rub dub

Green Toys are made in the USA using recycled milk jugs!  When I first started reading about Green Toys, I was very impressed by their products and how environmentally concious they were!  I'm excited to share this review with you!  If you are ever looking for a fun, green toy - look no further than Green Toys!

About Green Toys
Starting with recycled milk jugs: We use recycled milk containers as the main ingredient in creating our toys. Yes, the exact plastic milk jugs that you and your family drink from every day. When you finish your milk and toss the container in the recycling bin, these milk containers are collected at your curb by a local recycling company, who then sorts them from all the other types of plastic. Next, the milk containers are reprocessed into super clean fresh plastic. For you plastic geeks, the plastic material we use is called high-density polyethylene (or HDPE). This material is considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around.

Every step of the Green Toys process happens in California.  California is known for their strict toy safety and environmental laws.  Green Toys are made 100% in the USA, even the raw materials are local.  Green Toys even strives to keep their toy packaging as Earth-friendly as possible by using a minimal amount of recycled corrugated boxes and no cellophane or twist-ties.

Green Toys products are tested by nationally recognized, independent, third-party labs (located, yes, in the USA.) They contain no traceable amounts of Phthalates or BPA. They are also designed without any external coatings, eliminating the fear of lead paint (taken from their website HERE).

My Review
I was sent this awesome dump truck for my review.  Yes, I do have a daughter, but she LOVES trucks and trains like any other kid!  To be honest, sometimes I get tired of all the girly stuff!  The dump truck arrived and was much bigger than I imagined!  It is a good size for a toddler to push around and enjoy.  My nephew finds this truck every time he visits my house.  Sydney likes to fill the truck with necklaces, and my nephew fills it with blocks usually.  This is a VERY sturdy toy truck (my nephew has sat in it several times even though I've tried to explain to him that he doesn't quite fit haha).  It sells for about $24.99, which is comparable to similar toys I've seen in Target, and this one is environmentally friendly - with no worries of BPA or lead paint!  This has been a huge hit with the little ones in my family. 

Here are pictures of two of my favorite toys from Green Toys.  They also have dish sets for kids and many other items that you should check out!

**I was provided a Green Toys toy dump truck in exchange for my honest review.  No other compensation was given.**

The Juppy Baby Walker - Review and Giveaway

I received a pink Juppy Baby Walker to try out recently, and since I don't have a baby that is learning to walk yet, I enlisted the help of some friends to try it out! I love being able to share new products with friends so that I can see what others think of the items.  I will be trying this out on L.B. when she (finally) gets to the walking age, and you will probably see a video of me using it then as well, but for now, you get to hear the opinions of my friends!

About The Juppy Baby Walker

"The Juppy Baby Walker is a non traditional, parent-assisted baby walker used to teach babies how to walk sooner while minimizing dangerous falls. The baby is placed in the seat of the Juppy while mom or dad simply holds on to the straps, while standing upright, to give support to the baby. Typically parents tend to hold their babies by the hands or under the arms to teach them to walk. This causes stress and strain on the lower back of the parent and could cause injuries to the child's arms or joints. The Juppy Baby Walker reduces your pain and eliminates possible injury to your child" (taken from the website HERE).

The Juppy is available in pink or blue, and comes in it's own carry case which is small enough to fit in any bag!  It is recommended for babies age 7 - 13 months, and fits children up to 30 pounds. It is machine washable, which is a must for baby products (if you ask me).

Here is a before and after picture to show you how The Juppy is used:

My Review (with the help of other moms)
Since I was unable to be with the reviewers, I don't have pictures of the Juppy in use, but I am working on getting some!  First off, The Juppy sells for $29.95, which is cheaper than the "normal" walker with wheels.  Also, the walkers with wheels have been seen as unsafe for various reasons.  A parent must be present while the Juppy is in use, which adds to its safety. As I stated before, washable is a must for baby products in my opinion and the Juppy is machine washable (air dry).  The Juppy is small enough to take with you anywhere - great for trips to grandma's, etc.  We had Walking Wings for Sydney when she was younger, and she enjoyed them, but she was a skinny baby and it doesn't have support other than the chest area, so she always seemed to slide down in it.  The Juppy has a full panel around the baby and between their legs for added stability.  I would prefer to see the Juppy in a more gender neutral color - I tend to buy more gender neutral so that I know it can be used with multiple children.

My 2 tiny reviewers were Kylee - 11 months old and Lilly - 10 Months old (and their parents, of course).  It was an enjoyable product to try and the girls seemed to like it.  The main drawback was that for some moms the straps were not long enough so they still ended up leaning over a little (the mom was about 5'6).  The great thing about the Juppy is that it is one size fits all babies - no adjusting velcro, just put the baby in, take the baby out, very simple.  The Juppy seems to be made similar to some doorway jumpers, so if you have a child that loves the doorway jumper and is ready to learn to walk, then the Juppy should be very helpful to you!

GIVEAWAY

The Juppy Baby Walker is offering So Mommy readers the chance to win a Juppy in your choice of color (pink or blue).  Open to U.S. Residents only.

 

How to Enter:

(1 entry) - Tell me what color Juppy you would like AND your favorite thing about The Juppy!

(1 entry) - Follow the Juppy on Twitter HERE

(1 entry) - Follow So Mommy by Google Friend Connect

(1 entry) - 'Like' So Mommy on Facebook HERE

(1 entry) - 'Like' The Juppy on Facebook HERE (Feel free to tell them So Mommy sent you!)

 

**Giveaway will end March 25, 2011 at 5 p.m. CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted by email.  If winner doesn't respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.** 

**I received products to try in exchange for an honest review.** 

The Me Project - Book Review

I received "The Me Project" by Kathi Lipp from Harvest House Publishers to review.  After reading a little about this book, I was excited to be able to read it for myself!  Kathi Lipp is a conference and retreat speaker, who has also written "The Husband Project" and "The Marriage Project."  After reading "The Me Project," I really want to read these other two books!

A little about "The Me Project: 21 Days to Living the Life You've Always Wanted" by Kathi Lipp
"The Me Project" gives you creative, but doable steps every day to help you begin to live out the dreams that God has given you.  Don't worry - this isn't a bland instruction book!  Kathi adds in her own stories and humor throughout the book to keep you entertained and motivated.  She helps you learn to set aside time from your busy schedule to be yourself and accomplish your dreams.  Many moms feel that they can no longer have dreams of their own because they need to help their children accomplish theirs - Kathi is here to help you learn how this way of thinking doesn't really work.  You need to have dreams, and you need to work toward accomplishing them!

In "The Me Project: 21 Days to Living the Life You've Always Wanted" you will learn how to:
- discover the plan God has for your life
- connect with a group of like-minded women ready to make their goals a priority
- change your attitude toward roles in life

My Review
I enjoyed this book a lot, but I think it will take me more than 21 days to accomplish all that is in this book!  I have always had a "plan" for my life for as long as I can remember, but I always make small plans so that I knw I can accomplish them.  I have never really made any huge goals to accomplish (aside from graduating college and getting married, which turned out to be easy thanks to prayer haha).  "The Me Project" has several short chapters, the first section of chapters focuses on creating your goal list, how to get started, and finding an accountability group - these are the basics, but are VERY important to staying on track!  After the first section, you get to the activities!  There are 3 weeks of projects to do (one each day).  These activities are simple, but very helpful.  Example - one of the activities is embracing your past.  You have to write down one mistake from the past and the lessons you learned from it.

I think this book is very helpful for anyone, but especially for those moms who have gotten so lost in the lives of their families that they forgot their own dreams.  Now, I'm not saying those moms should run away or ignore their families, but it can be very helpful to get back out there and "find" yourself again!  I know after Sydney was born and I started staying home with her, I got wrapped up in her life and forgot all of the things I loved to do.  I've since joined storytime, made new friends at church, and started this blog! 

**This book was received from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.  No other compensation was received.**

Zizzies and Izzies - Review and Giveaway

About Zizzies and Izzies

Zizzies and Izzies offers Eco Clothes for Eco Kids. They make fleece diaper covers, designer prefolds, cloth wipes, and cute clothes and hats made from eco-friendly materials. The owner, Shelly, is a stay-at-home mom who was inspired by her kids to start making reusable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective products. After other moms saw her work, they suggested she start selling her items and so Zizzies and Izzies was born!

My Review

I was really excited to try one of the fleece soakers from Zizzies and Izzies.  I've never tried a fleece soaker, but I knew if it worked like others said then it would be great for those early potty training days...you know, when your kid still has a few accidents.  Zizzies and Izzies offers very cute fabrics for fleece soakers (you should definitely check them out).  Not only did Shelly send a fleece soaker to try, but she sent a unique hair clip, a few cloth wipes, and the most adorable hat!  The wipes were wonderful - they worked great, just as a cloth wipe should.  We weren't really able to try the clip out since my daughter has very little hair, but I assure you it is adorable and well-made and I can't wait until she can wear it! 

My favorite items sent were the hat and the fleece soaker!  The hat is a unique hat, and has gotten my daughter a TON of compliments!  It is a beautiful yellow and white fabric that is absolutely perfect for springtime!  My daughter likes wearing it, and I like to show it off!  It's not an overly girly hat (which I think my hubby appreciates - he gets tired of all the frilly girl stuff sometimes).  This has been his go-to hat to put on Sydney lately.  The fit of the hat is great (I sent in measurements of her head).  It is very well made (I don't have to worry about my daughter trying to tear it up like some crochet hats...she has a tendency to stick her fingers in the holes for fun).  Anyways..I just LOVE the hat!

On to the fleece soaker...when I saw the cute flower print I loved it, but at the same time I was wondering if these really work as diaper covers.  I couldn't imagine this working as well as an AIO cloth diaper.  I know, I expect the worst sometimes, but I have a heavy wetter!  My daughter was excited about the soaker..she calls it her big girl panties, and I think it has helped to encourage her to use the potty more honestly.  I put a fitted and the fleece soaker on her one day at naptime to really test it...and she didn't leak through at all.  I was amazed!  We aren't really potty training yet, but Sydney will use the potty some.  The fleece soaker helps to teach her to pull her "big girl panites" up and down.  She likes being able to help put them on and take them off.  I think the fleece soakers would be helpful for any age (over fitteds especially), but I'm excited to use them for the early days of potty training to help prevent major accidents all over the house!

DISCOUNT!

Right now, Zizzies and Izzies is offering So Mommy readers a special 15% discount on orders!  All you need to do is enter the coupon code "SOMOMMY" when placing the order!  Be sure to check out her awesome clearance section as well!

GIVEAWAY

Zizzies and Izzies is offering So Mommy readers the chance to win a 2 pack of fleece soakers!!  Trust me - you WANT to win this one!

How to Enter:

(1 entry) - Heart Zizzies and Izzies on Etsy

(1 entry) - Follow So Mommy by Google Friend Connect

(1 entry) - 'Like' So Mommy on Facebook HERE

(1 entry) - 'Like' Zizzies Britches on Facebook HERE (Feel free to tell them So Mommy sent you!)

(1 entry) - Share this giveaway on Facebook - Tag So Mommy in it so that I see it (click the lock button and change to everyone to do this).

**Giveaway will end March 25, 2011 at 5 p.m. CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted by email.  If winner doesn't respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.** 

**I received products to try in exchange for my honest review - which I have given.** 

Go Go Natural + Dinkledooz Review and Giveaway

As most of you know, I started cloth diapering Sydney about a year ago and I have not regretted it.  My only problem has been finding a diaper that works over night.  Up until the last month we were still using disposables at night time!!  I read what a lot of moms used overnight for their heavy-wetters, but it all sounded SO complicated (you know- I use 1 insert, 1 prefold, and a {name brand} cover).  My husband has been wonderful with cloth diapering, but I'm pretty sure he would get frustrated with those kind of instructions.  About a month ago I started using a WAHM diaper overnight with 2 thick inserts, but the diaper was pretty bulky (it has continued to work overnight - most nights).  So what does all of this have to do with my review?  Well, I have found a diaper that is easy, not bulky, AND has worked overnight (without fail thus far)!

First Things First - Go Go Natural
"Go Go Natural is a company that was built to empower other women to live their dreams of financial prudence with good environmental stewardship. The idea for the company sprung forth one Winter day while hiking down a mountain in Arizona. As a new Mom who had recently been introduced to cloth diapering, I wondered how I could live my dream of staying at home with my baby while also doing something noble and pure for the betterment of future generations. All at once it seemed to jump out at me…I wanted to ‘go natural’ with my baby but I also wanted to help other women ‘go natural’ with their babies. In short, I wanted to GoGo Natural! And the rest is history as they say." (Taken from GoGo Natural's website HERE)

Since their beginning, they have expanded to include other product lines that a new mom will need to help get their baby off to a "natural" start.  They offer many benefits that large companies do - like the huge selection and free shipping on orders over $75, but still treat customers as individuals with individual needs.

My Review
Go Go Natural sent me a DinkleDooz diaper to review - in pink for my little princess!  DinkleDooz diapers are one-size (should fit from about 8lbs-35lbs) pocket diapers.  Each diaper comes with a small and large microfiber insert.  I normally prefer velcro on my diapers because it gives a better fit for skinny kids, and the DinkleDooz has snaps...a lot of them.  When I put this diaper on for the first time, I was impressed with the fit!  It has snaps for 3 different rises, so the snaps look a little overwhelming at first.  Once you start snapping it on, you will realize how easy it is!  The snaps are AWESOME!  They even included snaps at the hip area which is very helpful for the skinny kids.  I've read a few reviews that said dads didn't like all of the snaps on this diaper, but my hubby hasn't had any trouble with the snaps at all! 

This diaper can be machine washed and dried, but I always air-dry my covers.  Which leads me to another point - this diaper dries amazingly fast!  I swear within 10-15 minutes of being hung, it's dry!  This is my go to diaper for overnight use now (actually, I ordered 2 more this week)!  With the large and small inserts, my daughter has not leaked in this one yet!  She even had a juice box (apple juice) 15 minutes before bed one night (for pooping problems lol) and she didn't even leak that night!  I have failed to take pictures of this diaper on my daughter, but I promise to put it on her in the morning and take some pictures to share! 

A look at all of the snaps.  There are several, but once you start folding the diaper closed, it's easy to see where they go.

DinkleDooz on top, BumGenious 3.0 on bottom...not much difference in thickness, but the BumGenious doesn't come close to working overnight for us.

Sydney in her DinkleDooz

Rear View

Right now, Go Go Natural is having an introductory special on DinkleDooz diapers - you can buy one for $12.56!!  This is a great price for a good diaper! 

What would make this better??  10% off your order - storewide!!  Simply use coupon code "SOMOMMY"

GIVEAWAY

Go Go Natural is offering one lucky reader a DinkleDooz diaper in your favorite color!

How to Enter:

(1 entry) - Tell me how your favorite color DinkleDooz diaper

(1 entry) - Follow So Mommy by Google Friend Connect

(1 entry) - 'Like' DinkleDooz on Facebook HERE

(1 entry) - 'Like' Go Go Natural on Facebook HERE (Feel free to tell them So Mommy sent you!)

(1 entry) - Share this giveaway on Facebook - Tag So Mommy in it so that I see it (click the lock button and change to everyone to do this).

**Giveaway will end March 18, 2011 at 5 p.m. CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted by email.  If winner doesn't respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.** 

**I received a DinkleDooz diaper in exchange for my honest review - which I have given.  I honestly do LOVE this diaper and I have already purchased more!** 

Little Life Portraits - Winner!

I'm a little late in posting the winner, but here it is...The winner of the Little Life Portraits Daydream Session is.....

Comment #1 - Andy! 

Who says random.org never chooses #1? Congratulations to Andy!  I will send Emily your email address!

Mimi's Babies - Review and Giveaway

"...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

Where to start?? Mimi's Babies is one of my favorite online retailers for babies! Maybe it's because she is local to me, maybe because she openly shares that she uses her talents to bring honor and glory to the Lord....but mostly because her items are so stinkin' adorable!!   

The Ladies Behind Mimi's Babies

Creating special gifts for your special babies is the goal of Mimi’s Babies. They want to bring a sentimental touch to gift giving and share the love that is given with a handmade piece.  Mimi and Charissa have teamed up to create Mimi's Babies.  Mimi has been sewing for over 35 years. Over the years, she has created everything from Buggy Buddies to a Civil War era blouse. Mimi loves to create.  Charissa has been crocheting for over 20 years. Over the years, she also learned how to knit. She enjoys creating dishcloths and baby items. Blankets, dishcloths, and hats are her specialty. Charissa loves to make one of a kind baby gifts.  Mimi’s Babies is a proud member of the EtsyKids team, EtsyMom team, and the D Listers.

My Review

I'm pretty sure I could go on and on (and on and on) about Mimi's Babies, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet!  I came across Mimi's Babies over a year ago on a friend's blog. I won a Buggy Buddy on the blog and Mimi herself delivered it!  She was so sweet, and Sydney & I both LOVED the Buggy Buddy!  A little while after that, my sister offered to photograph some of Mimi's Babies items.  I got to see several hats, headbands, and flip flops up close.  Let me be the first to tell you that these items may be handmade, but they are EXCELLENT quality, very sturdy items!  I've bought new hats and flip flops for Sydney, and even a newborn hat for a friend.  I have never been disappointed with anything I've ordered!  Charissa and Mimi are awesome to work with as well.  As with most Etsy store owners, they are willing to work with you to create the special item you are looking for.  Ok, so now that you know how much I love them, I want to share some pictures with you - please be sure to visit their Etsy store HERE to see their full selection!

This is Sydney around her 1st Birthday in the "Sydney Beanie"

This is Sydney at almost 2 years in the SAME beanie, just different clip!

I mean, How could you not love these cute things (the hats, not the kids - though the kids are pretty lovable haha) ???  If you are like me, and you love them - you will want to keep reading because one lucky ready is going to win a VERY special gift from Mimi's Babies!

GIVEAWAY

Mimi's Babies is offering 1 lucky winner this adorable headband and crib shoes set!!  I would love to win this set for myself, but I'm glad that one of my readers will get to win it!  I know whoever wins will fall in love with Mimi's Babies just like I did!

How to Enter:

(1 entry) - Tell me how your favorite item from Mimi's Babies Etsy store

(1 entry) - Follow So Mommy by Google Friend Connect

(1 entry) - Follow Mimi's Babies on Twitter HERE

(1 entry) - 'Like' Mimi's Babies on Facebook HERE (Feel free to tell her So Mommy sent you!)

(1 entry) - Share this giveaway on Facebook - Tag So Mommy in it so that I see it (click the lock button and change to everyone to do this).

**Giveaway will end March 18, 2011 at 5 p.m. CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and contacted by email.  If winner doesn't respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.** 

**No compensation was received for this review.**