Staying Cozy with Our Wisey 2-in-1 Footmuff from @AbesMarket

With exercise comes excuses. And I am great at making up excuses!

But with all of the tools I have at hand, I'm running out of excuses. My latest tool? This awesome Wisey 2-in-1 footmuff I received from Abe's Market. It not only keeps my daughter all comfy and cozy in her stroller, it also allows me to run outside with her as the weather changes and the cooler temperatures roll in.

No Excuses But Plenty of Options
And with the comfort of my daughter taken care of, there is no excuse to not go out and run when it's not 75 degrees out. And since my stroller comes with a rain shield, she can stay comfy and cozy AND dry even if it's raining and I'm getting wet.

I absolutely love  the versatility of this 2-in-1 footmuff. Not only does it zip all the way up and all the way down, but it also includes a blanket in the pocket in the front for added warmth. The blanket can also snap down if only the legs need to be covered. This is huge for us since my daughter hates having blankets on for long periods of time.

If there's just a slight chill out, we can roll the blanket all the way down and use it as a foot rest so the fleece lining keeps her warm.And it's recommended for up to 24 months. Since my little girl is a bit petite I'm sure it'll last a bit longer.

Abe's Market Has Everything
What I love about Abe's is the fact that they don't only carry awesome stroller blankets. They carry just about everything you can think of under one roof. And?? Most of the items carried are eco-friendly! How awesome is that? 

With competitive price points to match, Abe's is a great place to shop this holiday season.

Too often we buy products without knowing where the product was made or what country it originated from. At Abe's Market you can discover great natural products and have the unique opportunity to learn more about them – straight from the products' creators.

This valuable background goes beyond what can be found on a label. Who makes the product? What's in it? Where is it made? How? You can even chat directly with sellers to ask specific questions so you know that you can trust and be comfortable with the products you bring into your home!

Check out what Abe's Market has to offer and see if something catches your eye by visiting their website.

Want to be the first to hear about the latest and greatest products added to the market? Like Abe's Market on Facebook or follow them on twitter at @AbesMarket.

And don't forget to check out the Abe's Market Natural Living Noise Girls event coming October 26th!

What would you get from Abe's?

Disclaimer: I received a Wisey 2-in1 Footmuff for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Getting Unreal is The Perfect Alternative for Trick or Treating this Halloween #NGFoodie

Since having kids I've been a lot more cautious about what I pass out at Halloween-time to trick-or-treaters. I realize how much junk my kids receive in their baskets and I knew I needed to change up what I passed out to the kids who came to our home.

I had the pleasure of trying out some very tasty goodies while at the Social Luxe Lounge in New York and was pleased to find out how they compared to the candy on store shelves today.

UNREAL™ has unjunked America's favorite candy and has created a product without the corn syrup, the artificial ingredients, and the partially hydrogenated oils. Not to mention less sugar. They've even added more cacao, real caramel (not corn syrup dyed to look like caramel), more peanuts, protein, and fiber.

All this is the product of the UNREAL™ culture. UNREAL™ is building an eclectic mix of people from different walks and experiences. A Kashi guy. One from Google. An interior decorator. A P&G’er. A guitarist from Glaceau. A guy from Mars. An actual Oompa Loompa. A dog named Lola.

 You’d never find these people together in any other company in the world. But it works. Why? Because They’re drawn together by a common mission. To challenge what we’ve come to accept in our food and its effect on our health. To change the way junk food is made here in America and around the world. To unjunk the world™.

To see exactly what I'm talking about, check out the comparison above. M&M's compared to the UNREAL™ UN54. How amazing is this? A superior product with less calories AND only 4 more grams of sugar than an orange. Plus these chocolate candy shell peanuts are amazingly tasty!! My kids couldn't get enough.

By passing out UNREAL™ on Halloween you're not only helping your kids recognize the difference in the candy on the shelves and the ingredients in the candy they're consuming, you're also passing on the awesomeness that is UNREAL™ to parents who might not realize that there's a great alternative to the junk they're used to.

For more information check out the UNREAL™ website and see how you can get UNREAL™ this Halloween! Don't forget to keep up with UNREAL™ on Facebook and follow them on twitter at @GetUnreal


The Noise Girls have yet again put together an amazing giveaway event to tantalize your tastebuds! The Fall Foodie Festival giveaway event starts on October 1st so please remember to hurry back and enter for your chance to win.

And Ozeri has joined in on the fun to offer one lucky reader an assortment of UNREAL™ candies of their own in this giveaway.



Disclaimer: I received a set of UNREAL™ candies for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

All Girl from her Head to her Toes {Organic Kids Nail Polish}

When I found out my second child was going to be a girl I was ecstatic!

As soon as I saw the ultrasound and her girly parts I screamed out, "It's a girl!!" before the tech even had time to announce it.

So imagine my reaction when my daughter started to become obsessed with all things girly. Every time I put on lip stick or lip gloss she requests some as well. And when her daddy told her no, she came to me after I put mine on and asked for a kiss because she knew that would put lip stick on her too (she even smacked her lips after kissing me!!).

She has even started to notice when I put nail polish on and begged me to paint her toe nails after I finished mine.

Since I knew some of the ingredients in my nail polish, I started searching for an alternative nail polish for my little girl. One free of chemicals and nasties. That's when I stumbled upon Piggy Paint! 

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Piggy Paint is a natural, non-toxic nail polish made especially for little toes.

Why is it the safe nail polish?

Piggy Paint is:

• Non-toxic 
• Low Odor 
• Water-based formula 
•  Hypoallergenic 
• Fun, vibrant colors 
• Dries to a hard, durable finish 
• Cruelty-free 
• Safe for use during Pregnancy!

That means I don't worry when my daughter asks me to paint her nails for the 100th time. And another awesome fact about Piggy Paint? It's made in the USA!

And how cute are these painted piggies? Adorable, right?

I was lucky enough to find Piggy Paint sold in my favorite online store, Mama's Emporium. And not only does Mama's Emporium carry Piggy Paint Nail Polish, they also carry just about any natural, organic product out there.

If there's something you absolutely love to use and don't see it in the store, simply contact Mama's Emporium and make a request for them to carry that item! How awesome is that? They truly are a one-stop shop to all natural and organic baby essentials.

For more information about Mama's Emporium, head on over and check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter. There are always awesome sales, contests, and new product information announced!

Disclaimer: I received a Birthday Bash Set of Piggy Paint in a Mama's Emporium giveaway. No review was requested or required for winning. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 

Dance all Day and Raise a Ruckus with Hullabaloo #FamilyArtsFestSD

When we get in the car the first thing I hear from the back seat is, "Can you put Hullabaloo on??"

Yup, that's right. My kids are Hullabaloo groupies. They get upset when we miss a concert, know the words to just about all of the songs, and love watching the YouTube videos of Joann with Sign4Baby signing along as Steve sings. They also love watching the Hullabaloo Steve channel on YouTube as well.

So when we heard there was a new Hullabaloo CD, Raise a Ruckus, being released, there were many excited screams and yells. And as soon as our shiny new copy came in the mail we popped it into the computer and started dancing along!

And the new release paired with the upcoming Hullabaloo Family Arts Festival (enter to win tickets!) left my kids very happy. 

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Once my kids went through the songs on the CD a few times they started to choose favorites. And since our after nap/pre-dinner dance party is still a daily occurrence, I now get requests for specific songs on the new CD each afternoon.

My daughter is obsessed with "Raise a Ruckus" and as soon as she hears the first few notes she starts moving her feet and her booty along to the beat. It's fresh, catchy tunes and lyrics put a smile on her face and a skip to her step.

Now my son still prefers "Blah Blah Blah" from Hey Everybody but his second most requested track is "Rocket Shoes." He's also made a request for a pair of rocket shoes for Christmas. I told him maybe we could get him a cape...

If you're looking for a feel-good, upbeat CD for your kids that won't leave you wanting to wear noise-cancelling headphones in the car, I highly suggest checking out Raise a Ruckus by Hullabaloo. Not only will you be tempted to sing along, you might find yourself playing the CD when the kids are no longer in the car...

To experience Hullabaloo, head on over to their website and check out their store. You can listen to a snippet of each song and get a feel for just how awesome Hullabaloo is.

The album is available everywhere on iTunes, Amazon.com, CDBaby and virtually all online music retailers so head over and download your copy today!

Interested in winning a copy?

Simply fill out the rafflecopter form below before September 20th at 11:59pm for your chance to win a copy of Raise a Ruckus! This is a great alternative for those who cannot make it to the Hullabaloo Family Arts Festival. You can simply put on the CD and have a festival of your own at home!

Squeaky Clean Baths the Organic Way with Live Clean Baby

Bathtime at my home is filled with laughter, and tears. My daughter hates baths but my son absolutely loves them! So we are usually either rushing through it or taking our time and having fun. So for the most part we bathe our children separately.

And since my daughter suffers from eczema a bit worse than her brother, we use specific products for her bath time that are different from what we use on him.

For my son we have started to use some wonderful products from Live Clean Baby.

Live Clean Baby carries a fabulous line of eco-friendly baby and toddler care products that leave our kids squeaky clean. Not only does Live Clean think about our children, but they also think about our environment in every product they create. Each product contains plant-based formulations that include certified organic botanicals that are safe for baby and the earth.

Bar Soap

My son is quite obsessed with washing himself and doing things on his own. By having his own bar soap to use during bath time, he's allowed to be in charge of all the washing. And he does a fabulous job. We simply give him a wash cloth and his Live Clean Baby bar soap and he takes care of everything... including behind his ears.

Shampoo
We also use Live Clean's tearless shampoo during our cleaning routine as well. The product has a light clean scent that doesn't bother my son and his hair shines beautifully after each use. Since we only bathe our children every 2-3 days, we wash his hair every time. Even with the frequent use we haven't noticed any build up or other issues we've had with other shampoos.

I also trust my son to use the shampoo himself (with supervision) without worrying that it will irritate his eyes. It's gentle enough that he can rinse the shampoo out of his hair on his own without redness if it accidentally gets into his eyes. I love how independent my son is getting and that I can allow him to do these little tasks himself.

Baby Bath

The baby bath is gentle, soothing, and perfect for those nights that our rambunctious  pre-schooler just won't settle down. I have simply added a few drops into his bath instead of using it as a wash and the calming lavender and aloe seem to do their job perfectly.

Lotion
Even though my son doesn't have quite as much of a problem with dry skin as my daughter does, I still make sure to apply lotion after every bath so that the moisture is trapped inside his skin. The Live Clean Baby lotion is soft and non-greasy. It quickly is absorbed into my son's skin and leaves a gentle scent similar to the shampoo and body wash.

Live Clean also carries fabulous products for the whole family!

Live Clean Enviro-Kidz

As my children get older I will be looking for the next step up in eco-friendly kids skin and body care. The Live Clean line of kids products will definitely be something our family can graduate to once they get a bit older. This collection includes the Berry Burst or Fruit Explosion 2 in 1's and the Tropical Splash Detangler (perfect for my daughter's curly hair).

Live Clean Fresh Face 
Live Clean's luxurious collection of eco-friendly skin care will leave your skin feeling amazing. It's made from a natural plant-based formula that includes pure essential oils.

Live Clean doesn't just stop there. Feel free to check out their website and I am sure you will find the perfect skin and body care for you and your family!


The Noise Girls have yet again put together an amazing giveaway event just for your family! The For the Family giveaway event starts on September 1st so please remember to hurry back and enter for your chance to win.

And Live Clean Baby has joined in on the fun to offer one lucky reader a Live Clean set of their own in this giveaway. Head on over and like them on facebook to stay up to date on new products and promotions!

Disclaimer: I received a set of Live Clean Baby products for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

 

Preparing for Halloween Fun with BuyCostumes

Can you believe that Halloween is just around the corner?

Sure, it isn't even September, but in order to be prepared for one of our favorite holidays we like to plan in advance. And that means scoping out the costumes early and purchasing them a few months in advance. Not only does that insure that we receive our costume in time, we also won't have to worry about the costumes our children want selling out.

When I started my Halloween costume shopping I went online. And the first place I looked was Buy Costumes, the web's most popular costume store.

My daughter is currently obsessed with all things lady bug. So it was a no-brainer to dress her up as one for Halloween. I searched for an age appropriate ladybug costume on the site and quickly found this adorable fluffy Baby Ladybug Costume for my daughter in an 18 month/2T.

Since it's still hot out we opted to let her model the costume off with nothing underneath. But she still wasn't happy after a few moments of being in the costume.

I totally blame a combination of the heat and the fact that she accidentally slammed a door on her head as we were getting her costume. Poor baby!

But the costume itself was adorable! And it fit perfectly. Since she's a petite 20 month old I wanted to make sure that the costume wouldn't be too large on her, and in two months I think that it'll fit perfectly! If not, I'm planning on purchasing a back up costume as well like the Little Pirate costume just in case she refuses to wear her antennas (you can never be too prepared with a fussy toddler on Halloween).

By the time we neared the end of our little photo shoot, my little lady bug was quite over the whole process! But that doesn't mean she didn't like the costume... she just didn't like it on her at the time! So I'm still holding out on the fact that she'll love her ladybug costume by Halloween-time. And if not, she can always wear it to her Ladybug Lemonade birthday party in December!

Buy Costumes has costumes for every member of the family! Not just the little ones. You can find a variety of sizes, shapes, and styles. Just about any costume you could think of is there! I love their selection of couples costumes. Even your pets can play dress up!

And Buy Costumes isn't just for Halloween. If you have a themed party to attend or are in the need for a few quality costumes for your kids dress-up box, this is the perfect site for you to shop!

You can keep up with the latest from Buy Costumes on Facebook and follow them on twitter. They even have a YouTube channel with great reviews on their costumes and more!

What are you/your child dressing up as for Halloween?

Disclaimer: I received a costume for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Keeping Kids Healthy with Great Snack Options {Back to School Special}

Now that the kids are going back to school and the craziness of summer is coming to an end, it's time to start talking healthy snack options!

One of my main concerns with my kids is the fact that they want to snack all.day.long. So I've tried my best to offer a variety of foods to not only keep them open minded about what they eat, but also keep them aware of the colors they eat and trying to make sure they get to every color of the rainbow!

If they're going to snack, they're going to snack the right way. 

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Create a special snack area
In an effort to make sure they are grabbing the right things to eat I've created a shelf on the fridge just for them. And right at their height. They simply open the door, take what they want, and come to me to open it for them.

But I didn't stop at just the fridge... I wanted to make other fruits and veggies readily available as well. So I grabbed a salad bowl and placed my kids favorite fruits inside so that they can grab them when they like.

Let Them Choose New Fruits and Veggies
My son also now chooses one new fruit or veggie every time we go to the store. This last trip he chose mango. When we got home we cut it up and everyone tried it. He didn't really like it but when I blended the rest of his into a smoothie he had no problem drinking it down!

We will also try and be adventurous while at the local farmers markets and try new fruits and veggies that are in season. Most vendors will even offer to give you a sample before you purchase so you know your kids will like it. At the beginning of summer my son wanted to try the figs from a local grower. He had pieces on the ends of tooth picks ready to go for everyone to taste. We went home with a whole bag!

Be Creative

When preparing snacks for the kids be creative in how you prepare them. We recently had a Lego Duplo Party and in an effort to make the food more fun I made some cheese and cracker sandwiches into the shapes of lego bricks.

The kids loved them! And my daughter ate two whole sandwiches. Unheard of in this home.

You can find a lot of great ideas for snack creations on Pinterest, other blogs, and magazines like Family Fun (like these adorable after school snack ideas) and Parents (with their 20 best snacks).

For great healthy snack suggestions check out 20 Healthy Snacks for Kids!

Don't Keep Pulling Up Your Pants - Grab Some Dapper Snappers

I've had quite a problem trying to make sure that all of my son's clothing has either an adjustable or elastic waist. He is just so skinny that regularly sized pants or jeans do not fit properly and will fall off within a few minutes of putting them on.

Most of my son's clothes are hand-me-downs that we've received from his cousin. And a majority of these clothes were hand-me-downs to my nephew as well so needless to say, the elastic is pretty shot in a lot of the pants my son wears.

Instead of allowing him to trip over falling pants or moon anyone like a plumber, I found this awesome little invention, Dapper Snappers toddler belts.

No Mooning! 

Dapper Snappers are a simple elastic snap that easily attach to the belt loops of your child's pants. And with two adjustable settings you can easily adjust the Dapper Snapper toddler belt to fit any size waist. There are many different color options and styles available to fit any wardrobe. They even come in multi-packs!

A few more reasons why I love Dapper Snappers:

• Affordable 
• Versatile in a wide range of colors for girls belts and boys belts 
• Recommended for ages 9 mo-6 yrs and One Size Fits All 
• Perfect for kids who are in between sizes or wearing hand-me-downs! 
• Convenient - no need to remove for diaper changes & doesn't impede potty training 
• Made in the USA 
• Mom-invented

Want to see the Dapper Snappers toddler belt work? Here's a short video to show you how:



In need of a Dapper Snappers toddler belt? Head on over to their website to purchase one (or a few) today! You can also find Dapper Snappers on Facebook and follow them on twitter.

15% Discount for Simmworks Family Blog Readers!

Use coupon code NoMoon15% during check out at DapperSnappers.com for 15% off your order for the whole month of August. The code is good Aug 1-31st. 

Disclaimer: 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.

 

Back to School with the Tea Collection

My son is a few short weeks away from starting his first day of preschool. And I couldn't be more excited! Not only is he ready to go, he asks every day if it's time for him to start preschool yet!

Needless to say, he and I are both ready.

To prepare for this exciting time we decided to make his first day of school extra special and pick out an outfit for him to wear. Now this might sound silly since its "only preschool" but think of all of the cute pictures I can get of him wearing his little backpack and walking to Mrs. Judy's house!

Butterfly Dot Dress in L | Dragon Dot in 3T

Or pictures of him refusing to smile and look at the camera because "Mommy takes too many pictures!"

Dragon Dot in 3T

Ahhh... jeans and a t-shirt, just his style! The Tea Collection's new Fall line is brimming with new and fahionable clothing perfect for any preschooler heading to school for the first time. It's great for little sisters who want to tag along as well!

The fashionable Nordic style Copenhagen Tee my son is showing off in the photo below fits his style to a T. He's obsessed with all things on-the-go and as soon as he saw the train on his shirt he demanded that I put it on him with some jeans. 

This is the perfect time to do your back-to-school shopping! Instead of fighting the crowds (and melting in the heat) why not check out what Tea has to offer. You'll have to check out all of the new arrivals! There are just too many styles on our wishlist to write them out here.

Lunefuld Playdress in L | Copenhagen Tee in 3T

Tea's clothing is not only fashionable but functionable as well. The fit and flow of each piece was perfect for each of my children. Even my skinny waisted son was able to comfortably fit into his pants without worrying about picking them up every five minutes.

The shirts my son has on fit perfectly in length and were easy to pull on and off his big head. I loved how soft each of the cotton pieces felt.

And the dresses my daughter is showing off were stretchy in all the right places making it easy to put on. The rouching on the Lunefuld Playdress and the cute eyelet added the perfect touches of detail to make this the perfect Fall look.

I know that come next Spring she'll still be able to wear these dresses with some leggings underneath.

Do you do your back-to-school shopping online or at the stores? 

Interested in doing a little back-to-school shopping?

Head on over to the Tea Collection and peruse their site. There's a few pieces that have already caught my eye for my next round of shopping.

And make sure to check out their Facebook page to keep up with the latest designs and styles to come! They also like to hang out on Twitter and love pinning new items on Pinterest.

Want to WIN a small shopping spree at the Tea Collection?

The Noise Girls have yet again put together an amazing giveaway event just for your family! And Tea has joined in on the fun to offer one lucky reader a $100 gift card to their website in this giveaway.

The For the Family giveaway event starts on September 1st so please remember to hurry back and enter for your chance to win. You won't want to miss what we have to offer!



Disclaimer: I received clothing from the Tea Collection for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

DIY Cardboard Seedling Starter {Earth Day Celebration}

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In celebration of Earth Day this year I wanted to share a way that you could get the kids involved more in starting your garden. I've already posted about releasing butterflies and getting kids involved in gardening so this activity just goes hand-in-hand!

Our family has become quite addicted to gardening over the past year. We were successful in our first attempt this season in our raised bed and are now expanding to the back yard. But since the back yard isn't quite ready for plants yet we decided to start our seedlings in containers first before putting them in the back yard.

Since we're a bit frugal we decided to use household items to start our seeds this time around. I grabbed some cardboard, a craft bin we weren't using, and some left over compost to get started. This method not only proved to be easy but it was a great way to get the kids involved. I can't wait for them to start seeing the little seedlings sprout!

DIY Cardboard Seedling Starter

What You'll Need:

• cardboard tubes
• shallow container
• compost or planting mix
• seeds
• scissors

What You Do:

1. Cut your cardboard tubes to size. If using paper towel roll cut in 4ths and if using a toilet roll cut in half.

2. Start to fill your container with dirt.

3. Spread the dirt out evenly over the whole container.

4. Using a finger, make a hole 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in each tube. This will be where the seeds go so read the packaging on the seeds to see how deep you should be planting them.

5. Fill hole with recommended amount of seeds and cover back up.

6. Water well. 

7. Continue to water as directed on the package and allow for adequate sunlight. Depending on the variety of plant your growing, transfer to a larger garden bed when the sprouted plant is large enough (usually 2-3 leaves need to have formed and the plant should be 4-5 inches tall).

Starting from seeds is a great way to reap the benefits of home gardening without the costs of purchasing starter plants from your nursery. Plus, with seeds you get way more than a small plant will yield and you usually end up with multiple plants for a fraction of the cost!