4th of July Wreath

I am huge Forth of July person!  I always have red, white, and blue breakfast; we only wear festive colors and clothes.  What's not to love?  Celebrating America is just wonderful to me.  Plus, you always have food, family, friends and fireworks!  

I am a wreath person too.  I love having a decorated wreath on my door for a holiday or season.  This is my newest creation, found the idea on Pinterest and made it my own.  I believe that you can see something and change it to fit your needs, personality and likes... don't forget SALES!!  The entire wreath cost about $15.  Seriously can't beat that. 

SEE!  This is another one I made for a friend.  Similar but not identical!

Difficulty: EASY (ish)  Just need patience. 

What you need:

Wreath (I used an 18") $5.49 at JoAnn

Flag $1.50 from Target

Blue Burlap from JoAnn $8.99 (No coupon for me)

Red Flowers 70% Sale this week! about $1.19 each 

White Bundles 70% Sale this week! about $1.60 each (top picture)

(Also used, hot glue and $1 twine from Target to tie)

Total Cost for one Wreath is about $15.47 without tax.  But if you use better coupons you could get this even lower!

White Flowers from Hobby Lobby (bottom photo: friends wreath) purchased months ago with 40% off 

Let me know if you want to see more or even a how-to!

XO Lorina

Sugar Cookies

I like to make sugar cookies.  I feel like I am pretty good at making and designing them.  My husband, bless his heart, likes "regular" sugar cookies.  You know, cookies that look like, well, traditional sugar cookies.  I find it way more fun to make a sugar cookie look like something else.  Perhaps; blueberry pie, chocolate chip, and nachos.   I say yes.

Keep in mind, I am not a professional.  I am a mom who bakes things out of her tiny kitchen, and whose mess drives the man I love insane.  Sweeping up flour and powdered sugar isn't fun... especially if cookies too all day to ice and you ran out of energy so it stays until morning.  

Or, if you ate too many cookies, (to make sure they taste good, of course)... and your sugar high has left you crashing.  

Either way.

Let me know if you'd like to learn how to make these!

XO Lorina

GiftCard Christmas Wreath

Ahem, okay so I know it's May.  Yes, I realize, but I couldn't resist posting this.  Teacher Appreciation was last week and I never got around to posting this during Christmas, so here you go!  

It's only 5 months late.

Each year I try to do something really awesome for my children's teachers at school.  This year for winter break I asked parents to donate any amount to any gift card they chose, so I could make a GiftCard Wreath.  I think it turned out really amazing!  

To make this wreath, purchase some ribbon, a plastic pine wreath, (mine was from Michaels for $5), gather gift cards, 

and attach them using the wreath's wire pine "branches."  

So easy.  So thoughtful.  And because they are gift cards, 

teachers can buy whatever they'd like.

  I love that this particular one (I made 4 of them!) had movies, dinners, shopping, coffee, smoothies... it can be anything, there are so many possibilities.  

Good Luck!  Comment below if you have any questions. 

Body by Trimester

We all know that pregnancy comes with weight gain.  It has to, we are growing a baby!  But this doesn't mean we have to gain a large amount of weight just because we are pregnant.  I don't know about you but I want to look good and feel good when pregnant! 

 I found Body by Trimester online and instantly fell in love with the idea!  What first sparked my interest was the fact that she workouts out with you through EVERY trimester!!  She physically does each trimester workout.  I really loved this because when I typically follow prenatal workouts, the instructor isn't always pregnant and/or in the wrong trimester as you.  It was nice to follow along and grow with each workout!  (obviously I wasn't with 2nd or 3rd trimester, but for the sake of the review I did them for fun)

"Body by Trimester is a pregnancy fitness DVD series designed and demonstrated by a pregnant personal trainer. This series includes nine fun, effective, and safe trimester-specific workouts packed into a 3-DVD set. Each trimester of pregnancy is unique for the mind and the body, so each workout is tailored to help you gain strength, energy, and a better sense of well-being-a great gift to give your baby! Each trimester DVD includes two 30-minute interval training workouts, as well as a 15-minute express workout, all utilizing dumbbells and a stability ball. These pregnancy workouts focus on the muscles that get the most wear and tear during pregnancy, and pay extra special attention to the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. The 3rd trimester even includes special exercises to help you prepare for labor. Each DVD has a separate section on abdominal toning and how to check for diastasis recti. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends, "that you do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most, if not all days of the week" (ACOG, 2002). These pregnancy workouts will help you do just that, so get moving!"

I love the creative workouts.  I won't lie, she really works you! I am not by any means completely fit, but I do workout weekly 3-5 a week at night while my kids sleep, so I could keep up well.  I simply loved it.  It wasn't overly hard but I could definitely feel the muscles being used, especially my hip area (which is probably the best possible area for me to work!  So I enjoyed the burn.)  I like that most of the DVD is about strength training; squats, lunges, the arms and upper back work. 

I really loved how she understands that not all days are the same.  Some days you will feel amazing and full of energy and the very next day might feel completely exhausted.  Joy tells you to do you best but if you don't feel like 12 reps, do less! It's nice to workout to someone who is physically fit while pregnant but understands that each day is going to be different and that pushing yourself while pregnant is NOT good for you.  This should be a time of maintaining, not loosing weight.  

If you want a workout that really targets the areas most effected by pregnancy this DVD is fantastic!  She looks amazing working out while pregnant so I definitely trust her workout will help keep you motivated, energized, and hopefully less stressed about weight gain!

BUY IT!! Body by Trimester is available online for $44.99.  You can also try Body by Trimester Postnatal Exercise DVD which include 4 workouts that emphasize abdominal recovery for only $19.99!   Get your body back after baby and keep it fit while while pregnant!

 

*I was given a copy of Body by Trimester for FREE to conduct this review.  The opinions are mine.

Please remember to talk to your doctor or midwife before starting any exercise program, especially during pregnancy.  Also, remember that you may not be able to do all the exercises involved and only do what you can without injuring yourself.  Be aware of your body and know what feels okay to do.  As always, listen to your doctor or midwife when it comes to exercise for you and ask them if Body by Trimester is right for you.  

Blooma Prenatal Yoga DVD

When a women finds out she is pregnant many things go through her mind.  I think the number one concern is health of the baby!  This means mom needs to be healthy herself first.  This includes fitness, nutrition, in case of Blooma Prenatal Yoga wellness for mind, body, and spirit!

I was searching for a new Prenatal Yoga DVD and stumbled across Blooma.  I am so glad I did!   

Be Blooma Well PRENATAL YOGA DVD takes you from the yoga mat to the birthing room. Blooma founder Sarah Longacre guides you through a powerful, uplifting prenatal yoga practice designed to open your hips, strengthen your body, and set your mind at ease for birth. Discover how your yoga poses and breathing practices become comfort measures for labor and recovery. Then, celebrate the first, intimate moments of new motherhood as Blooma mamas share their personal birthing day videos. Be Blooma Well Prenatal Yoga celebrates the beauty and strength of your pregnant body through yoga. 

Sarah Longacre, owner of Blooma prenatal & postnatal yoga and wellness studio, is a birth doula and yoga teacher who has nurtured, comforted, inspired and educated thousands of women on their pregnancy and mothering journeys. 

I have seen quite a few prenatal yoga DVD's in my day.  Blooma was very calming and informative with all the strengthening benefits of prenatal yoga.  I really loved how she talked while the poses were being made, you can see how much she loves yoga herself... It comes through with how she teaches.  This makes a great yoga teacher!  Someone who can connect with others helping them achieve whatever they needed from the session.  Each day I feel like I need something new from exercise, whether it be happiness, strength, flexibility, or even more endurance and energy to take on the new day.  

I am excited to have Blooma Prenatal Yoga in my collection.  I can't wait to continue using it throughout all my pregnancies.  

*Also, I secretly love watching labor videos!  It's such a beautiful thing.  The end of the DVD has several quick labor videos from the mamas. I really enjoyed this part of the DVD too. 

BUY IT!! If you are looking for a prenatal yoga, for all reasons possible this could definitley be the DVD for you.  Looking to connect with baby, inner self, or just for the workout of prenatal yoga.  You can purchase this online at Amazon.com for $24.99.  

Christmas is coming quickly this year! It feels like it was just Halloween and not 2 weeks til Christmas, you can easily give a mom-to-be a great stocking surprise this year with this DVD!

*I was given a copy of the Blooma DVD FREE of charge to conduct this review.

Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow

Sleeping while pregnant can be such a chore, sometimes it is impossible to get comfortable! When I was pregnant with my first I used regular pillows to support my belly but I noticed I was readjusting it constantly throughout the night. This did not make for a good nights rest nor did it help in the morning being sore and worn out.

While the body is demanding more sleep, it gets harder to find a comfortable position as the baby continues to get bigger. Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant women sleep on their left side since this helps take pressure off the back and keeps the uterus off the large organ; the liver. It also optimizes blood flow to the placenta and, therefore, the baby.

The Utterly Yours™ Pregnancy Pillow will help women find the most comfortable resting position with its special revolutionary cubic design. When opened, it forms two triangles. Memory foam on one half of the pillow conforms to the mother’s belly. The other half of the pillow is made of higher density foam to support the back while keeping the body positioned to one side comfortably. The fabric that connects the two sides stretches to accommodate women as their bodies grow throughout their pregnancy.

While one of the biggest complaints of pregnancy pillows is that they are too bulky - taking up half the bed at night and no place to discreetly store during the day - the Utterly Yours™ product is quite simply the most compact pregnancy pillow on the market.

Great features about this pillow to name a few:

~Small and portable!! If you need to travel {like we do all the time} you don't want to lug around a gigantic pillow or several pillows just to sleep well now do you?

~Comes with a gorgeous slip cover! This means if you happen to get something on it, or simply want to wash it... you can easily. This also means you can pick and choose from their great selection of chic and stylish patterns/colors to suit your style.

~Helps keep you lying on your side! Doctors are constantly reminding you to sleep on your side instead of your back. This pillow helps keep you securely on your side. {the optimal prenatal position suggested by doctors.}

~Probably the #1 best thing is; It is proven to reduce back pain!! The reason I say this is the best thing about the Utterly Yours Pillow is that anything that can help ease pain and discomfort while you try and sleep is always at the top of my list.

~Made from Eco-Friendly Memory Foam. Memory foam is awesome because it forms to

your specific shape. The unique wedge design that creates 2 triangles not only supports the back but the belly as well.

If you are in the market for a pregnancy pillow, and are looking for a comfortable, compact, easy to use pillow in one revolutionary design... this is your pillow!

BUY IT!! The Utterly Yours Pillow is available online for $44.95. This is a great gift for new mommies too!

Follow them on Facebook too!

*I simply wanted to showcase this product because, for me, it looks like just the right fit for a traveling mom like me. No compensation was given.

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner Book Review

I read a book a while ago called Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner.  I enjoyed the novel, I found it a fun quick "mommy lit" type book when I was pregnant.  I decided to read another book from her collection, so I chose Goodnight Nobody.  (secretly love Desperate Housewives so I was drawn to this particular suburban mystery)

The book is about a mommy of 3, Kate Klein, who moves to the supermom suburbs from the city and feels very out of place.  Trying to get along with the other perfect mothers she stumbles upon a murder of one of the moms meeting up at her house one day.  Kate becomes "obsessed" with finding out who did it and why.  She begins to uncover things about the victim (Kitty) and others she was intending to find out.

I like the book. I found it a fun read.  I knew the kinds of people she was writing about, suburbia, and the pressures of being a perfect mother and neighbor, so I was intrigued.  I found some parts of the book unneeded and a bit slow, but overall, Jennifer Weiner writes very well and I enjoyed reading it.

BUY IT!! You can find this book online or even in a bookstore for $15 or less. 

*I purchased this book.  The opinions are mine.