I have a new blog!

One specifically to me doing reviews on products that as a Mom I've tried..Services I've tried and stuff like that.  So if that interests you or you know people it would, go on over!

http://momtestedandapproved.blogspot.com/

We moved.

So a lot of stuff has gone down since I last posted. We have moved! For months now a friend of ours has been offering his house to us so we could live there for free and be able to save some money and hopefully get back on our feet after having so many bad things happen to our finances over the last few years. We had been turning him down just because of logistics of moving again and everything that goes along with that, and just not wanting to burden someone with a family of 6!

However, the people who rent out our house in Stone Mountain, have basically stopped paying us except for a little here and there and we were at wits end trying to decide how to make it work. Luke's job is here now and we cannot move away that far to move back in, so we prayerfully and with much heavy thought decided to take our sweet friend up on his offer. So here we are, almost a month later and still having renter issues that are slowing down our "getting back on our feet",  but its way better then having to pay a mortgage AND rent on top of it. We are so so thankful and it was more God then anything I've seen in a while. My head cannot wrap around the generosity of being able to stay here without rent.

Now if we can just get our current renters out soon and someone who can actually pay back in, we will be able to pay off some debt and maybe even start saving some during our time here. Imagine that! Having savings..:)

However, I will say this is not a long term thing..we know probably a year and a half, but a lot can happen in a year and and a half so we are just trusting the Lord. I did add up though how many times Luke and I have moved since getting married and we have moved 7 times in almost 10 years. That my friends is a lot of moving. I am thankful for each step in our lives but I will be more then pleased to finally find a house at some point and settle down for at least a few years! haha..

Olivia is turned 8 in January, Noah is 2 days shy of being 6 and littlest ones will be 4 and 1 in May. I cannot believe it. We are celebrating Noah with a family party and pizza the following weekend, but on his actual birthday he asked for a low country boil with extra shrimp and a pet fish. Easy to please, that kid. :)

Citrus Lane January 2013 Box review..

I ended up getting two of the same box due to a whoopsie on the order side of things, but thats ok, I don't mind having two of everything. Also, just to clarify in case you missed my last post, Citrus Lane is a monthly subscription box, a surprise box designed around your child's age and gender and usually a mama product thrown in. Its very fun to get these! You can sign up for monthly boxes, or sign up for 3,6, or 12 month subscriptions. More info at the bottom of post..

Here's how it looked..:)

First item- 1 oz. bottle of Clean Well Disinfectant Spray. Cleans all botanically..Excited about throwing these in my diaperbag for things like cleaning potty seats.(Retails for $9.96)

Bear In A Square book..the kids LOVE books and this one is nice and sturdy and I know it will hold up to Micah messing with it. (Retails for $6.99)

Full size Episencial's Soothing Cream(4 oz. retails for $10.99) and a sample of their Playful Wash. All my kids have mild eczema and I am very excited about trying this out on their skin after baths to hopefully sooth it. (It also came with a discount code for their site.)

A Ella's Kitchen food pouch. These are very cool and with my screw on spoon for this type of baby food pouch, it makes a great travel food. Plus Ella's kitchen has awesome organic food that I feel good about feeding my little guy.

This is the only item I'm kind of bummed at having two of, just cause I got the same animal. But I do love the product so there's that! Its a Skip Hop insulated lunch box and super cute, and very well made. In their Monkey model. Will have to take more picnics during the summer to enjoy these! (Retails for $13.)

There you have it! A pretty good box!!

If you want to sign up, please use my referral link because then you get $10 off your first order and I get $10's too...so a win win! Plus, I just used a code that got me 7.50 off my next sign up..BREAK10. Enter that during the sign up process in the promo code box).

Linky!
https://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/Kayla.Fletcher

Disclosure. I was not paid to review this or even supplied with these items. I bought these myself and the opinions there in are my own.

On the lookout!

Be on the look out. This month I have 2(!) Citrus lane boxes coming to my house. (One of those my mom bought, and is geared more for Kate's age), and a Bluum Box which is basically the same thing but heard was more sampley then full products. I will be doing reviews on all of them!

Sandy Hook..

I remember texting Luke and telling him there had been a shooting where lots of sweet, beautiful and innocent children were killed and some great teachers.

I remember that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you are hit in the face with the reality of the perilousness of life.

I remember being thankful that not only were my children safe but were home that day from school due to sickness and 2 weeks off before returning.

I remember sitting down and coloring snowflakes for Sandy Hook with my children as we explained in children's terms what had happened and what they should do if anything like that happened in their school. That was a hard conversation.

I remember the gripping fear I felt as I drove into the drop off lane when holiday break was over, and the extra hugs and kisses I made them give me even though we held up the line.

I also remember the sweet gentle whisper of The Lord as I drove away and heard "They are my kids"..

They are indeed. It would be easy to be afraid, but my life would be spent in fear wondering what evil or even accident lurked around every corner..but they are my Father's children. His love for them is high and above every ounce I have for them. I'm not saying losing a child would be easy, I know it would be earth shattering for me but I HAVE to believe my Father has their best interests at heart, whether that is 1 more day or till I am gone. I will embrace and love them and be thankful for every moment The Lord has loaned to me.

Go hug your kids.

Citrus Lane Box Review(Dec. Box)

So Nov. I bought a groupon for a Citrus Lane 3 month subscription. I paid $35 dollars for 3 months, which breaks it down to around 11.66 dollars per box roughly. If you don't know what Citrus Lane is, its like a Birchbox for babies and Mama's. Its a box built around your child's gender and age, and they have different themes every month for their boxes. They are full of full sized products and samples.

Last month I got a Under the Nile toy, some Green Toy company bowls, a Goodbyn snack container, 2 little spoons that screw onto the top of a baby food pouch, which they sent me one of Plum Organics baby food pouches..and a sample of moisturizer for me! Not bad for $11 dollars.

I love seeing other people open their Birchboxes and their Citrus Lane boxes and wanted to show off my Dec. box I just got today. When the mail lady brought my box, I was excited to see it was bigger then last months. You open it and its so nicely wrapped and pretty. They have a little welcome note, and on the back is a list of the items in the box, their value and where to find the item to buy more of them.

 It came with a Tiny Love  Frankie the frog stroller/carseat clip on toy that has a pull down string to make it jiggle. ($6.99)

 A Ecomom.com's gift voucher for $15 dollars. Super excited about this..I love that store! Now just to decide how to spend it!

 2 samples of Dapple baby bottle and dish liquid..I haven't tried any Dapple products, so I can very excited about this.

 A pouch of 479 Popcorn Fleur De Sel Caramel popcorn. I immediately ate most of the bag, definitely something I would buy in store. The popcorn was very nice and light and sweet with that hit of salt. So good. I was nice and saved Luke a couple bites. :) ($1.99 per 1 oz. bag)

 A Green Toys tugboat. Its a bath toy..I know Micah doesn't quite appreciate this just yet, but he will! You can fill it up and pour out the front..also Green Toys are made from 100% recycled milk jugs..is BPA and PVC free as well..so its safe for them to play with. ($14.99)

 Pearhead Baby Hanging keepsake. How perfectly timed right here at Christmas..($14.95)

 So as you can see, I definitely got my $11's worth! And Micah has a few more things for under the tree. :)

Just for disclaimer. I was not paid to review this or given any incentive. It was on my own free will that I bought this and my completely honest opinion about the box. I still have a January Box as part of my 3 month subscription, but doubt I will renew just due to funds. However, if I had the money, I'd so still be getting these every month!

If you are interested in signing up to try it out here are some deals for you and my personal invite link!

Right now you can start your monthly subscription for less! Take 10% off the cost of your subscription with code SPRINGFUN. You'll save $7.50 on three months, $12.50 on six months, or $25 on twelve months!

https://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/Kayla.Fletcher

3 months.

I've gone almost 3 months without posting..! Whoa. I kept thinking it'd only been like a month and then realized it was way more then that.

Life has just become all consuming right now. Having 4 children, running a home, being a wife, and being a active participant in our church....

I will not even attempt to catch up, so much as just start where we are.

Olivia is doing so good in school and asks the teacher for extra home work. I'm so thankful that she is doing so well. She has become very smart and very helpful and I'm just so proud of her.

Noah is loving school and always has great grades. I was so worried about it and he has far surpassed how I thought he'd do in school. He LOVES Micah and its adorable watching him interact with his little "brudder".

Kate is finally potty trained(only took like a bazillion times trying)..but we can consistently take her out in public without pull ups and she does really good. She is enjoying her time home with me and Micah.

Micah is getting so big. He's 7 months...crawling, eating some baby food, "talking" it up and loving on his Mama. He also has 1 tooth and working on his second. We are getting ready to move him out of the pack n play in our room to his crib in with Noah. I'm both very very ready for this and having my room back but it also signifies a separating of us that usually doesn't reverse, for that I'm a little sad. Hoping he'll sleep better too without Luke and I walking in and out of the room late at night or early morning.

Luke and I are doing good..our life financially feels like a rollercoaster that we are just having to ride, but are continually thankful for the Lord's provision in this season...in the little and big ways.

We are so excited about Christmas this year and are probably going to set up our decorations this weekend. This is my favorite holiday and I'm so happy its here and we are getting to enjoy it. Now if the weather would cooperate and make it cold at least a few days this month to make it feel more wintery that would be great! :)