Things we’re loving: May Edition

I can’t believe it’s already the end of May! I feel like I just wrote this post and now here I am writing this post. We’re ready for this upcoming holiday weekend and although our days are wide open, we’re hoping to relax, spend time outside, and tackle a few minor house projects. Hopefully the weather will continue to be nice! This month we’ve tried a few new things and I love sharing our finds!

1. Honest Company Products

I heard about the Honest Company almost a year ago due to their super cute diapers and finally decided to give it a try. I was on the hunt for a few products that were more natural for Elizabeth going into summer since everything goes into her mouth. I ordered their Body Wash/Shampoo, Lotion, Bug Spray, Sunscreen, and Bubble Bath. And then when I was offered another discount, I bought a reusable swim diaper for Elizabeth. So far I love everything. Most of all I love not worrying about what is going in her little body when she eats her bath bubbles and those upcoming days when the mosquitos are out in full force and her hands go in her mouth. The products smell great and when you use a $10 off coupon (code: INVITED10) the prices are not that outrageous.

2. Citrus Lane

Picture from Citrus Lane

Have you heard of the new box subscriptions that are supposedly the big new rage? I gifted my dad with a similar gift for his birthday through Sugarwish and then when I saw how neat Citrus Lane was I decided to give it a shot. Citrus Lane is a box subscription that delivers age appropriate toys and goodies monthly to your door for a set price. It’s definitely not something that I would do every month but I tried it this last month and we received some really fun things. I used a $10 off code again and for $15 (after discount) we received a box for Elizabeth that included a Stacker, snack, gift for mom, dish soap, and a book. I think it would be really fun to give as a gift and of course, it’s fun to receive! To sign up and get $10 off your first box click here: Citrus Lane.

3. Natural Soap

Picture from Pumpkin Seed Soap Shop

I’m going to be honest here…I don’t usually get into the whole green trend. We do a lot of “green things” (recycle, cloth napkins, natural cleaners, etc) but we still use pretty conventional soaps, lotions, etc. Well this past month I bought soap from Pumpkin Seeds Baskets and Soap on Etsy to help support their adoption and I don’t think we’ll go back. I was totally a skeptic but Alex and I are now totally in love with what we affectionately call the “soft soap”. I’ve been a lotion user for over 15 years, every day after my shower and after using this soap I only need to use lotion once or twice a week. The soap keeps our skin incredibly moist and extremely soft. Totally converted. I just gave my mom some from another local company, Apple Valley Natural Soap for Mother’s day and I hope she loves it too:)

4. Pretty Tea Cups

Alex gave me a very pretty tea cup from Anthropologie for Christmas and I’ve been loving it ever since. I’ve found myself lately pouring tea in the afternoons and reading while Elizabeth is napping. It’s such a nice way to spend some down time and having a pretty cup makes the whole experience more enjoyable. Of course, any cup will do, but I love beautiful tea cups! I’m loving these ones right now as well…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Step 2 Big Splash Waterpark

I would be wrong to not include something Elizabeth is loving right now so here we go. We bought this water table just about a month ago and it is getting so.much.use. Now that she’s walking I didn’t want to deal with the in and out of a baby pool (trying to walk out) so I figured this was the next best thing. Also our lawn is being fertilized this summer and since she’s putting everything in her mouth, time on the lawn just isn’t that safe. So onto our deck she goes and she could stand outside and play for hours if we let her. So far we haven’t put any of the fun toys on it…that way she’ll have something to look forward to for next year.

 

Wishing you a happy Memorial Day weekend!

Move over Bob

Yesterday I went on my first run with Elizabeth. I can’t believe I just wrote that. I never thought I would want to push a jogging stroller. I didn’t register for one and later only added one to her wish list so that I could keep it on the radar in case I wanted to eventually think about running with her:)

But then Christmas came around and I forgot to delete the stroller. And my parents, who love to be active, of course jumped on the opportunity to gift our family with the jogging stroller. Not ones to say no, we now found ourselves with another stroller. One that kept taunting me from the closet. So we took it out a few weeks ago and took it for a test drive and then yesterday I got up the courage to run with it.

And it wasn’t so bad. Running with Elizabeth that is. Running while pushing a stroller is not for the faint of heart but instead a workout in and of itself. But I did love the opportunity to get a workout in and be outside with Elizabeth. So I’m coming around to sharing my “get-out-and-breathe-run” time. The nice part was that I could still put my headphones in and she was happy as a clam to just people watch and take in the scenery. Not sure how long that will last but it was nice.

After doing some research, I ended up choosing the Joovy Zoom 360 jogging stroller over a BOB. I knew it would get used often but I did not want it to be our main stroller as a jogger is a bit bulky for errands, etc. And I knew if we were going to buy it ourselves  that we did not want to spend over $250. In our neck of the woods you cannot usually find a used BOB for under $250 so I knew we had to think outside the box. I read a lot of reviews prior and thought the Zoom looked like the perfect alternative to the BOB. (This Instep is also another great inexpensive alternative as well!)

In comparison with the BOB, the Zoom is a bit heavier but it comes with the parent console, rain-shield, and tire pump. It felt heavier when running yesterday but at the same time running with a stroller does up your workout so it’s going to be tougher anyways. I love how upright the seat can be and how roomy all the pockets/under stroller storage are. I’ve never ran with a BOB so I cannot comment on the differences in run but I’m sure they are similar. Runner’s World also just named the Zoom the best budget jogger for 2013.

The seat in really wide, it can hold kiddos up to 70 pounds, and has a long seatback. The canopy has two stages which I really like so you can customize how much coverage you need. The seat recline is done by a strap, so you just let out the strap to recline and cinch it up to get upright. I’m sure this will come in handy if Elizabeth ever falls asleep.The fabric is super easy to clean and very durable. The handlebar is not adjustable but I’m only 5’3” and I had no problem pushing it.

The fold is amazing…I wish our regular stroller folded like this and it is very compact once it is folded making it really easy to transport. Overall I think the stroller is a great bargain for runners/joggers. While some may say the BOB is better (I don’t know this to be true), you are getting a great product for a fraction of the cost.

Here are some pics

Elizabeth snug as can be

From the front (illustrating the side pockets)

Handlebar console (2 drink spots and a zipper pouch for keys/phone/etc)

Huge storage basket underneath that is fully accessible

To fold you just undo the red clip on the left and pull on the wire

Compact fold

I’m hoping the ability to take Elizabeth with me will help me get out to run more often…so if anyone is interesting in joining us, let me know!

(ps…I’m not fast without the stroller and I’m definitely not fast with it)