Citrus Lane: October 2014

*Referral Link Included

We have continued to get my son's Citrus Lane box, even though I haven't been reviewing them.  Our six month subscription ended and I wasn't going to renew, but when I went to cancel, we were offered a deal to extend it for three months at $15 a month.  That's a fantastic price so of course, I did it.

Now the reason I wasn't going to continue is mainly because we just have sooooo much stuff!  We're running out of room and my kids must be spoiled because we actually received a couple items we already owned, like this Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Clock.  But at $15 a month, well I couldn't pass that up and my son really does like getting his very own package.

This month Citrus Lane's box was a little special, not only was it pink but it also came with cool mustache punch outs.

The idea is, if your family takes pictures using these photo props then you could win a prize.  I think it's a fun idea and a nice way to support a great cause.

We got this fantastic set of Dominoes from Janod, which is an awesome toy company!  I love the artwork and designs of their products.  I mean seriously?  Love this, this, this, and this!  This beautifully illustrated double sided domino game was a big hit with my son.

My son has been wearing this Little Hero's Adventure Cape, Red a ton since it arrived.  It's price is more than how much I spent on the box, with the special offer I received from Citrus Lane. The material is nice and thick and it's definitely much higher quality than the super hero capes I've seen out for Halloween right now.

It's also long enough that it can be used for years and sturdy enough to last that long!  I would've loved it if they'd sent us a notification that this would be included this month, because I seriously would've tried to convince LB that this was his costume if I had known it was coming.

I feel like every little kid needs to have some instruments to shake about, and these Easy Grip Maracas from Hohner Kids were also in our box this month.  We used to take Music Together classes so we already have quite a collection on instruments, but our maracas were wooden and have been well loved, so I was happy to see a new pair for the little guy to enjoy.  These are high quality and BPA free.

The fifth things in our box is this month's bonus snack, there is usually something like this each month.  This time it's Annie's Organic Cheddar Snack Mix, and since we go through their various Bunny snacks quicker than we ought to,this was gone in no time.  Very tasty, from what I could tell from the two little bites I got to try.

Citrus Lane: July 2014

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July's Citrus Lane came on the 18th and the reason I remember the exact day is because when we opened the box I was standing there with wet nails all ready to meet my friend for her birthday dinner.  My son squealed with happiness the second he spied this John Deere Monster Tread from Tomy.  He grabbed it and ran around the house in circles several times before coming back to me to take it out of the packaging.

Well you know how kid's packaging is!  I told him that Mommy was all ready to go out and Daddy would be home in just a few minutes to unpack it for him.  He was none too understanding about the delay!  I felt kinda bad as I watched him standing nose pressed to the door glass, anxiously holding his toy, and chanting, "Daddy open, Daddy open..."

To try and distract him a little bit, I him have the Mashups from Plum Organics we got.  Even though I think he's getting old for food pouches he continues to love them.  We go through apple sauce pouches so quickly!  He loved this one just as much as he's liked all the Plum Organics samples Citrus Lane has sent us.  I was a little surprised because both of my kids usually act like blueberries are poison!

This month we got to select the theme of the Match Stacks we got from Tree Hopper Toys.  Since my little guy is about any kind of vehicle, it only made sense to get him the transportation set.  These are really cool, like much more sturdier memory cards, they are made in the US out of sustainable hardwoods.  I love that a small company like this was included.  A set retails for $19.99.

***Please note the smudges on the discs and reusable container were "added" by my kiddo's greasy hands and this not the original pristine condition they arrived in.  I made the mistake of letting him play with them before photographing.  At least it shows that he like them!

The fourth item in our box was this Pur Protect SPF 30 by PurLisse.  This is some pretty expensive sunscreen, a full size is $55, so I thought it was very cool to get a sample size.  I'm always on the look out for a good facial moisturizer so I'm enjoying it.  Now I have heard that this brand has been in a lot of subscription boxes this season so some weren't as pleased to see it, but since I don't get that many boxes it's new to me.

At first glance, this box seemed a little light, even though the actual box was bigger than normal to make room for the John Deere toy.  However, the TOMY and Tree Hopper Toy combined add up to $30, which is more than I paid for my box and the two other items are nice extras.  This box was by far the best one as far as my son is concerned!

If you'd like to try Citrus Lane, please consider using my referral link.  I'd appreciate it!

Citrus Lane June 2014

*Referral Link

Our June Citrus Lane box came awhile ago, but for one reason or another I have not had much time to blog.  My best friend is back in town for the summer and my oldest is out of school so it feels like our days are packed!  This month was quite a hit however, so I wanted to make sure I shared it.  If you're here from Unpack the Box or Mommy Splurge, then welcome & thanks for visiting via their monthly Share Your Subscription Linky!

Subscribers got an email last month and we got to pick one of three designs for this wet bag by Bumkins (similar for $14.95).  This has a light blue background and cute Mickey Mouses all over it.  I love that it's machine washable, and I know it will be super handy.  My little guy has been to known to need the occasional full outfit change while out and about and this can be folded up really small so it's already in my bag.

This is our second puzzle from Citrus Lane and this is only our fourth box so at first I was kind of indifferent to seeing this on the description card.  That Mini Shaped Puzzle from Crocodile Creek ($8.99) shows a monkey design, so I was much happier when we unpacked it from our box and found we had gotten the Dozer Mini Puzzle.

It's the perfect size for little hands and the number of pieces isn't overwhelming.  Since he is really into vehicles LB loves this, and loves is probably an understatement, obsessed might be a better description.  So glad we got a design that matches his interests.  Plus, upon reflection I do acknowledge that it is pretty different from the Petit Collage, which had five mini puzzles with different numbers of pieces.

Both of my kids have occasional eczema flair ups so I was pleased to see this tube of Peaceful Bubbles from Episencial ($6.49 for 3.4fl oz).  Both love bubble baths and this is gentle and non-irritating, neither experienced any issues after we used it.  I do wish it was a little less expensive because I could see us going through a bottle fast, but it's on par with other similar natural products.  Plus, I really like the packaging, which I know is totally not important but I think that little blueberry is so cute.

We received a set of 12 Duo Tip Markers by Creativity for Kids last month, but I was still happy to see this Pet Pals Coloring ARTivity Book ($7.99) from them. It has more of their excellent markers, which can be stored in the top container, and a mini coloring book all attached to a back cover.  It's perfect for travel.

The simple line drawings are printed onto thick premium paper, and have enough detail to be interesting but not so much that younger kids will be frustrated.  The nicer the normal paper will help prevent bleeding through when coloring.  I like how the pages are single sided so you could draw on the backside and perforated at the top, making it easy to tear out your child's mini masterpieces.  I continue to be impressed by Faber Castell's Creativity for Kids line!

All in all, this has been my favorite Citrus Lane box to date!  I think they provided a great variety this month and we'll get a lot of use out of it all.  Besides the main items, we also got two Mighty 4 Bars by Plum Organics, shown in top photo.  My little guy loved the squeezable pouches we got him as a toddler and he ate those two bars up right away.  So literally, right up to the last bite, this month was perfect!

Citrus Lane: May 2014 Review

This post contains affiliate links, which save you and me both $$$ :) As always, I'm very appreciative if you decide to sign up and use my link. You'll save 50% off your first box if you do!

The May Citrus Lane box was curated to help get us into the spirit of summer.  No problem with that here, any chance we get we run outside and enjoy the sun!  Included within is a meal time set perfect for eating outdoors, art supplies to help you be creative on the go, and a fun accessory to help keep track of your schedule while enjoying summer.  As usual, there are also some mom helpers included.  This box was packaged for a 34 month old boy.

My son was most excited about this Crocodile Creek Robot Watch, $12.99.  His sister has a few watches and whenever she wears one, he wants one too.  Now he can rock one too!  I will have to watch him carefully though, he is on the rough side and I can totally see him breaking this.

It was really cool to see Crocodile Creek in our box; hope they continue to be featured in upcoming ones.  I'd love to get a water bottle or ball from them.

Faber-Castell is such a high quality brand for art supplies that I was totally surprised to see this set of 12 Duo Tip Washable Markers is only $4.99!  What is awesome about these is that you really get 24 colors.  Ah, if only the supplies I purchase from them for art journaling like their excellent gelatos were so affordable!  Seriously, I have so much on my wish list by them that I am totally thinking about quietly taking these for myself!

A lot of the preview pictures for Citrus Lane seem to include all sorts of adorableness from Skip Hop so I was hoping it wasn't too late to get something from them in a box.  It's probably just me, but I think this shark set is not so cute.  It kind of creeps me out.  When there are so many awesome designs, why oh why did we get this one?  Okay whining aside, it's nice that this set includes both the Shark Plate and Shark Bowl.  When sold separably these have a combined value of $10.  Little man will totally use them and for once have some tableware that isn't hand me downs from big sister so they are a nice inclusion, I bet most little boys would really like a shark versus a dog anyway.

I always think of the mommy helper items as extras throw ins.  It's nice to get a snack pack but not something that would influence whether or not to sign up for the service.  My kiddo loves his fish and cheese crackers so I'm sure he'll gobble these up.

Now the Fresh Feet Wipes for Kids by Jasmine Seven in Grapefruit, I do find helpful. My kiddos live in their Crocs come summer and when they get into the mud or sand those little feet get dirty and smelly.  If these work well I will be looking to get more, so convenient!

Our May Citrus Lane box contained approximately $30 worth of products and considering that our 6 month subscription, purchased during a sale, costs us about $17.67 a month I think that's a great value!  We will get a lot of use out of everything that came.

Citrus Lane: April 2014 Box Review

This post contains affiliate links, which save you and me both $$$ :) As always, I'm very appreciative if you decide to sign up and use my link. You'll save 50% off your first box if you do!

This is our second month as subscribers to Citrus Lane and this time my little guy knew just what this box on the front door step meant, goodies for him!  Today is the LAST day to take advantage of the semi-annual sale at Citrus Lane with up to 44% a subscription.  Once you see what we got I know you are going to see what a deal that is!

Tools and Things from Green Toys: The actual set comes with more in it, including a tool in which to put all your pieces.  This mini configuration was created just for Citrus Lane so I can't give a suggested retail value but it was certainly an immediate hit with my 33 month old.  He loves his Green Toys vehicles and this is already a favorite toy company in our household.  These contain no BPA, phthalates, PVC, or external coatings.

Green Eats Tumbler 2 Pack, $5.95: He's becoming more and more interested in drinking out of real cups, he loves the getting to use the little paper ones in the bathroom.  I wasn't sure what our options were for study kid sized cups and then these came, perfect!  He loves them and now wants to only drink out of them.  He's pretty cute doing it too, see what I mean?

Like the Tools and Things set above, these are also by Green Toys, an environmentally friendly toy company that uses 100% recycled plastic milk containers to make tumblers that has no melamine, BPA, phthalates, PVC, or external coatings. And yes, they are dishwasher safe too!

On a side note: LB will be rocking this smile until his front permanent teeth come in.  He fell and smashed his face into our wood floors.  I even picked a wood splinter out of his mouth right after it happened.  One tooth has such a big chip, I thought it was been pushed up into his gums!  Our dentist said it was a best case - worst scenario, meaning that yes he chipped his tooth and possibly damaged the other.  But, it's purely cosmetic as the roots weren't damaged and they didn't get pushed up into where the adult teeth are developing.  The chip will last until it falls out and the tooth next to it might eventually turn grey but will in time fall out too.

Oh it was "exciting" around here last week.  My oldest also fell, she did it off her new scooter and cried so much I thought she broke a leg/ankle.  Several of the neighbors came out onto their decks and were ready to run out to help she made such a commotion.  Turns out she just cried really really loud and there was barely a scrape but after those two heart racing events I told them I needed a break from all that!

The Prince's Bedtime: Paperback & CD set ($9.99): This title from Barefoot books is one we don't already own, we have a rather extensive library due to my teaching days and gifts from family.  One thing I was worried about when joining a children's subscription service was that most of the books I had seen others get in previous boxes we already owned.  So it was very nice to receive this one since Barefoot Books is a publisher that can trusted to feature really quality tales and illustrations.  I like how this one comes with a CD and it's still reasonably priced for a combo.

Description: Meet a young prince who refuses to go to sleep! The entire kingdom comes out to lend a hand in this rhyming bedtime adventure. There is a hullabaloo of activity—jugglers juggling, magicians hypnotizing, dancers dancing—but it is the wonder of a good story that finally does the trick. Book with CD editions include story read by actor Jim Broadbent and includes two versions of the story: one with page-turn chimes and one without.

Mrs. Meyer's Lemon Verbena Dish Soap, Full Size $3.99:  We received a travel size and I love the smell.  My husband jokes that I like everything to smell like Lemon Pledge, but it's kinda true.  I just associate cleanliness with lemon scents.  I like this little size a lot for travel.  Parents of toddlers know that road trips can be difficult when your kiddo can only drink out of a sippy cup and you have to wash those suckers every night at the hotel.

Free Greeting Card from Treat: We also got a card with a code for a free card from Treat.  I have used them before and been happy with their designs and quality.  I will definitely put this to good use!

Overall: This box cost us $17.67 and I'm happy with the value and variety of items we received.  I think we definitely got more than the purchase price and everything was a quality item.

Citrus Lane: March 2014 Box Review

This post contains affiliate links, which save you and me both $$$ :)  As always, I'm very appreciative if you decide to sign up and use my link.  You'll save 50% off your first box if you do!

I have been reading about and seeing the Citrus Lane boxes some of their subscribers have received for a couple months now.  They are always were packed with such fun and cute stuff, all designed to match your child's developmental age.  From what I could see, they featured very cool brands not readily available at mass retailers so they had they definite upscale boutique feel.

I really liked the idea of getting to some new toys and toddler products just for my little guy, who usually makes do with a lot of his older sister's hand me downs.   He is so active and such a handful that it really isn't possible for me to visit stores and browse for them myself.  A nicely packaged box of goodies arriving each month curated for him seemed like the ideal solution!

At the end of last month we signed up to try Citrus Lane for the first time.  This subscription box is for infants through five year old children and is designed to be a care package that help moms & dads discover innovative products to help them through their parenting journeys.

You fill in the age of the child your box is for when signing up.  Ours is for a 32 month old.  Boxes start at $29 for the month by month plan and there is a discount for prepaid subscriptions ranging from 3 months to a year long.  Our first Citrus Lane box was purchased using a coupon code for new subscribers for $20 off your first box which brought the price down to $9, shipping is included in the monthly price.  I added on a set of reusable snack pouches so our final total was $16. You can see the add on at the top of the box in the picture below.

My little guy was super excited when he realized this box was just for him.  He very rarely gets mail, just a few cards here and there, and boxes usually are for both him & his sister.  He had to run around holding it for awhile before he could even calm down enough to open it!  I cut back on doing reviews after he was born, so I forget he's not used to things coming in the mail like his big sister.  He had to take each item out and closely examine them.  He was especially enamored with the Medi Buddy, which amused me because it's one of the two inclusions that's not a toy for him.

The Beginner Puzzle Set from Petit Collage ($14) is unlike any puzzles we own, and I have quite a few left over from my days teaching preschool special ed. and kindergarten.  I really love how this one is designed for preschoolers and how they get progressively harder.  You can start with the 3 piece monkey puzzle and then move on as your child gets more proficient, up to the six piece elephant design.  The Safari Babies theme is really darling, and my little guy is very interested in anything with Mommies (or Daddies) with their baby.  This will be something he can use for awhile as he needed help to assemble the 3 pieces one. 

Some other boxes included this adorable All About Memory Game, that I am so putting on his birthday wish list.  LB is obsessed with anything train related, he'll love it!  I spent a lot of LB's nap time browsing the Petit Collage site and it's safe to say I am now obsessed with this company too!

Lately LB wants to play with dough every.single.day so he knew just what this was for when he saw it in the box.  He ran off to his high chair and we had to open them immediately!  Isn't the stamped logo on the eco-dough®, ($19 for 5, 4oz containers) such a nice touch?  It has a lovely smooth texture, not gritty at all and wasn't very crumbly.  I have ordered "natural" homemade dough through an etsy seller before, and found that dough was both gritty & crumbled at lot, so I was a little worried that this would be too.  Happily it was none of those things and the information sheet even says that if it should dry out a few drops of olive or veggie oil will fix it, nice!

The company describes themselves as, "eco-kids® is a line of art supplies that gives children the tools to create using non-toxic, natural ingredients and environmentally friendly packaging."  Since my kiddo sucks his thumb and tends to be a hot mess when getting creative, I am totally on board with their non-toxic and natural ingredients!  I've got my eye on these finger paints.  He loves painting but I've been reluctant to let him finger paint with anything but pudding because of the whole hands in his mouth thing.  Plus the paints come in powder form so it look like there might be less waste as you can perhaps mix the colors as you need them and not have to worry as much about paints that dry up.

The second two products I consider parent helpers, things to make my life easier, and I am all about that!  The All Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes ($10.99 for a Set of 2 Canisters, $80 total) from CleanWell are for cleaning up your kid's face & hands without alcohol, Benzalkonium Chloride, or harsh chemicals and are gentle on sensitive skin like my kiddo's cheeks, which can get red from some products.  No trouble with that when I used these!  They also won't sting cuts, a real concern around here as he is a dare devil, and are naturally anti-bacterial, kill germs, and are biodegradable.

I wish I had known about these this past winter, during which the LB seemed to always be sick!  Since he has viral induced asthma, staying healthy is important.  These are going right into the car and will be great for taking with me so we can wipe him off as we're out and about & for after meals. 

This is what's inside of the Medi Buddy ($5.25 per kit, $3.95 refill kit) that LB was so interested in.  Packed into this reusable compact container are 15 kid friendly bandages, 1 3" knee & elbow bandage, 2 antibiotic ointments, 5 sting free antiseptic wipes, 4 2X2 gauze pads, and 12 stickers.  This will also be perfect for the car, I never seem to have a band aide when at the park and darn it, if that isn't always where we need one!

me4kidz has the perfect motto: Clean it, Fix it, and Back to Play!  Isn't that what every parent wants?  They also have other variations on their Buddy Kits such as Smile and Diaper Bag, which would be perfect for as part of a baby shower gift.   My favorite is the Nail Buddy with 2 kid-friendly nail files, 2 bottles non-toxic, water-based nail polish, 1 bright colored nail brush, 1 nail buffer, 2 sheets of nail appliques – self stick, and one 1 Reusable and recycled carry anywhere case.  That sounds perfect for my daughter's Easter basket!  Several stores in my area carry me4kidz, including where I grocery shop, so I'll be looking for these really soon!

This box was an amazing deal for just $9, I found the $20 discount code I used via My Subscription Addiction, and she mentioned it again in her latest review so it should still work.

I took advantage of the $20 off a 3, 6, or 12 month plan that existing subscribers can use found via Ramblings of a Suburban Mom, that brings my monthly box price down to $17.67 for 6 months!  I really could not believe how excited and happy LB was to get new just for him stuff and that totally makes it worthwhile for us!  In the same post as that code, Jennifer also has a different code for $20 off your first box, so you could also try that one if the other one doesn't work for some reason, and also one for 20% off anything in the Citrus Lane shop.

I am really interested in the featured brand Janod's stamp puzzles, puzzle and art all in one?  Sounds terrific!  That would be great to use at home now with my kiddo and as a story writing aide when back teaching elementary school.  A 20% discount would make it only $16!