Give Kate a Chance

I was so excited to see Kate Gosselin's name at the top of my facebook "trending" list today.  After watching her family grow up on TLC, it was like seeing an old friend you forgot how much you'd missed.  I felt my nerves swell quickly though - as facebook trends are pretty limited to three things.
1 - Something Awesome
2 - Something Scandalous
3 - Something Tragic
So of course, I was super relieved to realize it wasn't something tragic.  Instead, the trend was highlighting the Today Show interview, where her oldest daughters froze up a bit during their interview.

Firstly, I have to be thankful that THIS is the world's news today.  Thank heavens this is the biggest thing all of the social media world is buzzing about.  It means that, there aren't any catastrophic events happening, violence isn't rearing it's evil head, and partisan politics have put down their boxing gloves - for the moment at least.

But I have to ask - why is the world concerned with the eloquence of two thirteen year old girls?  How many of us would have had the courage to even accept such an invitation?  I find these critiques to be totally inappropriate.  Yes, the family has spent many years in public view, and they did choose to make their appearance on the Today show.  Yet their interview says something that so many are missing.  These young ladies did what every other normal, typical, average young teen would do.  They were a little less confident in themselves than they could have been.  Doesn't this mean that they've been less effected by all the media attention than everyone likes to accuse?  If they'd stood up and given a press conference-esque interview, the media would probably remark that they were too polished due to overexposure.

All too often I ask where our culture came to a place where we were given a "right" to criticize other people.  When did our opinions of other people's parenting choices become so relevant?  I can only believe that our immersion into the online experience has emboldened us to speak our minds in ways we would have never before to someone's face.

Kate's been a major inspiration to me as a mom of multiples.  So often in the beginning, when I was juggling two babies, I'd think of her and say to myself "if she can do six, surely I can do two."  It was a motivator that I had to keep going and figure things out - there's not really any other reasonable alternative for moms.

According to Kate Gosselin's Website it looks like she's been staying busy with her most recent book - a cookbook entitled Love Is in the Mix.  Well, I'm sure that she stays busy enough as a mother of eight of course, but I'm putting in my order soon!  I'm sure her recipes are awesome but the book I'd really like to see from Kate would be a guide on how she runs her home.  She's super organized and I can only imagine I would learn an immense amount from her systems!

While it was such a bummer to see petty drama again surrounding this awesome family, I am so glad I had the chance to "bump into" the Gosselin Family via the internet today.  I can't believe how much their kids have grown up in the pictures and wish them all the future happiness, joy and success.

Julie at Two!

The babies have just had their second birthday this December and  thought  it would be the perfect time for an update.  Since Julie celebrated one short minute before her brother she is (as always) up first.

Isn't she just gorgeous?  She's always on the move, so sometimes a smiling portrait is tough - but I just love this picture of here.  Here she is - Julie at Two!

Height and Weight: 36 inches tall and 31.5 lbs

Wearing: 2T-3T

Favorite Food: Blueberries, Cheese, Noodles

Loves to...: Snuggle, sleep, watch Disney movies, ride on Mom's shoulders, get tickled, help in the kitchen, paint, draw, color, play with stickers, climb on everything!  She likes to play with Mommy's hair - especially using her new play brushes and hair dryer.  She adores stacking blocks (and anything else possible).  She's not really into baby dolls yet, but loves taking baths and playing with all of her bath toys. She loves to label everyone's "eyes, nose, hair, ears, and tongue" and is a bit of a dare devil.  Julie loves to get reactions from people - and will chase us with dinosaurs and sharks so that we squeal with fear. 

Favorite Toys: Little People, hair accessory set, nesting dolls, pop up boxes, easel, doctor's set

Favorite Show: Bubble Guppies, Doc McStuffins, Sophia the First, Toy Story

Word List: Mama, Dada, Ga, Pap, Nana (banana), hi, oh-no, boy/"bway" (for Brayden), more, car, please, bye, choo-choo, eyes, nose, hair, ear, "git", kitty, pig, cow, duck, dog, "jewy" (Julie), me (interchangeable for mine), thank you, Mickey, Woody, Buzz, one, two, three, four, five, red, green, blue, up, cookie, cheese - and probably many more I can't think of at the moment!

Biggest Accomplishments: Julie is making GREAT developmental strides!  We love seeing all the fantastic eye contact that has been a challenge for her in the past.  She is learning to communicate so beautifully and really able to express her desires.  We recently made the switch to a "big girl" toddler bed and after many nights of 4 a.m. escape, we're finally finding some consistency sleeping through the night again.  She's a wonderful little artist and enjoys using all sorts of art supplies to make little creations.  And while this is a strange accomplishment 

What an awesome kid!  We absolutely adore this little sweetheart.

Matilda Jane Paint by Numbers Encore and $50 Gift Card Giveaway

Do you remember that adorable Matilda Jane outfit my sweet Julie got to model this past Fall?  Just in case you've forgotten, here she is again wearing the Limelight Peasant Top and  and Pointillism Big Ruffle Pants.

She is absolutely darling if I do say so myself!  If you're not familiar with Matilda Jane, be sure to check out our first review here to find out a little more about the founder and concept of this beautiful boutique clothing line.  

And for those of you who are already big fans, we're sure you'll agree with our little countdown as we share our top five reasons we love Matilda Jane!

1. The Gorgeous Colors and Funky Style: When my daughter puts on her Matilda Jane outfits, her personality just bursts out through her outfit.  The colors are bright, the patterns are beautiful, the quality is superb.  The prints have just a touch of quirkiness of which I just can't get enough   Bright, beautiful and superbly quirky - sounds a lot like Julie too!

2. The Mix and Match Concept: No matter what pieces you choose from the collection, they all go together and compliment each other flawlessly.  It makes shopping simple, and adds great value to the wardrobe collection!

3. Attention to Detail: From the flared cut on pants to the buttons and ribbons, Matilda Jane focuses on the little things - the true mark of exceptional children's clothing.

4. Customer Focus: Providing a great customer experience is a high priority for Matilda Jane!  They come to you, so that you can touch and feel the pieces with their unique Trunk Keeper consultants and Trunk Shows.

5. Absolute Comfort: I've shared before that Julie has some "sensory issues" where she's often uncomfortable with itchy tags or scratchy fabrics.  In her Matilda Jane clothes she's just as comfortable as in her PJs, and doesn't want to take them off!

We were absolutely thrilled to have another opportunity to model another outfit from Matilda Jane and love the three new pieces we're adding to our Paint by Numbers collection!

The colors of this collection are so warm and bright, yet neutral enough that they transcend seasons!  I could easily see Julie wearing her new duds any time of the year.  

It's impossible not to notice the gorgeous Turtledove Knot Top with it's perfect combination of prints.  With beautiful details of shoulder strap knotted ties and a sash that ties in the back, it makes comfort and fit a literal "cinch." With the detailed bird and floral print, it reminds me of warmer days spent outside.

Underneath, the Stippling Tee adds comfort and compliment with it's matching print.  It has just the slightest bit of stretch, making it great for a girl always on the go.  The little dots remind me of paint droplets, perfect for the Paint by Numbers line.

Finally, the Gallery Leggings add a burst of color and has a fun, flirty, curved cuff on the ankle. Cut as a cropped, flared legging, we paired them with our favorite winter boots to make this outfit snow worthy for our chilly Pittsburgh weather.  I just can't get enough of these little stretchy leggings and bet they'll look just as good with summer's flip flops.

Thank you again Matilda Jane for letting us review these beautiful pieces!  And whether you're just meeting Matilda Jane or have been long time pals, we bet all of our readers would love to win a $50 Matilda Jane gift card to choose your own favorites from the Paint by Numbers collection.  Just fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  

Double the Fun

For the past two years, I've had an almost daily struggle with the whole "twin mom" thing.  I hate the comments about my "hands being full", I dread double the diapers, and have looked enviously at my mom friends who only have one little wonderful person to juggle.  I've feared that somehow we'd missed out on that personal intimacy that it was to have this tiny little family when we were so quickly immersed into our own private chaos.

But lately, I've been catching beautiful glimpses at what having twins is really about.  I've been seeing the beautiful emotion they have with one another - sharing hugs and kisses when one another, seeking them out if they hear the other cry.  It's amazing to have the opportunity to be proud of the generosity, kindness and empathy that your two year old is showing - proud of the little person they're becoming.

Brayden picks up his spoon and fork at a casual dinner out - and proceeds to bang them together with glee.  "Great idea bro" silently says a joyful Julie who joins him in the merriment.  They just beam at each other.  The first proud that he started a trend, and the second thrilled to show that she can do it too.  I smile...

Even in the midnight hours, when they both should be sleeping I can't help but enjoy their fun.  Julie gets the idea to run through the upstairs - onto our bed, off the other side, around the loop and back out the door, and across to her room.  Brayden jumps up and follows.  And the two do laps like this for ten minutes squealing as they go.

They share all of this without words, but are so united in the experience.  It's obvious that they love the "twin thing."  And how could they not?  It's a best friend to play trains, it's a person to steal extra hot dog bits from, and a constant sleepover companion.  I'm coming to realize, we're not missing out at all.  We are the luckiest...

Quiet moments snuggled together watching a favorite show, swapping binkies and laughing in domino effect at the funny parts. Every moment bonds them together.

Today we played this game where we would count "one" "two" and then giggle wildly on "three" as we tickled someone.  It was so much fun it almost brought tears to my eyes.  Who else gets that?  Even if kids are close in age, the joy of having two together, at that same moment and stage, discovering life's pleasures is absolutely incredible.

I've always wondered what all these moms meant when they talked about their pairs - "double the fun" they'd say.  I could get behind "double the love" and "double the blessing" but really?  Double the fun? I'm becoming a believer...  I feel like the fun in our family grows exponentially every day.  And I am so blessed to be part of this wild ride...

Kulcar: An Innovative Solar Powered Car Ventilator Review

Our trip to Puerto Rico was the perfect escape from cold and snowy Pittsburgh, and a great time to try out our new Kulcar - a solar powered car ventilator!

The compact device was small it easily packed in our checked luggage, and was easy to install even with almost no tools.  All we needed was the included device, the included rubber strips, and a small pair of scissors.

The perfect year-round solution for warm climates, we’re looking forward to regularly using the Kulcar during the scorching summer temperatures regularly at home. 

The device is so innovative – using environmentally friendly solar panels to generate it’s own power for the device’s small fans.  It significantly lowers the temperature inside your car – while the car is moving or parked.  Because of it’s self-sufficient power source, there’s never a chance it’ll drain your battery, and there are no wires to attach.  A little known fact is that some car upholstery can release dangerous chemicals when heated to extreme temperatures – and in addition to the more comfortable temperature achieved by using Kulcar, this danger can be reduced by kulcar’s use.  What an easy and efficient way to provide a healthier environment for your “always on the go” family.

Installing the Kulcar is super easy:

1 – Roll down the window

2 – clip the precut (small) rubber strip to the window

3 – clip the Kulcar device onto the glass, next to the precut rubber strip.

4 – measure and trim the flat end of the long rubber strip, and clip it on the other side of the Kulcar device.

5 – Slowly roll up the window, ensuring that the solid end of both rubber pieces and the kulcar device are inside the car’s window seals.

That’s it!  You’re ready to go just by flipping the solar panel to a horizontal position and tightening using the metal crank.  I was initially apprehensive about installing this in a rental car, but there was no need.  The installation is as permanent or as temporary as you’d like, leaving no effect on the vehicle.  The rubber strips create a great seal around the device, preventing any issues for security or insects.

Once installed, the device goes to work almost instantly when in direct sun.  You’ll know it’s working by the slight whirling sound coming from the device, and the gentle breeze you can feel when placing your hand on the indoor side of the ventilator. 

On our trip, we found significant difference in indoor temperature when using the Kulcar and would definitely recommend it to our readers.  It would make a great Christmas gift for anyone with a daily commute who parks outside, who lives in a year-round or seasonally warm climate, for the environmentally conscious, and for those road warrior travelers.  Order your Kulcar from NewEgg or stay in touch by following the links below!

Sonray Technology Co Ltd: http://www.sonray.com.tw/

Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0FB-00N8-00001

Kulcar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kulcar/551389814931439

Sonray Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonray-Technology-Inc/500367573391926

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KulcarSonray

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/112610127414860017836/posts?cfem=1

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ksonray/

Kulcar Australia: http://www.kulcar.com.au/

Want to see Kulcar in motion?  Check out our installation and demo videos below!

Disclosure: We received Kulcar for our review purposes.  All opinions remain true and honest of our experience.