Friday, April 30, 2010

Theo Chocolate, Get in my Belly!

Sweet treats are a bit of an issue in my home. I do not want to be the parent who denies all sweets and then my child goes Tasmanian Devil on the dessert cart at a friends party. We try to limit what Product Baby has, but not deny her completely. I contact Theo Chocolate about trying some of their line. My daughter loves dark chocolate and for a 2 year old, she is something of a purist. She likes the best.

Theo Chocolate produces organic and Fair Trade specialty chocolate. It was founded by Joseph Whiney who was the first to supply organic cocoa beans in the USA in 1994. Prior to Theo Chocolate in 2006, all organic chocolate was manufactured in Europe and imported to the US. They are the first and only organic and Fair Trade chocolate factory in the country. They use pure ingredients that are sustainably grown. They source for local ingredients and partner with their growers for fair living wages and education for their families. Theo Chocolate uses green energy sources to power their factory and uses sustainable packaging and printing methods. Theo Chocolate buys their cacao direct from farmers, and build relationships with them to benefit their families.
So not only is this a company making wonderful, delicious chocolate, they are a company with a strong environmental and human conscience.
We were lucky to try two wonderful bars of chocolate (which “forced” me to buy more). Fig, Fennel and Almond Bar was a delight. It is dairy, gluten, and soy free and also Vegan! It was so delicious with a dark chocolate base and a gorgeous crunch from the almonds, with a sweet middle from the fig and a fresh aftertaste from the fennel.
Darn you Theo Chocolate, you grabbed me in!

Our other bar was a Theo & Jane Goodall 45% Milk Chocolate Bar. I have to admit, I was not anxious to share, but between Product Baby, Mommy and Daddy, our bellies gave that a good home during a picnic at the park. It was just the right amount of sweet with a delicious ending. It is also gluten and soy free! Best of all:
Proceeds from the sale of these chocolate bars will benefit cocoa farmers, promote conservation in the tropical rain forest and directly contribute to the Jane Goodall Institute’s efforts to save chimpanzees, develop community centered conservation efforts and direct youth education programs around the world.

So now I feel a little better about Product Baby having a treat…and me too! These bars melt wonderfully to use as a topping for homemade granola and energy bars too. I am officially addicted and making (eating) my way through the whole line.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Media Kit

This is a PR friendly blog! I welcome all product review and giveaway requests. You may email me at dhghtwr at gmail dot com with all questions or requests. Please note that this is my only email address. If you receive any emails from any other address, that person is not me. Please do not send a product to anyone else claiming to be me.

My name is Diana and I am a full time stay at home mom. I love reviewing products with my family and we especially love reviewing eco-friendly products.

If you would like the traffic statistics for my site. Please contact me at dhghtwr at gmail dot com, I would be happy to provide the information.

Product Review & Giveaway Policies:
It is a pleasure for me to provide my opinions on baby products, kids related products (such as toys, clothes, shoes and ect.), eco-friendly products, as well as products for moms & women. My family and/or myself really does test out every single product that we receive. I will take the time to properly check out your product and offer a thorough and personalized review of it.

If you would like me to review your product, I will respond as soon as possible with an address to send your product/products. I do not charge any fees for writing the reviews. I do require a product for all reviews-- because my readers do count on me for having first hand experience with your product. Each sample I receive to review must be a full size product. For sanitary as well as contamination concerns, I will not sample and review any products not in its original packaging. The sample will not be returned, and you will be responsible for any shipping costs involved.

If you choose to do a giveaway, I will require my readers to visit your site in order to gain entry into the giveaway. If you have additional giveaway guidelines you would like my readers to follow, please do let me know so that I can state them in my review. I do advertise my giveaways on several other blogs daily. I ask that the giveaway prize be shipped by you directly to the prize winner. You may specify prior to the giveaway being published where you will ship to (Us, Canada, etc). If you mail me the giveaway product without making special arrangements with me first, your giveaway product will be forfeited.


My giveaways generally run for 2-3 weeks and then a winner is drawn via random.org and they have 48 hours to respond to my email to claim their prize or a new winner will be drawn.


POSTING INFORMATION
Reviews will be posted within 30-45 days receipt of product. Once your product arrives at my home, my family and I need the time to properly use your product and then write a review for it. Reviews and giveaways will include product photos (pull from your website or you can email me the files for them) as well as photos of my family using the product if applicable. I will also include keyword product links to your site within my review and information on where to buy the product. At your request, I will also include extra entries into a giveaway for my readers to interact with your facebook, twitter, blog or other social media.


ADVERTISEMENTS
If you wish to have your banner or badge advertised on my blog, please contact me at dhghtwr at gmail dot com for rates (price will vary depending on the ad size). If I have done a review for your company, then there is no charge for your banner or badge.
Payments can be submitted through paypal.

Guidelines for all Banners and Badges:
*There is no refund once a payment has been submitted and the banner has been posted.

*Advertisements geared toward women, moms, children (kids and babies), and families only. I will not and do not host advertisements for sites with adult content.

* Ads must be grammatically correct.

* Ads can not offend based on race, sex preferences, gender, or disabilities.

* No spam ads.

If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to email me and ask!

Seventh Generation Healthy Home Starter Kit Giveaway!


“In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” –from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy
Seventh Generation was created to help the environment while still allowing you to clean and maintain your home in a convenient manner. The Seventh Generation line includes everything from household cleaners to diapers and paper towels. They donate 10% of their profits to organizations that work for positive change. Seventh Generation is a company taking social responsibility. The never test on animals and use plant based agents to help keep your home clean. Lots of the cleaners are also biodegradable.
I have been using Seventh Generation cleaning products since I got pregnant and realized that I needed and wanted to be careful about what kind of products I had around my then unborn child and myself. I was getting particularly sick of the bleach smell in my dishwasher detergent, and then I changed to Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Gel and never turned back! Though I cannot recommend this particular use to everyone, I also used the Natural Dish Liquid to get diaper rash balm out of my curious daughter’s hair. I will say it left her hair nice and shiny!
When I read that they had come out with a new disinfecting line, I contacted them right away to know more. Because Seventh Generation is such an amazing company they sent me a bag of their most wonderful cleaning items (including the new disinfecting line) to try out for myself. Good news readers! One lucky Product Mommy reader will also receive a bag of these same items listed and reviewed below! Here is my review of each of these wonderful products:
Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner has an Emerald Cypress & Fir Scent . It cleans the toughest toilet stains and but without an offensive chemical smell.
Tub & Tile Cleaner has the same Emerald Cypress & Fir Scent. I had stains on my tub from too many bubble baths that I could never seem to get off. I admit, I did not really even know they were there, until I used this cleaner and saw how white my tub could actually be!
The Natural Shower Cleaner is a Green Mandarin & Leaf scent and smells so fresh and clean. We use this to spray down our shower after every other use, to keep it clean, free of mold and smelling fresh.
The new Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner has a Lemongrass & Thyme Scent. It kills 99.99% of germs botanically (including Influenza A and H1N1). I was looking for a safer disinfecting cleaners for the bathroom counters and toilet, and this is it! It smells more of thyme than lemongrass to me. I will say, you must like the scent of thyme (which I love). This cleans so well, and I was able to do my whole bathroom (counter first, then toilet) with two paper towels.
The Natural Glass & Surface is Free & Clear (unscented). This does wonders to eliminate little hand prints and streaks from your glass surfaces. We also use it to clean the outside of our oven as it shines it up so nicely. A home with Chrome cannot live with this cleaner!
The Free& Clear Natural All Purpose Cleaner is great for the kitchen and for the non-porous surfaces in your living areas. I do not like scented products in my kitchen because I feel like they interfere with lovely food smells. It cleans beautifully!
The Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner is great to use to really disinfect your home in any area that may need it. It has the same Lemongrass & Thyme scent of the other Disinfecting products from Seventh Generation. I like this after we have any meat or egg products on our counter-tops to kill the harmful germs that come from raw meat.
The Disinfecting Wipes are great for a quick clean, and one cloth goes very far. I used one of these cloths to clean my entire bathroom to test it out. I am obsessed with these as I am a total anti-germ warrior.
The 100% Recycled Paper Towels are perfect to use with any of the cleaners mentioned above. They are not bleached or dyed and are more absorbent than my old paper towels.

One lucky reader with get a full-sized bottle of all of the cleaners mentioned above, including the paper towels, all in a lovely Seventh Generation reusable bag. If you would like to win this Healthy Home Starter Kit, please enter below. Good Luck!
Giveaway Rules:
You must be a Product Mommy follower!
This contest is only open to US readers. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on May 20, 2010 . Please include your email address in each entry. A winner will be chosen at random. I will notify the winner on May 21, 2010 via email (please respond within 48 hours) and the Healthy Home Starter Kit will be mailed directly from Seventh Generation. If you do not respond within 48 Hours, I will pick another winner.

How to Enter: You must be a Product Mommy Follower. Click on "Comments" and be sure to leave your email address.

Extra Entries:
You must do the "How to Enter" first and be sure you leave a "comment" for each extra entry and tell me which one you did. Don't forget your email address too.
1. Go to http://www.seventhgeneration.com/ and tell me two facts about their Mission.
2. Become a Fan of Seventh Generation on Facebook.
3. Become a fan of Product Mommy on Facebook
4. Become a fan of Product Mommy on Twitter
5. Subscribe to Product Mommy by email (top left of blog page)
6. Twitter about this contest (and leave a link to the Tweet)
7. Post this giveaway on Facebook (and leave a link)

Monday, April 26, 2010

Simple...


I love Hooter Hiders, and cannot say enough good things. A good thing just got better. Bebe Au Lait, the company behind Hooter Hiders and Bebe Au Lait nursing covers has come up with the Simple by Bebe Au Lait Nursing Covers. They are made of organic material and have the same great style and function of the award winning nursing covers. They comes in amazingly bright colors. I got the Peacock color and I love it. These covers are 100% Organic Linen with a terrycloth detail for cleanup or storing breast pads or pacifiers. Because they have a rigid neckline, you can make direct eye contact with your baby. These wonderful nursing covers can be also used as a blanket, and even a sunshade draped over the stroller to protect for the suns rays.

I love the new Simple by Bebe Au Lait Nursing Cover. It is really soft, and super roomy. You can even get organic burp cloths from this line. So if you were hesitating about getting one because you were worried about the fabric and material, now you have no reason not to run out and buy one. I am all for anything that helps a mommy and baby breastfeed comfortably!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Sprout...It is TIME to be Eco-friendlly


Lately a lot more companies are taking a look at the product they make or want to make, and are wisely finding ways to make things more environmentally friendly. I was pretty excited to read about Sprout. Sprout makes eco-friendly watches! Yes, you read that right! With 50 years of making timepieces, Sprout asked how they could make a difference, and a greener timepiece was created.
The small watches are 80% eco-friendly and the large size is 86% eco-friendly. How is a watch eco-friendly? Pay attention dear readers, this is how:
The watches are lead and phthalate free. The Caseback, Bezel, Reflector Ring and Movement Holder and the Buckle Closure are all made with Corn Resin. The Strap is certified organic cotton. The dial is bamboo. It has mineral crystal and used a mercury-free battery.
The watch will not break down during regular wear and use, but in a composite environment, the corn resin is 99% biodegradable to carbon dioxide and water within a year. Corn is a renewable resource. Bamboo is a natural fiber with many environmental benefits, and, Mineral crystal is made from sand and recyclable. Even the packaging is made from at least 80% post consumer fibers. It is both recycled and recyclable. One of the coolest features of the packaging is that it comes with a square that can be watered and set in the sun to grow real grass!
I was skeptical, but I instantly fell in love with my watch. I got the larger size, which is perfect for my needs. These watches retail for a very nice $30, so you can afford to have more than one. Product Baby kept begging me to wear it and we plan on getting her a smaller one. I think these little steps are so important to the overall big picture. You get something sturdy and environmentally friendly. Isn’t is “Time” to make a change?
EARTH DAY ALERT: Sprout has signed on as an official sponsor of Earth Day 2010 (40th Anniversary) and will be in Washington D.C, San Diego and NYC promoting sustainability and environmental awareness with dozens of other eco-related brands and organizations. These events are perfect for families and spending time together for an educational and good cause!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Erbaviva...Real Organic Care

I write about a lot of organic products. We are very careful about what we use on our daughter. Children have delicate skin that needs extra care and I do not trust all of the harmful chemicals in some of the mainstream brands. Erbaviva is a company devoted to bringing you natural and organic products from Baby to the whole family. The line was created by Robin Brown and his wife Anna Cirronis, in 1996. They created a full line of baby care products, then mommy to be products, and eventually something for the whole family. The products use aromatherapy and use the the highest quality organic and wildcrafted essential oils. The products are all freshly made at their own facility in Southern California. They are very conscious of the consumer and if a product is not more than 99% certified organic ingredients, it is not marked “organic.” I like that their labels list all of the ingredients and make note of which ones are organic.

We got to try two wonderful products. The Organic Baby Lip & Cheek Balm can be used on lips, cheeks and even hands. It contains Rosemary extract to give it natural antioxidants and chamomile is comforting for babies. It is a chubby stick, so it is easy to get on your little one. I love the smell, and I even use it to smooth stray hairs for me and Product Baby. It came in super handy after a very un-seasonal beach day of swimming and basking in the sun (with sunscreen of course). Our lips were parched, as were our cheeks from the salt water, so we swabbed ourselves in the Organic Lip & Cheek Balm. Ahhhh…

The other product is The Sniffles Organic Chest Balm. It contains organic essential oils of Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, and Myrrh. Cypress essential oil also helps deliver natural healing and antiviral ingredients into baby's chest, back and neck when they don’t feel well. It is petroleum free and almost %100 organic.. It is perfect for colds, and to treat coughs. I usually stay away from anything when my baby is sick with a cold, but during a recent bad bought of coughing and sniffles, this was a gift from the angels. I put it on her chest at night, and I think it made a huge difference. Certain mainstream chest rubs are actually dangerous for children, but not this. Spring colds are always popping up with the wild changes in weather. Now I know I will not be without this indispensable product to make a tough cold a little easier.
I look forward to trying more from this absolutely wonderful line.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Klean Kanteen


We have been using Klean Kanteen containers for quite a while. Klean Kanteen changed their materials in 2004 to create the first food-grade stainless steel bottle on the market. Klean Kanteen® are made from high quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel, a metal with no harmful toxins. They are super durable and easy to clean (dishwasher safe). They also have no coating on the inside which other bottles contain. They use food-grade stainless steel that doesn't need to be lined with plastic or baked-on epoxy like aluminum bottles, so you'll never have to check to make sure the inside of your Klean Kanteen® is still safe and intact. No linings means no flavor retains in the bottle, so you water never tastes like the juice that might have been in it the day before.

Our first Klean Kanteen were a few Kid Kanteen Sippy for my daughter. She was not a fan of a sippy cup top, but we resolved that with a few Sport Caps. I soon realized we were not using her other cups, and were solely using the Klean Kanteen. My daughter is very rough with her belongings and these stand up to that roughness. After over a year, there is not one scratch on the bottles. I decided to convert my and my husband's bottles to Klean Kanteen as well. I own a 27 oz. Klean Kanteen Classic in a lovely pink color! I use it almost every single day, until I steal my husbands so I can wash mine.

I was recently fortunate enough to get one of the new 20 oz. Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated Bottles. They have double-walled vacuum insulation with a wide mouth, and the same great Klean Kanteen features. You can use it as a mug for your coffee, a thermos or an insulated food container. It keeps contents hot or cold for up to 6 hours, and iced drinks stay cold for more than 24 hours. What I especially love, is that once again, they were able to make a superior bottle with no lining! Product Baby is especially picky after a day at the playground, and likes her drinks cold. She has been known to throw her water cup if the water is too warm. I decided to test this out. Product Baby is not a fan of juices, but she adores water. I filled our Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated with water, no ice. After a full day, it was still nice and cold. Happy Baby and Happy Mommy! I cannot wait to try packing picnic soups and stews next winter!

Say goodbye to your plastic bottles and grab a few Klean Kanteen Bottles. You will not only save money, you will be saving the environment each time you fill your Klean Kanteen instead of grabbing a plastic bottle!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Giveaway Winners!

Congrats to the following Giveaway Winners:

Eileen won the thinkbaby bottles

Alissa and Peggy won the Skoy Cloths

There are more exciting giveaways to come. Be sure to enter this:

Green Toys Chef Set Giveaway-ends 5/3

Green Toys Giveaway!


You might remember that I recently wrote about Green Toys. These wonderful toys are made of recycled plastic and are kid tough! Green Toys has generously offered a Chef Set for one lucky Product Mommy reader.

Giveaway Rules:

You must be a Product Mommy follower!
This contest is only open to US readers. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on May 3, 2010 . Please include your email address in each entry. A winner will be chosen at random. I will notify the winner on May 4, 2010 via email (please respond within 48 hours) and the Chef Set will be mailed directly from Green Toys. If you do not respond within 48 Hours, I will pick another winner.

How to Enter: You must be a Product Mommy Follower. Click on "Comments" and be sure to leave your email address.

Extra Entries:
You must do the "How to Enter" first and be sure you leave a "comment" for each extra entry and tell me which one you did. Don't forget your email address too.
1. Become a follower of Product Mommy
2. Become a fan of Product Mommy on Facebook
3. Become a fan of Product Mommy on Twitter
4. Subscribe to Product Mommy by email (top left of blog page)
5. Twitter about this contest (and leave a link to the Tweet)
6. Post this giveaway on Facebook (and leave a link)

Monday, April 12, 2010

Kinderville, a Kinder Way to Store Food


Kinderville is a collection of amazing food storage products created by two parents who were tired of the plastic only options available. They offer safe products including feeding and food storage systems, bowls, bottles, sippy cups, utensils etc.. They are all safety-tested and are BPA, Phthalate and Lead Free. All of the items are made from a high grade silicone. They can be used in the freezer, microwave and refrigerator and are dishwasher safe. Each item is also bacteria resistant! You can literally go from fridge, right to heating up your child’s food and then popping it into the microwave. We were lucky enough to try a few items from this amazing line. I am now a fan forever!

The Little Bites Storage Jars are perfect for storing baby food and snacks alike. We are out of the baby food stage in this house, but we use ours to store berries for days at the beach or the playground. The unique design makes the jar stay closed so well, and keeps the item inside hot or cold.
The Bigger Bites Storage Jars are wonderful for larger meals for kids who are in school all day, or even sending your significant other to work with a healthy lunch. I found these to be perfect for sending pasta dinners to work with my husband. I cannot get enough of how easy they are to use, and how wonderful it is to not use plastic containers. Our Bigger Bites Jar recently stored a wonderful fruit salad that refreshed us on our very unseasonal 90 Degree beach day this week.
The Little Bites Bowls are wonderful for morning cereal or oatmeal. If you ever took a real look at most of the dishes for children, you realize you cannot microwave them. I often have to heat up my daughter’s food, then switch it to a kid-sized bowl for her –what a waste of resources! These bowls totally changed that!
The Little Bites Cups are just as fantastic. I like bringing this cup for picnics because it will not break in the bag and it allows my daughter to be “like a grown-up.” I also noticed that it stays put on the dinner table, so she has less spilling accidents.
My daughter’s favorite is probably the Little Bites Popscicle Molds. You can make your own freezer pops that make it easy for your child to eat. No need to try and pop them out, the container becomes the holder. We also use ours filled with yogurt for a nice, mess-free treat.
I cannot say enough good things about Kinderville. The products are wonderful, and they have gone through multiple uses and washes. Stop using plastic that does more harm than good, and have fun with Kinderville!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Shake it up!


It is fabulous that lots of companies are making fashionable car seat covers. I have to say, it is a relief that you can express yourself and take a boring car seat to the next level. However, I have had a few issues. We have a Britax Marathon Car Seat, which we adore. As soon as my daughter was out of her infant carrier, she went straight into this car seat. Unfortunately so did every thing she ate and drank. I found myself having to wash the cover, then get it back into the car, while juggling a toddler. I bought a car seat cover and wah wahhh, it was not a good experience. Because it came with no padding, I put it over the existing Marathon cover. It kept slipping and was generally not a good experience. Then I realized, Britax sells their own car seat covers! You can buy a replacement car seat cover with shoulder and belly pad in your choice of pattern. We chose Cowmooflage because I knew it would hold my daughter’s attention and be useful for a boy or girl. It is not only adorable, but so much better than using another cover over the perfection of Britax one. She loves it, we love it! Britax has this option to get other car seat covers for most of their infant-toddler car seats. It is fun to change things up, and if you have a fussy toddler, it is a nice way to make the car seat seem exciting again!

Monday, April 5, 2010

The Fresh Snack Pack!




I write quite often about using cloth or lunch sacks that you do not have to throw away. I believe that it is such a waste to use plastic bags for your food on the go. Not only are they horrible for the environment, but they also flavor the food…and not in a good way. I use cloth lunch sacks and sandwich sacks, but I came upon another conundrum. Cloth is not always perfect for foods that are more moist – veggies, fruits, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! So I did some research and found the Reusable Fresh Snack Pack. The Reusable Fresh Snack Pack was created by mommy Crystal Figlietti. These wonderful Snack Packs are PVC-Free, Non-Toxic, and super useful! They not only hold your food for you, but fold out to a placemat for eating on the go!

The Fresh Snack Pack is made of 4mm thick EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) and is made to be reusable and thus reduce lunch and snack waste. EVA is the same material that has been recently used for baby teethers and for a variety of vinyl and foam products. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website and the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) website - EVA is safe for storage and contact with food.

EVA is a type of plastic that does not require a plasticizer and is bisphenol-A (BPA) free and phthalate free, so it is considered to be non-toxic. And tested lead-free.


Crystal was nice enough to send us some to try out, and they have become indispensable to us. We use them whenever we are on the go. Instead of having to pack bulky tins for fruit and veggies, we take the Reusable Fresh Snack Pack. Free yourself for the plastic baggie prison and join the Earth Movement!

Friday, April 2, 2010

Beautiful Books!

I have been remiss in not posting about some of our favorite books. We love reading in this family and more than one fight has ensued when my daughter wants to take her whole bookshelf into bed with her.
One of our newest favorites is a book called Agate by Joy Morgan Dey and Nikki Johnson. Agate is the story of Agate the Moose who has very low self-esteem. He compares himself to his other animals friends (all named after precious stones), and feels he is lacking. Through this story he learns from these friends that he is special too! The illustrations are nothing short of amazing. The book has a lovely message and is a pleasure. Check it out!

The other book that makes a frequent appearance is Snoozers by Sandra Boynton. Boynton books have always been a favorite of mine for the funny illustrations and the kooky rhyming. Snoozers is seven short stories all based around going to sleep. It will make your little one laugh before bed, while incorporating that underlying message of "you need to sleep, little one."

Happy reading (and Happy Easter and Happy Passover, or just a simple Happy Spring).

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