Busy Mom Reviews

I love that (has sound) Kaboom! is advertised as an "aggressive" bathroom cleaner. Makes it sound mean, like you need to get out of the way, or, something.

I received the Bowl Blaster Foaming Toilet Cleaner, the Shower, Tub & Tile Cleaner, the NeverScrub! Continuous Toilet Cleaning System, and, the Ultra Scrub for review.

The Bowl Blaster foaming toilet cleaner is a lot of fun. You dump the powder in the toilet bowl, and, stand back! It produces some serious foam to clean the toilet bowl. It doesn't have a strong smell, but, you do need to keep away from the powder, because it causes a little dust cloud.

You can use it on a clean bowl for a touch up, or, you can scrub first. It seemed to clean the toilet well when I tried it without scrubbing first.

The Never Scrub! system is an in-tank cleaner. It takes a minute or two to install, versus a drop-in cleaner. The water remains clear, but, I wish it had a subtle scent of some sort. It's refillable, safe for septic systems, and, prevents rust and hard water stains.

I haven't really seen a big difference, but, I think the under-rim area may look a bit better than usual.

The Shower, Tub, and, Tile Cleaner has done a pretty good job on the soap scum in our fiberglass showers. It's a spray, and, has a subtle scent.

I like the Ultra Scrub a lot. It's a thick cream that has done a really good job on some of the old toilet and stains. OK, not that our toilets and bathtubs were all grody, or, anything, but, it's helped with the basic cosmetic issues of older fixtures.

All the products area available here, and, I really like them. I'd buy them again if I saw them in the store, but, I'm not really good at keeping up with online ordering.

You've seen Oxi-Clean products on TV, and, I got some to try!

I received Oxi-Clean Versatile Stain Remover, like it says, you can use on most anything, Oxi-Clean Spray Away, a small spray instant stain remover to carry with you, and, Oxi-Clean Laundry Stain Remover, that...wait for it...removes laundry stains.

The Oxi-Clean Spray Away is small enough to carry in your purse or diaper bag, and, it works instantly on many types of stains.

It did a good job on a coffee stain on my shirt, I was very impressed.

The Oxi-Clean Versatile Stain Remover tackles over 101 stains on multiple surfaces like carpet, upholstery, kitchen and bath surfaces and even works outdoors on gutters, unfinished decks, and patio furniture.

And it’s color safe and 100% chlorine-free!

I used it to work on some rust stains on the vinyl liner of the pool, and, it did great. Now, I have no idea if I was supposed to do that to the liner, so, I'm not telling you to do that. I just like to live on the edge.

The Oxi-Clean Laundry Stain Remover works on common stains such as grease, grass, and, dirt. It claims to even fight set-in stains, and, in my experience, it did a great job on some old under-arm shirt stains.

I really like all of them, you should get some, too!

Bounty Select-a-Size paper towels are the same quicker picker upper" towels you know, and love, but, now they're perforated into smaller sizes so you can get just the size you need for smaller messes.

Bounty is also sponsoring the One Sheet Challenge, where you can win a $30,000 kitchen makeover by:

* Step 1: Put one sheet of new best-ever Bounty to the test on a tough household mess.

* Step 2: Share the dirty details—the more descriptive, the better. Then, tell us how one sheet cleaned up when put through the wringer.

* Step 3: Be one of the first 50,000 to submit a story, and you'll receive a $1-off coupon for new and improved Bounty.

See official rules, and, hurry, entries must be received by 12:00 PM (noon) (EST) on 6/30/07.

Have you heard about the Busy Body Book Personal and Family Organizers?

The Busy Body Book's Weekly GRID format will keep anyone's busy schedule organized. There are 5 columns that allow you to schedule 5 family members or activities all on the same page.

I received the sturdy polka dot patterned one for review, along with the 7 Column Weekly Fridge Grid Pad, which I love, because all of our scheduling begins on the fridge. The pad has plenty of room to write on it, and, has secure magnets.

The Busy Body Book also feature monthly planners, months at a glance, removable shopping lists, and, plenty of room for notes.

There are several cover designs to choose from, and, they are available in an August to August (school year) format, or, a traditional January-December format.

These planners would be good for a student, for tracking exercise, for work, or, for a busy parent.

The Busy Body Book Personal and Family Organizer is $16.95 plus shipping, and, the Fridge Pad is $11.95 plus shipping.

The Febreze Candle combines a classic method of scenting the home with the odor-eliminating technology of Febreze and has a unique odor-eliminating core, leaving behind the Febreze scent while getting rid of odors.

Available in July, 2007, it will come in five scents:

-Meadows & Rain
-Spring & Renewal
-Linen & Sky
-Vanilla & Refresh
-Apple Spice & Delight

I was sent the Apple Spice & Delight for review, and, I'm not all that wild about candles, most of them smell funny to me, or, they are too strong. But, I'm really liking this one

It's a large size, and, comes in a clear glass votive holder, and, has up to 30 hours burn time.

It was easy to light, and, I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how we tried it out.

There's a terrible smell in the kitchen, we think something may have died under the house, but, we can't figure out where it is. The smell crops up now and again, and, we had guests coming, so, we lit the candle, and, it really helped without being too overpowering.

You can definitely smell it, but, it creates a warm atmosphere that will be especially welcome in the fall weather.

The suggested retail price is $6.99-$7.99

3x Concentrated Wisk Multi-action Laundry Detergent is a detergent, and, stain pre-treater in one.

I received a bottle for review, and, we put it through the test at the beach for a week, and, then with dirty camp laundry.

It's highly concentrated, so, it only takes a small amount to clean a load of laundry. It has a pleasant smell, and, dissolves easily. It has a color-safe bleach that did a good job with whites, and, colors at various temperatures.

There's also an HE formula for high efficiency washers.

Also, check out Wiskmom.com and you can upload digital photos of your kids and place them on the digital cover of Life(r) or Sports Illustrated KIDS™.

The Straight Edge, Inc. designs and produces educational placemats, educational puzzles and interactive children's books.

I received the cutest educational placemats for review. The Read a Mat placemats are thick, long-lasting vinyl mats measuring 11 1/2" x 17 1/2".

They're great as a gift, homework helper, teacher resource and place mat, in over forty titles in areas including basic skills, astronomy, geography, math, performing arts, and, history.

The Day at the Beach Mat received the Best Product Award from Dr.Toy in 2007.

We love our Day at the Beach (how to stay safe and healthy at the beach), Visit to the Doctor (reduce doctor visit anxiety, and, teach good health habits), and, Street Smarts (street safety tips for ages 6-9) mats. They are very sturdy (important when you have fork jabbers at the table), and, wipe up easily.

They are $5-$6 each, and, are available at various locations including teacher supply stores in the United States.

Also, be sure to check out the Straight Edge Inc. website for all their educational products.

Now, I'm not an environment killer by any means, but, sometimes, when you think of recycled household products, the items can sometimes be a little "off', or, not as sturdy as you'd like.

I was sent a variety of the Preserve recycled products from the fine people at Recycline, and, I really like them.

The Preserve products boast 100% recycled plastic (much of it from Stonyfield Farms yogurt cups), and, they demand the best in performance and function.

We tried the tableware first, as the day I got the package, we had drop in guests. The colors were cute and bright, and, I thought maybe they'd be about the same quality as the higher end disposable tableware.

I was pleasantly surprised however, they are quite sturdy, and, have maintained their quality through several uses and washings in the dishwasher.

They can also be recycled in communities with #5 plastics recycling.

I also tried the flavored toothpicks. Though I don't really think about toothpicks in my everyday life, these got my attention since flavored toothpicks were all the rage when I was growing up in the seventies. Seems like you don't see them anymore.

According to the website, they are made with with sustainably harvested wood from domestically grown white birch forests, and, come in mint tea tree (spearmint-y), and, cinnamint flavors. The flavor is surprisingly strong and long lasting as well.

I also received a Preserve toothbrush, and, a Junior toothbrush with a Utah Prarie Dog (endangered species) profile.

I had no idea there was such a debate about the benefits and drawbacks of recycled (handles) toothbrushes, but, we've been pleased with these as well. They are also recyclable, and, you can send them (as well as the razor handles) back to Recycline in a prepaid envelope, and, they will reuse them in plastic lumber.

The Preserve Triple Razor is another great product that has performed well, and, the handle is recyclable.

I wasn't aware of these products before I was asked to try them out, but, we really like them.

Preserve has an online store, and some products are available at Target, and, at Whole Foods, and, on Amazon

Dawn Simple Pleasures is the well-known grease fighting dishwashing liquid with an air freshener built into the bottom of the bottle.

It comes in 3 scents, Water Lily & Jasmine, Apple & Pear, and, Lemon & Tangerine.

I was sent a bottle of the Lemon and Tangerine to try. I have to say I had no idea I needed a combination dish washing liquid and air freshener, but, I have really liked it!

My sink area didn't smell bad as far as I know, but, the lemon and tangerine scent is wonderful without being overpowering, and, it makes me happy.

The liquid itself works as well as always, and, I will buy this one again. Looking forward to trying the Apple and Pear for fall.

As a mother with 3 kids, all in sports, I love me some Febreeze.

I was sent a sample of Febreeze To Go, and, I have to say it's a great idea. It's regular Febreeze in a TSA compliant (at the moment) 2.8 travel size, and, it's great to take along in your suitcase to remove travel-funky smells, to keep in a gym bag, or to keep in the car after loading up on Krystals (trust me, even if you're not from the South, neutralizing that is a good thing).

It retails for around $2.00 a bottle, and, is available where you get the regular sized Febreze.

Try it out!

Cascade Complete is a new formula designed to dissolve tough food particles so there is no need to prewash dishes before you load them up in the dishwasher.

As a matter of fact, they believe so much in their product that I was sent a bottle of Cascade Complete as well as a bottle of a competing product, Electrosol to compare the two.

The Cascade was thicker than the Electrosol, and, it really did get some of the tougher, un-rinsed dishes clean. There were a couple of "failures" with especially caked on food, but, even then, the dishes came out in batter shape than they did with other products.

Overall, there has been a huge decrease in the need to rinse or rewash dishes. As a bonus, the dishes seem to look better without clouds or spots, even the plastic storage containers!

I'll buy this one again, try it out yourself, I think you'll like it.

Did you know Best Buy sells appliances?

They sell a range of over 3,000 name brand products from stainless steel refrigerators and dishwashers to top-of-the-line stovetops and ovens.

To help consumers navigate the limitless options of today’s appliances, Best Buy’s Certified Appliance Specialists offer first-hand experience and knowledge.

Be sure to catch the videos (has sound) from the Blue Shirts offering tips on the latest trends in kitchen appliances, how to save money and the environment and easy ways to upgrade your home:

The Eco-Conscious Home and
Easy Ways to Remodel Your Kitchen

They even have a Kitchen & Laundry Design Center where you can create a 3D picture of the ideal kitchen, laundry room or even wet bar.

(Looking for the iPod contest? It's here, but, hurry, it ends December 10, 2007)

Deep clean whites in cold water? Really?

Clorox Plus Cold Water Bleach is specially formulated to whiten in cold water (can work in hot water too) and it helps the environment by using less energy to get your whites whiter.

The U.S. Dept. of Energy notes that 80 percent of the energy home washers use goes towards heating water. Switching from hot to cold water washing can save up to 14 percent in annual energy bills.

I received a sample to try and, once I got used to putting whites in cold water, it does seem to work pretty well, although our socks may never see true white again ever with 2 boys.

Look for in the store and try it out, it's worth saving some energy especially in these tough economic times.

I was sent some of Palmolive's phosphate-free Eco+ Gel Dishwasher Detergent.

It's said to be more environmentally friendly than regular dishwasher detergent. It has a strong bleach-y smell, I kind of liked it, but it made me wonder how that could be more "eco-friendly", but. I'm not sure.

I like that it doesn't have phosphates, but I'm not sure that is the only requirement to make something "green".

I liked it. It did a fine job of cleaning dishes, comparable to my regular detergent, and, it was a little runnier than I thought it'd be, but that wasn't a show stopper. I didn't have to use more or less than I usually do to get the dishes clean.

Eco+ is available in three scents, Lemon Splash, Citrus Apple Splash and Lavender Splash.

Brain training games are very popular these days, and Lord knows my brain needs all the help it can get.

I received Brighter Minds Brainiversity software game in the mail and it has been a lot of fun.

It has a practice mode and daily exams that let you unlock new games as you progress. There are 16 different activities covering Language, Memory, Math and Analysis.

You can earn stamps with positive affirmations like, "Nice Work!" The graphics are nice, but not elaborate. I like Edison, the cute little talking light bulb that guides you through it.

I'm 43 and I don't find the games dull or repetitive. They're intuitive enough that you can jump right into them and play without having to get your "bearings" first, but they are challenging enough that you are really exercising your brain.

My older kids (junior high, high school) used it and proclaimed it "cool", so I suppose that's the best endorsement I can give it and we even play together, sometimes.

I have no idea if I'm really smarter, but I've really enjoyed playing and that's fine by me!

The good folks at Lands' End sent me a Weatherly Jacket to try.

It's toasty warm but light weight with a sherpa fleece lined collar and even has an mp3 player pocket.

I love this jacket! It fits well and is neither too tight nor too bulky. I had my eye on a similar North Face jacket, but had talked myself out of it since it was out of my price range and this one is great at a lower price.

I got the brown one, but it comes in some fabulous colors.

It would make a great Christmas gift and it comes in regular, petite and plus sizes and is $59.50.

But, that's not all!

Lands' End has graciously offered a prize for one lucky Busy Mom Reviews reader!

Leave a comment for a chance to win either a Women’s Sherpa Fleece half zip pulloveror the Women’s Half Zip Pull-Over!

How to enter: Leave a comment
Contest deadline: Friday, October 24, 11pm CST

Winner will be chosen at random from the comments.

UPDATED: We have a winner, comments closed/

**********************

Hey, need birth announcements? Use the discount coupon code BUSYMOMREADER and get 10% off your order at Tiny Prints.

What about wedding invitations? Use the discount coupon code BUSYMOM and get 10% off your order at Wedding Paper Divas.

The handy dandy random number generator says that comment #67 is the winner of the Lands' End Fleece Pullover giveaway.

Congratulations, Maren!

Look for an e-mail from me.

Thank you to everyone who played and I hope you'll come see me at Busymom.net.

My friends at Hallmark have some great new items for the holidays.

In addition to recordable message Christmas cards, there are some fun light-up gift bags and adhesive gift wrap.

Also new this year is a recordable keepsake ornament.

Also, there's another Hallmark Greeting Card Competition!

This one is about parenthood, and it's for parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles to send in funny or endearing pics of their kids, along with a greeting, for the chance to have it turned into a Mother’s or Father’s Day card. The grand prize is $2,500.

Hurry, though. Contest ends December 7th, 2008.

If you have an athlete in the house, no doubt you've heard of Pre-Wrap, the colorful stuff that goes on under a bandage wrap.

It also has a number of other uses such as a headband or ponytail holder.

Be sure to check out Pre-Wrap.com, a successful business started by a 13 year old volleyball player (and daughter of a fellow blogger) where you can get most any color Pre-Wrap and athletic tape your heart desires.

Go check Pre-Wrap.com today for great Christmas gifts for your athlete.

One of the things that drives me crazy camping is not being able to find stuff in the dark. I'm always putting my flashlight somewhere and I hate reading with one in one hand. So, I was thrilled when I learned we were going to try out the new Eureka N!ergy 9 Five-Person Family Tent.

It's one of Eureka!'s quality, solid tents with a fiberglass frame and full coverage fly as well as 2 windows, 2 roof vents, and 2 large mesh sidewall panels provide ventilation and light. It also has a gear loft and 2 storage pockets

But, this tent is cool because it's powered! It has 3 glowing 12 volt outlets for items such as phones, a reading light or a fan and the outlets double as night lights and they are powered by the rechargable E! Power Pak.

We've had Eureka! tents before and as always, set-up was very easy and the kids are thrilled with the possibilities of life's conveniences that can be brought to the great outdoors and I totally love the Eureka 12v Flexible Reading Light.

It measures 9 x 9 feet across the floor and it's 6 feet tall and weighs 15 pounds, 6 ounces. It retails for about $150 US and the accessories such as the E! Power Pak are sold separately.

The Skil Multi-Cutter is a great little lightweight hand held cutting tool for materials up to 1/4" thick.

I really like this thing, it's got a variety of uses from breaking down cardboard boxes, opening those stubborn plastic packages, cutting vinyl flooring, cutting wallpaper and more.

It does a great job, but it takes a little practice and I had the best results cutting in only straight lines.

At $50, it would make a great family Christmas gift, handy to have around the house.

The Smart Shopper is an electronic grocery list maker.

It's a lot of fun, all you do is press and speak want to put on the list, and it puts it on your list. When you are ready to go to the store, you just print it and it's already organized your list by department.

There's an extensive list (over 2,500) of items already in the Smart Shopper, or you can add your own custom items. You can even say when you have a coupon for something, and it will print as a reminder on your list.

You can also record your errand list in the Smart Shopper.

It can be mounted on the wall, or it has built in magnet and sticks very securely to the refrigerator.

We have really enjoyed it, the kids have had a ball and it would be a great idea to bookmark where to get more paper until the novelty wears off a bit since everyone will be talking to your fridge and printing from the Smart Shopper.

Be sure to follow Smart Shopper on Twitter, too!

It's on sale for $79.99 right now, but guess what? I'm giving one away to a lucky reader.

1 Leave a comment to be entered. Twitter about it if you love me, since this will be a quick contest.

3. One winner will be drawn randomly on the same day by 11pm CST, and I will do my very best to get it to you by Christmas.

Many people have the newer High Efficiency (HE) washers that use less water and energy than traditional washers. These machines require low sudsing detergent since these front loading machines use a tumble system that makes more suds and HE detergents are formulated to clean your laundry effectively in low-water conditions.

Wisk HE provides more information at LaundryHE , a new online resource for those looking to learn more about High Efficiency (H∙E) detergents and washing machines.

You can follow us Laundry HE @LaundryHE for the latest contests and more.

Want to try Wisk HE? I've not tried it myself since I don't have an HE washer (maybe someday...) but I have an opportunity for you to try it.

Win a bottle of Wisk H∙E detergent!

Rules:

1. Leave a comment with a valid e-mail address to be entered for a chance to win.
2, Contest runs from May 2, 2009 until 10 pm CST on May 8, 2009.
3. Winners will be chosen at random.

Giftybox, the "experience gift", is a great solution for those people who are hard to buy for, or

It's easy to do, visit the Giftybox and select the theme that best fits the personality of the recipient. The person receiving the Giftybox receives a box containing a Guidebook showing the different activities available within that theme. The recipient then redeems the Gift Pass you’ve bought and chooses which activity they’d like to do.

You can choose from experiences such as The Experience Collection, The Classes Box, The French Dinner for Two Box, The Adventure Box, The Spa & Well-Being Box for Men, The Spa & Well-Being Box for Women,Spa & Well-Being for Two, The Winery Tour & Tasting for Two Box.

I received the Photo Sharing Kit (retail: $34.95) for review. Giftybox partnered with Hooray, a new photo sharing website to provide:

1 complimentary Gift Pass for 2 custom printed 20-page Photo albums,
A Guidebook describing the steps involved in creating photo albums & slide shows
A microphone to record commentary for your slide shows,
Unlimited photo storage with a Silver membership.

This is a great gift since it can be given to anyone regardless of their location and it doesn't require a babysitter!

Giftybox is a great idea for a Mother's Day gift!

And, they are a company true to my heart, because they provde a way to make it a last minute gift, too.

NOTE: Before you order a Giftybox, note that some of the experiences are only available in certain cities and you'll also need to check to see if there is an expiration on the Gift Pass.

Sometimes sleep eludes me for various reasons: caffeine, kids, stress, blogging.

So, when my real life friend and fellow blogger (and Twitterer), Trapper told me about Sleep Secret Audio that proclaims I could "be asleep in seven minutes", I was curious.

Insomnia affects a lot of people and some people are looking for an effective, medication-free way to get better sleep, and I wondered if this could help.

Sleep Secret Audio is a system of five mp3 files that are easily downloaded to your iPod or other device. They have music and instructions specially designed to help you achieve a deep, sound, peaceful sleep.

The first track one is the introduction track and the second one is peaceful, original music (composed by Claus D. Jensen of Denmark) combined with suggestions to help your body and mind relax to fall asleep and stay asleep.

The third track is the lovely music, while the third and fourth tracks are subliminal sleep tracks.

So, did it work? That's what you want to know, isn't it?

It's an interesting task to try to evaluate a sleep system. You're supposed to relax, but you have to be alert and pay attention to what you're reviewing and that requires some attentiveness.

The files were easily downloaded and transferred to my iPod. The first night I put the iPod on it's dock since I couldn't find my ear phones and I began listening. I woke up the next day with the iPod still lit up, so I have no idea if I fell asleep in the allotted seven minutes. I asked Busy Dad if it helped him in any way, and he was all, "Sngsfsdfdzzz, wha'?

Clearly not the target audience.

The next few nights, I fell asleep right away and I have no idea what to attribute it to, but the music is pleasant enough, so either way, that's good.

I wanted to give it a test run on a night where I may have had a little too much caffeine a little too late in the day. It didn't take too long to find a night that met that criteria, so I put it on and listened, and I have to say that once I got settled down, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to relax and got sleepy. Again, I haven't quite figured out how to watch the clock to time how long it took me to get to sleep while I'm actually trying to get to sleep, but I feel like I was spared a night of being wide awake for hours on end.

I'm not much for subliminal suggestion things, I think my control issues are too great for them to be as effective as possible on me, but I have to say that I've found Sleep Secret Audio to be helpful and I hope you will too.

This kind of sleep help could be great for new parents, people who work "off" shifts such as nurses, doctors or firefighters, or even bloggers who stay up to late and have to go to work the next day (oops, projecting). Trapper discovered a new use for it as he relaxed outside in his yard.

Sleep Secret Audio retails for $29.97 also comes with 2 free bonuses, The Sleep Secret eBook and Natural Cures for Insomnia. The great thing is that it also comes with a 100% Money Back Guarantee (from the Sleep Secret Audio site):

If for any reason, you aren't thrilled and satisfied with our product, just contact us within 60 days and we'll refund 100% of your purchase price. No hard feelings."

We live in an old house in the South, and all of my kids have allergies and one has asthma, so a good air filter is important. That's why the 3M Filtrete products caught my attention.

Also, with allergy season here, the quality of air inside your home is just as important as the air quality outside. As a matter of fact, the pollution that may be indoors can be anywhere from two to five times higher than the pollution outside and is considered by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to be one of the top five urgent environmental risks to health.

3M makes a variety of high performance filters for both the water and the air in your home. Be sure to check out their website where you can learn how to choose a filter, sign up for their reminder service (which is what we need) that notifies you when it's time to change the filters and don't forget to sign up for the Clean Air Club where you can learn about better indoor air quality, get newsletters, rebates and special offers and more!

Here are some Tips for Giving Your Home a Clean Air ‘Check-Up’ from Dr. Neil Schachter, M.D., past president of the American Lung Association of the City of New York and author of Life and Breath.

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 hours2.

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.

This post is in conjunction with Mom Central

These days, everyone is looking for a ways to be a little easier on the environment, and Reynolds has introduced Reynolds Wrap® Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum. It's a strong, food-safe foil and it's available in regular and heavy duty strengths.

I received some for review and didn't know what to expect, but it works the same way as the original variety. I thought it felt slightly different, but otherwise it's the same great product we all know and love.

You can find out more about Reynolds Wrap Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum and get a coupon for 50 cents off.

Be sure to register for their Go Silver Live Green Sweepstakes where you can win up to $7,00 in prizes!

Many people are familiar with the great Sigg reusable beverage bottles. Now Cafe Press and Sigg have teamed up and now you can customize them.

Cafe Press,where users create and sell a wide variety of products, has an online design tool where you can customize your 1L Sigg bottle and I got to check it out! I got the "Graf" one and put our last name on it so that anyone in the family can use it and it came out great!

The bottles are sturdy and they don't leak. Though they don't have an interior liner, the metal doesn't leach, so your drink doesn't have a metallic taste.

Check out Cafe Press Customized Sigg Bottles (retail: $27.99) for a Father's Day gift or for your camper headed to summer camp!

This post courtesy of: Solstice. The opinions are my very own, and no payment or compensation, other than product samples as described above, was received for this post.

Electrolux and Kelly Ripa have kicked off their Virtual Lemonade Stand campaign to raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Just visit electroluxappliances.com to design and open your own virtual lemonade stand and even pick the flavors of lemonade you want to feature at your stand.

For every stand opened, Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). In addition, you can help the cause even more by buying and sending virtual glasses of lemonade to your friends and family, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting OCRF.

When you open your stand, and every time you log in afterward, you'll be entered to win a new French Door Refrigerator from Electrolux and when others donate to your stand, they will also have a chance to win, too!

The new French Door Refrigerator by Electrolux has some new features that make it a great for entertaining. The Perfect Temp Drawer™ provides storage for items that you want to keep at the ideal temperature. It’s also a large enough to store everything from party platters to juice boxes. The French Door Refrigerator also offers double the ice so there is always enough ice on hand.

Additionally, Mom Central will be giving away one French Door Refrigerator to a member of their community!

To enter, simply go to Mom Central and (1) tell them about the lemonade stand you designed on the Electrolux site and which flavors you are ‘selling’ and (2) share your own “summer entertaining” tips/ideas. Mom Central will pick one lucky winner in a random drawing from all entries received!

(Contest ends 11:59 p.m. ET September 7, 2009.)

When the nice folks at EasyBloom asked if I wanted to try the Easy Bloom Plant Sensor, I said, "Yes" right away because we have places around the house where we've been trying to get something to grow for 17 years.

The EasyBloom Plant Sensor is an easy to use gadget that you put in the ground in the area you want to plant, and after 24 hours, you plug it into your computer via USB it gives you suggestions to plant in that area based on sun, soil and moisture. You can even narrow the selections down to bloom color, drought resistance and plant height.

Our problem area is very, very shady and is blocked by the house and the EasyBloom returned over 20 suggestions about what we can plant there! We're looking forward to get started there, as it's pretty bare.

In addition to monitoring soil conditions, the Easy Bloom Plant Sensor can also be used to diagnose problems with plants and it also has a Plant Care Tips Library listing over 5,000 plants. Also, bonus points for Easy Bloom maintaining the EasyBloom Blog.

We really like this, and it would make a great gift for a gardener or perhaps a housewarming gift.

In our quest to be "greener", this holiday, don't forget aboutReynolds Wrap® Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum. It's a strong, food-safe foil and it's available in regular and heavy duty strengths.

Some green Thanksgiving tips from Reynolds:

* Saving water: cut back on water usage and make clean up easier, by lining pie pans with Reynolds Wrap® Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum or using the product to catch any dripping from poultry

* Conserving energy: cook in the right size pots and selecting the air-dry option on your dishwasher

* Saving leftovers: store food in Reynolds Wrap® Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum for a more eco-friendly way to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers

I received some for review and didn't know what to expect, but it works the same way as the original variety. I thought it felt slightly different, but otherwise it's the same great product we all know and love and we are using it regularly.

You can find out more about Reynolds Wrap Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum and get a coupon for 50 cents off.

Also, be sure to visit Reynolds Wrap Facebook page and tell them how you green your Thanksgiving.

No compensation other than the product sample as described about was received for this post.

I'm going to try to do more online shopping this year. I was better at it when the kids were really little, but I've fallen out of the habit.

I received a Flex compact cordless vacuum from the good folks at Black & Decker.

It's a powerful little vacuum with a 4 foot flexible hose. It has several cleaning tools (including a pet hair cleaning tool) and it even has a filtration system. At 3.8 pounds, it really is light and can go anywhere.

We have carpeted stairs and it's been really handy for the dust that inevitably gathers there. Since it has a flexible hose, it also handled the ceiling fan in the kitchen, and that thing can tough to clean. It was also good for cleaning the car since it can get into the little crevices.

The only thing I didn't like about the Flex, was the battery life. It's very short and it takes a while to recharge it. But, it really is a strong vacuum and is great for quick jobs and I have enjoyed it.

The Black & Decker Flex retails for around $70 and would make a great housewarming gift or pick one up to get you started on that New Year's resolution to get the house in order.

I received no payment or compensation for this post other than the product sample I mentioned above.

I seriously needed a new pair of glasses, so I was excited to try Airwear Lenses, courtesy of Mom Central.

Airwear lenses are polycarbonate that is not only lighter in weight and thinner than traditional plastic lenses, they also offers scratch-resistance, 100 % ultraviolet protection and they are very impact-resistant.

I received my glasses, and noticed right away how light they were. I'm also really, really hard on glasses (my kids are older, so I can't even blame them), so I need them to be scratch resistant, and so far, so good in that department. I haven't dropped them yet, (knock on something), so I can't attest to the impact resistance, but it seems like they'd hold up well. You can get anti-reflective treatment on them, but I didn't think to ask about that when I ordered them.

Airwear lenses are available for single vision and progressive prescriptions, and are compatible with the world's most trusted vision brands, such as Varilux®, Crizal®, Xperio®, DEFINITY® and Transitions®.

I know everyone and everything claims to be "green" these days, and some claims are more substantial than others, but Airwear seems to be doing their part.

Essilor, the makers of Airwear lenses, employs green manufacturing processes. Airwear lenses were the first Essilor lens material to "go green", significantly reducing its environmental footprint by implementing responsible manufacturing, including:

* Packaging: Essilor uses 100 percent recyclable cardboard made from 100 percent recyclable wooden fibers for Airwear lenses, helping to eliminate 570,000 pounds of plastic waste every year.

* Water Consumption: Essilor uses 100 percent recycled water for Airwear lenses, cutting consumption in half and conserving millions of gallons of water.

* Recycling Excess Material: Airwear re-purposes unused materials for other industries, such as automobiles and writing instruments.

* Donating Eyewear: Essilor supports Lions Club International's Recycle for Sight program, which accepts old, usable glasses and donates them to those in need. This is a great way to recycle your old prescriptions or the glasses your kids grow out of.

Ask your vision provider about Airwear Lenses, I've been very happy with mine!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Airwear and received a pair of Airwear eyeglass lenses to thank me for taking the time to participate. No other payment or compensation was received.

I am thrilled to have been selected as a Frigidaire Test Drive Mom from Mom Central! I'm on Team Dishwasher which is a really, really good thing as our dishwasher is nearing 20 years old, almost old enough to drink legally.

On Monday morning, we are getting a shiny new dishwasher from the good folks at Frigidaire to put through it's paces. We wash a lot of dishes around here, so stay tuned to see how it works out for us!

In the mean time, log on to www.maketimeforchange.com to play Spin & Win for a chance to win prizes including a Frigidaire Affinity washer/dryer.

Plus, every day you take a spin, Frigidaire donates $1 to Save the Children (who are doing so much good work in Haiti after the earthquake disaster) as part of their $250,000 commitment to this worthy cause.

I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Dishwasher to facilitate my review.

Oneida as the staid, formal china from your mom's generation, think again.

Oneida has several new lines: Chef's Table, Culinaria, Color Burst, and Tranquility Blue.

I love all-white dishes, and I received some pieces from the Oneida Chef's Table Collection, including this 3 Section Dipping Dish for review.

Not only are they crisp, white dishes, they are interesting shapes, dishwasher and microwave safe and they're also specially designed to be chip-resistant, an important feature when you're at our house!

Even though they're all white, they're not boring, and they look great on their own, or they will compliment your other dishes and give your table a new look and show off your food.

Be sure to check out these as well as all the things Oneida has to offer, and take advantage of their great sales.

No payment or compensation other than the product samples as described above were received for this post.

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

What's the best gift you've ever given?

This year, I got to give my daughter an awesome birthday gift. She turned 16, and we were able to give her a car.

Now, hang on a minute, I know what you're thinking: "Duh, of course a car is an awesome gift, tell me something I don't know."

Yes, of course it is, and we're very fortunate that it worked out how it did, but it wasn't a given.

Without going into a huge explanation, to make our schedule work, she really needs a car. The plan was for her to get my car and for me to get something new, However, it didn't look like it was going to happen, so we prepared her for this reality.

I had a suspicion that she thought we were making up some elaborate story to make her believe it wasn't happening, only to turn around and surprise her on the big day. So, I had to sit her down, and tell her that there was no car, and that we were very sorry, and perhaps it would be more feasible later. She was understanding, but very, very down about the whole thing.

Things changed, and it looked like we'd be able to get another car after all, but it was very close to her birthday, and we didn't have much time. Now, a car is a car, and would be a big deal no matter when you got it, but you only turn 16 once, so we really wanted to make it possible for the big day.

We found a car for me, but we had to hide it in order for her to be surprised on her birthday.

It's harder than it sounds to secretly make arrangements to buy a car, pick it up and keep it hidden until you need it. At one point, the logistics were complicated enough that we had to sit down and make a diagram to get everyone and everything where it should be.

Our neighbors were kind enough to hide the new car, and after dinner, I walked down the street to get it while the kids were watching TV. I drove it in our driveway expecting everyone to run outside. Only? No one noticed, and I had to sit in the driveway and honk.

That got their attention, and the whole thing was very worth it:

.

**********
SWAGG has partnered with non-profit Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to SU2C up to $125,000. Awesome, right?! Visit the SU2C site for more info http://www.standup2cancer.org/

And, there's more!

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a lucky pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! The sweepstakes is offered exclusively through the Clever 1000, and it has a pretty kick butt prize, including:

* 2 night/3 day stay at Yarrow Hotel in Park City Utah (Jan 21 - Jan 23, 2011)
* Ground transportation to and from hotel to airport in Park City, Utah
* Dinner for two at Tao Lounge, including 2 nightclub passes
* All access to The House of SWAGG Gifting Suite
* 2 tickets to a movie premiere on Saturday, January 22nd -- movie tbd
* $4,000 value

Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

Once the holiday decorations are down, I get the itch to do something different to the house, or at least to tackle some of the things we've been putting off.

We have a bathroom that needs some attention, and an all-out remodel isn't in the cards, so an update and a check mark on the to-do list is in order.

You don't have to spend a fortune to update your bath. Renewing a bath can mean a variety of updates including changing out a vanity, adding new lighting, installing a new floor, changing out the toilet, replacing the shower head or adding a new paint color.

The Home Depot is having a Renew and Redo Your Bath for Less event right now where they have vanities, lighting, faucets, flooring, paint and more for less (while supplies last) from January 20-February 23, 2011 (Store event: Thursday 1/20 – Monday 1/24).

The Home Depot even offers in-store experts and online tools to provide inspiration, help you decide on what to buy for a new bathroom look and show you how to get it done right.

We went to check out our local Home Depot today, and one of the first things we're going to do is take care of some of the details in our downstairs/guest bathroom that were never done when we moved in.

20 years ago.

There's nary a towel ring or rack in the room, and the current shower head is a bargain basement find, we joke that you don't really take a "shower" in there, you take a "random spray".

So, that's our beginning to update and take care of some details in the bath that everyone sees.

Stay tuned for more!

The Home Depot works with bloggers such as myself to conduct product reviews. They do not tell bloggers what to say about their products or how to say it. The Home Depot fundamentally believes that people should be free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words.

The Home Depot often provides product – free of charge – to bloggers for review as they did for this post. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Did you know that Invisalign, the makers of clear, removable braces, has a product for teens?

Invisalign Teen works the same way as the adult product, and now teens can have the same teeth straightening technology made just for them.

Invisalign Teen is a teeth straightening technology that doesn't use wires and brackets, and it can give your teen a confident smile.

I'm working with Invisalign as part of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board, and Busy Boy is currently in treatment, and I'm going to tell you about his adventures with it.

In general, the way Invisalign Teen works is that you have a series of custom made trays made of smooth plastic that fit over your teeth. They aren't retainers, they are actually made to align your teeth. The trays are worn for approximately 2 weeks each, and they are removed only for eating or as directed.

I know there are questions and misconceptions about Invisalign, and I'll be glad to answer them (or find the answer) for you, and I will be writing about them in the coming months.

Busy Boy has been in treatment for almost 2 months, and so far, so good!

I'll bet one of the first things you want to know if you can see them:

Not bad, huh?

I was a little concerned about his compliance at first, but he's been great about wearing them, and it's going well. They're also great because he plays rugby and they can be removed.

Let's just hope he has teeth left to straighten...

So, things are going well, and be sure to come back for more information after his next visit, and maybe even some fun and games.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, be sure to check out the Invisalign FAQ

I am a member of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board, my son received complimentary Invisalign treatment from Invisalign and I am speaking from my own opinions and personal experience.

With school back in session, I've already received an onslaught of important papers, schedules and notes.

There are only so many fridge magnets, and when you live in a house with kids, there's never any tape, so things we should probably hang up end up relegated to piles on the kitchen counter where we risk never seeing them again.

And, for some reason, my kids insist on taping things to bulletin boards, too.

In the event we do have tape in the house, it ends up all over the walls, and when you live in an old house with plaster walls, that can be really damaging.

The fine folks from Scotch Brand Products have introduced a line of restickable products including Restickable Shapes, Restickable Tabs and Restickable Strips

They hold up to 3/4 lb. and stick to lots of surfaces such as stainless steel, plastic, concrete, wood, glass and painted walls.

They come in fun shapes and pink, blue, and orange colors.

They've been great for reminders and memos:

The kids like to put up signs for family birthdays, and they're usually taped to the walls all over the house, so Restickable Strips have been great for that, and they don't leave any residue or spots, and they stick to the pesky textured door on the pantry in the kitchen (A favorite sign spot).

3M Scotch Restickable products have been great for us, we're still finding lots of uses for them. They hold well, they don't leave marks and can be used again (when I can get the kids to return them to the box). Parents especially will find them awesome, and you know who you are if you regularly have to peel tape off walls!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Scotch and received Scotch Restickable products to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Goo Gone is a line of products that takes care of sticky, greasy and gummy messes, and goodness knows we have a lot of that around here.

When my kids were younger, they were REALLY into stickers, so we have a lot of stickers and residue around here. So, I jumped on the chance to try out Goo Gone Spray Gel, especially because we have old stickers on our bed, and in my daughter's car.

Here's what happened when I used Goo Gone Spray Gel to remove stickers from an iPod stereo:

(Do note that I sprayed the stickers less than a minute or so before I started filming and then realized I wanted to include that part in the video, so I did it again because it wasn't something I could start over with. Yes, there is a reason I don't work in video.)

As you can see, the stickers came off quite nicely, and the stereo wasn't damaged. However, you might want to test a spot just in case, if you're planning to use it on something valuable to you. It's not meant to be used on silk, leather, suede or rubber, just so you know.

We've been very pleased with the product, and I'm currently using it to get some really old stickers off a brass bed frame, and it's been amazing so far! It has a nice citrus smell. It's a little greasy, but that's how it works and it wipes right off.

You can find Goo Gone at most large retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart.

Be sure to follow @GooGoneBrand on Twitter and Goo Gone on Facebook.

Disclosure: I received the product sample and the iPod stereo with the stickers on it from Goo Gone in order to try out the product. I assure you, we've been using the Goo Gone all over the house since then, and will need some more very quickly.