Baby Ganics GIVEAWAY + Freebies!

It's Friday, that means it's time for some great deals and today is our second week for our Friday Giveaways!  Last week, our sister blog debuted on WNEM 5 TV talking about some great products for mom.  For the next 4 Friday's, we will be giving away each of those great products.



Today's Giveaway:

Baby Ganics Healin' Groovy Protective Ointment

Enter to win today by doing the following: 
1. Like us on Facebook (if you haven't already) or sign up (to the right) to follow KidTestedMommyReviewed.blogspot.com


OR


2. Comment below on this post or on our Facebook page, and tell us something you would like to see reviewed!!

You can enter to win through June 27th, the winner will be announced by random selection on June 28th!  Good luck to all!



This weeks Freebies:

Customized Grocery Bag - FREE
Wendy's Frosty - Free for 1 year with $1 key tag!
Redbox - Free Movie 
Baby Magazine - FREE
Oil of Olay - Free
Kiehls Shave Cream - Free 
Parenting Magazine - FREE
Cracker Barrel Gift Card - FREE for signing up
Wall Street Journal - FREE

Friday GIVEAWAY!!!!

It's Friday, that means it's time for some great deals and today is our second week for our Friday Giveaways!  Last week, our sister blog debuted on WNEM 5 TV talking about some great products for mom.  For the next 4 Friday's, we will be giving away each of those great products.


TODAY'S GIVEAWAY:


Spry Chewing Gum and Mints


Enter win Spry Chewing Gum or Mints.  There will be 3 winners this week, each one will recieve a 3.8 ounce jar of Spry gum or mints (100 pieces per container).  

Enter to win today by doing the following: 
1. Like us on Facebook (if you haven't already) or sign up (to the right) to follow FlintMommas.com


AND


2. Comment below on this post or on our                                                                Facebook page, and tell us your thing to do around Flint in the summer!

You can enter to win through June 20th, the winner will be announced by random selection on June 21st.  There will be 3 winners this week!  Good luck to all!


Last weeks winner of the Salon Graphix hair care products was Melissa C.!   Congrats!!

GIVEAWAY + Friday Freebies!

It's Friday, that means it's time for some great deals and today starts our Friday Giveaways!  Yesterday, my other blog, Flint Mommas, debuted on WNEM 5 TV talking about some of the great products I have reviewed.  For the next 5 Friday's, we will be giving away each of those great products.

Today's Giveaway:

Salon Graphix Conditioning Cleanser and Intensive Hair Repair Mask


Enter to win today by doing the following: 
1. Like us on Facebook (if you haven't already) or sign up (to the right) to follow our blog.
2. Comment below on this post or on our Facebook page, tell us a product you would like to see reviewed!


You can enter to win through June 12th, the winner will be announced by random selection on June 13th!  Good luck to all!



This weeks Freebies:

Customized Grocery Bag - FREE
Redbox - Free Movie 
Thrive - Free sample for you gardeners out there!
Quiznos - Free sub w/purchase
Toothpaste - Free at Walmart and Target with coupon
National Parks - Free admission on June 9!
Bodycology Lotion - Free Sample
Vegan Parmesan Cheese - Free Sample
Wall Street Journal - Free Subscription!

Salon Hair, Everyday!

I love to go to the salon, a great wash, a fresh cut and the perfect blow dry!  No matter how hard I try my hair never looks as good as when I leave the salon.  Part of my problem is that I am too cheap to spend all that money on the million products they use on your hair.  I get it, the products make the hair.  But what mom has the time or money to invest in all of that?  Not me.  Well, Mommas, I may have found a viable option.  Check out Salon Grapix Conditioning Cleanser and Intensive Hair Repair Mask.

Salon Graphix is a Michigan based company committed to bringing you great, safe hair products at home and at a reasonable price.  Now, that is a tall order.  So, the question is, do they deliver?  I put the products to the test.  Now, do realize, results will vary based on hair type.  I have fairly thick, long hair.  I started using the conditioning cleanser and was wary at first.  This cleanser DOES NOT lather.....and it's not suppose to (well get to that later).  Was it really getting my hair and scalp clean?  The first day I let my hair air dry.  I noticed a difference immediately!  My hair appeared much smoother and fuller than with my normal washing routine.  The next day I styled my hair, I didn't see as much of a difference, but my fly-a -ways were much more tame and my hair, again, appeared more full.  As for the Hair Repair Mask, it suggests you use this product once a week.  For me, I would only use this maybe once per month.  If your hair is more damaged, I can see using it once per week.  I don't over style my hair or use a ton of product, so it tends to be less damaged.  The mask gives your hair that extra jolt of moisture and nutrients to keep your hair healthy and shining.

Salon Graphix products are unique that they pride themselves in producing products that are safe and effective. They are sulfate-free, paraben-free, not tested on animals, free of harsh chemicals, and ph balanced.  It is very important to use a cleanser that is sulfate free.  Sulfates are what creates suds while washing, but they strip your hair of natural oils and do more damage.  So, remember, there are no suds when washing, but it is still cleaning.   The cleanser is created to combine 5 hair care products into one, shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and detangler.

I have to say, the product does what it says, and though it can't give me that perfect blow dry that my stylist can, I sure does give my hair the healthy nutrition it needs.  The best part is that it doesn't hurt your pocket book.  The Conditioning Cleanser retails for $7.99 at many local retailers, including Walmart and the Hair Repair Mask retails for $8.99.

These great products are great for busy Moms who don't have the time to be at the salon all the time.....wait, I think that's most of us!

For more information checkout their website.

Healthy Chewing Gum?

There was nothing better as a kid than chewing a big ol' wad of bubble gum!  There was also, probably, nothing worse for our teeth.  This week I am reviewing a good alternative to sugary chewing gum.  Spry gum, claims that it is the 'healthy' chewing gum.  Can it really be good for us, and taste good?  Let's find out.

First at hand, is this chewing gum actually healthy?  In so many words, yes.  Spry gum is made with xylitol.

Pure xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar. It is a naturally occurring 5-carbon sugar alcohol found in many fruits and vegetables and produced in small amounts by the human body. It has the same sweetness as sugar but with 40% fewer calories and none of the negative tooth decay or insulin release effects of sugar. Xylitol also has a low glycemic index (7) and has little effect on blood sugar levels.

Xylitol is recommended by dentist, medical doctors, periodontists, pediatricians, and many health organizations and health professionals worldwide as a sweetener for anyone concerned with dental health, upper respiratory health, and sugar consumption, in general.  It is believed that chewing a piece of Spry after meals may reduce your risk of tooth decay.  I was convinced of these benefits further when my own dentist recommended Spry and their tooth gel for my 15 month old son.  He loves the strawberry-banana tooth gel.

So far, so good.  But the real question is, does it taste good?  Since my little one is too small for gum, to fully answer this question, I enlisted the help of my friends kids to get an accurate answer.  Lily (12), Ava (10), and Sam (8) are my test group.  I knew they would not disappoint as they are never afraid to be brutally honest.  Spry gum is available in 5 flavors: cinnamon, fresh fruit, peppermint, spearmint, and green tea.  Not exactly bubble gum flavors, but they held thier own.  After some serious chewing the votes were in.  Fresh fruit was the crowd favorite with spearmint coming in second.  Being a mint girl, myself, I prefer the peppermint and spearmint flavors, but the fresh fruit was reminiscent of Juicy Fruit.  The major complaint from my little testers was though the flavor was good, it didn't last quite as long as they wanted.

My opinion, Spry gum and mints are a win.  Both offer a variety of flavors for any palate and offer great benefits to help maintain a healthy mouth.  The gum, though a little tough to chew initially, softens and last quite a while.  The mints are easy to pop and go.  Both are great options for busy families on the go!

Xlear Spry Mints and Gum:

Kid Tested, Mommy APPROVED!

Spry is available online, at Amazon and many local health food stores.

Friday Freebies!

Check out the great freebies this week! 

• Yankee Candle - $15 off
• Ovaltine - Free sample
• Redbox - Free movie rental
• Cutter Candle - Free at Walmart w/coupon
• PF Chang's - Free Lettuce Wraps
• Dial Soap - almost free!
• Cookbook - Free!
• Free Fries - Get free small fries at Wendy’s when you text FRIES to 81229. You will receive a text with a coupon to show to the cashier that is valid 7 days from the date you send the text.
• Child Safety Kit - Free
• FREE Slurpee Day! - May 23rd @ all 7-11's
• Free Country Music sampler -  Country music sampler for iTunes users

If you know of other great deals, let us know or comment below.

Healin' Groovy with BabyGanics

Since last weeks review was baby powder, I thought this week we would keep on the topic of baby bums and look at product that can also be used on baby's bum, BabyGanics Healin' Groovy Ointment.  I have used a few different diaper rash creams on my little one. I always look for a product that is as natural as possible.  Healin' Groovy is non-petroleum, hypo-allergenic ointment, that has NO parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or  toxins.  

This past weekend my little man ate some food that did not agree with him causing a very red bottom.  Not that  I like to use him as a guinea pig, but I thought this might be a good time to test out the new ointment that I had heard such good things about.   I'll be honest when I first opened Healin' Groovy, I had my doubts.  It initally has the look and feel of petroleum jelly.  I was pleasantly surprised when I applied it, the thicker texture provides great coverage on baby's bottom.  And my worry of it being greasy was way off, the ointment covers and protects, but does not leave a greasy feeling behind.  Within one diaper change, I noticed a vast improvement in the rash.  After 24 hours the rash was reduced to just a few red spots, and the obvious discomfort of my poor babe was gone. Now, that is the abbreviated version.  If you want to know how the application went on a babe with diaper rash, imagine a wrestling match with a contortionist.  Though I won in the end, it was not with out a fight!

The best part - I found out by accident that it works wonders on skin besides baby's bum.  I have been battling a dry patch of skin on the back of my hand for a couple months now.  Just when I think it is gone, it comes creeping back.  I had a little extra ointment left on my hand so I rubbed it on the back of my hand a couple times.  Guess whats gone.....my dry skin!  That's right, it might be marketed for baby, but this ointment is great for all kinds of dry and cracked skin.  There is nothing better than having one product that you can use for multiple things.

This product is great for diapering, but I would not recommend for cloth diapering.

BabyGanics is dedicated to making safe, effective, eco-friendly products.  The products are developed by two Dads who were looking for safe, non-toxic products for their families.  Thank you Kevin & Keith for sharing this great product with the world!  Check out their website for all the great products they offer for the whole household.

Want to try this product? Check back soon for a great giveaway!

Healin' Groovy = Mommy APPROVED!

Friday Freebies!

Who doesn't like free stuff? Our new Friday blog will be Friday Freebies! Check back every Friday for great online freebies and giveaways.  Check out some of today's great finds:

Mrs. Dash seasoning -Free Sample
Starbucks - Half off Happy Hour
Olive Garden - Free appetizer or dessert!
Quiznos Subs - Free small sub
Chuck E Cheese - Great coupons
Chili's  - Free appetizer
Redbox Movies - Free Rental
Scented Trash Bags - Free sample

Make sure to share these great deals with your friends by sharing this on Facebook or Twitter!  If you know of great deals, email us or comment below so we can share the love!

The Buzz on Natural Baby Powder

Natural, organic, what does it all mean?  Is it better?  When it comes to baby powder, here is what I found out!

This weeks review is on Bee All Natural's Organic Baby Powder.  I used baby powder when my son was first born, but smell and particles that "poof" into the air were enough for me to get rid of it FAST!  As I did more research I discovered that most baby powders use talc as a main ingredient which is NOT recommended for babies.  Inhaling powders with talc can be very harmful to babies.

I use cloth diapers with my son and occasionally he has had an issue with diaper rash.  It is not recommended to use most diaper rash creams with cloth diapers, so I was looking for a good safe alternative.  Bee All Natural's Organic Baby Powder is great!  This powder is safe to use with cloth diapers and safe and gentle on babies skin.  The powder is talc and fragrance free, so it eliminates the dangerous elements of traditional baby powders.

Just a dash of this powder on my son's skin has helped to eliminate diaper rash from creeping up.  The natural, organic, ingredients absorb moisture away from babies skin just like traditional baby powder but, with out all the additives and harmful ingredients.   Not only that, when you apply the powder you don't get that "poof" of powder released into the air like traditional products.

What makes it organic? Their ingredients are never adulterated with processed, bleached, or genetically-modified components, and are free from artificial preservatives, colors and perfumes.  In short, they eliminate all dangerous, unnatural components from their products, making it safe for you and baby!

If all of this is not reason enough for you to try this great product, Bee All Natural gives you plenty more reasons.  They offer many more great, certified organic, products for you and baby.  I am a big supporter of small business and items made in the USA, and this company fits both of those.  Bee All Natural is based in Michigan, and all of their products have been carefully researched and produced by their owner, Rachel.  Check out their website to see and purchase all of their great products.

Bee All Natural Baby Powder: Baby tested, Mommy APPROVED!!

How a Blog Cleaned Up My Life....

Today's blog isn't reviewing a product, but I loved it so much, I had to share it. If you read my last review, you already know I am not the world's best housekeeper.  I like the motto, 'This house is clean enough to be healthy, but messy enough to be lived in'. I only have one child, but my husband often times makes it seem like two. Though I love them both dearly, the two of them are, most days, like a tornado sweeping through the house.  Last week I stumbled across a blog post  that has changed the way I look at cleaning and the tornado.

Cleaning is always such a daunting task for me.  There are so many things to clean - I don't mind the surface cleaning/picking up, but I avoid the rest like the plaque.  I have always tried to clean the whole house at once and just get it over with.  The problem: I get half way through (if that) and get bored or distracted.  This simple cleaning schedule has taught me to have a consistent schedule and break cleaning up to just a task or two per day.  My first thought: Who wants to clean EVERY day??  Not me!  But I gave it a shot.  Much to my surprise, it has really cleaned up my life (and the house).

I printed off a copy and it hangs on my cork board next to our family calender. It's a great reminder of what to get done.  The best part, if a day is too busy to get a task done, no task is too big that you can't double the next day.  I now have no excuse to avoid cleaning, but at least I don't mind it so much now.  I hope you find this simple schedule as useful as I did!

Little Green Notebook Blog
Cleaning Schedule

Bar Keepers Friend

There is one household job I HATE!  Cleaning tubs/showers.  With out a doubt, I dread this task.  I dread it so much, I am swallowing my pride and sadly admitting that I have avoided cleaning our shower for 8 months.  I know, it sounds gross and terrible.  We had our bathrooms remodeled just before my son was born.  One morning I looked at the glass shower door, the soap scum had overtaken the once shiny door.  My son was 8 months old that day.  Yup, that is procrastination at its best!

I couldn't avoid it any more, at this point my embaressment had squashed my hatred for cleaning showers.  I got out the shower cleaner and the bottle labeled, 'Soap Scum Cleaner'.  I cleaned the shower, and it sparkled.  I started working on the door.....nothing worked.  I heard that used dryer sheets did the trick......nope.  Scrubbing   Bubbles.......nope.  The shower door was still a mess.  I then dug out what I have always used to clean toilets (as learned from my mother), Bar Keepers Friend.   I shook some on a wet sponge and started cleaning again.  I am not kidding when I say, instantly, I could see through the door again. No heavy scrubbing or multiple applications - within minutes 8 months of soap scum was GONE!

Bar Keepers Friend is now my "go-to" cleaner. It is a universal cleaner.  The best part?  It is made from natural plant ingredients, not harsh chemicals like other cleansers.

The kids may be able to make a mess of tubs and showers, but Bar Keepers Friend can make it shine!

AFTER

BEFORE

Used Dryer Sheets: Fail
'Soap Scum Cleaner': Fail

Bar Keepers Friend:  Kid (and Parent) Tested, Mommy APPROVED!

Homemade Peanut Butter, Too Easy!

My adventure in peanut butter making, is in thanks to my father-in-law.  We all know the benefits of natural peanut butter.  It is much healthier than everyday, Jiff or Skippy.  It does not contain the additives, most importantly, it does not contain hydrogenated oil.  Natural peanut butter is better, but the biggest draw back is price.  It is much more expensive.  What if you could have the healthier, natural peanut butter at a fraction of the cost?  In today's review, I discovered it's possible and easy!

Homemade Peanut Butter

 Ingredient: Peanuts                                                         Tools: Food Processor                                         

      

Yup, that's it!

To start put peanuts in the food processor.  I just have a small food processor, so I had to repeat the process a couple of times.  Turn on the processor and let it do the magic!  It can take about 5 minutes or a little more for the peanuts to turn to peanut butter.  You may have to stop a couple of times to scrap the sides down.  Before you know the creamy goodness of peanut butter will begin to appear!

Different peanuts will give you a variety of taste.  Lightly salted peanuts are your healthiest option, but honey roasted or dry roasted to give it a little extra flavor.

To store peanut butter, put in to sealed containers.  You can store in the pantry for the short term, in the refrigerator or the freezer for later use.

Cost: I purchased a 52 oz. can of peanuts from Sam's Club for $7.29.  The can produced 3 (16 oz.) containers of peanut butter.  That's $2.43 for a jar of natural peanut butter compared to $4.99 for other natural brands.

Easy, inexpensive and a healthier option = MOMMY APPROVED!

Still Yummy = KID APPROVED!

Dirty Laundry.....Clean it Up!

Laundry......in this house it seems as if the laundry is actually fornicating and reproducing in my basement.  I swear I wash every possible dirty thing in the house, yet the next day I walk past the laundry room and, crap, more laundry.  I was looking for a good laundry soap that I can use on ALL of my laundry, including my son's dirty cloth diapers.  I loved the fact that MamaSuds is all natural and chemical free, but can it do the dirty work with out the additives?  Lets find out!

Today's review item was put to the test in three different ways:

1. Dirty, dirty, cloth diapers compliments of Jack
2. A dirty Salvation Army jacket with stains
3. Everyday laundry

Test #1: Dirty Diaper.....and they were gross!

I decided to spare you the pictures on this one, trust me these diapers were well spoiled!  Into the laundry went 15 cloth diapers with 1/8 a cup of MamaSuds Laundry Soap.  As I took them out of the wash and into the dryer, they seemed to be looking good, but wanted to wait til they were dry to make my decision.  45 minutes later...Voila!  Clean diapers!!  I was truly impressed.  Not only were the diapers clean and free of smells, but they were soft and fluffy without the use of any additives.


Test #2: Dirty, Stained Jacket

I had purchased a jacket from the Salvation Army  - nice jacket, but it was dirty and had a good size stain on the sleeve.  I had actually washed the jacket in the remaining laundry soap I had left the day before.  The jacket was cleaner, but the stain on the sleeve was still very noticeable.  In this scenrio I used the laundry soap as my pre-treat, putting it directly on the stained area, rubbing in a little and then washed as normal.  From washer to dryer, and.......Voila!  Clean jacket. I was even more surprised this time.  This jacket had already been treated and washed once with little results.  I was very impressed!

Test #3: Everyday Laundry

I have been using MamaSuds laundry soap for about a week now with my normal everyday laundry.  So, it should be no surprise after the first two tests, that I am enjoying clean, fresh, soft, laundry! I love that you don't need much soap, 1/8th of a cup per load is all you need.  For heavy soiled items you can use more.  So far, I have not needed to.  I will tell you the only thing I didn't like about the soap was that I had to keep a measuring cup out to measure (no pre-measured cap, which other soaps offer).  Then I reminded myself that it was hardly an issue, life could be worse, I could be washing dirty diapers on a wash board (Thank you, modern technology!).

I would recommend MamaSuds laundry soap to anyone and everyone.  It is all natural and chemical free, which is perfect for children.  And to top it off, it turns your dirty laundry into fresh, clean clothes!  The best part:  You would think that if it cleans so well it would be costly.....not so!  MamaSuds is $30 for 2 gallons of soap......that breaks down to just $0.12 per load!!

MamaSuds = MOMMY APPROVED!

A few other things from questions that were asked: Yes, the soap can be used for HE (high efficiency) washers. The soap is fragrance free, but they have natural scents that can be added.
Check out MamaSuds:

www.FamilySafeSoap.com
www.amazon.com/MamaSuds-Laundry-Soap-gallon-Shipping/dp/B006V4H9A8
www.facebook.com/pages/MamaSuds/257240647659779

Welcome!

I was looking for a new adventure.  Blogging?  No, not me.  I am boring, normal, and an average writer at best. As I was trying to find a car seat for my son, I had an idea.  There are a million products for kids, moms and families out there claiming to do this or that, but do they?  Well, we are about to find out!  Every week I will review a new product, giving you my honest, unbiased opinion. Bare with me as I challenge my writing skills to make my reviews as interesting as possible.

My son, Jack, and I will be testing and using products to see if they live up to their claims.  Occasionally, I may enlist the help of family and friends, if needed to get a proper review.

Is there a product or service out there that you have been wondering about?  Let me know and I will do my best to review it!