Purex Baby Detergent Review & Giveaway

I have three children, two of which have had sensitive baby skin. I haven't noticed that laundry detergent bothers them but I have never used a baby detergent to see if it ever made a difference. Alot of their skin sensitivities are from Eczema and it sure is bothersome to them! My 4 year old has just about grown out of her eczema but my 8 month old has it all over his head and scalp. I guess if it was a laundry detergent allergy it would be all over their bodies, especially where their clothes touch their skin. So that is why I have never switched detergents.

Did you know that Purex carries a baby laundry detergent? I didn't, until recently. :) I am a Purex Insider and that means I have the opportunity to review products from Purex and today, I am going to chat with you a little about their Baby Detergent! I am really familiar with popular baby detergent brands but I really can't handle how expensive they are. This is why I am thrilled that Purex carries a baby detergent. Purex is always so much less expensive than leading brands and works just as well...it just makes sense to use them over other brands. I only use Purex, by the way. :) Here's a little bit more about this detergent, formulated especially for the little ones in your family...

Gentle on Baby’s Skin. Tough on Baby’s Messes.

You want the best for your baby, and so do we. Purex Baby detergent is hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested and formulated to be extra gentle on your little one’s sensitive skin. Purex Baby detergent leaves your baby’s clothes smelling fresh and clean, and won’t harm the flame resistance of sleepwear.

This will be my first time ever using a baby detergent and so I was excited to see how well it worked on my children's clothes.

So, for this review I was sent a full size bottle of Purex Baby to try. The white bottle and pink cap are a dead giveaway as to who this detergent is formulated for. I love how easy it is to spot! This is also the Triple Action formula so it is supposed to work well on baby stains. I have TONS of stained baby clothes (my babies spit up so much) and hate that it is so hard to get stains out.

There is alot about this baby detergent I love...and the reasons are printed right on the label! It is gentle on baby skin and also on their clothing. It is also good to know that the Triple Action formula will aid in stain removal.

As with many sensitive skin detergents and baby detergents, this is a clear detergent. There are no dyes, which is why it is not colored. Purex Baby Detergent is safe for HE Washers too so if you have one of those, you can use this detergent too!

My favorite feature of this detergent is the baby scent it has. One of the reasons I dislike many sensitive skin and baby detergents is that they are fragrance-free. I LOVE my laundry to smell nice and this detergent smells so pretty. My children's clothes came out smelling great and fresh...not to mention they were nice and clean too! I honestly didn't notice a difference in the performance of this compared to the other Purex detergents I use...it worked just as nicely, but is a gentler formula.

Now, this new detergent is not available in all stores so be sure to check the store locator on Purex's website. My local Walmart carries this product so that is probably a good place to check. Currently, it is only available in 50 oz. sizes but the 100 oz. sizes are coming soon!!

So, in my opinion...Purex Baby Detergent is wonderful! I am really excited to see if it will help my son's eczema at all and if it does, I will be a dedicated user. :) Purex has not let me down yet and this detergent looks like yet another winner in my book. Love it!

I have three coupons for Free Purex Baby Detergent to give away to three of you! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. As a Purex Insider, I did receive Purex Baby Detergent for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Purex website and email. Prizes are being mailed by myself. This blog is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. 

Sage Spoonfuls Review & Giveaway

 

Several years ago when my son was learning to eat solids, I was shocked at the price for baby food. I don't know why those little jars are so expensive...and I am not even talking about the organic brands! When I did the math, I was amazed at how much money is actually spent on baby food. This was about the time I started to do some research into making homemade baby food. After reading the ingredient list on most baby foods, I found that most of the ingredients used were ones that I could easily purchase myself and cook how I would like. The scariest thing about buying pre-made baby food is you have no idea what the factory was like in which they were prepared (cleanliness, employee health, handling of the food, etc.) and what the actual ingredients are. Now, I do believe that factories have to meet certain health, food and safety requirements and am not paranoid about baby food safety, but I just like to know what I am feeding my baby. If I have made it, then there is no question about the quality. After seeing how easy it actually was to make baby food, I decided to try it out and I LOVED IT! 

Today, I am going to introduce you to a company that totally equips you to create, prepare and store your very own, homemade baby food! Sage Spoonfuls was founded by Liza Huber...a stay-at-home mom of 3 (#4 due in January!) and here is a bit more about her...

Liza Huber is an award-winning author, wife, mother of 3 (with #4 due in Jan), and CEO and Founder of Sage Spoonfuls. Drawing from her own experiences and the guidance of a leading pediatrician, she designed Sage Spoonfuls to fit the needs of all parents and their busy schedules. Sage Spoonfuls allows parents to easily make, serve, store and take their healthy, homemade baby food on-the-go. 

In addition to launching Sage Spoonfuls, Liza has been appointed an Ambassador Mom for the March of Dimes, which is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. Having been the mother of a preemie herself, this cause is very close to her heart. 

Liza has also been appointed a Parent Ambassador for Healthy Child, Healthy World and will help to inform and inspire people to take action and create cleaner, greener, safer environments where children and families can flourish. Healthy Child, Healthy World has been a national leader for nearly two decades, igniting a movement of awareness and responsibility. 

Liza and her husband, Alex, have been married since 2004. They have 3 children, Royce 5, Brendan 4, and Hayden 18 months. They are excited to welcome baby #4 in January 2013!

I know that when it comes to making home made baby food it can be challenging to be creative. It also takes a bit of practice learning how to create the right textures and blend flavors. Liza takes all the guess-work out of this and gives you exactly what you need to succeed!

So, for this review I was sent her Sage Spoonfuls-Simple Recipes, Healthy Meals, Happy Babies book and also a Sage Mini Storage Pack.

I was so excited to receive the Sage Spoonfuls book because I am on the verge of introducing solids to Isaac. He hasn't been interested at all (unless you were offering him a pizza crust or pretzel) in anything that resembles food and that is so opposite of how his siblings were. Right now,Isaac is almost 8 months old and I love how this book breaks down foods into age-appropriate chapters. The particular page I photographed above shows you what foods baby can eat and also directs you to the page on which you can find recipe and preparation ideas. There are soooo many yummy foods that your baby can eat now!

Also, Liza gives you some great food combination ideas so you can mix things up a bit. I know that my children always loved eating different fruits and veggies and so the flavors can blend nicely if you use the right foods. Above, you can see the suggestions as to what you can put with pineapple. YUM! Pineapple is such a tasty fruit and one that you don't see used very often in store-bought baby foods.

Also in Sage Spoonfuls you can find out how to make your own baby oatmeal, what foods to avoid and why, how to perform infant CPR, what tools you need for baby food preparation, how to properly store food and how to make mealtime fun! All this and so much more...all in one handy and fantastic resource!! The Sage Spoonfuls Book retails for $24.95.

The Sage Mini Storage Containers are wonderful. They are BPA Free and come with cute labels that can be affixed to the lids for easy labeling and identification. You can freeze food in them and then simply pop the containers in the fridge for thawing and storing.

They are also small enough to take with you in the diaper bag and will double as a serving dish when you need to feed baby! As a mom who is on the verge of feeding solids to my son, I am really excited to have these containers for my baby food. The Mini Storage Containers retail for $9.99.

These and many more great baby food preparation tools are available for purchase directly from Sage Spoonfuls. You can also become a Sage Spoonfuls fan on Facebook and follow them on their Twitter page and YouTube channel! Check them out...I am sure they would love to meet you. :)

So, in my opinion...Sage Spoonfuls is a delightful company! All you need for making and storing your home made baby food is available to you in one convenient place...I love it! I would definitely recommend this company to anyone who is preparing to embark on the baby food making venture...it is a wonderful resource and one that covers every need you may encounter.

Sage Spoonfuls has offered to giveaway a set of Mini Storage Containers and the Sage Spoonfuls Book to one of you!! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free Sage Spoonfuls products for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Sage Spoonfuls website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Fill a Need This Season Through World Vision's Gift Catalog {Giveaway}

I try every day to remind my children of how fortunate they are to live in America. We truly have need of nothing. When I was younger, my mom would always tell me to eat everything on my plate because there were children somewhere in the world who had nothing to eat and would give anything to have just a bite of what I was going to throw out. It sounds silly but it is so very true. When I went on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic, we visited villages that were so poor, they had no indoor plumbing. Their toilet was a hole in the ground with metal sheeting propped around it for privacy. These people who live in poverty-stricken countries deserve so much and yet are thankful with so little. I am going to present an opportunity to you that will give you and your family a chance to make an impact in someone's life...in another part of the world.

This Christmas, it isn't an iPad or Kindle that you can give...it's a goat, chickens, fresh water, ducks and so much more! Thanks to World Vision, you can share the love of Christmas to needy children and you have so much from which to choose! World Vision now has a Gift Catalog that you can browse and select gifts that you would like to give some needy people in different parts of the world. Here is a bit more about World Vision and their mission of love...

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.We serve close to 100 million people in nearly 100 countries around the world. 

World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.Wherever we work, our prayer is that our efforts will be used by God to heal and strengthen people’s relationships with Him and with one another. We do this by demonstrating God’s unconditional love for all people through our service to the poor — which includes providing for daily needs, working to build peace and promote justice, and partnering with churches and individuals to encourage spiritual transformation.

I have known about World Vision for some time now and just recently, received this gift catalog in my mailbox. How coincidental! I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to share this organization with all of you!

So, for this review I was sent some Hand Carved Serving Spoons and they are soo beautiful! They come in a pretty drawstring bag (hand-sewn from local African women) that protects them and also makes a wonderful bag in which to gift them!

These particular spoons are made out of 100% Olive Wood and the detail is wonderful. They certainly do not look like something you would purchase at your local Walmart.

One of these looks like a round fork, and the other looks like a spoon. You could use these for serving leaf or pasta salads and other dishes. They would add so much to any table!! Better yet, you could tell others about World Vision simply by using these spoons. What a great conversation piece.

Through World Vision's Gift Catalog, you can give the gift of clothing and shelter, emergency aid, education and so much more. All you need to do is visit World Vision online and peruse their catalog. If you are a family, why not consider adopting a child this Christmas? I can promise you that your children will learn to give more than they ever have in the past and gifts like these will make an impact in a life that you may never meet in person. How wonderful!!

So, delay no longer...visit World Vision today and see how you can help. It is so easy and there are many gifts from which to choose. Make a difference and make this Christmas extra special for someone miles away.

World Vision has offered to give away a set of these Hand Carved Serving Spoons to one of you! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free Hand Carved Serving Spoons in exchange for this post. All quotes and stock photos are from the World Vision website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

~Christmas Morning Yumminess~ Drop Danishes

This is a favorite that I enjoy making not only at Christmas, but at other times of the year as well. It is quick, simple and VERY yummy too. As you enjoy the busyness of this season, take a minute to savor these tasty treats. Enjoy!

Drop Danishes

1/4 c. margarine (I used butter), softened

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 c. Bisquick

2/3 c. Milk

1/4 jam

GLAZE: 2/3 c. powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. warm water (I used cold milk)

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Cheese Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese

1/4 c. sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mix the margarine, sugar and Bisquick til crumbly. Add milk until dough forms. Beat 15 strokes and then drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Make a shallow well in the center of each and fill with one teaspoon of jam (or cheese filling). Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. While warm, drizzle with glaze. ENJOY!! :)

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Anti Monkey Butt Powder Review & Giveaway

I am going to speak a bit personally today but no worries...it will still be family-friendly!! Does anyone besides me sweat? Just a little? I know it is December, but I still deal with perspiration issues...especially when I wear nylons. Now that we are out of flip flop weather, I am wearing dress shoes and stockings to church and have always had problems with sweaty feet. Wearing stockings seems to compound an already annoying problem so I have been looking for solutions. This next company adds a bit of humor to the idea of taking care of your sweat and friction problems...and I think that they make some really neat Christmas gifts too!

Anti Monkey Butt Powder is a personal care powder that helps you keep you dry and comfortable, no matter what you are doing. Whether you are biking, hiking, or just chasing the kiddos around, this powder is designed to keep the friction away and also, keeps sweat a bit more under control for extra comfort. Here is a bit more about this product...

Anti Monkey Butt Corporation is dedicated to maximizing the performance and comfort of sports enthusiasts and people who work hard all day long. If you've suffered from the soreness, itching and redness caused by the friction of clothing against skin, then you know it can ruin your day. Our goal is to provide products that help to prevent "Monkey Butt" so you can enjoy your favorite activity.

The founders of the company include a health care professional and a heavy equipment operator/construction worker who are both dedicated dirt bike riders and racers. Over the years they've tried a variety of products to prevent "Monkey Butt." None of the available products however, lived up to their expectations for comfort, relief of soreness or easy availability.

In 2003, they decided to develop their own remedy to deal with the condition that had plagued them for years. After several months of testing different formulas, their development team found just the right combination of ingredients. They liked the results so well that they decided to market their creation as Anti Monkey Butt Powder.

Now, motorcyclists, horseback riders, bicyclists, runners, truck drivers and anyone who suffers from Monkey Butt can find relief by using Anti Monkey Butt Powder!

Oh boy...I remember my bicycle riding days like they were yesterday and I know the friction that they are talking about! It is no fun to have that problem when you are trying to do something fun like ride a bike! My most troublesome spots are my thighs, and my scarred skin where I had a cesarean. Those two places get so raw sometimes, I just live with it most days and hope to find something that will help.

Well, for this review I was sent a container of Anti Monkey Butt Powder to try and I am going to share my experience with you all today! Honestly, I love the product but think that the name is a bit crass. I don't say "butt" around my children because it is not something I want to hear them repeat. However, I get the point of the product by reading the name. The picture on the label also gives away some information about this powder too. LOL! :)

This powder has a good-sized sprinkle top that is used for application. I would recommend putting some into your hand and then applying it wherever your friction and irritable skin problem areas are. If it is your thighs, then put some on your hand and pat it onto your skin.

Here is where I am going to be a bit descriptive as to where I applied this powder. My first child was born via C-section and because of that incision, the skin on my belly tends to flop over the incision. I have no muscle tone in my belly at all. (That and having two children after her!) This skin that hangs over the incision rubs on the incision and makes it very sore and it is also hard to keep dry. So, when I received this powder, that is where I put it. For anyone who has gone through a C-section, this is FANTASTIC to use. Anti Monkey Butt Powder also contains ingredients to help relieve itching and irritation and so that helps with my skin issues too! Seconds after applying this powder, my skin actually felt silky. It also smelled wonderful and fresh too, not at all like a medicated powder would smell. I plan on using this powder daily after my shower to help keep my skin feeling great and protected.

Along with using for personal comfort, you can also sprinkle some on your feet prior to putting your shoes on and that should help with foot sweating too...I am going to try this as well! A container of Anti Monkey Butt Powder retails for just $5.95 and the container is fairly large so you don't have to worry about running out any time soon.

If you are interested in following Anti Monkey Butt on their social media sites, I am sure they would love to have you on board! Find them on Facebook and also on Twitter...make sure you don't miss any coupons, deals or new product alerts! They really do have something for everybutty...even the babies! :)

Anti Monkey Butt has offered to giveaway an Anti Monkey Butt Powder to one of you! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free Anti Monkey Butt products in exchange for this post. All quotes and stock photos are from the Anti Monkey Butt website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

We Bought A House!!!!

Back in August, we decided that we really needed to find a new house. Our current home is roughly 900 square feet and with three little ones (two running through the house and one crawling) our living space feels like it is shrinking. Realistically, purchasing a home through santa monica ca real estate would not be practical because it is on the other side of the country for us but having been to California, it would be a spectacular state to live in!! So, after having our house for sale by owner for a few weeks, we decided to step things up a bit and list with an agent.

This definitely was the way to go. Within the week of listing our home, we had numerous showings. Sadly though, no one put in offers. While we were disappointed, we knew that the right person would come along at the right time. So, we waited. While we were waiting, we also knew that we needed to find a new house too. This was a process that we were very excited about and I just loved going to different houses that we were interested in. There is just something so neat about walking through a house that isn't yours yet knowing that it COULD be yours, you know? 

We looked at numerous houses and found several that we loved. Some of the things we wanted in a new home were more than 1,500 square feet of living space. We also wanted something somewhat secluded and maybe some acreage too.  There was one house that we were very interested in but it had no acreage. After discussing our other options, we decided that with my husband's busy schedule, it would be very difficult to keep up a lot of land and that we really didn't need as much land as we thought we did. So, we went ahead and put an offer in on the house.  Guess what? WE GOT IT!!! All 1,700 square feet of it too. :) We are thrilled and very excited too. :)

Now all we have to do is move. *grin*. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? That leads me to a quick question for all of you...what are your moving tips? I've never had to move before and could use suggestions. Any ideas on how to successfully move three children, pack, and not lose my mind? I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Kidorable's NEW SpongeBob & Dora the Explorer Line {GIVEAWAY}

Well, we are getting closer and closer to Christmas. Trying to think about everyone on my list gets tiring sometimes but I just keep pushing on and hope that I don't forget anyone. I think that the best gifts to give are the ones that children receive. It is soooo fun to give gifts to my children because they just have so much appreciation for anything that is NEW. You know what I mean? Well, if you are still hunting for that perfect gift for a little boy or girl on your list, I think I may have something that will fit the need!

Kidorable has recently introduced several new styles to their product line and you are going to LOVE them! For every child on your list, Kidorable now carries Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob style products! Now, I will say here that here in our home, we are not fans of either of these characters. We do not have a television so our children have no idea who they are and I do not care for the magic and silliness associated with the characters. That said, I know that there are tons of fans of Dora and SpongeBob out there and wanted to share this new line with you all.

I have always loved Kidorable from the very first time I "met" them. Their fun clothing and accessories excite my children and make me feel like such a wonderful mom. :) I love products like that. My children currently have two raincoats, a pair of rain boots and an umbrella...all of which get played with regularly. There really isn't a day that goes by that my son doesn't want to wear his boots-in the house! My daughter is always begging to play with her umbrella and today, she was running circles in the living room with it. I have to put it up when she is not playing with it purely so it doesn't get broken.

So, when it comes to your holiday shopping for your children or for any special child on your list, won't you take a look at what Kidorable has to offer? SpongeBob and Dora are certainly popular characters with most children today and Kidorable will be sure to have your child covered head to toe in their favorite character!! You can get everything from the umbrellas to the rain boots...the wet days of Spring will be here before no time so you want to be sure your child is protected from the weather. Kidorable's products will make them the talk of the bus stop and will have every child begging for their own special Kidorable gear!

Each umbrella retails for $15 and the other accessories differ in prices depending on what you want. It's nice to know that you can fully coordinate your child in their favorite theme!!

Kidorable has offered to giveaway either a Dora the Explorer Umbrella or a SpongeBob SquarePants Umbrella to one of YOU! :) Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. All quotes and stock photos are from the Kidorable website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.