Moma Lovebug

Dei Fratelli Review!

2011-11-03T00:14:00.002-04:00

Dei Fratelli was kind enough to send me some of their delicious tomato products to try out and review. I use tomatoes several times a week in lots of different dishes and was excited to try something new!
From the salsa, to the diced tomatoes, to the pasta sauce, each product was tasty and flavorful.

The pasta sauce was the perfect addition to homemade meatballs, even Lovebug, my picky eater, didn't make a fuss! In chili, over chicken, and in sauces each product brought a new flavor that I hadn't experienced with other canned tomatoes. I've been on the lookout for more Dei Fratelli and always purchase a few when I find them!

Check out the site for more information on their products, recipes, and even e-recipe cards!

You can find Dei Fratelli on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

*I received the item mentioned above in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own*

Olivia: Princess for a Day Review!

2011-11-03T00:00:00.002-04:00

In our house, princesses are a big thing. So when Nickelodeon offered us the chance to review the new Olivia DVD, I jumped at the chance. Lovebug screamed with joy when she saw what had come in the mail for her, and I *had* to put it in right away.

I'm not kidding when I say that we've watched Princess for a day about 50 times, and the entire DVD about 20 times since it got here. Lovebug even knows all the words to the princess pledge!

The DVD released in September and you can purchase it for around $17!

Olivia: Princess for a Day (Double Length Episode)
Olivia trades places with a princess for a day when she meets a visiting Princess and they realize that they look almost exactly alike.

Olivia’s Tip Top Tapper
Olivia hurts her leg on the eve of her big tap dance recital.

Olivia’s Old West Treasure Hunt
While on a field trip to an Old West town, Olivia leads a treasure hunt to find the missing key to the school bus.

Olivia Becomes a Chef
Olivia has to keep mom out of the kitchen while she prepares her a surprise birthday meal - a dinner with all red food!

Olivia Plays Hotel
There seems to be a strange guest at Olivia’s make-believe hotel – could it really be a ghost, or is it her brother Ian just playing tricks on Olivia and her friends?

Olivia’s Fashion Show
Olivia is determined to put on her own fabulous fashion show, but her models (her brother Ian and her friends Francine and Julian) are difficult.

Olivia Goes International
Olivia has trouble deciding on a country to represent for her class’s International Day so she invents her own.

Olivia Paints a Mural
A trip to the museum inspires Olivia’s artistic talents, if only she can find a big enough space.

*I received the item mentioned above in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own*

Simply Neutral Review!

2011-11-02T00:20:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite green & non-toxic cleaning products is Simply Neutral. You might remember them from my review last Summer!
I'd been using these awesome products since then, and was amazed at how long lasting they are and how great they work. Some other "green" cleaners that I've tried just don't have that same oomph that Simply Neutral has!

Maggie, from Simply Neutral, was kind enough to send me a few more products over the Summer to try out. Dish it out (an SLS-free dish soap), Love your duds (a liquid soap nut laundry detergent), and Bowl me over (a powdered toilet bowl cleaner). Along with the products came some very neat business cards! The material that was used was cut up cereal boxes! How neat and green is that!?

I put them all right to work, starting with Bowl me over. Before this, I had only used liquid toilet bowl cleaners. Green or not, the old products all smelled terribly. The chemical smell bothered my asthma, so I didn't clean as much as I should have. BUT- Simply Neutral saved the day! I sprinkled a tablespoon of the product into the toilet, gave it a swish and let it sit for a few minutes. After it foamed up, I gave it a scrub and flushed. I was amazed at how clean it looked!

The other products left me in awe as well! We used to use Dawn in the sink, but it seemed like we needed a lot. A few drops of Dish it out was all we needed! And the laundry soap is great! I was already a soap nuts fan, having used them to wash diapers, and I love the liquid version even more! I used it on the cloth diapers, with no problems. And even added a little to water in a spray bottle to use upstairs!

I've had all three of these products since July, and I'll probably get a few more months out of them! How awesome is that? Not only is Simply Neutral an affordable green product, but they last a lot longer than other products! You can save on shipping by ordering the waterless products. When it arrives at your home, just add water and voila!

Want to save even more on Simply Neutral? Check out their product packages! You can get a pack of cleaners, dish soap, and microfiber towels (10 products) for under $28!!

You can find Simply Neutral on Facebook and Twitter!

*I received the item mentioned above in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own*

MIA

2011-09-23T21:38:00.004-04:00

School is well underway here... And unfortunately that means I've been neglecting the blog a bit. College is kicking my butt this semester. I have lots of awesome reviews to go up (and some giveaways)! So please stay tuned :)

Also, go over to my Doula Facebook page, and click like. We're getting close to 250 fans, and I'll be having a BIG giveaway when we do!

FuzziBunz Winner!

2011-09-20T14:37:00.003-04:00

And the winner of the FuzziBunz giveaway is...

Number 117!

Congrats to HolliLynn!

The winner has 48 hours to reply to my email, or a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to all of you who entered and a special thanks to FuzziBunz for sponsoring the giveaway!

Aloha Friday #75

2011-09-09T05:32:00.001-04:00

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

Are you getting the crazy rain/flooding?

Beach Bound!

2011-09-04T13:04:00.000-04:00

See you all at the end of the week! :)

Link it up- Giveaways! 9/4/11

2011-09-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

There are so many awesome giveaways going on at other blogs. Sometimes, it's hard to find them all! So, if you have a giveaway going on at your blog, link it up! Each Sunday, I'll be posting a new Mr. Linky.

So go ahead! Link away!

Aloha Friday #74

2011-09-02T12:58:00.001-04:00

Anyone else thinking about Halloween? What costumes do you have planned?

500 followers! Claim your extra entries!

2011-08-29T04:00:00.004-04:00

Yay! We hit the big 500 tonight! I offered up some extra entries awhile ago.... So go ahead, hop on over to the FuzziBunz giveaway and add FIVE extra entries!

I'll also be posting another amazing giveaway to celebrate! Keep an eye out for it, the extra entries will apply to this giveaway as well!

Link it up- Giveaways! 8/28/11

2011-08-28T13:43:00.001-04:00

Aloha Friday #73

2011-08-26T12:15:00.002-04:00

For those on the East Coast, are you prepared for Irene?

Link it up- Giveaways! 8/22/11

2011-08-22T01:05:00.000-04:00

Aloha Friday #72

2011-08-19T00:18:00.000-04:00

Lots of children are starting back to school next week (I am, too!). Is anyone homeschooling? Lovebug isn't even 3 yet, but I've been thinking about it a lot.

FuzziBunz Review & Giveaway!

2011-08-18T00:06:00.002-04:00

When someone is talking about cloth diapers, usually the name FuzziBunz works it's way into the conversation. These diapers are super popular and can easily be found on the internet.

I've had a love/hate relationship with the Fuzzi Bunz we've had. My daughter potty trained at 2.5 years old and most of our FuzziBunz were in regular rotation for a little less than 2 years. They seemed to be the ones that would repel before other diapers, if there was a little bit of build up. But, they've held up amazingly, were fairly easy to strip.

Most importantly, they are husband (and grandparent) friendly. This alone puts it in the category with my favorite products! FuzziBunz also have some absolutely fabulous colors.

We were sent the new Spearmint color right after they were released. Lovebug was starting to potty train, so we didn't get to use it as much as I would have liked. But we used it for bedtime until we were sure that she could stay dry over night. We didn't need to double stuff at bedtime. For lovebug, just one insert was more than enough.

Like the other FuzziBunz, the one size diaper gives you the option to adjust the thighs and waist, providing a great fit for your little ones. And it snaps!! So old children that prefer to be diaper-less might have a harder time breaking free.

FuzziBunz will continue to be part of our cloth diapering stash and when we have another little one, I might have to add a few more!

*This giveaway is going to be open a bit longer than usual. With going back to school and a vacation coming up, I want you all to have a fair chance to enter!*

FuzziBunz has generously offered to give one Moma Lovebug reader a Spearmint diaper for their little one!

Want to win?

You must first visit FuzziBunz and take a look around. Then come back and tell me another of the FuzziBunz colors that you love. This is a mandatory entry. If you do not complete this entry, all other entries will be disqualified.

"Like" FuzziBunz on Facebook.

Become a follower of FuzziBunz on Twitter.

Sign up for FuzziBunz's Newsletter.

Subscribe to my blog (by email OR a reader).

Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect.

"Like" my Doula Facebook page. (2 entries)

Grab my button. Leave the link of where you placed it in your comment.

Follow me on Twitter. Please leave your Twitter name in your comment.

Tweet about the giveaway by using the following text- RT @MomaLovebug @FuzziBunz Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/3hvafzv #clothdiapersYou may tweet once per day for extra entries. Please leave the permalink of your tweet in your comment.

Blog about the giveaway. Please link back to Moma Lovebug and FuzziBunz. Leave the link to your blog in your comment. (5 entries)

You must leave your email in your comment so that I can contact you. Also, please remember to leave a separate comment for each of your entries. Otherwise they will not count.

Contest is open to US and Canadian Residents only. Contest will end 9/10/11 at 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. I will also announce the winner in a separate post. You must contact me within 48 hours. If you fail to claim your prize, a new winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed. Please see my Disclosure.

*I received the item mentioned above in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own*

Wholly Wholesome Review!

2011-08-17T13:22:00.004-04:00

"Delicious treats made with truly natural and organic ingredients... So good they taste like homemade."

At the beginning of July, I received two very large boxes from Wholly Wholesome. Inside were some amazing (and super delicious) products!

Even though the baked goods are all natural (and some vegan), I could only have small tastes, since sugar and I don't get along well. My family and friends really enjoyed the products though!

My daughter loved the moist crumblettes and raisin cookies. The blueberry pie was a big hit as well! They're so simple to make, too. Some of the products are fresh, others are frozen and just need popped in the oven!

In case you're wondering where you can find the fabulous Wholly Wholesome, they have a store locator! I don't have any retail locations near me... But I'll be looking for them when we go out of town! You can also find Wholly Wholesome on Twitter and Facebook!

Beanie Designs Review!

2011-08-17T01:35:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I received an email from a lovely company, Beanie Designs, asking if I'd like to try their product. I browsed through the beanies and hats and found this gorgeous sun hat. I knew Lovebug would flip for it!

Unfortunately we received the wrong size at first, but the company generously let us pass it to a friend. It seemed like it took a little while for the right size to be sent out, but it was worth the wait!

As expected, Lovebug was thrilled with it! She wore it for hours and hours, not wanting to take it off. I finally had to put it out of site for awhile!

The flower piece clips off, if you're needing something simple, or you could always change the flower out! The beanies are around $30 each, but for handmade, they're a great price! They have hats for newborns, up to teens! Be sure to check out Beanie Designs "On Sale" section for a great deal!

Beanie Designs can also be found on Twitter and Facebook!

Aloha Friday #71

2011-08-12T01:46:00.001-04:00

Are you ready for Fall?

The Twooth Timer Winner!

2011-08-07T02:21:00.002-04:00

And the winner of The Twooth Timer giveaway is...

Number 10!

Congrats to Eco Baby Mama Drama!

The winner has 48 hours to reply to my email, or a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to all of you who entered and a special thanks to The Twooth Timer for sponsoring the giveaway!

Link it up- Giveaways! 8/7/11

2011-08-07T02:14:00.000-04:00

Link it up- Giveaways! 7/31/11

2011-07-31T11:56:00.000-04:00

Link it up- Giveaways! 7/24/11

2011-07-24T00:17:00.000-04:00

Aloha Friday #70

2011-07-22T16:10:00.001-04:00

What are you doing to stay cool in this heat wave?

Be Good to Yourself- Montagne Jeunesse Masque Review!

2011-07-21T16:30:00.003-04:00

It's not often that I review a product I don't like. Occasionally there will be something about a great product that isn't perfect, but never that I just don't like it.

Unfortunately, I don't like the Montagne Jeunesse Masques that I was sent for review. The company was nice enough to send three of their products for me to try out- Deep Cleansing Passion Peel Off, Self Heating Fudge Sauna, and Dead Sea Anti-Stress Mud Masque.

Even though I don't have super sensitive skin, all three products made my face itch terribly. It was uncomfortable to leave any of them on for the recommended amount of time.

I will say that after the skin irritation went away, that my face did look nice and my skin felt soft, but it just wasn't worth the itchiness that I went through.

They're affordable, at about $2 per pack. They not only have the masks, but tonics and pore strips as well!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Twooth Timer Review & Giveaway!

2011-07-19T11:40:00.002-04:00

Brush for two minutes "without pulling teeth"!

It might seem like a silly slogan, but for some parents, getting their child to *want* to brush their teeth is hard. I'm one of those parents. Even though we've tried to establish good habits with Lovebug, she would fight having her teeth brushed. Either she wouldn't do it, or wouldn't let us help to get them really clean. None of the tricks seemed to be working.

Then, The Twooth Timer arrived. I'll admit that I might have laughed at the idea of a tooth shaped timer getting my stubborn daughter to brush. But, I was also getting a little desperate.

When I took the timer out of the package, Lovebug was immediately interested. I explained that this was going to help her brush her teeth. We would set the timer, and we had to brush until the tooth "dinged".

It worked. On the first try. She was so happy with the timer that she brushed for a minute, and let me brush the other minute. Clean teeth, happy momma.

Check out The Twooth Timer's website for free activity downloads!

The Twooth Timer has generously offered to give one Moma Lovebug reader a Twooth Timer for their little one!

Want to win?

You must first visit The Twooth Timer and take a look around. Then come back and tell me something a problem you've come across (or are worried about) with brushing, and how you've handled it. This is a mandatory entry. If you do not complete this entry, all other entries will be disqualified.

"Like" The Twooth Timer on Facebook.

Become a follower of The Twooth Timer on Twitter.

Sign up for The Twooth Timer's Newsletter.

Subscribe to my blog (by email OR a reader).

Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect.

"Like" my Doula Facebook page. (2 entries)

Grab my button. Leave the link of where you placed it in your comment.

Follow me on Twitter. Please leave your Twitter name in your comment.

Tweet about the giveaway by using the following text- RT @MomaLovebug Twooth Timer Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/3cdbfle You may tweet once per day for extra entries. Please leave the permalink of your tweet in your comment.

Blog about the giveaway. Please link back to Moma Lovebug and The Twooth Timer. Leave the link to your blog in your comment. (5 entries)

You must leave your email in your comment so that I can contact you. Also, please remember to leave a separate comment for each of your entries. Otherwise they will not count.

Contest is open to US and Canadian Residents only. Contest will end 8/2/11 at 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. I will also announce the winner in a separate post. You must contact me within 48 hours. If you fail to claim your prize, a new winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed. Please see my Disclosure.

*I received the item mentioned above in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own*