The Pierogie Mama

The JBF Everett-Monroe Fall Sale sneek peek!

2018-09-13T16:00:00.003-07:00

The Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe Fall sale is in full swing and I have got boat loads of deals to share with you all!

Just Between Friends is a nationwide consignment event that takes place several times per year, typically in the fall and spring. You can find Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe twice a year at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA. The JBF Everett-Monroe Fall sale is on through September 15th, 2018.

I guess I'm one of the few lucky ones where I have two daughters who are 2 years apart but they wear the same size! It can be troublesome sometimes though, because even though their sizes overlap, many times their style does not. So in some ways I get to save on shopping and laundry, but other times we have those fights were "I will NOT wear that, it's Ruby's!" or the other way around, "I want to wear that!" (but it's Penny's). We fight the battles that are worth it, and agree to disagree on others. In a perfect world! ;)
In my experience, most single piece clothing items are priced under $7 (unless it is a speciality item like a snow suit or a high quality brand). This basically brand new Columbia jacket, with it's strong vibrant purple, was only $12; brand new these are $40!
I have been on the look out for Carhartt overalls for my little guy. They are perfect for tromping around, especially on our property, protecting his knees and dressing just like his daddy! :) I found these for $5.50 - and they retail $25! 75% off!
This set of 5 pieces was a whopping $11! 2 pairs of Kirkland brand thick leggings and 3 long sleeve shirts - so easily interchangeable! Also, are you noticing the leopard print theme here? That's Ruby, my 4 year old.
I'm always looking ahead, so when I saw this 24 month full body swim suit for Holden plus the baby shark theme was just perfect. Anyone else have that song stuck in their head now?
Holiday clothes also cost an arm and a leg - but there was a great selection. Two holiday dresses totalling $15! Plus a more casual sweater and shirt combo for Holden was $4.

Shopping at JBF is always my favorite because it's such a huge selection of clothes, all sorted by size and it's easy to flip through the racks to shop. And of course, with my 4 and 6 year old daughters, they love to pick their own items and at the prices it's so easy to say "YES!" and encourage their own sense of style.

I have been on the look out for Carhartt overalls for my little guy since .. well, he was a teeny tiny! I found these 2T overalls for $5.50, retailing $25, so about 75% off!

The sisters were due for new fluffy robes for the winter - this pair was $11.

Also, shhh... don't tell the kids, but I snuck in a few stocking stuffers (small Moana figurines, My Little Pony, $1 DVDs, books and Magic Clip Dolls) AND a humongous bin of Lincoln Logs. Fingers crossed that Toddler-Zilla will allow the big sisters to enjoy their creations before knocking them down... For now, he is enjoying teething on a few of the logs while the sisters are in school.

My average price per item was $4.45! Can't beat that!

Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe

Fall 2018 Sale

through Sept 15th

Full details here

Disclosure: this post was sponsored by Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe. All photos and opinions are my own.

Back to School Clothes Savings! Just Between Friends of Everett/Monroe Fall Sale (GIVEAWAY)

2018-08-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

As a mama of 2 school aged kids, fall gets me seeing dollar signs. BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING. Oy. Do you love it, or hate it? I love it for the organization and freshness of all things new. New pencils, new notebooks, rolling into my favorite season of the year, and the excitement that my kids have in picking out their school supplies.

...And yet, it's still quite pricey, even when you catch a break with some of the BTS sales! Don't get me started on back to school clothes and their prices. Luckily I am a deal hound and have zero qualms about buying children's clothes, toys and accessories second hand. Let's face it, most of the clothes that our children wear will not be used for a very long because kids grow so quickly! I love to shop around to find the best deals and I've found be best bargains and quality of used children's items at Just Between Friends sales.

Just Between Friends is a nationwide consignment event that takes place several times per year, typically in the fall and spring. You can find Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe twice a year at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA.

At "JBF" you'll find everything you need for maternity, baby and child through teen. Local families consign their gently used and new items for 50-90% off retail prices and it's all conveniently located in one location for a weekend long sale. It's my favorite place to shop because I can get everything they need for each season for literally a fraction of the price of what I'd pay at the store, in one fell swoop. It makes financial and ecological sense to buy used.

Mark your calendar for the upcoming

Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe Fall 2018 Sale

Sept 12 - 15, 2018

Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA

See the full sale schedule here
The Pierogie Mama loves JBF Everett-Monroe and you will too because you can enter to win one of three $25 JBF bucks gift cards to shop at the Fall 2018 sale!
Enter in the giveaway widget below.

Entry -Form

What are you looking for at the next JBF sale?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Just Between Friends of Everett. All opinions are my own.

9 tips for babywearing in hot weather

2018-08-11T21:38:00.002-07:00

Here in Washington State, summer tends to be pretty mild until the end of July and then the furnace turns on in August. Anything above 80 degrees and this Rainy State gal melts like butter on the counter.

But, we still push through - and especially with now TWO school age kids (where has my time gone???), my summers are so precious to me and I let very little stop us. We made a summer bucket list at the start of the break with 25 things we want to do and sure enough - we have tackled almost all of them. But, now it's August, and it's like 85+ degrees every day and truly the thought of strapping Holden, my 1 year old, to me through a menagerie of babywearing choices, is about enough to take the wind out fo my sales.

So what do you do when it's hot outside and you babywear? Friends, let me give you a few tips that I've come across.

First, when reading through these points, as yourself the following questions: What kind of climate are you in? Is it dry or humid? How hot does it really get? How old is your child? These will help guide you to making a decision that is best for you and your worn child(ren).

1. Consider your carrier material. It's hard to make a blanket comment about "this carrier is BEST for the hot weather!" because each person has their own unique temperature tolerance or material preference. However, it is generally recommended to opt for lighter weight, airy fabrics or carriers that incorporate materials for increased air flow.

My sister-in-love, who now lives in San Diego after being a Washingtonian for her whole life, is an Ergo veteran but during her third pregnancy became encouraged to start trying out wraps. She wanted something breezy yet supportive for the hot summer ahead, and started belly wrapping with her Wrapsody Haumea in the last week of her pregnancy. Talk about birthy vibes! You can see more about her thoughts on Haumea here.

2. How many layers are we talking about? Woven wraps vary greatly in thickness and heat based on what they are made of, so you may have a wrap that does not do well for you and baby in the heat. Opt for a single layer pass (such as FWCC) and shorter wrap lengths.

3. Consider what you are wearing. Dressing lightly is most ideal, but I always like to keep a light fabric between myself and baby during the heat because we both get sweaty and sticky. A small prefold between baby's head and my chest kept both of us happy. I also opt for a wide brimmed hat as it gives shade over the baby's head too.

4. What is your baby wearing? Same goes for baby as it does you!

5. Take the proper measures of sun protection for both of you, as with all outdoor play. Fabric provides minimal amounts of protection from the sun and parts of baby will be exposed outside of clothes and being tucked into their carrier or wrap. Use sunscreen often and stay in the shade or indoors during the hottest part of the day. Especially pay attention to exposed parts of baby's skin and adequately cover with sunscreen or other sun protection.

6. As developmentally appropriate, switch between front and back carry. Keeping my kids on my back helps cool me down, but it is also important to mention that another set of eyes on your child is helpful during hot weather since you won't be able to see their face as easily as with front carry. Be aware of how your child is doing back there, if they aren't in full sun or getting dehydrated.

7. On that note - hydration is key! Especially if you are breastfeeding, and your baby uses your milk for hydration as well. Keeping extra hydrated is important while babywearing in hot weather because you will inherently be hotter.

8. When I did a little bit of crowd sourcing for ideas on babywearing in the heat, chilly pads kept being recommended over and over! There are tons of companies who make it, and I can't recommend any specific one since I haven't personally tried them yet, but the idea is that they are made from a hyper-evaporative material that soaks up moisture quickly but stays dry to the touch. They are popular for athletics and working out.

9. And my final tip on babywearing in hot weather is...If it gets too hot for either of you, remove baby and head indoors immediately! No sense in forcing either of you to be so miserable and hot, right?

What are some of your summer babywearing tips?

Disclosure: This post was originally written by The Pierogie Mama for the Wrapsody Blog in 2016.

10 Breastfeeding Memes

2018-08-11T21:27:00.001-07:00

Where are all my breastfeeding mamas? This past week was World Breastfeeding Week and I realized that I have spent 75% of my parenthood nursing my three littles.

Happy #worldbreastfeedingweek! In my 76 months of parenthood I have been breastfeeding for 75% of it! I have so many precious memories while snuggling and nursing these three lovebugs. This picture is one of my most cherished memories. My Penny has loved on her sister and brother countless times while they nursed.

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on Aug 1, 2018 at 2:43pm PDT

My summer + fall finds at Just Between Friends of Marysville - Mount Vernon!

2018-04-25T19:44:00.001-07:00

Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon

Get your free ticket here!

April 26-29, 2018

Skagit County Fairgrounds, Mount Vernon WA

Just Between Friends sales feature clothes, toys, furniture and any other gear that you'll need for your kids from birth to teens at truly fair prices. I can always count on finding "the basics" of each season for my three children, but I always find something new and unexpected too! And the best part is while I'm saving money on my end, my dollars are also providing for another local family through purchasing their consigned items. Win-win!

Today I got to shop at the exclusive pre-sale event (pssst! Did you know that consignors and volunteers get that special privilege? Sign up for the next event!) and even though I am now shopping for three kids, one of whom is a total fashionista and definitely has an opinion on style, it was not overwhelming at all. Each size is clearly marked off on the long rows of clothing racks. It's easy to peruse through everything all at once. My middle child, Ruby (age 4), is now coming of age where clothes are beginning to matter to her as well, so she can easily flip through the bottom rung of the rack and show me things that she likes. Pretty much all things unicorns and sparkles.

Skagit County is a close knit community and it was fun running into a few of my bestie mama friends, as well as see quite a few recognizable faces. That Mama Gretchen, a real life friend of mine, is also showing off her finds so be sure to pop over to her facebook and instagram! P.S. can I say how much I adore her? She brought her brood of 4 kiddos, plus Ruby ended up spending a lot of time with them as well! I obviously love her for more than that little tidbit, but I felt like it was worth mentioning because shopping with 4 kids is not for the faint of heart!

So without further adieu, I will show you what you might find at the sale this week!

I spy a BOB stroller! Tons of options at different price points.

Babywearing! Whether you are a seasoned pro or trying it out for the first time, always great variety. Including this adorable TULA!

There was a change at this sale that I appreciated - boys and girls shoes were put together according to size. At previous sales you'd have a rack of boys stuff and another of girls stuff. But shoes can be so gender neutral sometimes! Including KEENS (which is what I snag for the kids every time, but this time - I got a pair for myself!!).

Remember how I said Ruby wants "all things unicorn"? Too bad that these were just a tad bit too small! A few tears were wept and I promised that the child that would get them would love them as much as she would.

See what I mean about something unique? You never know what piece of furniture a family is moving on from! I personally love toddler beds. Our kids cosleep with us until about 18 - 24 months and then they are ready for the toddler bed.

Oh hai! This is my Mr. Cutie. He's 10 months old and growing too fast for this mama.

A completely separate rack for team attire!

Anyone going to Disneyland anytime soon? A whole BIN of different ears to choose from!

Also, here's a few of my finds.

It wasn't entirely intentional, but clearly I've got a theme going! They are just so cute.

These three spring and summer dresses were under $10 total!

RompHIMs for Holden! Haha! Whenever he isn't going to be crawling around in a shirt and diaper, of course.

A few shoes. I always check for KEENS, Crocs and galoshes. This time I scored a set of KEENS for myself! The little croc Crocs are so cute, I couldn't say no.

I found a unicorn sweatshirt and a cute "back to school" outfit for Ruby. I can't believe she will start preschool in the fall!

This is my pièce de résistance for the sale. 6 sets of pajamas for Holden - $11. A few of them were seriously only marked for a dollar!

What is on your kids' summer wardrobe must have list? Don't miss the Just Between Friends of Marysville - Mount Vernon, at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon, WA.

Thursday, April 26th | Opening Day!

10:00a -7:00p • Admission $2/door, FREE/online

Friday, April 27th

10:00a – 6:00p • Free admission

Saturday, April 28th | Half Price Day!10:00a – 7:00p • Free Admission

Sunday, April 29th | Up to 75% Off Day!

8:00a – 1:00p • Free Admission

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon.

All opinions are my own. Please see giveaway rules for full details.

Bring on the savings! Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon Spring Sale!

2018-04-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Skagit Valley in the Spring. The tulips are just now blooming, but we've had daffodils for a few weeks. #skagittulipfestival #skagitvalley #skagitmom #tuliptown #mountvernon #tulips #tulipfield #pnwisbest #upperleftusa

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on Apr 7, 2017 at 8:39am PDT

Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon

Get your free ticket here!

April 26-29, 2018

Skagit County Fairgrounds, Mount Vernon WA

There are a few things that I really love about Skagit County in the spring. Firstly, the tulips. DUH. If you haven't seen it yet, you usually have the whole month of April. Come on an overcast week day for lower (or non-existent) crowds and seriously, you'll be in love.

Secondly, Snow Goose Produce, opens around the first weekend of March. This has become my family tradition to get us all out there for some humongous ice cream cones in celebration of my two daughters' birthdays, which are both in early March. Snow Goose is also a great place to get cut flowers and local produce throughout the rest of the growing season and can't miss stop if you're up here for the Tulip Festival.

A tulip variety called "light and dreamy." As seen at Tulip Town in Mount Vernon, WA. These are on my order list for fall planting! #skagittulipfestival #skagitvalley #skagitmom #skagit #skagitvalleytulipfestival #tulips #tuliptown #skagittulips #pnwisbest #upperleftusa #mountvernon

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on Apr 7, 2017 at 8:42am PDT

Thirdly is that all of this gorgeous blooming and springtime weather gets me into spring time cleaning mode; which means cleaning out closets and purging forgotten toys and making way for bigger sizes and new gear for the spring and summer...all thanks to Just Between Friends!

I blog about JBF a couple times a year and it's for a good reason - I save so much money each time I shop and I also earn almost the same amount back by consigning. As a single income family, with three growing kids, that's kind of a big deal!

Just Between Friends sales feature clothes, toys, furniture and any other gear that you'll need for your kids from birth to teens at truly fair prices. It's a wide range of brands and styles that will catch your eye. I always find something unique that I wouldn't find at any old department store! And the best part is while I'm saving money on my end, my dollars are also providing for another local family through purchasing their consigned items. Win-win! Rather than doing online meet up shopping, where you never know if you'll get stood up or if the items are what you thought they were, shopping at JBF is great because you have the leisure to look around at thousand of items in each clothing size, comparing in pricing but also have a standard of quality that ensures what you buy is in great condition. Each consigned items is inspected for wear and tear, as well as recalls, so you can rest assure that what you get is priced fairly, in great condition and safe.

I'm excited to continue my partnership with Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon, and Courtney (the owner) has offered advance ticket options for Pierogie Mama readers! Keep reading because we are also offering a pair of presale tickets for one lucky winner!

Entry -Form

Thursday, April 26th | Opening Day!

10:00a -7:00p • Admission $2/door, FREE/online

Wednesday, April 25th | Presale Day! TICKET REQUIRED. Space is limited.

1:30p – 8:00p • Admission $20/door or $15/online

3:00p – 8:00p • Admission $15/door or $10/online

4:00p – 8:00p • Expecting Parents Shop

4:30p – 8:00p • First Time Parents Shop

5:00p – 8:00p • Teachers and Military Shop

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon.

All opinions are my own. Please see giveaway rules for full details.

Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe Spring Sale Preview!

2018-04-04T19:04:00.003-07:00

Today may go down as my best JBF shopping event ever! I kept seeing items at this sale that I just couldn't walk away from. And at the prices, honestly, it wasn't that hard to convince myself otherwise!

Just Between Friends consignment sales are a weekend long event that allow local families to consign their baby through teen and maternity clothing and items. Shoppers have an enormous, and I mean ENORMOUS, selection to look through. I spent about 2 hours looking through clothes and gear for my 3 kids and know that I could have spent more time looking if it wasn't for their patience running out.. and bless their hearts for lasting that long for me!

Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe Spring Sale

Full Schedule Here

Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe WA

April 4-7 2018

I always like to post what I found so that you have an idea of what is at the sale. I am truly surprised each time I shop because there's something unexpected. Like this darling little table with three chairs. Honestly, I'm not sure where I'm going to put it, but I am going to find out!

I also had another baby gate on my wish list and was so happy to find that there were about 8 different types.

My girls are now 6 and 4 so this time I allowed them to pick out their clothes and had the final day. It had been fun watching their different styles develop. My kindergartener was also beginning to learn how to 'bargain shop' and we talked about what I considered to be a fair price for different items.

Here's some snaps of other fun stuff we found!

Finally...Here's a couple sets of clothes that I got with their approximate retail value with how much I actually paid at JBF. Can't beat this!

So head over to the Evergreen State Fairgrounds this weekend to get your kids stocked up for summer!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe.

All opinions and photography are my own.

Spring time! Just Between Friends of Everett- Monroe consignment sale!

2018-03-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe Spring Sale

Full Schedule Here

Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe WA

April 4-7 2018

Spring is right around the corner.. I feel it guys. Because we don't have very many frosty mornings, the sky broke and I saw BLUE, the sun shone down upon me and I started gardening. Yes, spring is coming. It's not here yet, but it's coming soon.

During the winter I totally forgo any kind of deep cleaning outdoors. I snuggle up in my cozy robe at home or scarves and sweaters when we go out and I kind of forget about the general status of my property. The fruit trees are sleeping, dreaming of blooming and bearing delicious fruit, I tuck away my excitement (and anxiety) in growing a vegetable garden and my chickens also take a much deserved break from laying eggs for a little while.

Then March hits, and as I said; the sun shines and this mama gets BUSY. Now that I've got 3 kids, you can imagine my busyness but also how much stuff can accumulate within the home while I allow things to lay dormant during the dark winter months. We spend a lot of time indoors and also pass through Christmas time and my two daughters' birthdays. A lot of stuff is laying around and when I get that spring cleaning bug, I'm going through it ALL.

Kids grow fast and you can bet that almost every season there is turn over from clothes that don't fit, won't make it as a handmedown or likely won't fit the next year when this season rolls around. Toys are left forgotten, no longer interesting or the mind has outgrown it. So as spring rolls in, I begin my semiannual fleshing out of all the things. And I get ready for Just Between Friends.

Just Between Friends consignment sales are a weekend long event that allow local families to consign their baby through teen and maternity clothing and items. It's a win-win for both consignors and shoppers! As a shopper, you have an enormous amount of variety in clothing, toys and gear to choose from at really fair prices. For the family that has items that are ready to move on; consigning is a great way to get rid of that stuff and also get a good return! I've been a shopper for almost 6 years and a consignor for 4 and I have found that most of the time I break even between what I sell and what I buy for the coming season. That's awesome!

At this coming Spring Sale you'll notice a familiar face running the show - Tasha Johnson, who has been a huge resource to consignors and shoppers alike, is now the new owner of JBF Everett-Monroe! Tasha has been a part of the JBF Everett-Monroe event for as long as I can remember and is a wonderful gal to get to know. And she'll teach you more than a thing or two about selling/buying kid stuff! She's the perfect person to move this JBF event onto the next phase; even though our beloved Eunice (the previous owner) will be greatly missed. Be sure to say hi to Tasha if you see her!

I'm excited to continue my partnership with Tasha and JBF Everett-Monroe! She is offering Pierogie Mama readers the chance to win one of three $25 JBF Bucks for this Spring event! Check out the giveaway widget below for your chance to win.

Entry -Form

Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe Spring Sale

Full Schedule Here

Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe WA

April 4-7 2018

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Just Between Friends of Everett-Monroe.
All opinions are my own. Please see giveaway rules for full details.

Prizes are not mailed; they will be waiting for you at the event.

Prizes are valid only for the Spring 2018 JBF Everett-Monroe event.

Choosing a mattress for long term health for your children - My Green Mattress Review

2018-02-02T08:44:00.002-08:00

Sleep. The final frontier for parents, right? We strive for sleep for our children and ourselves pretty much from day one. I don't remember ever being so obsessed over the thought of sleep before becoming a parent! Coordinating nap times, bed times, coping with your own interrupted sleep that can last for years, dissecting why your child isn't sleeping the same way as they did last week. It. is. exhausting.

As our two girls are growing older we have begun to consider how we are going to adapt their bedroom from being toddler-focused to more a forward, long term set up. From the time that my second daughter was night weaned and no longer bedsharing with my husband and I, she has been sharing a bedroom with her older sister. Each girl had her own cute toddler sized bed. We knew that we wanted the sisters to continue to share a bedroom but graduating them to twin or full sized bed frames would occupy too much space for their bedroom. Thankfully we scored an amazing deal at our local furniture store for a floor model twin-over-full bunk bed frame and we snatched it up right away!

To give you a short background on where we are coming from; we bedshare with each of our children until they are night-weaned at about 18 - 24 months. Our first two children were girls and we excitedly helped them embrace this special relationship by sharing a bedroom. When we purchased the new bunk bed, we naturally we expected our older daughter (Penny) to want to take the top bunk. But as it turned out our 3 year old (Ruby) was the better candidate because she sleeps through the whole night and never leaves her bed. It's always been that way! Penny is still a night waker; which we've concluded is because of her primary love language: physical touch. The girl still very much loves her snuggles and works diligently throughout the night to sneak into our bed for more! Towards the end of my last pregnancy we set goals for her to find ways to cope with this need; giving her need a name ("the snuggle tank"), with increased snuggles at the end of the day and self-gauging her needs. But we had to draw the boundary for how much time she sleeps in our bed in preparation for our bed-sharing time with Baby Brother whenever he arrives. It's been a slow and gentle process that we are hoping will make more sense to her when her brother arrives and she can tangibly see- there just isn't a whole lot of room for 4 people in our bed as well as it's just not going to be very restful sleep for ANYONE.

In the wake of purchasing the new bed frame that we intend for the girls to use until they move out, we also knew that an equally (if not more) important decision was what type of mattress they would sleep on. Why would it matter? Consider that this piece of furniture will be in contact with your child for usually over 10 hours a day for over 10 years (the average lifespan of a mattress). Not only is comfort a key factor, but the material needs to be as well! There is a broad range of mattress styles, thicknesses, material choices and price points available on the market and it's important to understand how to balance those in the best way for your family.

When I started doing research for new mattresses for our children I started with a wide cast net - what is the least expensive but most readily available option? What kind of mattress does this provide? What kind of product is offered at the opposite end of the spectrum? What do my friends recommend? What are the online reviews? Does it have springs, is it entirely foam, or a combination? Why would material choice matter; comfortable is comfortable, right?

It turns out no; not all mattresses are created equal! No surprise, the quality of materials and the type of comfort you are looking for play a huge role in the price of the product. There are tons of options available at both ends of all the factors one would want to consider.

Long term studies are still being conducted on the effects of the use of memory foam and other petroleum products in the sleeping space. One can't argue that the costs are lower, they are easier to manufacture and memory foam is comfortable. The use of flame retardants in mattresses and childrens clothing has also been shown to be toxic; with several of just as effective non-synthetic options to consider. But because many modern manufacturing practices focus on the bottom dollar rather than the well being of their customer, I am wary of how the use of certain products will affect myself or my family over the course of our lives. This is why I research as much as possible if I am given a choice in a product and opt for responsibly sourced materials and manufacturing practices.

My main goal for choosing a quality, safe sleep mattress for the long term use by my daughters was that it was made from natural materials and did not use memory foam. Memory foam has become a very popular choice in mattresses; in fact it's quite difficult to find any mattress, especially childrens mattresses to be without it.

This is how we discovered My Green Mattress. Their Pure Echo mattresses are made with GOTS certified organic cotton and wool. No petroleum based memory foam that off gas and emit VOCs that are dangerous for developing systems. The coils keep the mattress soft yet firm without the need of foam to make it more comfortable.

The mattresses arrived tightly rolled up, also in an effort to be more eco friendly and save on shipping space and costs.

Well, this may be the biggest piece of fluffy mail I have received! One of our two @MygreenMattress have arrived! #mygreenmattress #natural #organic #organiccotton #organicmattress

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on Jun 1, 2017 at 11:14am PDT

We unrolled them and expected to have an air out period to get the manufacturing smells or any other scents to dissipate before having our children sleep on them (this is called "off gassing"). There were no obvious odors, but we gave them a day to relax and the following morning I put them onto our brand new bunk beds.

The girls were both so excited for their new big bed. Both bunks have been the source of hours of imaginary play and a quiet nook to snuggle or read. Since Holden's arrival, there has been a night or two that my husband slept with either girl that needed some extra snuggles. I've even crawled into bed with each of the girls, when the whole house is asleep, to catch up on snuggles that I have been missing from them while I've been focusing on the new baby. Even in being accustomed to a very soft and forgiving memory foam mattress, the Pure Echo mattress is still very comfortable to an adult. Best of all, I know my kids can safely sleep on them for years to come.

Learn more about My Green Mattresses and why you should consider them when purchasing mattresses for your family's long term health.

Disclosure: Thank you, My Green Mattress, for facilitating this review!

I received product in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was provided.

All photography and opinions are my own.

Holiday Guide: Gifts that Give Back!

2017-12-05T09:24:00.001-08:00

Do you have a "do-gooder" on your Christmas shopping list this year? Or someone who loves wine? Let me tell you all about ONEHope!

ONEHope wine is all about serving wine and giving back to communities. These award winning wines give 50% of profits from every bottle to a different charity. Examples include breast cancer and ovarian education and research, funding literacy education, providing meals for hungry kids, disaster relief training for military veterans, planting trees, pet adoptions, heart disease education, the list goes on. ONEHope Wine has varietals in almost every kind you can think of and a few that are special and a little more hard to find.

I've been loving drinking ONEHope Wine because while I'm going to be enjoying wine anyways, I know that I'm also using my dollars towards doing good!

So this holiday season if you're looking for something a little extra special as a gift, take a look at some of these awesome presents that give back to charity as well.

And yes - did those glitter bottles catch your eye? Join my exclusive facebook group to learn the BUBBLY + SPARKLY winter sale! All bottles of bubbles (Brut, Demi Sec, Sparkling Rose) and the gorgeous ONEHope glitter bottles are 20% off!

The brand new 2016 reserve Argentinian Malbec was released today as well!

Even if your Christmas sweetie isn't a wine lover, there are tons of delicious oils, marinades and sauces that will add extra pop and zing to your holiday entertaining platters. All of which still benefit charity!

Our shipping map below shows the states where we are able to ship wine and wine gifts, but we have some great non-alcoholic options like coffee and our new line of ONEHOPE Kitchen products that can ship to any state! All gift boxes and crates ship for a flat $10 nation-wide.

So if giving gifts with a purpose is on your radar this Christmas, check out these beautiful gift boxes and delicious varietals that give 50% of profits to charity. If you have any questions on suggestions or pairings, leave a comment below!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Funky Fluff LUX Newborn Cloth Diaper Review

2017-10-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Back in 2013 I was approached by a brand I had never heard of before to do a cloth diaper review. It would turn out to be my #1 go to for overnight diapering and has held up better than any other diaper in my stash. Which brand is it? Funky Fluff! Funky Fluff is a family owned business in Canada that has high standards in their product quality; enough so that I've been a happy camper to stand behind them all these years.

And now here I am with baby #3, with 66 months of continuous cloth diapering under my belt and not only am I still using the original Funky Fluff diapers that I reviewed in 2013, I now got to add their newborn line to my stash! Holden was born this past summer and like his older sisters, he was started in cloth diapers from the beginning. A lot has changed with each child on what is available on the market for newborn cloth diapers and I was really excited to get my newest squish into his very own Funky Fluff diapers.

In the last 4 years, Funky Fluff has done just about as much growth as my own little family has. They revamped their original design with their 2.0 diapers, then released their LUX line, added athletic wicking jersey as a liner material and most recently added their newborn line. Each iteration of their design for their diapers has truly expanded on features that I love and the quality of the diapers has stayed the same. As I mentioned before, the diapers that I used on my oldest, Penny, are still in rotation on my current stash with my youngest. I can't name any other brand of cloth diapers in my diverse stash that hasn't had to have any amount of repair over the last 5 years that isn't Funky Fluff.

So what can I say about their newborns?

They are made to fit babies 4-12 lbs, and are simply a smaller version of the LUX one side diapers. Holden was 9 lbs 9 oz at birth and his first cloth diaper was Funky Fluff Thunderstruck. He was on the bigger end of the range, however he fit into them well past 5 weeks of age. That's a pretty good run for a newborn sized cloth diaper and a bigger baby.
Just like its "one size" big brother, the Funky Fluff newborns come with 3 rows of rise snaps and feature the same internal snap system for inserts to create either a pocket, all-in-one or all-in-two diaper system.
The liner is bamboo terry, which is buttery soft and natural against your brand new babe's bottom. I love bamboo because it's super absorbent, a fast growing renewable resource and is less prone to retaining stink and bacteria than synthetic materials. The inserts provided are also made from layers of bamboo and just make for a great system to retain the massive amounts of fluids that come out of newborns.

This is Holden at about 10 lbs.

You can find them online on their website or at retailers in the US and Canada.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was provided. All photography and opinions are my own.

Sneak Peek: Just Between Friends of Marysville - Mount Vernon consignment sale!

2017-09-27T21:16:00.003-07:00

Remember when I told you that the Just Between Friends of Marysville / Mount Vernon spring sale was coming to Skagit County? Because of how much money I save by shopping at these events, and in turn consigning my kids' outgrown clothing, I don't have to shop at retail stores at all through out the year! Woop woop! Today I spent **3 hours** pouring through the pre-sale to find the best deals on clothes for my kids, and tonight I'm going to give you a sneak peek at what you can find at the sale this weekend!

Quite adorable! They staged a few different items to make it look like a nursery right by the cash register.

Most JBF sales provide the big blue IKEA bags for you to use while shopping, but this time around JBF Marysville - Mount Vernon had shopping carts! Quite handy when you have a pre-schooler tagging along and you can (ahem) let then Netflix binge while you peruse the racks. No shame here.

Sports apparel is always a favorite! I picked up Seahawks and Oakland Raiders sweatshirts.

So cute! Tons of well made and like-new handmade items.

Have your pick and find the best deal!

This may have been one of my best steals. 3 excellent used condition Bum Genius 4.0 cloth diapers with inserts. These retail for $20 each, and after 5 years of cloth diapering 3 kids, with many of my originals still in rotation, it was irresistible to snag a pack to freshen up the stash for Holden.

So what did I come home with? Even after shopping at these events for the last 5 years, I was amazed at how low the prices were.

There ya have it!

This sale is on now through October 1 at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon Wa. See full details here.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Just Between Friends of Marysville - Mount Vernon.

No other compensation was provided. All opinions and photography are my own.

Omaiki Mini-Ö Newborn Diaper Review

2017-09-18T21:29:00.002-07:00

Are you thinking about taking the plunge for cloth diapers with your newborn? I've used cloth diapers exclusively for all three of my kids and each time around I've learned something new. Holden arrived this summer and while he was over a pound heavier than his sister before him (and over two pounds heavier than his oldest sister), we still had a good run at newborn cloth diapers and I wanted to share our experience with Ömaiki Mini-Ö newborn cloth diaper.

They come with an adjustable waist line that uses aplix ("Velcro" style) closures, which is helpful for the wide range of belly sizes that newborns may have. The diapers two sets of rise heights, also perfect for snapping down to a smaller size if necessary.

The Ömaiki Mini-Ö diaper is an all-in-one style cloth diaper in which the absorbent insert lays flat on the inner part of the diaper, but hangs loose so that washing and drying are less energy intensive. Most AIO cloth diapers get a bad rep because although they are a completely enclosed one piece (making them very easy to use, especially for those not accustomed to cloth diapering), they take more water to completely wash and more dryer time to fully dry. This design that flips the insert out, but keeps it connected to the diaper, aids in faster turn around time on this diaper. And that's a big help because as you know...newborns used A LOT of diapers! The absorbent insert fabric is bamboo viscose with organic cotton, with a polyester topper to wick away moisture quickly. Bamboo is by far my preferred material of choice because it is so absorbent and retains a lot of moisture.

"Little" Holden was born weighing 9 lbs 9 oz and was my biggest baby. With my daughters (7 and 8 pounds, respectively) it took a little bit of time after birth for them to really seem like they fit into even newborn cloth diapers, but this guy wasted no time. However, because of his larger size at birth and very quick weight gain, we used these diapers for a shorter period of time than I would have expected to use had it been for my girls. Such is life!

At about a week old and roughly 10 lbs, Holden fit into the diapers quite nicely. The rise of the diaper didn't interfere with his umbilical stump healing. Because this diaper was developed for newborns, his skinny newborn legs were wrapped perfectly with no leaking.

The Ömaiki Mini-Ö diaper fits babies from 5 lbs through 3 months, however in our experience Holden fit the diaper most comfortably through about 12 lbs (which was one month of age).

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions and photography are my own.

Sneak Peek: JBF Everett - Monroe Fall 2017 Sale!

2017-09-13T22:31:00.005-07:00

As you know, The Pierogie Mama loves her some Just Between Friends (JBF) sales and today I made the trek from Skagit County down to Monroe for the Just Between Friends of Everett - Monroe sale at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. I lived in Monroe until last year and part of my heart still lives with the community, and I also know where to find a good sale! Friends, I drove over an hour to go. This one is good!!

Just Between Friends is a nationwide consignment event that takes place several times per year, typically in the fall and spring. At "JBF" you'll find everything you need for maternity, baby and child through teen. Local families consign their gently used and new items for 50-90% off retail prices. It's my favorite place to shop because I can get everything they need for each season for literally a fraction of the price of what I'd pay at the store. Not to mention, children outgrow clothes so quickly that it makes financial and ecological sense to buy used.

Today I got to shop at the pre-sale event (find out how you can shop early for the next sale!), which got me in the door before the public sale opens tomorrow. Consigning and volunteering is where it's at! But don't despair, there is SO MUCH inventory at this sale that there are thousands of amazing finds waiting for shoppers through this weekend.

This is one of my favorite games to play with myself - how much did I pay? The approximate retail value of this lot is $263, I'll post the answer at the bottom of the post!

Here's some snaps of what I found today.

Can I just pause for a minute and say THANK YOU EUNICE (the owner of JBF Everett - Monroe) to have a designated space where you can unload everything that you've found, lay it out and decide what you'd like to keep and price check? I pulled out probably a dozen pairs of leggings from the racks and was able to set them out to get a better look at prints, compare sizing and prices before whittling down to how many I wanted to take home with me. This scatter brained mama thanks you!

This isn't me, this is my friend Monica :) She is a proud mom of twin boys and it was her first JBF sale! When she came home she sent me a text that said "Man I got so much stuff. I spent 145 dollars and I got 9 pairs of shoes, 1 rain jacket, 3 hoodies, 2 nice sweaters, 3 sweats, 5 long sleeved tops, 6 jammies, 1 button up, 5 books, a gallon sized bag of hot wheels and 6 plastic dinosaurs. I think I did okay!" Yes Monica, YES YOU DID!!

This is a great sale to stock up on holiday jammies and outfits!

All kinds of strollers - I saw quite a few double strollers at this sale.

Babywearing! Did you know that JBF inspects most items for safety and recalls?

Not only can you find gear and clothes for every age, but toys are a huge part of what families are consigning too!

And there you have it, my friends! Be sure to head out to the sale today through September 16th. You can find all of the details at http://everett.jbfsale.com/ and on their facebook!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Just Between Friends of Everett - Monroe.

All opinions and photography are my own. No other compensation was provided.

Answer from the first picture on the blog: I paid $116 for 13 items! The baby swing was $45, and brand new they retail for over $100!

Meet Courtney, the new owner of JBF Marysville - Mount Vernon! (Giveaway)

2017-09-08T20:14:00.001-07:00

Friends, did you save your back to school shopping dollars for the fabulous Just Between Friends consignment sale that is coming to Mount Vernon this month??! I am a huge fan of these sales, I try to hit up each one of them during sale season because you just never know what great deals you can find. The most local one to me, JBF Marysville - Mount Vernon, is coming to the Skagit County Fairgrounds this month and I am pumped to shop and consign!

In the last year you may have noticed that a new face is heading up this consignment sale. Let me introduce to you the new owner of JBF Marysville - Mount Vernon: Courtney Evans! Read on for the Pierogie Mama exclusive interview to learn more about the mama behind the scenes.

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The Pierogie Mama: Courtney, this the second sale you are hosting for Mount Vernon, but this is your second JBF business! Tell me why you love JBF and what made you want to add Marysville - Mount Vernon to your territory?

Courtney Evans: I started with JBF as a consignor. I was drawn to JBF because of the convenience and values each sale holds. I participated in a consignment event where we had to hand write all of our tags, and then for the register they took the tags and hand added it with a calculator. First it was the longest 2 weeks of my life having to write all those tags! Second, once I picked up my unsold items, I had no idea what sold and how much to expect in my check. When I found JBF I was amazed at how it was all online, easy to use, and I could track what was selling. Then one day I was playing around on the computer and read that JBF is a franchise business. I was talking to my husband about it and he was SO encouraging! He just kept saying, "You'd be great at that! You should do it! What are they going to say? No? Then you'll just keep consigning and doing what you're doing." So I took the plunge and pulled up the JBF application process, and you wouldn't believe who filled out most of my application... MY HUSBAND! I had originally applied to start the Marysville Mount Vernon territory, life had other plans for me and I ended up taking over the Issaquah territory in 2016. When I caught wind that Marysville Mount Vernon was up for grabs in the Spring, we jumped on it. I grew up in Marysville and worked in Mount Vernon for years, my husband grew up in Arlington and currently works in Mount Vernon. So we have a deep connection and ties into the area. Anyone up here can attest that the small town feeling you get when walking around town and chatting with members of the community, and that feeling is honestly the reason why I wanted to add the Marysville Mount Vernon sale.

TPM: That is awesome, Courtney! It's great to not only have your hubby behind your dreams but for it to work out so well for your family and timing as well. Since you already have ties to the area, give us some Skagit love - where is your favorite place to eat and park to visit? Is there somewhere you want to visit but haven't gotten a chance to yet?

CE: I absolutely love to take my kids to Jungle Playland, especially when they have the spray park going! As far as parks, I haven't explored many yet.. If anyone has recommendations, I'll definitely take them! As far as places to eat.. there are too many to limit! I'm such a foodie, and a sucker for good sushi, Mexican, or pizza!

TPM: I have yet to visit Jungle Playland but I know it's a ton of fun. One of my favorite local parks has been Donovan Park off Old Highway 99 - it's just down the road from me and the perfect summer oasis for the wide shallow creek. But now that summer is at a close and colder weather is upon us - you'll find me and my brood at the Childrens Museum at the Cascade Mall more often! My favorite pizza place is (whispers) Costco. My middle child, Ruby, loves her some Costco lunch! ;) But if you were to ask me where I would want to go for lunch it would either be Calico Cupboard or BowEdison for a date night with the hubs.

TPM: Ok so back to the sale - the JBF consignment sales are awesome because they are a franchise system so the formula is very similar across all of the sales. As you mentioned before, the biggest difference you'll find with JBF from other consignment events is that when you consign your tagged items are able to be sold at any JBF event whether you're in Washington or Florida. Your sales are uploaded online and everything is super easy to track and that's what gave me the comfort of knowing my hard work and childrens items are going to be valued and taken care of by the sale I take them to. The JBF owners work with their consignors to help price items fairly to get the shopper the best deal and the consignor a great payout for their items. What have you seen as far as how much shoppers are saving and how much a consignor can expect to make?

CE: My favorite part is checking out the receipt once the shoppers check out. At the bottom of our receipts there is a line that says, 'You paid x amount of dollars per item'. This is so fun to me, it's a visual way for shoppers to SEE the savings! As for the consignors, our average consignor check is over $250! I don't know about you, but there is A LOT I can do with $250..

TPM: I am pretty sure that all of my consignment check gets recycled into buying clothes and other items for my kids at the next JBF sale, which I absolutely love. I know that by closing that loop I'm saving myself money on what I buy but I'm also keeping those funds local by purchasing another family's consigned items. That makes a tangible differences versus taking our dollars to a large corporate store.

TPM: What are some of the items that shoppers can find at JBF sales? For those families who are going to consign, what are items that shoppers always look for?
CE: Shoppers can expect to find EVERYTHING they need to raise a kid under one roof. From maternity and baby equipment to Juniors and prom dresses. If there is something you are looking for, it'd be silly to pay retail, when the odds of finding it at our sale is HUGE! For the families that are tossing around the idea of consigning, if it's time to purge your house, do it! Make some money on those items your kids don't use anymore! We make it so easy to participate. We offer multiple consignor 101 parties on Facebook, that you can watch live or come back when it is convenient. These parties will take you step by step of the tagging process. If you find that you are stretched for time and just don't have a way to tag, we offer personal tagging. We have taggers that will do the hard work for you, and you STILL cash in! There is some cost involved with having a personal tagger, but in the end you will end up making money for less effort than trying to do a garage sale.

You can find us on Facebook @ JBFMarysvilleMountVernon,

and we are newly on Instagram @JBFMarysvilleMountVernon

When you shop at this event, be sure to track her down and say hi! Keep reading because we've got an awesome giveaway for ya... two prime time shopping passes to get in before the public on Wednesday September 28 from 3:00 - 8:30 pm! You can purchase these tickets as well.

Stay tuned for a follow up blog post showing you what I found at the presale and what you can expect that weekend!

Just Between Friends of Marysville - Mount Vernon

Fall 2017 Sale

September 28 - October 1

Full sale schedule here

Skagit County Fairgrounds

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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Just Between Friends of Marysville - Mount Vernon.

All opinions are my own. See giveaway details for rules.

Just Between Friends of Everett / Monroe Fall 2017 Sale (Giveaway)

2017-08-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is my first year of having a full time school aged child!!! Ahhh!! Penny is starting her first year of kindergarten, after having done a year of 2 day pre-school. Preparations for yet another big life change of the summer (right behind the birth of our third child!) have been in full swing for the month of August.

As I go through my own personal list of fall seasonal items that my kids will need and thinking ahead for the school year all I think of how much all of this back to school business costs! And this is for a kindergartener who doesn't really have an extensive class room supply list and she doesn't need a ton of clothes. So this idea intrigued me and I set out to run an informal survey in one of my local mama facebook groups to see how much other local families spent on back to school clothes. Of the 60 mamas responded, the vast majority spend $250 or less per child, though a remarkable amount spend $500 per child as well. When you add in all the other things you need to buy for the start of the school year, like classroom supplies and electronics), it skyrockets so fast!

If you're like me, I'm always looking to save money where we can and my kids clothes are still very much a large part of our budget where we can cut corners. Having two daughters, two years apart helps in the handmedowns department and they both are pretty gentle on their stuff. But even so, they are still growing out of them quickly. I stretch our dollars even further by purchasing their clothes through Just Between Friends consignment sales - which have saved me boku bucks over the last 5 years that I've been shopping at these events!

What is Just Between Friends, you ask? "JBF" is a pop up consignment sale that occurs nationally and there happens to be one in Monroe, WA just in time for back to school!

Just Between Friends of Everett / Monroe

September 13-16 2017

Evergreen State Fairgrounds
Full sale schedule here

You can find anything you need for back to school shopping at these events. Local families consign their gently used baby, kids and maternity items for up to 70% off the retail price. Each of the items is hand inspected to make sure it meets the high standards of JBF, so you can rest assured that these clothes will look brand-spankin-new (in some cases there are still tags on them) and not have to pay full retail. You'll find clothes, shoes, sports gear, toys, baby gear, books, dvds, kid related furniture, and seriously so much more. Each time I've shopped I've been able to fill my girls' closets with the upcoming size and season needs as well as a surprise or two. So don't miss out!

The best part? I've been an ongoing partner for Just Between Friends of Everett/Monroe and am sharing some awesome prizes for Pierogie Mama readers in preparation for the upcoming JBF Everett/Monroe Fall 2017 sales event! So check out the giveaway widget below for your chance to win presale passes and JBF bucks. Remember to check back daily because there are a few daily entry options that you can do in order to increase your odds of winning! And stay tuned for September 13 when I come back to let you know what I found when I went shopping - it's always fun to do the math and compare how much I paid versus how much I could have paid in retail!

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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Just Between Friends of Everett/Monroe.

All opinions are my own.

The Great American Solar Eclipse - from Sedro Woolley, WA

2017-08-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Up until this morning I wasn't into all the hype over the "Great American Solar Eclipse." But a friend gave me some of her extra viewing glasses so I gave it a shot!

So what did I do? NASA recommends getting special filters for your camera, but given my short time frame and a bit of googling, I decided to take apart one of my pairs of viewing glasses and taped the lens over the lens of my Canon camera. I set up the tripod and my remote shutter in the best viewing spot in my yard and hung out there. I kept my children inside because at 5 and 3 I couldn't entirely trust them that their glasses would stay on or that they'd be able to tell me if they didn't fit properly. I wore a billed hat to shade over the tops of my eyes and alternated between looking at the sun through the viewing glasses and also putting my regular glasses over top so that I can see the images a little more clearly.

Taped the lens of a solar eclipse viewing glasses over the camera lens and using a remote shutter. Works really well! Can't wait to post pictures. We will have 81% totality in my zip code. #solareclipse #skagitmom #skagit #greatamericaneclipse #pnw #pnwphotographer #canon

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on Aug 21, 2017 at 10:06am PDT

Solar selfie! Who would have thought that people would be losing their minds over this (me included) #solareclipse #greatamericaneclipse #pnw

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on Aug 21, 2017 at 10:09am PDT

Here's what I got!

And there ya have it! While I didn't notice a difference in light, it definitely got markedly cooler. I went from feeling very warm and comfortable in my tank top to feeling like a light jacket would be nice.

The next Great American Solar Eclipse is April 24, 2024 but it'll be going across the Eastern US.

The next one close to Washington State will be viewable in Montana on Aug 23, 2044. I'll be 58!

Oko Creations for all that Post Partum Stuff

2017-08-18T21:15:00.002-07:00

Let me preface this post by saying that post partum recovery is a pretty sensitive mess,

so naturally you can expect that I'll be pretty frank with terminology. Thanks for reading!

Yay! He's here! Even though I'm on a self-induced maternity leave, there's one set of items that I wanted to talk about with you that have made turning that corner of post partum recovery a lot easier. Oko Creations was so awesome to send me a few of their products aimed at giving me some soft, gentle relief during that tender time - nursing pads and heavy flow cloth menstrual pads for lochia (post partum discharge).

The first time I ever tried cloth menstrual pads was during my post partum recovery with my second child, Ruby. And I'm seriously so glad that I did! I had an interesting tear that led to a prolonged, tender recovery and I couldn't imagine suffering through that with paper pads. So, that honestly really positive first experience, while truly diving into the deep end, encouraged me to continue to use cloth pads / mama cloth for when my cycle returned at about 10 months post partum.

Now that Holden has arrived (!!!), I am excited to share again my experience in using cloth pads during post partum recovery. Another preface that I'd like to mention is that while Oko Creations does not have a designated post partum size and shaped pad (yet), I can personally recommend it based on my experience. My normal menstrual flow is pretty typical, not too heavy and not too light.

My post partum recovery was much faster this time around, which was shocking to me given how big he was and how much work I had in pushing him out. My daughters were just under 7 pounds and 8 pounds; Holden was 9 1/2 pounds. My second birth took much longer for me to recover due to an interesting tear and I was very surprised that I didn't tear at all with Holden. I experienced a very heavy, typical post-birth flow for about a week (during that time I used dedicated post partum sized pads from a different brand) and used my Oko Creations heavy flow pads for the following two weeks of heavy lochia flow. The heavy flow pads were perfect for this phase of post partum recovery. The length was just right to make sure there wasn't any spills while I was still laying in with baby and the super absorbent hemp topper and core didn't stick to me like disposable pads had done for my first post partum recovery.

The biggest difference that I could see between the heavy flow and the regular size pads from Oko Creations was that the heavy flow are longer and also featured dual wings to help secure the longer pad around your underwear. Both pads feature 3 layers of absorbent hemp material and a unique integrated waterproof breathable layer (which has been explained to me that it looks and feels a bit like plastic wrap; it's not as thick as traditional PUL). For as absorbent both sizes of the Oko Creations pads are, they are very trim and are my favorite to reach for during regular to heavy flow days in my cycle!

Now let's talk breast pads. I typically leak during the first 3-4 months of nursing; after that my milk seems to regulate and I don't have super strong let down. I like to use reusable breast pads because just like cloth menstrual pads and cloth diapers - I'm all about reduction of waste and cloth just feels better to me!

Oko Creations has two types of breast pads; hemp and merino wool toppers. I got to review the hemp pads, but have reviewed their oh-so-adorable handmade merino wool baby hat in the past (which we still affectionately call "the snail hat." The pads are made with two layers of hemp fleece (the same material that the cloth pads are made from) and backed with waterproof PUL. This prevents any leaks through your pad, bra and shirt. These thick pads made to be super absorbent so they do show through a thin nursing tank or bra, so I either wear a secondary layering shirt or save these for night time. From 2 weeks of age Holden has been sleeping straight from 9 pm - 4 am. I have definitely put my time in for long night nursing sessions with my daughters; I know exactly how big of a blessing this is!! But the cost is super full breasts in the early morning that are ready to feed that baby! While nursing him on the first side, my other breast is well protected with my Oko Creations breast pad without any leaking. I feel confident because the same hemp material that I trust in my menstrual pads is catching my extra milk in these pads and the PUL backing makes extra sure that it doesn't go any further.

Oko Creations is a family owned based in Quebec, Canada. All of Oko Creations products are handmade and ethically produced locally with sustainability and long term quality in mind. Hand-made products are so special because you can just imagine the dreams and inspiration that went into the product that you hold in your hand. I am proud to support hand made, family owned businesses (even at the higher cost) because you know that supporting their products supports a dream. Check out their work shop - it's such a friendly and homey atmosphere!

You can find out more of Oko Creations products on their website and follow along on facebook.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was provided.

All opinions and photography are my own.

Holden's Birth Story

2017-08-12T22:58:00.001-07:00

This birth story is one that's taken me about two months to process. It was a strangely intense but sobering experience; it wasn't what I was expecting for my third natural birth.

Two points to preface; I had my two previous children unmedicated, in the water, at stand alone birth centers. Click over and you can read Penny's and Ruby's. Throughout my pregnancy my midwife, who is a mother of four, mentioned that third babies tend to be a total gambit. Their births are so different from the previous two and from any future babies. I waited, curiously, to see how that would unfold. The second point, which I mention in full anonymity but want to include it in my story because it made a bigger impact on me than I had expected. The evening before I went into labor I learned that a friend had lost her precious baby girl to SIDS.

In the early morning of 40 weeks and 3 days I went into labor after having a bit of prodomal labor for the past week. That previous night my husband's aunt had arrived to stay with us for a week and I took a bath before bed. At 3:40am I was awoken by 90 second contractions that were spaced about 3-4 minutes apart. I probably had been laboring in my sleep and it was the real ones that woke me up. They weren't painful; they caught my attention and given my very fast birth with Ruby - I wanted my midwife to know right away. My waters had broken but it wasn't a gush as it had been with my first birth. My midwife, Eloisa, agreed that it would be a good idea to carefully pack up and head over. My bag had already been ready for a few weeks, so all we needed to do was pack a few last minute essentials, tell "Nana" that we were headed out. Let me tell you what a huge relief it is when you are in labor and you know your other children are well taken care of and they don't even need to be moved. When they would awake that morning, they would already be big sisters!

It was about 5:00 am on that Saturday morning when we drove the 20 minutes to my stand alone birth center; The Bellingham Birth Center in Bellingham, WA. My contractions weren't making me anxious. In fact, I was pretty damn chill. Chill enough to ask my husband to stop at the closest coffee stand to get us lattes and muffins. We laughed, said "#3rd baby!" What a difference this was from our first birth; when we got pulled over by a police officer and I yelled at him to either give us a ticket or to let us go...

We pulled in to the birth center at 5:30 and checked in. It's a small historic home that was tastefully converted into a birth center and a very comforting place to me. It has two birth suites and I could hear that there was another mama-to-be laboring in the other room - which was a first for me, in all of my appointments and hours of labor and post-partum through 3 children to be in the birth center while another mama was actively laboring. It is interesting to hear another woman in labor! Unfortunately for this mama, she was sent home a little later. She came in a bit too early.

Eloisa let us settle in and my husband hooked up my cell phone to their stereo and turned on the Pandora station we had been jamming out to lately (Mumford and Sons). I paced and sat on the bed while Eloisa prepped her paperwork too. I was feeling great, calm and relaxed. I was already pleased that this wasn't a "drop everything and run" kind of birth that I was preparing myself for. I was at the birth center, in the place that I wanted to have my son, and I was content. Whatever else was thrown at me - I'm fine. In retrospect, I was too comfortable and fine!

I pace some more, leaking my waters and working through contractions that were becoming more intense. But I quickly was able to overcome that discomfort and whatever position or action that I was doing would quickly become tolerable. Eloisa thought it would be worthwhile to check where I was at, and we discovered that my cervix was pulled back a bit, which was not helping baby boy get into the best position. She had me straddle the birth stool and during a contraction she pulled my cervix forward to help. No surprise, this was not my favorite thing to do, and I believe she had to do it two or three more times during the course of my labor.

Pretty soon I was over pacing, leaning over a couch arm and using the birth stool. I had my daughters in the water and I was wanted to get in. So I labored there for several hours...and AGAIN it was just too comfortable! My dear friend That Mama Gretchen had given me some protein cookies that I stashed into my labor bag so those got brought out and they were amaze-balls (G - I will be needing that recipe!). I asked my husband to send her a text just to emphasize how delicious they were. So there I was, relaxing in the birth tub, laughing, eating cookies and contracting a bit. The perfect image of a mother in labor, right? No. I wasn't getting anywhere!

As I process this experience I know that this stall in my labor was because of the position of my cervix and because of my emotional state. I wasn't excited, I was calm. Peaceful. Patient. Too patient. I don't feel like my head was in the game. I didn't push myself to make the contractions more intense because I didn't want him to come too soon. I knew my body would do what it needed to do. But a question that I ask myself often is "where was my heart in all of this?"

Around noon Eloisa gave me a couple homeopathics to encourage more labor and I used a sling in which I hung my upper body on and lunged through contractions using a stool. For my second birth I had done something similar just doing lunges on the edge of the outside of the tub. Angry contractions for a few minutes, and again - I adapted and it wasn't working anymore.

The final try was to lay on my side in the bed with three pillows stacked between my knees; around noon. WOW that was working! And with vengeance! I lost track of time, but got into the mode of labor where I contracted hard and slept for the couple minutes between contractions. Eloisa gave me some saline to help boost me along. Finally I began roaring through my contractions and I knew it was time to start pushing. And push I tried.

Nothing was happening.

I know the feeling of bearing down and pushing a baby out. I knew what was coming. And nothing was happening; I was pushing with all of my might and I felt no progression. I must have gotten those words out, and all at once I realize that there is a mask being put onto my face. I thought it was nitrous, which is used for pain management and I tried pushing it away (it was my husband who was placing it there). He resisted and kept the mask there. I was hyperventilating and it was oxygen, but I was in "the labor zone" of my consciousness and wasn't really listening to what was being said to me. He was pressing the mask to my face and providing counter pressure to my back that I was asking him for. He was right in the middle of the hardest moments of my life.

Quickly Eloisa tells me that baby's heart rate is down, even with the oxygen, and I need to get on all fours. His head was out (I didn't know this) and I quickly flipped onto my knees. More roaring pushes, not having the sensation I was expecting. I could hear Eloisa say calmly and quietly to the birth assistant to call the paramedics; just in case. She then reached in and pulled my son out.

It was but the smallest moment in time; but to me it was an eternity. The sounds were muffled to me, but I could hear Eloisa saying "call them, he's not responsive." She gives him a puff of oxygen and tells me - "talk to your son. He needs to hear you." I scream in pure terror and agony; all I could think of was the precious baby that my friend had lost just a day earlier. My husband whispers in my ear, "His name is Holden. Talk to Holden," and I scream to him, reaching out to touch him and Eloisa exclaims happily "HE'S FINE!" The paramedics never had to come because everything was fine. I was fine, he was fine.

From that point on everything was normal. He pinked up, he came to me and I hugged him so tight. We nursed. My husband, so physically and emotionally exhausted, quickly settled down next to us on the bed and napped.

A couple hours later Eloisa asked if she may weigh him and he came in a whopping 9 lbs 9 oz. No one was expecting a baby of this size because my larger daughter had been 8 lbs at birth. I didn't have an unusual weight gain. I ate healthily with the guilty pleasure of chocolate, but who could deny me? Besides the difference of having a boy, I don't really have an explanation of why he weighed so much more than his sisters had. But I am thankful for the 11 hour labor, my frustrating patience, even my difficult cervix because it helped extend the length of my labor and give my body time to accommodate a larger baby and of course - the skilled hands of my birthing team.

I have hesitated telling that final part of the story. I know that for many people that may give a sense of fear; maybe that I was extremely lucky and should have been in the hospital. Risk occurs everywhere. My pregnancy was extremely low risk and a stand alone birth center and midwife wouldn't accept an at risk mother. Births are unpredictable and that's kind of what is so magical about them. In processing this experience and speaking with my sister in law, who is a labor & delivery nurse, she had helped me reframe the part that scared me - that he was "unresponsive." "Babies born naturally and of that size are just born stunned. Imagine what they went through to be born. They just need a minute to catch up," she told me. It changed my perspective from one of fear to acceptance of the norm. Sure, it was hands down the scariest moment of my entire life, but does it mean that I've failed or made a foolish decision to have my child away from a hospital? No. He was born into the hands that he needed to be; hers were the ones that God knew would be the best to guide him here. I don't think there is enough thanks that I could give this woman for what she did for us.

Two months later and Holden is such an amazing addition to our family. The love that his sisters lavish upon him is without a doubt the sweetest thing I have ever seen.

---

As a final note, one part of a lot of births that is overlooked is how the dad is doing. In our case, Adam had taken the front row seat for all of my births but this one was particularly intense. Pushing the mask onto my face, seeing his wife do the birth exactly as she was supposed to and not being able to get the baby out, and the final adrenaline spike of his first moments in life. Personally I felt completely fine and was recovering normally after getting Holden in my arms, but dads are a different creature. I experienced it, but he SAW it all. Be sure to give the daddy the opportunity to process as well.

10 New Baby & Parent Memes

2017-06-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

So if you've been hanging in there with me, you've seen my 10 end of pregnancy memes. One guarantee that my midwives were able to make was that my baby WILL come out, and so he did!

"Little" Holden Dean arrived today after an 11 hr labor, weighing in at 9 lbs 9 oz and 21". We are elated, blessed and home. #pierogiepregnancy

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on Jun 17, 2017 at 8:27pm PDT

My birth story will be published soon, but as you know - so here I am - in the throes of new parenthood and the newborn phase. It's so sweet - the little coos, that fresh baby smell, the snuggles and loves. And then there's the other 23 1/2 hours of your day - where you are in a fine balance of exhaustion and elation.

One of the greatest gifts I received at the end of my pregnancy was all the extra sleep. I have NO idea how that happened with a 3 and 5 year old, but somehow the Good Lord decided that after almost 6 years of unrestful sleep, I deserve a little break in preparation for little boy. I'll miss it.

Anyone else have babies who don't follow your predetermined, perfected schedule? Or better yet - older siblings??

So true. Labor and birth are meant to be hard, but the end result is so, so worth it.

I'm hoping it's a little sooner than that, but many nights I feel like I'm pretty close to falling off the edge of reality.

This is especially true for cloth diapered babies when you start a wash.

I had 4 friends who were due in the same week as I was - and 3 of them delivered their babies at 38 and 39 weeks. Every baby comes on their own time, but seriously... did that put a bee in my bonnet to get this baby out faster.

I feel like this is a serious piece of flair that parents need to get on their vests. Do you remember how insanely exhausted you were in the first week after baby was born? How you reverted to an almost primal response to everything in life because all civility had been washed away?

I think babies are born absolutely adorable and sweet smelling so that their parents can forgive them for the lack of sleep. That first time that baby locks eyes with you, smiles or coos... that suddenly makes it all worth it. For a minute.

As a veteran mama of three I know that struggle. And I've apparently chosen to do it two more times after experiencing it the first time; just like Katniss seemed to wind up back in trouble with the Hunger Games series.

10 End of Pregnancy Memes

2017-06-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

Ahh, that delightful final month of pregnancy. That time where you are finely balanced between feeling like a Mother Earth Goddess and some kind of mammal wallowed in a tar pit (that is your bed). All women experience the "end of pregnancy" jitters; where we personally ask ourselves every minute of every day if today is going to be that day, how much longer do we think we'll be pregnant for, how will this labor go down, what are we going to do with our children and family members...the list goes on.

And, also, pretty much every woman goes through the very infamous end of pregnancy rite - the endless barrage of well meaning "how are you feeling?" and "are you in labor yet?" questions.

So as an ode to you, fellow mamas in the home stretch, a compilation of end of pregnancy and labor memes for you.

Your friends do their best and just stalk your facebook profile for newborn pics, like normal people. But when it's a soon-to-be-grandparent, suddenly you are the most interesting thing in their lives and not only are you getting the non-chalant "so how's your day been?" you also get the frantic response of "is everything ok??" when you call them just to ask how their day is going. Because you are the one who is waiting on a baby, possibly quite bored and wanting to get out of your own head for a few minutes. Ladies and Gents (particularly grandmas and grandpas), this is why women start leaving their phones in different rooms at the end of their pregnancies. Our phone is blowing up daily with dozens of well-meaning check ins. So don't freak out when it's been 12 hours since we've responded to your text, m'kay?

And this is the look on my face when I get those well-meaning texts and PMs.

This is my third pregnancy and let me tell you - the logistics of birth are crazy no matter what. But when you combine your schedule, your partner's schedule, your birth team's schedule and on top of that have to consider where your other children are going to be during that time.. Oh man. Did I tell you that my husband and I have like 6 contingency plans based on what time of day, or which day, I go into labor? Who will be available at what time to pick up the kids? Who is "on call" all day and night?

I'll just leave it at that.

I'm 39 weeks, with what feels like my largest baby. My own body is certainly larger than it ever has been, and while I'm totally ok with that and am working on channeling my inner-birth-goddess vibe...sometimes I catch myself in the mirror and do a double take.

Any mama who has had extended pre-dromal labor knows all about this. My baby #2 gave me start-stop labor for a week consistently from 1-4am every night. Turns out - the cord was a little short so she was getting hung up a little bit. Finally I went to my birth center and told my midwives that I'm not going home without a baby.

This was me last night. I was exactly 39 weeks, which gestationally was the same day that my first born was born. I pulled out all of my tricks - mowed the lawn, ate a whole pineapple, had spicy Thai curry for dinner, got my membranes swept, took a long, vigorous family walk. Dreamed about labor all night long. Did that baby come? Nooooooooooope.

This is going to be my go-to response if I go past my due date. Thanks, Dwight. You've always got the right answer for everything.

Poor orangutans! They seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to pregnancy memes.

We're all feeling that way. So if you could just sit back, let me go into labor the way my body and birth team intend, that'd be greaaaaaaaaaat.

This mom's pre-baby product list

2017-05-23T18:20:00.001-07:00

It's week 37 of this edition of Pierogie Pregnancy! While my two previous children were not early by any means (39 weeks and 41 weeks), a little spot in my mind remains open to the idea that I just might have a baby boy in my arms in a week or two. Cue mind-splosion.

Nesting has been in full bore for about 2-3 weeks and I've been diligently knocking off items on my "end of pregnancy to do list," which I purposefully kept simple. Enjoy my baby showers, have my much anticipated special run Natibaby carrier arrive, refinish a dresser for baby boy, prepare our guest room for about 6 weeks worth of guests, get the big sisters into their swanky new bunk bed and truly the most important and probably time consuming task - organize all the baby things.

Having 3 kids in the span of 5 years does help you stream line a lot of things. Through baby #2 I quickly realized what worked for us and what I don't really need to hold on to. Hallelujah for consignment sales! I have been able to periodically destash baby items through out the years and recoup some cash and valuable space thanks to those. But, even though it's only been 3 years since my last pregnancy, some fun new items come onto the market that weren't on my radar before. So let me share with you a few of the new products that have caught my eye and landed on my "pre-baby product list."

The Dockatot was something that kept popping up on my facebook feed and I was really intrigued by the idea. We are a bed-sharing family and I typically sleep with my kids full-time until they are night weaned; around 18 months. We practice safe sleep methods that are essential for bed-sharing and thus there aren't a whole lot of products that fit in for making any of it easier. The Dockatot is an all cotton sleeping pad with bolstered sides, which creates a safe microclimate for the baby. A concern I had with bed sharing with the baby this time around is that in the last year we have switched to an all-foam, no spring mattress and that doesn't provide air circulation as well as it should for bed sharing. I'm excited to share our full review once baby is here! Already shopping? Save $10 on DockaTot here.

And while we're on the topic of safe sleep, I wanted to mention that I've been doing a ton of research on mattresses and safe materials for children ever since we upgraded our 5 and 3 year old daughters from two toddler beds to their "you'll have this until you move out" bed set - a twin over full bunk. Buying the bed frame was the easy part; the hardest part was finding that balance between comfort, quality of materials, affordability and safety in the mattresses! We found My Green Mattress to fit all of those qualifiers! Even though it's not exactly a traditional "pre-baby" item, everyone goes mattress shopping and at some point you'll definitely be asking yourself the same questions when shopping for your children's mattresses that I did- so stay tuned for that update as well! Already shopping? Save 5% on any My Green Mattress using code WELCOME5.

How do you take care of your body immediately following birth? With my last child I experienced an interesting tear that made me so so thankful that I decided to give cloth menstrual pads a try. Cloth pads, or mama cloth, are really easy to use especially when you are already cloth diapering your baby. You just wash your pads along with the diapers (pre-rinse if that's important to you). Oko Creations has your back (well, bottom). I've reviewed their pads in the past and they still are my favorite pads to buy. The material is the most absorbent I've ever used and the quality is amazing.

One of my favorite gifts from my baby shower was not for baby at all...it's all for me! Well, and the family. Have you jumped on the instant-pot train? I have never cooked with a pressure cooker but a few of my friends of 2+ kids have raved that this is the must have item for streamlining family meals. Several of my gal pals pooled together and gifted one for our family. I'm so excited to try out new recipes! So far I've tried Beef Stroganoff, shredded chicken, white sticky rice (ahhhhhhmaaaaaaaaayzzzzing) and Mexican Rice (honestly, I prefer my old school dutch oven way though). Apparently one can make creme brulee using an IP so that is certainly going to happen in my near future! I'm thinking it'll either be a "my baby is late, leave me alone" or "he's here!!" dessert.

It's really interesting how one's parenting transforms over several children. For my first daughter - a stroller was a believed must have. Everyone needs a stroller for their baby, right? We used our stroller a lot as we lived in neighborhoods that had sidewalks and we took family strolls quite often. With baby #2, I was getting more into babywearing and she rode in the stroller very rarely - she always preferred uppies and the stroller became our diaper bag carrier whenever we were out on trips. With baby #3, living in the country without sidewalks in sight, and having more or less streamlined my diaper bag to the bare essentials, we are actually selling our stroller and just babywearing exclusively. Over the last couple years I've gotten into woven wraps and have always loved soft structured carriers so this time I jumped in on a very special co-op through Natibaby and got a SSC in standard and toddler size of the Seattle skyline! Squeee!!

Are you expecting? What are a few of your must haves that you're excited about?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Some of the products are upcoming collaborations that will be featured on The Pierogie Mama in the future. I receive items in exchange for my honest review, but no other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.

The Apothecary Spa in Anacortes WA

2017-05-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's Baby Boy Pierogie's 35th week of pregnancy, y'all! As my time is drawing to a close my to-do list gets more and more intense. Prenatal appointments mixed in with my kids' appointments that I'm trying to get out of the way so that the next six months or so we don't have to worry, swimming lessons, end of school year stuff, consignment sales, you name it. And while things like baby showers are awesome milestones that mean baby boy is one step closer to being here, this mama is bone tired and sore at the end of the day.

So what is one of my favorite end of pregnancy must do? A prenatal massage, of course!

Tucked away on teeny tiny Fidalgo Island (Washington) is a little town that I love called Anacortes. Over the last 10 years I have visited often as my in-laws live there and it's just such a beautiful place. I honestly think that the weather is somehow always great in Anacortes; it's got to be the quickly changing pace of the winds of this little port town. From Anacortes you can take ferries to the San Juans and Victoria B.C. There are tons of delicious seafood joints, bakeries, thrift stores and antique shops to peek around in.

One of my favorite places to visit periodically has been the historic building of the Majestic Inn and Spa. Anacortes was founded in 1891 and the Majestic Inn, though it has had several job changes, remodels and restorations, brings Gilded Age beauty with modern luxury to 2017. My husband and I have snuck away for anniversary lunches at their restaurant and my girlfriends and I have enjoyed lemon drops on their rooftop lounge. It's truly an amazing piece of Anacortes (and Skagit) history, but at the very least a beautiful building to look at. A tidbit of information that I learned was that the whole building was relocated about 20 years after it was built by being rolled up the street on logs by a team of horses!

In addition to being a hotel and bistro, The Apothecary Spa is located on the second floor of the building and I have waited with so much anticipation for my chance to go experience what so many of my friends had told me to be "hands down the best spa ever!" That's a big pair of boots to fit into, don't you think? Let me tell you without a whole lot of gushy fluff (and quote me to your husband when he asks you what do you want for your birthday/Mothers Day/Christmas) - "The Apothecary Spa at the Majestic Inn in Anacortes IS the best spa ever!"

What are my qualifications? Well, I am no spa connoisseur (though I wish I could have a blog completely devoted to spa experiences) but I will say that my husband does the right thing and sends me for a massage or spa experience usually once or twice a year. I have maybe a dozen experiences to draw from, ranging from budget to swanky. However, The Apothecary Spa takes my #1 slot over several other very high quality (and more expensive) spas for a ton of reasons.

Let me give you a run down of my time there.

The Apothecary Spa encourages their guests to check in 15-30 minutes before their treatments to get changed into their robe and sandals, take a steam in their steam room (something I'll have to go back another time for, as it's not a good idea for us preggos), lounge in their sanctuary room and have a little snack and drink of various infused waters or teas. Which is exactly what I did!

Another end of pregnancy milestone that I have been so so so looking forward to: my spa date at @theapothecaryspa in Anacortes, WA! This 35 week pregnant mama is ready for a maternity massage, brow wax and hand treatment. Stay tuned for the full details...off I go to enjoy my cucumber & blueberry infused water while I wait for my specialist! #anacorteswa #majesticinnandspa #pampered #mothersdayweekend #spaday #prenatalmassage #pierogiepregnancy #babymoon #babyprep #thirdtrimester #skagitmom

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on May 12, 2017 at 5:02pm PDT

The spa menu is vast; I will make note that although most spas offer a short list of "upgrades" such as paraffin treatments, choices of oils or different techniques, The Apothecary Spa had a robust list of enhancements that in my opinion fully rounded out my 60 minute massage. In addition to my massage I opted to add eye brow waxing, a honey glaze treatment for my dry hands and a nourishing scalp massage.

Prenatal massages can be hit and miss. I've had a few massages in previous pregnancies where they were called "prenatal massages" but unfortunately they really didn't know how to arrange a very pregnant mama or how a woman's physiology changes and that it's a very different experience to get massaged late in pregnancy versus earlier on. My massage therapist, Cynthia, made sure that I had everything I needed to be supported while being massaged on my side and when I switched to laying on my back she adjusted the table to be tilted so I didn't feel the full weight of my belly pressing up onto my lungs. Her massaging technique was gentle but confident; there wasn't any hesitation or uncertainty of the elephant in the room and she very effectively massaged my whole body without the impression that she was afraid of my belly. When we chatted before my massage I asked for a full body massage with the focus on my back (as that is normally what aches most during pregnancy), but as she got to work I realized that really what I loved was getting my legs and feet rubbed - and she very fluidly switched to spending more time on that. Both of my girls were born in March so I guess I've never really had issues with swelling at the end of my pregnancy, but this time around I have definitely noticed the cankles making their appearance and Cynthia had the perfect technique of gently massaging those areas directly with oil and later switching to massaging over the draped blanket. I really want to go back just for that part!

Towards the end of the massage she let me know that she would be starting my honey glaze hand treatment followed by the scalp massage. She massaged my hands, applied the glaze and wrapped them in warm towels. While the glaze soaked in she started my scalp treatment. I'm a believer of the amazing uses for coconut oil, and have heard about using it as a hair and scalp treatment but have never done it personally - and Lordy I am hooked on this as well. She poured coconut oil along my hair line and then spent the next 20 minutes or so working it in through my whole scalp and base of my hair. Then she cleaned off my hands, gave me a whole decollete, arm and hand massage and finished off with another glaze on my feet and more massaging! Cynthia knows how to treat an expecting mama right!

Greasy hair, I don't care! A coconut oil scalp massage was like the grown up version of playing with your best friend's hair in elementary school. While I have this post massage high, let me gush to you about how @theapothecaryspa hit it out of the ball park today. I feel relaxed and all of those achy, swollen, dried and just PREGNANT parts got loved and moisturized. Thank you Cynthia and the rest of the Apothecary team! #apothecaryspa #majesticinnandspa #anacortes #anacorteswa #skagitmom #pregnancy #pierogiepregnancy #prenatalmassage #babyprep #babymoon

A post shared by Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama (@thepierogiemama) on May 12, 2017 at 7:08pm PDT

After my treatments I was invited back into the sanctuary where I attempted to come down from my post-massage giddy high with a shred of maturity with another glass of cucumber + blueberry infused water. My experience was the perfect storm of truly needing some end of pregnancy pampering and an amazing spa staff. On my way home I called my mom, whom I would say probably is the closest person I know to being a spa connoisseur, and told her that I kind of need to get gift certificates for all my friends and family to go because there is no way you can go through life without experiencing this. There goes my attempts at quelling that "post-massage giddy high with a shred of maturity" spiel. But it wasn't said in haste - seriously. Go. Do it.

Visit The Apothecary Spa

419 Commercial Avenue, Anacortes, WA

Facebook & Instagram

Disclosure: I received a complimentary massage in exchange for my honest review.

All photography and opinions are my own. In case you couldn't tell, visiting The Apothecary Spa was the highlight of my third trimester and I can't say enough lovely things about it!

Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon Presale Sneak Peek!

2017-04-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the Just Between Friends of Marysville-Mount Vernon consignment sale! Would you believe me if I told you that I shop for my two daughters' clothes just twice a year? It's true! The Just Between Friends consignment sales are all I need because there are literally thousands of items in all kids sizes that I can choose from in one place at amazingly low prices. Plus, I get to unload our outgrown clothes by consigning them as well!

So you can easily scan my blog to find out all the reasons why I love JBF, and one of my favorite things to do is make sure I get to shop early at the presale event by consigning. But don't worry - even if consigning isn't on your radar, the public sale is chock full of great stuff. Let me show you!

But first; my ever so sweet Ruby. Isn't she just darling? She admired herself in front of this vanity for a few minutes.

Tons of great babywearing gear at this sale! MeiTeis, a few woven wraps, Beco, Moby stretchy wraps and others.

And a kids wrap! Because babies wearing babies is the cutest thing ever.

Sorting through the books is one of my favorites. I always find something super old from my childhood and I feel like I need to rescue it.

Sports fan gear..need I say more?

And the girly stuff. Swoon! My wedding anniversary is on the 4th of July so I am always on the look out for cute patriotic outfits for the kids.

So many summer items. Mostly boys bikes this time, but I also snagged a plastic pool (you know the kind!) for my kids and their cousins to "whirlpool" in this summer.

So as you know, I have two daughters aged 5 and 3 and then baby boy is on the way for this summer. My 3 year old is lucky enough to get all of her sister's handmedowns from last summer, so I did very little shopping for her. My focus at this sale was bigger sizes for the 5 year old and adding to our growing stash of boy stuff.

One of my favorite things to do after a presale shop is to compare what I would have paid for my items if I had bought them in store and what I paid for them at JBF. It's ASTOUNDING. I'm a fairly frugal person at heart, so spending a ton of money on kids clothing is really not my thing anyways, but I always give myself a pat on the back after shopping at JBF. Buying used clothes is important to me not only because of the cost savings, but because of the environmental impact as well. Think of all the resources we are using up because so few clothing items are passed on. And trust me, I'm a mom of almost 3 kids, I know that some clothes just can't be passed on. They've had a good life. And that's what textile drives are for! Most thrift stores that you can donate clothes to have an outlet for where their "unsellable" items get sent to and that includes textile recycling.

Anywho....

Taking a look at all the brands that I bought and running a comparison online, these same items for my 4T/5T daughter would have cost me $114 retail. Instead, I paid a whopping....

And SQUEEE! I got to venture into boy land for the first time ever! Our little Pierogie Boy has been immensely blessed by handmedowns from two families and our baby showers, so again, I don't have a ton of shopping to do for his arrival! But I had to pick up some cuteness at the sale.

The boy clothes blew me away.. $142! A few of the items I picked up were retailed a little pricier than I imagined.

And there you have it! So much to stock up on for this upcoming summer and beyond.

April 28 - 30, 2017

Skagit County Fairgrounds, Mount Vernon Wa

Find out more details on the full sale schedule here

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Just Between Friends of Marysville-

Mount Vernon. All photography and opinions are my own.

80 lbs of chicken - 9 ways

2017-04-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

Fresh chicken breasts are only $1.69 / lb! Use promo code WAYBACK. Valid until 11:59pm PST 8/9/17.
Sign up for Zaycon Fresh to get your unbelievably fresh meat!

Often I am asked how do I save money for my family. Our food budget is something that I rarely skimp on because I think it's one of the best investments we can make for ourselves. However, there are a ton of ways to be able to save money without skimping on quality.

I learned about Zaycon Fresh a few years ago and am a believer! We order chicken breast, chicken fritters, pork tenderloins, wild Alaskan Salmon and a few other meat products. The chicken breast comes fresh and straight from the farmer, so it ends up being a lot fresher than what you buy at the grocery store. For example, my last case of Zaycon Fresh chicken breast had a bar code with a time stamp for the butcher date that was 3 days prior to my receiving it. I recently went to my local grocery store to see what their time frame is - and their chicken was 15 days old and also had 3% water injected. It's really not much of a discussion on which chicken I prefer to buy!

What is Zaycon Fresh? It's super easy. You sign up, enter in your zip code and it will populate "events" near you. Each event will bring fresh or frozen meets to an agreed upon place and time. You place your order for what you'd like and then on the day of the event you bring your order slip and they put your case of bulk meats in the trunk of your car for you. You don't even have to get out of the car! Throughout the year they will offer different products; such as delicious bacon, fresh ground beef, fresh chicken breasts, frozen breaded chicken fritters (I like to make this), select steaks, even turkey and ham! Our all time favorite is their salmon. They are constantly adding more.

When you sign up, they'll send you non-spammy newsletters letting you know what they're adding, great recipe ideas and you can refer friends to get credit for your next purchase. Truly, I haven't bought meat any other way for a long time now.

Ok but then the question comes up with what do I do with 40 lbs of fresh chicken breast? Friends, let me show you what I did for this last order, which I am using to prepare for Baby Boy due this summer.

First, when I receive my chicken I cut it down to different sizes to help spread the meat a little further. Each lobe of chicken breast becomes a cut of breast, a tender and I slice the breast to an even thickness and save the top portion as a "cheek," which is great as Chicken Parmesan Cutlets. For our family of 2 adults and 2 small kids I package a dinner meal either as 2 breasts, 5 tenders or 6 cutlets. I also use a Foodsaver instead of freezer bags. For each of the recipes below I used 1/4 c of marinade per "dinner package." Some of the recipes are larger than others so adjust the ratios as you need.

Without further adieu, here are my most recently used recipes:
Brown Sugar Balsamic Chicken

I used about 1/4 c of marinade per 2 breasts.

Lemon Garlic
Chicken TacosUsing a grinder attachment, grind your chicken breasts
taco seasoning recipe

Chicken Enchiladas
1 large can of enchilada sauce
directions: boil your chicken breasts, shred them either with forks or with the paddle attachment on your kitchen aid, pour the sauce in! Freeze the meat as is or prep into enchiladas and freeze individually.

Tangy Teriyaki:
2T of grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
makes enough for 2 breasts

"Hawaiian Style" / Moana1 can of sliced pineapple
2 cups of orange juice
4T ketchup
4T soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2T of grated fresh ginger
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c Balsamic Vinegar

Tangy BBQ

1/2 c Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce

4T ketchup

2Tbrown sugar

4T balsamic vinegar

1 cup chicken stock

Lime Sweet Thai Chili1 c stock
1 bottle sweet thai chili sauce

1/4 c lime juice

Spiced Rub with Apple Cider Vinegar2t paprika
1t chili powder
1t cumin
1t thyme
1t salt
1t garlic powder
1t pepper
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Mix all of the ingredients, pour over 12 chicken breasts and rub it in. It should be a loose paste.

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