Don't Forget Your Gymbucks!

Don't forget to spend your Gymbucks at Gymboree by the 28th if you have them. My mom and I went today and bought A some adorable PJ's and a very cute gift for one of C's cousins that is having a baby soon.

One of the PJ sets I bought A today. So cute!

Also, if you have a Hanna Andersson coupon from last month for 20% off don't forget to use that one by the 28th also!

Bluum July 2013 Box (5 month old, Solid!)

This month I received my first box from Bluum. Bluum is a subscription box for Mom & Baby. It is similar to Citrus Lane. The cost is $24.95 a month and if you use the code PAMPERS you can get your first month for half price.

This month we received a 5 month old box since A will be that age in just a couple weeks!

 The Box

First Look

The Theme/Information Card

Each Bluum box has a theme for each month of the baby's age though the items are not always the same. For example each 5 month old box will have the theme "Solid!" but not all items will be the same next month as they were for us this month.

Item #1

Bumble Bee Neck Pillow Chums ($12.49, amazon.com)

I couldn't find the exact same pillow online so I chose a similar pillow by the same maker. Although the packaging says ages 0+ I do find this an odd item for a 5 month old as it would pose a suffocation hazard. I also don't see how it fits the theme but we will put this away for when A is a bit older.

Item #2

Reflex "Anti" Water Bottle by Vapur ($7.99 vapur.us, $8-10, amazon.com)

I am guessing that this is the "mom" item in the box. I don't really have a specific opinion on this item but we will probably try it out.

Item #3

Red Patent Bottle Holder by Funktion Moms ($34, funktionmoms.com)

The only place online that I could find this was the manufacturer's site. I would never pay $34 for a bottle holder and we already have one. We will probably pass this on in the future with a baby shower gift. Again, not really fitting the theme but still a nice item.

Item #4

Fred the Penguin mOmma Teether by Lansinoh ($5.74, amazon.com)

This was the first item I opened right out of the box. A gave her stamp of approval by promptly grabbing it and trying to eat it.

Still not seeing the theme here...

Item #5

mOmma Fork by Lansinoh ($4.99, amazon.com)

I like that this fork has a nice big handle for A to grab when she's big enough and I love that it has a cover so that I can throw it in the diaper bag and not worry about it getting dirty. I would have loved to get the spoon at this stage but it's still a nice item to have handy when the time comes when she needs it. 

Yay! A theme related item. LOL

Item #6

Large Zizzybee bag in Emerald Dot (~$7, zizzybeebags.com)

This item comes in a three pack on the manufacturer's site for 19.99 so with shipping I estimate the cost at around $7. This will be a nice bag to carry in A's diaper bag for items I want to keep separate like small toys, pacifiers, etc that usually fall to the bottom and get lost.

Item #7

Nuturme Dried Organic Babyfood ($2.82, amazon.com)

This item is a great idea for when you're traveling or just on the go. You add water, formula or breast milk and Voila! you have a 2.5 oz. serving of baby food. You can also add it to your toddler's foods for added nutrition. These samples came with coupons that sadly expired June 30th but the food is good through February 2014 so we may have to try it.

The items!

I was pleasantly surprised with my first Bluum box. We received 6 full sized items as well as the food samples. I don't truly see the point of the theme as only 2 items really fit but I still think we got a great deal. All totaled our box had a value of around $75 ($49 if you bring down the price of the bottle holder to about $8 which is what I paid for the one I have). This was a great value especially considering that I paid $12.48.

If you're interested in trying out Bluum click this link and don't forget to use the code PAMPERS to get your first box for half price.

Disclaimer: This post contains referral links. If you use my link I get points towards a free box. You get points for using the link as well!

Love With Food June 2013

Earlier this month C and I received his first Love With Food box from the sub I bought him for Father's Day.

From the company's website:

Love With Food is dedicated to helping you discover great food for a great cause. Every month, Love With Food Box members receive a curated box filled with unique gourmet food items. Each box brings new delights, with bites that vary based on seasonal themes.

I love the charitable aspect of this subscription. For each box sent a meal is donated. Each month for $12 (or as low as $10 with an annual sub) you are sent a box with an average of 8 gourmet food samples based on that month's theme. If you enjoy an item you can often find it in the shop on Love With Food's site. You can also earn points to spend on the site by referring friends.

Love With Food ships on the 10th of the month and we received out box on the 11th! How awesome?

This month's theme was "Summer Bash"and contained items to get your summer picnics and beach trip started.

First Look - C had already dug in at this point. The box was very well packaged and did not look like this when I opened the box.

I forgot to take a picture of the information card and seem to have misplaced it but it did state that this month not 1 but 2 meals were donated to food banks in Oklahoma  for each box purchased.

The first item in the box was Roasted Seaweed from Seaweed Love. Neither of use has ever had this before and we haven't tried it yet but I look forward to trying it once C opens it.

The second item in the box was a Coconut & Mango Fruit Ice from Smooze. You are supposed to simply freeze this and than eat it like a push pop. Unfortunately ours leaked and I did not bother to contact customer service about it. It sounds like something we would like regardless so I may just order some.

(Note: From previous reviews this does not seem to be a common occurrence so don't let that affect your choice of getting a subscription.)

The third item was a Gluten-Free Pineapple Coconut Cereal Bar from Do More Bars. It is like a Rice Krispy Treat with a twist and made with healthier brown rice. I did not try this but C said it was delicious.

The fourth item was Organic Fruity Bears by Surf Sweets. They are made with organic fruit juices and look like Sour Patch Kids as they are coated with sugar. Not the healthiest but probably better than some of the fruit snacks in the store. There were only five in the sample but the two I tried were pretty good. I'd buy more if I was into fruit snacks.

The fifth item was Turbana Plantain Chips. C was just talking about these a few days before we got the box. They were the first thing C tried and were gone in about a minute if that tells you anything lol.

The sixth item was a Mango Coconut SoyJoy bar. Neither of use are huge fans and we haven't eaten it yet.

The seventh item was Pomegranate Mint gum by PUR gum. It may sound weird but although I like pomegranate juice I do not like pomegranate flavored things. We haven't tried the gum yet but I'm sure C will use it as he can always use another pack of gum. It's also nice that this gum is aspartame free.

The eighth item was Organic Hard Candy from GoOrganic. One was apple flavored and the other blood orange. C reported that these were both excellent.

The ninth and final item was an Organic Drink Mix by Flavrz. It's a packet that you add to your water bottle and they come in different flavors. We haven't tried it yet but C is looking forward to it.

Also included was a gift card to nakedwines.com for $50! You have to spend at least $51 and pay $10 shipping but it still seems like it could be a good deal. 

All totaled we received NINE samples (and the gift card) for $12 this month and we would probably not have tried many of the items if not for Love With Food. (I actually only paid $2 for the first box as I used a coupon code FBGIFT. Feel free to try that out to see if it's still active.)So far we are both very happy with this subscription service and are already considering extending the subscription when C's 3 month sub is up.

Jessica

Disclaimer: This post contains referral links. This subscription was paid for with my own money and all opinions are honest and my own.

Little Spark Review (2-3 months)

Little Spark is a monthly subscription box for babies aged 0-18 months. Each month Little Spark sends you approximately 3 toys and/or books geared towards your child's developmental milestones for their age as well as curriculum cards by child development experts with suggestions on how to use the items. The cost is 34.99 a month to start which includes shipping. The price can get as low as 31.67 a month for an annual subscription. Boxes are shipped via USPS Priority Mail and have the Little Spark logo stamped on it.

For this month I received a box for a 2-3 month old.

First look (and A photo bombing the pic :) )

The monthly theme was "Express Yourself". The information cards look similar to this and include information about each item and some skills you can work on with each one.

(A checking out her new toy)

 The first item was this Sassy Crib and Floor Mirror (19.99 retail, 9.99 amazon.com).

A absolutely loves this! She has a book with a smaller mirror that she "talks" to. This mirror is great as it has high contrast objects attached as well as a true reflection mirror and can be attached to a crib or opened up on the bottom similar to an easel. Little Spark's suggest using this item to encourage a social smile, expanding vocabulary by describing items on the mirror and as a fun addition to the dreaded tummy time. I'm not sure about everyone else but A absolutely hates tummy time.

The second item is this Lamaze High-Contrast Panda Rattle. (5.99 retail, 7.75 amazon.com (?))

The rattle will attract babies with it's high contrast colors and friendly face. It also makes that crinkly sound babies love and has shiny bright red fabric on the opposite side. This item helps practice baby's reflexes. There is also an enclosed nursery rhyme to sing along to. Babies love to hear their parents sing. 

The third item was this Hello, Animals! board book (retail 5.95, amazon.com 5.35)

This book is great for infants as it is black and white and also has bright foil accents on each page. While reading the book to baby you can describe each animal and a little bit about them which helps to expand baby's vocabulary and to build their attention span.

All in all I love the concept of Little Spark. The cost of the items came to 31.93 retail or 23.09 on amazon.com. Yes I could have bought all the items for less than the cost of the box. However, you have to factor in the curriculum which you can't really put a price on and the fact that they ship it to you. I probably also wouldn't have found or thought to buy all of these items but now that I received them I'm happy to have them. 

I definitely plan on keeping this subscription. I forgot to mention earlier that you also get a preview of what next month's theme is. Next month's theme is "Baby Bodybuilding" and I can't wait to see what Little Spark comes up with for that. :)

Jess

* I know I am extremely behind on getting more reviews and posts up. I plan on getting out reviews this next week for Love With Food, the Honest Company bundles and Citrus Lane if it comes (fingers crossed).

I also signed up for KLUTCHclub's Mom box for myself and the Men's box for C but I'm not sure when that's coming. Plum District had a deal-which may still be up-for a 3 month sub for $11 plus $24 shipping. Not a bad deal.

Disclaimer: I paid for this subscription with my own money and was not compensated in any way for this honest review. This post may contain referral links.

May 2013 Wittlebee Review

Last month I signed up for a kids clothing subscription box called, Wittlebee. For $44.99 (I used a half off coupon as this price is a little steep for this consignment/thrift shopper) a month you are sent a box with six items of clothing in the gender and size(they carry 0-3 mos through size 6) you specify when signing up. Wittlebee has actually changed things up a little in the last few months. You are now able to choose three of your items from their showroom and the other three are chosen for you by their stylists. The upside of this is that you can choose any gender or size of clothing in the showroom, which is nice if you have other children or are perhaps looking for a gift. The downside-at least last month-is that the showroom did not have a whole lot to choose from besides sweats and print tees.

Here is the first look:

The pieces were thrown around a little but this is more than likely a result of the shipping/travel of the box.

This onesie was one of my showroom selections. It is by "KicKee Pants", is off white in color and has ruffles on the back. I liked it in the showroom but I absolutely love it in person. It is made of bamboo and is one of the softest items of clothing I have ever felt. I can't wait for A to wear it (I chose items one size up as she has tons of clothes in her current size). (approx. $20)

This " Rabbit Moon by le top" shirt was my second showroom selection. It is pink with light blue sleeves and brown trim and has a Russian nesting doll print on the front. It's a size 12 months which we won't use anytime soon but as I mentioned before there was not a lot to choose from in this months showroom. (approx. $25)

These two tees are from a collaboration Wittlebee has with threadless. I chose the tee on the left. I love penguins and music so it was a good choice for me. The top on the right was one of the stylist chosen items and has an ice cream cone and a doughnut running through a sprinkler of sprinkles. I was not crazy about getting two threadless tees in one box but I think the shirt is adorable so it's not too bad. ($13 each)

This set is my other two pieces from Wittlebee's stylist and is probably my favorite item in the box. It is light blue and very soft. The outfit is plum bunny by Kate Quinn Organics. This is another outfit that I can not wait for A to grow into. (top-$32, pants-$28)

All totaled, this months box had an approximate retail value of $131 which is more than double the price of the box. It is a great value however I am a big consignment and bargain shopper so I do not think I will be continuing this subscription. I love the idea and the value was great but I would never spend that kind of money on clothing, especially with how quickly babies grow from one size to the next.

I would definitely recommend Wittlebee to someone looking for a good value and the convenience of not having to take your infant or toddler to the store to shop.

I am not entirely sure if it is still active but I used the code SAVE50 to get my first box for half price.



P.S.: I am planning on getting out reviews for Little Spark and The Honest Company's diaper bundle and home essentials bundle this week.

Julep Maven Intro Box

Earlier this week I received my first subscription box from Julep Maven. Julep is a beauty company that makes "4 free" nail polishes and other beauty items. They have a monthly subscription box called Julep Maven that provides you with a monthly box with either three polishes or two polishes and a beauty item depending on which style profile you choose. 

I wouldn't normally subscribe to a nail/beauty box however I had a promo code for your first box free. The promo code is FREEBOX if anyone wants to try it out. You will only have to pay 3.99 for the shipping or 5.99 expedited which isn't too bad for three nail polishes. The shipping time was exceptional. It only took 2-3 days to get from Seattle, WA all the way to NJ. Julep ships via USPS.

When you join you are given a quick style quiz to determine your profile. Once you are done with this you are shown the intro box for your profile and you can choose to keep that one or change it if you like another box better. I think I got the "boho glam" profile but I chose the "it girl" box as I prefered the three polishes (I'm not much of a cosmetics girl).

Straight out of the mailbox:

First Look:

The presentation is great. My Introductory "It Girl" box included a Welcome Card, and Information Card regarding my style profile, a nail file, a polish removing wipe and three carefully packaged polishes.

The Information Cards

The polishes

The first polish color is "Mackenzie". The lighting in my house is not great but the color is a fun, bright green. It reminds me of green apples.

This photo almost looks beige but it's actually a pretty lavender color called "Alice". This one was the final deciding factor of me ordering the box as it has my daughter's name. An odd reason I know but a good one in my opinion.

The third polish is a glittery polish to add some sparkle to your regular polish.

Also in the box were an emory board-which you can never have enough of-and a nail polish remover wipe. 

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this box. The products are great as was the presentation. The little extras were a nice touch too. I had initially planned on getting the free box and canceling the supscription but I think I might reconsider keeping the subscription. They do allow you to skip a month if you don't love the products so I think I may take advantage of that and only shell out the 19.99 when I love the colors. 

If you're interested in trying out the Julep Maven box click the link above and try out the code for your first box free.

Jess 

Disclaimer: This post contains referral links. I received no compensation for this review and paid for the subscription with my own money. 

A new adventure...

Last week C and I made the decision for me to leave my job and stay home with baby A. We pretty much thought this was the best choice for the baby but finally figured out that we could afford to do it. This whole thing is new to me-the blog, motherhood, not working full time-so my plan is to learn as I go.

Staying at home and being a breastfeeding mom leaves one with lots of time on the couch to read, watch tv and what else but surfing the net. Due to the latter I have recently been bit by the subscription box bug. For those of you who are new to the subject, subscription boxes can vary quite a bit but generally once a month you receive a box in the mail with goodies relating to the subject of your subscription. This all started with one of those new annoying sponsored posts on facebook. The post was for a subscription called Citrus Lane.

I ended up looking up reviews for Citrus Lane to determine if it would be worth ordering which is how I discovered the world of monthly subscription boxes. A lot of the subscriptions have deals for at least your first box so I've decided to try out a few and see how they turn out.

In the next  month I should be receiving boxes for Citrus Lane, Wittlebee, Little Spark, Julep Maven and Love with Food (which I ordered C as an early Fathers Day gift). I also order a bundle from The Honest Company which I suppose you could include. As the boxes arrive I will try and write up an honest review of each box and its contents.

Thanks for reading!


Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are referral links which earn me credits towards my subscriptions and in some cases earn you a discount.