Inspiring Creativity and Imaginative Play with Curiosity Box

Over the past week, Owen and I have had so much fun reviewing and playing with our Curiosity Box. What exactly is a Curiosity Box, you ask? Well it's a box of themed crafts, games and activities that gets delivered to your child every month that is sure to inspire their little imaginations and give you an opportunity to spend some quality time together.

We received the Imaginary Play box, and to say we had a good time doing the activities was an understatement. First we opened it and laid everything out. Pirates...puppets...sticker sheets...and superheros. Enough to keep a 5 year old occupied while his baby brother was having a 2 hour morning nap.

I wanted to see what Owen would gravitate toward first, and he wanted to pay pirates. So that is just what we did. He decorated his eye patch and hat, then we set out on an adventure with this spyglass. I had no idea the things that he would come up with, from searching for treasure in his toy room and under the couches to creeping around the house and being sneaky to escape the Tick Tock Croc. His imagination went to places that was absolutely delightful to witness.

While he worked on his superhero mask, we talked about super powers and what it meant to help people. He was so inquisitive as to what my super power would be, and was great at coming up with his own.

Our experience with Curiosity Box got me thinking about its many uses and applications. Aside from rainy day activities to keep on hand, which came in handy for us during March Break, it would be such an awesome thing to have on hand for when you bring home a new baby. A box of activities, crafts and games for the older sibling, often quiet activities, that can be pulled out while you're nursing the baby or baby is down for a nap? Amazing!

Another great thing about Curiosity Box is that they have a subscription service where you can purchase a 3, 6, or 12 month automated delivery. Something to look forward to every month, that you can sit down and do with your child. Quiet time that inspires quality time.

Slow down.
Play.
Create.
Imagine.

Disclaimer: We received a complimentary Curiosity Box for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Luma Comfort HC12B Humidifier Review

When I first plugged in our Luma Comfort HC12B Humidifier, immediately I noticed the silence. I saw the stream of mist coming from the funnel...but what I heard was glorious.

Silence.

Living in Canada, we are exposed to some of the driest and longest winters. This makes for chapped and itchy skin (which, if you've just had a baby and have postpartum itch, is magnified when the air in your home is super dry), and a breeding ground for germs that make their way home with your kiddo from school.

There are a few features about the Luma Comfort HC12B Humidifier that I really love. The sleek design that resembles a floor vase is at the top of my list. I love how it fits in with our home decor and you don't even notice an appliance when you walk by it. It's also very sturdy. My four year old when to wobble it over, and it stayed upright, giving me a few minutes to run to the rescue if needed.

I also loved that when I was setting it up (which is extremely easy), there were different height options for the funnel. I opted for the longer spout, but certainly you can shorten the neck and put the humidifier on a table top or shelf. I love the look of the oversized floor vase, and find that it fits really well with our home decor.

Then the sound, or lackthereof. Take a listen for yourself!



The steady stream of mist from the top funnel is fantastic. We have owned other humidifiers in the past and they've either been way too noisy, or the output of mist has left something to be desired. I contacted Luma Comfort to see if their unit is compatible with essential oils, and thankfully it is! With the guidance of Mireya from customer service, I learned that you can absolutely use essential oils in the water tank. If you use essential oils with yours (we are cleaning the air with tea tree oil and lemon oil), be sure to keep your eye on the cartridge to ensure it doesn't grow any clogged oils. If it does, be sure to soak it in a solution of vinegar and water for 15-20 minutes.

It comes with a remote control, and if you have little ones around this is a godsend. You can easily switch the mist stream to be stronger or lighter with the touch of a button, then store your remote out of sight so that the kids won't play with the unit or disrupt the mist. Genius! 

All in all, if you are considering getting a humidifier for your home, I highly recommend the Luma Comfort HC12B Humidifier. It is sleek and stylish, incredibly quiet, and has a run time of 45 hours. That is forty five hours of pure, clean air that you are pumping into your home, which can be made even healthier with the use of essential oils. With the 45 hour run time, it covers approximately 650 square feet. We chose to put our humidifier in a central location so as to maximize how much space it could cover and ensure that everyone in the family can benefit from the clean air.

It's time to breathe in the good again!


Disclaimer: I received the Luma Comfort HC12B Humidifier for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Infant Feeding Solutions with Dr. Brown's #baby #newmom #bottlefeeding

A few weeks ago, there was a lovely box of goodies on my door step from the amazing folks at Dr. Brown's.

Over the next several months, I will be introducing you to the various products that we have received to review, starting with the Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Standard Bottles, and continuing all the way through our adventures in solid feeding with the Food Masher and other bowls and cups! (the solid feeding phase is one that I am extremely excited about and we will be sharing loads of healthy recipes to nourish your babe!)

Over the past week, we have absolutely fallen in love with the Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Standard Bottles. We have a voracious eater on our hands, and these bottles definitely help with gas and spit up. Our guy is eating about 4oz every 3-4hours (yes...at less than two weeks old!), and he just goes to town on his bottles, so knowing that we are using one that preserves vitamins, reduced spit ups, gas and burping (because really...our Tank does not have time for things like that!)and is gentle on his little belly really gives us loads of peace of mind.

The bottles are also really simple to put together. The ventilation chamber goes inside the bottle, so it vents the bottle for a vacuum-free feeding experience. Our little guy's tummy is happy, and we don't have to worry about spills, mess or spit ups. Since the bottle vents on the inside, there is less room for error; no nipple collapse to worry about, and it even makes burping easier!


Now that we have had the Dr. Brown's experience, I am in the process of switching over all of our bottles. A happy baby makes for a happy mom, after all, so I figure...I'm not going to mess with a great thing!

Stay tuned right here and on Instagram as we develop healthy solid feeding recipes and snacks, and continue our love for Dr. Brown's!

Disclaimer: I was provided a variety of feeding solutions, including bottles, bowls and cups, and accessories by Dr. Brown's for the purposes of these reviews. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Nesting Place #book #review #homedecor

Recently, I had the opportunity to read the beautiful book The Nesting Place by popular blogger and self-taught home decor maven Myquillyn Smith. To say that this book is beautiful is one thing, and definitely a term that does not do it justice.
 

The Nesting Place is inspiring, or at least to me it was. I read it from the comfort and quiet of our nursery, in an antique rocking chair. A room that I consider to be the place of nesting, of inspiration, or quiet and calm. It was the perfect setting to immerse myself in Myquillyn Smith's philosophy that beautiful doesn't have to be perfect and often times, the most freeing of feelings is that of imperfection.

How true that statement has become for me. I try oh-so-hard to have a beautiful home, and yes...there is a little bit of perfection that seeps through. After reading The Nesting Place, I have realized that the mess doesn't matter. Sure, there are crumbs on my floor...but there is also a beaming 4 year old, a beautiful baby belly and the laughter of a family who is beautiful and perfect in their own way.

My heart sings when things are neatly arranged and in their place. I am happiest when the clutter is at a minimum, and baskets are neatly tucked away in their cubbies (like in the photo above...I LOVE this page and kept coming back to it over and over).

But really? What matters the most is our Nesting Place is beautiful amongst its chaos, and I am thankful to Myquillyn Smith for teaching me that.

Having a beautiful home is something that alot of people think takes a huge budget and is a stressful task. The Nesting Place teaches you that perfect is in the details, the touches that speak to your heart and soul. The can be found objects, passed down heirlooms or big ticket items that define your space.

If you are having trouble wrapping your head and heart around embracing the imperfection, and setting yourself free of the stress and pressure we so often feel to be perfect and have a perfect home, I highly suggest that you read The Nesting Place. Not only is it beautiful, but it is inspirational and the feeling of freedom you will have is the most perfect of all.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of The Nesting Place from the publisher for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Special Post: Want to Review Sweet Stella's?

I have had the pleasure of being reviewed by some really amazing mama blogger like Baby Shmizz and Building Our Story, and word is getting around about my crafty little shop.

One thing that I am asked about quite frequently by mom bloggers is if they can feature my blog (heck yes!) and do a product review (quite possibly!) and even a giveaway or coupon code for their readers (when resources are available, for sure!)

As such, I've created a new tab called Reviews to help you with your requests to make sure that my work fits well for your readership, and that your blog fits with my goals and shop values.

Take a minute and give it a read!

I will be looking for some blogs to be reviewed on for 2012, so get your name in the hat early!!