July 12, 2010

If You’ve Got Smart Taste, You’ll Love Ronzoni

Have you tried Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta? You should. It’s delicious. And it’s good for you.

Yes, we really did garnish our pasta with green onions — it was fabulous.

While I’ve always been a fan of whole-wheat pasta (I blame it on my obsession with carbs and not eating many of them), this brand really does taste just like the plain old semolina our mothers and grandmothers bought.  I can’t tell the difference between the two.

Getting our kids to eat better quality and healthier foods can be a major challenge.  Our lives are busy and it’s easier to pick whatever is available, but switching to Ronzoni is a small step to better health.

If you’d like to try Ronzoni Smart Taste, click here to get a coupon for 75 cents off.

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Ronzoni and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review and photo contest entry. In addition, I received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

June 20, 2010

Infantino: Baby Gear You’ll Love

I’ve been working with the fabulous consultants at Mom Central for quite some time and was offered the opportunity to test drive some awesome baby products from Infantino. I’m on my second go-round of motherhood and while I saved most of the gear I used with Dawson, I realized how worn out it had become because he played hard with his toys.

Infantino sent three products for us to try: the Twist & Fold Activity Gym, the Fold & Go Bouncer, and the Jumbo Wheel Play Space.  When the box arrived I was very excited to rip it open and see what was inside.  My first impression was very positive.  These products are bright and colorful without being too busy and over-stimulating.  I love the jungle themed activity mat with the lion, monkey and elephant hanging down from the crossbars.  Owen loves the activity gym as evidenced here:

Infantino Fold & Go Activity Gym

The Jumbo Wheel Play Space is so much fun!  There are so many things that grab his attention, from the rings to the squeaker in the elephant’s hat, to the crinkly ears on the elephant and monkey.  Check out this happy baby:

He is fascinated with mirrors and both these toys include them in the fun. My little loves to look at “the baby” in the mirror. It’s even more fun when he catches a glimpse of Mommy, Daddy or Big Brother Dawson in it, too. We took this wheel mat to the park with us and five other moms commented on how big the play space is and how much they love the colors.

Lastly, we received the bouncer. Owen is just growing too quickly; the chunky monkey barely fits in the seat, but he still loves the toy bar and the vibrating chair:

I love that this bouncer can go anywhere! It folds flat and fits nicely in the trunk (along with the stroller and diaper bag and every other baby item imaginable!). It has soothing vibrations, and by pressing a button you get a heartbeat and 2 nature sounds as well as three different melodies and volume control. This bouncer is full of options for being so compact!

My best friend recently gave birth to her first child and I’ve recommended Infantino products to her because I truly believe that Infantino puts a lot of thought into their products. Not only do they care about our precious babies, but they come up with unique designs and features that appeal to us picky parents, too. Kudos to you, Infantino!

For more information about these products click the links above or visit www.infantino.com.

May 19, 2010

Sonicare: Making Brushing Easier for Kids

When it’s time for Dawson to brush his teeth, getting him to do it properly is like…well, pulling teeth.  He insists on doing it himself, but he hates the way toothpaste tastes so he rushes through the routine of dental hygiene.

Enter Sonicare for kids.  Dentists recommend that kids brush a minimum of two minutes twice daily.  To make teeth brushing more fun Sonicare created a power toothbrush, designed for kids ages 4-10, that offers patented sonic technology and other cool features.

We had the opportunity to try the Sonicare toothbrush thanks to the folks at Mom Central.  When it arrived I cracked open the package and told Dawson he had a new, fun toothbrush to try.  He was less than thrilled, but after charging the battery we tested it out.

The toothbrush itself is made of sturdy rubber with an ergonomic handle.  It offers two brush head sizes to clean teeth at key developmental stages (one for kids 4+ years, another for kids 7+ years). The sonic technology creates powerful yet gentle vibrations to aid in reaching between teeth and along the gum line in two power modes (high and low).  The KidTimer feature sets brushing time for the different modes. High power mode uses 30-second intervals for the full dentist-recommended 2 minutes of brushing.  In low power mode, brushing duration slowly increases from 1 minute to 2. This helps young children gradually reach 2 minutes of brushing. Time increases every time a full brushing cycle is completed.

The Sonicare brush offers 3 changeable face plates making it easy for kids to personalize their toothbrush, and a charging station with brush head holder.

Dawson likes the Sonicare brush better than his regular toothbrush.  The KidTimer helps him to gage how long to brush and the KidPacer makes it easier for me to be certain his teeth and gums are truly clean.  I am very impressed with this product.  It’s unique compared to other products like the spin brushes on the market.

For more information, visit the Sonicare website.

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I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Sonicare and received a free Sonicare For Kids toothbrush to facilitate my review.

April 19, 2010

Over or Under?

When it comes to toilet paper, my husband considers himself and expert.  He’s rather picky about toilet paper, actually.  It can’t be too expensive, it must be 2-ply, it has to be absorbent without leaving “lint” behind.  Pun intended.  Funny thing is, he never changes the toilet paper roll.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves.  I cringe when I enter the bathroom and find and empty roll still on the holder, and a new roll of paper on the toilet tank.  I mean seriously, how lazy do you have to be? If you are already sitting down… I digress.  Moving on.

When I was asked by Mom Central to participate in a review of Cottonelle toilet paper I jumped at the chance.  My plan was to have my husband write the review, considering how much he loves to debate the best brand of TP.  But again, the laziness.

We received 4 rolls of Cottonelle and when the box arrived I promptly rolled under.  I know.  I KNOW. Most people roll over. I am in the 28% who do not roll over, but I wasn’t always an under roller.  Before kids, I rolled the paper over.  I have only one reason for the switch:  if I roll it over, my son will use a lot of toilet paper.  He’s five.  He doesn’t understand the rules of TP.  When I roll under, he doesn’t seem to be able to grab an excessive amount of toilet paper.

Regardless of your rolling preference, Cottonelle toilet paper will accommodate over and under rolling.  This toilet paper is soft and super absorbent.  It’s a strong, textured paper.  It met all of my husband’s requirements.

The best thing about this Cottonelle is that it’s made by Kimberly-Clark, and we have a KC mill in my hometown.  After trying this brand I think I’ll buy it more often, especially since I know it will boost the local economy.  And of course, who can resist the fun of the Great Debate.  Tell me:  Over or Under?

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I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Cottonelle and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.