GAP recalls baby swimsuits due to Strangulation Hazard

There have been no reports of injuries, although the suits can cause a child to not be able to breathe. Please check to see that you don't own one of these. Details can be found at the CPSC website.

Stay Safe!

Crib Recalls and More!

How sad that more cribs are being recalled. To get the details, please click on the hyperlinks for each recall description:

Simplicity Cribs Recalled due to Mattress Support Collapse - Full CPSC details

Aspen 4-in-1	8755
Chelsea Deluxe 4-in-1 Convertible Sleep System	8324
Graco 4-in-1 Ultra Sleep System	4600
Graco Aspen 3-in-1	8740
Simplicity Crib and Changer Combo	8994
Simplicity Ellis Deluxe 4-in-1 Convertible Sleep System	8676
Simplicity Nursery-in-a-Box Convertible Crib	8910

Graco Brand Drop Side Cribs Recalled Due to Entrapment Hazards - Full details at CPSC site

Gogo Sports Recall Sweatshirts Due to Strangulation Hazard - More details here

Stay Safe!!

Simply... Go-Gurt is Simply Genuis

My kids love yogurt - the fruitier the better! Sometimes, however, I get a little discouraged by how much artificial stuff is in many of the popular brands today. The new line of squeezable tube yogurt from Go-Gurt, however, contains NO artificial flavors or colors, and it tastes delightfully sweet without the high fructose corn syrup! Available in strawberry and mixed berry varieties, one box doesn't last long at our house!

We have two exciting ways to get acquainted with this yogurt:

Wanna Save? Just click below to get your coupon good for $1.10 off your purchase of Simply... Go-Gurt. As a super special bonus, the first 30 to click on "FREE Yogurt" will get a coupon for a free package! (Note: *This coupon offer for free Simply… Go-Gurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.)




Wanna Win? We have one Go-Gurt "Simplify Your Life" prize pack that includes a pocket Etch a Sketch, weekly planner, and a back seat organizer to give away to a lucky reader. To be entered to win, simply comment on this post with what you want to see in a healthy snack for your kids. You have until May 4th at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in. One entry per person, please!


Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!


*The Simply...Go-Gurt, prize pack, information and additional prize pack to give away were all given to me from Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

Step2® Recalls Basic Rhythms Drum™ Toys Due to Choking Hazard

Please be aware if you have this toy at home. The plastic clips can come off, causing a danger to small children. See all the details at the CPSC website.

Stay Safe!

Review of My Virtual Tutor: Reading for the Nintendo DS

My kids have quite a few DS games. Well, actually my 11-yr-old daughter does. When we had a chance to try out the new My Virtual Tutor: Reading for the DS, that gave my son an opportunity to get in a little DS time, too!

This clever little "game" is actually a pretty nifty reading tutor. While it took him some time to get acquainted with the controls and screens for the game, once he was started, there was hardly anything I could do to pull him away!

We're a homeschooling family, so we're used to screen time counting as "school work" -- as long as it is educational. This product met the requirements, giving my son positive reinforcement with the basic phonic skills that he already had at 6-years-old, and also by introducing him into new concepts that built upon themselves as he progressed through the game.

A few times, he wasn't sure what to do next, and I was happy to help him get to the next screen by asking probing questions and challenging what he forgot he already knew. For the most part, however, this is a game that most children can play independently and will get some good quality reading practice in.

To use the Virtual Tutor, kids simply hold the DS sideways like a book and work through one of 8 interactive stories. To reward and motivate, they are given fun quizzes and exercises that go along with the stories ( as well as a fun "paint" program), and these also have good educational value.

My son LOVED this game. It's something that he was able to play through fairly quickly, and while I wish that it would have taken him a bit longer to go through all the levels, after a few weeks of not playing it, he was ready to play it all over again. This would work well for a family with several pre- and early-level readers -- you'd get a lot of use out of it!

Available in 3 versions for a variety of reading levels (Pre-K through K, K through 1st, and 1st through 2nd), it's priced right at around $29.99. Read more about it at the official website, follow them on Twitter, or friend them on Facebook!

Wanna Save? Just-in-time for summer, you can now save $5.00 when you purchase the My Virtual Tutor: Reading titles on Amazon.com. To redeem your $5.00 off promotional code, log onto http://www.amazon.com/s/?search-alias=videogames&hidden-keywords=B002BZ11DM|B002BZ11DC|B002BZ11F0 and simply enter the claim code MYVTUTOR during checkout. This offer expires at 11:59 p.m. PST on May 31, 2010.

*Sample was received to facilitate this review.

Review of See the Light DVD's for Children

We haven't seen too many really good Bible-based DVD's lately. It's not that they aren't out there, but it's difficult to find any that hold the interest of ALL of my kids, and teach them something valuable at the same time. It's a delicate balance of keeping them entertained, without diluting the message they need to hear.

See the Light DVD's are a whole new ballgame, however. The one that we reviewed with my kids, The Crossmaker, was truly breathtaking. It uses chalk art to communicate a powerful story of Jesus while incorporating children and their questions into the lesson. Quite frankly, if you want your kid to hear the Gospel, understand, and come away inspired, these are the DVD's to try.

My youngest kids enjoyed the colors, music, and basic story line. My older kids were a little affected by the mild but truthful scenes depicting Jesus on the cross (it was a series of chalk drawings that told the story -- nothing graphic.) I even got choked up by how simple the message was. It's been a long time since I heard the salvation message in such a way that a child could really understand and embrace it! In addition to telling a touching story, the DVD offers an art lesson for kids so that they, too, can create a chalk artwork. This brings them into the story in a way that regular DVD's can't do.

Presented in 3 short videos (Discover the Light tells the story, Know the Light shares the plan of salvation, and Draw the Light gives the art lesson), this is a fantastic resource for Sunday schools, home churches, homeschools, or anyone who wants to impress the message of Jesus on their kids.

Learn more about this highly-recommended series at their website.

Wanna Win? We have 3 copies of the DVD to give to our readers! To be entered to win, simply comment on this post with what you hope your kids will gain from the DVD. You have until May 3rd at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in. One entry per person, please!

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

*Sample was received to facilitate this promotion.

Review of Herban Essentials Essential Oil Towelettes

Is your home a bit musty? Do you need to freshen up your routine? I've recently been able to review a pretty cool, natural product that you can take with you anywhere!

Herban Essentials has a line of disposable towelettes that are soaked in essential oils, and are good for a variety of uses. I sampled both the Orange Towelettes and the Assorted Towelettes (contains some of the lavendar, lemon, and peppermint) and put them to use in my home. Here's what we found:

Orange rocks! These naturally antiseptic and antibacterial wipes are super strong! You can use them to clean your hands on the go (leaving your hands smelling awesome and super-moisturized) or you can wipe down icky surfaces that you encouter on your daily duties (like the handles of shopping carts.) I love the they are individually-wrapped, so you can toss a few into your purse, diaper bag, or the glove box of the car. I have also found them to be energizing and effective against musty odors (I tucked one into the vent of my air-purifying tower fan right before guests arrived, and they commented on how lovely my home smelled!)

The assorted pack is great for everything! You probably already know that lavendar is a calming scent, but you can use it for so many things:

Inhale and stash under your pillow (I put it inside a folded-over piece of wax paper to keep the oil from staining my pillow case) to create pleasant sleep.

Put one in your tub or on the floor of a hot shower for calming evening cleanse.

Use it as a baby wipe (yes, they work well to clean and keep diaper rash at bay!)

I can't even begin to tell you all the ways you can use the other oils, but basically, anything you can use natural oils for, you can use the wipe for, too!

Handy and convenient, they are so much more practical than toting around messy vials of expensive oils. (How devestated would you be to lose or drop a bottle of essential oils, anyway.) Just grab a towelette to use just as you would your normal oil -- without the fuss!

There are many other towelettes in the Herban Essentials line, including those specifically for pets and yoga fans! Get all the details at their site.

* Samples were received to help facilitate this review.

Anvil Goes Green with Track My T

It's Earth Day! In celebration of my family's continued efforts to try to do things that make our lives better (and won't harm the environment), we've partnered with Anvil to share some info about their t-shirts, and give you a chance to win!

The coolest thing that Anvil has done is to develop Track My T, a super-nifty, interactive website that lets you learn how your t-shirt has been made (from the very seed that was planted, all the way through the manufacturing process!) With jazzy music, super-cool graphics, and all the information you need to decide if your t-shirt is truly eco-friendly, you can learn a lot from this site! What's even neater, is that if you buy an AnvilOrganic T-shirt, you can actually track it by it's own tracking number to see exactly where that particular t-shirt come from. With lesson plans and discussion points for parents, this will make a thorough homeschool lesson long after Earth Day is over!

We also got to try out a couple AnvilOrganic t-shirts for our own family! I received a super-comfy pink Eco Mommy Tee:

and my son got his very own Green is Good Tee!

These things wash up nicely and look great on! They are currently available for purchase through the Earth Day Network. As an official sponsor of the EDN, sales of Anvil earth-friendly products will help to benefit green initiatives throughout the year!

Here's my son sportin' his tee:


To learn more about Anvil’s Earth Day line, which uses products with earth-friendly inks from its Eco Collection visit the EDN store.

Wanna Win? We have a set of these Tees to give away to a lucky reader! To be entered to win, just share whether you've ever purchased organic t-shirts, and what you think of them! You have until April 30th at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type "Today's Entry!")

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

*Sample was received to facilitate this promotion.

Review of SmartKnitKIDS Seamless Socks

Socks are a troublesome thing at my house. In addition to trying to keep them from disappearing in my dryer, I have a really hard time getting each guy to wear his own size. Then I have the one child who is never happy with the way his socks fit him. You know.. the "lines" bother him, and we spend several minutes at each dressing trying to get them to fit so they don't annoy his toes.

Thanks to our introduction to SmartKnitKIDS Seamless Socks, I think we've got the last problem under control. These super-comfy socks have no seams. That's right -- they are totally cool to wear any which way. Just put your feet in, and you're good to go. The heel practically doesn't exist, so there's no battling it out to fit perfectly.

They come in a variety of colors and sizes, and my 6-year-old just loves his. While he has over a dozen pairs of socks in his drawers, these are the only ones he likes. (Now if we could just get him to not toss them under the bed or behind the couch so I can actually wash them often enough to meet his needs. That's another problem entirely!)

If you've got a picky sock wearer, a child with special needs, or no time to fuss with the trauma that socks seem to cause certain kids, then these are totally for you. Well worth the cost, their super-durable construction impressed me, and even with multiple washings they have resisted fading and shrinking -- making them a great investment!

Find out more about the SmartKnitKIDS Seamless Socks at their website!

Wanna Win? One lucky reader will win 3 pairs of socks! To be entered to win, just comment on this post with the size and colors that you would like if you win. You have until April 30th at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type "Today's Entry!")

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

*Sample was received to facilitate this review.

Review of Nature's Hand Granola

We like granola for breakfast at our house -- especially my husband and I (who have finally started to outgrow regular sugary cereals.) I've even tried to make it myself, but I admit that the ingredients are often too expensive to do this very often.

We were recently very blessed to try several varieties of Nature's Hand Granola, and right away, I could tell a difference between this granola and other commercial varieties. Here's what stood out:

• It wasn't as sweet. This is important, as I really like to enjoy each individual ingredient in a granola, whether it be the nuts, the dried fruit, or the types of grains. It's granola-- it should taste natural!
• It wasn't super-crunchy. For me, it took a while to chew each bite, because it wasn't over-baked like some granolas. Longer time to experience my breakfast meant I felt full by the time I finished my bowl (and a single serving was just right!)
• The granola wasn't in big clumps. This makes it perfect for using in your own homemade bar and cookie recipes!
  

This granola had some unique flavors that I really enjoyed. My favorite was the Raisin Hazelnut (I love hazelnuts!) My husband also enjoyed the Wild Blueberry (I'm not as big of a blueberry fan.)

Nature's Hand has several benefits, including the fact that it has no added salt, preservatives, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. It's also made right here in the U.S.A. And if you like charity, you'll be pleased to know that Nature's Hand is the official granola supplier for Outward Bound!

You can read about all the delicious flavors for this affordably-priced granola at their website.

*Samples were received to facilitate my review.

Check out the Temptation is Beautiful Sweepstakes

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of KAO Brands. All opinions are 100% mine.

I used to enter a lot of giveaways, and I still love winning prizes that help me stay beautiful, so it's no surprise that I was instantly attracted to the "Temptation is Beautiful" promotion from some of my favorite brands! In addition to offering an amazing grand prize (a weekend in Las Vegas with 3 of your friends AND $1,500 spending money), it gives you a chance to win a daily prize of a beauty basket full of goodies from Curel, Jergen's, Biore, Ban, and John Frieda. (Can you just imagine how great you'll feel?)

For extra chances to win, you can take the interactive quiz, where you'll find out your Temptress Temperature. Here is what mine came out to be:


Ha-ha! My husband might disagree :) Did you take the quiz? If so, share your score in the comments! I'd love to hear how you did.

Enter daily for even more chances to win, and don't forget that you can share your Temptress Temp with all your Facebook and Twitter friends for even more chances to win. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, and you have until May 8th at 11:59 pm ET to get your entries in.

Good luck, you sassy gal! (Note: This is not a giveaway you can enter on this site. Please visit the sponsor's site for entry.)

Celebrate National Garlic Day with a Chance to Win Snacks!

Guess what today is? In addition to being Monday and my sister's birthday (Happy Birthday, Sis) -- it's National Garlic Day! That means all you garlic lovers can celebrate your love for one of the yummiest, boldest flavors by telling us about your favorite garlic snack, recipe, or story.

What do you get in return? We'll enter all of the comments into a drawing to win a super assortment of garlic-lovin' delights from New York Style! The maker of some of my favorite snacks, New York Style is offering a terrific prize pack, including:

· Garlic Bagel Crisps

· Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Risotto Chips (my husband's favorite)

· Roasted Garlic & Herb Focaccia Sticks (I love these on salads!)

· Garlic Pita Chips

Wanna Win? Just comment on this post as directed above. You have until April 28th at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type "Today's Entry!")

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

You can learn more about New York Style AND get a coupon good for 75cents off your next purchase by visiting their website and becoming a member of the Central Park Club!

*Sample was received for this promotion.

Baby Walker and More Clothing Recalls

The above baby walkers have been recalled, as they can fit through doorways and cause a fall hazard. See the details for this product recall at the CPSC website.

Certain Niko branded hoodie sweatshirts for kids have also been recalled. All the details are here.

Stay Safe!!

Vistaprint Personalized Photo Book Giveaway!!

I love taking pictures of my kids (especially now that I have my iPhone with me at ALL times.) The problem is that they often stay on my phone or computer for months -- even years -- without me doing anything special with them. That's why I'm a HUGE fan of photo books, especially as gifts. They are a quick and easy way for me to take the best of my pics and put them into a crafty-looking book that requires no artistic skill to put together.

Vistaprint offers several personalized photos books, and we're giving a lucky reader one of their very own! You can win a 12 x 12 Photo book in either hard cover, leather cover, or linen cover. You get 26 pages of beautiful photos in a variety of layouts and design options, and they'll ship it to you for free within 14 days! This neat prize is valued at over $50!

Wanna Win? To be entered to win, just tell us who you'd give the book to, if you win (or if you'd keep it for yourself!) You have until April 27th at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type "Today's Entry!")

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

Vistaprint also offers such great products as Birthday Invitations, Custom T-shirts, and Personalized Mugs, and you can follow them on Twitter or Facebook!

*This giveaway sponsored by Vistaprint is an opportunity from Team Mom.

Buy One, Get One Fandango Movie Ticket Offer - 24 hours only!

Hey all you Tropicana Juicy Rewards members! Today only, you can redeem two of your points for a code good for a free Fandango movie ticket (valued at up to $14) when you buy another! You only have 7 hours left to take advantage of this offer, and while you must claim your code today, you have until June 16th to use the code!

I just used 2 of my points for this very cool offer. Hurry on over to Tropicana Juicy Rewards website for all the details!

*I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.

Family Movie Night is Back!

I can't tell you how excited I am to watch the first of hopefully many movies brought to you by Walmart -- Secrets of the Mountain -- on NBC tonight at 7pm CST. This is a movie that I was able to screen personally in NYC, compliments of Walmart, and that I feel so passionately about promoting. No, I don't get anything for doing it (I'm not a paid spokesperson, or anything.) I just love that this may be the future of family-friendly viewing on TV!

If you have kids, you'll love watching this movie with them. The cast is great, the acting spot-on, and while it's a little bit exciting (think Goonies, but much milder), it's also completely appropriate for ALL audiences. Very rarely can I say that about a movie.

Please tune in tonight to see for yourself. Your support will go a long way in making sure that these types of programs continue to be shown on the air. Let's bring back Family Movie Night!

Find out more about the cast, see trailers, and get the scoop on the amazing soundtrack at the official website!

*Participation in the Wal-Mart Moms program is voluntary. Wal-Mart does not require its selected participants, at any time, to blog or discuss Wal-Mart, its brands, products, initiatives, events or other programs related to the company.

Triscuit Encourages "Home Farming"

Are you a home farmer? Not someone with hundreds of acres... just a family who likes to grow your own sometimes? Whether you've got a great garden with dozens of tomatoes or just one lonely basil plant on your windowsill, Triscuit is getting into the spirit of home farming with several exciting new developments!

Triscuit has been putting plantable herb seed squares in specially-marked boxes of their crackers. This is an easy way for you to teach your kids how things grow, and the results are a delicious-smelling plant that can flavor your meals for months to come!

They are also partnering with the non-profit organization Urban Farming, which is working to build 50 community-based home farms! That means fresh food for more families, and a learned love for growing things yourself. (As a farmer's daughter, this means a lot to me!)

The site that Triscuit and Urban Farming put together has so many useful tools for the home farmer, including starter guides, zone tips, and a wonderful community you can get expert tips from! If you've wanted to be a hobby farmer, now's your chance!

Learn more about this exciting project at the Triscuit site.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Triscuit and received the product necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, I received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Review of Sweeney's Snake Repellent

I wasn't planning on writing about anything lawn and garden-related until the end of the month. (That was what my editorial schedule dictated.) Then I saw 5 snakes out back by where my kids played, and I thought maybe it was a good time to test out the Sweeney's Snake Repellent early.

I'm glad that I did.

This product exceeded my expectations (and my husband's.. which is hard to do.) It's a bag of little tiny pellets that you shake on the ground where you want snakes to avoid. It's a natural product (made from clove oil and some other non-toxic ingredients), and it smells very sweet -- almost sickeningly so. Snakes don't like it, and when you apply it to the yard, near swing sets, or where you want to grill out this weekend, they stay away! And it works!

The bag is easy to open, and you don't need to touch it with your hands or use any dispensing tools. (There are little holes in the top, and you "shake" it right out of the bag -- like a salt shaker. We applied it to the areas we wanted the snakes to stay away from (which, if it were up to me, would be the whole yard and then some!) Right after I applied it to my yard, I saw a few snakes come up to the area, but not stick around. We haven't seen a snake in those areas again..

The product is made by Sweeney's and is supposed to last up to 30 days. We've had it applied for a little over a week, and so far, I'm very impressed! You can see all the products Sweeney's offers at it's website: www.wrsweeney.com

Wanna Win? We have three of the 4-lb Shaker bags to give away (valued at $14.99 each) for our readers! To be entered to win, just tell us what kind of snakes you deal with at your house, or a funny story about snakes. You have until April 22nd at 11:59 am CST to get your entries in, and you can enter every day! (Just comment as directed for your first entry, and for each entry after that, type "Today's Entry!")

Giveaways are subject to complete site rules. Open to persons 18+ U.S. only, please. (Be sure to give us a way to reach you if you win, and remember that we will never use your email or contact info for anything other than to send your prize.) Good luck, and be sure to check out all of our other giveaways!

*Sweeney's sent me a sample to review.

Can You Get Quality Eyeglasses for Less?

Those of you who know me well are aware that I also do a podcast known as "The Dealista." Last week's episode fittingly discussed how you can save big money on eyeglasses by shopping online as part of National Women's Eye Health and Safety Month. April is the perfect time to consider upgrading your existing pair, and you really don't have to pay clinic prices -- if you don't want to!

I was recently introduced to Zenni Optical from the RefundCents blog (a website that I often use for my own bargain shopping.) I was quite impressed at the selection that they offered at the Zenni site, and am definitely going to check it out the next time I need a pair of eyeglasses -- especially since they offer children's frames starting at $13 and up. They also offer progressive/bifocal compatible frames (which is great news, since they are really difficult to find online.)

I've shopped online for lenses and frames before, and have learned a few tips along the way. First, be sure that you know everything you're getting. Second, make sure your measurements are accurate. Finally, know what your shipping options are: if you need your glasses right away, pay extra for faster shipping!

What has your experience been with shopping online? Do you have tips for saving some cash when purchasing name brand frames?