The Waiting Womb

And the winner is...

2012-01-29T09:28:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to comment #12!

Gretta

Wins the Petit Jean Meats

Prize Pack!!

Thank all of you who entered. I wish there was a prize to give to everyone. I really do.

Maybe I can do another one really soon. I'd love to review and giveaway a

Breakfast Pack of theirs...

Stay tuned!!

Petit Jean Meats Giveaway

2012-01-19T20:24:00.000-06:00

One word...

Wow!!

I'm from an area of the country where this company doesn't really sell its products...yet. But I can't wait until it reaches my hometown. These folks know how to prepare meats.

As a guy and an avid carnivore I can vouch 110% for Petit Jean Meats. You all know that when I write a good review for a company it is an honest, trustworthy review. I know meat and this, folks, is meat at its BEST! You can literally taste the difference between PJM meats and other local and national brands.

These guys are one of the sponsors of the Dallas Cowboys and I'm so jealous! To be more precise, they are the "Official Bacon and Ham of the Dallas Cowboys" and they are only available in select HEB, Wal-Mart, Brookshires and United stores in North Texas but you can always order the gift boxes online at www.kountryspecialties.com. I wish MY team was sponsored by them - that way I could eat PJM products at their games. As it stands now, I've gotta sneak in my own hot dogs and brats. :) I've gotten spoiled. I will not eat a hot dog unless it has this company's logo on it. Other brands I grew up with just do not do it for me anymore.

GIVEAWAY

The extremely generous folks at Petit Jean Meats have allowed me to host a giveaway.

Just in time for the Super Bowl you will receive:

1 - EZ Carve Sliced Peppered Ham (16 oz.)1 - EZ Carve Sliced Smoked Ham (16 oz.)

2 - Jumbo Hot Dog Grillers (2--14 oz. pkgs.)

1 - Cracker Bologna (12 oz.)

1 - Pork & Beef Summer Sausage (8 oz.)

How's that for the start of a great Super Bowl party!?

To Enter:
I'm making it "super" easy to win this giveaway. All you have to do is...

Be an 18+ y/o resident of the United States
and
Comment on this post

But that's not all...

I'm allowing you to comment at least once per day for the entire 8 day duration!

The giveaway will run until January 27th at 11:59.59 PM CST.
I will choose a random winning entry via Random.org on 1/28/12 and will post and e-mail the winner that day as well. So, winner, be sure to check your e-mail on 1/28 or risk losing your prize!

Important...

You MUST include a valid (and very often checked) e-mail address in every single post so I will know how to contact you because the winner will only have 48 hours to respond. I've got to e-mail the winner's name and mailing address to PJM my the morning of the 30th.

Good Luck to everyone! You will be absolutely thrilled with this prize!

RSV and Double Ear Infections... Again!

2012-01-17T21:20:00.001-06:00

The title says it all. What's it going to take to keep these boys well? We knew daycare would cause them to be sick a little more than normal and we also knew that it would help them build their immune system quicker. But good grief... RSV and ear infections ALL the TIME!?!?

Carter went to the doctor yesterday and then had to stay home with mommy today while Cooper went to daycare and then came home with a bad cough... meaning he is probably about to have the same thing Carter has. After another week of this, it'll be3 weeks and we'll do it all over again... that is, if we go by past experience.

Ugh!

No More Pics

2012-01-02T15:26:00.000-06:00

I will not post any more pictures of Carter and Cooper on this blog. Recently, someone from Canada and his girlfriend from Miami stole a picture of Cooper when he was in the hospital and claimed he was theirs. What's worse, they were trying to raise money for their sick child.

I will still post pics, but only on our Facebook profile.

I'm still going to blog about parenthood and perform product reviews. I know how all you guys love my reviews.

I've gotten several requests for reviews recently and I'm trying to contact the companies to see if they'd agree to a review. Please bear with me while I hear back from them. I'll let you know when the next review will be posted as soon as I hear from them.

Thanks - 'til next time... Keep making your children smile. :)

The boys are getting so big... so fast!

2011-10-17T16:29:00.000-05:00

On one hand it doesn't seem like it has been over a year since the boys were born... but at the same time (at times) it seems like time has stood still. I do not miss the Q2 hour feedings for the first 2-3 months. But I do miss them being small enough to hold like babies.

Carter and Cooper are now a little over 13 months old and are doing wonderful! They have been walking for almost 2 months, they can say "duh" for "dog." They can understand what you say and comply with requests (sometimes). Used to when I would get up in the mornings and come around the corner they would run to me saying "da-da" but now they run to me saying "duh." They know our dog sleeps in the back of the house and that when I come to the front, so does he. They want to see him now more than they want to see me. That's ok. I think its great that they are trying to get me to act proud of them by showing me they know what a dog is.

Oh to be a child again...

Folks, I know it can be hard being a parent, especially of twins or more, but if you'll just sit back for a second and try your best to put yourself into a toddler's shoes and think about the fact that they do not know hardly anything about the world and that they are pure hearted...you'll quickly be humbled by the gifts you've been given and chances are you will understand them better. Get down on their level. Play. Laugh. Love like there's no tomorrow. You never know... there just may not be one.

Reflect...

Jeni's Ice Cream Review

2011-04-25T22:07:00.001-05:00

The generous folks over at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams sent me a package of ten flavors of their hand-crafted ice creams for my family to review.

There are few things in life that do not disappoint. These all-natural ice creams are some of those things. Folks, I tried my hardest to find something wrong with these little pints of goodness but I never did. The more I ate, the more I just gave up trying to find fault. Please read the reviews of each flavor I received below.

Salty Caramel

"Initial notes of burnt sugar give way to mouth-watering saltiness. A perfect salty sweet balance"

This flavor was one of my favorites. Very smooth and as the description says... perfectly balanced.

Dark Chocolate

"Mouth-filling, palate-gripping, intense chocolate flavor with a fudge-like texture. Pleasingly dry finish."

Very rich chocolate flavor. Satisfies a chocolate craving in just a few bites. Very good flavor.

Ugandan Vanilla Bean

"Vanilla ice cream like none other. Fairly-traded, 100-percent natural African beans bought directly from Ndali Estate, steeped for 48 hours in Snowville cream. Rich, full, fantastic vanilla flavor with notes of jasmine, honey, tobacco and leather."

You can really taste the authentic vanilla bean on this flavor. Amazing cream, vanilla and the slightest hint of jasmine really work well together. You've NEVER had vanilla ice cream like this. Be prepared to be blow away.

Queen City Cayenne

"Rich chocolate reveals back-of-the-throat spice. Finish is tingly and complex."

Ever wondered what chocolate ice cream and cayenne pepper would taste like together? No?

Well let me tell you... it's actually pretty good. For those of us that like spicy foods this dessert is a welcome addition. It starts out smooth and chocolatey, melts quickly and finishes with a pretty spicy kick in your throat.

Meyer Lemon Yogurt

"Fresh Meyer Lemons, sweeter than true lemons, pleasantly tart, blended with organic yogurt. Aromatic. Creamy. Delicious. Jeni’s time-honored favorite. Serve with Blackstrap praline!"

Time-honored favorite is a very good description. This was my 2nd favorite flavor. Very aromatic! The Meyer lemons are extremely flavorful. If you let it melt in your mouth you can actually taste the yogurt. Most frozen yogurts have so much stuff in them that it masks the yogurt flavor... not this one. Very, very good!

Cherry Lambic Sorbet

"Tart and real cherry flavor, sweet lambic on the mid palate with almost bubbly texture. Finish is clean and exhilarating."

Very tart. The cherry flavor is really prominent. A classic brought into the 21st century!

Blackstrap Praline

Blackstrap molasses and pralines. What more needs to be said? Unbelievable flavor! And there was an extra shot of molasses in the bottom of the pint. Mmmm!!

Honey Butter Cake

"Ridiculously delicious, divinely buttery Ohio-honeyed ice cream, layered with chunks of honey butterscotch-soaked vanilla sponge cake made fresh in our kitchen. The delicate and light yet sturdy cake perfectly balances a sweet and hearty ice cream."

Description says it all. Ohhh sooo good!!!

Brambleberry Crisp

"Blackberries and black raspberries comprise a striking, rich-colored "Brambleberry" jam that's mixed with black currants and oven-toasted oat streusel and layered throughout honey vanilla bean ice cream."

Did you read that? Two different berries (real berries, not artificial flavored), oven-toasted oat streusel mixed with their vanilla ice cream. It was absolutely worth typing again! A must try!!

Every flavor was delicious. I am so glad they agreed to a review. And I am sooo glad to post it for them.

My only hope is that I can do another review for them soon. But first I've got to lose this 5 pounds I added from this review. :)

Go check out Jeni's Ice Creams and grab yourself a few flavors. All orders come double-boxed with dry ice and are extremely frozen upon delivery. There is no chance of your package arriving melted.

Disclaimer: I received this product for free for review.

Vote for Cooper & Carter! It only takes a split second! We're so close!!

2011-04-13T23:11:00.000-05:00

UPDATE 4/14/11

We've gained another 20 spots!! PLEASE take a second and go vote for the boys.

We're ranked 128th out of over 2300. We're doing awesome but we need votes!!!

Carter and Cooper have been chosen by Parent's Magazine for a possible cover photo shoot in New York City!! It is a contest so I NEEED you to go vote for them. It only takes a second and I'd really very much appreciate it if you shared the link to their voting page on Facebook. It'll give you that opportunity after you have voted.

Please vote ONCE A DAY for the next week and share on Facebook and Twitter as often as possible. This would be a huge blessing and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for them (and us).

Here is the picture that Parent's Magazine chose for the voting:

Please help them win!! They are just beautiful boys and this would be such an honor! Don't forget, PLEASE vote once a day and share this link every way you can think of for the next week!! We'd be SOOO grateful!!

Thanks a lot,

David :)

Vote for Cooper and Carter for a Parent's Magazine Cover Shoot

2011-04-13T06:45:00.000-05:00

UPDATE 4/13/11

The boys jumped 30 places overnight. How exciting! Please vote and vote once a day through Sunday 4/17! Also, PLEASE share with everyone on Facebook. We need all the help we can get!

Please vote ONCE A DAY for the next week and share on Facebook and Twitter as often as possible. This would be a huge blessing and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for them (and us).

Here is the picture that Parent's Magazine chose for the voting:

Thanks a lot,

David :)

Vote for Carter & Cooper for a Parent's Magazine Cover Photo Shoot!!

2011-04-11T14:10:00.000-05:00

Please vote ONCE A DAY for the next week and share on Facebook and Twitter as often as possible. This would be a huge blessing and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for them (and us).

Here is the picture that Parent's Magazine chose for the voting:

Thanks a lot,

David :)

Cooper and Carter's 6 Months Pics are Here!

2011-04-07T22:28:00.000-05:00

No unnecessary babble in this post... I'm going to let the pictures do the talking... :)

Tshirtprinting.net Review

2011-03-14T20:22:00.001-05:00

The folks over at www.tshirtprinting.net graciously sent me a sample T-shirt to review for them. They sent a cheeky monkey t-shirt. See below...

I've got to say that I didn't really expect the quality to be as good as it was. But it is really a great shirt. The monkey design isn't something I'm used to. But it's kinda cool. I've gotten a lot of questions about it and I've pointed them all to the website. If all their screen printing work is as good as the one on this shirt then they'll be in business for a long time.

Thanks for allowing this review. I had a lot of fun with it and will continue to wear it and direct people your way.

Sleep Training: Night #3

2011-03-14T19:56:00.000-05:00

Night #3 went pretty well.

We only got up to comfort them about 6 times. And again, they went right back to sleep. The only thing I didn't like about this night was the fact that Miranda had to really comfort Carter for him to initially go to sleep. He screamed bloody murder for the longest. But once he went down, he went down for six hours. Neither one of them woke up until around 1:30am.

The only reason they are waking up and crying now is because they are rolling over from back to front and they get very upset because they can't roll back over. For some reason they HATE laying on their bellies. And here I was thinking that babies liked to be on their bellies. Either I was really wrong or they'll like it later. Hopefully they'll like it later because daddy can't go years constantly waking up in the middle of the night to roll a child over onto their back.

Any advice on this subject would be greatly appreciated!!

Feel free to comment.

On to night #4...

Sleep Training: Night #2

2011-03-14T19:49:00.000-05:00

Night #2 went a lot better than the first night. We only had to go into their room to comfort them about 10 times. But, unlike night #1, every time we went in and comforted them they stayed asleep for a while. They are learning pretty quickly. I was actually very proud of them.

On to night #3...

Sleep Training: Night #1

2011-03-14T19:46:00.000-05:00

We have started sleep training the boys. They are 6 months old now and the doctor says that there's no reason for them to need a bottle in the middle of the night now. So with that in mind, I moved their cribs from our bedside to their own room (right next door to ours), put up a blackout curtain to keep out the light, placed a white noise maker in the room, installed a night light and a smoke/carbon monoxide detector and called it a day...until that night.

Oh GOD!

Night one was terrible. Although I know it could have been much, much worse. We were still up at least 20 times, if not 30 or more. We lost count at 10. We started out putting them to bed as usual - with their pacifiers. We laid them down, patted them on the chest for a few seconds, said goodnight and walked out. The first three hours were great. Not a peep. Then the poop hit the fan.

I can't remember who woke up first seeing as how that whole night was a blur. But he started crying. We gave him 2-3 minutes and went in, replaced the paci in his mouth, patted him and walked out. Five minutes later... same thing. We gradually increased the time they cried before we went in.

Extremely long, drawn out story short... I got about three hours of very broken sleep that night. Mommy got about 6.

But, at 7am the next morning we woke them up and they were just as happy as they could be. Little turds.

On to night #2...

Happy 6 Month Birthday, Cooper & Carter!

2011-03-10T22:09:00.000-06:00

You know how sometimes in life you think time is passing by SOO slowly and then when a milestone arrives you look back and think "where did the time go?" That's exactly how I'm feeling right now.

Cooper and Carter are officially 6 months old (as of yesterday)(I was too tired to post this then).

They have been sick almost four months out of the six and it has really been a rough road - not to mention an expensive one with all the doctor visits and meds. But, alas, we've made it to six months. As of this writing they are seemingly getting over their bout with constant bronchiolitis. The poor guys have had a rough time of it. They've endured occasional fevers, massive amounts of mucus in their little lungs which makes it very hard to take breaths in and out (not to mention it sounds horrible to say the least), sore throats from coughing, hoarseness from coughing, body aches which made them almost completely limp while moaning in pain, and severe (read: SEVERE) coughing. They have suffered in the sleep department because of all of this as well - as have Miranda and I. For those of you who know what bronchiolitis is, you know how scary it can be for both baby and parents alike - especially first-time parents like us. Cooper even had to be hospitalized once because of it. See pic below...

But a friend recommended a good allergy/asthma doctor in Birmingham and he immediately placed both boys on 5 different meds each. And now, a little over a week later, both boys are almost back to normal. Carter still has a little cough only because he started his meds about 3 days later then Cooper. Please pause to say a quick prayer asking God to let them stay healthy from here on out. :)

Accomplishments Reached at 6 Months:

The boys can roll over from their front to their back.

They can aaalllmost roll from back to front.

They smile when we walk into the room.

They are putting everything (read: EVERYTHING) in their little mouths.

They are eating cereal and stage 1 baby foods.

They are loving their walkers and exersaucers.

They can almost sit up without support.

They are just starting to make funny faces.

They still do not sleep through the night. But they do go all night without eating if they take a full 8 ounces before bed. The only reason they wake up is either because they lost their pacifier or because they've rolled from back to front and their little arm is caught underneath them. Sometimes they don't want to go right back down to sleep so we either get up with them for a few minutes until their heads start bobbling or we put them in the bed with us. (I know, both are bad. We're working on it.)

You can tell they are twins. Not just because of the obvious... but because of the things they do. Check out this pic taken this week at daycare...

They're already getting a little mischievous. They tell secrets to each other. God only knows what they're saying...

And here's one last random pic of them laughing and having fun. The amazing ladies at daycare snap pics for us pretty often and send them via pix messages to our phones so we can see something cute or new...

It has been the greatest 6 months of my life so far and I look forward to every minute in the future with these two little turkeys. They are our reasons for being. Just to see them smile brightens even the darkest days. When they were really sick they would still smile through the pain and it brought tears to my eyes. If they can smile being as sick as they were, we all can.

We love you, boys!

Daddy and Mommy

Does Vicks VapoRub on a Baby's Feet Really Help with Coughing?

2011-02-03T23:12:00.000-06:00

Ok all you moms, aunts, sisters, grandmas, etc, etc... I've got a question for you. It is a serious question that I'd really like you to comment (seriously) on.
Does Vicks VapoRub on the bottom of a child's feet really keep them from coughing?
I've read in MANY different places and I've had several people tell me that this really works. We've got two little cough machines right now and it is getting really bad. The doctor says all we can do is apply Vicks to their chests and vaporize some into the air and keep them hydrated. I'm a Respiratory Therapist and I'm truly at a loss on what to do. I know I can't suction them and they are really too small for me to do chest percussion therapy on them to loosen up the mucus. So, does Vicks on the feet followed by putting sock on them really work? PLEASE weigh in. I'd really like to know what you think and what you've experienced!
I'll read every comment and chime in when I need to.
Thanks!D

Summer Infant Sleek and Secure Baby Monitor For Sale

2011-01-24T21:54:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone. I've got a Summer Infant Sleek and Secure Baby Monitor for sale. It is NOT the recently recalled item from Summer Infant. It was opened but NEVER used. It still has the plastic screen protector on the monitor.
I've got this item listed on eBay right now for $135 with free shipping.Click Here to go to my eBay auction and Buy It NowIt sells for $179 at Target.
If you aren't interested, please pass it along to someone you think may need it!Thanks for looking. :)

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

SkinIt.com Review

2011-01-24T14:27:00.000-06:00

I recently received a skin from SkinIt.com to review and I'm really happy with the way it turned out.Sadly, I can't take a picture of it because it is on my phone and I can't take a pic of my phone WITH my phone. But... This picture was taken directly from their website.It is the skin I received and it looks exactly like this on my phone - which is the same also, the Motorola Droid.

The skins are very easy to apply to your phone. Just be sure to do it carefully or you'll wind up applying it off center or a little crooked. Thankfully, I applied mine perfectly.
If you are looking for high quality, very reasonably priced skins for your phone or laptop then please give SkinIt.com a try. It will definitely be worth your time.
Special thanks to SkinIt.com for supplying me with a sample skin.

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

New Blog Just for Men (well, kinda)

2011-01-23T22:29:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone.. Just wanted to let you know that I've started a new blog. It is basically a blog for men but females are more than welcome to participate. It is not as family-friendly as this one and there may be a few choice words, phrases and/or pictures/videos every so often... Let's just say it is rated

(DLSV)Click Here (if you must) to learn what this code means

I will be doing reviews and giveaways there as well when time permits. Even though I've got a new blog, I've still got infant twin boys. They take up most of my time.
So...
Please get your tails on over there and become a follower. And since most of my followers here are women I'll say this... follow my new blog and win stuff for your man. If he is online as well and needs a place to talk man stuff then get his rear to follow me too. Ohh, the link...
Click here to check it outOhh, Daddy Likey

Peace........... Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Purely Products Heatlhy Night Light Review

2011-01-19T15:46:00.000-06:00

The awesome folks over at Purely Products have done it again...
Introducing the Healthy Night Light

I've got to tell you folks... this is a great invention.I've reviewed Purely Products' Healthy CFLs and I loved them. Still use them, still love them.I wanted something more though...
We've got 4 month old twin boys and we want to provide the safest environment possible for them to live in, even at night. What I wanted was a night light with the same air cleansing power as their CFL bulbs. Well they heard the people and they produced for the people.
They sent me a Healthy Night Light to review and it was opened and put into a socket immediately!! The soft illumination it provides is just right. Some night lights are too bright, others are too dim. The large, opaque facing filters the LED light just perfectly.
And, as always, the built in ionizer does the job as advertised. Every time we add a new Purely ionizer somewhere in our home our air just gets cleaner and cleaner. I think this company deserves a Presidential award for two reasons... #1. Because the lights they produce are ALL CFL or LED which complies with new Federal regulations.#2. They are good for our environment. Not just in terms of global green-ness, but insode our homes as well.
Here is more information about this new, nifty little invention taken directly from the Purely Products website:

Health Benefits

Built-in ionizer emits refreshing negative ions
Cleans the air, controlling pet dander, pollen, dust mites, mold spores, smoke & other allergens
Negative ions have been shown to increase levels of serotonin, delivering more oxygen to the brain
Great for people with asthma, allergies & pet dander issues

Household Benefits

Cleans the air 24/7 even when the light is off
Great for the nursery & children’s bedrooms
Great for senior citizens’ living spaces
Also perfect for hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, garages –anywhere low-level light at night is needed
Automatic on-off light. Cool to the touch
Offers more safety for moving around at night in the home for all ages
Effective in a room up to 12’ x 12’
Long life LED 35,000 hours
1-Watt Very low energy consumption. Pennies per year to operate
Available in cream, pink or blue
100% Happy 2 Year Warranty - unconditionally guaranteed for 2 Years

An Amazing Calculation I personally whipped out my calculator and broke it down. The Healthy Night Light's LED is rated for over 35,000 hours of use. Night Light Illumination = 8 hours/night (avg) 35,000 hours divided by 8 hours/night = 4375 nights of use4375 nights divided by 365 days/year = 12 YEARS OF LIFE!!!
I'm not finished yet...
These cost $19.95 each or you can purchase a 2-pack for $29.95
For the sake of saving money I used the $29.95 price...
If you spent $29.95 and purchased a 2-pack of these healthy night lights you wouldonly be spending $0.006 per day on clean, fresh, ionized air for your family!That is LESS THAN A PENNY A DAY!!!

How To Purchase
Simply click here to go to Purely Products' Healthy Night Light order page(it is not an affiliate link, I get paid nothing for you to click and go)And in the month of January (2011), shipping is FREE when you buy 2 items totaling more than $35!!!

As always, a portion of all Purely Products sales goes to diaperLove!Changing Diapers. Changing Lives! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

KID ROCK Tickets (with VIP Access) For Sale!!!!!!!

2011-01-19T14:59:00.003-06:00

SOLD!

Kid Rock
2 Tickets (with VIP ACCESS)
Birmingham, Alabama
2/19/2011
2nd Row from Stage in the CONT (floor) section.
(This means up close and personal)
Tickets include VIP ACCESS!!!!!!!!!!

My loss is your gain! I'd love it if you took pictures and e-mailed them to me after the show. :) Just a thought. lol

ITEM DESCRIPTION: This auction is for 2 tickets to see Kid Rock on his Born Free Tour at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, Alabama

on February 19, 2011 at 7:00 pm.

The 2 tickets are located in Section CONT of the Floor Level, Row 2, Seats 5 & 6.

These great seats are located in the 2ND ROW from the stage.

These tickets also allow access to private VIP bar and private VIP (CLEAN) bathrooms in the BJCC Arena Club area starting at 5:00 pm.

You are sure to enjoy the concert from the great view that these seats will provide.

This will be the show of a lifetime!

PAYMENT INFORMATION: Payment must be received within 4 days of end of auction (although I do prefer immediate payment) or tickets will be re-listed and Unpaid Item Dispute will be filed with eBay. Due to eBay's Accepted Payments Policy, the only method of payment for this auction is PayPal.

SHIPPING INFORMATION: Tickets are hard back tickets (meaning they are actual tickets as you would buy them at the ticket office). I have them in-hand and they will be shipped immediately upon receipt of Paypal payment. They are NOT internet tickets that can be copied and reproduced. FREE shipping and handling which includes USPS Priority shipping with Signature Confirmation.

RETURN POLICY: No returns, no refunds, no hassles.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Please view my PERFECT 100% positive feedback rating and buy with confidence. Delivery of tickets is 100% guaranteed. Thank you for looking and good luck bidding.

New Website with Amazing Modern Furniture

2011-01-18T17:27:00.001-06:00

I've been curious lately about the new styles of furniture that's out there. The furniture in our home is very dated and every room is in dire need of a furniture overhaul.
The other day when surfing the web for new and different furniture I came across an amazing modern furniture website. Since our bedroom set is the most outdated set in our entire home I looked at most of their bed sets. I was amazed at the selection and even more amazed at the prices. While not the cheapest overall prices out there, they are the cheapest for the styles and what you get. They have many modern designers that create furniture for them and they are all outstanding.

One thing is for sure, if we get a good enough refund on our taxes this year, this site may get a piece of it. I've bookmarked their beds and bed sets sections.
Please take a minute to go check them out. If you are in need of updated furniture for your entire home, hot just your bedroom, this place should be your starting point. Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Proper Swaddling Technique - Must Read for New Parents

2011-01-17T23:51:00.000-06:00

Here is a list of helpful hints to remember when swaddling your children.I've read a lot about this subject and this list is by far the best one I've found. PLEASE NOTE: You will have to click on the picture below for it to load in another page. If you do not do so, you probably will not be able to read it very well. :)

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

"Super" Petit Jean Meats Review/Giveaway Later This Week

2011-01-17T23:13:00.000-06:00

Stay tuned folks. I've got a review/giveaway opportunity from Petit Jean Meats coming later this week. Tell everyone you know!This will be a "Super" giveaway!What do I mean? Let's just say you'll need something 'super' to fill your 'bowl' soon. Catch my drift?! :)

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Why is it So Hard?!?!

2011-01-04T23:31:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking about this a lot lately...
Miranda and I both have full-time jobs. We work very hard to try and make money to be able to support and raise our sons. We do this without complaint, without question and without thinking about it.
Why is it so hard to make ends meet? We don't blow our money. We only go out to eat on rare occasion now instead of 2-3 times a week like we did before Cooper and Carter were born. We do not rent movies or pay-per-views anymore. Every dime we earn is saved and spent on bills and for necessities for the boys. It's just not working...

Daycare costs are killing us. It is our largest monthly bill by far.We're no martyrs. We don't want or expect special treatment. What I do want is an explanation... How can our state government justify giving lazy, no good crack addicts money to support their habit in the name of child welfare when hard working parents who have only the best interest of their children at heart?? How is this possible? Shouldn't the #1 pre-requisite of assistance be "You must have a job" Shouldn't the #2 pre-requisite of assistance be "You must pass a drug screen" And shouldn't the #3 pre-requisite of assistance be "You must provide proof of employment and pass a drug screen monthly to keep receiving assistance" Apparently, even with all of our bills, we make too much money to warrant assistance. How the hell do we make too much money?
Shouldn't they take our income and subtract all of our bills before they come to that conclusion?I mean good grief health insurance costs us $399 a month. And I'm not even covered by it for God's sake! Add our mortgage and child care expenses and we're freakin' POOR! LITERALLY!!!And I've forgotten the way to our grocery stores. Can't tell you the last time we shopped for groceries.

I mean I earn tips from delivering pizzas but that goes towards gas and to buy formula and diapers. My actual wages go towards HELPING to pay daycare costs. I'm just SO fed up with the system! Why not give assistance to hard working families who DESERVE it instead of blindly doling out money to those who spend 90% of it on scratch-off's, alcohol, drugs and/or God knows what. In case you haven't been able to deduce, this rant was born out of despair. My family is my world! My wife and kids deserve better. Please take a moment to say a prayer (or to make a quick phone call to your nearest philanthropist) for us.We're both working so hard and the ends are just not meeting. If you know of any organization that helps hard working families, please let me know. Thanks for reading. Sorry for the content. After paying the bills tonight I was just in a bad mood - a justified bad mood... Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

3 Month Pictures - Amazing Little Men

2010-12-21T23:07:00.000-06:00

Cooper & Carter have to be some of the most photogenic 3-month-olds I've ever seen.We had their 3 month pictures taken last week and they are amazing!
Amber Black of Amber Black Photography is just an outstanding photographer. She can get the boys into some of the best poses and make them smile all while holding the pose. I don't know how she does it, but I'm sure glad she does.
So without further hesitation... here are some of the boys' 3 month pictures...

One of my favorites. What a gorgeous picture!

Carter

Cooper

Carter (top) Cooper (bottom)

Look closely at the following picture. Amber created this one just for daddy.Read the caption on the picture and then look closely at the space between their heads.Its Cam Newton - Auburn's Heisman Winning Quarterback. His number is '2'What a GREAT picture!!

Two cool cats

Cooper (l) and Carter (r)

Carter making a funny face

Carter

Cooper

How perfect!

Carter thuggin'... lol

What kind of thug smiles, Coop?

I hope you enjoyed these as much as we have. We have two gorgeous little men.We're the luckiest parents in the world. What would we do without them? I can't imagine life without them. What did we ever do before they were born... besides relax and sleep? :) Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

BabySense Infant Movement Monitor Review

2010-11-30T14:41:00.001-06:00

We were recently given the opportunity to perform an in-home review of the BabySense V Infant Movement Monitor made by HiSense. What a great product!
We have another monitor that we borrowed from a member of our family but we needed two of them since we have twins. The one we have borrowed is a different brand but it works on the same principle. And since this is a review of the BabySense I will keep the other monitor out of the equation...
The BabySense comes with everything pictured here:

That's it! Nothing fancy. It comes with everything you need to monitor your baby while sleeping.We started sleeping better the very same night we set this monitor up. It has a small green light that blinks every time it detects movement. If you happen to get up in the middle of the night and wonder if your baby is still breathing, just look at the blinking light and lay right back down. I love it!
All you do it place a mat (or both of them) underneath your baby's mattress - making sure it is laying on a very firm surface (mattress support springs may be too shaky). Run the wire from the sensor mat to the main unit, replace the mattress, power the unit on and lay your baby down to sleep. Wahlah!! Instant peace of mind.
Question: How will it alert me if my baby has stopped breathing?Answer: Simple. By a very loud, blaring siren! If your baby stops breathing for 20 seconds, the unit will 'click' 2-3 times letting you know that it is about to go off (very good idea seeing as how I forget to turn it off when getting up in the middle of the night to feed). If after those few 'clicks' you haven't responded, the siren will alarm. There will be NO mistaking the fact that this unit is trying to alert you. It is all-or-nothing with this thing. :) It is either completely silent or ringing in your eardrums. Please see the below picture and note the speaker holes. That's a lot of speaker. The sound it makes is unmistakable!

Another plus about this unit is that it only has one wire - not 3-5 like other models. It is battery operated so there's no need to find a spare outlet. One wire from the mats to the main unit is all it takes. Also, the main unit clips right onto the side of any bassinet or crib so it takes up literally NO space! Other models take up space with their main units AND their distance monitors. The less clutter in this house the better.
There is a red indicator light that lets you know when the batteries are getting low, but as of yet our hasn't lit up and we've had it going every single night for the past month. I'd say that's pretty darn good. The only thing I didn't 100% enjoy about it was the two 'clicks' it makes when powering the unit on. They are about a half-second apart and have startled the child who was just laid into the bassinet a couple of times. It is nothing more than a sound to let you know it has powered on but it is kind of loud - especially in a completely dark, quiet room. Not so much during the day. But if that is the only thing I wasn't happy with then we did pretty well. We love this unit and we are so blessed and honored to have been allowed to review it. We just wish we had another one so we could give the borrowed one back to its owner.
Thanks BabySense! You guys have a very well made, wonderful product on your hands and you should be very proud! You've given parents everywhere the peace of mind they crave so desperately. God Bless! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Quick Video of the Boys

2010-11-29T10:17:00.000-06:00

Cooper (left) and Carter (right) just chillin' in the floor.Both of them being happy at the same time is rare right now so I thought I'd get it on camera to remind myself that it CAN happen. I'll watch it when my nerves are fried and need a refresher. :) This week Carter and Cooper will be 12 weeks old... already!?They are holding their heads up very well although not perfect yet. Still just a little wobbly.
They've found their hands and chew/suck on them a lot.
Sleeping is getting better. Only getting up once in the middle of the night with each of them. Although they're up for good between 4:30 and 5:40. Not complaining though... its getting better week-by-week.

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Two Beautiful Boys (Pics)

2010-11-05T21:53:00.000-05:00

The pictures say it all!

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Elite Sheet Review

2010-11-05T21:35:00.000-05:00

Do you or someone close to you have problems with pain?Are you or someone you know pregnant?Are you a restless sleeper?Maybe you have some excess weight that makes it hard to sleep...
If you answered "Yes" to ANY of these questions then you NEED the Elite Sheet! As you all know, my wife, Miranda, has recently given birth to two wonderful little boys. They are the absolute lights of our lives. They weren't always so wonderful though...
Before you GASP... What I mean is that while she was pregnant, Miranda had a LOT of trouble sleeping. I woke up almost every time she tried to move because it was so hard for her that she moaned, grunted and slung her body to try to get it into the position she wanted it. Sometimes it worked. Other times she wasn't so lucky. After witnessing this for a month or so I decided to try and do something to help. I researched a few different ideas - all of which led to a dead end or to the conclusion that it was a gimmick. Then out of the blue I saw a search result that caught my attention. Out of curiosity I clicked the link and it took me to the Elite Sheet website. I read every single page on the site and after doing so I knew I had to get this item for my wife. Since I have a pregnancy/family-oriented blog, I contacted the owner of the site and humbly requested a product review. A day or so later I got an e-mail agreeing to the request. I was thrilled.

(image taken from the Elite Sheet website) A few days later, I had a package in the mail from Utah. It was the Elite Sheet. Within minutes our old fitted sheet was replaced by this new item. Folks, let me tell you with absolutely NO exaggeration - the Elite Sheet does exactly what it says it does!! The material may, at first, seem a little flimsy. But after the first night you will see that looks mean nothing.This sheet is a miracle. The middle panel is what makes this sheet so amazing. It is a slick material that allows you to glide with EASE every time you want to move. It literally feels like you are gliding on air. If you know me you will know that I am a skeptic. And truth be told, I was very skeptical about this sheet actually doing what it advertises. But the morning after I first slept on this sheet I was completely convinced. Ok, back to Miranda. Remember how she wasn't getting any sleep at all? Not after the first night! She loved this sheet. The next day she told me that it really worked. She was able to move almost effortlessly (well, as effortlessly as you can carrying twins). Her hip pain diminished... She could turn easier... She was on cloud nine. If only the Elite Sheet could have stopped her heartburn. :) Seriously, folks. You owe it to yourself to purchase one of these sheets. It will be the smartest money you have ever spent. If you have any of the aforementioned problems - the Elite Sheet is the solution you have been praying for! Many thanks go out to Peggy. You agreed to a simple product review and, in turn, you helped my very pregnant, physically miserable wife get the sleep she was longing for. Thank you so much. You truly do have an amazing product! God Bless!! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Expressive Thoughts Vinyl Decal Review

2010-11-04T16:49:00.001-05:00

I recently received a vinyl family decal from Expressive Thoughts Vinyl.They agreed to allow me to review one of those family decals you've probably alreadyseen on a lot of vehicles. You know the ones I'm talking about. They have the husband, wife, kids andmaybe a family pet.
I am thrilled at the quality of these decals. I put me, my wife, our twins and our dog, Kain in the decal.See the pic below to see exactly what I ordered.

The best part about these decals is that you can customize each person to exactly what you want them to look like. Most websites have stock images, but Expressive Thoughts Vinyl allows you to choose hair styles, facial hair, clothes, clothes decorations, heads, etc...
They do wonderful work. Another good thing about them is that once they work up your order, they e-mail you before they cut it and ship it so you can make sure they got it right. It is an extra step but it is well worth it. Who wants to get their order and it be wrong? Not me. And they are SO super easy to apply. You just peel the back, apply it to your clean window, press firmly over the entire decal to be sure all parts stick well, then slowly peel off the front. That's it! I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on the decal. Most people who ask about it want to know where they can get one - especially once I tell them they can customize every aspect of it. Thanks ETV. We LOVE the decal and will be back to order again!! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Purely Products Healthy CFL Review

2010-11-04T11:32:00.001-05:00

Being a new parent is scary. You never know what types of products are good for baby.Will this make them sick?Can this hurt them?Is this the best I can give my boys?
When it comes to lighting my home, freshening the air, removing (possible) mold spores, pet dander, and dust from the air, there is only one product that we have started using in our home that tackles all of these things.The Purely Products Healthy CFL.

This amazing light bulb (CFL) has an air purifier built in! It works by ionizing the air around it making it fresher, cleaner and ultimately SAFER for our entire family. And it is all done by emitting negative ions into the air. Negative ions counteract the harmful effects of positive ions which are produced by electronics and household materials. The negative ions also boost serotonin levels which, in turn, slightly increase the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain. If that doesn't make you feel good I don't know what will.
We have about 4-5 of these in our home and we will slowly increase that number until every room in our home has one. Why not feel better in every room, right?
Need proof that it works? Just click here and play the very short video. It can give you a lot more information and can answer any questions you may have about these wonderful little units. And as of 11/4/2010, they still have their sale going on.You can get a 2-pack of these awesome lights/air purifiers for ONLY $19.95.You can't get that kind of clean air that cheap anywhere else.

Purely Products is a great company with a high moral background. In fact, they have another company called DiaperLove. This organization provides diapers to those families in need. How awesome is that? Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

A Taste of Pics to Come

2010-10-29T06:38:00.000-05:00

We had Cooper and Carter's newborn pictures taken at a local photographer's shop a few weeks ago and she sent us a preview picture last night. It is the only one we've seen so far and judging by this pic, we are SO excited about seeing the rest!
I know some of you aren't Auburn fans (bless your hearts). So aside from your possible lack of agreement about the background and props, what do you think?

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Guest Post - Top 5 Ways to Handle Having Twins

2010-10-08T13:03:00.001-05:00

Suzy, editor of SureBaby.com, has been gracious enough to give us a few pointers on how to handle twins. See the post below for some great tips.

The Top 5 Ways to Handle Having Twins

If you've just found out you're having twins, don't panic! Many women cannot tell based on their pregnancy symptoms alone that they are in fact having twins, so it can be a surprise. Here are five effective ways to prepare your life for this major and marvelous change.

1. Put it down on paper. Whatever schedule and budget you may have already worked out will now have to be taken back to the drawing board. Sitting down and taking the time to write these things out, and keeping them where you can easily see, refer to and adjust them as needed is hugely beneficial in helping you maintain a sense of organization and not feel overwhelmed as you plan for your babies' arrival.

2. Shop secondhand. Many people expecting one baby already practice this smart money-saving strategy, but it becomes twice the lifesaver when you suddenly find yourself having to shop for two times the baby clothes, two high chairs, two cribs, a two-seater stroller, etc. You can find a wealth of options in stores and on websites devoted to selling gently used items, as well as at local yard sales.

3. Buy in bulk. It will save you time as well as money. Buy at least a month's worth of things you know you'll need a lot of, like non-perishable baby food and diapers, in economy sizes -- not only is bigger usually cheaper, but stocking up on supplies means fewer trips to the store.

4. Prepare your home well in advance. The more time you take to make the physical changes to your home that are necessary when you're expecting twins, the less stressed out you are likely to feel about them. But completing the nursery, baby-proofing and otherwise getting your house ready as soon as possible is also playing the odds, since twins often arrive weeks early.

5. If you have other children, prepare them well in advance, too. Children who will be the older siblings of the twins, especially if they are still young themselves, may feel increased anxiety upon learning that they are now going to have to share you with not just one baby, but two. Be sure to spend time with them regularly, and assure them that you will continue to do so even after the twins are born. Try to include them in the preparation process; for example, have them help to choose the paint color and decorations for the babies' room(s). You definitely want to try and avoid sibling rivalry.

Thanks, Suzy! Great info. I've looked over your site and found some more very good, useful information.Feel free to let me know when you want to do another informational post for us. Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

To All Mothers of Multiples - I Need Advice

2010-10-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

Plain and simple:How in the world do you sleep when your twin sons (or any combination of twin sexes) grunts constantly and wakes the other one up all night?
It is the weirdest thing. They absolutely can not sleep separately in their own bassinet because the moment we lay them down they start this grunting ritual. Even if they are dead asleep they'll wake up grunting. And it goes back and forth... Carter will grunt, then Cooper, then Carter, then Cooper. If you don't pick them up they eventually start throwing a fit. What gives?
Is it bad of me to suggest to my sleep-deprived wife that we let them grunt it out? Will that work? Will they go back to sleep eventually? We need advice and suggestions.
I'm basically asking all the multiples parents on Multiples and More. There seems to be a lot of experience with twins there. Help! :)
Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Emotionally Healthy Twins - Book Review

2010-09-26T16:24:00.002-05:00

Emotionally HealthyTwins

I was recently given the opportunity to review a book written by Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D. I was sent a copy of Emotionally Healthy Twins directly from the author. Over the past few months I've read this book (when I had extra time) and have drawn a conclusion... this author really knows what she is talking about. This collection of ideas and truths is the most valuable piece of literature I've collected in my search for twin resources over the past 10 months. From explaining the uniqueness of each twin to preteens and teens, from advice on preparing for two individual babies to young adults, this book is a must-have now and will be a must-have on into young adulthood. It is not a book you read and discard. You will keep this book for years to come and I guarantee you will refer back to it and its plethora of wisdom. To satisfy your curiosity, the chapters are as follows:
1. Two Unique Children
2. Mentally Preparing for Two Separate Babies
3. Babyhood
4. Fathers and Babies, Fathers and Mothers
5. The Preschool Years
6. Elementary School Kids
7. Preteens and Teens
8. Two Young Adults
Including:
Resource GuideAcknowledgmentsIndex Each chapter gives helpful insights to the specified time frame and is laid out in straightforward, to-the-point ways. A little humor is also thrown into the mix. Every section is absolutely packed to the hilt with extremely valuable information. Emotionally Healthy Twins was a lifesaver for us. I can almost guarantee it will be one for you as well.

Special thanks to Joan Friedman Ph.D. for sending me a copy.Giveaway coming soon!

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Similac Has Been Recalled

2010-09-22T19:37:00.001-05:00

Please go here to check to see if your Similac item is part of the recall!! Similac Product Recall Lookup I've been trying to log on for a while now but the website is being slammed.Good luck!
Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Pictures of Our Twins

2010-09-14T20:17:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone. Sorry I am a day later than I initially told you getting pictures up. As you can imagine, it is pretty hectic around here right now. Even with my mother-in-law staying with us.
Can't remember if I told you, but here are the boys' information at birth.
Carter: 5 lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long Cooper: 6 lbs 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long I'm not going to take up space writing captions with the pictures. I know they will probably not be read anyway. haha Everyone just wants to SEE the babies. So without wasting anymore of your time...
Look out world... Carter and Cooper have arrived!!

(Ok, maybe one caption. Miranda HATES me for posting this one.But it is the only picture of all of us together so far.)

Everyone is doing great. We've seen most of our family and friends, but are still waiting patiently to see the rest of them. Miranda is doing very well despite the fact that she had to be put under general anesthesia since the spinal that was attempted 5 times didn't take. It numbed her from the knees down instead of the chest down. I wasn't in the room for the delivery because it wasn't allowed. But only about 4-5 minutes after I gave her a kiss and left the room, they walked out with my two boys. And just as everyone told me... that feeling was the most unexpected, most wonderful feeling I've ever felt.
The boys had their first doctor's visit today and they passed the tests and exams with flying colors. Everything is perfectly fine. Both are gaining weight and flourishing. The first night at home was interesting to say the least. Night two (last night) was a lot better. We're hoping tonight is even better. Only time will tell.

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Pics Coming Tomorrow (9/13)

2010-09-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

Just a VERY quick note to let everyone know that pics of the twins will be posted tomorrow.PLEASE come check them out! Thank you, sweet Jesus for our little precious bundles!

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Our Miracles Have Arrived!

2010-09-10T09:41:00.001-05:00

Cooper and Carter Robertson arrived yesterday at 10:11 and 10:12 repectively.

Cooper: 6 lbs 10 oz - 20 1/2 inches

Carter: 5 lbs 9 oz - 20 inches

Both have a good amount of brown hair.

This post will be short seeing as how I'm having to blog from my phone and my fingers are too big to hit the keys correctly and I'm having to backspace and correct every other word. :) Please be patient with us. Pics coming soon.

Thank you, God!

Tomorrow We Meet Our Sons

2010-09-08T01:47:00.001-05:00

Well, the day is almost here. Tomorrow (Thursday 9/9/10) we finally get to meet our twin boys. The emotions felt right now are the most conflicting emotions I've ever felt. It truly is a roller coaster ride. My stomach is in knots, then the butterflies start fluttering, then the nausea sets in, depression taunts me for a while (mainly from the worry of possibly not being a good enough daddy)... Then, as if by the miracle of divine intervention, it all vanishes in the blink of an eye and the happiness, elation, joy, happy tears and pride floods this 240 pound body.
Then... it all starts over and continues the aforementioned emotional thrill ride. "Nothing can prepare you..." is right. No one told me that the pre-birth jitters would hit like this.No one clued me in to what all I'd feel in the few days before the big event. Not one, single, solitary soul offered an ounce in information in regards to how I should go about handling this unmentioned, yet apparently inevitable, sensory overload.
We visited and had dinner with my family tonight and before going out to eat, mom asked me what was wrong. She immediately concluded that I was tired - and I quickly agreed since she gave me an instant 'out.' The truth is, I'm scared to death. I took the 'out' so I wouldn't have to show my fear. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy and extremely excited about my twin sons' arrival, but at the same time I have no idea what to do when they get here... Will I teach by example? Will I be a good enough daddy? Will I do right by them?
I do know one thing for absolute certainty. I will not... I repeat, I will NOT be an absent father like my biological father. I will teach my boys how to be men by parenting in the exact opposite way that that man did. The details are possibly for another post at a much later date... Long story short... I will model my parenting after two people...
#1. Bill Cosby. Sure, you laugh now, but watch a few episodes of The Cosby Show and tell me he wasn't a great father.
#2. Terry Richardson. He married my mother when I was 12. It took me a while to realize it during my adolescent years, but after growing up I came to the conclusion that he is a father. He raised us and taught us. He taught by example. I know how to be and act like a man because of him. And since I've been an adult we've became best of friends. Having a father that is also your friend is priceless. I know I can be that for my sons. And without Terry I wouldn't have had a clue. For a little more insight, go listen to "He Didn't Have to Be" by Brad Paisley. Great song...
I know I'll (we'll) make mistakes along the way just like every other parent does. But it really is a legitimate fear. I know I shouldn't let it bother me as much as it does. And from this moment forward I'm really going to try and get over it and just let nature take its course.
-------------------- Miranda has done a wonderful job incubating these little rascals. As of today she is 36 weeks 1 day pregnant. No one thought she'd make it to 34 weeks when she dilated to 3cm at 30 weeks. But by the grace of God (and a little help from 8-a-day Brethine tablets) she made it. And then she was determined to go the extra mile - which she has.
The doctor has been very pleased throughout this pregnancy and has green-lighted a C-section to take place tomorrow at 9am. Miranda, although having gone that extra mile, is exhausted. We both love seeing them move and feeling them move (the hiccups and full body rolls are the best!) but she says "It is SO time for them to come out!" I know I can't fully understand, but from observing her the past month I can see that she has physically declined at a pretty steady pace. She's healthy, mind you - I mean walking around, moving in bed, heartburn, etc... it has really gotten to her and worn her down. So if delivering these children 3 weeks early will help her and since they will be completely capable of out-of-the-womb life, I'm all for it. ---------------------- So... This will be my last post until at least Thursday evening... maybe a day or two longer. It all depends on how busy everything is, how the boys and Miranda are doing, and, of course, the speed of the hospital WiFi connection. :)
Please pray for us and our boys. Please pray that Miranda has a 100% safe and uncomplicated C-section and that the boys are healthy. Please do not pray for me at this time. I'm good. I can take care of my emotions. Those, come Thursday morning, will be the very last thing on Earth I will be thinking about. I will be in 'pray for Miranda and the boys' mode and I ask that you be as well. I want nothing more than to be able to come home from the hospital with two healthy sons and a wife who is recovering satisfactorily from the C-section. Pictures coming in a few days... how EXCITING!! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Babies Hiccuping in the Belly and More Good News

2010-08-28T20:05:00.000-05:00

I finally got some semi-decent video of one of our little guys hiccuping and rolling in Miranda's belly.Check it out below. It's not great quality since it was taken with my phone but you can definitely tell what's going on. :) You'll have to pay attention and look kind-of close...

Isn't it amazing?? How awesome is it that you can see and feel that from the outside.
Now that we've seen that, there is more good news... The doctor has now set a date for C-section: September 9th @9am.Our boys' birthday will be 9-9-10.
Also...
We just bought a new vehicle. Well, it is new to us.We got a GREAT deal on a 2005 Ford Expedition. It is a very clean, one owner vehicle with plenty of roomfor our two little bundles. We are so lucky to have stumbled across this deal when we did. We jumped on it and took it with hardly any hesitation.
Here are some pics of the vehicle:

The price on the windshield is not what we paid.They came waaay off that price... that's why I said we got a great deal.It lists for between $12k and $13k. The good Lord above had His hand in that one. :)
The boys are over 5 pounds each right now and Miranda has a belly that is the size of someone carrying a single baby and who is 2 weeks overdue. So, she's got a size 42 week belly and she's thrilled about it (did you pick up on the sarcasm?).
One more ultrasound next week and then the week after that we'll meet our little ones.It just doesn't get any more exciting than this.
As for everything being ready... the truck will be detailed professionally next week and then we'll install the car seats. The nursery is finished except for the letters for the boys' names that a good friend of ours is making for us... Clothes...

Diapers...

Wipes...

Everything else...

(hopefully)

Superb Parenting Skills...(non-existent as of yet, but with any luck...)

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Zuvo Winner Selected

2010-08-21T09:53:00.002-05:00

Congratulations toBonny!!

You are the winner to the $300 Zuvo Water Filtration System.

The winner was randomly chosen according to the posted rules at Random.org.

I have sent an e-mail to the winner. Please respond within 48 hours (by 7:00pm 8/27/2010) or another winner will be selected.
Thanks to all who entered. :) Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Right on the Walls Review

2010-08-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

Right on the Walls recently sent me a vinyl wall decoration for our twins' nursery.This company makes some of the best wall decorations on the market. I've personally seen 3-4 other types of wall art like this and I've honestly got to say that these are very high quality. It made such a difference in the room. Our nursery is much warmer now that this art has made it complete.

(Click on the picture for a larger view)
As soon as Miranda's pregnancy is over and our boys are here, I'll be hosting a giveaway from this amazing company. Please stay tuned!!
To Right on the Walls:Thank you guys so much for allowing this review and giveaway.Your company is great and I really appreciate this opportunity. Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Biding Our Time

2010-08-08T22:56:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow will be two weeks since Miranda has been on bed rest. If those little men in her tummy can just be patient and hang on for at least another two weeks they can be delivered here in Cullman. If not, we'll have to go to UAB in Birmingham since babies born earlier than 34 weeks have an increased chance of requiring the services of a NICU. I keep reminding myself that they are viable now and that even if they're born tomorrow, they'd still be fine. It is a stressful time right now, but the prayers and extreme generosity of those around us have made it easier.
I knew that Miranda did a lot around here, but I had no idea how much. Since she's been on bed rest, I've been doing my 'manly' chores such as cutting the grass, taking out the trash, etc. I've also had the additional laundry, dinner, dishes, sweeping and mopping chores as well. Not to mention that I'm now getting about 30-35 hours a week at work. (I got a job delivering pizzas. Hey, it pays better than you'd think)
I'll be the first to admit, since she's been unable to work I've been on edge. We've both started arguments with each other (or fueled them (we do know how to press each others buttons)). I feel horrible after an argument, no matter who started it. Keeping my mouth shut has never been one of my strong points. I've just got to remember that it is not only stressful for me, it is stressful for Miranda and the two little munchkins, who, by the way, are delivering knockout karate chops and kicks to that poor uterus (bless its heart).
She had her second baby shower today and it went very well. Many people showed up and we got some amazing gifts for the boys. There were a few people who were invited who didn't show up, but that's because they either live out-of-state or we got an address wrong. I can think of one of our friends in particular that probably didn't even get an invitation in the mail because of an incorrectly addressed envelope (I'll e-mail you in a second so you'll know who you are).
If I were being allowed to post belly pictures I'd do so here. But alas, the boss has forbidden it. I can tell you that the belly, although it didn't grow a lot last week, has increased in size this week. And it is starting to drop. She's still taking her anti-labor pills religiously. She hasn't missed a dose. Some contractions are breaking through but they aren't numerous enough or intense enough to cause alarm. They're more of a nuisance now than anything. The shakiness that is caused by these pills is still present and it is sometimes difficult for her to catch her breath.
One bright side to the babies being so big now is that I can feel them when they start to hiccup. It is a feeling like no other. To be that close to one of my sweet little boys and feel them while their tiny diaphragm spasms over and over is priceless. If I could bottle what I feel every time they punch or kick the walls of their confinement or hiccup or roll around I could be an overnight millionaire. People would pay good money for a completely legal form of euphoria. Am I right?
I'll quit spewing like a hormone right now and let you rest your weary eyes. Tomorrow is another day (at the office) and I've got to get some rest. It is now time for me to watch the backs of my eyelids for a few hours before I have to get up and do it all over again.
I love you, Miranda.I love you Carter and Cooper.
Goodnight. Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Speakman Showerheads Review

2010-08-08T22:17:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the generosity (and patience) of the great people over at The Speakman Company we were able to test and review three (3) of their showerheads.
We were sent the following showerheads: 6-Jet AnystreamDownpour Rain and one of their Hotel Showerheads
Our favorite was by far the 6-Jet Anystream.

Even though it has 48 spray channels (only 2 less than the hotel showerhead) it was an amazing showerhead. The pressure was just right. The size of the showerhead itself was perfect. The solid brass construction is outstanding. It is a very heavy item and you can tell that it is made with the utmost quality. The sprays are extremely uniform and the pressure you get from this showerhead is nothing short of perfect. Our Overall Grade: A++ The next showerhead we tried was the Downpour Rain.

We didn't have an overhead water spout to attach this one to but it still worked rather well from our existing spout which is a little high on our shower wall. It would have been my favorite if we had had an overhead spout. The construction of this model is solid but the silver housing on the top of the unit seemed a little thin and it wiggled even though all connections were tight. That being said, if you have an overhead spout and you prefer a gentle rain-like shower, this would be a great unit for you. Our Overall Grade: B

The final model we reviewed was the Hotel Showerhead.

This showerhead is about twice the size of the 6-Jet Anystream but about 1/3 of the weight. This is probably because it is mass produced with lighter weight materials and made so that hotels can afford to purchase many of them for all of their rooms. They are used in hotels like Crowne Plaza, Double Tree, Fairmont, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, and more... This model does have a very shiny outer finish but you can easily tell that the outer housing is made from a very lightweight material. Do NOT let this fool you though. The 50 spray channels on this unit makes for a very relaxing shower. You can turn the knob on the side and it will give you a very (very) stimulating massaging spray. I was really impressed with the pressure from both the normal spray and the massaging spray. It made for quite a few long showers. The ONLY reason this was not our favorite was simply its size. It is rather large but if you like a large showerhead that truly delivers great pressure and uniform sprays, this one is for you.Our Overall Grade: A

After reviewing all three of these models we can truly say that The Speakman Company is a company to be rekoned with. Their attention to detail and their craftsmanship are amazing. In my honest opinion, they are beating a few of the more well known name brands on the market today. And for good reason. Well made, quality products. Please take a moment to browse their extensive line of products. You can believe everything they say in their descriptions. They made believers out of us.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Speakman for allowing us to do this review for them. It was a fun and exhilarating project. We truly look forward to using more Speakman products in the future and we'll be telling all of our friends and family about them.

As Required by the FTC:

I received a product sample in exchange for an honest, unbiased product review in return.

No money changed hands - I was not compensated in any way.

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

New Nursery Pics

2010-08-01T21:10:00.000-05:00

Even though Miranda is on bed rest and I've been having to wait on her, look for a full-time job, take care of the house and the yard, I've been able to find some time to work on the nursery. Here are just a few pics of the decorations...

As you can see, there are still a few bags of clothes to be put away and I've got to shampoo the carpet this week. I've also got to put some quarter round trim down, set some nails, put some carpet on the closet floor and touch up a few paint spots, but all that shouldn't take no more than a day or two - depending on how much housework there is to be done. :) The picture with the chair in it... well, that's not the actual chair that is going to reside there. It was just filling in the for glider rocker until it shows up. Miranda will have her own little comfy nook to rock and feed the babies. How cute is that?
Hope you enjoyed the pictures. I'll take more as I get other decorations hung and placed.It looks a little plain in there now, but after a week or two it should look really cozy. Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Pre-Term Labor Scare

2010-08-01T00:36:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been really busy catering to a lovely lady who has orders to stay in the laying, reclining or sitting position.
Yep, Miranda has officially been put on bed rest.
This past Monday she came home from work suddenly and said "everything is fine - I just think I need to go get checked out." She was having menstrual-like cramps and almost dismissed them except they were just a little different. Good thing she followed her instincts because upon arrival to our local hospital's maternity wing and after being put on the monitor they informed her that she was, in fact, having pre-term mini contractions. They immediately started her on Brethine (Terbutaline) every 4 hours to stop the contractions. It worked, but the side effects are not pleasant. They caused her to shake really bad and her heart seemed as if it was about to pound out of her chest.  The doctor came in, checked her out and told us that she was 3cm dilated and 60% effaced. WOW! After a night in the hospital we were allowed to go home while continuing the Brethine every 6 hours. The heart racing has subsided but it still makes her really shaky and makes her feel pretty rough.
Her spirits are still really high and she's only had to take the medicine early once because of a small cramp or two.
Since being home, we've had family and friends stop by, visit or stay a night just about every day.They all came bearing gifts which makes you realize just how much people really do care. It means a lot to know that Miranda and I (and Cooper and Carter) are in the hearts of our family and friends.
And get this...
A couple of amazing ladies that my mother works with at our county courthouse immediately knew they had to do something upon learning that a prescription of bed rest had been handed down. These ladies didn't hesitate to jump into action and start baking caked and cobblers. You see, these ladies are very well-known in our area for making the best desserts and everyone loves them. They made several of their signature desserts and sold raffle tickets for $1 each for a chance to win them. They used their extensive contact lists to send out e-mails to everyone they knew... and it worked.
They named the fundraiser "Cakes & Cobblers for Carter & Cooper." The raffle only went on for 2 1/2 days and in that amount of time they raised over $550!!And every dime of it was handed over to us. The outpouring of love and caring was absolutely, well, emotion inducing to say the very least.There were many people involved in the fundraiser and many, many people who bought chances.To everyone involved (on both sides) - thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!It helps more than you can imagine. We will pay it forward.
I know a few names of those involved with with the fundraiser but there are many that I don't know.I didn't name those few names because I didn't want to leave anyone out. Just know that we thank every one of you the same. Thank you, thank you! It is a feeling and an act that we will never forget.  In the past few days we've been helped by friends and family with:
MeatsVegetablesReading material for the patientDinner and a movieItems for the babies An amazing fundraiserLunch from a special Chinese restaurantThoughts and prayersConstant requests for status updates on Facebook :)Love and care...
To everyone so far that has pitched in - we're speechless.God sees all and will bless you tenfold.
There really are no more words except the final 'Thank You So Much!' I'll try to update as soon as possible. But with everything going on right now, it could be a few days.Stay tuned...

On a side note... we're still giving away a $300 Zuvo Water Filtration System here on the blog.Go here to check it out and to enter. As always, there is no catch. Just read the post and comment to win.For a giveaway this big there are still very few entries.   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

$300 Zuvo Giveaway

2010-07-20T15:25:00.003-05:00

You've all been waiting for it - and here it is!

Zuvo sent me one of their counter-top water filtration systems to review for them (and one to giveaway). As always, my opinions are my own and they are never bought or swayed in any way.

That having been said, this item is outstanding! I've never tasted such quality water. Trust me when I say that I'll 99.9% guarantee you that you'll be able to tasted a marked difference between your tap water and the water that flows from this unit. That is, if you have a sense of taste and smell. :)

The unit is very easy to install. All I needed of my own was a pair of pliers. That's it.

After installing the unit, I let water run through it for about 5 minutes - which is what they tell you to do to flush small particles from the filter - and I started drinking.

The Zuvo filtration system isn't actually a new concept... but it is one that they have perfected.

We're giving one of these amazing units away.

Or if you just can't wait, you can always go to their online store and buy a unit directly from them by clicking here.

Here's how the Zuvo works...

Step 1: Ozonation

In nature, ozone is generated by lightning and cleans the air where rainwater forms. The Zuvo Water Purator mixes ozone with incoming tap water to treat taste and odor contaminants and improve taste. Like chlorine, ozone is a powerful oxidizer. Unlike chlorine, ozone leaves no chemical residue.

Step 2: Ultraviolet Light

The ozone saturated water is flooded with high-intensity UV light - the same as the solar energy that cleans water in the upper atmosphere.

Step 3: Photo-oxidation

The Zuvo Water Purator combines UV and ozone in a patented process known as photo-oxidation which releases powerful oxidizers to further treat the water.

Step 4: filtration with lead removal

Pure spring water is created by passing through fine particles in the earth. Zuvo uses the same principle by passing water through a Class 1 Particulate Reduction Filter, reducing chlorine taste and odor, lead, and tiny particulates.

Step 5: post-filtration UV

The filtered water is again exposed to high-intensity UV light as it leaves the Zuvo Water Purator, ensuring that you get clean, healthy, great tasting water...just the way nature intended!

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Better for your Health
When it comes to your body, you should be drinking the healthiest water you can. The better the water, the healthier and fitter your body will be. Tap water may contain lead, parasitic cysts, non-pathogenic micro-organisms and unpleasant levels of chlorine - some of which can pose significant health risks to you and your family, while others make your water taste and smell bad. The truth is bottled water is typically no safer or healthier than tap water and chemicals can even leach from plastic bottles into water.

With pitcher filters, your water is only as clean as the filter you use. Zuvo's patented Puration process uses nature's own cleansing process right in your kitchen. It treats non-pathogenic organisms, taste and odor contaminants, reduces aesthetic chlorine, lead, and tiny particulates. The result? Healthy, clean, great-tasting water right from your tap.

Better for your Wallet
Healthy, clean, great-tasting water shouldn't cost a fortune. Over a two-year period, Zuvo water is a fraction of the cost of bottled water or pitcher-treated water. Why overpay for healthy water if you don't need to? The chart below shows just how inexpensive Zuvo water is compared to other systems.

Better for the Planet
Mother Earth hates plastic water bottles. It takes 47 million gallons of oil each year to produce all those plastic water bottles. The result? Over 1.5 million tons of plastic waste. And plastic pitcher filters are almost as bad, with the average family disposing of 25 or more water filters each year. The Zuvo Water Purator uses only two filters each year-and we even help you recycle them.

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Which scenario would you choose in the picture below?

Hundreds of bottles of water or one Zuvo Water Puration System?

Guess what I choose! :)

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Same question as above. Which would you choose?

Miranda and I have used Brita and PUR filters for years but after

experiencing the Zuvo difference, we'll never go back.

Sure we're still using our Brita filter jug for now only for quick cold refills

but I'm about to take the filter out of it and just use it as a dispenser for the

Zuvo water I fill it with!

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Have more questions about the Zuvo? Then by all means, click here to go to their

FAQ section and learn more!

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Homemade Video

Watch me review the Zuvo in my own home.

(Yes, I'm from Alabama. And yes, I do have a 'funny' accent. lol)

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ITS GIVEAWAY TIME

(US and Canada ONLY)

One VERY lucky winner will be shipped a brand new Zuvo Water Filtration/Puration System!!

The winner will receive everything seen in the video above:

Zuvo Counter-Top Water Puration Unit

Filter (already installed)

Connection Tubing

Faucet Adapter

This giveaway is worth $300, folks!

It is the largest giveaway we've hosted as of yet.

A HUGE 'Thank You' to Zuvo for sponsoring this giveaway!!

Here's How to Enter and Win:

You MUST leave a separate comment for every entry!

A valid e-mail address must be included in at least one of your comments so I can reach you.

Mandatory Entry:

You MUST be a PUBLIC follower of our blog - 1 Entry

Extra (Optional) Entries:

#1. Become a follower of ours on Twitter (click here to do so) - 1 Extra Entry

#2. Tweet about this giveaway to your own Twitter followers (click here to do so) - 2 Extra Entries

(can be Tweeted daily - each Tweet must be at least 24 hours after the last)

(verification link must be included in each post)

(each daily Tweet counts as two extra entries and you must comment twice for each Tweet)

#3. Become a friend of The Waiting Womb on Facebook (click here to do so) - 1 Extra Entry

#4. Share this giveaway with your Facebook friends (click here to do so) - 2 Extra Entries

(must comment twice)

#5. Become a Facebook fan of Zuvo Water (click here to do so) - 1 Extra Entry

#6. Blog about this giveaway on your own blog - main blog page only - 10 Extra Entries

(only comment ONCE - the comment will be counted 10 times)

(must leave link on comment so I can verify)

Giveaway Ends:

Friday, August 20th at 11:59pm CST

Enter NOW... Good Luck!!

As Required by the FTC:

I received a product sample in exchange for an honest, unbiased product review in return.

No money changed hands - I was not compensated in any way.

Zuvo provided the prize as well.

Trouble Sleeping

2010-07-19T12:05:00.000-05:00

Miranda has been having a horrible time sleeping lately. Her hips hurt her so bad carrying these two boys.She tosses and turns all night long and barely gets any sleep. I feel so bad for her but there's nothing I can do and I feel horrible. Any suggestions?We've tried pillows between her knees and everything...
Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

ThinkSound Headphones Review

2010-07-19T10:36:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been listening to your iPod and thought, "Wow, this sounds really good!" Well you haven't heard ANYTHING yet, my friends.
ThinkSound recently sent me a pair of their 'Rain' earphones (see pic below) to review for them.I have never in my life heard a pair of earphones sound as good as these. Highs, mids and lows are all amazing! The bass you get from this product is jaw-dropping!

I've been using them religiously for about 3 weeks now and I can tell you without hesitation that I'll never own another pair of earphones in my life. Not another brand anyway.
I let a good friend of mine listen to them and compare them to his 'Skull Candy' earphones. After going back and forth between his set and mine and listening to a few different songs, his conclusion was that ThinkSound earphones beat his Skull Candy ones. "Not by a whole lot but the difference is there," was his exact words.
If you are in the market for a new set of earphones, know someone who is, or are needing to buy that perfect gift for a special music lover then these are what you are looking for. You won't find a better pair anywhere! They are even an eco-friendly company which I love!!An excerpt from their site:

Clear Sound with a Clearer Conscience

thinksound™ began with a simple goal; to create incredible sounding headphones with the smallest eco-footprint possible. Our headphones are made with real wood, creating a more natural resonance and unparalleled acoustics.

We take our environmental impact as serious as we do our audio products. Our packaging is crafted from recycled materials, with minimal plastic components. We also use PVC-free cables and choose our wood from renewable sources. The result is great sound that you can feel good about.

For the last several years, thinksound™ engineers and designers have been perfecting their unique line of earphones. Each and every component and material has been chosen with care. Only the finest quality components make it into a thinksound™ product.

We invite you try our headphones to experience the difference that our quality craftsmanship and attention to detail make.

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And as a special gift to all who are reading this--
If you make a purchase through their webstore and use the coupon code: WOMBat checkout you will get a whopping 25% off your entire order!! I've tried it, trust me, it is a working code that was created by the awesome folks over at ThinkSound just for our readers.
How's that for generous! So get your tails on over to their website and check them out!Your ears will thank you 1,000 times!

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

New Giveaway Search Engine

2010-07-14T16:55:00.000-05:00

Ever wanted to search for giveaways from one easy, convenient location?Mike from GiveawayScout.com contacted me today letting me know about his service. You can search for giveaways from blogs who are in their network right from their website.No need to go searching the entire web!!
What a great idea. Thanks, Mike!

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

28 Weeks Today

2010-07-13T12:31:00.001-05:00

It hasn't ceased to amaze me at how a woman as short as my wife can carry two babies.

It hasn't ceased to amaze me at how although she can hardly get up off the couch, she rarely complains.

It hasn't ceased to amaze me at how much she (and I) rub her belly, already loving our boys SO much.

It will never cease to amaze me what an amazing wife and mother to our children I have.

Here are this weeks stats and some weekly info:

The Babies

As of Today

7/13/2010

Our Boys Are:

28 Weeks and 0 Days

14.8 Inches Long (Overall Length)

2 lbs 9 ounces (each)

And IF Miranda goes full term to Oct. 5th (which is usually unlikely for twins)

we have 83 days left!!

Miranda

At 28 weeks, Miranda is doing pretty good.

Her only complaints so far are:

Mild swelling in her feet

Slight difficulty getting up from a laying position on our couch

Fatigue

Occasional, very slight difficulty taking a deep breath

Not sleeping well from both being uncomfortable and having to go to the bathroom every two hours

We had another doctor visit last Friday and we were told her sugar was around 235 when it needed to be 140 or less. She drank the (gross) orange liquid before the visit to be able to test this.

So, as of today we're waiting to get the results back from the blood test that will be more accurate.

If the number is still too high, she'll have to go for a 3 hour test. She'll drink the same liquid and have her finger pricked once an hour for three hours. If, after the 3 hour test, her sugar is still too high, the doctor will declare that she has Gestational Diabetes.

It can be very easily controlled with a diet and light exercise and should disappear after the birth of the boys.

If not treated properly, it can lead to larger babies which could increase risks during delivery. But I have no doubt, as much care as Miranda has and constantly gives these babies, she'll do whatever it takes to keep herself and the babies healthy.

We'll be taking her 28 week pictures today. If allowed (operative word being: allowed), I'll update this post with a picture or two after she gets home from work.

Edit: I was 'allowed' lol

Here's a pic of the 28 week belly, through scrubs, of course

Darker colors are slimming. Believe me, that belly is larger than it looks in this pic. Don't get me wrong... I love it. I am NOT saying anything bad about its size. :)

On a side note... I need everyone reading this to send up prayer after prayer for me to be offered a full-time position somewhere. If the doc prescribes bed rest, that would surely mean financial ruin at the present time.

Please pray, pray, pray! Thanks!

More to come... stay tuned!

David

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Winner - Ionic Lifestyle Negative Ion Generator

2010-07-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to

Deborah Anderson

(tnshadylady)

She is the winner of our latest giveaway:

A Purely Products Ionic Lifestyle Negative Ion Generator

valued at $49.99

Thanks to all who entered.

Keep watching the "Our Giveaways!" tab.

We're about to give away a $300 item soon. More info to come!

Stay tuned!

Book Review: "Ready or Not... Here We Come!"

2010-07-12T16:05:00.001-05:00

Miranda and I are reading a few different books right now on the subject of our new found affection:

Our Twins!

Just last night I finished a wonderful book called "Ready or Not... Here We Come!" by a fantastic author and mother of twins, Elizabeth Lyons.

This lady kept me laughing the entire way through. Keep in mind, its not a book of comedy so much as it is a reference guide in the first year of twin rearing. But the way she words the description of her experiences will have you LOL'ing the whole time.

I actually spoke with her over the phone before I read her book and even though I'd never previously talked to her, it was like I'd known her my whole life. Her personality is amazing and it shines through in her writing.

Just a few topics include:

Before the Arrivals

-Babies' Gear

-Logistics

-Preparing our Marriage

-Preparing Yourself Mentally

0-3 Months

-Will We Be Alive in Three Months?!

-Feed!

-Breastfeeding Twins

-Bathing

-Unsolicited Advice (and how to respond)

3-6 Months

-The Schedule

-Starting Solids

-Teething

-Get Me Out of This House!

-Childproofing

6-12 Months

-Top Ten Prayers for This Phase

-What Part of "No" in Unclear?

-New Car Seats - Again

-The Lucrative Garage Sale

-Playing Together (or Not)

-Walking

These are just a very few of the topics Elizabeth covers in the book. The layout is great, especially if you already have a child or two. You can read a section at a time in a heartbeat and get back to rearing the chitlins until you have more time to read another little section.

Overall, I'd honestly have to give this book an A+. It was entertaining and super informative.

She gave us plenty of great ideas that will be put into place at the proper time.

Thanks, Elizabeth, for writing this book! I can't wait to read the next one - "Ready or Not, There We Go!"

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Win Crossover Shears from CRKT

2010-07-08T15:50:00.001-05:00

Gretta, over at The Johns Family blog, is giving away a set of Crossover Shears

from CRKT. Go check it out and enter. I just did! :)

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

This is Just Crazy

2010-07-07T08:06:00.001-05:00

I feel like I'm a pretty smart guy. I feel like I know what I'm doing when it comes to most things.

I feel like I'm actually very hire-worthy.

But today I feel like a failure.

I don't know, maybe its the fact that a full-time j-o-b is eluding me.

Maybe its the fact that I got up this morning at 4:45 to go to work (45 minutes away) and halfway there they called to tell me I got low census for the day (ie. I got called off).

Whatever it is I wish it would just quit and start getting better. We're about to bring two little princes into our world and as of right now I'm already failing as a father by not being able to provide a steady income for my kids. Why won't anyone hire me? I've got a degree! I know all about respiratory. I can do other things as well but the other apps I've put in have seemingly been in vain. No calls, nothing.

If it weren't for my brother letting me help him lay hardwood floors and Ms. Nancy needing some things done around her new home I'd be in rough shape. I thank God for the odd jobs right now.

Getting called off work really bites - figuratively and physically. Figuratively because, well it just does.

And physically because I actually had to bite my arm when I was turning around to come home to keep Falkville from hearing me scream! I know it is not my supervisors fault. He's doing what he has to do to make the numbers right so he won't get hammered by the higher-ups. But it still infuriates me to no end. I've GOT to work, people!!!

Sorry for vomiting anger and disdain all over your monitor this morning. I had to vent somewhere and you were lucky enough to get to read it. Here's a (figurative) moist towelette for you to wipe with.

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Pregnancy-wise, Miranda is still doing great. She was 27 weeks yesterday and we believe she's having some Braxton-Hicks contractions. Nothing to be alarmed about. It just tightens up and releases every so often. Not painful at all. No worries.

She says her feet are swelling a little. And this morning I had to put her shoes and socks on for her. :)

Sleep is not as easy for her anymore. And she is tired all the time.

Other than that, there's nothing to post really. Everything, so far, is going pretty smoothly.

Friday she has to drink some orange 'cola' before our doctor visit so that they can test her for gestational diabetes. Its a routine test. We should know something then or a couple of days after. Keep your fingers crossed and send a prayer or two up for us. With me not working full time, we need her to work as long as she can. I wish she could take off now, but there's just no way. Sorry, angel.

That's it for now... stay tuned!

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Golden Moon Tea Giveaway Winner

2010-07-06T08:31:00.001-05:00

Congratulations Louis!!

You won the giveaway. I've sent you an e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or another

winner will have to be chosen.

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

CSN Stores Dog Bed Review

2010-07-05T22:21:00.003-05:00

As you all recall, I told you that I was going to review a CSN Stores item several days ago via a post here on the blog. Well, the item I chose to review was the Precision Pet Gusset Suede Pillow Dog Bed in Beige/Chocolate. Kain, our dog, LOVES it. He has slept on an oversized chair in our bedroom for about 3 years now and we thought he really liked it. We simply said 'go to the back' when it was time for bed at night and he ran back there and hopped on his 'bed,' waiting for a treat.

This is the exact bed we bought:

Well, we got the dog bed from CSN Stores and he will not have anything to do with his old bed.

The specs on this thing says it is 3" high... well that's a HUGE three inches. It honestly is more like 7-8" thick. I kid you not. If I'm lyin', I'm dyin'. :)

If this item's quality is like the quality of the other items that CSN Stores carries, I'll be buying a LOT more stuff from them. That really is my honest, unbiased opinion. This item far surpassed my wildest expectations.

It is very plush and very soft. Your pet will LOVE it. We got Kain the large size since he's 75 muscular pounds and it is just perfect.

Please feel free to visit their fan page on Facebook. There you'll find more info on this amazing company, plus many other fans post their giveaways from them.

I highly encourage you all to go visit them and make a purchase. They have over 200 stores for you to browse through. I spent 3 hours just browsing 2 stores the other day. Shhh... don't tell the wife. :)

Here are just a few of their great stores:

Out door Cooking

Baby & Kids

Health & Fitness

Housewares

Bedroom Furniture

That reminds me, be sure to check out their platform beds too. I'd love to get my aching back on one of those puppies! I wish they'd let me review one of those complete with mattress. :)

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Purely Products Review and Giveaway

2010-07-05T15:54:00.013-05:00

Being the kind of person that likes fresh air, I'm always trying different things in the house to make the indoor air as fresh as the outdoor air. I've tried houseplants, air fresheners, etc. The houseplants are great for supplying fresh oxygen and the air fresheners were ok but they didn't actually freshen the air, they just smelled good for a few minutes and then it was back to stale-smelling air.

Purely Products is an innovative company with strong moral background and is absolutely committed to clean/green living.

Upon my request, they sent me one of their Ionic Lifestyle's. It generates negative ions for an entire room.

Negative ions combat the damaging effects of computer screens, TV's, etc. IonicLifestyle, the most compact negative ion generator, emits these same energizing "vitamins of the air" while helping to counter the energy-draining effects of positive ions from everyday items like computers, cell phones, televisions, or forced air ventilation.

Ever go to the beach or mountains just to unplug from life? It's the negative ions generated by nature that have the greatest positive effect. Ions are molecules that have gained or lost an electrical charge as air molecules break apart due to sunlight, radiation, moving air and water. The greater the concentration of negative ions, the greater the energizing effect upon body and mind. Plug in a Purely ionizer in your home, office, car and computer USB and feel the difference.

After using this item in our living room I can honestly tell you that after a few days (maybe a week) we started noticing the difference it made. Our moods were lighter and the room actually smelled fresher. It does not emit a scent, but the negative ions it generates makes the air smell cleaner. What an amazing little gadget!!

I don't know if its the item or not but I've actually had less headaches since plugging it into the wall.

Maybe it can do the same for you. Who knows?! But what if, huh?

But don't just take my word for it, go here to read why Ionized air is extremely important!!

SPECS

Plugs directly into 110 Volt outlet
Generates more than 2,000,000 refreshing negative ions per cubic centimeter*
Increases serotonin and oxygen levels
Boosts mood and daytime energy
Excellent for helping fight asthma and allergies
Counters the energy-draining effects of positive ions emitted by electronics, household materials, etc.
For home, office, warehouse spaces
Compact - Only 1.26"W x 1.97"H x 1.77"D
Very Light - Only 1.41 Oz
Zero OZONE emissions*
Chemical free. Environmentally friendly
LED indicator light shows it's working
Home Unit Colors: Yellow, White, Pink

*Based upon testing results from the Korea Far Infrared Testing Association.

The founders of the company also founded DiaperLove.org. It is a non-profit organization that helps needs families by giving them diapers for their babies. I can say that as a soon-to-be daddy that this is a truly amazing and selfless organization. What an honor to even be doing a giveaway for these folks. Please go check them out and see if there's anything you can do to help.

WIN IT

Purely Products is giving away one of these amazing IonicLifestyle items to one lucky reader of this very blog. :)

It is well worth your time to enter this one, folks.

Who doesn't want cleaner air in their home??

Note: Be sure at least one of your comments has your e-mail address in it. If I cannot get in touch with you another winner will be selected

Mandatory Entries

#1: You MUST be a public follower of my blog. I do check, so no cheating. :)

Extra Entries

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#5. Become a fan of Purely Products on Facebook by clicking here – 1 Extra Entry
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#6. Blog about this giveaway on your own blog - 3 Extra Entries
(Must leave extra comment here stating that you've done so and leave a link to the post
so I can verify)

How simple is that? 9 chances to win!!

Open to US Residents Only

Contest Ends: Monday, July 12th at 11:59 CST

As required by the FTC:
I received a product sample in exchange for an honest, unbiased product review. I received no monetary compensation.
All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

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Itzbeen Giveaway Winner

2010-07-04T05:30:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Akritical

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Please Visit Blog Giveaways

2010-07-01T12:19:00.000-05:00

I'd like everyone to take a second and go visit Maria over at Blog Giveaways.

She updates her page daily (and sometimes multiple times per day) with giveaways from around the web.

If you are looking for a constantly updated listing of a ton of current giveaways, this is the place to go.

She even created a post just for us here at The Waiting Womb.

See that post here.

Thanks for the post and for listing all that you do, Maria.

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A Poem for Twins

2010-06-30T23:17:00.000-05:00

So many good things come in pairs.
Like ears and socks and panda bears.
But best of all are sets of twins
with extra laughter, double grins.

There's so much fun in having two
With twice as many points of view.
So much alike forever links.
And yet they're also quite distinct.

They share a birthday and a name.
But moods and tempers aren't the same.
Although at times they may dispute.
Their loyalty is absolute.

From days of youth till life is done.
It's one for both and both for one.
We're all quite novel and precise.
But special boys --
God made them twice.

(Author Unknown)

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Tradition is Being Handed Down

2010-06-29T22:08:00.003-05:00

One of the best memories I have from my childhood is watching my mother and grandmother work as a team to pick, shuck, silk, cut, cook and bag fresh corn. They would devote an entire day to the process. Bushels of freshly picked local corn, usually from an uncle's garden, would make their way to our house or to grandma's. I'd listen to the two of them talk while they worked. I can't even remember what the topics were about but I do remember the feeling it gave me to watch them work side-by-side - in sync with each other. I didn't realize it then but now I know that it must have felt great to both of them to be able to just spend time like that with each other. Sure, it was work - a LOT of work (trust me) - but it is a tradition that is dying out rapidly. It is a tradition that the younger generation doesn't even know about and probably will never learn. That is a very sad thing.

Over the past two days, Miranda and I have had the opportunity to gain the experience and knowledge of how to do this. I went with mom yesterday to her friend's home to pick up some G90 corn (aka: one of the best tasting varieties of corn there is). We didn't have to pick it, thank goodness. After laying hardwood floors all last week and yesterday morning I think I would have died in the field.

Miranda and I, along with mom, Uncle Pat, Aunt Patti and my cousin Katie shucked and silked most of it Monday night. I went over to mom's today and helped her finish silking and cutting the corn off the cob and I've got a pretty nasty battle scar to prove it. The corn cutter got the best of me (stupid corn cutter). Seriously, you wanna see the 1 1/2 inch gash on my palm? :)

(sorry for the hazy pic, it was very humid today and my camera lens got moisture on it)

While mom and I were working in sync, side-by-side preparing the corn, it hit me... we were doing the exact same thing as mother and son as her and her mother did. Kinda gave me a sense of pride and joy. I can look back on this in years to come and feel good about it. I will be able to look back on it and smile. I also thought about how Miranda, the boys and I can do this same thing. We will be able to give them the same sense of pride that I got today. And the best part is they'll be helping and we won't have to do it all ourselves. We'll let the boys silk the corn, I hate that part.

I want to challenge all you moms and dads out there to do this with your child(ren). Go buy some fresh corn that is still in the green shuck. Cut the small ends off of them, peel the shucks off, pull all the little silk strands off the corn, rinse the ears really well, cut the corn off the cob (however you can, but BEWARE the corn cutter!), microwave (yes, microwave) the corn for 7 minutes, stir and microwave again for 5-7 minutes, cool, place in freezer bags and revel in the thought that you have just created memories for you and your children that they will one day cherish.

Sure it is a little work. But if you've got kids you're used to a little work. If you don't have all day, jut do about 15-20 ears. A small batch like that shouldn't take you but about 2 hours tops! Not only will you get the satisfaction of teaching your children a dying art... you'll also have fresh corn this winter!! And everyone LOVES fresh corn. ;)

Until next time...
David

PS - If my way sounds too easy and you want a bigger challenge, please feel free to click here to find a slightly more difficult and time consuming way of freezing your corn. :)

PPS - For the record, and to be fair, I do have to admit that it was not the stupid corn cutter's fault my hand got mauled. I got a little over-zealous. I was just so excited!!

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Golden Moon Tea Review and Giveaway

2010-06-28T16:34:00.003-05:00

Most everyone that knows me will tell you that I do love tea. Not just regular sweet tea but all kinds of tea.

I like green tea, oolong tea, black tea and flavored exotic teas too.

Recently, Sylvia at Golden Moon Tea sent me a sample of their Coconut Pouchong tea to review for them. At my request, of course.

I want you all to put on your 'believing caps' on and believe me when I tell you that this tea is the most aromatic, best tasting exotic flavored tea I've ever sipped. The instant you crack the seal on the tin the aroma hits your nostrils. When it hit mine I actually got weak-kneed. No joke. It smells absolutely divine!

What about the taste, you ask? It is 100% as good as it smells. The balance of the tea vs. the coconut flavor is perfect. Neither one outdoes the other. And its flavored with REAL coconut milk, not some toasted imitation.

Their Coconut Pouchong was even awarded "Best Tea" at the 2007 World Tea Expo. Now that's saying something. Honestly, this tea speaks for itself.

Here's a description of this tea taken from the Golden Moon website:

As a Tea Drinker What Will You Find to Like in Coconut Pouchong Tea?

Our popular Coconut Pouchong has a flavor that is exquisitely complex with lingering floral notes. You will love the flavor of the Coconut Pouchong tea because it is sweet like young coconut water.

The flavors meld together ideally with the Pouchong base lending a smooth, complex and green flavor. Fresh is the key to the exquisite flavor offering of this Coconut Pouchong tea.

One of the secrets to our Coconut Pouchong tea is the quality and structure of the leaf. The leaves of this Coconut Pouchong tea are a large, beautiful green, well crafted Pouchong base and are elegant yet firm.

How is our Coconut Pouchong Better Than Other Coconut Teas You Have Ever Tasted?

The tea base is unrivaled. Most other coconut teas use a mediocre black tea base and a more toasted coconut flavoring. We know of no other flavored Coconut Pouchong teas of our quality and unique taste.

Coconut Pouchong tea creates a memorable tea experience when you serve it hot or iced and the tea represents an amazing value. Multiple infusions are the norm thereby increasing your Coconut Pouchong tea drinking pleasure.

Why did this Coconut Pouchong tea win first prize at the World Tea Expo?

Simply because everyone who tasted the Cocount Pouchong tea loved the balanced flavor and smooth after taste. Neither the tea nor the melon overpowered the other and the balance created a feeling of well being and serenity.

If you love tea, you have GOT to look into Golden Moon Tea!!

WIN IT

Golden Moon Tea has graciously agreed to give one of my readers a FREE tin of their
Tippy Early Grey tea.

Note: Be sure at least one of your comments has your e-mail address in it. If I cannot get in touch with you another winner will be selected

Mandatory Entries

#1: You MUST be a follower of my blog. I do check, so no cheating. :)

Extra Entries

#1. Follow us on Twitter - 1 Extra Entry
(Must leave extra comment here stating that you've done so)

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using the button at the end of this post – 1 Extra Entry
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#6. Add out button to your blog - 3 Extra Entries!!
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How simple is that? 10 chances to win!!

Open to US Residents Only

Contest Ends: Saturday, July 3rd at 11:59 CST

As required by the FTC:
I received a product sample in exchange for an honest, unbiased product review. I received no monetary compensation.
All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

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Itzbeen Baby Care Timer Review and Giveaway

2010-06-27T01:41:00.009-05:00

The very kind folks at Itzbeen.com recently sent me one of their Itzbeen Baby Care Timers to review for them.

Even though our babies aren't here yet, after playing around with this gadget for about an hour, I can see that this will be something that we will always, always have with us. Why hasn't anyone thought about this before?

It is a simple yet amazing little timer that helps you keep track of the last time your baby ate, slept, made poo, or whatever else you want to keep track of. Just push one button, one time and off the timer goes - keeping track of the things that are important and vital so you can spend more time enjoying your baby instead of trying to keep track of the time.

We can't wait for our twins to arrive. And with this ingenious invention we'll have more peace of mind - instead of a mind with no peace.

Here's some more information taken from the Itzbeen website:

The ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer has a host of helpful features all designed with the new parent in mind. As every new parent knows, your memory is one of the first things to go when a newborn arrives. The ITZBEEN Baby Care Timer is a multi-purpose tool that helps you remember the basic details of baby care. ITZBEEN has four timers that count up with the touch of a button…so you will always know how long it's been!

(Click on the pic to enlarge it)

WIN IT

Itzbeen has graciously agreed to give one of my readers a FREE Itzbeen Baby Timer of their very own.

You WANT and NEED this item. If you do not have a baby you can still enter to win it for someone you know who has, or is expecting, a baby. They will thank you a thousand times!!

Note: Be sure at least one of your comments has your e-mail address in it. If I cannot get in touch with you another winner will be selected

Mandatory Entries

#1: You MUST be a follower of my blog. I do check, so no cheating. :)

Extra Entries

#1. Follow us on Twitter - 1 Extra Entry
(Must leave extra comment here stating that you've done so)

#2. Tweet about this giveaway to your Twitter friends by clicking here (takes a single click)– 1 Extra Entry
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#4. Share this giveaway on Facebook using by clicking here (takes a single click) - 1 Extra Entry
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#5. Blog about this giveaway on your own blog - 2 Extra Entries
(Must leave extra comment here stating that you've done so and leave a link to the post so I can verify)

#6. Add our button to your blog - 3 Extra Entries!!
(Must leave extra comment here stating that you've done so and leave a link to the page so I can verify)

How simple is that? 10 chances to win!!

Open to US Residents Only

Contest Ends: Saturday, July 3rd at 11:59 CST
Results will be posted after 7pm on 7/4.

As required by the FTC:
I received a product sample in exchange for an honest, unbiased product review. I received no monetary compensation.
All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

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My Lip Stuff Giveaway Winner

2010-06-27T00:05:00.000-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO

GRETTA

She has won the My Lip Stuff Random 6pk Giveaway!!

Here's a screen capture of the Random.org result:

Thank you to all who entered.

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25 Weeks Pregnant

2010-06-24T21:44:00.001-05:00

Well, we seem to be steadily churning along. Miranda is now 25 weeks pregnant.

She's been doing VERY well. The only complaints as of late are heartburn, fatigue and shortness of breath.

She says if that's the worst that happens then she's in great shape.

Here's the most recent pics of her.

This one was taken 5 days ago:

And this one was taken 3 days ago:

How awesome is that baby bump?

The most current baby stats are:

25 weeks, 2 days

13.73 inches

24.37 ounces

102 days left until full-term

I can feel both babies kick, punch and even toss and turn!

How amazing! You can tell when their little head (of little butt) is pressing against her belly - its gets really firm.

--------------------------------------------------

The job hunt is just that - a hunt.

I'm still hunting a full-time job in my field - and out.

I've even applied for a part-time job 5 blocks from home in my local paper's mail room. Ugh!

There is a position open at my local hospital that I'd take in a heartbeat.

Yes, mom, I've applied for it already.

No, mom, I haven't heard anything yet.

Its an IT Help Desk position.

Everyone always said I'd end up in computers. You know what - if I got that job I'd take it, work it and stay there. I'd put Respiratory on hold. Just because I have a degree doesn't mean I absolutely have to work in that field. I love being an RT, but I love computers too. I have since I was 6 and my 1st grade teacher let me place "Face" on the school's only computer. An old Commodore 64.

Everyone reading this, please pause for a second and say a little prayer that I'll find a position soon.

Stress builds daily without me working full-time.

Who knows - maybe I'll win the lottery.

Ariva dare'che

(I know its not spelled correctly, I was too lazy to look it up and I spelled it like it sounds, LOL)

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Coming Soon: CSN Stores Review

2010-06-24T21:19:00.000-05:00

CSN Stores has graciously agreed to allow me to do a review of one of their items.

These folks have over 200+ websites dedicated to certain consumer items. I've browsed many of them so far and one that sticks out in my mind are their platform beds. Miranda and I are in dire need of a new bed. Especially with the twins coming. :) We'll definitely be looking further into this site.

Stay tuned for the upcoming CSN Stores review.

We're super stoked about this opportunity.

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Win an Amazing Camera

2010-06-24T15:02:00.000-05:00

Odd/Funny Picture Contest

Wherever you’re traveling this summer – whether hiking the Grand Canyon, visiting Times Square, riding the roller coaster at Cedar Point or ogling the Eiffel Tower in Paris – don’t leave home without

Steak-umm Burgers (or at least the box)!

Snap a pic of yourself and/or your fellow travelers holding a Steak-umm package anywhere in the world and submit it to the Steak-umm “Bon Voyage, Burger!” Photo Contest. The most creative photo gets the prize – the odder or funnier, the better.

The winning photo will receive a Samsung DualView TL220 Blue 12.2 Megapixel Digital Camera – the much-talked-about $299.99 (MSRP) model with a front LCD screen that makes it easy to take pictures of yourself (with or without your Steak-umm box) and a back LCD touch screen for quickly scrolling through photos and menus.

The contest runs from April 30 through August 15, 2010. Winners will be selected by August 25. All entries must include a photo with a Steak-umm box, and be time-stamped or postmarked no later than August 15. Entries can be submitted by mail, email, Twitter or Facebook – see Contest Rules for more details.

Enter by sending your pics by:

e-mail: bonvoyagecontest@sspr.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Steak-Umm-Meats/291690560523?ref=mf

Twitter:  http://twitpic.com @steak_umm

Good luck!!!

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Zevia Diet Soft Drinks Review

2010-06-24T14:04:00.002-05:00

Recently, the awesome folks at Zevia sent me a mixed case of their Diet, No Calorie, All-Natural Soft Drinks to evaluate and review... and the results are in!

I've come to the conclusion that I've been missing out. Honestly, I had never heard of Zevia before I stumbled upon them during a recent web search for healthier drinks. I was interested. So I contacted them ans asked if I could do a review for them and they agreed. I'm very glad they did.

Here is a stock picture of the items I received:

I drank all of the items they sent me in a matter of about 4-5 days.

My favorites were:

Lemon-Lime Twist (like Sprite)

Orange (like Sunkist)

and Ginger Ale (like, well, Ginger Ale)

The other flavors were great and I really enjoyed them but those left a little more of a sweet-like aftertaste than my favorites did. Still, it didn't take away from the satisfaction.

I do want to take this opportunity to let the recipe makers at Zevia know that they may want to alter the

Dr. Zevia recipe a tad bit. If you were shooting for an alternative to Dr. Pepper, you missed the mark. Not by a whole lot, but enough to possibly turn some folks off to that flavor.

Overall I really enjoyed all of them. They are definitely a great all-natural alternative to mainstream diet soft drinks. I want to thank all of the folks at Zevia for allowing me to review their products.

(I was sent a case of Zevia drinks on my request. All opinions stated in this post are mine and mine alone.)

(Dr. Pepper, Sprite and Sunkist names are all copyright their respective owners. The use of their names in this post was used for comparison only. No copyright infringement intended)

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