Thursday Blog Hops--3/31/11

       

Wicked All Day--REVIEW

Well I finally finished reading Wicked All day by Liz Carlyle!! You can read my original 'In My Mailbox' post about it here.

Overview: Zoë is a young girl, early 20s, who is soon to be deemed unmarriagable by society. She has been through 5 seasons, and has yet to find a suitor who satisfies her. Her father threatens that if she doesn't find a husband soon, he will banish her to their estate in Scotland.. She is terrified of this, and her reason is always because she doesn't want to live with the sheep. :) The few suitors that she semi-likes, she doesn't want to marry because of their family. You see, Zoë is a 'bastard' child, her father impregnanted a young opera singer, then paid her off so he could keep the child. Well-to-do families in society look down on Zoë for not having 'pure blood'.
One night at a party, her childhood friend's brother (Lord Stuart Mercer) rescues her from a soon-to-be bad situation involving another man. Then her father tells her that she needs to marry Sir Edgar Haverfield, who has been after her for awhile, but Zoë knows that is mother looks down on her, so she refuses. Her father, Rannoch, threatens Scotland again, which leaves her very upset. She runs to the arms of her friend Robin (Mercer's younger brother), and they get caught by Mercer in a sexual embrace. For fear of Zoë being ruined, Robin agrees to marry her, even though he is in love with his mistress.
Zoë and her family go to stay at Mercer's family estate, Greythorpe, for awhile until the wedding plans are finalized. During this time, Robin is very cold, going to the brothel every night, and sleeping his days away. Zoë knows that she broke his heart, by keeping him from marrying his mistress. Meanwhile, Zoë and Mercer keep having sexual encounters, and realizing they are in love. Then tragedy strikes...

My Review: While this book took me awhile to get into, I gave it 4 of 5 stars. I felt sorry for Zoë because throughout the book, she is paying for the sins of her doting father because most people look down on her, and deem her unfit for marriage. She is always worried about being 'wicked' and being sent away to Scotland. While her & Robin never actually had sex, it was seen as they did, and they would be caught in a loveless marriage, ruining their friendship. The book was confusing at times, because there were lots of people mentioned, and at different points they were referred to as either their first or last name (maybe I should start writing all the names down!). Overall, it was a good book. The sex scenes weren't too graphic, but just enough to let you know the feelings. I did think it ended kind of abruptly, because I would have liked to know what they family thought of the new arrangement.

Wednesday Hops---3/30/11

Link up blogs, twitter, facebook, or giveaways!!

About ME

I'm trying to build my about me page.. and well.. it sounds kinda lame! That sounds terrible.. I have always been bad about writing about myself..

So I am opening the floor!!

If anyone wants to ask me a question.. or more than one!!... Feel free to do so :)

You can comment on this post, e-mail me, whatever you want to do. I'll answer all the questions.. well within reason of course.. And then put the answers on my about me page!

So ask away :)

30 Days of Me--DAY 4

Day 4-Your parents

Hopefully my mom & dad won't kill me for putting their pictures on here... But here they are :)

 

The first pic is my mom & Rueben when he was born... as you can tell, I look nothing like her! Her name is Shanna. I also have a half-sister named Allison... this is her in the second picture. She is 13 now.

This is my dad & his side of the family... It's a older teeny one, so hopefully you can see!! The back row is my stepmom Wendy, Daddy (Eddie), & me. The front row is my stepsister Liza, my youngest half-brother Aubrey, and my other half-brother Landon. Liza is 16, Landon is 12, and Aubrey is 10.

I think I strayed a bit from the 'parents' topic, but o well.. now you can see my whole family!!

Monday Blog Hops

 I'm linking up with The Not-S-Secret Confessions of a First Time Mom, Sippy Cups & Cloth Bums, and Luxury Living, Frugal Style for the Mom Blog Monday! This week's featured blog is Too Blessed To Be Stressed!! Visit any of these blogs to link up, or click the button above!______________________________________________

Also linking up with The Things We Find Inside for I Love My Online Friends! This week's guest blog is Artsy Chaos!!

_________________________________________________

Give It To Me Tara has a weekly blog & giveaway link-up---post either your blog, giveaway, or both! Or you can click the link or button above to visit her site, follow some blogs, & enter some great giveaways!__________________________________________________


Linking with Snack Bar Reviews

Snack Bar Reviews & Crane are hosting a giveaway!!

Go here to enter!!

Winner receives a humidifier from Crane! They have great choices, especially for children's rooms! There are frogs, tigers, elephants, etc. :) These are super quiet, too!

Sunday Link-Ups

______________________________________________________

I'm also linking up with The Story Siren for this weeks In My Mailbox.. I only got 1 book again this week, also from SheKnows Points & Prizes!

Back Cover synopsis....

Whose wife was she?

Macy Lockhart's life shattered in a moment with the news that her husband, Finn--serving in the military overseas--has been killed in the line of duty. Their ardent and devoted marriage is over, leaving Macy alone, empty, directionless. But while she tries to sustain herself with memories of Finn, the quiet, stron man who made her and their small Texas ranch the center of his life, it is wealthy Wyatt Clark who slowly brings joy back into her life. Her love for Wyatt may be less romantic than the breathless passion she'd once shared with Finn, but she vows to cherish him, and their marriage is happy and as solid as a rock. Until the day that Finn, miraculously spared from death, returns home to claim his bride....

How can a woman choose between the two men she loves? And how will she make the right choice--for herself and everyone involved? In a deeply moving, passionate novel, New York Times bestselling author Julia London illuminates the questions hidden in a woman's heart.

I am so excited to begin reading this book!! I'm still working on Wicked All Day, and I'm about halfway through, then starting this one!! I'll keep everyone updated :)

HofHH & Baby Rock Apparel are hosting a giveaway!!

Happenings of the Harper Household & Baby Rock Apparel are hosting a great giveaway--winner receives a t-shirt or onesie from the Baby Rock Apparel shop!!

Go to http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/03/baby-rock-apparel-review-giveaway.html to enter!!

So excited!!

I am so excited!! Christy at Raising Knights commented on a previous post (where I might have mentioned that I am SO interested in reviewing books) that I can go to this website (  ) to receive & review books.


Can I just say THANK YOU?!?
O and how AWESOME is that?


I am absolutely thrilled... It seems though that I have ventured off from my 'original' idea for this blog, which was mainly sewing & crocheting, but that's okay. Basically this blog is about my life, which involves sewing, crocheting, Rueben, me, and now READING :)) 


I hope that's okay with everyone!


Also--is everyone okay with me posting all my link-ups for one day on the same post? This will keep everyone from having to go thru post after post of just link-ups, especially since I am going to start linking up to several different places on different days.. Just let me know if this is a problem!


And THANKS again Christy from Raising Knights for recommending that site :)

I Took the Pledge!!

 The Mom Pledge

I am a proud Mommy Blogger. I will conduct myself with integrity in all my blogging activities. I can lead by example.

I pledge to treat my fellow moms with respect. I will acknowledge that there is no one, "right" way to be a good Mom. Each woman makes the choices best for her family.

I believe a healthy dialogue on important issues is a good thing. I will welcome differing opinions when offered in a respectful, non-judgmental manner. And will treat those who do so in kind.

I stand up against online bullying. My blog is my space. I will not tolerate comments that are rude, condescending or disrespectful.

I refuse to give those who attack a platform. I will remove their remarks from my blog with no mention or response. I can take control.

I want to see moms work together to build one another up, not tear each other down. Words can be used as weapons. I will not engage in that behavior.

I affirm that we are a community. As a member, I will strive to foster goodwill among moms. Together, we can make a difference. 

Feature & Follow Friday #1 & Stalk Hop #1

Linking up with Parajunkee for this week's Feature & Follow Friday :) This week's feature is Rebecca from Confessions of a Page Turner, and her question was.... Inspired by the inane twitter trend of #100 Facts About Me, give us 5 book related silly facts about you.


So here it goes...

1. I used to read at least 2-3 books at once, but now I can only keep up with 1 at a time!!
2. If a book is starting to get slow & boring, I skip ahead to find out if it gets better... If it does, I go back.. If not, I usually put it down, at least for a little while!
3. If I'm in a hurry in a bookstore, I scan all the titles (or authors!) to find one that interests me.
4. I would absolutely love to do a review someday!
5. I have a Sony E-Reader, but I haven't used it in awhile because my personal computer is currently out of commission, so while I use Terry's computer, I don't want to download on it.. Mine should be back soon!

Ok well I don't know if those were very silly... but o well!! Link up with Parajunkee yourself, or visit all the blogs that have already linked up! Don't forget to follow, and when you do, leave a comment so they can follow you back!!
__________________________________________________________________________________

Also linking up this week with Mrs. Marine & the Tiny Troops for Stalk Hop Friday!!

30 Days of Me--DAY 3

Day 3-Your first love

Hmm... my first love.. Not really much to say except it was awkward, and didn't last very long.. Thank goodness!! lol

30 Days of Me---DAY 2

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Hmm.... The meaning behind my blog name... This might be hard for me to explain!

When I was growing up, some people would talk about something being funny, "he was in stitches laughing so hard", etc. (I know I'm not very good at coming up with sentences using an expression!) 

Anyways, my mom actually helped me come up with my blog name, though she may not know it. About a year ago, when I was trying to come up with a name for my business, this is one of the ones that she helped me come up with. I ended up deciding on "Stitches of Love" for the business, but I kept "Keeping You In Stitches" in my head for if I ever decided to do a blog. At times, I TRY to be funny, so I thought I could use this name, plus 'stitches' representing crochet stitches, sewing stitches, etc... 

Wow that was a toughie!

Blogs

I think I have a problem...

As of this very second..

I have 105 blog subscriptions in my dashboard..

AND..

65 blog subscriptions in my Yahoo RSS reader...

That's not even counting the almost 100 subscriptions I have coming to my e-mail.

And YES.... I do read all of them. I do FlyLady.. and when I'm 'cleaning', I clean for 15-20 min, then stop and read my blogs for 10 minutes. After my cleaning is done, I do whatever, sew, play with Rue, cook, crochet, read, etc. I really have no idea how I read all these blogs, but I love it :) 

Does anyone else have this problem?

Mid-Week Mingle

Linking up with Give It To Me Tara for her Mid-Week Mingle Blog Hop :)

The rules are (taken from her post):
It's simple to participate, here are the rules:

1. Please  place the "Mid Week Mingle Blog Hop" button in a blog post and/or on your blog  somewhere. This lets us all know where to find each other!
2. Follow my blog.
3. Visit at least 2 blogs on this list.
4. Add your name/image to the linky list below so we can visit you back. I will be following everyone who posts.
5. Comments are optional but always appreciated.

Go link up to her page to find lots more great blogs, and add your linky!!


(and as always, I can't get the button to work :/ o well, click on the 'Give It To Me Tara' link above to go to the post)


<a href="http://www.giveittometara.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss224/buffytara/midweekmingle.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>

Teaser Tuesdays #1

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading... All you do is open a book you're currently reading to a random page, and give two 'teaser' sentences... but make sure they're not spoilers!!

As everyone knows, I am reading Wicked All Day by Liz Carlyle.

pg.157
"With a stroke of the pen and a few spoken vows, he could have fixed many of Zoë's problems, and perhaps given rise to a great many more. He'd wanted to both possess her, and yet avoid the eternal hopelessness of loving her."


Please leave a comment with a link to your Teaser Tuesday, or give me your Teaser here!! Also, go link up to Should Be Reading :)

In My Mailbox :)

So this week I got a new book in the mail :) I 'ordered' it from SheKnows (a place where I get points for reading e-mails, you should check it out!) This book was normally like 100,000 or so points, but I got it for 10,000 :) SALES baby!! :) I've also ordered another one that was on sale, but it hasn't come in yet.. Anyways I am linking up with The Story Siren to start doing this post.. It may not be every week, or even every other week, but I'll post when I get new books :)

So the book I ordered is called "Wicked All Day" by Liz Carlyle.

The back cover synopsis says...

New York Times bestselling author Liz Carlyle continues her enthralling historical series with the story of an impetuous, illegitimate beauty and the forbidding nobleman who protects her--while fighting an obsession to possess her..

Miss Zoë Armstrong is beautiful, charming, rich--and utterly unmarriageable. So, while she may be the ton's most sparkling diamond, her choice of husbands looks more like a list of London's most unsavory fortune hunters. Since a true-love marriage seems impossible, Zoë has accepted--no, embraced--her role as society's most incomparable flirt and mischiefmaker...until in one reckless, vulnerable moment, her future is shattered.

Stuart Rowland, the brooding Marquess of Mercer, has been part of Zoë's extended family since she was a child. As dark and cynical as Zoë is lively. Mercer has always known they would be the worst possible match..until his scapegoat brother Robert does the unthinkable, and winds up betrothed to Zoë. Now, secluded on Mercer's vast estate to escape a looming scandal and the ton's prying eyes, Zoë and Mercer may find that a dark obsession has become a tempestuous passion that can no longer be denied....

I am so excited to begin reading this book! Whenever I finish (not sure how long that will be!) I will post my review.. :)

30 Days of Me----DAY 1

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Hmmm... Introduction? I'm always really bad at these! Most of my info is on the right side... (conveniently labeled 'About Me', but I'll do this anyway!) My name is Madison.. I'm 19 years young! I have a 2 1/2 year old son named Rueben Cash, he's my world :) I love to read, & crochet, & I'm a newly-obsessed sewer (is that a word?..)! I'm engaged to my high school sweetheart, his name is Terry.. we've been together almost 5 years now. I'm from Southeast Georgia, but I've moved around a lot over the past few years, currently residing in Wyoming until June. 

(HEYY!! It didn't say the picture had to be me... LOL)

1. I use LOL a wayy too much, especially when texting.
2. I also use ... a lot :) and smileys!
3. I'm a SAHM... unless you count the little bit of crafts I sell as a job...
4. I want a bigger house, not an apartment!!
5. I talk to my family almost every day!
6. I can't wait to get married, and wish I could have a big wedding :(
7. I want to have at least 2 more babies someday.. hopefully sooner rather than later!
8. I about halfway completed a degree in Early Childhood Care & Education, but I think when I go back I want to major in Business with a minor in Accounting :) yes, I know I sound like a nerd!
9. I'm not really friends with any of the people I used to be, & I'm coming to grips with that
10. I would rather sit at home with my family than go partying.
11. But that doesn't mean I don't like us to all get out for a family day on the town!!
12. I'm not completely happy with myself, & my body image, but I'm working on it!
13. I have a zillion things saved to my inbox.. from parenting articles, pregnancy news, craft projects, activities to do with Rueben... all kinds of stuff!!
14. I'm secretly obsessed with signing up for freebies & giveaways.. I love them!! (This is probably because I've always loved getting stuff in the mail!!)
15. Since I love to read, I would LOVE to do reviews on new books coming out! Tell me where to sign up :)

30 Days of Me :)

I'm linking up with Leena Loves to do a 30 Days of Me Challenge. I probably won't do a post on this on consecutive day, because I'm sure I'll have other stuff to write about.. but I'll have it done eventually!! Today I'm just going to put what I'll be talking about during the 30 Days of ME :)

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3-Your first love

Day 4-Your parents

Day 5-Your favorite recipes

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 7-Favorite movies

Day 8-A place you’ve traveled to

Day 9-A picture of your friends

Day 10-Something you’re afraid of

Day 11-Favorite tv shows

Day 12-What you believe

Day 13-Goals

Day 14-A picture you love

Day 15-Bible verse

Day 16-Dream house

Day 17-Something you’re looking forward to

Day 18-Something you regret

Day 19-Something you miss

Day 20-Nicknames

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Day 22-What’s in your makeup bag

Day 23-Favorite vacation

Day 24-Something you’ve learned

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

Day 26-Picture of your family

Day 27-Pets

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Day 29-3 Wishes

Day 30-a picture

Thomas the Train Caddy

So after I finished the blanket Saturday night.. I got the sewing fever!! So I went & browsed around the Walmart Fabric section for a little while, trying to decide what I wanted. I didn't even know what to make, or how much of whatever print I would need. So I finally decided to make Rueben a train caddy!
I got the idea from here, but changed it a good bit, since I only bought cotton fabric & didn't have any felt on hand. Her idea to put train tracks on the top is wonderful.. I might have to add on later!! I mostly used her pictures, and basically just winged it... (did that make sense?.. hmm... anyways!)
This took me all of maybe 45 minutes.. or an hour? I don't know, but not very long. It was super easy, and great practice for a beginner like me. Here is the finished product..

This is the outside.. As you can tell (because I just noticed) the strap to tie the caddy closed isn't very straight.. o well! I would also recommend making it a little longer, but I was just trying to even up my fabric.. It double-ties, but just barely.

This is just a few of Rueben's trains inside the caddy.. I promise the right side is not as crooked as it looks, when I put that green train (Yay for Percy!!) I guess it got bunched up. I just looked again, and it's not like that... maybe Percy is too big for that slot? You can also probably tell that the slots are different sizes. I could tell you that I did this on purpose, but I'm trying to be honest!! I did initially measure it out, but I could either have 4 even sections that would be too big for each train, or 4 even sections & then a teeny one.. I just put the 'trailers' for the trains in the smaller pocket.
And last but not least...

This is the caddy all rolled up.. The tie strap is a little off center, but Rueben doesn't notice. He hasn't even let it be tied shut since I took this picture. I love this little thing, and think it's just adorable. Next on my list will be one for his Cars, and crayons (when he's allowed to use them again!) and whatever else I can think of.. They're great to put the trains in when you're picking up, & then I can just throw the whole caddy in his backpack when we go to leave. He's ALWAYS running around trying to grab as many trains as he can before we walk out the door, so this is perfect!!

:)

My first quilting/sewing experience!!

Well I finished Rueben's Thomas the Train quilt a few days ago. I had a little trouble with the sewing machine, it was missing some pieces, so when I finally got a new one, I got started right away! I bought the fabric from Wal-Mart that was already pre-quilted, so all I had to do was sew a binding on the border. I thought this would be excellent practice sewing for the first time, so I got some red thread & some red satin binding. Overall it looks pretty good. My seams aren't always straight, and I had a little trouble in the corners where I folded the edges to make an angle, but it was definitely a learning experience!! The only problem now is that Rueben doesn't seem to like his blanket very much... Terry said it's probably because I wouldn't let him mess with the fabric for 2 days while I had it pinned up, & he probably will start liking it soon.. I really hope so!! Here are my pictures.. they are very blurry & not very good quality--little man broke my camera, so I've been using my phone..

Thia is the whole blanket.. It is about the size of a comforter for a toddler bed, but more square. I got all the fabric of this print that they had left!! 

This is the 'front' of the quilt.. It has pictures of Thomas with a 'denim' colored background, & all kinds of little sayings... So cute!!

This is the 'back'. It's the same colored 'denim' that is on parts of the front, and has 'Thomas' and his picture all over.

So that's my first quilt! I also got some matching fabric (to match the back of the blanket) to make Rueben a train caddy.. I've already made it, but I'll save that for another post ;)

Kostiuk Crew & KinderGlo are hosting a giveaway

http://megankayden.blogspot.com/2011/03/kinderglo-portable-night-light-review.html

Winner gets their choice of a night light! We would pick the Elephant :)

Fresh 1 Blankies & Happenings of the Harper Household are hosting a giveaway!!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/03/fresh-1-blankies-review-giveaway.html

The winner receives their choice of a set of Fresh 1 Blankies--valued at $39.95!! The prints are so cute & fun, & are perfect for any baby in your life!! You get 4 blankets in the set, that way, when one starts to get guckkyy, you have an extra on hand!! They are all the same pattern, with one print on one side & another on the other side. :) Enter now!

The Plaid Scottie giveaway!!

http://theplaidscottie.blogspot.com/2011/03/blogiversary-giveaway-2.html?showComment=1299984296339#c8107725968012159595


She has 2 giveaways going on the same page--scraps, and a bundle of fat quarters--check it out!!

Shaun the Sheep giveaway on Kindred Spirit Mommy!!

http://kindredspiritmommy.com/shaun-the-sheep-spring-shena-a-anigans-dvd-giveaway/comment-page-1/#comment-88779

Great giveaway for all you 'Shaun the Sheep' lovers!! I know that Rueben would love this DVD, he has become so obsessed with the show, we are constantly watching in on Netflix Instant!! A new DVD would be a lifesaver :)

Infantino & Happenings of the Harper Household are hosting a giveaway!!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/03/infantino-cloud-shopping-cart-cover.html

The winner will receive a gender-neutral shopping cart/high chair cover!!

CrazyDog & Happenings of the Harper Household are hosting a giveaway!!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/03/nacho-mama-tees-review-giveaway.html

The winner gets their choice of an Adult size t-shirt valued at $15 or less!!
Their shirts are so funny--check them out!!

Kat's Kreations & Happenings of the Harper Household are hosting a giveaway!!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/03/kats-kreations-review-giveaway.html

Kat's Kreations & Happenings of the Harper Household are hosting a giveaway--Momma Cloths!! Recently I have been reading a lot about these & I would love to try them out!! Seems like a great way to bring down some costs in the long run, & I'm all about saving moolah!!

Happy Green Bee & Happenings of the Harper Household are hosting a giveaway!!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/03/happy-green-bee-review-giveaway.html

Great giveaway--especially for those Organic clothes loving Mamas!! They are giving away 1 item of the winner's choice from their clearance section!! I chose the Blue Sky Blanket :)

Best Bottoms & Happenings of the Harper Household are holding a giveaway!!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/03/best-bottom-cloth-diaper-review.html?showComment=1299870142976#c3592258690002561448

Great giveaway for those cloth-diapering Mamas out there!! Winner receives 1 shell & 3 stay-dry inserts :)

Crane & Happenings of the Harper Household are hosting a giveaway!!

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/02/crane-humidifier-review-giveaway.html?showComment=1299869432602#c3889360578802118219

These have to be the cutest humidifiers I have ever seen!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Congrats to Michelle Bardos on her win!!

Craftaholics Anonymous: JennyandTeddy Creation, Amigurumi Pattern GIVEAWAY {3 winners!}

Craftaholics Anonymous: JennyandTeddy Creation, Amigurumi Pattern GIVEAWAY {3 winners!}

Adorable amigurumi patterns!!

Sewing :)

Well I will hopefully be getting my first sewing machine this weekend!! This is the one I am hoping to get. It's from Walmart, but I don't wanna get too crazy with my first one! Does anyone have any experience with this one? Let me know if you do.. I would love any reviews or feedback. I'm also going to be getting some Thomas the Train fabric, thread, pins, and anything else I think I need. My first project is a Thomas blanket for Rueben, since he pitched a fit for a roll of the fabric when we looked the other day.. Plus since it's my first blanket, it won't bother me as bad if I mess it up at all. I'm hoping to get experienced enough to eventually be able to sell some of my crafts :) I just hope I get everything I need this weekend without having to go back.. I know I need the sewing machine, fabric, thread, needles (I think some come with the machine), pins, batting (if the fabric doesn't have any on it).... what else? Hmmm.... maybe I need to research it some more!

Microwave

I recently read somewhere that you can tell a lot about a person by how clean their microwave is... Well, I'm embarrassed to say that said microwave is absolutely disgusting. And since we've all been sick the past week and half, my whole house is getting pretttyyy bad! So, tonight, even though it's 9:23 PM, instead of writing a blog post, I think I should get started on cleaning up some. I'm really hoping to start organizing everything soon, & going through all of our stuff & possibly downsize a little. But first, I need to have a clean house so I can mess it up again trying to organize!! Hopefully within the next day or two I can get on here & talk a little more about what I want for my future babies ;) Good night!

3 Four and Under Giveaway

3 Four and Under: Have your ID Card?{Threads of Gray Giveaway}: "Do you ever need to run a quick errand, pick something up at the grocery store, go to the gym...but don't want to lug around your purse or i..."

Very cute giveaway!!

One More Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest: *Blissful Booty Diaper Giveaway*

One More Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest: *Blissful Booty Diaper Giveaway*

Great giveaway for you cloth-diapering mamas or for those who want to cloth-diaper in the future!

New Baby Einstein Discovery Kits---Giveaway Link!!

I haven't had a chance to review the new Baby Einstein Discovery Kits, but if they are anything like their other DVDs, they are wonderful!! We have several of the Baby Einstein DVDs, & Rueben loves them! He dances along to the music, points out the animals, and constantly says, "Oh, wow!!" I love it :) Kindred Spirit Mommy is hosting a review & giveaway of the 3 new Baby Einstein Discovery Kits, all of which include a DVD, CD, and a board book OR flash cards! GREAT GIVEAWAY!! Go to the review & giveaway page at Kindred Spirit Mommy to read her great review & enter the giveaway, which will close on March 21.

A big REDO!!

Ever since I had Rueben, & have thought about bringing another little beauty into this world, I've thought about how much I would have done differently with him. A lot of the things I seem to forget, so I think I'm just gonna start putting them here in this ol' blog so I can remember!
For one thing, I want to breastfeed our next child. (DON'T GET ANY IDEAS--I AM NOT PREGNANT NOW. thank you very much, just wanted to get that out of the way!) I was never really exposed to breastfeeding, with the exception of always knowing that my mom tried to breastfeed both me & my younger sister (I wouldn't latch on, Allison made mama sick). I was never around anyone breastfeeding, & I want to learn more about it. While I am not trying to get pregnant at the moment, I have been reading a lot into it. I learned that for every 6 months that you breastfeed, you knock off a 5% chance of getting breast cancer, which is great for me because my mom, paternal grandmother, & maternal grandmother all have had it. Another thing is the bonding... I feel that I bonded pretty well with Rueben, but I would just feel that this would help even more. I have read that it helps immunity for both the mother & child, & that it increases the IQ in the baby. And, I'm not gonna lie, I've also heard that it helps the mother lose weight, which is a huge plus in my book! It also makes it easier because you don't have to lug around tons of formula, bottles, water, etc. AND.. it's free!! Well except for a cover if you need it, & a pump. But I'm sure it pays off in the long run!

I also want to look into cloth-diapering. I remember that a family friend cloth diapered her youngest son, who had Down Syndrome, but I haven't been in contact with her in several years, & don't know how to get in touch with her now. I think that it would be cheaper, more natural, & possibly easier than disposable diapers, but I'm not sure. How does it work? How fast do babies leak through? Is it definitely easier?

I read all kinds of articles over & over again talking about how both of these things are better for you & your child, blah-blah, but I want the truth! I want to listen to & talk to people who did these things.. I want to know your experiences with it! It might even help if someone was in my situation, who experienced both sides to the issues (formula vs. breastfeeding, cloth diapering vs. disposable, etc). Which would you do if you could do it over again?

These are just a few of the things I've thought about trying when I ever have another baby... but more on others later :-)

Have a great day everyone!!

Quick Reminder

Just wanted to give a quick reminder since we're all to sick to give a good post. For pictures of all the handmade accessories I have for sale, go to Stitches of Love. If you want to order anything, you can either comment the post/picture on there, or e-mail me at mh_stitchesoflove@yahoo.com & put 'order' or 'Stitches of Love' in the subject line so I won't spam you! Don't forget, I also do custom orders, so if you don't see anything on the site that you like, message me & we will work out a design. Thank you :)

I can teach my child!: Giveaway: "Mama" Necklace from Tina Steinberg

Beautiful giveaway!!

I can teach my child!: Giveaway: "Mama" Necklace from Tina Steinberg: "I've shared time and time again how much I love my fingerprint charms from Tina Steinberg. I have worn the necklace with both cha..."