Welcome to the Coach Purse & wallet giveaway!

**Powered by Madame Deals and Slop Swap**

Thanks to our hosts for helping us run this great giveaway: Dixieland Product Reviews & Giveaways Colleen's Book Nook Still Blonde after all these YEARS Saving More Than Me Diva Fabulosa

This giveaway will run from 6/14 12:01 am EST thru 6/30 11:59 pm EST

If you've entered any of our other Madamde Deals Events, this will be easy for you.

There is 1 mandatory entry of a blog comment plus Facebook likes for bonus entries.

Wait for the Rafflecopter to load and enter below:

FREE blogger event signup! {via Madame Deals}

Madame Deals Events is hosting a FREE giveaway event for fellow bloggers.

The giveaway runs June 14th to June 30th 2012

The giveaway is for a Coach Purse and Wallet.

Open to the US & Canada.

All bloggers have to do to participate is create a post on their blogs (Like this one!) advertising the event for fellow bloggers and sign up HERE.

Don't Forget to Join Madame Deals Free Events Facebook Page ...for updates on FREE blogger Events!, THANKS, Madame Deals!
ps. There is a referral contest, and I'd love it if you let them know (in the signup form) that I (Krystyl N' Co ) Sent you!

Shake, Rattle, & Roll ~ Baby, Toddler & Kids Giveaway Hop {Sponsored by Swaddle Designs}

WELCOME to The Shake, Rattle, & Roll ~ Baby, Toddler & Kids Giveaway Hop ! 

Did you know SwaddleDesigns has Baby Apparel?  (Oh, You did?)

OK....Did you know SwaddleDesigns has ANGRYBIRDS products? (How awesome is that?!?!)

 SwaddleDesigns was amazing and sent me a AngryBirds Longsleeve Bodysuit featuring 'Red Bird' as well as an AngryBirds Marquisette Swaddling Blanket ... AND I LOVE themmm



Though I was unaware that Swaddle Designs made Baby Clothes until this review Opportunity came to me,
I am glad to have found out about it,... Their clothing is very well made and beautiful, Coordinating perfectly with Zzzip Me Sacks, Bibs, Hats & More!  I will definitely be placing an order soon!  (can you say, Winning Shower Gift?!)

 SwaddleDesigns are probably best known for their AMAZING Swaddling Blankets, Which come in over 200 different prints and multiple types of fabric so you can choose the right Blanket to swaddle your baby!

We are the proud owners of 5 SwaddleDesigns Blankets ... and, Even at 9 months, Baby K still gets swaddled to sleep

 Don't know how to Swaddle? ...Check out their 'How To Swaddle' Page! For tips on Doin' it right and the Benefits of Swaddling

With a Generous Measurement of 42' x 42' - I am confident We'll be swaddling Baby K 'Till at least 1 year

 Subscribe to their Exclusive Email List for Great Deals & Promos HERE


a Rafflecopter giveaway




The Shake, Rattle, & Roll Giveaway Hop features a variety of great products for kids of all ages! Once you have entered to win here, be sure to visit all of the participating blogs at the bottom of this post! Don’t forget to enter to win the Shake, Rattle, & Roll Grand Prize sponsored by Tommee Tippee! You will have the chance to win a Closer to Nature Audio Baby Monitor valued at $149.99! Visit Formula Mom to Enter the Shake, Rattle, & Roll Grand Prize Giveaway!! Disclosure: Formula Mom, Tales From the Nursery, and the Shake, Rattle, & Roll bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that fail to fulfill their prizes.

Shake, Rattle, Roll Giveaway Hop {Sponsor Spotlight - Swaddle Designs}

SwaddleDesigns® is introducing 

the Angry Birds Baby Collection!

Angry Birds have found happiness with SwaddleDesigns baby products! We are honored that Rovio chose SwaddleDesigns to manufacture Angry Birds Baby items based on our high quality products.

Angry Birds by Rovio is a phenomenally popular game.  Angry Birds is the fastest growing brand in the world with over 600 million downloads.  Boys, girls, men, women, grandmas and grandpas – all love playing Angry Birds.  The    game is entertaining to people of all ages, genders and geographies

.

 SwaddleDesigns was founded by Lynette Damir, RN, Designer and Mom in 2002, and SwaddleDesigns was the first company to introduce the large square swaddling blanket to the US and many countries around the world.  SwaddleDesigns is known for their premium quality fabric, fabulous colors and prints, decorative edge, and the innovative 123 Swaddle® instructional label that helps new parents master the art of swaddling. SwaddleDesigns blankets come in a variety of weights and are perfect for many uses such as a privacy throw for breastfeeding moms, a tummy time play mat, a cover over the stroller as well as swaddling. 

The Ultimate Receiving Blanket® is a lightweight premium cotton flannel blanket – for moderate to cooler environmental temperatures.

Marquisette Blanket

The Marquisette Swaddling Blanket® is a very lightweight openweave high quality cotton blanket – for warmer environmental temperatures

Angry Birds is just one of the many collections SwaddleDesigns offers. We have many new exciting new prints and a variety of blankets and other products for 2012!

Baby K at 6 Months Old swaddled all Snugly in Her Marquisette SwaddleDesigns Blanket in 'Very Berry - Classic Peace Love Swaddle'

To Buy SwaddleDesigns Blankets or Other Products including ZzzipMe Sacks, Security Blankets, Burp Cloths and Bibs, Hooded Towels & Washcloths, Baby Apparel, Baby bedding, and Baby gift sets 

AND for great deals & Discounts, 

Check out the SwaddleDesigns Website

Facebook & Twitter

Want to WIN IT?! Come back on Tuesday the 22nd for the 'Shake Rattle & Roll' Baby Giveaway Hop - I'll be posting my Review of a SwaddleDesigns & Rovio Marquisette Swaddle Blanket and Bodysuit! AND A GIVEAWAY!

Wordless {ish} Wednesday

Strawberry Fields Foreverrrr.... 

 It has come to my attention, STRAWBERRY season is upon us... My step momma picked me up a FLAT of them from the local Farmers Market / Swap Meet ... 16 LBS for $5 ... 

I NEED to get in on this again this weekend ... Fruit and veggies from the farmers markets tend to not last long, so I chopped them all up and froze them ... NOW I have room for more this week! ...I'm looking for some of your favorite Strawberry Recipes! ... Specifically looking for a low-sugar pectin free Freezer Jam (Old School Style) ... I was DISGUSTED to learn that more strawberry Jams are like 2c. Sugar 1c. Strawberries... EW. 

ANYWAYYSS... Sharesies? 

Baby K Thanks you in Advance... she LOVES her strawberries! 

Diaper Storage

One of the things people tend not to consider when choosing to cloth diaper is the Storage - Comparatively speaking, cloth diapers take up about double as much as their disposable counterparts ...

not really a huge deal, but something every cloth Diapering family has to deal with in their own way ... I've seen MANY elaborate setups posted in many of the cloth diaper groups - however I've neither the space (in our teeny 2 BDRM Apartment) nor the money - Here's my solution to our Cloth Diapering storage issue;

I picked up this nifty little shelving unit on sale at Canadian tire for under $20 ... usually about $40 (SUPER affordable) it is totally customizable (you can stack it up, like I did, put it 2x2 to make a big square, or even have them lining horizontally) and if necessary, you can buy more than one set and combine etc. because we have such little space, I put it straight up, and in the living room for easy access. On the top, I have some picture frames with pics of the kids

In the first unit, I have my AI2's(unstuffed) pockets and inserts/doublers Pictures is about 1/3 of my stash .. another 1/3 is drying on the line and another 1/3 is in the wash

On the second unit, I added a shelf (purchased at the dollarstore) the mini shelf holds Cloth wipes (which I have since moved to an empty wipes container), Bum spray, wipe water concentrate tabs, baby legs, baby leggings,crazy leggies and cloth diaper safe creams

in the second unit, I have Fitteds, Covers, AIO's and prefolds as well as a container of disposable wipes (now that we have more leggies/socks in the small unit, we store our cloth wipes and a small bottle of prepped wipewater in a wipes container.

The last 2 shelves; in one, I have a 12x12x12 softsided box filled with baby odds and ends ... some hats, cloths, outfits, a small blankie and burp cloths. on the very bottom one, I store all my Doggy stuff. Shirts & sweaters, brush, shampoo poo bags etc. in a shoebox and food. VOILA! There it is, my Budget friendly space-frugal storage solution for your cloth Diapers and baby basics!

Pico De Gallo {Recipe}

Pico De Gallo is a fresh Salsa ...it's a great way to eat healthy and a perfect alternative to preservative filled store bought salsa and dips and other upside is that there are many ways to customize it.

This is the recipe I used;

Ingredients; 

• 5 Medium On-the-Vine Tomatoes (other kinds of tomatoes can be substituted) 
• 3/4 of a large White onion (can sub purple)
• 1 lime (Juice)
• Bunch on Fresh Cilantro 
• Salt

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DO THIS; 

1. Chop tomatoes to salsa sized bits (removing seeds) 
2. Slice & Dice Onion very fine.
3. Remove Stems from Cilantro and Slice & Dice very fine. 
4. Mix together 
5. Add lime juice
6. Salt to taste
7. Add optional ingredients (See Below) 

Optional Ingredients; 
Green Onion
Fresh Garlic
Cucumber
Advacado
Jalapeno (very commonly used, but we left it out :) )
Hot sauce
Tabasco Sauce
 Hubby suggested Black olives

Serve on Tacos, with Chips or Crackers  - Crack open a Carona (or, in this nursing mama's Case, a Lime + ice water) and enjoy!

Our Journey to fitness!

For the longest time Hubby and I have been making excuses and assuring ourselves that we would 'eat better and make time for exercise' ...AS IF. we generally eat quite healthy at home (Granola bars, Yoghurt, fruits & veggies) ... our biggest issue is eating out ... we do it all the time and it's gouging a hole in our pocket... which takes us full circle to our OTHER excuse for not exercising as much as we should... COST. with two kids in the home, me going to school and Hubby working for minimum wage, Cost is  WAS a huge concern... but if you think about it ... we were spending more eating out that a gym membership would be (about $100/month for both of us after startup costs) 
Sounds a little backwards right? ...we decided to make a change for ourselves... we want to set a good example for our kids and be able to keep up and playplayplay all day with them

New Shoes (x2) - $100.06
New Gym Bags (x2) - $44.33
Gym Clothes (2 sets + Sports Bra) - $68.00
Towels (x2) - 22.76
Mini - Febreeze Bottles (x2) - $3.94
1st and last weeks membership paid up front (x2) $127
gym membership (x2) $ 106/ month
------------------------------------
Living a long life, being able to keep up with my kids, and loving myself, just a little more; PRICELESS!

*I should also note, ... most people won't necessarily have these initial costs.. I'm sure most people have appropriate shoes (we didn't - we only really wear skater shoes) Towels, gym strip and bags ... but we decided to treat ourselves! we deserve to look and feel great while making this Life changing transformation! 
I'll be tracking our progress and schedule periodically. Hubby just got back from his first workout and says he is feeling great :) I can't wait!!

ECE poem. {Pandas}

My ECE teacher made a great point the other day, that it is usually easier to make up your own poem (for circle time, etc) to suit your curriculum/theme/study area than to scan Google for days upon days ... HOWEVER if ECE's and people studying ECE ...as well as people in similar fields were more open to sharing, I think it would make it even easier. Here is my awesome poem.

Panda bear

Black Bear Black Bear, 

White Bear too! 

Lives in China, 

Eats Bamboo 

Back Bear, Black Bear, 

White Bear Too, 

Rarely seen creature, 

We Love You !

Somehow, after I printed my text (or rather, after cutting and pasting) I realized I was missing a line... OOPS! ...Oh well >_<
Stay tuned, I plan to share an original 'Krystyl Olson' storybook!

HenHare Collar Scarves {Review + Giveaway}

COLLAR SCARVES! ... What. a. concept. !!
They slide over top of the collar so they can't fall off or get lost, and because they are so simple and lightweight, your pet will hardly notice them! .. they are great for upping your pet's 'everyday' fashion quotient as well as enabling them to better celebrate the seasons and holidays with HenHares seasonal collections.
Ashley makes these adorable collar scarves in sizes small enough to fit Cats & Kittens up to Great Danes ! (as well as for thinner and thicker collars)
Check out my Models below; 

Rambo (wearing a cross between  small and extra-small (cat size)  & Yogi Wearing a small
These boys are Corgi x

Ashley at HenHare Sent me these BEAUTIFUL custom Collar Scarves in a gorgeous Blue Batik Print ... I am in love. These Collar scarves are beautifully handmade with love, ... the decorative stitching pulls it all together (Pun Intended - I'm Cool Like that!) beautifully

Twofie sporting the small (She's a Chi x Puggle x LH Doxie)

Ok, Pic-happy, I know - Sorry to any of my Dial-up Readers! ...Last one - promise!

(((for the record, CATS SUCK as models... but they look equally cute in these things!!)))

I lied. But....

Just LOOK AT THAT FACE!

For those of you that follow our Fluffy Foster adventures; Yogi/Yoda and Rambo have found their forever homes! - don't worry, I'll have more stories to share later this week when I get a new foster !!! (Twofie is my Fluffy Sister - and the cats are permanent residents)


Check out What Henhare has to offer!
Etsy
Facebook

Scrappy Sunday #1 {Special Delivery}

                                                                           
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Wordless Wednesday {Family Dinner}

Foster Pups # 3 & 4 - Rambo & Yoda {Status; Adoptable}

Rambo and Yoda are Corgi x ...as is their mother, Cookie, who was found pregnant and abandoned in a house in the US ,... the puppies are now 9-10 weeks old and doing very well

 

This is Rambo, named for both his Energy (incredibly rambunctious) and his personality (go-go-go & in your face) he also has quite the napoleon complex!

 

LIKES; Chasing the cat (Typical Herding characteristics of the Corgi), Picking fights with his brother, gnawing on his chewy toys and rawhide, and using the litterbox as a cookie Jar !

 

The Size comparison of Yoda & Rambo ... Rambo is less than half the size of Yoda !!

 We've named This little Boy Yoda - He is a wise old (young) soul - he is very alert and responsive and eager to be trained and is relatively calm (compared to his brother)

 Likes; Rawhide, cuddling, herding the cats with his 'little' brother and pats.

Both these Lovelies are neutered up to date with shots,... We are currently working on pee-pad training, training them not to jump up, and 'Go Lay Down'


If you Have any questions about Yoda or Rambo
feel free to contact me on my personal Email
(krystylwaechter@gmail.com)
If you have questions about Adopting a rescue Dog or becoming a foster parent,
Get in touch with Sherrifs Rescue
Facebook 
Website 
or
VIEW ADOPTABLE PETS  Don't see what you're looking for? - Contact
Angela Enns @ sheriffsrescue@gmail.com or Yvonne Hayward @ Yvonne@sheriffsrescue.com
to see if they can't find the perfect pet for you.