Consolidating

When I opened this blog I had every intention of dedicating it to gathering and showing off any crafty stuff I worked on. That was about six months ago and I haven't a thing to show you.

I'm in a rut, a creative hyperbole where I can't seem to find the time or resources to complete a project. It's overwhelming and exhausting and just plain frustrating. I had really high hopes for this blog.

So I think I'm going to consolidate down to my one blog, Rags to Ritz. I regularly update with family news and just maybe I'll find the time now that Nolan's older to include more craft stuff!

I do have a wicked awesome first birthday party that I'm planning, pictures and highlights will be shown over there. So please join me. Your readership means a lot to me.

things i like

There are a zillion and one products out there that are marketed to moms. Seriously, have you ever heard those absurd Nintendo DS commercials from the mom who "loves to play brain games in line at the super market." Like a mom would really have time to do that or would chose to when they could catch up on the latest Jon & Kate plus 8 gossip on the newsstands (Sarcasm, sorry internets just don't always articulate correctly, excuse the sidebar). However, there are a few gems out there that I have found to be worthy of sharing.

These are things I like and BOUGHT with my own money.
Scunci flexible headbands are God's gift to mom's with little ones that like to put their tiny sticky fingers through their hair. Nolan loves to play in my hair, but with this I don't have to worry about my handbands breaking or pulling out too easy. Also, they're designed to not pinch your head because of the soft elastic and flexible, yet stylish design. READ: No more headaches! Yay. The headband rests gently behind around my head but is still tight enough to pull my bangs back and hold them in place.

Not to mention, they come in several cute and fashionable designs. A 2-pack retails for about $3, the same price that I would expect to pay for its' hard plastic counterparts. I bought mine at Wal-Mart, however they can be found at any local drugstore.
Old Navy is stocked with super comfy yet fabulous runway-inspired looks this season. I LOVE this cotton sleeveless dress. The fabric is light and airy but not too thin and it's the perfect length. I know I'm anxious to show off my newly toned arms (thanks to my mad baby carrying skills). You can dress it up with a cute cardigan and some metallic accessories or down with relaxed flip-flop or ballet flats. It comes in three color staples, black, turquoise, and pink. Available online and in select stores, you can find it for around $24, however ON can put on a sale like no other, so be on the lookout.

Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme is like a mini-spa treatment in a bottle, and all for about $8. My hands can get pretty dry from constantly washing baby fingers and faces and conquering a mountain of dirty dishes. I can see instant results from rubbing a little of this cream between my fingertips, leaving my skin feeling silky but not sticky. It also does WONDERS for my nailbeds and I really feel could take the place of weekly manicures. And it smells nice too. You can find it anywhere Burt's Bees is sold. What can I say? I enjoy a good cupcake every now and then. It's just that my size 10 butt shouldn't be downing a delightfully sinfully-gooey piece of sugar heaven tiny fattening dessert cake. What is the saying, "once on the lips, forever on the hips?" I don't have enough time to hate myself spend on the treadmill to make up for it. Sorry Sprinkles, I miss you.... but I digress. Thank the Lord that super markets are starting to carry the prepackaged 100 calorie packs, but those boxes can get expensive, and hello, have you seen how many pieces comes in a bag (like 3). The makers of Mrs. Freshley's have come out with their own 100 calorie products including Swiss Rolls, brownies, and cinnamon pin wheels for the grand price of exactly $1 at Wal-Mart. And that's decent-sized too.

you capture it

Head on over to I Should Be Folding Laundry for more you capture it moments.

post-baby body

While the pounds have continued to melt off (Praise GOD!), there are still a lot some evidence left of my pregnancy. You know, the body changes, things shift, and eight months later there is still a little jiggle in your step. Eek! Gads! Maybe a little bummed that my future will probably never include a bikini two piece swimsuit again, I went shopping for my first post-baby suit. I think I found the perfect one!

Mini Loaves of Goodness

I bought these adorable little bread tins at Sur La Table that fancy-shmancy cookware store, partly because I couldn't afford anything else in the store but mostly because I have a penchant for all things miniature. (Just a note about their size, I looked on the bottom and it says they are about 2" x 4x) Aren't they cute?

I had some inexpensive muffin mix in the pantry and was planning to bring along breakfast for me and some friends tomorrow. I love these mixes by Betty Crocker because they only cost about .75 cents each, and make a small amount and perfect for hubby and me. Each bag yielded three loaves.

I greased each pan and filled each pan and popped them in the oven. I was a little worried that they wouldn't cook even, but that wasn't a problem. Just about seven minutes later they were the perfect golden brown and slide right out of the pans without any problem.

They are so cute, and smell so yummy. They are the perfect snack size and will sure to be a hit at breakfast tomorrow. I'm thinking these will be great for a brunch or favors for a party.

piece of crud

I always knew that I would breastfeed my son. There was never a doubt in my mind, even though I could not stay home with him to nurse I knew that I wanted to provide that for him. Like any first-time parent, my husband and I shopped around for breastpumps and the best bottles that we felt were best for our son. We prefered glass bottles and also found that the Evenflo Comfort Select Electric Breastpump was a good match for our needs, budget, and it even fit the Evenflo glass bottles that we had purchased. The Evenflo pump runs about $50 at Wal-Mart. It was also small, compact, and was relatively easy to use.

The first Evenflo pump lasted a grand total of four months before it gave out and the motor died. It was unfortunate, and hindsight being 20/20 it was probably a sign that we should have shopped for a different brand, however, this happened at around 11pm and I had to return to work the next morning. Wal-Mart is open 24 hours a day and I had to stop there in the morning to purchase a new pump in order to continue pumping. Wal-Mart has a limited selection so I quickly picked up the same Evenflo pump in hopes that we wouldn't have any other problems.

The new pump worked great until a week ago when the pump no longer drains milk into the bottle. Instead it fills the plastic pump section backing up the milk supply so it leaks through the pieces. Also, the pump no longer works with batteries and must be plugged into an outlet to work. These are both annoying occurances, as I rather enjoyed the freedom to pump anywhere when needed and as dry as possible. As we are approaching the four month anniversary on this pump I can't help but wonder if this is more of a manufacturer or design error.

I have contacted Evenflo about this problem and they have offered to refund my money after I have shipped the item back to them and they have processed it, which I am told could take up to 5-6 weeks. I have since purchased a Avent manual pump and do not forsee any future problems.

I see this pump for sale at a lot of retailers, and I just wanted to encourage other parents to fully consider the costs, return policies, and warranties of baby items before purchasing them. I also sincerely hope that these are isolated incidents and that others have not gone through the same inconveniences and frustrations.

Lisa Leonard Designs: Yes I'm Obsessed

A Soft Place to Land is hosting another giveaway from Lisa Leonard Designs. I have several new momma's to shop for this year and I think I've found the perfect gift!

Here's a link to the contest she's running, don't miss out!

A Soft Place to Land