We all strive to do what’s best for our kids, making sure they eat healthy and get enough sleep. But, do we think about the products we use on their sensitive skin? Do we think about the chemicals and fragrances that we place on their little bodies that may cause allergic reactions or -gulp- even cause cancer?  Thankfully, Kiss My Face has just come out with a whole kid’s line that is 100% natural with no artificial colors, fragrances, parabens, or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

Now, in the past I’ve used natural products that didn’t smell so great. But these? Oh my goodness!  These products smell absolutely so yummy, I could eat them! Most are in the “Orange U Smart” scent that smells like orange serbert. It’s good stuff.  Savannah loves the toothpaste, that is naturally good tasting instead of with artificial sugars and flavors (there is both with fluoride and without for the younger kids!). She also loves playing with the little “Whale of Soap” bars that are shaped like whales (and again, they smell so good!).  These products work just as well as other products that do contain harmful ingredients, but it gives me a piece of mind that these are actually good for her. The packaging and cleaver titles also just makes these products so fun to use, with interesting animal facts on each. The good thing? These natural products aren’t just sold in health stores or online, but in stores like Target as well!

Want to win the entire cleaning line for your little busy body? The set includes:

1. A Whale of a Soap Pack

2. 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner

3. Toothpaste with Fluoride

4. Toothpaste without Fluoride

5. Pack of Lip Balm

6. Foaming Hand Wash

7. Hair Detangler Spray

8. Bubble Wash

9. Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash

Yes, that’s nine great products you can win!  Just comment on this post telling me what you do to help protect and encourage a “green” life for your family (I can use all the help I can get myself…).  Comments will close on Thursday, December 4th at midnight. One winner will be chosen at random and announced Friday the 5th.

Good luck!

Once again, I have to rave about the quality of Land’s End merchandise.  This time, I was lucky to receive this amazingly comfy Kid’s Sleeping Bag Set for Savannah. While she isn’t quite old enough for sleepovers just yet, she already loves playing in this and I look forward to the day she can use it for real!

Like I said, the quality is excellent. I was in awe how soft and cushy is it, it feels like a down comforter! Then again, perhaps I’m just used to the cheapo polyester fabrics of my sleeping bags growing up? The fabric is made of 100% cotton and super soft both inside and out. I also love that it includes a matching pillowcase and storage bag. And, the bag has a handle to carry it easier! My cheap ones never had that either growing up.  The zipper is very easy to use and has not gotten stuck at all.

Yes, Savannah will be stylish and cozy one day when she makes that leap into girl hood at her first sleepover. Until then, we’ll be busy putting her baby dolls to bed and pretending to go ni-night ourselves.

Ready for this good news?  One of you will win one of these great prizes of your choice from Land’s End!

1) Kid’s Sleeping Bag Set

2) Women’s Regular Long Sleeve Cashmere Tee Sweater

3) Men’s Regular Down Vest

Just comment on this post telling me which one you would like. Is it for you, or a gift? Comments will close Sunday November 30th.  One winner will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, December 1st. That way, if it is a gift you can receive it in time for the holidays.

Good luck!

Congrats Julie from Mom 2 Ways!  Please email me (leah@omommawrites.com) your mailing address to claim your Christmas Label Pack Prize.

Don’t worry, my friends, more giveaways are coming!

I’m a girl who loves make up.  If you know me in person, you know that I rarely leave the house without make on, and I take forever getting ready.  It’s true, I like to feel beautiful. And, ya know, cover up my eye bags and acne scars.  So, when BlogHer offered the chance to review Estee Lauder’s new and updated website, I jumped at the chance.  $100 for makeup and skin products? Count me in!

When I think of Estee Lauder I think of a classy, and that’s just what their new website is.  It’s very clean and beautiful and easy to navigate. I love the roll over feature that expands each title category to easily see what is listed without having to click on each one.  It makes it quick to find what you need and browse through all the types of products and tips. I also love that it keeps the items that you recently viewed at the bottom, so it’s easy to go back to find a product you might want more information about or to purchase.  When you click on a product, each page (for the most part, some I felt needed more explanation) is filled with helpful information about the product, what it can do for you, how to use it, including tips, and displaying all the color options. I also like how it suggests other products that compliment the one you are viewing, so it’s easy to complete a certain look or skincare routine.

The “What’s New” page helps customers to see, well, what’s new!  It’s a quick way to see the latest products from limited editions to gift sets, and even shows models examples to suggest products and tips on how to achieve the look. There are also great tips under the “Looks & Tips” tab that has more step by step examples of different makeup looks and even videos!  I love that it tells you exactly what tools and products you need and makes it feel like anyone can achieve that classy, beautiful look.

I was concerned though about buying a foundation or concealer without trying it on in store first, but Estee Lauder at least helps narrow down the choices with their Foundation Finder.  It gave me several options to choose from, from my skin tone to skin type, and picked out a certain shade and foundation for me. However, I did not buy it because I’m still hesitant to buy it without trying. But, the good news is that if you don’t have an Estee Lauder near you to test it out first, their online store does have a great return/exchange policy.  They also have a very helpful online chat with a live beauty specialist for a quick way to answer questions about products and things.  The lady I spoke with was very knowledgeable and it was like talking to a person directly in the store!

The only issue I have with this site is the Skincare Finder.  It’s completely geared toward older woman wanting to fight aging.  When browsing through the cleansers, toners, and moisturizers on my own, I found what I needed to combat my oily and acne prone skin type, however with the Skincare Finder it wasn’t listed at all.  Everything was to help with wrinkles or even out skin tone, which doesn’t apply to every woman’s needs.

Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed shopping with this website and had such a hard time choosing!  I ended up ordering the Eyzone Repair Gel (for those tired eyes!), the Brush on Illuminator (to add a little sparkle to my day and appear more awake), and the Advanced Oil Controlling Hydrator (for my super oily skin). And, I also will receive the free Holiday Hit List gift AND free shipping since my purchase was over $50! They also have other special offers like free gift wrap available and even a sweepstakes to win a $350 shopping spree. So as Estee Lauder is launching it’s new look, why don’t you?

To see what other bloggers are saying about Estee Lauder visit BlogHer’s round up page.

Having been through 2 pregnancies by 20 years old and with my tiny frame of 4 foot 11 inches, there was bound to be some “damage” done. And there was.  I can tell you, I will never ever be seen in a bikini again.  Not only did my stomach muscles expand to accommodate my children, making my tummy the size of a large watermelon (I’m not even kidding. I was huge!) but so did the skin as well. So, even though I have done various workouts before, my skin will never be the same. But that’s beside the point, the point is that what I can improve is the abdominal separation issue I’ve been dealing with that has caused other health issues.  Thankfully, it has gotten better over the years, as I am now almost 2 years postpartum, and with these exercises from Be-Fit Mom.

Firstly, I haven’t seen a postpartum exercise DVD that specifically talks about and deals with the abdominal separation as this one does. Others I have owned haven’t mentioned it at all, so therefore Moms could be at risk for actually damaging their muscles rather than helping!  I was eager to see what Helene suggested to do about it and what exercises to help fix it.  I first received her book, Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best (2nd Edition), but I was quickly discouraged by it.  It does a great job describing the muscles and explaining the terms she uses during exercises, however, trying to do the correct exercises…while holding a book up? Doesn’t work so well. I became very frustrated and notified the Family Review Network, where we agreed that I could also be sent the DVD, Bounce Back Fast! Postnatal Core Conditioning, to help complete my review. Let me just say, it made all the difference. It was so much easier to grasp the information from the book with Helene talking and visually showing the exercises rather than just through drawings and pictures from the book.  And, of course, it helped to have free hands without the book during working out!

The DVD is set up very nicely, broken up into several “training” videos of about 6 minutes each that help explain the different terms and base positions that are needed to know for the workouts (like I read in the book).  It is very informative, telling me things I didn’t pick up in the book but honestly, this section can be a little boring because there isn’t much action.  Also, the lady doing the instructions was a little awkward with her pauses during speech and eye contact with the camera so I would get distracted from the information.  However, as I moved into the exercise portions, it wasn’t as noticeable because she seemed more relaxed and less rehearsed, and ya know, I was concentrating on tightening those abs!

The exercises themselves are very gentle and easy going, much like pilates and yoga.  The instructions are very clear and I never was confused about what I was supposed to be doing (unlike with the book). I also love how there are different workouts for different needs.  You can start out with the “Gentle First Moves” for easy stretching and breathing after 6 weeks postnatal, and then move into the “Bounce Back Fast!” exercises when you are ready that are still easy but involve more focused training for not just abs, but back, arms, and legs as well. There is a section as well for those who find they have abdominal separation and need to take extra precautions with exercises. I definitely felt the burn, but it wasn’t so intense that I felt like I was over doing it. The DVD includes a fit band (mine was hot pink, hurrah!) that is used during some of the exercises, which is nice and convenient! The BeFit-Mom Website also helps explain the contents of the book and DVD, along with specific information that is helpful when preparing to get back into shape after child birth.

So, in my experiences I would recommend the DVD over the book because it’s easier to understand. Myself being 2 years postpartum now, I probably didn’t see as much benefit as other Moms would with younger children, but it’s still helpful to be able to target that last problem area I have (i.e. troublesome stomach muscles) and for just a good stretch. I definitely will be using this whenever we have another child to help get back into shape quicker!

This review opportunity provided by The Family Review Network.

Who hates mopping? I do!  But let’s face it, it has to be done.  And the Libman Wonder Mop is helping me get it done easier.  When I do clean, I cannot stand touching dirty water, chemicals, and yucky surfaces. This mop helps eliminate that issue with it’s handy wringing action.  The white part of the handle slides down over the mop head and wrings out the excess water.  The white part then snaps back into place and wah-la. I never once had to touch the water!  It seems to do a good job cleaning the floors, except spots that have more “baked on” messes that need more scrubbing than these soft fibers can scrub with.

I also LOVE that the mop head is machine washable, so it helps to save on future costs to be able to reuse it over and over again, starting with a clean mop each time!  Which also means that as the mop head does wear done over time, it’s easy to replace the head with a new one and therefore saving money by not having to buy the whole thing over again.

I’ve also read that this mop can be used in other places than the floor, like hard to reach places such as cabinets, top of the refrigerator, or even to clean ceiling fan blades. Again, it’s nice that this mop is washable because you wouldn’t want floor germs on your cabinets, but it’s easy to clean between each use.

Want to win a Wonder Mop and along with other great products, all totaling worth $100?  Don’t forget to enter the Cleaning Giveaway by November 30th!

This review opportunity provided by The Family Review Network.

Need some help getting your house fresh and clean for all those holiday visitors and parties?  Enter to win this cleaning product giveaway worth $100 from Weiman, Wright’s, and Libman!

Package will include:

• Wright’s Silver Cream
• Perfect Planet Floor Cleaner
• Weiman Furniture Wipes
• Weiman Granite Wipes
• Weiman Stainless Steel Wipes
• Wonder Mop
• WonderFiber Cloth

Just comment on this post telling me what product you are most looking forward to.  What do you need the most to help get your cleaning job done? Comments will close on Sunday November 30th at midnight. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on December 1st.

Good luck!

I’ll admit, I hate cleaning. And ya know, I’m kind of a busy girl (I mean, you saw you wrinkled laundry that sits for days…).  So I was excited to receive this opportunity from Weiman Products to try their Furniture Wipes.  Not only was it a chance to try a great product, but well, it got some much needed cleaning done! These wipes not only cut through dust, grime and smoke residue, but also helps protect your furniture with an UVX-15 and 6 natural oils to prevent drying and discoloring. It also contains NO wax or silicones so it doesn’t leave a build up that dulls the wood.

I’m ashamed to even show the before picture of our coffee table, but I will just to show what a good job the wipes did (I promise it looks better in person). You can imagine how sticky and covered with gunk this table is thanks to Savannah’s tiny hands, and I’m just showing one corner. Oy. Immedietely these wipes cut through the grime of month old juice and crushed up yogurt raisins. Woo hoo! It also left a beautiful shine, like I hadn’t seen our coffee table ever shine.

However, with that shine it left a greasy residue, I’m guessing from the natural oils inside that are meant to protect the wood. So, I was a little disappointed in the final outcome because it just felt, well, oily.  But, those oils serve it’s purpose because soon after cleaning water got spilled onto the table and it immediately beaded up and protected the wood. I think over all it does it’s job well and creates a beautiful glow for furniture so I think I can live with the oiliness.

Good news for you? There is another giveaway coming soon, including these wipes, worth $100! Keep an eye out…

Edit: The Giveaway is up now!  Check out the list of great products you could win. Cleaning Giveaway this way.

This review opportunity provided by The Family Review Network.

As a Mom, or even just being a clumsy human being, I’m always looking for misplaced items and keeping track of what things belong to who.  Who’s sippy cup is that?  Who’s notebook is that?  Is that pencil mine, or yours?  Thankfully, The Family Review Network provided an opportunity to review a label company, Stuck On You, to help make life a little bit easier.

I chose to get labels with Savannah’s name and picked a girly theme to match her girly personality.  We ended up with butterflies, dragonflies, and other cute bugs.  First thing I stuck it on? Sippy cups, that’s the number one item our family has the chance of loosing when we go out.  And, it’s also helps to keep kid’s germs more to them selves at church and play dates.  Even though Savannah can’t read yet, she can identify her special sticker with bugs on it and know it is her’s. Next stop will be to place them in her shoes.

What I love about these labels?  They can go on anything!  These aren’t your typical paper stickers that fall apart when wet, these are made of vinyl so they are made for every day rough wear–even in the dishwasher and microwave!  I also love that there are so many choices in the style, to fit not just the personality of the person, but choices in what you need a label for.  Everything from generic-for-anything-labels, to shoes labels, pencil labels, to clothing and school subjects, they’ve got it all covered.  But not just in sticker form, but also as iron on clothing transfers, bag tags, and security wrist bands (love that idea!).  So many choices for every need, even just for fun things like wall art, party invitations, calling cards, notepads, and charts. Phew. Like I said, they have so many options. Though these labels can’t be another pair of eyes to find a matching shoe, they can help shoes stay together and make it back home with us after a play date.  I can’t say enough good things about this product!

And now…you can win a set of their holiday labels!  Just in time for the holidays to label all those gifts for family and friends.  The pack will include 20 assorted designs of their Christmas Gift Labels. Want to win it? All you have to do is visit Stuck On You and come back here to leave a comment telling me which label would you most like to use? Are you constantly loosing clothes, pens, or -gulp- expensive things like ipods?  What would you label?

Comments will only be open until this Sunday at midnight (November 23rd) so that you can get your labels in time for the holidays.  Winners will be chosen randomly and be announced Monday. Want more chances to win?  Tell others about the giveaway by posting it on your blog and commenting with the link directly to your post. Good luck!

I’ll be the first admit, folks, I hate laundry.  I’d rather change dirty diapers. Yes, seriously. See, diapers have to be changed like, right now, or else that precious baby will 1) Stink up the house 2) Get a nasty rash. So, that prompts me to get things done right away, cause I have to. But laundry?  Oh, it gets washed but it almost never gets put up in a promptly time afterward. It could be days, even weeks before I get to it. It’s horrible! Besides the clutter it leaves around my house, what’s worse is the wrinkles. Which, then I end up rewashing items just to get the horrible deep wrinkles out.

Enter my new solution: Refresh’n Dryer Towel.  Sure, it doesn’t put laundry away for me, but it does help make my life easier when I’m scrambling to get ready before school with nothing to wear since it’s all wrinkled.  The water added to this towel creates a steam in the dryer to smooth out wrinkles and freshen up the appearance while the fabric helps loosen dirt. So, I just pop this wet towel with my clothes in the dryer and 10-15 minutes later I’m ready to go!  I know, I know, you can do that anyway without this towel, right?  But it does not just get out the wrinkles, but smells and small amounts of dirt as well!  It’s even safe for dry clean only and other delicate clothes.

It’s also a way to cut down on the use of water (did you know ONE load uses 40-50 gallons?!) as you “wear and air” more often and yet your clothes will still maintain a fresh look and smell?  I know that might sounds gross to some, but do our clothes really need to be washed after every use, just after wearing for a only a few hours with no dirt or stains on it?  I try to wear my jeans more than once because 1) they’re a hassle cause they shrink easily 2) I only have 2 pairs 3) It maintains their color better. 4) I hate laundry. The problem though is normally I have to wash often them then really needed because they get stretched out.  So this special towel helps all of the above problems saving me money and time!

The down side: It only can be used with up to 3 items at a time in the dryer. Which, means I can’t throw my whole laundry basket of clothes in there for a quick fixin’ but it’s perfect for a morning rush with one outfit! And, it can be used up to 25 times before it needs to be replaced again.  But, if you consider the cost of electricity and water you are saving, that still is a lot of savings and worth it.

There is so much more information on Refresh’n Dryer Towel’s website, including more directions and what more it can do for you to save money and the enviroment, so I encourage you to check it out.

This review opportunity provided by The Family Review Network.