Mommy and Daddy time post partum is better with a little Pink.

Please note this review is meant for adults only.

After 9+ months of pregnancy, several months of csection recovery, breast feeding, and just having a baby attached to you 24/7. The thing me and my husband most look forward to is those few minutes we have alone together (if at all) a week. Sometimes that's just a few minutes when he gets home from work, as he works night shift, and sometimes its just a few minutes before we both pass out from pure exhaustion before we go to bed on the few nights he does not work. Either way its been almost a year since we both spent any real time truly alone as even before Dylan was born his presence was more than obvious from the fact that I was as large as a hippo towards the end of my pregnancy or the sheer fact that I was sick as a dog pretty much from the second month on.

As much as I look forward to that time alone, I think every mom knows that things do not work exactly the same down there after having a baby as they did before. Even if you have had two csections like I have I think just the wacked out hormones pretty much results in this crazy burst of a sex drive before you give birth and absolutely none at all right after. Or even if you do have one you wonder if things even work anymore. heh. Needless to say I've found that the most important thing you need in your post baby kit is a really great lubricant. I picked up a bottle of Pink from Eden Fantasys right before I gave birth to Dylan after learning the hard way after having Connor that going without it is nearly impossible those first few months and I've been tickled pink (heh no pun intended) with it ever since.

Pink is a silicone based lubricant that was truly designed with women in mind. The first thing you will notice is it comes in a really attractive and sturdy glass bottle that will not look so "obvious" on your dresser actually its pretty enough that I WANT to leave it out. I do not recommend this though if you have small kids in the house as the big PRO to silicone lubricant is its super duper long lasting and even water proof the big negative to that is its super long lasting and waterproof. So if you get it in your hair the only way to really get it out is to wash it out. Left on the skin Pink is a fabulous moisturizer and even includes Aloe and Vitamin E so my hands feel great the next morning and though I'm not menopausal I bet it would be ideal for women who are experiencing dryness. My favorite part about Pink though is since its silicone based its 100% hypoallergenic. I'm super sensitive to anything that touches the palms of my hands and my legs to the point that I can barely use moisturizers at all. I'm so excited to say that not only does it not bother me in the least it leaves my skin feeling amazing. It will not leave you with a burning sensation or contribute to yeast infections if your prone. Actually the only negative thing I have to say about Pink is it leave a slightly tacky feeling on your skin as it drys. I also thought it was a bit costly when I first got my bottle but I've found you need about 1/3 of what you would use of a water based lubricant so in the end it actually ends up being much less expensive.

You can read more reviews on Pink and pick up your own bottle on the Eden Fantasys website!

Disclosure: We were given a bottle of Pink free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Dylan's birth story and DearJohnnies!

My experience with Connor's birth left me with a clear picture of how I wanted things at the hospital to go with Dylan's birth. Connor's birth was stressful to say the least and in the end I felt a little robbed of some of the joy that you expect to experience after giving birth. I was induced which ended in an emergency csection that went VERY badly, actually so badly that I ended up doing more than half of my csection with NO pain relief.... as the epidural actually wore off. The last thing I felt like after an 18 hour labor and a pretty shaky delivery was pretty, or even excited, after I had Connor.

Though it seems really insignificant one of the biggest details I wanted to plan for this time around was to bring my own hospital appropriate gowns. Dylan was a scheduled csection and obviously my biggest hope was for everything to go as smoothly as possible, but being comfortable and looking at least halfway decent for the millions of pictures people feel the necessity to snap of you just minutes after giving birth. DearJohnnies was part of that plan.

DearJohnnies makes hospital gowns that are anything but ugly and anything but ordinary. I ended up taking the DearJohnnies Lucy hospital gown with me and changed into it the moment I arrived back in my room post surgery. All my visitors got to see me in a gown that not only was pretty but it actually FIT me unlike the one size fits all gowns that they offer you in the hospital. When your 4'10 those gowns might as well have been made for elephants as they hang off me in all the really awful places. DearJohnnies gowns come in three sizes so you can order a gown the right size for you!

Though I hope to write a longer post at some point about Dylan's birth for the most part the csection and birth went just as planned. Actually the biggest surprise about the entire birth was how relaxed it all seemed to happen after all the chaos of Connor's birth that was something I didn't really even to think to expect. I really thought I would be rolled into recovery and then rushed back into my room. This time it seemed like it took forever to get back to my room, but when I did make it back to my room the first thing I did was change into my DearJohnnies gown.I was feeling a bit rough as I was determined to make it through my entire recovery with as little pain medication as possible. Call it crazy but I hate the way pain medication makes me feel and even more so I didn't want anything even as small as that to affect Dylan. Just changing into that gown made me feel a million times better. Something about putting on a pretty pink polkadot gown compared to the yucky one I was wearing gave me the boost I needed.

Getting around was really great in my DearJohnnies gown. I didn't feel as if I was showing my entire backside to the world when I was moving around in my gown, though if I had thought about it I would have ordered the matching robe to match. Best of all the snaps on the shoulders makes breast feeding so simple. You can even order a gift set that includes a gown, matching robe, and matching monogrammed blanket to make any mom to be feel very special on her big day. I do not know about the rest of you guys but the moment I laid down in that hospital bed with both of my boys was a life changing moment. Meeting both of my boys face to face compares to no other moment I can think of besides the other. Not even my wedding day, sorry Chris! If you have a special gown for your wedding day, why not a special gown for your delivery day? It makes perfect sense to me!

If you'd like to learn more about DearJohnnies check out their website. If you know of a little person that will have to make a stay in the hospital you should check out the DearJohnnies Junior line. Hopefully neither of my boys will ever need one but seeing as I spent a few days in the hospital getting my tonsils out as a kid I know a special hospital gown would have brought me comfort back then too!

Celebrate Valentines Day with Eden Fantasys!

The review I recently did for Eden Fantasys was overwhelmingly popular. I've gotten a ton of emails on it and I keep watching the incoming searches and a good majority in the last few days have come from that review. You know one of the things that so many of my "mom friends" and I talk about on a regular basis is how children have affected our "private time" with our husbands and sometimes you just need a little something to spice things up.

Eden Fantasys is the perfect shop to get something a little special to make your Valentines Day a little more exciting. Be that just a cute nightgown to get you out of those XL tees that I know I'm not the only one guilty of wearing to bed. Or even just some extra special massage oil as a treat. Hey if you even want to get an adult movie they have those too! Either way no matter what your looking for they are bound to have something both you and your partner will really enjoy. Plus the website is set up in a way with reviews from real users so you can shop confidently even if your buying something totally new!

Eden Fantasys wants to give one of my readers a $25 gift certificate so you too can try something out from their really awesome selection.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Just check out the Eden Fantasys website and tell us what you'd order with your $25 gift certificate or what sort of products you think would spice things up for you!
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add my button to your sidebar and let me know its there. (please note if you have our old button on your sidebar you'll need to update the link/image)
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway! 
  • THREE extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • BONUS - I'm allowing a fourth entry for a limited time for those of you who have previously blogged/linked to us in exchange for an entry. Update all the links you have on your site going to our old url (sevendogs) to superheroboy.com and get a extra entry. All you have to do is replace superheroboy in the link where sevendogsandababy appears. 
  • This contest will end March 15th at midnight!

What do you give a very pregant mom for valentine's day?

Heh, I'm still cracking up over this one as when Eden Fantasys contacted me about doing a review of one of the products in their catalog I almost fell out of my chair laughing. Not because I'm shy at all when it comes to sex toys, my sex life, or even products that remotely relate to sexuality but because I'm shaped more like a hippo than a woman and I can't even pull my chair all the way up to my desk as my stomach gets in the way. So I really thought about it... ironically enough the one thing I think about at least fifty thousand times a day is sex, regardless of how large and hippo shaped I become. Ironically enough I think my sex drive has only gone up not down the more uncomfortable and large I get. Besides that I'll spare you guys the details of my sex life as really no one wants to picture a 4'10 girl with a stomach the size of a large watermelon in that manner, at least not most of you I'd venture to guess, though if you did the thought might just make you wet your pants (WITH LAUGHTER PEOPLE... don't go gross on me here..).

After careful consideration I decided to break my mold of reviews and take Eden Fantasys's challenge and feature one of their products. Quite simply because 90% of my readers are moms, and we all got to be moms doing one thing. I think we have all also experienced the highs and lows of what children can do to a marriage and your sex drive. Not just yours, but your partners as well. I don't even care what your comfort ability level is with buying relationship enhancement products or even if your a single mom. There is something for everyone at Eden Fantasys. Actually what I really love about the site is the fact that it's obviously written and driven by WOMEN. Sure you can find products for guys and even some stuff that is too adventurous even for myself, but each product's description is written very strait forward and honest reviews from REAL users are given on pretty much every product in their catalog.  Actually any customer can go in and leave their opinions none of which seem to be censored by the company so good bad and ugly you can hear first hand how other women felt about each product they purchased. Mind you everyone has different likes and dislikes and what might work for you might not work for someone else so I'm always one to read reviews objectively.

My mission was to find something in the catalog that would appeal to a wide range of women of every age and comfort level, and more importantly something someone like myself (37 weeks pregnant and very uncomfortable in every way) would really appreciate both before and after my pregnancy. Not to mention that I will be a csection and anyone who's had a csection will tell you just because you don't deliver vaginally does not mean that resuming your sex life is smooth sailing after. Then the perfect.. and I do mean perfect.. product appeared before my eyes... and I've been in love ever since. The Human Touch Acuvibe Mini is quite possibly one of my favorite new must HAVE products for every preggo girl out there that I know. Literally a "massager" not exactly a sex toy (though certainly it can be used in erotic play) it has been a staple on my bedside from the moment it arrived. Not by far the most powerful massager I've ever had though it certainly packs much more of a whollop than I expected from such a small hand held rechargeable it has been a god send when it comes to my sore neck muscles, the constant crink in my back, and if you must know it's had it's fair share of "down there" time as well. Hey what do you want from me people my husband works third shift as a police officer four days a week and remeber that whole statement about how I can't keep my mind off of sex no matter how big I get? Honestly there is nothing dirty about it, in general it's been one of my biggest and most powerful tools in helping me sleep especially on the nights that this baby insists on putting me through mutiple waves of contractions and I'm just so tense that I fear I'll never pass out.

What I really love about it is it's really quite small. A little less than 9 inches long it's just long enough that I can reach all my sore spots but not so long that I'm stuck trying to find a good place to store it. As well as its a "massager" so if I forget and leave it out on my dresser I'm not stuck trying to figure out how to explain it to Connor if he happens to find it in the morning. I also would not at all be shy about using it in front of friends actually its not uncommon for you to find me walking around the house half the day with it almost permiately attached to my shoulders as well, they hurt.. all the time. And though like I said before it's not the strongest massager I've ever had in my life it is more than strong enough to relieve most if not all of my aches and pains.Compared to it's size its really quite impressive and really honestly my only complaint if there was one at all is that it's battery lifespan isn't as long as I'd really love it to be though this is really me being super critical as on adverage I only have to charge it twice a week and it gets more than its fair share of use. I think the only reason I mention this at all is the fact that you cannot use it while its charging and I've gotten so attached to it that I'm sad when I'm laying in bed with a huge crink in my neck as I'm having to prop myself up with four pillows just so my back won't hurt and I know if only it was charged I could make my neck feel better. Actually I will say if you are looking to purchase this purely as a sex toy and your overly sensitive it may actually be TOO strong for you. When I say the Human Touch Acuvibe Mini packs a whallop I wasn't kidding and there is only one setting. Personally though I think its the perfect multitasking edition to every bedroom. Plus it comes in pink and baby blue, so it's pretty darn cute to boot.

So if your looking for the perfect must have Valentines Day gift for any woman, but especially a certain pregnant woman on your list. Head on over to Eden Fantasys and check out the Human Touch Acuvibe Mini and pick one up. Then to make it extra special boys, break it out light some candles and give her an amazing back massage with it. When I say she will thank you, that's an understatement. Hey if your lucky she might just surprise you with a back massage right back.

Check back in a few weeks as we will be hosting gift card giveaway for Eden Fantasys as well!

Looking for a really cute stocking stuffer for the moms on your wish list?

I've been fascinated with Little Missmatched's products since the first day I laid eyes on them. There is something about the patterns and colors that makes me feel like I'm 12 years old again, in a good way. Really it doesn't even matter if your seven or forty seven every woman who I've shown the products to has pretty much done back flips over the polka dots, stripes, and bright color combinations. Connor's Little Missmatched toddler socks have been a long time standing hit around here and for once in our lives if we loose a sock there is no disaster as each pack of Little Missmatched socks comes as a three pack, three gloriously unmatched but coordinating socks which can be combined in way you wish.

Two new editions to the Little Missmatched family would make for some great stocking stuffers the first of which has to be my favorite Little Missmatched product ever. I'm not a glove person at all, possibly because I hate not being able to "feel" what I'm doing. So when Little Missmatched sent me their email about new products for the holidays and I saw the new arm warmers I was thrilled, no overjoyed. Following in the Little Missmatched tradition each set comes in a set of three arm warmers. We got a set in the black/multi pattern and they are too stinking cute! I've been using them several weeks now and they are super stretchy so not only do they fit me quite comfortably all the way to my elbows but Connor loves to wear them as well and they fit surprisingly well on him just a little looser and more bunched up. I think he's inherited his mother's issues with gloves that have fingers. heh.

The second product has long been the one thing I tell every new parent that if they buy nothing else special for their infant's wardrobe a set of baby leg warmers is by far one of the most versitile things you can buy. The Little Missmatched baby leg warmers are not only very adorable but most of the color combos are gender neutral. We've been huge fans of baby leg warmers since Connor was still in onsies and I still carry around a set in my purse almost at all times as they are just as useful now that he is two as they were when he was two months. Use them on baby legs under onsies or little dresses instead of pants and you will never have to worry about practically undressing your baby just to change a diaper. Use them to protect little chunky legs while they are learning to crawl. Use them to convert shorts or tees into pants or long sleeves even as your child gets older. And then use them as leg warmers or arm warmers for anyone in the household. It's literally the one product that your child will never outgrow. No matter which set of Little Missmatched baby leg warmers you choose its like getting several pairs as you can combine the three included legwarmers in diffrent ways to make different looks!

Check out the entire selection of Little Missmatched items on their website. You can find a little something for almost everyone on your list!

I have a set of Little Missmatched baby leg warmers to give away to one lucky winner!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Just check out the Little Missmatched website and tell us which item from their collection other than the arm warmers and leg warmers we mentioned here is your favorite!
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway!
  • THREE extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Dec 31th at midnight!
    

Never worry about having the files you need when your on the go.

I'm always traveling back and forth between my parents house and home. The problem with that is I'm running a full time blogging career, school, and being a mom. I can't tell you how many times I've been at my mom's house working on homework or something for a client and realized I either left my contact list or my homework on my home computer in another state. Nothing is more frustrating than either having to put client stuff on hold or having to restart an entire school assignment just because I forgot to transfer my files onto my usb drive or onto my laptop. Its actually gotten to the point that I dread going to my parents house all together as I'm always forgetting something at home that I need. The problem is now Connor is old enough to ask to go see his Paw Paw and how am I to refuse something that cute?

Microsoft Office Live is just the thing I've been looking for and so much more! Actually, as a Microsoft Office user myself making the jump to Microsoft Office Live was so incredibly simple. All you have to do is go to the website and sign up for a free account. Once your activated you have 5gigs of free storage to use however you like, if your just using it for documents that's more documents than I could ever hope to store but you can use it to store pictures and other files as well. Once your account is live you can set up as many workplaces as you like. Each workplace is accessible to anyone you choose to share it with. I'm currently working on setting up a family workplace where I can share pictures and documents with my dad which will make transferring information between us so simple, not to mention there is a calendar function we can set up so I can keep him up to date on all the family parties going on up here. As well I set up a school workplace where I can store all of my schoolwork for when I travel. No worrying about if I have my usb drive and did I remember to transfer the files? As well there is a place for me to keep track of all my assignments and deadlines. I can't even tell you how wonderful this will be once I'm back to taking classes on campus as if I forget to print out a homework assignment or paper I can just go into my Microsoft Live account from any school computer and print them out. The same goes with my blog files, with a workplace set up just for the blog I can store all my contacts, disclosures, and any files I need to transfer to clients. Each workplace is its own "place" and you can keep them private to yourself or choose who you share them with. People you invite to your workplace can edit as well as share files of their own as well.

All of this is absolutely free to use and anyone can set up their own account at Microsoft Office Live! It's a fabulous service and you really must check it out!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Microsoft Office Live. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Who needs old tshirts at bedtime?

Ok, I almost hate to say this but I have some pretty ugly pjs. I mean when it comes to bedtime comfort rules and in the past that meant wearing an old tshirt that is five sizes too big with holes in it. Shh.. don't tell but I have a few just like that in my closet and I have a few that my family has "lovingly" named moomoos as they are way too big and shapeless and they look like something that sadly you'd find in my grandmother's closet.

I'm not sure what's happened but at the end of the day I'm so tired the last thing I want to wear is something clingy and honestly Connor doesn't care what I wear so It's just become a habit and I'm no way ready to give up my tshirts especially on hot nights and yes I wear them while I do housework too. So whats a girl to do? The real question is : Is there something out there that is as comfortable as my old tshirts but doesn't look like I raided the closet of someone twice my size? Recently I learned there is not just a comfortable solution but one that will appease those of you that love organics too.

My Earth Too is a clothing company that makes organic cotton clothing and most importantly very adorable organic cotton pajamas that have become my new favorite lounge wear. I have a pink tee shirt pjs from My Earth Too that I simply love. Its slightly tailored so it doesn't just look like a huge shirt but its in no way clingy so it pasts my comfort test. So I guess you could say I am just as comfortable in it as I am in my normal huge tees but without looking like a blob in a huge tee which makes everyone around here pretty happy.

The best part about My Earth Too's clothing and accessory line is the fact that they are very affordable. With prices around $20-25 it's one of the most affordable organic lines I have seen. Not to mention you can find My Earth Too's items at Kohls, Peebles, JcPennys and more... all of which I shop at when I'm looking for a deal.

To learn more about My Earth Too visit their website and check out the listings of where you can find their products. If your looking for a special gift for Valentine's Day the pajamas are a great option as they are not only comfortable and adorable but I always choose organic when I have the option.

Made just for me..

I have a fetish for mom jewelry and an even bigger fetish for silver jewelry. Combine the two and you know I'm curious. However its a rare treat to have a piece of jewelry designed completely for me!

Karen over at Karen Kitsch makes personalized jewelry either by stock pieces that you can customize or she will build you something all your own.

I got a personalized bracelet but I didn't see one that really matched my style from the stock pieces so I emailed Karen and she was glad to help. I gave her very little direction so it got pretty interesting. With a description of "modern punk rock sparkly" Karen's creation of my bracelet could not have nailed it more. Skulls, sparkly beads, Connor's name, and even a charm with his picture on it tops it off. The neatest part is I couldn't have made a more perfect bracelet. It looks a bit like a hybrid between a name bracelet and a charm bracelet, a little chunky, lots of things to look at, but not too fru fru which is what I was most worried about. I love the fact that its really girlie without being too over the top and my pretty little skull and dog charm just completes it for my personality. It does indeed have Connor's name on it and it does have his gorgeous little face on a charm that hangs off of it, but its all me. Finally something that is all mine.

Hmm speaking of which I would love to have a matching necklace, or even a matching bracelet minus the pink for Connor with my name on it. I know it seems a little girlie to put a bracelet on a baby boy, but seriously how often do I walk around town with or without him with his name not plastered somewhere on my body be it through jewelry or clothing it only seems fair right?

Visit Karen Kitsch's website or her etsy shop to see more pieces from her collection. I highly recommend them as a Christmas present for the moms in your life be it grandmothers, moms, or even aunts.

An ecofriendly light you can take anywhere!

I've been slowly looking for ways that I can decrease our power bills and be more ecofriendly at the same time. With my recent power bill being the highest one I have seen in years, mind you the last one I saw even close to it was in a house that was almost 3,000 sq feet and my current house is barely 1,200 sq feet so that seems a bit off eh?

My newest obsession is solar powered anything.. and though I would do just about anything to get solar powered panels on my roof, that's not quite the reality for us at the moment budget wise so I had to think a bit smaller.. and what is smaller than a mason jar?

Seriously.. a mason jar! What?! I'm sure your thinking what on earth does a mason jar have to do with solar power or being ecofriendly? Well I am so excited you've asked as what looks like a normal ole mason jar is really the most ingenious little solar light. The Sunjar is just that, a solar powered light that just happens to live inside of a mason jar. I'm sure your thinking why a mason jar? Well its simple, mason jars look cute, and the best part is that plastic seal and lid on a mason jar makes it waterproof so you can use it indoors or out.

I almost had a fit the first night we had our Sunjar, I set it up in the kitchen by the sink window and it glowed most all night. The light wasn't so bright that you couldn't use it in a bedroom as a nightlight but it was bright enough that I could easily use it to find my way around if we had a power outage or even as a light for some cozy dining. The second night though... sadly my Sun Jar did not glow.. nor the night after.. or the week after. I moved it all over the house to every window and nothing, and I finally realized that those great trees I have outside my house also cause me to have so little natural light coming through the windows that the Sunjar was just not charging. So I took matters into my own hands and left my precious jar outside all day on the table outside. Like a charm it worked! So I may not get my kitchen night light but I will have one rocking outdoor light on my padio for now on. Seeing as the Sunjar has a night seal on the lid it can happily hang out on the porch and there is no fear of the solar panel or battery compartment getting wet.

We picked up our Sunjar over at Wishingfish.com and talk about one cool storefront. I could name at least a dozen things right away that I would love to have, and if your looking for a great place to start your holiday shopping Wishingfish has some awesome stocking stuffers and gifts to get you started. Some of our favorites is the Sunjar of course, a set of agate coasters that I would LOVE to see in my own home, and if your looking for something a bit odd how about some bacon and egg bandages or bacon toothfloss?

Speaking of odd.. my 30th birthday is coming up here in two weeks and it seems unreal that I am turning 30. I may need to find a way to forget that I'm getting old, so a set of the beer bands may just be the ticket.

Head on over to Wishingfish.com and check out all of the great gift ideas, who knows you might end up finding something for yourself too!

Cookware for a lifetime.

There is one thing that comes to mind when it comes to quality heirloom quality cookware. Yes I didn't stutter I did say heirloom. Le Creuset.

I honestly was clueless to the value of cast iron enameled cookware until I was on a trip to France. There in the middle of this medieval restaurant was this gorgeous blue pot an open fire stove that must have been as old as the restaurant itself. An older woman was cooking cassoult and as much as I love cassoult I couldn't take my eyes off that pot. Well turns out it was an enameled cast iron pot and though I have no idea what the brand was it, and most likely it was older than anyone in the place, it left me wanting one of my own.

Once I got back into the states I came across a small pumpkin shaped Le Creuset baking dish. I begged and pleaded for it as a birthday present (as my birthday is in october) and no one took me seriously. I kept hearing "Why on earth would you want a casserole dish that costs that much. Well the funny thing is, I've had several casserole dishes since I asked for that Pumpkin and yes possibly the pumpkin cost a bit more but you know I've had to replace my cassarole dishes more than enough time to cover them.

Cast Iron Enamel is super strong, it conducts and holds heat better than pan you have ever used, its beautiful and available in almost a rainbow of colors, and quite simply if you take care of it it will easily outlast you. So when I say heirloom I really do mean you can buy a cast iron pot in your 20s and then give it to your grand kids or great grand kids. Le Creuset cookware items are warrantied for a lifetime, but with proper care they should last longer than that!

To be totally honest with you though I've been obsessed with cast iron enameled cookware for almost a decade I've never owned my own piece up till now. I've borrowed, begged, and practically stolen pieces from friends but in the end always had to give them back and my new round oven is everything I dreamed it would be, and actually more, as its my favorite color to boot. Its a stunningly gorgeous shade of turquoise called Caribbean which reminds me a bit of the color of the ocean off the coast of France which is fitting as the first time I saw a pot just like it was in a little town on a cliff in France overlooking the ocean.

It cooks fantastic, and holds heat better than any other pot I've used thus far, so much so that it will keep a soup hot for long after you turn the burner off but be warned it stays warm for a long time so don't go sticking your fingers on the pot until you know its cool. The best part though is its painless to clean. I had envisioned having to scrub it as its not wise to put your cast iron pans in the dishwasher not only are they very heavy and will wear on the dishwasher itself but it does affect their lifespan. Personally I see no reason to even consider putting mine in the dishwasher as no matter what I cook in it I've found that just a tiny bit of soapy water, a gently scrubby brush, and tada, clean. Even tomato based dishes.. not a stain on it. I will warn you in advance that cast iron bakeware is very heavy so if your cooking on a glass top stove as I am make sure you are careful not to bang the pot too abruptly on the cooking surface or drag it. Though its quite difficult past dropping a cast iron pot to really hurt it, It's certainly sturdy enough to hurt your feet, hands, and of course cooking surface if handled roughly. Tell the menfolk to back away from the enameled pot.

If your looking for that perfect gift for a mom, grandmother, or just someone who loves to cook usually I say "Buy anything but cleaning products or cooking products as it just looks as if your trying to say something" but in this case she will be THRILLED. Personally I'd practically kill to get my hands on a cast iron enamel skillet. I'm so curious to see how it cooks as I am so tickled with my oven that the skillet must three times as fabulous. I'm a skillet girl all the way, its my cooking dish of choice.

In the meantime head on over to Le Creuset and check out their selection. If your interested in purchasing online check out their online list of retailers and personally my favorite place to go and visit with Le Creuset is at Williams Sonoma. I have to go in every time I go to the mall and check them out and.

Really their candles are smart!

I did a review back in July about the Jellephish lamp from Smart Candle and wow have we ever really enjoyed that lamp. Connor sleeps every night with it set on the blue setting and though it actually does light up his room fairly brightly there is something soothing about the blue light and the moment I turn he lays down and tends to settle down. I guess its just become part of our lives.

Well I recently discovered that candles, at least the traditional kind, are a huge "no no" in this household. Connor is a climber and thus far if he really wants something there is just no stopping him from getting to it. Unfortunately for him he inherited his mothers obsession for anything that glows, this includes candles. Sadly he has yet to realize that touching burning candles may not be the best idea ever as well, though I admit I have done it myself on one too many occasions. Either way it doesn't feel good and we really do not want any burnt fingers, faces, or clothing around here so we are on a temporary candle ban. Not to mention have you ever noticed just how warm your house gets if you burn a few candles for an hour or two. I lost power a few weeks ago and I lifted the candle ban while Connor slept and lit some candles for light and lets just say middle of July, no power, candles burning, no air conditioning or fans, the house quickly rose to a toasty 95 degrees with the exception of Connor's room.

You're most likely wondering why on earth Connor's room stayed so much cooler but yet was still lit. Easy, Smart Candles.

Smart Candles are the perfect solution for those of you who love candles but for one reason or another cannot use them. Maybe its a weater issue, heat issue, kids, babies, pets, whatever, but I can guarantee to you that a Smart Candle will cause you no grief and you wont miss your real candles not even one second. Actually unless you look really close you and your guests may not even realize that the candles burning are not real. The offer the same glow and flickering action of a real candle and there are a range of different looks and candle heights so you can find one to match almost any holder.

Smart Candles are basically battery operated candles. They come in several different options but my favorite is the pillar candles which come in a scented wax, yes I did say wax, shell or a silicon shell. Either way is great depending on what you need and they look just like real candles. I replaced the real candle centerpiece on my dining room table with a Smart Candle wax pillar and believe me no one was none the wiser. The best part is I can turn it on anytime I want and I never have to worry about Connor sticking his fingers in it or it getting knocked over. Not to mention with how sleep deprived I've been lately, its not an issue if I leave it on all night and it won't burn down the house either. heh. Worst case I run the batteries down and that's easy enough to fix.

Along with the battery operated candles, Smart Candles come in a selection of rechargeable models. Let me just tell you know I would flip my lid to get a set of the rechargeable silicone candles. Seriously if you have a lady in your family that is a candle nut you really must check out the four candle rechargeable set. Not only is that completely rad, but its environmentally friendly too! If you know someone that runs a restaurant or are planning a wedding all of the smart candle rechargeable are available in commercial bundles as well, meaning you can buy a set of 12 or more candles to reuse as many times as you'd like. They come in tea light sizes as well. Could you imagine how cool it would be to have a whole room of tables lit with rechargeable candles. So many restaurants shy away from candles now, but these candles are totally safe for guests as well.

Smart Candles are available for purchase directly from their website!

I have a tealight gift set to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Smart Candles and tell me which Smart Candle is your favorite and why you'd love to have one!
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end September 15th at midnight!

BPA Bottles for Mommy!

We hear people talking about BPA in children’s bottles all the time, but have you even considered your own drinking bottles? Sports bottles are as much of a danger as children’s bottles and sippy cups! I think at least in my case I tend to worry more about Connor than I do myself, and it never even occurs to me that my own drinking containers may be putting myself at risk as well as him, as its not unusual for him to drink out of my water bottle or cup if we are out and about.

As soon as this weather starts to cool off a bit down here in the middle of the burning hot south, I really need to get my butt in gear and start working on this flub that I have accumulated since Connor was born. The post partum weight is really starting to go from “oh its ok, I just had a baby” to wow.. what did you eat? People really do not take that baby weight excuse very seriously when your kid is chatting them up in the store.

That really got me thinking, are my water bottles safe? Turns out, the answer to that was a big fat no. All along Connor has been enjoying BPA free bottles while mommy has been sipping on them by herself.

Well that’s no longer going to be an issue as now we have a Camelbak sports bottle. All the Camelbak line is now completely BPA free, which is great news for everyone concerned. Personally, I really love their spouts as they are leak proof so if your baby gets a hold of the water bottle it won’t end up all over the floor, or worst, your car. Connor is notorious for picking up water bottles and flipping them upside down to “see the other side” which is adorable but it’s not so great when it ends up all over the floorboard of the car. The Camelbak bottles have an unusual design in which you actually have to bite down on the end of the spout to drink. It makes it leak proof as well as baby proof.

Camelbak sports bottles are available for purchase directly from their site. You really have to check out their new limited edition bottles, I really want to get my hands on one of those new blue argyle bottles. How cute is that?

Camelbak sports bottles are available on Amazon as well as you can use their store locater!

I have two blue Camelbak Better bottles to give way to our readers!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Camelbak's website and tell me which bottle or sports accessory would you most like to have from their collection!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end August 31st at midnight!

The Mommy Hook.. it sounds like a pirate contraption!

I know what your thinking, The Mommy Hook sounds like something from Peter Pan. Possibly its a device that will allow you to snatch your kid off the recliner before they sky dive onto the floor from across the room? Nah, but it's just as cool.

At first glance the Mommy Hook just looks like an over sized climbing hook like the ones that have become popular as key chains, and yes.. it is for the most part but It does so much more than hold your keys.

The Mommy Hook, well, does anything you want it to but its most useful feature is adding more storage to your stroller. Personally my favorite small stroller is currently the Mutsy Spider and my only complaint has ever been the lack of a large storage basket, not to mention that there is no way on earth that my current purse will even remotely fit in that tiny basket. All I have to do now is slip on my Mommy Hook and I can put as many shopping bags and purses as I can fit on there.

The Mommy Hook is unusual as the back part of the hook is padded with a foam padding. This keeps the Mommy Hook in place and prevents it from sliding all over your handle, as well gives you a comfortable place to grip when you are lifting your bags off the stroller. You can actually just leave all the bags on the hook and put them in the car with the hook in place to make them easier to carry!

The Mommy Hook is available for purchase directly from Keen Distribution for $7.99!

I can see again!

I used to make fun of people who spent more than $20 on a pair of sunglasses. After the month I have had with my eye problems and now the need to pretty much wear sunglasses anytime the sun is even remotely out, I will no longer laugh. Actually I find myself checking out other people's shades now.

After that icky eye thing happened it was recommended that I get a pair of wrap around sunglasses. Sorry guys, I just can't bring myself to enter that level of geekyness and please if someone know where you can find a pair of wrap around that actually look good I'll consider it! The last thing I want is to look like an 80 year old blind person. At least that's the thing I'm attempting to avoid, as with my many visits to the retinal specialist I hang out with those cool cats sometimes weekly.

It seemed almost fate when Julbo contacted me within days of my eye troubles, and little did I know it then, but my Julbo glasses seriously make me feel a thousand times better when m driving. I got a pair of the Spectron 5 Julbo Cube's in pink, of course, which is the highest rated UV protection that will still allow you to drive.

The Julbo Cube is designed for outdoor activities and they come with a super light plastic frame that is actually pretty well done, as thus far Connor has yet to be able to break them, though he has tried on several times. I swear he is getting smarter than I am by the day as he is constantly moving things to climb up to steal things out of my purse no matter where I stash it.

The one thing I noticed right away when I put on my Cube glasses is how tightly they fit to your face, it actually threw me off at first and took some getting used to, but now I love it. With their low profile they mimic fully wrap around glasses, meaning you get little to no light invading around the frames The low profile allows the Cubes to really stay put no matter what your doing. I never have to worry about my glasses falling off my head even if I'm hanging upside down (yes seriously). They actually stay put soo well that I have found myself putting them on top of my head while I'm in a store and spending ten minutes looking for them in my purse only realizing that they were on my head the whole time. No I am not blond, but I hate to admit that I've almost worn them to bed the same way at nap time.

Even in the Alabama heat and intense air conditioning that these local stores like to dish out I have only experienced them fogging up once and that was last week on our most humid and hot day this summer. I can't really blame them seeing as I went from about 60 degrees air conditioned to almost 100 degrees with drastic humidity.

The kids selection at Julbo is even more delicious than the adults. Connor has a pair of the Chocolate/Blue Loopings 3s which not only fit his head fabulously but come complete with spectron 6 glasses which also completely protect his little eyes from damaging UV rays. Though we still have to have a bit of a chat about keeping them on. The color combo really goes perfectly with everything in his wardrobe, which is a huge plus! The best part though is the fact that the frames on the kid's Julbos are super flexible and will easily hold up to almost anything your active toddler can throw at them. Unlike some of the stiff plastic frames I have seen in cheaper glasses I am not even remotely worried about Connor breaking them as he attempts to put them on himself. They also come with an optional strap to keep them on if necessary which we use when we are shopping at the outdoor malls here.

You can check out Julbo's entire line of glasses on their website. I know I personally will not be caught without mine these days. Julbo glasses are available at many sporting good stores or you can buy them directly from Julbo.

Charlee Katz Creations - Simply Stunning!

Hi Everyone! *waves furiously* I'm Stacy, and I'm so thrilled to contribute to Sevendogs! Angela and I have been friends for many many years... I'll tell ya more about that later. First, I want to talk about Charlee Katz.com ... One Word. Divine. These unique and beautiful hats and scarves are so well made, even the pickiest hat lovers will pick these. Now, I know it's July, and its a hard to picture yourself in one of these warm, cuddly hats while you schvitz in the blistering heat, but as you know, now is the time to get a head start on Christmas shopping.

From the time you pull one of these soft, buttery cheneille hats from the box, you will be hooked. They are made with quality stitching, and have a unique look and feel to them. My favorite part is you can get matching hats and scarves for moms and daughters! It just doesn't get any better. I have a friend who knitted Soph and I matching hats and scarves. We looked adorable when we went out, until I stupidly left my hat at a playgroup. Now that Soph has this gorgeous Charlee Katz hat for the chilly months, I can hardly wait for that first crisp day to send her to kindergarden (though maybe not the very first day or her head might melt) in her special Charlee Katz Creation!

Want a gorgeous hat ensemble' for you and your darling? Visit Charlee Katz ( actually, that's her daughter's name) and browse her collection, and read her story. I promise these hats do not disappoint.

The ultimate in Mommy comfort.

I know that mom's just don't like to admit it at times.. but there has been more than one occasion that its taken me past 1pm to even shower. Especially now that Connor is more mobile than ever and the increasing demands of school and blog that "me" time is forever lost in the mix. Ok, possibly not forever, but it seems that way sometimes. Being exhausted is just a fact of life, and its more learning how to compensate.

Every Mom needs a little extra pampering and there is just nothing better than slipping on something that makes you feel good about yourself, beautiful, and yes.. comfortable! When was the last time you felt all of those things in your trusty mom tshirt? Well, don't worry I have a solution that even your hubbies (or boyfriends) will enjoy.. and no.. I am not talking about lingerie, though your other half my enjoy that part its not exactly something you want to be walking around chasing the kids in.

I actually came across Little Giraffe through a random encounter and I was really taken back by their beautiful polka dot baby blankets. Made from super plush velvets and chenille its really almost unfair that such little people get so much pampering. Though I have to say that the kids that are lucky enough to curl up every night in a Little Giraffe bed set must feel like they are in heaven, they will be ruined for life when it comes to bedding. heh.

Well that same amazing comfort has finally been translated into something Mom can enjoy for herself in a much more portable way. Their adult cover up robes have to be one of the most luxurious robes I have ever dared laid my hands on. Those amazingly soft cotton robes at five star hotels have absolutely nothing on them. Made from a super soft satin on one side and one of the most touchable soft plush velvets on the other side, I'm starting to envy my son's blanket collection a little less these days. The Luxe cover ups are actually made from the same fabric combo as the Luxe collection blankets and if the baby blankets are even half as nice as this cover up, wow.

Little Giraffe was gracious enough to send me a Luxe cover up in my favorite color, lavender. I love it so much, if I honestly felt I could get away with wearing it in public I would. And though it has been awfully hot here the last few weeks, I just turn it inside out and wear the satin near my skin in the mornings and it brings a whole new aspect to the robe itself. For once I can honestly say I am actually looking forward to winter so I can wear it round the clock, or at least while I'm home.

Little Giraffe also sent Melos his own little blanket cover up. Though it doesn't actually wrap around him, its kinda funny to see him in it. He uses it more to snuggle with than as a robe. Its funny, I think thats actually the first time someone sent Melos something, he must be feeling a little like the rock star he truely is right now. I mean what other Chihuahua would put up with a rowdy 15 month old day in and day out and rarely ever complain.

Check out the entire Little Giraffe collection, they even have a pet section, and you can find their luxe blankets at Nordstroms. I also spotted almost the entire collection over at Layla Grace.

A perfect way to make someone feel truly special!

When I worked in the corporate world I was always on the lookout for a place to buy really unique and fabulous gifts that could be delivered to our executive friends. They do not need to be especially expensive but it really becomes more of the art of gift giving.

RedPig Gifts is absolutely one of those places, the combination of fabulous items, amazing wrapping paper, and great shipping makes whatever your giving from their collection from a stuffed animal to an exotic set of fiber optic cuff links, perfect for the geek dad by the way. The founder over at Red Pig has really gone out of her way to put together a collection of gifts that are special and if your having one of those moments where you need a gift fast and you don't have time to look it would most certainly be the first place I would check. The best part is that each collection of gifts from jet set, executive, and babies/kids only have about a dozen to twenty selections per category which you may think isn't that many but if you have ever been in the midst of a gift giving crisis the last thing you want is to be buried in a pile of ideas.. I've been there and its not pretty.

Connor got a beautiful little plush mutt from RedPig Gifts wrapped so carefully in the most gorgeous wrapping paper I have ever seen. I let it sit on my table for almost two days before I had the nerve to actually allow him to open it. I've never actually felt guilty about letting my son half destroy half eat a package but I admit I had a bit of guilt as I watched him annihilate that package. It was bitter sweet as the mutt is stinking cute but the package was awfully pretty.

One really unique feature about Red Pig Gifts, their gift cards are hand written on a similarly designed super heavy note card stock as their wrapping paper. Its a nice touch, I was so moved I actually sat down the moment I opened the gift and sat it in the middle of my kitchen table and just admired the package and note card. It reminded me a bit of the beautiful presents my grandmother used to give me every little detail accounted for no matter what was inside it always made me feel special.

Now I know exactly what to get the person who has everything. Anything from RedPig Gifts.. as its not at all the present but sometimes truly the thought that counts.

A little lovin for the Mommies!

I've fallen in love with the products over at Thymes. We did a review of Thyme's Sweetleaf Baby collection not long ago, and I've been hooked ever sense.

As I mentioned before you can't help to notice how gorgeous the packaging is on all of the Thymes products, but the real treat is in just how luxurious their bath products truely are. I've been using the Red Cherrie body scrub for the last two weeks, three times a week and my skin feels amazing. Though I used to use body scrub often, I just found that so many of the brands didn't hold up to my expectations. Some of which ended up being more like a bath gel than a scrub as they always seemed to thin. The Red Cherrie scrub is nice and thick and is especially pleasant when I have had a particularly rough day and feel a bit grimy.

I know, I really honestly dislike cleaning, but the cleaning products over at Thymes makes the job much more pleasurable. I've been using their all purpose cleaner for a few weeks now and I love it. Its nicely scented but not overwhelming and it actually does a great job cleaning off the mess Connor leaves all over my dining room table.. even if I do forget to clean it up one night and end up waiting till the morning. Connor eats at the table with us and he has been known to make a royal mess. I also found it does a really great job of getting that greasy film off my glass top stove.

If your over at Thymes check out their cool sink caddy's that come witch every sink set thats sold. They are stainless steel and they look super sharp sitting in your kitchen or bathroom. All of my house guests end up asking where I got my soap caddy from.

As stressed as I've been lately with this eye thing I really am thinking about purchasing a bottle of their perfume. The Green Tea Cologne sounds like it would be just the thing to help me relax.

Thymes sent me a bottle of the Red Cherrie body lotion and a bath salts to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Head on over to Thymes and tell me what product from any of their lines is your favorite (other than the ones I mentioned above)!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end July 5th at midnight!