Raising Peanuts Reviews

Review : Neela Bags

2009-06-17T11:02:00.001-04:00

I love using my reusable bags when I go shopping. I've had them around for a year or more and find them so convenient - even when garage sale-ing and going to farmers markets! But the ones I have and normally see in the grocery stores are all boring store colors with the supermarket name plastered on it. Like mine. They're blue and all say Meijer. And you know...sometimes I just don't feel like advertising for stores. And sometimes I need a bit of flavor in my life.

Enter Neela Bags.

When I first opened the package I was really unimpressed by the size of the bag. I mean, it was about as big as a lunch tote. Seriously? But as I started to check it out, I actually opened it up. Yea. There were actually FIVE bags, folded up inside it. That makes sense. Duh.

So the sent me the Market Pack, which is really cool. One smaller bag (that could totally double as a lunch tote) hold 5 grocery sized bags all rolled up and neat like.So yesterday I went out shopping at our local Natural/Bulk food store and decided to bring these along. For one, the fact that they fold up so small and have a separate carrying case was awesome. Because I go out shopping with a toddler and an infant and all their stuff plus my purse. Sometimes the extra bags just get in the way. This time I just pushed them into the diaper bag.

I was a bit concerned when I took them out of the bag to start loading groceries into them. Since they do fold up so small, they don't have that plastic bottom piece in them and I was worried it might not be sturdy enough once I got all my stuff in them. And I had stuff! Multiple 5 pound bags of stuff!

But they did a great job of holding it all together! No sagging and they were very sturdy! I think there was about 15 pounds or more in each one by the time I finished loading them.And all of this was packed in them:
And all of those bags on the table were at least 5 pounds a piece. Plus the jars and what not.

So when all was said and done, I really liked these bags. They performed much better than I expected and because they're so cute and compactable, they'll be my first choice form when I head out shopping!

And it's such a great and easy way to be a bit more environmentally thoughtful. Using and wasting those plastic bags that only hold a few items, is not only bad for the environment, but such a pain as well. I can normally put 3x more in reusable bags, than I can in plastic bags from the store. As an added benefit, I can also put these over my shoulder, which means less trips out to the car brining my groceries in!

Need some yourself? Head on over to Neela Bags and check them out. They have all sorts of super chic colors and styles to choose from. And thanks to MomFuse for setting up the review for me!

Review : Eco Touch Waterless Car Wash

2009-06-17T10:29:00.003-04:00

I'm all about having a clean car. But I'm not all about the chemical washes we use to clean them. Now, we don't frequent the actual car washes, my hubby washes our vehicles at home. So any cleaners we use get rinsed off and into our own land. But the Eco Touch Waterless Car Wash is supposed to end all the rinsing. In fact, they claim you use no water at all. I was a bit intrigued.

But when I opened the box, I was a bit worried. See, all you do is take the spray bottle and spray your car and the microfiber cloth, wipe off the dirt, and use another cloth to shine. Hmmmm.

So I tried it on my van. It's been awhile since it's been washed. And we live way out in the country. I travel dirt roads. Spray and wipe, really?

Well, it does work. But it took a long time. Cause I have real dirt on my van, not just road grime and rain spots. And the 2 cloths they sent me got dirty pretty quick. But it does work!

And my husband has since taken this from me to use on his motorcycle. Which will be actually be nice, because it does sit in the garage most of the time and he only rides it on sunny days. So it doesn't really get dirty, it gets dusty. So this spray and wipe will not only save us water (and electricity from the well pump) but we won't have to rinse off yucky cleaners that get into our lawn. And the whole bottle should last the rest of the summer for just the bike!

So if you're environmentally conscience check out Eco Touch! They sell a variety of eco friendly car supplies like dash cleaners, upholstery cleaners, and metal polishes. And thanks to MomFuse and Eco Touch for letting me give it a try!

Review : Tiny Star Couture

2009-06-17T10:06:00.003-04:00

Oh, the fun of having a girl!! I get to have sweet little girlie things in the house, like hair bows!! So I was geeked when MomFuse asked me to review a hair clippie from Tiny Star Couture.

They sent me the "Audrey".

(really impressed having her pic taken :-)

But the clip is easy to use and doesn't just fall out. It's made with a sturdy metal clip covered in ribbon (ours has velvet ribbon) so the metal doesn't show. Plus, it's super cute! The two little flowers are well put together and the detail is great. I can't wait till the little babe's hair gets long enough to really use it.

Tiny Star Couture also sells lots of other cute stuff for girls! I love their hats, they're super cute crocheted hats with either bows or flowers on them. They also have headbands and tutus as well. Such a fun girlie store!!

Review : a Kangaroobabe Ring Sling

2009-05-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

To finish up my week of babywearing I did just a couple weeks ago, (I know, a little late huh?) I figured I had to do a ring sling! And Jennifer from kangaroobabe sent me the perfect one to try out for you!!

Here's just a little ditty about Jennifer and kangaroobabe:

My name is Jennifer and I live in Northwest Arkansas with my husband Grant and our 13 month old son Elliott. I became interested in babywearing after my son was born. Like a lot of babies he wanted to be held all the time and I found it hard to do much of anything since he was always in my arms. When I was pregnant I came across an original style padded ring sling at a thrift store for only $5. I tried it out with Elliott but it was awkward and hard to adjust so I set it aside and forgot about it. I began doing some research on babywearing and the different types of carriers. I started out by making a simple wrap out of a long piece of stretchy fabric. Elliott loved it and so did I; but I found it a bit inconvenient to get all wrapped up when we went out. I went back and studied the thrift store ring sling. I decided to cut the rings out of it and proceeded to use them to make my own sling. I had so much fun doing it I haven’t stopped since! Now I sell my slings, along with a few other things like baby leg warmers, tutus, onesies and bibs with ties on them in my etsy shop, www.kangaroobabe.etsy.com.

A little bit about my slings:

My slings are made with two layers of 100% cotton. I use aluminum sling rings from SlingRings.com. These sling rings are non-toxic. They are not welded so they have no weak points and they are tested to hold up to 250 pounds. I do multiple stitching at the weight bearing seams for added strength and durability. Ring slings are great because they are fully adjustable; no sizing is necessary. They are convenient to throw over your shoulder and slide your baby in. They can be used from newborns to toddlers in several different positions. The different carries are the cradle carry or the newborn carry, tummy to tummy, front facing or kangaroo hold, hip carry, and back carry. When worn properly the fabric will spread out across your back and shoulder to distribute your child's weight.

Babywearing takes practice so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time. YouTube has tons of great videos on how to use a ring sling; that’s how I learned. Stop by my blog, www.kangaroobabe.blogspot.com, to read about the benefits of babywearing.

Now Jennifer asked me if I had a preference on fabric before she sent me one, and from looking through her etsy store, I could tell anything she sent me I would love. She uses some pretty cute stuff! And let me tell you, the blue and green paisley she sent was right up my alley! So pretty.

But the rings.

Oh those rings.

For some reason they just looked confusing to me.

So I set it down in my office for a few days before giving it a go. And Jennifer must have somehow sensed I needed help, because I got an e-mail with all sorts of links to you tube videos showing how to put it on and put baby in. After watching a couple short clips, I was ready to go!

It did take me a couple times to figure out the best way to put the baby in, but once we got it, we got it! I've used it while making dinner and of course, I've used it while out shopping. And the one thing that always struck me as being in the way (the tail that hangs down) isn't in the way at all! Plus it can be very useful to use as a nursing cover while nursing them in the sling! Cool huh?

Now, all ring slings are used in the same manner. It's fabric and rings. But let me tell you, this one is easy to use, and the quality is fabulous! This woman can sew. Seriously, I am constantly impressed by what these crafty work at home mama's can do! This definitely doesn't look like something I made, the stitching is perfect, and it feels like it could last wash after wash.(the only reason I'm holding her was because right when I went to take a photo she started bobbing her head all around and moving like crazy!)

So, if you're in the mood or looking for a ring sling, check out kangaroobabe! You won't be disappointed!

*oh - plus she has some other cute stuff in her shop too, like tutus! And I soooo hope my little girl is into tutus, cause she's gonna have one as soon as she can walk!

Review : Jellie Bellies Mei Tai

2009-05-29T10:59:00.001-04:00

Ever try a Mei Tai? I hadn't until just recently when Michelle from Jellie Babies sent me one to review. Michelle has a great little Etsy shop where she sells her handmade Mei Tais as well as little mini Mei Tais for those little ones that want to carry their dolls. (How cute is that, right? How I would love to get one of those when my little girl is a bit older!) Plus her prices are pretty awesome too.

Here's a little ditty from Michelle:
My parents named me Michelle and I became Lloyd when I married my husband nine years ago! I married an Australian and had the privileged of living in South Australia for the first 5 years of marriage. We had 2 boys there, now 7 and 5, then we moved to the states. We've lived in my hometown of Spokane, Washington for 4 1/2 years now and are surviving the winters.....barely! We have since had 2 baby girls, now 3 and 20 months.

It was after the birth of my 3rd child that I discovered the benefits of "baby wearing". She was an extremely fussy baby. I felt that my whole life was spent on the couch nursing, and I was struggling to find a way to keep her happy and get anything else done in my day (including meaningful interaction with my boys) That is when I happened upon a sling and I never looked back. I researched other carriers and eventually landed on the Mei Tai. One of the things that attracted me to it was that I could easily make one myself and thereby change the look as much as I wanted. I loved it at first for the convenience, but have come to appreciate the wonderful benefits of having your baby so close so much of the time.

It was with the birth of my last child that I started making the carriers for other people. First, as gifts, and then I started selling them to friends who had one and wanted to give them to someone else. I never imagined I'd be selling them to people I didn't know, let alone people all over the country! I named the company Jellie Babies after my daughters - Josephine and Ellie - and chose the butterfly symbol simply because of it's beauty. I work out of my basement, mostly in the evenings when the kids are in bed and my husband is working on the computer.

The Mei Tai is something I love, but I realize there are many carriers out there and people have their own favorites. That is why I get so excited when someone else shares my enthusiasm for this carrier. I try to use designer fabrics, patterns that I love or imagine someone else will really love. I make all my carriers with sturdy, breathable, cotton twill and line them with Minky or twill, depending on your preference. I triple reinforce the stitching where straps attach to the carrier, which makes it durable. I have a carrier I used for both my girls and it's still going strong. It does take a few times practicing to get it all down, but now it's fun to put my toddler on my back, secure her with the straps, and head off down the grocery aisle. I hope you like the Jellie Babies Mei Tai as much as I do!

When I first got this in the mail, I was immediately impressed by the quality of the fabric and construction. And the fact that it had lightly padded shoulder straps! I wasn't expecting that and was very pleased to see it. I also loved the fact that it's lined with super soft Minky fabric. How awesome is that?

The instructions she sent me were easy to follow, though she's right - it took me just a couple times to really get it right. Sophia seemed very comfortable in it and proceeded to fall asleep right away. Something about being carried right up against me knocks her out every time! The carrier keeps her very secure and I never once felt as if she would fall out. It's also light weight enough to where neither one of us get to hot. I do normally put her in it while sitting down though. Makes it easier for me at this point, but I'm sure one day it'll be so second nature that I could put it on in just a couple seconds standing up. I had it tied under her bum for awhile, but have since noticed that she stays put better (doesn't slouch) if I tie it at her back.

I've since used it around the house during the day and also at the grocery store. And I'm actually able to get this review because she's in it! It's been easy to put on and it's also nice that I can take it off while she's sleeping without disturbing her to much. The only downside I've noticed with this type of carrier (each type has it's own!) is that again, the straps are long and I worry about getting them dirty when I put it on out in public. :-)

All in all it's a great carrier and really good quality. So if you're looking for a Mei Tai for yourself or as a gift for someone else, check out Jellie Babies and support handmade!

*if you purchase one of these and mention "Raising Peanuts" in your order form, Michelle will refund the shipping cost back to your paypal account!!!

Review : Wrap N Wear

2009-05-28T10:57:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine got me excited about the idea of a wrap a few months ago when her little babe was born. And when Wrap 'n Wear decided to send me one to review I was pretty stoked.

Wrap 'n Wear wraps are made out of lightweight crinkle cotton that have just a touch of give to them. If you're like me, I had no idea what crinkel cotton was. When I pulled it out of the box, I finally found out! It's a really light and airy fabric. And it's crinkle-y. :-) Just cheking it over it seemed like it was of great quality and quite sturdy.

After a quick watch of the instructional DVD I tied it on. A bit to tight. So I loosened it a bit and popped baby right in. She got comfy right away and decided to take a bit of a nap!

After wearing it for a couple hours, I noticed how well she stayed where I had put her and the fact that I was still very comfortable and there was no pull on my shoulders. We were also both quite comfortable temperature wise as the fabric is so light. The wrap was very supportive and kept her secure the entire time. The extra support panel was great as well.
The DVD that came with the wrap was easy to follow and covered something like 12 different carries. Cody liked it so much he wanted to watch it again! Actually, he was really interested in being quite involved in this whole review.
All in all, this is a great wrap and I look forward to using it. Especially during some of our hot and humid days over the summer. And I'm sure I'll get my use out of it as well because it's good quality and will last as long as I need it.

Review : The Ergo

2009-05-27T10:55:00.000-04:00

I had no idea what the Ergo was before I found the world of blogging. And then I found that it was supposedly the elite of all baby carriers. And can you believe I only first saw one in person just a few short weeks ago? It was then that I decided I had to try one, and I was super pumped that the lovely folks at Ergo decided to send me one to review!

First, a bit about Ergo:
The Ergo Carrier was first developed by Karin Frost when she created a carrier for her own son in 2001 and they began marketing it in 2003. ERGObaby is a family owned and operated company located on Maui, Hawaii. Their mission is to offer parents the most thoughtful, highest quality, and most innovative babywearing products and accessories found on the market. They also continuously educate parents on the benefits of baby wearing that go beyond the convenience factor as well as share related topics they feel will improve how the next generation of babies are brought into the world.

Now supposedly, you can use just this one carrier from infant to toddler.

Supposedly.

And they say it doesn't hurt your back or shoulders at all.

So they say.

But how does it really work?

When it first came in the mail I was so exited to try it out. I had talked to a couple women who had used one and they seemed to enjoy their immensely and it got me anxious to try it myself!

Problem was, I noticed the box at the back door at the exact moment Sophia woke up to eat. So I did what I'm sure a lot of moms would. I quick opened the box and sat down to nurse while I pulled out the contents! I was able to read all of the instructions and literature that came with it while she got her lunch. :-) And as soon as she was done, I pulled it on and had Cody hop in. Why Cody and not Sophia? I didn't have the infant insert just yet.

Cody thought it was soooo cool!! He fit in there perfectly (he'll be 3 in just 2 months!) and seemed both comfortable and secure. Very secure actually. I never once felt like he could slip out. And I felt comfortable. The weight was really distributed quite evenly and it didn't seem to pull on my shoulders. I could even stand up straight even though I had 30 pounds on my back!
We even ran through the house with him in it because I wanted to see how secure and comfortable it really was. He thought it was hysterical and I was left impressed!

I also put him in this while I went garage sale-ing one day and he was in there for about a half hour. The only uncomfortable part was the fact that being only 6 weeks post partum, I am OUT OF SHAPE! I was tired, but not sore though.

I did manage to get down to one of the only stores in town that had the infant inserts last week, so I could try it out with Sophia. It did take me a couple times to get her in and situated comfortably, but now that we have it down, I can just pop her in with slight re-adjustments.

The Ergo goes on super quickly with only two clips. One on the waist and one over the chest or back depending on how you're putting baby in. (and the front carry is great for covering up the post partum belly too!) The straps are padded but are not bulky and they added a great new feature so that the height of the chest strap doesn't move when you take it off and put it back on. It also has a built in sleeping hood so keep baby's head secure if they do fall asleep, and you can use it as a sun shield or nursing cover too. It's so easy to get on and off though, that if baby does fall asleep you can take it off without waking them.

What I Liked:

How easy it was to put on and take off
How comfortable it was
The fact that yes you can use this from birth till toddlerdom
Baby/Toddler stay comfortable
The quality is fantastic and I can see why these last so long. The fabric is super sturdy and durable too!
It lives up to all it's claims.

What I didn't like so much:

With the infant insert in, it does get just a tad bulky and can make it seem like there's to much on top. Then again, the infant insert does keep baby nice and cozy.
The waist strap isn't very long. Granted I did just have a baby, but I only had a few inches at the end of the strap. They do sell an extension strap to fix that problem though if your waist is over 43" in diameter.

I honestly can't wait to get out this summer! A carrier like this opens so many doors for me now. Before I had to worry about my toddler running off, but this solves that problem! Plus I think this would be one that my husband would actually use as it's not "girly".

I think anyone who leads even a somewhat active lifestyle would love one of these!! I know the cost may seem like a lot up front, but if you think about how long you can use it, it does really make sense! Plus they have some cool attachments like a backpack and front pouch. I really can't wait to get out to the park or beach or farmers market or......anywhere really! I don't even have to bring my purse along now.

Have you tried one of these? What did you think? And did your babies like it?

Review : The Kylie Wrap

2009-05-26T10:51:00.000-04:00

I found Erin's wraps online just a few weeks ago and was super excited when she agreed to send me one to review. It's called the Kylie Wrap ana you can find them at www.thekyliewrap.com.

Just a bit from Erin

My name is Erin and I am a stay-at-home mom of 2. My daughter is about to turn 3 and my son is about to turn 1. I started making baby wraps after my son was born. I needed a way to carry him close to me while still being able to chase my toddler, go grocery shopping, run errands, clean the house, etc. It was then that I started making stylish baby wraps. My family and I live in a small mountain town. It takes 30 minutes just to get to a grocery store. We live the simple life and enjoy being outdoors. I am huge on attachment parenting. I breastfeed, co-sleep, dont let my kids cry it out, dont spank, etc. I think baby-wearing is just natural for both mom and baby and am proud to make a product that encourages that.

The Basics
The wrap is made from lightweight stretchy jersey fabric with an extra support panel in the middle.

What we thought
When I pulled it out of the mail, I had to laugh at how long it was! I know why a lot of moms are intimidated by these wraps, they look super confusing! But Erin has some super easy instructions right on her website. And even though it's the first time I'd tried a wrap, I had it on within just a minute. Putting Sophia in it was easy as well and once I had her situated, she got all comfy and fell asleep.

The first day I wore it for just a couple hours and it was comfortable the entire time. No back aches, no shoulder aches, nothing. A couple days later I brought it to church with me and had her in it for about 4 hours while I was helping take photos of all the moms and their kids on Mother's Day. If anything would have caused me to be uncomfortable, it was that morning! But no pain. At all! The only thing I had to do was tighten it just a bit after I took her out to feed her and had to put her back in.

I've also used it while making dinner, taking walks, garage sale-ing, and of course at church! Everywhere I went with it, people stopped to ask me where I got it. I even got to talk to a brand new mom at the mall who definitely needed one as she too had an active toddler boy to run after along with a brand new baby.

What I Liked:
I actually loved this wrap! It's super comfortable with the soft jersey knit and really cute with the stylish support panel. (I had the pink sparrow one) Sophia always seemed very comfortable and secure in it and fell asleep quite often. I also really liked the fact that there was nothing between the two of us, she was resting right on my chest. And although it looked difficult to "wrap", I loved how easy it actually was. I can get it on in no time now!

I also love the fact that other people can't be grabbing at Sophia all the time. The can see her face, but the rest is all covered up. And that makes for less germs all over my baby!!

One more thing that's great, it covers up the post partum belly! I;m in that great phase where maternity clothes make you look huge and still pregnant, but regular clothes show off the not so tight tummy. Wearing the baby in this wrap takes care of that for me!

As an added plus, they are all handmade by a mom, and I love to support handmade items! The quality of the fabric and the construction of the wrap itself is also fabulous! Sometimes you just don't know about handmade items, but it definitely did not look like I made it! (I am NOT a seamstress. I can fake it sometimes, but it shows!)

What I didn't like so much:
The only problem I have with it, I guess really isn't to much of an issue. But because it's so long, and the fact that I don't want to get it dirty, if I'm- let's say going to a grocery store, I have to wrap myself up before we leave cause I don't want to have to be wrapping myself up in the dirty parking lot. And because it's a stretchy fabric, it does seem to stretch just a tad after a few hours of use. (like when I use it all day long!) I usually just sit down and tighten it up a bit though. So no real biggie.

Oh yea, and I have to be a little careful what shirt I wear since it can pull down a bit in the front and when people go looking at the baby, I don't want to give them a sneaky peek of "the goods", if you know what I mean!

This wrap really has a lot of advantages and I'm really happy with it. I honestly don't know how I went without one when Cody was little! It's been such a lifesaver for me this time, not to mention a sanity saver!

Plus wherever I go, women are stopping and asking me all about it! So if you need a wrap, go check out The Kylie Wrap! You won't be disappointed!

The panels on the shoulders are great too, because if the baby falls asleep, you just pull one over her head and she stays put. (like in the pic - although she's not asleep is she?)

And a little funny: the first time I wore this to church people kept thinking I was still pregnant and asked a couple of my friends when I was due because they thought I'd already had her! When baby falls asleep, it can make you look like you're still pregnant. Those it's much less painful to carry her this way! The weight is in the same place, but she sure feels a lot lighter! Plus she's not pushing bones and bladder out of the way! :-)

Review : The Peanut Shell

2009-05-25T10:50:00.000-04:00

The Peanut Shell falls into the pouch style sling category and was the second carrier I've owned. (I didn't care for the Snugli much) I went online and bought this when Cody was about 7 months old or so. I was tired of never having my hands free when I went out and he was starting to make grocery shopping difficult as he hated sitting in the carseat in the cart, but couldn't quite sit up in it himself.

It was a lifesaver! I used the hip carry and it worked out quite well. I could finally make it through the store without any problems. For the next few months, this is how we went out anytime we were going to be outside or walking around at the mall, etc.

Now I've been using it with Sophia, and it's the first time I've been able to use the cradle carry. It worked very well for us, but I had to make sure she was situated just right or she wasn't to happy in there. And now at just over nine pounds she's a bit big for the size we have. I bought one based on the size I needed for a hip carry for a teeny kid. I think one size up would help our problem of her being squished.

What I loved:
It's easy to learn how to use and there is no learning curve. It's also small and very portable. Easy to toss in a diaper bag. It also has a nice padded edge on one side which is super nice for the hip carries as the fabric won't dig into baby's legs. The pocket on the front is super convenient for keys and some cash so you don't have to take a purse too. Plus the designs are super cute!!

What I didn't love:
After awhile my shoulder would tend to get a bit sore from the extra weight and the shoulder that had the sling on it had somewhat limited mobility as I couldn't raise my arm to high.

All in all:
I do like this sling and it still serves it's purpose as a quick carrier that is comfortable for shorter durations. (ex. the grocery store) It's also a nice one to get the baby to sleep in since I can pull it, and her, off over my head and then lay her down without waking her up.

(at 5 weeks old)

Review : Temporal Scanner

2009-05-17T10:49:00.000-04:00

****The Giveaway is now closed!***

Going through my bathroom drawer the other day, I found 4 different thermometers. And old school "wait for 3 minutes" kind, one for the ear, one for the mouth, and one for the rear. (poor babies) The last three actually had dead batteries that I never bothered to replace because I hated how they worked. It always seemed that the temp they took just wasn't right, and it varied immensely. The ear one never really worked for my little kids even though that's what it was hyped up to do well, and the mouth/underarm one took to long to use on my active baby and even worse when he turned toddler.

So when MomFuse asked me to try out the Exergen Temporal Scanner, I was pumped!

This little scanner is actually pretty nifty! As soon as I got it, I pulled it out, quick read over the instructions, called Cody over, and proceeded to do it wrong. Read instructions again. "Oh! Hold the button while moving. Duh!" Tried again. Perfect.

All you have to do is hold it in the middle of the forehead, hold the button, and swipe to the hairline. It takes all of a few seconds and you have your temp. No more holding down little ones trying to get a decent reading! This really seems to be the all around great temp taker for a household. No more trying to keep rectal thermometers separate! One device can take the whole family's temps.

I really liked how easy this was to use. And one of my lucky readers will too! Because the nice folks at Exergen are letting me give one away! How cool is that right?

To Enter:

Leave a comment and let me know why you'd like it
bonus entry - tweet about this giveaway, come back and leave another comment to let me know
bonus entry - subscribe to my RSS feed, leave me yet another comment to let me know.

The rules:
You must have a U.S. address and leave your comments before 6:00am (est) Friday. That's a whole 48 hours from now!

Also, make sure if your e-mail is not in your blogger profile, that you leave it for me. You can't win if I can't get ahold of you!

Review : Lullaby Exercises

2009-05-14T10:47:00.000-04:00

A few months back I received Lullaby Exercises from Chicks and Chickens. And it sat on my shelf waiting for baby girl to be born. And then it sat some more as I recouped after birth. But this last week I was finally feeling like I needed to move. To get my dairy-aire in gear.

You see, I don't talk about it much anymore since I don't have a lot of extra time on my hands, but I used to exercise a lot. Everyday as a matter of fact. But now - not so much. Even in the summer I'm lucky if we get out on a walk that's faster than toddler pace! So I was really interested to see what this DVD was all about.

Lullably Exercises is a very light fitness routine meant for new moms. It features easy to do movements (dancing, swaying, stretching and relaxing) that are done while holding your little baby or having them in a carrier. Seemed like a great way to move around while putting baby to sleep!! And Darci, the "chief chick" came up with the idea after her first baby was born and she started dancing around the house to get him to sleep.

But anyways, a couple days ago, I popped it in the player, put baby in the sling, and told the tot we were gonna exercise. For some reason he got all excited and started jumping around. And then was even more interested when he saw Darci come out and start talking with her little boy. (there's an intro where she explains the DVD and how it all got started. And then the exercising started. And he turned into this:
Yea. I guess he thought we were watching a movie about chickens and/or babies. So for the first 5 minutes I had to move around him! Once he finally got up and figured out what was going on, he got bored and left me for his trains. About 3 songs in, I almost left too! While the movements don't seem like much, it sure tired me out! Guess it really is a great way to start getting back in shape after a baby!

And I admit, I totally didn't do everything. But hey - she kept telling me not to! Which I was actually quite thankful for seeing as how I tend to do way more than I should to soon after birthing. I enjoyed the relaxing sleepy songs at the end immensely though. The music is beautiful and the movements are easy. The end result?
Blogger: Raising Peanuts Reviews - Create Post
The idea behind this is fabulous! It allows a mom to get some much needed exercise all the while caring for her little babe at the same time. And hopefully, it'll help me lose those last few pounds! It also comes with a CD so that you can just play the music and move and groove all by yourself.

My Review Disclaimer

2009-05-11T14:41:00.001-04:00

You may have noticed over the last few months I've been reviewing different products. Awhile back I started having companies contact me. I thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to jump into this part of blogging. I didn't want it to cheapen my blogging. I didn't want it to look like I was only writing to get free stuff. I wanted to still write something of substance.

And then I got hooked up as a reviewer with MomFuse.com. And I started to enjoy being able to try out products that I'd either always wanted to try or things that not only I was interested in, but thought you all might be too. And I decided to go ahead and give reviewing a shot.

Now let me tell you, I will never compliment a product if I don't like it. I won't ever review a product that I feels goes against my way of living. (I've turned down several skin care and cleaning companies that use toxic ingredients)

What I will do is give you my honest opinion about a product that I've received. And I promise I won't overload my blog with reviews.

So yes, I am pimping out my blog. And I think I'm okay with that for now.

Review : Carrie's Kiddie Closet

2009-05-11T14:40:00.001-04:00

Birth Announcements.

Something every new mom sends out. (or in my case, still have to send out 5 weeks later!) So, really, they're something every new mom wants to send out! It used to be that you would just head to the store and pick out one of the half dozen designs they carry. The you'd have to fill out each and every card with all your babies info.

But now, what with this thing we call the internet, there are so many more choices! Just a swagbucks search will takes you days to look through! And with baby number two here, I was excited when MomFuse asked if I'd like to review some announcements from Carrie's Kiddie Closet.

I was actually amazed at the selection she carries and ended up picking a really cute pink and brown polka dot card. They came super fast and they look so cute! And it's always fun to see your new little baby's name in print! Now I just need to get them sent out........

Carrie also sent me a few note cards that are super cute as well. And just like the announcements, the quality is quite great. She also sells all sorts of invitations and cards. Oh, and the prices won't make your pass out from shock either!

Review : Laundry Detergent

2009-05-06T14:44:00.000-04:00

Seems fitting that I post a review for an eco product today, right? (And if you didn't know, today is Earth Day!)

I was recently sent Eco-Stores plant and mineral based Front Loader Laundry Powder. And while I have been happy with both the store bought natural stuff, and the homemade stuff I have, I like that this can be found at the grocery store I shop at most. Meijer. So many times I've run out and just want to pick it up while I'm getting my groceries. Because getting in and out of stores with a toddler isn't that much fun. And now we have the baby along too! So right from the start, this gets a big thumbs up from me.

Now this laundry powder does contain some chemicals, but they have left out the nasty ones I'm most concerned with; like petrochemicals, synthetic dyes and perfumes, parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and chlorine.

Ingredients

Palm and coconut based non-ionic and anionic surfactants
Silicates and carbonates (simple mineral salts)
Citrates (from citrus)
Cellulose (plant based)
Sodium percarbonate (oxygen producing whitener)
Natural Lemon Verbena Oil

And does it work? Yup. It works quite well. I started a load of towels, then my clothes, and then Todd's work clothes. (and his work clothes get pretty nasty and greasy some days!) Each load came out cleaner than when it went in and I was pleased that the strong lemony smell didn't carry over that much after they were dried. Don't get me wrong, I love a good lemon scent! But when you sniff into the box, it seems a bit overwhelming. But it doesn't stay that way, so be rest assured people won't smell you coming before they see you!

And not only does this detergent keep some pretty crazy chemicals off our clothes (and our kids!) but the waste water from the wash is also a bit healthier for our planet!

2009-04-29T14:42:00.000-04:00

We recently had the chance to review some new kids music by MeeWee. And since I have quite the little singer/dancer I jumped at the chance.

Now MeeWee is touted as "fun, exciting, and uplifting Hip-Hop music for elementary school age children." And while my little guy isn't quite that old yet, he seemed to enjoy it quite a bit!

The music is fun, the lyrics are good, and it didn't drive me to crazy! Personally though, I wouldn't listen to this all by my lonesome, but it's great to have in the car when a certain little someone gets a bit to antsy. And lately he even asks to watch it. (yea, haven't been able to get him to figure out the difference between CD's and DVD's yet!) And much to his pleasure I usually oblige and we be-bop down the road in my awesome minivan. (you know you're a mom when......)

What I do like about this music though is that it'd different than the normal kid songs I've heard a million times over. It's also available through download at places like amazon and iTunes.

Review : Real Food for Mother and Baby

2009-04-16T14:43:00.000-04:00

I've been a fan of the eating Real Foods movement for quite awhile now. So I was super excited to be able to review Nina Planck's new book "Real Food for Mother and Baby"! It's a brand new book and a must read for any woman of birthing age!

I've read multiple real foods/whole foods/traditional foods books, but never did any of them completely focus on mom and baby. From beginning to end, this book is chock full of useful information! She talks about how diet effects fertility and ways to increase your chances of conceiving. Then goes into diet and nutrition during pregnancy and nursing, and ends with baby's first foods.

I really can't say enough good things about this book! I truly wished I had read a book like this prior to my first pregnancy. And even for all the reading and research I've done on eating a real foods diet, I learned so much from this book. This truly is the best book I've read on nutrition for mom and baby and I'm lucky to have read it. Especially now that I have a new little baby!

All in all, you have to read this book!!!

And I actually have 2 copies to give away! (Nina's people are generous aren't they?!) But right now I'm deciding how to go about doing the giveaways, cause seriously, this is one of the awesome-est I've done. :-) So I'm thinking about it (have ideas for me - send them my way) and we'll get a giveaway going next Monday for you all.

DaBib is Da Bomb! plus a giveaway

2009-03-24T13:21:00.001-04:00

We've used a lot of bibs in the 2 years since Cody was born. Some worked better than others, but this one from DaBib, I would have loved to use during those first feeding months!
This bib actually has a soft, scrunchy neck so food doesn't dribble down the chin and neck and stain the collars of all of baby's clothes. Along with that awesome feature, it also has a flip forward crumb catcher and super cute styles. Like real style. Not crazy bright kid colors or anything.

Now, I had them send me a pink one to check out since we'll be having a little girl here in a few short weeks. But I wanted to really test it our for you. So just don't tell my hubby I put a pink bib on our son!

I thought the coverage was nice, and the crumb catcher worked for those little spills, but the neck on it impressed me the most! And for only $12.99 these would make a great shower gift, or you could even add it to your own online universal wishlist!

And now to make this even cooler for you, Shea, the owner of Dabib, is going to be giving away one of these cool bibs to one of my lucky readers! You'll be able to choose one bib in the style of your choice!

To enter:

Just leave a comment here (make sure if you're e-mail isn't in your blogger profile you leave it, otherwise it'll disqualify you!)

This giveaway is open to all U.S. residents and a winner will be drawn via random.org on Friday March 27th at midnight.

**ALSO - to anyone who orders by the end of March you can enter the code MOM2009 to receive 20% off your order, and if you order 3 or more, you'll get free shipping too!!

Review: the Christian Childbirth Handbook

2009-03-18T15:26:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm on my second baby, soon to deliver, I can say that I've read a lot of books on birthing. A lot. Books that describe what happens, how it happens, when it'll happen. There are so many differing opinions on how a woman should labor. But the one thing that's been missing from them all, is how does the Bible say we should labor and birth? What are the spiritual aspects we should be focusing on?

I was lucky enough to come across the book "the Christian Childbirth Handbook" after Lindsey posted some of her favorite birthing books. What I really liked about this book is the fact that it's not only a book containing information, it includes a workbook for further reflection. It has journaling questions and ideas for spending time with God to discuss your birth. It also comes from an unbias medical/natural standpoint. While it gives ideas on how to help cope and deal with pain, it also gives the medical options as well, fully explaining the hows and whys behind it.

It's been nice to read a book written from a Scriptural standpoint and not new age theology! And this book seems to have all the bases covered as well, including topics that will help parents make wise birthing decisions, deal with the fear of labor and birthing, as well as prepare your heart with scripture.

This book has definitely been a great read!

Review: Maggie Maternity

2009-03-12T14:40:00.001-04:00

As most of you ladies who are, or have been, pregnant know, by the time you hit the 8-9 month mark, clothes just aren't as comfortable. Although, I love the whole being a stay at home mom this time around since I can wear my yoga pants all day if I want, but I still have to put up with the squeezing and pinching when going out in public. So I was super excited to be given the opportunity to review an article of clothing from Maggie Maternity!

I decided to check out the Silhouette Skirt since summer is going to be upon us soon, and for the fact that they also advertise it can be worn post partum! Nothing better than getting more use out of clothing!

Upon opening it, I noticed how soft and flexible the fabric actually was. Not at all like any of my other maternity skirts. And as simple as it is (basic a-line cut) I figure it can be dressed up or down depending on where you're going. I decided to dress it up the next day for church. And was I ever glad I did! Seriously, that skirt is so comfortable I could actually sit through service without re-adjusting every 10 minutes. And normally I can't wait to get out of my dress clothes after a few hours, but I ended up wearing this skirt all day around the house as well. (and I may have taken a nap too!)

Now, anyone who's known me for any length of time also knows I'm all about saving money and not spending frivolously, so the price tag can be a bit to swallow. But, the thing I love about Maggie Maternity is that everything is so versatile and classic. Take the skirt for example, it's not super trendy, so I can wear it a few years down the road if we happen to be blessed with another baby, and I can pair it with just about any shirt I own instead of just one or two. This is definitely a staple piece for your closet. And as an added plus, the waist band on it is versatile as well (can be worn above or below the belly - and it stays put!), so I will definitely be wearing this baby post partum!

Maggie Maternity is also offering a 10% discount to my readers (including their sale items) until May 15! Just enter the code: BL2009T

Review: Kenneth Brown Nursery Collection

2009-03-03T10:50:00.001-05:00

I was recently asked by Mom Fuse to review a new set of bedding, by L.A. designer Kenneth Brown, that is going to be offered through Babies R Us. Personally this blessing couldn't have come at a better time for us! I'm about 6-8 weeks from having our little girl and the only bedding we currently own is blue and covered in trucks and trains! (Not that she would have noticed, but to have something a bit "softer" and "pinker" is great!)

I was sent the 4 piece bedding set, and the luxury blanket to match, to the Lady Bug Paisley Collection to look over.

First off, I have to admit, I'm not huge into pink. I think it's cute and all when a little girl wears it, but I didn't want the nursery to be so bright that it hurt my eyes either. (Which is why I had painted it green when my son came along a couple years ago. I figured if/when we had a girl I'd go pink and green) And a lot of bedding I see in the stores just screams "baby girl!" because of the pinkness. I wanted something a bit more muted, something that could grow with her a bit. So when I saw the colors of the new bedding set I about jumped for joy!! It's a soft girlie pink with cream and green tones as well. And the paisley pattern is baby sweet, but yet somehow sophisticated. (as an added plus for me, the green in the fabric matches the green on my walls beautifully!!)

Being so excited to finally have some bedding for my little girl, I moved my son out of the nursery that week. (his new room had just been waiting for curtains, so I wasn't just kicking him to the curb!) So after I had him moved out, I got to work resetting the height of the crib. Which I forgot how much of a pain that was! An afternoon later.......I was finally placing the bedding in. And when Cody got to see it for the first time he ran in and exclaimed "Oh, wow!". And then of course he wanted in. It's so cute I don't blame him though! So he got to play around for a bit until it was all disheveled and I grabbed him out so I could make it look pretty again.

Now...... I need to talk quality for a moment. Because it's so important. I mean, you buy bedding to last at least a couple/few years for one child and then hope to either use it again or possibly sell it when you're done. This bedding set, compared to the set we had for my son, is leaps and bounds better in that department! The stitching is strong and the fabric is of great quality. This set is also super plush and soft! Even after the first washing it didn't go flat like my other set did. The quilt is nice and thick and my son wouldn't stop laying on it! And I can't wait to wrap up my little babe in the super soft luxury blanket. Both the blankets also have a cute little pink ladybug in one of the corners.
The bumper is also great in the aspect that it's reversible. One side has the paisley print with little ladybugs scattered throughout, and the other side has small flowers with a larger ladybug on one end to match the blankets. The one thing I did find slightly lacking in the bumper were the ties. To me they could have been just a touch longer as I had problems getting them tied around the crib rail corners. Other than that though, it's super cute!
Along with the bedding, you also receive a workbook with ideas how to design your nursery. The feature I liked most about this were the samples of recommended paint colors. It sure makes it easier to color coordinate with this in hand! Especially since I plan on sewing a few things for the baby.

All in all, I really like this bedding set! It's a great thing to put on your baby registry if you're having a shower or two! I hope our little girl finds it cozy! Otherwise, maybe I'll just sleep with the blankets!

Review: The Best Birth

2009-02-26T14:42:00.001-05:00

When pregnant with my first, we skipped the birthing classes. Kinda dumb I know, but hubby didn't want to go (silly classes!) and a friend told me how helpful the nurses were anyways. Well......I did not have such helpful nurses! In fact, they were less than helpful.

So there I was, not really knowing what to do (I'd read some books, but it just wasn't the same as someone literally showing you! Plus my husband didn't read any of them) and the hubby was at a loss as well. I went in wanting a natural birth and ended up with an epidural. I just didn't know how to get through the pain.

This time around I know it'll be different. For one, I've been through it before and I know to speak up for myself. Secondly, I just watched The Best Birth.

I had actually rented a couple birthing videos before, but they were so old school. You know..... old. Think big hair, mustaches, bright colors, and large glasses. I knew watching just a few minutes of the movies that there was no way my husband would even consider watching them. Plus they were full of odd breathing patterns, and just, well.....very 1980's. I couldn't even get myself to watch them!

This video is completely different though. It's done by Sarah McMoyler, a San Francisco labor and delivery nurse (for over 20 years), who has attended thousands of births and taught thousands more her McMoyler Method. What grabbed my attention was her saying

"couple after couple arrive in the delivery room unprepared: moms were not coping with pain, partners were clueless about how to help, and neither was able to communicate and make decisions effectively with the healthcare team."

Yup, that was us to a "T".

This video was actually made recently! Like last year! So the people in the class are people you'd see walking down the street. And the medical terms they use are the same terms your doctor now uses!

What I really liked about the video was her constant stressing that a womans body was made to give birth. Her body knows what to do, it's just her head that gets in the way! (But she also talks about medication and epidurals for those that decide to take them. In that aspect I really wish I had seen this the first time around as I did end up getting an epidural. She's very candid on what happens to the body and the baby once medication is introduced, as well as future medical intervention because of the epidural)

The video starts out by having a section on the actual anatomy of giving birth. She shows what happens, why it happens, how long it takes, etc. Then moves on to the phases of delivery; early labor, active labor and transition. During the transition segment they do show a clip of a woman, going through a natural childbirth, to which every woman in the "class" started crying.

My husband laughed at all the tears.

I quickly turned and wiped mine away!

She also gives some great coping techniques for dealing with the pain. And the fun part of the video was she had the guys doing all the "acting". Not only did this section help me out and prepare me to know what to do and how to cope, I think it also helped my husband realize what an important part of labor he was going to be. Because it's all about the support you get. Plus, I'm hoping maybe he'll remember certain techniques if I forget!

The video also includes things like what to expect during a C-section in case one is medically necessary, different medical interventions that might take place, and of course a segment on medications.

And of course the all important segment: Pushing is an Attitude. It was quite an indepth segment on how to push and the why's of pushing, and different pushing techniques. I loved the fact that she recommended using different positions during all that pushing. Since it can take awhile! But then I ended up in tears again as they did show a short clip of a baby being born and it got me all thinking about my own little babe that I'll get to see here in a matter of weeks.

All in all I'd recommend this to anyone who needs some advice on giving birth. And I really hope during this next birth of mine that I have a nurse like her! I owe a big thanks to Mom Fuse and The Best Birth for allowing me to review this video. The video itself (193 minutes long) can be purchased from the website for $34.99 or you can even watch it via webcast. (you know, in case you're due tomorrow and haven't learned anything yet!) Or if you're a reader the book can be bought as well for $12.95. But seriously....the video is great!

Moms of the Revolution

2009-02-23T07:28:00.004-05:00

Are you a mom making a healthy difference in your community? Revolution Foods and Kiwi Magazine are looking for you!

Revolution Foods and KIWI Magazine have begun their "Moms of the Revolution Campaign". They are looking for those "hometown heroes" that are making a difference in their kids communities (big or small!) through healthy eating initiatives. Five moms will be chosen to be featured in Kiwi next fall, along with a free subscription to Kiwi Magazine, and they'll also win a years worth supply of lunchbox snacks (includes some nice organic options) from Revolution foods! One of these moms will even win $3,000.00 to help fund their own "Revolution".

So if you are, or know a mom who is, an advocate for healthy school lunch options, and is doing something about it, head on over to Kiwi and start nominating them!

*Revolution Foods started out as a small business in Northern California, supplying hot, healthy meals to schools. They've now partnered with Nest and have expanded into snacks and foods for the lunchbox as well.

*and Kiwi is a magazine I think I might be interested in. They're all about "Growing Families the Natural and Organic Way."

Remi-D Hand Sanitizer

2009-02-23T07:00:00.004-05:00

Ahh....February and March. Nothing like the end of winter that brings about the cold and flu to more and more people. Because of this, I'm a big believer in hand sanitizers while we're out running errands. Although I stay away from the stuff with alcohol in it since I have a young toddler.

I was recently sent some Remi-D to try out through my connections at Mom Fuse. Personally I love the spray feature. It's easy to apply and doesn't make your hands sticky at all. There's no real lasting smell, which is also nice as some of those gel sanitizers could clear your sinuses! As an added plus my hands didn't seem to dry out at all while I used it multiple times in one day.

Remi-D is also free of Triclosan and Parabens, both of which I am a fan of keeping out of my body. Although one of the ingredients listed on it is "fragrance", which can mean many things. It's the one thing about Remi-D that I'm not a huge fan of, I'd like to know exactly what's in it, but I do think this is a much better alternative to other, more conventional, products out there. And at this point, I would much rather use this than to get sick one more time during this pregnancy (currently at 32 weeks!).

BumGenius One-Size

2009-02-06T10:26:00.002-05:00

After trying out the 3.0 AIO's and liking them, I decided to buy up a few more when I saw them go on sale. But, this time I went for the One Size dipes. If you aren't familiar with what a one size diaper is, it's basically a diaper that you can adjust so that it fits your baby from 8 pounds all the way up to 35 pounds. They have 3 sets of snaps on the front to set the size.

Personally I like these better than the 3.0's. Not only for the fact that these will fit our next baby all the way till potty training, but they seem a larger fit as well in the largest size. They also dry faster in the wash because they are stuffed diapers. Only downfall is you have to take the insert out when you wash and then stuff it back in when dry!

They fit my kid well (he's a little skinny thing) and we've had no issues with blowouts or anything. Although he is two, so those don't happen often as it is!

I haven't had any problems with these since I bought them about 6 months ago. Each dipe is only used probably twice a week which helps for wear and tear, but so far they've held up great.

BumGenius 3.0 All-In-Ones

2009-02-06T10:08:00.003-05:00

I've been using these BumGenius All-In-Ones (AIO) for about about 8 months now on my 2 yr old. I had been thinking of getting into cloth diapering for awhile but since there were so many options, I just didn't know where to start. So after a bit of research I figured I'd try out some AIO's for convenience sake, just to dip my feet in the water a bit.

What I think about these: Pros

Quite absorbant. Although we've had a few leak through at night time when he drinks to much before bed. I'd say these run along the same lines as Luvs for absorbancy.
Easy to use velcro tabs. There are no covers to mess with and no stuffing soakers, as simple to put on as a disposable!
Clean up is fairly easy, most of the time I can just shake off any mess instead of doing the whole dunk and rinse.
They're cute! What can I say, a fabric covered bum is cuter than one covered by a disposable.

What I think: Cons

The velcro can be easy for little ones to pry off themselves, especially as the diapers age.
After I stripped these, due to a bacteria that wouldn't was out and was causing a rash, the velcro got worse and now curls a bit. I need to order replacement tabs to fix this.
They take awhile to dry in the dryer. I have a front load machine and it can still take upwards of 90 minutes for them to dry.
Bulkier than disposables. Although not enough so that it looks horrible or that the child has difficulty moving in them.

The only problem I've had with these was when I switched laundry detergents to a "free and clear" instead of the Seventh Generation detergent that I normally used. This caused some buildup, smell, and rashes.

To wash these I do a cold rinse, then run a longer hot cycle with a second hot rinse. Then I dry on hot.

Overall I do like these diapers, but wish the velcro had held up a bit better.

The Kitchen Witch

2009-02-05T07:23:00.009-05:00

I have a sweet tooth. There is absolutely no denying it. I eat healthy, whole foods most of the time, but sometimes........

And the problem I have is when I do want to indulge in something sweet, the store is full of tons of different sweets - but they are all full of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogentated oils. Not something I really want to put into my body. So when MomFuse asked if I'd like to check out The Kitchen Witch, I was all for it!

While The Kitchen Witch products will never be considered a "health" food per se, it's definitely the way to go when you need a little sugar fix. Casey cooks with natural products and never with high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated vegetable oil. And you won't find any preservatives or artificial nonsense in the goods either. Best of all, they are freshly baked and mailed out right away so you receive them at their peak!

I had the opportunity to try out a couple of the whoopie pies. They didn't last more than 30 seconds after I had opened the box. And you know I love my sister, but I was a tad bummed I opened them when she was here. Because that meant I had to share since there were two! And they were absolutely fabulous! (This photo is from The Kitchen Witch's Esty shop. I devoured mine to quickly to take a photo of them) I really wanted to contact her and tell her I needed a few more in order to truly give them a review! But alas, I just enjoyed the one I had.

I was also sent a Heart Shaped Fudge Brownie which I got to enjoy after a long day with a toddler. Somehow life just seems o.k. again after downing a nice yummy brownie! And again, I kinda forgot to take a pic as I sat down to devour it. I did remember before I was finished though! See..... you can kinda tell that's the bottom of a heart! Definitely better than any brownie I've ever made.
Last, but definitely not least, were the homemade marshmallows. These were seriously my favorite! It's been so long since I've had any type of marshmallow, because I can't get past the ingredients in the store bought ones, but I was a bit hesitant at first since they were homemade. Let me tell you - these are better than any store bought el cheapo/junk marshmallow!! I cut up one each morning (to make them last that much longer!) and put it on top of my hot cocoa. Absolutely divine. My only problem with them, is that they are now gone!

I highly doubt anyone could have anything negative to say about these yummy treats. Not only do they taste great, but they look great too! And (hint, hint!) anything on her site would make a great Valentine's gift! (or birthday gift. or a "it's Friday" gift!) I truly enjoyed reviewing these!

She's also going to be offering 10% off to my readers! Once you know what you want to order, send her a message through Etsy and she'll create a custom listing just for you, showing the discount.

As an added note - she also has a website other than her Etsy store where she sells ready to bake products. You know, the ones where you buy the frozen dough and make them when you want? Yum!

Spirit Beauty Lounge

2009-01-30T13:42:00.005-05:00

I recently had the opportunity through Mom Fuse to try out some natural hair care products from Spirit Beauty Lounge. Now it may seem like cheating to start this review off by quoting their website, but I love how they phrase this and to me it's so important to buy good, natural, and ethical products!

Reading labels and memorizing an ever growing list of ingredients to avoid can be overwhelming. On top of that, you may never know whether or not even "organic" products are ethically sourced or whether or not their packaging is eco-friendly. Spirit Beauty Lounge is a place where you can shop safe, knowing we've done the research for you! All of our organic and sustainable products come from companies who have clearly defined humane, ethical, and environmental policies ensuring the care of our planet and its inhabitants!

See.....they've already done the research on everything they sell. So you can be lazy and not do it too. :-)

First of all they sent me the Ctonics Tranquility Shampoo. The website claimed it wouldn't build up in my hair and was full of great extracts and oils and chamomile and rosewood. I gave it a whiff before hopping in the shower and it smelled quite nice. I was not expecting what came next. It's brown. Yes, you heard that right - brown. I've never used brown shampoo before, the stuff I always bought was white or colored pink or some other crazy color. But brown? Did I really want to put this on my hair?

Well, I did.

Since you know, I had to do a review and all.

Guess what? I liked it! It doesn't lather up like conventional shampoos, as it doesn't have any of those yucky chemicals like sodium laurel sulfate, so I did use just a touch more than normal to kind of cover my whole head with it. The smell was great. In fact, so great it smelled like I was at a salon! The shampoo rinses clean, and my head actually felt cleaner than normal. Nothing was left in my hair at all!

They also sent me the Ctonics Elixir Milk conditioner as well. This stuff is full of vitamin E, shea butter, and green tea oil. And it came out as expected, an off white color. I slathered it on and let it set for a few minutes before rinsing, and again, my scalp and hair felt clean with no residue, but this left a softness to it as well.

So far I've used these about 5 times now and quite enjoy them. My hair even smells great throughout the day! I've wanted to try some natural hair care products for awhile now but always chickened out as I'm normally so afraid of how my hair will turn out. I've got curly hair and sometimes products just don't work. But these worked great, especially for the fact that they didn't leave anything behind!

And even better for you - they are offering readers of my blog and of Mom Fuse 15% off anything on their site. Just use the code MOMFUSE at checkout!

Honey Drop Beverages

2009-01-29T10:04:00.003-05:00

Anyone who's read my blog for any length of time knows that I'm kind of a health nut. I enjoy eating good healthy food and drinks, and for that reason I normally stick to drinking plain 'ol water. And that plain 'ol water is always in one of my stainless steel or BPA free water bottles. While I do enjoy water, sometimes I want something with just a bit more kick to it, if you know what I mean! So I was eager to try out these honey sweetened beverages from Honey Drop. They sent me all 4 flavors; Bee Alive, Bee Good, Bee Calm, and Bee Strong.

What I thought of them:
(and let me start out by saying these are flavored waters, not juices)

Bee Alive - (this drink is flavored with blood oranges and contains only water, blood orange, orange peel, and honey) Honestly, this was good, but my least favorite flavor. The flavor isn't overpowering and it's slightly sweet and while I did enjoy each sip, I just liked the other flavors better! But the website also claims that this drink is good for alleviating nausea and morning sickness. I would have loved to have it around during my first trimester for sure!
Bee Good - (contains water, apple juice and honey) I thought this one tasted great and my little guy kept asking for more! It had a nice light apple flavor to give you a little something different than water. For me, this would be the best drink after a workout to rehydrate with just a touch of sweetness!
Bee Calm - (contains water, chamomile, white tea, honey) This one was my favorite! I quite enjoyed the taste and found it very refreshing. My husband even joined in the review for this one (he heard me say Mmmm when I first sipped it!) and told me it had a nice, light taste, with a nice crisp sweetness to finish. :-) But really, I thought the same thing. Because of the tea and chamomile, I think this one had a bit more flavor to it and we both found it very enjoyable! I'd love to have a case of this in the fridge all summer long, it seems it would be even better on a hot summer day!
Bee Strong - (contains water, blueberry juice, and honey) This one was my second favorite and I rather enjoyed the light blueberry flavor! The problem I had with this one was that it was the last one I tried so I had to keep hiding it when I took a sip. My toddler found out how good these were and always wanted some if I had it out! So I had to sneak sips before he came into the kitchen!

All in all these are great alternative to pop or and even the other sweetened and flavored waters, juices, and energy drinks you find in the store. Not only do they contain only organic ingredients, but the bottles are made with BPA free plastic. So important for me! And the fact that they are made with a natural sweetener puts them over the top.

I also can't talk about how great these are without adding in some info on the actual honey they use. (from their site)

All the honey is produced without genetically modified pollen
Never heated about natural "hive" temperatures
Never subject to unnatural processing
Certified Kosher
Naturally packed with beneficial enzymes and all natural bee pollen
It is also 100% certified organic and comes from the Amazon rain forests in Brazil

If you see these in the store, pick some up! You won't be disappointed!

You also need to go check out their site! I had so much fun browsing around with all the little bees and fun music! (no the music isn't annoying. I actually let it play the whole time I typed up this review!) And a big thanks to Mom Fuse for giving me the opportunity to try out such a great tasting product!

Qlubb.com

2009-01-18T13:30:00.003-05:00

If you know me even just a little bit, you know that I like to plan things. I plan everything really. I recently came across Qlubb.com through Mom Fuse and decided to check it out.

What is it?
First of all, it's a web service that helps groups of all types organize all of their information in one place. So I opened a free account (in all of about 2 seconds) so that I could really check it out. And I have to say, it's actually pretty cool! It's almost like google calendar meets facebook.

You have a "homepage" for your group that any of your members can contribute too. On the homepage is a list of any upcoming events (no excuses for forgetting now!) and an area to leave a message. Other features include a calendar, and an area for posting photos and files.

Since I've taken a look at it, my mind keeps filling up with all the different groups I could form. :-) But this site would work great for clubs, churches, schools, and just about any group that needs just one area to gather all their information!

Party Boutique party favors

2009-01-13T14:57:00.004-05:00

So why am I checking out wedding party favors when I'm already married? Well, you see....my younger sister is getting married this August. So right now our whole family is loving the whole wedding thing! So when MomFuse asked if I'd review a wedding sampler pack from Party Boutique, I of course jumped at the chance!

Things sure have gotten a lot cuter since I've been married. Searching through Party Boutique's website I was amazed at all of the choices! And it wasn't like the stuff you'd normally see in the stores. The things they carry are truly unique. Whether it's for a themed wedding or you're just looking for something a little extra to suite your personality, you'll definitely find it here!

My sister came over to go through the box with me, and boy did we have fun! One of my favorites was the two peas in a pod salt and pepper shakers.
And my sis thought the margarita gel candles were pretty cool!
And I was also sent a few different types of glass coasters that would make a great party favor that your guests could actually use! They actually have a whole line of "practical gifts" that people would be sure to love. From little heart whisks that say "whisked away", to wine bottle stoppers, to "Love Beyond Measure" heart shaped measuring spoons.

What did impress me most was that not only did the items seem of great quality (not something that would fall apart before they leave the reception!) but everything looked like it does on the site. The bows were beautifully tied and everything was just perfect.

Party Boutique can also supply you with party favors for baby showers (you must see them, they are to adorable!) to anniversary parties and graduations. Nicole from Party Boutique is also offering my readers 10% off any purchase when they use the coupon code 3361ten.

Book: Born Again Vintage

2009-01-13T10:56:00.006-05:00

If I had all the time in the world, I like to think I'd be a wonderfully crafty person. Most of my problem is that I don't know what to look for or how to piece things together. So I normally just get frustrated and give up. But when MomFuse asked if I'd like to check out the new book, "Born Again Vintage", I thought it's be a pretty neat read.

I was right. Not only is it a gorgeous book (the photographs are stunning and it is beautifully bound!) it has some fabulous ideas in it on how to recreate a new look out of your old clothes. It's a very quick read as most of the book shows images and the how-to's to create a specific look. Don't get me wrong though, there is plenty of information in it as well, like how and where to find vintage clothes, what fabrics to use, etc.

I came away from reading this book not only with ideas for playing with some of my own clothing, but also for my new baby girl and even things I could do around the house. It's definitely an inspiring book, one that has me thinking about fabric in new ways. It has me wondering what I could do with my old clothes, or what I could look for in a thrift store.

If you are at all into sewing and making your own items without a pattern, this book is definitely for you! You will be amazed at all the ideas it will give you for upcycling old clothes!

And because the author (Bridgett Artise) is so awesome, she's going to give away a copy to one of my readers! All you need to do is comment on this post and I'll pick a winner via random.org. Deadline to enter is Saturday, January 17th at midnight. (and hey, if you want a second chance to win, just tweet about this giveaway OR post something on your blog - leave a second comment to tell me!)

This Giveaway has now ended! Congrats to Jodi from jodimichelle.com!

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-01-18 18:51:54 UTC

Zen Baby DVD

2009-01-13T10:34:00.004-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of letting my kiddo watch a lot of mindless t.v., or even some of those children's dvd's. But some days they seem to fit into our schedule a bit more when a certain someone is a tad cranky. And I'm not just talking about the toddler! (Hey, you moms know you have cranky days too!) So when I was asked by MomFuse and Zen Baby to review the Zen Baby DVD, I checked into it and thought it might be something we'd be interested in.

The DVD's feature some wonderfully relaxing music along with images of nature and young children. What impressed me most was the quality of the actual images. Some DVD's we've veiwed have been severely lacking in the photography department, but these images were beautiful to watch. As well as the fact that they remained on screen for more than a millisecond!

I was a bit worried my 2 1/2 year old (active!) boy may not be very interested in sitting and watching a slow moving video. But he surprised me. He actually sat and watched the whole thing while we discussed everything he saw. We talked about the flowers and the trees, the water and the babies. And it was actually tolerable to watch it myself. Normally the music or the images on these type of dvds give me a headache!

All in all, my little guy seemed to really like it, and I for one could also stand to watch it with him!

Boob Maternity

2009-01-06T13:32:00.004-05:00

Every pregnant woman knows how uncomfy maternity clothes can be. They sure have come a long way since our moms had to wear tents and mumus, but it was always a struggle to find the rights pants and tops that actually fit.

Enter Boob Maternity clothes.

I am head over heels, madly in love with Boob. If I had a mountain top in my back yard I would climb up it and proclaim that these are the best maternity clothes ever!! And I know you all will think I'm just blowing smoke since they sent me these to try out, but I'm telling you......I wish I would have know how great these clothes fit during my first pregnancy.

First up they sent me the B-Flex jeans to try out. I have a problem with all of my maternity pants sliding down, either revealing the dreaded plumber's crack when stooping down or letting the belly show in front. Since they sent me these, I have yet to wear anything else. Seriously. I love the way they fit! They aren't made out of that super stretchy material that makes your clothes 2 sizes bigger by the end of the day, and they stay up. My favorite part is that they actually look like real jeans! No funky panels! They zip and button and stay put on your hips. Of course the zipper and button rest below the tummy, so there is a panel sewn into the inside of them to pull up over the belly. And don't worry, the panel is super comfy, it's not your 'mamas panels'. And since it's sewn down inside the jeans, if it shows, it just looks like you're wearing a tanktop under your shirt. As an added plus, the panel over the belly has kept this preggo belly much warmer in all this cold weather! It takes place of the usual tank top I wear for added warmth.

They also sent me a super cute long sleeve white top that has a bit of asymmetry to it. The top fits like a glove and I never once had to re situate it while wearing. It also seems to me that for some reason maternity clothes manufacturers think pregnant woman want to bare "the twins" now with all the extra cleavage they have. Not so people. Not so. I love the fact that this top was amazingly comfortable, but also that I didn't have to wear a top under it to cover what the good Lord gave me! It's classy and chic clothes all the way! And I don't know how they do it, but these shirts make the belly look so adorable without adding extra volume to your sides.

I was also lucky enough to receive both a long sweater and a long sleeveless top. Again, they fit amazingly well. The quality is by far above and beyond anything else I have in my closet. Which brings me to another topic. The price.

While these clothes are more than what you find at the cheaper mall stores (you know the ones!) the quality is so superior it makes up for it. During my first pregnancy I kept buying different clothes, more clothes, because they would shrink or stretch weird in the wash. After I wore them for awhile they became uncomfortable or I got sick of readjusting them all the time. Or after a few wearings they started to fall apart and fade horribly. They were cheap - not made to last. Clothes from Boob Design on the other hand will last you through your entire nine months and on to the next pregnancy! They are well worth the extra money if you want comfortable clothes that fit.

Boob Design also has a line of nursing clothes that I can't wait to try out myself in a few months. They have this cool top panel where you can nurse without having to bare your belly or your boobs! It basically just looks like you're holding the baby. I'll be checking out their store locater for a shop where I can buy them online and getting myself a few tops!

As an added bonus, celeb moms like Angelina and Jessica Alba totally wear these clothes, so you know, next time I'm out on the town with them I'll totally fit in! :-)
(btw - if either one of them would like to pass me some hand me downs, I'm totally open for that!)

And thanks to MomFuse for giving me the opportunity to try out such awesome clothes! These are sure to top the things I love!

Boost Your Baby's Brain Power

2009-01-06T13:13:00.005-05:00

I recently had the opportunity through Mom Fuse to read over a brand new book titled "Boost Your Baby's Brain Power". This book covers multiple topics concerning your brand new baby.

Factors that influence brain growth in the womb
Fattening up the brain
Windows of opportunity
Development of language, vision, hearing, & motor skills
Red flags in your baby’s development
Uncovering your baby’s temperament

While I originally thought this may be one of those books that tries to tell you your kid can be college ready by the time they're 5, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of information in it based on real facts. This book moves throughout your baby's first year of life showing you what they are learning at each stage and how the mind is actually making different connections that will help set your child up for easier and better learning. I found the chapters on vision and hearing especially informative, but my favorite chapter was the one on temperament. Maybe it's the fact that I have another babe on the way, but it's so neat to hear how babies can be so different even inside the womb and at birth!

All in all, this is a well written, informative book for parents and caregivers! And while our children will always reach their developmental milestones at different times, reading a book like this can help you realize how to maximize your kids own potential.

Green Lemonaide

2009-01-05T13:41:00.003-05:00

A while back I decided to start living a little "greener". For three main reasons; for my health, for my pocketbook, and to help save just a little bit of our natural resources. The green products I buy must do at least one of these things, preferably more! And I love when I find companies that help with all three!

Green Lemonaide offers "toolkits", also known as eco-friendly gift baskets. They sell both a "Getting Started" Kit as well as a "Do More" kit. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity through Mom Fuse to review the "Do More kit"!

Everything in this kit is practical and usable!

Reusable Tote - A great way to bring your groceries home! This bag not only holds more than the average plastic or paper bag, but it's much easier to carry with the straps that I can swing over my shoulder. Saves all those plastic bags from the landfill where they take forever to break down.
Smart Strip Surge Protector - A great way to help save a little bit of money when your appliances are turned off. (We put ours on our t.v. system)
Sigg Water Bottle - Not only does stainless steel not leach toxins into your water, this has saved us money since we take it with us in the car and no longer have to buy a beverage while we're out.
Cotton Cloth Napkins(4) - We rarely use paper towels anymore since I switched over to using only kitchen towels for cleanup, but we still used them for our own hands at the dinner table. These have come in handy many times during messy dinners!
Mrs. Meyers Surface Scrub - A cleaning scrub that is not only better for the environment, it actually works!
Tire Pressure Gauge - Saving money on gas is always on my mind, even now that the prices are half what they were last summer. This gauge will not only help us save a few gallons of gas here and there, but it will also help us keep out tires properly inflated so as to not wear them out to soon.
Sink Aerators(2) - I tend to leave the water running when I brush my teeth. Not good, I know, but these little sink aerators will help me use less water when I do forget to turn off the water!
Fluorescent Light Bulb(2) - A great way to save on your electric bill, especially if you have a room where the lights stay on for a good part of the day.
Shower Timer - So hard for me to use, but it's been a great way to realize how long I've actually been in the shower. And this five minute timer would be great for big families who have to share a bath too!
Spike Business Bags - Cleaning up after a dog is no fun. No fun at all. Most of the time the waste goes into a plastic bag that takes centuries to break down, but these bags are made from corn and degrade in about 45 days. So no more poo filled bags in the landfill!

If you yourself are on your way to living a little bit more eco-friendly, these kits are great! And if you're not into all this eco stuff, they'd make a great gift for that "crazy, green" person in your life, or even as a bridal shower/home warming gift!

This kit is definitely something I love!

Water Journey Hand Sanitizer

2008-12-31T14:08:00.004-05:00

I'm a big believer in keeping antibacterial products out of my house. I really feel that it helps boost our immune systems when we let it actually work. That being said, I also get super grossed out with all the cold and flu germs outside my house! Having a young toddler and myself being pregnant, we're doing what we can to stay healthy this winter. Without staying cooped up in the house that is! I normally bring hand sanitizer in the diaper bag, but have always been less than impressed with how it feels and how it smells. Thanks to Mom Fuse and Water Journey , I now have a product that works well for us!

Water Journey makes a water based, foaming, hand sanitizer that still kills 99.9% of bacteria. It's also an alcohol free, water based formula that doesn't contain any fragrances, dyes, or parabens in it. What I really loved about it though, is that it's super light and doesn't leave my hands feeling all greasy or slimy. It's a light foam that you just rub into your hands until dry and then after it's dry, you don't even know it was there! No after smell, no nothing. And while it may be a bit more expensive than the brands with alcohol in them, this one little 1.69 fl oz bottle has about 150 uses in it! Plus I won't be using as much hand lotion now that my hands aren't drying out from the alcohol.

I also loved the hand sanitizer spray they sent me as well. These pen sized sprays fit perfectly into my purse, the diaper bag and I even tossed one in the car. They work great for my toddler who can't quite get the hang of the foam yet (he keeps trying to eat it!). So a little spray in the hands and some rubbing till dry work great for us! All in all, these are a definite buy in my book. You can order them right from their site or find them at some local retailers.

Definitely loving these and will buy them again!

The Ultreo Ultrasound Toothbrush

2008-12-19T11:46:00.001-05:00

I haven't owned an electric toothbrush in a very long time. So long in fact that my last one was a She-Ra Princess of Power brush and the base was her castle! We'll just say it's been awhile since I've used one. So I jumped at the chance when Mom Fuse asked me to try out the Ultre ultrasound toothbrush. Especially since it's so important to keep a clean and healthy mouth during pregnancy!

I didn't quite know what to expect when I opened up the package, but was pleasantly surprised at it's slim design and the fact that it was very comfortable to hold and quite light as well. The charger/base is also very small and doesn't take up much space on my bathroom counter at all!

This brush is also very high tech with it's sonic bristles and power tip that create the bubbles and clean away plaque, and it's ultrasound waveguide that channels ultrasound energy into the bubbles for a longer lasting clean feeling. It also has a two minute shut off timer that I found very convenient (I don't think I had been brushing long enough before!) and it even gives you little beeps each 30 seconds to switch "zones".

The first time I used it I didn't quite know what to expect. The bristles on this brush don't actually move around like other electric toothbrushes I've seen. They more or less vibrate and you then move the brush around in circles on your teeth. It was very gentle on my gums and didn't cause any tenderness at all and it's small size made it easy to reach the back teeth. It also cleaned in between my teeth much better than my old manual toothbrush. So much better in fact that flossing afterward almost seemed pointless. (Almost. My dentist would not be happy if I stopped flossing!) When the two minutes was up, the brush shut itself off and I was extremely pleased at how clean my teeth where! It felt like I had just left the dentist office.

It has taken me a little while to get used to the brush itself as the waveguide (in the middle of the brush) tends to make my teeth vibrate a bit when I don't have the brush positioned correctly. So after some trial and error, I've figured out how it needs to be held in order to clean most effectively and comfortably. After a week of using it though, I can say it works much, much better than my manual toothbrush!

Dapple Natural Cleaners

2008-12-11T14:49:00.001-05:00

A few years back I used only harsh conventional cleaners and bleach to clean my house. Using anything else, just never crossed my mind. Then a friend at work started looking into natural cleaners to help with her own health problems. My curiosity was peaked and I started researching myself.

I never thought about all the chemicals and toxins in conventional cleaners and what they might be doing to my body. And it worried me further because we were starting to think about starting a family. Having toxins in my body while growing a baby just wouldn't do! So I dumped all my normal stuff into the garbage and replaced it with the natural cleaners I could find in the store.

After our baby came along, I was even more adamant about only using natural cleaners. His little tiny system, still developing, was just to important to mess up with chemicals. So throughout the last few years I've tried quite a few different brands and products trying to find the ones I liked the best. Which is why I was so excited when Mom Fuse contacted me to review the new Dapple products!

Dapple, run by Tamar and Dana, is a company that has created cleaning products that specifically target the things our babies put in their mouths everyday. The bottles, sippy cups, and toys. I feel very comfortable using them in my house because they use only natural-based ingredients that are environmentally-safe, biodegradable, and free of parabens, SLES, and phthalates, as well as synthetic dyes or fragrances. It's great not having to worry about what toxins conventional cleaners leave behind!

The first product I got to try out was the Dapple Baby Safe Dish Liquid. The first thing I actually noticed was the super cute and modern packaging. I actually don't mind it sitting out on my counter! And the pump is very handy as well, and doesn't get gunked up at all. The day this came, I actually had a pile of dishes to do (I don't put my plastic or non stick pans in the wash so as not to leach anything out of them!) And of course, the dishes had been sitting there a day. Or so.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked! While it is formulated specifically to meet the needs of a messy baby/toddler (think bottles, sippy cups, etc.) it worked on all my pots and pans as well! And the few sippy cups I had sitting out. I will definitely be using this in the future for cleaning all of my toddlers dishes, and for my new April baby's bottles as well.

They also sent me a bottle of their new Toy Cleaner. The first thing I noticed and fell in love with was the fact that it does not have antibacterial soaps in it! Just natural cleaners and baking soda. On the way to the toys, I noticed our highchair looking a bit nasty so I tackled that first. I figured it wouldn't work out well on all the crusted on gunk, but it surprised me by taking it all off with only minimal elbow grease! After that, I cleaned off our counters and then the baby swing that I just got out of storage before cleaning up the toys. Between a kid with messy fingers and a dog that like to steal things, our toys can start looking a bit rough now and again. And this cleaner did a great job of removing everything. It was easy to use, wiped clean with no residue, and it also has a very pleasant scent to it so it doesn't stink up the room when you use it.

The toy cleaner also comes in wipes, both a full size container and travel wipes, that I think would work out great for our nursery at church. I would love it if they used these instead of Lysol wipes!

All in all, I think these are great products and if they aren't offered where you live, you can buy them in bulk right from the Dapple website.

Flora Botanicals Review

2008-12-10T14:41:00.002-05:00

I recently had a great opportunity through MomFuse and Flora Botanical s to review some handmade body products. To which I was super excited to try! See, I love all things natural and good for my body. And throughout this pregnancy my skin has been getting drier and drier. But I refuse to use conventional lotion that contains chemicals and phthalates in them! So let's just say, my skin was super excited too!

They sent me a sample size jar of the Mama Belly Love moisturizer, and in all honesty, I was hoping it was great. Cause my belly is getting itchy! And even though I didn't get any major stretch marks last time, I'd like to do what I can to help my skin stretch in a decent manner. I guess maybe I'm hoping if I love it, it will return the favor and not give me tiger strips!

The first thing I noticed about the Mama Belly Love was the new packaging. They are in the process of moving all their products over to this new amber colored jar, and it's quite pretty. I was slightly concerned with the thickness of it, but it surprised me and went on very smooth. As an added bonus, you don't need a lot at all! A little bit goes a long way. I love the way it felt and soaked in. It was definitely moisturizing. And best of all, it stopped the itching! I now can tell when I forget to put it on as the itching returns. I will definitely want to use this through the rest of my pregnancy!

They also sent me some Orange Ginger Body Whip . This stuff smells good enough to eat, and I was surprised at how whipped it is. It's light and creamy and goes on great! It does take a few minutes to kind of soak in, so I found it best to apply right after the shower when I then get ready for a few minutes before I dress. This stuff made my legs so smooth though, they felt great all day long!

We also got a jar of Boo Boo Bum Balm to try out and at first I was a bit disappointed that my little guy didn't have any redness to try it out on. But, a few days later, I got a chance to see how it worked! The application of it was quite smooth and it had a pleasant scent compared to the thick white diaper rash creams you find in the store. Plus, the extra bit left on my fingers I just rubbed into my own hands as moisturizer instead of having to find a towel to get the white stuff off. I applied a thin layer over all of the redness and by the next day, it was almost gone! I will definitely be using this over and over again. And it beats all the other 'natural' rash ointments I've tried too!

I'm also really looking forward to trying out the Post-Partum Comfrey Sitz Baths when our new little girl joins our family. And this time around, I'm going to be prepared and most likely order up some more! My first pregnancy no one bothered to mention to me that I may not be able to sit right for a month, so I didn't have anything like this in the house. Now I know better! But these bags (they come 2 in a package) have a generous amount of product in them and they smell great. Come April, I'll update you on how I thought they worked.

All in all Flora Botanicals is a great company, run by Candace, Melinda, and Mary, and I love the fact that I don't need to worry about chemicals and preservatives in the products. All of the products are made with 100% natural ingredients, many of which are organic. Plus they hand make all of the products in small batches to insure quality and freshness. And their natural products work great!

Organic Baby Lotion by Kaia House

2008-12-04T12:48:00.007-05:00

I've recently had the opportunity to test out this Organic Baby Lotion from Kaia House. (psst - it rhymes with Mya) Kaia House is a retailer of natural and organic beauty and skincare products and they are currently launching their own line of natural and organic products, including a full range of baby products.

Kaia House was started by Danna Nashaat after becoming concerned about toxins that are in conventional products. And it is her who works with the manufacturers to come up with the toxin-free recipes for all the Kaia House products. On the Kaia website, they also sell a variety of other brands that also adhere to strict toxic free guidelines and they offer tons of skin and hair care products, stuff for babies, women,men, and they even have vegan products. They offer toxic free make up as well, which is so hard to find in stores.

One thing I really liked about their website is the fact that they list all of the Un-wanted products (toxins and chemicals) that you won't find in anything they sell. Along with that they also have a page dedicated to the ingredients in any and all of their products so you can find out what they really are. Psst... they also donate a portion of their proceeds to charities that give back to our environment as well as to those less fortunate.

The Organic Baby Lotion we tested out features: 89% organic ingredients; Enriched with organic aloe, organic coconut & roman chamomille; Calming lavendar scent; Free from harsh synthetic chemicals, parabens and nut oils.

The ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Cocos nucifera Organic Coconut) Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Palm Stearic Acid, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Vitis vinifera Grapeseed) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Anthemis nobilis (Roman Chamomile)Essential Oil, French Lavender Essential Oil, Xanthan Gum (Polysaccharide Gum), Mannan, Tetrasodium Edta, Citric Acid

My mom review - This lotion works great on baby/toddler skin as well as my own. Yup, I've been stealing some for myself! With the dry air of winter moving in on us, my poor little guy has started to get itchy skin, so this product came at a great time. I've been using it about every other day or so on C.J., after his bath, and I noticed the scratching subsiding even after the first time we used it. It goes on great, no oily or pasty residue, and soaks into the skin right away. He's had no reactions to it at all like some of the conventional baby products we've tried, and I feel great using this on him with it's lack of toxins. I've also been using this on myself for my dry skin the past couple weeks and so far love the results. Being pregnant I'm very wary of what I put on my skin (your skin is your largest organ you know!), but it has been so very dry I needed to use something. With the quickness it soaks in, I can use it throughout the day if need be and it's also become my hand lotion of choice.

The Peanut review - Loves his new lowsh and doesn't let me forget to put it on him after the bath. :-) And he's fairly excited about the blocks on the label as well!

Kaia House is generously going to be offering my readers 25% off all orders through December 15th! A great way to get some Christmas gifts! (They also have free shipping on orders over $25.00 right now!) In addition, they are also going to be giving away a bottle of the Organic Baby Lotion to one lucky reader as well!

To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment here on this post!
For additional chances to win:

Go check out Kaia House and leave a separate comment with another product they offer that you would be interested in.
Tweet about this giveaway and leave a separate comment w/ your twitter name.
Blog about the giveaway and leave a separate comment with the url to your post.
Sign up for the Kaia House newsletter and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

This giveaway will end next week on Wednesday December 10th at midnight. Open to all U.S. residents.

**This Giveaway is now closed!!**
Congrats to the winner - commenter #4!

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Timestamp: 2008-12-11 12:17:47 UTC

Immaculate Baking Co. Review

2008-12-01T13:16:00.011-05:00

I recently had the great pleasure of testing out and reviewing some organic take and bake cookies from The Immaculate Baking Co.! Was I ever excited to try these! These cookies contain no high fructose corn syrup, no trans-fats, no bleached flour, and no hormones in the milk & eggs. Just real ingredients.

First a little about the company
In 1995, Scott started the company in his garage with only a couple thousand dollars, some used ovens, and one goal in mind: wholesome food celebrating the creativity of American Folk Artists. A few years went by and he upgraded to a bakery as the demand for his cookies grew. Scott is also an avid collector of folk art and all of his packaging reflects it as he includes it on all of his products, and the company even sponsors local artists and programs. What I find so interesting is that Scott is so involved with his company, and the food industry, that he is actually still the one to come up with all the new recipes!

Oh, and get this - they made the World's Largest Cooki e in 2003! (it was a massive 102ft wide!)

How the cookies worked out for us
I was sent all 5 flavors of the take and bake cookies, (Chocolate Chunk, Vanilla Sugar, Triple Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter) and started out with the Chocolate Chunk.

These cookies tasted fabulous with just the right amount of sweetness without it being overpowering. The directions were perfect for my ovens settings as they took the 14 minutes of the 10-14 recommended. After letting set on the pan for about 2 minutes, they were perfectly browned and yet still quite chewy. And my husband ate as many as I did, which is very unusual since he normally doesn't like cookies.

Next we tried the Vanilla Sugar. I hate to admit it, but we actually baked these the day after the Chocolate Chunk since we had already eaten them all! These were again fabulous, exactly how you'd think a vanilla sugar cookie should taste. But being a chocolate fan myself, these were great - but not like the chocolate chunk!

A few days later Todd decided we needed some more cookies in the house (again - unusual!) and made the peanut butter cookies. BY HIMSELF! That's right, my husband made cookies all by himself and they again turned out perfect. They tasted the best with a nice cup of milk to go along side them!

Next were the Triple Chocolate Chunk, and I have to tell you, I was in heaven!! These were my favorite by far! Super chocolaty but the sweetness wasn't overpowering, just a fabulous mix.
And last but not least, we made the oatmeal raisin cookies. Wait, let me clarify. My two year old son made the cookies.

(I get to make cookies!?)

Oh yes, my son. You can "make" the cookies! We pulled up a chair to the counter and he got to place them all out on the cookie sheet) and then I of course placed them where they needed to go). Cause you know, two year olds aren't the best at spacing! We would have had one GIANT cookie.

Trying to get in a taste before they hit the oven!

All in all - my review
These cookies were fabulous! I can't say anymore than that. They baked perfectly and tasted perfect as well. I can understand why Scott's cookies are winning awards. They are also super easy to make, just break apart and toss on a pan. And it just wouldn't be a full review if I didn't let you know they taste awesome un-baked too. :-) I know, you're not supposed to eat raw cookie dough, but I couldn't resist! I am also super excited that I saw these in the cooler section of our local health food store. While at $4.50 or so a package (MSRP is actually $3.49 - $3.99 so our store inflates a little bit. Or a lot of bit. Hmm...) they are well worth the occasional treat. Especially since I normally don't bake any sweets at all at home.

I can pronounce and understand all of the ingredients listed, and they use mostly organic (I believe 3 of them are 100% organic, the other 2 were 74% organic) ingredients, no preservatives, no trans fats, and no artificial flavorings. I even feel completely fine letting my two year old indulge just a little bit with these. You need to find these and try them!

My husbands review
Loved them. And like I said, very unusual for him since he doesn't really go for the sweet treats at all! He actually told me I should pick more up sometime.

The Peanut Review
"More! More!" is all he kept saying when he saw these. While he only got a couple of each, he enjoyed them all immensely. What a special treat for him! And he thought it was the coolest thing to make his own cookies.

The Immaculate Baking Co. website is also fun to poke around in. There are lots of different fun things to see and e-cards to send, and information on the local programs they support. They even have a whole page about Folk Art and the artists whose work they show.

Review of the Hi-Chair Bib

2008-11-24T06:00:00.002-05:00

Janice, from Poi Wear, recently sent me one of her Hi-Chair Bibs to test out. When I first got the e-mail I was a bit skeptical, I mean how awesome can a bib really be? A bib is a bib, right??

Well, I decided to check out her site and realized that these might actually be something pretty neat. Especially since my little guy has stained almost all of his pajamas in the last few months during breakfast. (What is it about pajamas that make them so stain-able?) The Hi-Chair bib actually extends down the lap and onto the legs of your little one, so that when they go about feeding themselves and drop or spill their food (which they all will!) it never hits their clothes! Genius!

By the time I received it in the mail, I was pretty excited to try it out. My other bibs just were not working. I had the small infant sized ones that ended mid stomach on a 2 year old, and I had the plastic-y ones that were a bit longer and had the pocket to catch food. (Yea, those pockets don't really catch anything and my kid hated to wear it as it was always so stiff!)

When I opened it up, I was quite impressed with the quality and the lightness of it. My son was quite impressed with the dolphins on it! I looked quite large, but once you put it on a baby/toddler, you see why it's so long. :-)

Here is our first day with the Hi-Chair bib:

Breakfast - I made the ultimate messy food, smoothies! (hey, we are testing right?)

Not one drop on his new jammies! It all landed on the bib, even when he started to play in it.

Lunch - I forgot to take any pics, but we went with sandwiches and yogurt. Yup, yogurt! I figured we'd really put it to the test! Again, not one drop on his clothes. At this point I'm pretty much sold on the concept of the bib.

Dinner - tacos. Not to messy right? Take a look at what the bib caught.
That would have been on his lap.

And meals normally end something looking like this:

My personal mom review - I loved it! I honestly wish I had something like this sooner as I actually have about 4 pairs of pajamas that are ruined as well as a couple pairs of pants. It's lightweight and easy to use whether you put it on before or after they are in the chair. The split legs worked great at not only giving extra coverage, but staying in place as well. It covers my 2 year old down to his knees.

The Peanut review - Loved the dolphins! And after putting it on him, he did not pull it off once. The neck is comfortable, and being so lightweight it never bothered him at all. Plus it was easier to eat the dropped food once the tray was pulled out. (he always snacks off his lap before getting out!)

I would completely recommend these bibs to anyone who has to feed small babies and kids!!

Is This Your Child?

2008-11-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

I've recently read the book "Is This Your Child" by Doris J. Rapp. Although the book was published in 1991, it stills holds valuable information for parents today. In a day where so many children are on medications to help solve their problems, this book offers solutions to these problems by outlining possible food and environmental allergies.

Although this book is over 600 pages, it's actually very easy to read! You don't actually have to read it cover to cover, but read only the chapters that may apply to you and your family. This book does a great job of helping parents find possible hidden allergies that may be effecting their children. She describes different symptoms from red ears and cheeks, aggression and hyper activity, to poor writing and headaches.

This book even describes pre-natal issues like hiccups and constant fetal activity. Personally, had I read this when I was pregnant, I would have been able to figure out my son can't tolerate cows milk! Children exhibit allergies so differently from adults and each child's reaction can vary from that of another child. This book does a great job of offering many ideas for possible allergies.

It also outlines some of the most allergenic foods that we never think to keep our kids away from. We know better than to feed peanut butter or nuts before year one (and to use sparingly until age 2) because we've been told by the medical field that this could cause allergies. But what about dairy? and wheat? and corn products? These three food items are the cause of so many allergies and food sensitivities in kids that often go undiagnosed.

The parts about this book I didn't really care for was the constant talk about formula in the infant section. Although, when you think about it, this book was written in the early 90's when, for some reason, parents were under the impression that it was better for their kids. Or maybe it's the fact that so many formula fed babies do have more issues because of their reactions to the formula. Maybe if we can keep more moms nursing longer, we wouldn't have so many babies with problems! (O.K, I'll get off my high horse now, I know not everyone can nurse, yadda, yadda. But still, everyone now knows breast is best)

Another issue I had with this book was the over use of the word allergy. Seems to me the new language of 'food sensitivity' would be better suited for some of the conditions she showcases.

It's definitely a must read for parents, especially if you have a child who is chronically sick, hard to handle, or if you have a family history of allergies.

*also, this book isn't just for kids. If you're an adult and think you have food sensitivities, it's still a great read!

Crazy Makers

2008-11-07T13:59:00.000-05:00

Why have the mental illness and mental disorder rates increased in recent years? Is it the food we eat, or just as important, the food we don't eat?
According to Carol Simontacchi and her book "The Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children" it does. This book not only attacks the food industry for putting chemicals and toxins into our food, but shows us as shoppers, wives, moms (and dads!) how we are starving our brains with foods that have no nutrition and chemicals that can have damaging effects.

I like the way this book is set up as it starts at the very beginning of life with a chapter for pre-natal nutrition, moving on to infant nutrition, kids, teens and finally adults. I think this book would be especially beneficial for those parents that have children who are chronically sick or unruly children doctors want to medicate, as she shows different ways that kids can have food sensitivities that doctors don't check for.

Super Natural Cooking

2008-11-06T13:58:00.000-05:00

Heidi Swanson is a blogger (101 Cookbooks) that has put all her whole foods information and recipes into one easy to read book. Her nutritional advice seems to border between conventional and totally unconventional. Her book also includes many recipes that make whole and natural foods seem fabulous! She includes some great information on how to put together a natural foods pantry, as well as chapters on different grains, natural sweeteners and how to use them. She also includes her own photography which makes for a gorgeous book.

Well written, an easy read, I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking to start eating healthier!

Nourishing Traditions

2008-11-05T13:55:00.001-05:00

If you're looking to make that next step and eat really healthy (my hubby calls it hippie healthy!), this is the book for you! "Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats" by Sally Fallon, is not only a cookbook with easy to make recipes but a powerhouse of information. A year ago, not knowing what I know now, I may not have been ready to read this book. Now, I'm trying out the recipes! I'm even making kefir, and soaking my flour and oatmeal.

Personally I find this book a must read for anyone who is in charge of purchasing and making all the food for a household. Or for someone with a chronic health issue. Sally starts this book saying,

Although heart disease and cancer were rare at the turn of the century, today these two diseases strike with increasing frequency, in spite of billions of dollars in research to combat them, and in spite of tremendous advances in diagnostic and surgical techniques. In America, one person in three dies of cancer, one in three suffers from allergies, one in ten will have ulcers and once in five is mentally ill. Continuing this grim litany, one out of five pregnancies results in miscarriage, and one quarter of a million infants are born with a birth defect each year. Other degenerative diseases - arthritis, multiple sclerosis, digestive disorders, diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, and chronic fatigue - afflict a significant majority of our citizens, sapping the life blood of our nation. Learning disabilities such as dyslexia and hyper activity afflict seven million young people. These diseases were also extremely rare only a generation or two ago.

This book has in depth information on how to properly prepare whole grains, eating Raw and cultured dairy products as well as information about fats, carbs, proteins, and vitamins and minerals.

I originally got this book on loan from the library, but have since purchased it myself!

What the Bible Says about Healthy Living

2008-11-04T13:54:00.000-05:00

After reading the Maker's Diet, I also found the book "What the bible says about Healthy Living". A lot of the chapters have the same information as the Makers Diet, but I really liked how scripturally backed the information was in this book.
I would really recommend reading these together as I feel they compliment each other well. Putting the information of the two together really makes for a solid understanding of why God set aside rules for us to not only live by, but to eat by as well.

The Maker's Diet

2008-11-04T13:53:00.002-05:00

I read the Maker's Diet a few months ago and was quite surprised at how much I learned. Jordan Rubin backs a Biblical diet (based on the Leviticus laws given to the Israelites) not only with scripture but with scientific studies as well. He also includes a 40 day cleanse that I started but did not finish. I was going to wait until I had finished the whole 40 days to give my review, but alas, life just got in the way. I guess it was kind of silly of me to try such a restrictive diet all the while running VBS and then having my husband on vacation! I would like to try a go at it again soon, I'll let you know how it works for me if I do.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone! Especially those with any type of health issues. After my months of research and reading, I highly believe that diet has a huge impact on our health. This book is all about eating the food that God gave us. Natural food. Real butter, real milk, no processed man made stuff!

The Vaccine Book

2008-11-03T13:51:00.002-05:00

After waiting what seemed like forever on the library hold list, I finally received this book written by Dr. Sears. I may actually go out and buy this one now that I've read it, as it had way to much information to digest in one read. Dr. Sears covers all the shots in the American Pediatrics recommended schedule, with each chapter devoted to one particular disease/vaccine. For each one he explains what the illness is, how dangerous it is, and how common. He also explains not only the ingredients in each vaccine, but also how it is made.

What I really liked about this book is that it's not written in an extremist point of view. He's not anti-vaccine, but then again doesn't tell you your children will die if they don't get a vaccine, like some pediatricians do. Plus it was also published last year, so the information in it is very up to date. There is also a website that has further updates at www.thevaccinebook.com Extremely interesting and a must read for parents of very young children or parents-to-be.

PaperBackSwap

2008-11-02T13:51:00.000-05:00

I don't know if I've ever mentioned the Paberback Swap here yet, but I've been trying it out recently and have to say...
I love it!

Let's see if I can explain it for you. It's basically an online book swapping site. People post their good condition, used books online and for every book of yours that you send out to another member, you get a book credit to use yourself, and in turn "order" a book from another member.

It's really a fabulous idea!

I mean how many of us have books laying around that we no longer need. Honestly, I have a whole stack of books that I read in my junior high/high school days that I'm never gonna read again. But some young girl may just love them now! And best of all, you pay nothing when you receive a book. You only pay a dollar and some change when you mail a book.

Here's what I did:

I signed up
Posted 10 books I had laying around that I wanted to get rid of
I got 2 free book credits for listing at least 10 books
I then searched the book database (over a million listed)
I found 2 books I wanted (Power of a Praying Parent & Women Leaving the Workplace)
Clicked the 'Order this book' button
Got my free used books in the mail within a week and a half

Now, I've also recently sent one of my books out to another member who requested it, so I got another free book credit to use and got my Peanut a Carl book. (a child's book about a rottweiler) I've actually been looking through more of my books to see what else I can list so I can get more books that I know I'll read.

Everyone who sign up and lists 10 books gets 2 free book credits!

(and if you click the above logo, I get referral points that lead to more book credits. I know, shameless plug! But hey, I'm kind of a book junkie and I just . can't . stop . reading.)

SoyJoy bars

2008-11-01T13:26:00.000-04:00

All I can say about these is bleah.

Honestly I'm super glad I got them for free. (coupon in the newspaper) I mean, I know they're advertised as healthy and all and they are in the health food aisle, but they are tasteless! And a weird texture. And 6 grams of fat!

I had to eat it with a cup of coffee to cover the flavor of the bar.

I think I can find something better, and healthier, to eat than these.