GroVia All-in-One Cloth Diaper and Magic Stick Review!

Disclosure: I was sent these products free of charge in exchange for a written review. I was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In my almost four years of cloth diapering two babies I have tried a lot of cloth diapers. One I have just recently had the opportunity to try is a GroVia All-in-One cloth diaper as well as a GroVia Magic Stick! 

GroVia was created by a woman named Kim who has a passion for making healthy and green products available to every family! The GroVia company strives to "change the world one baby at a time" by offering quality, sustainable, and easy cloth diapering products. 

The GroVia One-Size AIO fits baby's approximately 10 to 35 pounds and is adjustable with two rows of of rise snaps. The inner material is 100% certified organic cotton and the outer  is a thermal-laminated waterproof material. Everything is connected except for a extra snap in soaker that you can take out if not needed. 

I am really liking the GroVia AIO. I've been using it on Isaac for about 3 weeks now and have really enjoyed trying it out. I had heard from other moms that they had a hard time with the fit on their chubby or bigger babies. I can see how this can be so because it does have a narrower crotch than most other cloth diapers I've tried, but Isaac is about 23.5 pounds and it fits him really well on the largest setting. I'm not sure how it will fit when he's 30+ pounds but I think a lot of the fit depends on the size of baby's thighs and belly which is why so many parents get different fits on their babies with these diapers.  

There's a few things about this diaper that I really love. One thing I love is how trim it is! It is one of the trimmest diapers I have ever tried, especially the all-in-ones I've tried! It's the perfect diaper for wearing under pants or other clothing without causing a big fluffy tush! Another thing I love about it is that being an all-in-one the whole diaper is connected but I can still add more absorbency if I need to with the extra snap-in soaker! So it's great for nap time or even bed time because I just snap the soaker in and I have extra absorbency! This diaper is great for the diaper bag or for when I leave Isaac with a sitter because it is so easy to use! There's no pockets to stuff or pins to use or folding to do! It pretty much goes on exactly like a disposable would! 

The Gro-Via Magic Stick is an all natural diaper rash cream that is safe to use with cloth diapers! Instead of getting your hands all greasy and messy while you try to change your baby you can just rub this magic stick on your baby's bottom and everything is good to go! But does it actually work? I've been using the Magic Stick on Isaac anytime he gets red for the past few weeks now and it really does work! Anytime I put it on him by the next diaper change the redness is gone! I really like how well it works and I love that I don't have to get my hands messy! 

Buy It!

http://www.gro-via.com/storelocations

You can also follow GroVia on Facebook and Twitter for their latest updates!

Practicing Attached Parenting in a Different Part of the World! {Guest Post by Amanda of AttachedMoms.com}

Guest post from Amanda from www.attachedmoms.com - Earlier this year, she took the jump and made a family move to her husband’s country, India.

Any second time mom will tell you that no matter how relaxed you were the first time around, the second time around, it is even more relaxed.

But what they don’t tell you is that the second time around relaxation can also cause issues!

We practiced the “8 Bs” of attachment parenting pretty much with both kids at the beginning. I didn’t rush to the doctor with every sniffle, and other than scorpion stings, we haven’t ventured out to the emergency room either.

But now with a move to India, I’m finding that those dare devil things that I allowed, I’m now paranoid about. I don’t know if I can trust the closest doctors, there’s really no “ambulance” system here and I can’t drive! So, what, do I just go out and flag down an auto rickshaw to go to a hospital and hope the driver understands what I’m saying?

We’ve been in India for almost 3 months now and while we’re adjusted, we still don’t have any of our belongings due to delay in shipping, then a 30 day customs hold in the US, and then some extra slow cargo ships. But, in the end, we’re getting along.

We’re doing without the extras (and some of what we’d call basics), but we’re also seeing that this second kid thing, while mostly a joy, can also mean that kid #1 becomes the hype person of kid #2 to do things that mama may not find the most safe. I didn’t realize how much of an issue this would be until we moved to India.

So now I wonder... what was I thinking moving here? We’re in the midst of culture shock time and also just general boredom of the “same” (we don’t have a television, any beds, or even a couch or table!) and so we’re trying to find that new groove. 

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful father's out there! A big Happy Father's Day to one of the best Dad's I know--my husband! Brian you are a wonderful husband and father and you work so hard for us and love us so much! We are blessed to have you in our lives! 

Three of My Favorite Earth's Best Products + Giveaway!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post. I was sent these products in exchange for a written review. I was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.

My family and I are huge fans of Earth's Best Organic products and we use them all the time!  My kids love the tasty snacks and I love that the products are made with organic products and without harsh or dangerous chemicals! I like almost all of the Earth's Best products for babies and kids, but I have three favorites I want to share with you! 

Applesauce

My boys absolutely love the Earth's Best Organic applesauce! I do too because it is wholesome and organic! There are no growth hormones or other chemicals in the apples they make the applesauce with so I know I'm giving them something safe to eat! It also comes in convenient little cups which are great for lunch bags or diaper bags! 

Letter of the Day Cookies

I try to eat well and feed my kids healthy products too, but every now and then we enjoy some yummy cookies! Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies are one of our favorites! I even enjoy eating these cookies because they are so tasty! I always sneak a few when I give my kids some. Not only do they taste great but they have letters on them so I like to make fun little games with them to help my boys learn their letters! They have no hydrogenated oils, no trans saturated fats, and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Now that it is summer I love to throw a box of these in the beach bag for a great snack at the pool! They are great for on the go!

Chlorine Free Disposable Diapers

I usually use cloth diapers but there are times when I need to use a disposable diaper and that's why I love that Earth's Best offers chlorine free disposable diapers! They are also latex-free, dye-free, and perfume-free! They are very absorbent and work great every time I use them! If and when I have to use disposable diapers I like to use the ones with the least amount of chemicals in them and those are Earth's Best!

Buy It!

http://www.earthsbest.com/

Win It!

One lucky reader will win one of these three products! Winner gets to choose- the applesauce, cookies, or diapers! 

Must be 18 years of age to enter. Only one entrant per household allowed. Giveaway is open to US residents only. 

Tips for Traveling with Babies and Toddlers!

Summer is here which means lots of traveling! We do a lot of traveling during the summer and are headed to the beach next week! So this week is prep time for that trip! With babies and toddlers it takes a lot of preparation  Sometimes I feel like I might as well pack the whole house when I'm packing for the boys! But with a little preparation and planning, traveling with babies and toddlers can be much easier than it seems! 

Travel during baby's sleep time if you can. When we travel we always try to leave in the early morning hours or during nap time so the kids will sleep for a while. Most of the time we get them straight from their beds and put them in the car and they don't even wake up. When they are sleeping it cuts down on a lot of stress and distraction on the adults and especially the driver. Plus we don't have to stop as often if they are sleeping. 

Bring lots of car-friendly activities! I always bring toys and books and movies along on our trip. If it is something they can do that will keep them distracted and content while in their carseat I bring it!

Bring Snacks! Snacks are always a hit with my boys and keep them happy and content while we are traveling. We usually pack a cooler with some fruit and other snacks to have in the car. If you're little one is potty trained though I wouldn't give them too much to drink or you'll be making lots of bathroom stops! 

Be Prepared to Stop! I always add an hour or two to our travel time when traveling with the kids because I know we will need to stop more often than we would if they weren't with us. Even if your child isn't potty trained yet, you'll still need to stop some to get them out of the car to stretch and take a breather. We usually stop and eat a meal during our trips so that they are out of the car for a good half hour or so. Just so they can be out of the car longer than 5 minutes and we all get refreshed and ready to go again. 

Bring extra everything! Ok maybe not everything, but for trips I always pack extra clothing, diapers, and anything else the baby might need so I'm not making trips to the store buying things I forgot! Babies need a lot of things and they still need it all when traveling too so I always just bring everything I can think that the baby might need! 

Have fun! Even if you forget something, or the baby cries the whole car ride try to remember to enjoy yourself as best you can! Try not to stress too much and do your best to enjoy your time with your family! We've had trips where everything went wrong but we still made a point to have fun and we did! We've also had trips that went perfectly and the kids behaved and everything was great! Some of our best family memories are when traveling! So take a deep breath and just have fun!

I Did It!

Just wanted to update you all on my 5k yesterday! I finished my very first one at 44:05 and placed 2nd in my age group! It was such an accomplishment! I had so much fun too! It was a trail run so we were running through a state park which was beautiful! I will definitely be doing more!

My Boys came to support me! Hubby was there too! 

Finishing the race!

2nd Place in my age group!

I am a Runner

Tomorrow I am running my very first 5k. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. Today I am kinda just in awe that I have come this far. I have always hated running and just exercising in general. But in February I was inspired by my mother-in-law and a good friend who were both doing the couch to 5k program. I still had not found a good work out routine for myself but I wanted to be fit and healthy, so I thought I'd give it a try too! 

Here we are four months later and running and working out is now a part of my daily routine. I don't feel right if I don't do some form of physical activity, even if it means just taking a walk with the kids. When I first started the couch to 5k I could barely run for a minute without feeling completely winded and like I was going to fall out. Now I can run nearly a half an hour without stopping and without feeling like I'm going to die! I'm just amazed at what all I've accomplished. I am by no means a pro and I don't even know how I'll actually do in a real race but I am a runner. It feels so good to be able to say that. 

Why do I run? How did I go from hating running to loving it? Here are a few reasons I've become a runner. 

I run because when I do I feel strong. There is nothing more empowering than finishing a run. There's always a point in my run when I feel like I should quit and I want to quit. I get tired and I'm just ready to be done. But that's when it becomes mind over body and I have to tell myself not to quit and that I can do this and that I am strong. Then when I finish it is the greatest feeling ever. 

I run to be healthy. I am only 25 years old, but I feel the healthiest I have ever felt before now that I am running and working out daily. About two years ago I was in horrible shape and would get winded just walking up stairs. Now I can run up stairs and feel great! I want to be healthy for myself and for my family. I want to show my kids how to live a healthy lifestyle and how to be fit. Running helps me be healthy and feel great!

I run to relieve stress.  After a long day with whiny kids, a messy house, and laundry piled up to my ears, going for a run is the best stress reliever. It's so nice to just be alone in my thoughts and let go of all the stress of the day. 

I run for myself. All day every day I am doing something for someone else. I love to do for my kids and I love to be a stay at home mom who cooks and cleans and plays with my kids all day. Yes, I really do love it. But even the best of moms need to do something for themselves. We all need to take time for ourselves once in a while and running is what I do for myself. It is my thing. It is my time. It is for me. 

I am excited to run my first 5k tomorrow and while I'm running it I know I will be thinking about how far I've come and how much I've accomplished! I just know it's going to be a great feeling and I can't wait!

Do you workout? What's your workout of choice? Why do you love it? I'd love for you to share in the comments below!