Peter Rabbit Organics Review and Coupon

Ever see a company's name and think, "That's SO CUTE!!!"  Well, that's the first thing I thought when I found Peter Rabbit Organics for the first time.  I love Peter Rabbit.  I always have.  So that drew me in RIGHT AWAY!  But the name isn't the best part of this company.  Its their products!



As their Facebook page states...

We have a simple aim to provide great tasting organic snacks. When we started Peter Rabbit Organics we made 3 promises: that everything we make would always be 100% organic, 100% healthy (no added sugar, no added salt and nothing artificial) and always taste 100% delicious.

Well, they seem to have kept that promise!  This morning, I fed my little one the Apple and Grape Pouch (mixed with some oatmeal) - and she LOVED it!!!

Woombie Toddler Eco Donut Review

I have found THE MOST INCREDIBLE product and I just couldn't wait to share it with all of my readers!  Its the Woombie Eco Toddler Donut, and it ROCKS!!!

First let me say that my family travels A LOT. Trips to the grandparents are pretty frequent.  And, up until now, a playpen has been our best friend -the traveler's "baby crib."  But as my little one has grown, its gotten harder and harder to get her to sleep in the playpen. She would often cry and cry until we just got her out and let her sleep with us.  And, I gotta say, I can understand why.  I mean, those playpens aren't really the most padded or comfortable. 

And so, with a trip to my father's house coming up, I began to search online for a travel bed for my toddler.  I looked at toddler cots (which didn't really seem like they'd be more comfy than the playpen) and inflatable toddler mattresses (which I'm not a big fan of because you have to blow them up and they often spring leaks).  Then  I saw the Toddler Eco Donut!

Trudeau "Stress Less" Kitchen Gadget Review

shoptrudeau.com

WooHoo!  When Trudeau contacted me and asked me to try out some of their latest line of kitchen gadgets, I was SUPER EXCITED!!!  If you know me, you know that I LOVE to cook!!!  It just makes me happy.  It really gets my creative juices flowing!  And kitchen gadgets - LOVE THEM!!!!  So when I heard about Trudeau's new Stress Less line of kitchen gadgets, I just had to learn more!

Their website states: "Trudeau is proud to introduce its exclusive new Stress Less line of kitchen tools designed to reduce the strain on hands and joints. Ideal for those with arthritis or limited hand dexterity, these products are great for anyone looking to make everyday kitchen tasks easier than ever. Each item comes with a lifetime warranty."

Now, I don't have arthritis, but I have had problems in the past with tendonitis.  And, let me tell you, it STINKS!  When I have a flare-up, its so hard to grasp anything or do much with my hands.  That makes cooking a bit of a challenge, and, quite frankly, sucks all the fun out of it!  These new kitchen tools are designed to put the joy and fun back into cooking!  WhooHoo!

But what about the person who doesn't have arthritis, tendonitis, or anything else?  Would these tools benefit them too?  When I thought about that question, I immediately flashed back to this past holiday season.  At Thanksgiving and Christmas, I cook up a storm!  There are tons of cans to open, dishes to season, and cheeses to grate.  All that work can wreak havoc on my hands!  But not anymore!  I can't wait until the next big celebration so I can use my new Stress Less tools!  (Because, seriously, we could all use something that takes a little of the stress out of the holidays!)  :)

GourmetGiftBaskets.com Review

When GourmetGiftBaskets.com contacted me about reviewing one of their baskets, I was right on board!  I had seen their ads online, but had never ordered anything from them, so I was interested to see the quality of their baskets.  And I wasn't disappointed!!!

When this lovely and colorful box arrived on my doorstep today, I couldn't wait to rip into it!!!

The basket that I received was the Snack Gift Basket - Classic.  It came in a cute brown "basket" (made out of some sort of light metal or tin).  The basket is adorable - and very neutral.  It would go with any decor & could be reused as a lovely little accent piece.  (You could place it in your bathroom as a lovely little basket for hand towels and washclothes, in your kitchen for napkins or utensils, in your bedroom for stationary, or in your living room to hold all those remote controls!) :)

"Smart Mom" Teething Bling Review



Smart Mom Teething Bling

Today I received a FASCINATING piece of jewelry in the mail - the Lapis Lazuli Donut Shaped Pendant from Teething Bling.  I was thrilled when this little necklace arrived, because I'd been wanting to try one of these for a while.  My little one is currently teething - LIKE CRAZY! - and pretty much refuses to use a traditional teething ring.  And I'm not at all a fan of those teething necklaces that the child is supposed to wear. - Can we say CHOKING HAZZARD. 

Smart Mom makes "Teething Bling" for the mom to wear (so there's no danger of your little one hurting themself with it when you're not around) and baby to chew on.  Teething Bling products are also made from food-safe, phthalate-free, federally-approved silicone, so they are safe to chew on.  They also come with a break-away clasp for safety!

Mudpuppy Toy Review and Promo Code

 

mudpuppy.com

Today my little one received 2 products from Mudpuppy for review - a set of wooden farm animal magnets and a princess puzzle.  I was SO excited when these 2 items showed up at our door!  First of all, my daughter LOVES princess stuff, and secondly, I'd been thinking of getting her the wooden magnets for a while now.



Galison/Mudpuppy is a company that makes some of the cutest notecards, stationary, organizers, and related items that I have seen.  Lucky for my little one, they also make some of the cutest puzzles, magnets, and other learning toys as well!

Crayon Rocks Review

crayonrocks.net

I have to say, I was SUPER EXCITED when the Crayon Rocks company offered to send me some products to review (or, should I say, for my toddler to review.  -  But, honestly, I couldn't wait to try these babies too!!!)  I orginally saw these little gems on Amazon while looking for a good crayon for my toddler.  Since my little one is not yet 2 years old, its so hard to find a crayon that works for her.  Regular crayons are just too thin and hard to grasp.  Even those triangular "toddler" crayons seem to snap in two every time she tries to use one.  They also don't leave much color on the paper.  My little one uses a light touch (having not yet learned that she needs to bare down) and so she very rarely gets much color on the paper.  This causes her to lose interest, and well, just put the crayon in her mouth.  Enter Crayon Rocks...   :)



Crayon RocksTM are made in America from natural soy wax, using
American-grown soy beans. Non-toxic and conforms to ASTM D 4236.

So what makes Crayon Rocks different?  Well, all the problems I mentioned above have been addressed!  The creator of Crayon Rocks, Barbara Lee, says on their website:

"I have been teaching children with special needs for 23 years. I invented Crayon Rocks after being inspired by Jan Olsen, OTR, and the Handwriting Without Tears program. I learned from her how important it was to develop early a good tripod grip. Handwriting skills depends upon this. Since a child's first writing tool is usually a crayon, that crayon should be one that encourages him or her to use thumb, first and second fingers in a tripod grip.  This is what makes Crayon Rocks a wonderful tool for fine motor development.  A really good crayon should take very little effort in applying great swaths of color to the paper. In fact, that crayon should be as much like paint as possible. Great colors that go on smoothly and easily, helping little fingers to grow strong as they spill their creative ideas on to paper."

Another BIG PLUS to the Crayon Rocks is that they are made of natural soy wax, and so they are non-toxic!  This is SUCH a relief to me, considering how many times things "end up" in my little one's mouth - which they did as soon as I gave them to her.  ;)

Dabbawalla Bags Review

dabbawallabags.com

"A dabbawalla: literally meaning ("box person"), is a person in India, most commonly found in the city of Mumbai, who is employed in a unique service industry whose primary business is collecting freshly cooked food in lunch boxes from the residences of the office workers (mostly in the suburbs), delivering it to their respective workplaces and returning the empty boxes back to the customer's residence by using various modes of transport." - Wikipedia

I have a brand new review for everyone today, and I am REALLY excited about this one because these bags are SUPER CUTE!!!

I recently came across the Dabbawalla Bags website and just couldn't resist ordering a couple of their bags!  I LOVE discovering new companies - especially when they have ADORABLE products and CREATIVE names!  And Dabbawalla Bags fits that bill to a "T"!  :)

As it says on their website,

"Frustrated by the lack of functional, appropriately-sized bags available for children, sisters Susan Givens and Carol Mack teamed up to create Dabbawalla Bags. Inspired by the functional simplicity of European design, the launch product line is sized specifically for pre-school and early elementary school children. You’ll find no cartoon characters or action figures, no utilitarian oversized styles that mimic adult packs – just simple, colorful designs that kids of all ages can relate to.

The name Dabbawalla was inspired by Susan’s travels in India where she was fascinated with the complex system of lunch box delivery men known as dabbawallas.

Our mission at Dabbawalla Bags is simple: design fun, functional bags that appeal to both kids and adults while promoting social responsibility. Our bags are crafted by sewers who earn fair wages in safe working conditions, and we do business with companies who support this commitment."

GoodOnYa Bar Review & Promo Code!



thegoodonyabar.com

I was SO excited when the wonderful people at the GoodOnYa bar company decided to send me some samples for review!  I recently found this company online & it just sounded so neat!  (And, come on, is that not the COOLEST name you've ever heard!)  ;)  As a mom who is still trying to lose weight (20 months after the birth of my child! - UGH!) - I'm always looking for healthier things to eat.  The GoodOnYa bars are DEFINITELY healthy!

As Kristen Buchanan, the founder of Good On Ya, says on her website...

 "I founded this company in 2001 after playing field hockey for the US National Team for 11 years. As an Olympic athlete healthy food was obviously a big part of my life. But back then, as an athlete, I equated being skinny and fit with health. Sure exercise is a big part of it, but in my quest for gold (and coming in 5th) I trashed my adrenals, joints, muscles and ended up with a full blown auto immune disease of the thyroid. A low fat, high carb diet is what we thought was healthy. And lots of energy drinks with food colorings, synthetic salts and sugar. (yeah, a LOT of sugar)... I often say “it’s not just about selling bars for us”, and it isn’t. If it was we would have made a very different bar. One that could retail for .99 and we’d source the cheapest ingredients, add a boat load of sugar to make it taste ok and market the heck out of it.That’s just not who we are."

"Little Looster Booster" Review and Promo Code!

littlelooster.com

Update:  The WONDERFUL people at Little Looster have GRACIOUSLY extended a promo code to all of my readers!  Enter promo code REB7 on the Little Looster website before May 20, 2012 and you will get $7 off of the Little Looster!!!

All right all you moms with potty training kids!  This review is for you!!!  :)  Before I tell you about this AMAZING product, let me give you a little background in my personal experience with potty taining.  When my little one went in for her 15 month pediatrician's appointment, her doctor suggested we go ahead and begin potty training.  I was a little surprised.  After all, most of the kids I knew didn't begin potty training until 2 or 3 years of age.  But our doctor, who is WONDERFUL by the way, gave us some good reasons to start early.  First of all, most kids around the world are potty trained BEFORE their second birthday.  In fact (and this is information that I researched MYSELF), more that 90% of American kids were potty trained before they were 2 years old (and many by 18 months) until the 1950s.  So what changed?  Well, disposable diapers came along!  That's right!  Before disposable diapers, mamas were much more motivated to get their kids to go potty! - (All you cloth diaper mamas know EXACTLY what I mean, don't you!) It makes sense, don't you think!  :) 


Another reason our pediatrician suggested beginning at 15 months was to take the stress out of it.  I know of many parents who decide to potty train over the weekend, or right before their kids start school, and its such a stressful experience for the child AND the parent because they are sort of working with a deadline.  "Start now," our doctor said, "and it will be a laid back, less-stress experience.  And even if she isn't fully potty trained until 2 years old or after, she'll still be ahead of most kids these days."