Swing Set

One of the many changes we made around here this summer was getting a new swing set. We had been looking for a good wooden one that wouldn’t break the bank. Honestly, I was having no luck. I had been searching craigslist for weeks and just couldn’t find anything. A friend said she would sell hers to us but then we weren’t sure how we would transport it since she lives and hour away.

Finally I was shopping at Meijer one day and we were just browsing the toys. I think we were actually looking at trikes to see if we thought Natalie could ride one yet. I stumbled across the sign for all the swing sets and they had clearance tags on them!! I about jumped up and down I was so happy. I find the one that we had wanted expecting to see a tag for 25% off. I honestly would have been happy with that. Well, it ended up being 50% off!!! It went from $800 to $400. I had to call Hubby and make sure it was ok with him and that he would pick it up on his way home. He was just as happy as I was. I hurried and bought it because it was the last one.

This is picture before anything was started. 

I didn’t really know how much work putting up a swing set would be. We went to pick it up and it came in 3 boxes that fit in our pickup truck. I realized then that Hubby was in for a lot of work. Of course we (by we I mean he) had to dig out a layer of grass and dirt and build a border, then put down weed barrier. After that he had to go get 2 truckloads of wood chips and spread those out. Then he could start building the swing set. I’m not even sure how long it took him to finish the whole project but I know he worked hard on it. I love him for it. I just had to entertain Natalie on the many days and nights it took him to complete the project.

I know he put so much work into but watching her enjoy it is just priceless. Her and her new sibling will enjoy it for years to come.

Here are some pictures of the finished project.

Baby #2 or not?

There have been many talks in the Buckner household of when we thought we would be ready for baby #2. We thought we were ready so decided to try, then a few unexpected things happened and we decided that we weren’t ready after all.

We had been going through a normal “rough patch”, like most marriages. We had a vacation all planned out with lots of extended family. We went to Wisconsin Dells for 5 days. It was really what we need to reconnect and reprioritize our life. The vacation was amazing! (Pics and more about that will come soon).  We get back home and are going through our day-to-day life. We were still set on waiting another year or so for baby #2. With Natalie it took us a year of trying to conceive so even though I was worried about that we both thought it was best to wait.

Around September 9^th I got a really bad cold or allergies. I still am not sure if it was a cold or not. My nose wouldn’t stop running and I just felt terrible for the next week. I finally asked Dh to pick up some meds on his way home from work and I threw in “oh yeah, grab a pregnancy test too just in case.” Honestly, I have learned not to get my hopes up. I figured I was just taking the test to make sure I wasn’t pregnant because I wanted to take meds and I had been really sick. I should also mention I was on day 39 of my “cycle”. I still didn’t think anything of it because my body is really wacky which is why it took so long to get pregnant with Natalie. I waited until after Natalie went to bed and ran in and took the test. I set it down assuming it would be negative and I glanced over and sure enough it was positive! My hands started shaking and I started crying. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was happy tears or sad tears or just tears of shock. I took a few minutes to try and put on a straight face. I went out to the living room and asked Dh if he heard the timer go off because I was baking bread (I really was). He said no. I then said “I figured out what Natalie is going to be for Halloween” “Oh yeah what?” He responded. Gulp “a big sister?” His jaw dropped immediately and he puts his arms out to me. We cried together. We sat there for probably 5 minutes and just said wow. We both agree that this is a blessing in disguise.  We are both really grateful. It took us a little while to let the shock wear off. We waited until after my first appointment at 9 weeks to tell family and I think everyone was as surprised as we were.

So we are officially pregnant with baby #2!!! I am due May 17^th, 2011 and I’m about 16 weeks 6 day right now. Life is good. 

 

My belly pic at 15 weeks 3 days

MOPS

Well I finally bit the bullet and joined MOPS. If you don't know what that is, it stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. I learned about it last year at a local Mom 2 Mom sale here in Ludington. I really wanted to go but I had a 10 month old baby who napped at 10; MOPS was from 9:30 to 11:30. I really needed it last year but I couldn't make myself go. This year Natalie naps around 1:30 so I had no good excuse not to go. Actually I had all the reasons to go. I need to get to know more moms in the area, Natalie needs more exposure to playing with other kids and when the winter rolls around we are dying to get out of the house.

The first meeting came and I felt so nervous. It was like starting high school all over again, really. I had to drop Nat off in a nursery with strangers. She has never been watched by anyone but family so that alone made me nervous. We went in and checked out the toys, I clamped her name tag on and stuck her diaper bag in the little slot, letting them know if she needed a snack they were in the bag and I left. Natalie was preoccupied so I didn't even get to say goodbye. The tear filled goodbye that I had worked myself up for never came. I did go back 15 minutes later to check on her but she didn't even notice I was gone!

I headed down to the mom's area not really sure what to expect. They had it decorated so pretty and there was a table full of food. The ladies that we there already were so welcoming. They all introduced themselves to me and I didn't feel out of place at all.

The meeting finally started and we were assigned to groups, these will be our groups all year. I really liked loved that idea because it will give me a chance to get to know these few ladies on a more personal level. We soon found out that our activity for the day was "speed friending". Gulp. You mean I have to talk to more people? Don't get me wrong I love people just when I'm in my comfort zone. My table and my group was now my comfort zone. We did the speed friending, it's just like it sounds like speed dating. We moved chair to chair and got to know about 16 new people. It was really fun and I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

The 2 hours that we were there just flew by. Before I knew it I was going to pick Natalie up from the nursery. I was really excited to see her and hear how much fun she had. I was about 10 feet from her door and I heard her screaming. My heart sank and I felt so guilty. I had had so much fun and never even thought to check on Natalie again. The ladies said that she did great but the last 20 minutes she cried. I guess someone came down to take her picture and that upset her. Her first experience wasn't that great. I asked if she had fun playing with the kids and she said yes. She kept saying mommy the whole way home. I know I shouldn't feel guilty but I do. I just hope that with each meeting she will get better and she will enjoy it too. I know it was so nice for me to have that 2 hour break and not have to worry about Natalie. I got to know quite a few nice ladies and I'm really looking forward to our meeting next week.

Changes are happening.....

Well one of the changes we have been going through lately is the weather. It has gotten cold! Most days our high temps are in the 50’s to low 60’s. I know that doesn’t sound too bad but when you add in there that it has been windy and/or rainy it makes it seem cold. I have been wanting a lot of soup for dinner and we are bundled when we go outside.

This cold weather doesn’t stop Natalie from wanting to go outside and play. She loves the outdoors. Her love started early this spring when we both had cabin fever and we couldn’t handle being inside anymore! Last winter Natalie got 14 new teeth in 4 months and had 3 ear infections. We were ready for change. So I bundled her up and outside we went. We really didn’t have anything to occupy us so Natalie made her own games. She would collect acorns all day long. She had no idea what the acorns were or why she was collecting them but I guess it made the time pass. Natalie would spend hours outside before I would have to beg, plead and bribe her to go inside because I was cold.

This summer we had so much fun outside. Natalie would say “I go outside” and we would head out, not knowing how much time had passed while we were out there we would go back in when the sun started to set or just in time for dinner. We went to the beach and had picnics. We even had mud baths at the beach provided by Natalie! 

We also found a new park by the marina. In the summer when it’s so hot out and the humidity feels like 100%; it’s the perfect park. The wind from Lake Michigan is a welcome break from the heat. It still gets hot but at least you get a little break here and there when the wind decides to blow. Natalie discovered the slides and the swings. There was even a slide that she would go up and down the stairs just to do over and over again.

I love fall but I’m sad to see the summer go. We created so many new memories and I know it’s a time we will never forget but we will never get back either. I look forward to the many summers we have as a family. I can’t wait to see what we will do next summer, what things we will explore and what adventures we will take.

I'm back (I hope)

Life seriously has been way too busy. I wanted  to blog but every time I sat down I knew there were other things that needed to be done. Right now  I sit among a messy desk that needs to be organized but I want to blog. When I sit and try to blog and I'm distracted then my words don't come out right. It doesn't sound like me instead it sounds forced and to be honest it isn't much fun to read.

I'm putting in my best effort to blog again. I know I've said this before but this time I mean it. I need this outlet for myself so I'm going to make it a priority. Oh, there are plenty of changes coming this way too... I will be writing about them soon!

Little Ducks Organics Winner!

The winner is...

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 20 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Chany said...
http://twitter.com/chany10/status/20310018036

August 4, 2010 11:47 AM

Congrats!!! I will be contacting you and you have 48 hours to respond.

Little Duck Organics Review and Giveaway

My toddler is a snacker. I have such a hard time getting her to sit down for meals and when I do I feel like she doesn’t eat much. I can ask her at any given time during the day and she will say she is hungry though. I love to keep snacks on hand for her so that she stays satisfied. It’s very easy to get into the routine of giving her what is easy and not always making sure what she eats is healthy. I found Little Duck Organics snacks and they are the perfect solution for this dilemma. They are so easy! They come in a pouch and I just pour them into a little cup and let Natalie have it. She loves it because she feels like a big girl carrying around her snack!

We were sent the Strawberry/ Mango, Blueberry/Apple, and Strawberry/Banana to review. I assumed that Natalie’s favorite would be the blueberry apple because she loves blueberries but she surprised me and she loved the Strawberry/Mango. She kept coming to me signing “more”. I think she ate half of the package in 1 snack time. I didn’t feel bad giving them to her either! Talk about a gilt free snack.

Here is a little more from their site:
Tiny Fruits are naturally delicious baby snacks made with 100% real organic fruit. Each bag contains four full servings of fruit so you can feel good knowing that you are giving your child the vitamins and nutrients they need for healthy development.

Want to try some for your child?

You can purchase your own by going to their site and shopping online or you can find a store in your area that carries them.

Or

Little Duck Organics has provided 3 bags of their snacks to give away to 1 of my lucky readers!!!
Mandatory Entry:
Visit Little Duck Organics and tell me what you think your child would like most.

Extras:
Follow my blog via GFC. (1 entry)
Follow me on twitter @Kaylynbuckner (1 entry)
Follow Little Duck Organics on twitter. (1 entry)

Tweet about this giveaway including a link back here, @Kaylynbuckner, @littleduckorg or use this “Love Organic Snacks? Enter to win some from @Littleduckorg and @Kaylynbuckner. http://bit.ly/bTHTkH “ (2 entries per day, must be 4 hours apart)

Like Little Duck Organics on Facebook, tell them I sent you. (2 entries)

 Giveaway will end on 8/5/10 at 9 P.M Est.
*I was given Little Duck Organics snack to review but I was not paid for my review, all opinions expressed here are my own. 

The first big incident

The title of the post says it all, well most of it anyway. Natalie had her first big incident this past weekend. We took a road trip to Chicago to visit some family. We had a pretty busy weekend planned and the trip down went perfectly. Natalie got a little fussy at the end but I turned on Diego and all was good again. She fell asleep too and even got about an hour nap. Our first stop was Dh’s grandma’s house. Hubby’s aunt wasn’t supposed to be home but she got out of work early. She was very happy that she was going to be able to see Natalie since it’s been over a year since we have seen them. When we first arrived Natalie was still napping so we decided to wait in the car until she woke up, it only took a few minutes. We went inside and were greeted with hugs and warm welcomes. Natalie was being very shy, even shy for her. She is shy by nature but she wouldn’t even take her head off of Hubby’s shoulder to look up. They have a dog so I thought it would be a good icebreaker for her to pet the dog because she loves dogs. (This is where I mention that it’s a pretty decent size dog, they stand face to face.) Hubby put her down by the dog and she reached out to pet it and he snapped and bit her! I wasn’t right there; I just heard all the commotion. Hubby didn’t think the dog had actually gotten her at first but then she started bleeding pretty badly.

I took her thinking she would calm down but she just kept screaming “dog dog” and pointing where the dog was. She didn’t understand what had happened at all. She wouldn’t calm down a bit and after I few minutes I suggested we leave so that we could all calm down. I had been holding in all my emotions from the moment it happened, when I got in the car I just exploded. I burst into tears and I couldn’t hold it back anymore. That just made Natalie more upset so I tried to cry quietly. Meanwhile, my mom called our pediatrician to see what we should do. I didn’t want to take her in but I was so worried about the bacteria. Sure enough her doc said to take her straight to the ER. She said that even if we were in MI that she would want us to take her just because of the risk of infection.

We finally found an ER and took her straight there. Once inside we got the millions of questions. I felt bad telling them about the dog because I didn’t want anyone to get in trouble. I know it was just an accident but Natalie is my baby so I was really having mixed feelings. The doc looked at her bite and said it was pretty bad. He then asked if we had cleaned it out at all. Hubby and I just looked at each other like, it was very important to do that and we both flaked out on it! We did put antibiotic ointment on it though, doesn’t that count for something? They finally cleaned it out and did X-rays. The doc said that since it was so deep they didn’t want to stitch it because it could essentially just trap the bacteria in the wound. The X-rays were fine so they just put some glue and bandages on her hand and said we were free to go. Natalie was doing great by this point; I think it was harder on me than it was on her. As long as nobody touched her hand she was calm.

We finally left the ER with a bandaged hand and a prescription for antibiotics. I am happy to say that her hand is healing very well. She isn’t scared of dogs at all, which is wonderful. But she is scared of loud noises now. When we are playing outside if there is a loud car or truck that goes by she comes running up to me crying. It just breaks my heart because she wasn’t skittish at all before. I am very thankful though that for her some day she probably won’t remember this. Mommy will never forget it but we will get over it. Hubby said I was overacting but it was one of those situations where you beat yourself up because it even happened.

CSN Review

I have had an amazing opportunity to host a giveaway for CSNstores.com in the past. I loved it and I had great success on my blog. Now I am going to be doing a review for them as well. I couldn’t be more excited! This is a great company to work with. They have over 200 online stores! They have such a wide variety of things including outdoor furniture, dining room sets, baby stuff and even shoes! I have no idea what I’m going to select to review yet but I sure will have fun looking!

So stay tuned for an awesome review coming soon. Thanks so much for reading!

Memories of Grandma

Before writing this I need to just say that my grandma has not passed, that is not what has inspired me. Sometimes I feel like she has but she has not.

You see, my grandpa passed away about 14 years ago now. My grandma was remarried a few years later. I don’t blame her for getting remarried, not at all. In fact, I was very happy for her. The man seemed nice enough and she was happy. I loved seeing her happy again after going through such a rough patch after my grandpa passed.

Then things changed. My grandma and her new husband moved to North Carolina, I reside in Michigan. This makes things difficult. They moved November 4th, 2008. Natalie was born October 31st, 2008. My grandma got to see Natalie twice before moving away, she has seen her twice since one of those times being yesterday. She isn’t the same grandma I knew as a child and I wish Natalie knew her the way I did.

When I was young we would have sleep over’s and our grandparents every other weekend. We would just hang out and play and watch movies together. Grandma would let my sister and I do her hair. We would brush it and she would let us put pony tails in. Of course she never left the house this way but we thought it was so fun that she let us do what we wanted with her hair.

My Grandpa had a motorcycle and he would take us on rides all the time. It was only around the block and then it was my sister’s turn but those were some of the best days of my childhood; just me and grandpa with the wind in my face and my hair whipping all around. I could pretend then. I could pretend that there were no worries in the world and nothing else mattered. Even if the trips lasted mere minutes they were great.

Grandma would always make home cooked meals; which we didn’t always get at home because life was busy with two working parents. I remember grandma used to make the best goulash, I can’t tell you how she did it but nothing compared. After dinner there would always be a sweet treat waiting for us.

It was really amazing and I feel so blessed to have a grandma that used to be like that. She has really changed. It’s so hard to see her and not have her the way she used to be. She is cold, she still cares but you don’t see it or feel it like you used to. I know I have grown up and things change but I want her to be there with Natalie. I want Natalie to taste grandma’s goulash and brush grandma’s hair the way I did. That will never happen so I just have to cherish the memories because things will never be the same.

Winner winner!

The winner for the giveaway from Connie's shop is...

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 7 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

ColleenMarie82 said... 7

I entered the Zak! Design giveaway

inman@mobap.edu

And the winner of the Zak! Designs Giveaway is...

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 23 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

DeniseSanborn said... 23

follow Zak Designs on twitter
May 31, 2010 6:21 PM

Congratulations ladies!! I will be contacting you and you have 48 hours to respond or I will have to pick a new winner.

Business

I have really really missed my blog lately! I feel like I have been so busy I barely sit or have any time for myself. Mostly it's my own doing but Natalie has been keeping me really busy too.

I am in the process of becoming an Independent Consultant for Arbonne! I am so excited for the opportunities that this is bringing for myself and my family. I cannot wait to get to know more people in my community. I found a company that I can relate with. I looked into their products by only trying a 5 day sample packet and I fell in love. I cannot even begin to tell you in words how excited I am for these products and sharing them with others!

Arbonne means "good things from the earth". To me that tells you that the products are from the earth, botanically based. Arbonne products are formulated in Switzerland but made right here in the USA. Europe has stricter standards on health products and botanicals and more restrictions on their ingredients. There are over 500 chemicals banned in Europe that are still used in U.S products.

Arbonne's Motto is Pure, Safe and Beneficial. Now why would I use a product if it wasn't Pure, Safe and Beneficial? I'm not sure but I have been using them for years because I didn't know any better! I didn't know that mineral oil (which is found in 90% of U.S products) was the number TWO leading cause for aging, second to only the sun! So all these products I have been buying to take care of my skin have really been making them worse. Arbonne products contain NO mineral oil. Mineral Oil creates a barrier on your skin (like wrapping it with saran wrap) which will not let good things in or bad things out, that doesn't make much sense.

Arbonne products do not contain any dyes or fragrances which are the top 2 skin irritants; instead we use essentials oils.

I joined Arbonne because of what it can do for my family. I can have a full time income by doing 8 parties a month. I am not required to do a certain number of parties but I am setting a goal for myself to do 8 parties a month, it's only abotu 10 hours a week. That way, I can help save for vacations, pay off debt and start a college savings for Natalie.

I am just extremely excited about sharing Arbonne with everyone! Watch my blog for upcoming sales and specials! Who doesn't love a good sale?
I hope to be around more, I just need to learn to make time for myself!

You can find the products and company website here http://arbonne.com/. I will be setting up my own website in the near future.

Kinderglo Winners!

Here are the winners for my Kinderglo giveaway! I hope you all enjoy these as much as Natalie and I have!

Here are your random numbers:

57 60 135

Timestamp: 2010-06-04 00:23:41 UTC

edmontonjb said... 57

My favortie is the quarter moon and I'd give it to my son

dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
May 23, 2010 4:47 PM

Chany said... 135

Tweet!
http://twitter.com/chany10/status/15063301936
May 30, 2010 4:41 PM

and I'm going to redraw for 1 of them because it was edmontonjb again,
True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 157 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

fancygrlnancy said... 157

tweet
http://twitter.com/fancygrlnancy/status/15191801243
bwneyes100 AT hotmail DOT com


I will contact you and you have 48 hours to respond or I will have to draw a new winner.

Thanks for entering!

I love this part!

I love getting to pick winner's and hopefully make someone's day better! =)

So a little late but better late than never right?
My winners are....

Winner of the Reisenthel giveaway is
True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 13 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

shanjol23 said... 13

I love the carrybag in rasterdots mocha. Not sure if Charlie would carry it around but I don't mind doing the shopping with a cute basket like that!
shanjol23 at hotmail dot com
May 11, 2010 4:02 PM
Congratulations Shannon!!!

And the winner of the Seventh Generation Giveaway is....

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 11 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

DeniseSanborn said... 11

ok signed up for the seventh generation nation.. got my math problem right..lol
May 11, 2010 3:16 PM
Congrats Denise!!

I will contact both of you and you have 48 hours to respond to my email before I have to choose another winner.

Craftyear641 on Etsy Review and Giveaway- closed

I love shopping on Etsy. I love hand made gifts and products. I feel like they have so much more meaning because someone lovingly crafted it. I came across Connie’s Shop on Etsy and the books she makes are so cute! Natalie loves books. She will sit and read by herself all the time. The one thing I don’t like about books is that they wear and tear pretty fast with a toddler. When Natalie was an infant she would always chew on the board books, I’m not sure why but now they all have teeth marks in them.

I also think that books make great toys for in the car, but I was always too scared to give her a traditional book because I was nervous that she would poke her eye out. Connie makes soft books that are all fabric. They don’t have any sharp edges and if Natalie chews on them they won’t get teeth marks in them. These books are such a great idea!

We were sent a Pooh book to review; this was perfect because Natalie loves Pooh. Right away she opened up the book and was pointing at the different characters. She could easily turn the pages where with traditional books she has to ask for help a lot. Connie’s books are very well made and can stand up to a toddler.

Connie also makesbibs for toddlers. I have talked before about how I hate messes and toddlers make them all the time! Connie’s bibs are big enough to fit and actually cover a toddler. The rest of the bibs I have are too small and her clothes end up getting dirty anyways. I really like that they are soft fabric and not vinyl. Honestly my husband doesn’t like using the ones that feel like plastic.

Wouldn’t you love to get one of these cute books for your child?

You can visit Connie’s Shop
on Etsy, she also has free shipping if you buy 2 books! That’s a great deal!

Or

Connie has kindly offered one of my readers and bib and book for their child.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Connie’s Shop and pick the item you would like to have the most.

Extras:
Follow my blog via GFC. (1 entry)
Follow me on Twitter. (1 entry)
Tweet about this giveaway, include @Kaylynbuckner, #giveaway and link back here. (1 entry per hour).
Heart Connie’s Shop on Esty. (2 entries)
Add any item from Connie’s Shop to your favorite items on Etsy. (1 entry per item)
Enter any of my other giveaways. (1 entry per giveaway)

*I was provided a book and bib to review by Connie, however all opinions expressed here are my own. Giveaway will end on 6/9/10 at 9 PM EST.

Zak! Designs Review and Giveaway- Closed

Natalie is getting to that picky toddler stage. She will not eat any veggies, not one. The only way I can get her to eat veggies is sneaking it in purees. Yes my 18 month old still eats purees, yes everyone stares at me when we are out and she is eating them. Spoon-feeding her the purees worked for a while until she became Miss Independent. She wanted to feed herself everything. I hated messes but soon learned it’s unavoidable. The only utensils I had in the house for her were the ones I was using to feed her. They aren’t exactly baby err toddler friendly. I came across Zak! Designs and loved them! The designs are enticing for little eaters and the utensils are shaped perfectly to fit in their little hands.

When we received our products I washed them right away so Natalie could use them for lunch. She had so much fun feeding herself. She got it everywhere but she ate more than she would let me feed her if I were trying! I love how the spoon and fork have little faces on them; Natalie loved that too. They are shaped to fit a toddler hand; they have little indents on the back for where their fingers should go.

One of my favorite products is the nibble tray Nibble Tray. Natalie eats all day long so this is perfect for her. I just cut up fruits or if we are attempting veggies and fill the tray. She loves this because she feels like she is deciding what she eats. She also loves dipping her food and it has it’s own dip tray that you can chill!

Here is a little bit more about the company in their words:
Since 1976, Zak Designs has been committed to making mealtime fun for people around the world. Whether it's through dinnerware and on-the-go products that feature children's favorite characters or tableware and kitchen prep products that represent the latest global fashion statements, Zak gives people the mealtime products that fit their appetites.

They also have a new interactive feature on their site that I really like called Meal Time Fun. You can exchange recipes that you use to get your toddler to eat healthier.

Zak! Products definitely made my must have list. They have made mealtime so much easier with Natalie.

You can try some of your own by going to Zak! Designs Website and finding a location to purchase.
Or
You can win a Nibble Tray and Smoothie Sipper right here for your child!

Mandatory Entry:
Visit Zak! Designs
 and pick your favorite product.

Extra Entries:
Follow my blog via GFC. (1 entry)
Follow me on twitter (@Kaylynbuckner). (1 entry)
Follow Zak! Designs on twitter. (1 entry)
Tweet about this giveaway, include @Kaylynbuckner, @Zak_Designs, and link back here. (1 tweet per hour)

Like Zak! Designs on Facebook. (1 entry)
Enter any of my other giveaways. (1 entry per giveaway)

*I was provided products to review by Zak! Designs but I was not compensated for my review, all opinions expressed here are my own. Giveaway will end on 6/8/10 at 9 PM EST.

Random Acts of Kindness

Ever since Natalie was born we have been very lucky to have someone in the family pass things down to us. It has mostly been the same person. I have appreciated it so much! She had both boys but she has still found things that Natalie and I can use and passed them along. We have still had to buy some things for her but we have been pretty spoiled. Natalie has more toys than most kids her age, and she even has boxes of toys that she isn’t ready for yet! Everyone says she is spoiled, and she is in that she has a lot of stuff but we don’t buy her every single thing she wants.

Well this family member had a ton of outdoor toys that she wanted to pass along. So I took Hubby’s truck to her house (an hour away) and picked up all the stuff. I was expecting a few things but we ended up with the pick up bed full! Natalie loves to be outside so this is such a blessing. This was my first act of kindness for the day. She did not ask me to pay her a dime for all of the toys that she gave us. She saved us so much money by just passing these along!

Natalie and I headed on our happy way home. It was getting late and we were going to be late for Natalie’s bedtime, which I hate. Oh well, one night won’t hurt. So I’m driving along on the highway, I hit a bump and one of the little plastic cars (kind of like a Little Tykes Coup) flies out of the back of the truck!!!! I freaked out, slammed on the brakes and pulled over. This little car landed in the middle of the highway. People are swerving so they don’t hit it and I’m standing here wondering what I should do. Finally there is a break in the traffic and I run out and grab it. I thought to myself “Oh crap, this is heavy!” There was no way I was going to carry it back to the truck and then try to figure out how to get it back into the truck. Just as I was figuring this out a car stopped on the side of the road. Out hops a teenage boy asking if I need help. I was super nervous at first, I was alone with Natalie. I said sure and we started the walk back to the truck with him carrying the car. I was trying to make small talk but I was so scared that he was going to hurt Natalie or me. I really didn’t know what to do. I just kept walking and talking and he was really nice. He helped me put the car in the truck and I thanked him over and over. I was shocked that he just stopped to help me with no reason behind it. Did I mention it was 90 degrees with like 85% humidity? I was sweating just from walking.

The whole way home I was thinking about this boy and how he stopped to help me just to be kind. It got me thinking about what I do or have done and I realized that I don’t do enough. We aren’t rich by any means but I feel like I should do something more to help others. I haven’t figured out yet what I need to do but I need to do something. There just aren’t enough nice people in this world anymore.

Winners!

Announcing winners is one of my favorite things about hosting giveaways on my blog. I have a Mac so when I try to copy & paste RAndom.org into my blog it only goes up to 100. I'm not sure how to change that but if anyone knows, please let me know!

Winner of the CSN Giveaway is   

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 156 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Owen's Mom said... 156

Tweet! http://twitter.com/notimeMom/status/13214772005 andrea.kruse at gmail dot com

May 1, 2010 7:50 PM

Congrats Andrea!! She is a very loyal giveaway enter(er).

Winner of the Greenzy's Giveaway is 

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 64 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

zookeeperjess said... 64

tweet http://twitter.com/zookeeperjess/status/14240594979

May 18, 2010 1:38 PM 

Congrats Jess!!

Here are my 3 winners for the Zestra Rush Giveaway: 

Here are your random numbers:

38 22 2

Timestamp: 2010-05-19 12:25:51 UTC

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 32 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

I have to redraw 1 number because Nikki is number 38 as well..

zookeeperjess said... 22

I have your button on my blog entry #1 www.zookeeperjess.blogspot.com

May 8, 2010 5:36 PM 

Nikki said... 2

I follow your blog via GFC!

May 4, 2010 12:40 PM 

Sarah said... 32

tweeted http://twitter.com/luvnlifeOO/status/13672339444

May 9, 2010 11:16 AM

Congrats to all of my winners! I will be contacting you shortly and you have 48 hours to respond to my email. Thank you all for entering!

 

Kindeglo Review and Giveaway

Ever since Natalie was born I have used a nightlight. When she was in our room I had a night light on. It was just a lot more convenient for me so I could see what I was doing. It has now turned into a comfort for Natalie to have a nightlight, she cannot sleep without one. We have tried to sleep without one when we went away and I forgot the nightlight, we end up sleeping with a lamp on and it’s no fun. She has gotten to the age though where she wants to play with her nightlight, turn it on and off or play with the actual bulb. One reason this is bad is because she could burn herself on the bulb, but also because she could break it.

I was browsing blogs one day and came across a Kinderglo review. I was thinking what in the world is this and why do I need it? Well, I will tell you what it is. Kinderglo lights are LED nightlights that are never hot to the touch. The LED bulbs won’t break or burn out as fast as the traditional bulbs. I love that I can have one on in Natalie’s room and not have to worry about her burning herself. The nightlights glow in soothing hues, they even change colors! Here is a little bit more from their site on the details:

Never hot to touch, Kinderglo LED nightlights bathe a room in soft light, easing even the most fretful kids into a good night’s sleep and guarding them through the dark.

Our small soothing pals are perfect to be built into the daily bedtime routine and provide extra comfort for your children, who can safely keep their little friends in their bed all night.

That’s right, the kids can hold them! They even make a half moon design that is shaped so it has a handle for them to hold. I was so excited when we received our package; I opened it up right away. Natalie just loved them. She loves watching them change colors and she thought it was pretty neat I let her carry them around. I let her play with them for a bit but then put them up. I want them to be associated with bedtime and not playtime.

One of the features that I love about them is they are so easy to pack up and take with you. With our old nightlight I had to worry about breaking the bulb in travel, these are so durable that I don’t have to worry. I also love that if we are going to be in the car at night, I can let Natalie hold one so she won’t be scared of the dark.

All around these are just great nightlights, the battery lasts 8-10 hours and they can be recharged up to 500 times! No more buying light bulbs for the nightlight!

Would you like to have a Kinderglo Nightlight for your child?

You can purchase one on Kinderglo’s website or on Amazon. Kinderglo has provided a discount code for my readers! You can use it to save $3 per nightlight! Enter this code at the Amazon checkout: AJLDJCIA

Or
Three of my lucky readers will each get a nightlight of their own thanks to the wonderful people at Kinderglo!

Mandatory Entry:
Head on over to Kinderglo and choose you favorite nightlight, tell me who you would give one to and which one?

Extras:
Follow my blog via GFC. (1 entry)
Follow me on twitter. (1 entry)
Follow @Kinderglo on twitter. (1 entry)
Tweet about this giveaway using @Kaylynbuckner, @Kinderglo and a link back here. Or use this “ Light up your child’s night, win @Kinderglo nightlight from @Kaylynbuckner  http://bit.ly/bR5mbw  #giveaway  “ (1 tweet per hour)

Add my Toddler Tuesday button to your blog. (2 entries)
Enter any of my other giveaways. (1 entry per giveaway- current giveaways only)
Purchase anything from Kinderglo (10 entries)

* I was provided a Kinderglo Nightlight to review and try out, however all opinions expressed here are my own. Open to US and Canada. Giveaway will end on 6/1/10 at 9PM EST.

Thanks for entering!

Backpack, Backpack

I very recently became interested in baby wearing. I have an 18 month old DD. She loves to be independent and see everything but she isn’t old enough to walk on her own. She is too independent to let me hold her hand so everywhere we go it becomes a struggle of me chasing her around. I take the stroller most everywhere we go but she always wants out after about 15 minutes and then I’m stuck pushing the stroller and chasing Natalie. I really needed a solution to our issue because what we were doing just wasn’t working. I started looking into carriers for toddlers. I asked around on twitter (my go to place). And found that when it comes to baby wearing what works for one doesn’t always work for everyone. There were so many different opinions on which carrier was better that I think it confused me more than anything. There were so many carriers that I wanted to try but the price was pretty high. There was no way I could talk Hubby into letting me get one of these carriers when we are going to get more than a few months use out of it (so I thought).

I waited and kept researching, I checked the swap board but they were still too pricey. One day Ergo Carriers came on babysteals.com. I was so stoked! I waited a few hours to order though, I still wasn’t sure if I had convinced Hubby. He said yes so I went ahead an ordered it. I received it within a week and as soon as we got it I tried it on with Nat. We were home alone but I still wanted to try the back carry. It was a little difficult but we got it ok. Snapped a few pics and it was nap time.

That night when Hubby got home from work we went outside and played basketball with Natalie in the Ergo. She had so much and felt like she was right there with us playing. It was so sturdy that I never worried about her falling out or even being uncomfortable. I have used it many times since to make dinner or do the dishes.

Today I decided to push mow the grass with Natalie in the Ergo! It was kind of spur of the moment but this kid loves being outside and the grass needed to be mowed. So I strapped her on in the back carry which we are getting much better at and off we went! We had so much fun. She kept pointing to the animals in the yard and leaning over my shoulder to see what was going on. I will be doing this more often now!

It’s just starting to get warmer out but I can’t wait to use the Ergo more, I am already thinking of all the places I can take it. One thing I really like about it is that if Natalie wants down, the carrier is light enough that I can still wear it and chase her around, so far she doesn’t want down though.

When I want to put her in the carrier I ask her if she wants to go in Mommy’s Backpack because she is a huge Dora fan. She repeats back to me “backpack backpack”. I love that we have a special name for it and she knows exactly what I’m talking about when I say it.

Now I just wish I had looked into baby wearing when she was younger. I feel like wearing her gives us such a special bond, we are sharing things that she will never share with anyone else. I feel like she learns so much more because she has a great view of the world.

Reisenthel Review & Giveaway- closed

I have talked before about how I am trying to change my ways and become more “green”. In trying to change I would like to use reusable bags every time I grocery shop or buy anything really. Maybe I should set my goals a little lower… how about 75% of the time? I made this goal oh let’s say a year or so ago. I know it was sometime after Natalie was born. I bought the bags from Meijer and vowed that I would use them when I went grocery shopping. I would bring them in the house to unpack and then forget them. With both hands full of baby or baby gear I would walk into the store and remember my bags were at home! I really couldn’t find a good way to get in the habit. Even when they did make it to my car I would get in the store and to the checkout and realize they were in my car, with a baby and a full cart there is no way I’m running back outside.

In my search to the solution for this problem I came across Reisenthel. I love the look of their bags, but I knew that I wanted to try the Mini Maxi Shopper L. It looks like a great size to carry enough groceries but the feature that I really loved about it is that it comes with it’s own carrying pouch! When you are done using it you just fold it back up and put it in the pouch. It’s small enough to throw it in your diaper bag or purse so you don’t have to worry about forgetting it!

Some of the features of the Mini Maxi Shopper L from their site:
*Can be packed into separate pouch
*2 long carrier handles, can also be used as shoulder straps
* Available in over 15 colours and pattern variations
* Volume 18 liters= 4.75 Gallons
* Capacity Max 15 kg= 33 pounds!

One thing that I was worried about with the carrying pouch is that it wouldn't fit back in there. If you have ever used a sleeping bag or tent, you know that you can never fold them back the way they came out and they don’t go back. Well with these you don’t have to fold them perfect they just slide right back in. I was very impressed with that. I have a toddler I don’t have time to stand there and fiddle with a bag trying to get it to go back.

I really love these bags, I need to order more so that I can keep 1 in the car, 1 in the diaper bag and 1 in Hubby’s truck.

Reisenthel also has many other great bags. I would also love to try the Loopshopper L, it looks like it would hold a ton of groceries!

Want to try a Reinsenthel bag for yourself?

Buy one by visiting Reisenthel.com and locating a store near you.

OR

You can WIN one here! Reisenthel has offered to give 1 of my lovely readers a Mini Maxi Shopper of their very own.

Mandatory Entry: 
Visit Reisenthel and pick out another product you would like to try, come back here and leave me a comment letting me know.

Extras:
Follow my blog via GFC. (1 entry)
Follow me on twitter. (1 entry)
Tweet about the giveaway, include a link back here and @Kaylynbuckner. Or use this “Carry your groceries in style. Enter to win a Reisenthel bag from @Kaylynbuckner. http://bit.ly/cQKhrd #giveaway ” (1 entry per hour)

Enter any of my other giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
Sign up for Swagbucks here.  You get 30 free Swagbucks! (10 entries)
Add my Toddler Tuesday button to your blog. (2 entries)


*This is open to U.S and Canada Residents. Giveaway will end on 5/25/10 at 9 PM Est. I was sent a Reisenthel bag to review however all opinions expressed here are purely my own.

Seventh Generation Review & Giveaway- closed

I love cleaning my house, well not love but somebody has to do it right? I normally use cleaners that have chemicals in them and never think twice about it. I hate the smells but I usually open the windows or turn on the bathroom fan and keep my DD away from where I am cleaning. I have been looking into more natural cleaners and recently switched mostly to vinegar and water. It works ok but my Hubby can’t stand the smell. I didn’t feel like I was getting a good clean. I then came across
Seventh Generation cleaners. I just knew I had to try them!

I started researching more into the company because I was curious how they came up with these “green” cleaning products. Here is a little bit from their mission statement on their site that says a lot about the company.

Inspire Conscious Consumption
Our focus is to inspire thoughtful consideration of each purchase—from the immediate impact of the products you buy (Is it safe? Is it gentle on the earth? Does it work?), to the broader impact throughout their lifecycle.

 Toxic Chemical Policy Reform:
Americans assume that chemicals used to make ordinary products are tested for safety — but often they are not. Seventh Generation has partnered with the Safer Chemicals, Health Families Coalition to create the Million Baby Crawl campaign. The Million Baby Crawl allows consumers to join tens of thousands of Americans calling on Congress to strengthen federal laws regulating toxic chemicals used in products ranging from household cleaners to baby bottles.

I feel like their focus totally fits with the lifestyle that I want for my family and myself.
I received a Free & Clear Starter Kit to try out. Which includes; Disinfecting Multi- Surface, Disinfecting Bathroom, Disinfecting Wipes, Laundry Detergent, Liquids Fabric Softener, Dish liquid, All- Purpose Cleaner, Auto- Dish Pacs, Glass Cleaner, Nautral Paper Towel, Seventh Gen Recycled Bag.

As soon as I opened the box I found something to clean! My sliders are always dirty. Natalie just loves to look out them and has to put her hands on them. I have learned that it’s ok if they aren’t clean all the time, but this gave me the perfect opportunity to try out the Natural Glass Cleaner. I sprayed a small amount and cleaned as usual. At first it was a little streaky but I let it dry and it came out just fine!

Next I moved to the bathroom that seems like it always needs to be cleaned. The very first thing I noticed when I used the Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner
was that there was no harsh chemical smell! I didn’t have to turn on the bathroom fan to use it. It did have a slight smell but it wasn’t a bad smell just clean. It worked really well in cleaning my whole bathroom.

When I received the kit everyone in the house was sick. We have been passing it back and forth for a few weeks but I didn’t want to disinfect the house with something that was going to be worse for us. I got the Disinfecting Wipes out right away. I wiped all the doorknobs, bathroom surfaces and also Nat’s crib. The smell wasn’t the best, it smells like lemongrass and thyme but it went away quickly. I felt so much better after wiping all the surfaces knowing that it was 99.9 % effective at killing germs.

I have since tried out almost all of the products and I love them all equally. I feel really safe using them around my DD knowing that there are no chemical vapors that are going to harm her, or even better yet, leach in to my skin and harm me. I have been looking forward to cleaning more lately! For me this product is more about peace of mind.

Want to try Seventh Generation cleaners on your house?

Buy them: You can go to their website and find a store near you that carries Seventh Generation products.

OR

You can WIN them here! Seventh Generation has been kind enough to offer the Free & Clear Starter Kit to one of my readers! The starter kit includes Disinfecting Multi- Surface, Disinfecting Bathroom, Disinfecting Wipes, Laundry Detergent, Liquids Fabric Softener, Dish liquid, All- Purpose Cleaner, Auto- Dish Pacs, Glass Cleaner, Nautral Paper Towel, Seventh Gen Recycled Bag.

Mandatory Entry:
Sign up for the Seventh Generation Nation and get email updates and coupons. Post a comment back here stating that you did.

Extras:
Follow my blog via GFC. (1 entry)
Follow me on twitter. (1 entry)
Follow Seventh Gen on twitter.  (1 entry)
Tweet about this giveaway, include @Kaylynbuckner #giveaway and a link back here or use this “Want your house to be clean? Enter to win a Seventh Generation kit from @Kaylynbuckner http://bit.ly/bYeG2N. #giveaway “ (1 entry per hour)

Like Seventh Generation on Facebook. (1 entry)
Add my Toddler Tuesday button to your blog. (2 entries)
Enter any of my other giveaways. (1 entry per giveaway)
Sign up for Swagbucks here. You get 30 free Swagbucks! (10 entries, only for newly signing up)
Let me know what product you would like to try from Seventh Generation (1 entry)

* I was provided products to review by Seventh Generation, however all opinions expressed here are purely my own. This is open to U.S and Canada Residents. Giveaway will end on 5/25/10 at 9 PM EST.

Blogs

I am the type of person who loves reading blogs. I love going from site to site and seeing what is going on in everyone’s lives. I love that I can relate to some or all that they are going through and it makes me feel more normal as a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM). It’s hard to find normalcy when you don’t know what “normal” SAHM’s are going through. To me, it feels like a little window into their life. It’s so personal yet they are sharing it with me.

That said I also love going from blog to blog and reading the reviews and entering the giveaways. It’s so much fun and the anticipation of whether you will win or not is great! I never realized until I became a review blogger how much work really went into a review. You can just sit down and think it all up. You have to use the product and think about what you will say and how you will say it. You actually have to spend time thinking about what you will say, how you will keep your readers entertained. So I wanted to say thank you to all the review bloggers out there! I really appreciate all of your hard work for bringing up honest reviews so that we may base our decisions to buy off of your posts.

Also while I’m here, I want to give a shout out to some of the blogs that I read (almost) daily. I love them and like I said before, they make me feel normal!

Mandy over at Big City! Baby because she is one cool momma!


Madison from Life Happens During Naptime ( love the name too!)


Amanda from Among The Mess because she is good company on twitter and her kiddos are cute!


Jess over at Welcome to the Zoo because she is such a sweetheart.


And

Mindy from The Inquisitive Mom because her posts are always so honest and heartfelt.

Wordless Wednesday- Hair Do's