Posts

Erba Vita Tips to keep kids healthy naturally

As the kids return to school, so comes the return of the running noses and germy hands. With a little baby at home, I am super aware of the imminent germs coming into our home. There are a few new things we are doing this year to keep us all healthy and the germs at bay. Here are some ways to keep your kids healthy naturally this season, plus a giveaway for natural remedies from Erba Vita. Erba Vita is a European company with high quality natural products that are effective, GMO-free, and pesticide-free.

  • Buy a fun soap canister for the kids so they enjoy hand washing. Help them from an early age learn how to wash their hands well. Get them to sing a favorite song so they learn how long they should wash their hands.
  • Offer kids a balanced diet with lots of variety in their fruits and veggies. Offer favorite fruits for snack, or make them a fun strawberry fruit roll-up.
  • Use a hand sanitizer when you are out and about. We tested out the Mother’s Therapy Organics kids sanitizer Erba Vita Immun Kids and love it so far. It’s not as drying as most alcohol based sanitizer as it includes aloe vera-based lotion. I keep a small one clipped on my diaper bag so I can use it after changing diapers on-the-go. The kids gave it a “no sting” vote.
  • Get the kids to bed early. (And mom and dad too!) A good night sleep helps the body defend against germs during the day.
  • Boost immunity with a supplement, like Erba Vita’s Immun Kids. For ages 4 and up, it contains active herbal ingredients to help support a healthy immune system.
  • Keep tissues handy so they are ready for sneezes. Teach kids how to sneeze into their elbow by encouraging them to “catch” their sneeze.
  • Keep extra toothbrushes on hand so you can replace them quickly if someone gets sick.
  • Everyone in the house should get a flu shot. I know people have strong opinions on this, I’m voting for flu shots for our family since our littlest one can’t get a shot and I want to keep him as healthy as possible in his first year of life.
  • Make sure the kids stay hydrated. Send a water bottle to school and limit the amount of sugary beverages they consume.

 

Erba Vita is offering one lucky reader a $150 worth of products of your choosing. You can check out their Kids’ Line, Women’s Health, Weight Loss, and more. Please enter via the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway is open to US residents only until Sept 30th. Winner will be notified via email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received some of the Erba Vita products to review, including their Leg Light Gel that I used at the end of my pregnancy. It was great to use at the end of the day. I appreciate their commitment to using quality ingredients and following the safest standard of testing. You can get some of their product line in Whole Foods now or order online. All opinions shared here are my own. 

I also received the Mother’s Therapy Organic line of hand sanitizer and lotion. So far it’s one of the kids’ favorite as it’s not too sticky and doesn’t sting like most alcohol based sanitizers. 

Flip Cloth Diaper Review

It’s no secret that we are a mostly cloth diapering family. Yes, it is a little extra work but it’s just a normal part of our routine now. The one thing that always drives me crazy is having to stuff the diapers once they are clean. The Bum Genius diapers have been the only ones we used for the past four years. They just came out with a new hybrid diapering system called Flip. We tested out the Flip diapers for the past two weeks and I am excited to keep them as part of my diaper stash. (We got the diapers as part of a promotional program with Flip™ and MomSelect.)

Flip Diapers for babies and toddlers

Flip Diapers fit both a 14 week old and a 2 1/2 year old.

The best part of cloth diapering infants is you really get your money back when it comes to investing in cloth diapers. The Flip diapers will fit babies from 8 lb- 35 lb. I tested it out on our 14 week old 12 lb. infant and our two-year old toddler weighing 30 lb. They wore the same diaper and it fit well on both of them.

Hands down the best part about the diaper is how easy they are to wash, and there is no need to stuff! Well, minor stuffing where you just lay the insert into the cover. Nothing like trying to get the insert into the pocket diapers and trying to avoid damaging the inner waterproof lining with your wedding ring. Also, after the baby has used the diaper, there is no need to try to “unstuff” the diaper. This is rather handy after those epic blowouts.

My favorite diapers for babies are still the Bum Genius sized diapers. The size small diapers are much less bulky than the one-size-fits-all diapers (a.k.a. All in Ones). What I do like about the Flip diaper is the insert has a new fold over design that is softer and contoured better to the baby’s body. Plus it’s super soft, even after washing it a few times.

Flip Diaper sized insert

With the two-year old, we are in that transitional stage of diaper wearing and potty training. We used the outer diaper covers over underwear to control any possible leaks. I like knowing I can use the covers for both kids when we were out for a day trip.

The hybrid part of the system is handy when you are on the go, but probably not as useful for our family right now. The insert is fairly large and the waste would be more than an infant sized diaper. There were not any leaks when either boy used them, so the idea is you can reuse the covers and then put in a disposable insert. I am so trained to put the entire diaper into the wash it will take a look to get me to make this kind of switch!

Head over to their website to learn more about the Flip diapers. I tried out the velcro (hook and loop) closure, but I also found the snap Flip diapers over on Amazon. Snaps will hold up better over time, but the velcro is very easy to use.

Thanks to Mom Select and Flip for sharing the diapers with us! All opinions shared here are my own. 

 

Tiny Prints Back to School

When we think about back-to-school it’s usually about getting the kids ready. But really it’s mom’s time to get ready for back to school. Here’s some quick tips for getting Mom ready for afterschool sports, birthday parties, meal planning and more.

School Zone at Home

  • Pick a spot for backpacks. Have the kids leave them there when they get home and return them there after completing homework so they are ready for the morning.
  • Put together a craft supply basket with scissors, pencils, markers, etc. to be used in a homework zone. Now is the time to stock up with back to school sales.

Meal planning

  • Pick a Sunday afternoon to put together a few freezer meals for when life gets busy and you don’t have time to make dinner.
  • A new notebook and meal planning printables are a great way to stay organized. Make notes of what dinners are favorites and incorporate them into your week’s meal plan.
  • Pinterest is my go-to for meal planning. You can find my meal plan posts here and dinner recipes here. If you need some lunch box inspiration, head over to my Lunch Love board.

Play dates

  • Schedule one or two in advance so you can plan for some free time to check things off your list.
  • Mom contact cards make connecting easy on the playground or in passing at pickup time.

After school activities

  • Pack a bag in advance with sports gear, clean and ready to go. (Pack second small bag for siblings if they will be hanging out waiting)
  • Keep some snacks ready to go and prepackaged so getting out the door is a little easier.

Birthday Parties

  • Buy a few gifts at a time for a certain age group so you are always ready
  • Gift tags are handy to have on hand and personalize a store wrapped gift.

Tiny Prints Labels

 

To help get Moms (and Dads) ready for Back to School season, Tiny Prints is offering a great package of products to get you started! The giveaway is up to a $97 value!

  • 5 sets of 24 gift tag stickers
  • 1 – 5×8 lined notebook
  • 100 – mommy/play date/contact cards

Giveaway is open until August 22nd to US and Canada residents only. (Canada must pay for shipping~ sorry!) Please enter using the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get another chance to win by entering Tiny Prints Back to School contest for another $200 in prizes! Contest is open until August 28th.

I will also be receiving my own customized Tiny Prints back to school package…I can’t wait to pick out some new labels for the kids and I will get new mommy cards with all THREE kids names on them! All opinions shared here are my own. 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Parent’s Choice Overnight Baby Diapers.

Walmart Overnight Diapers RandomRecycling

I don’t talk about it much here on the blog, but we are a cloth diapering family. My friends know this and ask questions when they see the cute cloth diapers my kids wear. What they don’t see is that we made a choice a long time ago to use disposable diapers for nighttime. Is it a perfect, eco-friendly choice? No, but I’m ok with our decision as a family. As the tagline here says, our story is all about green living for modern families. As someone who felt really comfortable with cloth diapers, I was intimidated by complicated process of nighttime cloth diapers when my daughter was just a few months old.

Cloth diapers or disposables for nighttime

I did try the “doublers” with my cloth diapers and they just didn’t work for us. The babies and sheets got wet in the middle of the night, plus they seemed awfully uncomfortable in the oversized diapers. I looked into options with wool inserts, but the complicated process of prepping them was just too much for me when I was a full-time working mom with a new baby. Early on I found a brand of cloth diapers that worked and I often saved money by buying “seconds.” The overnight diaper choices were often a lot more expensive and I just didn’t want to make the investment.

Fast forward four years, I have two children wearing overnight diapers. One generally wears pull-ups and the other one wears standard overnight diapers. I’ve never been loyal to one brand as I usually try to buy what is the best price. Overnight diapers are more expensive than regular disposables, but once your child needs that extra nighttime protection, you just have to make the switch.

Parents Choice Diapers Sizing

I like seeing the size of the diapers clearly on the back. Much easier when you have multiple children in diapers.

We recently had the opportunity to try out the Walmart Parent’s Choice Overnight Baby Diapers. Our little guy gave them a test drive and they worked just as well as the other brands we have purchased. He liked them because they had little bears on them. I liked them because there were no leaks. I recently purchased a more eco-friendly pull-up option for my daughter to try at night. Every morning she changes out of the pull-up AND her pajama bottoms because they are damp. With the new baby on the way, I’m trying to reduce the amount of laundry I need to do, not increase it. Not all overnight diapers can stand up to the job. The Parent’s Choice diapers are a lot less money than most of the other brands I have bought before at only $0.16/diaper. Compare this to their competitors at $0.31-$0.42/diaper and it is a great value. You can also get it delivered, although I do wish they offered free shipping for their diapers like Amazon or Diapers.com.

With a new baby arriving soon, we will be in diapering land for a few more years to come. You have to make choices that work for your family, your schedule and your budget. I hope you find a system that you are comfortable with and give the Parent’s Choice overnight diapers a test run yourself.

What works for your family when it comes to diapering your kids?

Night time protection for babies is an important consideration for parents as their little one grows. Ordinary diapers may not have enough absorbent capacity to handle multiple voids over long periods of time with older babies. When wet mornings become the norm, parents start looking for more protection to guard against overnight leaks.

parents choice overnight diapers

Parent’s Choice Overnight Baby Diapers are super absorbent for overnight and long-trip protection. This is an overnight diaper at prices that everyone can afford!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Parent’s Choice Overnight Baby Diapers. All opinions shared here are my own. Good luck to anyone else in the thick of diapering multiple children at the same time!

Green Smoothie Recipes Your Kids will Love

I pulled together our list of green smoothies your kids will love. My kid’s favorite snack lately is a smoothie, always with a dose of greens. My two year old runs into the kitchen saying “moothie” until I make him one. Smoothies are a great way to sneak additional vegetables and fruits into your kids diet, and your own if needed. We usually make one large smoothie and split it up between the three of us in the afternoon. Both kids like the green smoothies and I’ll share today some super simple recipes that are kid-approved.

The good news is both kids drink green smoothies. The bad news is they often want them before I get dinner on the table so I find it can affect how much they eat when we sit at the table. I’m slowly trying to find a balance between offering them healthy vegetable-filled snacks and not take away from eating vegetables on the plate. The fiber isn’t lost when you make a smoothie, but I do think it’s important for kids to continue to experience the different textures of cooked or raw vegetables on their dinner plate.

 

We are using the Blendtec blender that I received as part of a Stonyfield yogurt campaign. The blender really is amazing and I think I’ll always have one of these high speed blenders from now on. We are using the Wildside Blendtec Blender.

Green Smoothie ingredients

There are a few key ingredients I use when I make smoothies for us:

  • Spinach
  • Coconut Milk
  • Yogurt
  • Frozen Fruit
  • Bananas
  • Oranges
  • Melon
  • Chia seeds (optional)

I generally never add any sweetener (like honey or agave) as I don’t want to give the kids a taste of a sweeter option. If something tastes too “green” I can soften the taste with the addition of more citrus or an apple. Yes, there is still sugar in the fruit but there are also a ton of vitamins that are beneficial.

Wondering how we serve our smoothies? I use our pint size mason jars and these glass smoothie straws (only one has broken in 3 years of using glass straws with the little kids). JJ loves his blue one and Madison has pink! If we are on the go, I also serve the smoothie in our favorite reusable squeeze pouch.

Here are just a few of our favorite recipes. Combine in the order listed and blend well.

If you want ALL of my smoothie recipes in one handy printable recipe book, click here. All recipes are kid-approved!

Green Monkey Smoothie

Green Smoothies Your Kids Will Love

*where it says water, you can sub in coconut milk to make it creamy, almond, oat, cashew or your favorite type of milk.

Mango Monkey

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 cups spinach

1 banana

1 cup frozen mango

Alligator Surprise

1/2 cup water

1/2 a medium avocado scooped out (we make this to use up leftover avocado)

2 cups spinach

2 cups frozen pineapple

 

Green Queen

1/2 cup of water

2 tablespoons of flaxseeds (or chia seeds)

2 clementines, peeled

1 banana

2 cups spinach

1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks

Berries and Spinach smoothie

The Blue One

(which really comes out more purple than blue)

1/2 cup water

1 cup yogurt (we use our homemade yogurt)

1 cup spinach

2 cups frozen berries

Head over here for one more bonus green smoothie: Coconut Kale Smoothie!

If the kids are not into anything green, you can also try my Paleo Pumpkin Pie Smoothie recipe.  Happy blending! I hope these green smoothies your kids will love helps make getting more vegetables into them a lot easier for you.

It’s the last week of Project Simplify and the task was to finish a “Put Off Project.” Hmmm…where to start? As we prepare for the new baby’s arrival in the coming month(?) we have been frantically purging the house of unused items, extra furniture and dealing with issues that come from having siblings move in together. The biggest task of all is to organize the kids playroom area. They have a great selection of toys, games, crafts and activities, but not a great place to store them. First part of Operation Playroom was to clean out an overcrowded closet and make it a cozy play closet for the kids.

This truly is a “closet under the stairs” play area. The before picture shows how crazy crowded the closet was with bedding, baby toys in storage, gift wrap and my wedding dress. (See how I organized my gift wrap stash in a previous post.) Some of the bedding was donated, the baby toys were paired down and stored in the nursery and my wedding dress actually still needs a new home. It is amazing to me how much dead space there was in the closet once I saw it in the photo. If the kids outgrow this space, I’ll add in some vertical shelving.

Crowded Closet Before

Next up was to add some light to the closet since there are no overhead fixtures. I found one nightlight that goes on the wall that the kids can turn on and it automatically shuts off. I plan to add another one for a little more light in case the kids want to read in the nook at the back.

Play Nook for Kids

There are two main activities in the cozy nook, dress-up and baby dolls. Both of these activities tend to sprawl when the kids get into them with their friends. My hope it to potentially contain some of the craziness behind closed doors. I used the removable Command Hooks to hang up the dress up items and the accessories are stored in two baskets below. A princess needs her shoes, bag, gloves and tiaras close at hand.

Dress Up Zone for Kids

Madison’s favorite part was actually the bedding at the back that we saved for guests. I may expand this space a little more so it’s truly a cozy spot for the kids. I’ll also be on the lookout for two additional dress up items when I shop the Parent Talk Sale this weekend. We have a large assortment of tutu’s, but not a lot of gender neutral options.

Wish Love Dream art

The other addition to the room is this sweet wall art I found and printed out myself. I may add in a few more frames of quotes in the realm of the importance of pretend play. I started saving a number of them, and other playroom ideas, on my Pinterest boards.

For more organizing ideas, head over to the collection of posts on Simple Mom’s week four round up of “put off” projects.  You can see all of my other Project Simplify posts here. Thanks for everyone’s comments on the past few Project Simplify projects. I hope to have more updates for Operation Playroom once our new storage unit arrives from Ikea!

I’m sharing this over at OrgJunkie too!

The Project Simplify challenge this week became a little more in-depth so I decided to split it out into two separate posts. This project features the creation of a quiet activity desk for my preschooler. I used some wasted space to carve out a special area for her to enjoy in the nursery when I’m busy with the new baby next month.

Preschooler Quiet Desk RandomRecycling.com

I recently had an interior designer, Dina from Honey & Fitz, come for a visit to help me plan out the kid’s room as it shifts from a girly one to a shared girl/boy bedroom.  We also reviewed the layout of the nursery and debated what to do with this random desk space that was built into the room. We never used it as a desk, even when the room was my home office. Once I cleared off all the clutter, including the day care notes from years past, the desk looked so lonely. I realized that it could be a good place for the kid’s to be entertained while I’m busy nursing the new baby. This led to the creation of the “Quiet Desk.”

The desk offers great work space and it’s just the right size for a child. Madison said, “I can do my homework here.” Cute since she is a long way off from homework days, but she already gets the concept of it. While I’m happy the desk is now functional, I would love to add a couple more interesting things on the wall to look at. Maybe a fun map to start talking about geography, or some hanging clipboards with activity sheets attached to them. The goal is to have some activities that the kids can do independently when I don’t have any hands free.

Create a Quiet Desk for Kids RandomRecycling.com

When I search on Etsy for Quiet Books, there are so many fun options, depending on the age of your child. I really like this quiet book from Handcrafting Harmony as it offers lots of fine motor skill practice.

I’m curious to see how well the two “big kids” share this new space. When I introduced it to them it was a hit, except it’s a little tight for two little people at the same time. I also need to find a little place mat as I think the crayons will soon decorate the desk instead of paper the way my little guy colors.

What other activities would you add to this quiet space? Any other tips for entertaining older kids while you are busy nursing a newborn? 

For Part 1 of this week’s Project Simplify, check out the How to Organize Your Gift Wrap post.

For more organizing ideas, head over to the collection of posts on Simple Mom’s week three round-up of “pile” projects.  You can see all of my other Project Simplify posts here. Up next week~ the put off project! You know you have one…

This is shared with Growing Slower’s Tuesday Baby link-up

 

IMG_3778

As I get ready for our next baby to arrive in June, I ‘m trying to line up activities to keep my older two children happy. This includes camp, beach time and playmates. But what about those days when we stay home? If we can’t enjoy some of our favorite free outdoor activities, that’s when I look to apps and computer games for something new. I know when I’m nursing I won’t be able to be hands on for a craft project. The iPad and iPhone will provide me a few peaceful moments to take care of the new baby. My go to games are all from the PBS Kids family of education apps and games.

I recently attended an event where I learned more about “It All Adds Up.” It’s a collaborative effort to improve the development of early math and literacy skills, focusing on children ages 2-8 from low-income families. I know even in our house we could use more math skill building opportunities. We read aloud as a family every day, but don’t often incorporate any math practice beyond counting. (Don’t miss the new PBS show Peg and Cat coming in the fall focusing on math problem solving skills.)

PBS Kids Lab Preschool Games

PBS Kids Lab is the place to start to find many games, apps and offline activities to help supplement what you are doing at home and in schools. My kids tested out a number of apps and games featuring characters from their favorite PBS Kids shows. I let Madison use the computer for the first time at the event. It opened up a whole new world of games for her. In the spirit of “It all adds up” I had her focus on math based activities, which was easy to find in the Curious George section. Bubble Pop was her favorite. My favorite is the Monkey Jump game that incorporates physical activity with the use of your webcam.

PBS Kids Games Apps

The little guy, at two years old, used the iPad with the PBS Parent Play and Learn App.  This is geared towards children ages 0-4. I liked that it is more than just games. There are activity ideas to foster learning offline in a variety of environments, like a restaurant or grocery store. JJ is still mastering the art of the “hold and drag” concept on the iPad, but it’s so fun watching him try this new skill.

For older kids, Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman offers the chance to build your own mini golf course. The demo I watched was very cool, but definitely for the older kids ages 6-8.

I want to note that while we are a digital family, it’s important to monitor your child’s screen time. Screen time includes both TV, computer, iPad and smart phone time. In my past children app reviews, I’ve mentioned the guideline is no more than one hour of screen time for children ages 2-5. That hour goes fast, especially when they want to watch both Curious George and Cat and the Hat in the morning. The best thing you can do is offer your children educational programming to fill that hour instead of mindless TV or computer games.

Curious George makes her day

Check out the PBS Kids Lab programs and let me know in the comments which are your kid’s favorites. 

Disclosure: I am a PBS Kids VIP (Very Important Parent) Ambassador and attended a special media event to test out the kids apps and games. I enjoy sharing my experiences with PBS Kids since my kids are such big fans. All opinions shared here are my own.

Free Outdoor Activities for Kids RandomRecycling.com

Happy Earth Day 2013! While I believe Earth Day should be everyday, I do like being able to highlight easy ways to bring a little more green into your life. Getting kids outside to appreciate nature will make them good stewards of the Earth as they grow up. If they don’t get out and experience nature, they won’t be that motivated to help protect it.

25 Earth Day activities outdoors

Here’s my list of 25 Free Outdoor Activities for Kids, all battery-free!

  1. Bring an easel outside to paint or color on
  2. Bubbles
  3. Chalk drawings
  4. Backyard baseball
  5. Soccer practice
  6. Enjoy a picnic lunch
  7. Swing set time
  8. Create an obstacle course
  9. Bug hunting
  10. Bird watching
  11. Identify plants and flowers
  12. Plant seeds
  13. Nature walk
  14. Wagon ride
  15. Neighborhood bike ride
  16. Sandbox castles
  17. Squirt bottle water drawings
  18. Bring musical instruments outside for a jam session
  19. Collect rocks to paint
  20. Hopscotch
  21. Take the dolls for a walk in their stroller or grocery cart
  22. Visit a duck pond
  23. Paint fences or walls with water
  24. Go puddle jumping when the opportunity arises
  25. Lay on a towel and look at the starts together

Earth Day Quote RandomRecycling.com

Which is your favorite activity to do with your kids? Anything else to add to the list?

Ultimate Homemaking ebook bundle Sale

I’m sharing this post with the Tuesday Baby Link Up and Your Green Resource

Eat the Rainbow Fruit Skewers RandomRecycling.com

Start the day with a rainbow of fruit on skewers.

Spring is finally in the air and we are spending lots more time outside. As my kids burn more energy now running and biking, making sure they are eating well is even more important. As a Mom, I talk about what my kids are eating, or not eating, with friends and family a lot. I am lucky to have two kids who are not very picky, they just tend to want to eat all the time. I think snack is JJ’s favorite word, right behind show. Feeding them real food is so important to me and I am happy to partner with New Balance and Chop Chop magazine to help support their campaign to “Eat the Rainbow, Run the Rainbow.”

As a blogger who focuses on kid friendly food recipes, I get to read a lot of cookbooks and nutrition books when they first get released. The recipes that always get the best response are those that are pretty. Pretty to my kids means there are lots of colors on the plate. Eat the Rainbow is such a simple message, but it really drives home what you should be feeding your kids. They may not eat it all, but there have been studies that show the more variety of color that is offered on a plate, the better the overall intake is of food. This is great for parents of picky eaters. Although they may throw it at you, at least you know you are offering them the best chance for a well-balanced meal. If you have young kids, I really like the book, Give Peas a Chance: The Foolproof Guide to Feeding Your Picky Toddler.

New Balance Rainbow Shoes RandomRecycling.com

Now here is the fun part. You get two chances to win some great products from both New Balance and  Chop Chop magazine. Head over to their main contest page to enter to win monthly prizes. Then, enter here to win a pair of New Balance 890v3 Rainbow sneakers and a one year subscription to Chop Chop magazine! The shoes are just adorable. I know this since my daughter gets complimented on her special pair wherever we go. They come in both infant/preschool sizes with velcro and switch to laces at size 10 1/2 and up. It’s Madison’s very first pair of lace up shoes…not great timing for me at 32 weeks pregnant. I tie those shoes a lot!

Rainbow Giveaway RandomRecycling.com

The giveaway is open to US residents until April 21, 2013. The winner will be announced on Earth Day, April 22! Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was provided a pair of New Balance Rainbow Shoes and subscription to Chop Chop magazine for which I am very excited about. All opinions expressed her are my own.