FiberOne 90 Calorie Bars – An Easy Snack on the Go
I LOVE the regular Fiber One bars. Seriously, they taste like candy and are absolutely delicious. So, when I heard about the new 90 calorie chewy bars from General Mills, I was a little nervous that they’d sacrificed taste for the lower calories.
When I received them, the first thing I noticed is that the 90 calorie bars are a bit smaller than the other bars – but not too much smaller. The consistency is a bit different – there’s more crispy rice and the bars are less dense. However, they still taste great. I love having them in my purse as a healthy snack on the go. While they won’t replace my regular Fiber One bars, they are a great complement.
Win it! Want to win a gift pack from Fiber One and My Blog Spark? It includes a box of the 90 calorie bars. To win, leave a comment with your favorite weight loss tip. Contest ends 2/20 at 11:59pm and is for US Residents only.
Disclosure: The Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Bars, gift pack, information and additional gift pack to give away were all given to me from Fiber One through MyBlogSpark.
YooHoo & Friends by Aurora
My kids love stuffed animals, often rotating what their absolute favorites are. These days, their favorites are the plush animals from the YooHoo & Friends line by Aurora. These adorable characters with the great big eyes and fluffy tails are based on endangered animals.
My kids especially love squeezing their tummies – each character makes an individual sound when squeezed. The YooHoo & Friends line also has a corresponding Web site that requires no activation codes. Children (with their parents’ permission, of course) can learn more about the endangered animals by reading, playing games, and adopting and raising “friends”.
Plush animals are available in five and eight inch sizes, and as corresponding key chains. To learn more, or to purchase, visit the Aurora Web site.
Gentle Exfoliation, With Results
Do you have sensitive skin, but still want those great exfoliated benefits that you can get with Alpha Hydroxy Acids? I recently had the change to try out the M2 Sensitive Skin Bundle from SkinCareRx, and while the jury’s still out on total results, I really like the way the products feel and work.
The M2 Sensitive Skin bundle includes the following: the M2 Exfoliating Cleanser, the M2 Skin Refinish 12%, and the M2 Skin Recovery Moisturizer. I’ve been using the M2 cleanser faithfully, and while it has done a great job exfoliated those surface flakes off my skin, it hasn’t at all been harsh. When I hear “exfoliating cleanser” I assume that it more of a scrub, but that isn’t the case with this cleanser at all.
The M2 Skin Refinish 12% goes on about 15 minutes before your moisturizer. It’s recommended that you do this at night, but since I use Retin A at night, I use it in the morning, then finish getting ready before adding the moisturizer. You can actually feel it tightening the skin slightly, and I’ve definitely noticed that my skin is smoother. Finally, the moisturizer is a great consistency, and perfect in the winter for me because it’s very moisturizing. There’s no irritation at all, and my skin absorbs it well. I use the moisturizer in the morning, and combined with my Retin A at night.
I have to comment on the packaging. I typically don’t like lots of packaging with my skin products, but I actually really like the way the moisturizer is packaged, because it stays clean and only distributes a bit of product at a time.
You can buy M2 at Skincare Rx.
Want to win a sensitive skin bundle of your own? Leave a comment below with your biggest skincare challenge to be entered to win. Get a second entry for tweeting the giveaway (just leave a second comment letting me know you tweeted). US Residents only, contest ends 2/20 at 11:59 ET.
Disclosure: I received this set free of charge to review.
Smooth, Silky Legs with Pure Silk
Being a klutz like myself makes shaving a dangerous occupation at times. It doesn’t help that I also have dry skin, especially in the winter. This all means that I need a shaving cream that makes shaving smoothly easy and also moisturizes my skin. Pure Silk Shaving Cream does just that. It includes aloe to soothe shaved skin. I love that, after using Pure Silk, my legs are soft and silky. No longer do I have bumps or rashes.
In addition to providing a great shave, Pure Silk Shaving Cream is available in a variety of scents like melon splash, citrus zest, raspberry mist, and plumeria. It’s so much better than using the husband’s manly smelling creams and gels. I also love that Pure Silk is now available in a rust-proof aluminum can that won’t leave marks or stains on a bathtub or in a shower stall.
You can learn more about Pure Silk here or purchase it in mass market retailers or drugstores.
*We received a can of Pure Silk to sample.*
Baby Products – Mommy Must Haves
Today, I’ll be on Fox 25 Boston talking about baby products – mommy must haves!
Here are the products, and my original reviews:
Patemm Pads – buy online at patemm.com
BornFree Sippy Cups - buy online at Newbornfree.com
Mabel’s Labels – buy online at Mabel.ca
The Miracle Blanket – buy at Magic Beans in Brookline, Hingham, Wellesley, or the new store opening this weekend in Cambridge or online at mbeans.com.
Afternoon In With Suave
As a busy mom, I don’t always have the chance to pamper myself, especially with my friends. So when Suave offered me the chance to host a Suave styling party at my house, I jumped at the chance.
Suave provided us with a stylist of my choice (Agostino Lombardi from Studio for Hair in Boston, who has been my hairstylist for 10 years), loads of product samples to take home (and I mean LOADS), food, and beverages. I had fun picking out healthy (and maybe a little unhealthy) food for us to eat, and had wine and cucumber water to drink.
The Suave products we received are from their professional line, which they claim works just as well as corresponding Aveda products. I don’t really use too much Aveda, but I love the Suave products – and they smell great! I don’t use them everyday, but do use them once or twice a week to get my hair really clean.
Click the link to see some photos from my event.
Sweets (and a Discount) for your Valentine from Fresh Beginnings
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I was offered a wonderful (and sweet) opportunity to review two lovely tins from Fresh Beginnings. Fresh Beginnings offers a wide variety of products that make perfect gifts for Valentine’s Day or any other holiday. What grandma or grandpa wouldn’t want a picture of their sweetie pie on a tin filled with sweet treats?
My husband, son and I couldn’t get enough of the chocolate chip cookies. They were fresh, soft, and so very yummy. A wonderful treat for after dinner, the cookies were gone in only a few nights. We were also lucky enough to try the chocolate-covered pretzels. We love the combination of sweet and salty. Just like the cookies, they were fresh and tasted like we just purchased them from a bakery.
The pictures on the tins are of good quality and I plan on using ours for office supplies now that they
are empty. In addition to cookies and pretzels, Fresh Beginnings offers nuts, brownies, peanut brittle, toffee crunch, and chocolates.
You can take a look at the offerings from Fresh Beginnings at http://www.freshbeginnings.com. We are so excited that Fresh Beginnings is offering a code for 25% off your entire order (not including shipping) until Sunday, February 7. Just use the code “FAVSTUFF” at checkout.
*We received samples for this review.*
Luxurious Organic Bamboo Velour Baby Shower Gifts
Organic Bamboo Velour toddler towel, great for the pool, beach and tub!
Looking for a unique and luxurious baby shower gift? Buying a not-on-the-registry gift can be difficult, unless you can come up with something totally unique AND necessary! A super-soft organic bamboo velour blanket, washcloth set, or baby towel from Baby U R Precious, is a great idea.
I received a wash cloth set for review – something that I actually need even though my kids are older. All of the washcloth sets we got when the kids were born are now past their prime – so these two washcloths were a welcome addition. My daughter, upon using the larger one, asked – “Do they make towels like this?”.
And, in fact, yes, they do…
If you aren’t familiar with organic bamboo velour (I wasn’t) – it’s super soft and luxurious, and absorbs water well. It’s also great for kids who are allergic or sensitive to traditional cotton, and is machine washable and dryable. The colors available at Baby U R Precious are gorgeous and bright – from the luscious lime we received to fruity pink – you’ll find something appropriate.
To learn more about Baby U R Precious or to purchase, visit their Web site.
Disclaimer: I received a washcloth set for review at no cost.
Pack a Peanut Butter Sandwich Day Promotion for Feeding America
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to join a webinar with Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who has joined with Peter Pan Peanut Butter to help end hunger in America through the nonprofit organization Feeding America.
I love this promotion, because it’s a wonderful way to start to educate children on the issue of hunger in America. On Wednesdays, from now through February, pack a peanut butter sandwich for your children, rather than have them purchase school lunch. Then, donate the money saved to Feeding America. With the average school lunch price of $2, Feeding America can provide 14 meals. Why is this price so low? Well, much of the food is actually donated, so the money goes towards the shipping and logistics of getting it to those in need.
Do you have a child who’s allergic to peanuts, or who attends a nut-free school? Then, consider donating a jar of peanut butter instead of making peanut butter sandwiches. Peanut butter is one of the most requested foods in shelters, because it contains lots of protein and many meals can come from one jar.
To learn more about the Pack a Peanut Butter Sandwich Day Promotion by Peter Pan, visit their Web site. The site also contains many ideas to help get kids educated and involved.
Genesis Today Blogger Immersion Event
As I discussed before, this week, I, along with a group of other bloggers, attended a Genesis Today event in Austin, TX. While the primary purpose was to select a winner of the Genesis of a Great Idea contest, the bloggers in attendance also were treated to some great experiences, including product sampling, education, and even ziplining!
Here’s who was in attendance:
Judges
- Naomi – Superdumb Supervillain
- Danielle – Extraordinary Mommy
- Elizabeth – Professor of Play
- Sandy – Organize With Sandy
- Me!
There were also some additional bloggers in attendance who didn’t judge but attended all of the events.
-
- Kim – Crafty Mama of 4
- Courtney – Giftfully Simple
- Sugar Jones – Sugar in the Raw
- Zippy – Champagne Living
- Katja (attending as a Collective Bias employee) – Skimbaco Lifestyle
Dr. Lindsey Duncan, founder of Genesis Today, attended almost all of the events and provided us with valuable information about nutrition, health, wellness, and much more. I’m completely inspired to make changes in my life, and can’t wait to talk about them more (on Multitasking Mommy).
As for our primary mission, all of the contest finalists were amazing, and it was so hard to judge. We voted anonymously, but I believe the vote had to be close. Congrats to the winner, Girlfriendology’s Debba Haupert! I can’t wait to see this campaign in action!
Disclosure: This event was paid for by Genesis Today, and I’m being compensated as a judge for the contest and for attending the event.
Inspiring the Organizing Mom (or Dad)
So you’ve heard us talk about it again and again. Probably because it’s a never-ending process in our homes. Getting and staying organized is a battle that we fight day in and day out. Of course, there must be some out there that can start and stay organized. Unfortunately, that isn’t us. Peter Walsh is one of our compatriots in this war to keep our homes neat and clean. Thankfully, he’s just come out with a great DVD, It’s All Too Much with Peter Walsh, to not only tell us how to get our homes (and lives) organized, but to show us exactly how to do it.
I loved reading “It’s All Too Much.” I had purchased a copy of the book on my own before attending one of two webinars with Peter last year. I love that he starts you off focusing on what exactly you want from the space to be de-cluttered. It’s important and I think a step missing in other organizing programs. I love that he shows some helpful products and tips for each room. You can literally watch the section on living rooms and then do your own immediately after. As always, Peter gets me motivated to tackle those rooms that I just couldn’t get the energy up to work on before. He shares some great recommendations on products, offers ideas on how to best use your space, and then sets you off with the motivation you need.
You can purchase a copy of It’s All Too Much with Peter Walsh on DVD at Amazon.com
If you have a teen at home, you’ll definitely want to check out “It’s All Too Much, So Get It Together.” In this book, Peter outlines a plan that is perfect for teens and helps them to organize their rooms and then use the same techniques on their school and family life. Written for a young adult audience, it includes examples and quizzes.
To learn more about “It’s All Too Much, So Get It Together,” visit Amazon.com
*We received a copy of the DVD and book for this review.
CARES by Kids Fly Safe Giveaway
It’s hard to believe that it was back in May 2007 when I first review the CARES Airline Harness by Kids Fly Safe. I purchased this item myself, and it works so well for my family!
I’m pleased to offer a Mom’s Favorite Stuff reader the opportunity to try out a CARES themselves. To enter to win, take a look at the CARES Web site, find an award the company/product has won, and leave us a comment. A random winner will be chosen. Contest ends 2/10 at 11:59ET. US Resident Only.
NKOTB’s “Coming Home” Tour DVD
Like most women my age, I LOVED New Kids on the Block when I was growing up. Being from Rhode Island, only an hour from Boston, I was especially enamored with them. Chris and I even had the opportunity to meet Donnie Wahlberg at his dad’s house, because my father worked with Donnie’s uncle.
(Then, when I was older, I was standing about a foot away from Joe McIntyre at Golden Temple in Brookline, MA, and didn’t even realize it until my husband pointed him out. Whoops.)
Regardless, I was happy to hear they were back with a tour last year, and was thrilled to review an advance copy of their DVD Coming Home for review. The DVD features interviews, behind the scenes looks at the tour, as well as some of the tour performances. It’s a must have for NKOTB fans (past & present), but it isn’t a concert DVD per se. Yes, there are performances, but it’s main focus is the behind the scenes footage. The deluxe DVD is being packaged with fun goodies such as the chance to win 1 of 5 golden keys, a limited wardrobe swatch, and an exclusive MP3 download.
WIN IT! We have 3 DVDs (the standard edition with JUST the DVD NOT the exclusive edition) to giveaway to 3 readers. To enter, just leave us a comment with your favorite NKOTB song. US Residents only, Giveaway ends 2/10 at 11:59 ET.
National Soup Month
Did you know that January is National Soup Month? Well, I didn’t either… But, I admit, it does sound right, especially as I’ve been surrounded by snow and overall cold weather just about all month. Swanson sent me a bunch of natural broths to try out, as well as some soup recipes.
We use soup broth for so many different recipes, including pasta and my Tastemaker #3 challenge, where I made microwave potato salad.
But, I didn’t realize broths could also be added to leftovers to make them taste better and to hydrate them. I’m definitely going to try that!
In the meantime, if you are looking for some delicious soup recipes – here are some courtesy of Swanson…
Roasted Vegetable Soup with Garlic Herb Drizzle
Disclosure: we received broth samples from Swanson at no cost.
Souper You Debut: Progresso Light & 100 Calorie Soups
Do you have a New Year’s Resolution for a brand-new you? This New Year, Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups will grant three grand prize winners a trip for two to New York City from May 21st-23rd. The prize includes roundtrip airfare, a two-night stay in a NYC hotel, a full makeover, a $1,000 wardrobe shopping spree and personal consultation at a New York department store. To enter, visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou, submit a 200 character or less essay, and send a photo of yourself. You can also visit the Web site to download a coupon for $1 off any three varieties of Progresso Soup.
I had the chance to try out a few flavors of the Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups. I generally like chicken soups in a can, and these were no exception. While they are low-calorie, I’m pleased to say that I didn’t notice an obvious “light” taste or feel to them. The one issue I do have, however, is the serving size – the 100 calories is for half of a can, which I can’t imagine actually being a meal. But I still feel it’s a good low-cal food, even if I do eat the whole can, because it’s pretty filling.
WIN IT! Do you want to win a Progresso Souper You kit, with two cans of soup, an electronic jump rope, and a Progresso soup bowl? Leave a comment below with what you are doing to create a Souper You, and you’ll be entered. Contest is for US Residents only and ends at 11:59pm on 1/25.
Disclosure: free soup, gift pack, information, and giveaway were provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.
Winter Skin Moisture With Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty!
Last year, I reviewed Cindy Crawford’s skin care line, Meaningful Beauty and really liked it! Well, as my skin is getting more and more dry this winter (partially because of the season, and partially because of the new Retin A that I’m on), so I agreed to try a few other products from the line to see how they worked at adding some moisture to my skin.
I tried the Moisture Mask, the Day Fluid, and the Night Fluid. The Moisture Mask is meant to be used once or twice a week – it stays on for a few minutes, and then gets washed off. I have been using it once a week, and have definitely seen some results from it. It’s not something I’d use all year, but it’s great in the winter months!
The Day Fluid and Night Fluid are great for daily use. I especially like the day fluid, because it’s lightweight, but also offers some sun protection (SPF 20). I mix some in with my foundation to make it thinner and easier to spread.
To learn more about Meaningful Beauty, please view their Web site.
Disclosure: I received full sizes of these products to try out for free.
New Pampers and Partnership With Olympic Athletes
My kids are finally out of diapers now, but when they were in diapers, they both wore Pampers. They worked really well for us, and are a brand we’ve grown to trust. Pampers has just made two exciting announcements – a partnership with 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Athletes: 2006 Olympic gold medal speedskater, Chad Hedrick and 2007 World Skeleton Champion, Noelle Pikus-Pace and the introduction of new Pampers Swaddlers & Cruisers with Dry Max.
Here are some key points from the announcements:
- Chad and Noelle will be documenting and sharing their experiences (along with their family’s experiences) from the Games in Vancouver, through photos and video that will be posted on Pampers.com.
- Pampers has created specially-branded Team USA diapers with the Dry Max technology (a new product innovation for Pampers – diapers are now 20 percent thinner than before) that will be sent to all Team USA athletes traveling to Vancouver with their babies in tow.
- Pampers Swaddlers and Cruisers with Dry Max are the brand’s new high performance diapers and the biggest innovation for the Pampers brand in the last 25 years. Pampers Diapers invented the Dry Max technology and applied it to the current Swaddlers and Cruisers core, which allows the diaper to be thinner than before. This game-changing diaper – Pampers’ driest ever – helps lock wetness in for up to 12 hours and its less bulky design helps give flexibility and comfort – perfect for all of babies’ play. The new diaper design also helps families reduce their impact on the environment by containing 10 percent less material weight. In fact, if current North American Pampers Swaddlers and Cruisers users switched to the new Pampers Cruisers Diapers with Dry Max diaper, they could together throw away the weight of 1 billion less diapers every three years (based on 08/09 volume for Swaddlers/Cruisers).
Starting on February 12th, parents can sign on to Pampers.com to get a free sample 3-pack of new Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max! I’ll be posting soon with my review of the new diapers!
Organizing in the New Year
“We are waiting and not doing.” Lea Schneider
I was shaking my head as I read this. Oh yeah, I do this. I think. I study. I learn….but I’m really just waiting. Waiting for the perfect moment when I can think, when I have time, when the kids aren’t sick, or when I have a little less going on. Ms. Schneider is talking about the time we waste before we actually get to work on organizing our homes and ourselves.
Now most of you probably set up your goals for organizing back at the beginning of the month so why am I posting a review for an organization book at the middle of the month? Well, if you’re all like me, your energy level for resolutions has begun to wane. You’ve had sick loved ones or parties to clean up from or just a general holiday hangover. It’s a lot of excitement and then a lot of blah. Bad weather and the tightening of budgets make it difficult to maintain our motivation. This is where Growing-Up Organized: A Mom-to-Mom Guide has been one of two things that have really helped me (I’ll be posting a review of the second later in the week).
Growing-Up Organized is both funny and practical. The best is that it is written with the working mom in mind. Time is short and when moms pick up a book, it means more than an investment of money but our time, also. This book is worth it on both accounts. Not only does Schneider give us the run down on how to organize our home but also how to teach organization to our children. Let’s get real here. We can’t do it all, especially for the 18+ years our children will live with us. This is where finding ways to get our little ones and our big ones involved in organizing and then maintaining our homes. Schneider offers tips on organizing the various rooms in your home and at what age you can expect your child to help at. I found the ‘mom-to-mom’ tips to be extremely efficient and doable.
You can learn more about the author, Lea Schneider, at Organize Right Now or purchase a copy of the book at Amazon.com
*We received a copy of the book for this review.*
Learning About the Business of Food
A few months ago, I attended a mom blogger event sponsored by Stonyfield Farms, where I heard Gary Hirshberg, founder and CE-Yo of Stonyfield, talk about the importance of organics. Gary was featured on the documentary Food Inc, and when the DVD was released, Stonyfield sent me a copy of my own.
I already talked about how inspired I felt after watching Gary speak, but the DVD inspired me even more. While I know this really does tell only one side of the story, I think it’s important that every single person understand where their food comes from. After all, food is what fuels your body, and eating the wrong foods can lead to all kinds of serious health problems.
So, what have I changed? Well, my family will be participating in a farm community supported agriculture program starting this spring. This will ensure our family eats hormone and chemical free meats that are raised in an open, and grass fed environment.
Regardless of your food opinions, it’s worth checking out Food Inc to learn more! You can find Food, Inc. at Amazon.com.
Disclosure: I received this Food Inc DVD at no cost, and this post includes affiliate links.
Exciting News: I’m One of the #FrigidaireMoms
You may know that one of my resolutions this year is to learn how to bake. I’m thrilled to say that I’ll have a brand-new Frigidaire Range & Microwave next month, which will definitely make things easier.
My current range & microwave were here when we purchased our home back in 2005. One of the burners was broken when we moved in (the largest of the burners, natch), and one broke about a year later. It’s a decent stove, but definitely the bottom of the line, so I’m looking forward to having FIVE burners (rather than two), and much more oven space for all of my baking adventures.
Front of the Frigidaire Gas Range
I’m planning on having lots of fun testing these appliances and working on my resolution, with blog posts and vlogs chronicling my adventures. Look for them starting in February or March, after my appliances are delivered. In the meantime, take a look at how beautiful and sleek these Frigidaire appliances are. I can’t wait!
In other news, today, Frigidaire is launching a new campaign featuring Jennifer Garner, in support of the Save the Children foundation. Visit www.maketimeforchange.com to play the Spin & Win game for a chance to win prizes including a new time-saving Frigidaire Affinity washer/dryer. Every day you “take a spin”, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children as part of a $250,000 commitment.
Frigidaire Microwave
Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Range/Microwave to facilitate my review
