Mommin' It Up!

June 12, 2011

Review: Chuggington Traintastic Cargo Game

Awhile back I told you about some of my faaavorite preschool board games from the Wonder Forge, and recently I had the opportunity to review one of their newest, the Chuggington Traintastic Cargo game. I always say yes to game reviews because Sophie is a game-a-holic, she LOVES board games. Loves, loves, LOVES them.

Like the other Wonder Forge games, Chuggington is a ton of fun AND educational. Sophie doesn’t even actually watch the Chuggington show, but she loves the game. It’s easy enough for a preschooler to play, and challenging enough to keep them and their parents interested. It teaches sorting and pattern-recognizing skills and there are SO many pattern cards and combinations that it would take a very long time to get the same one twice. So, it never gets old. And, it helps your preschooler to recognize numbers, shapes, and colors as well.

Another game I purchased awhile back because I was so impressed with the Wonder Forge is Richard Scarry’s Busytown Eye Found It! game. It also totally ROCKS! We love playing it as a family.

I love these games and you will too! I can’t wait to see what the Wonder Forge comes out with next!

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The Wonder Forge provided me with the Chuggington Game for review. All opinions about the product are my own.

June 12, 2011June 21, 2011

Nursing Mama Giveaway: Bravado Designs Bliss Nursing Bra

A few months ago I was privileged to review the Bravado Designs Body Silk Seamless nursing bra and the Nursing Tank. I LOVED them both, but once Jonah got a little older I wanted to try something with a little more structure; now that I’ve finally *almost* lost all my baby weight (6 more lbs.!) and I wanted to get a little silhouette back. So, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to review the Bliss Nursing Bra from Bravado as well. AND I get to give one away to a lucky reader!

I was a little worried about the amount of support I’d get from a nursing bra with no underwire, and the Bliss is wire-free, but WOW, I did not need to worry about that at all! My nursing size is 2 cups larger than my normal size so I need extra support and the Bliss did not disappoint! It is amazingly comfortable and supportive. The other thing I love about it is the smooth silhouette it gives. The cups are seamless and molded so they hide nursing pads and anything else you don’t want showing. It’s a perfect t-shirt nursing bra.

I still love my Body Silk Seamless and my Nursing Tank but the Bliss is now my every day nursing bra and I love it! I’ve already ordered one in a smaller size which I anticipate I’ll need in a couple of months here now that Jonah is going to start solid foods next week. This is an awesome bra!

Here’s how YOU can win a Bravado Designs Bliss Nursing Bra:

1) Leave a comment on this post telling us what you look for in a nursing bra.

2) Head over to Bravado Designs on Facebook and “like” them, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did.

3) Like Mommin’ It Up on Facebook and then leave me a comment letting me know you did (or already do).

Contest ends Sunday June 18th at 12 noon. One winner will be picked at random and notified by email.

Good luck, and thanks to Bravado Designs for the Bliss bra I got to review and the one to give away!

June 10, 2011

The SuperCousins: Generation Next

This past weekend when my family and Emily’s family got to spend the weekend at Fort Rapids, there was some awesome cousin bonding that happened. All four cousins played so nicely together, and were just cute and sweet and funny. At one point, Kate and Sophie were sitting on the bunk beds in our villa together and I whispered to Emily, “I hope they’re picking out bridesmaids dresses for each other’s weddings!” Then yesterday, Kate spent the day with us at our house. She read books to Sophie, played Littlest Pet Shop with her (Joshua even joined in, don’t tell his friends), they all three played hide-and-seekm we broke out Busytown, one of my kids’ favorite board games…it was just really FUN.

Emily and her sister Anna were kind enough to let me be a sidekick to their sisterdom and form the SuperCousins. I never had a sister, but I had the next best thing. I got to be close to my cousins and I didn’t have to share my clothes! (Although as adults, especially during and after pregnancy, we all three of us shared clothes! As a matter of fact I still have a bunch of Anna’s maternity clothes hanging in my closet and she still has a bunch of my regular clothes that she wore post-partum.)

Kate doesn’t have a sister, Sophie doesn’t have a sister, and Anna’s baby Lily doesn’t have a sister…*yet* – I suppose that’s still a possibility, right Anna? But they have each other! Girl cousins! We’ll have Lily designing the bridesmaids dresses in no time, I am sure she is going to be crafty like her mama.

My niece Murrin, who is 13, came over Wednesday to help me with the kids at the CRAZY pool. She was so sweet and kept such a good watch on Sophie, and Sophie loved it. She told all her friends at the pool, “Look, I brought Murrin!” Another girl cousin success. Murrin also has girl cousins on her mom’s side of the family with whom she is very close.

Sophie also has lots of girl cousins on my husband’s side of the family. One, Isabel, is only 3 weeks younger than Sophie. When they get together it is C.U.T.E.!! Sophie also has two girl cousins, Gabbi and Katie, who are about Joshua’s age. I hope they will all be good girl cousin friends as well.

I can’t wait to see how my kids and Emily’s kids and all their other cousins grow closer as they get older. And based on my own experience, I am going to do whatever I can to encourage these great cousin friendships! I’m so thankful for my extended family.