January 31, 2008

Organic, organic, organic.  Maybe you’re a green mama already… maybe you’re just getting started… maybe you have absolutely NO idea what I’m talking about… but to reiterate what I’ve said before about organic products: it isn’t just a fad — the use of organically grown and/or produced products is quickly becoming the norm.

If you haven’t had a chance to try organic health and beauty products yet, I suggest that you visit TrulyOrganicBeauty.com to browse a growing selection of organic products for yourself, your family and even your home, from ONE group.

Michelle Dupper, an independent representative for ONE group, is generous enough to be sponsoring a contest just for MamaDivas.com readers, and the prize is a bottle of Sunflower Body Wash (a $16.95 value)!

Gently cleanses your body while moisturising it with lashings of vitamin-rich, cold-pressed organic safflower oil. Contains invigorating orange peel, lemon peel and lime peel oils.

You’ll also love the Sunflower Body Wash because it can be “used as a safe alternative to children’s bubble bath and baby wash products.”  I personally agree: it’s very mild, but still effective as a body cleanser when you shower, and it rinsed clean, while still leaving my skin very soft and smelling great!

• To enter, browse TrulyOrganicBeauty.com, then come back here and leave a comment on this post: tell me why you use or would like to use organic products and tell me what product you’d love to use from the ONE group line.
• To earn a second entry (for a maximum of 2 entries), mention this contest on your blog with a link back to this post.  All entrants who mention this contest on their blog will receive an honorable mention in the post announcing the winner.
• This giveaway is open to all who have a US shipping address!  The deadline to enter is 11:59pm EST on February 29, 2008.  The winner will be announced by March 5, 2008.  Good luck!

…. and don’t forget that Michelle also has a special offer just for MamaDivas.com readers: a free cleansing bar with a minimum purchase of $75 or more.

Technorati Tags: contest, giveaway, organic, organic body wash, health, beauty, shower, body wash, ONE group, miessence, mienviron, mivitality

Eco-Friendly, Giveaways 9 Comments

January 30, 2008

So what exactly is Froose?

It’s “Grab-n-Grow nutrition for kids” that delivers great flavor and amazing nutritional value.  It’s a whole food drink created from organic ingredients–> an innovative combination of whole grains and fruit juice that’s delicious and nutritious.  I kid you not!  It comes in three different flavors: Playful Peach, Cheerful Cherry and Perfect Pear.

My son loves it!  He’s not normally too into juice drinks, but he absolutely loves Froose.  After his first taste of the deceptively healthy but oh so yummy Playful Peach Froose, he would keep running back to the fridge for “doose” as he pronounces it.  I personally liked the flavor and consistency of all three Froose flavors, but overall I preferred the Cheerful Cherry flavor.

Froose really is a mom’s dream come true.  It’s yummy, nutritious, and comes in perfect little kid-sized packs.  Kudos to Denise L. Devine, mom-ventor of Froose and the CEO and founder of Froose^® Brands, LLC!  Check out www.Froose.com for more information and to get the full nutritional facts and benefits.

Technorati Tags: froose, juice, whole food, organic, food, yummy, nutritious, whole grains, kids food, delicious

Eco-Friendly, Reviews, Yummy Food No comments

January 24, 2008

{giveaway alert!}

I personally very much enjoy a nice chewy Fruit Roll-up®, and when I get my special custom-designed Valentine’s Day Fruit Roll-ups® on Feb. 8, 2008 (est. date of arrival dontcha know), you can bet that at least, at least, 10 of the 30 that come in the box will be having a party in my belly (jeez, too much Yo Gabba Gabba.. can you tell?) by the end of that day. They’ve not even going to make it to Valentine’s Day… though should definitely make an effort since I did make a New Year’s resolution to be healthier..

Anyway!

littleQ (my son) is just turning two years old at the beginning of next month (Feb.), and he doesn’t go to a nursery school or any set “class” that would call for the parental distribution of equally kick-butt Valentines’s Day cards/favors to each child, but when he reaches elementary school age, these FRU® rolls will definitely make a great alternative to the standard card-and-candy-hearts deal.

In the convoluted world of 1st grade politics, I would imagine that in the week following V-Day, the kid(s) giving away FRU® rolls as their Valentines would definitely get picked first in dodgeball…. or um, whatever it is your 6 1/2 year old child’s phys. ed. class is into nowadays.

FRU® rolls are fruit roll-ups® that can be customized to fit any holiday, occasion and theme… or you can just customize it with a special message for a loved one… or for yourself, lol. A great use for them would be to include your customized FRU® rolls as part of birthday and special occasion party favors. littleQ had a pretty big 1st birthday party last year, so this year we’re not going to be going all out, but for next year’s party (because it’s never too early to start planning a shindig!) I’ve already decided that these HAVE to be part of the goodie bags and favors. In my opinion, they’re so much more unique than what is usually found within your average goodie bag.

Now regarding Valentine’s Day: I know that by now you’re bound to be as intrigued by this new product as I am, and and since V-day is right around the corner, what better time to test it out than now, as a replacement for your child’s regular Valentines. It’s probably a given that your child will be jumping at the chance to design her own Valentines at the cool My Fruit Rollups® website Factory. To receive your order by Feb. 13, 2008, your order must be placed by Feb. 3, 2008. (Use promo code BEMINE at checkout to take $10 off your FRU® roll Valentines)

• I’m giving away three free orders (including shipping cost!) of customized design-your-own FRU® rolls.
• To enter, leave a comment (correct email address, otherwise you won’t be able to claim your prize!) telling me what the sweetest Valentine’s message it is you’ve ever personally sent or received. The top 3 sweetest Valentine’s messages will each win a free order of customized FRU® rolls including shipping cost. To make it fair, none of the comments/contest entries will be made public until the winners are chosen.
• The deadline to enter is January 31, 2008 at 11:59 EST
• The three winners will be chosen, posted (along with the winning entries!) and notified by Feb. 1, 2008 to make sure that they get their codes in time to order custom designed Valentine’s Day FRU® rolls that’ll be delivered before the 14th.
• This contest is open to anyone, anywhere; however, to redeem your prize, you must have a US mailing address, excluding PO boxes and APO addresses.

Good luck everyone!

Technorati Tags: contest, giveaway, fruit roll-up, fruit roll up, snack, FRU roll, customize, design your own fruit roll-up, Valentine’s Day, Valentines, custom, party favor, unique party favor

Giveaways, Yummy Food 6 Comments

January 22, 2008

Mothers are supposed to know what to do.

I don’t know what to do.

     – Month One from The Second Nine Months by Vicki Glembocki (Feb. 2008)

Let’s face it: while some aspects of motherhood may come completely naturally (like leaky boobies, for example), other aspects… well, not so much.  How many of us have come face to face with personal revelations and worries of just how stressed, stretched and completely unsuited (at least that’s how we feel at the time) we are for motherhood?  Out of those who can actually admit to such thoughts and concerns, how many actually vocalize them? 

Glembocki knows exactly how that feels, and she’s opened up in this amazingly honest and at times humorous memoir about the initial months following childbirth: The Second Nine Months that are so full of learning, loving and adaptation.  I kid you not: after the first few chapters you’ll begin to be flummoxed at just how similar your feelings were (or are) to what Glembocki describes herself as having had… And if ever you’ve felt alienated, inadequate, or just plain different from how you’ve always imagined you should feel like as a new mother (i.e. – perfectly sane, happy and adjusted despite the lack of sleep and “me” time), this book will show you that it’s okay to have those worries, and no, you’re not the only one experiencing them, and yes, sometimes it takes time to fully accustom to being a mommy.

The tagline for The Second Nine Months is: One Woman Tells the Real Truth About Becoming a Mom. Finally…. and that’s just what you’ll get:

Many moms now either want or have to go back to work, either a few weeks or months after baby’s born, to a year or two after.  For the most part, there’s always that worry that  maybe it isn’t the best thing to do right now, or maybe that childcare facility isn’t the place you want to leave your kid in for 8 hours, or maybe you aren’t ready.

Then there’s the playgroup issue – does everyone seem to be getting this mommy thing down but you?  Does everyone have super boobs that pump out gallons of milk except you? (I know I personally wondered about that last one, lol)

Oh, and who can forget the tons of information and advice (solicited and um.. otherwise) that we’re all so bombarded we can barely think straight let alone make a decision!

The mommy-learning curve… We’ve all thought it: are we allowed to be imperfect and make mistakes?  Am I a bad mom… or do other moms think I’m a bad mom?

The bottom line?  Glembocki was not afraid in letting her feelings and experiences out, and I applaud her for it, because in doing so she’s probably helped many mothers realize that they’re normal and that there are definitely other mom’s who’ve felt the same way.  The Second Nine Months will probably make you laugh, and it might even make you cry, but what it will definitely do is open up your eyes to the fact that you are not alone in your discomfort, confusion and indecisiveness… but it’s okay, because everything’s going to work out.

Technorati Tags: books for mothers, books for moms, book reviews motherhood, mommy, mama, The Second Nine Months, Vicki Glembocki, memoir

A Mama's Life, Book Reviews No comments

January 21, 2008

Organic products are becoming more and more popular these days, but it’s important to note that it isn’t just a fad — the use of organically grown and/or produced products is quickly becoming the norm for many as concern for the environment as well as for our health and that of our descendents grows.

Over the past few years, supermarkets, specialty grocery stores have begun carrying organic lines of all types of food and drinks, but organic health and beauty products aren’t always as readily available.  What’s great about Organic and Natural Enterprise Group’s (ONE Group) products is that they’re certified organic by the USDA (United States Dept. of Agriculture) as well as the ACO (Australian Certified Organic), IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) and the BFA (Biological Farmers of Australia).  Their miessence® product offerings include hair care, skin/body care, and cosmetic products.  They even offer household products (MiEnviron®) like organic air fresheners and health and diet (MiVitality®) supplements.

Visit TrulyOrganicBeauty.com today to purchase from ONE Group’s Certified Organic health, beauty  and household product lines : miessence®, MiEnviron® and MiVitality®.

I had the chance to try out two products from the miessence® line: the Lemon Myrtle Shampoo and the Sunflower Body Wash.  Aloe Vera is the main ingredient in both products, and both are comprised of a blend of organic extracts and oils that contribute to the effectiveness as well as the fresh scent and light, clean rinsing feel of the products.

My first impression of the Lemon Myrtle Shampoo was that it smelled exactly like a lemon-drop hard candy with an infusion of herbs.  It didn’t lather up as much as my regular shampoo does, but my hair felt much cleaner than it usually does after rinsing my shampoo out.  With that said, after rinsing, my hair almost felt.. less smooth, which, at the time, I honestly attributed to the fact that it must be doing its job of cleansing my hair effectively (and I was right!  read on ->).  The use of my favorite conditioner fixed that right up.  They do include some information on the site regarding this:

You may experience a hair detox for the first few weeks if you’ve been using hair care with silicone derivatives. Your hair may feel knottier and dryer than usual during the detox phase. Be assured, it will improve. Clarifying Hair Rinse may assist with stripping your hair of chemical residue and Protect B5 Hair Repair will help to detangle and smooth your hair.

I must note that the Lemon Myrtle Shampoo is for normal to oily hair.  Next time I’ll have to try the Desert Flower Shampoo for normal to dry hair, because I think that might be more suited to my hair type.  *miessence® also offers the Shine Herbal Hair Conditioner, but I did not get a chance to try that product.

The Sunflower Body Wash exceeded my expectations.  It had a scent that I would describe as “pretty,” and it did leave my skin feeling soft and moisturized but did not leave a filmy residue feel the way other moisturizing body washes do.  On the label, it says:

Can also be used as a safe alternative to children’s bubble bath and baby wash products.

Now, I did not use this in littleQ’s bath (he’s my little monster of an angel toddler boy, in case you didn’t know, ^_^), as I wanted to try it out first, but I think it’s definitely mild enough to use for his bath.

I’m definitely looking forward to trying other products from ONE Group, especially the cosmetics and home products!

_________

Michelle Dupper, an independent representative for miessence® products, is offering a free cleansing bar with your initial order of $75 or more.  Click here to find out more about this offer.

If you’re looking for a work at home opportunity, contact Michelle for more information about earning money part-time by helping to support the “vision to promote miessence® certified organics”

__________

Technorati Tags: organic, organic products, organic cosmetics, organic health, organic beauty, miessence, MiEnviron, MiVitality, ONE group, mionegroup.com

Eco-Friendly, Reviews No comments

January 16, 2008

I’d like to thank everyone who entered my giveaway for Kenn Kihiu’s danceX Everybody’s Workout fitness DVD!

Alas, there can only be one winner, and with the help of the random number picker, our winner today is Jill, of the Diaper Diaries. (applause please!)

I’d like to give a special thank you to the following bloggers who helped to spread the word about this giveaway on their blogs:

• Jodi
• Deborah

Thank you! .. and Jill, in a few weeks when you’ve had a chance to try danceX, please let me know how you like the workout!

Giveaways No comments

January 16, 2008

I’m ecstatic!  It’s day four that littleQ (my son, currently 23 months, 2 weeks old) has gone completely sans bottle.  So that’s it!  The complete transition to sippy cup has been accomplished.  whew.  Interestingly (at least to me), he’s actually quite adept at and has been comfortable with drinking from a regular cup or glass, with and without a straw, however when it comes to his evening “milky” or his lunchtime “juicy”, he’s always insisted, nay, demanded a bottle.  But no longer!

I know that some of you are reading and saying to yourself, Well OMG mine was completely off the bottle like, soooo long ago!  Mmk, well, my kid isn’t yours, and, quite frankly, he obviously wasn’t ready to completely give up the bottle yet (until this past week, that is!)… and ultimately, I think that is what it comes down to for most, if not all children: being ready for and comfortable with the transition.

We had tried just completely hiding the bottles before, but that hadn’t worked; and he’d just have an ear-piercing tantrum and dissolve into a sea of briny tears with his face puckered up like an angry red prune if we didn’t acquiesce to his demands.  This week, I tried it again: I washed and sanitized his bottles, then hid them in an area completely out of his wide-eyed line of site… and he didn’t whine or cry, not even once, for a bottle instead of a sippy cup.  I guess at this point, he’s gotten comfortable enough with the sippy that when he thought in his head, “Where’s my bottle?” he immediately said to himself, “Nah, who needs it!  I’ve got my sippy cup.”

We mothers are always bombarded with well-meaning advice and strict developmental guidelines and charts and…. well, of course it’s necessary to be aware of such guidelines to monitor for any possible/potential developmental issues, it’s also important to keep in mind that each child will develop at his or her own pace.  Oh, and if it’s something that really concerns you, make sure to ask your pediatrician or a specialist/therapist in your area of concern… and not just the self-proclaimed “baby expert” because, well, that “expert” may be an expert on the babies she’s seen thus far, but does that mean she’s an expert on yours?  Basically, gather as much information as you can from all reliable sources, but when in doubt, or for clarification, I’m of the opinion that nothing beats the information you can get from a few (I lean towards second opinions) learned and reputable professionals.

Technorati Tags: parenting, development, developmental problems, sippy cup transition, sippy cup, bottle, bottle transition, toddler

A Mama's Life No comments

January 12, 2008

Maybe it was my hormones, or maybe it was that emotional “Mommy switch”.. you know, the one that gets flipped on for the first time when you’re pregnant, and pretty much flips on again anytime babies and and children are involved… Hmmm. 

Well, it is safe to say that I have never before been emotionally moved to tears by a children’s book… until I read Motherbridge of Love. — If anyone else was as affected by the emotion-provoking prose and the whimsical illustrations, then it’s definitely no wonder it snatched up the #3 spot on Time Magazine’s Top Ten Children’s Books of 2007 list.

The book is based on a beautiful poem that was submitted anonymously to the charity Mother Bridge of Love, a British-based charity founded by Xinran (a British-Chinese author and broadcaster) to help bring together adopted Chinese children from around the world, and to help “bridge” the cultural gap between their birth culture and that of their adopted culture with the power of information and support.  By doing so, the charity “ultimately wants to help bridge the huge poverty gap, which still exists in many parts of China.“  (To learn more about the charity, visit the website at www.motherbridge.org)

The poem, in all of it’s simplicity, is such a moving (I can’t stress that enough!) affirmation from mother to adopted child that she is loved, that she has always been loved, and that she is her precious daughter because her birth mother loved her so much that she wanted to give her a better life… and in doing so her birth mother also fulfilled another woman’s fervent hope to be a mother.

 

I feel that illustrator Josée Masse, with her uniquely bold artistic style, not only compliments, but very nearly personifies and most definitely amplifies, through her work, the depth of love and emotion that emanates from the poem.  The lyric itself is powerful, but the illustrations make the words “come alive.”

This book is great for reading along with your little one because of the lilting prose and the beautiful message of motherly love and affection, and I believe adoptive parents will find it to be a very special addition to their story times together with their child.

Look for Motherbridge of Love at Barefoot-Books.com, at Barnes and Noble and at Amazon.com.

Technorati Tags: Josée Masse, children’s book review, children’s books, adoption, books about adoption, Motherbridge of Love, book review, Top 10 Children’s Books of 2007, top children’s books, Xinran

Book Reviews No comments

January 8, 2008

(Giveaway information is at the end of this post)

The danceX – Everybody’s Workout DVD, featuring the creator of the danceX program, fitness expert and former dancer Kenn Kihiu, features a total body cardio workout that offers a “fun and high energy dance exercise” as well as great bonus features. From beginning to end, danceX is chock full of upbeat, make-ya-wanna-shake-it music; the selection of which runs the gamut from Latin to Bhangra to Disco to Irish… with a dash of Classical and even more genres to tickle your multicultural musical fancy.

I have to say, I was surprised at how much I really did enjoy the workout. Kihiu’s energy and enthusiasm is utterly infectious, even through the DVD, and I feel that he would probably be genuinely friendly in person. The movements, though done in sets, are far from repetitious, and I think it would definitely be rather difficult to become bored with this workout. The moves are not difficult – even if you usually trip all over yourself during every attempt to dance, that’s fine, because the moves are simple, but effective in getting your heart rate going and getting you to break out into a healthy sweat. Your 6 year old can do the workout with you too, and Kihiu even has a workout DVD just for kids and pre-teens.

While the moves aren’t what you’d call So You Think You Can Dance audition material, the modified steps really are based on dance moves, and a little improvisation on your part can add some snazz and pizzazz to the workout. It’s low-impact, so danceX is perfect if you’re like me and just getting back to exercising, or if you’d just like a workout that doesn’t require high kicks and super jumps and things like that. The cool-down of the workout is nice and thorough, with stretches and balance exercises that end it nicely. Even if you prefer going to the gym, for days when that isn’t an option and you want to do some cardio but you want to do something a little more exciting than going for a walk or job around the track, danceX will fulfill your needs.

My favorite sections of the workout were “the Twist” and the Laila (A popular Bhangra song by Shahin Badar) section. Actually, the workout is divided into chapters, and once you get familiar with the different sections and the music and moves that each one is comprised of, you’ll be able to skip directly to the section you want to do. I think it’s great this DVD was created in this way, because it enables people who really are crunched for time to just get that 10, 15 or 20 minutes of cardio in during the day.

The DVD also includes a bonus 8 minute ab workout, which was doable, and not nearly as will-killing as some of the other (ridiculously painful) ab workouts out there. Eh, I’m not partial to ab workouts, but they’re necessary for proper toning of your body (you want your body to be all even in all its fit and healthy glory!).

The other bonus features of the danceX DVD include nutrition tips from Kihiu as well as a section entitled “Move Your Body, Move Your Life.” The nutrition tips are definitely helpful, and educational. Much of it is common sense, but then again, what is common sense or easily gotten knowledge to one may be completely foreign and new to another. The “Move Your Body, Move Your Life” section is very motivational, and, well, moving. Kihiu effectively delivers his message that movement, exercise, healthy eating and an overall healthy lifestyle is really something that we should all work for to make ourselves look, feel and be better.

One thing that I would have liked to see (and was kind of hoping for) are some simple dance-aerobic routines, however I guess that would kinda shift the target demographic from anyone who has a pulse to anyone who likes to dance and has the patience to learn a little routine.

Overall, I think that danceX is a great workout, primarily because I truly did find it enjoyable, but also because I believe that their claim that everyone can do the workout is definitely valid. The music is fun, the moves are easy but effective, and neither the music nor the moves alienates anyone. What I mean to say is…. danceX isn’t just for women, it is a good cardio workout for men as well… provided that man is into aerobics workouts. You’d be hard-pressed to get my husband to do it, he might if nobody has to see him shaking his buns. (He’s more of a jogger than an aerobics kind of guy.)

(For more information on the danceX Everybody’s Workout DVD and Kenn Kihiu, check out www.danceXfitness.com.)

I’m giving away my review copy of danceX Everybody’s Workout. To enter, leave a comment on this post. Make sure to use a VALID email address (it will NOT be shared with any third parties, of course)! If you mention this contest on your own blog (with a link back to this post), you will earn another entry, and you will be mentioned in the post announcing the winner of this giveaway. Sooo to recap, you can enter by leaving a comment on this post and by mentioning this contest on your own blog, for a maximum of TWO entries total. You can enter by midnight EST (Eastern Standard Time) on January 15, 2008. I will only ship within the United States and Canada, so if you’re from a country other than the US and Canada, make sure you have a friend or relative in the US whom I can ship the DVD to! Good luck

Technorati Tags: exercise, fitness, DVD, review, danceX, Kenn Kihiu, cardio, workout, dance aerobics, aerobic workout, dance, giveaway, contest

Giveaways, TV, DVD & Movie Reviews 14 Comments

January 8, 2008

Whole World is an eco-friendly children’s book that features the slightly modified lyrics of the song “He’s got the Whole World in his Hands” and is filled with colorful, imaginative illustrations by Christopher Corr on each page.  The included CD, with vocals by Fred Penner, features a bouncy, upbeat and easy-to-learn, easy-to-follow version of “He’s got the Whole World in his Hands,” and this version, quite frankly, made me think of butterflies, lakes and sunshine.    It’s perfect for playing while reading the lyrics in the book and singing along with your child… or by yourself, if you’re so inclined.

The visual and auditory fantastic-ness of Whole World is sure to engage your child’s attention, and there’s also a section in the book that teaches about the environment and steps that we can take to keep the world a happy, healthy place to live.  Green parents will be happy to note that this book is printed on “ancient forest friendly paper” and that a portion of the sales revenue generated is being donated to organizations devoted to environmental conservation.  To learn more about the organizations that will benefit from the sales of this book, click here.

If you have a toddler, Whole World is a great way to introduce her to being eco-conscious through memorable music and funky art.  Preschool and young elementary school aged children will be sure to enjoy the variation on a song they’re sure to be familiar with, and the educational benefit of this book is something they’ll carry through adolescence and beyond; and it will likely instill a further interest in the environment and global conservation as well as a sense of responsibility for those things.

I recommend this book to parents who appreciate the environment and its resources (as well as the early learning benefits of music and art) and would like to pass that awareness on to their children… and hey, just by buying a copy, you will be helping the environment.

To purchase Whole World, please visit Barefoot-Books.com or Amazon.

Technorati Tags: green parenting, environment, global warming, global, conservation, children’s books, environmental songs, Whole World, Christopher Corr, Fred Penner, eco-friendly, eco-conscious, eco-book, book, book review

Book Reviews, Eco-Friendly, Living Green No comments