Citrus Lane Review- January 2014

I managed to not get a main box photo of Citrus Lane for January, so this is their cute little logo. Citrus Lane is a box geared towards moms and kids, and is curated based on your child’s age and gender. For us, that means we get a box for a 21-22 month old boy this month. Citrus Lane is $25 per month and usually contains three or four items for your child, as well as a mommy item on occasion. Here are the goods:

I was excited to peek inside, and everything looked really cool, including a new Skip Hop item. Here are the details:

Skip Hop Lunchie in Zebra: ($14) We are already the proud owners of a penguin Lunchie from Skip Hop, and D uses it everyday. This will either make a nice spare or a great gift. We love Skip Hop around here. There was alos a 20% off coupon code for Skip Hop items. I think we might just use that for a backpack here pretty soon.

Peter Rabbit Organics pouch in pear and apple: ($1.50) The only pouches I buy anymore are the veggie ones because it is the only way to get something green into my child. So, when we get the fruitier ones in boxes, he gets excited. This one is gone already.

Mommy’s Bliss Kid’s upset Tummy and Nausea Relief: ($9) Ok, where was this at the holidays when our kid was such a disaster?  This will be nice to have on hand, though I hope it is a long time before we need it. Mommy’s Bliss  all-herbal products contain all-natural ingredients and are gluten free, and vegan.

Plan Toys Shape Sorter: ($15) So this thing is a pretty cool toy in that it is interactive, but still all one piece. It’s a perfect car seat toy because there are no little pieces to fall down. D played with this for a few minutes in his seat, then got frustrated until I showed him how to do it. Then he was happy to play with it for quite a while. I’m not sure how long he will be into it, but it is a cool item for now.

All told, the January Citrus Lane box had a value of around $39 for the $25 price tag. Not a crazy huge value, but I did like the items, and they will either get used or make nice gifts. You can always use the code BLOGSAVE to save 50% off of your first box. Citrus Lane is one of the first kids boxes I have tried, and it is fairly consistent in that I always like it, but it rarely knocks my socks off. This month’s box met that criteria.

Citrus Lane Review December 2013

Citrus Lane is another one that came yesterday. I will be all caught up on reviews by tomorrow with all the ones that came, but figured I could squeeze Citrus Lane in real quick. Citrus Lane is a monthly box for kids that is curated basd on age and gender. Our box is for a 20-month old boy. As I was trying to photograph this box, D went a little nuts over the contents, so I managed to miss a photo of the entire box. So, I am skipping my “here are the goods” photo and moving right on to here are the details:

Pearhead Handprint Art set: ($10?) The only ones like this I can find online are for sets of four of these for $24, so I am calling this one $10. (speaking of which, websites without a search function drive me nuts)  This comes with the canvas, paint and tray for dipping hands in. I already know who we are gifting this, to. My mother-in-law will probably really enjoy making this with D over the holidays to hang on her wall. She likes crafty stuff and she likes him, so I think it will be a hit for the little gift exchange we are doing while we are in California.

I Took The Moon for a Walk: ($7.19) This is a great little book, and while D is currently into about four books that are the only ones he will even think about reading, he always changes his selections eventually. I think this will work its way in there soon. I always like getting books in kid boxes.

Melissa and Doug Stacker: ($7.99) This was the item that D pried out of my hands whilst I was trying to get a photo, and so here is the photo I could get of it. Already missing a couple pieces and stacked on our hardwood floors (which are just old, not dirty…well, they are probably dirty, too, but mostly just very lived on in our 100 year old house) I got this same stacker in our Bluum box last month (you can find a better photo in that review), and so that one, which I managed to hide unopened will go to D’s school so all the kids can use it. He loves this, and Melissa and Doug is a favorite brand around here.

Snuggly Lotion from Episencial: ($9.00) The link is for the 8 oz, but the size that was in the box was the 3.4 oz. We love this brand, too, and extra lotion is always handy for everyone in Colorado. We slather the kid nightly with it, so it is always nice to have more good quality lotion to spare.

Um, that is it. This was not my favorite Citrus Lane box. There was no mommy item this month, and most of the items were things I had seen before in Citrus Lane boxes. I like the brands, but part of why I like boxes is to be introduced to new things that other moms might not know about yet. Last month’s box was a much better mix. All told, I calculate the value to be around $34. Not terrible, not amazing. What did you think of your Citrus Lane this month?

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Citrus Lane Review

Our beloved Citrus Lane box also appeared yesterday, and it was a really good one. Citrus Lane is a monthly box for babies and kids based on their gender and age, and it includes categories like toys, apparel, books, toiletries, mealtime accessories, and there is almost always a little gift in there for mom, too. I have always really liked Citrus Lane, and they are almost always so on target for what my son wants and needs at the right time. This box is for a 19-20 month old boy, and it was one of my favorites so far. Here are the goods:

This box had a food theme, which is perfect because we are right at the age where eating becomes a huge battle-slash-ordeal, even if the battling is just in my head and outwardly, I have to be like, “Sure, it is fine to eat only graham crackers and bananas for five straight days. No problem, little man” Here are the details:

Zoo Plate from Skip Hop: ($6) At first I thought this was a hippo, but it is actually a shark. We already have the Skip Hop lunch box in a penguin (don’t sharks eat penguins? We’ll have to keep them separate) This plate is divided into two big sections and is top-shelf dishwasher safe. We already used it, with as much dinner success as ever happens around here last night. D smiled at it and then proceeded to not eat much, but this time cheerfully.  A coupon code is included for 25% off a skiphop.com purchase of $30 or more.

Reusable Snack Bags from Bumkins: ($7) Score! We are not allowed to send plastic bags in D’s school lunch because plastic bags pose a risk to toddlers, so these are a welcome break from a bunch of little Oxo containers. They get washed in the washing machine, which is handy unless they are small enough to go where all the baby socks go.  Included is an awesome 35% off coupon code for bumkins.com purchases.

Stock Pot and Utensil Set from Green Toys: ($12?)D is going to love this! I actually put it away in his box of future Christmas gifts, which is why I didn’t take it out of the netting, but I keep wanting to give it to him early. I have to behave though, because part of the deal on my subscription box habit is that it takes care of our gift budget, too. (the link shows the pan, too, but that did not come with the set, which is why the price is estimated)  There is a 10% off coupon code included for greentoys.com.

Organicasaurus Baked Organic Corn Snack from Good Boy Organics: ($2.50?) Any organic snacks in easy-to-pack pouches are a win in my book. These will be a nice surprise snack when we are out and about one day.  (Price is estimated based on Amazon listing)

Pur-lisse Lip Comfort (not pictured) ($16) I somehow managed not to get a photo of the Purlisse lip balm, but it is a great addition and I already tried it out. It goes on really smooth and is super moisturizing. Another score! They include a 20% coupon code for shop.purlisse.com

All told, this month’s box had a great value compared to the $25 monthly price, and all of the items are right up our alley. Yay for Citrus Lane!

This post contains referral links.

And the Finalists Are…

I have rounded out my final box selections for the next three months. I have ten boxes, which puts me slightly over my $200 per month budget, but hey, I’m close, so I’m counting it. I tried to vary my boxes into a few different categories so that there are lots of fun reviews. In addition, while I keep a few subscriptions going at all times, some of these are three-month subscriptions that I will switch to try something new down the road.  So here are the finalists:

Bespoke Post
Bespoke Post is a monthly box geared towards men. I have gotten one Bespoke box so far, and am looking forward to this month’s. Let’s just say, my husband is going to love all of the awesome stuff he gets from these boxes. They are perfect for the guy who like to be a little trendy without being a full-on hipster. I mean, seriously, ironic mustaches are really not that cool around the office, you know? Bespoke Post is $45 per month and you can get 25% off your first month with the code WINGMAN. the cool thing about Bespoke is that they send an email at the first of the month every time, letting you know what boxes are available and what is in them. Then you can choose whether or not to opt out for that month. While it may take out the element of surprise, it also ensures that you never pay for anything you don’t want. Seems like a deal to me!

Bike Loot
Bike Loot is just what the name implies, a monthly box of fun new stuff to try for cyclists. My husband is a die-hard cyclist, and so this is another one just for him. He is a lucky guy. Bike Loot is $10 per month, plus $3.95 shipping.

Birchbox
I have not received a Birchbox yet, but I am excited to try another $10 box, especially one that gets such great reviews. I should get my first one in December.

Birchbox Man
ANOTHER one for my husband. Seriously, how did he score all of this gear? Birchbox Man is $20 per month and is a monthly box of sample and full-sized products for men, including accessories. I think my husband will love the socks and trying the aftershaves and moisturizers.  And I will enjoy him smelling so nice. Although, he usually smells pretty nice anyway.

Citrus Lane
This one is for little D. (I swear, I get some stuff, too) My son is 19 months old, and so far, he has loved his gear from Citrus Lane, a monthly box with snacks, toys and other fun kid stuff. They specify their picks to your child’s sex and age and the items we have gotten are pretty cool. I let D have one or two of them, and then I stow some for the holidays, too. Citrus Lane is $24.95 per month.

ipsy
I really love my ipsy envelope/box that I get each month. It is only $10, and there are always great sample and full size items in each little makeup bag, and the value always far exceeds the cost. As I mentioned last week, ipsy is how I discovered my favorite mascara EVER, It’s So Big, by Elizabeth Mott. Ipsy curates their bags based on a profile that you fill out, so not everyone gets the same things each month, but the items are catered to your skin type and other preferences.

NatureBox
NatureBox is another one that I will be getting for the first time this month. I am pretty excited about this monthly box of healthy snacks. This is something the whole family will be able to use, and it will make lunch packing and on-the-go days much easier. Nature Box Deluxe is $19.95 per month, and there are other sizes with more snack servings for those feeding a bigger group. They are always running a 50% off your first month offer which you can find on their Facebook page. The offer I used today was DAILYCANDY, which I grabbed from Retail Me Not

Pleasure Pantry
In keeping with the theme of having boxes from varying areas, I chose Pleasure Pantry to round out my ten boxes. Pleasure Pantry is an adult subscription box company that sends sex toys, lingerie and other bedroom related products to try each month. Pleasure Pantry is $29 per month, and I will get my first one in November. With a toddler running around and not much time to spice things up, I think this will be an exciting addition to my box collection, as well as to my marriage! Pleasure Pantry offers boxes for all types of couples, boy/girl, girl/girl, boy/boy, and a bridal box. This makes me even happier to support this company. Equal spicing up for everyone!

PopSugar Must Have Box
The PopSugar Must Have box was my first subscription box, and it is also my favorite. I also love their Limited Edition boxes that come out a few times a year. This is a box geared towards women with fashion, beauty, lifestyle, houseware, and food items. This box is my little slice of me-time each month, and I usually try (sometimes I can’t wait) to set it aside and wait for some alone time with some wine to crack this bad boy open. I LOVE PopSugar Must Have. The Must Have box is $39.95 per month, and the Limited Edition boxes are usually $100. They recently released a $250 splurge box where they teamed up with Neiman Marcus. It will be delivered this month, and I cannot wait.

Sparaj
The Sparaj subscription box has me totally intrigued, and I am very excited to receive my first one in December. Sparaj call themselves a “discovery service”which sounds pretty cool to me. They are a new subscription box company that focuses on natural spa-like products from a different area of the world each month. Their pre-launch box was a Thailand-themed box, and I was bummed to miss it. Thailand is one of my favorite places in the world. Sparaj is $40 per month, and they do not autorenew right now, so you must reorder each month or select a three or six month subscription

So that is the lot. I am looking forward to my new boxes and my usual boxes with gusto for the holidays. Not only does my $200…ok, closer to $250…per month cover all of my fun and shopping for the month, it also covers almost all of my holiday shopping and gifts. To me, that seems like a great deal. Can’t wait til the boxes start coming.

Oh, The Insanity

I took this photo when Mike and I were at a football game a couple weeks ago. I was peeing while I took it; I’m classy like that. It was written on the inside of the stall door at about peeing-level. It made me laugh so hard, because, honestly, this is a pretty permanent solution to a temporary problem, amirite?  It did make me look right away though, and yes, there was some TP. Phew.

Now on to more important things, most notably, how I am a slacker and have not reviewed anything yet.

I am not sure how things can seem so out-of-hand busy when I am not working AND the boy is still in school most of the time. Job hunting has been taking its toll on me, and I am still waiting to hear on one offer. (Cross your fingers.  Right now!)

I WILL start reviewing boxes here soon.  I lied on the boxes I said I was going to review last week, but I swear, I will start with November boxes and review with gusto. I’ll be looking at PopSugar, ipsy, Citrus Lane, Bespoke (maybe, if it looks like something good), and Bike Loot (my husband is going to get that one as a surprise, but not until after I open it and dissect it for review purposes). I will also purportedly be getting the PopSugar Neiman Marcus Box in November.  swoon.

The PopSugar Holiday Luxury Box goes on sale today, too, so I will have that to look forward to in December, as well as the start of Sparaj, which I am SUPER stoked about.  That box looks right up my alley.

So, yes, I guess I that this means I am more focused on the Soap Box portion of this blog until November, because, honestly, my ipsy and PopSugar boxes for October are already old news. (but I still love them!)  But until November reviews, you can just count on more babbling from me as I try to sort out what the hell I am doing with my life.

Happy Halloween to everyone tomorrow.  Mike and I dressed as the Blues Brothers and D was a policeman. We did it a couple weeks ago for Trunk or Treat at D’s school, but will probably dress up again tomorrow night for a trick-or-treating gathering at my best friend’s house. Having a kid makes these holidays so much more fun! Even when they refuse to wear their tiny police hats. 🙂

Stay warm everyone, and always make sure there is TP.

Tomorrow, a review of the Favorite Things Party I hosted at my house last weekend.  30 tipsy women bearing gifts.  It’s a must-see.

The Soap Boxes and Subscription Boxes Inaugural Post

Welcome to my new blog, where I will be reviewing subscription boxes along with discussing everyday things such as being a working mom, trying to get and stay in shape, my awesome family and friends, the occasional recipe or kitchen anecdote,  and the ridiculousness that tends to be my life on a fairly regular basis.  This week, I will be reviewing the PopSugar October 2013 Box, as well as a couple others that are headed my way, such as ipsy and Citrus Lane.

The way I approach my subscription box selections is that I allow myself $200 per month for monthly subscription boxes.  There are one or two that I almost always get, like PopSugar, because they are my favorites, and then I will switch out on some others, getting some for a couple or three months and then switching up to something new to try. If there are special edition boxes, such as the holiday box being released for sale by PopSugar and Neiman Marcus this week, (check the PopSugar site on 10/16; it will sell out quick!) I do not count those in my $200 per month budget, but I don’t always spring for the purchase either. It depends on if I’m feeling lucky.  Or rich!

About me…
I am a recently laid-off mother of a sweet 18 month old toddler boy, D, and the wife of an awesome guy, Mike, who is suspect of subscription boxes, yet approves of the abject pleasure they seem to give me, so allows the box obsession to continue. Both of these boys are the loves of my life.  I am currently in the throes of job hunting, so my life is in a bit of turmoil. I have been a professional writer for over 15 years and need this outlet to be writing about something fun whilst being out of the rat race.  But even when I get back into the rat race, I promise to regale you with my stories and reviews. And wine.  I just decided there will be wine here in some capacity. And wicked humor and posts about how I mess up at everything. (in no way related to the wine) Please join me.

Cara