Amazon Prime Purchases - February

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

It is time for another round of what did buy from Amazon Prime in February? December and January were light months, but I more than made up for it in February. We had a baby shower and several birthdays to buy for plus just normal stock ups.

So what did we buy this last month?

linking up with Tanya

Sloth Pacifier

I got this pacifier as part of a baby shower gift. I co-hosted a baby shower in the beginning of February and this is one of the items on her registry.

Octopus Bath Toy

This was another cute item on her registry.

Baby Nail Clippers

And another baby shower gift. We still use these on my girls.

Farm House Book

Instead of cards, the mama-to-be asked for books with personalization inside. Since this was on her registry, we got them this one.

Sleeper Set

Finally, here is the last of the baby shower gifts.

EO Shower Gel

This is a repeat purchase. We love this shower gel. We put one in the master and one is the guest bathroom. This is my favorite scent too.

Persil Laundry Detergent

This is another repurchase. I change up my laundry detergents every so often and this has been the one of our choice more recently. 

VGA to HDMI adapter

I got this to connect Rory's monitor to my laptop, so I could have two screens at home again. So far it has worked out and I might get another to add another screen.

Black Masks

I bought these about a week before the mask mandate ended in my state. So now I have a lot of these leftover, but will save them for planes, airports and other Federal buildings.

Girls Lego Set

This was a birthday gift for one of the girls friends. She loves Lego and this one had high ratings.

Kids Face Masks

These were also purchased about a week before the mask mandate ended. My girls still wear them on the bus for fieldtrips and to their after school program.

Anbesol

I had a swollen taste bud on the tip of my tongue that turned into a canker sore. When I went to look for this stuff in my bathroom, I didn't find any, so I ordered a new one and it showed up the next day.

iRobot Replacement Parts

The brush (top piece) broke on my roomba a month or two ago and since then, my roomba hasn't been running well. So I ordered this kit based on reviews and it fit my roomba perfectly. I even replaced the filter and the two green rollers below. She works so much better now.

9 Volt Battery

One day I was working from home and my smoke alarm started beeping every so often. I knew the battery was dying, so I went searched for the one in question and a battery. I had one left, so after replacing it, I immediately ordered new ones.

Bissell Little Green Machine

I wrote about this on Friday and since I got it from Amazon, I had to post it in my Amazon purchases post. This thing is amazing and so worth it so far.

Burt's Bees PJs

My cousin's baby turns 2 soon and we are celebrating him this weekend. This was part of his gift.

Little Tikes T-Ball

This was the other gift I got for my cousin's son. He is very into sports and this seemed very cute for him.

First Little Readers G&H

The girls needed new books for their reading, so I got these. They are probably ready for the next level up as well.

Fairy Tales Detangler Shampoo

We love the Fairy Tales brand of shampoo for the girls. We have tried the anti-lice one, this one and the everyday shampoo. This was a larger size, and on sale, so I scooped this one up.

Tom's Children's Toothpaste

We have purchased this three times now. It is my girls favorite toothpaste, it has fluoride in it and not full of a bunch of junk. 

And that was my haul from last month. What did you purchase from Amazon?

Friday Favorites and Happenings

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Happy Friday all! Today I finally get my new extensions put in. I didn't document it because I didn't think anyone really cared, but here I am talking about it. Ha. With my last set of extensions, they had some major breakage which cost me 7 inches of hair (not my real hair). Since this isn't normal, my hairstylist contacted her vendor and they got me new ones. Well I had a leftover piece put in until I had my normal appointment, and that is today. 

We are also watching my nephew this weekend and it has been too long since we have seen him, so we are very excited. Other than that, we have a very chill weekend which is good because we have a busy few weekends after that.

And I didn't want to not talk about what is going on in Russia and Ukraine. My heart is breaking that we are potentially entering World War III. I am beyond flabbergasted at the way our administration is responding and how this is happening again. I have been glued to my phone getting updates from my favorite "reporter" on IG. If you want updates on this and anything else, follow Mosheh. He is pretty fair and moderate in his postings.

Anyways, onto Friday favorites and Happenings.

ONE. So I wanted to talk about my new favorite purchase recently. I got a Bissell Little Green Machine. I had wanted one for awhile, but never grabbed one. Then I found it on sale and it was serendipity as I needed one to clean up a smell. Without going into the details, one of my daughters ate too much food one day and threw up at night. She threw up once, but it was on her bed siding and the floor. 

I cleaned it up as much as I could in the middle of the night, and then I cleaned it two more times the next day. I felt like it was clean, but one of my daughters and husband swore they could smell it. So I bought this, used it on that spot and another water/dirt spot in the girls room that I couldn't get out of the carpet. And guess what, it got the stain, smell and everything out of both area. Then I used it on a tiny portion of the hallway rug and it got it so clean so fast.

Here are some before and afters which are hard to really see the difference, but it was huge in person. 

Before

Before

After (the whole stain is gone)

After (this was the throw up stain and now it is gone)

Bissell Little Green Machine

This is the sample spot and stain that came with the machine. After one use, there is still about 3/4 of the bottle left. And they give you a 40% off plus free shipping on full size ones.

TWO. So I said I was going to be good and not buy anything for myself for awhile, but then I went to Scheels and started looking at clothes. I wanted a new pair of jeans because mine were starting to wear out more and I wanted to try a different style. I wear skinny jeans and I love them. But I wanted to try a boyfriend pair or girlfriend pair or even boot cut again. Can you believe boot cut and flares are coming back?

Anyways, I tried on these and loved them. BUT I asked the sales associate and Rory what they thought. She told me this style is in, this brand is so soft and they have some room, so I will find myself grabbing these more often than not. And guess what, she was right. I have had these for a week now and I have worn them almost daily. Yes, I have washed them.

And to think I am wearing jeans willing while working from home, that is a big deal. 

Kut From Kloth Catherine Boyfriend Jeans and  here

I have worn them straight like this and cuffed. Now I want another pair in a different color and without distressing that way I have variety.

THREE. After begging my husband for 2 years, we are finally getting a Peloton. How did I finally convince him? Two ways. First, we both have gym memberships, but I am the only one who uses mine regularly. I got several times a week (either at lunch, before I pick the girls up from their after school program or on weekends). This is a good way to get Rory back into working out. He can hop on Saturday morning before anyone gets up. He can ride before he takes the girls to school when I am in the office. He can ride while I cook dinner, etc.

And the second biggest way I got him to give in? They offer corporate discounts. His company has a promotion to get a couple hundred off the bike (it works on both the bike and bike+), and a bunch of months are free for the membership/classes/app. 

So basically our gym membership will be up in August and we won't pay for the membership until after that. 

And they offer up  to 3 years no interest. We opted for less months and will pay it off early if we can.

It arrives this morning and I can't wait to take my first ride.

So what is your user names if you have one?

Look at how much bigger my husband's shoes are than mine...well the box.

FOUR. You all get a double meaning photo today. On Tuesday, I took this photo of the girls after school. I am sure you all know that Tuesday was 2-22-22 and all the schools did fun stuff in honor of twos and Tuesday.

We got a letter saying the girls could dress up in tutus, ties, tiaras or tie-dye, so the girls wore their tutus from their newborn shoots (they stretch out enough to still fit) and tiaras which are not pictured below.

My mother-in-law came by to drop Walter off since we had the cleaners at our house that day and Walter can't be around. She brought them these handmade cats from their great aunt. She did a great job and I said that she should sell these on Etsy or something. What do you think?

FIVE. Weekly funnies.

Have a great weekend. I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything.   

Life Update

Do you ever have those days or weeks where life just seems to be kicking you down again and again? I feel like that has been my life lately. I haven't wanted to write anything new here because I feel like I am having a hard time finding the good in between the bad. Yes, I know there is a lot of good in my life and a lot to be thankful for, but sometimes the bad just stands out more.

I feel like my "gloom" started on Tuesday February 8th when my tire blew apart. Not only was it a scary and sweaty (stuck on the freeway with semis blasting past me) event, but it led to spending hours and hours on the phone every business day. I am talking 4 to 6 hours each day. Between my insurance just to file the claim, to the claims adjuster, to the person who did the quote, to Hertz for a car rental (and subsequent calls to get a bigger and safer car), to Volvo, to Discount Tires and all of those several times each day, I was over being on the phone. 

I still have to deal with a bunch of phone calls to get this process figured out, but they have lessened now that my local insurance agent is helping out a lot more.

Three days after the car issue was February 11th which was the day that I was supposed to be induced if I was still pregnant. I had a hard time with this and it has been building up each week. I have an Instagram friend who got pregnant the same day (she did IVF), so when she posted her updates, it made me think of where I would be. As she got closer to her due date, I knew that mine was approaching too. And then Friday February 11th came and my heart broke again. Sucks. Pregnancy loss is tough. But I am hoping I can heal a bit more now that the due date has come and gone.

Then last week (or this week as I am writing this as it is going on) our water heater/hot water just stalled out. Everything was fine on Monday, but then Tuesday morning I turned on the shower at 5:30 am and when I turned the handle to hot, not much water came out. I then went to the kitchen to see if it worked elsewhere. It worked out there, but was so much less for the hot water. And it was hair washing day. I know you all can sympathize with me on that one. 

So I put my hair up, took a shower in a dribble, got ready and left work. Rory spent the morning trying to drain the water heater to see if it was mineral build up. After the water heater refilled, it was a bit better, but not much. 

I called a plumber later in the day and he thinks it is the intake system on the water heater and not the water heater. So I guess we shall see. But in the meantime, I haven't been able to cook much as I have little hot water, but still some and it is difficult to wash dishes, clean up and not tear my hands up in the cold water.

We have been able to take showers in the master bathroom as it is a shower only and the pressure is a bit better than the guest bathroom with a bath tub/shower combo. Less water comes out on hot as it has to travel more and needs more pressure.

I know that these are all not big deals, but when they keep coming at the same time, they cause a lot of stress and annoyance. 

So this is why I have been lacking in the writing, commenting and blog reading. I am trying. I promise, but my heart and mind are elsewhere. 

Now let's hope for some good news, good days and less stress!

Friday Favorites and Happenings

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Happy Friday all! I am so looking forward to the long weekend. The last week and a half has kicked my butt. We have some fun and chill things planned this weekend. Just thankful to not be super busy this weekend. I feel like we have been on the go so much lately. What are your weekend plans?

Anyways, onto Friday favorites and Happenings.

ONE. Last weekend I went to a charity event for women and children sex trafficking prevention and awareness. As a whole, we raised $62,000 which far exceeded their goal. And we did it while having a great time. We ate great food, had some drinks, did a silent auction, a ring toss to win wine, a photo booth and danced our butts off.

And then after the event was over, we ubered back to my friends house who lives around the corner from me and we stayed up talking until 2 am. Then I went home. And while I was tired on Super Bowl Sunday, I was NOT hungover and my heart was so happy.

This Rent the Runway dress accented my tattoo of my girls names so perfectly!

TWO. Just two days later was Valentine's Day. I got the girls a few items including some king size Valentine Reese's hearts, a large berry sherbet chapstick (from the dollar spot) and a little stuffed animal. The cat is holding a heart that says puuurfect. 

And I got Rory a bottle of bourbon, a card and some andies mints (his favorite).

Rory delivered these beauties to me which smell amazing!!!

For dinner, we made filets (using the reverse sear method), scalloped potatoes and a Caesar salad (dressing which I made from a Pinterest recipe and it was really good).

And then for dessert, we had two that I picked up from a local bakery. One was a lavender, chocolate mousse and a shortbread cookie bottom and the other was rose, vanilla, raspberry and a pistachio cake.

THREE. Wednesday night I went to an event with my cousin. It was put on by the university that we attended and a local winery. We were put into small groups of four, we tried different kinds of wine, and then made our own wine blend. 

We tried many different blends and found our one after 7 tries. Well it was #5, but we wanted to keep trying others to make sure it was just right.

Those wines were all judged and the winner's bottle is to be bottled and we all get a bottle in early Spring.

It was a lot of fun. Even though we didn't win, we still had a great time.

During judging, they had a big charcuterie board style snack area which we enjoyed plus a reisling that the winery made for us to try.

Our blend by milliliters.

FOUR. Weekly funnies.

Have a great weekend. I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything.   

My Asherman's Syndrome Story

I have went back and forth on writing about my experience with Asherman's Syndrome. You can visit that link to see what Asherman's is all about. But basically it is having adhesions/scarring in your uterus and/or cervix. It often develops from c-sections, miscarriages resulting in a D&C or leftover/retained placenta. Mine is from the first two.

But let me back up a bit and tell you all something I kept a secret from my blog and many people. I was pregnant in June 2021. It was a surprise and after the initial shock wore off, we were very excited. We had some worries about me and my health after having an emergency c-section with the girls, but my doctor was confident in my pregnancy care.

Fast forward to end of July 2021 (right before my birthday) and I had a miscarriage. Devastated doesn't even begin to cover my feelings (I am crying even typing this out). After trying pills to "complete the miscarriage", I ended up having a D&C. I went under general anesthesia for it, woke up and felt empty. 

Fast forward to December when I still hadn't had a period since getting pregnant. My doctor tried the wait it out method, tried using progesterone to kick start my period, tried using estrogen and progesterone combo and nothing was working. I requested some blood work on my hormones and everything came back normal. I told my doctor that I had done research and suspected Asherman's Syndrome. After 5 months of advocating for myself, they went to the next step.

The next step was a hysterosalpingography or a HSG. This is a test where a radiologist places a balloon and catheter in the cervix and injects dye into the cervix and uterus and then takes x-rays. This is to see if there is any blockages. The first attempt at mine and the balloon came out. The second attempt, they were able to inject the dye, but it only went in about an 1/8th to a 1/4 inch. When they tried to push more dye in, to break up any blockages, the balloon came out again. They tried one more time and it was the same result.

The radiologist gave me my results in real time and said I had major blockages. I also want to note that this isn't a comfortable procedure for most. If you have a lot of blockages they say it hurts more.

My doctor was given the results and I was told that they suspected that I had Asherman's. The next step was a Hysteroscopy using TruClear. This is a procedure where a scope goes into cervix and uterus that shaves/cuts out the scarring and sucks it up which goes into a medical waste container. The scope projects onto a big screen tv, so they can see all of the adhesions/scar tissue and remove it all.

I found out my diagnosis on a Tuesday and surgery as scheduled for the following Monday.

The procedure took about an hour and a half to complete and I woke up feeling better than I have after most surgeries. I think this is because my anesthesiologist found the right meds to not make me so sick after.

My doctor told me in recovery that everything went well. I had a lot of scarring at the opening of the cervix to the uterus, all along the sides of my uterus, where my c-section scar is (the internal side of it), and at the top of my uterus leading into my fallopian tubes. So basically, I had a ton of it. She got almost all of it out. She then put me on estrogen to help thicken the lining up and prevent more scar tissue from forming (fingers crossed).

I took that estrogen for about 2 weeks and was told that I would have to do a repeat HSG about 7 to 9 days after my next cycle. They will then check if the scar tissue came back. She did say that 50% of patients had it come back and had to have another repeat of this surgery. But let's hope I am better than the 50%.

And that is secret that I kept from you all and the journey I have been going through for the last 6 months.