Awhile back I found a deal on groupon for the website Picaboo. I don't remember the exact price I paid but it was for $100 worth of products for like $40 or something similar. I planned on making a large photo book of the two years that we spent in Korea. Yes, I would love to scrap book it, but I take a lot of pictures, and honestly, I just don't get around to it. I'm much more of a card maker then a scrapbooker. I do try, but if it was going to happen it wasn't going to be any time soon. So I figured a photo book would be the answer! There's of course other things that you can purchase on Picaboo such as prints, cards, canvas, etc., but the photo book was the answer to my problem.
So I started my photo book and found out real quick that my camera didn't take as nice as photos as I thought it did :/ Luckily, i've gotten a nicer camera since but that doesn't help any photos that I took back then. Either way, I was still going to use them as this was possibly my only two years in Korea. Not to mention Gideon will only be two and three, once.
I also learned, that I had a lot of photos! And while I really wanted to make one book for the two years, I was getting dangerously close to 100 pages for just one years worth of photos. I went ahead and decided to do one book for 2010 and I would keep an eye out for another deal and go back to do 2011 in another book.
The Picaboo website, in general, was fairly easy to navigate. It was time consuming but I also had almost 500 photos in my almost 100 page book. My book was 8.5 x 11in and I was able to pick the picture for the front and back as well. They also have themed options to help you have a creative theme so it all fits together or you can pick any sort of background out of all their themes that you want. You can also use your photos as backgrounds which I also did a lot of. You have choices of soft covers or hard covers (I chose soft which is like a thick glossy picture paper) among other options. Your base price starts with 20 photos and then each individual photo after that is a specific price depending on size and book style.
I don't remember how long it took for me to receive my book but it wasn't an unreasonable amount by any means. I think it is a gorgeous book and I love to have it out when people come over. I will never get that time back and I love that I can share it with people on something other then Facebook.
Now why am I sharing all of this with you? Because Living Social has a deal on it right now! Spend $35 and receive $100 credit to use on the Picaboo website. I of course purchased a deal right away! I'm so excited that I can now finish my second book. Of course, if books aren't your thing you can get a beautiful canvas print or something else even. Multiple things even. It's up to you. So check out the deal today and don't forget to use my link at Living Social so I get credit for sending you over :) And as always, make sure to check the fine print for yourself and I am not an affiliate for Living Social.
We had a super busy weekend, this last weekend. Saturday was Gideon's birthday party (post to come) and Sunday we went sledding/tubing at Snoqualmie Pass. Of course Sunday morning I wake up to Gideon crawling into bed with me and passing out. This is very unusual for him so I should have assumed something was wrong then but I was enjoying cuddling with him while he was letting me. After he rolled over a bit later I realized he had a fever... I checked and it was 100.7 :( I am a firm believer in letting a fever do it's job and fight off the sickness, and Gideon still really wanted to go sledding, so we decided we'd still go. He ate breakfast, not a lot, but he did eat, and there was no vomiting so I thought we'd be ok. As we were walking out the door, I checked his temp again and it had gone up to 101.7... I was a little more hesitant to bring him now but decided we already had tickets, might as well go. We'll be out in the cold so maybe that'll help to lower it.
When we first got there, Gideon was doing ok. You could tell he didn't feel well but he was wanting to participate. By the end of our 2 hours though he just sat inside his tube and was "ducking down" as he said. When we left, his fever had gone back down below 101 and he perked back up some when he ate a sandwich. Overall, it was fun, but I wish Gideon hadn't been sick. On the bright side, at least he didn't wake up sick on Saturday because we would have had to cancel his party :/
There is something so classic and timeless about a rocking horse. They are an iconic symbol of childhood that people of all generations can relate to. Whether it’s sitting in a nursery or getting plenty of use in the playroom, a rocking horse can add a certain esthetic to the room.
Wee Rock Toy Co. has put a new spin on the classic rocking horse by making them sustainably in a convenient new design. Catherine O’Sullivan and Michael Galea, founders of Wee Rock Toy Co., used their architectural training to create a classic rocking horse that has only six pieces, allowing them to be shipped flat and assembled with no tools, no glue and no hardware!
These unique rockers are crafted from bamboo plywood – an ultra high quality, renewable and child-safe material. Unlike most plywood, the bamboo plywood used by Wee Rock Toy Co. uses a soy-based adhesive that emits zero VOCs and is a responsibly sourced renewable material. The bamboo parts are simply finished with a food-grade butcher-block conditioner. A huge bonus – all of these toys are cut, finished and packaged in the United States!
In addition to being sustainably made in the USA, the Wee Rock Toy Co. rockers are adorable, and currently available in five designs, including a classic horse, gorilla, elephant, rhino and giraffe. See the designs here.
Each of these five designs has the same critical dimensions. The seat is 13" off the ground and the assembled toy is approximately 13" W x 33" L – making the rockers ideal for kids from ages 18-48 months.
If you’ve been looking for the perfect rocker for your little one, or need a unique baby shower gift idea, be sure to check out Wee Rock Toy Co!
The Giveaway
I’m excited to share that one lucky reader will win the Wee Rock Toy Co. rocker of their choice ($300 value)! This giveaway is open to the lower 48 US states only, ages 18+ and runs through February 7, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST. To enter, simply complete the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Yesterday was Gideon's 5th birthday. I actually have a great Pirate Booty giveaway going on to celebrate. Last night we had a little mini celebration, just the two of us. I sang Happy Birthday to him and he was so excited. He also had a gift to open which i'm also going to include the video as well. As a back story on the video, Gideon had this toy dinosaur from Dinosaur Train, "Ned", that he got for Christmas 2011. A couple of days before Christmas 2012, he snapped off Ned's neck. Normally when he breaks a toy, it goes in the trash if I can't fix it and it's usually not that big of a deal. For whatever reason, Ned was different. He cried uncontrollably and ended up having to just lay with me on the couch while I tried to calm him down. For a good 20 min at least; he was really upset. Then he started talking about Santa getting him Ned for Christmas. I explained to him that Santa probably already has all of his gifts since it's so close to Christmas but we'll see. I honestly thought he'd end up moving on like normal and forgetting about it. But nope, that was not the case. He kept talking about Ned to everyone. Any time someone asked him about Christmas he'd respond "no new Ned". First day back to school after New Years, his bus driver asked how his Christmas was and the first thing out of his mouth was "no new Ned". My dad called on the way home from Cubbies last night and asked what Gideon wanted, his answer again was a "new Ned". When we got home we had our little "celebration" and I knew that I needed to video record him opening the present.
I don't know if you know this, but today, January 15th, is Gideon's 5th Birthday! I can't believe how much my little baby has grown. He's no where near to being my little baby anymore, but I still feel like he was born just the other day! Now he's a very imaginative little boy that was running around holding a girls hand last night, while she pretends to be his wife.
To celebrate this momentous occasion with YOU, my readers, Kinda Crunchy Mama is having a Pirate Booty giveaway! The giveaway runs for only two weeks! January 15 - 29th. I also have some lovely ladies that are sharing this on their blogs as well to join in on the fun! If you're one of these generous blogs, thank you!
I have a couple of great prizes, that one lucky winner will win thanks to some generous businesses. The first item is a handmade crocheted pirate hat from W.H.A.M! W.H.A.M. is made of two mamas that want to be able to stay at home,
do what they love, and share what they love doing with others! They
crochet, sew, glue, and craft in many ways. They can make scarves, blankets, hats, mug cozies, just about anything you can think of! Custom orders are accepted for a majority of their crafts, so feel
free to send them a message and they can work to best create what you're
looking for. This hat will be custom made to fit your child so please give it a few weeks after receiving measurements from you, for you to receive your hat.
This is a similar hat made for another customer
The second item that one lucky reader will win, is a pirate peg set from Musings from Mommyland. Katie, a stay at home mom, who started painting wooden superheroes for her children. She discovered that she loved it so much, she decided to open up a shop, creating them for others! If you don't see what you're looking for, please email Katie and she will be able to come up with a custom order, that you're sure to love! If you have not seen these before, you HAVE to check them out. They are like the cutest thing ever. The winner will win their choice of a boy or girl pirate set, so even your little girl will be able to fall in love with these little wooden characters.
Thank you for celebrating Gideon's Birthday with us, and good luck!
Disclaimer: Open to US Residents 18+ and older. The giveaway is open Jan 15 at 12:00 a.m. and closes Jan 29 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Comments on this post are appreciated but not mandatory. There will be one winner who will win both prizes. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Kinda Crunchy Mama and all participating blogs will not be held responsible for fulfillment of prize. However, we will do everything we can to help you receive your item(s) from the sponsor. If there is a problem with said prize, please contact the blog you entered from within 30 days, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.
With Gideon's birthday tomorrow, I thought i'd share my birth story with any one out there who may be interested. Gideon will be turning 5 tomorrow, so while some of the details might not be there, I still remember it like it was yesterday.
Waiting to be induced
My due date was Dec 31st, 2007. I had dreams of a water birth so I was hoping Gideon would be coming on his own and that I would get what I wanted. All of the women in my family on my moms side have had late babies and have needed to be induced. I was really hoping this would not be me. Because of this, I even took castor oil to try and help things along. By the way, that did nothing but give me the worst case of diarrhea in my life. I know some people have had success with this but it definitely did NOT work for me. LOL.
At 39, 40, and 41 weeks I had my membranes sweeped. If you have no idea what that is, I'd google it. It's not the most pleasant experience out there though. This of course did nothing. I also worked up until I hit my due date (I would have continued if my work would have scheduled me), which involved lots of walking but of course I did that all of my pregnancy. I basically tried everything I could think of that I knew of. At 42 weeks, and 0 dilation, I was supposed to come in to be induced.
I was originally scheduled to go in on that Sunday, but after calling the hospital I found out they were understaffed so we got pushed back to the Monday. Monday, I called and came in first thing in the morning. I was checked in but still at a 0. I was still trying to avoid pitocin as I wanted that water birth so they gave me a dose of cytotec to try and induce without the pitocin. After that I was free to roam the hospital and get some breakfast. I don't remember if I was given a second dose of cytotec or not but I do know that I felt nothing. When the nurses would monitor me, they said that I was having little contractions that were almost on top of each other but not strong enough to do anything.
After a long conversation about how this wasn't working and we were now in the evening of day 1, we decided to try pitocin as well as a baloon catheter. The catheter is put into the cervix to help dilation. It is supposed to fall out on it's own around 4 cm. We were also under an agreement that if my labor starts, we'll pull me off the pitocin to see if it continues without it. I was still hoping for that water birth or at least a natural birth of some kind.
I started having contractions after that. When you're on pitocin you have to be monitored and I kept having to pee which kept me having to go off the monitor. I felt dumb because I couldn't ever get it situated just right when I came back. I also felt like all I was doing was peeing. LOL. At some point, while in the bathroom, the catheter ripped out of me. It was taped to my inner thigh to keep the pressure and I don't know if I really was dilated enough or not but I think it was taped a little too tight so when I went to sit it ripped out, and not that nicely.
After that, since I was having contractions and I was at least at 4 cm, they agreed to take me off the pitocin. At this point it was super early in the morning and I was UNCOMFORTABLE to say the least. I kept jumping in the bath trying to relieve some of the discomfort.
Somewhere in the morning, they sent me off to a laboring room. They wouldn't let me use the birthing tub yet though so I was in a different room that didn't have a tub. Because I was two weeks over due, they wanted to make sure there was no meconium in the water before they would allow a water birth. If there ended up being meconium that I wouldn't be allowed a water birth. At this point things were definitely moving along and they were guessing i'd have him around 1:00 or so.
I pretty much stayed on the birthing ball all morning and was trying to breath through all of my contractions. I took another pee break and while in the bathroom, my water broke. At this point, because they hadn't actually seen it, they made me wear a pad so they could make sure it was clear and wheeled me to the room with the birthing tub. I know everyone has had difference experiences with their water breaking but mine was literally gushes of water. I was sitting there and all of a sudden a flood of water would come out of me. All over the floor in between the two rooms. It happened probably 3 times, and I remember being so embarrassed and continuing to apologize for it. Because you know, I had so much control over it. LOL.
At that time, it was obvious the water was free of meconium so I went into the tub. I stayed in the tub for the next 6 hours! I literally did not progress at all, if anything tightened back up a little. My midwife had been afraid that if she was to break my water earlier that it would take pressure off and I wouldn't dilate. That's the big reason it wasn't done artificially. She was exactly right too. Without that pressure of the water bag, I stopped progressing. Unfortunately for me though, I was still having contractions. And they were painful contractions, right on top of each other. Again. I was getting no breaks in between and it wasn't helping me progress.
After that 6 hours I just remember being done. I told them to go ahead and put me on pitocin and I wanted an epidural too. I felt like I was giving up but I was so tired by this point. And I never wanted to go into labor with the pitocin.
Literally 45 minutes after being put on the pitocin and given the epidural, I had my little boy. He was the most precious little thing ever. I remember trying not to cry really hard even though I really wanted to.
My family had been sitting at the hospital all day by this point but I was determined to breastfeed so I wouldn't let anyone in the room until after I nursed him. That went great as well, and he was just perfect. I do have some pics I'll share but they're not the greatest quality so bear with it. I also have a video if you want to watch. Beware, it is a birth video but you really can't see anything unless you're staying at my hooha and not the baby.
I want to preface this by saying, I don't wear a lot of make-up. I rarely put it on and when I do it's only my eyes. Even that, i'm no expert on. I have to buy the ALMAY Intense I-Color Kit because I really have no idea what i'm doing. I pick that strictly based on the fact that the colors are already pre-picked for me and I don't have to think or worry about screwing it up.
Recently I was offered to review the COVERGIRL BlastFlipstick with Bzzagent and while I was a little hesitant with my history of make-up, I figured i'd try it out. I mean what could I loose, right?
I received three different shades labeled Stunner, Minx, and Vixen. The interesting thing about the COVERGIRL BlastFlipstick is that it's two shades that combine together so that you can play with it however you want. One side is creamy, the other is shimmery. You can do one, or the other, or both!
Now I have a really hard time with lipstick which is why I tend not to wear it. For whatever reason, my lips turn things orange which is not a very good color on me. Not to mention, i'm not a bold make-up person so wearing bright red lipstick, even if it didn't turn orange, just doesn't work for me.
I first tried the Minx shade because it's more of a darker, brown look and it did not work for me. I looked silly. After that my hope started to dwindle that this would work. Out of the two options I had left, Stunner was already orange, so I wasn't going there, and the Vixen shade was a pink and red which made me really nervous. I went ahead and tried the Vixen though, and oh my gosh, it actually looked good!
First I used the creamy red side, which actually with my complexion, didn't look bad even by itself. Then I added the shimmery pink side on top. Viola! At first I added it to all of my lips and it toned it down just a bit which looked nice, then when I put it on the second time I just added it to the center of my top and bottom lips and it actually added a little dimension.
After trying these on, I will definitely be buying me some more! I do like the look of lipstick when i'm actually wearing make-up but just never thought I could really do it without looking like a clown, or even that i'm just trying too hard. This has completely changed my mind! When my husband comes home from his deployment I of course want to look nice for him and I know that when he gets off his plane to see me, this will add to the effect!
*note - I received this product for free from bzzagent.com in exchange for an honest and truthful review. All opinions are my own and I received no additional compensation. To find out more about COVERGIRL BlastFlipstick check out COVERGIRL online!
I'm a little late posting this but I wanted to share all of the pictures from our Elf on the Shelf. Our Elf showed up on Thanksgiving morning with a special breakfast for Gideon. Then we read the Elf on the Shelf story together and Gideon named his Elf Doodle. Gideon didn't quite knew what to think about Doodle at first but after a couple of days, he would get so excited when he found him! He also needed a lot of reminders to not touch Doodle. Next year might go a little bit better with that though.
I will admit, I had a hard time coming up with ideas. There are a ton of Elf on the Shelf compilation articles out there, including my own. But a lot of the ideas involve other items, which we didn't always have. I wanted to have ideas that for the most part involved things I had lying around the house. I'm not saying our Elf was the most adventurous but Gideon enjoyed him and that's all that matters.
Doodle then left us Christmas Eve night/ Christmas morning where he left a picture of him sitting on the Christmas tree and Santa poking into the picture. He also left a little note for Gideon telling him goodbye and he hopes to see him next year.
Overall, this was a really fun tradition to start and I know Gideon will be looking forward to it again. I hope you enjoy my pictures and ideas of what we did!
Our Elf Breakfast
Our Elf Breakfast
The note Santa left to introduce the Elf
The note Santa left to introduce the Elf
I love the expression on his face
Doodle painted our noses
The paint didn't stay on our nose so well overnight, but eh well
Doodle put Gideon's underwear on the tree
Doodle put Gideon's underwear on the tree
And was hanging out with the angel
And was hanging out with the angel
I still have some party decorations up...
(don't ask) so Doodle decided to swing in them
He pulled out some Christmas lights
Doodle likes the girls! lol
This is the little tree in Gideon's room
The lizard (Howdy) was missing.
Doodle found him and left him in the bedroom
I was waiting to do this. It finally snowed
outside so I was able to! We had no carrots
though and Gideon was quite worried about it.
lol
Gideon stayed the night at his Aunties house and Doodle
followed him
