Things Are Changing....

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for everyone who followed Grab Bag and 4 Little Monkeys to come check out my new blog venture. It speaks to my life as it is now, and hopefully alot of yours. Hop on over to Sneaky Green Blog and start following me there. There is so much to come!!

CLICK HERE

Happy Hunger Games

The plan is to go see Hunger Games at midnight. Who else is going?

Sick Monkeys

It never fails. As soon as I carve out time to do something for myself there is always a large unavoidable hiccup. My last post was about shots, lumps, and ERs (oh my!). That has now morphed into bronchitis, ear infections, and fevers (oh my!). My little man is on an antibiotic, steroid, and cough medicine until this sickness clears up. Which I hope is sooner rather than later. His sleep has been almost non-existent and he has become my shadow. If I dare to leave him in the room along he has a complete meltdown full with kicking legs, flailing arms, and high pitched screams. He also just got into super glue. Thankfully I was able to get his fingers rinsed and the glue set before he touched anything, but he's currently having a fit because his fingers feel funny. So pray for me. HA! But seriously.

We should be back to our regularly, newly, scheduled programming once he is on the mend.

Let's Meet

What A Difference A Day Makes

Friday I posted a small teaser on my Facebook page referencing the running of the bulls. That was my intended subject for Friday but, as usual, my monkeys had other plans. It was supposed to be a leisurely morning of getting my big boy off to school, then taking our time picking out cute outfits and getting ready for a twice yearly consignment sale that resembles the running of the bulls in Pamplona. But

If you remember, on Thursday my two littlest monkeys had their well visits, and both received sets of immunizations. My 2 year old recovered pretty quickly, being soothed by some snuggles, but complained immediately that his legs were hurting. Par for the course. That night he had an awful time getting to sleep, and woke up continuously through the night limping out to the big gorilla and I. Friday morning, his temp was normal but he was extremely sluggish, clingy, and willing to watch Elmo... this kid doesn't sit still for anything, not even Elmo's fuzzy cuteness. He started whining and grabbing his neck saying, "Ow, hurt" (it was heartbreakingly pitiful) so I started feeling around his neck. I felt several small pea-sized lumps on either side of his spine at the base of his head. Commence mommy freak out.

I immediately called the pediatrician, who promised to call me back in a few minutes. Commence idiotic googling. I know better, I really do. But I did it anyway. At first all I could find were references to dogs. Great, my primate has turned into a canine! No, but really, have you ever been scouring the internet for a particular subject and can't find anything? It's maddening! Then I started looking for lumps and spine together... I know, I know. Did I actually expect to find anything reassuring? Of course I didn 't. I reached out to some dear friends of mine at The Mamasphere who offered up their are and concern. When the pediatrician finally called back they pretty much told me to go straight to the ER, neck pain was nothing to mess with. I asked if it could just be a reaction to the shots, but with no clear answer and very clear instructions to head to the hospital that's where we went.

At this juncture let me say that I love my big manly protective gorilla. He is hardworking, handsome, and stupid good at math. Really, I'm jealous. But he does not have the type of job that he just leave at the drop of a hat. So, in this instance that means packing up all 3 monkeys and preparing to spend the next couple of hours with them in the ER. I packed diaper, and wipes, and granola bars, and squeezy applesauce (one of my favorite inventions EVER), juice, extra pacis, blankies, my phone, tablet, and chargers and off we went.

Amazingly as soon as I filled out the initial paperwork we were called back to triage. Little boy turned into the exorcist when the nurse tried putting the pulse-ox on his finger. We went back into a room and within minutes the nurse-practitioner came in to see us. She felt his neck and said, "Yep, it's just lymph nodes. After shots sometimes their lymph nodes swell as the immune system fights the shot and builds immunity." My immediate reaction was relief. But then, I'll be honest, I was a little irritated. Obviously, the most important thing was that my baby boy was ok, but then I couldn't help but be put out by the fact that the pediatricians office never said anything as simple as, "It could be an immune response to the shots, but go get him checked out to be safe." I still would have gone, but it would have toned down the amount of worry I had churning my stomach until the np talked to us.

3 bored monkeys, 2 hours, and 1 dose of Motrin later we were out of there. Just in time to go get the big monkey from school and hit up the consignment sale where I got babygirl a brand new pair of Pedipeds for $16! When you're a few hours late to the opening it doesn't resemble Pamplona in the least.

Be Still

Happy St. Patty's Day

Talk about Irish gold! Have a great weekend, enjoy your green beer, and don't forget to pinch the humbugs!

Training Monkeys

Have you ever tried to train a monkey? They're wild, unpredictable, and loud - not to mention the bug eating and poop throwing. Everything is bound to be more interesting *coughchaoticcough* when there are monkeys involved.

On the upside, moneys are smart, resourceful, and darn cute! See?

Today I have to try to keep 3/4 of my brood in line while we go to the doctor for well visits. My monkey girl is getting her 6 month check, even though she turned 7 months old yesterday, and my littlest boy is having his 2 year done. This should be interesting. Coughchaoticcough Sorry, don't know what happened there. Maybe I should see the doctor?

I'm back!

Hello, blogosphere. It seems like ages since we last met. Actually, it has been 2 years and some odd months... so ages isn't exactly an exaggeration. I've missed the readers, I've missed the outlet that blogging is for me, and I've missed connecting with so many amazing people across the globe. As my family has grown, my world has shrunk and become a small hub around me. I want to open myself back up to all of you. Today my kitchen is (mostly) clean, the littlest monkeys are napping, and now looks like a great time to reconnect!

When we left off,my husband and I only had 2 little boys. Like I said before, our family has continued to grow and we have been blessed with 2 more children - the 4th, a girl. We've also come back home to the south, although to a city we had neither explored nor lived in. Life is it's own adventure, I suppose, and my monkeys keep it interesting.

So keep your eyes (and bananas) peeled, because there is so much fun to come!

BlogHer is Underway

I am so green with envy! I know I've been scarce (to say the least) lately, but in all honesty I was just so bummed after finding out that I wasn't going to be able to attend BlogHer that just logging into the blog felt like a chore. I was forcing myself to do it, and I figured it was better to take a much needed rest, than to force feed ill-written posts upon you guys. No one wins in that respect.

Now I was reading all of the posts of excited bloggers who are arriving and participating in BlogHer, as we speak. There is so much energy, so much motivation, and so much fun that I can't help but catch on! Be sure to check out The Ohana Mama, My Sentiment Exact Lee, and No Time For Flashcards for their fabulous Blogher posts and giveaway!

Coming Out of Hiatus!

HEllo my lovelies! It has been quite a while since I have updated with a new post, and the warm summer sun is to blame! I have been soaking up the time spent outdoors with my beautiful boys, and enjoy the last couple of months before my oldest starts preschool. I will be posting less often during these summertime months, but I wanted to tell everyone about an amazing opportunity to win a Britax Advocate Careseat. This is a nearly $400 prize that will keep your baby safe and snug from birth to 65lbs!!! Check out the contest on The Mom Buzz and look at the video demonstrating the fabulousness of Britax and necessity of a proper carseat.

New Moon Monday - The Trailer!!

The MTV Movie Awards were fabulous! From Rob talking about crapping his pants, to Kristen dropping the gold popcorn it was simply fabulous! I holed up with my girlfriend and had cookies and yummy cake on hand as we squealed and drooled and oogled our whole way through the awards show. Andy was hilarious, Eminem was (unintentionally) one of the funniest people of the night, and Rob was... ummm... mouthwatering? It's the only way I can describe it! So, for your viewing pleasure in case you missed it (or if you just want to be able to push play again and again and obsess like me) here is the much awaited first trailer!


THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer

Condoleances to the Tyson Family

I read yesterday about the tragic loss of Mike Tyson's 4 year old daughter. (The full story can be read here) It's moments like this when I realize that no matter what character a person portrays, or what we might think we know about them, everyone has difficult circumstances that they have to learn to cope with. My heart goes out to the entire family as they find a way to grieve, and eventually move on to find peace with the situation. With my little boy turning 4 in a matter of days, it's stories like this that remind me how precious every second really is!


Here is the public statement from the Tyson family.

"There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Exodus. We ask you now to please respect our need at this very difficult time for privacy to grieve and try to help each other heal. "

The Official New Moon Poster!

It was released today by Summit. What do we think Twerds?

New Moon Monday

There is alot of great news on the New Moon front this week, so let's get to it!

We'll be seeing footage from New Moon soon!! Here is an official statement from Eonline

"I can exclusively reveal that footage from the Twilight sequel will be shown for the first time during the upcoming MTV Movie Awards,

And that's not all—it gets better...

Awards show producer Mark Burnett says Patzz, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner will hit the stage together to present the clip."

Nikki Reid (Rosalie) just celebrated her 21st birthday! Am I the only one who thought she was older than that?

Sometime early this week the updated New Moon official movie poster is set to be revealed. It hasn't been shown yet, but as soon as I see it I'll be updating this post, so stay tuned!

Twilight is nominated for a slew of MTV movie awards. Don't forget to vote HERE!

One TwiHard has given her love for RPatz a permenant place in her life... unless of course she later covers it with some uber cool dragon or something. Would you take it this far?

DreamSacks {Giveaway!} Ends 5/29

Bamboo is one of those materials that has more uses than you could ever imagine. I have a bamboo cutting board, bamboo cloth diapers and wipes, cleaning rags, and even clothing! It's amazing that the same thing I chop my veggies on is the same thing I go to sleep in, but that is what makes this material one of a kind.

DreamSacks Bamboo Dreams has some of the best bamboo cloth offerings out there. From jammies, to baby clothes, to bedding everything in their line is soft, supple, and luxurious! I have the Cleo pajamas, and not only are they made of cloud soft material, but they are super comfy. And the Cleo design in particular is great for women in any phase, even pregnancy!

How did DreamSacks come to be? Owner Nancy and Larry Morgan traveled overseas a great deal and wanted to have their own bedding with them. Silk seemed like a great option since it was lightweight and compact and that is where it all began. From silk sheets DreamSacks has branched out to include nightwear, yoga clothing, accessories, and childrens items.

If you're looking for a sustainable fabric to build your up your linen closet or swaddle your baby in, DreamSacks is the place to go. And speaking of swaddling, one Grab Bag reader is going to win a white woven baby blanket! The blanket is 36" x 36" and comes in 6 crisp colors.

Feel good about what you cozy up close to your body. Enjoy a sumptuously soft woven blanket.

100% Viscose from Bamboo
Pesticide free and made from a sustainable and renewable resource.

Box weave.

How To Enter: Go to DreamSacks' website and tell me which product you like best. {THIS IS MANDATORY TO ENTER AS IS INCLUDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS}

Extra Entries: Please leave in separate comments
- Blog about this giveaway
-follow me
-add me on twitter and tweet this contest: (GrabBagReviews)
-add my button to your sidebar
-post about this contest on your blog
-subscribe to Grab Bag Reviews (top left)
-"stumble" this contest
-fave me on technorati

Contest ends May 29th. Please leave your email address.

Almost at 400!

Grab Bag is 1 reader away from having 400 followers! The 400th follower gets 10 extra entries to whichever contests they would like. I will confirm through email. Thank you so much to everyone - you are fantastic!

Kids Mist 2.0

I don't often update on the status of using a product, but this one I just need to rave about. I currently have a giveaway running for SinuCleanse Kids Mist, and I gave it a rave review. I love the idea, the ease of use, and that it can be a preventative measure to keep my kiddos healthy. But prevention doesn't always work, and sometimes they still get sick. Like now. Both of my precious boys have raging sinus infections and what has been helping us the most? Our Kids Mist! A few gentle sprays in each nostril (which they HATE, but get over quickly) and not only does it help to loosen all of mucus that's up there, but once there nose is blown/sucked out they can breath so much easier! It's become an essential before nap time and bedtime, and I've never had 2 sick kids sleep so well.

So, be sure to enter for a chance to win a Kids Mist kit for your house! CLICK HERE!

KidsCoats.com

Spring has sprung and Summer is fast approaching. One of my favorite places to poke around is KidsCoats.com. They have a new extension that is KidsSwimWear.com and to get prepared for the pool, it's your one stop shop. But, before you pull out the sunscreen, don't forget about the rainy season and fabulous raincoats, like the one pictured above. And the deal to end all deals is their Warehouse Penny Sale running on Ebay. Head over to their other sister site, KidsDresses.com to find plenty of sale links. It's an awesome day for kids!

Hattie Rose Bibs {Giveaway} Ends 5/25

I've seen all of the same tired old bibs, and let me tell you, most of the options are not very appealing. When your baby is covered in drool from teething or gumming toys all day long, you still want them to look like the picture of perfection that you know they are.

Hattie Rose Designs is the perfect alternative to run-of-the-mill bibs. Here are a few of the most important features.

- Heavy weight 100% cotton terry cloth lining for comfort, durability and absorbency.

- High quality, machine washable TouchTape brand closure designed to withstand many cycles of opening and closing. No fumbling with ties or finding tiny snaps.

- Machine washable.

- Attention to detail means you get the highest quality and individuality in each bib.

- Creative and imaginative designs will nearly always solicit a compliment for your baby!

If you're wondering whether Hattie Rose Bibs will withstand wear and tear, just listen to this.

"Each bib and burp cloth is individually hand-made of high quality materials and designed to last. Not only have we tested these fabrics and clothing ourselves, but we also have seen them stand up to the testing of real moms and babies. We have personally used these in our homes and received feedback from many moms that these bibs, in spite of their delicate appearance, can be used meal after meal. They can be tossed in the laundry with the rest of your clothes and they still look beautiful."

The "Emily" bib below has been washed and dried over 80 times and still looks as good as new!

My favorite thing about the Hattie Rose bibs is their unique designs. Your little man can look snazzy in a tie or tux, while your little girl can don a tutu or beautiful dress. These are the ultimate, not only in durability, but fashion! What a unique gift these would make for a new baby, or first birthday present. And, for a limited time, Hattie Rose is offering FREE GIFT WRAPPING on one gift box per purchase!

UPDATE: We now have a 10% off discount code for our readers at the Hattie Rose website! Use code GRABBAG9 at checkout to receive your discount!

One lucky Grab Bag reader if getting the chance NOW to win a Hattie Rose Designs bib!

No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years or older to enter. For this sweepstakes, Hattie Rose Designs, Inc cannot offer shipping outside the USA. Prize must be redeemed at www.hattierose.com web site. Actual retail value of prize is $30.00.

How To Enter: Go to Hattie Rose Designs' website and tell me which 2 bibs you would choose. {THIS IS MANDATORY TO ENTER AS IS INCLUDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS}

Extra Entries: Please leave in separate comments
- Blog about this giveaway
-follow me
-add me on twitter and tweet this contest: (GrabBagReviews)
-add my button to your sidebar
-post about this contest on your blog
-subscribe to Grab Bag Reviews (top left)
-"stumble" this contest
-fave me on technorati

Contest ends May 25th. Please leave your email address.