As moms, dads and caregivers we give a lot to those we love. We put their needs and wants ahead of our own and often make sacrifices to provide for those we care about.

Being a mom to my 3 girls is the most important job I’ll ever have, and I would do anything for them. Ever since I found out I was pregnant with my first baby girl 8 years ago, I’ve been caring for, loving, and worrying about my kids.

There have been many sleepless nights caring for them when they were sick and there will be many more sleepless nights after they’ve grown and moved out when I’ll worry if they’re ok. It doesn’t stop as my kids get older- I will forever be their mom and I can’t imagine my life without them.

To celebrate the selfless and unconditional caring of caregivers, including moms, and all the ways they care for those they love, the Johnson & Johnson brand has launched the “For All You Love” campaign.

You can watch the introductory Johnson & Johnson “For All You Love” video for the campaign below (or click the previous link if the video doesn’t show up):

You can get involved and help too! Simply pick and share a card filled with messages of reassurance and encouragement for a Mom in your life on Facebook at  http://www.johnsonsbabycares.com.

For every card sent, shared or liked, JOHNSON’S® Baby will donate $1.00 to Save the Children® (up to $150,000) to benefit early childhood education programs that foster education and reassurance for new moms.

These cards will not only spread some encouragement to Moms throughout the country but will also provide Moms in need with the skills and knowledge to successfully support their child’s growth.

Send a Mother’s Day card to a Mom you know now!

I’ve been dealing with the letters since my oldest daughter started school- there’s no way to avoid those. But there is a way to avoid the call from the office with using some preventative measures.

I was sent some natural lice prevention and treatment products from Logic Product Group to try:

• no toxic chemicals
• no synthetic fragrances or colors
• dairy, soy and gluten free
• no animal testing
• made in the USA

I’m glad that there’s companies that realize we don’t want to expose our kids to harmful chemicals just to prevent or treat lice. And that there’s products available that are both natural and effective.

LiceLogic natural lice prevention and treatment products come in a variety of scents so you don’t have to smell like you’re treating for lice:

• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Lemongrass
• Rosemary Mint

I used the LiceLogic Repel Conditioner Spray in Rosemary Mint. In addition to deterring head lice it also nourishes, moisturizes and eliminates frizz, and it’s a product you can use daily. I think a daily lice prevention spray is a simple easy way to help repel head lice and is quick to spray on before the kids leave for school. This would be the perfect summer camp essential too!

The only thing I wasn’t that fond of was the Rosemary Mint scent but it fades quickly and leaves the hair soft. Plus I know the hair is protected so don’t mind the smell, but I would pick another scent next time.

I also received the LiceLogic Hair Nit Spray in Peppermint for treating lice when needed. It destroys nits and lice on contact and helps loosen stubborn nit glue. The peppermint smells amazing and I definitely wouldn’t mind having to use this for my family if necessary.

LiceLogic products can be ordered online and everything is 15% off right now, plus get Free Shipping on orders of $49 or more!

The Logic Product Group also has natural products for tick and flea prevention, bed bug treatment and a line of natural toddler bath, body and hair products.

Connect with Logic Product Group on Facebook

WIN IT: 1 reader will win the same two products I tried- Repel Conditioner Spray (your choice of scent) and the Peppermint Hair Nit Spray

ends 5/21/13 @ midnight EST, US residents only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received free LiceLogic products from Logic Products Group for the purpose of this review. However all thoughts and opinions are my own and honest.

I was sent the New Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care to try out and to help add a little freshness to my bathroom. Soft Scrub 4-in-1 features:

1. cleans toilets
2. prevents future buildup
3. fights toilet ring
4. freshens up to 4 weeks

The new Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care is an over the rim hangar. The plastic cage keeps the product in place and allows water to activate the cleaner with each flush.

For me the results were so-so. While I didn’t see any toilet ring I wouldn’t necessarily say it made it so I had to scrub the toilet any less. The toilet still got the usual um, nasties, and had to be cleaned on a regular basis.

The scent was nice but didn’t seem to last very long. It was strong when I first took it out of the package but after a couple weeks the smell had faded to barely noticeable.

EDIT: This product lasted about 2 1/2 weeks for me before it was empty. I do think our toilet gets more traffic than most though… we have 1 bathroom for 2 adults and 3 kids! So for other people this may last up to the full 4 weeks.

>> Get the latest product news and great cleaning tips from the Soft Scrub Facebook page <<

WIN IT: 3 readers are going to be able to try the new Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care for themselves… enter on the form below!

3 winners will each receive a coupon for a free Soft Scrub product
ends 5/15/13 @ midnight EST, US residents only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Soft Scrub brand provided me with a sample of Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care in exchange for this review. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own and honest.

I was recently sent the new Dial Kids Body and Hair Wash and was very pleased with this new 2 in 1. It’s available for ages 2- 5 and ages 6- 10.

• ages 2+ is tear-free and comes in Peachy Clean scent
• ages 6+ comes in Watery Melon & Berry Cool scent
• both were developed with Pediatric Dermatologists
• hypoallergenic and no artificial dyes or added parabens

We’ve always been a Dial soap family so I loved adding Dial for Kids to our family body wash collection. Both of the Dial Kids Body Wash had a great scent and were nice and sudsy when washing.

I was skeptical of how it would handle washing hair since that’s where most kids 2 in 1 washes fail in my opinion. But the Dial Kids Body and Hair Wash worked great on all my kids hair. I thought I’d have a tangly, hard-to-brush mess after using a 2 in 1 wash but their hair was still brushable and didn’t even need extra conditioner afterward.

I love that it’s a name I can trust and I know it’s a nourishing soap for my kids skin. It cleans without overdrying and leaves them smelling sweet after their bath.

Learn more at DialSoap.com or on the Dial Facebook page

WIN IT: Enter to win your own bottle of each of the new Dial Kids Body and Hair Wash (ages 2+ and ages 6+)!!

(ends 5/10/13 @ midnight EST, US residents only, 2 winners)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Dial brand provided me with a sample of Dial Kids Body and Hair Wash in exchange for a product review. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own and honest.

I was sent a bottle of the New Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash laundry detergent and it not only smells great but is gentle enough for sensitive skin and still has the cleaning power of Purex with DirtLift Action.

• Hypoallergenic, dye-free formula for sensitive skin
• Fresh, nature inspired fragrance (pineapple, coconut & tropical flowers)
• Has the cleaning power of Purex with DirtLift Action
• Biodegradable formula promotes green cleaning practices

I thought the Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash smelled amazing- like a wisp of being on a tropical island (if only it were true). I also love that it’s a natural detergent and is great for my daughter that has sensitive skin.

It’s great for the whole family’s clothes plus the sheets and towels. The smell is light and natural, not overpowering, and I’m already a fan of Purex detergent for their cleaning power and affordability.

Learn more at Purex.com or on the Purex Facebook page

WIN IT: Enter to win a bottle of New Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash laundry detergent

Ends 5/3/2013 @ midnight EST, US residents only, 2 winners
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purex provided me with a bottle of Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash detergent in exchange for a product review. However all the thoughts and opinions are my own and honest.

She wasn’t a big fan of the old worn-out outfit the doll had on though. It may be vintage and collectible but to a child it’s just plain OLD (check out the Suzy Smart Doll original outfit).

So she’s been asking me for quite awhile if I could buy some new clothes for her Suzy Smart Doll. I searched online, including eBay, but found out doll clothes can actually be kinda pricey.

I decided to check out the local thrift stores to see what I could find. I realized that because the Suzy Smart Doll is so big (she stands 24 inches tall) that she can fit into baby clothes.

The trick is to find baby clothes that don’t look too babyish though, ie. no onesies or footed clothes. The Suzy Smart Doll is school-age after all (she comes with her own desk).

I was able to find a newborn top and size 3-month pants that fit her perfectly. And they were only .99¢ and .50¢ apiece (since one was tagged with the 50% off color of the day)!

So now her Suzy Smart Doll has a new outfit for Spring. I’d love to be able to find another pair of shoes for her to wear also but even the newborn size is too big for her feet.

I’m going to go back to the thrift shop soon to find some summer dresses for her too.

Using regular cleaners leaves streaks behind so I’ve been needing something specifically for stainless steel. I was sent the New Soft Scrub Advanced Surface Cleaner + Polish. It’s not only a stainless steel cleaner but can also be used on granite, marble and glass cooktops.I tested the Soft Scrub Advanced Surface stainless steel cleaner on my microwave…. you can see the results below.

By the way, it’s really hard to photograph stainless steel (click images to enlarge)

It did a great job as far as getting the fingerprints and streaks off of the stainless steel but on the glossy black part it still left a few smudges and streaks. It also comes out very fast so you have to be careful when using so it doesn’t drip.

On some areas of my stove (where it was really grimy) I did have to wipe it multiple times to get it clean. Overall I liked the results and I’m happy to now have something specifically for my stainless steel appliances, and I love that there’s no rinsing required.

You can learn more at SoftScrub.com or on their Facebook page

WIN IT: 3 readers are each going to win a coupon for a Free bottle of any Soft Scrub Cleaner

(ends 4/28/13 @ midnight EST, US residents only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was sent a free bottle of New Soft Scrub Advanced Surface Gel Cleaner for the purpose of this review. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own and honest. JV8R4HU9ZF6A

It may be officially Spring and lots of other states are experiencing warm weather, but here in Michigan it’s still cold… and rainy… and windy.

And what does that mean for my skin? It’s dried out and in need of some major moisturization.

Carmex Healing Cream helps combat dry, cracked skin and is great for extra rough spots that are in need of repair like feet, elbows and hands:

• increased levels of rich lanolin which have the same rehydrating properties as naturally occurring lipids in your skin
• includes petrolatum to soften skin while it aids with moisturization
• adds allantoin to soften and aid with moisturization

The Carmex Hydrating Lotion is great for everyday use and is non greasy formula:

• Vitamin E aids moisturization of dry skin, helping to soften and heal it
• uses aloe at a concentration of 200 times what you’d find in an aloe plant, helping prevent dryness and promote healing, plus soothing irritated skin

Both the Carmex Healing Cream and Hydrating Lotion have a light scent that’s not overpowering. They blend in quickly and aren’t greasy feeling.

Learn more at MyCarmex.com

Connect with them on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.

WIN IT: Enter on the form below for your chance to win your own set of Carmex Healing Cream & Hydrating Lotion

ends April 17, 2013 @ midnight EST, US residents only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review and giveaway sponsored by Carmex. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Winner(s) will be drawn randomly and have 48 hours to respond to winning notification email before another winner is drawn. Susie B. Homemaker is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Giveaway is not affiliated or endorsed by Facebook in any way.

Welcome to the Don’t You Look Marvelous Blog Hop

This event is hosted by The Review Wire. Each blog participating has a prize that is at least $25 and related to products that make you feel beautiful. Make sure to stop by The Review Wire, they are sponsoring The Grand Prize! Two winners will each receive the COOLA ER+ Line, a Retail Value of $148!

My giveaway is for a Pouchee Purse Organizer. People will definitely be saying “Don’t you look marvelous!” when they see how neat and stylish you are with this cute purse organizer. Check out my Pouchee review post to see it in action.

WIN IT: Enter on the form below for your chance to win a Pouchee purse organizer

>> After you enter my giveaway, stop by the other blogs to see the other Marvelous Giveaways (linky at bottom of post)! <<

(ends 4/23/13 @ midnight EST, US & Canadian residents only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner(s) will be drawn randomly and have 48 hours to respond to winning notification email before another winner is drawn. Winner will receive their choice of Cotton Pouchee or Pouchini. Blogger(s) are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Giveaway is not affiliated or endorsed by Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter in any way.

Does that ever happen to anyone else?

I had a JcPenney gift card and was wanting to get a nice top and some new jeans (since most of mine have holes in them now) but ended up with clothes for my daughters instead. But shopping for jeans is no easy task for me (click that link to hear how clothes shopping usually goes)!

So when I struck out and couldn’t find anything for myself, I of course decided to look for my kids instead. And finding clothes that fit my kids is sooo much easier than finding something for me.

Kids sizes are much simpler!

I mean come on, they have adjustable waistbands. And with kids pants, if they’re too long you can just roll the pant legs and it still looks super cute on them.

My girls did actually need new pants tho since they’re growing like weeds, it just wasn’t what I went into the store expecting to buy. So I’m still on the hunt for a great pair of jeans and shirt for myself.

UPDATE: This post was actually saved in a draft a couple months ago and since then I’ve found a pair of jeans for myself at both Kohl’s and Target. Though one of the styles of Target’s Mossimo brand ran small. I had to go up a size just to get them to fit me right.

I had also tried the same store I found a pair at two years ago, but they changed the style slightly of the ones I liked and they don’t fit me right anymore. Oh and I liked the Boyfriend style from American Eagle but turns out they discontinued that one and everything else fits slim thru the hip and thigh now so I couldn’t find anything there either.

So I’m sure in another couple years when I need new jeans again, they’ll have changed the styles of the ones I like. It’s a never-ending vicious cycle… sigh!