DōTerra Essential Oils (Lavender & Serenity)

Ok so I have be used Essential Oils before this (except to make my house smell pretty) and I had no idea what to use where or when or even how I sign up for samples all the time they are great (why spend money on something before you know if you like it if you follow me on Twitter @BBNecessities I tweet contest & freebie links all the time) and I saw a link for free Essential Oil samples and a guide book so I thought why not if I don't like them at least my house will smell nice They said they were from Plantsweetness.com when I signed up they didn't ask what samples I wanted they asked what problems I had I told them that I have back and body pain and also problems with stress and relaxing at the time I didn't know that they were DōTerra samples or even who that was a very nice woman named Dona wrote me an email and asked more about my problems then after I gave her more info she picked some samples for me and sent them right out I received my samples and guide plus the DōTerra Magazine (which is full of great uses for your oils and great articles about their company and its practises this is also when I figured out Dona and her husband were one of many advocates for the company) Plus there was a hand written note from Dona listing my samples and their specific uses for my problems They Serenity goes over your heart at bedtime or whenever to help you de-stress and the Lavender goes behind the ears or on the soles of a babies feet is to help you relax and fall asleep (also received their Deep Blue Blend for pain but haven't tried it yet) the only problem was my Lavender sample had completely leaked out and was about empty so I called the number on the letter just to let them know Donas husband answered and said they would ship another right out(have not received as of this post) there were a few drops left in the very bottom though and since my daughter was having a horrible night thanks to her teething I decided to try a little bit on the bottom of her feet (there wasn't enough for an adult anyway and at that point I would have tried anything) I was amazed when she actually started to calm down and let her eyes close the result was almost instant  she went from screaming to sleeping in about 10minutes maybe 15 so after getting that result I decided to try the Serenity Blend over my heart when I went to bed just like the note said and was shocked again at the effects of something so simple I don't really know how to explain it I didn't get sleepy or anything like that but my body gradually started to feel lighter like there wasn't as much pressure on me and between the Essential Guide with over 250 uses and the magazine with great recipes for everything from food to homemade cleaning products it doesn't seem like you would ever run out of uses to try the best part for me though is that they are safe for my whole family I can use them on the kids to treat all kinds of things and I can use them around the house and not worry about having chemicals everywhere for my children and pets to ingest I really thought that Essential Oils were just an expensive gimmick but now that I've tried them I realize that they are expensive but they last a very long time even if you use them every day because you need so little for it to work (even the tiny sample bottles will last me a couple weeks using them at bed time) now I'm hooked I love them and will be getting more as soon as possible I want to try as many uses as I can

The Contents of My Sample Package

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Bright Starts Rattle & Shake Barbell Girls Version

This is a really cute clear and loud rattle Serenity loves that she can shake it herself the 2 thin rods that spin next to each other give her a really good (easy) grip she can keep for a while the ends have solid bright shades of pink she loves to stare at on one side and clear plastic exposing brightly colored balls and a metallic background in one my daughter loves to just hold it in front of her face and stare at all the bright colors for a little bit then she will shake it a couple times and it's time to chew the thinker rims on the ends give her a good spot to work her gums on and the way the handle is means you can hook it to anything (so it won't fall on the floor) and it will stay hooked overall its a great sturdy toy thats well made and will help your baby master that hand eye coordination in no time there are tons of bright colored versions of this rattle for both boys and girls the bonus on this is that it's only like $3 at Walmart and they always have them in stock

This is the one we own

Amazon Prime Customer Service

So this review is a little different than my others but I really had to write it because the service I have received recently has been sub par my normal amazon account and my Amazon review account are great and customer service is great courteous and helpful but I have had a very different experience with prime service I have had a regular amazon account for years but recently I signed up to do reviews and due to shipping prices decided to try prime so I clicked sign up for trial and it said I didn't qualify because I had already had a trial membership (which I hadn't) so I contacted regular amazon and they fixed it or so I thought so I signed up and paid my $1 fee with a prepaid visa like I do everything else (should have left about $35 on my card maybe a little less) I received a text from my card saying it went through and an email from prime saying welcome so far so good right well I woke up the next morning to an email saying my membership was cancelled due to insufficient funds on my card turns out that after I paid for my trial and it was approved they turned around and charged me for a year without any reason so I emailed them and my only response was well that my membership was cancelled because of my card being declined so I called them and the first woman I spoke to Margie was very nice and submitted a form to fix my trial well while I waited for her to fix my trial (which I thought was a quick thing turns out takes up to 2 weeks) I continued to revive automated emails from there system which made the whole situation even more confusing so I called back and spoke to a woman named Shelley who was not nice in fact she was rather rude both on the phone and in her email she said the only further contact I would recive would be from Margie when my problem was resolved ok that's fine I would rather talk to the nice lady then the rude one well this morning I received an email stating my credit card problems were fixed and to sign in go to my account and got continue membership so I signed in went to my prime account there was no continue membership just a thing to sign up for a new trial so I tried and. It said error I have already received a trial so I was very frustrated and confused so I called customer service again and got a new person this time don't know her name couldn't understand what she said it was so she she asked me what I needed help with today I asked her a simple question was the email I received this morning another automated email or was it supposed to fix my problem so she proceeded to put me on gold for 10 minutes while she checked and came back and told me she could offer no further assistance on this because it was already assigned to Margie I then informed her that I knew that I just didn't know if the email I received today was from their system or Margie and her answer was well you will have to wait to hear from Margie I then said to her so this email was from your system not her and she answered well sometimes our system sends out messages automatically and that's probably what you received this morning so I said that was me only question from the beginning was if this was an auto email finally I got my answer from her yes it was but it could have been a 2 minutes call instead of 20 if she understood English a little better I'm not trying to insult anyone but you can't help people efficiently if you don't understand them Margie is also from another country and she was great so I am still waiting to hear from her and hopefully she can fix it and restart mqtrial or it will only be like 10 days long when she turns it back on sorry this is different than my normal reviews but I promise to post a normal one later today

Bright Starts Pretty in Pink Chew and Rattle Bumble Bee

This rattle is so great and my daughter loves its bright colors and it's dual function (even if she doesn't know it) the rattle is nice and loud and clear she loves when I shake it and pretend its flying by the noise grabs her attention right away and the clacker beads make a great extra sound they also provide some extra textures and areas to chew on for your drooling teething little one it also has the wings which are a nice really big area for her to sinck her teeth into they are a really nice soft but firm rubber/silicone ish (not sure what it's made of just know it's hard feeling in the middle and has some give on the outside and is soft like silicone bake ware) the rest of the rattle (all parts except the wings) is a hard durable plastic which she really gets to chew on for a while because the slim ring shape makes it really easy for her to grab and hold onto by herself it also makes it so you can use a link/ring/loop/etc. to conect it to whatever your baby is in the best part is its only like $4 at Walmart there is also a boys version (see photo below) but its really different from the girls

She really likes how easy it is to hold onto

Girls Version

Boys Version

Baby Starters Girls Snuggle Buddy Doll Pink and White

My daughter Serenity received this as a Christmas gift and it is our 3rd and final diaper bag necessitie when it comes to toys we have to bring with us Serenity loves this doll it really is a Snuggle Buddy its so soft it is made from 3 different types of material her body is a super soft cotton type material the outside of her skirt is a extremely soft cuddly mix network silk and fleece (I don't know what it is I just know my daughter loves rubbing it on her cheek) and the underside of her skirt is a nice soft silky material since the day my daughter received this doll she has snuggled it and chewed it (she was born with teeth so she was pretty much born teething and chewing) thankfully you can just toss her in the washer with babies clothes whenever she starts to get dingy this doll really does help comfort her (not as much as blankie does) and bonus she is adorable from her pink hair and pink cheeks to her little black ballet shoes and she is made right in New York so thats a plus Serenity talks to her and pulls her in all kinds different directions from what I can see it costs between $8 & $15 and there are different versions of her including ones attached to blankets (I will have to look into those with her 2 favorite things together she would probably love them)

Bright Starts Busy Birdies Stroller and Carseat Toy Bar in Pink Owl Design

This toy bar is great a and my daughter loves it but there are a couple downfalls first the good this toy hooks to your stroller or car seat with 4Velcro straps 2 on each side so its really easy to attach or switch back and forth between the car seat and stroller it also has really bright colors especially the pink on the owl who has a heart on his stomach that you push and it lights up and plays music and he has clacker beads hanging from it then there's a pretty little blue bird whose stomach is see through and has bight colored balls inside to rattle and the final part is a purple flower with a mirror on one half of one side it wish it was bigger my daughter loves to listen to the music and watch the flashing light there are really only 2 small issues I found first of all the music is super loud and there is no way to adjust the volume secondly there is no power switch so if you have other children say like a 3 year old sometimes they push it and wake baby up so I just wish I had an option to turn off the sound if you want but my daughter plays with hers everywhere in the car seat and stroller but also in her swing and just normal play time on the floor the flashing lights bright colors and music really hold her interest but the toy it's self is durable and very well made and I only paid 8 dollars at Walmart and it comes in a couple designs that I know of the pink owl and then I saw a frog and a tiger version they are all a little different but all have musical animal in the middle and a rattle animal and some kind of mirror they all look like a baby would really enjoy them

Lucear Baby Stroller Organizer Diaper Bag by FittingRun

This bag was a gift from my mom and it works great I tried it for the first time yesterday the material is water resistant (not waterproff I dont think) and machine washable it also has zip off mesh pouch for diapers and that sort of thing or it would be great for wet beach toys and stuff I didn't use it yesterday as we were only walking down town the main part that you Velcro to your stroller handle/s is great it has 2 cup holders that stay straight even up huge hills (I live at the top of one) I used one for her bottle and one for my coffee it also has a large rectangle storage spot between the two where I put my phone and her Binky(pacifier) which was great no searching under her for 10 minutes to find it there is a cute little zip off pouch on the front that you could use for money or credit cards just zip it off and run in the store because huge strollers are a pain in convince stores just don't forget to grab baby too lol it also has a head phone hole on the zip off pouch if you wanted to pit your phone or ipod or something like that in there which is a bonus it seems like this is a really well made item like I said I just got it but I will let you know if it breaks next week or something but seems like I will have it as long as I have the stroller (as long as I don't take it of the stroller and lose it) the only problem I had was it was really hard to look up a stock photo or place that sells it on Google I couldn't find it at all but I did have some luck on Amazon Family where it is on sale for $23

This is without the mesh bag attached

We are pretty much going straight up hill and since this bag hangs it staid straight up and down

Zutano Infant Booties Cozy Fleece and Regular

These booties are amazing they are the only shoes/socks I have ever found that stay on my babies feet moms and dads know you are constantly putting your babies socks and or shoes/booties back on well even with nylon tights underneath I can't recall a time they have come off the open design is great for putting them on and the two snaps make it so you can adjust them for your babies ankle size the quality is amazing (but it is on all their products) they really do hold up well and could be passed down/on which is great because they are kinda pricey but well worth it I bought my daughter 2 pairs one in fleece for winter and cold spring days/nights since we live on an island in Maine there are always cold nights and one regular for spring and summer they come in lots of sizes and colors/patterns for both boys and girls I got my daughters in size 3-6 months but she has worn them since she was like a month old and it seems like she will be able to wear them for quite a while longer they are also great because it is all flexible and machine washable for learning to stand or walk I love the Zutano brand anyway but these are the best no more socks or booties left behind in parking lots and stores because you didn't notice until you got home they only had one on I wish I had found these for my older children I recommend them to everyone I paid $22 bucks a pair and that seems to be the average price but I also know she will be able to wear them for months to come and I have saved a ton in lost booties and socks

These are the ones I bought for my daughter there wasn't much pattern choice at the shop where we live

These are from the Zutano site just a couple of examples of the tons of designs available

 

Walmart Savings Catcher on Walmart App

OK I didn't realize how great this app was until I got an email a couple months ago telling me to claim my 99¢ or I would lose it so I took a deeper look and I figured out it really is worth downloading the app and scanning my receipts every time (its even got my other half bringing his receipts home )it's super easy and it doesn't matter how you paid for your stuff (credit card/gift card/cash/etc.) You get your money back on a gift card for online or in store use and they check all big local competitors (can take up to 3 days) plus ever wonder what that weird item is on your receipt I do it all the time I read my receipt and I'm like what the hell is that well now you can see a photo so you know for sure and it doesn't matter if its only 1¢ less you get that penny back and it also shows you where you saved by shopping with them if you are a household on a budget and already shop at Walmart its at least worth looking into this app and I think you will agree it's worth the little extra effort after your shopping trip

This is a screen shot of my scanned receipts the amount I got back on each one and the amount I have available for a gift card

Photos next to each item on my last receipt

Cloud BSleep Sheep On The Go

My daughter likes this sound machine now she really does because she loves ocean sounds but when she was a newborn up to about 3½ months the whale setting was a life saver it calmed her down and put her to sleep she had to have it as loud as it goes but the best part is the back has a Velcro strap so you can attach it to car seat stroller crib swing everything it really is like it says On The Go and I think its adorable the sound box comes out really easy so you can wash him in the machine it has time settings for battery saving and sleeping (every time it shut off my daughter would wake up so wish there was a way not to use this part but not an option) they also make a large version of this sheep called just Sleep Sheep the price difference is like $10 I'm glad my mom got me the travel on only because at about $25 I think you get way more out of the mobile version I still keep my daughters hooked to her swing now she loves looking at him and reaching for him

She really loves just talking to him too

Fisher-Price Tub Yellow Ducky Pal

This tub is one of the best I have ever owned and I have had just about every kind there is the Fisher Price Ducky Tub is made of really thick heavy duty plastic so you don't feel like its going to break when it gets tossed in the closet or if you drop it wrong the legs have little indented squares so it will fit over your sinks (see photo below) or its really stable on the floor in your tub or on the kitchen table it has 2 great holders for your shampoo and other things you need within reach or for rinsing babies hair the foam duck face is great and between that and the leg hump it really holds baby in place which is great because as we all know they get slippery the angle seemed to be really comfortable for my daughter it also has a drain plug but to completely empty it out you have to stand it on its end (which it does without falling over) I believe its discontinued my sister passed this on on to me but if you find one it's great your baby can use this until about 1 (that's my guess) and you will be able to use it with your next baby the only thing I don't like is the amount of space it takes up but after it dries I just stick it in the corner of my daughters closet until next time for obvious reasons I will be using stock photos for this item sorry but I hope you understand

Over the sink

In the tub

Removable cups great for rinsing hair and holding necessary items

Coming Review Seventh Generation Laundry Soap

I will be receiving a coupon for free full size laundry soap from Seventh Generation and will be reviewing it on my blog you can get your own by signing up for Generation Good on the Seventh Generation website then confirm your email and your coupon offer will be at the bottom of your dashboard they really are a great company with great values

Little Starter Toddler Blanket Pink With White Polka Dots (Available in Multiple Patterns)

My daughter is a blanket baby by which I mean no sleep for anyone if she doesn't have her blankie and its different for all babies sometimes it's a blanket sometimes it's a stuffed animal or doll doesn't matter for whatever reason most babies have one comfort item and for my daughter since the day her aunt gave it to her its been this blanket I'm constantly spinning it because she has chewed the edge until it's soaked she has to smell it to calm down and sleep luckily the blanket is really well made since I have to wash it every 2-3 days I would say I have washed it about 50-60 times so far (I wash with cold water and free & clear laundry soap) and all that had happened is a string on one edge pulled so the hem on that side is a little twisted but with what it goes through I'm very pleased that is all because all parents know you can buy another one that is the exact same in every way but to your child it's not and they know it's different don't ask me how they do they just do so I'm really glad she picked such a durable blanket as her comfort/safety item so I don't have to worry about it for right now the basics are it's very soft very durable lightweight material with strong stitching and adorable patterns I'm not sure how much it costs but to my daughter and my sanity its priceless if you look at my other posts she has it with her in almost every picture

Her blankie is her best friend

Nuby Lion Teething Blanket

This Nuby Teething Blanket is really fun for baby to play with the the bright colors catch her eye the lions head squeaks 2 of the panels crinkle and the big easy grip handles have different textures for her to chew on she loves playing with this trying out all the different feelings sections in her hands and mouth the handles make it so she can pull it with both hands and its easy for her to bring it up to her mouth to explorer by taste and in front of her face to explore by sight the handles also make it easy to attach to your travel items we like to both hold a handle and shake it she loves the sounds and interaction between us I love toys that provide easy fun bonding time for me and her dad but also stuff her brothers and sister can do with her we bought her this at Walmart for like $8-$10 not bad for the multi toy it is and I see online it comes with many options for the animal in the center and prices are up to $20 on some sites so make sure you use Walmart or amazon for the best value

She was playing with her Dad right before this and got mad he moved for the pictures lol

Sorry For No Posts

Sorry I was unable to post yesterday for some reason my internet was not working so the two post this morning were from yesterday and I will be posting once more before bed sorry if you looked yesterday and were disappointed it was honestly beyond my control thank YouFor your interest in my blog and my opinions I hope they have been at least a little helpful

Gerber Flannel Receiving Blankets 4pk Multi Pattern in Pink

Gerber Receiving Blankets are a must when it comes to babies they are perfect for tons of needs I keep at least one in the diaper bag one on the back of the couch one in the car pretty much every room of my home has at least one of these blankets in it I use them to cover public changing tables (or my coat on the floor if there isn't one) I cover the couch cushions with them when changing her there cover her Boppy pillow with it after she just ate I use them as burp and spit clothes when she was born we used them to swaddle her they were the perfect size and put her right to sleep We use them under her head to catch drool wherever she is laying since she is a faucet right now these receiving blankets are a perfect size for pretty much anything and everything you can think of the price is pretty much the same as other brands but I think the patterns are cutter on these ones and Gerber is a brand I trust for my kids I love the quality for the price especially on These and Basic Onesies

Sorry they are blurry if I stop the swing or touch anything she will wake up the Gerber one has flowers and is white

Bought mine in 4pk like this just couldn't find picture of same patterns together

Early Years Hedgehog Wiggler Stroller/Crib Toy

This is another diaper bag essential she loves The Early Years Hedgehog for its bright colors different textures and it vibrating makes her squeal lol she loves to chew on his nose and the bright blue section is always soaked she tries to fit her mouth all the way around him his cute little feet are each a different color teething tab and she chews those once in a while but usually she only cares about the body and to make it vibrate you just pull down on it (it has a nice big plastic open ring to hook it to stroller, car seat, and even crib) I bought this toy for $5 because in the store an older child had pulled too hard on it and now you pull on it and sometimes it sticks and doesn't shake its way back to the clip but when it does that you just pull it a little harder and it starts up again but I think kids are rough with things and that part should be made a little stronger than it is but it doesn't take away from the toy at all my daughter doesn't care if it sticks sometimes and I just care that it's well made and safe and the hedgehog and clip are both well made and safe which makes it an easy choice for my diaper bag basic 3 and that my daughter loves it of course the connector piece is safe just its just not well made

She loves her Heddgie so much

Taggie Ball Oodles the Owl Print by Mary Meyers

The Taggie Ball is a great toy with loads of different colors and textures some are silk and some are a soft version of corduroy (which is the one panel that lint and that type of stuff really stick to) the owl is adorable and my daughter loves the chime inside she loves having someone roll it to her and tries her best to copy and get in back to them using both her arms and legs It's great for learning coordination and sound recognition she also loves just holding it and chewing on all the different fabrics some of the faces she makes are like she's eating a lemon lol this is a great ball for baby to learn with its very well made its sift all the way around so you don't have to worry about accidents when your older children are showing baby how to play toss or mom or dad has it above baby and it slips because we all know it happens but the best part of this ball is on the inside the chime is loud and clear so baby knows when he/she hears it that its their ball and I know my daughter gets all excited when she hears the noise and sees all the bright colors this was a gift but I have found the owl version and a monkey version online for between $15-$20 I'm not sure if there is anything else like this for less but if you are debating it being worth the money keep in mind the 3year old I watch plays with it every time I watch her so I do know that most kids will like it for a long time and not out grow it in a week or two

She loves playing with her Taggie Ball alone

But she also loves playing with her Daddy and siblings

Bright Starts Bunch O Fun Elephant Blue

This Elephant really is a Bunch O Fun each leg offers a new and exciting texture or toy for your baby mines favorites are the rattle leg with a big clear ball full of little colorful balls attached to it and the ring leg with 2 different textured and colored rings attached to it 1 other leg has a bell in it and a teething type tag hanging and 1 has a bell in it and little different cloth tags coming out of it plus his ears crinkle and his front legs have elastic so they bounce all around when you shake it my daughter laughs so hard when you shake it over her and if you set it on her lap she yells at it and shakes it around the rings on its leg allow her to get a really good grip on it and we play a little tug of war game where I tell her its my elephant and she pulls it back I can really see her brain working and developing as she chews on his trunk and she tries to make it crinkle and rattle and the bright colors really keep her interested for quite a while he also has a little cloth loop at the base of his neck so you can use a link or whatever you have to attach him to a stroller, car seat, shopping cart or other toy we take it everywhere because it is honestly one of her favorites we only keeps 3 toys in her diaper bag and this is one of them and considering it is only about $8 at Walmart I think it's a really good deal it also comes in a brown monkey version there might be more animals but I have only seen the 2 I really think your baby and you will have a Bunch O Fun playing with this together

      She loves to chew his trunk then yell at him