Alpha Sherpa Back Pack Diaper Bag Review And Giveaway

There is no such thing as a quick trip to the grocery store anymore. Two kids equal a lot of "essentials". There has to be snacks, diapers, wipes, juice, extra clothes-just in case, toys, and don't forget the camera! The longer the outing, the more necessities that need to be added to that list. I believe in having several different sizes of diaper bags for different outings.



The new Alpha Sherpa Back Pack Diaper Bag from Baby Sherpa is a bag that I can use for longer outings and weekend trips. Heather Campbell-Dewar and her husband Gary became parents in 2000. They struggled to find a quality diaper bag that held all of their baby necessities and decided to create their own. They retained a world class diaper bag backpack designer and designed and manufactured a technical diaper backpack-The Baby Sherpa.

Baby Sherpa sent us our own Alpha Sherpa Back Pack Diaper Bag.


The Alpha Sherpa is 17 inches x 10.5 x 7 inches and has 10 pockets. The "parent pack" includes a changing pad in the back pocket, insulated bottle holder, and an amazing amount of storage. They even thought of blogger mommies(and other professionals) and included a padded laptop compartment that holds most 14" laptops.

I have been blown away by this back pack! It was put together extremely well and is very heavy duty. They have included everything that a parent may want or need in a diaper bag. There are even toy loops so that no favorite toy has to be left behind.



This is probably one of the most comfortable diaper bags that I've ever carried. I don't have to worry about a bag dangling down and having it on my back just feels better. It is also more "masculine" so hubby doesn't mind toting it around as much. Even though I could use smaller diaper bags on trips to the store, I still use the Alpha Sherpa. It has everything that I might need in one small place. It is just so easy to grab and walk out the door.

Be sure to check out Baby Sherpa for all of the amazing features of the Alpha Sherpa!

Buy It!
You can purchase the Alpha Sherpa Back Pack Diaper Bag for $119. Use the code Blog20 to get $20 off the regular price AND there is free shipping through October 31st!

Win It!!
Baby Sherpa is giving one of my readers the Alpha Sherpa Back Pack Diaper Bag!!!

To enter, visit Baby Sherpa and tell me your favorite feature of the Alpha Sherpa Back Pack Diaper Bag. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email OR follow my blog via google friend OR follow in a reader. Leave a separate comment for each that you do.

2- For TWO extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and
Baby Sherpa.

3- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN the Alpha Sherpa from @BabySherpa59 @twoofakind http://bit.ly/Rdkh0 Open to US AND Canada #giveaway

4- Follow Baby Sherpa on Twitter.

5- Become a fan of Baby Sherpa on Facebook.

6- Become a fan(or let me know if you already are) of Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

7- For FIVE extra entries, purchase anything from Baby Sherpa before the end of this giveaway. Use the code Blog20 to get $20 off the regular price AND there is free shipping through October 31st!

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on October 19th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US and Canada!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Thank you to Baby Sherpa who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Do It While You Can

I got this email from one of my aunts today and it brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes we all get caught up in life and fight about things that don't really matter. I just wanted to share this simple reminder to love to the fullest while you can.

I don't know who wrote this or where it originally came from, but here is the email:

One day a woman's husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't "anymore".

No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute."

Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all
used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, say "I love you."

So while we have it, it's best we love it, care for it, fix it when
it's broken and heal it when it's sick.

This is true for marriage ......
And old cars ..
And children with bad report cards, and dogs with bad hips, and
aging parents and grandparents.

We keep them because they are worth it, because
we are worth it.

Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a sister-in-law after divorce. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what..

Life is important, like people we know who are special.. And so, we keep them close!

I was thinking..I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that needed rekindling or three words needing to be said.

Let every one of your friends know you love them. Even if you think they don't love you back, you would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do.

Live today to the fullest because tomorrow is not promised.

Wordless Wednesday-The Girls

It's not very often that I'm actually IN a picture...I'm always the one taking them. This was taken last week at my brother's birthday party. LOL-it looks like Isabella was hungry.

If you have a Wordless Wednesday on your blog, leave you link here so I am sure to visit!



For more Wordless Wednesday go check out 5 minutes for mom and 7 Clown Circus!

Zooni Review And Giveaway

It will be getting cooler outside before we know it. I'm sure many places up north are already a little chilly in the mornings. It is almost time to start pulling out the jackets, mittens, and hats.



Zooni carries a collection of unique hand-knit hats and mittens. They are super fun and bring smiles to anyone who sees them. They feature bright colors and animals that appeal to all children. You'll never have to fight with your child to wear their hat or mittens again.

Zooni sent us the Pretty n'Pink Mop Top Hat for Isabella.


It came packaged in their cute little box.


The inside of the hat is an amazingly soft fleece material. It features several shades of pink and I can't wait for Isabella to wear it. I asked for a 0-6 months, but it is still way too big for her tiny head. Hopefully she'll be able to wear it when it gets really cold in January.


It actually fits Evan's head and he is 2. It is really snug on his head, but it is closer to fitting him.


This has to be the cutest winter hat that I've ever seen. I think that Zooni should carry an adult line so that I can match Isabella! I only wish that we had more cooler months here so that she could sport her hat for longer.

Be sure to check out Zooni for their full collection of hats and mittens.

Buy It!
You can purchase the Pretty n'Pink Mop Top Hat for $30.50.

Win It!!
Zooni is giving one of my readers a hat of their choice(depending on availability)!

To enter, visit Zooni and tell me which hat you'd choose! This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email OR follow my blog via google friend OR follow in a reader. Leave a separate comment for each that you do.

2- For TWO extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and
Zooni.

3- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a @ZooniWear hat @twoofakind http://bit.ly/2bnmm2 Open to US and Canada #giveaway

4- Follow ZooniWear on Twitter.

5- Become a fan of Zooni on Facebook.

6- Become a fan of Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

7- For FIVE extra entries, purchase anything from Zooni before the end of this giveaway.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on October 19th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US and Canada!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Thank you to Zooni who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Got Giveaways? 9/29

Please feel free to link up to as many of your giveaways as you'd like. If you linked up last week and your giveaway is still going on, please link up again!

If you could let other people know that I'm doing this, I'd really appreciate it. It's not mandatory, but it would be great if you could add my button to your blog or send a tweet out to get people here and post their giveaways!


Please link to the specific post for each giveaway-NOT just your blog! I will delete your link if it does not go directly to the giveaway.

Winners!

Thank you once again to everyone who took the time to visit these sponsors and enter their giveaways! I wanted to give a quick reminder that you need to make your email visible on your profile or leave it in your comment. The first winner I chose didn't have an email on their profile so I had to choose another winner! If you need help with making your email public, please let me know.

The Knickernappies Giveaway had 617 comments and the winner is:
#164-Jaimin
"They carry the BumGenius diaper sprayer, which would be so wonderful to have with cloth diapers, or right after you have a baby!!"

The Keurig Platinum Brewer Giveaway had 1814 comments and the winner is:
#1394-Stuff Smart (formerly Targetmom)
"I'd like to try:
1-Vanilla Bean BAM coffee by Emerils
2-Blueberry cobbler coffee by Bellaccino
3-Mocha Nut Fudge Coffee by Green Mountain
4-Irish Cream Coffee by Timothys"

Congrats to the winners! They have been emailed and have 3 days to get back in touch with me.

Pearl Paradise Akoya Pearl Necklace Review And Giveaway

Pearls are classic. Many types of jewelry go in and out of style, but a strand of pearls will always be around. They can be worn for senior pictures and weddings or with jeans. If cared for properly, they can be passed down from generation to generation and become amazing heirlooms.



Pearl Paradise is the world's largest online pearl company selling the finest pearls at 80% off retail. Everyone at Pearl Paradise is required to complete the Gemological Institute of America's pearl diploma program so they can be as helpful as possible to customers. They have been online since 2000 and are committed to providing high quality pearls at a fraction of the cost. With their 90 day money back guarantee, you can buy with peace of mind.

Pearl Paradise sent me this amazing strand of Akoya Pearls.


The strand that they sent me is made of perfectly round, 7.0-7.5 mm, white akoya pearls. They have been knotted between each pearl to ensure that they stay perfect. Being knotted provides me with peace of mind that if something were to happen and the strand broke, my pearls wouldn't scatter all over the floor. It is finished with a 14-Karat, ball shaped clasp in a choice of white or yellow gold. Mine came in white gold. It is available in two grades: AA+ or AAA. I received the AA+ which is very lustrous and virtually blemish free.

Every piece comes showcased in an elegant box so that you can keep it safe. They also come with a pearl care kit and an appraisal. The pearl care kit includes a polishing cloth and care instructions.


I am amazed by the prices at Pearl Paradise. My strand of pearls came with an appraisal valued at $2,400. I chose the 18" strand of 7.0-7.5mm Akoya Pearls that Pearl Paradise sells for only $480. That is a savings of just under $2,000!


In the south, we will wear pearls with anything. I have worn my new pearls several times and I absolutely love them. They lay perfectly and I couldn't ask for anything more. Here is a close up of my pearls on my neck.


Visit Pearl Paradise to be educated about pearls and see everything that they have to offer. They have necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, and sets available in Akoya, Tahitian, Fresh Water, White South Sea, and Golden South Sea pearls.

Buy It!
You can purchase the same 7.0-7.5mm Akoya Pearl Necklace that I have for $480.

Win It!!
Pearl Paradise is giving one of my readers a 7.0-7.5mm Akoya Pearl Necklace like the one I received!!

To enter, visit Pearl Paradise and tell me something else that you'd love to have! This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email OR follow my blog via google friend OR follow in a reader. Leave a separate comment for each that you do.

2- For TWO extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and
Pearl Paradise.

3- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a strand of Akoya Pearls valued at $2400 @twoofakind http://bit.ly/wMowh Open to Us AND Canada!

4- Place my green Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House button on your blog.

5- For FIVE extra entries, purchase anything from Pearl Paradise before the end of this giveaway.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on October 19th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US and Canada!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Thank you to Pearl Paradise who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Anne Geddes Pure Singlet

Anne Geddes is a name that we all recognize. She is known for her fantastic photographs of small babies posed as if they are part of nature. Her images have been published in 83 countries and she has sold more than 18 million copies of her books worldwide.

In 2001, Anne Geddes launched her clothing collection, Anne Geddes Baby. She is now introducing the Pure Collection. This line is made from 100% pure, 100% natural fibers that are safe for both baby and the environment. The collection became available Sept 2009 in limited quantities exclusively at the Anne Geddes flagship store located in the Downtown Disney® District in Anaheim, California, and online at www.annegeddes.com.

Anne Gedes sent us the pure Singlet. It features a newborn on the front with soft muslin detail.


In Australia, the Singlet is a must-have for newborns. It can be worn by itself on warmer days and provides another layer during cooler weather. After spending time with hundreds of babies and their moms, Anne Geddes believes that they deserve the very best. Her entire Pure layette is meant to nurture and protect babies.

The Singlet arrived in this pouch.


The back has the Anne Geddes Pure tag on it.


In pure Anne Geddes fashion, this Singlet is amazing. It is super soft and absolutely adorable. My only problem with it is that it runs pretty small. The size is newborn, but I don't think it would fit larger newborns very well. My baby was 8 pounds when she was born, but lost down to 7lb 4oz and stayed under 8 pounds for 2 weeks. At 3 weeks, it was a tight fit and she hasn't worn it since. I really think it should come in different sizes since many babies skip the newborn size all together. Here you can see a little more detail from a picture of Isabella in hers.


Isabella wore it a few times during her first 2 weeks and I thought she was adorable in it. I know that she was comfortable and it kept her cool in our humid heat. I think Anne Geddes should come out with an adult collection that is this soft.

Buy It!
You can purchase the Anne Geddes Pure Singlet for $24.50.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Thank you to Anne Geddes who supplied the product for the review.

Aloha Friday

It's Aloha Friday over at An Island Life! Answer my question and make sure you post one on your blog! After that, go relax because today is Friday!!

My question for this week is:

Are you good at making decisions on your own?

I'm not! There are some things that I can make split decisions on, but most of the time I have to do a lot of research and get other people's opinions. That's why I love review blogs, I can get other parents' opinions on everything from cloth diapering to what toy to buy.

Kidorable Review And Giveaway

I really enjoy it when I get to dress Evan up in cute little boy things. I know that one day soon he won't want to wear the "little boy" clothes and I won't have much of a say in what he puts on.



Kidorable is a website that I can turn to when I want my little man to be "cutesy". They have a fantastic selection of rain wear that is sure to turn heads. Kidorable was created in 1997 out of the necessity for functional and fun children's apparel. Since then, Kidorable has become a name that both parents and children can get excited about.

Kidorable sent Evan the Fireman Rain Coat and Boots.



The Firetruck Rain Coat is PVC with a comfortable polyester lining. The Firetruck Rain Boots are made of natural rubber. In addition to the Rain Coat and Boots, Kidorable also carries other products in the Firetruck collection including an umbrella, gloves, and more!



Evan absolutely loves his Firetruck Rain Wear! He would wear that jacket all day long if we let him. Even though it is still 80 or so degrees here, he likes to wear his jacket rain or shine. It came on a super cute firetruck hanger. It helps him want to put his jacket away all by himself because he gets to put it on HIS hanger. I got the jacket and boots a little big so he'll be able to wear them throughout the winter and spring. He will probably still be able to wear the jacket next winter too.



The boots are a life saver. Little boys go straight for a mud puddle when they see one and these are the reason his shoes aren't getting ruined. I can let him go play and splash in the mud puddles without messing up his clothes or his regular shoes.

We get tons of compliments when he's wearing his Rain Gear and I always recommend Kidorable.

Buy It!
You can purchase the Firetruck Rain Coat for $36 and the Firetruck Rain Boots are $29.

Win It!!
Kidorable is giving one of my readers their own umbrella!

To enter, visit Kidorable and tell me which style you'd choose. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email OR follow my blog via google friend OR follow in a reader. Leave a separate comment for each that you do.

2- For TWO extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Kidorable.

3- Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a @Kidorable umbrella @twoofakind http://bit.ly/K9QSr

4- Follow Kidorable on Twitter.

5- Follow me on Twitter.

6- Become a fan of Kidorable on Facebook.

7- For FIVE extra entries, purchase anything from Kidorable before the end of this giveaway.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on October 12th when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US only.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Thank you to Kidorable who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Euphoria Maternity Nummies Nursing Bra

Having a good nursing bra is imperative when breastfeeding. You want one that gives good support and is comfortable. The bra also needs to be well made so it lasts throughout your breastfeeding experience.




Euphoria Maternity has done a fantastic job at selecting some of the best nursing bras. Euphoria Maternity is a family owned company located in South Carolina. Their goal is to provide eco-savvy moms with stylish maternity clothes, easy-to-use nursing clothes, and a wide-variety of safe, environmentally wise products for baby at our sister site EuphoriaBaby.com. Their maternity clothes include amazing name brands such as Maternal America, Schone, Japanese Weekend, Olian Maternity, and Lauren Kiyomi. They also carry fantastic designer nursing clothes such as Boob, Maternalove, Blissful Babes, and Majamas.

Euphoria Maternity sent me the Nummies Underwire Fashion Nursing bra to review.


I chose the bra before I had the baby. Rachel was really helpful and told me that this bra runs a little large and I would probably need to go down a cup size. She was right and it fit really well-it may have even been a little big. However, when my milk came in I went up in cup size. The bra still fits because it was slightly big, but is a little on the small side now.

I still wear it all the time because it is my favorite. The molded cups give great shape and the support is amazing. I also like that it has underwire because a lot of nursing bras don't. It says to hand wash, but I don't have time for that with a newborn and 2 year old. I put it in a lingerie bag and throw it in the wash and then hang dry. I've been wearing it for 7 months and it has held up great!

I haven't tried out many different brands, but Nummies is definitely my favorite of the ones that I have tried. Be sure to check out Euphoria Maternity for all of their other amazing products.

They also have tons of information on their blog.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Thank you to Euphoria Maternity who supplied the products for review.

MAGHOUND Winners

The MAGHOUND Giveaway was super short and is already over. Thank you to everyone who saw it and entered-this is a great prize! There are TWO winners for this one and they will both get 1 year subscription to THREE of their favorite magazines!

The winners are...
#36-Kindra
"I'm a fan of Two of a Kind on Facebook."

AND

#169-theprophecygirl
"I would choose Everyday Food or Marie Claire or Real Simple."

The winners have been emailed and have 3 days to get back in touch with me.

Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Double Stroller

With two small children, a double stroller is a must have item. I can't risk having my son run off while I tend to the baby. The only problem is that double strollers can be very large or heavy. Finding the perfect stroller to fit your needs is a must.



Kolcraft has different options including the Contours Options Tandem Double Stroller. Kolcraft was created in 1946 and has been a name that parents have grown to trust. Kolcraft carries a fantastic selection of products including: Playards, High Chairs, Walkers, Strollers, Bassinets, Bouncers, Swings, and Juvenile Furniture. They are now the #1 Crib Mattress manufacture. Kolcraft has also partnered with Sealy®, Sesame Beginnings™, Jeep®, and Nascar® to bring the best in children's products.

Kolcraft sent us the Contours Options Tandem Double Stroller to use with our children.


The Contours Options Tandem Stroller has tons of options. It is perfect for two infants, an infant and a toddler, two toddlers, or just one child. This stroller has the most options that I've seen because the Seats Easily Reverse to create 6 different stroller options. In the picture above, you see that the two seats are facing out. They can also be turned to face each other.


If you want to keep a close eye on both children, you can turn them both to face you.


If you need a ton of storage space with one child, you can use this option.


This is the way we're using it right now. We put Isabella's car seat in the attachment that is included with the stroller and face Evan's seat out. It makes having them out in stores so much easier with a stroller that is front/back instead of side by side. We fit through store aisles easier and the stroller fits in the back of my car better. The only thing that I don't like about the seats in this option is that I can't recline Evan's seat because Isabella's car seat is so large and prevents it. I also don't like not having an additional sun shade so that Isabella is covered from the back of her car seat AND the front. We have to put a blanket over her to keep the sun(and unwanted strangers) out of her face.



The infant car seat attachment fits most car seat brands on the market. There is even an additional car seat attachment that can be purchased for twins. You would just put the additional attachment on the front instead of the red seat.


Both seats can recline for naps and comfort.


The stroller is easy to maneuver with two 8" front single swivel & 10" rear never flat wheels.


I absolutely love that there are two cup holders and a covered tray. My husband and I can both put our drinks in there and have somewhere to keep our keys and/or cell phones.


To fold up, you need to take off the front seat or both seats. Even though that is a hassle, it is really easy to take the seats off. Simply push the red button on both sides and pull the seat up.


With the front seat off, or both seats if you're using the infant attachment, it folds really small. It can even stand up on its own.


We used it at a parade on Labor Day and it was very easy to steer through the crowds. If you look close on the back, you can see a strap with a handle. There is one on each side so that older children can hold on to walk beside the stroller.


Evan loves having his own canopy. Pulling it back and forth keeps him occupied in stores.


Overall, we are very pleased with this stroller. It is the one that I use the most because it is thinner than side by side strollers. I have used it several times with ease when I am by myself with the kids. I wish you didn't have to take the seats off for it to fold up as compact as possible, but like I said, it isn't that hard to take the seats off. As Isabella gets older, I think having the option of turning the seats around will be fantastic. I also think the two side handles for older children to hold onto was very thoughtful. It's easier to be out in public with multiple children if the older ones can hold on to the handles and you know they're going to stay beside you. I would definately recommend the Contours Options Tandem Stroller to any parent.

Buy It!
You can purchase the Contours Options Tandem Double Stroller for $249.99. The additional car seat attachment can be purchased for $29.99 if you have twins.

Stay tuned for a giveaway sponsored by Kolcraft during the Mistletoe Madness event!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Thank you to Kolcraft who supplied the product for review.