February 7th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

My absolutely favorite mom on Etsy is Jen at Winkydinks. She is the sweetest person to deal with and sells an extremely awesome, quality product for an affordable price. I’m not just saying that either. I’ve actually tested it out. When I first started looking for fleece longies and diaper covers months ago, I bought something from Winkydinks and something from another vendor on Etsy because I wasn’t sure what I wanted or liked. The pair of longies and matching diaper cover I received from the other vendor was nice, but it was twice the price and the size wasn’t correct – not to mention there was no conversation, no thank you for your purchase email. Nothing. I don’t even think my daughter has worn those longies more than once and never worn the diaper cover. I continue to purchase my items from Jen at Winkydinks because I feel like a valued customer and I get awesome longies, diaper covers, and hats for my kids! Here is the purchase I made today..

How cute is this diaper cover? I love it!

Pair of longies. She had actually made two pair for me a while back so that I could decide which I wanted – one with the pattern on the band (the one pictured) and one with the pattern as the pants and the waist band solid (that is the one I purchased at the time). How cool is that? So now I’m picking up the other pair!

A lavender fleece beanie with removable hair clips for my 3 year old daughter:

A fleece beanie for my 11 month old daughter – this is the stock picture:

But she is doing a custom beanie for me.

The “fuschia” swatch in the first picture will be the color of the trim and the body of the hat will be from the pattern in the 2nd picture:

I’m also having her make a custom pair of longies. Here is the swatch of the pattern for the waist band. The pants will be a matching chocolate brown and she is going to do an applique of one of the daisies for me at the bottom of the right pant leg. She did that on another pair a while back and I love them! So cute and unique.

If you’re a cloth diapering mom or just love soft, fleece or wool items, or if you’re looking for a great gift for someone, I encourage you to check out Winkydinks. I will never shop anywhere else for my fleece and wool items! Thanks, Jen, for providing such an amazing product and such extraordinary customer service!

February 5th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

I just watched a very strange, yet surprisingly funny commercial for a vacation rental web site. Whether you like silly commercials or not, I have to say that I was really happy to hear what they had to say about vacation accomodations! The vacation rental commercial touches on a few points, but the main point is how you can save money and avoid being stuck in a cramped hotel room while trying to enjoy your time away. I will definitely be visiting Vacation Rental.org this summer when it’s time for my family to take a vacation. I think it’s a great idea for everyone to check this out – otherwise I wouldn’t be blogging about it!

For your convenience, I’m posting this convenient You Tube clip of the commercial that I just watched. Meet Unitard!

February 3rd, 2010 by Neptunebaby

I feel horrible that I haven’t been able to post in a while, but I just started my new job on Monday and it’s been an adjustment. I am pooped when I get home! I spend a couple of hours with the kids before they go to bed and then try to cram some homework in before I go to bed. Last night was the season premier of LOST so I had to watch that! Anyone that follows me on Twitter knows that. I should be doing some homework right now, but I really just want to kick back and “veg” tonight.

I was so excited about tomorrow being shopping night at Bagshot Row Bamboo, but then I remembered that I have to be at a funeral home around the same time that Joyce will be stocking and probably when she opens it up for shopping. Anyone that shops there knows there won’t be much, if anything, left by the time I get home. I’m bummed. I don’t want to have to wait until next Thursday to get my new stash of diapers. That’s horrible to say since the reason I will be missing out is because of a viewing for an old friends dad. But hey.. cloth diapering is addictive, right?

I am super excited about going shopping this Saturday! My sister is coming over to watch the kids so my husband and I can leave the house kid-free. We’re going to the Apple store to get my new MacBook Pro – which, of course, I’m totally geeked about! My poor PowerBook G4 laptop is in desperate need of being replaced.

I sold two baby items on Craigs List yesterday – my Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump and our Graco Element Pack n’ Play in Mulberry. I’ve decided that I’m not going to pump while at work this time. Elizabeth eats a lot of solids now and was only “snacking” during the day anyway. She does the majority of her nursing in the morning, evening, and during the night. So it works out perfectly.

January 29th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

Do you want to read about a fascinating new baby product? Check out my guest blog post/review on Five Dollar Shake! It’s a review on the most fabulous 5-in-1 water resistant baby blanket ever created. You won’t want to miss this! Grab the coupon code for awesome savings while you’re there!

Say hello to my daughter, Elizabeth, the lovely model for this fabulous water resistant blanket/car seat cover/nursing cover/stroller and baby carrier blanket!

January 29th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

I’m not a huge lover of fruity desserts, but I do love apples and peaches so today I am going to share a very quick and easy recipe for Peach Cobbler. You will be enjoying this yummy dessert in under an hour!

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
* 1 (16 ounce) can sliced peaches
* 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup milk
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Pour butter into a shallow 2-qt. baking dish; set aside. Drain peaches, reserving 1/4 cup juice. In a saucepan, bring the peaches and juice just to a boil. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, flour, milk, baking powder and salt; mix well. Pour over butter in baking dish. Spoon hot peaches over batter. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until cake tests done. Serve warm.

January 29th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

I am really looking forward to getting a new Babyhawk Mei Tai baby carrier. Did you know that you can design your own right on the site? There are so many fabulous designs to choose from! It’s fully customizable from the strap colors to the patterns. You can have a pattern on only one side, or both to make it reversible. You can also choose a minkee lining for the inside if you live in a place where the weather is cold. I wouldn’t recommend this option if you live in warm climate. You can also choose from the carriers that are in stock. I’ve never designed my own before so I’m really excited about it! I think Babyhawk is the perfect carrier because it’s simple and very versatile. You can wear your child from newborn to toddler in the same carrier.

Here are a few photos from the gallery to give you an idea of what they have to offer:

January 26th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

This is one of my favorite dishes to make! The sauce is delicious and the pork roast is so tender and juicy. It’s best served with Sauteed Garlic Asparagus – a very simple recipe that I will also include here.

Pork Roast with Tangy Sauce

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1 (4 pound) boneless rolled pork loin roast
* 1 cup apple jelly
* 1 cup ketchup
* 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, salt and garlic salt; rub over roast. Place roast fat side up on a rack in shallow roasting pan. bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours.
2. In a saucepan, combine the jelly, ketchup, vinegar and remaining chili powder. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until the jelly is melted and mixture is smooth. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
3. Brush 1/4 cup jelly mixture over roast. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Remove roast to a serving platter; let stand for 10-15 minutes. Skim fat from pan drippings. Stir in remaining jelly mixture; heat through. Slice roast and serve with sauce.

Sauteed Garlic Asparagus

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1 bunch fresh asparagus
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions

1. Melt the butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and asparagus spears; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until asparagus is tender. If you like your asparagus well done, reduce heat and cook an additional 10 minutes.

January 26th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

There have been several great bargains the past few days and I apologize for not being able to post them. I have been so overwhelmed by the beginning of this new semester. I’m going to do my best to keep up with school, a new job starting on Monday, my children, and posting here as often as possible.

Today’s Green Baby Bargain is a fabulous one: Kate Quinn Organics – Sizes 18-24M – 5T at 50% to 76% off retail prices!

The “Green” Factor:
Kate Quinn Organics prides themselves on their commitment to fair trade and the earth. They use only certified organic cotton, grown using sustainable farming practices that maintain and replenish soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Their garments are made of ultra soft, all-natural, organically produced cotton certified by Control Union Certifications (formerly SKAL), a USDA Accredited Certifying Agent. Their garments have also been certified Fair Trade. Every little garment supports their vision and hope of a cleaner, kinder earth.

January 25th, 2010 by Neptunebaby

I am scheduled to get my tax return back next Friday. Although some of it will be going to pay bills and such, I plan to spend quite a bit on new Bagshot Row Bamboo Ultimate Fit cloth diapers. I do love my Bum Genius 3.0 Deluxe – which is what half of my diaper stash consists of right now, but I’ve also learned that the microfiber insert that is sewn in starts to stink after a few months. Here’s the thing – they don’t smell bad AT ALL out of the dryer, but as soon as my daughter urinates, it is the most horrid smell! My BSRB’s, on the other hand, do not have that problem. So, even though they are more expensive, they are well worth the cost. You get what you pay for, right? Not only are BSRB’s the CUTEST diaper out there and the most absorbent fitted I’ve used, but they don’t get the microfiber stink that some other diapers get. I can’t wait to start shopping! I’m even more excited about getting fluffy mail again. It’s been too long.

January 22nd, 2010 by Neptunebaby

I just read an extremely informative article about American Residential Law Group. The article discusses the importance of hiring a lawyer that specializes in real estate law and foreclosures in regards to new lending programs options that are now available. The new lending programs can be very confusing to someone that has very little or no knowledge about these types of businesses.

Many people are having a difficult time with their finances, especially their mortgage, in this type of economy. Loan modification is a great choice to assist people that are in financial hardship with their current situation, but again.. it’s important to know which companies are ethical and which are not. Hiring a real estate law attorney is the way to go.