Do you hate when you go to burp the baby and you end up getting spit on in the spot you weren’t covered?! It happens to me all the time! In fact, it happens almost everyday!
The Burp Necessity Burpshawl™ was created by Kathy Fitzgerald, of Seattle, WA and her mother, who hand craft each Burpshawl™. Check them out HERE and see all of the cute designs you can choose!

I love that it has the cotton fabric outside and a soft, minky fabric on the inside.

You can wear it as a burp cloth around your shoulders, or you can even use it for nursing, by tying the ends together and using the back side to cover the baby for modesty.

The Burpshawl™ easily packs into your diaper bag with your other necessities!

I hope you can find a pattern that suits you! They have a lot of cute designs and are always coming up with new color combinations.

Happy Feedings!

-Kim

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Angie talks about how some of her fond memories revolve around playing Nintendo, so we’re thinking that you can make your own memories with Nintendo if you win this Wii U! Or you can just take the cash, we wont judge. Since we’re on the topic of childhood memories, Angie asked us all to share some of our fond ones. Here’s what we came up with…

Our Favorite Childhood Memories

“Raising orphaned farm animals that my grandpa would send to us. They had to be fed several times a day and included getting up really early to bottle feed them. It was so neat for a “city” girl and animal lover to be able to take care of these baby animals and the strong bonds that formed.” – Melissa from Deux Bella

“I loved performing in dance because I was able to dance with my sister and my best friend. I did everything from, tap, ballet, jazz and …… Hate to admit but clogging (Which we happened to win Western Nationals).” – Deynece from Deux Bella

“When I was a kid I used to roller skate almost every day. My parents would move the cars out of the carport so we could use that space. My sister and I would put some music on the boombox and skate in a circle like we were in a skating rink. Fun times.” – Tish from The Veganista Foodie

“Christmas was always the favorite. It wasn’t just about the gifts – sure, those were always welcome and nice. But the real memories came from spending time with my family during the holidays… back when they were still around. I had one of those Grandmothers who always cooked just in case people showed up (and oh, they did). Most of my family is much older than me and passed on in my teenage years. Those memories are my favorite because they were of a much more simple time.” – Kimi from Kimi Who?

“My favorite memories are being at my grandparents house, and playing in the woods around there. I always had such fun and I felt safe with my grandparents around.” – Hannah from The Perfect Storm: A Blog by Two BFFs

“Riding bikes around with the neighborhood kids in the summer because I had no responsibilities except have fun.” – Sara from The Perfect Storm: A Blog by Two BFFs

“Traveling with my family! It was so nice to travel before social media was really a thing, because you really lived in the moment and experienced life abroad!” – Mattie from Mattie’s Makings

“When I was about 10, my family and I went on a road trip to Canada from South Carolina. It was a long journey to and from Nova Scotia, but we had the best time! We also went to Prince Edward Island, where L.M. Montgomery, the author of the Anne of Green Gables series lived, which made my little book nerd self so happy! I’ve loved to travel for as long as I can remember, and this memory is one that I love since it combines exploring new places, learning more about literature, and spending time with my family.” – Natalie from Cosmos Mariners: Destination Unknown
“Riding my bike without training wheels for the first time. I definitely ate it and ended up missing some teeth, but it reminds me of how fearless I used to be as a kid.” – Esther from Local Adventurer

“Rolling skating in my best friend’s basement to Donna Summer music. I felt so free!” – Andi from Misadventures with Andi

“I think it has to be walking down the beach and not seeing a wave coming so getting my wellies filled with water and my uncle tipping me upside down to get it all out.” – Sarah from Life in a Breakdown

“My favorite childhood memories are long afternoons spent out and about in the neighborhood – we roamed from house to house and rode our bikes all over. Very different from the life my own kids lead!” – Megan and Wendy from Long Story Short with Megan and Wendy
“I loved piling the whole family into the car and taking a road trip. I loved watching the world go by to the music pumping from my Walkman. I also loved road snacks.” – Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen

“My favorite childhood memory is visiting Disney World with my family. I love everything Disney and getting to see where Mickey Mouse lives was amazing to me. It started a lifelong obsession with Disney that still continues today.” – Jen from Injenious Life

“So many memories I love, but I would have to say summer nights as a kid is the best memory. It was so full of mystery and adventure. The possibilities were endless. All night slumber parties, catching fireflies, sleeping out on the trampoline, camping….” – Alexis from Chemistry Cachet
“Playing ball with my grandfather. No matter how far I would throw the ball, he’d run to go get it.” – Amanda from Green Tea and Cotton

“Going bowling with my Dad. My parents divorced when I was young but every Tuesday he would pick my sister and I up from school and take us bowling. It didn’t matter if he lived 30 minutes away or 4 hours, every Tuesday we bowled.” – January from The Bouncy Ponytail

“Going to see A1 with my friends and Ben waving at me. I nearly fainted!!” – Louise from With Love From Lou

“Our annual week on the lake and it still continues today!! It is a week of family, friends, boating, sun, relaxing, good food and drink and just making memories that will last a lifetime!” – Becky from Becky’s Best Bites
“I grew up in Boise, Idaho and my favorite memory was going to every single Boise Hawks baseball game each summer! We loaded up on candy, soda, and hot dogs and because my dad worked there, we were able to stay after the game and go out onto the field! Good memories with my siblings that gave me a love for baseball.” – Jessica from Together as a Family

“Halloween 1986…my mom took us trick or treating while my dad handed out candy at home. He thought he would be sweet and making peanut butter cookies to hand out (my favorite!). He used salt instead of sugar though! I remember chasing kids down the street telling them not to eat the cookies. My father passed away the next year, so that’s why it’s one of my favorite memories.” – Michelle from My Simplified Life

“Weekends at our family cabin. Love being with family.” – Erik from Erik’s Core Fitness
“My dad used to work a lot, so when new Star Trek movies came out my parents always checked us all out of school and we went together in the middle of the day. It was a fun way to make us all feel special!” – Debra from Housewife Eclectic

“Curled up in bed, in my old bedroom, reading book after book.” – Laura from Petit Moi: Big World

“Riding bikes around the neighborhood all day and night with all our friends in the beautiful CA weather.” – Kim from The Lavender Ladies

“This is a hard one! I think maybe when my dad would turn up the volume on the TV really loud and play the Star Wars or Superman theme song (from the beginning of the movies) so that my sister and I could hear it from our bedroom. It always made us come running to watch whichever movie he had on. Even now his ringtone on my phone is the Imperial March!” – Scarlet from Flight & Scarlet
“Going to Disneyland with my grandparents. It was our first time staying at the park and they made it so special!” – Katie from All Things Lovely

“My favorite childhood memory is cooking in the kitchen with my dad.There were lots of happy memories made in the kitchen.” – Thyme to Save

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Enter to Win a Wii U Prize Pack

We’re giving one lucky winner a Wii U Prize Pack* or the option to take $300 in Paypal cash instead. Winner’s choice! Giveaway is open worldwide** and ends at 12AM MDT on 4/12/16. Entries will be verified. Entering below agrees to all Terms and Conditions within the Rafflecopter Widget. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Wii U Prize Pack valued at under $400
**International winners must take the Paypal Cash option due to shipping issues.

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I’ve been wearing my baby (now 8 weeks old, about 9#) in it for the last two weeks. We wear it indoors around the house, and for walks around the neighborhood, so far.

The packaging is very attractive; compact and easy to carry! Here are some great features about it right off the bat:

• The carrier comes with a baby insert, so you don’t need to buy one separately.
• The infant insert, as well as the lining of the carrier are very soft 100% cotton, making it very comfortable to the touch.
• There is a place to put your hands, so you are not awkwardly dangling your hands to your side. You can literally insert your hands inside the outside fabric and hold your baby.
• There are 2 storage pockets at the base of the carrier, large enough to carry keys and your phone.
• The back strap attaches via a magnet, which I found to be surprisingly very strong when attached, and even easier to remove when you’re ready to take it off.

I’m a big fan of baby wearing, and so far this carrier has proven to be comfortable and easy to wear. The straps are padded and the material is so soft compared to other carriers that I have used. I can’t wait to try this out with my 2 year old, who probably weighs around 25 pounds.

Here are its four medically approved carrying modes*:

• Front face in (from newborn to 24 months old)
• Front face out (from 6-18 months old)
• Hip carrying mode (from 6-24 months old)
• Back carrying mode (from 6- 48 months old)

*Follow weight guidelines as instructed by the carrier fit tips HERE

I look forward to testing this out more in the next couple of months outdoors, especially since the weather is finally into the 50’s! The next post on this product will be a review with my toddler in tow.

Happy Baby Wearing!

-Kim

The post First Review- Mountain Buggy® Juno baby carrier appeared first on .

If I had to choose one thing that is amazing about having a sister, I don’t think I could do it. There are too many wonderful attributes to count! Here are my 10 reasons why having a sister rules!

1. You have an unconditional love for one another. You might fight like cats and dogs one day, but then you are back to being besties the very next day.
2. You understand each others “looks” and “languages”. My sister and I used to have funny sayings and words for things when we were growing up…some of them even stuck until now. We can also just look at each other and know what we are thinking.
3. You can share clothes (hopefully!). Luckily we are similar in build, so we can actually share each others tops, bottoms and shoes!
4. Who else can you talk about your other family members to in confidence that they won’t repeat what you say?!
5. Even if you haven’t talked to each other in days, weeks or months, you can still pick up like no time has passed at all.
6. You help each other in times of need….love, finance, life goals…no one has your back like your sister, even if they don’t agree with your choices.
7. You trust no one with your children but them! A sister just knows you and your crazy ways of doing things. You make them your children’s godparents and protectors.
8. You never want to see them hurt or unhappy. You protect your sister like a mama bear and no one will hurt them or bring them to tears.
9. You influence each other: to work out more, eat better, or get out of the house more. You’re having the most fun with them when you enjoy life events together.
10. You can’t imagine your world without them. They are your blood, sweat and tears. Your bond will last forever. You are sisters for life and no one will take that away from you.

I look forward to the day that these kids realize how much they love and need each other. They are forever united in life. They are forever each others best friend.

Do you have a sister, or have daughters that are besties? Share below your stories or best memories with them!

-Kim and Jamie

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I’m 7- weeks postpartum now! Throughout my pregnancy I wore a great tank top from For Two Fitness® that was super comfortable and grew with my baby bump all the way until the end of my 40 weeks. As it’s been some time since I had my baby, it is just as easy to wear their apparel as it was during the pregnancy. The comfort of the fabric alongside my midsection can not be beat. Since I am still carrying some pregnancy weight (especially around my stomach area), this workout shirt is extremely comfortable and long enough to cover all of your body parts that are not quite back to normal yet.

The ruching on the side of the shirt really makes their apparel stand out! I am a little modest when it comes to workout gear that shows my mid-section, so this is perfect. The material moves with you as well as breathes, which is a total plus. There are no restrictions when working out in them and the tops don’t shift or ride up.

The fabrics are high performance, soft and moisture-wicking. Maternity clothes are expensive as it is, so they work hard to keep these high end, specialty items affordable. The colors range from neutrals to a variety of vivid colors that pop. (Plus, the slogans are perfect for pregnancy announcements or feeling great in your ever-changing body pre-and-post baby.) They carry a line of clothing with or without slogans, so you’ll have plenty of workout staples!

These workout tops are so functional, don’t you think?! Check them out HERE!

Happy workouts during and after baby all you fit mamas!

-Kim

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You know that we love products that are free of toxic ingredients (Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates, PEG’s, Synthetic Colors and Fragrances), etc. When I discovered that babo Botanicals®  made a 3-in-1 Shampoo, Bubble Bath & Wash I was really excited to try it out! I have used their Calming Body Lotion with Lavender for the last year and it’s my go to lotion for my hands before I go to bed at night.

I’ve now used the 3-in-1 Shampoo, Bubble Bath & Wash for my 2 year old and baby and I have to say that the smell is very calming and invigorating! I am partial to the smell of lavender, but this is not overpowering at all. It also produces a lot of bubbles, surprisingly. I didn’t think it would. So naturally my daughter loves it.

Benefits:

Pure Flower Extracts

Sulfate Free

Paraben Free

Tear Free

Hypoallergenic

Gluten, Dairy & Soy Free

No PEG’s or Mineral Oil

Works for the entire family, not just kids!

Head over to my INSTAGRAM PAGE for a chance to WIN your own bottle of  “babo BOTANICALS® Calming Shampoo, Bubble Bath & Wash”

Have you tried any of their products yet? If so, which ones?

-Kim

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Luckily for us, our two year old has been sleeping through the night (very well) since she was six months old. We transitioned her to her big-girl bed about three months ago and we leave a lot of her books on a table next to the bed so that she can easily grab them to read. We make it a point to read to her before she goes to bed. I truly believe this has helped her vocabulary, as she can now finish the sentences in the story and recognizes her colors and shapes. She also reads them when she gets up in the morning. We can find her quietly sitting on her bed with 5 books at any given time!

Hopefully we can continue this routine and keep her reading books for a long time to come! I know that I enjoy our time together reading! I believe she will be excited to pass these books onto her baby sister in a couple of years.

Here are a few of her favorites:

What are your kids favorite books to read?

-Kim

The post Reading Routine appeared first on .

One of these items is the striped solid yoke nursing top in navy

This top is perfect for a night out, or even casually with jeans. Its a nice stretchy spandex material and it is not clingy to my body at all (which is great for the post partum body, am I right ladies?) I love stripes, so this is right up my alley as far as fashion.

The top allows you to lift up the flaps on both sides to be able to nurse your baby fast and discretely.

I am 5’0″ tall and the XS fit me just nicely. It’s also long enough to cover your mid section. I jazzed it up with a cute necklace and felt ready to go out to a nice dinner or outing without anyone knowing it was a nursing top at all.

milk nursingwear® has graciously offered one of our readers a $35.00 gift card ! Enter through the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I was given a maternity nursing top by milk nursingwear ® in exchange for a review. All opinions are solely my own. Gift card provided by milk nursingwear® and will be sent to the winner of the giveaway.

Good luck, mommas and happy nursing!

-Kim

The post Making Nursing and Fashion go Hand-in-Hand (and a giveaway!) appeared first on .

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Italian Seasoned Lean Ground Turkey (optional)
• 2 cans (28 oz) of Dei Fratelli chopped Italian tomatoes, herbs and olive oil
• 1 can (6 oz) of Tomato Paste with Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp of chopped garlic
• 1 Tbsp of dried Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp of dried basil leaves
• 2 Tbsp chopped green onions
• 1 box of bowtie pasta (or whatever pasta you choose)

Preparation:

1. Brown ground turkey in a large pot with some olive oil
2. Add all ingredients into the pot and simmer for 30 minutes
3. Cook pasta according to directions on box

Enjoy with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese!

Is there anything else we could add to this recipe?

-Kim

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I thought I would share these photos as they are a reminder to me how lucky we are to have such beautiful daughters and how we never thought our life together would be so blessed. Full of ups and downs…twists and turns….never forget these precious moments together. Never forget how little they were…never forget how children shape you as an adult. Put aside your selfish wants and needs, for you have little beings that need you right now. Don’t mind the endless sleepless nights, for they will grow up so fast you won’t even remember all that you endured for them. Enjoy them while they still need you, while they still love you like no other…..for one day they will be on their own.

Be there for them….be present in all that you do. You are their sole caregiver…their nurturer and supporter.

I hope to be the best mother that I can to these two beauties. I will do my best to raise them in a manner that is respectful and caring to the world around them. I was meant to be a mother for as long as I can remember. To me, there is no greater reward. My promise is to love them always, be patient and remember that they are only little once.

-Kim

The post From Three to Four- A Promise to my Family appeared first on .