Product Review & Giveaway: Today I Ate A Rainbow!

Have you heard of this company yet?? They're pretty awesome. I can't remember how I stumbled upon the website, but I'm really glad I did! I'm pretty sure it was through a facebook page that mentioned their kale chip video... Anyway, I'm kind of hooked!

I posted a few days ago on how we get our kids eating more fruits and vegetables. Well, Today I Ate A Rainbow! is just one more way to help out - and a really fun and interactive one at that!

Another EcoMom Giveaway!!

So...as I mentioned in my last post, I get to do TWO giveaways for EcoMom! Which means you have two chances to win! :)

This time, instead of trying out some new yummy foods, I got some awesome lotion. I happened to already know this lotion was awesome, but a free bottle and opportunity to share a review with you...and then have a giveaway of some sort (you'll have to read on to find out what the giveaway is) makes it even better.

If you've been following my blog, you know that our littlest guy, Aiden, has some very sensitive skin. He's pretty much had issues since he was born almost two years ago. We've become very careful with what we put on his skin, and that means paying close attention to what lotion we use daily. For the longest time, we just used what the dermatologist recommended. It was a great lotion, and you know the saying...if it's not broken... But as I kept learning about all the chemicals put into lotions and other products, I kept wondering if we should look into using something else. While the cream we were using on Aiden might have worked really well, it was not the best in regards to being free of chemicals and fragrances.

You might be familiar with the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Cosmetic Database. If you're not...you really should be! Go here and learn more about it. They score products on a rating system of 0-10...0 being the best in regards to chemical-free and "safe" and 10 being the worst and pumped full of chemicals. This is based on scientific information, which I really appreciate. If you look up a product, you will get information about the score and why it rates that way, what ingredients are in the product, what each individual ingredient scores, what problems the ingredients are linked with, etc. There is also information about a data gap, b/c they cannot have all the information about every single product out there, so they realize that not every product will have a completely accurate score - and from that you can decide how much faith to put into that score. Check out the site for more information. Go on and type in some of your favorite products and see how they score (and then read why!). Anyway.....

CeraVe, the cream we were using, scored a 4. While this isn't the worst, it's also not the best. We like to keep things in the 0-2 "low hazard" range when we can. So, we started looking for another lotion to try, considering the score, availability, cost, etc. We tried one lotion and Aiden ended up with a rash on his body...I still think it's coincidence, but Ryan doesn't want to try the lotion again. I get it. We might be pretty hypervigilant about what we use on him, but we also have good reasons and feel more than justified, based on past experiences (and some current). So, we then tried one that I have often heard to be great. It scores a big fat ZERO on the database, which is excellent but hard to find. It has no toxic chemicals. Whoo-hoo! The downside is it isn't cheap. But....since we're using it on a person with a small body, it does last quite a while.

We tried it, and...we had a winner! Angel Baby Lotion, made by Earth Mama Angel Baby.

One thing that worried me before trying the lotion was the scent. It's all natural (and 95% organic), but I kept reading that it smelled kind of like an orange Creamsicle. I might be the only one out there...but I'm really not a fan of those. Blech! (Don't hate me.) The smell, though, turned out to be really light and hasn't bothered us at all. Ryan thought it was a little thin, but we are comparing it to a rather thick cream instead of regular lotions. This is just like any other lotion, not thinner. This lotion not only works well (great for eczema!) and is free of toxins, but it's also pthalate free (which you really want..yet many personal care products contain them!), free of parabens, artificial fragrances or dyes, is certified vegan, and is cruelty free. They left out all the bad stuff! :) I even sneak to use this lotion on my hands after diaper changes! It's really great stuff. And knowing I can use it worry-free on my little fella...definitely makes this stuff a winner.

So when EcoMom said they were sending me a bottle of this lotion (and I just happened to be nearing the end of the bottle we purchased), I was pretty thrilled. They sell this lotion, along with other Earth Mama Angel Baby products....on top of a ton of other products found on their website.

EcoMom has been generous enough to not only supply the products for the other giveaway I have going on, but they are also going to give away a $20 gift certificate to one of you. Entering the giveaway is easy. Details below.

If you recall from the other giveaway, EcoMom has a program called EcoPass. You can purchase a $99 annual membership that gives you 15% off of every order and free shipping with no minimum order. (Without the membership, you can only get free shipping once your order hits $75.) Pretty nice! On top of that, they are running a special. They are giving you a $50 gift certificate with your purchase of an EcoPass right now. I'm not sure how long this is going on, so you might want to jump on the opportunity. Or heck...win the gift certificate and apply it to the EcoPass (if that's allowed...I haven't actually checked, but I'm not sure why not!).

Here's how you enter the giveaway...

1. Mandatory entry: Go to EcoMom...look around and post which products you would want to purchase with your $20 gift certificate. Eco-friendly Baby Products - EcoMom. You must do this before you can do any of the extra entries.

Extra entries (one comment per entry):
2. Follow EcoMomCEO on Twitter
3. Like EcoMom on facebook. Leave a comment on the fan page that I sent you!
4. Sign up to receive EcoMom's newsletter
5. Blog/tweet/fb post about this giveaway, link to the giveaway in your post, and leave a comment here linking to your post
6. Email your friends a link to the giveaway (be sure to include me in the email so I can see it); comment here to get your entry.
7. Buy your EcoPass and get 5 extra entries! (Comment 5 times to get them all in.) Remember, they are currently giving you a $50 gift certificate with your purchase of an EcoPass. That's an awesome deal!

PS - If you're reading this on facebook...you need to click to go to the actual blog in order to comment and enter. Comments on facebook will not count toward the giveaway.

Please note, while I did receive products from EcoMom to review, I was not in any way compensated for reviewing the products, and my opinions are entirely my own.

Can't wait for the giveaway? Go on and order...and save 15%! Use this code: SBBL354. Offer good through June 30th, 2010.

Ok, get to it! :) Winner will be selected this Monday, the 21st at 3pm (because that's when I might just get a minute to myself due to one little boy's naptime...). I'll choose the winner randomly and will email to let you know you've won! (Be sure to include your email in each entry!)

Giveaway is now closed.
Winner has been announced via email.
Thanks everyone!

Giveaway! Revolution Foods at EcoMom

I recently got a nice little box of goodies to try out for some product reviews. And while the products themselves were very nice, first I wanted to say something about the company...

I heard of EcoMom from some other eco-conscious pals of mine when I was searching for a new lotion for Aiden. EcoMom has a number of green and eco-friendly products on their website, hence the name "EcoMom"... (There are products for the EcoDads, too, of course.) Many items I would like to try myself, actually. I first saw that EcoMom was looking for people to do some reviews on facebook. It just showed up in my feed one day, so I emailed EcoMom and said I was interested in doing a review. Why not, right!? Well, the correspondence that followed was very impressive. First, they asked what I would be interested in reviewing. Then, they offered up some food items. When I mentioned Aiden's allergies, they took the time to speak with the makers of the food products themselves to make sure there would be no risks with the foods they might send - even making sure there were no eggs used in the facilities for other products! (The fact that they did more than simply look at the food label on the box meant a lot to a mom with a child with food allergies.) After that, we even had a number of emails just chatting about food allergies and gluten issues, as they were quite familiar with them, too. I felt that Jody, the person I was communicating with, really took the time to make sure I was happy with what I was receiving, took EXTRA time to make sure the items were safe for my child, and then took some time to just chat some! How nice!

Oh, and while emailing back and forth about some things, I mentioned a lotion they carry that we have bought for Aiden and like. Guess what? Not only did they send the food for the review...but they threw in a bottle of the lotion for an extra review! (And this ain't some cheap lotion, folks!) More about that soon...

Great customer service? CHECK.

Ok...so onto the first product review, which is actually more like two product reviews because they sent more than one type of food (and various flavors of each!).

In case you haven't figured out from knowing me or from previous posts about food...I'm a little picky on what food passes the lips of my growing toddler (or any of my family, for that matter). Almost everything is homemade, and as much as possible is organic. These days we make those things top priority when meal-planning. BUT I do like to have a few things on hand to just toss into the diaper bag for quick on-the-go snacks. And what Jody sent me was just perfect. They're the fruit "mash-ups" that come in small single-size squeezable containers. We've gotten some carrot-apple ones from Trader Joe's before, and Aiden really liked them. These were even yummier! I'll be completely honest...I tried all of the foods that Aiden was trying. Surely I can't just go by the fact that he sucked it out of the container as fast as he could and then immediately signed and said "more??" And not only did I try them, but even my ten-year-old tried them. Verdict? We would all be more than happy to try some more. Seriously, I would eat these things! Camden actually asked if he could have more each time he tried one.

These babies are made by Revolution Foods. They are organic and only consist of fruit. Nothing else added, which is a must in my book. I don't buy fruits that have extra sugar added. Seriously...so unnecessary. We were sent a few to try, and they have come in quite handy. We traveled some right after receiving the package, and it was nice to have these along in the diaper bag while out on the road or at a restaurant waiting for our food (especially with a non-napping-during-the-trip toddler). They might not take long to eat, but they certainly made him happy! To be honest, these aren't products I would have for him to eat every day. They're yummy enough, yes. I do like to give him whole fruits and homemade meals. But, as said before, it is so nice to have things like this to drop into the diaper bag for out and about. And nothing beats it being organic, pure fruit, and delicious. Well, that and the fact that he loves it. Besides, it's even more of a treat if he doesn't have it every day.

Then we also got some other goodies made by Revolution Foods called Grammy Sammy and Jammy Sammy - basically mini organic snack sandwiches. Aiden was not able to have these, but that's just because they had peanut butter in them. While we don't know of a peanut allergy, the allergist recommended we not give Aiden the other top allergenic foods he hadn't already had when tested for the egg allergy. We're at least waiting until our follow-up visit this fall, so we avoid things with nuts for now. Since he couldn't test these, Camden was more than happy to step up and take his place. I also tried a couple bites. These are also small single-serving sizes...perfect to toss in the diaper bag for an emergency snack. Camden really liked them, too! And the ones I tried were yummy. I'm sure if Aiden had his chance, he would happily gobble them down. And ask for more.

Now, before you run out to buy these... Yes, I will be doing a giveaway. You can win $20 worth of Revolution Foods and/or Plum products (EcoMom will cover shipping costs, as well). While I reviewed a couple Revolution Food products, this is a tiny sampling to what is available!!

One other thing about EcoMom and then you can move on to entering the giveaway. ;) They have this program called EcoPass. You can purchase a $99 annual membership that gives you 15% off of every order and free shipping with no minimum order. (Without the membership, you can only get free shipping once your order hits $75.) Pretty nice! On top of that, they are running a special. They are giving you a $50 gift certificate with your purchase of an EcoPass right now. So, if you think of it the way I would...the pass is kind of only costing you $50. (My husband wouldn't see it that way, but...to-may-to, to-mah-to...right?) ;)

Here's how you enter...

1. Mandatory entry: Go to EcoMom...look around and post which Revolution Foods and/or Plum products you would want to try. Eco-friendly Baby Products - EcoMom.

Extra entries (one comment per entry):
2. Follow EcoMomCEO on Twitter
3. Like EcoMom on facebook. Leave a comment on the fan page that I sent you!
4. Sign up to receive EcoMom's newsletter
5. Blog/tweet/fb post about this giveaway, link to the giveaway in your post, and leave a comment here linking to your post
6. Email your friends a link to the giveaway (be sure to include me in the email so I can see it); comment here to get your entry.
7. Buy your EcoPass and get 5 extra entries! (Comment 5 times to get them all in.) Remember, they are currently giving you a $50 gift certificate with your purchase of an EcoPass. That's an awesome deal!

Please note, while I did receive products from EcoMom to review, I was not in any way compensated for reviewing the products, and my opinions are entirely my own.

Can't wait for the giveaway? Go on and order...and save 15%! Use this code: SBBL354. Offer good through June 30th, 2010. (And just for kicks, while at Whole Foods the other day, I did check to see if they had these snacks. They did. And they charge more. WF charges $5.69 for a 4-pack of the Mashups, while EcoMom charges $4.99, that's without the 15% code I just gave you.)

Ok, get to it! :) Winner will be selected this Friday, the 18th at 3pm (because that's when I might just get a minute to myself due to naptime...). I'll choose the winner randomly and will email to let you know you've won! (Be sure to include your email in each entry!)

Second giveaway is up, now! Click HERE to enter to win that, too. :) Second giveaway ends Monday, June 21st.

This giveaway is now CLOSED.
Winner will be emailed once entry is verified.
Thanks for entering!

Winners are...

#172 Holly at Daytime Sunshine
#77 Becky over at The Berry's Blog

Winners selected using random.org.

Enjoy your new (free!) gdiapers courtesy of Sharni at the Nappy Shoppe!! Winners have already been contacted, so they know what to do from here. :)

Thanks to everyone that entered. There was a pretty good turn-out!

And check back soon because there might just be a gflapper giveaway in the works... Think Christmas gifts (for you, someone else, you....)

Congrats to our winners!!

gDiaper GIVEAWAY Reminder!! Ending soon...

The gdiaper giveaway ends soon - this Sunday night. Spread the word and be sure to enter yourself. Two winners will be selected; winners each get a free gdiaper in their choice of size/color, courtesy of The Nappy Shoppe. Here are the details. Be sure to comment on THAT post to enter; not on this one. :)

Hurry up!! Remember, there are TEN ways to enter.

gDIAPERS Giveaway!!

Giveaway time is here!

The giveaway item is.....gdiapers! (In case you didn't notice what the title of this post was., you know.) Wait, what? Didn't gflappers (just barely) win, based on the poll? Well, technically, yes, though gdiapers was ahead for most of the time. BUT there was recently a giveaway on another blog with gflappers, and with some thinking and taking the poll into consideration, we decided to go with gdiapers THIS TIME around. (We're working on getting a giveaway for the gflapper inserts sometime soon...so stick around!) So, if you're new to the idea of something other than typical disposables or want to use something more environmentally friendly and baby friendly on your little one's tush, this is the way to go. Or if you use other cloth diapers - try this out, too! You can use cloth inserts in them; we do! Or if you know of someone that might be interested or is a user already, and you need a great gift for them... OR if you just love gdiapers and can't get enough... OR you have just started out and want to grow your stash - for free!.......you get the point. Enter this giveaway!

Never heard of gdiapers? I have other posts about them. Check those out HERE. In short, they're a whole other way of diapering. There is an outer gpant that is cloth, into which a waterproof, snap-in liner attaches. Inside that, you can use the gdiaper flushable inserts (yes, flushable! or compostable. or throw them away...they break down in a mere couple months. Disposables?? Take over 500 years!). They are plastic-, chlorine-, and chemical-free. And they are CUTE! You can take it one step farther and use cloth inserts in them, as well. gDiapers makes them, and so does Sharni (the lady doing the giveaway!). Hers are called gflappers, and that is where we get ALL of our cloth inserts. (They're fabulous.)

You have two weeks before the giveaway closes. Winner will be chosen by random (using random.org). If you want to up your odds, though...there are TEN ways to enter! Do them all at once or spread them out. Whatever floats your boat. Just be sure to do it before time is up. TWO winners will be selected, each receiving one gdiaper - size and color of your choice.

Ways to win... You need to leave a SEPARATE comment on this post for EACH way; the comment is your *ticket* into the giveaway! Winners comments (did you follow/tweet/subscribe/fan/etc?) will be verified before announced. :)

• Visit The Nappy Shoppe website - comment and share what your favorite item is, if you have ordered anything there in the past, or what you would want to get if you had your choice

• Subscribe to Sharni's blog - here (click on "rss feed" in the left corner; leave a comment saying you did so)

• Fan The Nappy Shoppe on Facebook - here (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Follow The Nappy Shoppe on Twitter - here (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Tweet the giveaway (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Link the giveaway on facebook (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and link back to this post in your own (leave a comment and link to your blog on here)

• Email about this giveaway to your friends, linking to this post in your email (cc me in the email - daisyryan.adkins(at)gmail(dot)com and leave a comment here, as well)

• Subscribe to my blog via email or reader (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Follow my blog (see column on right to click to follow)
  

Count that...TEN ways to enter the giveaway!! Remember to leave a separate comment for each way to enter. Also, be sure to leave your email address in the comment so we can reach you.

Contest ends Sunday, Sept 20th. Winners announced shortly after that (once verified).

Spread the word!!

Giveaway Poll...

If you haven't voted on the giveaway poll (to the right, in blogger), then do it now! The poll closes on Friday, and the giveaway will begin soon after that. Right now it is extremely close!! There are five votes each for the gflappers and wet bags and six votes for gdiapers. Vote and enter the giveaway even if you don't cloth diaper or don't use gdiapers...it's a great opportunity to try something for free!

You can try the gdiapers if you have been wondering what they're all about. You can try the gflapper in just about any pocket cloth diaper or the gdiapers... And wet bags are handy whether you use them for diapers or anything else that could get wet (and you want to keep separate from other dry things...).

Just vote soon. Like now.

Giveaway coming soon!!

I'm so excited about this giveaway that I get to do soon! Actually, just a few days until I post it! BUT...we're trying to figure out what some of you would like to win the most. My friend, Sharni, makes gflappers - the cloth inserts I use in my gdiapers. I've mentioned them on here a number of times. I also have gotten a custom made blankie for Aiden, some of the softest wipes/cloths you could ever find, and a very cute diaper bag from her website (mine is the very first one you'll see - the one that's sold out because I bought it!). I want to post about some of those items soon because they are wonderful. The blankie is made from organic bamboo velour and is extremely soft. If I lay it in the floor, Aiden will roll all over it, lie his face on it, wrap it around him...you can tell he likes the feel of it! And I like knowing that it is a safe material for him to be rubbing on himself. The diaper bag is the cutest thing ever, and Sharni makes all kinds of diaper bags, custom ordered. You can even pick out the fabric from swatches she has picked out to go together or from websites she can order from.

Anyway, I digress... We want to know if you would rather win one of five all bamboo gflappers (my personal favorite), one of two medium size Nappy Shoppe brand wet bags (great for carrying cloth diapers but also anything else that could get wet, if you don't use cloth diapers - to keep the inside of your diaper bag dry), or one of two gdiaper gpants (that's my baby boy you'll see if you click the link!). Please indicate your choice on the survey on the right-hand side of the blog page. You only have a couple days to vote, so do it now!!

Want FREE gdiapers??

Hop on over to this blog to be entered to win a gdiaper starter pack or another colored gdiaper. Only thing is, contest ends TONIGHT!! Sorry I didn't post this sooner - I just found out about this blog and giveaway!! You still have a few hours, so get on over there...

gDiapers Giveaway WINNER

Winner is #7 - Paul, who said his favorite part of gdiapers was the flushable aspect. Congrats!! I've emailed Paul and will give him a couple days to respond! :)

Thanks for playing folks!!

I should be getting more great coupons and other g-things soon... So perhaps other giveaways are in the future!

gDiapers Giveaway!

This is my *first* giveaway ever! I have some awesome coupons for gdiapers for people that want to try them out (or know someone who does). (I wish I had some actual gdiapers to giveaway, but I don't. Sorry. Maybe someone from gHQ will be reading this and offer something up!!)

Good news is you can use these at your local Babies R Us!! Many carry them now, and starting in April - ALL BRU stores will carry gdiapers!! They have the starter kits (which is what the coupons are for), insert refills, and select styles of gpants. How awesome is that?! (Pretty awesome is the answer.) These coupons are good until the end of 2009, so you will have plenty of time to use them - and can even wait until your BRU carries gdiapers if you want.

If you're just hearing about gdiapers, here is a bit about them...

gDiapers consist of a washable, cotton outer 'little g' pant and a plastic-free flushable diaper refill. They are made of breathable material just like sports clothing. You have a few options with the refill - flush, toss, or compost (wet ones)! Even if you toss it, the great thing is that it decomposes within a few months. You can't say that about disposables that take over 500 years! The refills have no chlorine or plastic. Your little one will be much less likely to get a rash wearing these babies. The waterproof snap-in liner is also plastic-free, helping baby's bottom to breath. Another great thing is you don't have to wash the outter pant with every change, like you do with most cloth options, since it doesn't get wet or dirty. Check out the gdiapers website for more facts (and videos) about the breaking down of the refills, to read more faq's about the dipes, and to see all the cute gpant colors!

We have used gdiapers since before Aiden left the hospital when he was born. They are adorable and work so well! We love them. In fact, I'm a bit addicted to them... (see previous post)

I mentioned in this post that gdiapers.com is having a sale right now. I can give you a coupon code for 20% off your order (just let me know if you want it!), the grass green gpant is on clearance (until they are all gone!), and there is free shipping (on orders $50+) until the end of March. So go there to get some great deals!

Babies R Us also is having a great deal on gdiapers! Buy a gpant and a refill package, and get $6 off the gpant!! That's pretty awesome. I've never seen these pants that cheap! They carry the Good Vibe Girl and Good Vibe Stripe (which I didn't think I would like until I saw them in person - very cute!)

And enter your info below to get three $2 off coupons for starter kits (contains 2 gpants, 3 snap-in liners, 10 flushable refills, a swishstick, and a HUG - handy user's guide). These are available at BRU stores, Whole Foods (many but not all), diapers.com, and other local stores in many areas. You can go to gdiapers.com and do a search for local stores in your area. You can also get them at gdiapers.com - but the coupon can only be used at other retail places.

To enter:
Leave a comment with your email address (or have it in your blog link) and state what you think is the best part about gdiapers. :)
(For those of you that already filled out the other form - I will be including your entry, too! No worries. I just decided - after running some errands and coming back to comments in different places - that it's just easier to have all the entries in one place!)

For extra entries, please leave a comment for each type of entry - and include your email so that I can get in touch with you if you win! Remember, I blog a lot about my family and the baby, so subscribe if you think you will like reading lots of those stories as well as the green-related posts and all the other things I choose to blog about. ;) Your choice!

1. Subscribe by email (see right column on blog)
2. Subscribe to my feed
3. Follow this blog (see right column, about halfway down)
4. Blog about this on your own blog and link back to this post. (Leave a link to your blog post.) Or email others with a link to this post, and copy me with the email.

Winner chosen using random.org. Giveaway ends Fri. March 27th. I'll give the winner a couple days to respond after being selected, and then will mail out the coupons. Good luck!