Products I Love
Below you will find items I love to use and make my mom life easier. there are some small shops and some other stores. **If an affiliate link is noted, then I am either reimbursed monetarily or in product.** Amazon shopping (all affiliate links) is available in the Amazon tab.
Mom-Women
High Rise Shorts
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Women-s-High-Rise-Short/625958393
Monat
Middle: Thursday half messy bun and day 2 of curls
Right: Friday messy buns (2 days worth) taken out and curls left a little bit. Still not greasy, still some curl left, and NOT frizzy post messy bun.
I was given the opportunity to try out Monat from a mom friend, Olivia. I am normally a shower only a few times a week kind of person with all that is going on around this house. I am also a dye to damage my hair in purpose kind of person. I thought I would give this system a try.I used the oil Tuesday night and then washed my hair Wednesday. I was a little disappointed at first because I have the fine hair I damage on purpose to make it do things, so it didn’t hold the “scrunch” it usually does….but I let it dry and went about my day. Then I put in a few curls in the PM and it looked awesome.I woke up and the curls were faded but still looked decent and I thought I would try a half-messy bun thing…I usually don’t because then I have to shower the next day because it makes my hair frizzy, but thought why not. Curls still held on bottom. Then, the amazing thing happened. When I took the bun out Thursday night, it wasn’t frizzy snarly mess!Friday morning I woke up and I popped a bun in again, fixed a couple curls on bottom and still rocking it and it didn’t look dirty at all.So: Wash Wednesday and Friday it is still kicking it.So my review:I would recommend it! Even fine hair it allowed it to keep it’s body/get body. PLUS my awkward shower a couple times a week habit is totally supported with this shampoo!The price is very competitive to a salon shampoo/products. I currently am using drugstore shampoo so adjusting my budget to salon prices is something I still need to do. I am currently using up my stores of shampoos and conditioners (I learned to buy in bulk from my mom) but will definitely adjust in the future!
Coffee Mugs and Apparel (for a cause)
I found this page because they had an adorable Autism Awareness mug. I found out that all proceeds of their charity products go to the causes! How cool is that?!?! When I got my mug I discovered, it keeps my drinks hot/cold FOR HOURS! I am in love! I visit their site for all my Autism (and other great and fun saying needs!) Simply search a cause in their search box! Shop Here
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Apolis- reusable & stylish bag
I recently found the Apolis bags. I kept seeing them more and more on social media and I wanted to know why! After seeing my new blogging friend at Better as Us post her bag on her Instagram, I fell in love. I did some research and discovered they are super high quality bags that are not only cute but have a GREAT mission!
Read their amazing mission HERE
I have my eyes set on a personalized market bag. These babies can hold up to 130lbs and are waterproof. Aldi’s, pumpkin patch, beach, you name it! I am so excited! I am saving up for the bag as it is a little expensive, but I know how much I am helping by spending my money on it, so when the funding is in place I am ready to rock!
I have a referral link and if you use it you can get a discount to get your stylish, durable, and adorable bag as well help out such a great mission! SHOP HERE
** As an affiliate link I do monetarily benefit from your purchases**
For the Kids
Hello Bello Diapers
I am in love with Hello Bello diapers and subscription! They come to my door, they feel like an old t-shirt, they are adorable, they come with wipes, and great priced! Having a subscription, I also get discounts on their other products.
CUSTOM Lovies, Paci Clips, swaddles, hats, bows, bow ties & burp cloths
I found Bri on instagram and she has made many great custom items as well as has great things ready to ship on her Etsy shop! I purchased my Neutral swaddle set for the hospital.
My favorite item is the custom lovie she made Bryce. I requested “something with leaves” and she found the most perfect fabric. Great items for kids of all ages.
Chalk full of Design
I like to pretend Lindsay is my real friend but really she’s an amazing creator with amazing learning tools I met and follow on Instagram. Chalk Full of Design is super high quality chalk boards that are amazing learning tools and can even be personalized.
Kindergarten Toolkit
We don’t have a lot of materials yet from here as my kids are still young, but the flashcards in the image above are from KindergartenToolKit.
Lavender & Linen-Heirloom Dolls
Lavender and Linen on Instagram. I fell in love with the heirloom dolls and the story of where they came from. I bought the doll and an outfit–that happened to have a bonnet that matched Stella’s bonnet from Sweet as April (Small shop shout out from a couple weeks ago). I continued to follow this sweet mama as she came out with new clothes and then a boy’s lumberjack collection!
These dolls are heirloom quality from old fabric. The detail of these dolls are amazing and they are great quality. Our doll has been thrown up on, dropped in puddles, drooled on and well…played with. I have hand scrubbed our dolls clean to perfection. She never gets less adorable!
Bows (and some clothes)
I highly recommend these bows and Goose and Mills customer service. They are so great at spoiling your little girl with amazing bows and so many cute looks!
There is also a bow subscription club you can join! You won’t be sorry. I also suggest following on Instagram to learn about new releases and whats new! Follow on Facebook VIP and get awesome sales and discounts (cough cough:: watch weekly ::cough)
**We do hold “brand fan” position. We do receive a percentage off the bows for the terms we sign on to be a brand fan, but not receive any reimbursement for your sales. I share this because I absolutely love them and am an authentic “brand fan.”
Bonnets
This company has a very soft spot in my heart. This mom is open, and honest, and makes great products through all of it. I, personally, love the look of bonnets so that is a definite plus! Her drops are kind of madness, but sooo worth it! I also am a part of the buy sell trade page where I got some as well. These are so so cute! This particular bonnet was a part of a collaboration and is going to come to the hospital with us. It is a gender on each side and I am super excited about it!
The best part? She makes all her bonnets from fabric that would otherwise be disposed of because they aren’t “in style” right now. She is saving the world from textile waste and filling out up landfills. The card included in the bonnet packaging says, “About 3/4 of Americans are unaware of the fact we waste almost 11 million tons of textiles EACH YEAR! My goal with this little business is to make my bonnets from pre-loved clothing, vintage material and donated yardage. Doing my part to save the world from textile waste #onebonnetatatime.”
She is also a mom of a son with autism and a daughter with a speech delay. I feel she is my spirit animal. She has a lot going on and every day is NOT easy, but she is open and honest which makes me being a mom feel normal–which lines up with the purpose of this blog exactly. Please support this mama! Go ahead and give her a follow on her Instagram page: Sweet as April and visit her drop on the 29th!
**I do not get any compensation, I just love this mama and her amazing work!
Handmade Cuddle Toys
found String Cheese and Bandaids on Instagram. Her small unicorn was to die for. I immediately pre-ordered it. I then saw that she did custom orders and ordered this adorable Unicorn Lovey for Stella. It should be noted that these unicorns have both been vomited on and washed and still look this great–but when I wasn’t sure how to wash them I contacted her via message on instagram and she responded quickly with best way to wash them. She does small batch releases so they can be tricky to snag, but she recently had a mini snuggle bunny release. I knew this would be a perfect gender neutral lovey for baby 3 so I attempted to score one, and I did! With the bunny came the card of their mission statement and it made me fall even deeper in love with this company. The snuggle bunnies are designed to be machine washable over and over again! “Each of our toys are homemade with great care in small batches making them truly one of a kind to treasure for a lifetime! We are happy to say we meet most of CPSC toy safety requirements in the United States and strive to make toys that are safe for your little ones from the very best materials We are an eco-friendly company using recycled and recyclable packaging and try our very best to use every last scrap to reduce textile waste in our world.” A company that cares so much about my child’s safety as well as protecting this Earth so my grandchildren can enjoy it really makes my heart sing. String Cheese and Bandaids is an amazing shop boss mom. I highly encourage following her on Instagram so you can be aware of releases and see her great work.
**No reimbursement or compensation made for this post. These are items I have purchased at full price and absolutely love
Bubble Tube
Sensory Bubble Tube
We got the tube after Nolan loved his at his ABA Center’s new sensory room. Both kids love to watch the fish and bubbles. Nolan does like to hit it when he’s excited so we did purchase a wall bracket to hold it. We actually haven’t installed it yet though because we put it in a location that if he bumps it it can only tip into a wall.
BZ Littles Activity Boards and Cubes
Fidget/Busy Cube
Wooden busy cube that Nolan has fallen in love with. His favorite side is the gears. I love the durability and testing she does, but I also how cute it is! BZ Littles has GREAT wooden fidgets/busy boards and other toys too!
Bannor Toys: Wood/Heirloom Toys
Bannor Toys Wooden and Silicone Blocks
Nolan is working on stacking these blocks and also likes to mouth the silicone ones. The customer service is so great at Bannor Toys that when these were released I messaged to ask if they could be bitten off and the sweet customer service rep actually bit it to test it. It survived! We have wood cars, trains, teethers, rattles, and more we love from them too!
Toddler Monitor
Toddler Monitor
This has been great. It sends an alarm (vibrate, sound, both) to your phone when there is any motion. We are currently using it on the bedroom door once he goes to bed for the night. It is allowing us to wake up faster when he does and track the times he is waking. In the summer, Nolan has a tendency to let himself outside. He stays in the yard, but it is still important to us to know he went out. In the summer we plan on putting one of these on the garage door and the back patio door (with a command hook). The monitors currently have 3 to a smart phone, but with Nolan’s room, Stella’s room (when she is in a bed), the 2 outside doors, that is 4. I have contacted their customer service asking of the possibility of adding more monitors to a phone. They have mentioned not a lot of requests for it, but that they would look into it. If this would be a fit to you, please reach out. This is a great fit for us and peace of mind and it may be to your family as well.
Sensory
Bostons Bed Soxz
Bed Sock-from Boston’s Bed Soxz
Helps Nolan sleep by giving him deep pressure all night. Also is a great sensory break when he tunnels in it and back out. We have one on a crib mattress for travel and a twin for his daily bed. They are made larger as well.
Nemechek Protocol
Book
Fish Oil Gummies
Inulin Powder
approved Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Healthier Choices
Mama Bear Organics
Organic materials for you and your family. Especially the eczema stick, bug spray, and bubble fizz. We love their items and love they are organic. Use code Siraya10 to get a discount on your organic materials!
- Cut chemicals in cleaners/detergents when we can.
- Norwex– for windows, dusting, dry mopping, wet mopping, counter tops
- Get rid of: windex, pledge, lysol floor cleaner, clorox wipes
- I have a friend Lauren who sells. You can contact her on the contact on the top or you can shop her page. Click HERE
- Young Living Thieves –multi-surface cleaner
- Gets rid of: all surface cleaners/wipes
- I have a friend Sarah who sells. You can contact her with help on oils that work or to purchase. email: sarahmarieh88@gmail.com.
- An Instagram inspiration and mom I follow, MommyTruth who posts a lot about oils and healthy choices–I have learned so much from her.
- Seventh Generation Wipes, tub and tile, & Toilet bowl cleaner for bathroom
- Gets rid of: Bleach, Clorox, Clorox wipes
- Mrs. Meyers hand soaps
- Use paper or reusable straws vs plastic (Stella is insistent on straws in her chocolate milk)
- Honest Shampoo and Conditioner
- Alaffie Bubble Bath (organic)
- Cut chemical based sunscreens for mineral based (I like babyganics spray–its a little thinner but still mineral based)
- Cut Deet/Bug spray use IF WE CAN–we have had a bout of mosquitoes that could not be combatted with any oils, natural remedies, etc. when bugs are normal I use babyganics essential oil based bug spray–We are trying the Ubdyo Ultrasonic Mosquito repellant this summer!
- Coconut oil can work wonders on millions of things. I haven’t cooked with it, but use it for many other reasons. I use for: make up remover, moisturizer, lotion, dandruff spots, cradle cap, baby (under 6 months) sunscreen (in addition to shade), diaper rash starting, dry skin spots on the kids. (I put this particular liquid one in one of those travel kit spray bottles to easily spritz in all those locations/uses)
- Look into getting an app to let you know how good or bad your stuff is. I try ThinkDirty
- There are some cosmetic companies that are cutting out their chemicals and toxins!
- I shop at Aldi and if you shop Aldi brand (simply nature) you will find many of the food no nos NOT on the ingredients list!
- Food swap outs-
- Annie’s Mac n Cheese for Kraft
- Organic bunnies for Cheeze-its and Goldfish
- Simply Nature brand whenever we can
- I want to note: Nolan is particular about some foods. They are specific and I would rather him fed than not–Oreos, Mini-Muffins, clear sodas, coco puffs, etc. We are improving where we can but sometimes mama’s sanity matters too! Fed is best.
