Up and coming!

Just wanted to touch base and let you know what is up and coming! My MIL is in town, so not much time for posting but I will have lots of pictures soon.

Piggy Paint review and giveaway with coupon code
Zutano review (hopefully a giveaway too)
Mommy Necklaces review (hopefully a giveaway)
The Boys Store review and hopefully a giveaway
Build a bear review AND giveaway
Paper culture giveaway
Hands off baby review and giveaway
No throw baby review and possible giveaway
Peace love Mom review and giveaway
Busy body book review and giveaway
AND MORE!!!!

Exciting huh? I think so too:)

winner winner chicken dinner:)

My first giveaway! My first winner!!! Thank you all for your support:)

CONGRATS Betsy Knight... #9 you have 48 hours to respond or I will pick a new winner:)

Didn't win? Don't worry, Ive got lots more up my sleeve!

a little change will do you good!

So, as you can see I changed the look of my blog. I was blog surfing and came across another that was almost identical to my old one. I had to change it asap. And I'm sure I will find another that looks just like this one, until I can afford to "buy" a layout! So, if you see this design, somewhere else PLEASE let me know:)

Change #2...I started biking....my ass is not happy with me! I have biked a mile and a half (roughly) three days in a row, with the babies in tow. I don't remember my tail hurting EVER when I was a kid....surely I have more cushion on it now, so why is it? Anyway, my no carb diet has come to a FAIL end. I lost 8 pounds, but I didn't work out a bit. I couldn't go longer than 2 weeks, my body was craving some bread, so I switched to a calorie restricted diet, with exercise. Well, as much exercise as I can muster up.

Change #3 came when I thought to cancel the TV. WHAT? Did you read that right? Yes, I canceled the TV. I am a reality show freak and I love to have it on to fill the void. But I have found that I'm watching shit....yep shit. Dating in the dark? Chinese game shows? Come on where is the wholesome shows like Wonder Years, Punky Brewster, Alf? Can you tell I'm an 80's baby? I don't want to corrode anymore, and I certainly don't want the babies dependant on it, so I cut it off. We have plenty of DVDs and plenty of music to listen to. Hopefully we will get out more, breathe the fresh air more, live a little more! I cannot and am not willing to get up the net yet. I just cannot do it....and where would you be without me? ;) totally kidding

I'm thinking about BlogHer10. Thinking. Should I go? Seemed catty. I really hate fake people, would people be real? would people want me to be there? Do you think a year from now, if I didn't go, someone would say " I wish Zealand's mom was here". Am I like the other bloggers? I dunno, but as the weeks turn to months, I will see. Thinking.

HealthPod baby Review and Giveaway

My best friend is expecting a baby in less than 3 weeks! I cannot believe it. I am so excited for her and I was so super excited about her shower. I took the information and advice from myself on what to get, what people wouldn't get you and what people get you that you hate at your shower:) (I spent weeks returning stuff!!) I love to be organized but I hate getting there...if you know what I mean. With both babies, I am constantly backtracking in their baby books, trying to remember what happened 3 months ago, because I forgot to fill out the pages. And with Zealand at his 1 year appointment I decided no MMR and switched to Dr. Sears alternate schedule. Well, my pediatrician didn't believe in that, so ultimately I had to switch peds. too! I had NO information on his medical records. I realized that I really needed a "place" to jot it all down.
Well, I was 7 months pregnant at the time and the months flew by and I never got that product.
So, as my friend's shower approached, I knew I needed to find the product for her. It took about 3 months, and voila' the HealthPod baby, dropped into my lap. Not literally, I wish. I paid for this product, I was not given it to review. And I wish I could win one, because I really want one for my family, especially since we will be moving soon, and I will need all the medical information close in hand!


Here is what the HealthPod baby has inside.....
1.It has planning calenders, no need to carry two organizers right?
2.It has essential information section....doctors numbers, medications, medical conditions allergies insurance numbers
3.A section for all your health visits, so you can remember was it a well child or an emergency? You can jot down the doctors remarks...which I always forget the medical jargon they throw at you...write it down here, go home and google it!
4.There is a section for birth....if you're preggo, write it all down, you'll know whatto expect the second time, or have advice for friends or tell your children some day! It even has a chart to write down wet diapers, sleeping blocks and other info. A GREAT RESOURCE!!
5. A growing up section: Height weight head circumference all the way to 20 years old!! Includes milestones, dental health and potential allergy tracking
6. A health history to place an immunization record, test results, hearing speech and vision or even surgeries!
7. And a family health section to keep your info, your parents info, to see what runs in the family!

There are slots for business cards, 3 plastic zip sleeves for info you need to throw in. A large pad of paper and even a pen come with it!
You can customize your pod, they include 4 zip ties, you chose your color...how cute is that?
It is NOT big or bulky like you would think, this would fit perfectly in your diaper bag and is an adorable lime green color.

Disney family has HealthPod baby on their top ten pregnancy essentials for 2009 and they also have received the iparenting media award and the iparneting HOT media award.
This is a product you will definetly want to have!!

You can buy your health pod directly from them!
or enter here to win:

MANDATORY ENTRY:
1. Why do you want this? Easy entry right?

Additional entries:
2. Follow me on twitter
3. Follow my blog pubically
4. Follow HealthPod on twitter
5. Follow HealthPod on Facebook...tell them I sent you:)
6 Tweet this giveaway as many times as you want!!! Just leave me your status links:)

Contest ends August 6th at noon EST
winner will be contacted via email and has 48 hours to respond!
Open to US and CANADA:)

Top 10 Reasons I am Excited to Stay Home with My Family This Coming Weekend.

10. I get to sleep in my own bed
9. I get to stay in my pajamas all day
8. I get to play with my babies all day instead of hobnobbing
7. A local consignment store is closing and is doing a last minute promo: Stuff your bag for $25!
6. The family will probably head to the beach Saturday or Sunday:)
5. Kingsley is on the verge if crawling and I'm enjoying watching her figure it out
4. I could never leave my babies home alone without me (yet)
3. I'm such a new blogger, I think I would feel quite out of place in Chicago!
2. DH lets me sleep in on Saturdays...so no pesky maid waking me up (well, the maid might be nice)
1. I get a chance to win $100 and check out Cozi

Wanna help me win? Could you please leave a comment for me? How bout 1 thing you're doing with your family this weekend! Thanks and wish me luck!!

Who's ready for a giveaway?

WHO'S READY FOR A GIVEAWAY???

So since this is my very first, it may seem a bit unorganized, hopefully since I enter about 100 a day, I can figure it out;)

I'd like to introduce you to etsy seller Bow Baby Bow. I was searching high and low for bows literally as soon as I found out Kingsley was a girl. This is when I found not only etsy but Bow Baby Bow. Her headbands sold me. I needed something that wasn't "stringy" and definitely not "tacky". I also wanted a bow that was not baby looking and something she could grow into and that was made to last. I conversed with her abouut the particular bow and size I wanted and my motto for her was "Big Is Beautiful!". I took the bows with me to the hospital and as soon as she was given to me, I slipped one on top of her beanie hat:)

What I like best about these bows are that they are made from nylons, which mean there is no indentation on Kingsley's head! and they are so soft they never itch or irritate her. She has NEVER tried to take her bows off! I have since ordered 4 more, in 4 new colors. (I've only purchased plain colors, I'm a bid OCD, but she will even custom make bows for your little girl's outfit!) This time I ordered the bows attatched to an alligator clip so I can use them in her hair once it is long enough! What an investment! I can use these 4 bows till she's 10! I know you will be equally as impressed with her bows as I was and still am.

Soooo......Bow Baby Bow is giving one of you a $15 Giftcard to buy the items of your choice!!! Stop in her shop, look around, I'm sure you won't be able to wait till the giveaway is over, let her know Zealandsmom sent ya:)

Mandatory for initial entry:
1.Go to bowbabybow and tell me what you think you might buy!

Additional entries:
2. Follow my blog publically (or tell me that you do)
3. Make a comment on my other posts and come back here and tell me where to find it:)
4. Become a fan of Bow Baby Bow on facebook tell her zealandsmom sent you!
5. Tell me who you would buy for:)
6. Follow me on twitter zealandsmom
7. Tweet this contest....MULTIPLE TIMES..... inlcude your status link please

What are you waiting for you only have till 12:00 noon on July 30th?
US and CANADA!!
(Winner will be contacted via email and has 48 hours to respond)

top of the morning to ya!

I had to get up with the babies today. Weekends are usually my days to sleep in. It really is a raw deal for DH as he gets up Monday through Friday to go to work, then on the weekends to let me sleep in. My theory is, I got up NUMEROUS times a night in the first 6 months of both baby's lives...he gets the second 6 months:) Am I wrong? Surely you will agree with me! Luckily, the kiddos go down for their first nap an hour and half after they get up. So, I made Zealand breakfast, nursed Kingsley and badabing it was time for me to crawl back in bed myself:)

I had to do another thing I hate doing.....go to Wal-mart. I didn't HAVE to go, but DH needed some mesh shorts and a stopwatch and I needed some more no/low carb stuff. I take the kids lots of places, but normally its a one stop shop sorta thing, there is only so much loading and unloading of babies I can do in one day. So, to keep with the easiest routine we hit up Wal-mart. Picked up some low carb peanut butter and jelly, tortillas, more jello and whipped cream, honey mustard, spaghetti noodles and Velveeta:)

I stepped on the wii today and lost another 1.8 pounds added to my previous 3.7. Does that make 5.5 or do I have to figure in 16 oz a pound? I'm confused but am guessing it is 5.5 pounds total (sounds better anyway). Haven't gotten in any good workouts, I am just tooo damn tired. I don't know if I could even do a single sit up! I used to do 60 in 60 seconds. Those were the days. Big perky boobs, small waist and twiggy arms and legs......I wish I had my old body back. The body my DH married. I keep telling him he deceived me by pretending to open car doors, buy me cards and jewelry only to find out that he NEVER does those things anymore. Well, I guess I deceived him too....I conned him into thinking he would have a skinny sex kitten.
Even?

Stranger Danger

DH is applying for the sheriff's office down in Tampa where my brother-in-law works. He;s been doing some training to pass the physical he will have to do, to get it. Yesterday in the scalding Georgia heat, he attempted the 1.5 mile run in under 15 minutes. Well, he came stumbling through the door, whispering "somethings not right" and tripping over his own feet. i quickly helped him to the bed, took off his socks and shoe and wet a hand towel and placed it on his chest. I was worried! Scared out of my mind really. He made it out of his daze and went out running again tonight. I'll be glad when this is all over. This is traumatic for his 6'1'', 155 pound body. I'd love to have that BMI!But hey thanks to the body after baby challenge hosted by mama notes...I'll be in that bikini soon enough! I've actually lost about 4 pounds since Monday! Yippee!

We headed to the beach at about 4pm to get some family time in, when the sun isn't so fierce. I'm pretty sure I have a sign on my body somewhere, that says "please come and talk my ear off" but I thought I only wore it at Wal-mart! Nope, must've put it on today because some lady who shouldn't have been in a bikini top brought over her 2.5 year old twins and staying for the duration. As her kids piled my body with mud, and splashed Kingsley's face with water, she talked and talked and talked. And DH, just sat and smirked, knowing, I have the curse of the stranger danger!I'd love to hear your stranger danger stories....surely I'm not the only one!

On a brighter note: I've gotten some amazing replies from some wonderful companies about doing some reviews and giveaways for you gals that read:) Hopefully by spreading the love of my blog, I can get some bigger numbers and bring you huge products!

what's the point of an appointment time....really?

So, I think we live within our means, I haven't worked since last October when I was 7 months pregnant. I never thought we could do it. I had alot saved and I cut our bills down quite a bit. Well, the funds are running out. Well, actually they are out! I'm borrowing money from credit cards, anticipating our move to Florida. I've been selling some stuff on ebay, but the summer is a slow season for sales, they say. I decided when I was pregnant to sign us up for WIC. Mostly because I needed insurance from Medicaid for my last 2 months of pregnancy. Now, we could live without the assistance and I know many would frown upon that but I have worked non-stop for 14 years, and I feel like I deserve the extra! Is that wrong? Especially when I believe that social security won't be around by the time I get there. No flames!

Well, the program is called Women Infant Children right? So, why do they schedule you an appointment time and then make you wait 3 hours? This is not just today, there are no excuses, this is EVERYTIME I go! Try explaining that to a pregnant woman, infant or child? It is impossible to pack enough snacks, juice or toys! Not to mention that almost every single employee has no idea what they are doing. They messed up my paperwork twice TODAY! It is a shot in the day, especially when they act super surprised that I am still breastfeeding my 6 month old and preceed to tell me, she should be on a sippy cup. Really? I think not. Thanks for your support! I shall pass!

An afternoon trip with just Z and me to Target to pick up some books for the birthday party tomorrow. I had no idea how expensive books were! They were like $16 a piece! Ludicrous I tell you!

But come tomorrow, I shall have fun news and lots of pics of our 1st trip to Chuck E Cheese!! Wish me luck and sanity, oh and muffled ears:)

brownies are yummy!

Day 2 of my NO CARB diet and I failed. I just had to have bite of Zealand's brownie. It wasn't even tasty, and then I took 2 more bites! UGH. I may not have lost weight in the last two days, but poor Kingsley has lost 4 ounces in the last 2 weeks.....and I feel helpless.
Zealand started to lose weight about this time too, I chalked it up to being pregnant with Kingsley. The lactation consultant thinks maybe I have a thyroid issue as there really is no other explanation. So, I guess I will start back on the Reglan prescription tonight. She surely doesn't look waif, she has plenty of fat but I still hate that she is losing, and I feel like it's all my fault.
I've been dodging the diet chat, but honestly besides the 3 brownie nibbles, I stuck to it: 2 Hot dogs stuffed with cheese and spicy mustard, pepperoni and cheese bites for a snack. Sugar free jello topped with cool whip (or whipped cream, I don't know the difference) And for dinner 6 baby sliders with crumbled bacon and cheese!
I won another giveaway today from Things Moms Like....a Ni Hao Kai-Lan DVD. I've yet to pop in my other win from her (The chicks and chickens workout DVD). Tomorrow I have to shop for Zealand's friend's 2 year birthday party that is Thursday at Chuck E Cheese. What do you get a 2 year old, who's Mother says not to get him anything? I need advice. Do I not get anything? Because I know, when I tell DH not to get me anything I DON'T MEAN IT!!
I have a couple giveaways in the works and hopefully by the end of the month I will have the reviews in!! Yippee for my readers! I hope that we spread the news so well that they will keep coming! Anyone have any suggestions on what they would like to win? Or have any friends with products that would like to sponsor a giveaway?
OK off to print some shipping labels on some stuff I sold on ebay!

day 1 of my diet.....UGH!

So, you know the ole' saying "If you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything?" I feel that way today about food. If you don't have anything healthy to eat, just don't eat anything!
I never really eat breakfast anyway, so it was no biggie to skip. I just drank a Diet Coke instead. I managed to put both the babies down for a nap at the same time and I literally ran to my own bed and jumped in. No phone calls, no UPS guy ringing the door bell, no Jack Russel's barking at birds.....just sweet peaceful sleep. 2 hours of peaceful sleep.

I woke and got the kiddos dressed and out the door to head to Winn-Dixie....not my grocer of choice, but closest to our house. I actually put on a REALLY cute outfit! I think, the thought of losing weight has sunk in and I'm ready to go! For the majority of you, I normally wear "new school" Birkenstocks. (I have 3 pair, hot pink between the toes, white with one strap across the toes, and shiny silver 3 straps). Anywho, back to the grocery shopping...... I knew I was going to start the 8 week "Body after Baby" challenge with a 2 week Atkin's diet, to get the weight dropping. So, I scoured the meat, cheese and egg sections. I bought $135 worth of MEAT!! Geez!

I had a late lunch of scrambled eggs with salsa and bacon. Dinner was a spinach salad with egg whites, crumbled bacon, mozzarella cheese topped with honey mustard. Chicken tenderloins with bacon and mozzarella cheese (similar to Outback's Alice Spring Chicken). Dessert was sugar free strawberry jello topped with cool whip.

ALL CARB FREE!!!

Maybe tomorrow, I'll work out...seeing as I got in my new win "Chicks and Chickens" workout DVD today compliments of Things Moms Like!! (Thanks again)

Also, in the mail was Mary Kaye's newest CD, that I won from Brimful Curiosities, called Music Box. The CD, is definitely not completely professional sounding but Zealand didn't know the difference and danced till he dropped;)

I'm late to the cloth diaper chat....gotta go!

a day at the beach

A wonderful day, for the most part! DH let me sleep in till 1pm! I had gotten up at 7:30 am to nurse and play with the babies for about an hourish. Then DH took both babies to the hardware store and by the time he got home it was their nap time. So, I woke up, once their morning naps were over:) A vicious cycle really because now tonight I will not want to go to sleep, again staying up late to tweet and enter contests and then tomorrow I will want to shoot myself for staying up late! UGH

I packed a cooler of sodas and rice krispy treats and we headed over to Jekyll Island for a quick play at the park and dip our feet in the ocean. Zealand and I played with his new "Echo Mic"...equally fun for me and only $3.00 at Target!

Directly across the street is the beach, so we drove over and Kingsley got her first dip in the ocean!! I didn't plan to get wet, so no one had bathing suits (we looked like such tourists) because Zealand has always hated the sand and water! This time, I kept on his shoes, and as you can see...he loved it! As we, were heading back to the car, he took a detour to chase the birds.
I had DH stop at Taco Bell on the way home as tomorrow I am starting the "Body after Baby" challenge. I am currently 147 on a 5'1'' frame. This is the heaviest, non-pregnant, I have ever been and I look forward to my super hot body back;)
I'm gonna leave you with some beach pics and go raid the cupboards before midnight!!

just a couple of pics....

So, I haven't shared pics of my babies yet.....I wanted to break you in slow, and not overwhelm you with their beauty!
Here is a few I took today after our 4 hour drive from hell!! Enjoy!

what child LIKES car rides?

So, DH has started his own makeshift company hauling off broken down riding lawn mowers and fixing them up to re-sell. Great, some extra money is essential as I have not worked since last October and my bank account is dwindling and my credit cards are rising!
He has the directions, we have the trailer attached, kids are buckled in and ready to go.
We drive.
And drive.
And drive.
I say "why don't you call him?"
DH says " I don't have his number!"
So, we drive.
And drive.
And drive.
Zealand is cranky, Kingsley is cranky, and Momma is super cranky.
Directions were shot and we spent 4 hours in the car in the sticks looking for some mysterious street that no gas stations had ever heard of. MEN! UGH!
DH thought today would be a fun family car ride....tell me, what child do you know likes car rides??

The happy part of the trip was that I got in Ziggy Marley's newest children CD Family Times!
We have been wanting a reggae CD for awhile, once we read that you should rock your baby to the fast beats to mimic the womb! And I even have the reggae station "The Joint" programmed on my Sirius satellite in the car.
It has a great beat with amazing guest performers like: Laurie Berkner, Paul Simon and Willie Nelson!!! (Yes Willie Nelson does some reggae!) The lyrics, I warn you, are quite catchy!!
We listed to the CD twice through but toward the end not even the Rastafarian beats could keep me from wanting to jump out of the moving car. I highly recommend it!
(It is 8:30pm and DH and I are still not talking)

the time has come!

So, while pregnant with Zealand, we knew we wanted another back to back. I never worried about my weight between them....there was only 4 months I wasn't preggo! Now, 6 months later, I am still using the excuse "but I'm breastfeeding, I NEED more calories" (you know you have said that)
With two, it's harder to feel good about yourself! It's harder to shower and get motivated to change out of your pj's. So I decided (with a firm nudge from Samantha) to join the Body after Baby Challenge over at Mama Notes! I'll be sending a picture of me now and in 8 weeks a new picture of my (hopefully) wonderful body! If you're interested click the link and check it out! You have till Monday to decide:) You CAN do it!

just the way the day goes....

So I named the blog after one of the many reasons we named our son Zealand. There really isn't any snakes in New Zealand. Nor Ireland. DH hates snakes and I pretend I like them, just to make it funnier. (Don't tell him) I liked the name Ireland for our daughter, I also liked Holland and Zoe. DH didn't agree with any of them. We did however agree on Penelope, which happens to be Punky Brewster's real name on the show. Unfortunately the movie "Penelope" came out while I was pregnant, and I didn't want people to think she was pig-nosed, so we decided on a new name.

I always wanted a girl. To mimic the special bond, that I feel with my own mom. I was distraught when Zealand turned out to have a turtle in the sonogram....I asked the sonographer to "check again please!" Zealand it turns out, it the most fabulous child ever! I really couldn't be more lucky. And the daughter I dreamed about? She sure has a connection to me. I cannot put her down without her crying...forcibly and uncontrollably. I am drained. Physically and emotionally. Deep down I want advice, but nothing sounds like it will work. I don't think she can be put into a general category. She just wants me! (Or possibly the boob)

So my day is spent with her on my hip (or my boob) while I try to engage Zealand the best I can from my chair. I try to leave the house once a day, just to GET OUT....but this week has been a bad one and I have just changed from one pair of pajamas to the next. And I literally ate cookies for breakfast AND lunch today. Not as an addition to anything else...just cookies! Oh, and Diet cherry Coke. Here's hoping I get out of my rut tomorrow!

Breastfeeding & Cloth Diapering

I've been a passionate person and I've ALWAYS had a larger than normal mouth. I never thought in a million years that I would be such an advocate for breastfeeding and cloth diapers. I mean if you met me, you'd think I was part hippie! I hate schedules, I hate the morning, I live on Diet Coke and chicken fingers. My first car was a 1981 Volkswagen rabbit Diesel! I hate rules, I hate being told what to do. I'm carefree, I speak before I think! I never thought I'd get married, never really thought or dreamed of having babies.....and now at the age of 29 I have everything I could ever have dreamed, I never dreamed about!

I find myself getting angry toward people/tweeters who bad mouth breastfeeding. I mean really angry! I find myself caring about the world and landfills. I yell at people who throw trash out of their car. I hate household chores (really, who doesn't) but I cloth diaper my babies! I have eaten cookies all day before yet I puree my children's food! I pre-make Zealand's food and freeze for the week and yet it doesn't phase me to have eat canned chicken and velvetta nachos for dinner!

I have no idea who this Women is that I have become. But I think I like her:)

Hi...my name is

I feel like I've just been handed a name tag and I'm supposed to come up with some funny name to impress the others in attendance. I'm a little bit nervous that I might not fit in. It's always easier to watch from the sidelines, ya know?

So, I guess, I should tell you a bit about me so, you can figure out if you wanna continue to read:)

1. My name is Danielle and I never had a nickname (1 friend has been allowed to call me Dani)
2. My middle name is Charlene (I always wished I could have gone by Charlie)
3. I'm a PURE Gemini, and if you don't believe in astrology, there is NO mistaking I am this sign!
4. I wanted to be artificially inseminated when I was younger...didn't want a man tying me down!
5. Fleetwood Mac is my favorite band, & I would have named DD Stevie, if DH would have let me
6. I've been to 5 colleges and still don't have my degree
7. I am afraid of bugs....and spiders.....and secretly snakes too
8. I am afraid of failure...(I'm sure I'll blog about that ALOT)
9. I love to use ............. and !!!!!!!!!!
10.I have 2 babies 14 month apart (planned) and that is mostly what this blog will be about!

I have no idea what will come of this, or what the hell I'm doing! If you have advice...be nice:)
I just hope, I'm as funny in print as I am in person....cause I'm really funny, no really, I am!