Thing 1 & Thing 2 Tshirts by Bumkins

If you have twins and you like Dr. Seuss these T-shirts by Bumkins are a must have apparel item.  Aren't they cute?  I've had my own twins out and about in them a few times now and I always seem to get a few chuckles in our direction.  

Aside from being adorable looking, I found them also to be of an excellent quality and craftmanship.  Bumkins makes these Tshirts from a really nice weight of 100% cotton in sizes 6-24 months.  I was also glad they did not require any special washing and drying procedures.  They went in dirty, they came out clean.  Who's not a fan of that? 

In addition to these shirts, Bumkins makes a wide variety of other fine baby products.  I happen to have quite a few girlfriends who swear by their line of waterproof superbibs.

Special 15% Bobux Discount {for Twins Only}

Bobux, a Maker of Premium Footwear & Apparel for Kids, wants you to know that they realize raising twins can be expensive, even more so in this economy.

On that note, they've asked me to pass along this special code just for twin parents to use.  [Promo Code: TWINS]  Please note this 15% off code does not have an expiration date. 

If you are not familiar with Bobux and their products, you can read a post I previously made on them here.

Unfortunately the PERFECT Twin Stroller Search continues

A couple months ago I promised to review my Jane Powertwin stroller that I purchased slightly used via craigslist.  I apologize for taking so long, but I really wanted to give it a good long try-out since stroller's are such a huge purchase in terms of money spent, time researched, and of course benefit gained when you find a good one.

This is of course all the more difficult when you are buying a stroller for twins, because many "double" strollers are designed more for siblings of a similar age/size but not of the same exact age/size.

So what did I think of the Jane?  It truly looks awesome, which is a huge plus, because like one of my friends commented, pushing an expensive looking stroller is comparable to carrying a fancy handbag.  I also love that it isn't nearly as heavy as some of the other strollers, carrying around the twins is bad enough on my back.  I also really adore it's small footprint especially when you are shopping the clothing racks at Target, Kohls, or Nordstroms.  Additionally when operating properly, it handles like a dream and is very light to push despite the fact my twins are getting pudgy.

That said, while it does fold up easy, it does not fold as small as I'd like.  The darn front wheel makes it nearly impossible to get the thing in the back of my Buick Enclave with all the seats up and I have to have all the seats up with 5 kids.  Additionally, the front wheel randomly goes into the locked position for straight pushing only.  This makes it so I have to stop and fiddle with it a bit mid shopping to put it back into the front wheel unlocked position.  

Finally, I should mention that the small footprint does come with a bit of a price, you do have an occasional bout of one twin kicking the other twin's seat but I'm personally willing to live with that problem for the tinier frame.

So, what to try next?  I'm not sure which stroller meets my needs best at this point.  I honestly thought the Jane PowerTwin might be my best bet.  

I'm throwing this out there to all the stroller companies claiming to have the PERFECT twin stroller.  

Dear Stroller Companies, 

My twins are 10 month old boys and I want a twin stroller that will fit in the back of my Buick Enclave without hassle.  I also want said stroller to allow me to easily wander the racks at my favorite shopping spots.  I want something light, easy to handle, easy to fold, sturdy and rugged enough to handle some urban and rural exploration, and I want it to give me that "bling" factor that a Marc Jacobs purse would add.

Do you have the perfect twin stroller for myself and my readers?  I get kazillions of email on this subject.  Do they really exist or are they make believe?  Honestly, I'm a busy mommy and I am getting a tad tired of looking and not finding so I've resorted to asking all the perfect twin strollers to come find me sort of like a request to my fairy godmother?  I've tried repeating I do believe in perfect twin strollers, I've tried spinning in a circle, I've dropped breadcrumbs and pacifiers for that matter.  I've even tried buying things off of Craigslist.  If you could just show me the PERFECT twin stroller, I'll shout about it from the rooftops or at the very least my little old blog page?

Thanks Stroller Companies!

Your humble And twins make 5! mommy friend,

Stephanie

*  Since I know you'll ask, the picture shown is of my current Jane Powertwin with Tivolli Stroller Liners on it.

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Update:  Find additional stroller related posts & reviews from us here.

Interchangeable Jewelry by Mag Tagz Review + Giveaway

Much like a lot of little girls, my daughter Cordelia is a big fan of jewelry.  Additionally she loves trading like objects for a day or two with a couple of her closest pals.  She frequently brings home a swapped pencil, pen, or bouncy ball for the evening, only to return home the next day with a different one or her original item.

With this in mind, I had a feeling she was going to be a big fan of Mag-tagz, a mom-invented interchangeable jewelry line.  Here's how Mag Tagz work:  You start off with a Mag-Tagz necklace base and then you simply magnetically stick one of your round tagz of your choice to the base.  The tagz come in a plethora of quite affordably priced designs and the magnet base makes them perfect for simple swapping with a friend.  

Cooler still, Mag Tagz frequently holds design contests where the winning design is made into a limited edition design complete with the winner's name on the back.  Entries for the latest round are currently being accepted now thru May 15h.  Further details on this design contest open to the 14 and under crowd are available here.  Cordelia is working hard on her own submission. 

Additionally, Mag Tagz owner's can play the “Tag, You’re It!” game. Players get started by entering the unique code found on the back of any tag, to get a clue. The goal is to collect four clues and figure out what the clues have in common. Players are encouraged to trade tagz or information with friends to learn more clues. Once they know the answer, they can submit it online and be entered to win amazing prizes like a Nintendo Wii. As added incentive to play, everybody who enters to win receives a special-edition tag just for participating. 

Mag-tagz items are available for purchase online at www.mag-tagz.com and at select specialty stores.  You can utilize [Promo Code: blogger20] for 20% off a purchase of $20 or more.

If you think think these are as cute an idea as I do, you can even enter to win a Mag Tagz necklace and your choice of one of the two limited edition Tagz designed by the winner's of the last Mag Tagz contest.

Enter:  Simply visit http://mag-tagz.com/tagz.aspx to see which Tagz you like best overall and which of the two Limited Edition Tagz is your favorite.  Next, leave a comment below that includes both of those answers along with your email address.

Optional Additional Entries:

• 1 extra entry if you follow this blog.
• 1 extra entry if you subscribe to this blog's feed.
• 1 extra entry if you twitter this contest and include @andtwinsmake5 in your tweet.
• 1 extra entry if you add my button to your blog.
• 1 extra entry of you stumble, digg, or kirtsy this post. (leave username)

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. A winner will be chosen via random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. U.S. Residents Only.

Ends on Sunday 5/24/09 @ 11:59PM CST.

Thanks for Entering and Good luck to everyone!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Sign

More and more parents are learning and using baby sign language to communicate with their little ones. This guide introduces parents to the 150 most common signs babies can understand and use. Included are steps to teach the signs, a section on verbal development, and much more.

Signing is said to boost baby’s language skills, literacy, and brainpower so I've been playing around with the twins using this book a bit recently.  So far we haven't seemed to master any sign fully.  I think we may be close on "more"  posssibly.  Regardless, it has been a source of amusement and I plan to continue trying a few signs out on them as time allows.

Wouldn't it be awesome to teach them just like 3-5 basics?

In any event, while my twins may not be signing genuises the book does seem to be well put together and easy to understand.  Let me know if any of you have better luck?

Hershey’s Night at the Museum Sweepstakes + Hershey Gift Basket Giveaway

What happens when the lights go out at the museum?  The Hershey Company has partnered with Twentieth Century Fox’s Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian to offer movie fans the once-in-a-lifetime chance to find out. Find the museum keys inside the wrappers of specially marked products from The Hershey Company and win the experience of a lifetime – a VIP tour and sleepover at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, inspired by the new movie.

I recently visited the Smithsonian with 2 of my children, a group of fellow bloggers with their families, and Hershey's Company.  You can see my previous post on that adventure here.

Now through October 31, 2009, look inside specially marked candy bars to reveal a message printed on the inside of the wrapper. Participating candy products include:

Hershey®’s Kisses® Chocolate

Reese’s® Pieces® Candy
Whoppers® Malted Milk Balls
Good & Plenty® Candy
Milk Duds® Candy
Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups

MiniaturesHershey®’s Miniatures
Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups 8-Packs
Kit Kat® Wafer Bars 8-Packs

Almond Joy® Candy 8-Packs

If the inside of the bag or carton reads “CONGRATULATIONS! You found the keys to the museum!” redeem by January 29, 2010 to claim the stated prize.

Five lucky players will win the Grand Prize: a trip for four to Washington D.C., including two nights’ accommodations, $500 spending money, a VIP tour of the museum after dark and the option to sleep a gallery of the National Air and Space Museum associated with Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.The Hershey’s “Win a Night in the Museum” instant win game runs from April 1 through October 31, 2009.  Specially marked candy bars are available now through August, while supplies last at mass, grocery, drug and convenience stores.

The excitement continues online with even more chances to win via the “Unleash the Loot” sweepstakes – visitors to www.hersheys.com/nightatthemuseum can enter once daily through October 31, 2009 to win the Grand Prize of $50,000 or one of ten first prizes, a $1,000 Visa® Gift Card. Visit Web site for official rules and additional details.

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Additionally, you can enter below to win a Hershey's Night at the Museum "Sweet" gift basket containing:

• One Full-size Hershey’s Night at the Museum sleeping bag
• One DVD of the original Night at the Museum movie
• Plus an assortment of Hershey’s candy including the iconic Hershey®’s Kisses® brand chocolate.

Enter: Simply leave a comment below that includes your email address.

Optional Additional Entries:

• 1 extra entry if you Blog about this post someplace else and link back to it here.
• 1 extra entry if you follow this blog.
• 1 extra entry if you subscribe to this blog's feed.
• 1 extra entry if you twitter this contest and include @andtwinsmake5 in your tweet.
• 1 extra entry of you Stumble, Kirtsy, or Digg this post (leave your username in comment).

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. A winner will be chosen via random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. Open to North America Residents Only.

Ends on the day the movie comes to theaters, Friday 5/22/09 @ 11:59PM CST.

Thanks for Entering and Good luck to everyone!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

However, you can still enter the Hershey's Sweepstakes until 10/31/09.

My Baby Nest Carrier

I've met a lot of twin mommies who like to wear one baby while pushing another either in a stroller or in a grocery cart.  With this in mind, I decided that while I don't personally babywear as much as some mommies do, I should review a few carriers along the way for the mommies who decide they do want to go this route.  Don't get me wrong, I love to use a baby carrier when hiking around and exploring outside.  I'm just not the one you find wearing my babies most of the day.

With that being said, here are my thoughts on the My Baby Nest Carrier I was recently sent to try out.  Being a bit less experienced in the babywearing, it did take me a bit of fumbling about my first couple times to get the carrier on properly and baby inside.  Once on though, I was quite impressed at the level of comfort it seemed to provide both myself and baby.

In the past, I've still felt like I had to physically kind of hold on to baby even in the carrier.  However, the My Baby Nest Carrier seems to truly hold them in there securely.  

I also really like the fact that it has several different positions in which you can carry baby.  (On the hip, forward, backward, cradle style, and etc.)  I am all about options when it comes to baby stuff, because let's face it no two babies , even twins, are exactly the same in what they like and don't like.

Additionally, the My Baby Nest Carrier comes in a few different color options too.  Which is nice since it essentially becomes part of your wardrobe on the days you use it.  There are also 3 different sizes to help you get the perfect fit.

Green Elly Cuddle Me Clean Foaming Wash

Green Elly makes natural skincare products for your baby and child.  It is produced using natural harvested plant and botanical ingredients such as extracts, purees, flavors and essential oils.  Additionally, you'll be happy to hear that Green Elly Skincare products are phthalate free, SLS free, Paraben Free, Fragrance Free, 1,4 and dioxane free.

I really enjoyed the citrus and vanilla fragrance of the foaming wash sample we were sent.  It foamed into a nice lather and it smelled divine.  I was also glad to see that the wash did not seem to be harsh or drying to my children's rather sensitive skin.

Braincandy DVDs Review + Giveaway

I was recently sent a couple Braincandy DVDs for review.  I was extra excited to check them out when I learned that Braincandy DVDs are created by married former filmmaker's who happen to be parents of twins.  I love those twin connections.  By the way, the couple's 8 year old twins are featured in the videos in several places.

The concept of the DVDs is rather simple.  It focuses on young children learning about themselves and the world through the use of each of their 5 senses.  These twin parents came about this concept when they began looking for videos that focused on a more organic experience than the Mozart music makes a genius movement. 

They instead focus on the use of young children engaged in experiential activities.  The hope being that children who are watching will mimic and repeat in the real world.  They'd like other parents to think of them as "Certified Organic Entertainment".  

I watched two of the 5 videos and I can see their point.  The 5 Senses is in fact how children learn naturally and by reminding children of this, much can likely be gained.  I found Bruce and the sense gang to be unlike any "characters" I had seen in children's videos in the past.  While the idea of a nose or ear walking and talking is definitely peculiar it wasn't too big a stretch for me in the grand scheme of children's educational entertainment.  I also noticed it's range of musical selections that set it a part a bit from the one musical genre only crowd.

If you are interested in learning more about BrainCandy DVDs, you can visit their website at www.braincandykids.com.  BrainCandy has even passed along a promo code good for 15% off you entire order [Promo Code: brucebrain].

You can also enter to win a BrainCandy DVD of your choice.

Enter: Simply visit www.braincandykids.com and locate the name of another BrainCandy character besides Bruce brain and return here to comment on it.

Optional Additional Entries:

• 1 extra entry if you join the BrainCandy Kids Club.
• 1 extra entry if you follow this blog.
• 1 extra entry if you subscribe to this blog's feed.
• 1 extra entry if you twitter this contest and include @andtwinsmake5 in your tweet.
• 1 extra entry if you add my button to you blog.

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. A winner will be chosen via random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. U.S. Residents Only.

Ends on Sunday 5/31/09 @ 11:59PM CST.

Thanks for Entering and Good luck to everyone!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED.

Giveaway Winner Announcements!

The winner of the Sum-Bo Shine Diaper Ointment is TJ & AMY!

The winner of the Barn Dandy Pouf is DINA!

If you didn't win the Barn Dandy's Tuffet I still have good news, Barn Dandy's is having a 30% off Sale on everything now thru 5/3/09.  Just use promo code [BDALL].

Our Hershey's Night at The Smithsonian Museum Trip

As promised, here are all the details on our trip to Washington D.C. for the Hershey's Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian invited Blogger event sponsored by Hershey's Chocolate.

We arrived in D.C. at around 4 pm on Saturday to unusually warm 95 degree weather.  We took a small walk before the kids opted to escape the heat within the confines of our ultra cool hotel room at The Park Washington Hyatt.

Next, it was off for a meet and greet style pizza dinner that included the invited Bloggers (Alli, Liz, Trisha, Audrey, Melissa, Colleen, Linda, Vicky, & Renee) some of their families, some Hershey Employees, as well as some employees of Hershey's PR Firm.  

At dinner, my daughter did her best impression of the Easter Island Statue from the first Night at the Museum Movie "hey dum dum give me gum gum" for the (as Cordelia refers to her) "Nice Hershey Kisses Lady".  "The Nice Hershey Kisses Lady" was happily amused by Cordelia's little quote because, as we saw later in the evening, Hershey's Kisses has a new commercial out today that does a spin on that theme.  

I should mention she really has that line perfected and can now do the Hershey Kiss Commercial version as well.  I'm certain Twentieth Century Fox will be calling Cordelia any day now.

Next we were shuttled over to the Smithsonian Museum.  We began our adventure in the Imax Theater.  It was there that we were introduced by Abe Lincoln to an extended trailer of Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian and to the new Hershey Kisses tie-in Commercial.  The kids and I can't wait to see the movie.  In fact, Hayden already has asked me 3 times about finding a babysitter for the twins on May 22nd. 

The group was then treated to an amazing tour of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.  We saw many items and locations that we were told "come to life" in the movie including Amelia Earhart's plane, rockets, a plane by the Wright Brother's, and Able the first Monkey to travel in space.  Our tour was lead by the same Museum Employees that were present during the movie's actual filming and they were able to offer us tons of terrific tidbits.

My children were among the older ones, so we stayed on after the main tour to check out the "How things fly" hands on exhibits and to get a lesson on paper airplane building.  We ended our Museum adventure with a paper airplane flying contest.  

Once arriving back at our hotel, the kids changed into their jammies and we headed back downstairs to watch an almost midnight viewing of the first Night at the Museum movie.  Highlights of our movie party included Hershey's candy, yummy s'mores, and cozy sleeping bags that both of my children passed out inside.  

My children rated this experience as one of their favorite things we have ever done in a weekend and I highly enjoyed myself as well.  It is hard to imagine that our trip was only a taste of what the winner's of the Hershey's "Win a night in the Museum" Instant Win Game will be enjoying.

Five lucky players will win the grand prize:  a trip for four to Washington D.C., including two nights' accommodations, $500 spending money, a VIP tour of the museum after dark, and the never before offered option of sleeping in a gallery of the National Air and Space Museum in the Smithsonian.  How cool is that?

All you have to do to enter is simply buy specially marked Hershey's candy such as Cordelia's favorites the Hershey's Kisses or Hayden's favorites the MilkDuds.  Visit www.hersheys.com/nightatthemuseum for all the details.  You can also enter their online "unleash the loot" sweepstakes while you are there.

Reading Time with Baby Books by Leslie Patricelli

After a wonderfully chaotic weekend away with two of my five children, it was nice to return home and spend some quiet moments hanging out with my husband, talking to my oldest son, and reading to my twins.  

I just love how books often have a way of slowing babies down, even if it is only for 5-10 minutes.  10 minutes may not sound like much, however those 600 seconds of relative calm with two 10 month olds can take on a nearly majestic feel around our home.

We read a stack of books by Leslie Patricelli that happened to arrive from Candlewick Press while I was gone.  Many of Leslie's books seem to feature an illustrated diaper-clad baby as the central character, yet each book has it's own refreshing take on items or themes present in this baby's world.

All the illustrations are done by Leslie herself in acrylic, lending the board book's smooth glossy pages a slightly smudged and textured appearance.  I found the background page colors to be bright and engaging, the font to be bold, and the topics to be precisely right for the littlest of book worms.

Since one of our twins seems to currently be a blankie guy and one seems to be a binky guy, I found the two separate books, Blankie and Binky, to be especially amusing.  I was glad to see that Leslie seems to also be delving into the toddler world too with books like Higher! Higher! which was directly inspired by a moment on the swings with her own daughter.

Leslie Patricelli's books are available for sale at Amazon.com and you can learn more about the book's and the author and her site found here.

A night at the Museum, A night away from my twins

Today I'll arrive in Washington D.C. with two of my children for the Hershey's Night at the Museum invited blogger event.  Hershey is giving a couple of us a taste of what it is going to be like to be the winner's of their Hershey's Night at the Museum:  Battle of the Smithsonian Sweepstakes.  I'm really looking forward to attending this event and introducing two of my children to the Smithsonian Museum.

I must confess I'm also pretty excited to be spending a night away from our twins.  I adore my little men, but everyone needs a night off to reset and tonight is my first full night off since they were born 10 months ago.

And, ok, I'll admit it ...  I'm secretly loving the fact that my husband is spending a night alone with both of them.  What stay at home parent of multiples doesn't dream about the other parent getting a true taste for what goes into being with them all day and all night without backup?  And while I wouldn't quite wish the chaos certain to reign upon Ben Stiller in the Battle of the Smithsonian, I'm hoping the twins at least stir once in the night just to make sure Dad is a wee bit worn out when I get home.

Technically he does have a tad bit of backup since our 14 year old son is staying home with him, however if you were familiar with the 14 year old's lifestyle patterns you would realize he is not to be depended on until he wakes at around noon and is typically outside somewhere with a basketball or football glued to his hand by around 2 pm.  My husband's best chance of getting aid from him is after he wanders in grunting a teenage tribal food chant at around dinner time.

Special notes to my husband:

• Remember, the early bird catches a shower.
• They typically nap at around 10 and 2.  Declan must have a blankie and Cormac must have a binkie.
• They eat 3 meals a day and drink 4 - 5 8 Oz. bottles.  (Maybe more for Declan)
• Don't turn your head for long, they can and will attack each other to get what they want.
• If all else fails throw them in the stroller or give them a bath.
• I love you, have fun and good luck!  We'll see you Sunday afternoon!

Last Call on Barn Dandy Giveaway!

This giveaway ends Saturday, 4/25/09.  Don't miss out on this one, these Poufs are great to have around!

eeBoo Animal Sounds Tot Tower

eeBoo Animal Sound Tot Tower for stacking & nesting.  You'll be happy to know that these tot towers are now printed with soy-based inks on 90% recycled materials.  Additionally, they feature a non-toxic coating.  The Animal Sounds Tot Tower will help your child build large motor skills while promoting language and concept development.  10 nesting blocks are included per set.

My twins are not old enough to play with these alone yet, but they absolutely adore knocking them over if a sibling will stack them up.

For additional info on eeBoo and it's twin mommy founder read my previous review on their art cards found here.

Twin Fame

If you have multiples, I'm certain I do not need to point out to you how big of an attraction they are to other people around you.  Going about my day with my 9 month old twin boys can at times be a bit like acting as a security guard / PR Rep for a couple of celebrities or rock stars.   

People stare at them, they point, they exclaim things, they come up and ask me questions about them, they attempt to touch them, and they openly talk about you and your babies with their friends (right in front of you as if you can't hear them).  No requests for autographs or photos yet though.   

I reflect back now at how I thought being pregnant with twins was a total 3 ring circus.  The moment people find out you are expecting not just one baby, but two babies .... watch out.  It seems everyone has a story about twins they are saving up for the first pregnant woman with multiples to pass them by.  "My husband's Uncle's step daughter had twin girls ...."  And once you make it past the story section, there is the Q & A portion of the encounter.  How much weight have you gained?  Are they natural?  Are they identical?     

I now realize that the twin pregnancy is just a warm up to navigating day to day with my pair of stars.  This special attraction part of the package came as a bit of a surprise to me at first.  Not as much as finding out I was expecting twins, but it was an unexpected development.     

I found myself wondering if I use to do the same types of things when I saw twin babies prior to having my own.  My verdict?  I think I did.  Why not?  They are so cute and it is not something you see everyday.  Who doesn't adore staring at babies, especially a pair of them.  Of course I pointed those babies out to my mom or daughter too!  Who doesn't?   

With this mini revelation, I've realized that I need to just go with it.  We are popular, what's so horrible about that.  Instead of dreading all the attention, I now find it sweet.  I enjoy the little tales and I share some of my own.  I've embraced the realization that things are just going to take longer when I bring them both.  This added time for errands is not only because I have two kids in tow, but because people are curious.   

Next time you spot me out and about with Declan and Cormac stop to say hi.  I promise to say hello back.

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This post is part of a series of posts I am writing on the topic of twins for Blessed Nest Perch.

Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby's Names

If you are looking for baby names, you might want to try this book out.  While I don't personally have a need for baby name guides any more, it does seem very thorough and well put together.  It even includes a page on the most popular twin names.

Like most baby name guides, it provides readers with an alphabetized name list for each gender.  Additionally, it dedicates approximately half of its total pages to various themed lists such as:

• Movie/literary character names
• Names from favorite children’s books and shows
• Famous names (movie stars, pop stars, reality TV stars … and more)
• Winners (Nobel, Pulitzer, Oscar, Tony, Grammy, Emmy … and more)
• Sport names (Olympic medalists, NBA All-Stars, NASCAR studs …and more)
• Fortune 500 executives and well-known entrepreneurs
• Famous scientists and inventors
• World leaders, U.S. presidents, and first ladies
• Famous explorers
• Wiccan, Gothic, and vampire names
• Biblical names
• Top names by city, state, and country
• Top names by decade
• Brand names

The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to 40,000 Baby Names, Second Edition
ISBN: 9781592578412, Price: $14.95, March 2009
Author:  Marcia Layton Turner (Fairport, NY)

Surprise, it's twins! {My bike is broken}

Finding out you are pregnant with twins is rarely expected by any couple. There are some situations where the couple realizes this outcome is likely, such as couples who under went certain fertility procedures or couples who have an extremely high rate of multiples in the family. However, most of the time hearing you are having twins is a huge surprise to everyone. Our personal experience with our now 10 month old twins is no exception to this rule.

My husband and I were both 37 at the time and already had 3 children (13, 9, & 7) when after much debate we decided to have one more baby. Because of my age, we chose not to tell our children about this decision until after our first big checkup and ultrasound appointment. The day came and we arrived at the appointment feeling like old pros at this whole pregnancy thing. The first portion of the visit was extremely routine and uneventful, though the nurse did joke about my uterus being a tad big already for just one. Of course, she and I both chalked it up to the fact that this was my 4th pregnancy and that my previous three pregnancies had resulted in C-sections. The doctor noted all was looking good and he did a quick ultrasound to double check the due date as was his standard practice.

I don't need to tell to tell you what happens next, the doctor finds not one but two babies growing inside me. I proceeded to repeat the phrase "oh my gosh" over and over for a while and my husband sat virtually silent. The doctor told us this changes everything in regards to appointment frequency and gave us a myriad of additional information, I barely heard much of that which is clearly why he hands you a written copy of that information. We wrapped up the appointment quickly and left to digest the news.

So much for being old pros at this whole pregnancy and baby thing, what did we know about twins? And our well thought out plan of having just one more baby for a total of 4 children, scratch that too because twins make 5.

Our surprise pales in comparison to the reaction of then middle child, Hayden. You see we expected our oldest son who was 13 at the time to be a bit annoyed with the fact he was now going to have to share a room with someone. We also expected, Cordelia (the baby at the time) to be a bit unhappy about losing her status as the baby she's held on to for 7 years, especially to twin attention drawing babies. However, neither of them seemed to be bothered as much as we expected. The one child we thought wouldn't really care much about this change, was the child who absolutely "lost it" when he was told. If you knew Hayden, you'd be as shocked as we were. He is a very laid back, go with the flow, goofy yet mildly sensitive guy, and he's a smart little cookie as well. Things rarely bother Hayden, minus perhaps loud noises and strange things (like olives) in his food. 

In any event, when we told the three kids we were pregnant with twin babies it was then 9 year old Hayden who immediately started crying and chanting things like, "send them back, no no, you've ruined my perfect family, I don't want them". His crying eventually made his sister cry. Oldest son, J.C., he laughed and said, "sounds good, have fun with Hayden" and asked if he could head out. Gotta love teenagers. Cordelia was easy enough to calm down. She admitted once she was away from Hayden that she only cried because he was freaking her out and that she thought twin babies would be cool. Hayden eventually moved on to the not wanting to talk about it, quiet stage. We dealt with that for about a week. He eventually started joining in on conversations about the babies and seemed fine with it all.  

Once Hayden's acceptance stage was in full force a while, we had another talk with him about it all. It seems we failed to recognize that Hayden's happy, go with the flow lifestyle was partially a result of very little change in our family life since the birth of his sister 7 years ago. Apparently it is pretty easy to be laid back when no major changes are occurring around you. And upon reflection, we remembered at age 2 when Hayden wasn't very impressed with his sister the day she came home from the hospital.  In fact, he was far more concerned with the fact that his bike was currently broken.  Any attempt to show said baby to him, was met with him repeating that his bike was indeed still broken.  I reminded him of this and he found it pretty funny.

I admit I was still a bit concerned about how Hayden would be when the twins came home, given his past reaction to them and his sister. However, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. When the twins and I came home, we were welcomed with a sign taped up in the kitchen. The sign said simply, "My bike is broken! Love, Hayden".  I knew from that moment on, Hayden and twins were going to be just fine.

Mommy Necklaces Giveaway!

What are Mommy Necklaces?  Also known as a nursing necklace, they were conceived to aid in reducing the pinching, pulling, distractibility and other common busy baby problems.  However, nursing necklaces don't only benefit breastfeeding mothers. These necklaces are mommy necklaces, designed with extra TLC to stand-up to the job of wearing a necklace around children.

These necklaces are non toxic and made with very strong cording and a break away clasp.  However, please note that these are not to be confused with a teething necklace, such as the one we recently reviewed here.  Mommy necklaces are created for baby to fiddle with only and should never go in your child's mouth. 

Twiddling with this necklace provides baby with a bit of a tactile sensory experience and offers mommy a break from some of that pinching, pulling, scratching babies tend to do while feeding. 

In honor of Mother's Day, our readers can enter to win the Rainstorm Collection Mommy Necklace featured in the picture above.

Enter: Simply leave a comment below telling us about a favorite mother's day memory.

Optional Additional Entries:

• 1 extra entry if you follow this blog.
• 1 extra entry if you subscribe to this blog's feed.
• 1 extra entry if you twitter this contest and include @andtwinsmake5 in your tweet.
• 1 extra entry if you add my button to you blog.

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. A winner will be chosen via random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. U.S. Residents Only.

Ends on Mother's Day Sunday 5/10/09 @ 11:59PM CST.

Thanks for Entering and Good luck to everyone!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.  THANK YOU.

Boogie Baby Shower

To celebrate moms-to-be this Mother‟s Day, Boogie Wipes® has announced a “Mom-Invented Boogie Baby Shower” where one lucky expectant mommy will receive a party in her honor valued at over $5,000. This amazing shower will include 25 swag bags for shower guests full of mom-invented products, cake, flowers, décor, and shower games for 25 guests, a one year‟s supply of Boogie Wipes, a Boogie Wipes Diaper Cake, and $1000 in gift certificates to Babies”R”Us, Target, Walmart and Diapers.com. The contest begins April 10th, 2009 and runs through May 9th, 2009. The winner will be announced at www.boogiewipes.com on Mother‟s Day, May 10th, 2009. 

All pregnant moms 18 years or older in the US can enter at www.boogiewipes.com. The winner will be drawn at random on Mother‟s Day, Sunday, May 10th, 2009 and posted on the Boogie Wipes® website. The due date and shower date must take place sometime between June 1st and December 31st, 2009. The lucky winner will receive the prize packed shower, valued at over $5,000, courtesy of Boogie Wipes® and companies such as Ritzy Bitzy Designs, Ah Goo Baby, Dapple, Paci Plushies, Chuck the Yuck, Oopsy Daisy Beautiful Baby, Munchkin Designs, The Mommy Measure, ONTRAY, Me 4 Kidz First Aid, My Plate-Mate, Bebe Belay, Baby Light and Clip, Messy Face, Sleepy Wrap, Infant Bows, Dimpleskins Naturals, Pumpkin Noodle, Grippies, and Belly Fish. For a full list of swag bag products, please visit www.boogiewipes.com 

Sound Sleep CD Review + Giveaway

Here's a perfect plan to turn your baby's naptime into a spa-like experience for you and for baby. 

• First, you need to get yourself a copy of Regal Lager's Sound Sleep CD for Babies. 
• Draw yourself a bath right before bedtime or naptime is about to begin.
• Place the CD in a player in babies room and lay baby down for their slumber.
• Wait a few moments to confirm baby has drifted off to sleep before tip toeing out.
• As you make your exit, turn on the baby monitor and bring the parent unit into the bathroom with you.
• Relax in your tub while listening to both baby sleep and this completely relaxing CD.
• Be careful not to drift off yourself!

This CD is wonderful!  I really wasn't sure what to expect when it arrived, but when I popped it in during our next naptime I was highly impressed.  

This CD did a great job of providing a relaxing atmosphere in my busy home.  By having this playing for the past week or so, it has seemed to lengthen the twins morning nap time.  The other thing this CD does is muffle each twins stirring noises.  In the past, the noises of the restless twin would often wake the still sleeping twin.  This CD seems to decrease those awakenings.  Additionally, it drowns out the other household disturbances we have with other siblings moving about and a small dog who likes to announce the arrival of all mail and package carriers.

So how does it work?  According to the company's website, it features breakthrough technology called The WombEffect, which is an audio reproduction of the womb sound environment, as heard from the baby’s perspective - underwater.  With its exceptional accuracy, SoundSleep allows babies to instantly recognize the sound of their former cozy and peaceful home, reminding them that they are safe. With this method, their fears are quickly calmed, and they can stop crying - often on the spot - and then fall asleep naturally.

I found it to be a bit like spa music and would definitely suggest this for twin and singleton parents.  I wish I'd had this for my other children and assure you, I'll be using this CD long after they are grown as bubble bath music.

Don't take my word for it alone, try it yourself.  Enter to win a copy.  We are giving away 3 copies of the Sound Sleep CD, each of the 3 randomly selected winners will receive one CD. 

Enter: Simply leave a comment below including your email address.

Optional Additional Entries:

• 1 extra entry if you follow this blog.
• 1 extra entry if you subscribe to this blog's feed.
• 1 extra entry if you twitter this contest and include @andtwinsmake5 in your tweet.
• 1 extra entry if you add my button to you blog.
• 1 extra entry if you blog about this contest somewhere else and link back here.

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. A winner will be chosen via random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. U.S. Residents Only.

Ends on Saturday 5/16/09 @ 11:59PM CST.

Thanks for Entering and Good luck to everyone!

Happy Earth Day from And Twins make 5!

My 10 year old son, Hayden, is working particularly hard to honor Earth Day this year.  He has vowed to save as much energy as possible by not watching T.V. or playing video games today.  He is also doing his best to honor the 3 R's {Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle} by packing his lunch in his stainless steel Tiffin by To-GoWare.  Plus, he saved water by taking a quick shower instead of a bath and turning the water off while mid teeth brushing.

My 8 year old daughter, Cordelia, is also doing her part by making sure the lights are all out when she leaves the room and packing her lunch partially in a stainless lunchbots container and partially in a lunch skin.  She's also the queen of repurposing items via crafting.  She especially loves making things out of old infant formula cans.

My oldest, J.C. who is 14, tells me he is planning to celebrate the planet by spending as much time outside after school as possible enjoying it, preferably with a basketball in hand.  Additionally, all 3 of them are walking home from school today.  This is something we do as often as weather allows us.

In honor of this occasion, the twins will be wearing their Dreamsacks clothing made from highly sustainable Bamboo.  And I suppose my husband and I are honoring the planet by raising these 5  to do their best for it.  Plus, I have several more "green" product reviews on the way for my readers too.

How are you celebrating Earth Day?

HelloBabyWear: Are your twins "Two Cute" or a "Demolition Duo"?

We've all heard the old excuse "My dog ate my homework" and let's face it, it is played out at this point.  However, if you have twins, you'll never be lacking for inspiration on how something can be delayed, damaged, or destroyed.

Just the other day, our twins were on a particular bender of destruction which of course is mainly our own faults for not being clairvoyant enough.  Sunday morning is typically associated with relaxation and reflection, but in our house those weren't quite the words everyone was feeling.

First one of them got ahold of their 8th grade brother's play script.  They enjoyed gnawing on it quietly for just enough time to make the thing look rather disgusting on every corner.  However, it remained legible thank goodness.  Then came their 8 year old sister's newly arrived American Girl Magazine Issue.  They both took turns mangling that for a minute after apparently pulling it off my desk.  Those incidents pale in comparison to what they did next.

My husband sat seated on the sofa, laptop on lap when along came one of the twins.  In a single motion, my husband tells me that said twin was able to rip a key right off the laptop with his little fingers.  Impressed?

Luckily the kind man at the Apple store was able to fix the laptop for free.  Even luckier still, I had the perfect apparel from HelloBabyWear to dress the twins in that day.

Robyn Diamond, designer and founder of HelloBabyWear, recently sent the twins and I a couple Tshirts from their Multiples line.  One features the saying "two cute" under 2 baseball cap clad boys and the other features the saying "demolition duo" under 2 construction hat wearing boys.  

I really like both designs, but Demolition Duo took on a whole new meaning for me that day.  HelloBabyWear features a wide variety of designs available for purchase on several different items.  In addition to their multiples line, they have ethnic themed items, traveler designs, team style logos, and much more.

I found the quality of the graphic and the Tshirt to be excellent and I think they'd make great gifts.  HelloBabyWear.com is offering a 10% off coupon code for our readers.  [Promo Code: TwinBlog]

Heading to D.C. Saturday compliments of Hershey's

I've had a big secret I've been keeping for a while now and I finally get to spill it.  Saturday morning I am flying to Washington D.C. with two of my children (no, not the twins) to attend a very special Blogger Event compliments of Hershey's Company!

The Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Event in Washington D.C., is offering a taste of the grand prize of the Hershey's “Win a Night in the Museum” promotion to a group of 9 invited bloggers and some of their family members.

Among other things, we will embark on an after dark Smithsonian Museum Tour and be treated to a Pajama Style Movie & Midnight Snack as only Hershey's could provide!

Once Hayden, Cordelia and I return, I'll tell you all about our certain to be amazing experience.  Plus, I'll be letting you know how you & your family can enter to win the Grand Prize, a lock-in at the Smithsonian Institute.

Bazzle Baby Big Bibs

Since twins tend to attract many stares when you are out and about, I'm very big on making sure they look as good as possible when making an appearance on our adventures.  Not only do I always make sure we have bibs to wear if we stop for a bite to eat somewhere, I make sure I have super cute looking ones.  I think a bib should not only protect the babies outfit, it should make a statement itself.

I found some darling statement making dressy bibs that are sized perfect for my almost 10 month old twin boys.  They are by a company called Bazzle Baby.  Bazzle Baby makes a Big Bib that you'll be happy to have your honey or honeys sport while dining among friends and family.

The Big Bibs are made from 100% designer cotton prints and backed with plush cotton chenille.  They measure 8 inches long by 10 inches wide and feature a twist on the traditional bib style with their squared edges.  

As fashionable as they appear, you'll be happy to know they wash up without a fuss too.  Normal machine washing and drying worked like a charm for both the zebra and sushi printed Bazzle Baby big bibs we spilled upon.

PodT training Hooded Bath Robes

I'm a big fan of hooded bath robes for the slightly older baby.  They can be used just out of the bath tub to keep your still damp little one warm.  They can also provide a second layer over pajamas in a drafty or air conditioned home.   Additionally, hooded bathrobes make the perfect swimming pool cover up.

The twins each have brand new hooded robes made by a company by the name of PodT Training.  PodT Training offers clothing designed with little "pea-ple" in mind, to celebrate the beauty of life’s purest and most treasured people, children.

You will discover that PodT Training is clearly a company that has a sense of humor.  Their "Pea-ple Collection" spotlights every child’s range of emotions: Hap-pea, Grum-pea, Wee-pea, Slop-pea, Slee-pea and more. Each item in the clothing line features custom designed embroidered artwork.

The bathrobes feature humorous depictions of Drip-pea and Soap-pea and are made from 100% moisture absorbency, terry cloth material.  They are available in white, pink, or blue and come in sizes 12-18, 18-24, and 2T.  We have one in white and one in blue.  I found that they washed up wonderfully and fit true to size as well.

These PodT Training Hooded Robes will definitely be a bath side/ pool side staple for our twins.

LINOBaby Thai Easy Pant Review

What parent of multiples or even singletons wouldn't love buying their babies a pair of pants that will fit for over a year?  Now what if I told you that this pair of pants was not some overly stretchy thing, but instead it was an ultra cool Thai style pant by LINOBaby that went to the 2009 Oscar's?

The Thai Easy Pant is the basic essential of the LINObaby line.  They are made with natural and/or organic linens and cottons.  "Adjustable for your Baby and your Lifestyle", they are designed with a Velcro closure at the waist. Roll them up when young and roll them down as they grow. The wide double hem can also be lengthened another 1.2 inches for extended wear.  LINObaby tells me that they have witnessed 2.5 months up to 2 years, but to be conservative they say they fit 4 - 18 months. 

We received a pair for each of the twins in a fun linen print.  They look very handsome in person and I can see how the unique velcro waist band allows for the extended range of wearing time.  

Linen is a great fabric because it is very cool and breathable.  These pants are going to be perfect for the warmer months.  LINObaby suggests you just leave them wrinkled for every day use and iron for Grandma's visit if you must.  I am all for this idea.  I hate to iron and the pants had an edgy coolness when we wore them in wrinkled mode.  However, we did opt for ironed when we wore them on Easter Sunday.

Thai easy pants can be washed in cool water and tumbled or line dryed.  You should be aware they may shrink slightly in a dryer.

It should also be noted that these LINOBaby Thai pants go on and off super easy.  There are no buttons, zippers, or snaps; you just the cinch the velcro closure and fold cuffs up or down as baby grows in length.

Yo Gabba Gabba! New Friends!

Here's something for your next Family Movie Night ...

Yo Gabba Gabba! is a fun live-action program for young children ages 1 and up. Join the host DJ Lance Rock as he introduces you to friendly toy monsters in a magical land full of music, dance, colorful cartoons, and simple life lessons that will get you and your children up off the floor to learn and dance along. Just say the magic words! YO GABBA GABBA!!

In the New Friends DVD Jack Black visits Gabba Land for the first time.  While it is all new to him, he has a wonderful time singing, playing, and making new friends with Foofa, Brobee, Plex, DJ Lance and the whole gang.

You and your children will love this DVD, Jack Black is extremely amusing.  He sings, He dances ... It is wonderfully funny stuff.  I couldn't help but notice that most of my older children stopped to watch some of this even though I had put it on for the twins and I to view.

Yo Gabba Gabba!  New Friends is currently available via the Nickelodeon Shop.  You can also check out NickJr.com for some fun Yo Gabba Gabba activities.

Sunny Days call for Baby Banz

We had plenty of strong sunny days while vacationing recently in the Colorado Rockies.  Fortunately, we arrived in Colorado equipped with two pairs of Baby Banz for the twins to wear. 

What are Baby Banz?  They are protective shatter proof sunglasses sized to fit your little one with a handy neoprene elastic strap.  The velcro strap makes it easy to keep these adorable shades in place.  I was impressed to hear that Baby Banz are also available in a clear lens for babies with visual issues.  The clear lens can even be replaced with a prescriptive lens if necessary. 

Baby Banz were originally designed in Australia for one of the world’s toughest UV environments.  They have been clinically tested by one of the world’s leading authorities on sunglasses and you'll be happy to know that Baby Banz have passed the most stringent standards on sunglasses in the world. They are endorsed by the Melanoma International Foundation.  They are also an iParenting 2008 award recipient and are completely BPA and Phalate free. 

Baby Banz worked wonderfully for our twins.   The Banz went on and off easy, seemed to pose zero annoyance to our little ones, and stayed in place during most of our activities.  They both looked like super cool dudes while touring the mountains.  Plus, mommy felt content to enjoy her surroundings knowing her little men had their precious eyes safe from those harsh Rocky Mountain sun rays. 

Giveaway Winner Announcements!

The Winner of the Baby Star Hooded Towel Giveaway is Erin, maker of chimes.

The Winner of the Bummas Giveaway is Mir.

The 2 Winners of the Milkscreen Giveaway are mverno & Blakesmom.

Winners will be emailed soon for shipping information and color confirmation where applicable.  Congratulations and thanks to everyone for entering.

Room to Grow 4-in-1 Play Yard Review + Giveaway

We just returned from our spring break family vacation and while I'm a bit sad our trip has come to an end, I'm excited to tell everyone about some of the neat things I brought with us.  One of those things is called the Room to Grow 4-in-1 Play Yard, but it is by no means just a play yard.  It's a travel play yard, a baby & toddler splash pool, a resting place, and a portable changing table.

The 4-in-1 arrives folded up in it's own tote bag carrier and includes a foot pump to make blowing this inflatable play yard super easy and fast to do.  You simply inflate the mattress piece first and cover it with the provided sheet.  Then you blow up the main yard partially, allowing for easy insertion of the mattress in the bottom, and then finish blowing up the yard.

Once inflated, the 4-in-1 allowed us to place both of the twins safely inside to play.  This came in very handy because the home we stayed in while away had several levels and lots of hard wood floors to navigate.  The one set of 3 stairs was a particular baby magnet to our little guys.  Without a play yard along, it would have been very difficult to watch them both alone for very long at our travel destination.

Additionally, this provided a perfect spot for one to snooze while the other twin did some floor & stairs practice with mommy or daddy.  

We had a changing area we could utilize on our trip, but I did flip it over to get the idea on how it would hold up as a changing station.  I was quite impressed by how sturdy it was.  I could lean into it quite a bit and it held up beautifully. 

I wasn't able to use it as a pool just yet, but I can't wait.  I'll try to update you with some photos of us using it as a splash pool once weather allows.  Imagine how perfect this would be on an outdoor outing or a trip to the beach?  You can let baby splash around a while, flip it over to use as a changing table when baby is done, flip it again add the sheet and baby can play or catch a nap.

I was happily surprised to see that it deflated quickly and folded up into it's tote again without issue when it was time to go.

Better still ... You can enter to win a Room to Grow 4-in-1 Play Yard of your own.  Just in time for summer fun and travel.

Enter: Simply visit Room to Grow and decide which color you'd like if you won. Then come back here & let me know your decision in a comment below.

Optional Additional Entries:

• 1 extra entry if you follow this blog.
• 1 extra entry if you subscribe to this blog's feed.
• 1 extra entry if you twitter this contest and include @andtwinsmake5 in your tweet.
• 1 extra entry if you add my button to you blog.
• 1 extra entry if you blog about this contest somewhere else and link back to it here.

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. A winner will be chosen via random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. U.S. Residents Only.

Ends on Saturday 5/16/09 @ 11:59PM CST.

Thanks for Entering and Good luck to everyone!

Playground ready in Stride Rite Shoes

The twins were able to really put their NMS Eaglets by Stride Rite to the test the other day while visiting a playground on our vacation.  It was the twins very first time on outdoor swings and on teeter totters and they really enjoyed their first time experiences on both.  

The swings were their favorite.  They really seemed to love the feeling of soaring about in the air.  I just adored watching their little faces as they went from hesitant at first to blissful later.  Upon our return to the park a couple days later, they greeted the swings like old pals. 

There are so many tentative moments and new adventures to partake in when you are 9 months old.  The boys mastered crawling two weeks ago and last week they demonstrated their ability to pull up to a stand on almost any object.  Walking can't be too much farther away for our little men.  

We have arrived at the stage where baby shoes move beyond just being a fashion statement, crawling aid, and protective covering for the twins.  Our babies will soon begin to take steps in their foot apparel, and I'm confident the Stride Rite Early Walkers will be a good first step shoe.

I was immediately surprised by how lightweight they were.  While they look similar to big boy "kicks", they are feather light and extremely flexible.  The Stride Rite Early Walker Shoes feature a leather upper and tie laces adding to that professional athlete look.  However, their unique design called the Natural Motion System provides maximum flexibility, support, comfort and stabilization to help encourage a baby's best use of his early walking feet.

The twins are lacing up in their Stride Rite Eaglet's again today for some weekend fun.  I'll be sure to keep you posted when those first steps occur.

Let Relish! plan your meals

If your idea of weekly meal planning is pulling out the number of the pizza guy or calling your hubby and telling him to grab some carry out, I have a nifty new service you just might like.  I recently stumbled across a subscription based website called Relish! which offers weekly menus you can pick and choose from.  

I've been using it a couple weeks and it is pretty handy.  Once you register, you go to the "weekly menu" area and select how many people you are feeding.  Then you pick up to 5 entrees and 1 dessert from the weekly selections.  Once selections are made, you hit "create" and the site generates a shopping list for everything you need for that week.  The Pdf format shopping list is even broken down into category to make for easy shopping.  In addition to the shopping list, it generates recipe cards complete with calorie info, fat content, sodium levels, and more.

If you find your family absolutely loved a meal you made one week, you should enter it into your favorites category.  Once you do that, you have the option of selecting "favorites" each week in addition to the new weekly offerings.  To make life even easier, a legend is included on the weekly menu area to point out special info about some of the weekly offerings.  This legend includes categories such as crockpot, kid-friendly, and or low calorie.

Relish also offers some extras on the site that seemed to be seasonal in nature.  For example, there was a special Easter menu section on the site when I reviewed it.

I found the recipes I made to be simple and tasty.  I think our family favorite was the sizzlin' fajitas with black beans.

Now in a perfect world, Relish would include someone to do the grocery shopping and cook the meals too!  Oh, and lets add a babysitter to watch the twins while my husband and I eat it at a relaxed pace!  But, I'll take what I can get ...  a no brainer meal plan and grocery list that results in a yummy meal with very little fuss.