Mamapedia: The Wisdom of Moms

THE REVIEW:

I know that as a first-time mom, I am always looking to more experienced mom with all the random questions that I come up with on a day to day basis. I post on a bunch of different parenting forums and the information that I have gotten from these women has been invaluable. That is why I was so excited to hear about Mamapedia.

Have you heard of Mamapedia?

It is a virtual encyclopedia of Mothers' wisdom. Mamapedia allows you to quickly navigate through thousands of diverse categories to find the thoughtful, sympathetic-and most importantly-helpful answers to all of your questions. Mamapedia brings millions of women together online, both nation-wide and in our own communities, so we can help each other tackle those difficult parenting questions or even just give recommendations on our favorite pediatricians, playgroups, and kid-friendly restaurants.

Mamapedia enables you to search answers for your most pressing questions, such as childhood crushes, renting a house, and summer camps, to get empathetic and insightful answers from moms around the country.

I think this is going to be a resource that all moms (and dads) are going to find really really useful.

This post was written for Mom Central.





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3M Filtrete Clean Air Tips and Blog Tour

I have allergies and asthma. So I always need to make sure that I have a clean filter so the air in my house is easier to breathe. We actually do use Filtrete filters in our home.

Most of us are aware that outdoor air pollution, such as vehicle exhaust, ozone, dirt, soot and smoke, can be dangerous. However, indoor levels of some pollutants may be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified indoor air pollution as one of the top five urgent environmental risks to public health .

“Many people don’t realize that their home can be a breeding ground for allergens, such as pollen, dust mite debris, mold spores and other particles that may be airborne. Other things in the air, such as chemicals from everyday household items such as furniture, carpeting, paints and cleaning products, can also contribute to poor indoor air quality. For people who are sensitive to these types of things, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue may result,” said Dr. Neil Schachter, M.D., past president of the American Lung Association of the City of New York and author of Life and Breath. “A ‘home health check-up’ combined with some simple changes can help make your home a healthier place to live.

Follow these tips from Dr. Neil Schachter to give your home a healthier boost:

1. Avoid cleaning products with ammonia and chlorine – Ammonia and chlorine are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can irritate the respiratory tract in people who are sensitive to these chemicals. They can cause watery eyes and sore throats and even can trigger coughing and shortness of breath. Choose milder yet effective cleaning aids like those that use baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and citrus oils.

2. Houseplants...a clean air ally – Common indoor houseplants, such as bamboo plants, English ivy and peace lily, can provide a natural way to help fight against rising levels of indoor air pollution by absorbing some potentially harmful gases. A six-inch potted green plant can clean a room of excess carbon dioxide in eight hours .

3. Lay area rugs instead of wall-to-wall carpeting – Wall-to-wall carpeting can attract and hold indoor dirt, pollen, pet hair and mold spores and many contain chemicals. Vacuuming can remove some surface dirt, but often, the vacuum can actually push pollutants deeper into carpet fibers. Area rugs are best since they can be picked up and cleaned thoroughly.

4. Use high performance air filters – Use a high performance filter, like the Filtrete 1” Advanced Allergen Filter from 3M, to help capture particles such as pollen, smoke, dust mite debris and pet dander from the air that passes through the filter. Be sure to change your filter at the start of every season. Test your knowledge of indoor air quality facts and blow away some fictions by playing Clean Air Fact or Fiction at www.filtrete.com/factorfiction.

5. Restrict your furry friends – People who are allergic to cats and dogs are actually allergic to the dander that pets shed. To help minimize exposure to pet dander, keep pets out of the bedroom and especially off the bed.

6. Turn up the air conditioning – Air conditioners not only cool the air in your home, they can also help reduce humidity levels. During the warm months of the year, turn up the air conditioner to help keep humidity levels lower, which can help keep mold from growing.

7. Turn off the humidifier – Room air humidifiers are moisture-generating sources that can spread bacteria, mold spores and chemical deposits into the air in your home. Keep relative humidity between 30% and 50% to help prevent mold growth.

8. Leave shoes outside – Avoid bringing contaminated outdoor pollutants indoors by removing your shoes before entering the home. Wearing shoes indoors can track particles that can become airborne, including animal dander, mold spores, pollen and bacteria.

FROM THE COMPANY:
A recognized leader in research and development, 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M’s core strength is applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms – often in combination – to a wide array of customer needs. With $24 billion in sales, 3M employs 79,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60 countries.

Make sure you sign up for the Clean Air Club as well
Thanks for your interest in the 3M Filtrete Blog Tour. Congratulations – you have

We would really appreciate your help in posting a blog within that time frame. If you will not be able to blog by May 22, please let me know and we can work something out.

If you could please be sure to link to www.filtrete.com when posting – we would appreciate it. This is our clients homepage with more details on 3M Filtrete filters and the Clean Air Club. You will also be able to hear a podcast of Dr. Schachter’s “home health check-up” tips on the Filtrete website, which may be helpful for your blog posting. I’ve also included the Filtrete logo and a document with Dr. Schachter’s tips that we hope you will find helpful. Also, if you don’t mind, we’d love for you to link to www.momcentral.com as well!



This post was written for Mom Central.





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American Heart Association Review

THE REVIEW:

Did you know that the first week in June is National CPR and AED Awareness Week? I recently found out when I was given the chance to be part of the American Heart Association blog tour. Mom Central has joined with the American Heart Association to raise awareness for all to get trained in this life-saving skill. It is critically important for parents to get trained in CPR so we can protect our families. By learning CPR we all make a small commitment that could save the life of someone we love.

I've found that the American Heart Association offers several options for learning CPR. In addition to traditional classroom courses, they offer a self-directed course, CPR Anytime. In just 22 minutes, you can learn CPR. The kit comes with an inflatable, reusable mannequin and instructional DVD. You can choose from an infant kit (for children under one year old) or child/adult kit. If you had prior CPR training but your skills have gotten rusty, now is your chance to brush up. The more you practice, the more automatic the skill will become. By starting a CPR program now, Moms get one step ahead of the game. When faced with an emergency, you will feel confident and know exactly what to do.

I was given the opportunity to review this kit and it is really great. I have CPR training and it was a wonderful refresher course. I think that one of the most important things that you can do it to be trained in CPR. Please head to the American Heart Association website and sign-up for a CPR course and training.

This post was written for Mom Central.





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Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Review and Giveaway

THE REVIEW:

I am so excited to be doing this review. Breast-feeding is a topic that is really important to me, so I was so very excited and honored to be given the opportunity to review the New Comfort Select Performance Dual Auto-Cycling Breast Pump from Evenflo.

Sara and I did not have an easy time with breast-feeding in the beginning. We finally started to get into a rhythm and then when Sara was 12 weeks old, I had to go to work. And I started pumping. And it is hard. I was lucky enough that I had a dual electric pump and it was still really hard. I can not imagine having to use a single electric pump or even worse a manual pump.

But we were able to fight through it and I honestly believe it was because I had a good pump. I ended up pumping until Sara was a year old. And Sara is still nursing.

I gave the new Breast Pump a try and it is really great. Will I say that I enjoyed pumping? No, that would be a lie. Will I say that it was not too bad? Yes, it was not too bad. Would I recommend it for other moms who need to pump? Absolutely 100%. In addition to being easy to use, it is also super affordable.



Information about the New Comfort Select Performance Dual Auto-Cycling Breast Pump:
Improved cycle time from 38 to 57cpm (60cpm is the accepted norm for a suckling baby)

Vacuum performance is consistently near the maximum of 250mmHG. Productive vacuum at all settings between min and max.

Regulated power adapter provides more consistent vacuum levels and cycle rate throughout range

Dual performance – 2 individual pumps for better production allowing individual settings and overall increased vacuum capacity

More stable bottle stand to prevent possible spillage

All components are BPA free and contain less than 0.01% phthalates

ISO Compliance and International symbols on pump allow retail in Canada

Upgraded corporate packaging that is WHO code compliant and more appealing to Mom

Now to the best part, one lucky reader is going to win a free breast pump, and nursing pads! How spectacular is that!

THE GIVEAWAY:

To enter:
Head on over to Evenflo and let me know what your favorite feature is. Do not just say "Enter Me", I will delete these comments. If you are the winner, you have 3 days to claim your prize before I pick a new winner, so please remember to check back here.

Additional ways to get entries (you must leave me a comment for each extra entry, letting me know about it):

* Sign up for my feed: (if you are already a subscriber, leave me a message letting me know in the comment section).

* Blog about this giveaway, come back here and post the link in the comment section.

* Follow me on Twitter:

* Tweet about this giveaway, copy it for me and post it here.

* Fave me on Technorati:

There are 6 different ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for each one.

Giveaway ends on May 22, 2009. This giveaway is open to everyone.

This post was written for Mom Central





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Listerine Total Care Anticavity Mouthwash Review

I recently received a bottle of Listerine Total Care for review. It is a new product from Listerine that is a multi-benefit mouthwash that works in 6 ways for a cleaner, healthier mouth.

When you use Listerine Total Care, you get all these benefits in one mouthwash:

* Helps Prevent Cavities
* Restores Minerals to Enamel
* Strengthens Teeth
* Kills Bad Breath Germs
* Freshens Breath
* Fights Unsightly Plaque Above the Gum Line

I will admit that I have never been a fan of mouthwash, not that I did not like it exactly, but it was just always so much of a hassle (and sometimes had a nasty taste). I am really excited to have found this mouthwash. I am pleased to say that I have used it every day since I received it. It has actually been really easy to add it to my brushing, flossing routine and I am feeling really good about myself because of it. I think it also helps that it has a nice minty taste.

Click here for a $2.00 off coupon

Thanks to Mom Central for the chance to review this great product.





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We went to the circus last night!

Remember this post where I talked about the circus discounts? Well my mom, dad, sister and I took Sara Rose to the circus last night. It was AWESOME! We had such a great time.



I am part of the Feld Family Activator program as a mom influencer (sounds fancy, right?) and was able to get to meet some of the performers before the show and then we got to go to the pre-show and THEN we were all able to go and watch the circus. The show was amazing, the staff was amazing, it was amazing to get to meet some of the MomCentral team. I can't even tell you how great it was. Here are a couple pics of Sara with some of the cast members (she would not pose for a pic, but would stand near them).





We took Sara to go and see a circus a year or so ago and it did not even compare to this. The performances were absolutely breath-taking, from the animals, to the acrobats, to the clowns, to the motorcycle riding high-wire act.




From their facebook page:
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top, an all-new live entertainment extravaganza featuring the ultimate tug of war between Ringmaster Chuck Wagner and clown eccentric Tom Dougherty over a magical top hat that controls the circus. When the Ringmaster dons the hat he conjures stupendous spectacles for his circus like the stunt riding Royal Cossack Cavalry while the clown uses the hat to summon silly and whimsical acts for his circus such as a cavalry of goats riding on ponies in a Barnyard Bonanza. They continue to top one another until the Ringmaster and clown realize that the magic of the circus is not in the hat but in the hearts of everyone. The show culminates in an amazing display of gigantic glowing rainforest flowers surrounding Chinese acrobats swinging on vines and propelling through the air. Over the Top is two circuses in one providing excitement for the whole family.

Audiences will see nearly 100 animals including flying dogs, Asian Elephants that skip, hop, and groove, miniature horses, llamas, pigs, and even a performing porcupine. In a daring feat, the courageous Daniel Raffo stands eye to eye with a pack of powerful Bengal tigers. Circus celebrities help rev-up the motorcycle madness featuring one cycle on a high wire and seven speeding riders in a Globe of Steel. Extraordinary aerial acts fill the arena sky with a rare double-decker trapeze and the Bombastic Bouncers who combine gigantic inner tubes and awe-inspiring acrobatics in a high-energy performance never before seen in America. And with the audience's participation, this circus really goes Over The Top!



If you are local (MD/VA/DC) you still have the chance to see it, here are the details again. And if you are able to go, you really should, it is just spectacular!

Washington D.C. Show dates: March 19 through March 22
Washington D.C. location: http://www.verizoncenter.com/

Fairfax, VA Show dates: April 8 through April 19
Fairfax, VA location: http://www.patriotcenter.com/

Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels**. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Gold Circle Seating, Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers. Other Restrictions May Apply.

The tickets can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.com and by entering the MOM code in the MomCentral promotional box when purchasing tickets.





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Live in the MD/DC/VA area and like the circus?

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top

Washington D.C. Show dates: March 19 through March 22
Washington D.C. location: http://www.verizoncenter.com/

Fairfax, VA Show dates: April 8 through April 19
Fairfax, VA location: http://www.patriotcenter.com/

Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels**. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Gold Circle Seating, Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers. Other Restrictions May Apply.

The tickets can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.com and by entering the MOM code in the MomCentral promotional box when purchasing tickets.

Thanks to MomCentral for letting me know about this great deal.





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JOHNSON'S NO MORE TEARS 50th Anniversary Review

THE REVIEW:

We have always LOVED Johnson's baby products at our house. I actually remember when my sister was a baby, one of my big thrills was to help my mom give her a bath, and she would use Johnson's No More Tears Baby Shampoo. I remember how clean and baby-fresh it always made her. And I remember thinking that I would someday be using it on my daughter.

I remember the first bath that I gave Sara where I washed her hair and I was excited to use Johnson's No More Tears Baby Shampoo on her (I know that I am dork). I just felt like it was one of those rights of passage that I was now using it on my daughter. And I did not realize until I was a mom myself how important the "No More Tears" part is.

Sara loves the bath. In fact, I think she may be part fish. And while I am thrilled that she loves the bath, sometimes it makes it difficult to wash her hair without getting shampoo in her eyes. Actually it is far more common for me to get shampoo all over her head (face included) than not. And she does not mind.



One of my favorite products that Johnson's makes is the head to toe wash. I love that you can use the same product for the whole body. And now they have come out with a new Head to toe Foaming Wash in an easy, convenient pump-and-foam form. I was so excited to be able to review this. It is great because you can use one hand to pump and you don't have to smoosh it around in the other hand to get a good lather. You just pump and it is already foaming. It is perfect when you have a squirmy child.



Another new product that I LOVE is the baby bubble bath and wash. I love bubble baths. And I also love to take a bath with Sara. But I have been so sad that I could not find a bubble bath that I was comfortable to use with Sara. So I was very excited when I received a bottle of it to review. We love it. We use it when we take a bath together and when Sara takes one on her own.

Also be sure to check out Johnson's Baby Channel on YouTube for great baby tips.

Thanks to Mom Central and Johnson's for this great review opportunity





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Cozi Review- Family Life. Simplified.

One of my goals for the new year is to become more organized. As a busy mommy, I know that the more organized I am, the easier it will make my life. For this reason, I am thrilled to be able to tell you about Cozi. It has everything you need to be able to start your new year off in an organized fashion- family calendars, shopping lists and more.



In addition to the ways that moms can get their shopping lists and calendars already on any mobile phone via text message and using our toll free number, Cozi now has a mobile version especially for the iPhone and Windows Mobile phones. Families can now sign-in and access their Cozi account using their mobile web browsers. They can add and edit shopping lists and view and edit their family calendar using the mobile version of Cozi right from their iPhone. This is a new feature! You can learn more about it here: Cozi Mobile

Also if you sign up and try Cozi before February 4, and you're automatically entered to win a 2-day in-home organization makeover with one of the country's top organization pros and author of Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home and Life. What are you waiting for?





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Safeway PowerPump Rewards

So Hubby came home last week after shopping at Safeway and told me that we got a free $6 gas card. He had no idea why, but figured what the heck, he wasn't going to argue about it! Well, I was pretty excited to be able to tell him about Safeway PowerPump Rewards.

Safeways Power Pump Rewards program allows you to earn gas rewards when you buy groceries and gift cards. Now thru December 25th, you can earn double Power Pump Rewards when you purchase $100 or more in gift cards!

At Safeway, you can pick up gift cards to over 300 retailers! This means you don't have to waste that precious gasoline chasing gift cards all over town! Visit Safeway's PowerPump Locator and enter your zip code to find a location near you. This is a great way to save at the pump, while getting your holiday gifts taken care of at the same time.






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Mom Central Holiday Gift Guide

Have you all checked out the Mom Central Holiday Gift Guide? It is really great! You can find gifts for her, him, babies/toddlers, teens, tweens, pets and kids. You can also choose under $50, under $100 or over $100.

And there are lots of great giveaways going on as well. Everyday they are giving away something new!

To be eligible to win the daily prizes, participants must register on Mom Central, log-in, and leave a comment on the post. In addition, if participants tweet or email friends about the giveaway, they can earn another entry! In order to earn the entry, they simply go back to the Mom Central Review blog and leave a second comment letting us know.

Happy Holidays and if you win a prize, come back and let me know about it!






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Baby Einstein Review

Baby Einstein is celebrating 10 years of discovery!

For the past 10 years Baby Einstein has been sharing the beauty and wonder of the world to millions of babies and parents. In celebration of their anniversary, they are introducing two special editions of their most popular DVDs- Baby Mozart and Baby Beethoven.

Also coming in 2009 will be a whole new line of World Music products celebrating music and culture from all 7 continents.



We love Baby Einstein. I remember the first DVD that we showed Sara. Hubby and I just sat there watching her watch it. It was so cool!

I was lucky enough to receive the 10th Anniversary Baby Mozart DVD, Baby Einstein Touch and Feel Baby Animals Board Book and Lullaby Classics CD for review. We love all of it. The Baby Mozart DVD is great, as all of them are. And Sara is in love with the board book. She flips through it and feel all the animals and tells me about most of them.

Here are some helpful DVD viewing tips to be able to get the most out of the videos!

Talk! Talk! Talk!
From the moment we say that first hello to our new baby, we begin developing our little one’s language. So, when you’re watching a Baby Einstein DVD, you don’t have to be quiet. This is a chance to create little stories.

For example, if you see mechanical toys on the DVD, describe the action to your baby—“see the seals go UP the ladder. Now they’re sliding DOWN and around-- very fast.” If your baby starts “talking” back to your sounds, praise, cuddle, and imitate your baby to keep the conversation going. Even if you feel self-conscious about talking to a 6 month old, just stay the course. Your baby is probably listening and may show you with a smile, nod, or squeal, the many different ways they understand your language.

Bring it to Life
If children or puppets on the DVD are jumping or dancing, you can hold your little one and dance along to show baby how it feels. You can also play infant sized musical instruments to accompany the DVD Orchestra. Or, try using puppets or baby’s favorite stuffed animals to mimic the action in the DVD. You may get giggles from your little one. Babies usually want to do what they see and you can make that happen.

Make it Personal
Try making connections between what happens on screen with what happens in baby’s life. If you have a DVD that contains sign language, try some of the simpler signs with your baby. If you see how the puppets always do silly stuff, bring a puppet to mealtime to help you serve the food or provide additional encouragement to complete the meal.

Make it a Family Affair
Consider using DVD time as a way to interact with the whole family. If baby has an older sibling(s) around you can invite them watch the DVD with you. Encourage your older child to point out the names of the animals, say the colors, or even make animal sounds. They will probably love playing with baby and will be excited about showing off how much they know!

Thanks to Mom Central for the opportunity to help celebrate Baby Einstein's 10th Anniversary.






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Clorox 2 review and giveaway

First, I have to say that I am not the person who does laundry in my house (yes, I know I am soooo lucky), so when I was given the opportunity to review Clorox 2 I was a little nervous, simply because Hubby does not like to change his routine.
Second, I was worried that I was going to make Hubby do something different and it would not matter and then he would make fun of me.


Luckily, the only thing that Hubby had to do differently was to add a little bit to the wash. Pretty easy, no complaints there.
And then we took a look at the clothes that we used it on. It is awesome! Sara constantly gets food on her shirt (because she is one and a half) and I am sooo bad at pre-treating stuff and all that jazz. The Clorox 2 took out all the funky food stains! Yay! Hubby was very happy!

Some information from the Clorox site:
Give your clothes a boost. Clorox 2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster is specially formulated to lift stains and contains brighteners to give colors a boost. It is designed to be safe for all loads – add it to every load with your detergent for cleaner and brighter clothes.

With its new 2X formula, Clorox 2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster* is better at removing tough stains vs. the leading detergent alone, including:
* Coffee * Red Wine *Berry Juice *Spaghetti Sauce
*Mustard *Ball Point Ink *Make-up * Dirt

Want to check it out for yourself? Well, I have three coupons for a free bottle of Clorox 2 to send to three lucky readers.

To enter:
Leave a comment and let me know what your toughest stain has been. Please make sure that there is a way for me to get in touch with you in the comment.

Additional ways to get entries (you must leave me a comment for each extra entry, letting me know about it)
* Sign up for my feed: (if you are already a subscriber, leave me a message letting me know in the comment section).
* Blog about this giveaway, come back here and post the link in the comment section.

Giveaway ends on December 17, 2008.

Thanks to Mom Central for giving me the chance to try Clorox 2.





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Libby's Vegetables- Get Back to the Table

Did you know that September is Get Back to the Table month? I had no idea until Mom Central was looking for participants in this blog tour. I signed up immediately because as a busy mommy, this is something really important to me. Hubby and I are both on the run all the time. We both work full-time, and I also run Sara Rose Tutus.

We decided way before Sara was even an idea in our minds that we would eat dinner as a family every night. Whoever got home first would cook a nice healthy dinner and then we would eat. Of course, when we had Sara the reality was a little different. By the time I get home and Hubby gets home, we are both exhausted! I know the last thing that I want to do is to make a nice dinner. So I will be honest and say that it does not happen every night like we wanted it to. But we do try our hardest to make it happen as often as possible.

Libby's has created a whole website about the importance of family mealtimes and full of helpful suggestions about how to get back to the table. My personal favorite is the Seven Day Family Dinner Planner, that is exactly the type of thing that I need.

I received samples of canned corn, peas, green beans and mixed veggies to try out. They were really good. And I will say that it did help me to make a balanced meal having the vegetables in my pantry. I do love fresh vegetables, but it looks like the reality for us is that it makes more sense for me to have canned ones on hand.

Thanks so much to Mom Central for reminding me of the importance of family meals.





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