Euro Tote Review {5 products for three years in 1 system}

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER Hillary!!!!!!!!!

OK. So I am a desperate mother. 
I have a colicky baby and any carrier or wrap on the market I am game to try out for wee Scout!
Enter the Lilliebaby Euro Tote

The thing is like getting Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket. 
This carrier is quite amazing. 
The EuroTote isn't just a bag... it has five functions in one product:


Cradle Carrier- (up to 25 lb)
Bunting Bag- adjusts to baby's size
Stroller Bag- ideal for jogging or strolling
Play Blanket - a clean place to play, anywhere
Travel Bedding - a nest of familiarity and security


OK. The magic ticket for me is the cradle carrier function of the tote. 
Scout nestles in and loves the warm little nest it makes him. I think it has been the only product that has made the colic go away for us here in the mad house. We nestle him into it and the straps buckle around him and he settles down almost immediately. The tote has been a lifesaver for me. It is a nice quality product and the versatility is really ingenious. If I could only have three baby gear items it would be in the mix for this baby of mine. We use it every day and will recommend it to friends. My husband raves about this product too! He LOVES the carrier function and how simple it is to carry Scout upstairs and downstairs without waking the wee one. We love the Euro Tote!

But guess what? You can win one here! today!
Just leave a comment to win! 

This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media,  
but the thoughts and opinions I express are my own!

CSN STORES Stroller Review

OK. So you know we are having another baby soon! (less than six weeks!)

CSN stores contacted me for an opportunity to review a baby item and you know I said YES!
I love my old Maclaren stroller but after two boys and lots of road it is about to bite the dust.
A new stroller sounded just like an item I would love to review so I chose to upgrade to a Maclaren Triumph 2010 Stroller in Red!

I loved the way it looked and the fact that it had a lot of features that my old Volo did not.
I wanted a stroller that would work for the new baby and our three year old.

The stroller is great! I love the features like:

• Washable and soft
• For 3 months-55 lbs
• Removable, washable seat
• Lifetime sovereign warranty
• Protects from wind and rain
• Provide extra sun protection
• Attaches quickly and securely
• Lightweight aluminum frame
• Baby sections includes 2 pockets
• Versatile style and ultimate comfort
• Keep baby warm on the coldest days
• Reversible liners with solid and pattern side
• 5 second one-hand fold, foot operated brakes
• Central section includes removable nappy bag
• 2 large pockets, 1 zipper pocket and card carrier
• Pocket for wipes,nappies and secure zip pocket
• Handles twists, turns, and small spaces with ease
• Stain resistant, washable bag with shoulder strap
• Insulated bottle bag, wet bag, central storage area
• Liner for comfort, safety, and ease of use
• Adjustable shoulder harness, carry strap, water resistant hood

This is such a nice stroller and I am very pleased that I now own it.

Here are some thoughts:

It is lightweight (although heavier than the umbrella version I had- the VOLO) and it handles really well over city streets and driveways and gravel.

The seat is padded and luxurious in comparison to the VOLO mesh seat. Nice!

It's super sturdy and the recline seat will be wonderful for the baby (3 months plus) but also for tired toddlers or preschoolers.

The sun shade is average and I still have my kiddos wear a hat and shades but that seems like most shades of strollers.

The harness snap is quite tricky I must admit and one of the negatives for me- but that is a good thing for my 3 year old as he cannot escape the stroller!

The shoulder strap is simple to use and the 11.5 lbs of the stroller is easy/light enough to carry and load in and out of vehicles.

My son loves it and we have been putting it to use all over our town!

Here is a comparison between my old VOLO and the new Triumph!



Thanks to CSN STORES and this is the third time I have shopped with them (via reviews and my own personal shopping) and I LOVE them!
The customer service is great and FREE shipping is a very big incentive for me!
I love me some free shipping. Don't you?

I need to just carry that Flip camera in my handbag everyday!

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Flip Video.

Flip video cameras are the BEES KNEES.
I have one that I got last year for a job and it has been a life saver!
It's portable and simple to use. It captures AMAZING quality videos.
I still miss things though...
Life is full of moments that are (alas) right out of reach of a video camera.



Like when we sat together here and all of the sudden Blaise just started singing to me so sweetly like his brother used to do:

blackbird finn from Amy Turn Sharp on Vimeo.

Or last week when Blaise danced like Michael Flatley with leggings on and I nearly died from the laughing. I would loved to have had that for days of gloom and doom.

Or when Finn and Blaise played this adorable game involving baby dolls last week together.

Or when Finn pulls his underwear up his butt and walks around with a wedgie.

Yep, these are the days.

And there is NOTHING like sending a video to a friend via email.

I love to make small odd little slices of my life:

Easter madness from Amy Turn Sharp on Vimeo.

WHAT HAVE YOU MISSED?

Win a $200 Gift Card
Leave a comment
Twitter the link @amyturnsharp
Blog yr heart out
Let me know about a time you WISHED you had a flip camera!
WIN $200.00 so that you can buy your own Flip Video camera to insure you capture the moment next time!

JUST TELL ME THINGS! :)

OK the Rules:

* No duplicate comments.
* You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
* You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
* This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 and older
* Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
* You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Contest runs from May 17 to June 14, 2010. Good luck! Visit the Official rules!
BlogHer.com exclusive offers page

There are FOUR other chances to win on the BlogHer round-up page! Click here to find out how!

I invite you to visit Flip’s official website for more information of the Flip HD
here: Flip Video website

Staying in Touch with Family ideas this 2010- THE TOP TEN IDEAS

WINNER WINNER: happyenchilada THANKS! xoxo

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Sprint

We are all busy.
BUSY is a word that we throw around without much thought in life...
It is important to find the time for family no matter how BUSY we are.
It is important to connect and feel tethered to our lives.
How do you do it?
Here are some cool ways we are trying to stay connected
and some awesome ideas I have noticed in the blogosphere:

The family meeting:
Seriously. We need a come to each other night once a week. Family dinners are ace but I think one night a week as a family is so important. Make it a movie night or a round table meeting with ice cream at the end. Just do it.

Smartphones:
For reals. Mom and Dad can stay wicked in touch with what is going on with smartphones. If We did not have blackberries in our house we would not be as in touch as we are.
Life is easier with the technology we have.
For real.

The family notebook or sketchbook:
Love the idea of a family notebook to write to each other- leave messages, ideas, problems. Questions...OR just cool art like this family.
Ownership is a big thing here. Buy in comes from use.
It is awesome.

The calendar of Life
Buy a gorgeous calendar and display it prominently in your home.
Even little ones can see their names and start to understand the concept.
Busy Body Books are great because they separate everyone
and make it a at a glance station for the family.

Little Love notes in lunches
Don't forget to woo your mate. Woo your kids too. Love. Spread it around in wee notes tucked in lunches or pockets. It means the world to them. Leave a word of the day written on lunch bags. Tell a joke on a napkin. Tell yr spouse little saucy sentences on a tiny slip of paper. GO!

Blog it baby!
The big and small parts of life can be documented and shared with loved ones near and far.
We all know the power of the blog. This year let younger members of the family start a blog or teach grandparents how to blog to tell the history of their lives to the family. Blogging is powerful.
Harness it.

Staycations local love affairs:
Explore the local amazing place you live together! Make memories by visiting one new place nearby each month. Make a scrapbook or take photos and make memories. Stimulate the economy where you live. Learn! Live!

The family that gives back together:
Find a charity and work it in 2010.
You will bond over giving back.
There are so many charities that need you!

Sykpe Time:
Faraway family no longer means huge phone bills and stress.
We skype all the time to our UK family and love it! It is simple and so MUCH FUN!

Hobby Time:
Take a leap into a new year of learning.
Photography is a great hobby for kids and adults.
Try something new together! Sushi making? Art? Sports?



Check out the Family Connections Group at BlogHer for more ideas!

OK Wanna WIN a $200 Visa gift card?

To enter, leave me a comment below and tell me What are your best tips for keeping your family connected in the New Year? - or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below. The contest will begin at 1/13/2010` and will end 2/9/2010. Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.

Rules:

• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to US-residents, aged 18 and older
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
• You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
• Please see the official rules here: Official rules
  
  

We will use the awesome random dot org to draw a winner!

HomeGoods and Blogher

CONGRATS to our winner~
♡DIANE TAYLOR
Thanks to Homegoods, blogher, & YOU! xoxox


This is a compensated review from BlogHer and HomeGoods


We buy the house on the block no one wants. We have done it three times now. We buy that sad old wreck of a house and we put it back together again. It is thrilling when it is all finished, but the middle of the matter can be difficult.

I am living through a rehab right now and one of the most thrilling times is when a room gets finished. I felt this way about my nearly "done" living area in this home. We are insanely busy with our small business and have not put much time into the true finishing of any room in this house. We were happy to have new walls, floors, and paint!
So when I was offered by HomeGoods and Blogher to be a part of the amazing HomeGoods Review Program I jumped at it! I know from experience how amazing HomeGoods stores are and I was dying to try and use $500.00 to redo our living area.

I used a quiz to help me figure out my style:

StyleScope Quiz

I knew my issues were:
I have old furniture and must make it look fresh again.
I have little storage.
I have no color drama.
I have little lighting in the room.
I need space for kids toys and relaxing.
I need space for adults.

Check out Open House - HomeGoods' blog "for anyone that loves their home."

The morning I shopped at HomeGoods I prepped myself with loads of coffee, measurements, and a notebook of ideas. The thing with HomeGoods is there is so much stuff that it can be a bit overwhelming if you are not prepared. I found myself drifting off to other parts of the store quite easily. I spent two hours in the store and was helped numerous times by clerks and by the handsome and super strong young man that appeared to be a stocker and heavy goods lifter.
I honestly found most everything I was looking for in the store.
Two items I wish they would carry:
curtains and sofa covers.
I like the idea of changing the look of a room on the cheap with covers and window treatments. I did find alternatives though with my creative brain!

I found these lovely items:
3small/medium/large wood nesting tables, candles, amazing lamps, ginormous solid wood mirror, rug, two quilts, two throws, accessories, many pillows, and storage baskets galore.
I got a lot for $500.00.
I could have easily bought one large item there as they have big ticket gorgeous swoony things, but it was much more practical for me to spread the love throughout my large room and really make the biggest bang for my buck.

The thing I like most about HomeGoods is that even for $100.00 someone could walk in with some ideas and issues and be inspired and really make a change for 100.00.
The store is loaded with low price amazing things.
They have a clearance area that was awesome and if I had been bathroom or kitchen shopping I would have been in trouble.
OK. So are you ready to see what happened?
I had a blah room.
I took the quiz and found out what I already knew inside of my gut:
Amy Turn Sharp, you are a Global Modern!

Here is the scary before:

(it is truly frightening how we adapt to a way of life so easily- ah the life of a wife of a carpenter. It is almost like the cobbler's children. they have no shoes.)




Well, this is embarrassing- but the before is really so much better than the way we found the house. It was a large dirty carpet, drywall mess with low ceilings and two crazy dark wood type beams mess. The beams were scratchy like coconut shells and the whole place felt like a nightmare. I am really happy with the HomeGoods opportunity to make my large living area feel like a home. I was able to make two distinct areas (children play and sitting/TV) for us to actually use and enjoy. Functional and beautiful. It has not been this way for a long time. Thanks.

And here is the reveal:





I just love how our room has use now- We have a family TV room and a big area for the children to play. Storage baskets from Homegoods make things tidy and neat. We had our TV on the floor for over a year!




The mirror makes the room come alive. We had lived so long with a blank wall and now the room opens right up. It is huge and heavy and I was so thankful to HomeGoods for wrapping it and helping me load it in my truck. Great customer service.





We made a reading nook corner with comfy big pillows and the kids love it.







DO YOU WANT A HUNDRED BUCKS to spend too?
Come on! You want to make a change? Yes!

Check out what the rest of the BlogHer Reviewers found at HomeGoods - you've got 8 chances to win a $100 HomeGoods gift card.


To enter to win a $100 HomeGoods gift card - take the StyleScope Quiz
(StyleScope Quiz) and tell me what your style is in the comments below - or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below. The contest will begin at September 14th and will end October 14th. Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.

Rules:
* No duplicate comments.
* You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
* You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
* This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and over
* Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
* You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
* Please see the official rules here:

I will use the Random Number Generator to pick a winner!
Good Luck! Please Play!!!!

RULES ARE HERE

Check out what other bloggers did to their spaces here!

SYLVANIA PalPODzzz Portable Nightlights -My Review

When Parent Bloggers Network asked me to try out Sylvania's new PalPODzzz portable nightlight, I was over the moon as we have a bit of a flashlight fixation in this house. Flashlights are a massive source of power for little hands and I think they make nighttime so much better for mamas and papas.I was excited to try out these new Sylvania's LED nightlights and I am happy to report that I like the unit very much. The nightlight has a sturdy little base that recharges the cool rocket ship and doesn't look too junky sitting on my sons nightstand. The cord is a little fumbly and it gets knocked off the nightstand daily, but it is not terribly annoying. Finn can easily work the rocket as it is simple to remove and attach to the base. I like this. Finn has been using it each night and the LED light is a strong beam that bounces across the wall as he makes his nightly visits to the potty for just one more drink of water. I love the fact that it does not take batteries and is safe for little hands.

Finn likes it because he says, I can use it like a flashlight, a night light, and a toy."
He is quite smitten with it and so am I.

They also have a ladybug version that is super cute and some other other bloggers are chatting about it too!

It would make a great shower gift for a baby shower.
I liked getting gifts that had a lot of life.
A new mom could use this and then the wee one could start using it as a toddler.
Not too shabby for a 20.00 gift!

Hylands! Saved me from the antibiotics!

OK. So I am the mom who never gave my kids any teething medicine and really never gives out Tylenol without a high fever. I like to keep it pretty natural and not give put OTC, but I realized that every time my kids have had earaches and go to the doctor they get antibiotics. Every single time. I dispense the antibiotics freely and it has started to make me worry a bit as I really don't want to have my kids taking these antibiotics so much. I read about antibiotics resistance issues and it freaks me out so when Hylands offered me some products to try for the cold and Flu season I could not refuse.

It was perfect timing to try the Earache Drops as our whole family was coming down with a cold and my own ear was jabbing in pain. You know the kind of pinprick like sensation that makes you cringe every 20 minutes or so. (Yeah it was deligthful.) I used the drops on the whole family and although I did take my son to the doctor that week he did not have to go on antibiotics! ( a first!!!!)
I also had relief from my ear ache in 48 hours and was pretty darn happy with the result. It was a simple ear drop application and it really worked for us. I was somewhat skeptical as I am with most things natural. I do not believe in rock deodorant or the use of baking soda for teeth cleaning, but I really dig these drops. I am going to stock this in my arsenal always.
I like that I have a safe, natural, homeopathic choice now for the whole family.
Go Hylands!

Positive Spin Press is my new GO TO for the Holidays!

The Parent Bloggers Network sent me three amazing books to review!

The three holiday books from Positive Spin Press are fabulous! There were three books to review: All Hallows Eve The Story of the Halloween Fairy, Christmas Eve The Joy of Giving, and Winters Eve Love and Lights by Lisa Sferlazza Johnson.

I sat down and read All Hallows Eve first with the boys as it was a few days before Halloween and I was hoping there would be something more than candy to think about! I was so pleased with the character Eve. She was delightful and kind and good and just what we needed during a rocky month. I try and fill my children up with good when they are being naughty. Don't you? Eve provides a wonderful alternative to scary Halloween with her toy making and I also liked the idea of celebrating other things instead of just candy candy candy! It is an adorable and engaging story. My 4 year old loved it and had to read it about ten times!

We all enjoyed the Christmas Eve book as well. I liked the message in the book of celebrating more than the Christian view of the holiday season and the idea of giving thanks. When I choose books that deal or touch upon religion for my children I like it very much when more than one view is represented. These books do this in a light and happy tone. The third book Winters Eve which talks about winter light festivals including Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the Chinese New Year was a bit over my 4 year old's head. He loved the pictures and when I stopped and explained and chatted about ideas then he seemed interested, but I think it is geared a bit more for the K-4 age group.

The author Lisa Sferlazza Johnson and illustrator Tucker Johnson have created a wonderful series within the small character of Eve. She is appealing to families that like options with the somewhat dogmatic Holiday season. I will buy more of these titles to teach my children to look beyond their home for what makes the world go round! Great books! You can purchase these books at amazon.com and check this out: PBN is giving away three copies of each book! Go find out how to win!

I want moist Breasts and Perfect Cranberries!

DUDE. I cannot take the pressure of Thanksgiving. It makes me buckle at the knees. I like a holiday like Valentines Day where the focus is really on my sexy self and the food is just a precursor to the evening. Thanksgiving is HARD!
It is all about the food. I watched in horror as my family ate dry turkey the first year the family dinner was in my home. You could tell they were trying in vain to drown it in gravy to resuscitate it. Agh! I should have called Butterball!

This year I am going to call. I hear you can chat this year with some famous bloggers who must have moist and succulent breasts coming out of their own kitchens. Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL to virtually talk turkey with their holiday meal preparation experts, or visit Butterball.com for Web chats with a few bloggers we all know and love - Chris Jordan (Notes from the Trenches), Susan Wagner (Friday Playdate), and Roxanna (Miguelina) on November 11, 18 and 25 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. CST. They'll answer all your turkey related questions.
I love PBN for giving me cool options like this!

So- Where do I start with the perfect menu? Any suggestions?

This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by Butterball.

Have you been to games.com lately?

I work from home and most of my work is online. I like to be able to take a walk around my house, chat with a friend, or disengage and hang out with my family when I need a break- but sometimes I just need to open a new browser and veg out with some eye candy window shopping or a few games of solitaire. I need to not think for a few times a day. It is why we read shallow magazines or watch reality TV right? Just mindless resting really.

I signed up to check out and do a paid review for Games.com
over at Blogher and found myself quite sucked into the online gaming community. The games are pretty simple and have tutorials and I love that you can just jump right in as a guest and not have to sign up for some handle and password that you will soon forget anyhow. I swear, I spend half my life online typing out a myriad of passwords or proving to someone that I am not a robot. I digress.
I tried out card and casino type games and I discovered that I like single player games better than the community game set- up because I get sweaty pits and nervous stomach if I appear ignorant in the forum. How dumb is this as I am anonymous!? I was so nervous to play Spades that I had to study the tutorial like a test would be given. I did have fun with the Hearts game and even beat a few folks with obvious beginners luck. I loved solitaire, poker, and I did get sucked into Bingo although it was a bit campy with the old cartoon dude calling and even a chat room to chat and play? I don't know about chatting with the strangers in the online Bingo hall. Who has time to chat and search their BINGO cards? Whatever floats yr boat I guess.

I think the best part of these games are that they really take yr mind off the issues you might be dealing with and recharge you for a moment. They might even stimulate yr grey matter. I am a big game and puzzle believer. My gran is 88 years old and smart as a tack because she blows through like three puzzle and crossword books a week. She keeps sharp. Use it or lose it they say. I like the mindlessness best though, I like to escape from my work for a bit.
Don't we all? The problem with some of the games was I think I could get sucked in for quite a chunk of time. I was going nuts for poker and pretending that I was actually making that money. I was getting all kinds of depressed at the the reality of not really winning that two thousand dollars in slots.

I think Solitaire is my game. It makes me think a bit yet is not so seductive that I would pilfer too much time away from writing or my small business. I will pop in and out of games.com for a quick break every now and again. I might even play Gin rummy with ya if you ask.

Check out this roundup at Blogher!

Year Supply of Scott Bath and Towels/Win it now!

The kind folks at Scott Common Sense Community have offered up a years supply of bath and towel tissue to my readers who check out the Scott Common Sense Community!
(Approximate Retail Value - $144)
FREE TOILET PAPER RULES!
All you need to do it go over to this cool new site and check out all the tips and leave a comment about something on the site that seemed interesting or cool to you. I encourage you to dig a round a bit bc I actually found quite a few tips there. It is an interactive site that wants you to leave yr best tips and tricks too. Yay come on- this is what we do all day long. We share information over the blogosphere...right?
Good Luck!
I will close the give away Tuesday at 10pm.

Daniel X Review

I was excited to review this book because I worked in the education system for a long time and found it very frustrating finding books that boys would want to read. I have always been a bookworm and was relentless in seeking out "beyond the Potter" as I called it for my male readers. I worked hard to show my male students that reading could be pleasure and it could be a wonderful escape. I tried to recommend lots of genres and authors to them, yet often felt guilty because just until recently rarely ventured into the trade/mass publications and fiction bestseller lists myself. I was a canon snob, a voracious reader of the classics and up and coming creative nonfiction and poetry. I just hadn't let myself fall right into book club mania or Barnes&Noble list of what's hot. I had never read James Patterson and was interested in reading something as many friends loved his work.

I loved The Dangerous Days of Daniel X! The book is very well set up for a young reader with super short chapters that can be a great aid in allowing readers to feel like they are "doing well" and reading a book quickly. In my experience, reluctant readers need this as they start to pleasure read so as they do not get lost or bogged down with the feeling of "never being able to finish" a chapter. Readers cultivate the craft of reading and through quick paced YA novels like this one they gain the confidence that they are good readers.

Daniel X is a pretty amazing and sad little dude. It felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders as he set off to seek revenge upon his slain family. A boy who is gifted with super powers goes out on this amazing archetypal quest for revenge and vision quest. The journey is cool and imaginative. His character is so very likable and the writing is quick and speedy enough to keep the interest easily. I like the way that Daniel can conjure up people when he needs them and his shape shifting abilities are awesome and no doubt very appealing to kids. Daniel X who is stronger than a typical human, and wicked smart has problems when up against the list aliens who are vastly more superior even to him- but in the novel he shows the reader how he taps into his intellect to solve problems- not a bad lesson to be learned here.

The only issue I had with the book was the pop culture references and this is most likely because I am an old lady. I know it is hip and cool and a nice "buy in" for the young readers to be able to relate to these references, but I feel like it may date the books if they are to become an iconic series. It was really my only beef with this gem.

My husband who is a Sci-Fi reader himself adored the book too. We sat and chatted about how no matter what adults or Patterson fans might say-we loved the book for what it is. A new series of books that may do something to bring the kids back to the paper. To bring the noses into a new world, a world where they can believe again.
Bravo Mr.Patterson!

Book website here
Mothertalk review here
Amazon page here

Mother-Talk Book Review

The Fertility Journal by Kim Hahn (founder and CEO of Conceive Magazine was a pleasure to review. I have a wonderful friend who is dealing with fertility issues at the moment and I wanted to review this so that I could share it with her. I talked with her about the book and we looked through it together. The book is a real hard cover journal type book that would be a lovely gift for a woman in your life who announces she is going to start trying.(um- 8 months average- did you know?) She said it looked like something she would really be into at this point in her life(at the one year mark of trying and being able to have doctor info in one place and not an old ratty notebook). The beginning of the journal is quite no nonsense and takes the approach of teaching you all about your fertility as if you are clueless. Well, often we are clueless as women right? We think we will stop worrying about getting pregnant and then just get pregnant when we announce it to the world or abandon birth control. We often fail to recognize the purely scientific and wondrous workings of our bodies. This journal, although it may annoy some with it's matter of fact lessons, I am sure they will be impressed with the overall product design.

The book and it's design with two parts (one for "Trying to Conceive" and one for "Fertility Treatments") has covered most topics that my friend has been dealing with or thinking about as a woman trying to become pregnant for over a year.. The first part is broken down into 12 monthly sections and has basic and necessary information with a small box for each day where you can write down your cycle day, medications, vitamins, and your BBT and other facts. She liked the tracking and journaling space provided. In the latter half of the book we thought that the sections for IVF could be longer and have more spaces as most of the friends we know took more than two treatments to become pregnant or cease treatment. It felt that the latter half of the book was strongly assuming that the next step for all women was IVF. My friend is exploring acupuncture and other alternative methods as she is healthy and so is her husband and it is just taking longer than expected. She did not talk much about the IVF treatments section as I think that she feels like this is the final frontier to most women in this situation. Many women might not be able to afford to pay the high costs of or even those who might not want to "pay" the emotional costs of IVF treatments may find this section of the book hard to read.

This journal is full of great knowledge and is presented in a modern and smart way. I will be giving this as a gift to friends and I know that any woman could benefit from information in this journal. The great thing about this book is it is the real deal and does not sugar coat the facts of life. It announces that getting pregnant is not simple for all woman and it should be looked at as a type of health and knowledge mission. This author is true to science and reality as the book urges you to think and unlike other books on the market, it will arm you with facts and not just the hope.I think that perhaps the publishers might want to think about a companion journal for the women struggling with infertility longer than a year and explore deeper the issues they face. I think this author would be able to talk frankly and yet with compassion and insight to women. My friend is using The Fertility Journal daily now and loves it. Check out Mother-Talk for more reviews!!!
Thanks Mother-talk!!!

The Yummy Mummy Manifesto Review

I thought this book was going to be fluff. Seriously. I even told my husband that I already knew what it was going to be like. Wrong... I loved this book. Anna Johnson is brilliant. The book is a lovely journey through motherhood with advice, reflection, inspiration, and humor all mixed together in a really readable way. I found that I could relate to the book on many levels as it was not just telling me to be fabulous because I could be, but it was giving me tips and tricks to remembering that person I used to be. It was urging me to recapture my diva in real world ways. Hello- get dressed/pamper yrself regularly and feel better! It is a good gentle reminder of self love. I adored her humor (Cleavage as silencer./People tell you that carrying a baby is sexy, liberating even, and it is hard to believe them. The physical inconvenience and the inflated scale are not images we associate freely with pleasure. But pregnancy is hot, as well as heavy.) I loved her ideas that ranged from breastfeeding to eco friendly lifestyle to home decor. This book has a lot going on and it perfect for a new mummy.
I liked how she wrote in the preface:
“Osho, the Indian mystic, once wrote that when a child is born, a mother is born too."
This is so true. We are born again and must find ourselves.
I think this book holds truths for each kind of mummy. I can see Earthy mums and Manolo mums equally enjoying this as the author has balanced the book well for all of us. I was delighted with her style tips, frankness about most subjects, and her down to earth voice. I think she is probably a fabulous mum to be friends with and we are lucky that she has compiled this mother of coolness for us. I was feeling a bit blah when I read the book and have since picked up a bit more vavavoom. Yay for the Yummy Mummy!!!!!
Check out more info here at Mother-Talk.