Walmart Grocery Delivery Review

Hey Guys!

You all know how i love Walmarts grocery pickup service. I have always been curious about grocery delivery and have secretly always wanted to try it. Who doesn't love the appeal of not having to leave your house and having the groceries come to you.  Even though we have cut down on the amount of time that we spend in grocery stores, it is still a process to leave the house. We need to take the dog out, make sure kayden has peed, and of course take some snacks. There are always a few stops on saturday that we need to do, but with grocery pickup we have cut the time in half.

I got an offer from Bzz agent (a word of mouth website) to try out grocery delivery. I always kicked myself for not taking up their offer to do the grocery pick up, so i wasn't going to miss out on this.

The process was similar to grocery pickup. I shopped online in their grocery section. The minimum purchase requirement is the same, $50. They only deliver to a few places, i live about 5 minutes away, so i knew they would be able to bring it to me. They pack it from the closest Walmart to you. They are able to temperature control items, (which i tested out), which is an added bonus.  You pick your time slot and they bring it to you within the hour.

I tested it on a weekend that curtis had taken vacation. I really wanted curtis to enjoy his vacation, and not have to waste a day running around. I booked the time for 11:00 am to noon. It would be right before kayden went down for a nap, so i knew we would all be home. Walmarts grocery pickup is the busiest during the weekends, so i assumed delivery would be the same. There is no better way to test a service, then when they are under pressure/at their busiest.

The delivery man came at 11:21am. He brought the groceries to the door(we live in an apartment) and brought them inside, to the front entrance. He was nice and to the point. My boyfriend was home, so i don't know if they would've brought them to the kitchen if i was alone, as some delivery services do. I purchased pantry items, cold items and toiletries. Everything kept their temperature and arrived in tact. Their temperature control packaging does work. Nothing melted or spoiled during the trip over.

I love this service but without a coupon, i doubt i would use it. $9.97 is expensive, especially when they are 5 minutes away from me. I do see the convenience of this service and realize why so many people use it. I feel this service would come in handy for individuals/couples that work long hours, or families that are on the go.

I would rate this service a 7/10. It would be nice to see then expand to other areas, but i do understand since the items are temperature controlled why they can not deliver to far. The grocery delivery fee is high, it would be nice for them to lower it. In USA it is $5 to deliver and they will bring it to you within the hour. If we can get it to that level it would be perfect.

Potty training update

I am here with a Potty training update! I started potty training kayden shortly after he turned 2. He was going through less diapers and i thought it was a great time, and we could also save some money. We decided to go the pull up route. Worst decission i ever made. Kayden never 100% got the concept down. What i mean by that is, some days he would go through 1 pull up and other days it was never ending.

It wasn't untill the beginning of July that i hit my breaking point. I couldn't change another pull up. Kayden knew to pee in the toilet but he was scared to poop. Luckily it was a long weekend and curtis decided we were going to switch over to underwear. We were both home and would be able to help each other out. I will admit i felt overwhelmed. We had about 5 pairs of underwear for kayden, and he wet each one. I felt like i was washing underwear out all day. But atleast he understood the concept of using the toilet. He didnt like how pee, and most importantly poo felt in his underwear. The first 2 days were tough but he slowly got better. There were less and less accidents everyday.

The day before we started we let him pick out a treat at the store, kayden chose skittles. Whenever he used the toilet successfully he got a freeze or skittles. He was so excited to run over and pick out a sweet treat. Keep in mind, kayden doesn't eat a lot of junk so this extra amount was the best thing that could've happened to him.

He slowly realized if he used the toilet there would be a treat for him. He got the peeing down fast. It was the pooping that proved to be a struggle. He knew what it felt like to have poop in his pants, but he was also scared to poop in the toilet! It got to the point where he would hold his poop for 3 days straight. I could tell he was bloated and uncomfortable. He did this for about a week. One day he pooped 2 days in a row!. The first time he pooped he screamed and cried. I tried telling him it was okay and everyone poops in the toilet. His dad even sang a whole song and celebrated. As a reward we took him to McDonald's ( his favorite spot). I explained to him he is getting McDonald's because he pooped in the toilet. I honestly thought he got the concept down. But another 3 days went by till he did it again. I honestly feel Kayden beleived the discomfort wasnt worth it anymore. He stopped crying and started being happy whenever he pooped. He loved flushing the toilet and pulling the toilet paper. I told him he could only do so when he pooped.

Ever since he has gotten a handle of things he has become more independent. He wants to do everything himself now. It is bitter sweet to see him grow up. 2 weeks ago he needed me for everything and now he doesnt need me at all.

If i have learned anything about potty training, its there is no one way to do it. Every child is different, which makes them learn differently. Its all about learning what works and what doesn't. I have been trying to potty train Kayden since September. I couldn't understand what i was doing wrong, and i believed pull ups were similar to underwear. In fact pulls ups feel like diapers to toddlers. When they have an accident, they don't feel the same discomfort/any discomfort which could potentially hold back their training.

Its been 3 weeks and i haven't had an accident in two and a half weeks. I am so proud of kayden, but i also know accidents can still happen. Now on the weekend, we let kayden pick a place to eat at. He usually wants McDonald's or tim Hortons so its never anything expensive. This allows kayden to have a reward and have an incentive for staying dry.

Our next step is night time potty training. Kayden does wear a diaper at night and when he takes a nap. He has expressed that he doesn't want to wear it anymore and he consistently wakes up dry. That will be another challenge for us, and i cant wait to update all of you on it! 

Swiffer Duster Review

Hey Guys,

Am i the only one whose house gets dusty within 2 days of dusting it? Ever since having kayden i try to be more on the ball with keeping the house looking clean, emphasis on looking. I always feel within 5 minutes of me cleaning, it gets messy again. Having a toddler makes life a little bit more challenging. The less time i can spend on cleaning, and it actually looking clean the better it is for me.

When i lived at my parents house i loved swiffer products. I will never forget when my dad came home from work and said "why does this house smell like dog" i was disgusted. I knew what a house that smelled like dog was like, and its not pretty. You never want to smell your dog before you see it. The first product i ever bought was the swiffer wet jet. I am telling you, it was like it was sent from the God's to me.

Unfortunately when i moved in with my boyfriend he swore against it. He thought the old fashion way was so much better, and that it was a waste of money. It took me 3 years to convince him to buy a swiffer product, even then he didn't listen to me. He didn't buy my holy grail swiffer wet jet (the jokes on him, because i still refuse to mop the floors). As a result he didn't fall in love with what he bought and thought he made the right decision all along.

Thank goodness for walmart. As you all know i am love with their grocery pickup service, and lately they have been giving out free samples. I got a basket full of goodies, and one of them being the swiffer duster.  The first thing curtis said to me was "you are going to love this"  and this time, he was correct.

It claims to be able to trap and lock in more dust then a regular feather duster. I opened the kit one day and it was the easiest thing to use. It has a mild scent to it, which wasn't over powering or even noticeable. I used the product on my electronics (TV, android box, xbox), and it cleaned it in less then a minute. It really does trap all the dust. It doesn't fly all around, and i can wave it like a crazy person, and it stays put. Kayden saw me and had to join in, and i didnt mind, since i knew no dust would fall. He ran all around the house and dusted everything, and i mean everything,  His bed, toys, and windows.

This product is used weekly and has honestly made dusting fun (if that's even possible). It cuts my cleaning time in half. All i do is sweep it over the furniture and all the dust is gone. I really do mean all of it. I didn't have to go over it twice and there was no residue. This is great for my busy life.

The only thing that i didnt like was assembling it. I had such a hard time putting it together. The insert for the wand blends in seamlessly with the duster that i couldn't find it. It took me a few minutes to actually put it together. Once you get past that, it is a life saver.

The swiffer starter kit retails for under $5 at walmart and it comes with 5 refills. The refills cost $13.87 for 16.

How to deal with a shy toddler

Hey guys,

As kayden has gotten older it is becoming more and more evident that he is shy. As a child i was the same way. I remember questioning whether or not i was dealing with kaydens shyness efficiently. I tried to think back to how i was as a child. I was so embarrassed whenever my mom tried to push me to talk to others or made a scene about it. I slowly see kayden warming up to people faster, so i decided to share my tips.

1. A few days before we are going somewhere i always talk to kayden about it. I tell him where we are going, who will be there and what we are doing. After 2 or 3 days kayden starts to tell me we are going to go there. This allows kayden to know what is going on. He is mentally prepared for an outing and i am able to ease his mind.

2. The day of and the car ride over i let him know that we are attending the event. I know this sounds redundant but it all adds up in Kayden's head. We have talked about going somewhere for a few days and now we are actually going! Kayden is usually excited and cant wait to get there.

3. Once we arrive i never push kayden to much. We all say hi and i encourage kayden to do the same. I never make a big scene if he doesn't but rather i act like its no big deal. Sone may think this isn't a good idea, but i remember when i was a child my mom use to make a big scene about it. I was so embarrassed from that alone i didn't want to talk to anyone. I never want kayden to feel the same way. Usually by the time we leave he is so comfortable he waves goodbye and gives hugs.

4. I let kayden warm up to people at his own pace. Honestly it doesn't take long. He watches for a bit and when he feels comfortable (usually 10 minutes max) he will go and play. I never want kayden to feel like im forcing him to join in or make him feel bad for holding back. I watch at a safe distance so he knows im right there if he needs me, but also give him space to do his own thing.

I never tell kayden he is shy. I don't ever want him to feel as though he is in a box or that he is doing something wrong. This may be a phase with him, or it may be part of him for life. Either way there is nothing wrong with that. Curtis and i are complete opposites, he is outgoing and will talk to anyone. I take a little longer to warm up people, but then i don't stop talking. I want kayden to know its okay, and hopefully he sees our dynamic and knows that. I do chat with people when we are out and about, and i heard that's important. When your child sees you interacting (as small as it may be) with the cashier, waitress, people at the Park etc. Children follow by example, even though they may not chat the next person up, it opens up their eyes to the idea of it.

Insight into being a SAHM

Hey Guys,

Is it just me, or do stay at home moms have a bad connotation behind it? People believe we are lazy, we watch tv all day and do nothing. My dad even thought i sit on the couch all day.

I don't know why we don't get more credit for what we do.

Being a stay at home mother was the best choice i ever made. My mom worked when i was baby ( i was to small to remember) then she made the decision to stay at home full time. My brother and i are 5 years apart, so it was just me and her at home. Looking back i loved coming home after school and having my mom there. She always had a snack ready, and her life was dedicated to her children. She knew my friends, and what i was doing (for the most part) in school etc. I am not saying if you work you wont be all of these things, its just different when you stay at home. I want kayden to have the same experience i did.

Prior to being pregnant i worked with working mothers, and they struggled a lot with balancing home and work. They were working to pay for before and after school programs, missing out on their child(ren) lives and always getting looked down for not staying late or having to rush out.

I always sympathized with him because it must have been hard to figure out what was less important that day. Sometimes it meant getting pulled into the boss office the next day.

I didn't want to have that struggle. Curtis and i don't have family we can count on. At the end of the day if we are running late or had to stay late we don't have anyone else who can help with kayden.

I don't ever regret the decision to stay at home with kayden. I will be honest with you, i did have moments where i questioned if i was doing enough. I felt guilty for not being able to bring an income in the house, i felt as though i was holding the family back. If i worked, would my family be further in life? Thank goodness for Curtis. He reassured me that this was the best decision for kayden right now, and if i continued to feel this way in the future, i can always explore getting back into the workforce.

Being a stay at home mom requires me to wear many hats. I am a nurse, caregiver, teacher, life coach etc. I will never say i have had an easy day, because a little one keeps you on your toes. I remember when kayden was a baby, and he would never nap in the daytime, i spent an hour walking back and forth just to have him nap for 10 minutes. I dealt with endless crying while trying to figure out how im going to get the laundry folded.

Kayden has a lot of energy, he is go go go until nap time (even then he will attempt to convince you he isn't tired) which means i always need to have him occupied. I need to have an endless list of activities, and i have said this a billion times, when you live in an apartment, if you leave you have to commit. I cant just open the door and have kayden run in the yard. I need to haul his bike downstairs and have him outside for a significant amount of time.

As time has passed i have embraced my role as a stay at home mom. I may not do my hair and makeup every morning, and wear nice clothes but i am doing something which fulfills me. Im there when my son wakes up and goes to bed. I work hard to ensure kayden is well behaved and stays on track with the children in daycare. I don't get any off days, there were times when i was extremely sick but i still had to look after kayden.

From the time kayden wakes up and takes a nap or goes to bed, i try to fill his day up. It is the most tiring and rewarding job. I know this life isn't for everyone, and there are plenty of mothers who envy me. Even though i may not receive a paycheck or get bonuses every year, i will always believe my job makes a difference.

My day starts at 6am every morning. Kayden runs in the bedroom, wakes me up and demands we make room for him in the bed. I wish i could say he goes back to bed, instead the list of demands begin. He's hungry, cold, he cant find his stuffed dog etc. Everything is life ending in the morning. I try to stay in bed till 6:30am but that doesn't always work. Half awake i start my morning. I buy some time with kayden and tell him to give me a few minutes. I brush my teeth and use the bathroom. I then pray the coffee machine has gone off, so i don't have to wait 10 minutes for a cup. Curtis gets up, and i pack his lunch and he's gone by 7am. Kayden has had his breakfast by now (after changing his mind 5 times). I clean up breakfast, play with kayden for 30 minutes before he demands another snack. It takes him about 10 minutes to pick out a snack. He never wants what is in the cupboard. After he eats i get him ready to spend about an hour outside.

I hate to say it, but im still not half way through my day. I live for lunchtime because that means nap time is knocking on my door.

Whether you are a working parent or you are at home, it is a personal decision. Both choices require sacrifice and sometimes never feel like you picked the right one. We are all in this struggle together of balancing raising kids, having alone time and feeling self fulfilled.