Chuck Taylor and Converse Shoes

Converse shoes have been around for so long--and I love that they haven't altered who they are. Converse shoes are as adaptable today as they were when I was growing up. They comfortable, cute and come in so many styles that most children, teens and adults are able to find a pair that they will love. The great thing about the Chuck Taylor Converse shoe is that it is so versatile--you can dress them up, down, spring, summer or fall.

I have to show you my favorite pair of Chuck Taylor's for the girls--seriously, these? Are so adorable! I love them! I showed them to Isabella and she told me that "we go buy some" which means that in her 2 year old eyes that these are a must have for her wardrobe.

What shoes are the must have shoe for your child this school year?

For great deals, special contests and more be sure to check out the Sears Footwear Family First Facebook page!

 All opinions above are based on my own. No compensation or product was given for this post.

Post Its Time...

I haven't done post-its for so long...BUT am gracing you all today with my quick thoughts--luckies!

Today That One Mom hijacked the stickies from Supah--be sure and check her out and link up!

Infantino Flip Carrier Review

Having two little ones can be extremely difficult to maneuver when about and about running errands, grabbing a bite to eat or attending a play date with friends. There are times that I don't mind bringing the double stroller, but it's so heavy and big that I try to only bring when absolutely necessary!

One of the items that I love using with Madelyn is my Infantino Flip Carrier. It's a huge lifesaver--and so comfortable! The Flip Carrier can be worn in a variety of different ways. Forward facing, outward facing or you can use it as a backpack carrier. Made for babies weighing 8 lbs all the way to 32 lbs. I'm disappointed that Madelyn is getting close to the max weight, but happy that we still have a few months ahead of use, especially with Leo leaving for his deployment soon.

The fabric that the Flip Carrier is made out of is very comfortable. It's made out of a soft mesh material and is padded to provided extra comfort. The flap can be buttoned down which I love for Madelyn to be able to look out of. It comes with an attachable bib to use if you have a drooler or a baby that is still in the spit up stage. As Infantino says the Flip Carrier "is a flippable, flexible, breathable little wonder" which I agree with 100%!

It's also a great carrier for Dads, too, being a neutral color and not too frilly or cutesy. You can find the Flip Carrier available at Target and Babies R Us for $29.99 - $33.99.

***Discount***

I also want to share a great discount with my readers for two of the other Infantino baby carriers, the Balance and the EcoSash. Right now through September 21 you can receive $10 off at Babies R Us!

***Giveaway***

Infantino is having a giveaway right now on the Infantino Facebook page for FIVE lucky winners! They will be giving away FIVE bouncers through September 1st.

I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for Infantino and have received various Infantino products as part of my participation.

Flat Iron Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Karmin Flat Iron giveaway! The big winner is...

Janelle & Maxx!! I will be emailing Janelle and she has 48 hours to respond. Thank you to everyone who entered--and don't forget that there are currently three more giveaways going on right now.

Rain, Rain Go Away...And Stay Away For Awhile...

If your summer has been anything like ours, it has rained, rained and rained some more.

We have had it with the rain so we did what we had to do to survive.

Friday afternoon we had a jam session.

We put on our bling...

Got our glasses ready...

Got the tunes started...

We had a little girl talk...

And played with our favorite pink castle...

Our day that started out dreary and boring?

Turned into a fabulous, rainy day.

Sidewalk Chalk, Sunglasses & Sprinkle Shoes {You Capture}

I'm a little nervous participating in a photo link up. While I love all most some of my photos...it's a little intimidating to join in and ask others to look at my photos...

Does any of that even make sense? Probably not...which doesn't surprise me.

This week I'm participating in You Capture over at Beth's fabulous and wonderful blog, I Should Be Folding Laundry. I was drawn into her blog by her gorgeous photos, beautiful writing and of course the name of her blog...seriously the story of my life.

So, here we go with our theme: Get outside! The girls and I try to play outside daily--so this was one challenge that we had a blast with...

This little beauty...

And her oh-so-fabulous shades...

And this little beauty...

And her "sprinkle" shoes...

Played under the late August sun...

Making beautiful memories for their Momma...

Talking and dreaming of yummy cupcakes...

And never missing a single ounce of love.

Payback is a....I'm Sure You Can Fill in the Rest.

When I had my girls so many people laughed and joked about when both will turn into teenagers. They also hoped that I was a decent teenager to my parents.

Pffft. I wish I had been good growing up...my poor, poor parents. And now I am cringing thinking of the crap I pulled, the sass in my talk and the constant eye rolling that my parents had to witness once I turned 12--and possibly even earlier than 12...

Anyway, the point of this post isn't about me and the shenanigans that I construed as a teen.

Nope.

This post? Is about Isabella and her new favorite phrase: I said NO. I don't like it! I said NO!!

Surely this has to be some cruel, sick joke from the universe due to my inability to behave and use better judgment growing up...

She isn't even THREE yet  and already has an attitude of a hormone raging, parent disliking teenage girl.

I am in so much trouble for the years ahead. So, so much trouble!


Parent Reviewers' Directory Listing

Bits & Pieces...

Today I got to wake up with Madelyn wanting to come and snuggle. This doesn't happen very often. She held my hand with her chubby baby hand grasped onto mine. Heart melting moment for sure...*sigh* It's moments like this that has me wondering what if we had just one more little one...

Today I sold a lens on eBay that I rarely used. It was a fabulous feeling to make some money and sell it to someone who wanted it. Yay for extra spending money!

Today I ordered this:

I am so serious about losing this weight while Leo is gone--so why not start with a boot camp workout? Have you tried any of her dvd's? I am so excited to start it once it arrives!

Today the girls and I took a long walk around our neighborhood. We were waiting for Leo to get home and just wanted to get outside...Isabella waved at all of the cars that drove us by, said hi to all of the kids playing outside. She told all of the animals, boats and trucks hello. It was such a nice time with my two girls. I hope I remember moments like that forever...

Today Leo and I talked today about our Missouri trip that we were going to take over the Labor Day weekend. We decided that it's probably best that we don't go, which crushed me. I miss my family so much and I am not so sure about me traveling with both girls and the dog while he is in Afghanistan. I really hope I will see them before next March. Have I mentioned how much I hate living so far away from my family?

David Garrett: Rock Symphonies CD Review

I grew up listening to Nirvana, Guns 'N Roses and so many other alternative and rock bands. I remember wearing the plaid flannel shirts and Birkenstock sandals with white socks...ah, the memories. When I first heard of David Garrett and his Rock Symphonies CD I was intrigued and definitely interested in reviewing it.

David Garrett combines two of his favorite loves in life--classical music and rock music from his generation on his newest music venture. He makes the songs his own by adding in his amazing violin skills. Being a child prodigy he has been playing music for the world since he was a young boy. He was named best-selling classical music artist of 2009 with his debut album staying on the Classical Crossover Charts at #1 for 31 straight weeks.

His concerts have been sold-out around the world and after listening to Rock Symphonies, I can see how. The music is amazing--I played the violin from 5th-7th grade and still to this day I love to listen to talented musicians play. David Garrett? Totally talented and amazing. He plays with such a passion that totally comes through in this album. His renditions of the rock songs are fantastic. If you're a fan of Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Guns 'N Roses--check out his album--I think you'll like it!

His album can be purchased at Best Buy, iTunes and www.amazon.com. PBS is also airing a television special this month, Rock Symphonies, of David Garrett's sold out Berlin show. He performed his musical talent in front of more than 18,000 fans!

A huge thank you to Music Moms for this amazing opportunity. CD was provided for review and no other compensation was given. All opinions expressed above are based on my own experience.

Meet the Divas! Plus a Chance to Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

A few months ago I joined an amazing group of women at Double Duty Divas. This network is awesome--the women, the support and the opportunity to work with some great companies is included. I've met some new and fantastic people through this network. I love it!

Right now Double Duty Divas is having a fun giveaway for your chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Simply check out the Meet the Divas twitter link <----click. From here you can see who is a part of Meet the Divas and you can choose to follow any or all of us on Twitter.

Once you do that, come back here and leave me a comment--tell me one new Diva that you're following on Twitter from Meet the Divas. That's all that you need to do!

Once all of the blogs have ended the giveaway all of the comments will be put in order from the blog in which they were entered and ONE lucky winner receives a $20 gift card to Amazon! This giveaway will be ending on 9/1 at noon CST.

Have fun meeting and following--and gaining some new followers yourself!

No compensation was given for this post. All opinions are my own. Good luck to my readers!

Infiniti Pro Conair Hairdryer Giveaway

With my hair being so thick and wavy it's so much easier for me to just pull it up and out of the way than blow dry and straighten it during the summer months. The humidity down here on the coast is so thick it really makes me unhappy with my hair.

When I got offered the chance to review and host a giveaway for the the Conair Infiniti Pro Hairdryer I accepted this opportunity in a heartbeat. I wanted to see if it would help fight my case of the hairdryer frizzies.

The Conair Infiniti Pro uses ions to help fight hair frizz. The outlet grille where the air comes out is coated in a ceramic paint to help users dry their hair safely and to promote healthy looking hair. The motor is an AC (alternating current) motor which is a high performance motor--typically your hair stylist will use this sort of hair dryer on your hair. What are some pros of an AC motor?

• It's quiet--and has a powerful air outlet to dry your hair faster and causes less heat exposure
• Has a true cold shot button to blast your hair with cold air to seal your hair style and to help you lift up your roots
• Life expectancy is 3 times longer than a typical hair dryer you would buy (using a DC motor)

Upon receiving the hairdryer and opening it I loved the color right away. It's a fun and funky orange--even Isabella and Madelyn were interested to see what it was. It comes with two different attachments for the dryer if you were wanting to use them. There are three temperature controls: hot, warm & cool as well as two speed controls.

It was heavier than my old hair dryer, but my old dryer wasn't an AC motor--it was a typical hair dryer that I've used for years. I plugged it in and got to work. I used the "warm" setting on "low" speed--and let me tell you that the force of air was awesome. My hair dried a lot quicker and didn't frizz up like it usually does after I blow dry and straighten. Here's a pic of me with my hair dried using my new Conair Infiniti Pro dryer:

After reviewing the Conair Infiniti Pro, I have to admit that I love it. If you're currently unhappy with your hairdryer, I hope that you will consider trying this dryer out. You can purchase it at a variety of drugstores,  mass market stores nationwide, as well as www.conairdryer.com for the low price of $38.99.

***Win it***

  

I have one Conair Infiniti Pro hairdryer for one lucky winner! For the mandatory entry please visit Conair and tell me one other product that you would love to own. This must be completed before any of your bonus entries will count.

Leave a separate comment for all entries--thanks!

***Bonus Entries***

1 entry each: Like Conair on Facebook and/or follow Conair on Twitter

1 entry each: Follow my blog, subscribe via email and/or subscribe to rss feed in a reader (you can do all three on right hand side of blog)

1 entry each: Follow Winey Mommy on Twitter and/or Like Winey Mommy on Facebook

1 entry daily: Click the retweet button on top of the post--can be tweeted once daily!

2 entries: Place my button on your blog

5 entries: Blog about this giveaway

***Rules***

This giveaway will end on September 6th  @ NOON CST. Open to all US residents 18+. To be eligible to win you must do mandatory entry. If you do not follow that rule all entries will be void. Leave a valid email address in comment or available on profile. Winner will be drawn via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to notification email. If winner does not contact back w/full name/address a new winner will be picked. All winners will be posted on blog when picked. This blog is not responsible for prizes not being delivered, getting lost, etc. I will try my hardest to work with company if something should go wrong. This blog is not responsible for anything regarding to your use of product.

I was provided one Conair Infiniti Pro Hairdryer to conduct this review and giveaway. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed above are based on my own experience with the product. 

Baby & The Baby Powder...

On Saturday I let Leo sleep in--although he had promised me it was finally my turn.

Ahem.

Around 9 in the morning I heard Isabella go into our room. I assumed that she was going to lay down with Leo and try to get him to wake up...

A few minutes later I saw Madelyn trucking it to our room--girlfriend can crawl like nobody's business--she is quick.

I think all sirens and warning alarms should have started ringing in my head once I heard our bedroom door close, but thinking that Leo would surely wake up with the two of them playing in there nixed out any alarms or sirens.

Around 9:15 Leo opened our door and hollered at me to go and see Madelyn. I thought maybe she was walking for Leo or doing something really, really cute.

Instead I walked in  and this is the Madelyn that greeted me:

 
I laughed so, so hard! I am still laughing just looking at this picture right now.

I think Leo learned his lessons of the day: always follow through with the promise of telling me it was my turn to sleep in and never let these two play in our bathroom alone again.

Novica: A World Art Giveaway

Sometimes I wonder if I should have named my blog Shopping Mommy. I love to shop for beautiful things for my girls, my home, my family and my friends, so when I was asked if I would like to host a review and giveaway for Novica? I jumped at the chance!

If you haven't heard of Novica you may be scratching your head wondering what it is. Novica, in association with National Geographic, is an online website that gives artists and artisans from around the world a place where they can market and sell their handmade items.

The items are breathtaking. I spent well over an hour the other trying to decide what to get for myself...there are so many gorgeous items and I want to take a minute to show a few of my favorites to you. First up is an item from their home decor store. They have so many options in this category, it was hard to pick just one to highlight! But this is on my wishlist:

I also love their silver jewelry to include this earring set:

And this set of gorgeous earrings:

My final item to highlight is another piece from their sterling silver jewelry. I am in love with their large showcase of necklaces. My favorite one is this:

***Win it***

Novica is giving one lucky winner a $50 gift card to their site to spend how you choose! To be eligible to win visit Novica and tell me which item you would love to have. This must be completed for any bonus entries to count. 

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

***Bonus Entries***

1 entry each: "Like" Novica on Facebook and/or follow Novica on Twitter

1 entry each: Follow, subscribe via email, and/or subscribe to RSS feed of Winey Mommy

1 entry each: "Like" Winey Mommy on Facebook and/or follow Winey Mommy on Twitter

1 entry per tweet: Click retweet at top of this post. Can be done daily for one entry per day

2 entries: Place my button on your blog

5 entries: Blog about this giveaway. Include a link to my blog and Novica in your post. Thanks!

***Rules***

This giveaway will end on September 6th  @ NOON CST. Open to all US residents 18+. To be eligible to win you must do mandatory entry. If you do not follow that rule all entries will be void. Leave a valid email address in comment or available on profile. Winner will be drawn via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to notification email. If winner does not contact back w/full name/address a new winner will be picked. All winners will be posted on blog when picked. This blog is not responsible for prizes not being delivered, getting lost, etc. I will try my hardest to work with company if something should go wrong. This blog is not responsible for anything regarding to your use of product.

 

 

I was provided a $50 gift card to Novica for writing the giveaway. No other compensation was given and all opinions above are based on my own.

Fun w/PSE--Thursday Linky

It's no lie--I've been loving playing around with Photoshop Elements 8. Like love, love.

I am hoping to save up some money when Leo's gone to buy myself a new lens, too. I keep telling Leo that it will be my own little Christmas gift to myself...doesn't that sound fabulous?

Anyway.

If you have Photoshop Elements {or Photoshop, Lightroom, etc} there are so many fabulous sites out there that offer free actions. Have no idea how to even begin? Don't worry--I've been playing with it for months now and still feel lost a majority of the time.

There are a couple of online workshops that I would love to do--Amanda from The Photography Haven and  Everyday Elements both offer classes for all types of photographers! I may try to sign up for one soon before Leo leaves me for his deployment...I just know that pictures will play a huge role in his ability to watch our girls grow and change while being so far away.

Here is a picture that I took of Madelyn today after her doctor appointment {no ear infection--just a nasty virus} while she was snacking on fresh strawberries. I love this picture for so many reasons--but her facial expression is priceless.

So, here is the before:

And here is the after:

I performed two actions from the Pioneer Woman & then I made her eyes pop. I love the after--and I seriously love the feeling after I have played around with a photo and get an end result that I end up loving.

Have any before and after pictures that you would love to link up? Please do! And don't feel like you have to have software to play with your photos--I started out using Picnik which is free and tons of fun!

I can't wait to see your shots!

She's Seen Better Days...

So this little munchkin?

Is sick.

Again.

We're going for the record of how many times can a little one be sick over the summer...

Not really, but I can't believe she has a fever. A little cough.

Again.

Hoping it isn't another ear infection...

I guess we shall know at 2:30 today.

ps-picture was taken last week during our costume fun...she's nowhere near that happy this week...

Pardon My Absence...

But I'm currently watching what could possibly be my favorite show ever:

I didn't get the chance to fall in love with it during the year, so I am loving the summer catch up session.

I love, love, LOVE this show--and now I totally see what all the hype was about before. xoxo--it's back on now...

The One Where I Have Had Enough...

No, no, no. Not in the sense of Oh, I have had ENOUGH of this crap!

But more along the line of toys.

The toys have taken over our home. Seriously.

I feel like Santa's elves have invaded our home as a storage unit for all of his workshop's creations. Our house was just. that. bad.

But did you pick up on that?

That three lettered word was?

That's because tonite I had enough. Enough of muttering enough swear words each and every time one of the toys magically made their way under a foot.

Enough of one mess after another after another being created.

Enough of a certain almost three year old not wanting to assist me to pick up the disastrous messes.

I went and hunted down the biggest trash bag that we had. And when Isabella saw the said trash bag her eyes grew to the size of saucers.

It's like girlfriend just knew that mommy meant business.

I started in the playroom. Toy after toy after toy got chucked into the bag. Despite pleas from Bella to not put this toy or that toy in the bag. I moved onto the living room after that. And then? The girls' bedroom--closet, toy box, more bins.

I honestly emptied, sorted and dumped through so many of the bins that I felt like the DEA searching for a stash of well hidden drugs.

Toys were thrown into that bag left and right. Baby toys that Madelyn no longer needs. Toys that God knows where they came from. Toys that were played with once before tossed aside into the plethora of toy storage bins.

Don't make me count the number of toys that actually got thrown away--as in out to the trash can to be picked up by our trash man. That collection of loveliness included, but was not limited to chewed on toys, toys that most of the parts or pieces were missing, random Happy Meal toys.

Adios suckers.

I sure hope Isabella learned somewhat of a valuable lesson today.

Because I honestly don't want to have to do Operation Toy Riddance for two evenings in a row...that cuts into this mommy's wine time...

Fall, Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, and a Sick Husband...

Dear Lord I am one random chick tonite. I honestly don't even know where to start with this post, it's sort of all over the place in my brain, just trying to figure out where each piece of the post will go...

I guess it's safe to say that I am 100% officially over summer. Seriously. I am tired of the heat warnings. Tired of hurricane season. Tired of the air conditioner running non-stop. I want opened windows. Jeans. New fall clothes. Cute fall shoes. Pumpkin spiced lattes from Starbucks or any other coffee shop that has them.

Okay. Now that I have all of that off my chest I feel SO much better!

I know I've been MIA for a few days and that's because the husband is sick. Like fever, miserable sick. He got some meds on Thursday, but was still running a fever as of last nite. Ugh! Seriously--I've been busy with the girls, the house, paying the bills...I was sad thinking that with him holed up in our room away from us is eerily similar to what we'll be going through here in a few weeks.

It was quiet and a little lonely--be happy that I don't have your phone numbers, because poor you would be getting calls a lot. My poor Mom--she'll probably be annoyed with me!

And last, but certainly not least, I cut my hair and darkened it. I loved it yesterday when I got it done. But when I woke up this morning I was a little bummed that I cut off a few inches and went for a new color. I think once I fix it myself tomorrow I'll be happier. I hope.

The main thing about my hair appointment was that my new stylist charges $40 more than my old hairdresser at the same salon. They also don't carry my Moroccan Oil anymore. I'm thinking I'll find another place now...what would you do? Would you fork over the extra money or find someone else that does great hair for a better price?

Okay, that's all I have for rambling...hoping that the new week will bring fresh ideas to my stressed out brain!

Returning to School

One of the main reasons that I joined the Air Force when I was 21 was due to me not graduating college. I quit college for a few reasons, the main being that I just had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew older. Sure, I had always wanted to be a teacher, but did I really want to do that for the rest of my life?

The other part of me quitting school was due to me just not being ready to go. I went to a local school and lived with my parents. That definitely wasn't a "fun" college experience. They still had me come home at a curfew and I honestly felt like it was all too much.

In hindsight I realize a lot of the choices I made back then weren't the "best" choices, but when I was 18 I wasn't ready. Plain and simple.

While I was in the Air Force I did enroll myself in a few online courses to a university of choice. I loved online learning! It was a great choice while living in Turkey and I loved the aspect of us all being in different parts of the world while learning. My professors were beyond amazing. I loved them and thought the world of them. They were there anytime I had a question about anything and they were always involved with my classes.

Have you thought about returning to school, but wondering how it will be possible? Maybe you don't have the time to travel to a local school or maybe there is no local college or university close by. Or maybe you are a Mom and just don't know how you will have time in your life for one more thing.

American Public University (APU) offers quality courses that are both flexible with you and affordable--two major key points for me when choosing online courses. APU courses are 100% online, so no matter where you are in the world--like when I took online courses from Turkey--you can learn! And with the affordability factor, the cost for a 3-credit course (undergrad course)  is $750. For a 3-credit course with their grad program it is $900.

APU has not raised tuition fees in over 10 years--and provides degree seeking undergrads with their course materials through a Book Grant program. We all know how expensive books can be for college--it's insane sometimes how much they can be!

Interested in learning more about APU? Be sure to check out their live chats with other Moms--the first chat session will be on Tuesday August 17th @ 8pm EST.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of American Public University. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Flat Irons = Necessity in Life...

I remember growing up and never having a flat iron. We had crimpers and wavers back then--but nothing to make hair straight. I spent a countless amount of  hours using my curling iron and running it down my hair just to make it somewhat straight. It was brutal!

The first flat iron/straightening iron that I received was around 10 years ago. It wasn't one of the nice ones that are around today, but hey--it was better than nothing! It was like the miracle I always needed for my hair. No more unwanted waves and no more try to straighten with a curling iron. My hair prayer was answered!

***Win It***

Are you in the market for a new flat iron? Well, your day just got better! I am offering one of my amazing readers the chance to win a white Karmin G3 Salon Pro Flat Iron!

Isn't that wonderful?! This flat iron is worth $129.95--and it's one of the best flat irons on the market in my opinion. This flat iron can curl, flip your hair out, add body and volume, and straighten your hair--there are so many possibilities and options. The Karmin G3 uses ceramic plates infused with tourmaline which work together to create negative ions. The result? Smooth, shiny and frizz free hair!

There are so many great flat irons on the market today--be sure to check out the Editors Choice Flat Irons list to view some of the top flat irons that are available.

***How to Win***

  

Do you want to win the Karmin G3 Salon Pro Flat Iron in white? For your mandatory entry visit Hair Products Pro and tell me something else that caught your eye. 

This must be completed before any/all bonus entries will count. Leave a separate comment for each bonus entry.

***Bonus Entries***

1 entry each- Subscribe via email / subscribe to RSS in a reader / follow with Google Friend Connect

1 entry- Follow the Winey Mommy on Twitter 

1 entry per day- Click the retweet button at top of post. Leave me the url to your tweet. You can copy and paste your tweet daily for one extra entry per day.

 1 entry- "Like" the Winey Mommy on Facebook

1 entry- Place my button on your blog

***Rules*** 

 

This giveaway will end on August 30th  @ NOON CST. Open to all US residents 18+. To be eligible to win you must do mandatory entry. If you do not follow that rule all entries will be void. Leave a valid email address in comment or available on profile. Winner will be drawn via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to notification email. If winner does not contact back w/full name/address a new winner will be picked. All winners will be posted on blog when picked. This blog is not responsible for prizes not being delivered, getting lost, etc. I will try my hardest to work with company if something should go wrong. This blog is not responsible for anything regarding to your use of product.

No product or compensation was given in order to conduct this giveaway. All opinions on flat irons are my own.

The Hottest Costumes for Halloween!

Some of you may think I'm insane, but I am already planning out the girls' Halloween costumes. I love hunting down adorable costumes for them--and even more I love it even more when people comment how cute they look wearing them.

I recently got an opportunity to review one of the Costume Supercenter girls Halloween costumes. I was so happy to get the chance to review a costume--Isabella? She was ecstatic.

We browsed for so long on their site. They have everything and anything that your child would want to be. Isabella wanted to be so many different things--a cat, dog, princess, fairy. And then she saw the one. The cutest little witch costume ever.

Introducing the Toddler Deluxe Story Book Witch Costume: 

I got Isabella the 3T-4T size--and it has plenty of room for her to grow into. She's pretty thin and tall for her age, too. I love how the size is what it says it is! So many times I order her clothes online and they are too small, so I was extremely happy with their accurate sizing.

The velvet material is so soft, too! And there are layers to the skirt--which is wonderful because it's usually pretty cool out for trick or treating. There is the green and black material along the bottom of the witch costume, too. It is so adorable! Isabella was running around acting like a witch--twirling, cackling, the works. She is thrilled with her decision, I am sure of it.

The price of her witch costume is $34.99. That includes the dress outfit and witch hat. There are many times when I've had to purchase each additional portion for an extra price. Not so with Costume Supercenter! I am extremely happy with the quick delivery, the prices and their professionalism. I am definitely going to be shopping with them in the future. I spotted so many costumes that I would love for my girls to have!

Want to keep in touch with Costume Supercenter? Here are the ways you can keep track of them and what they have to offer:

You can find Costume Supercenter on Facebook--and you can also find Costume Supercenter on Twitter! They run discounts on their promotional pages--which can equal to a great savings on your Halloween needs.

I was provided the above costume in order to provide an honest review of the product. No other compensation was given and all opinions above are my own. A big thank you to Costume Supercenter for the wonderful costume!

The One With Emotions and Christmas Decor

I'm not quite sure when it actually hit me that Leo is actually going away.

But sometime between bedtime and wake up time it hit me like a ton of bricks.

I've been a little mopey when the girls are asleep.

Sad while eating dinner.

And just having a pity party.

I am going to miss him. So, so, so much. Six months is a long time.

He'll miss Isabella's 3rd Birthday. Halloween. Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Years.

And every single day in between.

I love him with all of my heart. He's my best friend. He teases me. He sometimes can even make me pout.

I feel better after writing this all out.

Not a lot...but a little.

But can I tell you something?

I'm totally redecorating our bedroom and kitchen while he's gone. And Christmas?

Well, it's going to look like the Target aisles in here I'll have it so decorated.

I cannot wait to show Leo the pictures, ha!

Thanks for listening.

Tuesday Randomness...

~I'm not sure how Isabella can be so bright eyed and bushy tailed before 6 in the morning, but it happens. I'm exhausted. And really hoping that my coffee will work it's magic!

~Remember how I was supposed to see my hair stylist before she moved away? Yeah, didn't happen. I have an appointment with one of the other girls on Saturday morning--thank God! I'm going darker. Can't wait. And I'm thinking of keeping it long and just growing it out. We'll see...

~Some of you may be wondering about my Texas trip. It wasn't a great time...it was actually a very, very sad trip. My sister in law's father got killed--along with his best friend--in a horrible accident. I know the other driver that hit them is being held due to driving while intoxicated. It's such a tragedy and my heart is still broken for my sister in law and her family. They are wonderful, wonderful people and I still can't believe that they are having to go through this nightmare.

~So that's why I haven't talked a lot about the Texas trip. It was a sad week...although my little butterball did turn ONE!

~Is it okay that I still haven't accepted Madelyn's turning ONE? Seriously...still in shock over here.

~I watched Bachelor Pad last nite...um...wow?! It's so ridiculous, but so much so that I love it.

~I'm a little addicted to eBay right now. Can you believe that I was an eBay virgin until last week? Now I'm selling things, buying things...it's kinda fun....

~I'm totally ready for cooler temps. Open windows. Jeans. This hot weather with temps being as high as 118? It's seriously for the birds. Come on fall!

~Isabella checked out her first two books at the library. Her picks? Not I {just like The Little Red Hen} and Walter the Farting Dog. I laughed hysterically all through Walter. It was hilarious! Ha!

Whipped Souffle Body Wash? Yes, Please!

 I am the type of woman that is obsessed with smelling good. I am also the annoying customer at the store who smells all of the body washes before I'll purchase one. Seriously--there's nothing more disappointing than to come home and try out my new body wash only to find out that it doesn't smell good or the scent doesn't last long once I have dried off.

I got the chance to test out the new Caress Whipped Souffle Body Wash in Blackberry Cream. Yum. Seriously--it is heavenly good. My skin is moisturized and not dried out like a lot of soaps do to my skin. And it smells so, so good.

I have eczema which makes it really hard to find body soaps that won't irritate my skin--the Caress Whipped Souffle didn't irritate my skin at all! I love this soap! It's thick, moisturizing and smells wonderful--definitely a huge thumbs up from me.

Caress has partnered up with Dancing with the Stars dancer Julianne Hough. She has three simple steps that she suggests we all do so we can all have tantalizing skin that we will actually want to flaunt. 

Step 1: Buff and use a pumice stone on rough areas such as knees, elbows, and heels.

Step 2: Hydrate and drink your water--it will have you feeling refreshed.

Step 3: Indulge. Before you hit the town, maximize your shower and make your skin flaunt-worthy with the new Caress Whipped Soufflés. Ultra-light and super creamy body washes will deliver incredible fragrances and moisturization.

Be sure to check out the all new Caress Facebook page to stay in the loop with their new products!

I received the above product in order to conduct the product review. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was given.

Losin' it....

It's official. I am almost 10 pounds lighter than I was when I had Miss Madelyn!! I am beyond thrilled about this little tidbit of information.

The best part about this is that I only have 20 more pounds to lose before I am at the weight that I was when I found out I was pregnant with Isabella. I don't think I've weighed my current weight for a long, long time.

The ironic part of it all? I just listed some of my White House Black Market clothes on eBay.

I already told Leo that once I am down to 135 pounds I will be going shopping--big time! My goal is to be that light by the time Leo returns from Afghanistan in March.

Think I can do it? I feel pretty confident about that goal--especially once we get some cooler temps down here for the girls, the dog and me to start walking again.

Okay, that's all I have for right now. I just had to share this with everyone--I feel like shouting from the rooftops that I'm on the skinny train again! Woohoo!!

Weight loss since having Madelyn: over 40 lbs!

A Few of Our Favorite Toys...

I love shopping for my girls. In fact, a majority of the time I do any shopping it is for Isabella and Madelyn. Besides clothes shopping, I love shopping for toys. I especially love toys that I can remember from my childhood--and the fact that the girls love them, too, is an added bonus!

 First up is the Little Tikes Endless Adventures Easy Store Picnic Table. I've been wanting a table for outside--and one that could be moved indoors as well. It's just too hot down here right now for much outside play, so if I could bring the outside in, that would be awesome. This table is excellent! Super easy to put together and both girls love it.

They eat snacks on it, Isabella will color, or they will just play nicely with one another. They love having their own special table that is for them and them only. Although sometimes Isabella wants me to go and and sit with her--and lets face it, I definitely will not fit!

Our second favorite toy right now is the Melissa and Doug Lace & Trace Pets. I remember doing activities like this when I was younger and loved them! Isabella had fun trying to do these in the car during our long trip to Texas a couple of weeks ago. These are great for the car, doctor's office or anywhere that you want your little one to be occupied!

And last, but certainly not least, we have the Melissa and Doug Pound-a-Peg toy. Again, I had something similar to this one when I was a little girl--I loved it! Both Madelyn and Isabella love this toy. It keeps them occupied for quite awhile and I love having them both playing together. Definitely a great toy for any little one!

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite toys that we have right now--and these are great for girls and boys! What are some of your favorite toys that your little one(s) play with right now? I'm already starting to get my Christmas list in order and am in need of some ideas!

Thank you to CSN Stores for offering the above products to review! No other compensation was given and all opinions expressed above are my own.