Libby's Fruits & Vegetables Prize Pack Giveaway

Posted by Jenna | Thursday, March 28, 2013



With the Easter Holiday upon us, many of us are preparing for family get-togethers and a lot of fun. I love getting the family together for the holidays and sharing a delicious meal! And thanks to Libby's Fruits & Vegetables, it's going to be easier than ever this year!

 
With their new Digital Recipe Box, an application only available on Facebook, Libby's Fruits & Vegetables wants to make meal planning easier. I liked the sound of that, and couldn't wait to check it out. The Digital Recipe Box houses more than 100 recipes using Libby's products and allows users to share recipes with their Facebook friends, as well as "like" their favorite recipes and print them out for future reference. The app makes it easy to plan meals by dish, ingredient or type of gathering! How convenient is that?! Love it!

In browsing through the app, I found many recipe ideas for family get togethers, including the Classic Scalloped Corn! I also took a look at the Libby's new Pinterest boards and found a lot of fun ideas for family activities, tips to help maintain your home, and nutrition advice. They are even holding a post-Easter contest where pinners will add images of their Easter meals to win a prize!
With it's recent launch, Libby's wanted to celebrate and sent us a package including several of their canned products, including a beautiful Montana Serve Bowl from Pottery Barn. The bowl is just perfect for serving up fabulous dishes this Easter (or any time of year)! And as for the Libby's products...my family loves them! We're big fans of the
Libby's Organic products especially, and have been eating them for quite some time. My kids especially love the fruit!

Win It: Libby's has also offered one very lucky reader a prize package with Libby's products and this Montana Serve Bowl from Pottery Barn (valued at $55)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
**The products for this review and giveaway were provided by Libby's, however all opinions are my own*



BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer ~ Review

Posted by Jenna | Wednesday, March 27, 2013



This past winter our family has dealt with a lot of sickness, specifically our three kids. After several bouts with the stomach flu, ear infections and colds...I have been doing everything I can to boost their immune systems and keep them healthy (including my husband and I too)! One of the best ways I've found I can do this is by giving them a well-balanced, nutritious diet...including lots of fruits and veggies. 
Since we started eating healthier, I have been in search for a good juicer. I knew this would be a great way for us to make sure we are getting the fruit and vegetable servings we need, all while enjoying delicious juices, etc! That's when I happened to come across the BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer and couldn't have been happier to learn we were going to have the opportunity to review it.
Features/Benefits:
  • Retains nutrients for optimal health
  • Continuous, jam-resistant juicing
  • Easy to clean, dishwasher safe
  • Quiet operation, no spinning blades
  • Utilizes a two-stage cold press juicing technology
  • More juice from certain fruit/vegetables than other juicers
When the NutriPro Juicer arrived, I couldn't wait to test it out.
Out of the box I found that it included everything I needed:
  • New BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer with quiet induction motor 
  • Stainless steel juice strainer 
  • Single juicing screw auger 
  • Feeding tube 
  • 1 pulp container with handle 
  • 1 juice container with handle 
  • 1 pusher 
  • 1 cleaning brush 
  • 5 year warranty 
  • Instruction Manual 
  • Recipe Booklet
I was immediately drawn to the modern appearance of the BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer! It's beautiful! I love the stainless steel as it fits in well with the other items in our kitchen. The sleek vertical design also allows it to easily fit on the countertop, saving much needed space in my small kitchen. 

I also appreciated that it included everything I needed, including a user-friendly instruction manual which made using our new NutriPro Juicer a piece of cake.

After washing the removable pieces, I put it back together and was ready to get started. That day we had fresh apples, strawberries and raspberries in our fridge. All five of us love these fruits, and my hubby thought the mix would make a great juice! He was right!! 

We plugged in the unit, removed the food pusher and placed 1-2 inch chunks of fruit into the hopper. I then used the food pusher to direct the food through the hopper and pressed the on/off button to begin juicing!
I read in the instruction manual that it's best to alternate between leafy, harder and softer produce...so that's what we did and have continued to do each time we use the juicer. 

There was more juice squeezed from the fruits we put in than I expected there to be. I was very impressed! The NutriPro Juicer thoroughly squeezes each fruit and vegetable, producing more juice (and nutrients) than any other juicer I've used. It utilizes a two-stage cold press juicing technology that operates via a chewing method to produce high-quality juice from each fruit and vegetable.
It was really easy to use. I didn't have to jam the produce into the juicer, I simply dropped them in, used the food pusher to guide and then let the juicer do the rest.

It was also amazing to me just how quiet the juicer is. With no blades, it really is a pretty quiet unit to operate.And, with the no-blade, cold press technology, oxidation is minimized, no heat is used, and more nutrients and enzymes are preserved! YAY for healthier juice the whole family enjoys!

I knew my family would enjoy the fruit juices, but we have enjoyed the juices mixed with vegetables too! It's been a great way to get my kids to like and eat the vegetables they typically wouldn't eat otherwise. And, best of all I know we're using a juicer that's giving us more juice, more nutrients and great tasting juices every time!

The included recipe booklet has been much appreciated as well. I have tried many different juices and have learned that it's possible to make delicious sorbets and even almond milk! I for one can't wait to try the Banana Split Sorbet. YUM!

One of the juices we tried is a Spinach Juice recipe found in the recipe booklet. It called for 2 apples, spinach, and 1/2 a lemon. I wasn't sure how the combination would taste, but it ended up being very good. 
 
What I love about using this juicer, is that I can try many different juices and combinations to come up with juices my family and I will love! The sky is the limit!

As you can probably tell, we have been thrilled with the BELLA NutriPro Cold Press Juicer and the delicious juices we've made with it. It's incredibly easy to use, and surprisingly easy to clean as well! I say surprisingly, because with several removable pieces, I couldn't help but wonder just how easy cleanup would be. Thankfully, it took no time at all. In just minutes I am able to have it all cleaned up and ready for the next use. As a busy mom, I appreciate this a lot...especially the fact that the pieces are dishwasher safe!
If you're looking for a high quality juicer that is designed to give you the most juice, the most nutrients, and great taste, I would highly recommend checking out the NutriPro Juicer! There are so many benefits of juicing, including getting a more balanced diet for both adults AND children! It's definitely a mommy-must-have in my opinion.

Buy It: You can purchase the NutriPro Cold Press Juicer at www.nutriprojuicer.com for a trial offer of $14.99 (see website for details) or a one time payment of $249.95.

You can also connect with NutriPro on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.


**I was provided a NutriPro Cold Press Juicer to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.



New and Improved Free & Clear Baby Wipes ~Review

Posted by Unknown | Wednesday, March 27, 2013



As a mom, it's nice to not have to worry about the little things in life, like baby wipes.  I'd prefer to spend my time enjoying the more important things.  That's why the new larger, thicker and softer Free & Clear Baby Wipes from Seventh Generation take my worries away. 




Seventh Generation baby wipes are free of alcohol, dyes, synthetic fragrances, parabens and phthalates.  They also follow the precautionary principle, meaning they won’t use an ingredient in their products until they are sure it is safe for consumers.  Whew!  I love when companies treat my child with the same care and concern that I do.  

These new wipes use 70% less plastic than their old wipes through the use of plant materials, yet they're thick and soft for use on sensitive skin.   

Here's the real test: how can you truly know if a baby wipe is soft and comfortable until you use it on your own face and uh-hem, bottom?  So, I tried using one to wipe my nose and I tried another one in the bathroom.  And yes, they are soft.  

One thing I didn't especially love about these wipes was that, in my opinion, they are overly wet and soapy.  This may be a good thing when I'm cleaning up a messy diaper, but it isn't so great for just a wet diaper or for using on the face.  They also are a tad too thick for my liking.  Too thick is still better than too thin when it comes to wipes, but I hope that in the future some adjustments are made.  

Overall, they get the job done without any harmful chemicals.  I like that.  


Key Benefits:
  • Free of fragrances & dyes
  • Free of parabens and phthalates
  • Hypoallergenic 
  • Unscented
  • Significant environmental savings

You can purchase the shelf pack of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes for an affordable $2.99.  

Buy It:  You can purchase the Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes at Target, Whole  Foods and Diapers.com.

**I received product to help faciliate my review, however all opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.





As a mom of three little ones, I do what I can to keep my kids safe.  I try to take precautions to keep them from harm, but despite my best efforts I'm always learning that there's more I can do. For instance, Safe Kids Worldwide recently released a new research report that found kids are getting into medicine at an alarming rate! Every minute of every day, a poison control center receives call about potential medicine poisoning for a child age five and under. And 67,000 times each year, or every eight minutes, a young child goes to the emergency room for medicine poisoning. This is a 30
percent increase over the past ten years.
Wow!

Due to these startling statistics, I was happy to read that Safe Kids Worldwide is raising awareness of medication safety to prevent these situations from happening! Thankfully we have never dealt with medical poisoning in our family. I'm pretty cautious about keeping medications up, hidden and out of reach from my kids. I also know kids watch their parents and imitate their behaviors, so I try to take medications away from them. I am however, learning that there's much more I can do to help keep them from harms way. For instance, have you ever thought about where you keep the vitamins, or even the pills in your purse. I never really had before, but thanks to Safe Kids Worldwide, it has now been brought to my attention that I need to keep EVERY single medication out of reach. That means putting it up right after I use it and not keeping it in my purse anymore.

Here are some other very helpful tips from Safe Kids Worldwide that I wanted to be sure and pass along:
  • Put medicine and vitamins up and away and out of sight. (In 67 percent of emergency room visits for medicine poisoning, the medicine was left within reach of the child, such as in apurse, on a counter, or under a sofa cushion.)
  • Even if you are tempted to keep it handy, put medicine out of reach after every use.
  • Look around your home for products you might not think about as medicine, like rubbing alcohol, eye drops or gummy vitamins, and store them out of the reach of children.
  • When you have guests in your home, offer to put purses, bags and coats where kids can’tget to them. (In 43 percent of emergency room visits for medicine poisoning, the child got into medicine belonging to a relative, such as an aunt, uncle or grandparent.)
  • Be alert to medicine in places your child visits. Take a look around to make sure there isn’t medicine within reach of your child.
  • Program the nationwide poison control center number (1-800-222-1222) into your phones.
  • Visit SafeKids.org for more tips on safe storage, safe dosing and safe disposal of medicine.
I am so thankful that Safe Kids Worldwide is helping to raise awareness. I have learned a lot, and I hope you find these tips helpful as well! The following is a Safe Storage, Safe Dosing, SafeKids YouTube video you can check out.

You can also connect with Safe Kids World wide on Twitter and Facebook.
 


**I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Safe Kids Worldwide and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation
 



BubbleBum Inflatable Car Booster Seat ~ Review & Giveaway

Posted by Jenna | Friday, March 22, 2013



As my husband leaves town for work, he drops Kaelyn off at school each day. It's worked out very well for us, other than the car seat situation. Since he takes her in his work vehicle, he doesn't like that he's been having to haul around the car seat that he takes her in all day while he's working and meeting with his customers. We've been looking for a better alternative for quite some time. We needed something that was smaller and could slip under the seat when he's working, yet still accessible when he needs it each day. That's why I was very eager to learn more when I came across the BubbleBum Car Booster Seat.

BubbleBum was founded by Grainne Kelly (Safekids USA Certified CPST) when she saw the lack of car booster seats available from car rental desks. She believed every child deserves to be protected and set out to solve the problem. With the help of her children and children of local schools, BubbleBum's funky color and design was born.
About:
BubbleBum, the cost effective, portable, lightweight, brightly colored, inflatable car booster seat for children aged between 4-11, easily deflates and folds flat so that kids or moms can carry it in a backpack or purse, making it perfect for vacations, rental cars, taxis, school pick up or car pooling.

Features/Benefits:
  • portable & lightweight
  • inflatable & re-useable
  • inflates by mouth – taking less than 20 seconds to inflate
  • folds flat
  • packs away into its very own stretchy bag
  • comfortable & colorful
  • affordable
  • added belt positioning clip for extra comfort
  • suitable for all vehicles fitted with a three point seat belt
I will admit, the first time I read about the BubbleBum Car Booster Seat, I couldn't help but wonder just how safe an inflatable booster car seat would be. However, as I learned more about it, I found that it meets all US federal motor vehicle safety standards as required by NHTSA 4-11 years (40-100lbs) and is indeed, a very safe car booster seat.

After reading more about it, I was excited to learn we were going to be sent one to review. When the BubbleBum booster seat arrived, I was impressed with just how compact it really is.
 
Out of the packaging I found that it includes one BubbleBum Car Booster Seat, instructions, shoulder belt positioning clip, and carry bag.
  

I looked over the instructions, and learned that that the booster seat is very easy to inflate and use! In no time I had unscrewed the cap, blew up the car booster seat and screwed on the cap tight again. I was amazed just how quick and easy it really was!
 
I could tell that the quality of this car booster seat is top-notch, not to mention comfortable (Kaelyn sat on it right away to test it out ;)). The durable material is similar to that of a life vest. The air chamber cushion memory foam also adds stability and comfort.
 
Once it was inflated, it was time to attach the extra strap that comes with it which helps to keep the seat belt in the right place, up by the child's shoulder. I absolutely love this feature!

Since booster seats must only be used with a 3 point seat belt, the BubbleBum is a Belt Positioning Booster seat so that the belt stays where it needs to be for safety. The shoulder belt positioning clip and strap help to ensure that Kaelyn is safe and secure when using the BubbleBum Car Booster Seat which I greatly appreciate.
 
Getting Kaelyn situated in the car seat has been very simple as well. Once she's seated, we simply thread the seat belt straps through the red clips (for both the lap belt and shoulder belt).
She has mentioned just how comfortable this booster seat is, and how "big" she feels riding in a big girl car seat!

I have been very happy with the BubbleBum Booster Seat and know we will get a lot of use out of it. It's perfect for vacations/rental cars, taxis, and even in situations when we have all three kids in one seat - using the BubbleBum Car Booster Seat helps them to all sit and fit more comfortable.

If you're looking for an affordable, light-weight, compact, belt positioning car booster seat...I would definitely recommend checking out BubbleBum. It's incredibly convenient, and even something that would fit in a child's back pack or under the seat of a car if needed. Having a handy carry bag helps to keep it safe when not in use. It deflates easy and at just 1 lb makes it easy to carry wherever it is needed. We absolutely love it!


Buy It: You can purchase the BubbleBum Inflatable Car Booster Seat for $39.99.

Win It: One very lucky reader is going to win a BubbleBum Car Booster Seat of their own! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to the US Only and will end April 12th

**The products for this review/giveaway were provided by BubbleBum. All opinions are my own and weren't influenced in any way.



Scentsy's March Madness Sale!

Posted by Jenna | Thursday, March 21, 2013



I LOVE for my home to be an inviting place to be for the family and friends who visit. Not only does that mean the way I decorate, but also the scents I use! I used to love candles, but with little ones the fear of having an open flame worries me too much. I also didn't like the soot that goes into the air which pollutes our lungs and can discolor the walls and furniture around it. Wanting a safer option, I turned to Scentsy and will never go back!

For those who are familiar, Scentsy offers beautiful, wickless warmers that look great and smell amazing! Their warmers are designed to melt scented wax with the heat of a low watt light bulb and nothing goes into the air except great scents!

I fell in love with Scentsy about a year ago and decided to sign up and be an independent consultant around that time. I absolutely love it! This time of year they've had many great sales, one of which I just had to share because it's too good to pass up!
Scentsy's March Madness sale means that Campus Collection warmers are currently 40% off now until March 31st! That means you can get a Campus warmer for just $21!! I would definitely recommend checking out the great selection and ordering your favorite while they're still available...as they're going quickly! You can order directly from my site if you like. :)

I'd love to hear your experiences with Scentsy. Do you love their warmers and scents? And if so, which ones are your favorite?

**This is not a paid post. I simply sell and love Scentsy and wanted to share about their products with my readers!



Whole Wheat Pancakes with Maple Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Posted by Unknown | Sunday, March 17, 2013



You should never buy pancake mix again.

I'm serious.

I'm 26 and I just learned how easy and cost-effective it is to make your own.  Plus it's more healthy because it has less sugar and no preservatives.

With my little one, it's also fun to cut the pancakes into sticks so we can dip it into maple yogurt dipping sauce.

Maple yogurt dipping sauce is a great way to cut back on sugar intake and add some protein to your pancake breakfast.  Plus, real maple syrup can be expensive, so mixing it into yogurt cuts way back on the normal amount you'd use on a plate of pancakes.  
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Whole Wheat Pancake Recipe - 7 simple ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted

*mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls, then combine

Makes 8 servings 

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Maple Yogurt Dipping Sauce

plain whole milk yogurt
real maple syrup

*Mix to taste.  You don't need much syrup to sweeten the yogurt.

**TIP: This dipping sauce is also a great, healthy dipping sauce for fruit if your kiddos are into dipping.  Try dipping apples, bananas or berries!  Set up a few different things and introduce your kids to a fruit and yogurt fondue experience!



The Croods Lowe's Build & Grow Kit ~ Giveaway

Posted by Jenna | Friday, March 15, 2013



As some of you probably know, a new movie called The Croods will be in Theaters starting March 22nd! The Croods is a 3D comedy adventure that follows the word's first modern family as they embark on a journey of a lifetime when the cave that has always been their home is destoryed. Traveling across a spectacular landscape, the Croods are rocked by generational clashes and seismic shifts as they discover an incredible new world filled with fantastic creatures, and their outlook is change forever.

Starring in the movie are: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman.

To learn more about The Croods, you can visit their official website. You can also connect with The Croods on Facebook, Follow @DWAnimation on Twitter #TheCroods and/or re-pin great DIY tutorials, printables and more from The Croods on Pinterest.

I was excited to learn that in celebration from DreamWorks Animation's The Croods coming out in theaters, that there is going to be upcoming Lowe's Build & Grow clinics featuring activities inspired by the film. Lowe’s Build & Grow clinics are conducted on select Saturdays and Sundays at all Lowe’s stores nationwide – FREE OF CHARGE!
On Saturday, March 23 and Saturday, April 13, Lowe’s will be hosting special clinics featuring The Croods. Children learn basic home improvement skills and build confidence while creating a free, wooden project they can take home. Each participant also receives a free apron, goggles and a certification of merit upon completion of their project. Recommended for ages 2-5.

I think these clinics sound like a lot of fun and was thrilled to learn about the giveaway being offered to one A Mom's Balancing Act reader: The Croods Lowe's Build & Grow Kit Giveaway Prize Pack!

Win It: One very lucky reader is going to win the following prize pack:
  • The Croods Lowe's Build & Grow Kit 
  • $10 Lowe's Gift Card 
  • The Croods Coloring Book & Crayons
  • Plush Toy
 
This giveaway is open to US Only and will end March 29th

**Thank you to DreamWorks for providing me and one lucky reader a Lowe's Build & Grow Kit! All opinions are my own.





March 12th marked a very exciting day as Disney released three classic all-time Disney favorites on Blu-ray for the first time! Brother Bear, Mulan and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are each combo packs jam packed with LOTS of special features and bonuses.

 
Brother Bear/Brother Bear II Blu-ray/Combo Pack

About:
Two warm and wonderful Disney adventures arrive together for the first time ever in a
Blu-ray Combo Pack! Families can share the heartwarming and hilarious tale of “Brother
Bear” — the 2003 Academy Award® nominee for Best Animated Feature—and “Brother
Bear 2” in one incredible 2-Movie Collection. Bring home an entire forest full of fun,
complete with digitally restored high definition picture and sound.

After an impulsive boy named Kenai is magically transformed into a bear, he and his little
brother bear, Koda, take a courageous (and often hilarious) journey to see the Northern
Lights.

Blu-ray Contents Include:

Two Feature Films in Disney Enhanced HD Picture and Sound
Deleted Song
Deleted Scenes
Hilarious Animated Outtakes
Rutt & Tuke’s Commentary
Bear Legends
Sing-Along Songs
Music Video
The Making of “Brother Bear”
Behind the Music of “Brother Bear 2”

Mulan/Mulan II Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

About:
Celebrate the 15th anniversary of Disney’s critically-acclaimed masterpiece  “Mulan” with this sensational 2-Movie Collection – presented for the first time in Blu-ray High Definition. Mulan’s triumphant tale of honor, courage and family pride shines brighter than ever with new digitally mastered picture and sound! Disney’s original animated classic magically transforms an ancient Chinese legend into a spectacular motion picture event. Relive all the wonder and excitement as  Disney’s most courageous princess breaks tradition by joining the Imperial Army accompanied by her hilarious guardian dragon, Mushu. The adventure continues in Mulan 2, as newly engaged Mulan and Shang journey to a distant city in a valiant quest to save their beloved empire.

Blu-ray Contents Include:
Two Feature Films in Disney Enhanced HD Picture and Sound
11 Deleted Scenes
15 Backstage Disney featurettes
Six music videos including Christina Aguilera, Stevie Wonder, 98Degrees,
Jackie Chan & more
Audio Commentary

The Hunchback of Notre Dame/Hunchback of Notre Dame II Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

About:
Rediscover the majestic musical adventure of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “The
Hunchback of Notre Dame II,” together for the first time on Blu-ray in a 2-Movie Collection! Families can come together and enjoy the extraordinary tale of Quasimodo in a soaring celebration of the beauty inside all of us.

Join the world’s most unlikely hero as he meets his first real friend, Esmeralda, while fighting to save the people and city he loves. The legendary story continues as Quasi reunites with his gargoyle friends to protect the cathedral’s most famous bell and find true love. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” soars with a magnificent score by Academy Award Winning composer Alan Menken (“Beauty And The Beast,” “Aladdin”).

Blu-ray Contents Include:
Two Feature Films in Disney Enhanced HD Picture and Sound
The Making of The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Audio Commentary
Multi-Language Reel—“A Guy Like You”
Behind the Scenes with Jennifer Love Hewitt
A Gargoyle’s Life

I'm excited about the release of these three movies and am happy to have them as a part of our family movie library. A review will be coming soon!


WIN IT: In the mean time, Walt Disney Home Entertainment has offered one lucky reader a great giveaway pack which includes ALL 3 movies PLUS a Mulan Poster!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 This giveaway is open to US only and will end March 28

**The products for this giveaway were provided by Walt Disney Home Entertainment. 



Make Nursing More Comfortable - Born Free Bliss Nursing Pillow ~Review

Posted by Unknown | Thursday, March 14, 2013



I remember when my son was born, it seemed like all he did was eat and sleep.  I used one of the popular nursing pillows, but still found that my my back and neck were hurting much more than usual because of all the time I spent hunched over, gazing at my newborn.  Although the nursing pillow I used offered some support, it wasn't high enough for me to avoid slouching.  So Born Free worked with lactation consultants to design a nursing pillow that would take the strain off a woman's body with the Born Free Bliss Nursing Pillow.  

The height of the bliss feeding pillow is adjustable, so it's great for nursing children of any age.  The removable bottom pillow is a unique feature that positions baby at an incline for better digestion.  This 3-tiered pillow is the first of it's kind, making it a new must-have for breastfeeding moms.  
The pillow comes in white, but the Bliss Feeding Deluxe Pillow Covers come in a variety of stylish colors and patterns and are easy to velcro onto the pillow.  Covers are machine washable and will help protect your Bliss Nursing Pillow from any drool and infant spit-ups.  
Born Free is a company developed by three concerned dads in 1996 who were pioneers in making baby products without the harmful chemicals BPA and PVC.  In 2011, Born Free was acquired by Summer Infant and they are still developing products that are allowing moms to do what they do best - nurture their babies.  

When my pillow arrived, I unzipped the clear, plastic storage bag it comes in and I velcroed the covers into place.  Since my son is 13 months old, I tried the pillow using just 1 tier for support.  Two days a week I also watch a 4 month old, so I used the pillow with 2 tiers when feeding him his bottle.  



When I first saw the pillow, I thought that it was much larger than my other nursing pillows so I wondered if I'd like it.  However, the fact that it is taller than other nursing pillows, is precisely what makes it more comfortable and takes the strain off your back and neck.  My arms were able to relax because I wasn't straining to hold the child. I was able to sit up straight and just use my hands to keep the child in place because I wasn't using my back, neck or arm muscles to do it like I normally do. 


I also loved the deluxe cover!  Personally, I thought the design was great and I appreciated that it wasn't covered in monkeys or cartoon characters.  Since I often nurse my son in our living room, I liked having a pillow that looked stylish and suited my tastes.  I have plenty of kid stuff in my home at the moment, so I liked feeling like this nursing pillow was for me.  

Key Features:
  • At the first stage, mom uses the Feeding Pillow, Nurture Boost, and a newborn mat—this slightly firmer surface helps baby stay awake while feeding. 
  • For the second stage, mom uses the Feeding Pillow and Nurture Boost—a small pillow that allows you to give baby just that perfect incline for feeding. And even better: it can be used on the left or right to accommodate your feeding needs. 
  • By the third stage, growing babies can use the Feeding Pillow on its own. This contoured pillow offers the comfort of just-right height for mom and baby during feeding.
  • For easier care, a selection of machine-washable slip covers and deluxe covers are also available (sold separately).
I actually stopped using a nursing pillow months ago because I thought it was only important to do so with a new baby, but after trying the Born Free Bliss Nursing Pillow I am going to continue using it.  Since it is designed to adapt along with my growing baby, I can use it as long as I continue to breastfeed.  

Buy It: You can purchase the Born Free Bliss Nursing Pillow at buybuyBaby.

**The product for this review was provided by Born Free. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.






I don't have any teenage boys yet, but when my brother was in high school I remember the very interesting, very unpleasant smell that somehow existed only in his room.  Similarly, in the dorms at college, that same foul smell seemed to exist in the boys' dormitories.  I'm not exactly sure where it comes from, but Honeywell and Febreze understand the need to combat that smelly, stagnant indoor air. Honeywell has combined a small, table-top fan with the power of Febreze Set&Refresh scent cartridges to help keep your home smelling fresh and inviting with the Honeywell with Febreze Freshness Cool & Refresh Fan.



Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company that invests and manufactures technologies to address tough challenges linked to global macrotrends such as safety, security and energy.  However, you may be most familiar with them through their consumer and home goods, like this one.

For a while now, I've really wanted my small apartment to smell more fresh and inviting.  When you live in a small space and you're busy all day changing smelly diapers, your living room can easily smell like the bathroom if you're not careful.  Or if you have pets, you know what I mean as well.  So I was excited to try this fan!

I set it on our kitchen table, which is a cross point between the kitchen, the living room and the downstairs bathroom.  Almost instantly, the odors in my home were gone and with the scent control dial I was able to control the scent to keep it from becoming overpowering over time.



The past few days when my husband walked in the door from work, the first thing he said was, "Wow, it smells so nice in here."


Key Features
  • Whole Room Cooling, Odor Elimination and Freshening 
  • Quiet Operation 
  • Febreze® Set&Refresh® Odor Elimination Control
  • Total Scent Control: Variable settings allow consumers to adjust for odor elimination and freshening needs
  • Use with any of the variety of Febreze® Set&Refresh® scent cartridges
  • Scent cartridge lasts from 2-4 weeks depending on the fan speed used
  • 3 colors: Black, White & Graphite

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There was no set-up or assembly to this product.  I simply took it out of the box, inserted the Febreze Set&Refresh scent cartridge (it came with one) and plugged it in.  



The fan is very light and sleek and could easily be transported to any space in the house.  It was even small enough to fit between my bookshelves.  

Buy It: You can purchase the Honeywell with Febreze Freshness Cool & Refresh Fan at Target or Walmart for $29.99. 

You can connect with Honeywell on Facebook and Twitter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
**The product for this review was provided by Honeywell. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.





I love coming across new products that make a busy mom's life a little bit easier - especially when it comes to cleaning! That's why I found the following product to be interesting when I came across it this past week.

Broomy is a sleek, all-in-one dustpan, broom and brush set. Pretty cool if you ask me! I love that both the broom and the pan have a retractable handle, not to mention the fact that it is compact enough to actually fold down and fit inside a drawer! It makes cleaning easier AND would help me stay more organized...who could ask for anything more?!

I actually pinned this on Pinterest the other day as a product I'd like to own at some point. It seems convenient and affordable. What do you think?! It's a new product so curious what other people's thoughts are.
**This is not a sponsored post. I simply found a product I like and wanted to share about it with my readers.



More Time In Your Day With The BISSELL CleanView Vacuum ~ Review

Posted by Jenna | Friday, March 08, 2013




As a busy mom of three little ones, it's often difficult to balance my time between daily chores, errands and spending time with my kids let alone finding time for me to get dressed or ready for the day. I often find myself asking, where did the time go?! And, although there's no way to add mroe hours to our days, BISSELL understands how busy we moms are! They have found a way to help us free up a little more time in our day with the new BISSELL CleanView Vacuum!

A family-owned corporation, BISSELL has been developing and creating the world's best cleaning tools for more than 130 years! Whether you're looking for vacuums, deep cleaners, bare floor cleaners, sweepers, cleaning formulas, or something else...they have it all!

If you've been a follower here for a while, you know that we've owned several BISSELL products over the years. Between the quality and effectiveness of their products, Bissell continues to prove to me why they are a company I can count on to keep my house clean more easily.

As a big fan of BISSELL, I was excited to learn about their new CleanView Vacuum and the fact that we were going to have the opportunity to review one through Mom Central.



Features/Benefits:
  • Fast and easy cleaning in a lightweight vacuum with powerful suction and innovative brush design that cleans more on the initial pass
  • Innovative brush design rotates down into carpet to clean more on the initial pass
  • Cyclonic System for long-lasting, powerful suction
  • TurboBrush tool for stairs, furniture, upholstery, and more
  • Empty dirt tank, HEPA media filter, and washable foam tank filter
I was really excited to check out the CleanView Vacuum when it arrived!  Out of the box I was happy that BISSELL had even thought to make assembly easy for busy moms. In no time I had the handle in place and the attachments where they needed to go so I could get cleaning!
Using it couldn't have been easier. After plugging it in, I put the height adjustment knob where I needed it, then pushed down the handle release pedal with my foot. I was ready to start and pushed the power switch on to put the CleanView Vacuum to the test!
While I was getting the vacuum assembled, my son's got into the crackers and made quite the mess on the carpet. Usually this mess of broken up crackers pushed down into the carpet would stress me out a bit, but I was excited to give the CleanView Vacuum a try and see how well it suctioned and worked.
Oh.My.Goodness!! I was impressed!! Below is the after picture after I had just made one pass over the cracker mess. WOW! I knew BISSELL was good, but they far exceeded my expectations!
It quickly cleaned up the mess with its powerful suction and innovative design in just ONE pass! Talk about saving me time!! I was very excited. I love that the innovative brush design rotates down into the carpet to clean more on the first pass. It's great for the busy mom who doesn't have a lot of time to clean up these daily messes we all face.

Needless to say, I vacuumed my whole main level after seeing just how great this vacuum works and am happy to tell you the Cyclonic System's powerful suction remained. All of our carpets (and even the hard floors) felt amazingly clean.

It didn't take me long to vacuum all of it either. This vacuum is lightweight and easy to maneuver around all of the rooms. The fact that it's so easy to use makes it easy for me to grab when there are messes so I can quickly clean them and get on with my day. Now, instead of chasing dust bunnies that magically multiply overnight, I can count on BISSELL's CleanView Vacuum to help free up my day and forget the messes. Their OnePass Technology really does allow for fast and easy cleaning so I can spend less time vacuuming and more time enjoying time for me and my kids!

Now that BISSELL has freed up time in my day, I am able to spend a few more minutes getting ready and of course...more time with my precious kiddos. It is great!

I would definitely recommend the BISSELL CleanView Vacuum, especially to busy moms who need to make cleaning up messes easy and quick! We love it and have used it many times already!

BISSELL is also giving away a CleanView vacuum to one lucky winner who enters on their Facebook contest! All you have to do is head over there and tell them what you would do with extra time in your day. Here's a link to the contest, it ends on March 9th (tomorrow!). 

Buy It: You can purchase the BISSELL CleanView Vacuum for $79.99.

You can connect with BISSELL on Facebook and Twitter

** I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for BISSELL. I received a product sample to help facilitate my review.




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