Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Malibu C Review

You may remember my previous review of Malibu C's Hard Water Kit and Miracle Repair.  Again, I CAN NOT TELL YOU how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE those products!!!!  I'm just about to order a HUGE bottle of the miracle repair!  My hair has never felt or looked so healthy!!!  Well, the WONDERFUL folks at Malibu C were kind enough to send me a couple of other products to review!



Tegu Magnetic Blocks Review


UPDATE:  If you like my creations, PLEASE go to the Tegu Summer Building Contest page here: http://www.tegu.com/blog/2012/06/28/summer-block-building-contest/  and vote for me!!!  I'd LOVE to win!!!  All you have to do is scroll down to the bottom of the contest page and leave a comment with my name - "The Proverbs31 Mama" and then leave my blog URL in the "website" field (http://www.theproverbs31mama.blogspot.com/).  Thanks so much!!!

Have you heard about Tegu?  They have some AWESOME building blocks!  They are made out of beautiful wood, but they are also magnetic!!!  That means you can make some REALLY cool creations with them!!!

Bare Organics Review

I've been thinking a lot lately about the products my family uses on our skin.  I have to say, I never gave it much thought until I started doing these blog reviews and researching some of the natural products I was sent for review.  But, when you think about it, most soaps, deodorants, lotions, etc. have lots of nasty ingredients in them.  And even if you aren't concerned that they are bad for your health, I can't imagine that they are gentle on your skin!

So I was very excited when the people at Bare Organics offered me a couple of products for review.  Bare Organics is a Canadian skincare company that makes products for the whole family.  The first product that they sent me was their Organic Baby Balm...

Blooming Bath Review

I remember when my little one was first born.  Those first few baths were fun and terrifying all at the same time!  I was always afraid that she would slip.  And I HATED baby baths!  I tried a few, but they were all such hard plastic!  I can't imagine that they were very comfortable for my little one!  I mean, who wants to lay on a hard piece of plastic!!!

Then I found Blooming Bath!  This product is just AMAZING!!!  Blooming Bath is designed to fit in your kitchen sink!  And the petals are made so that it will fit in pretty much any sink! 

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Papersalt Review

I love finding fun new ways to teach my little one!  Its hard to find creative new ways to instruct kids.  But Papersalt has made that job a little easier!  They have some really cute booklets that instruct kids on everything from table manners to daily living.  The awesome folks at Papersalt were kind enough to send me several of their books for review...

The first book I received was the "Me" book...

Real Kid Shades Review

Did you know that your child's eyes are at increased risk of permanent eye damage until the age of 10?  Did you know that the sun exposure your child's eyes are receiving now could lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, Pterygia, skin cancer around the eyes, and Photokeratitis (sunburn of the corneas)!  I didn't know any of those things until I began doing some research for this review!  As moms, we are SO careful to protect our babies and infants from sun damage.  We put sunscreen on them, long sleeves, sun hats - but we often completely ignore one of the body parts that is most vulnerable to sun damage - the eyes!

And its not enough to buy those cute little sunglasses that they sell in clothing stores.  Most of the time, those glasses provide no protection at all!  (And I've bought those glasses for my little one in the past.  She immediately ripped them off and nearly poked her eye out with them!)  But I've got good news for all you moms and dads out there!  There is a safe, easy, and CUTE way to protect your little one's eyes from sun damage! - Real Kids Shades!!!   I am SO impressed with this company!  They are seriously concerned with protecting little eyes!  And they've developed some of the best little sunglasses that I have EVER SEEN!!! 

The awesome folks at Real Kids Shades were kind enough to send me 3 different sizes of sunglasses to review!  The first pair we received was a set of their Xtreme Elements Shades...

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Brenda's Perfect Brittle - Second Review

You may remember my previous review of Brenda's Perfect Brittle.  As I mentioned before, this stuff is AWESOME!!!  Well, the incredible folks at Brenda's Perfect Brittle sent me another box full of brittle to review!  And this box was just as awesome as the first one!


Ozeri WeightMaster Digital Bathroom Scale Review

Hi guys!  I've got another Ozeri review that is SUPER COOL!  This time its the WeightMaster Digital Bathroom Scale! 

Ozeri Turtlemeter Review


I've got an AMAZING review for all you moms and dads today!!!  You may remember my previous review of the Ozeri Kandle.  Well, Ozeri also has and INCREDIBLE digital item for your baby's bath - the Turtlemeter!!!

Hip-Peas Product Review



While searching for some safe, healthy, haircare products for my little girl, I came across a company called Hip-Peas.  OK, so lets just say I was hooked from the minute I saw the name!  I mean, how cute is that! 

Green Babies Sunscreen Review

Sun protection is a MAJOR concern for all of us, but especially for babies and toddlers.  They need something heavy duty to protect them against all those nasty UV Rays!  But, because they're so sensitive, they also need something that won't irritate their sweet little skin. 

The Original Dish Drying Mat Review


 
I received a product for review today that its pretty awesome!  Why?  Well, its very useful and not too expensive!  In fact, it costs less than $5!!!  Its The Original Dish Drying Mat!  Now, I love my dishwasher, but I often wash my dishes by hand - at least a few of them.  But if I've got a full load, they often don't all fit into the dish strainer.  So I put a dish towel on the counter to lay the rest of the dishes on.  That doesn't usually go very well.  I mean, dish towels aren't very absorbent, so they usually end up getting soaked - and soaking my counter.

Fresh Baby Products Review

I've got a really exciting review for you guys today!  Why am I so excited about this one?  Well, because the products are not only cute, but promote healthy eating!  Awesome!  I received this lovely package from FreshBaby.com for review today!



Episencial Natural Skin Care Review and PROMO CODE

I recently discovered Episencial Skin Care when we received one of their products in our May Citrus Lane box.  I am always looking for healthy products for my little one, and Episencial Skin Care fits that bill perfectly!  :)  Episencial's entire line of skin care is safe for newborns, made with all natural ingredients, manufactured in the US, and made using solar power and recycled sustainable packaging.

Leaky Collection Jewelry Review

I love finding new pieces of jewelry!  I just love jewelry in general!  And I've found some really great new pieces, thanks to the folks at The Leaky Collection!  They jewelry is made in Kenya, from items such as fallen wood, zulugrass, and porcelain!  Best yet, these items are handcrafted by women in Kenya, so the folks at The Leaky Collection are not just making awesome jewelry, but they are helping these women support themselves and their families!  As I've mentioned before, I LOVE LOVE LOVE a company that gives back like that!!!

The awesome folks at The Leaky Collection sent me 3 pieces of jewelry to review.  The first one was this lovely Bangle Bracelet...


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Ozeri Kandle eBook Reader Light Review



I love my Kindle.  Seriously  I didn't think I would, but I do.  I use it ALL the time! And I love that, since its not backlit, its not hard on the eyes!  The one bummer is that I can't use it with the lights off (like reading in bed).  Also, when the family travels, I often want to read in the car, but if its early in the morning or later at night, I can't.  Ugh!  But the great folks at Ozeri have fixed that problem for me!  They sent me their Kandle Flex Reading Light!  (Get it, "Kandle, Kindle")  :)

I love how the light slides into the clip when not in use!

TruKid Skincare Review and PROMO CODE


As I've mentioned before, I'm always looking for healthy, safe, and natural skincare products for my little one, so I was really excited when TruKid contacted me about doing a review of their products!  All of their products are specifically for kids and are all natural and chemical-free!!!  WhooHoo!

We received 2 items for review.  The first one was this adorable Bubbly Body Wash...

Blanket My Baby Personalized Blankie Review

Have you heard about BlanketMyBaby.com?  Its an AWESOME shop that sells personalized blankets - of ALL KINDS!!! Swaddle blankets, crib blankets, stroller blankets, security blankets...  I could look around their shop all day long!  And what better gift to give a new baby or a child than a blanket with their name or monogram on it!  Think about it!  Its the PERFECT gift - whether its the first child or the fifth! - A "first child" can always use more blankets! And, quite frankly, a "fifth child" is probably gonna get so many hand-me-downs, that they will cherish an item that's "just for them!"  :)


The awesome folks at Blanket My Baby sent my little one this ADORABLE Angel Dear Pink Bunny Security Blankie to review! This blankie is SO SOFT and SO PRECIOUS!!! I just LOVE it!!!


Beneterre Cool WrapIt Review

I have another really cool lunch product to show you guys today!  This one is by Beneterre.  Benettere has lots of different food wraps.  In fact, they pretty much have something for everyone!  The wrap that I received for review is the Cool WrapIt - and its pretty stinkin' awesome! -



The Cool WrapIt isn't just a sandwich bag!  Nope!  Its a sandwich bag AND cooler IN ONE!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Citrus Lane June 2012 Box Review and 50% Off Your First Box!!!



Well, its that time again!  Yep!  You guessed it!  Its my monthly Citrus Lane  box review!  WhooHoo!!  Its always such an exiting day when our Citrus Lane box arrives!  I'm sure our poor mail lady feels like she's being stalked!  LOL! 

 

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Green Toys Review



Have you heard about Green Toys?  I just recently learned about their company (when my little one received one of their toys in her latest Citrus Lane box) and I fell madly in love!!!  So let me tell you a little bit about them.  Green Toys is a company that makes toys that are fun, safe, and environmentally friendly.  In fact, their toys are made from recycled milk jugs! 

FunBites Review



OK, another SUPER COOL product up for review today!!!  This one is called FunBites.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this little product!!!  Its so well-made and sturdy and has TONS of uses!!!  Its PERFECT for little ones who are just starting out on finger foods!  - Makes it SO easy to cut food into "bite-sized" pieces!  AND, its SUPER QUICK!  Oh!  And its BPA-free!!!  WhooHoo!!!  SO why don't I get started on the review and let you see this little baby in action!

I decided to use our FunBites on my little one's peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  First, I made the sandwich... Tadaaa...

Lil' Diner Plate Saver Review


OK moms!  I have a review today that will save you a lot of dinnertime frustration with your little one!  But, first, I'll give you an example of what I mean.  My little one has gotten into the habit of picking up her plate or bowl and "handing" it to me when she's finished eating.  That's great except that, when there's still food in the plate or bowl, she ends up turning it upside down and spilling the it all over the place. I've had to clean the floor and the table quite a few times because of this.  But not any more!  The people at Lil' Diner have invented the answer!!! -

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Citrus Lane Pampered Pregnancy Box Review and 50% Off Your First Box


OK folks!  Its that time again!  Time for another Citrus Lane box review!  But this time its not their monthly subscription box. (I hope to review June's box early next week!)  Nope!  Today's post is on one of their AWESOME stand-alone boxes - the Pampered Pregnancy Box to be exact!  Now, before the rumors start flying, no I AM NOT PREGNANT.  I am simply reviewing this awesome box.  Just wanna make that clear before the emails and Facebook posts start pouring in.  ;)

As I've mentioned before, Citrus Lane is an INCREDIBLE service for moms!  They have a monthly subscription service that sends your little one a box curated to their age (from newborn to 3 years old), full of useful items such as bibs, hats, baby bottles, sippy cups, toys, bath toys, books, etc.  Each month has a theme and the box is filled with surprises! (You can check out all of my Citrus Lane monthly box reviews HERE.)

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Baby Pinecone Children's Clothing Review



Yesterday I received an ADORABLE package it the mail!  -



It was from Baby Pinecone - a children's clothing company that makes some of the cutest and comfiest merino wool clothing for kids.  They were kind enough to send my little one a couple of items for review, and I have to say that they are SO ADORABLE!!!!

Moody Sisters Organic Skincare Review



I love finding cool shops on Etsy!  And Moody Sisters Organic Skincare is SUPER COOL!!!  First of all, I LOVE their logo!  Um, cute cat - adorable!!!  :)  The nice folks at Moody Sisters were kind enough to send me one of their Clean Citrus Lip Balms to review.



Malibu C Hard Water Wellness Haircare Kit Review



I was recently offered the opportunity to review a few products from Malibu C.  When they contacted me, the first things they asked were: 1.) What was my hair like? and 2.) Where do I live?  Now, they needed my address to send me the products, so I really didn’t give that second question much thought.  Then, the next day, I received an email stating that they had done some research on the town that I live in and discovered that it has a hard water problem.  I was blown away!  Seriously!  They took the time to investigate and make sure that I received the products that were right for me!  How cool is that!!!  So they sent me their Hard Water Wellness Kit (which includes shampoo, conditioner, and hard water natural wellness treatment) and several packages of their Miracle Repair.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

My Fairytale Books Personalized Children's Book Review & PROMO CODE

Have you heard of MyFairytaleBooks.com?  They sell personalized children's books, CDs, DVDs and other gift items.  What an AWESOME idea!!!  The folks at My Fairytale Books were kind enough to send my little one a personalized book to review!

For this review, I picked their "Let Us Thank God" book...


The information requested for personalization was pretty extensive.  That was AWESOME, because it meant the book would REALLY be personal - not just my little one's name.  For this book, they requested my little one's name, the names of 3 friends/relatives, her age, pet's name, hometown, state, and who the book is from.  Then I got to put a dedication of up to 75 letters in it!  How cool is that!!!

Cool Gear Review

Cool Gear is a company that has, well, some REALLY COOL GEAR!!!  The awesome folks at Cool gear sent me a couple of products to review, and they are REALLY NIFTY!!!



The first item I received was the 20oz Chiller with Freezer Gel...


PRK Products Baby Food and Drink Organizers Review

When my little one was first born, I needed all the help I could get with organizing!  When you come home from the hospital with a baby, you also begin accumulating LOTS OF STUFF!!!  Now, granted, its stuff that you need - bottles, baby food jars, spoons, sippies, etc, but it still takes over your home!  Thankfully, the folks at PRK Products Inc. have helped solve that problem!

The wonderful folks at PRK sent me both of their products to review, and I have to say, I LOVE THEM BOTH!

The first product I received was the Universal Baby Food Jar Organizer...

EasyLunchboxes Review

All right moms!  Are you sending your little ones off to school with bag lunches?  Does your husband take his lunch to work?  Do you?  Well then, you could ALL use the EasyLunchboxes system!!!  :)


The EasyLunchboxes set is PERFECT for adults OR children!  The containers are Lead, Vinyl, PVC, Phthalate, and Bisphenol A (BPA) free, so they are safer for your loved ones! The bento-style containers also incourage healthy eating! And the tops are easy to open - so kids can use them!  They are also dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe!  WooHoo!


Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Cup Review

You may remember that I did a Tommee Tippee review about a week ago.  Well, I LOVED the products that we received!  SO well made!  SO cute!  And, best of all - reasonably priced!  Yahoo!!! Well, the AWESOME folks at Tommee Tippee were kind enough to send my little one a package of their Explora Truly Sprill Proof Drink Cups to review this week!


I have to say, I was skeptical.  I mean, I've tried LOTS of different sippy cups with my little one and she ALWAYS finds a way to "spill" from them.  Her favorite method - taking those sippy cups with the silicon spouts, turning them upside down, and beating them on the table so that water or milk comes out all over the place.  Then she plays in the mess.  (I have quite the little artist!)  ;)

Slap Watch Review

Have you heard of SLAP Watches?  If not, you're just not cool!  Just kidding!  But seriously, when I received these watches in the mail, I was immediately transported back to my childhood!  Remember slap bracelets?  They looked like sticks and you slap them on your wrist.  They were all the rage when I was younger.  Well, the folks at Big Time Brands took that idea and developed it into a watch!




The good folks at Big Time Brands were kind enough to send me 4 different watches to review! -

The first watch I received was the Hello Yellow Slap Watch...


I chose this one because I wanted to try something different.  And this watch is DEFINITELY different!  Wanna make a statement?  Get a bold watch like this one!  This one is very sporty!  LOVE it!  :)


SayHelloDiamonds Pantina Earrings Review and PROMO CODE

Every girl loves jewelry, right?  I know I do!  But sometimes you want the look without the huge pricetag.  That's what SayHelloDiamonds thinks too!!!  Their motto is "the look of real, the price of faux."

The awesome folks at SayHelloDiamonds sent me a lovely set of Pantina Earrings to review...


These earrings are their best sellers and I can see why!  They are VERY PRETTY!!!!  The earrings are approximately 2 carats each and are set in sterling silver.  They are very brilliant!  Seriously, they just sparkle!!!  And I love that they are not tiny!  Each earring is 2 carats, so they are substantial earrings, but not so big as to be "gaudy."

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Babbabox Subscription - May 2012 Box Review and $10 OFF

I LOVE doing crafts and projects with my little one!  I am always online looking for new projects to do with her.  The problem is, everytime I find a new craft, I have to buy lots and lots of supplies.  For example, if I want to do one of those pom-pom caterpillars, I have to buy a bag of clothes pins, a bag of pom pom balls, a bag of little plastic eyes, a bag of pipe cleaners, etc.  That can get pretty pricy.  And then, if we don't really enjoy the craft or it doesn't go well, I'm stuck with all of those extra supplies.  Ugh!


Not anymore!  Jessica Kim, the inventor of Babbabox, has fixed that little problem for me!  She's also saved me hours of online research on fun crafts and learning projects!  How?  Well, Babbabox is a subscription service ($29.99 per month) that sends a box of WONDERFUL craft projects and other fun items to your door EVERY MONTH! (For children 3 to 6 years old.) That's right!  All I have to do is wait - rather impatiently ;) - for our box to arrive!

So what's in a Babbabox?  I'm so glad you asked!  Every Babbabox contains 4 components: Create, Explore, Story Tell, and Connect.  The Create portion contains 2 to 3 craft projects that you can do with your child!  And the best part is - they include EVERYTHING!!!  If the project requires crayons, you get crayons.  The Explore portion is an item to help your child engage with nature and the world around them.  The Story Tell portion is a book that has to do with the theme of that box.  Yes - EVERY MONTH your child gets a new book!  And lastly, the Connect portion is a prepaid download for your iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, etc.  Its a fun game or other item for your child!  How cool!!!

So, why don't we discuss May's theme was "Sprouting Seeds" - a wonderful theme for this time of year!  I love how the Babbabox isn't just about "crafting."  Its about "learning!"

Our package arrive at the door packed in this ADORABLE box...

How cute is this!!!

"Dumb and Dumber Build a Cow"

My little one and I finished the book of Exodus this morning (on our "journey through the Bible")!  We were very excited!  With 40 chapters - reading approximately one chapter per day - it took us more than a month!  But what a blessing!  We both learned SOOOO many things!!! 

One passage that really stuck out to me was Exodus 32: 1-10.  You may remember it as the story of the golden calf.  If you aren't familiar, let me "nut-shell" it for you. - Moses was up on the mountain receiving the law from God Himself.  He'd been up there for more than a month and while he was gone, his brother Aaron was in charge of the people.  But the people began to worry - as they were prone to do - that Moses had been gone too long.  They began to wonder if something had happened to him.  And they began to doubt God.  So they came to Aaron and told him to make them "gods who will go before us."  (Here's your "Dumb.")

Now remember that the Israelites had been living in Egypt for quite some time, so the idea of "just one God" was a little new to them.  The Egyptians worshipped many gods.  So Aaron came up with a "brilliant" plan (note the sarcasm).  He would combine their worship of the One True God with the pagan images that they were used to. He told the people to bring him all their gold and he fashioned it into a golden calf and said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."  Then he made an altar to the calf and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord." 

What an interesting couple of statements!  First he gives the credit for getting the Israelites out of Egypt to this idol that he fashioned.  Are you kidding me???!!!???  Aaron knew VERY WELL Who was responsible for their escape from Egypt!  And then, in an attempt to "marry" their knowledge of the true God with the pagan worship they were familiar with, he built an altar to the calf and proclaimed, "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord."  (Lord in this verse is the Hebrew word Yahweh - the proper name for the One True God.)  I guess Aaron figured he was being smart by making a false idol but saying he was worshipping the Real God.  (Here's your "Dumber!")

Monday, June 11, 2012

McNaughton Inc Products Review

McNaughton Inc is an environmentally-minded product developer and manufacturer of clever, useful, original products that help make life easier, better and safer.  They have a HUGE range of products to choose from!

The awesome folks at McIncShop were kind enough to send me several items for review...

The first item I received was the Dash Mat Pro (Dashboard Phone and GPS Holder)...
Yes. My iPod screen need a good cleaning.  ;)
Its compatible with most handheld GPS devices, iPods, Cell Phones, Satellite Radios and PDAs.  Its small and portable, so you can move it from car to car or you can store it in your glove compartment!  The neck also rotates so that you can set it to your perfect viewing angle!


Bluapple Review

I love to buy fresh fruits and veggies, but inevitably some of them spoil before they get eaten.  That really bugs me!  But I don't have the time - or the gas money - to make multiple trips to the grocery store every week.  And I'm not alone.  Government experts estimate that a typical family of four throws away as much as SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS worth of spoiled produce each year! 

Thank goodness for the Bluapple!  The Blueapple is designed to prolong the freshness of your fruits and veggies up to 3 times as long!




So how does it work?  Well, part of the reason that fruits and veggies spoil is because they release ethylene gas as a signaling mechanism to coordinate uniform ripening.  But when you trap fruits and veggies in your fridge or a storage container the ethylene becomes very concentrated and actually speeds up ripening and spoilage.


Supergoop! Review


Have you heard of Supergoop!?  If not, don't feel bad.  I just recently learned about them myself, but I'm so glad that I did!  Supergoop is a skincare line designed to protect children and adults from harmful skincare ingredients and the sun's harmful UV rays. 

Supergoop! has so many wonderful products - including sunscreens, self-tanning lotions, lip balms, and daily moisturizers!  All of their products are free of parabens, petrochemicals, fragrances and phthylates, which makes them not only safe for the body, but better for the environment!  That's quite a "win-win!"

The AWESOME folks at Supergoop! were kind enough to send me a couple of products to review:

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Brenda's Perfect Brittle Review


I was SOOOOO excited when Brenda's Perfect Brittle contacted me about doing a review because, well, I LOVE peanut brittle!!!  Little did I know what an AWESOME treat I was in for!!!  Brenda's Perfect Brittle is more than just peanut brittle.  In fact, she has more than TWENTY DIFFERENT TYPES!!!  And, let me just tell you, this stuff is SOOOO GOOD!!!!!

Brenda very generously sent me 7 different types of brittle to try, so I'm just going to show you guys each one and then tell you what my hubby and I thought of each one...


My hubby LOVES anything blueberry flavored, so he was more than willing to help me "review" this one!  :)  And he was not disappointed!  He said that this brittle was nice and sweet - which he loved.  And he also loved that it had TONS of blueberries and almonds in it!




My dad is coming to visit, so I'm saving this one for him because he loves both macadamias and coconut!  But I did try it & it is AWESOME too!  If you like macadamias, you'll LOVE this!  And I really like that the coconut flavor was subtle and not overpowering.  This is SUCH a unique flavor!  Nutty, salty, sweet!  YUM!