Mom's Favorite Stuff

Horizon Little Blends Three in One Yogurt, and Dr. Greene

Jodi — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:16:02 +0000

Yogurt was one of my kids’ first foods, and even though they are preschoolers, they both still love having their yogurt. We prefer to purchase organic yogurt, since it’s healthier and has more nutrients. It’s a great way for them to get some nutrients, especially dairy and protein. Horizon Organics has just introduced a new blend of yogurts, called Horizons Little Blends, which also add fruit and veggies to the nutrients already included in their yogurts.

To introduce the new blends, Horizon hosted a webinar for bloggers with guest speaker Dr. Greene, who specializes in kids’ nutrition. Dr. Green offered several tips to parents who stress about about the amount and types of food their little ones eat.

Tip #1: Relax – Kids generally get plenty of calories per day, and will fill up. Don’t turn to junk food just to get food in them (this is something I’ve been guilty of – feeding them crackers just to get some food in them).

Tip #2: Take Charge – This doesn’t mean coaxing and pushing. Instead, create a family environment to encourage healthy eating, and offer a balance of foods with proteins, fruit, and veggies.

Tip #3: Aim for Foods They Need - Again, fruits, proteins, dairy, veggies, whole grains, etc…

Tip #4: Tailor Options to Their Development – Offer finger foods to little ones who are just starting to use their hands. Also offer spreads and sauces for their foods and encourage them to experiment. Engage their senses by letting them pick food, slice it (where appropriate), etc.

Tip #5: Eat Meals as a Family – Parents and kids should eat the same foods. My family is very guilty of having separate foods for us and the kids – we have to work on this.

To learn more about Horizon’s Little Blends, visit their Web page.

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Horizon Little Blends Three in One Yogurt, and Dr. Greene

A Fun Game for Little Ones: Scatterpillar Scramble

Jodi — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:48:43 +0000

I’m always looking for games and toys that will interest my three year old son, and my five year old daughter. They will play together, but in the winter, I need indoor toys and games. Thanks to My Blog Spark, I had the chance to try out some games from Hasbro, featuring adorable elephant Elefun!

My favorite of the games is Scatterpillar Scramble, where a caterpillar quickly twists and moves around while kids work to try to place marbles in his hands. It’s great because it doesn’t involve any sort of reading or counting, so my son can play, but is lots of fun, so my daughter is still interested in it.

The Elefun and Friends line also includes several other toys, such as the classic Hungry, Hungry, Hippo, Gater Golf, Elefun, and Giraffalaff Limbo. To learn more, visit the Scatterpillar Scramble page on Hasbro.com.

We received games from the Elefun and Friends line at no cost.

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A Fun Game for Little Ones: Scatterpillar Scramble

Fresh, Clean, Water From the Faucet

Jodi — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:54:58 +0000

By now, most people know that buying bottled water isn’t environmentally friendly, and isn’t likely to be healthier than tap water. However, depending on the town you live in, you may find that the tap water doesn’t taste very good.

HoMedics sent me their Restore Clean Water System to check out. The Restore Clean Water System not only uses a filter to clean the water, but also includes a UV light to remove bacteria and germs. Most water purifiers on the market do not include the UV light.

After cleaning our water with the Restore system, it tastes just like bottled water – without the expense or the waste of plastic. Setting the system up was very easy – I just washed the whole system, soaked the filter and it was ready to go. It doesn’t take very long to filter and clean the water, and it tastes great!

To learn more or purchase, visit their Web site.

Disclosure: we received this unit for review at no cost.

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Fresh, Clean, Water From the Faucet

The Near East Side

Chris — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:33:23 +0000

I love having side dishes on hand that are easy for me to throw together when I’ve either spent too much time preparing the main meal or went with a quick meal all together. One of our favorite ‘go to’ sides are the side dish offerings from Near East. Our favorites are the different flavors of couscous. Easy to prepare and tasty, they go with almost any entree. We eat them with fish, beef, and chicken. I didn’t think there was a way to improve on the the standby until we were offered an opportunity to try the new Near East Pearled Couscous side dishes. Slightly larger in size, the pearled couscous really soaks up the flavor and adds a new texture to the dish.

Even my oldest loves eating the ‘little balls.’ I love that, since they are slightly larger, they are easier for him to eat and leave less of a mess on and near his chair. I know I’ll be keeping our cupboards stocked with it for some time to come. Near East Pearled Couscous is available in two flavors, Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil and Basil & Herb. Our favorite is the basil & herb out of all the available flavors for couscous.

Visit the Near East website to download and print a coupon to save $1.00 off two Near East products. You can purchase Near East Pearled Couscous in your local grocery store or mass retailer.

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The Near East Side

Taster’s Choice Video Review

Jodi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:05:58 +0000

Check out my “behind the camera” video review of the new single-serve Taster’s Choice instant coffee. Then, leave a comment on the post with your morning coffee routine. One random winner will receive a coffee kit from Taster’s Choice.

US residents only. Contest ends 11/11 at 11:59pm ET.

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Taster’s Choice Video Review

The Smart & Silky Way to Shoo Away Germs

Chris — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:03:00 +0000

As a grad student in New York City, I was obsessed with my hand sanitizer. I took it everywhere I went. I’d walk the few blocks to the subway from our apartment and get a ‘hit’ of the cleanser. After the ride to school, I’d squirt even more out. While I may have had the cleanest hands in Manhattan, I also had the driest hands out there. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer I used dried them out and made them crack. Since those years, I’ve stayed away from antibacterial sanitizers. Of course, at times like these, when it seem like everyone is sick, I really miss out on something that can help keep the germs away when I’m on the go.

It was a most opportune time for me to receive an offer to try Smart & Silky Foamy Hand Sanitizer for Kids. Without alcohol, this sanitizer won’t dry out my hands and as a foam, it doesn’t take much to cover them. I’m happy to be using a sanitizer again without the cracked, rough skin. It’s also perfect for my boys. Without alcohol, Smart & Silky Hand Sanitizer for Kids is non-flammable and non-poisonous. We also appreciate the hypoallergenic formula for my youngest. For moms and dads, Smart & Silky also offers a shea butter formula.

You can find Smart & Silky Hand Sanitizers in Target and Office Max or online at OfficeMax.com or you can learn more about it at http://www.smartandsilky.com/.

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The Smart & Silky Way to Shoo Away Germs

Slice by Five for Fighting

Jodi — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:41:48 +0000

Christine Koh, John Ondresik, me, Barbara Jones

I’ve been a fan of Five for Fighting since the song “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” became a hit, and the song 100 Years is among my all time favorites. So when I had the chance, thanks to One2One Network, to check out and review the brand new album Slice, I jumped at it. Then, Barbara Jones from One2One invited me to an intimate acoustic concert, and now I’m an even bigger fan!

First – the album. Slice features eleven brand-new songs by singer-songwriter John Ondresik. If you are a fan of John’s other music, you’ll love this album too. My favorite song, Tuesday, is about the events of September 11th, and is absolutely beautiful.

Next – the concert. John’s voice is absolutely gorgeous, and the concert tour is wonderful, because we had the opportunity to hear about the stories behind the music. We also had the chance to go backstage and meet John, and I’m pleased to say he’s incredibly nice and appreciative of his fans.

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Slice by Five for Fighting

Football Fun for the Whole Family

Jodi — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:56:46 +0000

My husband loves football, but personally, I find it to be a difficult game to learn. So, when he’s played football video games in the past (like Madden), I haven’t been able to play along, because I had a hard time figuring out how to play.

Family Fun Football is a new game for the Wii that, in my opinion, makes playing easier for all football knowledge levels. It doesn’t, however, “dumb-down” the game at all – even my husband finds it fun to play. My 5-year old daughter has also been having fun with it, and after a few trial games, now really understands how to play.

Like most Wii games, Family Fun Football has great graphics. It uses both the nunchuk and the standard remote control, and is lots of fun!

To purchase Family Fun Football, visit Amazon.com.

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Football Fun for the Whole Family

Unilever Beauty Tips Giveaway

Jodi — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:07:46 +0000

Have you seen the Beauty Tips Widget on my sidebar? It’s from Unilever, and they are also offering Mom’s Favorite Stuff readers a chance to win a sampling of products featured on the widget!

To win, post your favorite beauty tip (not necessarily from the widget) as a comment and you’ll be entered.

My favorite beauty tip from the widget is using these Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes to remove makeup on evenings when I’m just too tired to bother with soap and water. I also brought them with me at the hospital when I had both kids – it was a great way to refresh my face without having to stand at the sink.

US & Canada residents only. Contest ends 11/5 at 11:59pm ET.

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Unilever Beauty Tips Giveaway

Salon Style Hair Care from Mario Russo

Jodi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:17:09 +0000

As a Boston-area resident, I’ve heard lots of great things about Salon Mario Russo, but never had the opportunity to have my hair styled there. For those who don’t get to visit the salon, Mario Russo is now selling a collection of salon quality hair products. I had the chance to try out some of the products – the Hydrating Conditioner and the Miracle Styling Cream. Both are great for taming frizzy hair, and hydrating dry hair.

The conditioner is a thicker formula than I use on an everyday basis. I use it a few times a week, and it does a great job of making my hair sleek and manageable. The styling cream is also thick, and just a little bit goes a long way. I use it on days when I straighten my hair, because it definitely works well for styling hair.

Mario Russo also offers special formulas for thin and color treated hair – to learn more or purchase, visit Mario Russo online.

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Salon Style Hair Care from Mario Russo