Yummy Salted Caramel Sauce

I'm sort of addicted to Starbucks Salted Caramel Mochas, so I've been on the hunt for a good salted caramel sauce. I just got a bottle in the mail today from Cacao Sweets and Treats from Abe's Market and oh my goodness. YUM! At $12 per bottle, it's not cheap, but if you've got one of the vouchers they've offered lately, I highly recommend tossing it in your cart. Even if you don't have a voucher though, it's still cheaper than buying the mochas from Starbucks! And it's got 5 ingredients, and you can pronounce all of them. Seriously. Awesomeness.

Slugs & Bugs: Under Where? Album Review

When I tell you that Slugs & Bugs music has been such a blessing for my family, you'll probably be scratching your head and wondering how children's music could actually be considered a blessing. Well, I would be wondering that anyway. See, I LOVE good music, really REALLY good music with great lyrics. That means most children's music is brutally painful for me to be around. So when one of my favorite Christian musicians, Andrew Peterson, came together with his friend Randall Goodgame to make a children's cd, I was happy to give it a try. Now, they're on their third album, and I can officially call them a blessing. So when I got a chance to review the third album, Slugs & Bugs: Under Where?, I jumped all over it.

First, there are several great types of songs on Under Where?. Like the original Slugs, Bugs, and Lullabies, and the Christmas edition, you'll fnd a great mix of the extremely silly, extremely sweet, and specifically Christian songs, with a heavy emphasis on the silly ones. In the song Food, they sing an ode to foods that they like to eat, and things that they won't eat, like a popsicle stand. In the song Mexican Rhapsody, they wax eloquent about Mexican foods like Pico de Gallo ("Beak of the Rooster, sounds kind of pointy, I don't want to eat that!") and Huevos Rancheros, complete with meanings and hilarious jokes. I personally love the song Ninja the best because it's so boy and so cute. There's also a great song about sharing and playing together, but it's not sappy or lame..I promise..OH, and let's not forget the song the whole album is named after: Under Where?. Yeah..it's an entire song about Andrew Peterson getting Randall Goodgame to say Under where, and everyone is giggling. Seriously..did I mention these are written and performed by a bunch of men boys?

Then there's fabulous Christian songs like God Makes Messy Things Beautiful, which is so encouraging for little ones to learn early. They really make God and the gospel so precious and put it directly at a kid's level. And while the song I'm Adopted has caused my 5 year old to run around singing exactly that at the top of her lungs, I really appreciate the point it's making for my young ones before they can really grasp the concept of being adopted in to God's family.

And finally, there are the sweet songs. God Made You Special, Sweet Baby Boy, and It's Sleepytime are the wrap up to the album. The lullabies from the first album have been incorporated in to our night time songs (especially Beautiful Girl), and these are no different. While I have girls so I have to change the gender, I still find myself singing "My sweet baby girl, I love you, my sweet baby girl, I've told you this a thousand times, I'm so glad that you are mine." And I absolutely adore what they did with the phrase God made you special and He loves you very much. Again, it teaches what sweetness it is that God loves us.

So the moral of my tale is to go check out this third installment. You will be so glad that you did, and you will find yourself cracking up laughing while your kids sing along..I promise! And hopefully it will be a blessing to your family too.

Disclaimer: I was given the mp3 album to review, but I was not paid. All opinions are my own.

My Wonderful Walls Giveaway

I am so excited about this giveaway! My Wonderful Walls sent me a set of wall stickers to review for you guys, and is offering a set for one lucky reader as well! I got to try the Princess Theme Wall Stickers for my daughters' room and we LOVE it.

I have never used this type of product before, but I've been very interested in trying them. The ease of use and the relatively inexpensive nature of it makes them very appealing. I mean seriously, try getting a print and a frame for under $50. It's very hard to do! And that's just one print! So when I was asked to review something, I was ecstatic. As I mentioned already, I decided to try the Princess Theme Wall Stickers. My daughters share a room, and they love animals and princesses, respectively. The castle and princess pieces are especially loved by my oldest, and the horses and birds are much loved (and kissed) by my 2 year old!

What I am most impressed by is the durable feel to the stickers. They feel like they could take some abuse (and frankly, they already have) and still look good. And while they stick very well to the wall, many have already been taken down and relocated

Click to read more ...

The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking Book

 

As promised, I'm posting once a week about my adventures in house decoration on the cheap. Today's post is a product review since we're only just now getting started. I stumbled in to The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking through a friend and absolutely fell in love. Then I saw her book on a daily deal site that I happened to have credit on, so I grabbed the book for free! It came a couple of days ago, and I have found some awesome ideas from it so far!

I have very eclectic taste. I love pretty, mismatched things, but I'm always at a loss as to how to decorate with them. In the first few pages of this book, I was struck with enough inspiration to figure out exactly how I want my kitchen to look. I even figured out an awesome way to repurpose a gorgeous medicine cabinet, which you'll get to see pictures of next week. In the meantime, I HIGHLY recommend checking out The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking: Decorating, Dining, and the Gratifying Pleasures of Self-Sufficiency On a Budget! It's worth every penny!

Spent so far: $0 =)

The Dahlonega Fudge Factory Goodies Review

 

The Dahlonega Fudge Factory sent my family and me several of their yummy goodies to review! This was a great hardship for us, being forced to eat chocolate bunnies, fudge, toffee, and pretzels, but we made it through somehow. Oh my goodness was it yummy! Here's what we got:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge - This is going to sound lame, but it was so creamy! The chocolate was extremely tasty and the perfect amount of sweet to balance out the peanut butter. The peanut butter was great and very smooth. I'll admit I'm more of a chunky peanut butter girl, but this is definitely still worth eating. My hubby and I cracked this open to munch on while watching tv one night, and we had to make ourselves put it away before we ate the whole thing!
• White Chocolate Pretzels - I can't eat wheat, so all I could do was stare longingly at this one. But my hubby said they were good. He isn't the biggest fan of white chocolate, but he suffered through eating all of them by himself with minimal whining. 
• Butter Brickle Toffee - I LOVE toffee, so I was quite possessive of this one. It was awesome, not too hard to bite through and so buttery. It should not be kept in my house, because I cannot resist its siren song.
• Milk Chocolate 3D Easter Bunny - I am ashamed to admit this never made it to our kids. I was wondering who would break first, me or my husband, and then one morning I found this bunny missing both its' ears. I wasn't eating in my sleep, so it was clearly him! And then I felt free to munch away, and it was very tasty. Milk chocolate lovers will definitely be happy with this one, and it makes a great Easter basket stuffer (a little late for this year, I know...keep it in mind for the future =)). Our kids would have liked it if we had shared, I am sure..but it's too late now!!

If you're looking for some chocolate yumminess to try, I definitely recommend The Dahlonega Fudge Factory. And if you're ever in the quaint North Georgia town of Dahlonega, visit their shop in person so you can be tempted by their fabulous treats! And find them on facebook too so you can keep up with the latest news. And use the coupon code TBM10 to get 10% off your online order until May 31st!

Great Book on Exercise During Pregnancy & Getting Your Body Back After

I don't know about you, but during both of my pregnancies, I was desperate for some solid, dependable information on exercise, and postpartum weight loss. I ended up mostly using the WiiFit Plus during my second pregnancy, and while I feel like that really helped keep me in shape, I also wished I could have done more. But honestly, I didn't have any good ideas on what I could or couldn't do.

Enter Lindsay Brin's How to Exercise When You're Expecting: For the 9 Months of Pregnancy and the 5 Months It Takes to Get Your Best Body Back. This book has just been released both in paperback and also in ebook form! If you want information on great workouts while pregnant and postpartum, you should check out this book. It's broken down my trimester and postpartum, and it's got tons of great tips and workouts. I think it's an excellent guide to help you. Working out while pregnant is so important, you just need a great guide!

Looking for DVD's? She's also got a great dvd 4pack for each trimester and postpartum. I've not personally gotten to use it (man oh man do I wish I had known about it when I was pregnant!!), but I've heard fabulous things about them. And I LOVE her regular workouts, so I can only imagine that these are fabulous.

Purely Elizabeth GF Mixes

I mentioned on facebook a few days ago that I ordered several mixes from Purely Elizabeth on Abe's Market. They're gluten free, rice free, and vegan, and they come in several yummy varieties. I grabbed the muffin mix box and an extra pancake mix and I could not wait to try them! So far, I've just finished cooking the Cacao Chocolate Chip Muffins, and I wanted to let everyone know what I think. 

First, wait for them to cool down...sticking a mini muffin straight in to your mouth 1 minute after you've taken it out of the oven will cause you to have to spit it out again. I digress (it's been MONTHS since I've had a muffin!).. Okay, I made mine with an egg, milk, and sugar (not applesauce, almond milk, and maple syrup that they suggest.) The texture is good, though a little crumbly. Frankly, I might have overcooked them, so that might have been more my fault. The taste is yummy as GF mixes go. It's got a bit of a weird taste I can't quite place, but I have definitely tasted worse. It reminds me of my old favorite chocolate cake recipe that I can no longer make, it's just not as moist. So in all, paired with a glass of milk, it was hard to tell that this was GF, and I would make them again. I will be interested to see how the others taste without the chocolate to flavor them. I will let you know once I've made them!

By the way, I forgot that I was going to take a picture of these or I would have used a much cuter plate...

Product Review: Elmo's Potty Time DVD

You're probably going to want to smack me after you get these songs stuck in your head, but I thought I would pass this along anyway. You'll probably want to thank me and hate me at the exact same time.

We're heading in to potty training stage with my second, and it reminded me about the DVD we used for our first. Normally, I am not into using DVDs to make a point with my kids, but in this case, it definitely worked! Elmo's Potty Time DVD basically takes kids through all the steps they need to learn, including hand washing. It's very thorough and explains things well. There are also many songs, which you will definitely get stuck in your head. But there's nothing more affirming than waking up in the morning with "You'll do it, you'll usseeee the pooootttttyyy!" running through your head! I digress. If you're looking for a helpful tool, this is excellent. My daughter didn't potty train overnight, but after a few times watching the DVD, she started to take an active interest in the whole process. It took about 2-3 months to be fully trained, but I largely credit this DVD for our success.

You can find it on Amazon with free shipping with prime. There are two versions, and I don't know if there's any difference other than one was released more recently and therefore costs more. 

By the way, I wasn't paid to say any of this! I did not receive any goods, and all opinions are my own.

How I Lost 20something Pounds

I've been promising this post for a while, and here it is! I am going to tell you how I lost over 20 pounds in the span of 5 months. Be warned...there's nothing new or exciting here. Just plain hard work and self denial =). Also, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, so none of this is medical advice. I would show you pictures but I don't have a working camera. Sorry!!

I've been trying to get back to 128 pounds (or less) since my first child was born 4 1/2 years ago. Let me just say that nursing did NOT help me lose weight with either baby, and if anything, kept it firmly on and then some until I was done nursing. Anyway, my second baby came along, and I started to get seriously upset that I wasn't able to lose weight. Worse still, I was actually GAINING weight, even though I was eating like a bird (I simply wasn't hungry..I wasn't starving myself.) I finally dragged myself to my doctor after I put on 8 pounds in the span of a few weeks. I was bloated all the time, and constantly felt awful. Long story short, I found out that I have a wheat and rice allergy, most likely induced by my second pregnancy. My doctor told me if I dropped them both, I would most likely start feeling better immediately, and it would probably help with the weight loss. This was at the beginning of July.

After a month of not eating wheat, my stomach was flat for the first time in months, and I had lost the 8 pounds I had rapidly gained, putting me at 145. I was starting to feel pretty good about myself! Then I decided it would be easy to go low carb with my diet since I couldn't eat wheat or rice anyway. I also found out about Moms Into Fitness around this time and ordered Shed 5 Fast and Core Metabolic Jumpstart. I started working out every day and keeping my carb intake to 72 carbs per day. I should say with the carb counting that I did not include veggies. I also didn't eat a whole lot of fruit. I ate lots of fats and proteins.

I found that I LOVE Moms Into Fitness workouts. They fit me like a glove and I really look forward to doing them. And then they started releasing monthly download workouts for $5 on their website and I jumped all over it. I largely credit those downloads for my weight loss. Be warned though. They are very difficult when you start out. I still have to modify the second one, and I'm too scared to try the fourth one yet because I've been slacking off the past few weeks! =)

After a couple of months, I had dropped down to 136. I lose weight in a REALLY odd way, not gradually but all at once. So every 5-6 weeks, I dropped 6-8 pounds in a period of a week or two. The last drop happened right before Thanksgiving, and now I'm basically at 128! I dropped from a size 10 to a size 6-8, and am a small instead of a medium again. It's so fabulous to have my body back!!! And I'm in stinking good shape too, which I never was before my kids. It's really nice to see muscle definition!

As you can see, it's taken hard work and discipline to make it here. It was a blessing that I can't eat wheat, because that took away all sorts of treats! It's easy not to give in and eat a piece of coffee cake at Starbucks when you know it will make you sick as a dog. So it took away all sorts of "cheats" from my "diet." Also, I've found I am physically capable of a lot more than I would have thought. The workouts are challenging, but in such a great way. It's so much fun to see the fruits of my efforts in that area!

Here's basically what I did for workouts - 

Starting out, days 1,3, and 5 were the first workout on Shed 5 Fast. Days 2, 4, and sometimes 6 were cardio from where ever. I used the EA Sports Wii game, the Wiifit plus, went running, or used the cardio only workouts from the Boot Camp 2 Video.

As I got stronger, I moved to the second workout on Shed 5 Fast for days 1,3, and 5. Then they released their first monthly download workout and it was all cardio, so I used that for days 2,4,and 6. It is KILLER. But it only took me a week or two to be able to do the whole thing without stopping.

Then monthly download workout 2 came out, and that one is toning, so I used it on days 1,3, and 5. That one is even more killer than the cardio workout ever dreamed of being. I am still trying to get through the whole thing at the level she does it. Maybe one day...And of course I alternated with the cardio download.

Now I just do whatever I feel like doing that day. I am using my core metabolic jumpstart again on days 1,3, and 5, and I add to it the 3 monthly download, which is a 10 minute workout (don't let the length fool you..it's stupid hard. But it's easier than the second download.) 

Go check out moms into fitness if you're looking to lose weight. I HIGHLY recommend them, and cannot sing their praises enough!!

And I also am very fond of low carb eating. It's great for someone who can't eat lots of grains for one reason or another. And who doesn't love eating all the butter, bacon, cheese, and whipped cream they want? =)

Tiny Prints Holiday Card Review

Tiny Prints is a fabulous company that makes high quality cards and other gift items. They have several different occasion cards to choose from, of course including a great selection of Christmas and holiday cards. I was asked to go through the process of ordering cards of my choosing so I could review the process for you guys!

I started by narrowing my options down be picture amount. I had several pictures I wanted to include, so I narrowed down my search to cards that had more than four places for pictures. I was at my best friend's house when I was doing this, and she pointed out that certain card styles would cost more to mail, so bearing that in mind, I narrowed down some more. I ended up choosing the card you see pictured above, called Traveler's Scrapbook. Then, I just needed to upload the pictures and add them where I wanted them to be. It was extremely easy to do and very user friendly. You can manipulate the sizes of the pictures at a click of a button. I was using a Mac at the time, and didn't encounter any glitches at all. My only warning on that process is that I could see it being time consuming if you have a slow computer. But if you're not adding as many pictures, it probably won't matter. Anyway, captioning it was also very simple, and then the ordering process was also very user friendly. Nothing about it was confusing, and I am easily confused by stuff like this, so I really really mean that.

The shipping was quick, and I am extremely happy with the finished product. I ordered matte finish on heavyweight cardstock and am very pleased. I do wish I had ordered the Semi-Glossy finish, but that's just a personal preference that I didn't think about until I was looking at my completed order. Don't get me wrong. The matte is beautiful and just fine, it was just more muted than I normally like. Other than that, I don't have one complaint about the card! I look forward to sending these out, and I am extremely happy I got to work with Tiny Prints. Their customer service is good, and and I cannot rave enough about the end results!

If you're in the market for other gift items, they've also got photo books, calendars, mommy cards, stationary, and tons of other great items to peruse. And ending today, you can get some great deals like free shipping on $45 orders and $10 off deals. Click here to find all of the details. So if you're looking for a great company to work with for your holiday card or gift needs, I highly recommend you start with Tiny Prints. You will not be disappointed by the final results!

Disclosure - I was given free Holiday Cards from Tiny Prints so I could do a review for you guys. I am not being paid to write this post, and only received the cards.

Great Workout Programs To Get You Moving!

If you're like me, you want to lose weight or have more energy, but the biggest hurdle is figuring out how. Let's face it, with kids running around on different schedules, it seems almost impossible to do. And then there's figuring out which one to do! If you're working out from home, here are some awesome programs to try. Or mix and match them all and find something that works for you. But most importantly, pick something you like or you will not stick with it. Trust me! Here are some great options, including several for a mama to be too =):

• Lindsay Brin and Moms Into Fitness: Okay, I will say right off that this one is my favorite. I've been using her workouts since August and have lost 15 pounds so far! They are tough, but man do they work. And she has prenatal workouts too! LOVE LOVE LOVE these! I've specifically used Shed 5 Fast, Monthly Download #1, and a few other things mixed in. I believe if you click through this link, you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
• Tight Bod With a Pod: There are video explanations of each workout, and they break them down by trimester or post pregnancy. This is a great way to really personalize a workout and build one to be precisely what you need.
• WiiFit Plus: Okay, this one obviously requires a Wii too. I used the WiiFit plus through my entire second pregnancy and I think it helped a lot. If you hate working out period, this is a good way to trick yourself because it's fun =).
• Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds: This one is a great way to build up to running. I liked using this series after my first was born and I felt like I was really starting from scratch. There are tons to choose from, so you can just walk, mix walking with jogging, or just jog. There truly is something to every level here.
• Erin O'brien Prenatal Fitness Fix: This is hands down my favorite pregnancy workout. Granted, I did not know about Lindsay Brin when I was pregnant, so that might change. I digress. This video was just tough enough to make me work for it, but it didn't leave me feeling dead. I am a fan =)
• The cLEANmomma Program: I have not personally used this one, but it incorporates exercise into everyday activities. If you're really pressed for time, consider trying this one out!
• Pilates During Pregnancy: This one gets an honorable mention. I tried to use it during my first pregnancy but I felt like it was too advanced. Knowing what I know now, I suspect I would love it, but I am not currently pregnant, so I can't confirm that =)

I would LOVE to hear about your favorites too! I tried a few Mommy and Me videos when my first was a baby, and I really didn't like what I tried. I would love to hear some of your preferences on that!

iLike Books Review

I was given two adorable iLike books to review for you, and I must say I am quite taken with the idea! Basically, these books are meant to be small journals that help you keep track of the little things you like about your kids throughout the week. They have a line for each parent to write one thing per day, 7 days per week for one year. You can write anything you want, and use it like a baby journal, or you can literally use it to say the things you liked about your child that day. The idea is that you end your day on a positive note with your child, thinking back on things they did that were pleasant and sweet. You could also think of it like updating a facebook status, only this is preserved so you can look back at it years and years from now! Click here to see more ways and reasons to use these books.

We received the purple and green books, and I love the colors. The notebooks themselves are well made, and the short spaces to write quick notes are great. I am not good with keeping up with baby books or anything involved, but the quick lines are easier to handle. And like I said, if you think of it like updating facebook, it's easier to remember to write it down. And while it might seem silly to buy a book for this instead of a plain notebook, it definitely has it's advantages to have an area all ready for you to write something small. There's no way to get overwhelmed by it if you just have to write a line!

If you're interested in buying one, Budget Mommy readers can use the coupon code kids2010 to get 40% off! You'll need to register during checkout to get the prompt to use the code. Go grab this great book for your family and start recording the little things. And this would make an awesome Christmas gift too!

Eddie Bauer Yukon Classic Down Jacket - Product Review

Eddie Bauer contacted me to do a review of their Yukon Classic Down Jacket, and I am so excited that they did! I cannot say enough how much I LOVE this jacket! 

First, let's get down to specifics. What makes this jacket different from other down jackets? It's quilted in a diamond pattern, so it doesn't get too poofy and the down doesn't shift. It also has princess seams down the side which provide a great tailored and figure flattering shape to it. When it comes to down, you have to have some shaping or you'll look like a marshmallow! You will definitely not look like a marshmallow in this jacket! Oh, and you can snap the sides in even further if you want to, so it's up to you just how much it will curve in. It's water resistant, there's synthetic sherpa fleece at the collar and the end of the sleeves, and the pockets zip closed. There are 5 colors to choose from, and they're all really pretty. I had a very hard time picking one!

Okay, now that that's out of the way...what did I think about the jacket? I absolutely love it! I picked the Dark Mulberry color, which is basically a brown. It's such a pretty jacket! The seaming I mentioned above is fantastic and makes this jacket extremely flattering. It's been great over sweaters and regular shirts, and I can snuggle in it. It keeps me so warm that I am always surprised at how cold it is around me when I take it off! But it's not an overheating kind of warm. You just feel snug and cozy and just right. I love the fleece at the wrists because when you put your hands in your pockets, it keeps cold air from getting up the sleeves. I also love the fleece at the neck because your chin stays very warm when you zip the jacket all the way up. They tend to run slightly big on size, so if you're in between, you'll want to order down so you can really take advantage of the shaping. You can also move around in it. It doesn't constrict, so it's great for being active.

If you're in the market for a great down jacket, I highly HIGHLY recommend this one. It's built to last, and while it might cost a little more than from other places, you know you're purchasing a great jacket that you won't have to replace for years. This is the heart of my whole philosophy on shopping. Spend a little more now, but save in the long run because you won't have to replace it. Not to mention how wonderful it is to have pieces that flatter you that you want to wear! Go check it out. You won't regret this purchase!

Baby Bargains Book - A Must Have!

If you're a first time parent, or even if you're a second or third time parent, I would recommend picking up a copy of the book Baby Bargains. I bought the most current edition when I was pregnant with my first and used it to make the big ticket decisions like which crib, which mattress, and so on. I have been so happy particularly with both of those purchases! Both have held up to the use, and I particularly love the foam mattress we bought. It's so much lighter, and SO simple to change because of that.

I digress. That's another post entirely! But the point is, the book was a great tool in pointing us in the right direction. They compare brands on tons of baby items, and sometimes the expensive brand gets the highest rating, but many times it does not. They always explain why an item gets the rating it does, and it's a fantastic resource for helping you make these decisions. And they tend to hold the same philosophy that I do. Spend a little bit more, but get a product that will last a lot longer. This would make a fantastic baby shower gift or Christmas present too...

Lily-C for C-Sections + Coupon Code

Firgure 8 Maternity is now carrying Lily-C for C-Sections! It's silicone, just like Lilypadz, and it's designed to protect and heal your C-Section scar. They also claim it will dramatically improve the appearance of your scar! For the next week, you can grab it for 15% off from Figure 8 Maternity with the code NewArrivals15, making it $39.53. And shipping is free, so this is a better deal than Amazon's price, which is $43.12 shipped with Prime (sign up here to get free Prime.)