***Chuck Fischer's A Christmas Carol Review***

I was given the opportunity to review the pop-up book, A Christmas Carol, which is written by Charles Dickens and illustrated by Chuck Fischer. I didn't realize it was a pop-up until I got it. I saw it and thought "Oh, that's neat, better keep it away from the kids," (my kids have a bad history with pop-ups). But when I opened it, I was blown away. I knew right away that this book was a book for the special shelf (remember I said I had two new additions?)

Bruce Foster was the genius behind the intricate pop-ups seen throughout the book. And this guy is amazing!!! The pop-ups are unreal! There are pop-ups inside of pop-ups!

I've never seen a pop-up book like this one. This book is definitely going to be a Christmas tradition. I am going to read it Christmas night every year from now on. My kids absolutely love it!
I just love how this book has all the text of the story written in little books that are tucked neatly into pockets on every set of pages. This is no two minute book, it really has a book inside it! It also has one whole book about the author, Charles Dickens. I've got to say, I think this is one of the coolest books in my collection, and my collection is pretty big :)

Do you have a book that you read every year during the holidays?

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

Some Spooky Fun

I recently got together with my sister for a "Halloween" party for the kiddlets. We had her jello cups and pudding cups (only with worms instead), as well as broomstick bags that a friend of mine told me about and bat pumpkins we found on the Family Fun website. I wanted to make caramel apples, but we ran out of time.

The broom stick snack bags were really easy to make. All you need is some brown paper bags, some scissors, some string and and a stick.
First, you take one bag and cut 8 or 9 lines going most the way down the bag, leave a few inches. You can cut these lines from the top or the bottom, it depends on the look you want. If you cut from the top and leave the bottom in one piece, it will give an organized look, but it you cut from the bottom, it's more of a ragged look. We chose the ragged look.

When you have cut the lines, you place another uncut bag inside. Then you fill that bag with whatever treats you feel like. We used some Swedish Fish, some Sour Patch Kids and some pre-bagged pretzels.

After that is done, you just put the stick in so that it is standing straight up, gather the bag at the top and wrap a string around. you can use any kind of string, but we think twine would look nice. We used a thin brown yarn.

And the pumpkins were really easy. For those, you need black and white foam, black duct tape, more if desired, a black sharpie, mini pumpkins, toothpicks, and glue dots or double sided tape. First we spray painted a bunch of mini pumpkins black. Learn from my mistake here, WASH YOUR PUMPKINS!!! I didn't, and it made for paint that did not stand well when up against sticky tape.

Then, we cut a bunch of eyes, wings, ears and teeth and drew on pupils with the marker. A few of the girls even had pink bows. Then we attached halved tooth picks to the back of the wings and ears using the black duct tape. Then we shoved the tooth picks into the pumpkin where we thought they looked best.

Next, we attached with double sided tape, the eyes and teeth. The double sided tape did not work well with the spray paint, I don't know if it was because of the pumpkins not being washed prior to painting or if it was because of the tape, but I would suggest glue dots be tried first.

The pumpkins came out adorable though and I was very happy with how quickly they came together and the kids loved them. We might try this again next year.

What craft do you love to do at Halloween?

***Undercover Mama Review and Giveaway***

So, in case you hadn't noticed, I am a nursing mom. I love that I am able to nurse my kids. I am a very shy nurser though. I hate that people can see my side and belly when my shirt is pulled up. But I recently stumbled across Undercover Mama and was very fortunate to be able to review one for myself.

Undercover Mama is essentially a strapless camisole that clips onto any nursing bra, turning your nursing bra into a nursing shirt that you can wear under any normal shirt you might have.

Until I got it, I wasn't real clear on how it was supposed to attach to my nursing bra. But when I actually saw it and tried it out, it was so easy! You just slide it through the little pouch space that is on all bras right above where the cup part is.

I was worried that it wouldn't cover my nursing bra because my nursing bra is very tall and seems to stick out of any shirt that I wear over it, but it really did cover it almost the whole thing. It turns out, it's great under any shirt that you would normally wear a cami under. Except that unlike a cami, this shirt doesn't expose your belly when you nurse.
This shirt is such a genius idea! I can't believe I did without it for so long. And you won't believe it either when you win it and try it out for yourself.

WIN IT!!!
The makers of Undercover Mama were nice enough to offer one Undercover Mama to one of my readers. So here is what you have to do to be entered to win it (Contest ends November 10th at 11:59pm EST):

Mandatory Entry:
Go to Undercover Mama's website and tell me which color you would want (leave an email address).

Extra Entries:
Follow My Everything Blog on Google Friend Connect and leave a comment telling me you do.
Follow our "sister" site, Inspiration and Innovation for Everyday Life.
Follow Undercover Mama on Twitter.
"Like" Undercover Mama on Facebook.
Grab my button (leave a link where I can find it, worth 3 entries).

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

***Lil' Critters Gummy Vitamins Review***

Northwest Natural Products, Inc was nice enough to let me review their Lil' Critters Vitamin C Gummy Vitamins. I've tried other gummy vitamins that were very yummy and well liked by my kids, but I wanted to try these and see what I thought of them.

And uh, I'm just gonna come right out and say it... these Vitamin C gummies are probably the best gummies I have ever had, vitamin or otherwise. And I have eaten a LOT of gummies. They are a favorite in this house. So it's pretty cool that a favorite snack is also something that does great things for the body.

Here is what the Lil' Critters website says about vitamin C:You can read about all your essential vitamins on their site. They also have a kids club. If your child is enrolled in the kids club, they get surprises and freebies in the mail all year long. On the site is also puzzles, lots of games and fun facts for the kids.

Lil' Critters also has a Facebook page and a Twitter page where you can get daily tips and updates on all things Lil' Critters.

So if your kids won't eat their vitamins, I definitely suggest you give these a try, they are excellent!

Do you take a vitamin?

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

***Free Spirit Publishing Review***

The Big One is in a nasty cycle. She is often bullied at school and in turn bullies back. I was at my wits end. Right about the same time that I started my new discipline program, I also happened upon Free Spirit Publishing. They have lots of cool stuff. And when I saw that there were books and games geared toward bullying from both sides, I was very intrigued.

I am so grateful to Free Spirit Publishing for allowing me to review the Good-Bye Bully Machine Card Game and the How to be Bully Free Workbook. They are geared for older children, but when I, pardon the expression, "dumbed down" the questions a bit, it was really very fun for the younger kids. It really helped The Big One to realize that there are ways to resolve conflicts without violence or being mean.

And the game was fun and easy to set up. And some of the cards were so amusing to see played out. The kids had a blast. I will be taking these things out often. They are great tools for any house with children and I am glad that I have them.

What are your best tips for dealing with a bully?

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

***Boogie Wipes Review and Giveaway***

Thank goodness for Boogie Wipes. Seriously. I was lucky enough to be able to review these saline wipes and let m tell you... they have come in handy so many times since I have had them, and they work wonders!

The streaker seems to have a constantly runny nose, in fact, I am going to see the doctor (again) about it. It's awful, her nose runs and bleeds, I hate it. And then sometimes it gets dried to her face, it's a mess. And she HATES her face being wiped, so you can imagine the struggle it is to keep a clean face on that kid. Well, we tried the boogie wipes to see how they worked, and we are hooked. They cleaned up her boogies without a struggle! And they smell so good!

And Baby Bee, she has a clogged tear duct. I hate having to clean her eyes and she hates it too. It's so hard to get the guck out of her lashes, but with Boogie wipes, it's one swipe, two swipe, done! I'm not kidding, these things rock!

And it even takes white-out off a face. If you have never tried taking white-out off, it's not as easy as you would think. You can just go ahead and trust me on that one.

Boogie Wipes has a new fall promotion called Save the Sleeve. I think it's adorable! It's filled with cute stories and games, all about teaching your kids to put their boogies in the wipe, not all over their clothes.

You can find Boogie Wipes almost anywhere. At Walmart, Rite-Aid, Walgreens... the list goes on and on.

And if you join their Boogie Bunch, you can get $.50 off a package of boogie wipes!

WIN IT!!!
Boogie Wipes generously offered to give one of my readers two 30 count wipe packages. You can choose fresh, grape, menthol, or unscented. You may choose combination too, scents will vary.
Contest ends November 8th at 11:59pm EST.

Mandatory Entry
Be a follower and tell me which scent you would want, (be sure to leave your e-mail.)

Extra Entries
"Like" Boogie Wipes on Facebook (leave your FB name.)
Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter (leave your Twitter name.)
Tweet about this giveaway, (can be done once daily, leave a separate comment for each one.)
Blog about this giveaway, (worth 2 entries, leave 2 separate comments.)
Grab my button (leave a link and tell me where I can find it.)

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

*** The Basket Lady Review***

I was PSYCHED when The awesome Basket Lady agreed to do a review with me. In fact, I was beyond psyched. I have grown a love for baskets over the last few years, especially the ones with liners. Actually, I plan to have PLENTY of them by the time my home is done. And why not? They are cute, they are handy, they are timeless... what's not to love?

The Basket Lady sent me a casserole basket and a set of round wicker serving baskets. My very first thought when opening them was, "Oh my gosh... these baskets are sturdy!" Let's look beyond the fact that they are in fact gorgeous, both in color and in style and look deeper than that.

They have this incredible lacquer coating on them that makes them super rugged. There was NO sagging in the casserole basket at all when I put the casserole dish in it or in the serving baskets when I put the fruit inside. Those baskets stayed very rigid.

And lets talk about size. The casserole basket fit my 9x13 Pyrex casserole dish perfectly! I was so impressed and just thrilled.  I guess I somehow had a sinking feeling that it would be just my luck that the basket wouldn't fit MY Pyrex dish. I'm tickled pink that it does though, because honestly, after the bad press about Pyrex dishes exploding, I am terrified to handle my casserole dish.  A basket with handles makes me feel so much better about doing it.

T set of serving baskets were much bigger than I imagined. I can actually fit stuff in them! That's 14 apples and 3 oranges in that big one. And in that small one, there are 17 drink mix pouches and there is room for more. The pumpkin one up there... 7 mini pumpkins, but I'm sure if I had had an eighth, it would have fit in the front there with no problem.

Now, I know you have noticed, but look at that finish!!! How beautiful is that? So deep and rich, I love it.  It is very classy and will go well with a LOT of kitchens and dining rooms.

What about clean-up you ask? Well, that's what's so great about the coating... all you do is rinse it off under the water or with your spray hose and dry it with a towel.

So there really is only one question left. Where you do get them? You can get them right from The Basket Lady herself. There are baskets for just about everything, from laundry, to storage, to even fireplace logs! So please check her out, cause she's amazing and super sweet to work with.

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

*** Salon Grafix invisible dry shampoo review***

I had heard of leave in conditioners, but I had never heard of dry shampoo until I stumbled upon Salon Grafix. I was very lucky to be able to review their dry shampoo. For those who have never tried it, let me enlighten you...

It comes in a spray can, like hair spray, in fact, it smells faintly like hair spray, but not too badly and it does not really linger. You spray it at your roots by section or layer in short bursts about half a foot from your head. You wait for it to dry, (about one minute), then you thoroughly brush it out.

I tried it during a very busy week. I had had practically no "me" time and we were about to go shopping. I looked awful. My hair was starting to look greasy and I really didn't want to go out in public like that, but we needed to go shopping and I had no time to shower. It was pretty convenient that a few days earlier, my dry shampoo had arrived in the mail.

I've got to say, it's no match to actually shampooing, but it did make a huge difference in my hair. I have pictures to prove it. I will also say that it made my hair feel a touch straw like, but with a really good combing, it's not too bad and it's better than looking oily!

You can buy the shampoo at retail stores all across the country. It will cost you about 8 bucks. Not bad, considering how many uses you get out of it.

It has a new invisible formula that leaves behind no white residue. I've never tried the old kinds, but I was happy to see that there really was none. It effectively cleans and neutralizes odor. Honestly, I've never noticed an odor to my hair, but I bet it really would get rid of any. It's also 100% safe for all hair types and after washing my own hair, I can in fact report no damages that I can see.

It is certainly convenient, no one will argue that point. And apparently, it extends the color of your hair if you dye. I haven't dyed my hair in a long time, but when I did, I always lost that color in just a few weeks. I would have loved it to last longer.

Over-all, I'd say I am happy that I have this. I feel like I am always being rushed out the door. I can just spray this on, do my make-up, then brush it out real quickly. Heck, I could even let it dry while I make that last minute bathroom break before we hit the road. I'm glad i gave it a shot and I think I will pick some more up to keep on hand when this one runs out.

What's your favorite product?

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

***Udder Covers Review and Giveaway***

Udder Covers was nice enough to send me one of their covers to review. I was stoked, because truth is, I am a very shy nurser. I hate to say it, but the idea of nursing in public scares me. I have never been very confident or comfortable with attention being thrown at me.

So I always bring a blanket to throw over my shoulder when I am in public. But even with the blanket, I always go use the truck. The idea of a blanket that couldn't fall off my shoulder or be pulled off sounded great to me. So when I got it, I brought it with me for my next nurse session. It turned out that I was home when I next needed it. Turns out that I was also in my truck.

I love that it has a rigid neckline for easy viewing of the baby and it is a light material so that your baby is not too warm. Actually, it is great because if you are outside, the cover protects the baby from the sun. That is great for Baby Bee because she burns VERY easily. I just love the cover. It's an all around great product.

I wasn't sure if I would ever use it in an actual public place, but I like the idea of having it for in the truck anyway. There was a few times that I was just about to pull out the boob when someone came up to the truck. Once, some women actually stopped and talked to the baby as I was just about to get her latched on *sigh* I am hopelessly self-conscious... or am I?

My mother-in-law treated my family and I out to see a great new movie on Sunday. And I was all prepared to have to nurse the baby quiet, but I had no intention of missing the movie. Normally, I would have had to go out to the truck and feed her, but I was completely prepared with cover and confidence to feed her in the theater. Granted, it was dark and we were in the back, but it is a huge step. I'm really happy I have the Udder Cover to use if I need to.

WIN IT!!!

Udder Covers was nice enough to offer one of my readers their very own Udder Cover. How cool is that!?

So here's what you have to do to win it (contest ends on November 1, 2010 at 11:59 EST):

Mandatory Entry:

Be a follower of My Everything Blog and tell me how long you have been nursing.

Extra Entries:

Like My Everything Blog on Facebook.
Follow My Everything Blog on Twitter.
Go to the Udder Covers website and tell me your favorite style.
Tweet about this giveaway (up to once daily, leave link).
Share about this giveaway on Facebook (up to once daily, leave link).
Blog about this giveaway (worth 3 entries,leave 3 separate comments.


Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

50 Followers!?

Time for a giveaway!
Stay tuned. I will be posting a giveaway within the hour.

***GW Company/Pepper Pot Review***

Behold... the special shelf.


There it is. I put baby books, photo albums, journals and high school notebooks and even autographed books in it. Pretty much anything that I feel needs extra protection so that it does not get ruined by eager kiddlets. I've added a few things to this shelf this week. And I am going to tell you about them.

You know how as the years go by, things get cheaper and cheaper? My baby book was so intricate and I loved it. Twenty years later, my kids books, I don't love them so much. They have so few spots for pictures and not enough room to really write what I want to write about certain events. They bite and I have been wanting to replace a few of mine.

Well, I was lucky enough to be given the chance to review a Pepper Pot Baby Book and Baby Photo album by the Awesome Gift Wrap Company. The woman I talked to was soooo nice and she told me that she would be sending a couple baby items. I had no idea what she was sending for me to review, but I love surprises, so I was anxiously awaiting it's arrival.

When I opened the package and saw the baby book and photo album, (and you can ask my husband about this), I was jumping up and down and clapping my hands. I was screeching with joy... I'm pretty sure I looked like a complete jack ass. I was THAT excited. I didn't even have to open the books to know that they were excellent quality. I could tell by the cover. But when I did open them, I was only reassured.

These books are GORGEOUS!!! The first new addition to my special shelf is the baby record book. It is the most beautifully made baby book that I have seen in a very long time. It has a linen cover with ribbon trim and a linen basket and leaves. That's a real button too! It also has 80 full-color pages and covers the first four years of your child's life, including their first day of school. It has pages for everything you could possibly want for the whole birth and going home experience, and my favorite part... lots and lots of spots for pictures.

Check out ALL the pages there are:

• This book belongs to...
• Mommy's Family
• Daddy's Family
• My Mommy
• My Daddy
• My Mommy and Daddy (photo)
• My Family (siblings and pets)
• Before My Arrival (finding out)
• Before My Arrival (sonogram photo)
• Before My Arrival (pregnancy memories)
• Before My Arrival (photo of mommy expecting)
• My Baby Shower (guests and gifts)
• My Baby Shower (invitation and photo)
• A Letter from Mommy
• A Letter from Daddy
• My Arrival (about me when I was born)
• My Arrival (picture of me at hospital)
• My Arrival (photo)
• My Arrival (about my name)
• My Arrival (handprints and footprints)
• My Arrival (my birth certificate)
• My Arrival (current events)
• My Arrival (newspaper clipping)
• My Arrival (picture of me and mommy)
• My Arrival (picture of me and daddy)
• My Arrival (Cards & Gifts)
• My Arrival (Visitors that came to see me)
• My Arrival (my birth announcement)
• My Arrival (my newspaper announcement)
• Welcome Home (about going home)
• Welcome Home (a picture of my first home)
• Welcome Home (a picture of my homecoming)
• Welcome Home (a picture of my new room)
• Welcome Home (the world around me when I was born)
• Welcome Home (the cost of living when I was born)
• Welcome Home (more photos of me)
• Welcome Home (more photos of me)
• Watch Me Grow (weight & height by month)
• Watch Me Grow (doctor visits)
• Watch Me Grow (favorite foods and eating habits)
• Watch Me Grow (picture of messy me!)
• Watch Me Grow (vaccination records)
• Watch Me Grow (childhood illness records)
• Watch Me Grow (sleeping habits)
• Watch Me Grow (photo - look at me sleeping)
• Watch Me Grow (dentist visits)
• Watch Me Grow (dates my teeth appeared)
• Watch Me Grow (photo - look at me in the tub!)
• Watch Me Grow (my first haircut)
• Watch Me Grow (my firsts)
• Watch Me Grow (funny first pictures)
• Watch Me Grow (favorite games and friends)
• Watch Me Grow (more pictures of me)
• My First Outing (about my first trips out)
• My First Outing (photo of me out and about)
• My First Vacation (about my first vacation and adventures)
• My First Vacation (pictures of my first vacation)
• My First Holiday (about my holiday)
• My First Holiday (photo)
• My First Birthday
• My Second Birthday
• My Third Birthday
• My Fourth Birthday
• My First Day of School (about my first day of school)
• My First Day of School (photo)
• My Special Memories (keepsakes, artwork, clippings, etc.)
• My Special Memories (keepsakes, artwork, clippings, etc.)
• My Special Memories (keepsakes, artwork, clippings, etc.)
• My Special Memories (keepsakes, artwork, clippings, etc.)
• My Special Memories (keepsakes, artwork, clippings, etc.)
• My Special Memories (keepsakes, artwork, clippings, etc.)

That's a lot of pages. I love this book and I know you would too.

The Baby Album, also by Pepper Pot was just as refreshing. It is nice to see good quality products nowadays, when you go to the store to return defective products half as often as you go to buy them. But trust me on this, you WILL NOT want to return these if you get them. They have 100 acid-free pages that hold up to 200 4x6 pictures. That's a lot of photos! And the acid-free part ensures that your photos will be protected for years to come. It's also got a linen cover with a ribbon accent and a really cute design.

Look at that book! It's part of a 9 piece keepsake collection that includes keepsake boxes, a baby record book, photo frames, brag book, growth chart and more. I was definitely very impressed with the quality and beauty of these books and I would very highly recommend them.

Thank you GW Company!!!

What does your baby book look like?

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

The Window

I wish I lived close to my grandmother when I was a kid. I lived half an hour away and did not get to visit as often as I would have liked. but my mother did try very hard to get us there as often as possible. One thing I remember about visiting my grandmother is the cookie jar. It was our first stop, maybe even before seeing Gram.

This is the window:

Their great grandmother lives inside that window. The girls go there almost every time we go outside or come back from an errand. They go to get cookies. It is their cookie jar. It's funny how the apples didn't fall far from the tree.

The Streaker, who is actually clothed in the shot, is particularly fond of the window. And who wouldn't be? In the summer time, it is an ice cream truck, sans music and wheels. In the fall, it is crackers and cookies. She never forgets to go when she exits the truck. Even if we are in a big hurry, she has to go knock at the wall.

I know that when my kids grow up and have kids of their own, I will be keeping LOTS of goodies on hand. Things like wafers and caramels, oreos and candy canes.

What do you remember most about your grandparents' house?

***Farnham Ridge Soaps Review***

Are Farnham Ridge Soaps a cure!? Maybe. I was blessed with these permanent goosebumps on my arms, as was my oldest. They aren't particularly bothersome, but it's not like I love them either. And The Big One's are worse than mine. I worry about her self-image down the road.

We asked the doctor about them and he told us that they are just there and they will not disappear, nor are they a bad thing, they just exist. He told me that it would be there her whole life.

Call me crazy, but since using these soaps, they have disappeared!!! Maybe it's the goat milk, I don't know, but I plan to keep some around. AND I plan to try an experiment with The Big One to see if her bumps go away as well.

But lets talk about the soap!

First of all, they smell amazing. I got Eucalyptus and Pumpkin Spice. I could smell them from outside the shipping box, through peanuts AND PLASTIC!

Secondly, my skin feels great. It looks and feels very clean for a long time. And it is awesome for my face, not too harsh. And here's a little snippet I pulled from the Farnham Ridge website to explain why:

Goat's milk adds natural proteins, vitamins, and minerals to soap. Goat's milk lowers the Ph of the soap to make it more compatible with skin. Goat's milk soap is especially kind to sensitive skin.

And thirdly, I was really surprised at how well the soaps lathered. Most homemade soaps do not lather so well. You can't really tell by the photo, but with a loofah, these soaps threw out an astounding number of bubbles.

They are also animal friendly (we LOVE that). They use no preservatives or animal fats in their making. But they do use lots of good quality natural ingredients, like essential oils, olive oil, castor oil and coconut oil. And the pumpkin soap has real pumpkin in it!

Gift It!

You can add your own personal label to your soaps (minimum of 10) to give away at a baby shower, bridal shower, or for Christmas.

And I know you all will love this part...

A whopping TEN PERCENT of all net profits are donated to the Autism Association. So by buying a soap that is gentle on your skin and a treat for your senses, you are also helping the Autism cause. How awesome is that?

I highly recommend Farnham Ridge Soaps. I just don't see one thing about them that I don't like, and I don't think you will either.

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

***Bummas Review and Giveaway!!!*** CLOSED

Bummas was nice enough to allow me to review their wipes. I'd never heard of Bummas, nor had I heard of an "after the wipe... wipe", but I was interested in the product and wanted to see what the hype was all about.

So Bummas sent me one of their new tropical wipe sets. Cute, aren't they? They remind me of rainbow sherbet. And I LOVE rainbow sherbet :)

Bummas had some claims I wanted to check out.

They claimed that there was no need for talcum powder anymore and that the wipes wouldn't pill or and that the size was handy. In fact, here are the product features pulled off Amazon.

Product Features

• Bummas are used to: avert the squirt when changing diapers, thoroughly dry baby after clean up, and much more!
• Eliminates the use of talcum powder. 100% Cotton - Woven Velour Terry Cloth.
• Available in Four Fun Color Combinations for Any Nursery Theme or Diaper Bag!
• Handy 5"x7" Size has Endless Possibilities: Shoulder Armor for Burping, Quick Clean-Ups While Traveling, Perfect For Little Noses, Perfect Wash Clothes and Scent Clothes in the NICU!
• Durable. Just throw them in the Washing Machine and Use Again and Again. Won't Pilll, Shrink, or Fade. Bummas Will Far Outlast Your Child's Diaper Days!

But, do Bummas live up to their claims? Are they really that good?

Actually... yeah. They are. These came for me at a great time. Baby Bee was getting a rash and she wasn't happy about it. I changed her often enough, but it hung around.

When I got the bummas, I opened them and read the package to make sure I was using them right. "After the wipe and before the dipe. Use a soft kiss of cloth to dry bums off." Pretty self-explanatory. So I tried them. After just 3 diapers, her rash was smaller. Baby Bee was very happy about it.

But they aren't just great for bums. Baby bee also happens to be teething and she is also trying to get a feel for the bottle. She gets break-outs on her chin from the drool and dribble. Bummas are great for wiping it up and drying her off. They are so absorbent! Her chin is free of break-outs now :)

WIN IT!!!

Bummas was nice enough to offer up a second set of tropical wipes to one of my readers (US and Canada only).

So here's how you win it:
Everyone must leave a comment with the mandatory entry. Then you will have chances for extra entries. When the contest ends, I will choose one winner at random, using random.org. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 48 hours to get back to me with their name and address before a second winner is chosen. Good luck!

Mandatory Entry:
Follow My Everything Blog via Google Friend Connect on the left and leave a comment with your e-mail.

Additional Entries:
Become a fan of My Everything Blog on Facebook.
Visit Bummas and leave a comment telling me what you like best about Bummas wipes.
Fan Bummas on Facebook.
Follow us on Twitter.
Tweet about this giveaway (One entry per day, leave a link).
Write about this giveaway on your blog (7 entries, leave a link and 7 seperate comments).
Invite a follower (2 entries, leave 2 comments with the follower's name).

Contest ends on October 26th at 12pm EST.

Disclaimer: I received these products to review and was not paid for this review. My review is 100% my honest opinion.

Therapy (Getting Personal)

Everyone needs therapy at some point in their life. And I don't mean professional therapy, sitting in a lounger and talking about your childhood. I mean, some way to channel our frustrations or grievances. Some way to empty your mind and get back to where you are at peace. Some people paint. Some people take it out with sports or dance. Some people write.

Personally, I find that rhyme and music come best when my mind is running. I've been using music and song writing for therapy for about 13 years. It feels strange to say that. I remember when I was 13. It seemed like it was only a couple years ago. But for 13 years, I have been "in therapy". For 13 years, I have put myself right with pen and paper, or sometimes, just my memory when a pen and paper weren't available.

Part of my reasons for keeping a blog and recruiting followers is to force myself to become outgoing. One thing I have almost always struggled with is letting myself be seen and allowing myself to become vulnerable. I shelter myself a lot because I have always felt uncomfortable in the spotlight.

A few years ago, I recorded some songs and put them on my Myspace profile. It wasn't because I felt that I was particularly good or anything. It was because I always regretted not trying out for a solo in chorus class. There was one in particular that I thought was just beautiful. It was called "Blow, blow, thou winter wind". I practiced and practiced. I perfected it. But when push came to shove, I never did have the nerve to just do it.

And it wasn't just solos. I think I made it to two concerts in my whole high school career. In a crowd of 100 students, I still felt like everyone was judging me, watching me. Of course now, I realize how silly that seems. But at the time, I couldn't even sing in class because I was surrounded by my peers, each with their own set of ears, capable of hearing any mistake I made.

It has taken a long time for me to overcome the feeling that I need to shelter myself. And I still have a long way to go. But I thought I would celebrate what I have achieved and how far I have gotten by sharing something I wrote. It is about the part of me that wants to hide and about leaving that part of me behind and to just live freely.

To Lose You

Everyday it's like a battle in my head. Things I wish I'd done or wish I'd said. But I never could seem to break through. I guess I'm stuck with you. What a weight on my shoulders you have built With this cold and heavy hardened shell. Wish that I could be content as you. What am I gonna do? I don't want to run away. But I can't bear to stay. This shell is not my own and it is not my home! What do I have to say... To make you walk away? What do I have to do to lose you? To stand out alone, it testifies. But to stand with you, I'm terrified. Wish I had the gall to just push through. Then I might not need you. I can't spend the rest of my life Duckin' out and always tryin' to hide. It'll never get me to where I want it to. Never get me somewhere new. I don't want to run away. But I can't bear to stay. This shell is not my own and it is not my home! What do I have to say... To make you walk away? What do I have to do to lose you? All I... Ever really wanted in my life. Was just a chance to shine. And without you in my life I might just thrive. I don't want to run away. But I can't bear to stay. This shell is not my own and it is not my home! What do I have to say... To make you walk away? What do I have to do to lose you?

Feel free to share something of your own, whether it is a painting, sculpture, or even a video. Let me know what you do when your mind is racing.

One Fish, Two Fish (Random Ramblings)

I went to a baby shower today for my cousin. This is her first baby and I am so excited for her. She was unable to get a second ultrasound to determine the gender, so we will not know the baby's gender until he or she arrives. Personally, I think it is fun that way. My first two children were surprise babies. And the second, she really WAS a surprise!

My cousin has decided to have Dr. Seuss be the theme for her baby. And I think that is awesome. Dr. Seuss is an all-time favorite with kids and he's just so fun.

There were Dr. Seuss fishes all over the tables, which were covered in polka-dotted table cloths and there was a great big Seuss inspired cake. But my favorite part of the decor were these real living fishes in red, blue and yellow.

I have always wanted a beta fish, but The Man always says "Babe... I want a tank. He can't go in the tank." So I have never ever had one. But I love looking at them. And while we were there, I snapped some pics for fun.

My girls, I expected to act up horrendously the whole time. But I was very pleasantly surprised to find that they were actually going to be okay. I say okay, because they did get a little restless, but I was able to enjoy myself without running after them or taking any out to the van to "think about things". I had a good time. We are trying some new behavior fixing strategies around here and so far, they are working great! If they keep working, I will share the secret. But for now, I'll keep it to myself because I hate saying something is great just to find out it's only great on a trial basis.

I let the girls use my camera while I was there. They are actually pretty good at taking photos. I'm impressed. Even my two year old likes to take pics. My six year old took the one below. I was a bit peeved with her at the moment because she would not sit still with my camera. But I wasn't going to let the camera know that. I refuse to knowingly take an ugly pic.

But anyway, the shower went great. I ended up taking the red fish home. No, I didn't ask for it... it was offered. And of course, I was not going to refuse it! When I got home, I realized that with two cats and four children, I really had nowhere for the poor thing. So for now, it sits in my china cabinet, but I will find Prudie (yes, Prudie and I don't know why) a new home soon.

What's the best prize you've ever received?

Dude... I don't care about your ex!

Okay, so,this is a topic that I didn't ever plan on discussing with anyone on any forum or any site, especially my blog... pretty much anywhere really. I try to stay away from subjects like these. But I'm going to.

There seems to be a crisis happening in our world lately. It has to do with taking responsibility for your choices and your actions.

I was reminded of this today when I happened upon a man while running an errand. We'll call him "Jon". Jon had obviously just ended an encounter with his ex. Whether by text or e-mail, I'm not sure, but it was obvious, because he was very much on the subject.

I didn't know this man. I had never met him before in my life. But we had a mutual friend to whom we were both speaking with. He told this friend about how his ex considered him a deadbeat dad. Hardly the conversation for such a public place, but I forgave him quickly because he was obviously very frustrated. He continued to say that it could not possibly be true because his son would not be held by his mother while in his father's presence. The child would throw a fit. The man thought this must be because the mother always talks badly about the father and the son, who is all of two years old, doesn't like his mother for it.

I tried to make light of the conversation by relaying to our mutual friend about how the Streaker had decided during the past few months to not talk or otherwise show any affection whatsoever to her father and how it was completely unprovoked and it made her father sad.

And there it was... my mistake. I had opened Pandora's Box. And when our mutual friend had gone to take care of something, I was left alone with Jon, and his ex was still on his mind. A LOT.

Long Story Shorter:

He went on about how he had taken over the job of planning his son's second birthday party (which men... I'm just gonna interrupt myself here and tell you this right now, because it needs to be said: "Most" women LOVE to plan. That's why we have baby showers, bridal showers, lingerie parties... we live to plan parties). Any way, to continue, he planned the whole party and then didn't show (!). Then he went on about how he told his ex that he should have went ahead and named their son what he wanted him named instead of "letting" her name him, whether she liked it or not (!!!). I smiled and listened, but inside my head I felt very sorry for his ex.

He then told me that he was not a deadbeat father and that he never sees his son because:
A) He works... okay, I can appreciate that, I suppose, I mean he has to pay child support somehow.

B) He has no ride... Ummm, okay.

And C) He does not wish to go into that part of town where his son lives because he may be tempted by demons from his past who live there.

WHAT!?

There it is folks, the excuse. The excuse to shirk whatever responsibility he has toward that child. At this point, I had to excuse myself to conveniently go to the hospital and have something checked out. And thank God he also left the area. I was left feeling almost violated, on behalf of women everywhere... let me just say this.

WOMEN:

Choose well.


MEN:

*Sigh*
Choose to either be in your child's life or out of it. NO child likes having a yo-yo parent.

If you choose to be in it, realize that it took two people to create that child. We know that you think you are all that and a bag of cheese puffs, but it took many long hours of labor and probably heavy drugs to get that child into this world. In No way, Jose, is it a privilege that is owed to you to name that child. Oh, Heck No!

And lastly, if you feel the need to go on and on... and on to a complete stranger about your lack of parenting abilities and your poor, poor ex that has to deal with you... FIND A THERAPIST!

Sorry folks, no question today, just releasing frustration.
Feel free to comment with your own thoughts or frustrations.