Fall in Love with Handmade Giveaway Event 9/1-9/14

Welcome to the Fall in Love with Handmade Giveaway Hop, hosted by Going Green with the Grizls, The Vagabond Studio, and Eight Days a Week! The three of us are hosting the grand prize for the event, so you can enter on any one of our blogs. Also, you'll find a convenient linky list of other awesome bloggers each offering prizes worth $25 or more to surround yourself in wonderful HANDMADE items. Be sure to hop around and enter each of the giveaways. The giveaway ends on September 14, 2012 at 9:01 p.m. PST (September 15th, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.). Good luck! 

We've put together a delightful Grand Prize worth over $400 open to US & Canada!! Check out all the awesome sponsors below!

Fall in Love with Handmade {Sponsor Spotlight} Lil' Montner

As part of our Fall in Love with Handmade event that starts in just a couple days, I get to show off this lovely set of mama cloth to you all from Lil' Montner. The name Lil' Montner comes from wahm Jennifer saying this instead of Monster when she was younger, how cute is that? She inevitably started calling her own son that and decided to take the name into her business as well. I love when business names are derived from children, it makes them more interesting and memorable. =) 

These actually came right after my cycle and for a change I was pretty excited for the next one to come around sos that I could try them out. As luck would have it, I actually found out I was pregnant on my next cycle so I won't even get a chance to use them until probably May of next year or so. (Since I'll be using postpartum mama cloth for the first month or so.) 

This is a set of three matching mama cloth. There is a cute outer cotton print, hidden layer of PUL, and a cotton velour top fabric which is closest to your skin. There's also two layers of hemp sewn into the cotton velour to add absorbency. I like that she uses hemp rather than other fabric choices because not only is it more absorbent meaning you can use less layers and still keep the pad thin, but it's also anti-microbial. 

They are even meant to be able to fold up when on the go so you can toss in a small wet bag. I mean, when extra features like that make using mama cloth every bit as convenient as store bought pads or tampons, what excuse can you have left for not making the switch? 

I'm also super excited because Lil Montner doesn't just make mama cloth, she makes hybrid fitted diapers, OS pocket diaper, OS fitted nighttime diapers and is even going to begin testing some postpartum mama cloth. Probably most excited about the pp testing. ;) Follow on Facebook to keep updated with awesome stocking and deals!

Be sure to stay tuned for your chance to win a set of 3 mama cloth along with 1 overnight pad in the Fall in Love with Handmade Hop starting September 1st!

Baby Bump Journal

Well, tomorrow will mark 8 weeks for me and this is my first entry for the Baby Bump Journal. I've been keeping a good old fashioned pencil and paper journal in a spiral notebook but I'm hoping to do a better job of keeping up with one if it's on my blog; a place I visit every day.

Yep, that's the bump at 8 weeks. For those of you that know me, that actually is showing a bit, lol. 

At 8 weeks, baby is the size of a raspberry. =)

According to the math and my last cycle, I should be due on April 12, 2013.

For this little one we are hoping to have a very low key, intimate home birth. I believe I've written about it before, but after having Talia in the hospital and thinking I had a nice easy birth, I now realize that it was all the little things that made it an unpleasant experience. First off, I was induced a week early. The doctors really had no reason to do so other than getting it on their books before the end of the year. With being induced comes the use of drugs like Pitocin. the contractions it brought on were long and strong, not to mention unnatural. If my body would have been left to do it's own thing they would have inevitably been a bit less painful. Not to mention my body would've been producing the natural cocktail of hormones that would've helped with the pain. Instead, I got an epidural. In the moment I thought it was a lifesaver and even allowed me to take a two hour nap just before actually giving birth. In reality, I still have pain at the point of my spine where it was at. I thought I had done well since I only had to push through 4 contractions before our baby girl entered the world, but the epidural medication had been increased and the time between doses decreased so I felt no pressure at all and had to be told when I was having contractions to push. I also had tearing so there were stitches involved. I'm not sure how many, I just know that there wasn't a proper amount of "slack before the knot and my skin tried to heal over it so I had to have another doctor appointment for that very painful error. I also didn't get to see my daughter until about an hour after she was born and wasn't given the opportunity to try breastfeeding until she was already a couple hours old. The nurses I had after being moved to the maternity ward were terrible. they did not respond to being paged and then the nurses at the desk scolded my hubby for going directly to them to try to get things taken care of. I mean, one nurse didn't want to help me bathe and also drew my blood in the dark leaving me with a bruise the size of a softball on the inside of my elbow and the color of an eggplant.

Doesn't a nice, less painful, more caring birth at home sound like a much more memorable experience? If you think I'm nuts for even considering it, take the time to watch the documentary The Business of Being Born. It's an eye opener.

At this point I'm weighing in at 99 pounds craving the heck out of carbs --breads, dry cereal, pasta, all of it. I also thought that whole dill pickles sounded amazing and after buying a jar on Sunday I only have 2 left, which will most certainly be eaten today. ;) Don't worry, I eat them by themselves and not with ice cream or anything crazy.

I'm taking my prenatals daily and they're the best I've come across. New Chapter Organics Perfect Prenatal. What I love is that they're actually made with organic foods so you can even take them on an empty stomach if need be without feeling like crud after. I've been having quite a bit more nausea this time around than last but I never even vomited on my first so when you have a pregnancy that great first, any little difference seems like hell.

So far my taste isn't off yet but I really hate cooking. Every little smells makes me want to gag.

So, not a TON going on at this point, but that'll change soon enough! 

Fall in Love with Handmade {Sponsor Spotlight} 4 oh 5 Fluff

Lately, I've been a sucker for AI2 style diapers. Don't get me wrong, pockets still have a place in my heart, especially at bedtime but AI2s seem so much more convenient for my family. My hubby especially likes them because there is no stuffing involved. 4oh5 Fluff offer the option of both pocket and AI2 style diapers as well as the option of a trifold or snake style soaker. 

The diaper I was sent has a cute cotton outer, hidden layer of PUL, and inner layer of stay dry suedecloth. you can see for this diaper I was surprised with a half and half print of these cute pink whales and coordinating stripes. The snake style soaker is just a few layers of 4" x 28" organic bamboo fleece and is extremely soft, even after line drying. After folding there is a total of 8 layers of absorbency. Our diapers are only line dried at home so it's important to me that the fabrics used don't end up too crunchy.

Fall in Love with Handmade {Sponsor Spotlight} Boogie Bear Creations

I'm so excited to present another Boogie Bear Creations diaper for you all! I'm sure you remember the amazing AI2 that I shared with you all a while back that was also made by Melissa. The name Boogie Bear Creations comes from the nickname given to her youngest son by his older brother. She makes custom AI2 style diapers and has recently even began making nighttime diapers. Even more recently, she has begun running coops through a Facebook group for custom diapers.

Not only did I get to be a tester for the new nighttime design, but I  was able to review one after the testing round. We got this cute cranky clouds print which would be great for either a girl or a boy. She even added newborn crossover at my request so that I could use it earlier with another new baby. These diapers have a cute knit outer, hidden PUL, and hidden bamboo fleece.

The inside of the diaper is lined with a super soft bamboo velour. I love the softness of the bamboo velour although it does tend to get a bit on the crunchy side if you are a line drier like I am.

As with the other diapers made by Boogie Bear Creations, it is an AI2 style meaning that the insert is meant to be laid in or snapped into the diaper. In this case, the insert snaps in. The insert for the nighttime diaper is actually a double layer insert so that your little one can make it through the night.

You can see in this insert photo that Boogie Bear is always ready to roll with the punches. You can see that there's two inserts laid on each other. The one on top is the original insert I was sent with my diaper. The larger one underneath is the newer design to really be sure there's no leaks during the night.

Even with it being a thicker nighttime diaper it still fits pretty trim. I do notice that we have to use larger snap settings but that's to be expected when using a thicker insert and diaper. So, if you've been looking for a nighttime solution for your precious child, definitely give Boogie Bear Creations a shot!

Be sure to watch for your chance to win one of these awesome nighttime diapers for yourself in the upcoming Fall in Love with Handmade Hop starting September 1st!

My Baby Bump Journal

For those of you that have been reading my recent posts, you may have caught slight mentions that we are expecting baby #2! With Natalia I kept a hard copy journal but I figured since I keep everything else on here for my own future reference, why not keep my journal on here too? Plus, I'm probably going to be more likely to actually keep a journal this way.

I'm joining up with other expecting bloggers to do weekly posts on my progress, thought and just how things are going overall. You can access all the posts at any time by using the Baby Bump Journal Tab located at the top of the page. ;)

Stay tuned, first post will be Wednesday!

Mia Mariu & their Wonderful Mineral Makeup. {& a Giveaway!}

     For those of you that are makeup lovers, Mia Mariu has probably got exactly what you've been looking for. They offer everything from mineral makeup and lip gloss to skin care treatments and nutritional supplements. Mia Mariu is a business based out of Dallas, Texas and offers a stable business opportunity to women wanting a fun and exciting career that they can be in control of. 

Mia even offers an easy to read guide to help you choose your perfect shade. I was sent this Savannah shade with a handy bush for applying and although it did end up being a tad dark for me, it still helped open my eyes to mineral makeup. Minerals are lightweight and long lasting so you won't have to reapply throughout the day. They are also breathable and have a smooth, silky texture that you notice immediately when putting it on. Plus, a container of this mineral foundation only runs $18, which seems affordable to me. After all, with mineral you're using less and still getting a better effect than you would if you were applying gobs of liquid makeup. 

JE Lotion Bar Review & A Giveaway

My sister in law, Jessica, recently decided to become a Jordan Essentials consultant. What's Jordan Essentials you say? Well, it's an American owned & made company started in 200 by Nancy Bogart in Nixa, Missouri. How could I not help support them when after all, I'm a homegrown Missouri girl myself? Their company's mission statement is:

"We are on a mission to bring the highest quality products and spa experience to homes all across America. We believe our products are more than skin care; we care about the whole person's well-being. We have Real Skin Care Solutions For Real Families."

For this review, I was able to try out a lotion bar in the Orchard fresh scent. It's a nice, refreshing apple scent and is a nice change from all the vanilla you've got out there, although my mother in law has an Oatmeal, Milk & Honey lotion bar and it is heavenly smelling. The lotion bars come in a cute and durable metal tin that is easy enough for you to get open, but not your toddler. ;) Being in the tin also prevents the whole "lotion totally spilling all over the bottom of your bag" scenario that I know has happened to all of us at one point or another.

Jr. Carousel machine from Gumball.com

 Recently we got a cool addition to our home's decor. Imagine being able to have a gumball whenever you want. I mean, you could always just go buy some gumballs to eat at your leisure but how cool would it be to have a mini style gumball machine to dispense them? We got this awesome antique style Jr. Carousel machine and my little girl was beyond excited. What toddler wouldn't be?


The machine is designed to work with virtually any coin, including foreign ones. We are treating it almost as a secondary piggy bank for our little girl. =) You can even make it work without needing to use coins if you wanted. There's also an easy access point on the bottom to retrieve coins and be able to reuse them if you run low on change in your pocket.

I also like the versatility that you can add other hard candies besides gumballs for after you run out. If you wanted to use something smaller you can easily adjust the amount of candies that are dispensed using the simple instructions included. Although, I find it hard to believe that you would run out very quickly considering that only half the gumballs that we were sent are filling this entire container. Maybe since I'm in my first trimester I should find some ginger candies to put in there after these gumballs are gone. ;)

Can't wait to win your own Jr. Carousel gumball machine from Gumball.com?? Be sure to enter  below for your chance!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
**Disclosure: These are 100% my words and opinions. I was not paid to complete this review; I did however receive a complimentary product for review purposes. I was in no way required to write a positive review, but was encouraged to write an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. ** 

10 Little Things

My hubby told me once when we first met about his most favorite gift he had ever received. He had gotten it as a Christmas gift one year. It wasn't anything fancy, techy, or even store bought. In fact, it was a little handwritten note from his sister, Jess, that had a list of things she loved about him.

For those of you with siblings, think of how many times you fight with them, can't get along with them, or even sometimes hurt them. I know he used to tease her incessantly that she was adopted because both parents and three of four children have dark hair and dark eyes. Jessica has red hair and green eyes. Even though Jake is the youngest, he was also the "little devil" so that didn't stop him from still poking fun at his sister. You can see in this photo how it could hurt your feelings when you really do look like you could've been adopted. This photo was taken last July or August, but it was the most recent one we have of them all together. (Don't hate me Jess for posting a super pregnant photo! ;))

Anyhow, a prompt that we had for the Summer Blog Challenge (which I haven't really been participating in lately) was to list 10 things you love about your significant other.

1. He's willing to do whatever it takes to provide for our family. He doesn't take short cuts or the easy way out and would probably have 5 jobs at a time if he needed to.
2. He has a magic touch with our little girl. Even if she's a crazy monster all day with me as soon as he gets home and hugs her, she's Daddy's little angel. 
3. He's genuinely funny.
4. He's generous & always willing to help others.
5. He's relaxed and not uptight about things like money, appearances and me needing to have the house in immaculate condition.
6. Now that I'm pregnant with #2, I eat a lot. He always lets me eat the extra portions at dinner. ;)
7. He's an amazing cook. 
8. He makes beautiful babies. He's already confirmed this once and as soon as we meet this new little one, I'm sure we can make that twice. =)
9. His smile.
10. He backs up my decisions to eat healthy, cloth diaper, co sleep, breastfeed, and even my most recent choice to have a natural home birth. 

Healthy Snack Alternative from Beanfields

In our world, it's hard to provide your family with yummy snacks that are both healthy and tasty. Too often we are bombarded with snacks full of preservatives, sodium, and just plain 'junk'.

Beanfields uses a blend of black and navy beans and long grain rice cooked in safflower or sunflower oil to create a tasty snack that is packed with protein and fiber. In fact, they contain double the fiber of most corn tortilla & potato chips. They are also good for our economy because they are farmed and made in the USA.  They are gluten-free, cholesterol-free, trans fat-free, preservative-free, corn-free and free of every one of the FDA's eight most common ingredients that trigger food allergies.

Photo used with permission from http://www.semmessavers.com/

We were sent 5 large bags of chips as well as 2 snack sized bags. Beanfileds offers a variety of flavors including nacho, pico de gallo, sea salt, sea salt & pepper and a naturally unsalted one. I actually had to hide these from my hubby so that I could moderate how quickly they were eaten. He quickly found where I had stashed them though, so that idea didn't last for long. I made an awesome jalapeno dip and paired it with the naturally unflavored as well as the sea salt and it was SO delicious! My hubby favored the nacho flavor and we even used them in a yummy taco salad. 

You can either buy yourself some Beanfields snacks online or you can use their handy store locator to find a store near you that is carrying them. If you just can't wait to buy some, then be sure to enter the giveaway below!! There's 5 winners!

Traveling with Balboa Baby

When I took my recent trip to Missouri in July I knew that what I chose to actually take with us was very important. There was no way I could handle keeping my hands full with a toddler as well as getting our bags through the airport and then still having to deal with driving after landing.  One thing that made the cut list was the Balboa Baby Adjustable Sling.

I primarily used it for the hip carrying position since P Grizl was about 20 pounds, which is close to the 25 pound weight limit. I'm definitely going to be keeping it around for the next little one though because there are other carrying positions you can use and it's even discreet to nurse in if you need to.

Feeling Beautiful with Corset Chick

I do photography part time and recently I decided I was going to delve into the world of boudoir photography. It's been something I've always wanted to do but never really thought I could, especially because of the area that I live in. I just knew that a corset would be awesome to have on hand for my clients to use if they wanted. I actually had a hard time deciding since Corset Chick offer corset tops, dresses & seriously every accessory you could need to go with them. I was able to get this corset dress and had planned to use it for a shoot I recently did. We ended up not having time for another outfit and I had put this at the end of the list because inevitably, I wanted my client to get exactly what she wanted and needed and this outfit fell on the back burner. With that being said, you'll have to excuse the fact that you can clearly see my camera remote. ;) 

It's here!! The Natural Newborn Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Natural Newborn Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering, Going Green with the Grizls and Ashley Suzanne through the Green Moms Network! The three of us are hosting the grand prize for the event, so you can enter on any one of our blogs. Also, you'll find a convenient linky list of other awesome bloggers each offering prizes worth $15 or more for your natural newborn. Be sure to hop around and enter each of the giveaways. The more you enter, the more chances you’ll have to win the grand prize! The giveaway ends on August 31, 2012 at 9:01 p.m. PST (September 1, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.). Good luck!

Now onto the Natural Newborn Grand Prize!

We have a huge package of awesome prizes for one winner!

Sustainablebabyish diaper from Thanks Mama

There is nothing worse than getting in some fluff mail and having to wait to begin using it because your little one has a rash. Well, this was the case for us with the organic bamboo fleece fitted Sustainablebabyish diaper we received from Thanks Mama. Thanks Mama is an awesome online store that carries practically everything you could need for your little angel. This isn't even an exaggeration, they carry diapers, baby care items, maternity items, baby gear like strollers & carries as well as nursery furniture and even toys!
Finally the rash is gone and we were able to try  the diaper out on her little bum.

Made with organic bamboo fleece and a soft jersey outer, this diaper works great for heavy wetters. It also came with two soaker inserts, one that is a doubler for nighttime and one that is trimmer for using during the day. As a fitted diaper, it is not waterproof. However, there is enough absorbency that in my experience I still didn't need a cover. There are three snaps on each wing so you can be sure that you won't have to deal with the dreaded wing droop. There's also an additional snap on one wing so that you can get a tighter fit for skinnier babies. One other detail I really like is that the soakers use to snaps to stay secured in the diaper...and they snap into the front! I can't tell you how many times we have had issues with the soakers bunching inwards between my little girl's legs and they end up wicking around the legs.

Even with the thicker double soaker in use the diaper is still pretty trim. If you look closely, you may be able to tell that there is uncased elastic across the front. For diapers that have snaps, this extra elastic can be a great asset. It allows you to get still get a snug, precise fit and still have the durability of using snaps.


When I first got the diaper I was concerned that my messy little girl would stain the diaper up pretty quickly but it washes really well. I've probably washed it close to 10 times now and it still looks as great as it did before it was ever worn.

At only $24.95, that's a price I'm willing to pay for a reliable, organic diaper that can be used during the day or overnight without any leaks. You can choose from coordinating snaps and thread and also choose a contrasting combo. We chose the pink since a lot of our other diapers are gender neutral and I wanted something nice and pretty for my little girl.

Be sure to follow them on Facebook & Twitter to keep updated with new inventory stockings and awesome sales.

**Disclosure: These are 100% my words and opinions. I was not paid to complete this review; I did however receive a complimentary product for review purposes. I was in no way required to write a positive review, but was encouraged to write an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. **

Get Organized with Thirty-One

It's a busy, hectic world we live in these days. The last thing I need to worry about is running my errands and having to carry in a bunch of separate bags. As much as I love my reusable shopping bags,  I like to have one bag for when I know I'm only picking up a few things from the store but need to take a few things as well. My sister in law, Jessica is a consultant for Thirty-One Gifts and recently introduced me to the wonderful organizing solutions and products they have to offer. 

Without even intending to, I've made this Thirty-One organizing tote into my everyday, everywhere, everything bag. Mine is a basic spirit grey color which is nice because it matches anything and can be used in any situation. The organizing tote has 3 pockets on the front, 2 on the back outer side, and a mesh pocket on each end. There are no pockets on the inside but it is sturdy enough to stand on it's own, which makes it really great for quick trips to the grocery store. This is what my bag looked like after a recent day of running errands. As you can tell, it's not even full, how awesome is that?

I like to keep things I'll need close at hand in the outer pockets. I have enough room for sunglasses, my phone, the garage door opener, coupons & shopping list, a bottle or sippy (or both!), a wet bag for dirty diapers, my wallet, and I keep a binky in there too. As you can see, on this particular day, a caramel frappuccino from Starbucks also made an appearance. =) Everything else is game for the inside. Since I have a toddler, there's always an extra cloth diaper as well as some wipes in there also.


On this trip I fit a Sunday newspaper, a 5lb jug of local honey, a carton of heavy whipping cream, 4 cans of crescent rolls, 3 packages of unsalted butter, a container of organic mayonnaise, a tub of sour cream and a package of organic ground beef. So just think, ALL of that was in my bag along with everything else I've mentioned in this post (&there was still more room!).

For more information about Thirty-One, to learn how to become a party hostess and receive rewards, or to place an order, visit Jessica's Thirty-One Consultant Page. You can also join her Facebook Group to hear about sales and monthly specials! & Just because I can't resist, here's a sample of the prints offered so you can start making your wishlists now. ;)

The organizing tote is only one thing that Thirty-One offers. Can you see your home sewing/office space like this?? Then enter below for a gift certificate worth $25, which is redeemable through Jessica. =)

a Rafflecopter giveaway **Disclosure: These are 100% my words and opinions. I was not paid to complete this review; I did however receive a complimentary product for review purposes. I was in no way required to write a positive review, but was encouraged to write an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. **

Do you have a bucket list?

A bucket list is essentially a list of things you want to do or accomplish while alive. I've been thinking on this a bit and I think I've come up with a decent list. Are any of these on yours, or have you already crossed them off?

1. I want to try baking every single thing from a cookbook. how cool would that be to just work your way through one recipe at a time?? I think I'd love to try a cookbook that uses healthier alternatives to achieve a delicious result without all that extra "junk". i'd love to try one that all desserts. Anyone have a good recommendation? 
2. Before too long, I want to do something wild with my hair. I was hoping to get something down on my trip to Missouri last month, but it just didn't happen. I'd love to get some color streaks in my dark hair that really pop!
3. I can't tell you how much I dream of living in another country. I'd love to just live somewhere in Italy maybe outside of a small village where nobody bothers you. I know hubby would want to be in Switzerland or Norway and who the heck am I to complain about that either?? LOL
4. Write a song. Hubby & I are both into music and have actually talked a few times about eventually writing and composing some music together. I'm hoping to get some guitar lessons from a friend soon and I'm on the look out for hubby's  Christmas present which will totally help us accomplish this. I'm looking for some music software for the computer where you can basically create your own music. 
5. Something else I've wanted to do is learn to speak a foreign language, French in particular. Why French? Well, it's not like Spanish where everybody else can speak or understand a majority of it. Besides, wouldn't it be nice to talk to your family in the presence of others to get a important message across?
6. My goodness, I REALLY need to visit the Tim Burton exhibit. He is a visionary; maybe crazy, but a visionary nonetheless. I have loved every film he's put out and they are all on my favorites list. Not to mention that he sure has a way with casting his roles.. Hello, are there any other HUGE Helena Bonham Carter (she's also Burton's wife!) & Johnny Depp fans out there??? 
7. I want to be someone's maid of honor. Is that cheesy? I just want to be that 'always there, late night planning, gushing over wedding details best friend" that someone needs on their special day. 
8. I'd love to have a natural birth, at home, surrounded by the people that love me the most. When I face reality though, I have practically no pain tolerance. It's something that I keep in the back of mind and something I'll continue to research for any future little ones.
9. Own a pair of converse in every color. Yes, I have a problem. ;) My chucks are my go to shoe for almost any occasion. how amazing would it be to have them in every color and never have to wear another shoe again... hah.
10. Something I think would be awesome would be to host a foreign exchange student. i'd love to be able to teach someone first hand about my lifestyle and be able to soak up theirs. 

Lilla Rose Hair Pretties

 As a mom, it's important for me to keep my hair up and out of the way from the grabbing hands of my toddler. Also, here in Idaho houses don't come with the standard air conditioning that I've always been used to from growing up in Missouri, so there's yet another reason not to let my Rapunzel hair down all summer. (It's seriously to my waist!) One way that I can combat that is with a low side braid. It's more interesting than a ponytail yet still provides me with some relief from the heat.

I chose to try out the silver sparkling headband from Lilla Rose independent consultant Sarah Ives to pair with my braid. It adds just the little sparkle I was looking for to be able to wear out somewhere yet it's still casual enough to wear every day or around the house. The problem with sparkly things is that toddlers tend to gravitate to them and now mine's missing. =)

Amazing Author-- Tess Gerritsen

I must confess that I haven't been doing a lot of adult reading lately. Nonetheless, my favorite author is Tess Gerritsen. The first book I read by her was back when I was in jr high. It was a book called Vanish . It was a riveting and very sad book to me. It shed light on things that are happening every day but get ignored by authorities. Not to give too much detail it delves a bit into the world of forced sexual slavery. It talks about women that are sold on this American dream and leave their home countries thinking they will be brought to America and provided with nice jobs such as workign in a bridal store or as a nanny. Instead they are illegally smuggled in and forced to do horrible things. It made me cry on several occasions but at the same time it's packed with action. The whole story isn't centered around this and it is so beautifully told that you just can't put the book down. 


Gerritsen slowly lets you in on details of the story, yet within less than the first 100 pages a woman pronounced dead has awoken in the morgue, killed two security guards and taken a hospital hostage. Intrigued?? 


When I was pregnant with Natalia I would get her books from the library and read a full one each day. I didn't actually realize until I had read 5 or so that it was an actual series. I had realized the characters were the same but it hadn't occurred to me that it was a single storyline. Nonetheless, I've read them all. Not to mention all her books have a FEMALE main character/heroine! Any seen the show on television Rizzoli & Isles?? It's based on her books. ;) 
They're all just great reads!!


Gerritsen used to intern in the medical field so the medical aspects of the story are accurate but not an overload to the story. her writing style is so comfortable and easy to read that you've easily read a couple hundred pages before you even realize what time it is. 


Check her out if you're looking for something thrilling and will leave you wanting to read all the others.

Blast away germs with ToiletTree's Oral Irrigator

 One thing that can really help to keep yourself and your family healthy is to practice good oral hygiene. We all know that we are supposed to brush and floss twice daily but even then, what's getting left behind? Does the floss really reach into ever crevice in your mouth? Probably not. Lucky for you, I have just the product for you to try. Check out the Oral Irrigator by ToiletTree Products.

The Oral Irrigator is easy to use, portable, and conveniently plugs into the wall to recharge. It comes with two heads which is great because I was excited for my hubby to be able to use it too. They are easily interchangeable so there isn't any hassle switching between users. I also like that it has different settings to adjust the water stream which also makes it more flexible in using with another person.

This works by filling the attached compartment with water. The compartment itself is removable which give you the option of filling it before attaching it to the irrigator body. You then attach your head and use the stream of water to get rid of particles left in your mouth. Unlike floss, the water jet is less abrasive to teeth and can reach the deeper crevices between teeth and in the gum line. 

My first attempt at using this was a laughable experience, to say the least. I wanted to check out the water jet before trying it and ended up getting the wall wet. During use I was trying to watch in the mirror rather than focusing on how it felt and it caused me to make a mess on the mirror as well. The second time was a MUCH better experience. With a little common sense I was able to successfully use the irrigator without leaving behind a mess. Be sure to follow the easy tips for not making a mess that are conveniently located with the product. Basically, keep your mouth mostly closed but open enough to let the excess water escape to the sink and rather than looking into the mirror, if you look at more of a downward angle it keeps the water leaving your mouth from running down your chin or all over you face. ;)

Get your own Oral Irrigator from ToiletTree Products on Amazon for only $39.95!

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**Disclosure: These are 100% my words and opinions. I was not paid to complete this review; I did however receive a complimentary product for review purposes. I was in no way required to write a positive review, but was encouraged to write an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. **
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Must Have Home Feature

This amazing Graine Ficelle design is totally right up my alley. One of the most important features in our future home that we both have to have is LOTS of windows!! We love natural lighting and plan to hopefully live in the country so that we can really enjoy it year round.

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