Category Archive: Giveaways

Coconut Oil Beauty Night and a Giveaway!

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About Me, Book Review, Daily life, Giveaways, Product Review, Random

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I was recently given the opportunity to review Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama’s amazing ebook, Coconut Oil for Your Skin, Nourishing Your Body from the Outside In, full of fantastic health and beauty recipes using coconut oil, of course. And, at the bottom of this post, you have the opportunity to win your own copy! I decided that a really fun way to test out this ebook would be to have a party and make a bunch of the recipes so that is exactly what I did! And it was a blast! But, first things first. Let me tell you a little bit about this Coconut Oil ebook.

If you don’t already know how awesome coconut oil is, you can read about it over at Hybrid Rasta Mama. She gives 160 uses for coconut oil, as well as telling all the wonderful properties of it. It’s definitely something great to put on your skin as it is antibacterial, helps stop sagging and wrinkling, makes skin smoother and actually restores your skin just to name a few benefits.

Jennifer’s book is the perfect way to start using coconut oil for your skin and start reaping all these benefits! There are 40 recipes in the book and none of them are super complicated. You aren’t going to need to go out and buy a bunch of fancy, specialized equipment or exotic, hard to find ingredients. Specifically, she has recipes for lotions, bath/shower, face, hair, lips and some fun miscellaneous stuff like insect repellent and love potion.

For my Coconut Oil Beauty Night, I sent out a list of all the recipes so everyone could pick out one recipe they’d like to make. Everyone was enthusiastic about it and we eagerly looked forward to our fun night! We also had sign-ups for those who were willing to share their recipe so we all had the opportunity to try out different things.

Here are the recipes our little group made from the book: Coconut Orange Lip Balm*, Coconut Oil & Honey Face Scrub, Dark Circle Eye Cream, Insect Repellent, Soothing Bath Cookies, Cranberry Scrub**, Wart Be-Gone and Love Potion.

Like I mentioned above, none of these were hard to make. The hardest part was melting the coconut oil which was not hard at all so super easy, like I said. :) A couple used a food processor and because we were making larger batches on some of these than the original recipes, those took a little longer just because we had to do it in batches since it would not all fit. The original recipe amounts would have most likely fit just fine in one batch though.

I conducted a little survey afterwards to see what everyone thought. Everyone responded that they would definitely recommend the ebook. Some even bought the ebook right after the get together and others plan to but have not yet. (Maybe they are hoping they will win it here. :) ) I’d say that is a big endorsement for it. I also asked about ease of making the recipes and all responded it was very easy.

Putting the Lip Balm in Tubes

As far as individual recipes, the Coconut Oil and Orange Lip Balm* got rave reviews. It has a wonderful orangey scent and flavor and is nice and smooth. It keeps my lips soft and I feel good about using it on my daughter since I know exactly what is in it and she likes the orange, too.

The Insect Repellent smells wonderful! However, since the bugs aren’t quite biting yet, we haven’t had a chance to test it out.

The Soothing Bath Cookies was a fun one as you can customize the scents (which, really you can do with all) and the shapes. I agreed with those who used them in that they were very moisturizing with a light scent. I popped them in my bath while the water was filling and when I got in, the water felt luxurious. I can definitely see this being a fun one to make with your kids, and then they could use them that night in their bath.

The Dark Circle Eye Cream is the only product that wasn’t well received. I’m not sure if it was because we made too big of a batch and it would have been better to make it in the original amounts or it just wasn’t a winner. It has to be refrigerated and only lasts 14 days which made it a little less convenient as well.

The Cranberry Scrub** was a big hit. It is listed as a face scrub but I actually have been using it in my bath or shower every morning. I especially love it for my feet. I know I won’t be suffering from dry heels this summer! Yay! I typically can not use scrubs because my skin is sensitive and it burns and causes a rash to break out. This one is totally okay for me though because all the ingredients are natural. It it is very moisturizing and is great for dry skin. No burning at all even if I use it and then shave my legs. Yay! All the others have been loving using it for their face as it makes it incredibly soft.

Coconut Oil & Honey Face Scrub

My favorite is the Coconut Oil and Honey Face Scrub. I feel totally pampered when I use this and my skin….oh my goodness….feels amazingly soft afterwards! The only drawback is you can only make it in small amounts because it does not stay fresh for a long period of time. It is so easy to make though that it isn’t that big a drawback. We did make the mistake of making a bigger batch (although the book does give amounts for only a couple uses) and found out quickly it only lasts a short period of time. Next time, I’ll follow Jennifer’s instructions. :)

The Wart Be-Gone has been working for the 2 who tried it and they were very excited to be using something natural instead of the chemical stuff from the store.

I did not ask about everyone’s experience with the Love Potion for obvious reasons, but I’ll just say it is edible and we tasted it right after we made it and it was delicious. I’m sure there are lots of fun uses for this one. ;)

I’ll wrap up by telling you about the additional great information that you can find in Jennifer’s Coconut Oil ebook. So, of course, there are the recipes, but there is so much more packed in! There is a whole section on Carrier Oils and Butters with a breakdown of particular oils and butters and information about each one. My favorite section is the Essential Oils section. There is a big list of essential oils and the physical and emotional benefits of each one. This is great for customizing each recipe to suit your needs perfectly. And you can use this in other areas besides just her recipes obviously. It’s awesome to have all of that information quickly and easily in one spot.

Now, I know you want your own copy of Coconut Oil for Your Skin, Nourishing Your Body from the Outside In so you can get started making your own fabulous coconut oil treatments. You can go ahead and order it right now in the Hybrid Rasta Mama store. When this giveaway ends, you can get 10% off just because you are a reader here! Just use code LITTLEBIT10 when you order. The code is valid starting May 13 through May 22 . If you want to win it, enter below using the Rafflecopter entry form. I have 2 copies to give away to my readers!

(We used the Nutiva organic extra virgin coconut oil and have been happy with it. I use it for cooking and baking as well.)

*It is lemon in the book but the neat thing is, you can totally customize these recipes and that is just what we did with this one and swapped the lemon for orange.

**This is not the full name of the recipe but I didn’t want to give the full name as it discloses most of the ingredients.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post but did receive a complimentary ebook for the purpose of this review. I was not required to give a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own. I only review products that I either have purchased myself and love or products I have been given a chance to review by the company that I believe are products my readers would benefit from. Amazon links are affiliate links.

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Return of Sunday Surf

Categories:

Daily life, Food, Giveaways, Sunday Surf

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I haven’t done a Sunday Surf since World Breastfeeding Week because I was sharing my favorites in my Google Reader Shared Items (seen on my left side bar.) Sadly, this service is no longer available so I’ll be returning to sharing my favorites with you on Sundays.

Here is what I read this past week that I enjoyed!

Giveaway: Beauty Without Cruelty & Tom’s of Maine Goodies $36 ARV {11.29 US/CAN} – Yay for a natural products giveaway! I currently have their kid’s toothpaste for Marcella and she loves it, and I also have the Beauty Without Cruelty mascara and like it.

Homemade Yogurt: My New Brainless Method  – This method is quite as intimidating to me as others I’ve read about (but I’m still a little scared to try it.) If I actually attempt this sometime, I’ll post about it. :)

Baja Butternut Squash Soup – I love butternut squash soup but I’ve never actually made it since my husband isn’t a fan of soups. Still, maybe I’ll make a batch and have it for lunches for Marcella and me.

Healthy Afternoon snack: Soft Pretzels and Hummus – I recently tried making homemade hummus for the first time and was sadly disappointed in the taste. Maybe I’ll try this recipe instead and make these yummy pretzels to go with it.

Perfect Butternut Squash Soup with Lime – Yes, I know, another butternut squash soup recipe. I think the addition of lime sounds wonderful!

Put This On Your Bucket List: Homemade Butter – Homemade butter is something I think I could definitely make. It is on my list of things to try someday.

Monday Minimalist: Join the Movement! – I always enjoy reading Momma Jorje’s Monday Minimalist posts and now she has a button and is asking other bloggers to join her! Maybe you’ll see a Monday Minimalist post from me in the future. (I already saw that Anktangle has joined in and I enjoyed reading her post as well.)

The Toddler Pumpkin Extravaganza – I loved everything about this toddler pumpkin party!

Plan Your Peaceful Christmas: Task 1 – Christmas is right around the corner, really.

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Giveaway: “Green Inspiration” Package – Book + 3 Month Meal Plan $38 ARV {11.22 WORLDWIDE}

Categories:

Book Review, Food, Giveaways, Menu Plans, Product Review

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This is a joint giveaway with Code Name: Mama, A Little Bit of All of It, and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked “Win it!” for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

This is a combined giveaway of two inspiring products for families trying to “go green”: a three-month meal plan subscription from The Fresh Mode and the book Green Philanthropy for Families (160 Simple Earth Honoring Gifts, Actions, Activities and Projects). One lucky reader will receive both the book and the meal plan, making this giveaway’s total value $38!

From our reviewer, Julia at A Little Bit of All of It:

When I was contacted by The Fresh Mode to try out a month of their meal plan subscription service, I was so excited! I love the concept and have tried other meal plan services in the past but have been met with disappointment. One of the services I tried claimed they had healthy meals, but most of the time the ingredients were definitely not what I would call healthy. Another service did indeed have healthy meals, but my husband did not care for them. The Fresh Mode is different from the other services I have tried, and I was looking forward to trying them out.

The site was born out of the creators’ desire to help other families create healthy, nourishing meals and to simplify that process by taking the guesswork out. Especially if you are just starting on the healthy living journey, figuring out the best things to eat can be a difficult and exhausting process! I know I personally can spend hours making out my grocery list and list of meals for the week.

There are three types of meal plans to choose from, so there is a plan to fit your family’s lifestyle. The Alkalarian Diet focuses on foods that alkalize the body (mostly vegetarian but includes some fish). The Flexitarian Diet is an omnivore diet (includes a mix of vegetarian dishes, organic meats and healthy grains.) The Vegetarian/Vegan plan includes options to make the plan compatible to either diet. And no matter which plan you choose, most of the meals are also gluten free.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

I chose the Flexitarian plan for my family as that most closely resembles how we currently eat. The registration process was simple and straightforward and the website itself is very “fresh” looking. It is easy to navigate and has lots of helpful information including a blog and message boards.

To access your meal plans each week, you sign in and have the option to either download/print a PDF or view in your browser. I liked being able to save the PDF to my desktop but also have the option to go back to the web page to view during the week when making the recipe. Consequently, I never really needed to print anything out except the shopping list. If one of the meals isn’t something you decide you want to make, it is really easy to take those items off your shopping list as each recipe is given a number that corresponds to numbers on the actual list. Just cross those items off your list.

The meals themselves were great! I loved looking through them and seeing ingredients and not feeling like I would need to substitute something healthier or completely cross it off the list. It saved a lot of time in creating my grocery list for the week since all of the dinners (and sides!) were done for me. Some meals offered are: Southwestern Quinoa Salad, Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap, Chili Lime Stir Fry, Chicken with Coconut Quinoa with Sweet Potato Curry, Poached Salmon with Fresh Horseradish Sauce, Sweet Potato, Spinach and Kale Gratin, Mediterranean Crunch Salad, Easy Black Bean and Turkey Chili, and Steamed Tilapia with Greek Salad Salsa.

I really enjoyed trying new recipes and not having to worry about coming up with a whole week’s worth of meals each week. Of course there were times I had to substitute other meals for meals I knew my family would not like (for instance, my husband won’t eat soup, so we did not have any of the soup meals.) Sometimes I also needed to substitute ingredients just to make the meals cheaper for us. I will say I did not find the meals to be super expensive either, which was nice.

From our reviewer, Dionna at Code Name: Mama:

Green Philanthropy For Families is a book written by Helen Deffenbacher and her two grandchildren – Justin and Alexis. Helen, Justin, and Alexis are all actively involved in green volunteer projects in their communities, and they wrote this book to share ideas about simple ways in which people of all ages can practice random acts of kindness toward the Earth and its inhabitants.

The Deffenbachers “define green philanthropy as gifts, actions, activities and projects that contribute toward the conservation of all life on the planet.”[1. Green Philanthropy for Families at viii.] As an ecosteward and educator, Helen has been moved to involve kids in green philanthropy, because there are so many thing that children can learn. By taking positive action to help the Earth, children can learn:

1) respect for the Earth and all life on it;
2) that making changes does not have to be difficult;
3) that even small acts matter;
4) that change can happen with little or no money invested; and
5) that many small acts done all over the world can have a large impact.[2. For more on these points, see "What Kids Can Learn from Green Philanthropy."]

As a lifelong volunteer who wants to instill community service values in my children, I appreciated the ideas presented in Green Philanthropy for Families. They included everything from free, one-time, simple projects, to activities that will require planning and fundraising. The book is divided into several easy to read chapters, including “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Repair,” “Ecoliteracy,” “In Your Own Backyard,” “In the Garden,” and “Urban Habitats, Wild Places & Wildlife.”

While the book is aimed more toward older children and parents, there are several ideas that are appropriate for younger children as well. Here are a few ideas that parents can implement with younger children:

    • Parents can participate in a regular “green hour” with their toddlers. A “green hour” is when families turn off the TV and computer and head outside to spend time engaged in nature. Research shows that such practices can “improve[] intellectual and creative thinking, emotional well[-]being, self-discipline and physical fitness. It also lowers stress levels” and nurtures a love of nature.[3. Green Philanthropy for Families at 43.]
    • Preschoolers on up will enjoy creating “nature journals.” Nature journals reflect the creator’s “thoughts, feelings, ideas, activities, observations, and relationship with the natural world.” Young children can include physical pieces of nature, drawings or other artwork, or they can ask parents or older siblings to help them write.[4. Green Philanthropy for Families at 46.]
    • Children who love to give to others may enjoy recycling their gently used books into reading packs for friends or strangers. You can turn this into a regular event where groups of children get together to exchange books.[5. Green Philanthropy for Families at 17.]

To complement your family’s experience going through the activities in Green Philanthropy for Families, check out the related website. You can share your own ideas (and they might make it into the Deffenbachers’ next book!), find fun free stuff, and find tools to keep a green philanthropy notebook, start a green philanthropy group, and more.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own copy of Green Philanthropy for Families at Amazon. Paperback copies are $7.95 plus shipping and handling (S/H free for Prime members).

You may also download the PDF version of Green Philanthropy for Families for free at Powell’s Books!

You can purchase your own meal plan subscription at The Fresh Mode. They offer 2 different subscription types for all 3 meal plans (Alkalarian, Flexitarian, or Vegetarian/Vegan): a three-month subscription is $30 and a twelve-month subscription is $100.

And just for our readers, The Fresh Mode is offering a limited time coupon code for 50% off of a three-month meal plan subscription! Any reader may use this coupon code only one time: TFMNPNFifty The coupon code will be active from October 22 through 31.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a three-month meal plan subscription from The Fresh Mode and the book Green Philanthropy for Families (160 Simple Earth Honoring Gifts, Actions, Activities and Projects), enter by leaving a comment and using our new Rafflecopter system below.

One winners will receive a three-month meal plan subscription from The Fresh Mode and a copy of Green Philanthropy for Families. Contest is open WORLDWIDE.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell us one way your family has been inspired to go green! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. If on Blogger, you can enter it like this to foil spambots: mail {at} naturalparentsnetwork {dot} com

This is a joint giveaway with Code Name: Mama, A Little Bit of All of It, and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we’ll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy all three sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Just click “Click for instructions” for guidance and then “I did this” — any comments or extra information such as URLs can be entered into the “Extra Info” box. Give it a try or visit the Rafflecopter tutorial, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!


Contest closes November 22, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Disclosure: Our reviewers received a sample product for review purposes.
Amazon and The Fresh Mode links are affiliate links.
We try to seek out only products we think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If we don’t like a product, we won’t be recommending it to you.
See our full disclosure policy here.

_________________________

Information About Our Reviewers:

Dionna is a lawyer turned work at home mama of her amazing son, Kieran, and she is due with baby number two in late November 2011. You can normally find Dionna over at Code Name: Mama where she shares information, resources, and her thoughts on natural parenting and life with a toddler/preschooler.

Julia is the mom to a 2 1/2 year old and is trying to live the natural life. You can find her blogging at A Little Bit of All of It about natural parenting, food, Christianity, babies and childbirth, as well as reviewing products and books.

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Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts – Book Review and Giveaway {CLOSED}

Categories:

About Me, Book Review, Food, Giveaways, Product Review, Recipes

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Since my husband is a baker on the side, I see a lot of sweet treats going out of our home. This ends up making me want some for myself sometimes. :) I always feel guilty about making them, though, because I know they are not good for me or my family. When I found out about Modern Alternative Mama’s Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts Cookbook, I was so excited! I couldn’t wait to start trying out the recipes in it.

What’s special about Treat Yourself is there is no white sugar or white flour in any of the recipes. As it reads in the intro, “It’s time to enjoy dessert again, without feeling like you are somehow ‘breaking the rules’ or destroying your family’s health.  Real food dessert is an amazing and fun part of life…without the guilt!”  What you will find in the way of sweeteners in this cookbook are: sucanat, raw local honey and real maple syrup.

As I mentioned, my husband is the baker in our family. I don’t really enjoy, nor am I very good at, baking. For that reason, I was a little apprehensive about how easy it would be for me to actually make these desserts. I have used honey a lot in baking but never have used the other two sweeteners so I was also wondering how good things would actually taste using these ingredients in place of their conventional counterparts. My fears were put to rest quite quickly. Not only are all the recipes I have made in the book super easy for even me, but they are all very yummy as well!

The brownies were the first thing I made and I pretty much ate most of the pan by myself that first time (oops!). Yep, they were that good. I made them again for a playdate and there were only crumbs left so they passed the kid test, too.

Next I decided to try the strawberry ice cream since I had a get together with some relatives and we were asked to bring ice cream for an ice cream sundae bar. The recipe actually ended up being enough for 2 batches so I was able to make it twice. This ice cream was SO delicious and creamy and sweet straight from the ice cream maker. The family enjoyed it, too as I had several compliments on it.

I wanted to try the chocolate chip cookies but did not have sprouted flour which the recipe called for so I used whole wheat flour instead. I LOVED these. I had a little trouble getting them formed together (it said to drop them but I ended up needing to make them into balls), but I actually ended up really liking how they turned out. They didn’t look like the typical chocolate chip cookie because they were roundish instead of flat and they were darker because of the flour I used but SO delicious. I really like the flavor the sucanat imparts to them, too. I think it gives them a richer flavor.

I also made the carrot cake and the cream cheese icing. I actually was really surprised by how incredibly simply it was to make the frosting and I really enjoyed the taste of it. My husband even said it was really good and he’s pretty picky about frosting. The carrot cake was a little heavy on cardamom for me personally but I definitely plan on making it again with less of that and I would like to add some raisins.

There are several other recipes I’m dying to try like the chocolate-mint filling, cinnamon rolls, scones, chocolate eclairs and strawberry short cake to name a few. If you are on the GAPS diet or are a grain-free family, there are LOTS of options for you in this book, too!

What I’m so happy about is I get to share one copy with you all! Yep, 1 of you is going to win your own Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts cookbook. It is an ebook so you’ll have it right away so you can start making your own real food desserts quickly and I know you are going to enjoy it as much as I have. However, if you don’t want to wait (or you don’t end up winning), you can buy your own copy. I have a coupon code just for my readers: LITTLETREAT. This code will give you 25% off the price of the book (which is normally $7.95). Order soon though because the code will expire on October 17. 2011.  You have until October 14, 2011 at 11:59pm EST to enter. I’ll contact the winner via email on October 15 and winner will be selected via random.org.

 

Here’s how to win your own copy of Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts:

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Storyland Yoga DVD: Product Review and Giveaway! {11-1; Worldwide}

Categories:

About Marcella, About Me, Daily life, Giveaways, Guest Writer, Parenting, Product Review

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This is a joint giveaway with A Little Bit of All of It and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked “Win it!” for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

Playful Planet is offering our readers a giveaway of the Storyland Yoga DVD, a value of $14.99.

Storyland Yoga is an award-winning children’s yoga DVD that uses storytelling to teach yoga poses. There are two stories on the DVD through which children learn about helping endangered species and green living while practicing yoga.

From our reviewer, Julia at A Little Bit of All of It:

Playful Planet has a unique product in the Storyland Yoga DVD in that it connects the health and well-being of children with the health and well-being of the planet through storytelling and yoga. I was eager to try out this educational toy and see for myself! (You can, too, by checking out the YouTube video.)

When I first heard about the product, I thought it would play out more like an instructional video and might be a little boring for my 2 1/2 year old. I was in for a pleasant surprise when we played the DVD! Ahmed Fahmy, a certified children’s yoga instructor, leads the “class” and tells two very engaging stories (“Save the Whales” and “Condor Trek”) in outdoor nature settings, not a studio. Interspersed in the DVD are animated scenes to appeal to young viewers and further illustrate the stories Ahmed is telling. The poses are seamlessly placed throughout the story and mimic different animals. The poses were fun for my daughter, who loves animals.

My daughter loves this DVD! She asks me to play it for her just about every day and will mimic the yoga poses to the best of her two year old ability. She especially enjoys doing it with me. We giggled and played together and had a blast the first time we tried it out! My husband has even done some of it with her. It’s definitely a fun family activity and is a great alternative to active play when the weather forces you to be inside, or any time really. She also enjoys the cute stories and I appreciate the positive earth-friendly messages they convey.

I decided to take up the suggestion on the inside of the DVD cover and had a couple yoga for kids playdates. The first time there were mostly younger children (around my daughter’s age, eight children in all). They would halfway pay attention and every once in awhile do some of the poses and then go back to playing something else. The moms mentioned that they thought the kids would be more inclined to participate if the moms were doing it with them. The next playdate we had some older children and they did most (if not all) of it and seemed to really enjoy it. The first time my daughter and I viewed the DVD together and she participated with me, but now she will do it all by herself and requests me to put it on for her.

The DVD actually says it is for ages three to eight (and my daughter is just under that) and I would say that sounds about right to me. We had an eight year old enjoying it at one of the playdates and the younger ones (under three) participated only sporadically.

I have to say, I am really glad I was given the chance to review this product as it is something fun and different for us to do together or for my daughter to do on her own. Not only is she learning real yoga poses, she is being exposed to the reality of endangered species and the idea that we can help to protect them. We all want healthy kids, and this DVD is a great way to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

From our reviewer, Heather:

Playful Planet is a family-owned company that strives to support families in raising healthy kids on a sustainable planet. They do a fantastic job of tying in health and fitness together with the health and well-being of our planet. One of their products is their Storyland Yoga DVD, an interactive yoga and storytelling experience for parents and children.

I played the Storyland Yoga DVD for myself and my two children, my son (6 years old) and my daughter (17 months), and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I practice yoga on a regular basis and wish I could find a local yoga class where I could bring my children with me. However, since there isnít an age appropriate class for me and my children in my region, this video is the perfect alternative.

While my youngest may be a little too young to understand some of the concepts presented, she is very capable of mimicking the poses and embracing a positive attitude, which is essentially how we all learn to begin with. My oldest really liked the way Ahmed, the instructor, told stories which encouraged imaginative thinking to go along with the poses, because he said it made him feel like he was ìactually doing something.î My son really enjoyed acting out the scenes of the story along with Ahmed and the other children in the video, and my daughter took pleasure in trying to copy what her brother and I were doing.

I very much appreciate the eco-conscious approach this video takes to get kids thinking about the impact we have on the world in which we live. Yoga is a wonderful way to introduce children to exercise, meditative thinking, and a more positive, healthy, and sustainable way of life. This video does a remarkable job encapsulating all of those aspects. I definitely recommend Storyland Yoga by Playful Planet.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own Storyland Yoga DVD at Amazon. The DVD sells for $14.99 plus shipping and is available for Super Saver Shipping (meaning if you purchase $25 worth of product on Amazon, shipping is free.)

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a Storyland Yoga DVD from Playful Planet, enter in the comments below. The winner will receive a copy of the Playful Planet Storyland Yoga DVD. Contest is open WORLDWIDE.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Playful Planet and tell us one thing you have learned about the company!

Leave a valid email address in your comments (the line where it says “email address”) so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses are not made publicly visible.

This is a joint giveaway with A Little Bit of All of It and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we’ll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:

Complete one or more of the following to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry above. Leave a separate comment for each so we can count them all.

    • Tell us who will enjoy your new Storyland Yoga DVD.
    • Subscribe to Playful Planet’s Blog in a reader or by email (1 entry for each).
    • Subscribe to Natural Parents Network in a reader or by email (1 entry for each).
    • Subscribe to A Little Bit of All of It in a reader or by email (1 entry for each).
    • Leave a relevant comment on a non-giveaway article at Natural Parents Network and tell us which post (comment on separate posts for up to 3 entries total).
    • Leave a relevant comment on a non-giveaway article from A Little Bit of All of It and tell us which post (comment on separate posts for up to 3 entries total).
    • Leave a relevant response to a thread on the NPN forums and let us know which thread (respond to separate threads for up to 3 entries total).
    • Like Natural Parents Network on Facebook.
    • Like A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook.
    • Like Playful Planet on Facebook.
    • Post this giveaway on your Facebook page or wall and leave the link (1 entry). You can use this status update: Enter to win the @Playful Planet Storyland Yoga DVD from @A Little Bit of All of It and @Natural Parents Network. Contest ends 11/1 and is open worldwide.Be sure to attach the contest URL to your update! http://naturalparentsnetwork.com/giveaway-storyland-yoga/ (This is not part of the status text.)
    • Follow @playfulplanet on Twitter and leave your Twitter name in the comment.
    • Follow @NatParNet on Twitter and leave your Twitter name in the comment.
    • Follow @JuliaLittleBit on Twitter and leave your Twitter name in the comment.
    • Tweet about this giveaway (up to 5 times total, at least 24 hours apart). You can tweet this text: #Win a @playfulplanet Storyland Yoga DVD from @JuliaLittleBit & @NatParNet! #giveaway #yoga http://bit.ly/nfJ7yM {11/1; WORLDWIDE}
  • Enter another of the giveaways on Natural Parents Network (1 extra entry per giveaway ó check back for more).
  • Put the Natural Parents Network badge on your website or add http://NaturalParentsNetwork.com to your text blogroll for 2 extra entries each. The HTML code for the badge is on the right sidebar. Leave your site URL in the comment.
  • Add A Little Bit of All of It (http://naturallifemom.com) to your text blogroll for 2 extra entries. Leave your site URL in the comment.

RULES

  • Contest open WORLDWIDE.
  • Contestants may enter at either A Little Bit of All of It or Natural Parents Network but not both. Entries will be combined for the drawing of a single winner.
  • Leave each entry as a separate comment so we can count them all.
  • For actions like following and subscribing, if you already follow or subscribe, just let us know in your comment.
  • For tasks that garner you multiple entries, you can copy and paste the comment with a #1, #2, etc.
  • You don’t have to do any of the bonus entries, but you do have to complete the first mandatory one.
  • We will pick the winner through Random.org after the contest closes and send an email notification. Leave a valid email address as you comment so we can contact you if you win. If we can’t reach a winner or don’t hear back within a couple days, we’ll draw a new name. Entries will be added together from both sites. If there are 50 entries from the non-NPN site and 65 entries from NPN, we will count the non-NPN entries as numbers 1-50 and the NPN entries as numbers 51-115.
  • After the giveaway closes, a representative from NPN will contact the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond by email; otherwise, NPN will select another winner.
  • Any questions, let our giveaway editors know: ShannonR {at} NaturalParentsNetwork {dot} com and Amanda {at} NaturalParentsNetwork {dot} com

Contest closes November 1, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

Disclosure: Our reviewer received a sample product for review purposes. Amazon links are affiliate links.
We try to seek out only products we think you would find relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent. If we don’t like a product, we won’t be recommending it to you. See our full disclosure policy here.

_________________________

Information About Our Reviewers:

Julia is the mom to a 2 1/2 year old and is trying to live the natural life. You can find her blogging at A Little Bit of All of It about natural parenting, food, Christianity, babies and childbirth, as well as reviewing products and books.

Heather is a work at home single momma to her spirited 5 year old son and cuddly 7 month old daughter. She is a part time student studying Nutrition and is crazy about running and yoga. She is passionate about fitness, natural and green living and learning, cloth diapering and breastfeeding, healthy eating and cooking, and is a self-proclaimed health nut and foodie. During her free time, she enjoys going out for long runs, exploring nature with her kids, going to the mountains, yoga, kayaking, writing, cooking, and volunteering at her sonís school and in her community.

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Giveaway: CurlyMonkey Organic Cloth Baby Wipes $18 {5.26; US/Can}

Categories:

About Marcella, About Me, Babies, Daily life, Giveaways, Parenting, Product Review

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This is a joint giveaway with A Little Bit of All of It and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked “Win it!” for the mandatory main entry and optional bonus entries.

Curly Monkey Organic cloth wipes assortmentCurly Monkey is offering our readers a giveaway of FOUR organic cloth baby wipes, a value of $18.45.

The Review:

I was excited for the opportunity to review four organic cloth wipes from CurlyMonkey. All of the products CurlyMonkey sells are free from pesticides, insecticides and harmful fertilizers, which makes me feel good about using these wipes on my little girl.

Besides cloth wipes, the company sells baby and toddler clothing, baby hats, baby bath mitts, and soft toys.

When I received my cloth wipes, they came in a nice blue organic cloth gift bag, which would be great if you were planning on buying a shower gift! I like that I can reuse this, too, and it is not just packaging I’d be throwing away.

Curly Monkey cloth baby wipes in bag

Specifically I was sent one each of the Organic Eco-friendly Cloth Baby Wipes in Paris Tea, Collection Trèfle and Think Peace prints, along with one Maxi Hemp Organic Cotton French Terry Cloth Baby Wipe (2 ply).

These wipes can be used in several ways — as burp cloths, washcloths, or in place of paper towels, for instance — but I used them specifically for their primary use as cloth wipes for my daughter’s diaper changes.

Using the Wipes

First of all, these wipes are BEAUTIFUL! The designs are lovely. I really enjoyed just looking at them and was almost afraid to use them! The prints are a high-quality designer cotton fabric on one side with the other side being an organic hemp / organic cotton french terry.

Curly Monkey Organic cloth wipe textureThe Maxi Hemp wipe is handsewn unbleached, dye-free, organic fabric with one side being smooth while the other side is textured for messier jobs, like wiping dirty bottoms.

I consulted the website for the washing instructions (machine washable — gentle cycle — medium heat to dry) and washed them prior to using them. I measured them because I wanted to see how much they would shrink after washing, if at all. The wipes with prints measured 8 1/2″ x 11″ while the Maxi Hemp wipe measured 9″ x 9″. Once washed, they shrank down a little bit. The printed ones shrank to 8 1/2″ x 10.5″ and the Maxi Hemp wipe shrank to 9″ x 8 1/4″. I did notice that the edges on a couple of them curled up after washing but once I washed them again, they were already starting to lie flatter.

I use an old disposables wipes container for my wipes, and these wipes are slighter larger than the wipes I currently use and don’t fit as well into the container. They are also a lot thicker so they take up more space. Still, I didn’t find this that big a deal. I poured my wipe solution over the wipes like I normally do and there were no surprises there. I folded them with the design side facing inward so I was wiping with the plain side. For the Maxi Hemp wipe I placed the textured side facing outward.

I have been using cloth diapers since my daughter was a newborn (now 2 years old) along with cloth wipes so cloth wipes aren’t new to me. But these are MUCH nicer than the ones I’ve been using. It definitely makes a mundane task fun!

The generous size is a big plus. I found in cases where I normally would need to grab a second wipe, I don’t need to with these. They also feel more substantial than the thinner wipes that I have. The thickness of these means there is a nice barrier between my hand and what I’m wiping up. The textured side looks and feels like it would be great for an infant’s messy diapers, but since I have a 2-year-old, I didn’t get to “test” this out.

If you are already cloth diapering your baby, it makes sense to use cloth wipes as well. These would be a great addition to your cloth diapering routine as something nicer and more special. I actually get excited when I go to change my daughter and see the next wipe is one of these!

When my daughter caught her first stomach bug this past Christmas, I know I would have been happy to have these wipes to use for all the messes I had to clean up. It would have certainly made the job easier and given me something pretty to look at during an unpleasant experience. Even my daughter prefers them, as you can see in this video!

BUY IT!

You can purchase CurlyMonkey Organics cloth baby wipes online through CurlyMonkey.com or at CurlyMonkey’s Etsy shop.

Three-packs of the printed wipes are $15, and six-packs of the Maxi-Hemp wipes are $20.70.

Shipping is available internationally.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win the same set of FOUR CurlyMonkey Organics cloth baby wipes, enter in the comments below! Contest is open to U.S. and Canada.

MAIN ENTRY:

Leave a valid email address in your comments (the line where it says “email address”) so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses are not made publicly visible.

This is a joint giveaway with A Little Bit of All of It, a natural parenting blog, and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we’ll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES, to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry above (leave a separate comment for each so we can count them all):

  • Go to CurlyMonkey.com and tell us something you’ve learned.
  • Heart the CurlyMonkey store on Etsy, and leave your Etsy username in the comment.
  • Heart a product from the CurlyMonkey store on Etsy — tell us which one and leave your Etsy username in the comment.
  • Subscribe to curlymonkey’s blog in a reader or by email (1 entry for each).
  • Subscribe to Natural Parents Network in a reader or by email (1 entry for each).
  • Subscribe to A Little Bit of All of It in a reader or by email (1 entry for each).
  • Leave a relevant comment on a non-giveaway article at Natural Parents Network and tell us which post (comment on separate posts for up to 3 entries total).
  • Leave a relevant comment on a non-review article at A Little Bit of All of It and tell us which post (comment on separate posts for up to 3 entries total).
  • Like CurlyMonkey on Facebook.
  • Like Natural Parents Network on Facebook.
  • Like A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook.
  • Post this giveaway on your Facebook page or wall and leave the link (1 entry). You can use this status update: Enter to win a set of FOUR fabulous @CurlyMonkey cloth baby wipes from @Natural Parents Network. Contest ends May 26 and is open to Canada & US.
    Be sure to attach the contest URL to your update (this is not part of the status)! http://naturalparentsnetwork.com/giveaway-organic-cloth-baby-wipes/
  • Follow A Little Bit of All of It on Networked Blogs.
  • Follow @CurlyMonkey_ on Twitter and leave your Twitter name in the comment.
  • Follow @NatParNet on Twitter and leave your Twitter name in the comment.
  • Follow @JuliaLittleBit on Twitter and leave your Twitter name in the comment.
  • Tweet about this giveaway (up to 5 times total, at least 24 hours apart). You can tweet this text: #Win FOUR lovely cloth wipes from @CurlyMonkey_ for #clothdiapering! http://bit.ly/lSxjD7 @NatParNet #giveaway #clothdiapers {5.26 Can/US}
  • Enter another of the current giveaways on Natural Parents Network (1 extra entry per giveaway — check back for more).
  • Put the Natural Parents Network badge on your website or add http://NaturalParentsNetwork.com to your text blogroll for 2 extra entries each. The HTML code for the badge is in the right sidebar of NaturalParentsNetwork.com. Leave your site URL in the comment.
  • Add http://wifemomandmore.wordpress.com/ to your text blogroll for 2 extra entries. Leave your site URL in the comment.

RULES:

  • Contest open to Canadian and United States mailing addresses only.
  • Contestants may enter at either A Little Bit of All of It or Natural Parents Network but not both. Entries will be combined for the drawing of a single winner.
  • Leave each entry as a separate comment so we can count them all.
  • For actions like following and subscribing, if you already follow or subscribe, just let us know in your comment.
  • For tasks that garner you multiple entries, you can copy and paste the comment with a #1, #2, etc.
  • You don’t have to do any of the bonus entries, but you do have to complete the first mandatory one.
  • We will pick the winner through Random.org after the contest closes and send an email notification. Leave a valid email address as you comment so we can contact you if you win. If we can’t reach a winner or don’t hear back within a couple days, we’ll draw a new name.
  • Any questions, let Lauren know: Lauren {at} NaturalParentsNetwork.com
Contest closes May 26 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
Disclosure: I received four free wipes for review.
We try to seek out only products we think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If we don’t like a product, we won’t be recommending it to you.
See our full disclosure policy here.
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Yellow Elm Headband Winner

Categories:

Babies, Giveaways, Local Focus

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Danielle, #29, is the lucky winner of the Yellow Elm Baby Headband!

Thanks to all of you who entered! We had 51 entries in all.

Danielle blogs at The Knapp Family and her favorite headband was the Claire Felt Headband.

Claire Felt Headband, Danielle's Favorite!

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Super Sunday Surf for week of March 6

Categories:

Babies, Childbirth, Christianity, Daily life, Food, Giveaways, Parenting, Product Review, Random, Recipes, Sunday Surf

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Last week I had no Sunday Surf but this week I have SO much stuff to share, I’m going to have to categorize it! So let’s get to the links, shall we?

Recipes and Food 

via seriouseats.com

Sunday Brunch: Scallion and Cheese Corn Muffins – These look utterly delicious…and cheap to make….and easy to make. That, pretty much, sums up my criteria for a good recipe! Perhaps these will make it onto a Menu Plan Monday sometime soon!

Spiced Raspberry Leaf Tea – You guys know I love tea, right? Here’s a recipe for a good tea that sounds tasty AND is good for the female reproductive system. She also gives a way to make it for those who maybe aren’t so into the taste to make it taste better so you can still get the health benefits.

Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce – My family is big into Mexican food. (My mom is already planning a Cinco de Mayo party because it is an excuse for us to eat lots of yummy Mexican food.) This recipe is healthy, too! Yay!

Serious Sweets: S’mores Brownie Bars – Need I say more??

Get Healthy: Prepare 3 More Meals This Week – Lots of meal prep tips

Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls – More Mexican healthy yumminess

Peanut Butter Popcorn – My husband said this sounded gross (boo) so I’ll have to make this one night for me and my daughter. I bet SHE would approve. ;)

1st Visit to McDonalds – Totally interesting to me

Christianity

Blaming and Angry with God – Quote from the post: “Sometimes I am tempted to be angry with God because of something I think I really need or really want that God does not give me, some source of pain. And I realized a few days ago why this is.”

Crunchy Stuff

Your Own Crunchy Shopping List – Free PDF – Check it out…she even gives you a nice pdf file to print out and take to the store with you and tips. And there’s also an online community on the site to discuss this stuff. Nice.

Citrus Lavender Laundry Detergent – One of these days I’m going to stop being lazy and make my own laundry detergent. Let me know if you have or do on a regular basis. I also linked to another DIY laundry detergent recipe in another Sunday Surf you can check out as well.

The Mother of All Soap Nut Recipe Resources – I had never heard of these until now and they sound AWESOME!! There is a giveaway on the same blog and I totally hope I win! If you enter, please say Julia sent you!

Babies and Parenting 

via codenamemama.com

Natural Parents Network’s Carnival of Natural Parenting’s theme this month is Top 10 Lists. I already did a post on one but here are the rest of my favorites:

10 Reasons to Choose Baby Led Weaning

Top 10 Ways to Know You’re a Natural Parent

Top 10 Ways to Be Present with Family

10 Natural Baby Items I Love

Choosing to Breastfeed

Ten Things I Wish I Knew Before Little Man

Top Ten Things No One Told Me About Natural Parenting

Top Ten Breastfeeding Misconceptions

Step Away from the Amazon List

My Top Ten New Mommy Moments

And this was not part of the carnival but is in the same vein:

Top 17 Things I Learned in My First Year as a Parent

The Invisible Umbilical Cord – I totally identified with this one!

Cooking with Your Toddler – Some great ideas here for fun meals your toddler would enjoy

Myth Busting 4: My Story – A post on gentle discipline

Random

Thoughts on Sleep – Robyn from Green Smoothie Girl gives some sleep information

Ice Candle Holder Table Decorations – I thought this was pretty cool, um literally.

Check out Authentic Parenting, Baby Dust Diaries, ChildOrganics, Hobo Mama, I Thought I Knew Mama, Mama and Baby Love, Mama Eve, Maman A Droit, Momma Jorje, Monkey Butt Junction, Motherhood Moments, My Inspired Baby, Navelgazing, and The Parent Vortex for more Sunday Surfing!

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Sunday Surf

Categories:

Babies, Childbirth, Christianity, Food, Giveaways, Parenting, Random, Recipes, Sunday Surf

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Here are my Sunday Surf links for this past week.

via naturalparentsnetwork.com


How I Prep Clean Eats for the Week: Inside Sara’s Kitchen

5 Toddler Breastfeeding Myths That Drive Me Insane!

6 Steps to Mindful Mothering

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Fine Art of Dying Your Hair with Henna

Chicken Pot Pie with a Savory Herb & Cheddar Crust

The Consequence of Using Consequences

My Scar Does Not Define Me, Part 1 & 2

Dealing with Birth Trauma

Tea Technique: How to Steep White Tea

Giveaway: Sacred Rose Herbal Tea

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Yellow Elm: Giveaway!

Categories:

About Marcella, About Me, Babies, Giveaways, Guest Writer, Local Focus, Product Review

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Lisa Felt Headband

My first Yellow Elm product came from my mom. She bought my daughter a headband for her Candyland birthday party. I’ve been in love ever since! I have baby headbands, baby clips and clips and headbands for me, too! That’s why I’m so excited to offer a giveaway to celebrate 5,000 hits from Yellow Elm to share their wonderful products with you all, too! Scroll down to the bottom to check out the beautiful baby headband I’m giving away and to see how to win! (PS: Yellow Elm is local, too if you live in the Upstate of SC!)

I interviewed Yellow Elm owner Elizabeth Blanton to give you some more information about Yellow Elm straight from the source!

What gave you the idea for Yellow Elm and how did you get started?

I learned how to felt in a fiber arts class I took as an elective in college and immediately fell in love with the process. After making some large felt wall-hangings for the class, I used some leftover felt to make brooches as gifts for my friends and got a great response, so after college I decided to make more wearable art and see what happened with it. There has been a huge trend recently in crafts and handmade items and I’m so excited to be a part of that.

What do you love most about the pieces you make?

I love the uniqueness of each piece. I can never make two pieces exactly alike, so everyone who wears Yellow Elm can truly know they have an accessory that no one else has.

Baby Brooke Barrette

What’s your favorite collection?

My favorite is usually what I’m working on at the moment. I’ve just started making small brooches with beads on top in soft spring colors, and those are my favorites right now.

Do you have plans for any other products besides headbands and brooches?

Yes definitely! Jewelry, purses, hats, and scarves are all possibilities for future products. I’m working on a vintage line of headbands and brooches as well that I’m pretty excited about.

Do you prefer selling on etsy or selling to stores?

I love both for different reasons. It’s always fantastic to find a shop that is the perfect fit for Yellow Elm and I really enjoy working with shop owners to get just the right Yellow Elm pieces in their stores. I am so glad to have an etsy shop as well because I can reach so many people with the internet–people all over the world.

Do you have a favorite fellow etsy artist?

So many great choices I could never pick just one! I keep my “favorites” page on my etsy shop pretty current and always mark a favorite shop or item.

A Little Bit of All of It is giving away this precious baby headband!

headband1

Yellow Elm Baby Headband

It is a baby headband with a soft blue piece of felt on a bright blue fabric band, with a black & polka dot fabric button and some simple baby blue embroidery.

How to Enter

There are 5 ways to enter. You can do 1, a couple or all of them. Obviously the more you do, the better your chances of winning are. I’ll draw a winner randomly using random.org on March 17th! The winner will be contacted via email.

  1. “Like” A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook and come back and leave a comment here that you did with your FB name.
  2. Go to Yellow Elm’s etsy store and come back and leave a comment with the name of your favorite piece.
  3. “Like” Yellow Elm on Facebook and come back and leave a comment here that you did with your FB name.
  4. Subscribe to the Yellow Elm blog and leave a comment here that you did.
  5. Subscribe to this blog and leave a comment here that you did. (To subscribe, see the top righthand corner of the blog.)

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