Mama Likes

Review: Personalized Photo Cards - tiny*prints

2008-06-05T23:48:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for a really special invitation or announcement that can be tailored with your children's picture, then look no further than tiny*prints. I had the opportunity to review their invitations as part of the Parent Bloggers Network recently and my biggest problem was trying to figure out which invitation to choose for my son's third birthday party. There are soooo many cool looking birthday invites to choose from. I was literally on the site for 30 minutes going, "I like this one! Oh wait, no I like this one better! Or should I do this one? " I really liked them all.

They also have a great selection of birth announcements. Almost made me want to have another baby just to use their announcements. And considering that after having two children in two years, I recently vowed myself to celibacy, that is really saying something.

I also liked tiny*prints because it was very easy to use their site. Uploading pictures and trying out different cards was easy. I was even able to crop photos and adjust them easily to fit the card.

After I ordered them, they came very quickly, which is great if you're a master procrastinator like myself. For a few dollars, they'll send you a printed sample prior to ordering so you can check it out before committing to purchase.

All in all, I highly recommend them if you are looking for a personalized photo card.

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This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network.

CleanWell Hits a Homerun with Their New Handsoap

2008-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve reviewed a handful of fabulous products as part of the Parent Bloggers Network, but I have to say that that I’ve never been more excited at a review opportunity than when I was asked to try out CleanWell’s new antibacterial soap. OK, I know. Your thinking, "Hand soap? Are you serious?" Yes, I know that hand soap isn’t the most glamorous of products, but don’t run in the opposite direction yet! I have a ton of reasons why you’ll want to try it out – especially if you have little ones and you’re looking for a non-toxic, non alcohol-based alternative to the run-of-the-mill antibacterial soap on the market.

OK, so here’s the skinny on this fab product and equally fab company. First - let me tell you about the company. CleanWell was started by parents of a boy with an immune disorder who were looking for natural alternatives to toxic cleaning products. In partnership with scientists, these parents worked for eight years to develop a unique formulation of essential plant oils that kills 99.99% of germs without using any toxic or artificial chemicals.

Let me repeat that last part. CleanWell products kill germs without using any toxic or artificial chemicals. That in itself is my primary reason for loving this brand. Unlike most other anti-bacterial soaps, such as those you get at Bath and Body Works, CleanWell does not contain Triclosan or alcohol. Triclosan has been reported to form a probable human carcinogen when combined with chlorine in tap water. Yikes. That's enough to make me want to steer clear of anything with Triclosan in it. Additionally, CleanWell handsoaps are free of artificial colors, artificial fragrances and parabens. They are also certified cruelty-free and readily biodegradable.

The soaps come in three scents - Orange Vanilla, Lavender, and Ginger. My favorite was the Orange Vanilla, but they all smell nice.

From a practical standpoint, I found that using the soap with my toddler was much easier for him than other pump soaps we have tried. CleanWell's soap is a foaming handsoap, which means that the soap comes out of the pump as foam instead of liquid. This made it really easy for my two-year-old to get the soap on his hand when he pumped it out and to get a really good lather. With the liquid soaps we have, I was always afraid that he wasn't really getting his whole hand washed. Not so with the CleanWell handsoap. I can see the white foamy stuff is much easier for him to use.

Oh and a couple other things you should know. CleanWell products are easy to find because they are now selling them at Target – woo hoo! And the label on the soap is made to be easily removed so it won’t clash with your bathroom décor. Actually, the label didn’t bother me, but then again, if you saw my bathroom you would know that I’m not a stickler for making sure everything is color-coordinated.

Besides handsoap, CleanWell also sells hand-sanitizer wipes and sprays in a variety of sizes, including a really handy small size perfect for a clutch purse.

All in all, I highly recommend trying this handsoap.

This review was written for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Music You'll Want to Listen To Too!

2007-11-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

Usually when I turn on a DVD for my toddler to watch, I want to leave the room as soon as possible. The music is generally annoying enough to get me running the other way. One of the exceptions to this is when we watch That Baby DVD.

That Baby DVD and That Baby CD were created by Rob and Lisi Wolf, parents who wanted to create music that the whole family could enjoy. They carefully selected 14 songs from their favorite artists -- Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, and Joni Mitchell to name a few. Then they worked with some Portland-based musicians to record acoustic re-mixes of the songs and created a "music video" for each one.

I've watched That Baby DVD several times with my son and I can tell you that I have not gotten tired of it yet! Aside from the great music, I love how it contains positive images for children to watch as they listen. You'll see a mix of cartoons and actual images of children engaged in fun activities, such as playing in the garden or reading a bedtime story with their parents.

I was especially impressed by the songs that were chosen. I paid particular attention to the lyrics and found them to hold wonderful messages. Messages of self-acceptance ("I don't care if you're pretty at all. And I don't care if I never get tall. I like what I look like....We don't have to change at all." -- Track 4). Messages of perseverance. ("You can do anything if you try. Don't let them tell you that you don't deserve it." --Track 10). And then there was Track 11, which featured beautiful images of families spending time together. It was so touching, it practically had me in tears.

Overall, I would highly recommend That Baby DVD and That Baby CD to anyone who is looking for some new music that they will love as much as their child does! The CD contains all of the music on the DVD, plus 3 additional tracks. To see the full playlist and hear a sampling of the music, go here.

To order a copy of That Baby DVD or That Baby CD, click here. Enter coupon code "PBN" and receive 20% off!

This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network.

Printakid's Personalized Books for Children

2007-11-05T00:36:00.001-08:00

When I think about the keepsakes that I really treasure from my childhood, the two personalized children's books that my parents bought me come close to the top of my list. To this day, I still like to take a peek at them from time to time and read the fantasy stories that were written just for me.

So I was really excited to get a chance to review Printakid's personalized books for children. Unlike other personalized children's books I had purchased, this one was unique in that they actually design the main character to look just like your child.

In the words of the founder:

A few years ago I was looking for an educational gift to give my goddaughter. I wanted to find a book with a hero that looked like her, with her darker skin, beautiful long brown hair and big brown eyes (her mom is Haitian and her dad is French). I couldn't find any story that really represented her and her family. I realized that there are very few books that represent minorities or children with different names or with different family structures.

After personalizing my own book, I can tell that the founders worked hard to provide enough choices of physical characteristics that you really do get a caricature that resembles your child. And what child doesn't want to read about book with a character that not only bears his name, but also looks just like him!

The way it works is that you go online to their site and answer a set of questions that help you easily personalize the book. You enter information such as your child's name, birthdate, reading level, gender, skin tone, hair color and hair type (e.g., curly, straight, long, short), eye color and eye shape. You can even tell them whether your child wears glasses! What results is a cartoon caricature that looks amazingly similar to your child. You also get to include names of family members and friends, who become characters in the story.

I've read this book to my son over and over and he loves it. He calls it the "Tito book." (Tito is his nickname.)

There are several stories to choose from. We chose "A Fantastic Birthday," which is great as a birthday present. Now with the holidays coming up, I have my eye on the story called "A Wacky Christmas Journey." After all, you can't have too many personalized children's books in my opinion!

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To find out more more about Printakid's personalized books for children, click here. This review was written for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Wateroos

2007-07-25T21:46:00.000-07:00

I recently received a package of Wateroos to sample and review. When I heard about this product, I immediately loved the concept. Wateroos are basically a kids' drink made from purified water and natural flavors. Getting my son to drink water (instead of juice) has been a major chore lately, so I was really excited about this product.

Wateroos are packaged in what looks like a juice box but there's actually absolutely no juice in them. Nor are there any artificial ingredients, sugar or sweeteners. Wow!

One question I had for the company was what exactly do the "natural flavors" consist of. Here was their answer:

The natural flavors used in Wateroos are derived primarily from fruits. To create a natural fruit flavor, first you take the fruit and boil out everything but the crucial ingredients. What's left is a concentrated extract or what can be referred to as "natural flavoring." We then take a blend of different fruit flavorings to create our great-tasting flavored waters. If we told you the exact formula, well then we’d have to… you know the drill.

Sounds good to me. However, I have to be honest and say that, though it is a healthy product, my husband and I didn't like the taste of them - we sampled the grape flavor - and I would never drink them myself for that reason.

But my son actually really liked them and drank the whole pack in a matter of a couple days. So, overall, I'd say that while you won't see me drinking this anytime soon, I would definitely consider buying them for my kids. And I wholeheartedly back the concept of this product.

Wateroos come in several flavors, including grape, apple, and berry. You can find out where to buy them here.

The Company Store: You Have Made Me Fall in Love with Bamboo

2007-07-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

I try to be as environmentally conscious as I can. I recycle my cereal boxes. I carpool to work. I try to bring buy locally grown organic produce.

So when I was asked to try out some new eco-friendly products from The Company Store, I was definitely interested. The Company Store is a retailer of fine products for the home. They specialize in down, bedding, kids bedding, loungewear, and home decor products. And recently, they started a line of bamboo towels, sheets and blankets that are environmentally healthy.

Though I had heard of bamboo being used for flooring, I had actually never heard of bamboo being used as a fabric. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical about how a blanket made of bamboo would feel. For some reason, I thought it might be a little rough.

Well, I was wrong! I received a bamboo towel and a bamboo blanket to test out and I was immediately taken aback by how incredibly soft they were. The towel felt softer than any towel I have ever touched - no exaggeration. This towel is so soft that it feels cozy enough to be used as a baby blanket. In fact, if The Company Store were to make a bamboo baby blanket, I think they'd sell like hotcakes (hint, hint!).

But back to the towel...

I love this towel. LOVE.

I washed it before using it and it maintained its silky softness. But would it be absorbant too? The answer is YES. It was more absorbant than I had expected. I was completely satisfied with it. In fact, I love these towels so much, I am buying a few for our master bathroom.

The towels are made 70% from bamboo and 30% from cotton, and according to the website, the colored towels are created with certified low eco-impact dyes and are chlorine- and softener-free. They retail for $18.00 each and can be monogrammed. (If you are a bigger person - like my husband at 6'3" - you might opt for the larger "bath sheet" which is $36). Check them out here.

The blanket gets high marks as well. Although it was a little challenging to fully try out the blanket in 100 degree weather (heh), I can tell you that it's very soft, finely woven and lightweight. I am guessing that it would keep you comfortably warm in Fall - or even Winter under a comforter. You can see the colors and sizes here.

After testing out these products, I am excited about bamboo as a fabric! The Company Store has a few other products in their bamboo line that are looking good to me too. I am probably going to indulge and buy myself the bamboo robe! I mean, I'm not only thinking of myself here (and how wonderfully luxurious it will be to lounge around in that cashmere softness all day), I'm really mainly thinking of the environment. Really, I swear. :)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Friendship Edition

2007-07-15T15:19:00.001-07:00

If you're like me, some of the newer cartoons for kids can get on my nerves. (No offense Barney.) But the classic cartoons never get old. That's why I was happy to find out that Walt Disney has released a new "Friendship Edition" of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

This special edition DVD contains not only the first Winnie the Pooh cartoon feature (74 min.), which has been digitially restored and remastered, but also a bunch of great extras, including a sing-a-long music video of the Winnie-the-Pooh theme song, two games/activities, bonus episodes, and more. My favorite part of the DVD was the backstage interviews, which feature the history and the making of the Winnie the Pooh cartoon.

For me, this is a great DVD to have in my children's cartoon collection. I loved revisiting one of my own favorite childhood cartoons with my son. (And not having to worry about getting annoying music stuck in my head after watching it was just an added bonus!)

The DVD retails for $29.99, but can be purchased for cheaper here on Amazon.com

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Win it! Leave a comment on this post by Wednesday, July 18th, 12am PST, and I'll enter you to win a free copy of this DVD. I'll pick a winner at random from those who post a comment. Congrats to Sheri for winning the DVD!

Body, Soul, Baby

2007-07-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Early into my current (and second) pregnancy, I decided that I wanted to learn more not only about the physical aspects of pregnancy and childbirth, but also the emotional and spiritual aspects as well. So when I was offered the opportunity to review the new book Body, Soul, and Baby, I jumped at the chance.

Written by Tracy W. Gaudet, M.D., Director of the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine, this book covers preconception, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum issues. At 523 pages, it's one of the most comprehensive guides I've read.

The unique thing about this book (and the reason that I love it) is that it takes a holistic approach to discussing pregnancy and childbirth. Most of the pregnancy books I've read tend to focus soley on the physical aspects of pregnancy (how the woman's body changes, how the fetus is developing, etc.) This book does a great job in covering these issues too, but it goes further by teaching techniques for women to connect to not just their bodies, but also to their hearts, souls and babies in order to create an optimal pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum experience.

When I received this book, I was already in my third trimester so I focused on reading that part of the book first. I found that the material was quite comprehensive - from suggesting ways to stay in tune with your body in order to identify any potential problems early on (e.g., by doing kick counts and body scans) to the less conventional idea of soul checking, a process by which you do things like journal about your fears or dialogue with yourself about a symption or problem that's been nagging you. To my surprise and delight, I found Dr. Guadet's approaches to be in line with the hypnosis for childbirth program that I've been studying, and in fact, she actually highly recommends it and even includes information on the benefits of self-hypnosis during labor.

On a more traditional front, the book also provides detailed explanations about what is happening to the mother's body at each stage of pregnancy, as well as a month-by-month description of how your baby is developing.

There is so much great material in this book that it would be impossible to cover everything in this review. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book -especially to those women who are looking for a book with more information than you can glean from the Baby Center website. Dr. Gaudet definitely delivers more than the traditional pregnancy book, and for that, she can add me to her fan list.

This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network.

Ever wished you could have a pharmacist on call 24 hours a day? Well, now you can!

2007-07-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have often thought that the pharmaceutical industry and medical establishment (no matter how well-meaning) have led people to take drugs when there may be safer, natural alternatives. But I don't always trust the information I read on natural health unless it comes from a trusted source. Enter my new favorite book - The 24-Hour Pharmacist. Written by Suzy Cohen, author of the widely read syndicated column "Dear Pharmacist", this book is 356 pages of natural health secrets on a wide variety of topics, ranging from depression to heart disease.

I read through this book like a scavenger looking for buried treasure. I looked up all of my own ailments and can't wait to try out some of her ideas. For example, she has a whole chapter on overcoming fatigue - something that has often plagued me - and explains that for some people their adrenal glands get burnt out which can lead to exhaustion, mood swings, panic attacks, depression and irritability. She suggests an easy way to test yourself to see if you have adrenal burnout. All you need is a dark room, a mirror and a flashlight. For people that have adrenal burnout, she then recommends vitamins and herbs to help repair the adrenal glands.

Now, Suzy does make it a point to recommend consulting with a physcian before taking any of the treatments, herbs, vitamins, and supplements that she suggests. But she goes a step further by including a chapter with great resources on how to find your dream doctor - a doctor who is "open-minded, flexibile, sensitive to the importance of nutirtion, and willing to consider alternative techniques...". She provides a listing of organizations whose members are committed to integrating alternative and conventional medicine so that you can search for a doctor that thinks "outside the pillbox", as she says.

Finally, I love the tone of Suzy's writing. She seems young and hip and has a more humorous style than you might expect from a book on health. I mean, it's not every day that your read a health book with a section called "The American Idol Guide to Your Hormones."

Overall, the great thing about this book is that it further opened my eyes to alternatives to drugs and gave me the knowledge I need to ask my doctor informed questions about natural options for treatment of my ailments.

Oh, and on a side note, you might also be happy to know that both chocolate (with at least 70% cacoa) and sex are good for your heart. Yahoo!

This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network. If you go here you can read what others have written about this book, AND if you leave a comment on the post, you'll be entered to win a $50 CVS gift card!

Febreze Candles: They Work!

2007-06-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to review the new Febreze candle. Luckily, I received it just in time to put it to the test. Our cat had peed on the floor of Little Guy's room. Ew! Never had I needed an air freshener so badly!

So I lit the Febreze candle, opened a window and hoped for the best. After five minutes, I re-entered the room and I can honestly say that the odors had been virtually eliminated. Hallelujiah! Score one for Febreze!

I tried out the Apple & Spice Delight scent, which is very fresh-smelling. They also come in Vanilla & Refresh, Linen & Sky, Meadows & Rain, and Spring & Renewal. Unlike regular candles, Febreze candles are designed to add scent to the air while also eliminating unwanted odors. Each candle burns up to 30 hours and will retail from around $6.99-$7.99. They'll be available for sale starting in July 2007.

I would recommend this product as an air freshener. It doesn't seem to take long at all to work. Light it for a few minutes and you will notice a huge difference. Because if it can work on cat odor, it can work on anything!

Rolling Stones Biggest Bang DVD Set

2007-06-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

Since having kids, it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve attended a good rock concert. The sad thing is that even if I had the choice, I’d probably opt to hire a babysitter so that I could take a 5-hour nap and skip the concert altogether.

However, I do still enjoy good music so I was happy to review the new Rolling Stones DVD Boxed Set available at Best Buy. It retails for $29.99 (shipping is free) and you can order it here.

The 4-disc DVD set includes more than 7 hours of concert footage, featuring more than 55 songs. It also has some stuff you probably won’t see anywhere else – like never-released tracks, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and a tour documentary.

So, if you feel like going to a good concert, but don’t want to leave your house to do it, check this out. It’s a good deal if you like the Rolling Stones.

Win a $30,000 Kitchen Makeover

2007-05-31T22:42:00.000-07:00

This contest sounds worth entering!

It's the Bounty Paper Towels One Sheet Challenge. Grand prize is a $30,000 kitchen makeover, first prize is a $8,000 appliance makeover, and second prize is a year's worth of Bounty Paper Towels.

All you have to do to enter is go to the site and enter an essay of 100 words or less about using a sheet of Bounty to clean "tough messes". Then they ask you for your contact information (but they do say they won't share it with other marketing firms, which is good.)

Considering I have a dog and a toddler in my household, I shouldn't have trouble recounting a story about cleaning up tough messes! Perhaps you also have a story you could share. If so, consider entering! And good luck!

LTDchix Give-a-way Contest!

2007-05-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was contacted by Nina and Cindi, mothers and founders of the hip and hilarious clothing line LTDchix, to do a contest for my blog readers. I said 'yes' right away because a) I would love to help YOU win something and b) I like to help out mom-driven businesses.

Up for grabs are two $20 t-shirt gift certificates (plus shipping costs) from LTDchix.

About the Company
LTDchix (Living the Dream chix) was just started in 2006, but their t-shirts are already getting kudos around the blogosphere from sites including www.babble.com. If you haven't seen their t-shirts yet, they are absolutely hilarious. The designs focus on the everyday trials of being a mom, which is so often exhausting, frustrating and rewarding all at once. But the designers of these t-shirts have clearly learned to keep their sense of humor about motherhood - which I love! Just check out the pictures of the "mini-van mom" and "referee mom" to see what I mean. I think we can all relate.

About the Contest
OK, so here's how it works:

You write a post on your blog about your most frazzled, funniest “LTDchix” moment. Maybe your toddler got hold of some black ink and started fingerpainting on your white walls. Or maybe your 21-month-old son cried out "mommy! boobie!" over and over again in the dressing room at Old Navy while you were trying on clothing causing you to run out of the store in complete embarrasment.

Whatever it is, just write a post about it! There's no rule about how long the post has to be - it can be a few sentences or a few paragraphs. Please link back to Mama Likes in case your readers would like details about how to enter the contest themselves.

Then e-mail the link to your post by Tuesday, June 5th.

The bloggers who write the funniest two posts will each win a $20 gift certificate to LTDchix (shipping will also be covered.)

I will announce the awardees within the next two weeks.

If you have any questions, let me know!

Best Buy's iPod Nano and Chocolate Gift Set: Happy Mother's Day...to Me!

2007-05-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

I'm always the last one to get the newest, greatest, sure-to-make-your-life-easier techno gadget on the market. I usually think I can get along just fine without them. However, I have to say that the iPod nano is actually one of those gadgets that I'd never want to live without. Hubby bought me one for Christmas last year and I immediately fell in love. However, unfortunately for me, hubby also fell in love - with my nano - and put all of his songs on it. Yes, he basically re-gifted the nano to himself!

So when I was asked to review Best Buy's Apple iPod Nano and Chocolate Gift Set, I was like "heck yeah!" Not only was I excited about the chocolate part, but I need another mP3 player and the nano is what I planned to buy. And here's why: it's teeny, tiny and small enough to fit into my pocket. It's really easy to set up and easy to navigate. As someone who is often technologically challenged, I am proud to say that the iPod nano is as user-friendly as it gets. In just a couple days, I had my favorite songs downloaded to iTunes and I was creating playlists to load up.

The nano has also been ultra handy when it comes to listening to my hypnobirthing CDs. I can set up a playlist for each script and practice them anywhere now. (Anyone who has done the hypnobabies program will know what I'm talking about!)

One slight downside is that the nano doesn't come with a protective case, but you can get a good one for less than $20. I recommend getting one made of plastic for higher durability (rather than leather, for example). We also bought a car adaptor, which I think is totally worth the money. No more radio commercials to listen to!

So, if you're still looking for the perfect Mother's Day present for your mother or for, *ahem*, yourself, consider the Apple iPod Nano and Chocolate Gift Set - especially if you happen to be in the market for an mp3 player anyway. This gift set is only available at Best Buy (you have to go into the store to purchase it) and quantities are limited. For $214.99, you get a pink or silver 4GB Apple iPod nano (which holds 1,000 songs) and a box full of lots of scrumptious milk chocolate meltaways. If you're like me, you'll be almost as excited about the chocolates as you will be about your new iPod.

(Oh, and if you want to try to win one of these, go here or here for two great contests. But go quickly because the deadlines are coming up!)