Mommy's Favorite Things: June 2012



Thursday, June 28, 2012

Small Concept Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



Websites with funky children's clothing are really hard to come by. There are only a few that have cute and funky clothes. 

When I came across Small Concept I fell in love with their items. 
I received the Peaches N Cream Colorful Leopard Tank and Capri outfit for Avery
 The color is a little washed out here. 
But isn't it adorable?!?!? I LOVE the colorful leopard print and the pink leggings are adorable. The tulle flower on it really puts it over the top!

It's GORGEOUS!!! I love the leggings because that means she can ride her bike or play at the park and nobody sees everything. Plus I can put them with other tops/tunics/dresses and pretty them up!

The material is just cotton, same with the leggings. But the skirt is tulle as is the flower and green ruffle!

It's just adorable though. Great quality. I have washed this twice now and hung dried it and it came out looking like brand new. With Tulle you can't dry in the machine, but hanging it up in my laundry room it was dry within a few hours. So it was ready to go the next day when she was wanting to wear it again. 

She wants to wear this outfit any time it's clean! She loves it to pieces. As do I! It's nice and cute for summer, but will be great for early fall too! I know she'll love going to school in this and show it off there!!

They have so many great items and brands! They carry Tea Collection, wonderboy and many other brands. Things for boys, girls and babies. They also have maternity, toys, gear and decor!

Price: This dress comes in sizes 2T-10 (we got the 5) and it's on sale for $41.63 from $55.50! It is a bit pricey, but it's worth it!

Overall: *****
*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from Small Concept in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to Small Concept for allowing me to review this product and for offering a giveaway



6 months old and Crawling!



So on June 15th, Emerson officially started crawling. He was doing more of a scoot thing. He was thrusting his legs forward and then falling down with his chest. He got where he wanted to go, but was pretty slow at it!

As of about 4 days ago he's finally doing the real deal!!
The funny thing is, He and Avery started crawling at the EXACT same age (5 months 18 days) Isn't that NUTS?
He finally let me get a video of him!

And he's 6 months old today! Where does the time go?
Here is his 6 month photo shoot!

He has such huge personality at such a young age!


 His feet made it into almost EVERY picture!!! How cute!



Wednesday, June 27, 2012

SmartKlean Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*




With 2 young kids, stains are inevitable. They are all around and can show up in many forms. From spit up and baby food to blood and spaghetti sauce. We have all of those stains and they're super hard to get rid of with regular detergent and washing. 

When SmartKlean contacted me about reviewing their new Stain Remover. I couldn't wait to get it and try it out. 
 Shows the stuff it works on. Laundry stains, Cloth Diapers, Upholstery and carpets/rugs!

It is cloth diaper safe, which is AWESOME!!!  I haven't tried it on my diapers yet though. 

I have used this on Emerson's spit up sleepers and it has been AMAZING at removing the stains. You wet down the garment and then rub the stick on it until it lathers. Then you just throw in the wash and launder like normal. I didn't get a picture, but I did the remover on one side of his sleeper and didn't do the other and the results were AMAZING! One side came completely clean and the other was still yellow from spit up. It was really great. I couldn't believe it. 

SmartKlean has their laundry ball as well as this new stain remover. It just released to the website today so it's Brand New!

Price: $9.80+ $4.90 shipping. It's worth it! It will last a long time.

Overall: *****
*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from SmartKlean in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to SmartKlean for allowing me to review this product and for offering a giveaway





Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Carter's Watch the Wear Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



I love putting my children in sets of clothes. Trying to find a shirt to match pants is hard a lot of the time unless they're just plain denim or khaki. So when I find sets, especially those with plaid pants/shorts I know I need to have it. I love plaid, but not only that it usually just matches 1-2 shirts you have and I actually like that!

When I came across Carter's Watch the Wear I knew I had to have an outfit of theirs for Emerson. They're clothes are from NB to 4T so I couldn't get anything for Avery. 
I received 2 wonderful outfits, which are no longer on the website. I got a plaid set in yellow and a denim set in blue!

 It's so dang cute!!! 
There is madras plaid on the inside of the collar too, so it matches the shorts perfectly!
The denim shorts were bigger than the plaid!! Even with cloth diapers on!!!
 But still adorable!
I got these outfits in the 12 month. The newborn sizes were for items we didn't want/need like sleepers and rompers... So I was happy to get these even if they were a bit big. These were tried on a month ago. It's hot here until September so I knew he'd fit in these eventually. Plus the shirts he can wear even longer than that. 

The plaid outfit fits him great now. It was a bit big here, but now fits him great. He wears it often. I LOVE that yellow shirt. It stands out and looks gorgeous on him. 

The blue outfit shorts are still a bit big, but we mix the shirt with other shorts we have that fit him better now and it looks great!! The shirts fit him pretty great so he can get use out of them now. But between now and a year old his upper won't change much so these will fit him probably under October or so!! I'm thankful for that!

Overall these clothes are great quality. Carter's WTW has been around for OVER 150 years!!! YES a century and a half! They started out as the Premier Manufacturer of Denim Overalls and 'Work Wear'. The overalls were famous throughout the US (which only had 33 states then!). They then expanded to making boy's overalls, coats, jumpers, painter coats and eventually adding in shirts. Now they just make adorable children's clothing and I love it!!

Wish I had a baby girl! 



Aren't they adorable?? LOVE that Snail

Price: Everything's on sale now, I assume to get ready for fall things. The boys short sets similar to what I received are $13.99 down from $18.99. They have CHEAP items!

Overall: *****

*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from Carter's Watch the Wear in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to Carter's Watch the Wear for allowing me to review this product and for offering a giveaway




OOFOS Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



Comfortable shoes are a must!! Sometimes these little cheap flip flops might seem comfortable, but if you wear them for a long time they start to hurt your feet. They have no sole really, no support etc. So when I came across OOFOS I knew I had to contact them. Their sandals looked so comfortable to me, so I knew they would be better for my feet. 

I received the Original Thong in Mocha and I love it.


They are SO comfortable! They have quite a bit of support and are super nice. 
I got the size 8 as that's what I normally wear and they fit me perfectly. 

The day I got these I walked to my friends house and back. About 3/4 of a mile all together and these didn't rub my feet wrong or anything. They were super comfortable and because of the arch I could feel my calves getting a workout!

Sunday I wore these to the zoo. We probably walked 2 miles and again nothing out of the ordinary. They fit me great, so they didn't slide around and leave marks/blisters and I felt like I was getting a workout! I love these shoes!!! 

They have held up great. I've worn them just about daily since receiving them and they're been great and perfect. 
I couldn't say any more great things about these shoes. 

Best part is they're Machine Washable!! Although they're super easy to just spray off with a hose or handwash too.  They absorb impact, are flexible, Instant Comfort, ultimate recovery, lightweight and durable! 
Great shoes!

They also offer a slide version

The slide comes in Black and Brown and the thong comes in Black, Brown, Fuschia, and Tangerine!

Price: $40 each! It's a great price!

Overall: *****
*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from OOFOS in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to  OOFOS for allowing me to review this product and for offering a giveaway





Monday, June 25, 2012

Nosilla Organics Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



Organic clothes are really worth it. Some people may not think it's worth spending the extra money on, but the quality of organic can't be beat. Nosilla Organics has some wonderful items!

I received the Short Romper in Navy Stripe



We received this in the 6-12 month. I don't know that it would fit him that long, but it will fit him through the summer I'm pretty sure. Since we use cloth diapers, one pieces usually need to be a size bigger!

But I love this romper. It's super adorable and SUPER soft!! It looks adorable on Emerson too. The colors are nice and soft and muted, but they still stand out well. They're not nearly as bright as on the website

They're much more muted than that, but I love it!
The colors are great. They're USA colors, how can you go wrong? (If you're from the US that is!!)

This romper hasn't shrunk at all in the wash either which I love. An item that stays the size it's meant to be and is supposed to. That's always nice!

They also have shirts/shorts as well. And some lovely girl pieces!



Price: The romper I received is $30. Which in my opinion is worth it!

Overall: *****

*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from Nosilla in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to Nosilla for allowing me to review this product and for offering a giveaway




Sunday, June 24, 2012

Kangaroo Care Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



Emerson loves to chew on everything, but some things are made with paint and things that chip off and they just don't seem all that safe. So when I came across Kangaroo Care I knew I wanted to try one of her teethers. 

We received the Rainbow Teething Ring and the Mint and Chocolate Brown Necklace





As you can see, he loves his toy! He chews on it constantly and I know it's good for him and nothing is going to chip off. 

At first I didn't care for the cotton thread that's at the end, but then I realized it's really great! I can use it to tie from his car seat or stroller OR my Boba Carrier and he can have a toy on hand at all times without pulling it loose. So it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise I guess. 

The beads are made from Juniper wood which has an earthy smell and healing properties. It definitely just smelled like earthy wood when I first opened it. Actually it still does, but I find the scent fading a bit. I like it though. Then she puts a crochet covering over the teething beads. I think it's so simple, yet so pretty. And Emerson loves it, so that's a bonus for sure!

He really likes to take this teether with him everywhere he goes. He chews on it constantly!! 
One thing I like is I can soak it in some water with a bit of baby shampoo or natural dish soap and get it clean. Then rinse it good, let it air dry and then give it back to him to play with. 

Since he chews on this daily for hours at a time I've already washed it twice. But it works out just fine and I haven't had any issues with it!

The necklace is great too. I'm not nursing, but Emerson gets distracted when I bottle feed him, so it's been great to wear for that. He loves that too. I like that it ties on, so I can adjust the length as I see fit. 

Price: Rainbow Teether is $21 and the necklace is $19. They are worth it!

Overall: *****

*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from Kangaroo Care in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to Kangaroo Care for allowing me to review this product and for offering a giveaway



Friday, June 22, 2012

Flex Belt Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*



I love finding products that help me fit exercise into my busy mom life. Between taking care of the kids and finally getting a minute to myself when Emerson's napping, it's hard to find time to exercise. I do run in the evenings, but that's not enough to get fit. 
So when I came cross The Flex Belt I knew I had to give it a try. It uses Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to help stimulate the abdominal nerves causing them to contract and relax. The contractions help you tone, tighten and strengthen muscles in your stomach.

 Everything comes in a little bag. The instructions and the AC adapter are separate.
 Here we have the belt, the belt extender, the unit, AC adapter (to charge it) and the gel pads it comes with
 How the inside looks. 
You find which circle on the sides fits your sides best. 
 You put all your gel pads on. The grid side sticks to the belt itself. The oval ones on the sides and the rectangle in the middle. They need to be in full contact with the metal circle on the belt
 Then when they're ready for use you just take off  the protective backing and put your belt on.

You fasten the velcro on the belt pretty snug, but not overly tight. Then the unit adjusts to where you need it to be. You can adjust each side differently. The numbers adjust 1 by 1 and then you'll start to feel the tingle. It's definitely a weird sensation. I didn't even really feel anything until like number 20 (they start at 0). 25 was pretty comfortable for me the first time. 27 was WAY too high and I actually jumped when it contracted. 

The contractions happen about every 10-15 seconds give or take. You're supposed to take your time. 

The session lasts upwards of 30 minutes. You can set your time to do where you're comfortable, but you'd like to do at least 20 minutes. 

They recommend 4-5 times a week. I have only been doing 2-3. I can do it while doing dishes (carefully!!), folding laundry, or on the computer. It allows me to strengthen my abdominal muscles while getting other chores done. 

I have done this 2-3 times a week for the past 4-4.5 weeks. Along with eating healthy and running twice or so a week. I have lost 1.5" off my stomach and have lost 2.5 pounds. I'm pretty happy about this. I feel like my muscles are tighter and more toned, but I don't really see a difference yet, but I know it's working!!! 

I'm up to number 35 comfortably now on my belt. And I know as time goes on, I'll be able to increase this number more and more.

Price: The Flex Belt is $199.99 and includes everything above. After about 30 days you need to replace your pads. I'm almost at this point since I use it less than recommended. The pads are $14.99 for roughly 30 days or use. So this isn't bad!
This belt can be used for men and women!!!

Overall: ***** LOVE it and it seems to be working!


*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from Flex Belt in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to Flex Belt for allowing me to review this product and for offering a giveaway



Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Uncommon Goods Review



I love a website that has unique and different products. They carry items that you don't find everywhere else, OR they carry products that you see everywhere, but in a different way. 

Uncommon Goods is one of those wonderful sites and they sent me a very neat product. 
We received the Craft Beer Brewing Kit. We got it just in time for Jon's birthday so it was a present to him.
I chose the Hefeweizen beer. It's silky smooth with tastes of citrus, clove and banana
 All the beer ingredients!
 And all the supplies
Unfortunately we haven't had a chance to review this yet. With Emerson being so little and his naps were just crazy and then summer coming and getting our yard all nice looking we just haven't had time. I feel terrible about this as we're coming up on 8-9 weeks of having this item. But it's time consuming to make it. 

We will make it, then wait our 2 weeks to let it sit and ferment and then I'll write another review updating how the process went and how it tastes. 

So for now, let's just talk about the company!

Uncommon Goods was founded in August 1999! So it's been around for quite a bit of time now! They're privately held and are headquartered in NYC!
They have many categories to choose from and lots of subcategories within those as well. Home & Garden, Dining and Entertainment, Office, Leisure, Jewelry & Accessories, For Her, For Him, For Kids and Birthday! 
I can't wait to try out this beer brewing kit and I hope it can get done soon!

Price: The Beer Brewing kit is $45. This is So worth it!

Overall: ***** Overall this is a fantastic company. Fast shipping, awesome items and a great place to gift shop. 

*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from Uncommon Goods in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to Uncommon Goods for allowing me to review this product


Summer Cloth Diaper Giveaway Sponsor Spotlight PROJECT POMONA




Sometimes when you cloth diaper it's hard to find clothes that fit right. Sometimes you have to size up in pants and then they're too long or just don't fit right. Well with Project Pomona the jeans fit perfectly! She makes jeans and shorts. 

Since It's summer I went with shorts for my review. I got them in the WaterStone trim print.
I received the size 2 which is for 9-18 months of age. I didn't want to get the size 1 and have it last for 2 months or so. So I decided the 2 would be best.
 The snaps adjust the waist size so it will fit over all your cloth diapers!
 On the largest setting
 And on the smallest!! Big difference
 The bottoms cuff up with snaps and then uncuff for longer use!
 Here they are uncuffed! So it makes the length longer!
 It's a pretty big difference in length
 Pockets!
 They're lined with the same material.
 They are just a little big in the waist
But they're pretty bulky all over. 
They do fit him though, there's just extra material that's all!
 Funny part is they fit AVERY!!! Even cuffed up they still fit her above the knee.
 They fit her pretty well!
I do find it funny that I have an article of clothing that fit both my 5 year old and my almost 6 month old. Not many parents can say that!

These are adorable and I love that they cuff. So these will definitely still fit us next summer and they'll probably fit the summer after that too. Then he'll be potty training and they'll probably continue to fit him for years. Or they won't fit and then they'll fit again. 

Avery is only on the 2nd smallest snap, so she could have a much bigger waist and still fit these. 

Avery has actually worn these more than Emerson has. They're pretty adorable and if I uncuff them they fit her just at middle knee length, which I like!!! Even shorts in the girl's department these days are SUPER short!

These are wonderful for over cloth diapers though. If you have a trim diaper on, just put it on the tightest setting, if it's a big fluffy diaper, put it on the largest!! They're versatile and can be worn with just about anything!

She also offers her jeans and she offers both in adorable print trims (and solid colors too if you wish). She also offers embroidered jeans as well!

Price: Embroidered jeans are $32.95. Regular are $28.95 and her Shorts are $26.95. These are reasonable. Your child will get lots of use out of them!

Overall: *****

SUMMER CLOTH DIAPER GIVEAWAY HOP
For the Summer Cloth Diaper Giveaway Hop, Project Pomona has offered one Mommy's Favorite Things reader the chance to win a pair of Pomona's (jeans) AND Orchard Pockets (Shorts) ARV $56

Starts June 21st!!!
*Disclaimer* I received an item directly from Project Pomona in exchange for a review. I was not paid to try out these products*
A big thank you goes out to Project Pomona for allowing me to review this product