Selling for Summer

    (Above picture was 24 hours worth of online orders from Kidizen and Buy/Sell/Trade sites)
 
My goal for this spring was to fund the kid's summer programs with my online selling. I now have enough in my Paypal to sign them up for their activities (Becca will be going to a horse riding camp and Joe wants private swim lessons and a couple day camps). By selling the kid's outgrown clothing I made enough to purchase their wardrobes for this summer and enough left over to fund their summer activities. My little hobby of dressing them cute pays off as I finally know the brands that hold and exceed their retail value. By buying clearance or watching sales I can buy an outfit for $20, have them wear it a season, and still sell it for more.

Now that I've funded their summer activities I'll be saving my profits for their curriculum for the fall. I already bought Joe's 2nd grade science, health, and history books (Abeka) for 1/3 of the price through Ebay, the same goes for Becca's science, health, and history. I funded those purchases by selling some curriculum myself that we had no need for. I've decided on Spectrum books for writing, reading, and math and have been able to get those from Half Price Books with credit from books that I take in. So far all the curriculum has had no out of pocket expense this year. That will change as they get older; for example, I'm highly considering the Seton program for Becca once she reaches high school, as it is an accredited school. That will mean $$$, which I hope to still be able to fund with creative ways. Where there is a will, there is a way.

To quote Plato,   

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” 

 

Life of Fred

As a homeschooling mama I know that what works for one child may not work for another. But I've found a math curriculum that both kids have been thoroughly enjoying. 

Life of Fred books is a ten book series starting with Kindergarten and working up to fourth grade material. There are also other series that go up through the high school level. Instead of being a text book, this is a fun story about Fred, a 5 year old prodigy math genius. Throughout the hilarious stories, Fred encounters situations that require solving math problems. These stories are entertaining and so weird that the kids love listening to them! Even Becca will sit down for the younger books to listen to the stories. 

The books make learning fun. For example, in the first book, APPLES, which is geared towards Kindergarten, you will learn telling time, days of the week, colors of the rainbow, and more.

While I would not use these solely as a math curriculum (and I don't think they are intended as one) we do read a chapter a day after we finish our own math text books/work sheets. Each book lasts us about a month (usually about 18 chapters per book). At the end of each chapter are some questions that reiterate what was just read about.

I see that they now have Life of Fred readers that I think Joe would love. I may have to include those in my next order!  


I've found Educents to have the best price on these books. You can earn "Educent Bucks" for future purchases as well and if you sign up through this link you will get $10 off your first order of $25 or more (on anything on their site, not just these books)! 

Referral links included in post.
 

My Own Boutique

For years I've dreamed of opening a children's boutique. With children and homeschooling that just wouldn't be feasible at this time. Not to mention that the high overhead of a brick and mortar store can mean little to no profit for years.

Enter the Kidizen app. 

It is a site to sell your children's outgrown clothes on. Sort of like an Etsy for children's items. 

There is a 7% fee, plus Paypal and shipping costs. Luckily, when you list an item in your shop the calculator will tell you the amount you will receive after fees. So you only have to figure in shipping costs to see what your net profit will be.

You get your own little shop (again, similar to Etsy!) and the selling process is easy. No fees to list, only if you sell an item.

The better brands mean more sales. But I have seen bundles of Carter items sell as well. It all depends on what someone is looking for.

Basically, I have my own little shop on Kidizen and only spend a couple hours a week posting items, packaging, and mailing them off. And since I started my shop in June I have made a profit of over $1,000. I sell about 6-15 items on average a week. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Most are my own children's outgrown items, but every once in awhile I find a great brand at a thrift store that isn't in my child's size and pick it up and list it. For example, some $4 sandals that I sold for $40. 

It's a fun way to make a little extra money, without needing to spend 40 hours a week at an actual storefront.

Now if only I could stop spending a portion of my proceeds at other stores on Kidizen! All my purchases through there have been amazing experiences and I find great brands and fun items that I have never heard of before.

This is not a sponsored post...I just love being able to make a little money as a stay-at-home mom and delve into my passion for children's clothing! It also makes my hubby happy, because he no longer rolls his eyes at a dress purchase of $20 when he knows I can make MORE than that reselling after our child wears it. There are some brands that just retain their value more than others, if not become worth more once it's a past season purchase that is harder to find.  
 

Thursday Thoughts

Lots of randomness today! 

*I'm burning a "Candy Corn" Prize Candle and it smells delicious in here. Not like candy corn, but some type of baked goodie. Delicious and very October-like!

*I'm halfway finished with Christmas shopping for the kids, and it's not even the middle of October. This "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" is awesome and easy! I also have a fun idea for handmade gifts for my family and friends, I just need to get some supplies ordered soon.

*Do you need some Fall/Winter clothing for your kiddos? Finish up clothes shopping online at Moxie Jean! With this link, only available for a few days yet (expires Oct. 15th), you can get $15 off your first order (and shipping is free over $50!). You can see my previous review here. I've never had a bad experience with them and there customer service is the best! Halloween costumes were just listed too, along with coats, winter wear, and boots!

*The 4 winners of the NuNaturals packages were randomly drawn by Rafflecopter and are: Babsi Bee, Kathy, Elizabeth S, and Antonia M. All have been contacted and the packages will be sent out soon! Thank you for entering!

*I'm dropping several subscription boxes. :( Birchbox, which I loved, is the next to go. I'm still keeping PopSugar and Ipsy for sure though!

I'm following Jennifer for Thursday Thoughts!

Disclaimer: Referral link included in post.
 

September PopSugar Must Have Spoiler

There is already a spoiler for the September PopSugar Must Have box! This beautiful scarf, with a $125 value!

I received a scarf (a different brand) in last fall's PopSugar box and love, love, love it! My sister even tried talking me into giving it to her because it is so soft and warm and lovely. I'm so excited that I resubscribed (after taking the summer off from this box) because this scarf looks awesome...and it's just one of the many items that will be in the box!

Plus, for new subscribers, you can use the code MUSTHAVEMOM for $10 off your first box, making it just $29.95! I'm thinking this will be a great box you won't want to miss out on!

Disclaimer: Referral links included in post.

Boden Love & Giveaway

If you've been reading my blog for long you realize that I have a love affair with clothes. You may also notice certain brands more often than others. Some of my favorites fill the kids clothes and dressers and one of those brands is Boden, specifically Mini Boden! 

I especially enjoy the boys "baggies" (shorts) as they grow with the kids through the years and match so many of their tops. The first year I buy them they fit like capris (which is the intention), the next year they fit like board shorts, and the next like regular shorts. So I essentially get three years wear out of them. And, they usually hold up so well that I can still resell them (the value of Boden resell is high!).

And their Baby Boden line is adorable. I always want it all for Amy! They have excellent sales, which I combine with a coupon code, and usually get some pretty decent deals for our clothes. 

The Fall 2014 line launches today! And OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!! This is my favorite line yet! A woodland theme?! PERFECT!!!!!

BIRDS?! This tunic is a favorite of mine and Becca agrees!

And this tunic top with footless tight set? Adorable!

Just look at these fabric choices this year. Birds, trees, color! Vintage and fun.

I don't own many Boden clothes for myself, but look at some of the items from the woman's line.

And these Baby Boden boys clothes make me want a baby boy, they are so cute.

You can use code X3Y2 for 15% off your order and free shipping. 

Ready for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate? Boden is graciously offering one of my winners a $50 gift certificate! This drawing is open to residents with a US-based shipping address and is only valid at www.BodenUSA.com.

You can come back to enter once daily. Drawing ends on Monday, July 28th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sticky9

Do you ever let photos add up in your Instagram account but do nothing with them? I recently ran across Sticky9  and think it's such a neat idea! You can turn your Instagram photos into magnets, phone cases, and more!

How cute are these?! They come in a sheet and you can either keep them that way or separate them into separate magnets.

These add such flair to our refrigerator and would be amazing for file cabinets at work, magnetic walls, canisters, etc. I think the possibilities are endless. These would also make great gifts for grandparents!

While this is not a sponsored post, I ran across this site on my own and purchased them on my own, you can use my referral link and code FRIENDXD79 to save 15% off your order, making a sheet of 9 pictures under $13!

Thursday Thoughts

*I hate it when you have to call a company to cancel an auto-ship account. Luckily, the subscription boxes that I love can all be canceled through e-mail (so easy!) but just yesterday I had to call two companies to cancel. The Honest Company now sells their diapers at Target so there is no reason for me to have a subscription when I can watch for Target sales, use my debit Redcard for 5% off, and get free shipping. Luckily, besides the long wait time, the subscription itself was easy to cancel.

Proactive, on the other hand, is insane. First of all, I had to try them out again as nothing I try is helping my breakouts. I don't know if it's hormones or stress or both but my skin is like a teenagers again. So I wanted to try Proactive again. Silly me, I didn't read the fine print and didn't realize that future shipments, for a 3 month supply, would be $109! No way - even if it works great I can't afford that! So, I call to cancel. And I can't. The guy is giving me the run around and I get flustered. I push auto-ship back to November and plan to call later to cancel. Seriously, it shouldn't be this hard to cancel and at this point I don't want to purchase from a company that is so pushy.

*Matilda Jane is having a good sale on some of their items. My friend got me hooked on their adorable clothes when she sent me the above dress for Amy. I die of cuteness! Their prices are way out of my price range, except for this sale, and some used pieces on Facebook. Goodness, it's dangerous on the pocketbook to have a girl!

*This may be an odd question, but how many dishes do you have in your cupboard? I'm constantly washing dishes, it seems, and I think I realize now that the problem is that we have too many dishes so I let them pile up longer than I should. Really, does one need 15 coffee cups or 12 plates? What is a reasonable amount of dishes for someone who doesn't entertain?!

*My goal for cleaning today is one garbage bag filled for donation and one garbage bag filled with garbage. I'm sure I can get a bag of garbage alone from my desk, which needs to be sorted and organized. :/ I've put it off long enough!

*Giveaway winner of the Willow & Sage magazine is Luna Lissa. Please e-mail your address! The winner of Snack Girl to the Rescue! was Jill G. and it's already been claimed and sent. There are some fun giveaways in the work so stay tuned!

I'm joining Jennifer in Thursday Thoughts! 

June 2014 PopSugar Code

If you're thinking of trying out the PopSugar Must Have box there is a new code for $15 off your first box! Just click here and enter
XL25K3Z when checking out.

I had canceled my subscription after the May box as I just wasn't happy with it at all. I didn't even review it because I felt it was so blah. But then, after trying out some of the products I had to reconsider. While a "$24" eye mask and an exercise DVD didn't excite me in the least, I'm finding out that the perfume included in the box (Smellbent in St. Tropaz, $45) is a new favorite. It smells just like summer to me...sunscreen! And while a lot of the reviews are bad it lingers all day and I love it.

I also have been using the Citrus Zinger Infuser water bottle ($16) daily. So maybe the May box wasn't as much a flop as I originally thought. Plus, usually when I hate a box the next month is awesome. So I'm giving it one more shot.

I'm not sure how long the code is supposed to last so sign up soon before the June boxes are sold out!

Disclaimer: My referral link is included in this post.   

Thanksgiving

I had planned to skip Thanksgiving totally this year but somehow the kids talked me into making some special food. The smell of pumpkin pie in the oven is delicious and bittersweet...one of Jacob's favorite desserts. Missing him so much today, and everyday.


Today I am thankful to God for loaning us an angel for 8 years. Those 8 years feel like a dream to me - having such a sweet little boy in our life who changed us forever. I wish I could have just one more minute to hug him, kiss him, and smell his head again but one minute would never be enough. Having a piece of me in Heaven means that I am able to glimpse pieces of Heaven here on earth, for that I am blessed.

I'm thankful for God placing the right people in our lives. Thank you to everyone who stood by us this year to help us, pray for us, and be there for us. We couldn't have gotten through without all of you.

Thank you for continuing the random acts of kindness. We can all make our corner of the world a better place, one act at a time.

What are your Thanksgiving plans this year? Anyone going to brave the crowds this year for shopping?

My thoughts on Black Friday (wouldn't it now be called "Black Thanksgiving?") is much different after working at Wal-Mart last year among the crowds of shoppers is basically sadness. I am all for a good deal but don't think it should invade on family time or turn into such a pig-fest of fighting, pushing, and trampling. 

Our Christmas this year will be much, much different. With that said, I'm not against a little online shopping with some of the good deals I've seen posted, though I have yet to purchase anything. I'm, again, kind of sad about all the e-mails from stores today promoting their sales. Can't it wait until tomorrow, at least?

With that said (rolling my eyes at myself), there is an awesome deal on PopSugar Must Have Boxes. If you've been wanting to try them out use the code GIFT10 for $10 off your first box. Wanting a longer subscription? Use code GIFT25 for $25 off a 3 month subscription, GIFT50 for $50 off a 6 month subscription, or GIFT75 for $75 off a year subscription. December boxes are still available and I'm crossing my fingers for an awesome box so close to the holidays!

I'll post other deals that I may run across but am hoping the majority are waiting until tomorrow.

Sam's Club

When I posted about the Sam's Club deal (which is no longer available) I mentioned that I would post a review of whether I thought it was a good savings or not.

I've been to Sam's Club a few times with my membership and find that a lot of things aren't a good deal, though they are no worse of a deal than at normal stores. I've also found some items that do save me a lot of money.

Bottled water is an excellent deal there. We don't drink it often but like to keep some on hand for car trips, picnics, etc. Much less expensive than picking up a drink on the go!

Milk.

Fruit and vegetables. For example, this past week I was able to get 12oz. packages of raspberries for $2.98. I typically watch for what is on sale and that is our fruit/vegetables for that week. My kids were thrilled with the raspberries (one of their favorite fruits!).

Grains and pasta.

Dishwasher detergent.

Laundry detergent.

Birthday cake (this is where we purchased Jacob's cake, on a whim, and the customer service in the bakery department was great - they decorated it with Star Wars right then and there for us)

I wouldn't shop there weekly but do think it is worth it monthly to stock up on certain supplies. I don't know if I will renew next spring, unless they have a special like they did this year.
 

Diaper Deal

The Honest Company is offering a great deal for new customers. Save 40% off any bundle (one bundle per new customer). I love, love, love their diaper bundles. I haven't been using cloth lately for Amy with everything that has been going on and feel better when I am able to use eco-friendly, free of lotions, fragrances, and latex diapers for her. Their diaper bundles include six jumbo packages (and so many adorable designs to choose from - pick several of the cute designs per bundle!) and 4 packages of their wipes (which are also another favorite of mine). That makes a bundle of 6 packages of diapers and 4 wipes for $48. You can't even get store brand for that price, much less eco-friendly.

Don't have a child in diapers? Their household bundles are also 40% off for new customers. Pick from laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, cleansers, health and beauty, etc.

If you don't want to be a part of their auto ship just call and cancel once your order arrives. I think you may end up loving their products, they are reasonably priced and everything is sent directly to your home. One less things to think about each month (you can also put off shipping for a few months at a time if you don't need products that month. I know the diaper bundles last me much longer than one month).

Use code PlumB2S40 at check out here.

Disclaimer: Referral links included.

 

Coupon Crazy by Mary Potter Kenyon

With getting back into blogging starting with reviews it is only fair that the first review be of my mom's book, Coupon Crazy, which was released on August 1st by Familius Publisher.

I read it immediately upon receiving it (lucky me, I received a review copy extra early!). You know I loved it, but even if I wasn't her daughter I still would have been fascinated by the history of coupons, the in depth research on the average coupon user, etc. Instead of raving on and on about the book (which I totally would!) as her daughter I'm linking to a review on Coupons in the News.

It is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Also available at your local Barnes & Noble or can be ordered from your independent local bookstore. Also available for the NOOK.

May Citrus Lane Box

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have signed Becca and Joe up for a subscription box in order for them to feel special too, when Jacob is getting a little extra attention these days.

Joe's subscription box is Citrus Lane and he absolutely loves it! He talks about "his box" all the time and squeals when he sees the brown and yellow box in the mail each month. I used to subscribe to them for their newborn boxes (before Amy was born) but moved it up to Joe when they extended their age range up to age 5.

They tailor the boxes to your child's age. There have been some pretty cool boxes in the past and I've never been disappointed.

For the 5 year old box Joe received:

*The Gigantic Turnip, Book & CD Set from Barefoot Books ($9.99)

*Green Toys Planting Kit ($5.99) Joe wanted to do this right away and I bet he will be watching for his seeds to sprout each and every day!

*Be Good to Bugs kids gardening gloves from Melissa and Doug ($4.99)

*Snackimals Cereals from Barbara's Bakery ($1?) Joe loved this - I'll have to see if I can find them in stores nearby.

*To-Go Disinfectant Surface Spray from CleanWell ($3?) This went right into the diaper bag for when we are out and about.

*A special treat for mom was Moisture Stick from Deep Steep ($5.95) I love lotion sticks and bars. They are perfect for sticking in your purse without having to worry about lotion leaking all over. This one smells delicious!

This month added up to $30.92. Each box costs $25 and often the contents are valued much higher! If you would like to save $10 off your first box use this link to sign up! Boxes are for ages 0-5. This would especially make a nice baby shower gift (the baby boxes have lots of baby essentials) or for a present from a grandparent that lives out of state. Or a "just because" monthly gift from mama. :)

Disclaimer: Referral links included.

Subscription Box Deal

For those wanting to try a subscription box for their children I just wanted to mention that today Plum District has a 3 month subscription to The Happy Box for 50% off! It's just $30 to purchase three months through them, which equals to just $10 a month.

The Happy Box is a craft box with a different theme each month. It is for ages 4-8 or 8-11 (finally a box for my older children, they have been asking for one for months!). Perfect for these upcoming rainy spring days!

Use this link to get the deal! (Yes, it is my referral link! I appreciate anyone who goes through it!) I'll post a review of our first box when it arrives!
 

Try it...for free?

I've been tempted to try a Sam's Club membership for about a year now. As my children get older they are eating A LOT more. Anything that can be bought in bulk (especially fruits, vegetables, and dairy) is a huge help! When I broke down the costs for a membership it didn't seem like it would save us a lot though.

Today Living Social has a deal that is too great to pass up. If you don't have a membership at this time, get a one year membership for $45. While that may not sound so hot, this also comes with a $20 Sam's Club gift card and foo vouchers for an Artisan Fresh Rotisserie Chicken, Artisan Fresh Take-and-Bake Pizza, and Two Boxes of 6-, 12-, or 24-Count Artisan Fresh Cookies from Sam's Club (vouchers valued at $19.84). So with that deal you are *basically* getting a membership for $5 or so after the gift card and vouchers. I couldn't pass that up!

Use this link if you are interested in getting this deal (it is a referral link). I'll post a review of my first shopping trip once I go to see how much savings I feel there is in having a membership.

If you already have a Sam's Club membership, what do you save the most on? Do you feel as though you get a substantial savings each year shopping there?

 

Moxie Jean

By now you all know that I have a thing for children's clothing. By shopping smart and selling smart I am usually able to turn around and break even on the clothing that I buy for the kids. Even when my children stain an item (which they often do) if it is a good brand name it will still sell on online forums in "play condition".

I used to love ThredUp when they did boxes of clothing for trade through the mail. For a year and a half I got almost all my children's clothing from that site. I even touted them here on this blog a few times. With very little notice they then changed into an online consignment shop. The prices went sky high, the customer service levels dropped, and now they have many unhappy customers who feel their items were stolen when they sent in excellent condition clothing (even new with tag items!) that were not accepted but just disappeared. I had the same experience and stopped shopping their site. 

I missed the convenience of buying through the mail. Instead of dragging kids along and trying to browse through racks while still keeping an eye on them I can shop at midnight in my pjs from the comfort of my own home when online.

Imagine my delight when just last week I ran across the online consignment store Moxie Jean. The clothing is adorable and the stylists who put the outfits together do a fantastic job. For busy mamas, finding a place that sells complete outfits is amazing! I find the prices to be comparable to other gently used clothing online.

I ordered several items on Thursday and received them in the mail just 4 days later. Each outfit bundle was tied together nicely and I was impressed with the presentation.

Everything was clean and in like new condition. 

The shipping costs are very reasonable or free if you spend over $50 (and this was a good value as they shipped it in a flat rate priority mailer which is $10+ to mail).

The only issue I had was the infant green set that I bought was listed as a Tea Collection outfit but turned out to be Petunia Picklebottom. Since I'm doing a review of their service I decided to contact them to see what they would do about it and they quickly responded to say that they were sorry for this mix-up and that I could return it for a full refund. Of course, I'm keeping it and it actually ended up in my favor since Petunia Picklebottom is a more expensive brand than the Tea Collection.

Moxie Jean also will buy your like new used clothing and send a bag already postage paid for you to fill and return to them. They have a price list on their site and will give you cash or credit to their store. Whatever they can't accept they say they donate to local charities and give examples on their website (unlike ThredUp which is very vague about what they do with the unaccepted clothing). This is a great service for those mamas who don't want to list on Ebay or drag a tote to the local consignment shop.

I am very happy with my purchase and will definitely be purchasing from them again. Sizes on their site range from infant to age 8 (I really wish they went up to size 12!). Since I was referred by a friend I was able to take $10 off my first order, which brought my total down to $45.95 (and free shipping since my original total was over $50). That makes my order an average of $4.50 per clothing item! If you are a new customer you can use this link to get $10 off a $20 order.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I'm just sharing a new online company I am excited about. My referral link is included in this review.

Cravebox Winter Favorites

Cravebox is different than typical subscription boxes, as a matter of fact, it's not a subscription box at all. Basically, you create an account at Cravebox (totally free to do so). You will then be e-mailed when a new box is available; if it sounds like something you want you sign up to see if you are chosen (so far I've been chosen to receive 2 out of the 3 I signed up for). If it doesn't sound like a box you want you don't enter your name for it. Boxes range in price from $10-$15. There are no subscriptions to cancel and you pick the boxes you want.

The first Cravebox for me was the Winter Favorites. You don't know what is in the box when you order but you answer questions on a questionnaire from them and that is how I think they choose their "winners"...if your answers correspond with what will be in the box to see if it's a good fit for you.

At first I was a bit disappointed when I opened the box, it didn't look like a whole lot for the $14 that I paid. Then I realized that there was a pile of free coupons too! I was beyond happy then! Included was:

*Coupon for free Pillsbury Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crust ($4.01)

*Coupon for free Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough ($3.82)

*Coupon free International Delight Iced Coffee Half Gallon (at least worth $3 or $4)

*Coupon free International Delight creamer product ($3.75)

*Coupon Free Nancy's Frozen Appetizer or Dessert (up to $9.99)

*Buy 1 get 1 free Belvita Breakfast Biscuits ($2.98)

*Campbell's Gourmet Bisques Golden Butternut Squash soup ($3.99)

*Four samples of Vitabath body wash (with scents like Grapefruit vanilla, Beach Blossom, Dreamy Pink Frosting, and Green Tea & Sage). (Maybe 25 cents each?)

*Belvita breakfast biscuit (50 cents?)

*Mary Kay lip gloss in Red Passion ($14)

*Heinz Chili Sauce ($3.99)

So around a $51 value for $14! I know the boxes that came out this month were Dog Lovers (I got in and it should be delivered tomorrow!) and Teen Time. Also New Year's Resolutions which I am waiting to hear back on. What I love about this and subscription boxes is that whatever I can't use will go into my gift cupboard which will make for some awesome goodie baskets next year!

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, Cravebox has no idea who I am, I'm just sharing what I love. None of the links are referral links.

Christmas Greetings

I'm a little behind wishing you all a Merry Christmas but I hope that it was a great one for you and your family.

I loved our simple Christmas. This was a '4 gift Christmas' and ended up being stress-free and one of the kid's favorites. With that said, our house is still a mess today and while I would love to take the day after Christmas easy and just lounge around and clean up it happens to also be my husband's birthday so we often go shopping, or out to eat. This year we were gifted a "family day out" with a gift card to a restaurant, a days pass to a museum, and a car pass into a park filled with Christmas lights so we spent our day having fun as a family.

With Christmas past us I want to remind everyone that lots of money can be saved by shopping for next Christmas now. Because I stocked up last year when things were 75% off I didn't have to buy any wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, or gift tags this year. Not only that but gifts can be found at awesome prices the next few weeks and not only will shopping early save you money but also stress. Most items are not holiday specfic, so getting lotion, books, movies, gift sets, etc. for 50% to 75% off and sticking them in your "gift cupboard" will make gift giving easy all through the year. Many great deals will be online in the coming weeks as well.

I'm exhausted after a full two days and am heading off to bed soon. Time to get back to normal starting tomorrow!

Citrus Lane

One of the fun things about having a baby so far after my last means that instead of hand-me-downs from my other kids we get to start afresh with baby things.

Having recently gotten on the bandwagon of subscription boxes I was thrilled to come across a code for Citrus Lane, a box I've been wanting to try out! It's a monthly subscription box for infants, babies, and toddlers. They match each monthly themed box to your child's age, so different aged babies/toddlers get different items in their box.

What I love about subscription boxes is that you get to try items that you've never heard about. It's also a total surprise what you are getting each month so it's almost like getting a little present in the mail!

This was my first box from Citrus Lane and the kids and I had a blast going through it...the first things that we've bought for the baby so far!

This month's theme was "Fun With Food". Included in the box was:

*String Bean toy by Under the Nile ($8). Joe has a doll similar to this and it is one of his favorite toys...he sleeps with it and brings it in the car with us so I know the baby will love this, first as a teether and later as a little doll.

*Green Eats set of four snack bowls ($6.99). These are made from recycled milk jugs and are BPA free. I love the green color and I know that these will be favorites of all the kids.

*Goodbyn Snack Container ($5.49). BPA free and perfect for car rides, sticking in a diaper bag, etc.

*Juice Beauty Nutrient Moisturizer ($9) for mama. Can't wait to try this!

*Madecasse Chocolate Squares ($2) for mama. Hiding these for a day when I need them!

About $31.50 worth of items this month. Each Citrus Lane box costs $25 but you can often find good deal codes for them (I bought a Groupon deal for $35 for three months). You may be able to still use the code "takehalf" for 50% off your first box. Otherwise, I know the code SPRINGFUN will take 10% off your order. Some boxes are valued quite higher than this month.

You can also buy a gift subscription for someone...this is a perfect gift for a new mama!!

*This post is not sponsored by Citrus Lane, I just wanted to show off my fun box. Afflilate links are included in this post.*