Matooka kids couture Review

I was recently contacted by Matooka kids Couture to host a review from their Spring 1010 line. Not having a little girl, I thought a Goddaughter would be the next best fit. Not only does little Ana LOVE to dress us, she lives in a town in which these clothes would be perfect - slightly ritzy yet with your everyday citizens.
It wasn't long before I received a package in the mail with a beautiful red top with a white skirt, it was the 'flapper girl' outfit and just perfect for Ana. The clothes are very soft making them so comfortable for your little darlings! Ana absolutely loved the outfit and couldn't wait to try it on; in fact, she made her mom do her hair for these pictures!
Would I buy Matooka in the future? You bet! When clothes are fun for both mom and daughter you have a real winner!! The outfit that I received is to hand washed and lay flat to dry. Not a big deal at all, but keep that in mind if you don't have time for it.
You can bu these clothes at select stores that you can find online, and you should be able to purchase them from online stores this fall.

Ana had so much fun modeling 'Flapper Girl'.

The clothes retail for:

Dresses from 95 to 130
Tunic/legging sets are approx 110
Skirt sets 140
This all depends on the vendor selling the clothes.

If you like these clothes, head on over to their Facebook page and become a fan.

Matooka kids couture was started by two mothers that wanted to create a line of clothing that was 'contemporary and edgy but still young and sweet.' My favorite thing about them? They donate 10% of their proceeds to infertility treatments.

This outfit was sent to me by Matooka kids couture and all opinions are completely mine.

The Woombie Review and Discount Code

I want to share a story with you...
Our Little Guy was born on Tuesday, April 6th and as expected he didn't sleep throughout the night and even if he had we would have woken him every three hours to nurse. We came home on Friday, April 9th and my Woombie was in the mail. Being particular about items I had to wash it before using and didn't need to do his laundry for 2 days so he didn't wear it immediately.
The first two nights he cried a lot and we pretty much camped out in the baby's room as we were needed often. We were stressed and my husband asked if we should call somebody to see what to do. Well, the 3rd night home rolled around and The Woombie was clean and ready to wear. Our Little Guy didn't wake up on his own but we did wake him every 3 hours for a feeding and he went back to sleep immediately!!
Over the next week we were exhausted and 'overslept' the 3 hour feedings, at one point he slept for 5 hours straight!! We went for his 2 week appointment and the doctor said he could sleep through the night since he was back to his birth weight, we thought this was a joke... Low and behold, he slept from 10pm until 8am. This happened the next night, and the next, and now that Little Guy is over 7 weeks old my husband and I do not know what sleep deprivation is!!!
I will admit that he has been up a few times around 3:30 but we are on vacation and I really feel that his schedule is a little off whack.....

This comes from The Woombie site

Swaddle your baby Safely and Effectively with The Woombie ... designed to ease your mind and comfort your baby so you may both achieve a better nights sleep. The Woombie is the safest & most NATURAL way to Swaddle your baby, encouraging baby to softly stretch extremities as needed, just like in the womb. The Woombie comforts, softly confines arms & gently compresses baby's unique curves to hug baby... preventing Startling issues, face scratching, overheating and also preventing dangerous loose unraveled blankets from covering baby's face.

• No more worry of blankets unraveling which can lead to potential blanket suffocation.


• No face scratching or Startle Reflex to awaken baby.


• 
  
  See a marked improvement in Colic symptoms.


• Effective swaddling without the need to tightly restrain baby.


• 
  
  Prevents overheating due to over-wrapping. (Overheating is linked to SIDS)


• Great peanut shaped ergonomic design. Hugs the shoulders/arms, waist/abdomen, hips and feet.

Babies sleep an average12-18 hours a day or more! Allowing movement is healthy and allows for proper motor development.

Comfortable:

-Soft, ECO cotton fabric gently hugs baby
-Baby feels secure, not confined, easing transition from WOMB to World!

Safe:

-Follows Pediatrician & S.I.D.S. guidelines
-Maintains airflow and will not overheat baby
-No loose blankets covering airways
-Prevents face scratching

Effective:

-Prevents unnecessary waking due to the Startle Reflex
-Soothes babies with colic
-Will not come undone
-Promotes natural motor development
-Easy to use, just zip it up

I have highlighted the ones that I feel are most important and that drew my attention to The Woombie. I have always been worried about SIDS and have taken every precaution possible so was thrilled when the people at The Woombie offered to send me one.
I have offered to buy Woombies as shower gifts as I think this is the GREATEST item I have ever used for our Little Guy. I thought about really testing the product and not putting it on my son one night but instead trying a different 'velcro wrap' that we have. However, I am afraid that I would not get a full night of sleep and don't want to take any chances... My husband recently asked when we were going to order the next size!!!
There are a couple of things I wanted to make point of:
~Little Guy has NEVER gotten his hands out of this (he does with the 'velcro wraps').
~It is absolutely adorable and I love to watch his stretch his body it there.
~The minute I put him in there, he knows it is bed time and as soon as he finds his cuddle spot he is ready for bed.

You can find other great stories on their Facebook page.

***Buy It***
Go over to The Woombie, place your order and use promo code '10%sale' for 10%off.

I was provided an organic woombie by 'The Woombie' company and all thoughts are completely mine. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Tilly Tally Diaper Review and Giveaway

Tilly Tally Diapers is an ETSY shop run by a stay at home mom who decided to try cloth diapering after having her second child and deciding that disposables were too expensive. She tried many different designs until she came up with the one that worked just right for her little ones (and mine too!). She now uses this same design on all sizes of diapers that she makes.

I had the opportunity to review the newborn size cloth diaper, here is what Naomi says about her diapers "This Newborn(approximately 6-14lbs) Pocket Diaper is made with 1 MIL PUL on the outside, and lined with white microfleece on the inside. It is bound with plush Fold over Elastic. It has a back pocket opening for the insert placement. It has excellent snap placement to ensure a good fit without being too tight against baby's legs or tummy. This diaper pattern has been baby tested to absorb and contain extremely well. Comes with tri-fold super thirsty insert."

Naomi was super generous and sent me the newborn diaper in the 'Go Green' color along with 4 organic bamboo jersey wipes. When Little Guy was one week old we put his first cloth diaper on and this was it! Honestly, he did wet through that time but has not since then so I think it was because we were inexperienced and they probably hadn't been prewashed enough. The tri-fold soaker definitely held a lot after that! I really like that this diaper is sized for a newborn; we bought a lot of one-size fits most and they just look SO BIG!! The only downfall I found with this diaper is that it is hard to stuff as the pocket is so small, but that can't be changed as this is a newborn diaper.

The bamboo wipes are so soft!! I have actually reserved these diapers for his face only. I like to wash Little Guy's mouth and face each day and these are the only ones I will use.

You can buy the newborn cloth diapers for only $10.99, that is an amazing price and for how well they work I think we will be picking up some of these when the next child comes along.

**Win It**

Super-generous Naomi is giving one of these newborn diapers away!!

**Mandatory Entry**
Follow my blog.
Be sure to include your email address in all of your entries. If your name is drawn but your email is not present, I will choose a new winner.

This contest will end Friday, June 18, 2010 at 11:59pm. A winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email.

**Extra Entries**
~Visit Tilly Tally Diapers and tell me which diaper is your favorite (1 entry)
~Grab my button. (2 entries)
~Blog about the contest. (2 entries)
~Subscribe via email. (1 entry)

Tilly Tally Diapers provided me with the the diaper and cloths for this review. No other compensation was received and the opinions are all mine.

Vote for a chance to win $250

The American Baby magazine is hosting a contest and you have a chance to win $250. They want you to vote for your favorite baby item - you have until May 31st to get your idea in.
I was a little dissapointed because I was going to vote for The Woombie (review to come soon) but there was no category for it. The categories you can enter items in are Meal time and feeding, playtime, baby medical musts, car seats, high chairs, and nursery. Click here to vote for your favorite baby item.

I'd be interested to know if you voted and what your favorite item is, you can leave a comment and let us all know.

Oatmeal Lactation Cookies

When I was talking to a friend about my milk production she told me that eating oatmeal helps and also told me about a recipe for oatmeal cookies that were beneficial but she had not personally tried them. So, being curious and really wanting more milk for Little Guy, I got the ingredients and had my mom and sister make them. They were definitely delicious!!
I want to share the recipe with all of you...

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (available at WalMart)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips
2-4 tablespoons brewer's yeast (Buy 1, Get 1 at Puritan's Pride)

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350°.
2 Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
3 Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
4 Add eggs and mix well.
5 Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
6 Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt.
7 Add dry ingredients to butter mix.
8 Stir in oats and chips.
9 Scoop onto baking sheet.
10 Bake for 12 minutes.
11 Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

Breastfeeding woes....

Growing up I always assumed that I would breastfeed my children - in my mind it was that natural thing that all Momma's do. Not only that, but the benefits of breastfeeding are numerous. I was excited when our Little Guy came along, I had plans to feed him all summer and then to pump when I returned to work so he could have the best milk around.

After Little Guy was born he was brought to me in the recovery room so I could feed him, he was less than an hour old at this time and seemed to latch on without a problem. Over the next few days we woke him every 3 hours so he could eat; I felt that something wasn't right but since I had never done this before I listened when the nurses reassured me that this was breastfeeding. It hurt like crazy (I was bleeding before we left) and he kept falling asleep; I know that these are both normal but something just wasn't right! Be we were released I asked to see a lactation consultant (I had seen them throughout my stay but never during a feeding)but she was busy. Yes, we could have waited but after 4 nights we were ready to go home! Instead, one of the nursery nurses walked me though it again and gave me a few pointers - this time I felt good about it. My other concern was that Little Guy hadn't had a wet or dirty diaper in over 24 hours; the nurses were a little concerned but said that since he had so many in the 1st day he was probably okay.

The next afternoon the lactation consultant called to see how we were doing and I mentioned that he still had only had one wet but no dirty diapers. She told us to bring him in and we weighed him, then fed him before weighing him again. Besides the fact that it hurt and he wasn't latching on well, he only gained 0.1 ounce!!! I felt that I was neglecting my son because I wasn't feeding him enough.... Since he really needed to eat more but we wanted to breastfeed she suggested that we feed him for 10 minutes on each breast and then use a syringe and tube to give him more. The tubing would be tucked into the corner of his mouth and he would suck it out- this would improve his sucking (immediate reward) as well as help me produce more milk. While this was quite a production it was definitely worth it to help our little one grow!! She also suggested that we start pumping and giving him my milk and supplementing with formula as needed.

We did this for 3 days before going in for our next appointment with the lactation consultant...

These were 3 very long days...the feedings took over an hour and then we had to turn around and start over again three hours from the start time. This left no time to enjoy our family that was visiting, no time to sleep, and we were VERY stressed!! We went in ready to just bottle feed and while the lactation consultant wanted to help us out I was almost in tears so she suggested that we simply bottle feed and I continue to pump.

The pumping is going okay. It is definitely tough to make time for it while I am home alone with the Little Guy but I know how much better my milk is for him. Do we get enough for him to live solely on breastmilk? No way!! In fact I have tried many different things including fenugreek, blessed thistle, eating oatmeal, homemade oatmeal lactation cookies, etc.

Do you have any suggestions to increase milk production? I would love to hear them!

Free sample for breastfeeding moms

Get a FREE sample of The First Years Nursing Care Instant Relief System to heal & soothe sore breasts. Click here http://tinyurl.com/y9c2fjl and fill out your shipping address and we'll send you a free sample!! This is a new doctor-developed product that naturally soothes and begins healing sore nipples. A cooling gel pad slipped into a milk protein treatment sleeve provides quick relief.
I got mine in the mail and can't wait to tell you all about it!! FYI- You only get one gel pack and might want two so I would suggest signing a good friend up for one as well :)

SKOY Cloth Review and Giveaway

SKOY cloth was started by 2 California stay-at-home-moms who wanted a quality cloth that was also environmentally friendly.


SKOY cloth is a reusable and biodegradable (made from natural cotton and wood based cellulose pulp) cloth that is meant to take the place of paper towels (which can be super expensive and used only once!) You can use these in place of paper towels, wash cloth or sponges and are much healthier since they dry quickly lessening the chance of bacteria breeding.


When I got my SKOY cloths in the mail I had a hard time using them because they were so cute with a flower design on each; I did decide to use one for each room of the house and one for the floor. So, I labeled them with 'bathroom', 'kitchen', 'laundry room', and 'floors' and got started cleaning for my baby's arrival. I was very impressed with the quality of the cloths - I have been using one to hand scrub my floors for over two months and there is still no sign of wear! I use the other three to wash counters and cabinets so I expect them to last quite awhile. For washing they suggest putting it in the microwave, dishwasher, or washing machine. I have put them in both the microwave and the washing machine and both came out clean, and when you wet it and put it in the microwave it steams and is excellent for giving your microwave a quick clean.


I absolutely love the convenience of the SKOY cloth and feel like I am helping save the earth everytime I grab one instead of a paper towel!

--Buy It--

You can go to the SKOY website and buy a 4-pack for $6.99

**Win It**

The people at SKOY cloth have generously offered a reader 2 cloths of their own.

**Mandatory Entry**

Visit the SKOY website and tell me something you like or learned.

Be sure to include your email address in all of your entries. If your name is drawn but your email is not present, I will choose a new winner.

This contest will end Friday, May 28, 2010 at 11:59pm. A winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email.

**Extra Entries**

~Visit SKOY on Facebook and leave a message on their wall telling them that Caching Family sent you. (1 entry)

~Follow my blog. (1 entry)

~Grab my button. (2 entries)

~Blog about the contest. (2 entries)

~Subscribe via email. (1 entry)

SKOY provided me with the cloths for this review. No other compensation was received and the opinions are all mine.

Winner

Winner!!!

The winner of the Seventh Generation free and clear kit is Bebemiqui.
Congratulations and thanks to those that entered.

Bebemiqui has been emailed and has 48 hours to respond.

Dapple Baby Review

dapple

Recently I have been on a big kick to use natural cleaners around our house. This has a lot to do with the recent addition of Little Guy; I want a safe environment for him as well a a healthier planet for his future. I found an amazing product online that is geared specifically toward cleaning baby items from dried milk on bottles to sticky finger prints on toys. Dapple makes natural baby products to help with everyday clean-up around the house.

The company was started by two moms who couldn't find organic baby products meant to clean toys, cups, bottles, etc. Everything they used left the detergent smell and a residue, not something you want in your baby's mouth. So, they made it their mission to create products that would be safe for babies and clean up the necessary messes. And they succeeded, all Dapple products use natural-based ingredients that are environmentally-safe, biodegradable, and free of parabens, SLES, and phthalates, as well as synthetic dyes or fragrances.

I had the opportunity to try the Dapple dish liquid and the Dapple toy cleaner spray. I was so excited as these items came in the mail just days after purchasing used toys at a local consignment sale.
I feel it is very important to wash all toys, both brand new and used, before children play with them. I had already washed the new items that we received as gifts at baby showers but was not thrilled as some of them got water inside when I put them in the soapy water. That wouldn't have happened with the Dapple toy cleaner spray as it isn't on there long enough, yet I felt confident that the toys were clean.
Here is what Dapple says about the toy cleaner spray:
Features:
Natural-based ingredients
Phtalate-free, paraben-free, SLES- & dye-free
Fragranced with pure lavender essential oil
Biodegradable
Not tested on animals
Certified to contain no detectable levels of dioxane
What’s in Dapple Toy Cleaner Spray?
Purified water, baking soda, cleaners made from fruits, tree oils and glucose, French lavender essential oil, essential oil dispersant, preservative derived from natural amino acid.

In line with latest medical research, Dapple Toy Cleaner Spray is not antibacterial. It works like a thorough wash with soap and water – so baby can build up a strong immune system while enjoying clean surroundings. Just spray, wipe and play.™

I sat down with all of Little Guy's toys, a cloth, and the toy cleaner. Everything that had a solid surface was washed and the cleaner wiped away - simple as that!! I LOVE the lavendar scent but it doesn't stay with the toy, it just makes cleaning more fun for mommy :) I also wiped down the swing as a friend had given it to us and it was very dirty, I was amazed at how much dirt was on the cloth when I was done. A little of this product goes a long way, I actually sprayed directly on the cloth and was able to clean a few toys with just a couple of sprays. I am very comfortable with Little Guy putting toys in his mouth and I know I can easily clean them again when necessary.

Little Guy's drawer or toys - I did not wash the animals with Dapple toy cleaner spray, if you do they suggest that you do a small patch test first.

If you are a bottle feeder, which I am, you understand how important it is to have clean bottles. We buy the BPA free ones but then turn around and wash them with soaps that are full of chemicals. Not any more!!

Here is what Dapple says about their dish liquid:

Features:
Rinses fast
Natural-based ingredients
Phtalate-free, paraben-free, SLES- & dye-free
Fragranced with pure lavender essential oil
Biodegradable
Not tested on animals
Certified to contain no detectable levels of dioxane
What’s in Dapple Dish Liquid?

Purified water, baking soda, cleaners derived from fruits, tree oils and glucose, French lavender essential oil, essential oil dispersant.

After Little Guy was born and breastfeeding didn't work for us, I found myself washing a ton of bottles. The first soap I reached for, and still do, was the Dapple liquid. I was so excited as the lavendar scent was back.... I noticed that the soap was a little thicker than traditional dish liquids and the suds don't last long. Be assured - these do not change the quality of the soap - I was very happy with how clean they were and how easy they were to rinse.

Dapple has focused on making organic baby products and they are very generous and make donations to a variety of organizations.

Would I buy Dapple in the future? Absolutely!! You can always buy online, but if you just want a small amount you will need to find a local retailer.

The products were given to me by Dapple but all opinions are mine.

Our Birth Story, Part 1

My husband and I planned on birthing our son completely natural - free of any drugs unless medically necessary. Well, that was my plan and my husband was supporting me in my decisions. It was important for me to take this route as I wanted our Little Guy to enter the world peacefully and for myself to be completely aware of my surroundings and in control of my body.

Great plan until my doctor informed me that he would not let me go over my due date considering that I have protein-s deficiency. With this my blood clots more than normal and even though I had been giving myself a shot each day throughout the pregnancy he said that my chances of clotting would increase with each day that I went over the due date. So, an induction was planned; we took the latest date we could - April 5th (his due date was Tuesday, April 6th). A couple of weeks before this I would have given anything to have him as I was so exhausted and still working every day. At this point I was on spring break and since I could relax at home I would have been willing to wait a few more weeks!

The doctor planned on using Cytotec to induce me as I wasn't dilated enough for pitocin. I went home and read all about it and started to freak out as the drug is not meant for labor instead it is an ulcer medication and a side effect is contractions. After my research I called the doctor and he calmed me down and I realized that I am not the only person in the world to use Cytotec for induction and the rare things that I read about could have happened to just one person but every case needs to be reported...

So, Sunday night we made sure we were packed and then got a lousy night of sleep due to finishing touches around the house, nerves, and getting up early. We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 am Monday, April 5th and got one of the rooms we wanted - a larger one with a tub! I immediately reminded the nurses that I wanted a doula but they suggested we wait to see if anything actually happened. After taking about 45 minutes to answer all of the necessary questions, I got my first dose of Cytotec. Yes, I said 1st dose- I didn't know that we would be getting more of this if it didn't take effect!!!!!!!!!!! After taking this medicine I had to lay in bed and be monitored for 2 hours for both the fetal heartrate and the contractions. After 30 minutes I had my first contraction and a few more followed within a short time; I was excited as I was sure something was beginning to happen - I was induced for goodness sake!!

We were taken off of the monitor at 10:30 and were allowed to walk around; our first stop was always at the nursery to see all of the new little ones :) There was a large rectangle in the maternity ward that was perfect for walking around and we completed so many laps that we had to turn and go clockwise after awhile... We had 45 minutes and spent a good portion of this time walking during which I felt several contractions but nothing that was extreme. The deal was that we would get the 45 minutes then be monitored for 15 and again get 45 to do as we pleased. The walking always brought on better contractions that the cytotec and laying in bed but that was not a choice that I was given.
After our first round with all of this we were given a 1/2 dose of Cytotec at 12:30 and they allowed me to eat a small lunch and the only really good part in all of that was the cookie!! I was told that if we did not make progress it was possible that we might be allowed to go home and come back as needed or Friday when my doctor was on call. This was one of those promises that seemed broken as nothing really did happen and I still had to stay... This dose followed the same path as the first; better contractions when we were up and walking than when we just layed there. At 4:15 the doctor came in and did an internal exam; we were 2cm dilated, 50% effaced, and -1 station. At 4:55 we were given 3/4 pill of Cytotec and the contractions started to become stronger and came every 2-3 minutes. Unfortuantely, this didn't last for too long...

Cloth Diapers this cheap?!?

When my husband and I talked about cloth diapering we were looking at saving money and space in our landfill. However, we also knew that the start-up cost of cloth diapering would be rather expensive and we almost chose disposables as money is rather tight right now. We put it off for what seemed like forever before sitting down with two computers and looking at different brands. My husband found Nubunz on Ebay and when I went to research the company and read reviews I found that they were cheaper on their website. Yes, the one size pocket diapers are only $9.50 each and come with two inserts!
As I read more on their website I saw that there were 'factory seconds' for only $5.50 or you can order them without the inserts for only $3!! I was a bit nervous about the idea of factory seconds as I didn't want to waste our money but we decided to order 20 anyways. Yes, we got 20 cloth diapers that will fit our child until he is potty trained for only $126 and that included shipping and handling.
Apparently, the company that they order their PUL from sent some not so waterproof PUL and some of it leaks and some doesn't, essentially you are taking a gamble when you order these but they say there is a 20-30% chance that you will have a problem with the PUL. They will still cover problems with the diapers just not the PUL itself. Also, if you get the diaper and decide that you don't want it they will allow you to return them. Knowing this, I washed one of each color and tried them on our Little Guy before washing the rest. Since we had no problems I have washed the others and now have a great stash of diapers.
Even with the one size, they are fitting our Little Guy who is a little under 7lb. right now. He had a very loose BM last night and it held everything inside, absolutely love these diapers!! Also, with this being my first time using cloth, I must admit that I am very impressed with how well they wick the moisture away from his little bottom. We will definitely continue to cloth diaper!!


I suggest that you head on over to the Nubunz website and check out their factory seconds.

Go quickly as they are moving very fast, they are already out of the velcro square tabs.

Our first night in Cloth Diapers

We first put our Little Guy in cloth diapers on Tuesday, he was one week old at the time. I would have started earlier but I was so nervous to wash them - I was afraid of doing something wrong. I hadn't used them at night as I hadn't washed enough and was nervous about leaks.
He wore them all day yesterday and I continued with them at bedtime. You also need to know that I had offered to take baby duty all night as my husband had an early interview and he needed sleep.
So, the 12:30 feeding came around and he had wet through and the sheet was soaked. (I like to keep two sheets on so I can pull one off and not have to make any changes but he had wet earlier in the week.) So, I put him on the changing table and proceeded to change him into a new outfit. I placed a washcloth over his penis so he didn't spray all over as that is rather common these days. He may not have sprayed but he did wet and it got him and the changing pad sheet soaked!! At this point I started to think about the humor in it all and the great post it would make.
Since there were no clean mattress pads I didn't want to put him in there and took him into the cradle in our room instead. He slept well in there and I am happy to say that he did not wet through for the rest of the night.
He has not been in a disposable diaper since yesterday morning will continue to be in cloth diapers for daytime, nighttime, and on the road- we are loving this!!

We're Back!!

Tuesday, April 6th was a big day for our family as we welcomed Tate Thomas into this world!! He was born at 3:55 pm, weighed 7lb 4 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Holey Donuts Review

I recently had the opportunity to review some products from Holey Donuts, a company that makes donuts without deep frying them creating a lighter donut with a lot less fat.
The donuts happened to be shipped right about the time that a big snow storm came through the South so they took 6 days to get here compared to the 2-3 that they prefer. Please note - this was at no fault to Holey Donuts, we can blame Mother Nature here! When I contaced them concerning the delay they said the donuts would be fine as long as they were not melted. While the dry ice was gone, the donuts were still in great condition and we got them right back into the freezer.
From the Holey Donuts page -
Did you know the average donut has 15-20 grams of fat and as much as 480 calories?
Our patented cooking process avoids deep frying, creating a light, fluffy donut with as little as 3-4 grams of fat and 150-250 calories. You'd actually have to eat 4 of our full-sized, delicious donuts to get the amount of fat in just one traditional donut. What's more amazing is that we do not use any artificial sweeteners or fat substitutes to make our great tasting donuts. Unlike other "lite" or low fat foods, nothing about these donuts tastes low fat.
Our donuts are hand-made, flash frozen and delivered via express mail to arrive at your door, picture perfect and delicious! Keep in your freezer for a great low fat and low calorie treat anytime!

Low Fat Classic Vanilla Frosted

The vanilla frosting (and donut) were quite delicious! We happened to get these just before Valentine's Day so the pink sprinkles really added to the spirit of the holiday!!

Jumbo Reduced Fat Cinnamon Buns

These earth shattering full size Reduced Fat Cinnamon Buns contain no raisins or nuts. What is nuts, is the nutritional comparison! While both are about the same size, the Reduced Fat Cinnamon Bun from Holey Donuts! is super moist and delicious, yet has only 5 grams of fat compared to the Cinnamon Buns at Cinnabon with 54 grams of Fat!
We had a geocaching weekend planned so we took these out of the freezer the day before so they were perfectly defrosted when we were on the road and needed breakfast. Oh my goodness, these were absolutely delicious!! Even the guys, who were not sure how a low fat cinnamon bun would taste, were licking their fingers clean and saying they would definitely consider buying these again. I didn't feel that any flavor was lost by taking out the raisins and nuts, in fact - the apple flavor really added to it!

Sampler Favorites A

Included in this box are:

Reduced Fat Fudge Boston Cream (1): Low fat Boston cream filling with a delicious vanilla crumb topping.
Reduced Fat Raspberry Vanilla Truffle (1): Nothing beats this light combination of vanilla and light red raspberry.
Reduced Fat Caramel Apple (1): Rich caramel drizzled over a light crumb with real chunks of apple in the filling.
Reduced Fat Blueberry Crumbcake (1): Low fat blueberry filled donut with a cinnamon crumb coffee cake topping.
Reduced Fat Lemon Graham Cracker (1): Zesty lemon filling with a low fat graham cracker topping.
Low Fat Vanilla Crumb (1): Vanilla frosting and a light, fresh crumb topping (actually made from low fat muffins!)

While my husband wasn't too big on these donuts, I personally really enjoyed them. My favorite was the fudge boston cream, who doesn't like a good filled donut!!

Would I ever order them again?
Honestly, I do feel that they are a bit expensive and then the shipping makes it much higher as they need to keep them frozen. However, they often offer sales (one going on currently and they are more than 1/2 off) which dramatically lowers the cost. That would make it easier to place an order as they are a healthier alternative.

What would I do differently?
We immediately put ours in the freezer and took them out 1 or 2 at a time and microwaved them (one suggested way to defrost) but it seemed that the outside got soft while the inside cream was still a bit chilled. If I had microwaved them longer then the outside would have been too hot and possible the top melted. Another time I set them on the counter wrapped in a paper towel (they do not suggest this way) and they seemed to be too dry and I am not patient enough to wait an hour to eat my donut. They best that we ever had them was leaving the entire box out to thaw overnight (recommended).
Also, if I ordered these again I would probably repackage them before freezing. They come in a cardboard box with one piece of tape on them and since we didn't eat them quickly enough they became dry and picked up other flavors fromt he freezer.
I would definitely be willing to give these tasty, low fat donuts another try now that I know a little more about how to defrost and store.

Baby Update

We are due on Wednesday but the doctor refuses to let me go over the due date as I have protein-s deficiency and he wants the environment to be as controlled as possible. I really want to have this baby as naturally as possible so I would prefer to not be induced but I also understand his point. So, we go in Monday morning at 7:30 to get things started....

In the meantime, here are some pictures that a friend took when we were 38 weeks pregnant. We went to Lake Murray and she had some fabulous ideas and got some great shots.

I can honestly say that I wasn't too keen on bare belly pictures as I am a bit overweight, but Jordin worked with me and then I finally suggested that I try a belly pic!! If you live in the Lexington/Columbia, SC are and want to have belly picures (or any other for that matter) made let me know, I will hook you up!!

Seventh Generation Review and Giveaway

If you hadn't heard of Seventh Generation before, I'm sure you have now that they have commercials out. For over 20 years they have been working hard to 'protect planet home' with natural household products. Their headquarters are in Burlington, VT - that alone is exciting to me as my husband and I were there for our honeymoon and first anniversary and just love the area.

I really want to have a healthy home for our baby but had never purchased natural products in the past as I always thought of them as being too expensive...boy was I wrong! The prices may be a little higher but the health benefits are worth a million!!! Wanting to get my house CLEAN before our baby comes, I decided to contact a few 'green cleaning' companies to see if I could review their products. Seventh Generation was very willing to send me a package of my choice and they were wonderful to work with! I chose the 'free and clear starter kit' as I prefer not to have the scents or dyes if I can help it. This kit includes the following:

Free & Clear Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner -

Cleans without streaks and uses no harsh chemicals. Excellent for effectively cleaning glass, mirrors, chrome, and other hard surfaces around your home. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes, and masking agents. The day I received this in the mail I was washing the sliding glass door and was impressed that something with all natural products was able to get my windows clean and it didn't leave streaks! We have glass dining room and coffee table tops along with a large mirror in each bathroom. I have used the glass cleaner a few times and found that everything is absolutely clean. The only issue I had was with the top of the mirrors just below the lights where a few streaks were left. I am thinking that the heat from the lights dried it out before I had a chance to fully wipe it clean. When I repeated the mirrors wiping the top first I had no problems. One time I picked this up instead of the all purpose cleaner and uused it on my kitchen counter - it worked just as well!

Free & Clear Natural All Purpose Cleaner

Effectively cleans and degreases hard surfaces both inside and outside your home. Excellent for wet mopping. Not recommended for use on wood floors. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes, and masking agents. This was my favorite product of everything I was able to try, I began intensly spring cleaning the house and used this for everyhing and was very impressed every time!! We use this for the normal counter cleaning but I have also used it to wash the front of all of my cabinets, the top of my fridge, and all of my floors. Yes, I washed the floors on my hands and knees and have now decided not to replace the mop that I broke a few months ago...I will be using the Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner from now on! I was so excited to clean the top of my fridge because as soon as I used the all purpose cleaner all of the dust wiped away.

Free & Clear Natural Dish Liquid

Our new improved formula cleans more dishes than ever, and comes in a new 25oz bottle made from 90% post-consumer recycled plastic. Everyone can pitch in on the dishes thanks to our safe, non-toxic formula. When my husband first used the dishsoap he said it didn't bubble as much as the name brand product we traditionally use. However, he did find that it cleaned just as well and I don't feel guilty using it on the baby bottles. We later found that there were more bubbles if we put it directly in the water as opposed to putting it on the cloth to wash.

Free & Clear Natural Laundry Detergent, 50 oz

A unique combination of plant-derived cleaning agents and enzymes to power out even the toughest stains. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes and masking agents. I have used this on many different loads from darks to lights to my sheets, this allowed me to try a variety of temperatures including the steam cycle. Everything came out smelling fresh which I never realized I would love so much! Even after letting the clean and dry laundry sit in the closet for a few weeks it still smelled wonderful.

(2) Natural Paper Towels - 120 Count

Buying products made from recycled paper helps reduce the need for virgin wood pulp, which means more trees are left standing. These hard-working paper towels absorb spills quickly, even when wet. I don't use a lot of paper towels but found the Seventh Generation towels to be as absorbent as the towels we keep on hand. I did use it them my carpet to clean a spill and it did break apart rather quickly. I must admit though that I have never seen a paper towel stay in one piece except on TV commercials.

Reusable Tote

This of course is a typical reusable tote and even though I already had a few, getting this one gave me the push I needed to remember them at the store.

I also had to opportunity to review a few of their other products.

Natural Fabric Softener

Canola-derived fabric softener makes your laundry naturally fluffy and static-free. Add to your final rinse cycle or use for hand-washing delicates. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes, and masking agents. We typically don't use liquid fabric softener but did find it to be convenient and left my laundry soft as well as free of all smells.

Automatic Dishwasher Pacs

These concentrated automatic dishwasher pacs deliver our phosphate and chlorine free formula in a convenient single-use pac. We use our dishwasher all of the time and I found this to wash the dishes just as well as the name brand product we typically buy. We tend to over stuff the dishwasher and the items came out clean on the 1st wash!

Baby Laundry Liquid

New Concentrated 2X formula! This detergent is perfect for getting out those stains that are part of having a baby. Free of dyes & fragrances. I was very adament that all of our Little Guy's laundry needed to be washed in the super-expensive brand name baby laundry soap that everybody uses, boy was I wrong!! This is much cheaper and cleaned just as well. My mind has changed and my pocketbook and the Little Guy are thanking me! Everything turned out clean with no harsh smells.

So, my mind has changed and I will now be purchasing more products by Seventh Generation. I really want to try their disinfecting products as we do a lot of chicken and turkey and want to make sure the area is free of all germs after prepping them. A few weeks after I started using these products, I was touching up the bathroom and didn't want to alk to the kitchen to get the Seventh Generation Products so I picked up a colored product from the bathroom cabinet and almost gagged from the smell!!

We also don't have any bleached bracelets on our shirts; this used to happen when my husband used a bleachy cleaner on the kitchen counters and accidently dragged the cuff of his shirt in it.

Want to try these Seventh Generation products yourself? Head to their website and find out where you can but them locally.

Seventh Generation was very generous to offer a reader a Free and Clear Started Kit which will include the first 6 items I listed above.

****Mandatory Entry****

To enter, visit their website, find the product you want to try and tell me one fact about it. You will need to leave a separate comment for each entry and your email address each time.

The contest will end Friday, April 30th at midnight.

****Extra Entries****

~Subscribe to me via email

~Follow me (2 extra entries)

~Grab my button
~Tell others about the contest, make sure you tell me what you did

Seventh Generation provided these products free of charge, all of the opinions are mine.

To tear or not to tear?

We went for our 36 week check-up today and I shared my birth plan with our midwife. I had written that I would prefer an episiotomy over tearing.
Let me explain...even though I want an all natural childbirth, I would prefer to have a local anesthetic and be cut as opposed to an unexpected tear.
Well, the midwife looked at me and said, "You really want an episiotomy? I didn't expect that from you!" She explained that evertime a woman pushes it stretches the perineum a little before the baby slides back. So, with every push, the perineum stretches a little bit more so when the full delivery comes it has stretched enough that if you do tear it should be rather small and not to a serious degree.
However, if the doctor cuts you, the area below the tear has not been stretched at all and is very likely to tear; this would cause a larger open wound from both the cut and tear. With all of this she asked me to go home and research it more.
Honestly, that was rather eye opening for me! Now that I have looked at all of the information I will ask for perineum support and if the doctor tells me that I need to be cut we will have a quick discussion as to his reasoning and go from there. If there is an issue with either Tate or myself and we need a quick delivery or the baby's position requires a little extra room then I would be okay with an episiotomy, otherwise I now prefer to have a small tear as opposed to being cut.

Geocaching Acronyms

If you have decided to try geocaching, you will come across a lot of acronyms and wonder what they are. Here are the basics you will need to know to get started (and some extras that are simply fun!)

CITO - Cache In, Trash Out - Since we are out and about in nature, it is suggested that we clean up around us during our cache find. Sometimes cachers do this, but when trying to get your numbers up, you may find you are in too much of a rush to do this so that is where the events come in. Once in awhile a cacher will host a CITO event in which the whole goal is to clean up a specific area. These are usually held at state parks, national forests, or local parks.

TFTC - Thanks For The Cache - This is simply another quick way to write something in the log, I often use it if I don't have much else to say.

SL - Signed Log - This is just a shortened way to write on the online cache page that your were there and signed the log.

TNLN - Took Nothing, Left Nothing - When the cache is large enough and you have the opportunity to trade out items, people like to let others know that they didn't make an exchange.

P&G - Park and Grab - This is used to tell that a find is quick and you can often park rather close to it.

FTF - First To Find - This is a favorite for everybody!! It simply means that you were the first to find a particular cache!!

DNF - Did Not Find - This is used when you were not able to locate the cache.

BYOP - Bring Your Own Pen - This is ofen written on the cache page when the cache is too small to hold a pen.

UPS - Unusual Pile of Sticks - When in the woods the caches are typically not buried but can be covered with leaves, rocks, etc. In this case you have a pile of sticks (obvious to the cacher) covering the cache container.

Clean Green Event

With our first baby on the way, there is no better time to change over to 'green' products around our house. There are a ton of benefits to more earthly materials, but the two that come to mind the quickest are the health of my family and keeping the Earth beautiful for our children of the future!

My husband and I recently started recycling at home and have been doing so at work throughout the year. Okay, so I may be joining the movement a bit late, but that is better than never. We also plan on cloth diapering our little guy to save room at the landfills (and health benefits among others).

Knowing that the nesting phase has begun and will only increase as the due date comes, I want to clean the house using only green products. I am looking to host a review/giveaway event here at the end of March, if you would like to see a company on here let me know and I will try my best. I currently have a great package lined up from Seventh Generation and am hoping for many more.

Geocaching 101

As much as my husband and I enjoy geocaching I told myself I would blog about it when I initially started this, that was 4 months ago and this is my second log. A goal of mine is to write more about this amazing sport to inform others so that they might also join in.

Geocaching is an outdoor activity in which the cacher uses a GPS system to locate hidden items. Geocaching requires internet access so you can determine the coordinates and a GPS system so you can go on the hunt. People of all ages enjoy geocaching, I look forward to our entire family getting out for hikes.

To begin, go to the geocaching website and click on 'getting started' to sign up for a FREE membership.Now, you can get a premium membership for $30 which will give you a few extra benefits and access to some 'members only' caches, but to begin with I would suggest the FREE membership to see if you really like it.

Type in your home zip code and a list of local geocaches will pop up. Choose one that is close and read more about it. Then you just need to put the coordinates into your GPS system and head on out.

Once you find the geocache, you will need to sign your geocaching handle along with the date. Once you are back on the computer, go back to the cache page and on the top right hand side, choose to log your visit. Click and choose that you found it (hopefully) and write a note about your find.

Now you are ready to find your next cache!! Over the next few weeks I will post more information about geocaching hoping to interest many more people in the sport.


The Groundspeak Geocaching Logo is a registered trademark of Groundspeak, Inc. used with permission.

Babywearing

With our baby due in a little over 7 weeks, I have to really consider how much I want to 'wear' our baby. With all of this I decided to check around online and share it with my readers.
So with what I found, babywearing simply means to wear your baby in a sling or carrier. Since most parents do this at some point or another, I typically consider babywearing to mean carrying your baby in a sling for long periods of time and throughout most of the day.

There are many benefits of babywearing, including:

• Happy babies - carried babies cry less
• Confident parents - parents that carry their babies begin to learn their expressions and cues quicker than those that do not carry their babies
• Healthy babies - this is especially beneficial for premature or special needs babies
• Comfort and convenience - you can get housework done without putting your baby down!
• Good for mental development - babies are comfortable and in the 'quiet, alert state' which is most conducive for learning
• Good for emotional development - babies develop sense of trust and security

When I looked up the cons of babyweearing, the only thing I could find was that some carriers are uncomfortable...not really a con if you ask me, just find one that you like.

I was surprised at the little bit of information I found; yes, there are more sites out there but I guess I was hoping for more information.

So, will we babywear? I do have a sling and have registered for a carrier as I think my husband will be more comfortable with a tradional carrier. I am fortunate and will not return to work until our little guy is 4 months old (I teach and will have the summer off) so I will have the opportunity to have him on me as much as possible. However, I strongly feel that if a baby is held a lot, it will expect to be carried and in somebody's arms most of the time; this is not something I want in our household. Yes, I love my baby and want to cuddle with him, but I know I can't do it at all times! I want our baby to be able to play independently and believe this starts at an early age. Does this mean that I will put him down and leave him for long periods of time? No way!! What it means is we will get him used to playing with his toys, falling asleep on his own, etc.

What I don't like and see a lot of is taking their child in their carseat everywhere they go. Thise are the times that I will wear Tate - church, grocery store, restaurants, etc.

Do you babywear? Please share your thoughts with me.

Information for this blog somes fromt eh following sites:

Baby Wearing International http://babywearinginternational.org/pages/whatisbabywearing.php

thebabywearer.com
http://www.thebabywearer.com/index.php?page=bwgreatthings

askdrseaers.com
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/t051100.asp#T051103

Holey Donuts Contest

Wow, don't they look delicious? Want to try some for yourself? Head on over to Holey Donuts and buy some or sign up for their mailing list and you will be entered to win the February Love Assortment consisting of 4 boxes of our latest, best selling, super yummy Holey Donuts! Low Fat Treats and $250 Holey Donuts! store credit good for 1 year. That right there would be enough for me to sign up!! But, there's more - sign up and you receive special offers, free shipping, super private discount codes!!
To enter into this contest go to their website, head down to the bottom and click on 'contact us'. From there all you will need to do is enter your email address and in the message box tell them you are interested in entering the contest and that you found out about it on the 'Caching Family' blog. You may be wondering why I would have you do this... Well, I can honestly say that I want to win $500!!! The blogger that gets the most people to sign up will win that in cash; I know we can use that money toward bills and the baby on the way!
I have never tried their products but they are sending me some samples and I will be sure to review them - if I get any with my husband around!! A good friend of mine has tried the donuts and really enjoyed them so I can't wait!
The low fat cinnamon bun middles pictured above are only 100 calories or 2 weight watchers points each!! All I can say is wow!!! These are one of their newest - jumbo low fat chocolate chip donuts - only 5 grams of fat apiece, how can you feel guilty about that?!?

How about these for Valentine's Day? Wouldn't your sweetheart enjoy waking up Sunday morning to these delicious donuts - you don't have to mention that they are only 3 grams of fat each, but that would make it SOOOO much sweeter!!

Be sure to enter for your change to win 4 boxes of donuts and $200 store credit and enter 'Caching Family' into the box.

Free Kashi Sample

Who doesn't love a satisfying, healthy meal or snack? I know I do and most often turn to Kashi brand products to fill that need. They are currently giving away a free sample of either GOLEAN Crisp!™ Toasted Berry Crumble cereal, TLC® Dark Chocolate Coconut Fruit & Grain bar, or GOLEAN Crunch!® Honey Almond Flax cereal. Personally I am going to try the toasted berry cereal since that is one I haven't tried before.
To get your FREE sample, go to www.kashi.com and click to get your free sample. You will then be given a choice of the 3 products mentioned above and then you will be prompted to give your mailing information. The hardest part is having patience as it does take 4-6 weeks to get your sample.
Kashi offers a variety of products from frozen entrees to delicious cookies. Here are a couple of my favorite products. The original 7 grain crackers are great on their own or can be paired with cheese and be mighty tasty!! Be careful, you might want to eat most of the box!!

I also love their cookies, especially the oatmeal dark chocolate. Imagine a cookie that is actually healthy for you!!! Of course, you can't eat the entire container and consider it to be healthy but 1 or 2 sure does satisfy a craving!!

Be sure to get your free sample and check out some of their other products the next time you are getting groceries!!!

Wooldins Review Update

Back in December I had an opportunity to review some cloth wipes from the Etsy shop Wooldins. If you recall, the wipes that the owner Carolyn sent to me were definitely seconds - but still usable.
Carolyn felt bad about the quality of wipes I had received and wanting to correct it so she sent me 6 wipes and a pair of nursing pads!! The quality of the wipes was much better than the first ones I received and the nursing pads have a dart, or a tapered tuck, to give them a better fit. The feel of the pads against the skin is so soft, I can't wait for this little guy to be born and actually wear these!!
My point with this post is: if you order something from Wooldins and the quality isn't 100% (not likely to happen) Carolyn will work with you to make it right. Keep in mind that I wasn't a paying customer; I don't think a paying customer would have any problems at all and if you did, she will correct it. This really says a lot about Carolyn and how she wants to portray her company.
Stop on over to her shop, she has a variety of items and I'm sure there is something you can use!!

My Sweet Punkin Patch Review

I recently had the opportunity to review a ring sling from My Sweet Punkin Patch. The ring slings are made from medium weight linen. I really like this as I feel it will be breathable for both my baby and I during the hot South Carolina summers. Since we plan on hiking quite a bit with our little one, I don't feel either of us will be sweaty as we grab more geocaches. The ring slings are fully adjustable (about 78" long) and can be used for newborns through toddlers, up to 35 pounds. I plan on babywearing a bit and will also use it as Tate becomes a toddler and we take day trips.
The rings are non-welded aluminum made specifically for baby carriers; they have been submitted to rigorous testing to ensure the highest quality. Knowing this makes me feel confident to carry my baby and not worry about slipping or breaking.

Brook is very generous and was wonderful to work with to work with!! Not only did she give me the sling to review but she gave me options in colors. Since we didn't know the sex of our baby at the time I chose the wheat; a few days later she sent me an email with a picture of 3 different ribbons that would go with the material. Wow, talk about customer service!! I was a very happy person at this point and got even more excited when I opened the package to find this beautifully wrapped sling.

The ribbon is used at the pocket and near the rings. I really like the idea of a pocket, it is large enough to hold a pacifier, burp cloth, or my cell phone and wallet.

Since our little one is not here yet I cannot tell you how comfortable the sling is or how easy it is to adjust and maneuver in. However, on my recent trip to NY I was at the mall with some friends and one realized I had brought my sling to show her and used it to carry her 13 month old around for a few minutes. She did say it was comfortable and she seemed to get her angel in and out without any problems.

My Sweet Punkin Patch also offers a beautiful selection of bibs, wipes, and pouch slings (these are made specifically for you using your measurements!!

Check out the My Sweet Punkin Patch etsy shop or go to her personal website where you will see some materials and other great offers. Her prices are very reasonable and I will probably be ordering some wipes from her in the future!

It's a Boy!!

My husband and I couldn't decide if we should find out the sex of the baby or wait. I really wanted to wait as I wanted a surprise and I didn't feel that I would be surprised in the doctor's office...so, we compromised and came up with a plan.We had the ultrasound picture put in an envelope and I gave it to a lady at work who was willing to make a cake for us; the inside of the cake would be pink if it was a girl and blue fir a boy. We had plans to take the cake to NY, have dinner with our parents the night of our arrival, and then share the cake for dessert; nobody knew we were going to find out.After the 30 hour drive (major snow storm) the cake arrived in good condition, it was shifted a little but we couldn't see the inside. The lady did a wonderful job on the cake, we'll definitely be going to her in the future.
During dinner we had a discussion about what everybody thought the sex would be, between the 6 of us we were divided equally. Once we were done we told them that we were going to find out and brought the cake in. This definitely surprised them as they thought we were waiting until the end...

Everybody stood around as we cut, especially our mothers who were just as excited as we were!! Even though I'd had a dream that it was a boy (I've found dreams like these to typically be accurate), I had my heart set on a girl. My husband also thought it was going to be a girl; our chances of a girl are not very high as there are very few girls in his family.

And the cutting revealed...a blue cake!!!! So, Tate Thomas it will be!!

Winners

Winners!!!
The winner of the Wooldins

cloth wipes is Wehaf.
Wehaf said, "I like the AIO microfleece-backed menstrual pads."

The winner of the Turn A New Leaf

cloth diaper is Life More Simply.

She said, 'shower button'

Both winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond.

Thanks to everybody who entered both of these contests.