Weekend Review - Pillow Pets

Welcome to the Weekend Review with The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too!, The Florida Hogans, and Angelica's Awesome Adventures! We would love for you to link up your reviews at the bottom and let everyone know about your favorite products! Reviews with giveaways are awesome too!

It's a pillow. It's a pet. It's a Pillow Pet! Well, whatever these things are, they are great! I recently won one of these from a blog giveaway, and Rylie chose the Comfy Panda. She was so excited when it came and didn't put it down for days. It went in her bed with her at night and came out in the morning. We have finally convinced her to let him just hang out in her bed during the day so that he doesn't get covered in whatever snack she might try to share with him, or get slobbered on by her little brother.

I didn't realize how big this thing was going to be when I first looked at them on the website. They are huge! They start out folded up and they can stand on 4 legs. I tried to get a picture of Rylie holding it folded up, but you know how it is trying to get a picture of a toddler. I think you can get a better idea of the size from this picture, though...

And not only are they great for hugging, they are great for sitting on and being silly too!

The panda has a strap underneath his belly that keeps him folded up for playing, and when it is time for bed, you just unhook the velcro and he becomes a pillow!

Seriously, Rylie loves her panda. She sleeps with him every night. She didn't even use a pillow before, but she does now! It is so soft and comfy. I might even have to get myself one! My husband seems to like it too, don't you think?

Pillow Pets can be ordered from the Pillow Pet website for $19.95 + $5.95 shipping & handling (each). If you order more than one, you save 20% on additional pets.

These huggable creatures would make a great friend for your little one, or a great gift for a little one you love. Hmmmm, I think I know what all of Rylie's friends will be getting for their next birthdays. :-)

Do you have a product you would like to let everyone know about? Link it up below! Do you need a recommendation for a product you need to buy? Leave us a comment and it could be our next Weekend Review.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Disclaimer: This opinion is my own. I wrote this review without the request of the company. They have not contacted me in any way nor did they supply me with any products.

Five Question Friday - May 28th

Happy Friday everyone! If you are visiting for the first time, welcome! Make sure you leave a comment so I will know you stopped by. I love new followers, so if you follow me, chances are I'm going to follow you back.

I am on the road today (probably pulling my hair out by now) taking the kids to see my family in Alabama. The good thing is that my family will be all over my kids and won't let me get near them while we're there, so I'll have time to get on the computer and make the Friday rounds once we get there. Yay! I look forward to checking out some new blogs.

Anyway - on to Five Question Friday. Wanna play? Head over to My Little Life and link up!



1. Is there something you've always wanted to try but just can't muster up the courage to actually do yet? I can't think of anything. If I want to do something, I usually do it. When it comes to crazy activities like bungee jumping and skydiving, those aren't on my list of things to do. I'd like to stay alive, thank you.

2. If you had $100 handed to you in cash without your significant other knowing about it, what would you spend it on? Sigh. Probably my kids. I have an obsession with cute little clothes.

3. What was your favorite piece of playground equipment as a child? I don't know exactly what they were called, but there were these long horizontal metal bars at random heights. We would do somersaults around them. It is really hard to explain, but kind of like what a real gymnast would do on the uneven bars, I guess.

4. Do you prefer a sweet or hearty breakfast? Usually hearty. But can I have just *a little* sweet thrown in there? Pleeeeeasse?

5. Are you a Neat Freak or a Messy Bessy? I'm a neat freak by nature, but you wouldn't know it from the state of disarray my house is in right now. I guess that comes with having two kids and no time to get anything done. But I like everything in its place. Just ask my husband.

I Think I Have Officially Lost My Mind

Why oh why did I think it would be a good idea to travel out of state tomorrow? I have been non-stop all day today doing laundry, packing and trying to get ready to go. Oh my gosh! I feel like I am packing up half of my house. When you go on vacation with a toddler and a baby, there is so much to bring. We're only going to be gone until Monday, but I have to be prepared. I have like 8 outfits for Rylie just in case she has any accidents (more on the potty training in a minute) and 6 for Bryce. And then there are pajamas, bathing suits, diapers, bottles, baby food, formula, bath stuff, swim floats and toys. Oh, and I need some clothes for myself too. What am I forgetting?

The good news is that I have almost all of their stuff packed. I had to wait until after bath time to pack up their bath stuff, and I won't be able to pack up bottles until after the dishwasher runs. Now I just have to get my stuff packed, as soon as my last load of laundry is done. So I'm taking a break. I need to sit for a minute. Because running all day has made me sore.

So tomorrow we're off to see my aunt and cousins in Alabama. I guess we have made this a Memorial Day tradition since this is the third year we have gone. Here is a picture of Rylie and me with my aunt and cousins from the first year...



I don't even remember Rylie being that little! Brian and my uncle were also there. And yes, my family is all girls. Bryce is actually the only boy since my brother was born 33 years ago. All 4 of my cousins have "A" names, and my cousin's daughter also has an "A" name. I have resorted to just calling them "hey you". It makes things interesting.

I'm really excited about this trip! Well, once the car ride is over. Brian is staying home to make a dent in our to-do list, so my mom is going with us. Hopefully her antics will keep the kids entertained for the 7 hour drive. And then tomorrow night I am going to meet an old friend for dinner and I can't wait! We haven't seen each other in over 9 years.

And here are a couple quick updates before I get back to work...

Rylie is doing great with her potty training! She hasn't had a diaper or a pull-up on all week, and she has only had ONE pee accident. The poop situation is a little different. She hadn't gone all week and had two accidents today. I think she was just scared to go in the potty. But tonight she did it! She pooped in the potty! I am so proud of her!

Bryce started crawling backwards last night. He was getting so mad too, because he was trying to get to his toys. So hopefully I'll be able to post that he is a crawler soon! Yay!

Make sure you check back tomorrow for Five Question Friday and Weekend Review. Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Thank You, Thank You

::applause::

This week I received THREE blog awards! How cool is that? I'm super excited and so glad that there are people out there that enjoy my blog!


The First award I received was the Trendy Blog Award. I actually received this one twice.

Heather from Life With The Ardies passed this award on to me. She has a great blog about her family. I love to read about her adorable "Babygirl" who is almost 9 months old. Go check her out and say hey!

Torie from Life with Rylie also passed on this award to me. How could I not be a fan of a blog with that name? Torie has a great blog about her little Rylie, who is almost 7 months old. So stop by her blog and read about another cute Rylie!

Here is how this award works:
•To receive this award, promise to share this with 10 other BLOGS that you think are Trendy too.
•Post about your award in your blog.
•List your Top 10 Trendy Blogs.
•Share with them.
•Leave a link to the Trendy Blog Button.
•Tell them they need to give this award out to 10 as well.

I am passing this award on to these 10 blogs that I think are trendy: (in alphabetical order)
1. Angelica's Awesome Adventures
2. Circle of Love...and all the craziness around it!
3. Desperate for Coffee
4. finally Mom
5. Heligirl: Clever Mommy Blog
6. Knee Deep in Mommahood
7. Mommy And Molly
8. myronickmusings
9. Thanks, Mail Carrier
10. The Florida Hogan's

Ladies, you can pick up the button over at the Trendy Treehouse.

Head on over and check out these blogs! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

I also received the Super Comments Award! I love comments, and I know most other bloggers do too, so I try to comment as much as I can. I follow a lot of blogs now, and sometimes I read them through Google reader, so it isn't always easy to comment, but I do try to visit blogs and comment as much as possible.

I received this award from Carol at Knee Deep in Mommahood. Carol has a cute blog about her two little girls. Those little cuties are around 3 years apart, so Carol has her hands full like I do. Go check out her blog and leave her a comment, because we know she likes them!

Acceptance of this award comes with answering 10 questions.

1. Why do you blog?
2. What are your three best memories?
3. If you had to change your real name, what would you change it to?
4. What are 5 things you can’t live without?
5. What are the four best books you’ve ever read?
6. Tell me something unique and interesting about yourself.
7. What do you like about yourself?
8. What is the best movie ever made?
9. If you had a Freaky Friday experience, who would you want to change places with and why?
10. What is the best part about being a woman?

Some of those questions aren't going to be easy to answer, but here goes...

1. Why do you blog? My blog started off as a place where family and friends could keep up with us. It was also a way for me to write down milestones and memories, since I haven't touched Rylie's baby book since she was like 10 months old, and I have never even opened Bryce's. It has now become quite the addiction. I have met so many other awesome ladies and I really enjoy reading about them, and sharing my experiences with them.

2. What are your three best memories? This may seem like such a generic answer, but honestly, my three best memories are my wedding, Rylie's birthday and Bryce's birthday. I can't even think of anything that I remember more than those three days. My wedding was awesome! My reception was probably the most fun I have ever had. Rylie's birthday wasn't the most fun day of my life, but I will never ever forget the first time I saw her. I thought she was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. And Bryce's birthday was fun. It was a scheduled c-section and we actually cracked jokes with my doctor while he was operating. I felt so much joy when I held my little man for the first time!

3. If you had to change your real name, what would you change it to? Sara. When I was younger that is the name I would give to random guys that tried to talk to me when we were out. Maybe sometime I'll tell you the story about when Rebecca and I told these guys we were dancers and our names were Sara Lee and Betty Crocker. Well, I guess that is the story, in a nutshell.

4. What are 5 things you can’t live without? My family, My friends (real-life and internet), Burt's Bees Lip Balm, My Phone (through which I Facebook, Twitter, email and read blogs), and my TV addiction (I have to have something that lets me escape from reality once in a while, right?)

5. What are the four best books you’ve ever read? I really can't answer this question. I am so ashamed to say this, but I haven't read a book in probably 15 years, at least. I just don't have time to read. So instead I'll answer it with the four books Rylie and I like to read before bed - Her Mickey Mouse magnet book that she LOVES, Fuzzy Bear Goes Potty, Sesame Street Get Up and Go Songs, and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? Even though I don't have time to read, I want to make sure my kids like to read like I did when I was a kid.

6. Tell me something unique and interesting about yourself. I can't blow my nose. Weird, right? I just can't do it. And apparently I'm not the only one because when I mentioned it to a doctor one time, he said "Oh, you're one of those."

7. What do you like about yourself? I like that I am a good friend. If I am your friend, I am loyal as hell and would do anything in the world for you.

8. What is the best movie ever made? Silence of the Lambs. I know, what a weird movie to have as my favorite. But I love it.

9. If you had a Freaky Friday experience, who would you want to change places with and why? Someone that lives in a tropical place like Costa Rica who sits on the beach and rents out jet skis. Wouldn't that be a cool job? There can't be too much stress in that, right?

10. What is the best part about being a woman? For me, it was the ability to carry and give birth to children. There is nothing better than having a human being grow inside of you and to be able to have that child all to yourself for 9 months. I know several women that are trying so hard to be able to do this, and my heart goes out to them.

Now I get to pass this award on. I am giving the Super Comment Award to Heather at Life With The Ardies. She has left some super sweet comments on my blog! So stop by her blog and give her some comment love too!

Thank you again to the ladies that gave me these awards! You really made my day!

Wordless Wednesday: A Day At The Beach

Bryce Went Swimming!

Last Sunday we went over to Tiffany and Sean's for a BBQ. We had such a great time! Rylie and Payten had a blast playing together and Bryce and Camryn enjoyed looking at each other. :-) Bryce went swimming for the first time and he loved it! Rylie was a little apprehensive at first, since apparently she is still traumatized from her swimming lessons last fall, but after a little while she was splashing around and having a great time!

I don't think she needs to worry about going under.


Bryce is ready to get in the pool!


Oh hey. Look at me!




Payten and Rylie splashing in the fountain.


How you doin'?


Yummy lunch at the princess table.




Hey baby. Wanna float with me? :-)


Monkey see, monkey do.




This summer is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to do this again! Thanks again Tiffany and Sean for having us over. It is our turn next time.

Twitter – Resisting No More

I did it. I am finally on Twitter. Follow me if you’d like, but I’ll warn you now that I still have no clue what I’m doing. Please, someone give me a lesson!

I resisted Twitter for as long as I could because, honestly, I didn’t understand it. Who really gives a crap what I do all day? I don’t even care about what I do all day. Because lets face it, my life is pretty boring. Well, it isn’t boring to me, but not everyone shares in my daily excitement of whether or not Rylie peed her pants, or that Bryce gagged on some veggies and projectile vomited all over the place. But all the cool kids are doing it, and I still strive to be part of that group. :-)

So bear with me, OK? I’m putting my training wheels on and taking Twitter for a spin. This should be fun!

Happy Birthday Makayla!

This past Saturday, we went to Monkey Joe's to celebrate Makayla's birthday! The kids had a great time as usual! Rylie had fun bouncing, sliding and hugging Monkey Joe. Thank you so much Makayla for letting Rylie share your special day with you!

Rylie played air hockey with Daddy...until she slammed her finger up against the table. Ouch!


Being silly with Cole and Benton.


Oh hey Monkey Joe!!!


Claire and Rylie with MJ.


The birthday girl being silly with MJ.


My sweet little man enjoying the party.


Oh look, another picture of Rylie with MJ. Imagine that.


Happy Birthday Makayla!


Icing! Yum!


Bryce got to try some icing too. He loved it!


Getting ready to slide...


Wheeeeee!


My loves.


Jumping around.


Happy Birthday Makayla! We hope you had a great day!

Animal Kingdom

I like Disney. There, I said it. A couple of my friends are laughing hysterically right now. Because up until just recently, I hated Disney. You could not have paid me to set foot into one of those ridiculously priced, overcrowded parks. But then we took Rylie to Magic Kingdom. And she loved it. And then we went to Animal Kingdom. Again, she loved it. How can I not like a place that makes my little girl light up the way she lights up when she is there? I can't. I imagine we will end up getting annual passes soon.

A couple Fridays ago we went to Animal Kingdom. We had a great time! We followed a friend's advice and went on the Safari first. We were able to see so many animals!

Next we visited Winnie the Pooh and his crew and had some lunch. We then headed over to DinoLand where we rode the little dino Dumbo-like ride. Rylie loved it! Of course we had to do it more than once.

While we were in DinoLand Rylie and Daddy played a couple of games. We bought two game tickets and ended up with three more "friends" to add Rylie's already over-crowded room. They were playing that game where you throw the wiffle balls and try to get them in the different colored cups. Well, out of 4 balls, they won one large and one extra-large prize. After that they played the game where you shoot the water and race the other players and won that one too. At least the prize for that was just a small little seahorse.

Rylie decided she needed a little nap, so we headed over to wait for the Lion King show. She slept in her stroller and even stayed asleep as we carried her in. Once the show got started she woke up quickly. She absolutely loved that show! She really liked all of the acrobatics the monkeys did. She was smiling and clapping the whole time.

After that show we visited Mickey and all of his friends. Rylie had to hug and kiss all of them. She had so much fun!

There are a ton of pictures on our Picasa site, but here are a few of my favorites. OK, there are more than a few, but I just can't help it!

Here we are on the safari.


Hanging with Pooh and his crew!




Riding the Triceratop Spin.


Winners!


Nap time.




Loving the Lion King show!


Goofy is so silly!


Kisses for Minnie!


Hugs for Donald!


Bunnies!


Can someone please tell me who this is???? (Seriously, we don't know.)


Another hug for Thumper.


We stopped by Rainforest Cafe for a T-Shirt on our way out.


What a great day! I honestly can't wait to go back again! OK guys, go ahead and laugh some more.