Kitty Prize Pack

It seems appropriate that this review comes on the heels on my kitty being sick. I am the proud pet parent to two cats, both boys, and both playful. About four years ago my cat, Dusty, who I've had since he was a kitten, got deathly ill. He was lethargic, unable to urinate, and not eating. After taking him to the emergency vet, we quickly learned that he had a common condition called feline cystitis which translates to pretty much a bladder obstruction. This condition, if left untreated, can ultimately lead to death. I'm so thankful my little kitty cat is back to his happy playful self again and am excited to extend this fabulous kitty prize pack from My Blog Spark and 9Lives.

A survey of feline pet parents across the country commissioned by 9Lives found that an overwhelming 94 percent of cat owners are confident they feed their felines the most nutritious meals possible. However, nearly half (48 percent) admit they’ve fed their cats table scraps – which do not provide the essential nutrients cats need – an average seven times per month. Additionally, only 30 percent know that giving your cat milk may not be a healthy practice due to the common incidence of lactose intolerance in adult cats.

Additional findings include:

* 23% of American pet parents think it’s beneficial to keep their cats on a purely vegetarian diet, while actually it may be harmful

* There are a number of foods that feline parents assume are healthy for cats, but are actually not advantageous to their health including root vegetables (73%), green tomatoes (54%), and raw potatoes (50%)

* Nine out of ten feline pet parents would be willing to switch foods if they knew it would provide better nutrition. In fact:

o 92% of cat owners would switch foods if it would improve their cat’s health, and

o 91% would switch food if they could add years onto their feline’s life


In an effort to educate pet parents about the common misconceptions of proper cat nutrition, 9Lives is committed to raising awareness to this issue by providing advanced nutrition for all cats. With the 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System, feline parents everywhere can rest assured knowing their cats are getting the essential nutrients they need to help promote healthy skin and coat, strong muscle growth and a healthy immune system among other benefits.

Give your kitty some love and enter to win a fun-filled prize pack courtesy of My Blog Spark and 9Lives! The prize pack includes toys to keep your cat entertained, magnetic frames, and a 9Lives dry food scoop/bag clip.

Here's how to enter:

• Leave a comment and tell me about your pets! Names, funny things they do, do they get along with your kids? Anything! :)

Contest ends Monday, September 27th at 11:59 pm EST.  
**9Lives provided the product, information, and prize packs through MyBlogSpark.

Be Green, Be Grateful, Be Genuine!

I was lucky enough to discover gDiapers four years ago when I had my son. When he was first born we used a big name brand diaper, I remember how much I hated changing his diaper to find those little gel crystals on his little bottom and boy parts.   I had looked into using cloth diapers, however living in an apartment it simply wasn’t cost effective.   I began searching the internet, there HAD to be another option.  That is when I found gDiapers, it was a disposable option, but also had cloth qualities. Flushable inserts that you have the option of flushing or even composting (just the wet ones please), and the ability to use cloth instead.  I ordered a starter pack and began stalking our mailman. 

When the diapers came I was so excited to strap them on to his little booty!  They were oh so cute, his little Grasshopper Green booty, complete with a g on the back, for Gabriel of course.  I soon realized the extra perks.  Only a few minutes in to our g-experience he had a blowout worthy number 2, one that would have warranted a wardrobe change in his previous diapers. I was perplexed, I HEARD it, but where was it?  It’s wasn’t leaking out the legs, it hadn’t gone up his back... I tentatively poked my finger into the waist band to confirm, yup, it was there, all in there, where it is supposed to be!  Amazing!  Then the diaper change came, that remarkably disgusting number two didn’t have to hang out in the nursery till trash day!   I simply took the flushable insert into the bathroom and ripped it, “swished” it, and flushed it.  It was gone!  No stinky ick in our apartment!  Over the next few weeks and months I appreciated our gDiapers more, for things like the Velcro being in the back, once I got used to it, it was much easier than the front Velcro, but way more difficult for his wandering hands to reach, no “look ma!  No diaper” moments for us!  Then when we were in a situation to not have to save quarter for laundry, we quickly figured out how to use prefolds inside our gPants while we were home, saving our flushies for outings.  It was clean, pure, simple and green, not chemicals on my little ones skin either!

Fast forward four years.  Number two (no not that kind), is about to make her appearance to the world.  I had began a small stash of cloth diapers, but I knew I want to use gDiapers again as well.  Right before we got pregnant with number two, gDiapers released their newest addition: tiny gPants, and oh man, were they CUTE!  A few changes from previous gPants, the liner didn’t snap in, it was built in.  I had to have them.  I had to buy them off a mom, who was no longer using hers because there was quite a large demand for them and they had been put on backorder.  Again I stalked our mail carrier.  I ordered flushies and was ready to go when they came, all of those tiny gPants were stuffed and waiting when Cordelia came home.  I really loved the tiny g’s, they had the features I loved about the regular little g’s, and then some.  I loved that they snapped down in the front to make room for her cord stump, it kept the diapers from rubbing on it and making it bleed.   The built in liner was also great, easy to clean.  I can’t lie I also love the cute “g word” print, not girly, not boyish (I am a mom that feels like anything that isn’t pink is too boyish too) just plain… well… baby! 

Another thing the wonderful folks at gDiapers have come out with since my son was in them, gCloth.  It is the companies very own version of our prefolds.  I found that while using prefolds in our gPants saved us money, it made the diapers bulky.  This time around we have gCloth as an option,   made with microfleece to pull the moisture away from your baby and a hemp/cotton fabric to absorb the moisture.  The microfleece is super soft on baby’s skin.  Also new to the gFamily are gStyles, oh so adorable gDiaper outfits!  One for girls and one for boys, and too cute for words!  This mama has been drooling over the gDarling dress set…  A truly picture worthy outfit!

I love gDiapers, not just the product, but the company.  I can’t speak highly enough of the people at gDiapers headquarters.  I have never had an unfriendly, below wonderful experience with them.  As a mom, and consumer that is a big deal to me.  If I do not have a good customer service experience, I simply find a way to live without your product (I drive an extra half hour to go to a theater other than Regal just because of a terrible experience).  I will tell you one thing, they are not lacking in that department.  They have someone that can answer any question or problem you might have, they stand by their product %110 percent, and because of that so do many of the parents that use gDiapers.   

I also appreciate that they are very environmentally friendly, not just the product, but down to shipping, using Green Shipping (see Greenshipping.com).  Possibly my favorite thing about this company (and trust me it is impossible for me to pick one but this is up there), is the value they place in family “We have an on-site child development center. If mom needs to nurse or wants some playtime with her baby, gDiapers is set up to accommodate her needs. If a child is sick, by all means, go home. We hope everyone feels better soon. If dad wants to see Jr. in the school talent show in the middle of the day, he has our blessing. In fact, we may come with him. “ if that doesn’t sum it up, then I don’t know what does!  If only I could talk my husband into moving to Portland…

I know that sometimes we post snippets (yeah I said snippets) from the company’s website, but I want you to go check it out www.gdiapers.com, I will give you a quiz on it later… Kind of… 
No blog is complete without a picture or two… I want to share mine.  

Baby Bunny hanging out in her Tiny g

Lets kick it old school with Gabe back in the day sporting his green gDiaper, and baby love handles.  (This picture was actually used for a Kiddie Kandids ad campaign. Just to throw out a mom brag)

I feel really lucky that I came across this product, and this company.  Now I want YOU to get to know them!  I contacted Michelle at gHeadquarters and they have been generous enough to donate a New Baby Bundle to one lucky reader!  One VERY lucky reader!  I am actually jealous of whoever wins this, and my baby can’t even fit in them!

So let’s get down to it shall we? Time for the Quiz!


Mandatory Entry:
Go to www.gdiapers.com tell us what you like.  What product, what philosophy, feature, anything, because gDiapers isn’t just about what they are selling.
 
For extra entries:
Become a follower of this blog on Google Friend Connect and/or RSS feed - one entry
Become a fan of The Mad Mom Blog on Facebook - one entry
Become a fan of gDiapers on Facebook (make sure to come back here and tell us)- one entry Post a link to this contest on your Facebook or Twitter (one entry per day and make sure to post a link here)


**Contest ends Friday, August 20th at 11:59 pm EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize from the time the announcement is made.

Febreze Home Collections Review

As a mother of a soon-to-be two year old, I can't leave fresh smelling potpourri out - either the baby or the cats will eat it. Candle wax on the carpet, candle wax on the couch. It's a real pain to get out! The Febreze Home Collection wants to introduce you to their no mess, no spill line-up that’s perfect for creating a refreshing atmosphere.    The newest addition to the Febreze Home Collection, the No-Spill Wood Diffuser, combines everything you love about WoodWick diffuser technology and Febreze scents, offering a unique fragrance experience. The scented oil is drawn up through the dowel into the wood top, creating a hassle-free way to freshen your home. I keep this one in my bedroom because it adds a nice touch of classy decor and smells relaxing! If you’re looking to add character to your décor, then the Febreze Flameless Luminary is for you! The Febreze Flameless Luminary has interchangeable shade styles and the refreshing atmosphere of a burning candle without the danger of a flame. For a limited time, you can fill your home with the newest scent, Honeysuckle Orchid. I was so impressed when I turned it on. It really gave a relaxing candle-like glow. I actually fooled some of my friends who thought it was a candle! The scents last for about a week. You know how you get used to a scent though. My friends said "it smells good in here" after a couple weeks. **Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information and gift card to give away were all sponsored by Febreze and MyBlogSpark

Shabby Apple Review and Discount

I recently had the opportunity to try an online retailer of fabulous ladies clothing, ShabbyApple.com. I'm always looking for fashion I can multipurpose from a day at the office to a night on the town. That's hard to do. My personal style is definitely more flirty at night than in the office (although that's probably a good thing).

Visiting Shabby Apple was just the answer I needed. What I love most about their collection of dresses, is the vintage twist on modern silhouettes. After browsing the site, I believe nearly all of these pieces can make a strong impression in the office, then spiced up with accessories and higher heels for an evening event. 

Customer reviews on the site implied the sized run big so I decided to go with a size smaller than I usually wear. Once I received my garment, it was still a little too roomy. Returning and exchanging was easy! Which is such a plus since that's why I'm usually hesitant to buy clothes online. And as an added bonus- they have maternity clothes!!

The Shabby Apple has been gracious enough to offer all my lovely readers 10% off! Just use the coupon code madmom2141 at checkout. How cool is that!?

I'd LOVE to hear back to see if you checked out the site or made a purchase! I think this is one of my new favorites!

NEW Rockin' Green Winner

Our first winner for the Rockin' Green giveaway never claimed their prize! This makes me feel kinda bad. I know that if I won a fabulous prize, I'd be so disappointed if I forgot to claim it :(

But we really had a ton of entries, so there's always room for another lucky winner!

And the new lucky winner of Rockin' Green Soap is...

Adam's Blankie! Please, please, please contact me via email (I'll email you too) by Thursday, July 8th to claim your fabulous prize!

Congrats! And please remember, when you enter a giveaway, leave your contact info so I can try to hunt you down if you win :)

Good Earth Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Shanna7313 - You're the lucky winner of the fabulous Good Earth prize pack! Thanks again to My BlogSpark who has been sending absolutely fabulous prizes, and of course Good Earth for their tasty dinners!

Shanna7313 - please contact me via email by Thursday, July 8th at 7:00 pm EST to claim your prize.

Thanks to all who entered! 

Rockin Green Giveaway Winner

Thank you so much for everyone who entered! Cali and I are so excited about the overwhelming success of this giveaway!

I won't keep you waiting in anticipation any longer...

Congratulations, Paige! She's the lucky winner of Rockin' Green detergent! Please contact me via email by Tuesday, July 6, 2010 to claim your Rockin' prize!

Again, thanks to all who entered and keep your eyes peeled for another cloth diapering giveaway coming soon!

~Cali & Amanda (aka The Mad Moms)

Good Earth Dinner Giveaway

When dinner means tons of pots and pans and mixing or chopping for hours, sometimes dining out seems tempting. Now with new Good Earth TM dry dinner kits, you can have restaurant taste without the restaurant wait and still have a wholesome dinner.

With appetizing entrées from Good Earth, dining in is made easy! Enjoy cooking a sophisticated, restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home. Each variety includes vibrant and flavorful sauces along with specialty ingredients like sweet basil, white wine and dried tomatoes. Delicious dinners that allow you to keep a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing taste, Good Earth dry dinner kits are perfect for whipping up a no-fail, five-star cuisine in less than 30 minutes.

100% whole grain, no trans fat, no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives, no MSG - just add meat and, voila! Dinner is served.

Coming to stores this month, Good Earth dry dinner kits offer a selection of four delectable meals: Mediterranean Chicken with angel hair pasta, Spicy Citrus Glazed Shrimp with angel hair pasta, Herb Crusted Chicken with mushroom risotto and Tuscan Chicken with penne pasta.

My BlogSpark recently gave me the opportunity to taste this new product. For those of you who have been reading a while, you know that I'm a BIG fan of easy-prep meals! This one is definitely a winner!

At first I was a little worried that it wasn't going to be enough food. The package of wholegrain pasta seemed so tiny. I'm all for portion control, but this looked like I'd be left hungry. Boy was I wrong. This little box exploded into a delicious and bountiful meal! I couldn't believe how much food it made!

I had the Mediterranean Chicken. It tasted as fabulous as my favorite Italian restaurant! I was even very proud of myself for making such a tastey dinner!


You have the chance to win a Good Earth gift pack that includes a Good Earth Mediterranean Chicken dry dinner kit, two sets of bamboo flatware, two bamboo dishes, a bamboo utility board and a 100% recyclable grocery tote. This is one of the cutest prize packs I've seen!
 
 *Disclosure* product, gift pack, information and additional gift pack to give away were all provided by Good Earth and MyBlogSpark.

Here's how to enter. Please make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry!

 Giveaway ends July 5th, 2010 at 7:00 pm EST. Good luck and thanks for entering!

Initial Entry:
Which Good Earth meal would you like to try?

1 Extra Entry:
Follow my blog or subscribe to the RSS feed. Please leave a separate comment that you did!

1 Extra Entry:
Tweet this giveaway, include @MadMomMission and a link to this giveaway, and post a link to the Tweet here. (limit once per day)

1 Extra Entry:
Become a Fan of The Mad Mom on Facebook. Leave a comment that you did so.

2 Extra Entries: Blog about this contest with a link back to this Giveaway! Don't forget to put a link to your post here!

Sex and the City Soundtrack Makes Girls Night Complete

As moms, we can all use a good night out (or in) with our girlfriends. I'm usually pretty skeptical when it comes to feature film soundtracks. They seem to have a bunch of songs that are perfect for the movie, but just not something I would listen to on my own. 

This is not the case with the Sex and the City 2 soundtrack. Tracks on this CD are the perfect soundtrack for getting ready - which as women, getting ready for a night with the girls can be a production in itself! 

And for those SJP fans out there, you now have a chance to win a phone call from Sarah Jessica herself!

Soundtrack to Strut Your Stuff!

 

1. Alicia Keys “Rapture”
2. Dido “Everything to Lose”
3. Cee Lo “Language of Love”
4. Erykah Badu “Window Seat”
5. Natacha Atlas “Kidda”
6. Michael McGregor “Euphrates Dream”
7. Liza Minnelli “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”

8. Ricki-Lee "Can't Touch It"

9. Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down"

10. Jennifer Hudson and Leona Lewis "Love Is Your Color"

11. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon “I Am Woman”

12. Sex and the City Men’s Choir “If Ever I Would Leave You”

13. Sex and the City Men’s Choir “Sunrise, Sunset”

14. Sex and the City Men’s Choir “Till There Was You”

15.  Shayna Steele, Jordan Ballard, Kamilah Marshall “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”

16.  Liza Minnelli with Billy Stritch “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”

17.  Cyndi Lauper “True Colors”

18.  Aaron Zigman “Divas and Dunes” 

 

Now that you've all had the chance to see the movie, party like a diva and order your Sex and the City 2 soundtrack!

Cali's Rockin' Her First Giveaway

Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent

I know I mentioned it in my intro, but I am a cloth diapering mama.  While that on its own is an entirely different blog entry, it is how I found what I am about to tell you all about.  Laundry detergent!  HOORAY!  Only mom would get excited about laundry detergent.  When using cloth diapers, you must be careful how you care for them and that includes washing.  You can’t use many of the main stream detergents. Certain dyes, enzymes and scents leave buildup that will make your diaper repel moisture, which is obviously the opposite of what you want in a diaper right?  That buildup will also attract and trap dirt, again the opposite of what you want, for anything you wash.  My search for that perfect detergent led me to Rockin’ Green; it is everything I was looking for, and MORE.   

First off, it’s not only safe for cloth diapers, but it is obviously good for your everyday laundry; secondly it smells amazing!  It makes one of my least favorite chores, delicious!  It is phosphate free so what makes it good for sensitive skin also makes it a good choice for the planet!  Did I mention it smells deliciously amazing?  It comes in three formulas: Soft Rock for those that have soft water, Classic Rock for those that are in the middle, and Hard Rock for those of us that have hard water. 

Now for the fun (and incredibly embarrassing part).   I know a lot of you are thinking “okay great, it’s good for cloth diapers, I don’t use cloth diapers”.  My first challenge… How do I relate to everyone?  I know… SHEETS!  Everyone uses multiple sets of sheets for you and your little ones.  So I filled up my bathtub and “Rocked a Soak” with my Rockin’ Green.  What is that?  Well it’s simple; I soaked our sheets in our tub with three tablespoons of the detergent.  Rockin’ Green will pull all that buildup from detergent, minerals from the water, and well… just plain dirt. First I ran our sheets through a quick cycle in the washing machine with my old detergent, just for good measure so they are just as clean as they would be for anyone else trying Rockin’ Green after another detergent.   The results were, well… amazingly, embarrassingly, disgusting!  My sheets after only a half hour into a soak:

You can soak in your tub like I did, or just in your machine.  The website has a great guide as how to rock a soak, and how to use it depending on your machine.  Now if you will excuse me, I must go clean my tub after all that!   A little birdie told me that maybe just maybe Rockin’ Green will have something for that soon, in the form of an all purpose spray cleaner. 

So wanna try some Rockin’ Green on your stuff?  Well we will pick one lucky reader to get a bag just for them! Here's how to enter:

Giveaway ends Friday, July 2nd at 7:00 pm EST. Good luck and thanks for entering!

Mandatory Entry:

1. To enter go to the website at http://rockingreensoap.com/  Take a look around and let us know what scent you want to try and if you have soft or hard water. 

Bonus entries:

1.  Like Rockin’ Green on Facebook  (I recommend checking out the pictures of things other fans have soaked)

2.  Become a follower of this blog or subscribe via RSS

3.  Like The Mad Mom on Facebook

4.  Do something “green” and come back here and tell us about it.  Two entries if you post a picture of it!

Tell us what you want to Rock a Soak on!

Soft Scrub Total Bath

I have a whole lot of raving to do about this product! Just a couple weeks ago, actually it was the weekend I was hosting a bachelorette party, my bathtub drain totally plugged up. It was disgusting. Not only was the water not draining, but nasty water was coming back up into the tub whenever the water was running in the bathroom sink.

After three full days of nasty, mucky, rusty looking water spewing back into my tub, we had finally figured out a fix. The water drained within a matter of minutes. The aftermath was terrible. A rust colored ring of filth lined the tub. I just couldn't wait to get in and scrub it clean... Yes, that was total sarcasm...

The ring of rust colored filth was on top of all the other day-to-day grime that builds up which made it look like even more of a challenge to clean. Naturally, as a mom, my first thought was "I have to bath my baby in that!" Immediately after the water drained and we were sure the problem was fixed, I reached for the Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl. Knowing that my last experience was so effortless, I thought this would be the perfect time to really put it to the test! I figured it would at least get the really grimey stuff off, but I'd have to kick in a little elbow grease to get the rest of the job done.

That wasn't the case at all. I really wish my computer wasn't busted at the time because I would have uploaded tons of pictures! Using the foam spray, I coated the gunk. Then switched the nozzle to spray the bottom of the tub with a fine mist. Given the severity of the filth, I let the cleanser sit to work it's magic for a couple minutes.

I got myself ready, sleeves rolled up, heavy duty scrub brush out, abrasive Ajax cleaner on deck. With one swipe of the rag, the mess was gone. All that anticipation. All that preparation for a bathroom cleaning nightmare... Gone... Just wiped the surface of the tub, rinsed, and it looked brand-spanking-new!

Another reason to rave about Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl is because of the staying power. This cleaning miracle took place on May 16th. Just this Wednesday, two and a half weeks later, my mother came over to watch the baby while I was out on business. She commented how good my tub looked! I couldn't believe it! Me, the person who hates to clean and rarely does it, still has a great looking tub after all that time! And yes, we do shower and bath regularly!

So tomorrow, my mom is going out to purchase this amazing bathroom cleaner and I'm going to demonstrate how effortless it really is! I'll try to take a video- if she'll let me tape her bathroom :)


Get the coupons!

baseline Jewelry Review and Giveaway

Inspired by architecture + design, the environment, and our ever-emerging culture, baseline is a combination of jewelry and modern home goods. Jewelry and home goods are created from a broad range of materials including: metals, vintage + modern glass beads, semi-precious stones, fabrics, wool felt, and other inherited, gathered, and salvaged materials. 

baseline is a product of a lifetime of creativity and inspiration from someone I've known most of my life. Since kindergarten, Susan has been one of the most artistically gifted people I've known. She combines her creative instincts with sleek and modern design elements to create her truly unique jewelry line. Each piece is handcrafted

"I appreciate design on a multitude of scales. While I work full-time as an architect, I enjoy the intricate and delicate process of jewelry and sewing. I feel that simple, clean lines of architecture have translated into many of my pieces."

Her jewelry making started back in grade school with the ever popular friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss. It’s always been something that she enjoyed to make for herself, family, and friends- but it wasn’t until college that she used making jewelry as a means to earn a small income (mostly for architecture supplies and beer). In recent years, Susan has also created numerous home goods- pillows, tea towels, and recycled glass vases among others.  

"Today, I have become an active member of the Cleveland Handmade community and have had the opportunity to participate in numerous local fundraisers, handmade markets, and arts/cultural events."
 

I am so honored to have to opportunity to share baseline's exclusive designs with you! Susan has graciously provided a pair of stunning freshwater pearl earrings to giveaway to one lucky reader! This would make a truly fabulous Mother's Day gift! The earrings for the giveaway are varying purple freshwater pearls on gunmetal chain with hand- oxidized sterling silver ear wires. The length of the earrings is approximately 1.25” from the top of the ear wire. 

Here's how to enter! Giveaway ends at 7:00 pm EST, Friday, May 7, 2010. Good luck!


Remember- leave a separate comment for each entry!

Required: Visit baseline.etsy.com and leave a comment about which pair of earrings is your favorite

1 Extra Entry: Become a Facebook Fan of baseline




1 Extra Entry: Tweet this giveaway: Enter to win handmade earrings from baseline and @MadMomMission!


10 Extra Entries: Purchase any item from baseline

1 Extra Entry: Become a follower of this blog or subscribe via RSS 


1 Extra Entry: Become a Facebook Fan of The Mad Mom Blog

Hellmann's Real Food Project

You may remember when I announced the Hellmann's Holiday Helpings site last holiday season. Now my favorite celebrity chef, Bobby Flay, partnered with Becky, I mean, actress/mom Lori Loughlin are unveiling the  Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise Real Food Project on Hellmanns.com, a comprehensive online resource offering tips and ideas on how to create real meals made with Real Food.
 
Because videos are great for multi-tasking moms, The Real Food Project features a series of entertaining how-to tutorials, hosted by Bobby Flay, to give us tools and techniques to prepare great-tasting, at-home meals for our families. I know this is a Rachel Ray saying but- Yumm-O! 

Just by visiting www.Hellmanns.com, you can access a wide range of recipes, including sandwiches, entrees and side dishes, all designed to please picky palates. There are even chances to win great prizes like a kitchen essentials bundle, Bobby Flay Grill It and Hellmann's® and Best Foods® products by playing the "Wheel of Real" instant win game and entering the Real Food Sweepstakes. Prizes include a $500 grocery gift card (who couldn't use that!?) and a gas grill so you can be grillin' in style just like Bobby Flay!


The Real Food Project is even integrated with Twitter and Facebook so you can join in and be a part of the conversation! So hop on over to Hellmanns.com and check out the Real Food Project!

"Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Hellmann's® prize package in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place."

Yoplait Smoothie Giveaway Winner

Congrats to KarenMed409! This lucky lady won her very own Yoplait Smoothie Prize Pack provided by Yoplait and MyBlogSpark!

Thanks to all who entered! My Fiber One giveaway ends tonight! Good luck!

Fiber One 90 Calorie Fiber Bars Giveaway

With my busy schedule, it's hard to find time to eat right. I often find my diet void of any real nutritional value, which usually ends up leaving me hungry just a short time after I've eaten. Luckily, there’s a new solution for you! New Fiber One® 90 Calorie Chewy Bars can help you satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your diet or your daily routine.

Available in flavors you’ll love, including chocolate and chocolate peanut butter, Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Bars contain 2.5 grams of fat. In addition, each serving is packed with five grams of fiber (20 percent of the daily recommended fiber intake, according to the Institute of Medicine), which can help keep you full, making sticking to a diet easier.

These new 90 calories fiber bars may not sound enticing - but just think of the Fiber One commercials - "There's no cardboard in this." They actually do taste great! My Blog Spark sent me one package of the new 90 calorie treats. They are enough to satisfy my sweet tooth (which believe me, is a tough feat!) and I didn't feel guilty after eating it! Even though they're just 90 calories, these tasty fiber bars are filling enough to keep me full until mealtime! perfect mid-morning snack! 


These bars definitely help me stay "on the wagon" when it comes to my weight management. I'm a constant offender of visiting the vending machine and grabbing the most high calorie/low nutrition snack in it! 

My Blog Spark would like to pass the excitement on to you! Enter for your chance to win a Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Bars gift pack that includes a sample of the new Fiber One 90 Calorie Chocolate Chewy Bars and some great items to help you stick to your weight management plan (including a water bottle, tips book, pedometer, and more)! 


Initial Entry:
Leave a comment here - Share one tip for managing your weight - losing and maintaining!

1 Extra Entry:
Follow my blog or subscribe to the RSS feed. Please leave a separate comment that you did!

1 Extra Entry:
Follow @MadMomMission on Twitter (comment here with your Twitter ID)

1 Extra Entry:
Tweet this giveaway, include @MadMomMission and a link to this giveaway, and post a link to the Tweet here. (limit once per day)

2 Extra Entries:
Become a Fan of The Mad Mom on Facebook. Leave a comment that you did so.

 2 Extra Entries:
Blog about this contest with a link back to this Giveaway! Don't forget to put a link to your post here!

Giveaway ends February 19, 2010 at 7:00 pm EST. Thanks for entering and good luck! 

*Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Bars, information, prize pack, and giveaway have been provided by Fiber One and MyBlogSpark*

Yoplait Smoothie Review and Giveaway

Did you know seven out of 10 Americans do not consume the daily recommended amount of fruit? I know I definitely fall into that statistic! I was very excited when asked to try Yoplait's new frozen smoothies! Each Yoplait Smoothie contains a full serving of fruit as well as real Yoplait yogurt pieces with live & active cultures. Yoplait Smoothies are a good source of calcium when prepared with milk according to directions, and an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C. Yoplait’s new Frozen Smoothies go from freezer to fabulous in minutes!

Simply add milk to a Yoplait freezer package, blend, and in less than two minutes you can enjoy a nutritious and delicious smoothie guilt free! At 110 calories per serving, Yoplait Frozen Smoothies make creating the at-home smoothie convenient, simple and worry free. 

Theses frozen treats come in three flavors and are refreshing even during these cold winter months! Sometimes I steer away from smoothies because some of them are bitter, some of them are too icy, but not Yoplait's! They're perfectly blended with chunks of real fruit and yogurt! I even gave some to my little guy to sneak in some extra fruit without making him sit down for a snack!

If you'd like to give this a try, click here for a coupon to save $1.25 off one package of Yoplait Frozen Smoothies today!

Enter for your chance to win Yoplait Frozen Smoothie gift pack, which includes a coupon for FREE Yoplait Smoothies and a single-serving blender to make your fruit smoothies. The blender is a steal in itself! It's small enough to make one serving and not have to lug out the big blender!

Initial Entry:
Leave a comment here - What is your favorite smoothie??

1 Extra Entry:
Follow my blog or subscribe to the RSS feed. Please leave a separate comment that you did!

1 Extra Entry:
Follow @MadMomMission on Twitter (comment here with your Twitter ID)

1 Extra Entry:
Tweet this giveaway, include @MadMomMission and a link to this giveaway, and post a link to the Tweet here. (limit once per day)

2 Extra Entries:
Become a Fan of The Mad Mom on Facebook. Leave a comment that you did so.

 2 Extra Entries:
Blog about this contest with a link back to this Giveaway! Don't forget to put a link to your post here!

Giveaway ends February 18, 2010 at 7:00 pm EST. Thanks for entering and good luck! 

*VIP coupon, prize pack, coupon link, information, and giveaway have been provided by Yoplait and MyBlogSpark.*

Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl Review

If you haven't noticed the large Soft Scrub logo to the right of this post by now, I'll be the first to let you know that I've recently been chosen as a Soft Scrub Club Captain. This means that I'll get to test products (even ones that haven't hit the shelves yet) and let you know how I like them. This is not a paid opportunit and all of the opinions in the Soft Scrub reviews are 100% my own. The first product I had the opportunity to try as a part of this program was the new Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl.

Soft Scrub Total's unique nozzle is fun to use! It delivers a full-coverage spray or just flip the screen closed for a deep-cleaning foam. It's even easy to use to get all those weird angles inside the toilet and tub because it works upside down!

If you know me personally, you know that I'm not one to get excited about cleaning. I actually dislike trying new cleaning products because they rarely do the trick of shortening the time I spend scrubbing out the bathtub. That's why I thought the Soft Scrub Captain opportunity sounded like a perfect opportunity to try new cleaning products and give a totally honest review. Soft Scrub's new Total Bath & Bowl is just what the doctor ordered. My sister heard me literally yelling from the bathroom, "OMG this actually does work!"

I need not look far for a dirty bathroom to clean. Ok, start with the tub - that's usually the toughest. All I had to do was wipe away the soap scum. It was amazing. This product actually makes it fun to clean. My husband had to jump in on the fun, too. He was really going to town! Who knew?

So here are the results. You can see my sparkling clean shower wall on the right. And on the left, yes, that's soap scum being eaten away by Soft Scrub Total.

I am totally excited about this product and can't wait for more fun and powerful cleaning products from Soft Scrub! Give it a try and save $1.50 with a coupon here.

Cereal Lovers Rejoice: General Mills Slashes Sugar!

CORRECTION: General Mills hasn't  lowered sugar to single digit grams just yet. (No wonder I couldn't taste the difference!) Stay tuned. I'm still interested to see if I can still satisfy my sweet tooth with a nice bowl of cereal!

I am a cereal lover. Maybe the term "lover" isn't quite strong enough. I could eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of my life. General Mills recently announced that their much loved cereals are now lower in sugar. Say what?! You mean, I can eat something sweet and not feel all that guilty?

When General Mills sent me coupons to try the new lower sugar cereal, I surely picked the most sugar-filled, sweetest tasting cereals I could find! I really wanted to put them to the test. I'm a sweets-freak. To me, cereal is like eating cookies and cake for breakfast- without the added guilt/fat/cavities. I selected Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Reese's Puffs, and Frosted Cheerios (hey, we're testing sweetness here, people).

I thought for sure, the Cinnamon Toast Crunch would be the true test- after all, there's "real cinnamon and sugar in every bite!" The final verdict on all three cereals was NO DIFFERENCE! I'm so excited! Now, for just 10 grams of sugar per serving, I can enjoy my Cinnamon Toast Crunch and not feel guilty for giving it to my little one!

You know they don't just say "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" for nothing. Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets.


Other cereal benefits:

• Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.
• Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.
• More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals. Breakfast is important, wake up from good grains and sweet flavors, not a sugar high!

Hellmann's Real Holiday Helpings Giveaway WINNER

Congratulations lmurley2000!

You're the lucky winner of a $25 AmEx gift card from the Hellmann's Holiday Helpings program!

Thank you to each and every person who entered! A special thanks for making this my most successful giveaway yet! Stay tuned for the next Mad Mom giveaway!

Hellmann's Real Holiday Helpings Giveaway

For most moms, multi-tasking is second nature. We heal boo-boos while making dinner, type one-handed while feeding the baby with the other. One instance where we want to avoid pulling double duty? In the kitchen - especially during the holidays!


If you're like me and seem to always end up heating up chicken nuggets to please the little ones, here's the perfect solution for you! To help parents prepare Real Food they can feel good about serving the whole family this holiday season, Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise has teamed up with one of my Food Network favorites - critically acclaimed chef, author, Food TV personality Bobby Flay to create the "Real Holiday Helpings" program on http://www.hellmanns.com/ and http://www.bestfoods.com/.
 

By visiting the site you can find recipes and tips for how to easily prepare Real Food that tastes great and is made from simple ingredients including Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise (made with eggs, oil and vinegar). There are even some really great recipes to use up those holiday leftovers! My favorite would have to be the Sweet Potato Green Onion Fritters. YUM! You can also watch video demonstrations that showcase stand-out holiday dishes. While you're at it, don't forget to enter the Real Holiday Helpings Giveaway for the chance to win a year's supply of groceries!
 
Hellmann's wants to give you an extra helping for the holidays! As a part of the Hellmann's Real Holiday Helpings program I was sent a $25 American Express gift card to help with holiday food shopping. Hellmann's wants to "spread" the cheer to my readers!
 
Enter to WIN a $25 American Express gift card. Here are the entry details. Contest ends at 7:00 pm EST on Friday, December 18, 2009. Remember to add a separate comment for each entry! Good luck!
 
Initial Entry:

Leave a comment here about your favorite holiday dish!

1 Extra Entry:
Follow my blog or subscribe to the RSS feed. Please leave a separate comment that you did!

1 Extra Entry:
Follow @MadMomMission on Twitter (comment here with your Twitter ID)

1 Extra Entry:
Tweet this giveaway and post a link to the Tweet here. (limit once per day) Just copy and paste! Win a $25 AmEx gift card! Hellmann's Real Holiday Helpings giveaway! http://ow.ly/KMR6

2 Extra Entries:
Become a Fan of The Mad Mom on Facebook. Leave a comment that you did so.

3 Extra Entries:
Blog about this contest with a link back to this Giveaway! Don't forget to post a link to your post here!