entries up till 5pm tomorrow (thats California time)

I'll be back next week with giveaway results, recipes, pictures

And a review of my new ERGO CARRIER

that I recieved as an early Mother's Day gift from Heather and My mom!

A very big THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to them

You ladies are the best

"10 Little Things that Lead to a Happier, Healthier You."

I decided to participate in this twitter party because since I've made these few small changes to my day, I have felt much healthier. They are simple, and I noticed a difference in about a month. I didn't do all these at once, I probably started them all over the course of a year (being pregnant helped me be healthier as well) I continue to try to stay healthy, because I know its easy to fall back into old habits.

1.  No Hydrogenated Oils. I know, you've heard it before, but cut them out for about three months, and when you eat them, you WILL notice how shitty they make you feel.
2. No High Fructose Corn Syrup: It was HARD to get over my addiction to Coca-Cola, at one point in my life I drank at least a twelve pack a day. But when I got pregnant with annabella I vowed to cut it out (I didn't do very well) When she was breastfeeding, any caffeine was noticeable instantly! So I cut it out, I had a sip of one about three weeks ago and it tasted DISGUSTING! 
3. Breakfast:  Personally I go with a bowl of maple oatmeal with: walnuts, flax seeds, hemp seeds, and cinnamon. And a glass of cranberry juice. I've found I have much more energy for the day with breakfast. Sometimes I'll have a grapefruit, but I find that oatmeal fills me up better.
4. Letting Daddy take the car: Another hard one, I am an almost everyday grocery shopper, I decide whats for dinner that day most of the time. At first the walk to the grocery store seemed long, but then it seemed half the time, not its pretty much across the street in my scope of things. Now that the weather is nice, I use my stroller as my cart, and walk all over downtown running my errands. Annabella loves going for walks, and I get great exercise. Its much easier to not have to get the baby in and out of the car every time we stop; and I don't feel bad about turning the car on and off all day.
5. Gardening: Fresh veggies from the garden have lots of amino acids and nutrients that go away within hours after being picked from the vine; and the difference is clear when you taste them. I also love the accomplishment of having a salad from my garden. I just mastered lettuce and it is SO YUMMY! Also, it turned out to be easier to grow then I thought. I have a great tan, and this slug battle while frustrating, is primitive and fun!
6. Yoga: I have a eight month old and a flat stomach! Well, almost flat.. either way I feel great about myself. The mamas at my yoga class are wonderful, and annabella loves having other friends to play with!
7. Acupuncture: I started having acupuncture done for my mood swings and back pain while I was pregnant. Everybody noticed a difference! The acupuncturist who I go to is so kind, she really cares and even has offered to come to my house if I need it. I don't think I'll be having her over anytime soon though, because I get an hour of ME time. After she puts the needles in, I get about forty-five minutes of relaxation with some music.... can you say Ahhhhhhh..
8. Local Bee Products: I'm all about buying local, but when you buy local bee products, everybody benefits! When you eat bee pollen, and honey from local bees, it help your immune system fight allergies! It really works, I swear by it. I love going to the farmers market and seeing what kind of honey my local bee keeper has in store. We are about to start keeping some bees ourselves! A friend of ours has been keeping them with his family since before he can remember! I'll be sure to keep you updated on them!
9. Cooking from Scratch: I use fewer preservatives, and fresher ingredients! Also my food tastes much better then anything that comes in a box. I feel such a sense of satisfaction, when I pull some pizza dough out of the oven that I have made from FLOUR! Besides that I am getting nice arms from all this stirring and kneading!
10. Water: My Nana always kept water in the fridge, thankfully, it has caused me to be addicted to water.  I drink at least 10 glasses a day, Most of them are at room temperature, which helps your body to absorb nutrients better. However, I do drink ice cold water when I'm hot, nothing cools you down better. BONUS: Ice water burns calories!

So there is my advice, I hope it helps some of you! To learn more about the campaign HERE

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 blogging program to be eligible to win 6 free Juicy Rewards points and a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” 

Here is a code you can redeem to get one juicy point. Visit The Juicy Rewards page to learn how you can save money. Code:TWMOM-READR. (This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account. Limit one new account bonus code per new account. All accounts must be created and all codes entered UPDATE! twittermoms just let me know that I posted the wrong dates, the contest ends on the May 7th 2010 at 11:59pm EST, ::not June 30th as previously stated::)