bluum box

Since becoming a new mama, I'm always on the lookout for cool, new ideas for moms and babies. While reading some mommy blogs I stumbled across bluum. Bluum is a monthly subscription service that introduces the subscriber to trusted products for mom and baby via samples, and sometimes full sized products. I thought I would give it a shot, especially since a lot of their products are geared toward being natural, organic, and non-toxic. Who wouldn't want all of that stuff for their baby?

I initially signed up for a three-month subscription, for $33, which is $11 a box and includes shipping. If you think about how much shipping can sometimes cost, this seemed like a good deal.

My favorite thing is the BOX itself, so silly I know, but so pretty.

When you open the box, a pretty blue tissue paper greets you:

And a little theme card that lists what is in the box. This month was "sweethearts."

 And the goods:

Samples have included lotions (for mom and baby), baby food, non-toxic dish soap for baby items, stretch mark/wrinkle cream (Strivectin and Mederma), coupons, tea bag samples, teething relief, pillow spritz, wipes, tooth wipes, and a drool bib (among other things I'm forgetting).

I have received all three of my boxes so my subscription is up, but I also earned a few more reward points since Micah was the baby of the week a few months ago (go Micah!). I can cash that in for a free box and then decide if I want to continue the subscription.

I like my boxes because I get to find fun new products that I may want to buy full-size in the future if I really like them. I would say these boxes are a good value (I always compare one drink at Starbucks to things so this is like two drinks for a month full of goodies). I would love to see a few more bigger samples of things in the future. Being a relatively new company I expect that their boxes may grow more in the future but overall this is a great idea for new parents that are looking for quality products for themselves and their baby.

p.s. no affiliation with bluum, just a happy customer. Any other type of services like this you subscribe to for finding new products?

this week

This week has been sort of overwhelming. I'm very happy it's Friday.

-A few coworkers and I started a Beachbody Challenge. This came up just in time for me since I was thinking, "Okay, need to get a grip on my diet and lose these last few pounds!" We are doing the Slim in 6 workout every day, drinking Shakeology as a snack (or meal replacement), eating clean, and have each other as support. The challenge for me is getting in the workout as soon as I get home, then making dinner, and attempting to spend time with Micah in the middle of all of this. It is nice to be held accountable and have those other folks who are in this with you. That's what is going to make this work.

-Feeling like a bad mom this week (see above). Since I now work at a middle school, we go later in the day than elementary schools. I feel like I don't spend any time with Micah, especially since he doesn't wake up early anymore like he used to, so I don't see him right in the morning. (This would be why I don't feel so bad feeding him once or twice in the middle of the night...we miss each other!).

-We have finally received answer back from the house we put an offer on months and months ago (short sale approval was required). Well the bank counter offered. This sucks for a few reasons: we already have another mortgage so our preapproval was maxed out and they countered above our preapproval. We have extra cash for more of a down payment but this house is old and needs work. So we're countering just a teeny bit back. Might work, might not, but worth a shot. This is why I didn't get attached to it (except the playroom. Oh, the playroom...). So we should know next week for sure. Positive vibes!

-This weather is great. Being stuck in a middle school prison with no windows (AHHHH), I appreciate the sun and the 70s more than ever.

-I did a little interview with Time Magazine online about Bluum. I hope I didn't sound too stupid, but how cool is that?!

-I planned Jonathan's 30th birthday (nothing like last minute!). We'll be going to dinner at the Hotel Valley Ho, spending the night, and hanging out with good friends.

And that's a wrap of the week. I've never been so happy for the weekend. Enjoy yours :)

micah: seven months

Dear Micah,

Today you are 7 months old. Every month I go, "Wow, I can't believe he's ___ months old." This month is no exception.

Despite having bronchiolitis and an ear infection this past week, you continue to smile and go on with your days, most of the time happy as a clam. In most of your pictures, though, your standard pose is staring at the camera. Sometimes it's hard to get a picture of you smiling!

You don't have any teeth yet, but your bottom gums feel a little swollen, so maybe they're coming (haven't you been teething for months now?!). You want to crawl so badly but are still stuck in that push up position, rocking back and forth. You can move one knee a bit. After a while you get frustrated and face plant into the ground :)

Trust me, though. We are in no hurry for you to be crawling around this house, yikes!

Of course you love food. Who doesn't in this family? I'm still making about 95% of your baby food, using Earth's Best jarred in a rut or when out and about. New foods include pears, apples, butternut squash, and as of today, broccoli. You still love your bananas, and can eat a whole one in a sitting.

One thing we've been sure to be doing is eating together at the table. I want it to be a lifelong habit, and no better time to get started than when you're a baby.

You love screaming, making noises, when mom chases after you, talking to the dogs, my water bottle, sticking things in your mouth, my cell phone (basically anything you shouldn't have), walks, baths. You think everything is funny when we talk to you and you laugh when we laugh. I think you're a great baby, even if you are a little high needs at time. You don't like when Mom or Dad disappear from your view, though.

Sleep. Well, sleep is okay. I mean, I take what I can get and as much as I don't like waking up multiple times in the middle of the night, I know one day that will be gone, and one day you won't need me at 2 a.m., and one day I won't be able to nurse you back to sleep in a dark, peaceful room. So yes, sometimes I am sleep deprived, and yes sometimes it drives me crazy, but I cherish those moments and know they will be gone one day. I've been more lenient this week since you're sick and you actually have been doing okay. We will all get sleep one day, right? :)

I can't believe how close you are two being a one-year-old already. You have already taught us so much about life and we love you to the moon and back.

xoxo,
Mama

5 random thoughts

1. I just realized that I could plug in my phone to the auxiliary outlet in the car and listen to Pandora through the speakers. Wow! (Yeah, I know, I'm like 60).

2. I really love listening/watching TED through the iPad. I just can't find the time to watch all of the talks I've saved. I need some more cool apps! (that I won't have time for)

3. Isn't this a cool app? With the paper and pen becoming less and less used (sad), this would be perfect for those tech-saavy, busy parents. I just updated Micah's physical baby book (I was a few months behind). I've always been a paper and pen kind of gal.

4. Did you know that when you have a baby, your neighborhood gets 100 times noisier? It does. You hear sounds you never knew existed...

5. I'm really looking forward to Jonathan and I turning 30. Is that weird? I seriously am a believer that "age ain't nothing but a number" and that things get better with time. My twenties have been fabulous and quite an adventure. Now that things are a little more settled now, than say when I was 23, I look forward to what is waiting for us.

sunday is for the kitchen

I always used to dread Sunday because that meant the next day was Monday and the start of the week. These days I'm loving them because I get (or try to get) stuff for the week done. It just gives the beginning of the week a good start. I used to bake a lot on Sundays but since I'm taking a step back from so much sugar, no cookies were made today.

This morning I started at Jaime's baby shower. I stayed away from the desserts! It was hard because everything looked so good, but I stayed strong. A week was about what I needed to give myself and break and realize moderation is okay... No deprivation here.

When I got home I made Micah some organic carrots and broccoli for the week:

Broccoli is new to Micah and I'm not quite sure how he'll take to it. Peas weren't his favorite at first but he decided if he was hungry he was going to eat them :)

I made a new batch of egg cupcakes this week and took a new picture. Yes, Andrea, I know my cell phone, lazy photo I took of my last batch did not look appetizing.

We had a huge bag of blood oranges so I made some blood orange soda using Perrier, the juice of about 8 blood oranges, and raw agave nectar (hello, sugar!).

We now have some homemade soda in the fridge for the week. It's the perfect combo of flavors and I didn't actually use too much agave. 

Micah is asleep and we are headed up to bed. Productive Sundays are the best, aren't they?

Tomorrow we start our Beachbody Challenge!

bathtime photos over the months

August 30, 2011

September 9, 2011

December 11, 2011

January 20, 2012

egg cupcakes and the paleo diet

Okay, anything that has the word "cupcake" in it is okay in my book ;)

Last night I made egg cupcakes. These are a fantastic thing to make ahead of time so that you can just grab one or two in the morning, warm it up in the microwave, and be on your merry way.  The fun thing about this recipe is that it is super versatile.

On a side note, I know I mentioned the Paleo diet previously. It's too restrictive for me right now to follow, but basically here is Paleo in a nutshell (again, no expert, just my understanding):

• Does it have a face? (meat)
• Would it have had a face? (eggs)
• Is it a fruit or vegetable?

Yes, that's it. It's based on the principle of "eating like a caveman" (Paleolithic Era) and how hunter-gatherers ate. Essentially it's real food. Do you notice no beans/grains? In many of the recipes where you would use flour, almond flour is used instead. It's big on organic, free-range, non-grain fed foods. You will also notice a lot of coconut oil in place of other oils. 

It's definitely a lifestyle, and something I'm open to learning more about, but geez, cheese? Beans? You can't just be sorta Paleo, I know that, but of course I can incorporate some recipes. Some is better than none, right?

So you can make these egg cupcakes any old way you choose, depending on your diet. Try them!

Egg Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Slightly adapted from Everyday Paleo

10 eggs

1/4 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

coconut oil to grease the muffin pan (*note: I found mine a little hard to get out of the pan using coconut oil. Feel free to use butter, cooking spray, or even cupcake liners)

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a muffin pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk together your eggs and salt and pepper. Set aside. Finely chop your veggies. Pour veggies in egg bowl and mix well. Fill each muffin pan about 3/4 of the way full with your egg mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until eggs are set. Remove from pan and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Now here's where it gets fun! You could add anything to your egg mixture: bacon, sausage, cheese, whatever you'd like. You could also whisk in a little milk to your egg mixture to make them a little fluffier. This morning I warmed mine up in the microwave for 30 seconds and then transported them to work and they tasted great!

I think these will become a staple in our house from now on. They're mini versions of the quiches I love baking and a good way to sneak some protein and veggies in :)

days like this and a sugar update

Source: Uploaded by user via Olivia on Pinterest

Okay, I need a little something to kick me in the butt today. Don't you love Pinterest? I'm convinced our new house is going to look like a compilation of my Pinterest boards. A girl can dream, right?

Today has barely started but it's already one of those days. I don't have those days too often, so I'm giving myself a pass to feel yucky for a few minutes, then suck it up. Between Micah being sick, him not wanting to fall back asleep this morning at 3 a.m., the unhelpful and rude Walmart worker that didn't want to help me find the iPad camera connector cord, and a not so nice person at work, it's all kind of catching up with me. Oh wait, and the sugar withdrawals. That might have something to do with it...

I was waiting for the changes in my diet to catch up with me. Maybe that is why I had such a headache this morning? I honestly am so proud of myself. This is day three. The last few days I have eating nothing processed and nothing with over 1g of sugar, like greek yogurt. I've been reading Everyday Paleo (the blog and book) for some inspiration. The Paleo diet is very interesting and intriguing to me. Calling it a "diet" is not completely accurate to me, it's more like a lifestyle. I mainly could use some recipes (and motivation) and this seems to be great resource. I'm definitely interested in learning more about it.

Alright. It's time to work and have a better attitude about today. It's almost the weekend!

trip to flagstaff

This past weekend, Jonathan and I headed up to Flagstaff with our friends. We've been trying to plan this trip together for a while so even though I didn't want to leave Micah again, we did. Am I a terrible mommy? We only went for a day.

Anyway, Flagstaff is near and dear to my heart and one day we would love to live there and I would love to teach at NAU (or do something there, who knows?). The funny thing about this trip is that we were the only married couple with a child, and 7 years older than the youngest person we were with. If that doesn't make you feel old I don't know what will!

I love this drive up and I know we're close when we see those gorgeous trees! (if you'll remember, I have an out-of-commission macbook, which means cell phone photos!)...

We seem to visit the Lumberyard every time we're there. We even filled up our Growler with Hefeweizen. Yum!

I think I love this place because it sits right on the train tracks. Nothing says Flagstaff like the sound of a train!

We then met up our friends at Maloney's and watched football. And ate bar food. Too much beer and bar food=mad tummy! I'm not used to all that beer. The evening ended for us a little early (I told you we're old). Between the beer and pizza we had for dinner, I just was not feeling it, as much as I wanted to go out and get crazy. It never felt so good to crawl in bed!

Of course we were the first ones up the next morning and ate some delicious complimentary breakfast at the Embassy Suites and headed up to Snowbowl to see the little snow that there was. We were happy to get home to our sick baby :(

So I've learned my lesson. I can't hang with the little kids all of the time ;)

somewhat sugarless

There was a time when I was not exactly known to have a sweet tooth. I wasn't one for deserts but would enjoy the occasional candy bar or ice cream cone. Well once I got pregnant I started craving the worst: soda, ice cream, candy, fast food. When I finally had Micah, it was still there. I can now eat cookies (and dough) like it's my job. I have no filter when it comes to this junk! I decided I needed an intervention.

And wouldn't ya know it, Danielle blogged about going to a Naturopathic doctor and cutting out sugar for a few weeks, including breads and pastas. Just the extra motivation I needed! Now I am usually not extreme like this, and I strongly believe in moderation, but I have just had no self-control and just can't (ha!) lose that extra baby weight. I don't feel great about my body, and besides walking, I just haven't had a lot of time to do "real" exercise. That all stops now! No more excuses! (See, if I put it in writing, I'm somewhat accountable!).

Here's where I start eating like a caveman. Here's to feeling better about myself. Here's to a hot bod and even better skin. I'm hoping this sugar detox will do it all for me ;) I'll keep you updated as I rack my brain for ideas for tasty meals. Do you know how much stuff has sugars in it?! Ugh!

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...

a new blog for a new year

Some might say I have blog ADD. Between personal blogs, baby blogs, wedding blogs, I've had enough (wait, have I said this before?).

You could find me previously at baby borunda, but where do I blog about all things life and not just baby? You've found me here. I didn't want to turn Micah's electronic baby book into a rambling about my daily outings and thoughts so here we are. Here's where you will find our little family. Here's where you will find my ideas and thoughts and letters to Micah as well as our solo nights and weekend adventures and anything else I happen to be up to.

Thanks for hanging out :)