Wordless Wednesday: The Taste Of Summer

Picture taken on my cell phone. Also, it's not a look of disgust with her watermelon, she actually loved it!

Cake Lingerie Review & Giveaway {Closed}

First things first: Mom, mother-in-law, and sister....don't read this, k? Did you go away yet?? Just click the little red X in your right hand corner of your computer. Thanks! :)

Since having Zoelle four years ago, I have struggled a bit with my body image. I'm not sure if it is caused by the few stretch marks I have on my tummy or if it is from the ten extra pounds I carry around, but I definitely don't feel as confident and sexy as I did pre-kids. I've heard many women say that after kids they are uncomfortable wearing lingerie around their husband because they don't feel sexy or pretty. To a degree, I felt that same way. Then I found Cake Lingerie and all that changed.

Cake is designed for expecting mothers or nursing mothers. Since I have been either pregnant or nursing for the last 4+ years, I was excited to try a bra and panties that are actually cute and make me feel sexy rather than like "just a mom".

Cake sent me the Turkish Delight set with a flexible underwire bra. As a nursing mom, I'm always a little nervous when it comes to wearing an underwire bra. With Cake and the flexible underwire bra, I had no reason to fear. I've worn it lots and it has caused no issues with nursing. It is also extremely comfortable and fits perfectly! The briefs are the perfect coverage and again super comfortable.

The best part of it all is that I feel sexy, while still being comfortable and my husband likes it too! ;) So would I buy it? Yes, yes, and yes! I loved it!

Buy It!

Are you a pregnant or nursing mom looking for comfortable, yet sexy lingerie? If so, I highly suggest for you to check out Cake Lingerie! You won't regret it. If you are looking to buy the exact set featured in this post, click on over to Turkish Delight. Update: Right now Cake has a 25% off sale on those items with a cupcake icon. This is a great deal that you don't want to miss!

Win It!

Cake has generously offered one of my readers a Turkish Delight set available in sizes 32-38B to H.

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Cake and take a look at their collections and tell me what one is your favorite. Please do me the favor of making sure you leave your e-mail address in the comment if it is not visible on your profile. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

1. Become a Facebook fan of Jewels & Treasures. Leave me a comment telling me you are a fan along with your first name and last initial. (1 entry)

2. Become a Facebook fan of Cake Lingerie. Leave me a comment telling me you are a fan along with your first name and last initial. (1 entry)

3. Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment telling me you are along with your Twitter ID. (1 entry)

4. Follow Cake on Twitter and leave a comment telling me you are along with your Twitter ID. (1 entry)

5. Tweet the following Tweet then come back and leave me the link to your tweet (1 tweet/entry per day):

#win an @cakelingerie set from @jewelsntreasure http://tinyurl.com/3gfxkcv

#giveaway

6. Share via your facebook page making sure to link to this post and to me by using @Jewels & Treasures. (1 entry)

7. Follow me via Google Friend Connect (must be a public follower). (1 entry)

8. Subscribe via e-mail to my blog. (2 entries)

9. Grab my blog button and post it on your blog and leave me a link letting me know where it is at. (3 entries)

10. Follow me via Networked Blogs. (1 entry)

That's it!

Winner will be chosen at random from random.org. Winner has 48 hours from being contacted to respond, or else a new winner will be chosen.

Contest ends Monday, July 11, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CST

Congrats to # 40 Mrs. Martinet

*The featured product(s) in this post were provided for me by the company. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Friendship Festival {Experiencing Different Cultures}



We live in a small town. Being in a small town we get very few cultural experiences. The majority race is caucasian and the primary language spoken is English. However, go just 17 miles away and you will experience a small town filled with different cultures: Somalian, Mexican, Bosnian, German, Scandinavian, Vietnamese, American, and many more. It is because of this small town that we have chosen Spanish as our girl's second language. That and the fact that soon English will not dominate as the world language.

Each year they have a festival that celebrates the many cultures, but one community that they have. It is a way for each culture to share their heritage with the other cultures.

For our family, it is a way to expose us all to a different lifestyle, food, music, and crafts. They offer food, music, face painting, a marketplace and world craft experience, flags of the world, and our girl's favorite, the piñatas.

Even though it is something small and it's only one day, I feel as if I am giving the girls a gift. A gift of culture, a gift of language, and a gift of a different world. It is a gift I will never regret!

Do you have any cultural festivals near where you live? Have you ever been to one?

Kidorable Hooded Towel Review

With summer officially here, it seems that we are always outside either swimming, playing, or just enjoying life outside. Typically this also means that my girls are getting more dirty! If they get dirty, wet, or cold, they are always asking for a towel to clean up with.

Thus I turned to Kidorable, whom I have worked with before, and found their hooded towel.

Let me just say that this towel is adorable! I love the Lotus Flower design that we got and of course my girls loved it too!

I also loved that it came with a little clear carrying case. This makes it much easier to travel with and keep clean when not in use. Another favorite feature is that you can snap the towel closed around the child in order for the towel to stay on and keep them warm. Zoelle and Meridian loved the towel, but when I asked if I could take their picture with it, neither one of them wanted to. Being that it was too big for Xiomara, I ended up not getting any pictures of the girls with the towel. However, I can say it worked great on them and they love it!

I thought the quality of the towel was great! I've even washed it and it stayed in the same fantastic condition it came in. It was soft, and had plenty of room for a child to use.

Buy It!

If you are in need of a great towel to use this summer, I highly suggest taking a look at Kidorable and all the wonderful towels they have! If you can wait a little bit before ordering and order July 1-5, you can get free shipping on any order over $50 using the code: JULY4TH22

*Kidorable provided me with this monitor and asked me to share my honest opinion on the product.

Wordless Wednesday: Just Meridian

P.S. This picture cracks me up because it is SO Meridian! :)

Just one of those weeks...

I don't often feel stressed. But this week I was stressed to the max.

It started last Saturday with Meridian coming up to us and saying, "I want to go potty". She did this once before about a month before she turned 2 and it didn't stick, so I figured this would be the same. However, something clicked this time and she has been going potty all week on the potty. But I do have to say, whoever said potty training in three days is the key, is a liar! Not in my house. She still has had accidents and has only gone #2 on the potty once. It's been a bit frustrating trying to bring her potty every 5 minutes, give her chocolate chips when she goes, and then go back to whatever I was doing, only to be called back to the bathroom again in a matter of minutes. If I'm not called into the bathroom, I'm called to see the mess she made while coloring on the floor, or on the kitchen counter, or in my basement, or...you get the picture! :) Man have I gotten a workout this week! Stress!

Xiomara is still teething. Only the one tooth, but man does she like to bite! I'll admit, I'm kind of miserable nursing her a lot because she twists, turns, pops off/on, and then bites me! Grr!! On top of that, I'm not losing weight while nursing (I never do) and I really am wanting to get back down in my weight. Stressed again!

Zoelle has been having some issues with her mouth this week and the tone/words that have come out of it. I've been working very hard on trying to speak life to her because I truly believe that the words we speak to our children bring life or death. But I also fail miserably. This week especially. :( It pains me when I look back on this week and realize how differently I could have handled things with her. Ughh! Because really, she is a good kid! Sometimes I'm so discouraged that I am failing as a mom! Does anyone else feel this way? Stress!

Add to all of this, the crazy idea to paint our kitchen, my Norwex party coming up this week, the girls' birthday party this week, Xiomara's dedication, and my procrastination on a special project that I am hurriedly trying to finish for Xiomara's 1st birthday. Yeah, I'm stressed!

All this to say, that this week...I may be scarce. I am going to try and write up some posts this weekend to publish while I am away, but no guarantees. And if you think of it, pray for me will you? That I wouldn't be stressed, that God would give me patience, that I would have the time to do it all, and have peace!

P.S. I posted the pics in black and white because I find it calming. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Rainy Day Play

Hosting a Norwex Party

I always swore I would never host a party! I've been to a million parties, but have never went away from one wanting to host one. That is until I went to my sister's Norwex party. I'll admit it, I've been Norwex's biggest skeptic. Even after hearing awesome testimonies from several friends and my mom and sister, I was still skeptical. I've even googled "Does Norwex really work?". I've also googled "Is Norwex really natural?" Everything I've read has been positive and I'm a bit of a research nut. That speaks volumes to me! I was also impressed when I saw my little sister clean my parent's stainless steel with just water. It was actually clean and without streaks too!!

So why host a party? I really loved what I saw and I desire to clean as naturally as possible. This is a way for me to do that! Also, with three little girls who are four years old and under, cleaning without chemicals is not only safe for the girls, but also less time consuming. One cloth to clean the whole house (if I wanted)? Yes please!

So I'm taking the leap and having a party! In the hopes that I can learn more and others who are just like me can try these products and see how great they are! If anything, I think of it as a night to have a break from the kids, visit with friends, and eat some yummy desert!

If you are in my area, and are interested in coming to the party, please feel free to facebook message me or email me at jewelsntreasures (at) yahoo (dot) com and I can give you the details.

If you already have received an invite and can't make the party, but still want to order, let me know and I can do that for you!

If you do come to my party, I want you to not feel obligated at all to buy something. Instead just enjoy a night out with friends and food!

Have you ever hosted an in home party? What is your favorite party to go to?

Vote For My Blog Please!

Ok, big breath here. I'm asking for votes. Right now there is a contest going on for the Top 25 Adoption Blogs. I've entered my adoption blog: On Our Hearts. I have no grand thoughts of becoming #1 (nor do I think I deserve it), but I would be very honored to be in the Top 25.

So why ask for votes? I have dreams. Lots of dreams. All involving adoption. I constantly am asking myself what I could do to help the orphans in Ethiopia? How can I touch birthmoms just like "R" or "J"? What can I do for a family just like us that has no money to adopt, but feels very called to it?

So my mind spins and the dreams come.

I want to explore those dreams! But I need people backing me, encouraging me, being a part of those dreams. One way to do that is to expose my blog to others who have this passion just like I do. Who can help or know someone who can.

Right now, my crazy dream is to take $10 and turn it into $100. $100 into a thousand, $1,000 into $10,000 and from there the possibilies are endless. I want to use that money to all go towards adoption. Perhaps to a family wanting to adopt. Or to an orphan in Africa. Or maybe something else yet to be revealed to me.

It is very humbling to put my dreams out there on a public blog. For fear that they may fail or never happen. But I'm taking that leap of faith knowing that I have to open myself up in order for the dream to get started. Big dreams, but not impossible and I truly believe with the help of others we can make adoption more the "norm" and perhaps more attainable.

So if you have a minute, would you go vote for me? All you need to do is click on the thumbs up and you are good. You can vote once every 24 hours (until June 21st)! Just follow the link, look for my blog: On Our Hearts, and click the thumbs up. Also, please spread the word because I really want to see this dream become a reality!






Have you ever worked for a dream of yours to become a reality? If so, how did you take that first leap?

Xiomara's First Tooth

What a crazy week it has been! I've been pretty absent from blogging. That is a combination of lots of things. Not being home much, being outside all the time when I am home, and Xiomara getting her first tooth!

At exactly 11 months, our little girl got that first bottom tooth. It is sharp! Very sharp! Ask me how I know? Yep, my darling has been biting while nursing. Ouch! It makes for a very miserable week of nursing. The other girls were not very big biters, so I am not used to it! In addition to her one tooth that is in, she has a second that is close to coming up. She also hasn't wanted to sleep much for her afternoon naps, thus I get no time to blog (as I typically blog during nap time). Thankfully, she is still sleeping at night, and for her morning nap!

Either way, it is a reminder to me that while she is small, she is still growing up fast and we have just a little less than a month until her 1 year old birthday. I can hardly believe it! Am I the only mom who feels that time keeps going faster with each child?

I'm off for the afternoon to enjoy our local town parade, the warm weather, and family! Enjoy the rest of your weekend and hopefully I will be back next week!

When did you little one get his/her first tooth? Any natural remedies for teething pain? What are your weekend plans?

Wordless Wednesday: Holdin' Hands

P.S. This melts my heart!

Zoelle's First Haircut

This weekend, our family took a trip to the biggest city near us. We did some shopping, visited with family, met with some new friends, and Zoelle and I got haircuts.

This was Zoelle's first time getting her hair cut ever! She was born practically bald, and her hair has come in very slowly. Thus I was a nervous mama! My main concern was her beautiful curls. I didn't want someone to chop them off. After doing some research, I decided to take her to a salon that specializes in curly girl haircuts. I got mine cut first and then Zoelle followed. I had to share this picture Chris snapped of her on my cell phone. It cracked me up!

It was amazing!! I love my haircut! I love the trim and layers that Zoelle ended up with. I love that she made both of our hair look like this with no curling iron, just a bit of gel.

If you happen to live in my area or my state, have curly hair, and need a recommendation for a hairdresser, email me and I will give you the name of our incredible hairdresser!!

Vedette Shapewear Review & Giveaway (3 Winners) {Closed}

Want to know a secret about me? If you see me wearing a dress, I'm wearing some sort of shapewear underneath! There the secret is out! I am a bit obsessed with shapewear. Not only does it make me look thinner, I feel thinner when I wear it. When I dress up, I want to look my best. Therefore, the shapewear is put on to help shed those extra 10 pounds miraculously. ;)

When Vedette Shapewear contacted me about doing a review for one of their items, I jumped at the chance to have an addtional piece of shapewear in my drawer. I opted for the Madeleine as it was a bit different than the shapewear I currently own.

When it came I quickly realized that it was not going to fit me. I used the sizing guide provided, but did not feel that it accurately represented the true size of the item. I was very impressed that when I contacted the company about it, they offered me help in finding the correct size and then sent me another one in that size. That one fit!

I found that the shapewear is made with very high quality! I did feel as if it was a bit uncomfortable compared to other shapewear I own. However, I also believe it did do it's job and slim in just the right areas.

Buy It!

Vedette is offering my readers a $5 coupon to all of my readers. All you have to do is write the name of my blog (Jewels & Treasures) prior to purchasing any style from their site. They will also give a 10% discount to anyone who purchases the Madeleine. Note: You can use the $5 discount and 10% together on the Madeleine. This offer is good for 2 weeks.

Win It!

Vedette is generously offering 3 of my readers a shapewear garment. Please note that Vedette will choose the style of the garment.

Mandatory Entry:

Go check out the Vedette store and come back and tell me your favorite item. Please do me the favor of making sure you leave your e-mail address in the comment if it is not visible on your profile. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

1. Become a Facebook fan of Jewels & Treasures. Leave me a comment telling me you are a fan along with your first name and last initial. (1 entry)

2. Become a Facebook fan of Vedette. Leave me a comment telling me you are a fan along with your first name and last initial. (1 entry)

3. Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment telling me you are along with your Twitter ID. (1 entry)

4. Follow Vedette on Twitter and leave a comment telling me you are along with your Twitter ID. (1 entry)

5. Tweet the following Tweet then come back and leave me the link to your tweet (1 tweet/entry per day):

#win an @vedettestore shapewear from @jewelsntreasure http://tinyurl.com/3b5lvkj
#giveaway

6. Follow me via Google Friend Connect (must be a public follower). (1 entry)

7. Subscribe via e-mail to my blog. (2 entries)

8. Subscribe to the Vedette blog. (1 entry)

9. Grab my blog button and post it on your blog and leave me a link letting me know where it is at. (3 entries)

10. Follow me via Networked Blogs. (1 entry)

That's It!

Winner will be chosen at random from random.org. Winner has 48 hours from being contacted to respond, or else a new winner will be chosen.

Contest ends Friday, June 17, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CST

Winners are:

Congrats ladies! I hope you enjoy!! :)

*The featured product(s) in this post were provided for me by the company. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Wordless Wednesday: Look Who Is Standing