W/W Angels Baseball Game!

This is us at the Angels Baseball Game. EC's favorite team, and Raegan's first! Such fun!!

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

Aloha Friday: Couponing

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response." To participate just post your own question on your blog, head over to An Island Life, and fill out her linky. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Okay... I have to admit... couponing has become my new hobby obsession. I wouldn't call myself an extreme couponer (even though I'd secretly like to), but I'm somewhere in between. I'm slowly building my stockpile of food, laundry detergent, toiletries, etc. I get jazzed every time I get stuff for free or for pennies. Not only am I stocking up on items we will eventually use, but I've managed to cut our grocery budget IN HALF... And we're eating good! We have a ton of food in the house! Because I'm getting most of our dried goods for either nothing or dirt cheap I'm able to spend the cash on good quality produce and meats. I'll blog more about this and share tips along the way, but until then my question for the week is:

DO YOU COUPON? IF SO, DO YOU HAVE A STOCKPILE?

W/W They LOVE each other!

These two. They're hilarious with each other. They love each other so much. She thinks he is the best thing ever, and EC is so tender and sweet with her. Ahhhh... I'm a happy mommy!

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

Much needed updates!

Phew... I've taken a little blog hiatus. Trying to get the hang of this home with a 4 year old and very busy 7 month old baby girl. It being the summer months makes it even crazier around here. I miss blogging and miss you guys! I plan to slowly dive back in. But before then I wanted to give an update with what's the new happenings around here.

Mommy-Momo

(Me & my sister)

Days have been good and hectic. Mostly good. Both the kids like to wake up early and baby girl likes her night nursing sessions so I've been in a constant exhausted haze. Thank goodness for coffee! I'm trying to lose this last 10 pounds of baby weight and I've been enjoying running with the kiddos in the jogger and my alone time at the gym. Thank you to the hubs who watches the kids a few nights a week. Its exactly what I need. I come back feeling rejuvenated :) This summer I started my first fruit and veggie garden and its turned into such a fun hobbie! I didn't know I would love it as much as I do. And its doing great...to my surprise! I've barely had to purchase much produce at the grocery store this summer. So neat eating what we grow. EC loves to help out and I notice more likely to eat his veggies when he knows he grew them! We have lettuce, zucchini, cucumbers, basil, cantaloupe, bell peppers, tomato's, and sweet peppers that are doing amazing. I just planted our late summer/ fall garden as well. Its young, but hoping it yields its crops at the perfect time. I planted corn, butternut squash, spinach, carrots, and pumpkins. I'm busy with the kiddos activities, being a SAHM, and enjoying this beautiful area we live in!

Hubs

(Hubs & and the kids)

He's pretty amazing and surprises me with his strength and love DAILY! He is a super dad, caring and supportive husband, and hardest worker I know. His kids are obsessed with him and he is so loved around here. He loves his adventure sports and has spent his summer working out... alot! (he's kinda crazy about it), wake boarding, and surfing. He is getting into backpacking, paddle boarding, and he wants to get into ocean spear fishing.. yikes! He loves the beach and drags us all down there every few days hehe. In the last 6 months he made a career move and switched companies and it proved to be the best decision. He is so happy and alive again. He loves what he is doing and this change has opened up so many more opportunities. He is a big time planner and his (our) goal is to start the process of purchasing our first home in about 9 months! Wish us luck!

EC

(learning to surf with daddy)

(Sweet boy)

Oh this boy! He is a classic 4 year old boy who is full of spunk! He is hilarious, witty, athletic, sweet, kind, smart, stubborn, energetic, a mini-Joel... and pretty much exhausting and amazing! I love his personality and who he is. His favorite sport to play is baseball. He is an Angels fan and loves to watch and play the game. He has been in swim lessons all summer and loves it. Pretty much swimming on his own. And is learning to surf with daddy this year. *insert mommy heart attack* We are not doing pre-school so this is his last year at home with me until kindergarten so I'm trying to enjoy every single day and cherish it. He loves to make people laugh and I have a feeling he will be the class clown. His interests these days are super hero's, transformers, playing the wii, hiking, his Lego guys, loves the beach, loves to run, loves the outdoors and animals.

Raegan

(smily girl)

(proud of herself)

Its been such a joy to get to know this baby girl. She is full of sweetness and smiles! She has the most adorable personality and has melted our entire family. She is girlie, but one tough cookie. She loves to wrestle her brother! She is the busiest little thing. At 7 months she is crawling every where, standing on everything, and already trying to stand on her own. She really needs to slow down and stay a baby. She has her bottom two teeth and cutting more. I'm hoping this is why my baby who was sleeping through the night at 3 months is waking so often now!?!? We're dealing with weaning her from being swaddled. yes i know.. 7 months old and still swaddled. She sleeps way longer when she is swaddled, but now its just getting ridiculous. If anyone has advice with this please let me know. She is eating some solids and so far hates peas and green beans.

We're adjusting to our family of four and loving it! Soaking up the summer and enjoying life! We're all the happiest we have probably ever been and it feels good! So there you have it. A little update on all of us :) Stop by and say hi... I plan to start updating more!

W/W Baby girl is 6 months old

Miss Raegan just had her HALF Bday :( Her babiness is going by way to fast! With Ethan I was excited and anxiously waiting every milestone...For the next thing he will do. I find myself not so excited with this one. Being the 2ND and trying hard to keep up with her brother she is in to much of a hurry to grow up. Slow down baby girl... you're making mommy sad.

Some of her milestones so far: just got her 1st tooth, she sits ups completely on her own, rolls across the room for the tiniest toy of her brothers, scoots, and is getting up on all fours trying hard to crawl! She is the most adorable, sweetest, little thing with the goofiest personality. She has been the perfect addition to our little family!

Little sweetie! Sitting all by herself.

Playing in brothers bed. They love each other sooo much!

Eating solids for the first time! She loves Avocado/banana. Not a fan of green beans so far.

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

Aloha Friday: Baby on the move.

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response." To participate just post your own question on your blog, head over to An Island Life, and fill out her linky. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

As I type this I'm watching my almost 6 month baby girl roll and scoot (almost crawl) across the room! CRAZY! Her brother didn't crawl until 10 months old. So my question: What age did your babies start crawling? I can't believe we already have to start baby proofing! I have a feeling this little girl is going to be a busy handful :)

W/W Lego Land for EC's Birthday!

Ethan had quite a birthday week! He first had his Star Wars birthday party, which was a total blast! And then the Friday before Memorial weekend was his actual birthday. The hubs always takes our kids bdays off work. Its a tradition that we love. So we had a 4 day weekend ahead of us and we had so much fun. We took our Lego obsessed boy to Lego Land on Friday for his birthday and now we can say he is EVEN more Lego obsessed! I'm so glad we waited until he really could appreciate it. We all had a great day and a very fun weekend. It was nice to not go out of town and enjoy the beautiful area we live in. We vowed to stay put more this summer :)

Showing his new Star Wars Lego set in Star Wars land. (We were stuck in the Star Wars Lego village for hours! No joke.)

Baby girl did AMAZING! She is so laid back and easy. She was happy the whole day.

Hubs and EC on his favorite coaster of the day. Ethan is just like his daddy... A little dare devil. He loves fast roller coasters.

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

W/W EC's Star Wars Bday party!

Ethan had is Bday party last weekend. It was perfect. We threw him a Star Wars party and he LOVED it! This was the cake and cookies my best friend made for him. She is one talented girl. Haven't uploaded the rest of the pictures from this day yet. More to come. His actual bday is on Friday. I cant believe my baby boy is turning 4!?! *sniff sniff* We're taking him to Lego Land for for the first time! This Lego obsessed boy is so excited.

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

Hot Mama Gown Review!!

A few months ago I delivered my second baby. After the first experience I had a list of things I would do differently and the whole hospital gown situation was one of them. I was so uncomfortable in it. I already felt gross after delivery and the generic hospital gown didn't help. During my pregnancy I did a lot of window aka Internet shopping and was scoping out these adorable Hot Mamma Gowns for awhile. So I was so excited when the lovely people at Hot Mamma Gowns sent me the Grace Gown to review during my labor experience. One thing that stood out about the gown when I opened up the package was that it was cute! Not the ugly hospital material. It didn't feel like one either. Oh my... this gown was SOFT!

This is the Grace Gown they sent me. I was obviously in a daze the day after my birth so I didn't get any pictures of me wearing the gown (just a ton of pictures of my beautiful baby girl!) So this is a picture from The Hot Mama Gowns website of the gown I was sent.

These are an alternative to the generic hospital gown. I was disappointed that my hospital didn't let me where mine during the actual labor (which is not the norm I hear), but I did get to wear it during my post par tum stay. These gowns are designed for style, comfort and functionality!

The gown is designed to fit you before and after pregnancy. The ribbon-tied panels allow you to expand or reduce the gown and allows you access to your breasts individually. There are also hidden snaps along the inside of the top panels that ensure a secure fit during wear.

Gown Features:

• 100% Organic Cotton
• Dyed using only 100% natural or low-impact dyes
• Hospital / Birthing Center Friendly
• Short sleeves and a full coverage snap-open back
• Two ribbon-tied panels allow for quick and easy access for discreet nursing

When the gown came it was in the most adorable packaging!! So girlie and fun. I was so excited to open it.

My thoughts:

LOVED IT! Even though I didn't get to wear this gown during my delivery I am so happy I had it for afterwards. As Momma's know, the nurses were constantly still examining you so wearing normal pj's was kinda a pain, but having my own cute and comfortable gown was so nice. My favorite feature by far was how easy it was to breastfeed in it discretely and comfortably. During my hospital stay there were lots of friends and family visiting and I loved that this gown has full coverage in the back. Lets face it, after giving birth I want to feel comfortable AND pretty and this gown did both! I highly recommend it for mommies to be. It would make a great gift!

Where to buy:

Besides online at the Hot Mama Gown website here is the list of retailers.

*Disclosure: Hot Mama Gowns provided me with a complimentary gown for the purpose to review. All opinions in this blog post are my own. I did not receive any money compensation. This review is strictly MY opinion. For more details, my disclosure policy is located at the bottom of my blog*

W/W Daddy and his kids.

Aww... I love this. Hubs and his babies. He really is the best Daddy EVER! We're all so lucky to have him. <3

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

W/W Someone know's they're cute...

I was putting baby Raegan into her car seat the other day and she was cracking up. She is the happiest baby I've ever seen!

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

Menu Plan Monday- March 28th

I've been in a cooking rut. I feel like I make the same dinners all the time so I decided to play along with this Menu Plan Monday put on by Organizing Junkie. Hoping to blog hop and find some new recipes along the way. Here is what I plan to make this week.

Monday- Homemade chicken fried rice loaded with veggies.

Tuesday- Whole roasted chicken. Served with chicken gravy, mashed potatoes, bisquits, and salad.

Wednesday- Crock pot pulled pork subs with cole slaw.

Thursday- Left overs

Friday- Crockpot creamy chicken black bean salsa. This is my first time trying this.

Saturday- Mushroom meat sauce (ground turkey) over rice. Served with broccoli.

Sunday- Out to eat! Grocery shop for the next week :)

With two kiddos I'm always in the search for good tasting and easy crock pot meals. If you have some recipes to share PLEASE do! I will share mine along the way.

W/W Haircut!!

EC got a haircut! He looks like such a big boy and a daddy mini-me. Love it!

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

W/W What happened to my toddler?

Me and my favorite little guy the other day. I can't believe he will be 4 in May? I love this boy so much!

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

W/W Baby Girl!

Im having so much fun having a little girl. I really love experiencing both :) They're SOOO different!

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

Medela Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System Review and Giveaway!!

I've been on quite a blogging break with the holidays, being a SAHM to a toddler, and the birth of our now two month old baby girl. Saying I've been busy is an understatement. We have seemed to get on a routine and baby girl is great sleeper (which helps so much) so I'm ready to dive back into my blogging. What better way to start then to kick it off then with reviewing and giving away a Medela Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System!?!?! Seems fitting :)

I exclusively breast feed my baby girl. I did with her brother as well, but he never took a bottle. Believe me... we tried. I needed and wanted that break sometimes. But he never took to it. I have the amazing Medela double breast pump that I wanted to put to good use. I am so excited to say that baby girl will take expressed breastmilk from a bottle! Being a SAHM she doesn't need the bottle often, but its so nice for someone to be able to watch her for more than 2 hours at a time. When I got the opportunity to review the Medela Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System I thought this would be perfect to organize my breastmilk!!

Medela's new Breastmilk Labeling & Storage Systems is an all-in-one system to help moms identify the freshest breastmilk to avoid waste.

The Medela Breastmilk Labeling and Storage System is a tray that has in and out arrows along with well thought out bottle caps that allow you to adjust dates and times. The lids let you to select the day of the week as well as am, afternoon or pm. You put the bottles on the in arrow side and remove them from the out side. This will help you waste less milk! If you prefer to use the breast milk storage bags they will also fit in the tray.This is what I do. If you already own Medela bottles you can use the labeling lids with the ones you currently own (so cool!)

The features:

• This Medela Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System Makes it easy to protect, organize and locate breastmilk bottles in fridge or freezer.
• Holds up to 6 Medela breastmilk bottles.
• Lids are compatible with all Medela polypropylene breastmilk bottles.
• Includes 1 tray, 2 labeling lids and 2-5 oz breastmilk bottles.

How it works: I'm always worried that my husband or family wont know which bag of frozen or fresh milk to start with. The tray that Medela designed has an "in" and "out" section so that you can just move the bottles around the ring from "in" to "out" as they get used and you put more in. This will always keep the oldest milk moving forward. What a neat idea! I have the habit of over explaining things to people when it comes to watching my baby so this helps a lot.

My thoughts: We actually don't use the medela bottles to feed baby girl so I like using the bags to store in the trays in the freezer. Even though I think the bottles with these lids are soo neat!! What a great idea and helpful tool for us nursing moms!! And what a great gift it would make! Add with Medela bags, bottles, maybe even a nursing cover? Cuuute! I'd love that that :)

The GIVEAWAY!!

The people at MomSelect teamed up with Medela and are giving away one Medela

Breastmilk & Labeling Storage System

to one of my blog readers. All you have to do is tell me who this will be for? With your first comment make sure to leave your email address. This giveaway ends Monday, February 28th and open to United States residents only.

For additional entries:

• Follow my blog.
• Follow me (@mommymomo) on twitter.
• Tweet about this giveaway. Can do this once a day. Leave the link here.
• Subscribe to my blog via email.
• Post my button on your blog.
• (2) extra entries for blogging about this giveaway. Make sure to leave the link.
• Follow Medela on twitter
• Like Medela on facebook.

*Disclosure: MomSelect teamed up with Medela provided me with one Medela Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System to review and one to give away. All opinions in this blog post are my own. I did not receive any money compensation. This review is strictly MY opinion. For more details, my disclosure policy is located at the bottom of my blog*

Raegan is two months old today...

...and growing way to fast!!

She is the sweetest little girl and has melted all our hearts. We love you baby girl!!