W/W Giddy boy on the Carousel.

This is pure happiness!

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out, 5 minutes for mom. And check out Seven Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesdays.

*Don't forget to enter my Potty Tots Potty Training Kit Giveaway!

Totally Talented Tuesday. Imagination.

These days "Easy's" imagination has really grown! I love to watch him play. He found a box and was pretending that it was a rocket ship! Ha. How awesome is that? I don't know where the fascination with rocket ships came from? But he has one. He loaded up his stuff animals as passengers and found a toy that resembled a steering wheel. I was amazed. He even told me to drive with him. I didn't fit. 

Just like a little boy he loves his cars. He has been playing so well with his road rug. Just in a matter of weeks he didn't know what to do with the rug, to full on understanding that its a town. Its a trip how fast his little brain is growing. By the way, his vocabulary is huge! We have full conversations now, and the stuff that comes out of this boys mouth is hilarious. He even tells what I like to call stories... He's been making stuff up!

For more Totally Talented Tuesdays, check out Two of a Kind Working on a Full House's blog!

*Don't forget to enter my Potty Tots Potty Training Kit Giveaway!

Potty Tots Potty Training Kit Review & Giveaway!

My son is 23 months old and we started potty training months back (around 18 months). He was on the younger side, but was showing signs of being ready that I didn't want to ignore. He started off being very interested in his potty, and would simply sit and read a book while I wondered and waited. Most of the time he would go pee or poop. We'd get so excited! We'd scream, jump, and praise him! Because he was younger, I didn't force it. Nothing like a training exercise; just time to time I'd try to sit him on the potty. But then a few months ago he completely lost interest. He didn't even want to sit on his potty. He jumped right up without trying? Not sure what happened? I have heard that this is pretty common, but still has left me confused. 

When I got the chance to review the Potty Tots Potty Training Program I jumped all over it. I was eager and excited to give it a try! "Potty Tots is an interactive program that features adorable cartoon characters the "Potty Tots," that sing and dance to teach the six steps of potty training. Their motto is based on the common little toddler phrase, “I can do it, all by myself!” By encouraging this independence, children build confidence and self esteem." Check out their interactive website. It has games and activities to help throughout the potty training process, along with many helpful tools and tips. I especially like the parents page & tips! 

They sent me the boy training kit along with a personalized letter to "Easy." It was so cute!

They have boy's and girl's kits and both include:

• A story/guide book

• Animated DVD -featuring three original Potty Tots songs and 2 bonus music videos

• One 11"X17" Illustrated potty chart (easily wipes clean with damp cloth)

• One 11"X17" “Toilet Bowl" progress/reward game with clings (easily wipes clean with damp cloth).

Here is "Easy" watching his Potty Tot DVD. He was WAY into it!

I didn't expect "Easy" to be potty trained right away. Like I said, he's on the younger side and extremely stubborn. But I'm so stoked because this program definitely SPARKED HIS INTEREST! Yay for that! He asks to watch the Potty Tot DVD and talks about going potty in the toilet. His little wheels are turning in his head and he's definitely thinking about it! We are ready to dive into this.

Also perfect timing, Parent Reviewers picked me to win a 6 month supply of Huggies pull-ups and wipes! Whoo-hoo. We got our super fun potty training program and a huge supply of pull-ups! We're ready!

The BEST part! Potty Tots is giving away the choice of a boys or girls potty training kit! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me which kit you would choose. The boy or girl? 

For additional entries:

• sign up for the Potty Tots newsletter. 
• Follow them on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway.
• Follow my blog.
• Follow me on twitter.
• put my button on your blog.
• (2) extra entries for blogging about this giveaway. Make sure to leave the link.

Phew... that's a lot of extra eligible entries! Make sure you leave separate comments for each telling me you did so. Also, remember if you are already follow or have my button that counts and be sure to leave a comment for that as well. The contest ends Friday May, 1st. The winner will be chosen randomly. Good Luck!

W/W Another beach day!

Last weekend was the first really hot weekend this almost summer! I love summer time! Especially in sunny so-cal. Love everything about the warm weather. For the husband and I... the warmer the better! Summer to us means WAKEBOARDING, surfing, swimming, tan skin, corona's, margaritas, bbq's, warm summer nights, bonfires, camping, lake trips, running a lot more, kayaking, bike riding, beach volleyball... we live for summer! That gets me thinking. What's every body else's favorite thing about summer? 

So back to this last weekend. We met my Mom and Step dad out at Huntington Beach for the day. Old stomping ground for us. Really do love it there. We got some fish tacos and played at the beach for a bit. It was a good day. 

Beach Baby is ready to go...

The grandparents.

Silly boy.

Us.

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out, 5 minutes for mom. And check out Seven Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesdays.

No Excuses!

Joel and I have always been an active couple. We met on the college track team. Both pole vaulters (he was amazing, by the way). Have always loved the same things. Avid runners, wakeboarders, snowboarders, surfers, anything active and outdoors really. When we decided to have a baby we had a lot of negative forecasting.  Many people were telling us our lifestyle would change. That frustrated us. Always thought it doesn't have to be like that! I hated the classic... "you will see response" or the "silly kids will learn" attitude. Still, that drives me nuts. We were on a mission to not only prove those people wrong, but to stay true to ourselves! We have had the mindset that we will bring our boy with us and hopefully he will love the same.

I have to admit for the first 6 months of having a new baby the nay sayer's were winning. It was HARD! I was a new mom. Exhausted beyond exhaustion. "Easy" was NOT an easy baby (weird that's his nickname...so the opposite).  He never slept, which forced me to constantly battle exhaustion, take on a slight case of depression, and for the first time of my life I had weight issues! I ALMOST accepted that this was the way it will be. I wasn't going to be back to my normal self. I kept thinking "Well, I'm a mom now."

Proud to say, our active lifestyles have stayed the same and I've found many new hobbies to enjoy as well. The only sport I haven't gotten back into is surfing. I think that might be the Mom in me now being afraid of sharks. Silly I know. The husband still surfs a lot, but I've developed a little fear. The one thing everyone has been right about is our dog. True, he is not our baby anymore.We love him; but man he can be annoying...hehe.  

The trick was to bring "Easy" with us where ever we go. We make a point to expose him to as much as possible and still be safe. In his short life he's already been on an amazing houseboat adventure at Lake Shasta with wakeboarding all around him,  multiple snowboarding trips up to Tahoe for long stays in a cabin, hours and hours of road-trips, plane ride to Seattle, tons of beach days, camping trips, and carted along on our many work out sessions. He's not only a trooper... he loves it! He's crazy and fun and so full of life!

I have to give credit and brag on my husband for a bit. He is my rock. My support. My coach. My number one fan! He's pretty much amazing. He is a work out freak! I love that about him, and man does he push it. At one time he even coached me in track. Wow, remembering it now...talk about fights! We both have strong personalities. I know many happy couples that have had some of their biggest arguments due to coaching from within their relationship. Whether it be running or learning to snowboard (ha that was a doozy! You stand on the edge of a cliff for the first time while he pushes you over, and then tell me I shouldn't get emotional). Anyways... He's always been there for me as a strong support. Getting me what ever it takes to persuade me to work out. Cute work out clothes, the NikePlus system (FYI, best EVER... check it out!), you name it. And beyond that he has motivated me! Made me run at times, runs with me, watches "Easy" so I can run. 

My goal used to be to lose the baby weight. I've pretty much accomplished this. I've gotten back into running full force. "Easy" has been in that jogging stroller since the day he was born. He's such a good boy. He loves it! Don't get me wrong. I wasn't one of those woman who lost the weight without difficulty and frustration. Its been a battle! A hard one. I've never been a big diet Guru. For me, its a quick short term fix. I like to indulge too much. Obviously I'm conscious about eating healthy but not crazy about it at all. For me...I've run my butt off! Hours, days, months of hard work. Its taken running 10-20 miles a week at times. I hated it at first, and didn't see results for a good 4 months. I almost gave up, but I was determined. And now... I've gotten myself back!!!! I've gotten my drive to WANT to run back... I've gotten my LOVE to run back! And now I have a new goal. Not to just lose the baby weight and tone up. NO. Now its to get in the best shape of my life! Why not? I can do it. No excuses. JUST DO IT! 

W/W Easter Weekend!

This year for Easter we drove up to the Central Coast again to spend it with our family. My mom and step dad also made the trip up. We went all out this year and celebrated BIG! We had 3 days filled with a massive amount of food and treats, while "Easy" and his cousins ran around like crazy. We launched water balloons, went to church, played festive Easter games (egg toss and pie eating contest), had egg hunts, and even got a bounce house for the kids! It was madness. It was a blast. It was perfect. I love my family! Excuse the large amount of pictures. It was a hard task to just cut down to this amount to share.

My sweet boy!

"Easy" jumping

Being the bossy baby. Didn't want anyone else to jump.

"Easy" on his egg hunt.

Showing off his candy.

One heat of the pie eating contest (yes we had heats, we're competitive)

Even "easy" tried the balloon launcher. With the help of Grandma.

Opening his Easter basket from Grandma and Umpa.

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out, 5 minutes for mom. And check out Seven Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesdays.

Thousand Words Thursday. Coloring Easter Eggs!

Today was a cozy/lazy day. I was trying to think of a craft to do in the house that would keep "Easy" busy. I decided to get all the makings and attempt to dye Easter eggs with him for his first time! I was a bit hesitant and worried he'd stain something with the dye. But he did SOOO good! After showing him the technique he totally understood what to do. 

The set up before things got messy.

Sitting patiently. Waiting to color eggs!

What a big boy. I imagined a disaster. haha

The finished eggs. He's VERY proud of them! What fun!

For more Thousand Words Thursday check out, Cheaper Than Therapy!

W/W My Sweet boy!

Ahhh... I love this guy! Enough said.

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out, 5 minutes for mom. And check out Seven Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesdays.

UV Skinz Swim Shirt WINNER!

The lucky winner of the UV Skinz Swim Shirt is:

Number 70

Which is: Harmony at The Masters of Mayhem

She gets to pick a baby UV Skinz Swim Shirt of her choice!!! 

I contacted the winner with the details. She will have 3 days to respond or I will have to pick a new winner.

This is a great product! PLEASE check their store. Especially with summer coming up. You're going to want their awesome UV protected clothing and swim wear. They have stuff for all ages! Check out their products and blog! 

I'm currently in the process of reviewing some great products and GREAT giveaways will be posted shortly! So please check back. Maybe even some more amazing products from UV Skinz??? You'll have to check!

Thousand Words Thursday. LA Zoo!

The other day my sister had the day off work so mid-week my Mom decided to play hookie and we all met at my sister's house in Hollywood. We decided to take "Easy" to the zoo! I have to admit zoo's make me a bit sad. We did have a great time though. We always do when us girls get together. I sure do love them! And "easy" had a blast! He's such an animal boy. 

On mommies shoulders

showing Grandma the animals

so serious

Sister and Mom

He loved his Monkey lunch pail

big boy

showing aunt "kiki" animals

For more Thousand Words Thursday check out, Cheaper Than Therapy!

Summer's almost here! Don't forget to enter my UV Skinz Swim Shirt GIVEAWAY!!! Only a couple days left!