Wife, Then Mama

A long time ago, and I mean A LONG TIME AGO, I received some curriculum to try.  It was called Reading Horizons Discovery, and it is designed to teach children, between 4 and 9 years old, how to read. I was supposed to review it, and honestly, there have been a couple of points in time where I got super excited about all the products that people would send me to review, and ended up really, really overwhelmed and didn't manage to review them all. I used this quite some time ago, with a little girl I used to baby-sit, and didn't get very far because she started preschool and our time together was shortened.  I will do my best to give a proper review from what I remember. The program comes with 6 guides, a number of flash/review cards, a games supplement, posters, and story books for each level. It is an incredibly thorough program, and very easy to teach, with it all scripted out for you in the guides.  A lot of work is done on a white board, and there are no w...

This post was originally posted on August 31, 2013.  Although I didn't intend this post to be dishonest, I have since learned that this corset is very, very low quality.  Corsetchick.com is no longer in business, so I have gotten rid of all the links.  Additions to the original post are in pink. Sometimes I do silly things.  Like apply for a product review of a corset.  I really wanted a corset, and didn't think about the fact that it doesn't really fit with the theme of my blog.  At this point, I don't think my blog has a theme.  Other than "life"...   But I wanted it to go under the vintage dresses I might someday make, so I guess it is a little relevant (yeah grasping at straws LOL).  It will definitely happen again, because any chance to get awesome products for free is definitely my cup of tea (or Dr. Pepper, since I hate tea). 

Do you have a hard time finding clothes that fit you?  Does it seem like if it fits your bust, the waist is baggy, or the hips fit, but the waist band won't button?  Clothing in the stores are made to fit standard sizes of people, without any variation.  If you are not very close to the standard sizes, you have been left with two options: Wear clothes that don't really fit Learn to alter patterns and sew your own clothes NOW YOU HAVE A NEW OPTION: CUSTOM CLOTHING!  I have a love/hate relationship with the internet, but in the realm of shopping, it is pretty amazing.   I was given an opportunity to review a custom made dress from Suuchi .  In exchange for a review they provided me with a free dress.  Unfortunately, because of my own tendency to avoid any possibly uncomfortable situations, I was left with a dress I can't wear.  The fabric I ordered ended up being really itchy, and if I had been an adult about it and told them that in a ti...

Beef jerky is amazing right?  But its filled with additives and preservatives, making it a less healthy snack than it seems.  You can't really feel good about handing your child a stick of chemical laced meat, despite the protein content. Before I go on, let me say that I received a free sample kit from Chomps Snack Sticks in exchange for a review.  This partnership was facilitated by Brandbacker .  Regardless of the amazing "price" I paid for these sticks of deliciousness, my review is not influenced by that and all opinions are my own! Chomps Snack Sticks are a healthy and delicious beef jerky.  They are made from 100% grass fed, non GMO beef, and don't contain anything icky like MSG or fillers like gluten or sugar.  They have 9g of protein and are around 100 calories per serving.   I can't decide if I am a fan of regular jerky, sometimes I really like it and sometimes I think its pretty gross.   Chomps Snack Sticks however, ar...

Everyone wants silky soft, smooth skin right?  Well maybe not everyone, but at least a good majority of women.  Today I am going to tell you about a new product that will help you get super soft skin in seconds a day! I was able to review (free of charge) CX 35 Vitamin C Complex Plus Retinol by Michael Todd Skincare.   It is a serum, which I prefer over moisturizer. The fact that I received it free has no bearing on my opinion of the product, because that would be super lame and dishonest. Michael Todd  Skincare  seems like a pretty cool company.  They don't add water to their products, they use organic ingredients, they don't test on animals (it literally says on their about us page that they test on their chairman, so they have a sense of humor too!), don't use artificial scents or fragrances (or other nasty stuff), AND they are made right here in the USA!   I was honestly surprised when I got this in the mail, because there is usua...

*This post is a review of a product I received free of charge in exchange for a review.  The opinions in the post are all my own and not influenced by the fact that I received it free* Doorposts  is an awesome company that has MANY different products to help you train your children.  This is their newest product, and is designed to help you guide your children to Jesus while they are being disciplined. Honestly I have not used this as much as I was hoping to.  While it is an amazing resource, it is also rather time intensive to follow all of the steps.  As I am hoping to really work on my discipline skills (I yell a little to much and I am not as consistent as I know I should be), I am going to be referencing this chart every chance I get for the next month.  At that point I will give a results oriented review, for now its just a product review. This chart is sized to keep in your Bible, which is where mine has been since I got it.  Unfortuna...

When I saw Buttons Diapers, I REALLY wanted to try them.  They were totally different than anything else in my diaper stash, and they looked awesome! Alas, my bank account was near empty and I only had $22 in my PayPal account.  That was more than enough for a cover and inserts, but not for shipping.  So I contacted Amy at Buttons Diapers and offered to do a review in exchange for a discount so I could try them out.  She did way better, and offered to send me a cover, daytime insert, and nighttime doubler, free of charge, to review!  As if that wasn't generous enough, she also offered to host a giveaway for my readers!  So one of you lucky ladies gets to try Buttons Diapers too. Buttons Diapers are AI2 diapers (I believe, I am not a diaper expert, but there are two pieces, and no pocket, so I think all in two is an accurate description...).  They consist of a PUL cover and snap-in inserts.  They are one size diapers, fitting babies from 9-35 ...

So, I am posting A LOT today.  Because I always forget to do the reviews from Tomoson until they write and remind me that they are due today. Anyways, I am a little bit neglectful of my dogs hygiene so she has amazingly long nails.  She also has not ever had them clipped. Daisy was NOT impressed with having her nails clipped, so I only did two of the twenty nails.  My husband wouldn't hold her down anymore because he had important things to do, like shoot down tanks on World of Tanks. I have always been pretty terrified of clipping my dogs nails, since I really didn't want to have blood spurt out her paws.  But these stainless steel clippers have a guard on them, so that eased my nerves a bit.  The clippers were really strong, and left the nails smooth. The clippers have a safety latch on them, which is good since they are on a spring (very good, I guess some clippers you have to pull them back open, which would be unpleasant). You can purchase the...

I have a confession: I suck at sending out greeting cards.  Other than Christmas cards, I don't really send any out.  Actually I might have skipped Christmas cards last year (if you are someone that usually gets Christmas cards from me and didn't, sorry, but I looked super fat in the picture on the cards) but this year I will be sending them! A possible solution to this problem is SendOutCards .  It is an easy to use system, starting with buying points.  You can either buy them as you go, or as a monthly fee.  Obviously the monthly fee gives you cheaper points, but it might be more than you need depending on how many cards you send out every month. The cards are well priced, with a two panel card can be as cheap as 62 cents, and even at the highest price they are only $1.98.  You can completely customize the cards, adding text in various fonts, decorative clip-art, even photos (there is an extra charge for adding photos). There is a large selection o...

In case you have not figured it out, I like to start each month with a giveaway!  Luckily I have had lots of super awesome sponsors lately that have given me amazing items to give away. To start off October, we are giving away a Hotsling!  I promise to have a non-baby related giveaway soon, but I just love baby stuff, so I love reviewing it!  As with most of my giveaways I was given a free product in exchange for my honest review.   Let me begin by saying that although I just now GOT a Hotsling, they are actually the beginning of my baby-wearing obsession.  Way back when (probably around 2007/2008) my friend Melissa  showed me the Hotslings website.  Before I saw them, the only baby-wearing experience I really had was my mom and dad's old metal frame backpack carrier that I would sometimes carry my sister in to go get the mail (I was only nine or ten, but it was only probably 100 feet down the driveway).  I had also seen people use the d...

I love flash cards.  I know some people don't really like them, but I think they are one of the most affordable products available to teach children. Educational Toys Planet   gave me Alphabet Flash Cards to review.  Educational Toys Planet is an awesome website, that allows you to easily sort products by age, gender, price and category.  They have a gift finder, which lets you search all of them at one time.  A wish list and gift registry are available, and they ship free if you order over $75 of product.  Although I didn't order from their website, the shipping was very quick, and testimonials from customers also rave of the quick shipping times. The flash cards themselves were Alphabet Flash Cards from School Zone .  They are quality flash cards.  They have good color and are sturdy cardboard.  They are made of nice smooth cardboard, not the cheaper rough kind. Each card has a picture on one side and a letter on the other sid...

Today is the start of September, and that means time for the start of another giveaway! I am mixing it up this time, and trying out Giveaway Tools instead of Rafflecopter, so let me know what you think! On to the review! Deus Filia is a mother/daughter company, that specializes in 100% genuine Baltic Amber baby teething necklaces.  The necklaces are handmade in the USA, and unlike any other company that makes teething necklaces, she guarantees her work!  Deus Filia is a great company to support, not only are the products made locally (well to me) in Rainier, Oregon, but Tanya was wonderful to work with.  They are also a Christian company, which makes me extra happy to do business with them. :) I was generously given a Golden Bronze and Black Brocade Ring Sling to try out and review.  The first thing I noticed about the sling is that it is gorgeous!  Seriously, this has to be the prettiest baby sling there is!  It makes me wish I had some fo...

Do you like doing laundry?  No??  That's okay, me neither.  Well that isn't true.  I like sorting, washing, and drying my laundry, I just hate folding it.  I would say I hate putting it away, but since I rarely get to that part, I don't really mind it much.  Yup, my family lives out of laundry baskets. One thing I hate about doing laundry is static electricity.  Something I hate more is fabric softener.  I am not sure that I have ever used fabric softener as an adult, since its full of chemicals (not unlike laundry soap, which I do use...  Hmmm, I am a little inconsistant...) and ruins your towels absorbancy.  So imagine my delight when I was selected to review Woolzies! Woolzies are 100% pure New Zealand wool dryer balls.    A picture of the Woolzies.  I am a terrible photographer and probably should have inquired about stock photos before I wrote this.  But since the review had to be done by today and I mak...

I got a cloth diaper to review from Betsy's Baby Boutique.  I JUST started using cloth diapers, so I am by no means a pro at using (or reviewing) them.  I was given a product to try out free of charge, but despite that, all thoughts are my own :) This diaper is so pretty, it is to bad that you have to use a cover with it!  Maybe I can find a see through one (I don't think that actually exists) ...  I tried it out a couple days ago, and sadly it did leak, but I attribute that more to Miss Baby being a very heavy wetter (she can down an 8 ounce cup of water in about 2 minutes!) and my cover being very, very old, than a failure of the diaper.  I tried it a second time with a much better (although equally old...) cover and had no leaking at all!  The diaper is really soft, and very trim.  She uses a special material called Zorb, so it can be more absorbant, while being thinner. The stitching is great, the color held up perfectly in the...

I was given three ergonomic pens to try and review. You can buy three pens for $19.99 on their website. The Uglee Pen was designed by a doctor to be ergonomically correct and super comfortable. As well as being comfortable, I believe it could be useful in teaching children the proper way to hold a pen, although I didn't try this much because three-year olds and ink scare me a bit. It is also helpful to people who hold their pens to tight (guilty). I honestly didn't notice a huge difference in comfort, but that is probably because I don't write for long periods of time, and don't have any joint problems. The comfort pen has a cushioned gel grip and is very lightweight. Despite its name it isn't particularly ugly, although mine are a yellow color I wouldn't choose myself (I would totally pick the pink one). The soft grip has little specks of glitter in it, which I think is awesome. There are a couple of downfalls to this pen. The main o...

I was given free product to review.  The fact that I was given free product does NOT influence my review, all opinions are my own! Mint and Arrows makes a variety of items, including car seat covers, wet bags, and Boppy pillow covers. I was sent two Wrap Headbands in a pink chevron print to review.  One for me, and one for Hadlee.  Which is great because Hadlee is a much cuter model than me (even with a pixelated face to protect her privacy!)  I wanted some pictures of us together, but I forgot to ask Michael to take them so I only have separate ones. First off, let me say that they were packaged very well.  Neatly folded in a zipper bag, in a new shipping envelope.  Way classier than anything I have ever mailed out. I love the vintage look to them.  It is a little "Rosie the Riveter" like.  It could even be "pin-up-ish".  I even experimented with a hippie look (not sure I recommend that one...). Not only are th...

To see a review of some other Sincerely Pure products, click here. My friend Melissa runs Sincerely Pure, a company that makes natural, organic products at affordable prices. Sincerely Pure is an awesome company that you can feel great about buying from.  All of her products are made at home, and she refuses to sell anything that isn't a good deal.  As is that wasn't enough, 10% of all profits are donated to charity. You can purchase from her at the Sincerely Pure Etsy Store or you can contact her on the Sincerely Pure Facebook Page.  I was given a sample of the products I am reviewing, but the fact that I received free product does not change the fact that the review is 100% my own opinion. Peppermint Glisten Lip Gloss: This lip gloss is only $3, which is a pretty amazing price for handmade, organic lip gloss.  It comes in 3 colors (rose, clear and mocha) and 2 flavors (peppermint and orange).  I tried the Peppermint flavor in clear.  It...

I got this sling because it was free, I only had to pay shipping.  Since I bought it, I have found out that it is VERY easy to find codes for this to be free, and I am pretty sure that if you ever pay full price for one you got duped. I was SO excited.  I wanted a baby carrier really bad.  I didn't have a baby, but I am always collecting baby things. In case you were thinking that I only review things that I like, I HATE THIS SLING!  I have used it with tiny babies, older babies, and toddlers.  Pros: - Adorable, and available in a variety of colors - Lightweight and compact, you can easily throw it in a diaper bag or purse - Works from birth - 35 lbs Hadlee thinks being worn is fun, so I walked around with her for a few minutes.  Within literally 5 minutes my lower back was hurting on the side the weight was on. Cons: - Terrifying to use with small babies.  They sink down in it, and its almost impossible to keep them from having their...

Last Saturday I went on a bit of a shopping spree (Target had their Christmas stuff 90% off, who can resist that?).  I also stopped by Wal-Mart to check out their Christmas stuff (only 75% off and not as good of selection), and I found L'Oreal Sublime Mousse on clearance.  There were a couple of colors and I choose "Pure Dark Brown".  This girl has really pretty blue eyes that make me a little annoyed with my boring brown ones.  I got these on clearance so when I opened the second box it was weird because the bottles were different.  I was a little scared they were a different color or something. Now I had kind of decided not to dye my hair anymore, but I had been wanting to try the mousse dye since they first came out with it.  It is always more expensive than the regular stuff, and since I have long, thick hair it takes two bottles to dye my hair.  So I had never tried it.  I bought two boxes (for only $9 total) and dyed my hair last nigh...