Weekend Wrap: Heart Break

Watching K's- Heart Break

My toddler may actually be experiencing her first "broken heart" and "lost love" and we're all sad because of it. We spent a wonderful weekend with my best friend and her little girl. We shopped for wedding guest outfit accessories, we played with the girls, we watched the girls play together, we talked, we laughed, we discovered my daughter now loves to ride in a car seat in the car - oh the novelty, we took their dog for walks and played ball, we talked some more, we had late nights and nap times that didn't want to happen, we went to the park, the mall and just hung out; ultimately, we had a great girls weekend with toddlers and dog in tow. 

Then they left early this morning in hopes of making it home by dinner time and I wish them a quick, safe and quite drive home this afternoon. While the visit didn't go as planned or as we'd hoped, we had a ton of fun! Saying goodbye is always hard and it's sad to watch them drive away.  As adults we're used to it, my best friend and I have long since stopped living in the same state and our visits are infrequent. Our conversations aren't. In fact they happen daily, sometime multiple times a day. For our toddlers, saying goodbye is a different story. The girls are only a year and a half and two. Ultimately, they don't wholly understand what is going on. My toddler, at 18 months was  devastated this morning that they were leaving and we weren't. She was sad that we had to say "goodbye" and stay. I'm not sure she understood why they got to "go home" while she had to "stay home" no matter how hard we tried to explain it to her. 

Turns out K's- devastation was multiplied. Not only were our friends leaving, but so was the car and the worst blow of all the dog left too! It was their dog, of course it was going to go with them, but K- became super attached to it in the 2 full days they were here. She couldn't wait to get up to see the "doggie" and followed her around saying "black, nice, like it, pretty, love it, pet, dog, doggie, cute, soft, fluffy, drinking, running, barking, walking." D- and I have no intention of owning a dog right now, nor is our apartment complex animal friendly, so having a dog around for 2 days was the ultimate treat and than seeing it leave was akin to the ultimate betrayal in K's- eyes. Oops.

Watching the car drive away was a close second. K- (and I to a lesser extent) got spoiled while they were here for 2 days, because we didn't have to walk or take the bus. We could just drive wherever it was we were going, making getting from point a to point b a lot faster. 

D- and I don't own a car. We will, I'm sure in the future have to move to a large city where it's not an absolute essential because public transportation is just that good, or we'll have to finally suck it up and join the vehicle owning masses. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I owned a car when we got married. About a week after we tied the knot, my car was totaled in an unfortunate, but possibly fortuitous freak accident (shortly after that we moved abroad) so that was the end our our car ownership. With D- being a student and me being at home with K-, living on a tight budget, and not knowing whether we'll stay in the States after D- graduates a vehicle isn't an absolute necessity and not currently owning one for expense alone makes sense. We live close enough to everything we need to walk, ride bikes or take the bus and our city just isn't that big. It's a life style choice that we've committed ourselves to while D- is in school. We'll reassess our decision when he graduates and starts working full time if we remain in the US. But that's not something that can easily be explained to a toddler who has decided her car seat is "comfy" and she loves riding in the car.  This bodes really well for our upcoming trip to Canada at the end of the summer! I hope that her love affair with her car seat maintains itself at least throughout the duration of our trip as it will make everyone's life easier and the trip itself that much more enjoyable for everyone. But it's hard to say. 

In the meantime we spent all morning mourning the loss of the dog alternating crying inconsolably because the dog is "missing" and talking seriously about how we'll "See it. Tomorrow" - her words not mine. Poor girl, she's optimistic that they've only temporarily left while somehow also recognizing that they're not here now. We spent the rest of the morning wanting to be buckled into our car seat on the living room floor and pretending to ride in the car and wanting to go places in it. Well see what happens when we wake up from nap and find out they're gone all over again. 

...It may be a very long day....

First Look! 10 Storks Subscription Box: Month 1 Review

10 Storks: Oh how pretty and so exciting....A healthy start!

Possibly the prettiest subscription box presentation I've yet seen; beautiful done!

Today in my postbox, I had an extra special box from Shoua Kue & the 10 Stork Team and let me just say, it was an awesome package to receive! I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Month 1 10 Storks box and I'm not even currently pregnant. I can't imagine how much anticipation there would have been for this box if I was currently expecting!

For those of you who don't know, 10 Storks is a new subscription box company for expectant mothers. They offer a regular monthly subscription for consisting of 10 boxes total, 9 are paid for and the 10th box is free for any mom who continues through her 9th month of boxes no matter when she starts her subscription! Each of the 9 regular boxes is $40/month and they will have the option to ship to Canada! For those who aren't interested in or able to commit to a monthly subscription they also offer a 'Best of" box for $60/once that will include some of their best products for mom-to-be throughout her pregnancy. 10 Storks officially launches on August 1st and if you want to be first to know about promotions, boxes and other news sign up for email updates on their website or check them out on facebook. If you want to learn more about the company and what they offer check out my preview post here.

Inside 10 Storks Box: Month 1

The signature silver silver box arrived within a medium flat rate mailer and it was so heavy. The weight of the box is almost always a good sign when it comes to subscription boxes, as it usually means they are full and this one definitely was. When I opened the silver box there was a very cute handwritten note from Shoua and the 10 Stork Team and of course this beautiful packaging. I actually think the presentation is important and this totally feels like you're being given a very special gift just for you. Always a nice feeling and even nicer when you're pregnant!

Now to what everyone's been waiting for. Let's look inside this beautifully wrapped package and see what it holds!

This box was stuffed full of things for mom-to-be to use and enjoy in her first month of pregnancy, and the box was so well packed that I just have to share what it looked like before I took everything out. First look after pulling aside the tissue paper; awesome! I mean pregnant or not, who doesn't love chocolate, right?

Okay, here's a look of all the contents and it's a great selection of goodies for mom-to-be. I'd say the focus of Month 1 is on helping mom-to-be set out on a healthy path as she begins her pregnancy. Even if your pregnancy is planned, learning your pregnant and knowing where to start is often overwhelming. I was inundated with information and important dates when my pregnancy with K- was confirmed. This box gives you the tools and treats you need from the moment you read the positive sign on your home pregnancy test kit!  

 

A Closer Look

Nature Made Prenatal Multivitamins +DHA ($9.10/60 on Amazon). Multivitamins containing folic acid and other key nutrients are recommended for healthy fetal development. This is one of many on the market and one I would consider taking if I were expecting. Plus it has the added benefit of being free from synthetic dyes, color, artificial flavor, preservatives, yeast and gluten. This is definitely a practical addition to the month 1 box.

What to Expect: Eating Well When You're Expecting, Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel. ($11.48 on Amazon). Okay, so other than taking your multivitamin, exercising with your doctor's okay and getting enough sleep, eating well when you're pregnant is a must for a healthy and positive pregnancy. While, I don't necessarily love the "What to Expect" series, and I read plenty of them when I was pregnant with K- along with tons of other pregnancy books, I did get a lot of use out of this one. It not only gives you facts about what's healthy and what foods should be eaten in moderation or avoided altogether when you're expecting, but it has a whole section on cooking while pregnant with 175 recipes. Some of which I still find myself making even though I'm not pregnant. Some of the recipes in this book are just that good and I found all of them really easy. Honestly, I thought this was a great addition to the box! Why not get off to a simple healthy start from day one and it's something every mom-to-be can easily do.

Bare Fruit 100% Organic Apricots ($13.66/3 2.2oz packages on Amazon). Dried apricots are a super healthy and  powerful snack anytime, but especially when you're pregnant and craving something sweet. I kept these, almonds and frozen blueberries on hand throughout my pregnancy with K-. A serving of dried apricots not only gives you a whopping 20% of your Vitamin A intake they also contain, calcium, iron, protein, dietary fiber and vitamin c. They're easy to incorporate into meals and even better to have on hand when the munchies hit and you're looking for a healthy snack that's on the sweet side.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares: Milk & Caramel ($3.99/5.32oz). Even during a healthy pregnancy one needs to indulge every once in awhile and if you're like me chocolate was one of the things I craved early on. Typically, I always choose dark chocolate as dark does have more health benefits, but anything Ghirardelli is divine and these squares are the perfect size for a single serving treat now and then. As a side note, even though I prefer dark chocolate about two months into my pregnancy all I wanted was milk chocolate, so maybe this is just perfect after all? Plus, what would a box for mom-to-be be without a treat or two to indulge and pamper her with? I loved seeing such an iconic product in a box curated in San Francisco as well, it was a nice touch and nod to the box origin location!

Finally, a jump from eating well to looking good and staying organized. Something that seems to get harder as pregnancy progresses, at least the staying organized bit did for me!

Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes and Replenishing Lip Balm ($4.99). Let's face it, these two items are going to come in handy whether you experience the delights of morning sickness or not. If you do, than these are probably going to be your purse's new best friend's for awhile along with either a travel tooth brush or sugar free mints or gum. If you don't, lucky you (hope it stays that way!) then you may just find yourself using them for their normal intent. Either way Burt's Bees products are 99.1% natural, making them a great choice for those who are pregnant. I regularly use this lip balm and love it, it smells great and works wonders.

PlanAhead Mom's Organizer July 2013-December 2014 ($14.99 on Amazon). In the age of "everything digital" I still like to make lists and write things down. I love having all my thoughts, notes, contacts and important dates all in one place. This little book does that and more. It's an 18 month planner with both monthly and weekly options. It has a pull out contact section, a small photo holder, a section for notes/lists and a special resource section including places for vacation ideas/planning, party planning and expenses. I love research and I took notes as doctor's appointments and while I was out shopping or doing other things and was constantly having to transfer them from whatever I wrote on to my book at home when I finally got there. This book will easily fit in your day bag or large purse and as pregnancy brain hits, you'll be glad you have the handy reference you've created! 

 

Final Thoughts on 10 Storks: Month 1?

I loved it! Based on the first box, this is a subscription box I would love to receive as a gift or I would purchase for myself for the duration of my pregnancy. It's definitely something I will keep in mind for when my husband and I are ready and are expecting our second child! From a usability stand point, I loved that everything in the box was helpful and usable right away.  It's very obvious that this box was curated with a lot of thought and care for a positive and healthy pregnancy and that it's both practical and indulgent all at the same time. I also love that the edible treats in the box are from California and that the Ghirardelli Chocolate is from San Fransisco as is 10 Storks. It's a very well balanced box and all told it has a $58.21 value for only $40 shipping is free within the US (shipping on my box alone was $12.35) shipping to Canada is possible but there will be an additional cost associated. For more info, or to sign up for your box on August 1, 2013 when 10 Storks officially launches, visit http://10storks.com/ and don't forget to check them out on facebook as they'll be revealing sneak peaks and more prior to the big day!

This box was provided to me by Shoua Kue and the 10 Storks Team free of charge for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts, opinions and photos in this post are my own and as always they're 100% honest!

  

Weekend Wrap

Whoa, Wait a Minute... The Weekend is Over?

It's Sunday evening and the weekend is winding down yet again, or at least technically it is. Our summer weekends are sort of all off the regular calendar schedule because with his summer class D- only consistently has Monday off. In other news, looking at the calendar this morning I did a double take. I can't believe that July is two-thirds of the way over. Where does the time go and why does summer have to pass so quickly?

Where We Went & What We Did 

Saturday, D- had the whole day off so we took our toddler, the lillebaby carrier, packed a day bag, hopped on a bus and went to the local Raspberry Festival in Lynden, WA. I'm not sure what my husband and I were expecting... raspberries everywhere you turned maybe? Neither of us could quite put our finger on why it didn't live up to our expectations, for some reason it just didn't. And while the festival wasn't quite what we thought it was going to be, we still had a great time and enjoyed strolling through town in the sunshine and the great people watching opportunity it presented. Plus I leaned something new... two-thirds of this nation's raspberries crop - we're talking total production for sale and consumption, are grown approximately 15 miles from my home! No wonder we've had such great berries in the local grocers' lately! We had awesome raspberry ice cream sundaes for $1, discovered a great little local Dutch bakery and that our 18 month old daughter K- loves marzipan and almond sticks, did some window shopping, toured a wonderful community building called the Jansen Art Center, blitzed the car show and were home to have a picnic supper in the park near our house by 4:00pm. All in all not a bad way to spend the day, even if we didn't come home with tons of raspberries like I was hoping we would.

K- Absolutely Enjoying her Almond Stick at the Raspberry Festival!

Sunday was a quite, but productive day for K- and I. D- had to work all day and us girls were on our own. So, after breakfast and my quick workout in which K- helped me with my ab work by crawling on top of me and refused to budge, we completely took apart and cleaned her change table. It's something I've been meaning to do for a while and just haven't gotten around to. We're not quite at the potty training stage, partially because I'm dragging my heels and partially because K- stubbornly doesn't seem to want to, but we're definitely done with the table. She's too long for it and doesn't like being on it. Somewhere around 15-16 months K- decided she'd only let us change her diapers if she was lying on the floor. So that's what we've done. Meanwhile I moved the change table out of her room to use as a temporary toy shelf in the main room. However, I quickly got sick of looking at it, I find it rather ugly when not in K's- room with her crib. Hmmm. So I tore it apart to save space and K- helped me by holding her own hex key and pretending to unscrew the screws. After that we cleaned house; it definitely needed it. Then K- napped while I read! Usually I love to read, but somehow I seem to have fallen into a summer reading slump and just can't seem to motivate myself to pick up a book and start it, much less finish it before I have an email in my inbox from the library with my courtesy "your book is due in 2 days" alert. Maybe it helps that the book I'm currently reading Zoo Time, by Howard Jacobson is wittily humorous, as long as you don't it seriously. Or maybe it's just been a long enough pause in reading for me to enjoy it again, either way I was happy to read for a half an hour in the sunshine this afternoon. We also went to the park, cooked and ate dinner and staked the tomato plants in the garden. Something else I've been meaning to do and just haven't gotten around to doing. Tonight D- and I have plans to finally watch The Hunger Games, I read the books when they first came out and I am curious to see what the movies are like. 

But the best part of today was when I got an exciting email from Krystal at Pressing Pause telling me I'd won her blog's giveaway for an Escape Monthly box! Eeek! Ever since I read about this new subscription box, I've wanted to try it out and now I get too... I literally can't stop grinning from ear to ear! I couldn't be more excited about that and look forward to getting and reviewing it in August. All I know is that the getaway theme for the box launch in August is Escape to Napa, CA. Having been to Napa, I'm super excited to see what all they've included in this box!

What's Ahead: The Week to Come!

• Dentist appoint tomorrow - boo! I don't know many people who love having dental work done, and I'm definitely not one of them. In fact I typically have severe anxiety (about the only time I ever do) when it even comes to talking about the dentist. But in order to set a good example for my daughter and in an attempt to over come that I'm doing my best to talk about it and get over it! A slow process, but I really like the dentist I'm currently seeing and that helps immensely!

• My best friend is coming to visit with her little girl this weekend! They'll be arriving on Thursday and staying through the weekend and we can't wait! We're both so excited to make the most of it and have a total girls weekend. Sorry D-. It doesn't happen very often, so thanks for just dealing with it when it does.

• My Ecocentric Mom box should be arriving sometime next week so a post for that will be sure to follow. I'm excited to see what this one contains as the last one was so awesome.

 And That's a Wrap!

That about does it for us for this week. Hope you enjoyed your weekend and the week ahead doesn't look to grizzly! Enjoy that sunshine and summer weather while it lasts. Autumn will arrive before any of us are really ready for it.

Wee Gallery Nesting Dolls - Product Review

First off, let me say that if you haven't heard Wee Gallery, and you love baby and kids products, black and white or small family run businesses, then you should check them out! The company is the brainchild of a graphic designer and teacher and it came about based on their own personal research, growth and development as new parents. In my family's experience, Wee Gallery products are not only made to last, they're made to develop and grow-with your child! This is a huge plus in my book. My favorite products for little ones are those that are designed with multipurpose use in mind, are educational, well made, and are able to transition with a child as they learn and grow.

I recently participated in and won a giveaway for the most adorable black and white nesting dolls from the Wee Gallery's Blog and facebook page. These are really well made, adorable little dolls and they came in the cutest little package imaginable! While my daughter is currently too young to play with them, she absolutely adores these animals. They'll be a wonderful addition to her room once we get a shelf put up that they can rest upon where they'll be out of reach but not out of sight. Right now they're sitting on my dresser with the traditional matryoshka dolls my husband and I purchased while traveling in St. Petersburg before we were married.

The nesting dolls next to a regular sized short pillar candle.

This set contains three fun animals: a panda, a penguin and a raccoon. They are super light weight, and are hand painted in Russia, just like traditional matryoshkas. Unlike the traditional Russian sets, this cute set of three perfectly captures the art and character of other Wee Gallery products. They have the simple, high contrast, eye catching black and white patterns of other Wee Gallery products and are made with the same care and attention to detail. However, due to the nature of this product and unlike many of the Wee Gallery's products, this set is not intended to be played with by children under the age of 3. This is primarily because the raccoon, the smallest doll in the set, could pose a choking risk as it's only 2" tall. The penguin stands at 3" while the panda is 4.5" tall. 

Here's a close up look!

These nesting dolls would make for wonderful nursery decor or a fun gift for an older sibling from a new baby! Or if you're like me, and still a child at heart who also happens to love almost anything black and white, then they might just bring a smile to your desk or other work space. I'm going to miss these when that shelf gets built! My mom gave me my first set of matryoshka when I was 4 years old and ever since then I've had a soft spot for these ingenious Russian toys! Wee Gallery's nesting dolls in the panda, penguin and raccoon are a new addition to their collection of products and became available for sale as of July 1, 2013. They retail for $38 which may seem expensive, but they are made and hand painted in Russia, so you are getting an authentic product.

If you're interested in trying out a different Wee Gallery product and one that is a little bit more budget friendly, have a look at their wall art cards a set of these is sure to delight any new parent as it did us. These were our first product made by Wee Gallery and I love them. These simple cards are my absolute favorite Wee Gallery product, at 18 months, my daughter still plays with them and talks to them daily! You can use them from birth until your little one no longer finds them captivating in a multitude of ways. Whether as a mobile, simply for something to look at, to grasp, to frame and decorate your nursery walls, for animal recognition or story telling these are sure to delight!

10 Storks: New Expectant Mom Box to Launch!

Attention all expectant mothers, those trying to conceive or in the pregnancy planning stages...

...A new subscription box company called 10 Storks is about to be born! The official "due date" is just over 2 weeks from today; 10 Storks will launch on August 1, 2013. Boxes will ship and should arrive  1-5 days after the date of purchase, subscriptions will ship monthly after than on the original date of purchase! This allows you to customize the box to your pregnancy; you decide approximately when your Stork arrives each month, based on when you purchase - brilliant!

So you may be wondering, so what, why do I care, what does that have to do with me and my pregnancy or family planning? Or you may be already into subscription boxes and thinking, Awesome, I want to know more, sign me up! Or you could just be curious to see what all the fuss is about. Well, here you have it; 10 Storks is "Your monthly prescription for a happier, healthier pregnancy. 9 easy, elegant boxes for mom. 10th box is for the baby (and it's free!). Free shipping."

The 10 Stork mission according to founder Shoua Kue is "to give mom and baby safe products so that she experiences a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. Let us do the work of choosing the best products for you and your baby!" Honestly, what parent doesn't want to have the safest, healthiest pregnancy possible or to deliver a healthy baby? There is tons and tons of information out there on what's best for mom and what's best for baby before, during and after pregnancy. 10 Storks aims to simplify the part in the middle; making pregnancy a little bit easier for the Mama-to-be by specifically tailoring each "stork box" to the corresponding month and stage of pregnancy. 

Personally, I would have loved to be able to subscribe to such a service when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter in 2011. When I found out I was pregnant with K-, I scheduled an appointment with my Dr. who, referred me to a midwife (we were living in the UK at the time) who confirmed the pregnancy and sent me home with a packet of literature and a list of "do's and don'ts and an appointment card for my next visit. So I did my own research and reading. I was literally overwhelmed with information, suggestions and recommendations many of which were conflicting, contradictory and even at times discouraging. I would have loved the opportunity to subscribe to a monthly subscription program designed to pamper and support me through my journey of pregnancy by sending me things I needed or wanted all while saving me the time and energy of finding and shopping for them, more time to sleep and prepare for baby! That's exactly what 10 Storks aims to do. I mean how lovely would it be to receive a box looking like this that's especially for you each month that you're growing that incredible little being inside of you?

Picture Courtesy 10 Storks Media

10 Storks offers boxes Months 1-9 for Mama-to-be, however, she doesn't necessarily have to start her subscription with Month 1. If you're in your third month of pregnancy and want to subscribe to start receiving boxes for your 4th you can! Boxes are $40/month, the retail value of the contents will always be higher than the price of subscription and shipping is always free. Even better, they also offer a 10th box for baby and it's absolutely free to anyone who has completed their subscription through the ninth month, regardless of which month they sign up to start in. You could sign up for Months 1-9 and get 10 boxes or you could sign up for Months 7-9 and as long as you see your subscription through Month 9 you'll receive the bonus baby box in Month 10! How cool is that? They also are going to offer a special one-time box called the "Pregnancy Survival Kit" for people who either don't want to commit to a box for each individual month, can't afford to or are looking for an awesome gift! This Kit, will contain some of their best products from the monthly subscription line and will cost $60 and again, shipping is free.

Because the focus is on a "healthy pregnancy and a healthy delivery" you can expect to find lots of organic and toxin free products in your boxes! 10 Storks aims to deliver only the best available products for each unique stage and set of symptoms you may be experiencing each month and the surprise is part of the fun!

If the anticipation is just too much to handle, you can sign up to be the first to know about new developments and get updates via email from their website, follow & chat with 10 Storks on twitter, like & say hello over on Facebook, or see what they're up to on Instagram and then go share with your friends!


***I was not compensated in any way for this post. 10 Storks will be sending me a regular Month 1 Mama-to-be box purely for review purposes  All information is sourced directly from communications with Shoua Kue at 10 Storks, or my own opinion and thoughts. The pictures were used with permission from 10 Storks. I look forward to their launch and to watching them grow and hope to personally have a reason to subscribe to their services sometime in the not-so-distant future!

Joy: Hearing "Thank You" From Your Toddler

Early this morning, K- and I were on our own because D- was already at work. So, we headed to the kitchen to rustle up some breakfast. K- loves the kitchen as much as any room in the house. She's been exposed to it since birth whether just being there while we cook or actually getting to stand on a chair and help. She knows the names of multiple food items, utensils and dishes. She knows where they go and happily helps set the table and unload the dishwasher.

Lately, for about the last two weeks or so, we've been working on saying "thank you" and "you're welcome." Typically this means I tell her "thank you, K-" and "you're welcome" countless times a day for even the smallest acts with the hope that it will eventually rub off. One of our favorite places to work on this skill is in the kitchen while unloading dishwasher. For example, K- takes the flatware out piece by piece and happily hands each one to me with some sort of description and I tell her "thank you" for the "big" fork or whatever item she's handing me. She can't quiet reach or see into our utensil drawer and for now, she's quite content to take items out of the dishwasher and give them to me because she knows she's "helping" and she's all about being helpful right now. Her snack bowls, sippy cups and our leftover food storage containers are all in places she can reach and she'll actually put those away and then I'll thank her for that as well, every time. For me,  it's a slow tedious process, in her eyes this is a great game and she comes running when I open the dishwasher often saying "ine elping," "K's- elping" or just simply "elping, elping, elping!"

Usually I let K- pick out her own breakfast dishes every morning and that includes getting them out of the cupboard or drawer and taking them to the table. At 17.5 months old she's perfectly capable and content to do so. This morning, because all her cereal/snack bowls were in the dishwasher as were her spoons, I asked her which bowl she wanted. She told me and I handed it to her in what became a reverse role of how we normally put away our dishes every day. As I handed K- her bowl, much to my surprise and utter excitement she looked me straight in the eye and said "t'ank you" without missing a beat I (absolutely beaming) happily told her "you're welcome" then handed her her spoon only to be met with another serious "t'ank you." I was honestly elated and sailed through the rest of the day on the high of hearing the most honest and sincere form of "t'ank you" possible. She really wanted her breakfast. It's wonderful to know that something you're doing is actually paying off! And because she's either learning or because she saw how happy those first couple of "thank you's" made me, she tried it out a few more times throughout the day as well. I even got a "tanks" or two used correctly!

Yay, step in the right direction for K- and I!

Citrus Lane July Box: Bon Voyage!? + Discount Code

#CLJulyBox Boxes are $25/month. You can check them out here Use code "TAKEHALF" at checkout on any monthly subscription and your first box will be $12.50 or save $10 by using my referral link https://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/Audrey.Albinger!

So our Citrus Lane July Box arrived today and I was super stoked to find it in the post box, because they're not supposed to ship until the 15th of the month with the intention of having all boxes delivered between the scheduled arrival dates of the 17th-22nd of each month. In the past we've had some really fast shipping and some really slow shipping, so getting the box on the 13th was a really pleasant surprise!

"add on" option: Bumpkin 2 pocket Wet&Dry Bag

That being said, it seems from casual observation of the CL social media page feed over the past couple of months, that boxes containing the "add on items" that they're offering as a trial right now get to the customers who take advantage and "purchase" one of these items faster. While I enjoyed getting our box as early as we did, I don't think that seems fair to the customers who either weren't offered the "add on items" this month or those who chose not to take advantage of this and I assume it's one of the kinks of the trial that they'll work out before they do an official community wide launch of box "add on" items if that's what they're indeed going to do.

So without further ado, here's a look inside our July Citrus Lane box for a 19 month old girl this month!

As you can see from the picture above, it's a wide mix of products. According to Citrus Lane this box is supposed to make life easier when "traveling" whether you're going on vacation or staying local this summer. As well an item that will make those as they say "inevitable rainy days" and possibly even days that are just plain too hot to go out fun.

A more detailed look at July's box content.

The item that took up the most room in the box and the one that my husband got most excited about was the SUMO Snack Stacker from ZoLi $14.50 on Amazon. This is a 3 tier stacker that's bigger than the ZoLi On-the-Go. Each of the tiers holds up to 8oz of snacks or mealtime food, making the option for a variety of healthy foods at the ready when you or your little one needs it most. I won't actually be surprised if this one ends up in my husband's lunch bag as often as it ends up out with my daughter and I. Also, the pieces are interchangeable and if you had a second and wanted to take 5 one cup servings along at one time all you'd have to do is add them to your original stack. I can see us taking this with on our next cross country flight, as it will be perfect for bulky toddler foods. As a side note this would also make an awesome organizational tool for art and craft supplies (think pompoms, foam stickers and large beads).

Next up we had a package of Cool It Buddy Instant Cold Packs from Me4Kidz $2.99 for 2 packs. Me4Kidz provides parent and kid friendly always on hand first aid supplies. This company was featured in last year's Bon Voyage box as well only we received, what I found to be a more useful product by them the Diaper Bag Buddy. The instant cold packs are standard one time use ice packs; snap or squeeze and shake to activate. I love reusable ice pack or just plain old ice, but recognize that you don't always have access to that. In which case, these are great if you remember to pack them along! I keep a well stocked first aid kit at home, and when we owned a car I kept a kit in it as well. This would be an item I would keep in an older kids soccer bag, a hiking pack, a camping kit. It's not intended for use on kids under the age of 2 (I won't be using it in the foreseeable future) and doubt that even with a 2 year old I'd be packing these around daily.  For now they'll just go into our extra first aid supplies bin.

Also included in last year's Bon Voage box and again in this year's July box (with a "Bon Voyage!" at the end of the hello sheet) was a code for 10 free postcard credits from Postagram $9.90. If you haven't heard of or used Postagram now is the time to check it out! You can sign up and download the app for your phone here. Then just snap a picture, write a short message and you Sincerely Inc. via Postagram does the rest. Your recipient ends up with a very nice personalized, printed card right in their mailbox! How cool is that? Send a postcard from anywhere to anyone right from your phone. Pretty cool and a vacation staple!

We also received a GoGo squeeZ Fruit Pouch in BerryApple less than $1.00. Pouches seem to be our go to travel back up food. They're great for when you need a quick snack anytime anywhere and GoGo squeeZ has your applesauce on the go needs covered. They seriously have a flavor for every pallet! These are awesome if you freeze them ahead of time for a alternative to an ice pack in your lunch bag! Also, they're currently donating $1.00 in partnership with Life is Good to children in need for every "share" this video receives. So if you care and have a minute to spare; go, play...share!

Finally, the box did include a toy this month and one that the good folks over at Citrus Lane deem to be both fun (good for rainy days and days that are just too hot to be outside all day long) and education while also helping to build confidence, dexterity and pattern recognition. Win-win!

This Wooden Peg Puzzle from Melissa & Doug $7.99 (at our local TJ Maxx). We've tried several Melissa & Doug products at our house and of all the wooden toy makers, they are unfortunately (because Citrus Lane seems to love them,) one of our least favorites. Maybe we just had a couple of poorly made products that also happened to be our first M&D toys, but they didn't hold up, the paint chipped within a month of gentle use and the picture surface of a wooden puzzle started to peel. So far I haven't been impressed by the quality of their toys. Maybe this one will be better?  I'm hopeful that it will be, as we're all about counting right now and while K- doesn't yet recognize her numbers by sight, she can say several of them loves to copy-count. She also recognizes and can say all of these colors and will have a blast checking out the pictures under the pieces.

All in all, the July box is a great one and we're excited about it! As you can see the approximate value of the items in this box was about $36.38, Citrus Lane no longer gives the value of the items included on their information cards. Did you get a July box this month, if so what did you think? Interested in signing up? Boxes are $25/month if you sign up for a monthly or 3 month subscription or $21/month if you sign up for the 6 month option. You can try your first box for only $12.50 when you select monthly box and use code "takehalf" at checkout. Or you can save $10 off any subscription by using my referral link https://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/Audrey.Albinger


All thoughts, opinions & photos included here are my own. No compensation was received for this post. If you use my referral links listed (I appreciated it and thank you, if you do!) I may receive some credit toward my own future boxes. I have been a subscriber of Citrus Lane's monthly boxes since June 2012.