Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Citrus Lane Subscription Box Review


I first got hooked on Citrus Lane when I saw an offer to receive a first box for $5.00.  I can't quite remember how I came across this deal but I think it had to do with something that I ordered somewhere for baby.  Obviously I couldn't pass up the deal, $5 for a box of goodies for my baby is a GOOD DEAL.  That is like paying for three organic baby food pouches.  You know your a mom when you justify purchasing things by calculating what you might be able to buy baby-wise instead.  "Go to a movie?! No way, that's like a whole box of diapers, I will just wait until it comes out on DVD."  Anyways... $5 is like one specialty drink at Caribou Coffee, I was fine giving that up for one day... just one day!

So what is Citrus Lane?  It is a subscription box full of baby goodies!  Straight from their website and company founder, here is what she had to say about their company:


"I like to think of our monthly boxes as care packages to help moms and dads on their parenting journeys. Every product we include has been recommended and reviewed by our advisory board and our community. No marketing gimmicks, no paid placements -- just real recommendations from real parents for products that solve real problems."

I received my first box in October.  I was delighted going through it with my baby boy, he pulls everything out of there and thoroughly inspects it all with his hands and mouth (of course everything goes into the mouth at this point).  This "December" box is our third box.  In our first two boxes we got bath toys, a cute onesie, wooden toy car, amazing bib, partitioned plate, books, food pouches and other small items.  I have really enjoyed the boxes and have been introduced to new and different brands that I had never heard of before.  After receiving your box you can go to Citrus Lane's website to find and purchase other products by the brands you love, usually with a promo code provided by Citrus Lane.  After your first discounted box, the price usually increases, you can decide it you'd like to continue your subscription or simply put it on hold for a month or two.  You can save more money by signing up for 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions, but if you opt for a single month subscription that would be $29.  Either way, I know they are always sending out offers or promo codes via email after you signup.  If you'd like to sign up for your first Citrus Lane box, you can do so by clicking this link. This is a referral link.  You can check out my box and review below if you just want to see what this box is all about!


Here are a few current promo codes or deals that I found searching the internets:

*Note: I did not verify that all of the codes are valid
Groupon - Has multiple offers for a limited time only
CITRUS20 - $20 off a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription
SAVEHALF - 50% off your first box
TAKE40 - 40% off your first box
FIRST25 - 25% off your first box



First and foremost, the box itself is super cute and compact, like a shoebox.  This box will easily be re-used for wrapping holiday gifts, especially with the festive snowflakes.  Baby boy couldn't wait to dig in and check out what this month's box had in store.

Here is the contents of the box.

There is a graphic listing and description of each product that is included in your box.  For the first three products, they provided me with a promo code if I want to go to that specific brand's website to purchase more of their products.

Scrappy Dog from Under the Nile - It is super cute, super soft, and baby boy enjoys carrying Scrappy around as he walks through the house. This pup is available on Under the Nile's website for $14.00.

Counting Stackers from Hape - These are great.  Bright colors, easy for little clumsy hands to grasp, and keep baby busy! As he gets older it will be great for counting and sorting colors.  This toy is available on Hape Toys' website for $9.99.

"Little Pea" from Chronicle Books - Such a cute little book.  Hopefully this will encourage baby boy to eat more peas!  This book is (will be) available on Chronicle Books website for $7.99 (but not until Feb 2015, I was lucky enough to get it early!).

Super Blends from Love Child Organics - YUM-O! Our baby boy LOVES fruit blends, note the tug-of-war above between him and I for the goods.  These pouches do have more sugar content than I would like, but it is an enjoyable treat for the little guy.  The sugar content comes directly from the fruits, there are no added artificial preservatives, sugars, sodium or fillers.

Strawberries, Peaches, + Bananas - We will try this one tonight, but what caught my eye is that there is quinoa in there and plenty of Vitamin C to boost that immune system, especially during these winter months with plenty of viruses floating around.  You can buy a 12-Pack of the pouches on Amazon for only $19.99!

Blackberries, Raspberries, Pears, + Bananas - Baby boy had half of this pouch last night for dessert and LOVED it, devoured it, I couldn't feed it to him quick enough.  I knew he was going to love this one when I taste-tested it before him.  He loves anything yogurt-based. Again, you can buy a 12-Pack of the pouches on Amazon for only $19.99.

Overall, we enjoyed this month's Citrus Lane box.  It had the perfect balance and quantity of products, introduced us to some new brands (and tastes!), and provided us with more discounts and shopping options this holiday season!  I also received a discount card to share with a friend, they can receive their first Citrus Lane box for only $10!  I have a couple new mommy friends that will really enjoy it!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Holiday Gift Guide: One-Year-Old Edition

I know this post might be just a bit late, but I think I would have benefited from a list like this before I had kids.  I found this out when my parents, other family, and friends were asking me, "What does Carter want for Christmas?".  I immediately thought, "Yeah, what does he want?"  So, for all you late shoppers out there (don't worry your not alone), here is a list of gift ideas for one-year-olds, boys and girls alike! These items are in no particular order.


International Playthings Earlyears Stack 'n Nest Cups - $6.99 - These are a great gift at a low cost and can keep baby busy! The bright colors, the stacking, and the shapes on the bottom of each cup make these a great learning gift.  And they are fun in the bathtub too!


Jumbo Letter Fridge Magnets - $14.99 - Magnets are fun!

Leapfrog Fridge Phonics - $14.99 - Again, magnets are fun.  This item is magnetic, electronic, interactive and educational.  It sounds out the letter that baby puts onto the leapfrog bus magnet, uses the letter in a word and sentence.  The magnetic bus also plays two songs, "Wheels On The Bus" and "ABC's"

Books - Books with flaps, books with sounds, or quiet books!  Prices range from $5.99-$80.00

Wooden Puzzles - You can get this bundle of three for $24.99, usually a single wooden puzzle by Melissa and Doug will be around $9.99

Soft Building Blocks - $14.99-$21.99 - My little guy loves these blocks.  He keeps entertained by stacking, knocking over, chewing, putting into the box, dumping out of the box, clapping them together, and so on.


Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Trike - $55.00 - This is perfect because the trike can grow with your child and you don't have to suffer by bending over to help push your child along.

V-Tech Sit To Stand Train - $39.99 (but pssst! You can get a 20% off coupon by signing up for BuyBuy Baby's email list AND free shipping!)

Music/Activity Table - $44.99 - My little guy loves dancing at his activity table.

Eating & Drinking Supplies - Including sippy cups, plates, utensils, and full-coverage bibs - Prices range from $4.50-$17.00
    

                                 

Aden & Anais Muslin Dream Blanket - $49.99 Now that baby is old enough to sleep with a blanket in their crib, this one is perfect.  It is lightweight, soft, and warm.



Socks & Shoes - $9.99 & $50.00  The socks with the grippers on the bottom are perfect for your little one that is practicing walking as well as the light weight shoes.

Clothes - $10.00-$20.00 - Old Navy is always having a sale and has great, stylish, and affordable selections for baby.


And there you have it!  Everything that your or someone else's little one-year-old would want or need for the holidays!  Happy Shopping!