I know a thing or two about nursing pads. I've done my research online and with my own two (oversupplying) boobies, which have been nourishing my little one for 18 months now! Heck, I even created a nursing pad sampler to help mamas try out some of the top brands to find the one they like best, because if I know anything, it's that no one nursing pad will be the best for every mama. It'll be absorbent and thick enough for one mama, but not for another. One mother will prefer washable whereas another prefers disposable. One prefers contoured and another wants a cute flat heart shape. Yes, there are MANY choices out there for lactating mamas and I'm here to tell you about one of them that was recently included in my Mother of All Giveaways (sorry, contest is now over, but you can still click the link to get info on 25 really unique products for babies, toddlers, and moms!!).

Baby Nip™ Molded Seamless Washable Nursing Pads by Nursing Bra Express

What's so great about these nursing pads? Well, I'll tell ya!

• Their firmly cupped shape fits the breast perfectly (similar to the firmness you would expect in one of those t-shirt bras), which is more comfortable and helps the pad stay in place.

• Their 95% cotton / 5% polyester blend is soft, and you can throw them right in the washer and dryer!

• They are absorbant! I was a major milk leaker for a solid year of breastfeeding. The first few months were horrendous, but even up to a year I had to throw on a bra and nursing pads as soon as I got out of the shower! Just after the year point I was finally able to ditch the pads (yay!) but that means I couldn't give these a personal review... so I did a little scientific experiment instead. These bad boys absorbed almost 4 teaspoons of water (in under 5 minutes) before they reached maximum capacity and started leaking through the middle and around the sides (pictured below). That's pretty darn good!!
• You can buy pack of 3 pairs for $14 - a really good deal in the world of washable nursing pads!

And don't think that you won't need nursing pads just because you aren't planning to breastfeed... many women start leaking DURING PREGNANCY (as early as 16 weeks)! Even if this isn't the case for you, unless you have a rare inability, you'll be producing a great amount of colostrum and breastmilk until you've dried up, which can 7-10 days from birth. Annnnd can I just quickly add: Please please do some research and if struggling, reach out to a Lactation Consultant. Please give breastfeeding your hardest try, for your baby and yourself!! PLEASE! The first few days and weeks can really suck (pun intended, hehe), but it gets better, indeed, it gets pretty darn awesome! So hang in there mamas!!!

*Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, I was not compensated in any other way to do this product review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

As an avid library goer who takes out books and DVDs on a weekly basis, the idea of toy rentals or regular swaps always intrigued me but we never got coordinated enough to arrange something with our neighborhood friends. So when I came across Sparkbox Toys, boy oh boy, was I excited!!!

Sparkbox Toys is a toy rental subscription service. In a nutshell, you get a box of 4 educational toys curated for your child depending on age/development (you can go with what their experts choose or you can log in to the website and make substitutions). When you're done with the toys, you send them back and they'll ship your next box when the time comes based on your subscription plan (kinda like Netflix). But if you're not ready to send the toys back, no worries - no deadline, no late fees (you'll just have to wait for your next box til you send the last one back in)! If you love a toy (or break/lose it), you can buy it from them. They're all inspected, sanitized, and shrink wrapped. Shipping both ways is included in the price and you can cancel your subscription at any time. Sounds pretty amazing, right!??

They have a number of subscription plans available, that are surprisingly pretty reasonable! Our kids get sick of or grow out of their toys so fast anyway, how fun to keep a fresh rotation in the house!

• 1 box every 4 weeks ($35.95/month)

• 1 box every 6 weeks ($28.95/month)

• 1 box every 8 weeks ($23.95/month)

• 1 box every 8 weeks ($249/year = $20/month - the best bang for your buck)
• **Enter code "USJAPANFAM" when you sign up and get 50% off your first box!!**

So, how did our first Spark Box go?? Ummmm, in a word, AWESOME!

They've got all the important documents together in a little ring so you can't lose them, including the return shipping label and a laminated information sheet about each toy in your box (you can also find the information online when you log into your profile). This is handy for when it's time to return them, you can do a quick check to make sure you have all the pieces!!

Here's Kenzo and I getting into the box for the first time - it's like Christmas morning, no joke!! Not sure who was more excited...

Included in our box was (and because I was curious what each toy's price point was, I've googled them and added below, hehe):

• Geomag GBaby Baby Sea by Tolo (value of $57), pictured below - bottom left and right
  

• MyPad by Mirari (value of $21), pictured below - top right

• Mini Puzzle Stacker by P'Kolino (value of $21), pictured below - bottom center

• Roller Ball Run by Tolo (value of $23), pictured below - top left

The toys were a HUGE hit with Kenzo. Not a one of them was a dud. All of them very different from eachother, such a well rounded selection. And I have to add that I really loved that they were all gender neutral! You go Sparkbox!!

I really need to get this guy into music lessons... :)

Anyway, definitely DEFINITELY go check out Sparkbox - if you sign up here with code "USJAPANFAM" you'll get 50% off your first box and I'll get a free month - WIN WIN!! :)

*Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, I was not compensated in any other way to do this product review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

I'm about to blow your mind right now, get ready for it: You can make your children's artwork COME TO LIFE! Well, maybe not to life life, but you can turn it into a 3D stuffed toy - holdable, hugable, lovable! This is quite possibly the coolest birthday present EVER!

I just couldn't wait to give Busdies a try, but obviously my 18 month old is not quite able to conceive an idea and put it down on paper. Let's face it, he can barely scribble! So I took crayon to paper and made the artwork myself. But he did help with the scribbling...

This may come as a shock when you see the picture below, but no, I'm not a professional artist, LOL! My inspiration? My son of course, and my company! My son's name is Kenzo, and "zo" in Japanese has a couple of meanings, one of which is elephant. So, naturally that has been his animal mascot since birth. It was then also the idea behind the logo for my business, Miny Moe (selling multi-brand diaper and nursing pad samplers). Our logo is an elephant, named Moe the Zo, and here he is folks - Moe has COME TO LIFE and is soooooooooooooo adorable!!!

I couldn't have been more in love with Moe when I opened up the box. He looks EXACTLY like my drawing, and is really soft and well made. High quality! And what did Kenzo think? Have a look...

Kenzo is absolutely enamored with his new stuffed elephant!!!! He is especially fond of his trunk, which he likes to kiss. OMG it's too cute!!

The tag that comes with the stuffed animal (pictured left) is spot on, really. "It immortalizes your child's creativity & we hope it becomes your child's best bud for life." I have no doubt that it will, Budsies - THANK YOU!!!

After you bring the character to life, there are other cool ways to preserve your child's artwork that I've seen popping up lately, and I can't wait until my little guy starts creating all of his masterpieces so I can try some of these out!

• My Jr. Picasso - Preserving your child's artwork in books, calendars, postcards, fridge magnets, you name it!

• Artkive - An app letting you archive the digital versions of your kids' artwork.

• Art-ful Kids - They'll turn your kids' artwork into masterpieces for your walls - huge posters, canvases, etc. Their blog also shares tons of ways you can use your kids artworks, like temporary tattoos!

I was in Japan for the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. Despite being a couple hundred miles away from the epicenter, it was certainly the most terrifying day and subsequent weeks of my life. The aftershocks were relentless, you never knew what was just a rumble or what could be the next big one. People worried one even bigger than the original could occur in Tokyo or Yokohama (where I was), or even that Mt. Fuji might be triggered to erupt. We had a "go-bag" in the entry way, learned how to take super speedy showers (can you imagine not only being trapped inside a collapsed apartment building but being trapped NAKED? HA! 

One thing I wasn't too concerned about was the radiation. I thought we were far enough away, and I believed reports that things were under control. And I have to say that after moving back to the States that following summer (now 3 years ago), I rarely think back about that time or how the recovery efforts are going. Out of site, out of mind, ya know? But after just viewing this video about the situation in Fukushima, I am nauseated. I'm just sick thinking about those poor families, what they've been through and what they've yet to go through. Please take a moment (OK, actually 13 moments, it's quite a long documentary) for this:

The butterfly experiment at around 6 minutes in the video is what struck me the most. How the 2nd generation after radiation exposure or contaminated food consumption is in bad shape, but the 3rd generation is even worse. Like, WHAT? Epigenetics folks, this stuff is crazy! I remember at the time of the melt down, my husband mentioned something about people discriminating against those from Hiroshima, even in our generation, and this will likely happen to those from Fukushima. I couldn't understand this before, but now I kind of do. Even if you weren't yourself contaminated, your DNA (and your yet to be conceived child's) might still be effected, gravely. This is terrifying! And even worse is the government's cover up of it. Ugh. Japan... SERIOUSLY?? >_<

I’m a very sentimental gift giver. I’d much rather make something meaningful than go out and buy the newest gadget or trendy piece of fashion. Sound familiar? If so, these idea are for you! I've put together a list of some fabulous handy DIY gifts you can make with your kids for Father’s Day that will be cherished for years to come – all of these feature creative ways to make gifts out of your children’s hand or footprints!

Framed with a Photo

This is what I ended up doing last year for our first Father’s Day. I stamped baby’s feet on a pre-cut mat and put a cute photo of daddy and baby in the middle. I’ve seen others using a collage of photos, hand and foot prints, and other memorabilia inside a shadow box. Anyway you do it, it’s going to be cute—and demand a prime spot on your wall.

Dad’s Little Slugger

Getting baby’s handprint on a ball is a must for any baseball fan dads out there. It may look a bit challenging, but you can wing it or buy a kit like the First Pitch Baby’s First Handprint Baseball on Amazon.  <Photo Credit: Army Wife & Mommy>

I’ll Drink to That

If dad is a big coffee or tea drinker, why not give him a mug adorned with the adorable hand or foot prints of your little one! Need help from the pros? Hit up your local paint your own pottery store such as Color Me Mine.  <Photo Credit: Busy Bugs>

Hand in Hand

You’ll have to be sneaky and creative to get dad’s hand print, or perhaps even let the cat out of the bag about what you’re doing, but it’ll be worth it. Crafts displaying both dad and baby’s handprints (or you can even do the whole family together) are adorable—and an awesome thing to do each year to document how much the little ones are growing.  <Photo Credit: PrintFusion>

Walk This Way

Another great idea is to create a handprint or footprint stepping stone each year for Father’s Day (or you could create a whole walkway in one go by doing each hand and foot of each kid and pet on a different stone!). There are a ton of kits available, such as the Midwest Products Kids Garden Handprint Stepping Stone Kit.  <Photo Credit: Amazon>

Tips for Stamping Little Hands and Feet

• There’s no need to purchase an ink pad specifically for babies or children. You can buy a regular ink pad or even use paint and a paintbrush. Just make sure it’s non-toxic and clean the ink off of their skin as soon as you're done.

• Have tons of baby wipes or wet paper towels on hand to wipe off the majority of the ink before heading over to the sink for some soap and water action. Get one hand or foot stamped and cleaned before proceeding to the next one—kids love to swing and kick an inked up appendage to and fro!

• Infant hands are usually balled up making it really tough to get a hand print; it's much better to use the feet until they’re a bit older.

• Be prepared for many takes—there will be smudges and prints that don’t even come out. Do a few practice runs and make sure to have a backup plan. I used a photo frame matte that was the same on the front and back. It was a good thing: We screwed up on the first try, but it's now hidden on the backside!

• Strip little ones down to their diapers to avoid staining clothes, and put down newspapers all around—just in case!

• Get a helper. Trying this by yourself is a recipe for disaster. Having one person to hold the item to be stamped (on the floor or against a wall is easiest) and the other person navigating baby’s foot or hand will make things go much smoother. You also have more cleanup help!

• Don’t forget hands and feet can be creatively arranged for fun or sentiment. From hearts to deer, the sky’s the limit!

**UPDATE!! Giveaway has been extended through June 20!!!***

US-Japan Fam has teamed up with hosts My Frugal Savings and Grandma's Wish and co-hosts Mama Pure, To Be Thode, Failing Perfect, My Work At Home World, Not My Circus Not My Monkeys and many other bloggers to bring you this ​awesome Baby Lovin' Giveaway event!

4 lucky winners will split $1170 in prizes!!

Package #1  ($360 Value):

• My Levana Baby Video & Recording Monitor  ($189)
• Baby BeeHaven Stroller Organizer ($40)
  
• Be Fit Mom Book and DVD set to get back into shape after having your baby ($40)
  
• Okie Dog Diaper Bag ($85)
  

Package #2 ($329 Value):

• Naturepedic Organic Mattress ($329)
  

Package #3 ($267 value):

• Three Lollies Preggie Pops ($12)
  
• Anna Naturals Mom to Be Gift Basket ($50)
• Viva Editons Books Help My Infant Came without Instructions, Moms the Word and Everything I know, I learned from my 6 month old ($46)
  
• Miny Moe Diaper and Nursing Pad Samplers ($25)
  
• Tommee Tippee Diaper Pail 360 Sealer ($50)
  
• Think Baby 4 Bottle Start up Set ($20)
  
• Eepples MilkCharm ($15)
  
• Daddy N Company New Daddy TShirt, Bonding Book, I'm the Daddy Sun Glasses and THE BABY BONDING BOOK FOR DADS ($50)
  

Package #4 ($239 Value):

• Minky Couture Soft Minky Blankets ($70)
  
• Baby’s Journey  Changing Pad Station ($70)
  
• Kinder Glo BPA Free Portable Night Light ($25)
  
• BalBoa Baby Paris/Monaco Car Seat Canopy ($30)
  
• Earth Mama Angel Baby Calming Lavender Shampoo Bundle 3 Pieces ($44)
  

Want to learn more about the prizes? Read the full reviews on each product below (more being added daily throughout the giveaway)!

ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!!!

The giveaway is running through June 17th (11:59PM CST) - please be sure to do all "mandatory" actions or your entry will be deleted (whomp whomp). ✰ Good Luck! ✰

Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation (monetary or otherwise) to be part of this giveaway. US-Japan Fam, My Frugal Savings,  and all other participating blogs are not responsible for shipment of the prize. If it has been more than 4 weeks and you still have not received your prize , please contact info@myfrugalsavings.com so they can follow up. Thank You.