Family Beach Day!

It wasn't until my husband and I had been dating for 5 years that I realized a simple truth -

We are not beach compatible.

My husband is a cliche.  He loves long walks on the beach.
and I... don't.

I like digging in the sand, or flying a kite, or just sitting in my chair and watching the tide roll in.
I'll admit it was a tiny issue - until we had kids.

Now everyone is happy when we go to the beach.  The kid that wants to go on a walk goes with daddy, and the kid that wants to build a sand castle stays we me.  Then everyone splashes in the (freezing) Pacific Ocean, we take the required (damp and windblown) family selfie, and then go eat clam chowder.  It's a beautiful thing.

So when I opened William's May Citrus Lane box, I was very excited.  Not only did it have the Hape Master Bricklayer Set (retail $8) which is perfect for building sand castles,

but it also had an adorable t-shirt from Tea Collection (retail $22.50) and an 8 piece bento box from Goodbyn (retail $15)!  Combined with a few snacks from Plum Organics, the box was valued at over $45, which is a great value considering the boxes are only $24.95 each when you buy a 6 month subscription!

I set the sand toys aside for our first Coast trip of the Summer, and they were a huge hit!

William added some sandy 'mortar' to the first layer of bricks.

And then helped me level off the first two layers.

At this point he was ready to run off some energy and the kiddos went on a walk with dad while I kept building.

Back in Portland it was 96 degrees, but it was a fabulous 68 degrees at the Coast.

My little surfer dude was right at home in the water.

By the time the kids came back I had finished our Mayan pyramid (complete with a ramp down to a wading pool).  I LOVED the Hape tools.  They were sturdy and perfect for creating with.  They easily fit William's toddler hand, but were a great size for adults as well.  

Click to buy the Brickmaster Set from Amazon HERE.

Hape has a complete line of sand toys, including sandcastle molds of famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and Great Wall of China - plus many more!

How neat is that!? 

A quick pregnant belly shot.  36 weeks 4 days!  BabyLUSH #3 is almost here!!

Before we left I let the kids thoroughly destroy the pyramid which, let's be honest, is half the fun of building a sand castle.  

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I've been getting Citrus Lane boxes since Hannah was an infant, and they are the GO TO subscription box for 0-5 year olds.  The brands and value can't be beat.

Get 40% off your first box by using my LINK

Video Roundup for July 27th - August 2nd

With VEDA (Vlog every Day in August) and Vlogust kicking off this week, my YouTube subscription box is overflowing with videos.  In case you're having a hard time keeping up with the new videos and mine got lost in the shuffle, here are the videos I posted this week:

Epic Water Slide - Roadtrip Part 2 (watch Part 1 HERE)

I really love this video.  We left Grandma's house and on the way home we spent the night at a water park, camped at Yellowstone National Park, and the slept in a hotel in Boise.  I edited down over 4 hours of footage, so this video is full of the best clips from our vacation.

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Birchbox vs Ipsy - July 2014

This month's Battle of the Beauty Boxes was perhaps the closest match up yet.  Fabulous cosmetics and skin care products, testing out new brands, and a few favorite products as well.  Which box came out on top in your opinion?

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Julep Nail Polish Unboxing - July 2014

When I got back from vacation I had all my subscription boxes waiting to be opened and so I filmed them all in one day.  Thus, this is the week of the green shirt.   I really enjoy my Julep box each month because I have some control over what colors I receive and the products are always full sized so I feel like it's a great value.

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Citrus Lane Unboxing - 17 Month Old Boy - July 2014

I have been receiving Citrus Lane boxes for over 3 years and really enjoy them each month.  I like that the products are a surprise each month, but that they're catered to my child's gender and age.  Here's William's box which included this great pretend cell phone from Plan Toys

A big thank you to all of my subscribers!  I've almost reach 17,000 subscribers which is incredible and humbling.  If you haven't checked out my channel yet, here's the link:  TheBubblelush

Citrus Lane January 2013 - Toddler Girl Box

I've been a Citrus Lane subscriber for a few months now, and have always been very impressed with the boxes before.  The brands they feature are great, and the value was always well above the price of the box itself.  This month I was happy with the brands featured, and the combined value of the box was $40, plus coupon codes for the products.

Citrus Lane is a monthly subscription box that is catered to the age and gender of your child.  The box features full sized products, and it also usually includes something special for mom - either a beauty product, chocolate, or a gift card.  The price point is $25 a month or you can opt for a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription (each subscription is discounted a bit more than the previous).  Once you have signed up, you can also receive referral credit for your friends. Use this link to Citrus Lane to save $10 off your first month!

January box for a 28 month old girl

Skip Hop Zoo Plate and Bowl Set

value: $12

These dishes are dishwasher safe - not recommended for the microwave - and BPA free.  They are a nice size for toddlers, and come in an array of animals.  Hannah received the monkey set, and while it wouldn't have been the animal *I* would have picked, she likes it and that's all that really matters. 

 Episencial Soothing Creme (full size) 
and Playful Wash (sample size)
value: $14

I had never heard of this brand, but immediately recognized the Hungry Caterpiller from Eric Carle on the front.  It turns out that this soothing creme is perfect for eczema - which Hannah usually has flares of during winter months - so the timing was perfect and I'm excited to try it out.

To-Go Disinfectant Spray from CleanWell
value: $4

With a newborn on the way, and cold & flu season upon us, I find myself eyeing the shopping carts at stores a little more skeptically then usual.  While I try not to be a germaphobe, I also hate the idea of a sick toddler, so I immediately popped this little bottle of disinfectant spray in my diaper bag.  

Over In The Meadow
from Barefoot Books
value: $10

Hannah is ALL about singing lately.  From making up her own tunes to learning all the words to her favorite cartoon jingle, our home is filled with song.  This book is advanced - making it perfect for bedtime reading - and features animals found int he meadow.  It also includes a CD with an animated video and a sing-along track.  

Previous Citrus Lane Reviews:

December 2012 Video Review