Send Love in a Lunchbox with Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats

One of my favorite after school snacks when I was a kid were Rice Krispie Treats.  There’s just something special about the warm, ooey-gooey sugary goodness that puts a smile on your face, right?  Back then (more years than I would like to admit), we couldn’t take the treats to school because there really was no good way to transport them in my lunchbox.  But through modern advancements, single serving size Rice Krispie Treats are now available individually packaged! Genius!  Now, every kid can bring along a yummy treat in their lunchbox!

PhotobucketWhile there is no improving the recipe (don’t mess with perfection, right?), Kellogg’s has improved on the packaging of the marshmallow treat.  As a Mom of a daughter in Kindergarten, I love to send little notes in her lunchbox to remind her that I am thinking of her during the day.  But I know, at some point in her life, that will become sooooo uncool.  But, Kellogg’s has designed new writable packaging on the Rice Krispie treats which allow Moms to scribble little thoughts and love notes for their child without being as obvious as a “note from home.”  The new packaging has been a ton of fun for me and my daughter this week.  Some of the notes I wrote included warm fuzzies such as “Big hugs and kisses!” and little inside jokes such as “Take out that blankie!“  I know you don’t get that last one, but like I said, it’s an inside joke! Another great use for the writable Rice Krispie Treats would be to leave little reminders for your child such as “Turn in your Homework!” or “Don’t forget to eat your veggies!“  I have even considered sending them in my husband’s lunchbox, too!

I would definitely purchase the new Rice Krispie Treats in the writable packaging at my local grocery.  My family and I not only love the taste, but have a ton of fun with the new packaging!  Send a love note that will be sure to satisfy their sweet tooth!

This review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a different experience with the product.  Although I was compensated for this post, all opinions remain 100% mine.

Get Moving with the PlayStation Move!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PlayStation(R) Move. All opinions are 100% mine.

My five year old daughter is just starting to really get into the gaming scene.  She already has several requests for Santa!  As a Mom, I am concerned about allowing her to get too involved with video games as I would rather see her engage in creative, active play.  However, after learning about the PlayStation(R)MOVE, I am more willing to let her give it a try!

Playtation Move LogoBy using the PlayStation Move Eye Camera and the motion controller, the system translates your every move into an awesome interactive experience.  You become the video game allowing for more active play!  Not only are there great games for kids such as EyePet (your own virtual family pet), but there is something for every age and intrest.  My husband would love to live out his dream by playing Rock Star 3 (and we would love to watch him play)!  And I know my girls and I would enjoy strutting our stuff with the new SingSong Dance.  I can really picture the PlayStation Move encouraging us to have more quality family time and a ton of fun!  The PlayStation Move is a great way to introduce gaming to my kindergarten child while including the whole family and getting everyone off the couch.

Beginning Sepember 17th, you can purchase the entire PlayStation Move gaming system, but for $99 you can also purchase the motion bundle to convert your existing PlayStation 3 to the Move! 

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WINNERS!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the following contests!  Congrats to all the recent winners!

Little Grips:  Jennifer T.

Scentsy Plug-In:  Kara P.

Nature Valley: Diane

Dominos gift card:  Jessie C.

Dove Men’s Care: Cynthia

Carolina Pad:  Laura D.

Sesame Street USB:  Nicole

O Cedar ProMist:  Traci S. and Stephanie

Cracker Barrel Rocking Chair:  Lori A.

Name Crosses:  Jennifer

Tie Buddies:  Thao

Orange Circle Studio: Jana

FoldTuk Roaster:  Donna B.

The winners will be emailed shortly.  Please review my winner’s policy and claim your prize accordingly.

Thanks!

This Little Piggy’s House: Review and Giveaway

hypothesis The cardboard playhouse from This Little Piggy’s House will provide my daughters with hours of imaginative and creative play while being sturdy enough to last longer than the traditional cardboard box.

materials

One Little Playhouse I, crayons and two very excited little girls ready to play!  About the This Little Piggy’s House:

Our children’s early years are an important time, passing with the blink of an eye. We believe that it is important for us, as parents, to nurture our children, and to help them learn by engaging in activities together.  We are committed to designing and producing environmentally-friendly product that encourage this interaction.

This Little Piggy’s House is an arts-and-crafts project that you can build together, and enjoy together, through hours of imaginative play.  For older children, this house provides a blank canvas to draw, color, and customize!”

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Have you ever bought a ton of birthday gifts for your child only to find they were more interested in playing with the boxes?  I have definitely been there!  So why not let them play with the box?  This Little Piggy’s House is a well constructed cardboard box turned playhouse.  Requiring no glue or tape during assembly, the playhouse is the so detailed and just adorable.

PhotobucketWhen the playhouse arrived, my girls could not wait to begin!  My husband put the house together in just 10 minutes while my daughters starting making decorating plans.  I was very impressed with the quality of materials, construction and overall design.  The playhouse has a front and back door, window, flower box and chimney which creates lots of room for imaginative play.

PhotobucketOnce the playhouse was assembled, my daughters started coloring the roof blue and the walls pink!  They spent at least an hour working together to design their new “home.”  After the colors were complete, the play began.  The house does not fit both kids at once, but they were great at taking turns on who lived in the house and who was the visitor.

Overall, we loved the Little Playhouse!  It was easy to assemble, sturdy and is still providing my kids with ample opportunity to play together in a creative way.

summary

This Little Piggy’s House creates well designed, fun and detailed cardboard houses.  You can either choose to decorate it yourself or purchase a beautifully handpainted playhouse.  This online store also sells handmade clothes and paper products.

GIVEAWAY

Would you child love to play in a cardboard playhouse?  This Little Piggy’s House as generously donated one Little Playhouse I (kraft/white) to a lucky reader (ARV $59.99)!!

How to enter:

1. Visit This Little Piggy’s House and tell me why your child would love to win this product!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and This Little Piggy’s House (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 7th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to This Little Piggy’s House for supplying the product for review.

PureZone Personal Air Filtration System: Review and Giveaway

hypothesis The Personal Air Filtration System from PureZone will allow my husband to sleep more restfully at night and alleviate his allergy symptoms which can sometimes cause migraine headaches.

materials

One PureZone Personal Air Filtration System which includes a standard size pillowcase, my husband’s favorite pillow and one sneezy hubby.  About PureZone:

PureZone Technologies, LLC is focused on providing clinically validated health care solutions for the millions of people seeking pure, contaminant-free air to breathe. Our patent-pending technology provides a platform for a wide range of products that control air quality in the localized region around a user’s nose and mouth – the breathing zone. The PureZone personal air filtration system is a nighttime allergy relief device that makes any bedroom into a hypo-allergenic sleep zone.”

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My loving hubby, two daughters and I live in New Orleans or as we loving refer to it, Allergy South.  All four of us suffer from seasonal allergies which seem to be worse in the Fall.  Pollen, grass, dust and cat hair seem to be the worst offenders for us.  Of the four of us, my husband suffers the most.  His symptoms generally start with itchy eyes and progress to constant sneezing which sometimes results in a migraine headache.  Because of these symptoms, allergy medication is a way of life in my home.

After watching this PureZone YouTube video, I was more than willing to give it a try.  The PureZone Personal Air Filtration System bedside blower takes in room air through a HEPA filter (eliminating 99.97% of the allergens) and pushes it through a tube which is connected to the included pillowcase encasing your own pillow.  The filtered air is then released through the pillowcase creating a circle of fresh, clean, filtered air surrounding your head while you sleep.  Less allergens near your head=less symptoms=a better night sleep! Check out how we set up the PureZone System in our bedroom:

As you can see,  the system is incredibly easy to set up and use.  It took my husband only minutes to attach the stand to the bedside blower, connect the pillowcase and begin filtering the air.  To be honest, I was a bit concerned about the aesthetics of the PureZone System.  Would my bedroom look like a hospital room with this big, bulky unit near my bed?  I was quite surprised at how compact the unit was and how well we were able to camouflage the bedside blower.  Because of the height of our bed, we did not need to attach it to the mattress, so it sits almost flush with the frame of the bed.  My next concern was the noise, but when my husband turned the unit on, the noise was minimal and almost soothing on the low setting.  My husband’s favorite feature (other than eliminating allergens, of course) is the temperature setting.  He loves cool air and the unit allows him to set the outgoing air to his liking.

After using the Unit for one full week, my husband is still turning it on every night.  He has found that he is waking up less congested which makes for a great start to the day!  As for me, I found a new excuse to snuggle up close to him at night….clean air!

summary

The PureZone Personal Air Filtration System was easy to assemble and operate.  I love that the system allows us to eliminate 99.97% of the air surrounding our heads when sleeping and my husband has definitely felt a difference in his sleep quality.  The System can be purchased directly for $329.00.

Coupon Code

Use code NOTSO50 at checkout to receive $50 off a purchase of the PureZone System!

GIVEAWAY

Would you love to breathe clean, allergen-free air at night?  Do you want to experience the PureZone difference?  PureZone has generously donated one entire system (SRV $329) to one lucky reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit PureZone and tell me why you need this product in your home!  Who would benefit most from the use of this product in your home?

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Pure Zone (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and PureZone on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway using #purezone. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and PureZone on Facebook.  Tell them you saw the PureZone Review on Experimental Mommy!

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on September 29th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to PureZone for supplying the product for review.

Wordless Wednesday

Dance Lessons

First Day of Dancing School!

George Foreman Evolve Grill: Review

hypothesis The new George Foreman Evolve Grill will be a great way to introduce healthier dinner options to my family as well as a way to make cooking fast and easy!

materials

One George Foreman Evolve Grill including two grill plates, 1 mini hamburger plate, 1 deep dish pan and 1 excited husband ready to get his grill on!  About the George Foreman Evolve Grill:

Get the grill that lets you have an entire kitchen of versatility in just one compact appliance! The Evolve™ Grill • Bake • Mini-Burger starts with 4 plates – 2 grill plates, 1 deep-dish bake pan and 1 mini-burger insert – then lets you build your collection with up to 7 additional plates available. It’s the perfect grill for anyone looking to expand their healthy cooking menu without cluttering counters with a lot of extra appliances.”

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My husband and I were married in the year 2000.  One of our wedding gifts was one of the first George Foreman Grills!  We were so excited to cook our first burger on the countertop grill and several months later, we even purchased the one with the bun warmer.  So, when I was asked to review the George Foreman Evolve Grill, I was intrigued.  How far could the George Foreman really “evolve?”  How much can you really do with a countertop grill?

The answer:  A LOT!  I was completely amazed by the versatility of this product.  Not only can you cook the traditional hamburger with all the benefits of the first Foreman grill (the patented slope lets grease run away from your food), but now you can BAKE, too!  The adjustable angle plates allows you to cook flat for even heating.

George Foreman Evolve Grill

We decided to cook some bacon on Sunday for breakfast and tried out the new grill.  We loved the digital time and temperature control so we we able to create  the perfect, crispy bacon!  The next day, we also made mini-hamburgers which are now my husband’s new favorite football food. But my favorite part of the new George Foreman Evolve Grill is that the plates are removable and dishwasher safe!  I hated washing my original George Foreman grill which made me less likely to use it.  But the Evolve is so easy to use and clean up, that there is no excuse to leave it idle in your kitchen.

summary

My husband and I both loved the George Foreman Evolve grill.  The starter set comes with 4 plates, but there are 7 different plates to create maximum versatility.  I would love to get the muffin pans next because the thought of making muffins without having to heat up my oven is heavenly!  The George Foreman Evolve Grill can be purchased on Amazon for $149.99.  For the latest news on George Foreman products, make sure you become a Fan on Facebook!

This post was written for Family Review Network & George Foreman Healthy Cooking who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review.

Pampers Dry Max Technology Raises No Cause for Concern says CPSC

Back in June, I had the opportunity to visit the P&G Headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The purpose of this trip was to meet with the team at Pampers and to learn about the controversy surrounding the new Dry Max technology.  You can see what I learned and my conclusions in my first post.

When I left Pampers, the raw data had been turned over to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for assessment.  I am happy to announce that the CPSC (as well as Health Canada) have not found any evidence that Pampers Dry Max technology is linked to diaper rash of warrants any cause for concern. The official Pampers statement is below:

“After a comprehensive review, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada announced today that they have found no cause linking Pampers Dry Max diapers and reports of diaper rash and other skin conditions. Pampers has welcomed the Commission’s and Health Canada’s thorough review and cooperated fully with them.

“We are thankful that the U.S. CPSC and Health Canada conducted their thorough reviews and have not identified any cause for concern with Pampers with Dry Max,” said Jodi Allen, Vice President of Pampers. “Our heartfelt mission is always to care for and protect babies, and as such, safety is, and will always be, our number one priority. We hope that today’s announcement will reassure the millions of moms and dads and child caregivers who place their trust in Pampers and Dry Max every day. We thank our customers for their continued support and greatly value and appreciate the trust they place in us.

“We truly and deeply sympathize with any parent whose baby is experiencing a diaper rash. Unfortunately, diaper rash is still a very common condition experienced by 2.5 million babies on average at any given time. We are parents ourselves. And it is more clear to us now than ever that we have a responsibility to help parents who desire more detailed information and guidance on skin care and diaper rash.

“To help, we are sponsoring the distribution of comprehensive educational materials produced by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that provide detailed information on the care and treatment of infant skin conditions, including diaper rash. These AAP materials are now available as free brochures and in the summer issue of AAP Healthy Children Magazine through many pediatrician offices, online at www.healthychildren.org, and at pampers.com.

“We promise that we will always put babies’ health and safety first and we encourage any parent or child caregiver with questions to reach out to us at 800/PAMPERS.”

I was not compensated in any way for this post.

NFL Kickoff with Olivia Manning and Febreze!

It’s no secret here at Experimental Mommy that we bleed black and gold!  As our Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints (it’s still really fun to say that!) took the field on Thursday night, this City needed no other reason to party!  Donning my brand new Saints t-shirt, I headed for the French Quarter to walk among the other fans taking in the sights and incredible energy.  Jackson Square looked surreal with the big NFL archways and media cameras lining the streets, but I managed to make my way to Sponsor’s Village to meet with the team at Febreze.

Frebreze, the official air freshener of the NFL, parked their tour bus in the lot adjacent to Jax Brewery in order to help Moms in New Orleans get “Game Day Ready!”  The Febreze Game Day Freshness Tour will drive to NFL stadiums and local events nationwide to help fans freshen up their home for those all important game day parties.

PhotobucketWith a little help from Olivia Manning, the First Lady of Football, we were treated to a full tour of the bus and the Febreze product line.  One of my favorite products demonstrated was the Febreze NOTICEables.  This plug-in freshener includes TWO complimentary scents that alternate to make sure you do not become unaware that it is working.  That is, you NOTICE the scents more because they constantly change!  Olivia recommended using this product in your kitchen after cooking up some seafood gumbo!

One of the newest products is the Febreze Sport Extreme Odor Eliminator.  Olivia said that she wishes she had this product when her boys (you may know them as Peyton and Eli, two Superbowl MVPs!) played high school football.  I had the opportunity to talk to Olivia about her boys, and wanted to share with you a short clip:

Olivia Manning shares many more tips and recipes on how to be Game Day ready on the Febreze Facebook Page!  Make sure you check out the tour dates and see if the bus is coming to a city near you!

Clif Kid Twisted Fruit and ZBaRs: Review and Giveaway

I am fortunate enough to teach at the school my children attend.  I love it, but one of the “cons” is that we don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast most days of the week as I have to hurry to school and that means the kids do too.  I am always eating breakfast on the run and have long relied on Clif Bars to hold me over til lunchtime.  When I was contacted to try Clif Kid products, I was ecstatic!  If you have never heard of Clif Products, you will love learning about all the great things this company is doing for our health and the health of our planet.  From the website:  “We use organic ingredients in all our products.  Food grown organically-without the use of toxic pesticides or synthetic chemicals- is better for the planet, the body, and the soul.  And all our food is free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup.”

Both of my kids are pretty good eaters but I have found that if I have something new I want them to try, instead of announcing it I simply put it in their lunchboxes without saying a word.  So, after getting my delivery from Clif, I put a Strawberry Twisted Fruit in my son’s lunchbox and a S’mores ZBaR in my daughter’s lunch.   When school ended that day, both kids had empty lunchboxes and good things to say about the goodies in them that day.  Nicolas loved the Twisted Fruit and asked if he could have another for a snack.   Emily loved her ZBaR and asked if I would send her one “every day!”  I felt good knowing that my son got a full serving of Organic fruit and some extra Vitamin C and my daughter got a great serving of Organic whole grains and neither got any artificial flavors or preservatives.

Look Mom! No preservatives!

After finishing our sample box we decided that the S’mores and Peanut Butter are our favorite ZBaRs and Strawberry and Grape are the best of the Twisted Fruit.  There are many other tempting flavors for your crew to try!   I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks to fill the pantry with and now that I am familiar with Clif Kid snacks I plan to have them as a staple in our house!

GIVEAWAY

Would you like to try Clif Kid snacks at your house?  The generous people at Clif are offering one of our lucky readers a box of TWO DOZEN assorted Clif Kid Snacks!  If you win, my kids might want to come raid YOUR pantry!  Here’s how to enter:

How to enter:

1. Tell me another Clif product you would love to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Clif (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on September 25th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a different opinion of the product.  A product sample was provided for review, but all opinions remain 100% mine.