Although we celebrated last month in Canada, I would like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends and readers. I hope you have had an opportunity to spend time with your loved ones and truly reflect on all that you are thankful for. Every year, my mother in law heads to Washington to do her Christmas shopping at all the Black Friday sales, and for good reason. Black Friday shopping is amazing and now with the inclusion of Cyber Monday, the entire weekend ends up being a bit of a shopping extravaganza, no matter where you live.
This year, the fine folks from Tassimo invited me to 'Unlock a Perfect Cup this Holiday Season' by sending me one of their new T55 brewers and a selection of T-disc's to try out in my home.
And we are also going to be giving one lucky Momma Stuff Blog reader their own opportunity to 'Unlock a Perfect Cup this Holiday Season' with a brand new Tassimo T55, delivered right to your doorstep.
The Tassimo T55 is a one cup brewing machine that can make a variety of delicious beverages such as coffee, lattes, hot chocolate and tea. Although there are others on the market, the Tassimo uses intellibrew barcode technology, which reads the barcode on each tdisc to ensure that the machines brews your beverage perfectly. The barcode tells the machine the exact temperature, cup size and brewing time to make your bevvie delicious, every time. I love watching the machine create the soft foam on the top of an americano (one of my personal favourites).
Unfortunately, with my recent move to Kamloops and delivery schedules, I haven't had much of a chance to try out my new T55 brewer, but this new features an enhanced slide-control cup stand for added stability as well as a built in water filtration system. I'll keep you posted on any other features that I love as I begin using it on a daily basis.
One of the most common comments I hear regarding the Tassimo is with regard to the waste generated by the T-discs and I must admit that as an environmentalist it is certainly a concern. Fortunately, Terracycle provides recycling opportunities and they pay for the shipping to their warehouse. I set up a Tassimo recycling brigade in my old office and we collected over 1300 Tdiscs in only three months.
But I digress, in celebration of Cyber Monday, we are giving away a Tassimo T55 and a selection of tdiscs to one lucky reader. This giveaway is only open for the weekend, so enter using the rafflecopter below RIGHT NOW!
I was provided with a Tassimo T55 and a selection of tdiscs for the purposes of this post, however all opinions are my own.
Last week, I showed you a photo of my Food.ee Snackbox and promised you I'd report back on all that gluten-free deliciousness and share an awesome coupon code. Not only can I get you 50% off your first Snackbox, I'm also giving away one free personal sized Snackbox (that's the size I recieved) to one lucky reader.
Are you excited?
Like it or not, we all snack and sometimes even though we may remember to eat whole, healthy foods at mealtime, the lure of chocolate, chips and candy can be hard to resist in those snackable mid-day moments.
Food.ee Snackboxes solve that problem by shipping you a box full of gluten-free, natural treats (many of which are soy-free and vegan) each month so that you can safely nosh in good conscience.
Snackboxes are shipped out of Vancouver and you can expect your first box within about 4 days of ordering; subsequent deliveries will arrive around the 15th of the month. A personal sized box costs $33 per month plus $6.95 shipping, is intended for one to two people and includes 15-20 servings. The Family sized box is $67 per month (free shipping) for 30-40 servings and the Bounty sized box is $97 per month (free shipping) for 50-60 servings.
After plowing through most of my Snackbox in a mere week, I can say with certainty that your Snackbox will be filled with delicious, high quality, natural foods. And if you've ever bought packaged gluten-free snacks, you know they come at a premium cost; the price of a Food.ee Snackbox is not just reasonable, I think its a great deal.
The superstar of our sample Snackbox included the Hippie Foods Coconut Chips, after snacking on them Wednesday night, the first thing Bolt asked for Thursday morning was more Coconut chips. They were sweet and salty with the perfect amount of crunch, I will absolutely be buying them again. In fact I loved the brown rice and quinoa granola too; 'Hippie Foods' are yummy!
But I digress, if you're dying to try out a Snackbox for yourself, head over to getsnackbox.com and enter code MOMMASTUFF at checkout to receive 50% off your first Snackbox. Code is valid until April 31, 2013.
And don't forget to fill out the Rafflecopter form to be entered to win a personal sized Snackbox. a Rafflecopter giveaway
I received a Food.ee Personal Sized Snackbox in exchange for this post; all opinions are my own.
I'm a firm believer that food affects our well being; its just common sense, what goes into our bodies must affect how they function. Perhaps its the biologist in me, but as of yet, I have found no argument that can convince me otherwise. My recent experience with Meghan Telpner's Fab Detox only proved my point, in addition to feeling better both emotionally and physically, my experience also brought some insight into my eczema.
Up until recently I was certain that my eczema flare ups were due to the food I ate as well as the hormone fluctuations and changes my body underwent as a result of my pregnancies. I honestly expected that within a few weeks of starting the Fab Detox, I would see a dramatic improvement in my skin. The truth is, I didn't see any change over the course of the cleanse, which led me to realize that food cannot possibly be the primary contributor to my condition.
One month, tonnes of smoothies and oodles of superfoods later, my skin is clearer than its been in months, years even. I'm fairly certain its due to my new daily regimen of superfood smoothies, which always contain omega 3 rich hemp hearts and delicious antioxidant rich raw cacao powder.
I've spent so much time taking 'bad foods' out of my diet, that I forgot how many benefits there are to adding 'good foods' back into my diet. This is precisely why I'm so excited to share Meghan Telpner's brand new online course FOODS FOR HEALING with you.
'Foods for Healing' program registration
opens on November 9th enter code mommastuff at checkout to receive 10% off or ENTER TO WIN registration in the 'Food for Healing' Program
by using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post!
Whether you suffer from pain, digestive trouble, headaches, fatigue or just about any other ailment, food can help you and Meghan will help you understand how. Meghan's Food for Healing Course includes:
Over two hours of lecture style teaching with images, diagrams, and incredibly easy to follow explanations.
Accompanying handouts of the slides to follow along and take notes.
Additional documentation offering detailed information on specific healing protocols.
8 cooking demonstration videos showing how you can put what I share in the lecture, into practice in your kitchen and in everyday eating.
A full 7 day meal plan + over 30 recipes.
A full transition plan to help ease your way into a foods for healing mind set.
Options to upgrade and get consultations and amazing kitchen equipment.
Completely secure access to all your course materials.
Flexibility to watch the videos and download the print materials at your convenience.
Lifetime access to the course materials.
The 'Foods for Healing' program is broken down into 9 modules:
Module 1:My story and how I healed.
Module 2: Understanding the root of inflammation, food as medicine.
Module 3:The role of the digestive system in total health, managing stress and it’s impact
Module 4: Making the connection with food, conscious eating, assessing common dietary recommendations.
Module 5:General guidelines for eating for health and healing, the universal approach to health.
Module 6:Specific therapeutic foods for healing, dietary recommendations for the three stages of healing, specific nutrients for healing.
Module 7:Lifestyle habits and natural solutions.
Module 8: Healing beverages, therapeutics foods in practice, cooking demos
Module 9:Healing meals, therapeutic foods in practice, cooking demos
It's hard to believe that summer is rapidly coming to a close and that the back to school season is upon us. My kids are not yet school aged, but that doesn't mean that we can't take advantage of this transitional time to reprogram our lifestyle and green our routine.
Did you know that in only two weeks you can create a new habit, or break an old one, depending how you look at it?
The folks at Seventh Generation are challenging families to take four small steps to 'Green Your Routine' this fall and our household is up for the challenge. Over the next four weeks we are going to implement one small step per week; I hope you'll join in and help keep our planet a beautiful place to live. Here's a summary of the 'Green Your Routine' program.
Week 1: The Litterless Lunch
Week 2: Watch How You Wash
Week 3: Choose a Fun, Fit and Sustainable Route to School
Week 4: Rebrand Responsibly
Are you interested in trying out Seventh Generation products? Make sure you enter below for your chance to win aSeventh Generation Starter Kit composed of coupons for a complimentary package of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dish Soap, Free & Clear Kitchen Spray and 4X Laundry Detergent! And if you're in the mood for winning, make sure you enter for a chance to win a Canadian Adventure for two courtesy of Seventh Generation. Don't forget to check in later this week for my post on the litterless lunch. Seventh Generation is on the Web, Facebook and Twitter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway I received product in exchange for this post, however all opinions are my own.
The Looneyspoons Collection (TLC) by Janet and Greta Podleski is hands down, my new favourite cookbook. The first week I had it, I used it four days in a row, each time trying a new recipe. After a few short months I have at least six new recipes in rotation to be cooked on a regular basis and tons more I can't wait to try. If Janet and Greta look familiar, you may have seen them on their super fun TV show, Eat, Shrink and Be Merry.
Janet and Greta's recipes are flavourful, healthy and easy to make; many of them are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free or easily adapted with simple substitutions. More importantly, my kids seem to genuinely enjoy the recipes we've tried from TLC; if the kids are eating healthy food, I'm happy.
Although this book would surely knock any family out of a dinnertime rut, its equally suitable for a recent graduate learning to cook on their own. In fact I used to run a community cooking program for youths on Friday nights using recipes from Janet and Greta's previous books Crazy Plates and Eat, Shrink and Be Merry, which they generously donated to the program. Cooking tasty, healthy food brought those kids, and myself, such immense pride and I hope that many of them have carried the skills and confidence they learned in that kitchen, into the rest of their lives.
But I digress, TLC is truly a collection, it combines old favourites, like the 'Must Bake Carrot Cake: two-tiered spiced carrot cake', 'Burger, She Wrote: Teriyaki seasoned burgers for the barbeque', 'A Lotta Enchilada: Flavor-packed chicken, black bean and corn enchiladas', 'The Ladle in Red: Everyone's favourite classic beef chili' and more with a ton of new recipes that are just as tasty.
Some of my new favourites include 'Mulligatawnski: Southern Indian soup with curried chicken, apples and quinoa', 'Bananaberry Bombs: Moist banana-blueberry muffins with oats and flaxseed', 'The Sound of Muesli: A high-fibre breakfast blend of oats, yogurt and fresh fruit', 'Sticky Chicky: Baked chicken thighs in a sticky-sweet barbeque sauce" and of course the 'GRAINola Bars: chewy homemade granola bars with oats, flax pumpkins, cranberries, nuts and mini chocolate chips', the base recipe for my gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate cranberry granola bars.
My mouth is watering just thinking about all that delicious food. There are recipes in this book are for everyone and I would buy it for anyone.
Want to win your own copy of The Looneyspoons Collection, signed by Janet and Greta? Enter to win using the Rafflecopter after the jump.
And if you're looking for some instant gratification, Janet and Greta have some free recipes on their website and if you sign up for their newsletter you will get new recipes in your inbox.
There are people that get great satisfaction from spring cleaning, a sense of accomplishment and pride at throwing away junk, organizing and cleaning. I am not one of those people. I like a clean house, but making it clean, not so much.
I need things to be easy, a quick spray and a wipe is about my speed, but my conscience also requires that said sprays be safe for my family, for my children and for our planet. Clorox Green Works fits my needs perfectly.
The entire Green Works line is 95-99% naturally derived, with the remaining percentage accounting for preservatives, fragrance and dyes. Each product displays a small 'Designed for the Environment' or DfE logo; a designation given by the US Environmental Protection Agency, which indicates each ingredient has been screened for both health and environmental effects and the product contains only those ingredients that pose the least concern among chemicals in their class. As if that isn't enough, you can find a list of all Green Works ingredients, with explanations of their uses in everyday English, on the Green Works website.
Once the cleaners are deemed 'safe' in my mind, the real challenge begins. Can Green Works products effectively clean my home with minimal effort on my behalf?
My answer is a resounding yes. Armed with Clorox Green Works, I have been successfully challenged myself to undertake one 10 minute tidy at a time. I started in the powder room, which if I'm being honest, smells a bit like pee. I have a recently potty trained toddler and if you are the parent of a little boy, you know that their urine has a tendency to hit the toilet seat, if you're lucky enough to dodge the pee bullet yourself.
When my Green Works products arrived, I initially gave the toilet seat a quick wipe with a Green Works Natural Cleaning Wipe, which definitely gave a fresher scent to the bathroom, but didn't quite succeed at banishing the urine smell; a little more effort was warranted on my behalf. Using Green Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner and Glass Cleaner I gave my teeny little bathroom the once over and in less than 10 minutes and much to my amazement I had a sparkly clean, fresh (but not overpowering or chemically) smelling bathroom.
One ten minute tidy complete. Well done me.
Next up, what can only be described a baby food bomb. Distracted and being pulled in far too many directions, I dropped a full bowl of sweet potato and chicken baby food on the floor, which of course went everywhere. We cleaned up most of the mess immediately, but about a week later I realized that we had missed the area under the dishwasher. That food has been caked on for probably three weeks now and I'd been avoiding cleaning it like the plaque.
I allowed the Green Works All-Purpose Cleaner about 5 minutes to soften the baby food before I dove in with a damp rag and started chipping away at it. Imagine my surprise when it pulled away from the dishwasher with minimal effort; after only a little bit of scrubbing, the baby food had all but disappeared. I also gave the dishwasher a few spritzes and wipes with the All-Purpose Cleaner and was impressed to see the streak-free clean that resulted, especially given that stainless steel appliances have a tendency to streak when cleaned.
Another ten minute tidy complete. I admit I am proud that I have now cleaned two areas of my home instead of starting to read 'Game of Thrones', which is what I really wanted to do. Perhaps there is some pride to be had at cleaning my home.
Surprisingly, I'm excited about my bounty of Clorox Green Works products; the dishwashing soap not only smells delicious, it makes lots of bubbles (which I know isn't actually necessary, but I like it) and gets the dishes squeaky clean. The Natural Cleaning Wipes are perfect for sticky spills that I find long after the boys have made them and although washing floors is absolutely not my thing, I'm certain that the hubs will have good things to report about the Green Works Multi-Surface Cleaner, which is safe for use on wood.
One lucky Momma Stuff Blog reader is going to win their own Clorox Green Works Gift Pack, make sure you enter using the Rafflecopter after the jump.
Please note you may enter to win a Green Works Gift Pack on other sites participating in this Blog Tour, however you may only win one prize.
“Disclosure – I am participating in the Green Works program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This is a personal blog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of The Clorox Company of Canada Ltd.”
Welcome to the 'SPRING IN THE CASH Giveawayhosted byMamaNYC! Since everyone loves FREE MONEY, I have once again teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to bring you a terrific CASH prize! The lucky winner is going to receive $500.00 PayPal CASH!
Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. This giveaway is open to residents WORLDWIDE; 18+, however the winner must have a PayPal account in order to claim this cash prize.
All entries are optional, but the more entries you complete the higher your chances will be to win this prize! This giveaway will end on March 14, 2012 @ 11:59PM (EST) and the winner will have 48 hours to confirm winnings or the prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected.
Although this giveaway will be running on a number of blogs, you only need to enter this giveaway on ONE blog. If you have any problems with the Rafflecopter: Please REFRESH the page by right clicking and using "Reload".
I love granola; there’s something about the hearty, earthy deliciousness of granola that I just can’t get enough of, particularly when paired with thick creamy yogurt. I’ll admit when I first went gluten-free I was disappointed to discover that although oats themselves are gluten-free they are so often grown in adjacent fields and processed in the same factories as other grains that cross contamination is a very real concern.
Unfortunately finding gluten-free granola that I didn’t make myself has been a bit of a slog, particularly when you also add in my need to keep things nut-free. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to connect with the folks from Martin’s Marvelous Naturals at the Vancouver Gluten-Free Expo and had the opportunity to taste their products. After one bite, I knew I had to share them; read on for a chance to win your own prize pack of Martin’s Marvelous Naturals products.
Both the granola and the crisps are made with Canadian grown, non-genetically-modified pure oats that are RS ELISA Certified. Not only are their products gluten-free, they are also nut-free and kosher and produced in a facility that is free of tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, sesame, eggs, fish and shellfish. The facility does however process dairy as the crisps contain buttermilk, but the granola is dairy-free.
My favourite thing about Martin’s Marvelous (aside from the taste) is that they are a local company from Burnaby, BC that uses locally sourced, natural ingredients. Using local ingredients not only supports and stimulates our local economy, it’s also good for the environment. The further the ingredients and products must travel to reach the consumer, the more fossil fuels are consumed, which ultimately leads to an increase in air pollution.
But I digress, Martin’s Marvelous Granola comes in two flavours, sunflower seed raisin and pumpkin seed cranberry; I had the opportunity to test out the latter and I admit I ate it every day until it was gone. The granola has a perfect balance of salty, crunchy pumpkin seeds, sweet, tart cranberries and the unmistakable chewiness of perfectly roasted oats. As an added bonus, the granola also contains hemp seeds, which boosts both the omega and protein content. If you’re not a fan of pumpkin seeds, you need not worry, I confess I’m not all that fond of them myself, but in Martin’s Marvelous Granola, they are perfect.
Martin’s Marvelous Crisps come in four flavours: rosemary lavender, pumpkin seed cranberry, chocolate mole and date & olive tapenade. I had the opportunity to test out the rosemary lavender crisps and was amazed at the flavour combination they provided. Packed full of sunflower seeds, raisins and hemp seeds the rosemary and lavender flavours are very subtle and not overwhelming in the least. The crisps are crunchy, salty and sweet but not too brittle. They soften up perfectly when topped with deliciousness such as my toppings of choice, cream cheese and some homemade apple butter.
Read on if you want to try out Martin’s Marvelous Naturals products, we are giving away FOUR prize packs containing one box of pumpkin seed cranberry granola, one box of rosemary lavender crisps and a reusable shopping bag. Enter using the Rafflecopter form after the jump.
Welcome to the Cupid's Cash Giveaway hosted by MamaNYC! I have teamed up with a number of amazing bloggers to bring you yet another fabulous cash prize.
One lucky reader is going to WIN $850 USD in Paypal Cash.
To enter the Giveaway please use the Rafflecopter Widget below. This giveaway is open to residents worldwide; 18+. Winner must have a PayPal account in order to claim this cash prize. All entries are optional, but the more completed entries – the higher your chances will be to win this prize.
Welcome to the Cupid's Cash Giveaway Event hosted by Kidsumers and Sober Julie Doing Life. I have teamed up with a number of amazing bloggers to bring you a fabulous cash prize, just in time for the Valentines Day!
One lucky readers is going to WIN $300 USD in Paypal Cash!
To enter this giveaway, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. This giveaway runs February 1st at 12:01 AM EST until February 14th at 12:01 AM EST and is open worldwide. The winner will be announced through the Rafflecopter widget and notified by email by the end of the day on February 17th, 2011. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Although I love to bake, the ultimate treat is an allergen-friendly gluten-free goodie that I didn't have to make myself and for that, I always turn to High Crow Gluten Free Foods. This giveaway is direct from High Crow to you, read on for more information from Julie regarding this amazing prize.
Tis the season to indulge in some GF holiday baking! And why not accompany it with a cup of tea in a one-of-a-kind High Crow MUG while wearing your new High Crow T-SHIRT?! Enter for a chance to win a gift basket full of High Crow baking, plus a High Crow mug and High Crow T-shirt (size M). All entries will be collected and a winner announced the evening of Wednesday December 15th. Giveaway is open to Lower Mainland residents only. Enter using the Rafflecopter after the jump...
You may have noticed that I've been writing and tweeting about sewing with increasing frequency these days. Newsflash, I forgot I loved it. I love creating something unique from simple materials just as much as I love creating something delicious from simple ingredients. It's just a part of who I am.
Before the baby was born I found myself making cute little dresses, in case my little green baby was a girl, then after he was born I only made dresses for presents and eventually I found a great pattern to make an uber cute hoody for the boy. Unfortunately, since then I've had trouble finding boy patterns that are cute enough to be worth the effort to sew.
Granted its easy enough to make piles of little boy pants, but I need to be inspired or I might as well hem the pile of pants my husband has sitting on his dresser. I want something with excitement and cuteness if I'm going to spend my spare moments sewing.
Sewing For Boys by Shelly Figueroa and Karen LePage of Patterns by Figgy provide '24 Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe', just for little boys. It takes into account both the rough and tumble and the sweet and adorable sides of our little men.
The book is gorgeous; hard cover with a spiral binding and an envelope to safely store the precious patterns. The photography captures the whimsical nature of little boys and definitely inspires. I made a pair of the 'mr.two face pants' and although I was skeptical of the two toned nature of them, it turns out that once completed, I just love them. The 6-12 month size fit my chubby little man perfectly, even over his bulky cloth diapers. The only fabric I had on hand was thin broadcloth so I lined the pants with some spare flannel and used french seams to keep things clean and they turned out beautifully, in fact I have another pair cut out in my sewing box.
I also have some fabric cut out to make the 'easy linen shirt' for the boy, not only does it look adorable, I've reviewed the instructions in detail and its a very straightforward pattern. In fact, overall the instructions in Sewing For Boys manage to provide enough information to inspire confidence without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary information.
Finally, I'm planning to make the 'Just-like-dad flannel robe' for the boy; although I'm not a huge fan of licensed fabrics, I got some Buzz Lightyear flannel on sale for $3.98 a metre that will be absolutley perfect, he's going to love it.
There are so many other great patterns in 'Sewing For Boys', these are only the first few that I plan to make throughout my boys' childhood. Since the patterns range from newborn through 7 years old, I plan on getting plenty of use out of this book. If you have little boys to sew for, regardless whether they are sons, nephews, grandchildren or otherwise, trust me, you WANT this book. We are giving away a copy of 'Sewing for Boys' to one lucky Momma Stuff Blog, to enter, check out the Rafflecopter after the jump.
When you're gluten-free grabbing a snack, or worse a treat, on the go can be close to impossble. Frustration and hunger often ensue, though as you become more comfortable with the lifestyle, snack awareness increases. I rarely go out without something to eat stashed in my bag, car or stroller and even if I do, I have the knowledge and experience to know which grab and go treats I'm able to eat.
One snack I love to have on hand are Mi-Del cookies, they are small, crunchy and delicious little cookies that satisfy a sweet craving in a second. They have great texture and flavour and I love their small size as it allows me to grab a handful without too much guilt. Mi-del cookies are very versatile and can be used to make cookie crumb pie crusts, eaten with a dollop of ice cream sandwiched between two cookies or simply dunked in (rice) milk.
Mi-Del cookies come in nine different flavours including traditional flavours such as chocolate chip, arrowrort and ginger snaps as well as more exciting flavours such as chocolate caramel, pecan and s'mores. Mi-Del cookies are free of gluten (and routinely tested using the Elisa Method) but depending on the flavour may contain eggs, soy and dairy so make sure you read the label and ensure they are safe for your families allergies.
Mi-Del Cookies are available at supermarkets across the United States and at select locations in Canada and the most amazing part is that they retail for only about $4 a bag.
The folks at Mi-Del provided me with some cookies for the purposes of this review and we're also giving away a free bag of cookies to THREE lucky winners, to enter check out the Rafflecopter after the jump.
Its no secret that I believe in Mom's supporting other Mom's; I am particularly proud to support those mothers with the drive and passion to become entreupeneurs, so when the opportunity arose to participate in a blog hop showcasing mompreuners from across the nation, I jumped on the opportunity. The Mompact bloghop includes 150 product giveaways, each one created by a busy mom with a bright idea.
Here at the Momma Stuff Blog, we are giving away a Highchair Organizer; designed to be attached to most highchairs or booster seats in a mere ten seconds this innovative product has enough space to hold, dishes, cutlery, washcloths, bibs and bottles alike.
Our dining room table is around the corner from the kitchen, so having all our feeding supplies close at hand but out of the way is more than just a little bit appealing. As an added bonus, this durable product (designed to be wiped clean with a damp soapy cloth) can easily be folded and transported, regardless whether you're going for dinner at grandma and grandpa's or off for a playdate with a friend.
I hope you have the time to check out all the great blogs, products and giveaways being showcased in the Mompact Bloghop, but even if you don't have time to check out all 120 participating blogs, make sure you stop by the
When I was a kid, summer was way too long, I was a bit dorky and during two months I was left to my own devices I spent a lot of time riding my bike to the library and a longing for September to arrive.
Aside from school starting back up, the other perk of summer ending was 'Back to School Shopping'. We were a family of five living on a single, self-employed income, so budgets were tight, but we always got a little bit of money to buy a few key wardrobe items including a pair of runners for the new year.
Being a mother of boys, I had the chance to review the Hot Lights, Manifold equipped with both LED headlights and running lights and I'm certain any car-obsessed little man is going to love them. From a parents perspective, the lights are not too bright and distracting and the shoes are laced with bungees and secured with velcro making them easy to pull on and off.
From a construction point of view, Skechers Hot Lights are made of synthetic overlain leather, a cushioned insole and a wraparound flexible rubber traction outsole. As you may know, I'm a firm believer in buying a single pair of quality shoes for my kids, I refuse to buy into the consumerism that more is better and at $53 a pair Skechers Hot Lights meets my need for quality while catching the attention of my little racer.
We're giving away a pair of Skechers Hot Lights or Twinkle Toes to one lucky Momma Stuff Blog reader, check out the Rafflecopter after the jump to enter!
Whenever I tell someone that I use diaper service with my boys, they inevitably ask about the smell and I truly believe that with proper cleaning and maintenance, your diaper pail can keep smells 'locked in'. That being said, when you pop the lid open to drop a new diaper in, the smell isn't all that pleasant, particularly at the end of the week.
Being the 'greenie' that I am, I hate most air fresheners; on principle infusing the air with chemicals to mask an unpleasant odour just seems wrong to me. So when I was offered the opportunity to try out NaturzAire Baby, a natural alternative that attracts and traps odours I jumped on the opportunity.
NaturzAire is made of volcanic material that is completely reusable, recharegable and contained within a small organic cotton pouch.
And it works.
When I placed the small pouch on top of my diaper bin, there was a noticeable decrease in odour, the only trouble I've had is finding a way to secure it to the diaper bin, so the boy doesn't pick it up and toss it around the room. Currently, duct tape is doing the job; however I caution you, don't duct tape it on the inside of the lid or you may end up wading through dirty diapers to find it like I did.
How it works, scientifically speaking, is actually quite simple. Odours have a positive charge and are attracted to the negative charge in the NaturzAire granules, which are able to trap the odours inside millions of tiny cavities. After a few months, you simply need to leave your NaturzAire pouch in the sun for a day or microwave it on medium heat for 5 minutes to release all the trapped odours and moisture.
Want to try out NaturzAire for yourself? We're giving away a NaturzAire Baby deodorizer to one Momma Stuff Blog Reader; check out the Rafflecopter after the jump to enter.
There's no denying I'm a meat eater. I sometimes joke I must have been a gun-toting, hunting, burly man in a past life because I LOVE Beef, seriously, love it. I would give up chicken and fish long before I would give up beef; case and point, my ultimate food bribe is prime rib.
That being said, I love good vegetarian foods, bursting with flavours and textures. When I was a university student I ate vegetarian at least twice a week, often more and despite the fact that I have a cupboard oozing with cookbooks, I've often struggled with vegetarian cookbooks. The recipes often seem either too complicated, or not complicated enough and perhaps a little boring.
When presented with the opportunity to review the 'Part-Time Vegan' I immediately loved that was that it was anything but ordinary; this book accepts me as the meat eating, tofu loving girl that I am. I love that I don't have to feel guilty that I imagine adding chicken to 'curried rice and lentils' or picture a side of roast pork next to 'gingered and pralined sweet potatoes' or for knowing that I will substituting real mayo for vegan in the 'dairy-free ranch dressing'.
Reading the Part-Time Vegan it was obvious to me that author Cherise Grifoni is a blogger; her style is laid back and comfortable and recipe instructions include personal sentiments such as:
" You know this part by now. In a large pot set on medium-high, saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. You're like a new puppy, learning so fast. I tend to do the same...when it involves eating."
All in all I have enjoyed this cookbook, it offers flexible, realistic vegan food options, sans meat-eating-guilt. The book is separated into 14 chapters, including an entire chapter dedicated to delicious sounding meal plans such as 'The Ay Caramba' which includes Nacho 'cheese' dip, tofu and portobello 'enchiladas' and coconut rice pudding. Sounds yummy doesn't it?!
Personally I would have liked a few pictures of the dishes throughout the book, but that's certainly not a deal breaker, this is a great vegan cookbook that anyone could easily incorporate into their weekly menu planning.
I'm excited to announce that one lucky Momma Stuff Blog reader will receive a copy of The Part-Time Vegan by Cherise Grifoni, please see the Rafflecopter below for entry details.
Last year the hubs spoiled me with a Nikon DSLR for my birthday; over the past year I've promised myself time and time again that I would learn how to really use my camera, to stop using the auto mode on this incredible piece of machinery. You may recall that although I have no formal photography training, I did spend many hours working in a photo lab. I've also read photography tutorial after tutorial online and considered taking a photography course, however thus far had only managed to move from auto to priority settings, slowly trying to understand each mode independently.
This year for my birthday, which was last week, I finally started shooting in manual mode and bought myself a shiny new Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens (dubbed the 'nifty fifty' by Stacy Wasmuth) while outlet shopping on the Oregon Coast. Both of these fabulous facts can be attributed, at least partially, to a new book I received for review; Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids by Stacy Wasmuth.
So what exactly is the Mamarazzi? I'm a member and I bet you are too.
Mamarazzi [mah-muh-raht-tsee] (noun, plural): Mothers who doggedly pursue opportunities to take, share and display photographs of their children.
I admit that when I first received Mamarazzi I immediately started flipping through the pages, reading snippets of information that seemed interesting or relevant to me. I started with the technical information in 'Chapter 6: Camera Crew' and was amazed at the comfortable yet informative tone of the chapter and was even more surprised to find that after reading the chapter I found myself eager to try out what I had learned. The best part, when I actually went out and starting shooting in manual mode, I was happy with the results. Happy enough in fact, to invest in a much wanted new lens. Here's a sampling of said photos, including some of my sister (whose not a child, but was happy to let me practice photographing her) what do you think?
After gaining a better technical understanding in Chapter 6 of Mamarazzi, I started reading the book cover to cover. The book is full of useful tips and techniques, including suggestions to replace cheesy pictures with genuine ones, regardless whether you are shooting infants, toddlers or preteens. The book is infused with beautiful imagery, each complete with the settings used for the shot, which I found infinitely useful in my quest to understand manual shooting.
When I read Mamarazzi I feel like I'm having a private photography lesson from a friend who also happens to be a photographer. I'm confident that whether you have little to no photography knowledge or if you've read books and taken lessons, Mamarazzi will be able to teach you something new about photographing kids. The icing on the cake? You don't need a DSLR to benefit from this book, Stacy Wasmuth has written this book so that point-and-shoot cameras can learn something too.
So, are you dying to get your hands on your own copy of Mamarazzi? We are giving away three copies here on the Momma Stuff Blog, so make sure you comment to enter and spread the news on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for additional entries. Don't forget to check out Stacy Wasmuth's work on her website http://www.bluecandyphotography.com/.
Contest now closed, congrats to our winners #52 - Donna #31 - Sara #8 - Katie
There is no question that as parents, our children's needs are always at the forefront of our minds. As a parent of a child with multiple food allergies supplementation is something I struggle with. I work hard to provide a nutritious, well-rounded, gluten/dairy/soy-free diet for the boy, but I can't help but worry that he is missing out nutritionally.
As you may know, the traditional source of Vitamin D is exposure to the sun and although there are a few other sources of Vitamin D, supplementation is often recommended. The biggest problem we've had with Ddrops at our house is remembering to take them, particularly given the 'mommy brain' that is currently my reality.
Ddrops are a fantastic product; I love that they are tasteless and thus can be dropped into an evening bottle, licked off a spoon or even the back of the hand. There's nothing worse that trying to syringe liquids into an unwilling toddler's mouth. With Ddrops I have confidence that despite sunscreen, sunhats, sunglasses and protective clothing our family is getting sufficient Vitamin D to fuel and heal our bodies.
Ddrops wants you to have that confidence too, so we are giving away all three of the Ddrops products I tested, to one lucky Momma Stuff Blog Reader.
Ddrops has also offered to send a free Dora/Diego Growth Chart to any Momma Stuff Blog readers who post a question or comment on the Ddrops Facebook Page regarding Ddrops or Vitamin D in general.
Enter to Win
Ddrops set including: 1 Baby Ddrops, 1 Kids Ddrops and 1 Ddrops
Open to Canada only
First Entry:
Visit http://www.ddrops.ca online and leave a comment sharing why you want to try out Ddrops!
Please make sure you include your email address if its not in your profile otherwise I won't be able to contact you if you win!
Like Ddrops on Facebook and leave a comment saying you arrived via @mommastuffblog
Subscribe via email (and activate the subscription) to the Momma Stuff Blog (left sidebar)
Follow the Momma Stuff Blog via Google Friend Connect (left sidebar)Follow the Momma Stuff Blog in a Reader
Follow Ddrops on Twitter
Follow the Momma Stuff Blog on Twitter
Tweet this giveaway (once per day - leave a link)
I entered to #win Ddrops Vitamin D supplements for the whole family from @mommastuffblog & @babyddrops http://bit.ly/jFGQ8G
Giveaway closes Sunday July 10th, 2011 at 8pm (PST). Winner will be determined by a random number generator. Winner will be notified via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new name will be drawn and contacted.
Contest now closed. Congratulations to our Winner Comment #19 'Little Miss Kate'
Back in February I posted about handmade diaper bags by Degraaf Designs and in celebration of my Ddrop sponsorship to Blissdom Canada, which is thanks to all of my amazing friends, family and readers I am excited to offer you an opportunity to win one of Leanne's fabulous diaper bags.
This lovely bag is made of super soft, navy corduroy and lined with uber cute batman cotton. It has 4 elasticized pockets, in addition to the main compartment on the inside, two bottle pockets at either end as well as a pocket on the back to hold the matching changing pad.
These completely washable diaper bags are handmade by Leanne Kindt who began sewing at the age of 10 and never lost her passion for the craft. Degraaf Designs emerged when her gorgeous daughter was born and Leanne couldn't find a diaper bag that she liked that wasn't $200. Instead of settling for something that wasn't what she wanted, Leanne used her passion for sewing to create a diaper bag and quickly started getting requests from friends and family. Hence, Degraaf Designs began.
Enter to Win
Blue Corduroy/Batman handmade diaper bag as pictured Open to Canada/US only
First Entry:
Visit Degraaf Designs on Etsy and share which of the bags currently available is your favourite Please make sure you include your email address if its not in your profile otherwise I won't be able to contact you if you win! Additional Entries:
Please leave a comment for EACH additional entry
Follow the Momma Stuff Blog via Google Friend Connect (left sidebar)
Like the Momma Stuff Blog on Facebook
Like Degraaf Designs on Facebook Favourite/Heart Degraaf Designs on Etsy
Subscribe via email (and activate the subscription) to the Momma Stuff Blog (left sidebar)
Follow the Momma Stuff Blog on Twitter
Tweet this giveaway (once per day - leave a link) I entered to #win a handmade, totally washable diaperbag from #Degraafdesigns | @mommastuffblog http://bit.ly/ex6ZlD
Giveaway closes Sunday April 10th, 2011 at 8pm (PST). Winner will be determined by a random number generator. Winner will be notified via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new name will be drawn and contacted.
Contest now closed - congratulations to our winner, comment # 39 Miss Emmy Lou
