The Girl With The Spider Tattoo

I'm literally in shock at how quickly this year has sped by. Tomorrow is already New Year's Eve. Oh my gosh. It was a very busy year for me being pregnant, having morning sickness, being hospitalized more than once, and meeting my baby girl. I gained weight, I lost weight, I went mostly vegan with the occasional vegetarian meal. I reviewed so many new products. I didn't blog as much as I would have liked to, but I seriously had so much going on. I'm still trying to catch up on reviews... 2016 is not too far away and I'm ready for it.  I expect it to be a great year. I want to try and eat healthier- more raw vegan meals and hopefully close to zero vegetarian meals. I want to exercise and do yoga and meditate often. I want a flat tummy for summer! I want to get out more with the kids. It's exciting because my almost 8 month old is starting to cruise around and trying to walk more so there will be a ton of new things to experience with her when

I've never seen my husband wear a watch, so I thought it would be nice to give him one for Christmas. Honestly, I was never too sure what style to get for him, but after I saw this one, I could see it fitting nicely on his wrist. This watch is unisex, with a soft, smooth adjustable band, it has a big face  that's easy to read, has the date, and a subdial as well.  It is water resistant, but not water proof, so in case he is out and caught in the rain, his watch will be just fine.  He liked it as soon as he saw it on Christmas Eve. He put it on his wrist right away. I'm happy that I found a watch that he can smile about. He said he likes that it is that the band feels good against his wrist. It doesn't pinch like those metal bands that are so common on mens' watches. If this band ever wears out, he can always replace it. He can wear this watch with either casual or dressy outfits too. It looks like an expensive designer watch, but with a nicer pric

Teething. The one word that makes me cringe when I think about my baby. It's not the same for every baby, but for many babies, it is not the most pain free time either. I have a variety of teething rings and toys for my daughter. Now, she will be 8 months in a few days, but has not sprouted a single tooth. This is normal for me, since my son didn't until he was closer to a year. However, she has been showing signs of teething--you know, drooling, chewing on everything, a little bit of extra fussiness. I guess any day now, it could happen. This set of Sweet Tooth teething necklace simply could not be any cuter. They look like big colorful cookies! Great size, if I do say so myself. Company's Product Description 100% food grade Silicone FDA approved PVC, BPA, lead, and chemical free Vibrant colors for sensory and visual stimulation Textured ridges to soothe baby's gums and teeth You can wear them around your neck and then your

I've practically made it to month 8 of exclusively nursing my daughter. It is going rather well. She nurses on demand, around the clock every day. She gets the right amount of milk and is growing right on track.  I'm happy about all of that, but I have a small issue. When I pump milk for her,  I like to always have a small supply of stored milk, just in case, I couldn't seem to pump out much more than an ounce here of there. Now, I was told by a lactation consultant that this is normal for some mothers. Pumping milk is not necessarily the same as nursing your baby. A machine can't always get the same amount of milk that your baby's mouth can. You know what I'm saying? Well, I heard about Milky Mama's Lactation Goodies and read reviews about how great their products are and how much extra milk these mamas were getting, so I thought it was worth trying out. Here is what was sent my way: They sent me homemade cookies (oatmeal rai

I'm the type of gal who likes my jewelry to be unique. I like it to be something that no one else has.  I was sent this little necklace. Here's what it looks like up close It might look a little heavy, but it's not. It has a nice silver chain that can be adjusted in length. The stone is smooth and polished.  What's cool about their products is that they come in all different colors, sizes and shapes and are handcut and natural. They don't add any fancy extras, which is something that I like. You are getting a one of a kind piece of jewelry when you order from them because no two stones are alike.  The jewelry also comes giftwrapped in a tiny little box with paper confetti and placed inside a small gift bag. Wouldn't it be a nice gift for someone close to you? I like it. #shopbypolar **Disclaimer: I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Well the new year is practically here. Why not start it off with a fabulous giveaway from the very talented Michael Phillip Cash? You're going to love the prizes for this one~ Money and one of his newest books! Michael Phillip Cash is at it again with his newest novella and 12th book,  The History Major .  Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist. He's written the best-selling Brood X, Stillwell, The Flip, The After House, The Hanging Tree, Witches Protection Program, Pokergeist, Monsterland and Battle for Darracia series. About "The History Major": After a vicious fight with her boyfriend followed by a night of heavy partying, college freshman Amanda Greene wakes up in her dorm room to find things are not the same as they were yesterday. She can't quite put her finger on it. She's sharing her room with a peculiar stranger. Amanda discovers she's registered for classes she would never choose with pe

I remember years ago when I was a little girl. I used to have so much fun playing with this little record player that my mom had bought me. It was a set that came with a ton of kid's vinyl records. I'd listen to them over and over.  Then, one day I came across a box of my mom's old records, and she actually let me listen to those too, as long as I promised to be careful with them. I was. I danced around and sang my little heart out for hours. I became a big fan of Michael Jackson and Madonna and Prince at that time, thanks to her. She had a ton of other great ones. I've heard people say that nothing can truly compare to the sweet, warm sound that a record player can deliver. I  agree that CDs are more convenient and so are MP3s and MP4s, but the sound quality is definitely not the same.  My old record player went missing years ago, but my mom still has a big stack of vinyl records stored away, covered in dust... I have always wanted to get my mom a recor

My husband, son, and I get so excited every time we get to play a new game together. It's just kind of our thing. We decided that we're going to give this game to my son for Christmas, but I'm not going to lie--my husband and I opened it up early to try it out. Company's Product Description Players explain words by using synonyms, opposites and other clues without mentioning the actual word they are describing Challenging to both children and adults.  In this game, players use a spinner to see who you partner is for that round  For grownups there are special explaining styles that make the game even more hilarious For ages 7 +  You see, what's great about this  game is that there is a way for just adults to play or a way for a mixture of adults and children, Either way it's enjoyable. My husband and I got a kick out if it. We had to keep it down because our son was sleeping.  This game is going to be a hit on Christ

I nurse on demand throughout the day and at least once or twice a night. I also co-sleep with my baby for several hours a night, before I place her in her crib. In order to do this comfortably, I sleep on my side while I nurse my baby. I have been using this Side Sleeper Pillow and it has made my life easier. I have less aches and pains, and therefore, better sleep. It reminds me a bit of my maternity pillow, but smaller. It is a bit like a beanbag chair, that molds to your body when you lay on it.  This is such a great thing, in my opinion. There is an ear hole in it! Another feature that is needed for maximum comfort. I don't know if anyone else experiences this, but, sometimes when I side sleep on regular pillows, my ear hurts from all the pressure. This hole was a smart thing to add. It's also good if you happen to be the type of person who sleeps with earrings or have ear gauges in. It has micro air beads for cooler air flow. The pillow case is r

 What's better than a shower head that can not only beautify your skin and hair, but also save you a bit of money on your water bill? Look at this innovative product from Oakleaf.  I installed this shower head within a few minutes. It screwed onto the hose that we already had in our shower with no issue, no leaking. It's a smaller shower head than the previous one that we had been using, so I wondered how the flow was going to be. The way that I can best describe the flow is that it's soothing and gentle, but still not a weak flow. Some shower heads have a flow that's so strong it feels like little pins on your skin. This one feels like a relaxing massage. You can adjust the flow on the shower head by flipping a little switch. I love that it filters the water and also negative ionic spheres that help your hair and skin look better.  Before this shower head, I noticed that my hair  felt a bit more coarse and dry due to the hard water. This

I'm one of those people who feels the need to have as much security in my home as possible. I have a family and I want us to feel safe and relaxed in our house. One way to do this is by having a driveway alert system like the one that I'm currently using from 1 By One. The set comes with a  receiver and two sensors, as well as a little pack of screws to mount each device.  It requires 3 AAA batteries for each sensor and the receiver uses a couple of C batteries or you can use an adapter cord. Neither the batteries nor adapter cord are included, but can easily be bought at your next trip to the store.  This is the receiver. You can mount it onto a wall or stand it on a shelf or table if you want. For now, we just have ours placed on top of a book shelf where it is visible. It has light and sound to alert you when one of the two sensors gets triggered by any movement. We mounted one of the sensors near the garage and one near the front door so that we ca

I love handmade bars of soap that have a scent that stands out. Something good, of course, that can linger on my skin long after I've used it. Something that lathers up well and doesn't dry out my skin. These soaps from  Tiger Lily Soap are what I'm talking about. Spearmint Basil Soap Company's Description With an icy blast of spearmint and a hint of basil, this soap is an excellent way to start your day! Forget coffee! This combination of spearmint and basil is a great wake-me-up. The addition of sea salt and mint leaves makes for an incredible bathing experience. Ingredient List Saponified: Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Soybean Oil, Corn Oil, Hemp Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Sea Salt, Mint Leaves, Fragrance Oil. I absolutely love the scent of this bar of soap. It's a strong scent, but not so strong that it will irritate your nose. It's uplifting and is great for using first thing in the morning or when you need to wake up, in

Let's see...I now own a nursing cover for every day of the week. All different colors and designs. This latest one that I received came with a couple of cute little extras though. This breastfeeding cover has such a pretty design and I love the colors as well. I love that it comes with a few extras as well.  The cover has an adjustable collar strap, which has a rounded brim with flexible boning in it so that you can look down and see baby while he or she is eating. Also, baby can see you while eating and feel more comfortable. The fact that it comes out and away from your body also means that there is so much more breathing space for your baby.  There is a large pocket on the outside as well as a pocket with a few inserts on the inside of the cover. You can store a diaper, some wipes, a pacifier or teething ring, toy,etc... The swaddle blanket is a bit too small for my baby since she is now 7 months, but it works well as a spit u