7 Ways To Entertain a 3 Year Old

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It is winter and my 3 year old son has cabin fever already. I have been searching pinterest for activities to keep him happily learning and playing all day long. These are some of the cutest ideas I found.

This pretend plate of food for Thanksgiving activity would be a good way to build my son up to eating Thanksgiving dinner. He is pretty sure he doesn't like anything but chicken and crackers.

My son might be down with this pretend ice cream cone craft. 

Hand print flowers would be fun to make and cute to display.

My son would like this make a lion craft. This is a must try soon idea!

My son loves playing matching games so this Popsicle  game would be a lot of fun for both of us.

My son loves to check out tanks of fish so he would like creating a fish of his own I am sure.

My son really loves the idea of Christmas and he loves cereal. Win, Win.

10 Baby Items You Won't Need

When I found out I was pregnant with my son Roo I was ecstatic. One of the things I was interested in was the birth process! You can learn more about the hypnobirthing technique like I did. I did a lot of shopping for baby gear before my baby shower and I ended up with a ton of baby items I absolutely didn't need, and I used many of them once if ever. When I found out I was expecting again I had a good idea of what things I would not need. I am going to share a list of baby items you really don't need to help you save money when you are shopping for a baby shower or your own little bundle of joy.

A baby wipe warmer- I received a baby wipe warmer as a shower gift. I thought what a cool idea and couldn't wait to set it up I envisioned my son being blissful when a perfectly warm wipe touched his skin...Then he arrived and I found I was never changing a diaper in the same place. I became a master of changing diapers in any location. The pads in the warmer dried out super fast and it mostly sat around using electricity. Save your money on this item, it is really not needed.

Baby Blankets- I saw so many cute blankets that I couldn't resist buying about a dozen for Roo. Then I had a baby shower and received 9 handmade blankets and 10 adorable mass produced blankets. We had so many baby blankets that I ended up giving 5 away right off the bat. We had so many blankets in the end that my son only used a few of them once or twice. We didn't need to buy any blankets for Harper as we had so many and friends and family have offered her handmade blankets also. Save your money, don't buy any blankets until after your baby shower. Really you need no more than 6 blankets in my opinion.

Toys that are aimed at newborns- Let's face it, we can't resist buying some of this baby stuff because it is cute! Toys are no exception. With Roo he had so many toys at birth that it was crazy. People that aren't familiar with babies will buy them toys at birth (or so it seems) then act very disappointed when baby isn't playing with them right away. If you need to buy toys stick with teethers, rattles and similar items. You are better off to buy toys for future play. Think the 3-6 month age range.

Clothes from the previous season- I have a well meaning relative that works retail. She buys up all of the kids clothes she can for my family at prices as low as $1 per piece. This always makes me feel bad! She might bring 20 items to us from the previous season. My infant daughter cannot wear a 3-6 month tank top and short set when it is January. Before she could wear it she will have outgrown it and that is a waste of money from the well meaning loved one. If you are going to buy off season clothes, think how big will the child be when it is spring? And buy a bigger size than what the child is currently wearing.

Infant towels- these are cute, who can resist tiny little towels?! But really they are so thin and flimsy they are not super effective for drying a baby. You can use your bath towels on baby, it will be okay!

Tummy Time Mats- These are cute and look fun too, but you can save at least $30 by not getting one. Put one of the lovely baby blankets you have to use. Offer baby a few of those toys you couldn't resist or were given as a gift. A rattle, a large inflatable ball  or a child safe mirror will do the trick of engaging the child while he or she is getting tummy time.

Pacifier Wipes- You think you are going to use these. You have good intentions. Then you realize how busy you are, you forget about them. These are a novel idea but in my opinion, they are not worth the money. 

Diaper Genie- I am sorry the idea of a huge container of soiled diapers just grosses me out. Plus, this is just silly! Just throw the diapers away with your garbage and save your money. The refills on these are too expensive anyhow.

Baby Powder- this smells nice, don't get me wrong, but my pediatrician told me not to use it, it is like rubbing sandpaper on delicate skin and can cause breathing problems if inhaled. He said frequent changes and use of diaper ointment when needed are better options for baby.

Baby Shoes- my daughter is 6 weeks old. She has 8 pairs of shoes for the 0-3 month size. She has at least 3 pairs of each size of shoe until she is about 18 months old... don't get caught up in this style game! One pair, maybe 2 if you can't resist of each size is more than enough. Shoes are really unneeded considering baby cannot walk.

I hope this list helps you save money on items for baby. I would love to hear from you, what items did you have that you found to be completely unnecessary?

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Life With A New Baby

Some of you might be interested to hear how life with a new baby is going in my world, so I thought I would offer an update post.

Harper is sweet, she is cute, she is cuddly. She brings a smile to the face of anyone that sees her. She is tiny, still not at 8 pounds. We have a little joke that she is 1 pound of baby and 6 and a half pounds of cheeks as she has the roundest little face. She has grown, tonight her preemie sized pajamas were too small, but they fit just fine maybe 3 days ago. We are officially into newborn sizes and she is 5 weeks old.

Harper makes the best faces, as you can see in the photo above. She has us giggling daily with her funny baby faces. 

Harper sleeps well a few nights a week and keeps me awake a few nights. The long nights that she won't sleep without being held are totally worth it. The nights she sleeps like a log are odd, I find myself going to her room to check on her every hour or so.

Rolf is warming up to her. He will give her kisses, he strokes her face and hair and he has shown an interest in holding her a few times. The first 10 days were rough, he was jealous and he acted out a lot, but he is getting better with the idea of having a sister. I am relieved! I have made an effort to hold him, hold his hand, to tell him how special he is to me and how loved he is. When I shower him with attention he feels important and his outbursts are fewer and further between. I try to include him in the care of Harper and that makes life easier. He feels important when he is handing me a bottle, throwing a diaper away or bringing me a fresh one or fetching a blanket big enough for everyone to cuddle under.

Harper is starting to demonstrate her personality. She likes only one brand of pacifiers. She likes to be held but is not fond of being stroked. She wants to be held without any extra touching and she wants you to be still when you hold her. She doesn't like to go outside, she doesn't like to ride in the car. She likes her cozy house best.

Harper is fascinated with Rolf, she hears his voice and turns her head to watch him with big blue eyes. Rolf likes the captive audience and has no complaints. 

Since having Harper I have learned about slowing down, not taking on as much work and letting the house get messy. Before Harper I stressed about those things. I wasn't sleeping enough, I was over extending myself and I was obsessed with picking up the never ending mess. I have noticed that in the past weeks with my new found go with the flow attitude that I feel better about me. 

Life with a new baby has been good. The time has passed rapidly, but it has helped me to prioritize. Harper is all anyone could hope for in a baby. She is healthy, cuddly, sweet, adorable. She makes me very happy.

Saturday #182

On Saturday #182 (#3) my family slept in a little later than normal. What a treat it was for me to wake up at a few minutes til 8!

We took the morning at a slow pace. I wasn't frantic to get a lot of things accomplished. I watched cartoons with my son and I cuddled my daughter. Since Harper was born I have really slowed down and started taking the time to enjoy life more. I notice how much my son has grown, how fast time passes and how insignificant so many things really are. There will always be laundry to fold, dishes to wash and things to pick up. My kids won't always be small... that makes it easier to go with the flow of things.

My parents finally came to see Harper. She was a sweetheart as always. She is beautiful, cuddly and totally addictive. She stole their hearts as expected. They accompanied us to the West side shopping plaza for Trick or Treat with Roo who was fun. The first stop he made was priceless. As the lady put a handful of candy into his pail he broke out in a huge smile and told her "Candy? Happy!" We both had a good laugh over that.

We then stopped for lunch and went back to our house to visit with the family. Roo was great, he was fun, he was lively, he was singing, dancing, completely showing off. I loved to see him come out of his shell and not act shy around the grandparents.

When they left we decided to take our recycling to drop off, and it wouldn't be a weekend without a dash into WalMart. I had to stock up on newborn size diapers and wipes for the week. I had been prepared for a big baby, I have size 1, 2, 3 and 4 diapers in reserve for Harper, but wouldn't you know newborn is a size I opted not to get and we are going thru a ton of those!

So I grabbed the diapering needs and headed home for a relaxing evening with my husband. He convinced me to watch a Kenny Rodgers movie with him. I fell asleep within 30 minutes but that was okay, when I woke up I saw Adam was asleep on the couch too. Quality time together in dreamland.

The day was great. It covered the basics; sleep, candy, family, shopping, happy kids. I hope you had a chance to enjoy quality time with your loved ones over the weekend. It amazes me how fast these Saturdays pass by.

Ryobi 40 V Cordless Mower Review

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or

services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it

on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally

and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance

with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the

Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I had the pleasure of reviewing a Ryobi 40 V Cordless Mower. This was my first experience with a battery operated lawn mower and I didn't know what to expect from it. I will be honest, I rarely mow grass. My husband usually takes care of that chore and when he can't due to time constraints I have a lawn guy that I call on. It is not that I don't enjoy the chore... well, no honestly I didn't enjoy the chore of mowing due to our previous mower which was hard to start, hard to push and very loud.

 When the Ryobi Mower arrived I was immediately impressed with the appearance. It looks very modern, and very bright!

My husband was ready to assemble the mower right away, I couldn't believe how lightweight it was.  I expected it to be much heavier than 40 pounds. The mower has such visual appeal I couldn't help but get a little excited about it.

As you can see the dog even got excited about the new mower

We both liked that it came with 2 batteries, we charged them up and prepared to mow the following day. My husband being the dear that he is told me he would handle the mowing as I am too pregnant to be doing that right now.

My son and I were curious so we headed outside to see the Ryobi mower in action. The first thing I noticed was that the mower started easily. My husband simply pushed the bar and pressed a button and it was ready to go! No pulling on a cord thingy for 10 minutes to get it started, this is a huge selling point for someone like me. Next I noticed the mower was quiet. My husband could hear me over the running lawn mower and we were able to talk without shouting while he mowed grass. I love a quiet operating lawn mower!

My little Roo had to pet the mower, he found it to be magical!

The next thing we liked was that it mulch bag attachment which makes the mow super clean. It takes about 90 minutes to fully charge the battery. The battery is easy to insert into the mower.

Now, I will be honest here. Our yard is not big by any means. It is a modest sized yard. The mower is ideal for really small yards. The battery life seems to run 20 minutes or so and that means to completely mow our yard we need to use both batteries, then charge them both again to do the front yard. This means to mow our yard it takes us at least 2 days. That isn't a huge deal to me, or to my husband. In the summer especially it is nice to take a break from the sweltering heat and rest when you are mowing. So it works well for our needs.

The mower has a 16" cutting width, it takes no oil or gas and it has a great deal of visual appeal. Several of our neighbors have stopped to admire our Ryobi 40 V Cordless and have commented on how quiet it is to operate and how they like that.


We liked the Ryobi mower. It operates with ease, it is quiet, it looks great, it folds up to be compact for easy storage which is always a bonus for us with limited space in our shed.

You can purchase the Ryobi 40 V Cordless Mower at Home Depot.
Connect with Ryobi to learn more.
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Saturday #179

Saturday #179 was our last weekend as a family of 3. Despite the way the previous weekend went I was determined that this would be a great weekend for making good memories with my son.

We planned to get up early and head out to the Col. Crawford festival as is a family tradition. My husband woke Roo and I up as we were somehow still asleep at 7 a.m. Roo was resistant to waking up, but I asked him for a kiss, he complied. I asked him if he wanted to go bye bye and he nearly jumped out of bed, ready to go.

We somehow had breakfast and got ready in record time. We made it to the festival in time to get our yearly purchase of squirrel corn and we browsed the booths. We made purchases of gorgeous Indian Corn, pumpkins, rubber duckies, a wooden train for Roo, handmade candles and jewelry for my Mother in law.

It was a nice morning!

We stopped home for lunch, we got out our Halloween decorations and then hit the road again to take Roo to a kids activity with a corn bin for playing in, slides and a hay maze. He had loads of fun and got nothing short of filthy.  He mastered the maze within minutes and had a fantastic time.

We wrapped up the day running a few errands. We came home to have Roos favorite dinner, pizza and cheesy bread. After dinner I realized I needed to clean up the house. Roo and I went into the master  bedroom to straighten up and ended up looking at books together before he had his bath and went to bed.

I couldn't have asked for a better day with my son. We had a lot of fun, we made the most of our time and we made memories. On Saturday #180 our family will have grown, there will be 4 of us, things will have changed, but it will be a good change! I am excited to see how Roo reacts to having a little sister.

I hope you had a chance to enjoy your family over the weekend.

Welcome Baby!

My daughter Harper was born on Friday morning, shortly after 8 am. We arrived at the hospital at 5:30, I was a nervous wreck. I cried after I said goodbye to my son. It was so hard to drop him off with the sitter because he cried "Mommy!" and ran to me instead of going into the house. I got into the car and sobbed. I cried all the way to the hospital. I had cried most of the night before, and sure enough I cried once I got to my room. I was scared and anxious about the c section,  sad about being away from Roo. I was excited to meet Harper. I was a bundle of emotions.

It all started to happen fast. My doctor came in about an hour after they got me settled in and before I knew it they started prepping me. I tried to not let my anxiety levels get to me. I tried to just be me, to talk to the staff, to smile, to get thru the procedure. I took the spinal block like a pro.

Then it became apparent it didn't fully take with me. I could move my legs and I could feel. I could feel the c section, I could feel my legs, my feet, my womb being cut open.  I screamed and cried and they put me to sleep. I had some crazy dreams and woke up worried about my daughter. Before I was able to speak or understand, literally as soon as my eyes opened I was asking if she was okay. I had no idea what anyone was saying or where I was, but I kept asking. Finally they wheeled me around and I saw my husband with Harper, I had double vision and was not really coherent, but I managed to sit up and give him the ok sign. He gave it back and held her up so I could see her.

When I was able to speak and understand responses I continued to ask anyone and everyone that came my way about Harper, they all assured me she was doing great. She was healthy, she was gorgeous. They couldn't believe that I was able to move, speak and ask about getting out of bed literally moments after having a c section.

My husband brought Harper into the room as soon as he could. I got to hold her and see just how pretty she was.

I am a very lucky lady to have 2 cute kids! Harper is a great addition to our family.

After asking for 8 hours about getting up they allowed me to take a walk. I have been walking ever since!

I was told I would be here until around noon on Monday but today is Sunday, it is 8:10 in the 

morning and Harper and I will be going home today. The doctor is going to remove my dressing and pain medicine ball and then they should begin discharging us. I can't wait to go home and take my daughter with me.

I miss my house, my pets, my husband and most of all my son. It has been hard to be away from him!

Harper is a great baby. She sleeps well, eats well, snuggles like a pro and is nothing short of amazing. I can't wait to get her home to join our family.

Thank you to everyone that sent emails of well wishing, prayers and hope. It means so much to me!

Perfect Baked Potatoes

Baked Potatoes are a simple side dish that just about everyone can make.  I have perfected the process of baking a potato and turning it from simple and average to something special that takes only about 1 minute longer to prepare than your everyday version.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Scrub your potatoes and pat them dry with a towel, then stab them 5 or 6 times with a knife.

Prepare a mixture of sea salt, fresh ground pepper (to taste- if you like a lot of salt and pepper then use to your hearts content, if just a touch will do it for you then a few simple twists of the grinder will be perfect) and  3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese on a plate.

Then rub them with cooking oil or olive oil (use what you have on hand).

Roll a potato in the salt, pepper and parmesan cheese and wrap in foil. Repeat until you have used all of the potatoes you planned to bake.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Place them on a cookie sheet and allow to bake for 50 to 75 minutes, depending upon the size of the potato. To test them, when you think they are done stab them with a fork. If the potatoes meet no resistance they are ready to serve.

My family loves Baked Potatoes this way, the skin is a little crispier, the seasoning on the exterior adds a little zing to the potato and they look great! I have been complimented many times over my Baked Potatoes and have been told they are better than something you get in a restaurant!

I love to serve these because it is an inexpensive yet healthy option to compliment most any meal, or you can turn these into the main course if you add a little cheese, green onion, sour cream and bacon to the potatoes as toppings.

We will be falling back on this tried and true option for meals many times in the weeks as we adjust to having a new baby. I hope you try it and like it too!



Find more great potato recipes here:

Unique Potato Salad Recipes
Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Potatoes

Saturday #173

Saturday #173 was our final summer Saturday for this year. We got up early and hit the road. We drove up to Port Clinton with the idea of a day at the beach. On the way there Rolfie told us he was hungry (because he wouldn't eat his breakfast at home) so we stopped off and fed him, he loved that we ate outside beside Lake Erie. We went to the spot we had in mind for swimming next only to find  the bacteria levels were unsafe.

We drove on to Catawba Island but we were unsure about the water quality and no one else was at that beach, rather than risk it we continued on in search of a place to swim. We dropped off at the Perch Festival and asked the locals where to go, they pointed us to East Harbor State Park. We found it with no issues.

Rolfie loves the water. He had a great time swimming with us. The beach was perfect for taking children to as the water was clear and not too deep. We spent a few hours there, everyone had fun! I loved seeing my brave little boy jumping and laughing in the small waves.

Rolfie was exhausted when we left, he took a short nap in the car and we stopped by at a Friendly's for dinner. The day in the sun and water helped him work up quite an appetite. He ate all of his cheeseburger and fries, then he ate half of his Daddy's fries, he still had room and ate an entire ice cream sundae. He left full and happy.

We headed home to start preparing for a visit from my mother in law the next day. Rolf dropped off to sleep later than usual, but quite happy. He dreamed of swimming that night, he was laughing and kicking in his sleep.

Now that the weekend has come and gone, I realize that next summer all of our adventures will be different, we will no longer be a little family of 3, we will have a baby along for the fun. A part of me is happy and excited about the change but there is a part of me that feels sad at the last chapters of this story. I have been so content with my son that I am not ready for all of that to change when I am honest with myself.

I have to say that while we really didn't do anything extraordinary other than drive to the Lake, it was the perfect end to our summer. The memories of my son splashing in the waves will hold me over until next summer when we create new summer memories together.

I hope you were able to enjoy your family over the weekend.

Saturday #170

On Saturday #170 my family headed out and about as we usually do.

First we went to a book sale at the library. My husband found quite a few he wanted to read. The selection was depleted in the kids section and I couldn't find any of the authors I read. I ended up getting a copy of Dear John for $1. I was happy enough.


After that we headed to nearby Lexington for a party in the park. My son was happy to play on the inflatables and to flirt with a ton of girls! It was a sunny and warm day, we enjoyed the experience and the time outside.

My little guy was quite upset to have to leave but he recovered well and was in good spirits after dropping off for a cold fruity drink. We ran into Target as I needed a few t shirts. Most of my t shirts were getting to be too tight like everything else I own. At 7 1/2 months I am looking rounder and rounder every day!
I felt happy to put on a loose fitting t shirt after leaving the store.

We came home to take a walk together as a family. Rolfie was in the wagon riding, but he reached his hand out to me, and climbed out. We walked half way home together hand in hand. He kept looking up at me to smile, I was totally melted.

After the walk, Rolfie had a bath and went to bed. I curled up with a book for a few minutes then decided a bath sounded nice for me too! I returned feeling a little better, I continued to read for a bit, watched a few episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm with my husband and fell asleep on the sofa.

The day was not super eventful but we were together as a family, enjoying the outdoors and the company of each other.

I hope you had a chance to enjoy time with the people you love over the weekend as well. I write this weekly post because there are 940 Saturdays from the time your child is born until they are ready to leave for college. Keeping track of how we spent our time together is important as someday I will look back on these posts and have a reminder of how our weekends were spent.

Technogel Anatomic Pillow Review

As a pregnant woman, I have developed a strange relationship with sleep. I long for it, I chase it. I feel like I could sleep a few extra hours a night and I need a nap daily. In reality, when I fall asleep, I can't stay asleep. I toss, I turn, I am uncomfortable. I want to sleep on my belly. My pillow gets too hot, I don't have enough pillows, or I have too many pillows.

After several weeks of fighting to sleep well, I started shopping around for a new pillow. I realized that a pillow is an investment in myself. If I have a great pillow, a great nights sleep isn't far away. I had never given much thought to pillows before. I assumed that if it was soft it would do the trick. Then I got a lesson in Pillow Education when I learned about Technogel® Sleeping. Boy, I was all wrong about pillows!

Technogel® Pillows are different from something you might buy in a big box store on many levels. Please let me tell you a little bit about Technogel® Pillows.

Imagine sleeping on a gel filled pillow... what does it feel like? How is it different?Why is it better?

These pillows are different in many ways. A Technogel® Pillow molds to your unique form, the gel inside deforms in a 3D manner, meaning that pressure peaks are reduced and blood circulation improves. The pressure your body applies to the pillow is distributed evenly over the entire surface.

A Technogel® Pillow feels different than a foam or memory foam pillow, naturally as the material is not the same, but a Technogel® Pillow is really different in the sense that it keeps you cooler. The heat of your body is dispersed which results in a surface temperature of 3.5 degrees cooler than other pillows. Take my word on this, that is a huge difference. I used to wake up and flip or switch pillows several times a night when I was sleeping on a foam filled pillow.  In the several weeks I have been sleeping with a Technogel® Pillow I have not needed to wake up and flip or switch my pillow- not one time! Comfortable temperatures are crucial to sleep. The unique thermal properties of a Technogel® Pillow are amazing for a sleeping body, the ventilation provided by the open air channels of a Technogel® Pillow make sleeping better than ever.

I have heard that it is important to change your pillows every 18 months, due to the breakdown of material, and the manifestation of bacteria within a foam pillow. In reality, 18 months can seem like a long time to maintain a relationship with a pillow that loses shape or becomes flat. A Technogel® Pillow is free from the volatile agents that lead to disaggregation. This brand of pillows will not change with use. It doesn't get hard, it doesn't become flat, it doesn't get super soft. It remains true to form with nightly use.

I was curious. I bought a pillow at WalMart to begin using the same day that my Technogel® Anatomical Pillow arrived. I used the WalMart pillow for lounging on the sofa in the evening and my Technogel® remains in my bed. Within 3 weeks the WalMart pillow has lost its shape completely. It is as flat as a pancake. It has no support to it, no softness, just some stuffing that has no elasticity. I used this pillow no more than 2 hours a night for 3 weeks. My Technogel® Pillow is used for 5 hours a night at a minimum. How has it held up? It is exactly the same as it was the day I began to use it.

Now that you know a little bit about Technogel® Pillows, lets talk about what it has been like sleeping with this pillow.

I did my research. I read other reviews, I wanted to know what other people thought of their Technogel® pillow. I read some people saying it was hard to adjust to, but I have to state for the record, the first night I slept with this pillow, I slept better than I had in years. I felt like I was sleeping the sleep of angels. I loved that my pillow was cool, it was firm, yet soft. It was unlike any other pillow I had ever used. There was no period of adjustment for me.

I have slept better since I started using a Technogel® Anatomical Pillow. I don't wake up every hour anymore. I feel comfortable when I am laying down. I don't need 5 pillows anymore. Just my Technogel®.

My son co sleeps with me. He is 3, and he is smart! He insists that we share the pillow, he loves it too. Every morning I wake up face to face with my son, as he scoots over during the night and claims his spot on the Technogel® Anatomical Pillow. My dog also tries to steal this pillow from us at night, it is that comfortable that the spoiled dog feels that other pillows just don't live up to his need for comfort.

I had to sleep with a regular old bed pillow for a few nights last week. I was miserable. I woke up 3 mornings in a row with unbearable neck and back pain from using a standard pillow. I whimpered and whined as I longed for my Technogel® Anatomic Pillow. I am completely sold on this brand. The science of a good night sleep has influenced the design of the Technogel® line of products to such an extent that I would not hesitate to call the people behind this line of products the Sleep Masters.

While a Technogel® Pillow is going to cost you more than something you can grab at Target or WalMart, it is an investment in you, in your health, in your comfort level. You are worth the investment! You will feel better, sleep better and feel different when you wake up after using a Technogel® Pillow. To find a retailer near you visit the dealer locator. You owe it to yourself to learn more and consider upgrading your pillow for the ultimate sleep experience.



Sleep Redefined. What a perfect motto for this company!
To learn more please connect with Technogel.
Website

Spray n Splash 2 Review

Summer is nearly here and that means my family will want to spend as much time in the water as possible. My son was delighted to see that we got a Spray 'n Splash 2 from Blast Zone. This is going to be one of those items that gets used day in and day out this summer. I can tell already.

The Spray 'n Splash 2 brings the fun of an inflatable water park right to your back yard! It is fun for kids from 3 to maybe 10 or 11 years old.  It features a slide, a climbing wall and water fun!  

The weather in Ohio isn't quite warm enough for water play, but that didn't stop my husband and I from setting the Spray 'n Splash 2  up for the enjoyment of our little guy. We were pleased with how easy the Spray 'n Splash 2 was to set up. It was seriously as easy as removing it from the package, unrolling the inflatable, plugging in the blower and using the included stakes to secure the inflatable. We had the unit ready for play in a matter of minutes. The included blower is extremely powerful. The Spray 'n Splash 2 was completely inflated in under 90 seconds.

My son had no trouble figuring out what to do with this amazing toy. We showed him how to get up the climbing wall and he was heading up it and sliding down in no time, he was ready to go again and again. If it was this much fun for him without water, I can't wait to see his reaction in a few weeks when it is swimming season.

I really liked how durable the inflatable is. I liked how simple set up was and how such a large inflatable can easily roll up to about the size of a large sleeping bag for easy storage when not in use. I like that there is a sprinkler type tubing that attaches to the top of the slide to keep kids giggling and to make sliding down easier. An added bonus is that when the weather isn't right for swimming you can add little balls to the pool for a super fun sliding ball pit experience.

The Spray 'n Splash 2 is 17' long, 8' wide and 8' tall. It is made for up to 4 kids, but keep in mind, only one child should be on the slide at a time.  I love that the pool and the slide are connected so there is no need for kids to get out of the pool to climb the slide, which will help keep the water clean for longer amounts of time.

I have been very impressed with this product. My son loves it too. My husband even had to smile when he saw how much fun our son was having climbing up the wall and sliding down. I foresee this inflatable water park being used and enjoyed for many years to come. 

Blast Zone offers Bounce Houses, and Commercial Inflatables in a variety of shapes, sizes and price ranges that are sure to delight children of assorted ages. 

One very lucky reader is going to win a Spray 'n Splash 2 Inflatable Water Park. This giveaway will begin on 5/10 and end on 5/17. I hope you will come back and enter to win this prize that is guaranteed to make you the envy of all the kids in the neighborhood!

You can purchase the Spray 'n Splash 2 on amazon or on the Blast Zone website. If you use the coupon code BOUNCEBLOG you can save 10% on your purchase on the Blast Zone website.



***Note this product can hold up to 200 pounds***

Pregnancy Dreams

Pregnancy is a magical time filled with growth, love and magic, oh and Tom Cruise haunting dreams...

Well, I have had plenty of time to dream lately. I can barely stay awake with this pregnancy. My husband has given me a great excuse, I am "sleeping for 2." With all the time I have spent sleeping, I have been having really odd dreams.

Now, I know that no one really cares about your dreams, we all think our dreams are interesting to others, but really they are not. I am not going to let that stop me from sharing my strange dreams with you.

It all started about 6 weeks ago. I watched Rock of Ages with my husband and dozed off shortly after the movie had ended. I dreamed that Tom Cruise was actually the bad guy in the Scream movies and he was looking in my windows... little did I know that Tom Cruise, who I am not particularly fond of would become a common theme in my pregnancy dreams.

Nearly every night since then, Tom Cruise has had a villainous role in my dreams. Sometimes he is peeking in the windows of my house terrifying me. Some nights he tries to steal my baby. Some nights I have 1 baby, 2 babies, 3 babies, 4 babies (they just keep coming) and Tom Cruise is pretending to be my doctor so he can steal them from me. Really? What the heck?!

Other nights my doctor is actually not my doctor, but my son's wacky pediatrician, and I have to flee the doctor's office or the hospital in fear. Then I run into Tom Cruise and can't get away from him.

Some nights, Tom Cruise is dating my mother in law. Which part is scariest? Tom Cruise or my Mother in Law? I can't decide, they are both pretty frightening.

Did you have strange dreams while you were pregnant? Do you remember any of them? If so, please share!

Oh Baby!

 I have been plagued with exhaustion. I wake up in the morning, only to need a little nap before my husband leaves for work. The reality of the busy day ahead of me has been forcing me to go back to sleep for as long as possible. I fantasize about napping. What in the world is going on with me?

For a few weeks I wondered... am I getting old? Do I have mono? Is there something wrong with me? Am I overdoing it?

Then the news came. No I don't have mono. I am not sick. I am pregnant!  The Sweet Silly Sara family is growing!

                                   I love this pic of my Roo-Boo. His little face looks so plump!

In the coming weeks you will have a chance to learn about the coolest products for Mom's to be and babies in the Sweet Silly Sara Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Guide. You will have plenty of chances to win these products for yourself, or to give as a gift to someone you care for that is expecting or has a new bundle of joy.

The Path (Of Destruction)

Motherhood is an adventure to say the least.

The instinct of quiet= not good! was illustrated to me this week when my son discovered he is in fact tall enough to reach cookies on the counter, and he can dash right into his play room without Mama knowing what he is doing... if he is quiet.The smears of chocolate on his face, hands and shirt gave him away. When his Dad asked why he wasn't eating his dinner, my son and I shared a knowing look...

The idea that noise means your kids are not getting into trouble was a dispelled myth not long ago. My husband asked me why are there photos of an absolute mess on the computer? That reminded me of this day:

 I took a few extra moments in the bathroom to try a new eye shadow. If I were to guess I would say I spent 6 minutes in the bathroom, with the door cracked, mind you. The normal sounds of play greeted my ears. Keep in mind, my kid is a rambunctious 2 year old.

When I returned from my eye shadow experience, the sight that greeted me first made me shake my head at the sight of the little play room.

Slightly messy, but not too bad! I can in fact leave my son to play for 5 minutes or even a little longer!!

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Or Can I?

 I gasped in horror as the tornado's destruction became apparent.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

He literally just started dragging everything he could get his hands on out and on to the floor. It was crazy! Flashcards, my bra, trucks, old pillows from the closet, dinos... you name it. On my floors it could be found.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

And it just kept going, the mess, the toys, the random household items. 

In 6 minutes 

Photo Credit:  Sara Lehman.

This boy, who has the cutest little angel face, turned into the tornado and made a path of destruction that stretched from one end of the house to the other.

So, yeah... noise doesn't always equal normal play.

We spent the remainder of the day salvaging the house. Toys were put back into their places, random household stuff was tucked away for another rampage.

While I was cleaning, I moved the furniture around. The love seat was moved to the other side of the room as were other random things.

My husband came home and asked the question to make a stay at home Mom scream in anguish. "So, what did you do today?"

 I said "I lounged by the pool."

He said "Oh, really? It is winter?"

I said "Oh, you know how it is. I had the time, and that always relaxes me."